Chapter 2-Unfortunate turn of events

"Why in the world would I want to meet with you unless I had a death wish?" said Inuyasha who still stayed in his defensive stance as a necessary precaution in case it was still a trap.

"I know the feelings that burn in your heart Inuyasha I've been watching for sometime through Kanna's mirror. I was hoping we could sort out an...arrangement if you will," said Naraku putting a smile on his face that made Inuyasha highly suspicious.

"What kind of...arrangements are you speaking of?" said Inuyasha who found he was breathing rather heavily.

It was then that both Naraku and Kanna noticed Inuyasha's weakened condition and Naraku decided it wasn't best to discuss business in the area. "We can't discuss it here Inuyasha and do to the nature of your horrible injures, you need to heal someplace safe. Kanna will escort you to a place where both of our presence's can be masked for a short time and we can get down to business while you heal," said Naraku whose face went serious casting aside all forms of suspicion.

"Very well, but if I don't like what I' hearing I'll kill you myself regardless of my injuries," said Inuyasha in a voice so threatening that Kanna silently suspected that Inuyasha could do such a thing.

Naraku probably thought otherwise because his voice and face had stayed calm despite the threat from Inuyasha. "Agreed Inuyasha. Kanna, please escort our guess to the spot where we may meet in a more...private setting," said Naraku whose face left the mirror and only Inuyasha brief reflection remained as he still faced the mirror.

"Follow me please," said Kanna in her innocent voice once more as she led Inuyasha to the designated spot.

Inuyasha found it harder to breathe as his wounds though healing were starting to catch up to him and deplete his stamina. "Where's Kagura and why isn't she with you?" said Inuyasha hoping to cover all the angles of where Naraku's presence maybe.

Kanna stopped for a moment and looked Inuyasha straight in the eyes locking her doll like ones with his golden amber ones. "Kagura died," said Kanna before she turned around and continued walking leaving a surprised Inuyasha behind in shock.

It was several minutes before Kanna stopped realizing Inuyasha was surprised by the news of Kagura's death so she waited for him to catch up. It took longer then expected due his wounds and his current stamina being depleted from all that had happened to him in a just a few short days. "How...how did Kagura die?" said Inuyasha who felt he needed to know.

Kanna waited till he was nearly behind before speaking. "Naraku absorbed her into his body for trying to be free from him," said Kanna as she turned her head slightly to see Inuyasha's face that looked horrified at such a thought.

"She didn't deserve such a fate," said Inuyasha as they started walking again and somewhere deep inside Kanna...she agreed with Inuyasha as well.

(At the camp site)

Right before Sango came back to the camp site she noticed she had traces of Inuyasha blood on her demon slayer suit. Fortunately she found a river near the lake and made a small detour and was able to get the scent of Inuyasha's blood off of her armor as well as the blood itself. She then made her way back to the camp site where the others were waiting for her to return with Inuyasha. They were clearly surprised that she had returned alone without him and Kagome began to become suspicious. "Where's Inuyasha Sango?" said Shippo innocently enough.

Sango looked down at the little fox demon wanting to tell him everything she had been told, but decided not to. Sango then looked at the others before speaking seriously to them all. "Inuyasha will not be traveling with us," said Sango and in that moment got everyone's attention.

"What? Why?" said Shippo before anyone else could.

"Because Shippo Inuyasha said he needed some time alone to himself so he could do a little...'soul searching' as he put it," said Sango trying to lie long enough to stall Kagome from preventing him to leave.

"Since when is he allowed to go anywhere without MY permission? I bet he went to see Kikyo being the lousy half-demon dog that he is," said Kagome angrily only to receive an angry glare from Sango for it.

"You make it sound like he's your property or slave for that matter. Don't forget Kagome he is a living being whose saved you on more then one occasion," snapped Sango out of nowhere.

