Author: ::dances around in circles until she falls down:: Hello everyone! I just want to say that I felt the lemon was unappreciated. ::pouts:: I went through all the disturbing trouble of writing the thing and you guys didn't even take the time to comment in your reviews on what you thought of it. I hope you don't expect me to write anymore now cause I'm hurt. :(
Sephiroth: Awwwww ::huggles::
Author: ::sniffs:: Thank-you. While I was typing this chapter I was having a hard time remembering that Miroku is gone and I kept putting him into parts and then thinking 'wait a minute'. lol. I'm kind of out of it right now cause I'm trying to study for my biology test and I'm currently crutching everywhere thanks to my stupid water-on-the-knee problem. Yeowch it hurts. I was just reading over some past stuff and I realized how long it's been in some of my stories since I last did a disclaimer. :P I probably should remember to do that.
Chelsey: Let me! I'll do it!
Author: All right. Go on then.
Chelsey: La escritadora no quiero tu tonto...........::ahem:: I mean........the author does not own any characters in this chapter. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Whew. All done! ::winning battle music plays::
Author: Yayness! Good job! Now I'm going to head back to my biology so I don't fail the class. (Mr. Pue is the devil ::ahem::) So I'll see you all at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!
Last Chapter: (Inuyasha glanced around with a deep frown on his face. Something wasn't right.........
A sword point came out through the front of his stomach and time froze. He looked down to see the tetsaiga protruding from his middle. The sword pulled slowly back out and dragged his life with it as it withdrew. But..............who? He gasped and fell to his knees. 'I died upon the blade of my own sword.' Many thoughts passed through his mind as the light slowly faded. 'Who will Kagome have to love her now? I can't.......protect her.......anymore...............it hurts.......')
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, running to her fallen mate. She slapped his face gently until he responded with a soft groan. "Inuyasha? Inuyasha, what is it?" Kagome asked, not able to find anything wrong with him. Kaede noticed some glowing substance on the ground and examined it suspiciously.
"Look at this!" she exclaimed, taking a handful of the stuff and showing it to others.
"What is it?" Sango questioned nervously.
"It be a highly dangerous substance. A hallucinogenic waste product that causes temporary visions of insanity and distorts the-" She realized the others were staring at her blankly.
"Um, in English?" Kagome smiled. Kaede smiled back and nodded.
"It's a powder left by demons that makes ye have strange visions. A deadly weapon because if ye "see" yourself die then the mind believes it to be true." Inuyasha held his stomach, wincing slightly, as he stood up. Kagome opened his haori part way and saw blood seeping from a cut on his stomach.
"Inuyasha.......," she said with wide eyes, "What did you see happen just now?" Her voice had a sense of urgency that worried Inuyasha. He looked at her confused and leaned forward against her body.
"I........I saw tetsaiga stabbed through my own stomach........" The group gasped slightly and Sango nodded carefully.
"So even if the image is only imagined, the mind makes it happen. But then...............Miroku......." Kagome helped Inuyasha stand up fully and turned to Kaede.
"What do we do then? How can we fight a power like that?" Kaede opened a small pouch and sprinkled herbs on Inuyasha's wounds.
"Ye have to find the monk before the she-demon makes it back to her den. If not..............." Kaede looked at the ground sadly, "ye will be short a friend in this group." Sango's eyes burned with anger.
"Then let's go! We have to find him!"
Miroku smiled dreamily, fallen into an almost drunken stupor. He had no idea the kind of effect she-demon was having on him. He stumbled along beside her, entranced by the "woman's" glowing beauty. Something was nagging at the back of his mind he ignored it. What could be more important then this beautiful woman he was leading home? He didn't even notice the wicked grin that had appeared on the demon's face. She had him completely under her control.
Inuyasha and Kagome ran ahead since they were faster then the rest of the group and Sango and Shippo rode on Kirara. Inuyasha had found a trail with Miroku's scent and they were running along it as fast as they could. Kagome had her bow and arrows strapped onto her back and she kept glancing around nervously, sensing others around them as they ran.
"Do you feel that Inuyasha?" she asked him in a quiet whisper. He nodded, still keeping his eyes forward.