"He's a dog Sango and like all dogs they need to be disciplined and obedient to their master's, which in Inuyasha's case happens to be...me," said Kagome as if what Sango said was of no consequence.

It was then that Sango snapped and ran up to Kagome and backhanded her causing a massive bruise on the reincarnation's now shocked face. "You disgust me. To think Inuyasha was once in love with you makes me sick you would destroy his heart like that," said Sango.

"He's just some love sick animal that has no business being what he is much less act like he does unless I say otherwise...through that necklace that makes him MINE!" said Kagome who was angry at Sango for striking her much less defending Inuyasha.

"Well then I guess he's no longer yours now that he's no longer here. You want him back so bad find him yourself without Kilala and Shippo," said Sango angrily as Shippo and Kilala stood by Sango on this.

"Sango why are you like this? You're a demon slayer for Buddha's sake Sango why get all worried over a silly half-demon?" said Miroku who tried to charm Sango, but got a hard fist to his face on the jaw line.

"I killed mindless demons that threaten people in villages not those who just want to exist and get by in this world without dying at the hands of a human or a demon. I thought you would see the clear difference...I guess I was wrong," said Sango.

Miroku felt his jaw line and made sure it wasn't broken. "I take you won't be traveling with is anymore then?" said Miroku.

"As much as I would like to leave you two poor excuses for human beings the one thing that binds us together is ironically Naraku. When he's dead however, I never want to be near you two ever again," said Sango with Kilala and Shippo in complete agreement.

Miroku respectfully nodded and Kagome shrugged as if it was no big deal. "Oh well since Inuyasha is not with us at the moment I suppose he needs to be replaced with someone more...competent and more trustworthy...like Koga," said Kagome as if the thought just appeared in her head.

As much as Sango was angry at Kagome she let out a mental sigh of relief knowing that Inuyasha wouldn't be pursued for some time till Koga appeared. 'Hopefully Inuyasha is far away from here and somewhere safe,' thought Sango though deep down she was already missing Inuyasha more then she was supposed to.

(At a different and undisclosed location)

Kanna led Inuyasha to multiple and massive hillsides that the half-demon had never seen before and could feel a strange energy around the place as if there was more to the terrain then one suspect of the place. Kanna pointed to the spot to wait and then left without saying a single word. By the time it took Inuyasha to follow Kanna to this untouched terrain he was able to heal nearly half his wounds a regain most of his lost stamina. "Well between most of my former friends trying to kill me and meeting my most hated enemy in my current condition...I think I'm okay," said Inuyasha out loud as he sat down to a boulder that had been sticking out of the ground.

Shortly after he sat down however, Naraku's poison filled insects appeared and then shortly after a demon puppet of Naraku's appeared behind them wearing Naraku's usual attire. "Hello Inuyasha I hope I'm not disturbing your rest after all the walking you did?" said demon puppet Naraku.

"I thought I was going to meet Naraku face to face, not his demon puppet of a toy. I don't like being deceived even in the slightest," said Inuyasha as he readied his claws for an all out fight.

"Calm yourself Inuyasha you'll open more wounds that way and you can't afford such things right now. Besides my demon puppet won't attack unless you attack it. Since I did greet you in some form I was hoping you would trust me just a little further involving the arrangement I discussed earlier," said the demon puppet.

"You did mention something along the lines of some sort of an arrangement, but now I'm not so sure I want any part of it," said Inuyasha as he stared to walk away only to be block by the insects.

"Just hear me out Inuyasha before you pass judgment on whether what I have to say is valuable," said the demon puppet of Naraku.

(Somewhere in the forest)

By now it was nightfall and Sango was riding on Kilala who was in the air with Shippo on her shoulder while Kagome and Miroku had to run to catch up in order for them to find Koga. Sango refused to let the two people she once called friends below her get remotely next to her much less ride on Kilala or Shippo when he transformed into his floating form. If Kagome and Miroku were going to find Koga they were going to do it on foot and not with her help. Since Koga had seen Kagome only a few days ago he hadn't left the area he had met her originally. When they caught up with him he was generally surprised to see them and even more without Inuyasha, which he realized was unusual and grabbed at his curiosity. "Hey Kagome what brings you here? And where's that flea infested mutt of a slave of yours?" said Koga making Sango's blood boil inside.

"He left us for some personal reason by I think it's something else, but we came here to have you take his place," said Kagome with anger in her voice in the beginning, but turned sweet when she mentioned Koga joining the group.

"Really because my information tells me Naraku is in the Hills of Forbiddance meeting with someone important in that direction," said Koga pointing in the direct area near the spot where Sango had met Inuyasha.

"So you suspect Naraku is meeting with Inuyasha to create a truce or perhaps...," said Miroku, but Koga interrupted him.

"...a possible alliance against all of us. It would make perfect sense for him to do that if he suspected something or he just could handle being the hero anymore...if you can even consider Inuyasha a half-demon a hero," said Koga crossing his arms on his chest in a stance that made think he was easily superior to Inuyasha.

"Well now that we know that let go see if Inuyasha is actually meeting Naraku and if he is we can kill him for his betrayal," said Kagome calmly.

'If this is true then this whole thing has irony written all over it,' thought Sango worriedly as she saw Kagome get on Koga's back as they now sped off to the Hills of Forbiddance with Miroku running and struggling to keep up much to Sango's amusement.

(In the Hills of Forbiddance)

"You want to me to what?" said Inuyasha in surprise.

"I want you to join me Inuyasha and help me retrieve the remaining shards of the sacred jewel. In return for loyal efforts I will let you use it to ascend to the rank of full demon. In return all I ask of you is that you kill your...former friends as payment...as well as slaying your former love that was Kikyo," said the demon puppet Naraku.

"You're some piece of work Naraku even for a demon puppet. At most I expected an ambush from you and Kagura being around to try and kill me. But from what Kanna told your master absorbed her into his body and now you want me to serve you as she did with you by your side. You have to be out of your mind to think I would hurt my former friends. I could never do that to them because then I would become like you and will become what I hate the most," said Inuyasha angrily as his teeth started to show.

"Kanna told you about Kagura? Hmm...Kanna shouldn't have told you that and now I'm curious as to why she did? I might have to great rid of her since she seems to have suddenly developed her own free will. Oh well...it matters not at the moment because regardless of whether you serve me or not willingly. I intend...for you to do so despite your...clear disagreement of what I've told you," said the demon puppet as it sprang out tree like roots out from underneath the Baboon fur and pelt.

"Go ahead and try to youNaraku knock off there is nothing that you have that can bend me to your will," said Inuyasha as Inuyasha sliced through some of the giant roots with his claws only to be hit in the side by one.

"Inuyasha didn't it ever accord to you I have prepared for this moment as I have with all my plans. BEHOLD!" said the demon puppet of Naraku as it took out the un-holy arrow out of his fur with one hand and a bow in another.

Inuyasha eyes went wide with shock as he tried to get away from Naraku, but found himself being hit yet again near a dying tree that was on the hill. "I won't...let you...do this...to me...Naraku," said Inuyasha as he found that the impact made it hard for him to breathe much less talk.

The demon puppet however, ignored Inuyasha's words, placed the dark aura glowing arrow into the bow, and fired a clear shot straight into Inuyasha's chest and into his heart. "Well then my old enemy... why don't we let that dark arrow I just hit you with be the judge of whether or not you will serve me willingly...Inuyasha," said the demon puppet of Naraku's as it laughed as Inuyasha screamed a blood curdling scream into the cloudy night sky.