"Ignore it. We'll be fine." Kagome accepted his answer, feeling a little safer. Inuyasha wouldn't let anything happen to her. They reached a place where the scent seemed to branch off in two directions and Kagome stopped, almost crashing into Inuyasha who had came to an abrupt halt. He closed his eyes and moved his head side to side. "Damnit! This is a trick, but I can't tell which path is false!" He looked at Kagome with a slight frown. "All right wench, you'll have to take one path and I'll take the other. Just follow the scent heading off around there. We'll meet back together once we find where the paths go. That stupid demon will regret ever the day she was made."
Kagome ignored the 'wench' comment and nodded. "Okay. I......I guess I'll see you soon." She felt like this was the last time they were going to see each other. For some reason a feeling of dread was overwhelming her. Inuyasha had already turned to start along his trail. "I-Inuyasha?" she spoke softly. He turned back, eyes softening at her expression.
"What is it?" he asked, walking forward and pulling her into a hug.
"Promise me you'll find me again. I want you to promise we'll see each other again." Inuyasha shook his head a let out a soft chuckle.
"Of course we will stupid. Why wouldn't we?" Kagome's eyes were still afraid and pleading. A small sigh escaped his lips as he tightened his arms around her. "Fine. I promise you that, under no circumstances, will I not come back to you. I love you too much to lose you to some stupid weak demon anyway." He ran a gentle hand down her cheek and tilted her chin up towards him, placing a tender kiss on her lips.
"Thank you," she smiled, after he pulled away again.
"That's what I'm here for," he winked and started down his path again, pausing to look back at her. "Be careful."
Kagome nodded and watched as he turned into a red blur, heading away from her. 'I really should go now. We have to save Miroku,' she thought to herself. Turning to the direction she was supposed to go, she began to run as well.
Sango tightened her grip on the small kitsune, who seemed a little nervous about the speed Kirara was travelling at. "Don't worry Shippo. We're almost there," she said comfortingly into the fox demon's ear, "once we find Miroku, I'll make you some treats and we can all have a nice long rest. We could even have some chocolate........" She laughed when Shippo's ears perked up happily. Shippo hadn't spoken a word since they'd left and it was worrying Sango. She hoped they hadn't made the wrong decision by bringing him along. He had already seen too many loved ones die. But Miroku WAS NOT going to die. Not as long as she was here.
Kirara flew lower to the trees, scanning for the demon's lair. They could see Inuyasha far ahead of them, running at what appeared to be the speed of light. "Follow him," Sango said to Kirara. The large cat changed directions and followed the hanyou. Sango narrowed her eyes. She was going to rip this demon to shreds.
Kagome felt her strength beginning to fade as she ran on. Her body wasn't used to this kind of exertion. She was having a hard time concentrating on Miroku's trail and watching where she was going at the same time. Her head made contact with something solid and she fell to the ground in pain. When she looked up, a beautiful woman was leaning over her with a concerned look.
"Are you all right? That was quite a fall you took."
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Kagome yelled, scrambling backwards on all fours. She could see through the demon's "mask". The hideous creature growled at her and made no effort to keep the woman image around it any longer.
"You thought you could rescue the monk, but it's too late. Don't worry, he was delicious. And you shall be my next meal. Perhaps I'll use your form to catch that pathetic hanyou who's heroically heading to my home to vanquish me."
Kagome growled deep in her throat. "You leave him out of this. I'll let you take me, but only if you promise not to harm him."
"You'll 'let' me?" the demon laughed, "I could simply take you if I wanted." Kagome pulled out her bow and arrows and readied an arrow on the quiver, focusing her now stronger miko powers into it.
"Just try it," Kagome snarled fiercely. She fired the arrow towards the demon's heart and it hit its mark, causing a blinding flash. The demon simply laughed again.
"You expect something that weak to hurt me? Pathetic mortal. You'll never learn." Grabbing Kagome by the hair, she yanked her forward and Kagome dropped her bow as she clawed the ground trying to grab hold of something. Anything. 'I hope Miroku's still okay,' Kagome thought, trying the block out the pain she was feeling. 'Please let him be all right.' The she-demon took Kagome all the way back to her lair and chucked her carelessly into a small barred cell, locking the door behind her. Kagome painfully pushed herself up and wiped blood off her cheek where she had come in contact with the stone wall of the cell. What could she do now?
Inuyasha felt Kirara following him and felt a little more confidant, knowing he had backup if he needed it. Rounding another corner, he could see the demon's lair in the distance. The sight of Kagome dragging herself along the path made him stop dead in his tracks. "Kagome!" he cried, running to her side and lifting her up into his arms. "Kagome? What happened?!"
"The demon...........too strong............." Inuyasha held her to him, growling angrily. How could he have let this happen? He shouldn't have sent Kagome off on her own.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, stroking her hair, "I won't let her hurt you anymore. I'll keep you safe."
"I love you Inuyasha," Kagome smiled sweetly, lifting a knife behind his back, where he couldn't see it. The blade glinted in the sun and a strange grin appeared on Kagome's face.
"Kagome? What is it? Why are you-"
"INUYASHA! WATCH OUT!" a desperate voice yelled from behind him. He roughly shoved Kagome away from him, when he felt a searing pain in his back. He wasn't quite sure what was going on, but the sight of Kagome with a knife dripping with his own blood was enough to unnerve him.
"Kagome? What are you doing?" he choked, feeling the shallow cut in his back.
"Finishing what should have been done a long time ago. Kikyo was right about one thing, you deserve to die for all the horrible things you've done. I HATE YOU!" Kagome lunged for him again and Inuyasha grabbed her wrists, pinning her to the ground. Kagome laughed and leaned up to kiss him. Inuyasha shoved her away in disgust. This wasn't Kagome. She tasted...........wrong.
"You! Demon! Show yourself, so I can kill you and be done with it!" Sango and Shippo ran to his side and got into battle stance. Kagome laughed evilly and her form seemed to melt away, leaving behind a hideous she-demon whose cruel smile was dripping with venom. "What have you done with Kagome?!" he snarled at her.
The demon laughed again and shook her head. "Funny, that you people never learn. Un-like all the pathetic demons you've fought in the past, I'm not going to tell you my entire life story and my plans before I kill you. I'm not that stupid." A sudden stream of an acidly substance sprayed from the demon all over the three friends. Sango screamed and covered her face, falling to the ground and Shippo was lucky enough to dodge the attack. Inuyasha jumped out of the way of the attack and made his way over to Sango, covering her with his haori. He didn't want to lose any more friends.
"Thank you," Sango smiled, clearly still in pain.
"Shippo! Find Miroku and Kagome!" Inuyasha barked at the frightened kitsune. He nodded and ran around the demon, who clearly didn't like the idea of letting anyone escape. Inuyasha drew Tetsaiga from its sheath and ran at the demon to distract it from Shippo. The demon spun around and blocked the attack with a smirk. "What the hell are you?!"
"My name is Sae and you would do well not to forget it." She began to laugh insanely at him and Inuyasha backed away, a little freaked out. Flickers of black and white images surrounded them and he could see piles of dead bodies lying all around the demon, only now she appeared to be a young woman. The beautiful kimono she was wearing was torn and blood-stained. Inuyasha steadied his weapon and charged at her again. He was thrown back by a sudden flash of light and when he could see again, the demon was gone and he was laying on a dark path. There was a small twin deity statue up ahead and he stood up, looking around confused. The demon was gone, as was her scent.
"What the hell's going on?!" he yelled. He turned to grab Sango, but her body and his haori were both missing. "DAMNIT!" his cursed, feeling extremely frustrated.
He started forward again, hoping to find some answers and felt a strange pulse go through his body when he passed by the small statue on the path. Shrugging it off he noticed strange chanting in the distance and shadows of people marching slowly down into a village, carrying softly glowing torches that flickered against the dark blackness around them. He didn't know why he was so afraid, but his heart was pounding heavily and he put his weapon away quickly so he could silently follow the group.
Kagome stood shakily and refused to let herself cry. Sorrow and pain filled her body, but for once she didn't want to be the stupid little schoolgirl who needed rescuing. Her ears swivelled around, listening for any sounds within the cave. Something was in the cell with her and it was breathing heavily. Inching forward carefully, Kagome leaped onto the thing and pressed her claws near its throat. It made no attempt to fight back.
"Miroku?!" she cried, pulling her razor claws away from him quickly, "are you okay? Miroku? Speak to me." She pulled the monk's unconscious form into her lap and stroked his hair gently. Maybe if he woke up, then they could think of a way to escape together. A soft groan came from him when she moved him again and she peered down into his face. "Miroku?"