Inuyasha had felt pain before, but never like this as he continued to scream for all he was worth and hoped someone would hear his cry of pain. In the meantime his body felt like it was changing as he suddenly on instinct started to remove his upper part of his fire rat clothing. Then he started clawing his chest over and over till his upper body was covered in his blood. His attempts to cancel out this pain with another wasn't working as well as he hoped and started clawing his face to create even more in some attempt to less the pain that had struck his heart. It was then the rosary necklace on his neck began to spark with life causing even more pain as he had then decided to grab the holy item causing the pain. "Get it off! Get it off!" screamed Inuyasha as he tried to break the thing that bound him to the girl who caused him so much pain before earlier.

"Whether you serve me or die here Inuyasha it doesn't matter because I win regardless. HAHAHAHA!" said the demon puppet as Naraku voice spoke through with sheer and utter happiness at seeing Inuyasha struggle through his endeavor as the arrow started to become absorbed into his chest as he continued to scream in agony in from of his hated enemy as he now squirmed on the grassy ground beneath him still holding onto the holy rosary.

It was then that Naraku stopped laughing as Inuyasha suddenly started pulsing with each passing second faster then the first on the ground. "Hate...you. I...hate...you," said a very angry sounding Inuyasha as the change had finally happened.

"What did you just say?" said the demon puppet seriously as Inuyasha stopped moving around in pain, but stayed on the ground still clutching the necklace.

"I...said...I...hate...YOU!" said Inuyasha who in a single moment broke the rosary in half with both hands and then looked up at the demon puppet of his mortal enemy with blood red eyes so terrifying that even the demon puppet looked somewhat afraid.

"What's going on? You shouldn't be acting like you want to kill me at all. You were supposed to be loyal to me like Bova said you would...so why aren't you?" said the demon puppet, but before it could think about this any further Inuyasha moved with speed that was never seen before and with his claws Inuyasha sliced through the demon puppet causing it to explode behind him in a blast of red energy.

(Naraku's castle)

Naraku had done many things in his life and a select few that were rare to do even for his taste. Having a temporary mental link with a demon puppet was one of them in this case as he had never done on such a high level before. Especially on such a high level impact that was received with this particular demon puppet. In fact the mental link was so strong Naraku had felt the after affects of Inuyasha's killer attack that the half-demon launched on the demon puppet. Needless to say Naraku found a pool of miasma colored blood leaving his mouth because of it and realized he should only create such links when required. "What...have I...created?" said Naraku out of sheer surprise as the impact of the attack forced him to place a hand on his stomach and another on the ground.

(Back at the Hills of Forbiddance)

Inuyasha got up from his crouch position feeling different physically, mentally as well as strangelyin some ways...spiritually. He looked over to see the decaying body of the demon puppets very little remains dissolving before his demon red glowing eyes. He already knew the change had altered him physically making him taller, stronger, more built, and faster then he was previously. Mentally, Inuyasha could feel his thoughts had come together faster, had become more collected and less conflicting as well as focused then they were before. Spiritually, Inuyasha felt new territory there unlike the others that were more familiar to him then this one as he felt his human soul was around, but it wasn't fading in the least bit.

This troubled him as he knew from past experiences that his transformations would make him blood thirsty and irrational, but now he felt calm, at peace, and in control of his desired actions. He knew what he was though the smell of the scent he received from his body spoke otherwise...he was a half-demon, yet at the same time wasn't. It was strange for these new feeling that took over his body to be at his command and under his control. Yet as this new strength came it also left him as he suddenly felt tired and he realized he over exerted his newly found power as he collapsed unconsciously onto the ground. 'Whoops. I guess I overdid it with killing the demon puppet. Oh well...I just need to rest and I'll be fine. What's the worst thing that could happen?' thought Inuyasha as he smiled before he fell unconscious unbeknownst to him Sango and the others had just arrived near him closing fast.

Meanwhile a little girl holding a mirror was down wind from them all watching the entire event that has taken place between Inuyasha and Naraku. "If I had to choose from being absorbed into Naraku and serving his enemy, then I choose serving his enemy," said Kanna in a calm voice as before, but with a slight trace of anger in her voice.