His eyes fluttered open and widened at the sight of Kagome. "Kagome-sama! You've come to save me!" he cried joyfully, throwing his arms around her.
"Actually........," she sighed a little awkwardly, "I'm captured too." Miroku's face fell and he slumped against her without making any of his usual attempts.
"We have to get out of here," he spoke softly, "it's coming back to devour my soul. And you'll be next. I-I don't want my friend's to be murdered. The demon's already done enough damage as it is. I'm sorry I dragged you into this."
Kagome smiled and absently stroked his hair again, like he was a frightened child. "It's all right. We wouldn't have just let her take you without a fight. Especially not Sango. She'd go to hell and back to find you."
"Really?" he asked, in a hopeful voice.
"She loves you, baka. Why wouldn't she?"
The sheepish monk closed his eyes. "I just never dreamed of having anyone so wonderful. Now I might never she her again."
"Which is why we're busting out," Kagome grinned, "and we have to be fast about it, so get up."
The pair discussed escape plans for a while and when neither of them had come up with a good idea they slumped to the ground. "It's hopeless," Kagome growled, banging a fist against the cell wall. A bit of cement crumbled away, exposing a small hole between the bars and the wall.
"Kagome! Do that again!" Miroku said urgently. Kagome put all her rage in the next punch and a good-sized hole appeared. Kagome managed to squeeze through, but it still wasn't big enough for Miroku.
"Crap," she sighed, "Miroku get back." Slamming her foot into the concrete, she knocked another chunk out and Miroku managed to get his body through the hole.
"Many thanks, my brave friend," he said, smiling and kissing her hand, "now let's get the hell out of here." Neither of them remembered how they had gotten into the cell room in the first place so they worked together, trying different doors and hallways and generally getting more lost then they already were.
"We're going to be trapped in here forever," Miroku moaned. Kagome could see he was getting tired from all this walking and reached out a hand to stop him.
"Get on my back," she ordered, knowing what a risk she was taking with the lecherous monk, "I'll carry you." Miroku obediently got on and Kagome piggybacked him down the next hallway. "I'm warning you though, monk. Any wandering hands and you'll wish that you were back in that cell with the demon."
"Yes, Kagome," Miroku said sheepishly, grateful to have a break from walking. He was completely exhausted already. Kagome should have just left him behind.
Sango lifted herself up to find Inuyasha lying on the ground, in a kind of trance. His eyes were open and every once in a while his lips would mumble something she couldn't decipher. The demon's eyes were closed and she was sitting against a tree, chanting something under her breath. Sango didn't know if attempting to wake either one of them would be a good idea, but she couldn't just leave Inuyasha like this. She pried Tetsaiga from Inuyasha's iron grip and it luckily stayed transformed for her. The sword was a lot heavier then she had anticipated and it was hard the hold it above the ground. Making her way over to the demon, she kept stopping and making sure its eyes were still closed. She felt that this was somehow a trap. She made it all the way to the demon and stood, looking down at her. The demon didn't even seem to notice her presence as she lifted Tetsaiga and swung it down towards its head.
The demon screamed in pain, jerking awake, as the Tetsaiga sliced through her. Sango fell back and it took all her strength to keep hold of the large sword. Light spilled through the open wound and the demon began to crumble away, dying slowly. Dragging Tetsaiga with her, Sango backed away over to where Inuyasha was. He still didn't respond when she touched his cheek. "Inuyasha?" she called softly, "come on, Inuyasha. Wake up." No sign of life came from the still hanyou.
"Kirara?" Sango yelled, looking for her closest friend. "Where are you?" The fire cat swooped down to her side and nuzzled her cheek. "I need you to take Inuyasha for me while I find Miroku and the others, all right? Just wait outside for me and don't let Inuyasha go anywhere." Kirara licked her cheek to let her know she understood. "See you soon," Sango smiled nervously, "take good care of him." She ran towards the demon's lair up ahead, hoping it wasn't too late for her friends.
Shippo ran through the maze of hallways, nervously calling for Kagome. He didn't like the dark or being alone and the combination of the two was scaring him so much that he wanted to cry. "Kagome?" he yelled again, sounding more and more desperate. A faint reply came and he ran towards the sound. "Kagome? Kagome?! KAGOME?" he continued yelling, following each reply as they became louder. He ran right into Kagome's leg, causing her to scream and drop Miroku with a loud thud. Kagome saw the little kitsune crying and clinging onto her.
"Oh Shippo. It's okay. Don't cry." She hugged him gently and laughed at Miroku, who was rubbing his head and glaring at her. "Don't give me that look. It's not like I dropped you on purpose." Miroku stood again and winced.
"Thanks, but I think I'm gonna walk on my own now. It's a lot less painful." Strange whispers silenced them and echoed throughout the room they were in.
Kagome shivered and held Shippo closer to her. "They said something about a reunion," she whispered to Miroku, who was frozen in place and his face had gone pale.
"I can hear it," he nodded fearfully. A young woman in a blood covered kimono appeared in front of Kagome and touched her face gently, almost sadly. Shippo shrieked and hid behind Miroku when Kagome and all the other strange things happening around them disappeared. The room became silent again. "Kagome?" Miroku's hesitant voice called out into the empty room. She was gone. The door behind them opened and Miroku quickly unwrapped the prayer bead from his hand. They weren't catching him off guard this time.
Inuyasha sighed in frustration. The people he had been following had just disappeared. He'd been wandering this creepy dark village for hours now and there seemed to be no sign of life anywhere. There was a large stone- covered hole on one hill near the village and all the homes were abandoned and dark. Even the eerie red lamps that were lit here and there didn't make the place seem any more friendly. Where was this place anyway? A piece of paper blew by his feet and he grabbed it, reading the faded writing with squinting eyes.
"I have found my way..........to this village by accident and now it won't let me go.............the laughter that often........e- echos......throughout the village is so terrifying I want to..............kill myself.............to escape the fear it instils in me............there's no way out...............and no way in..........you're just................here............whatever you do.........stay away.............from the..............."
The rest of the writing was too faded for Inuyasha to read. He wasn't very good at reading in the first place so instead of fussing over it he just jammed the paper in his pocket. 'Meh. Whatever. He'd find his own way out of this stupid place.' A soft breeze ruffled the edges of his clothing and he shivered slightly. It seemed to be eternal night here. He had to have been here long enough for the sun to start rising and yet no light was even starting in the dark sky.
His thoughts wandered to his friends. He hoped they were okay. What about Kagome and Miroku? Had they escaped? Had he even killed the demon when he hit it? He couldn't remember. He kicked at a patch of grass that was growing in his path. Stupid village. He just wanted to go back.
Kagome opened her eyes and found herself sitting in a dark house. There was a torn, thin curtain hanging a little in front of her and a double door that her back was resting on. When she turned her head to the door her eyes widened at the blood red handprints that covered it. Where was she? She stood up nervously and looked around the room. A flashlight or any light at all would've been nice, but the only thing she could see was the eerie moonlight that shone in a distant window. Fear overtook her common sense and she began to push and lean on the doors desperately, wanting nothing more then to get out of this awful place. As hard as she tried, the large doors wouldn't budge an inch. She was trapped.
Miroku was ready to attack as the door opened the rest of the way and Sango came through. He paused, then narrowed his eyes again. "You're not Sango you evil witch! Show yourself demon! Stop mocking me with images of the people I love!"
Sango stepped forward slowly and sighed. "Miroku, it's me. Calm down."
"I don't believe you," he growled, "come any closer and I'll be forced to hurt you!" Sango stopped and her lip quivered slightly, eyes filling with tears.
"Miroku. Please. Look at me. I'm Sango." Shippo knew from her smell that she was no demon.
"Sango!" he smiled, leaping into her arms. She held the kitsune close to her and he hugged her excitedly. Miroku seemed confused and realized that he'd made a mistake. Again.
"Sango?" he asked nervously. Her eyes met his and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank god! It is you!"
"Where's Kagome?" she questioned him, looking around, "have you found her yet?" Miroku moved forward and embraced her, letting Shippo remain between them.
"I don't know what happened. She just...........disappeared........"
Sango buried her face in his chest. "Why can't this all end now? I killed the demon! Everyone should be fine and live happily now! Why are all these things going wrong?!"
Miroku frowned and stepped back a little. "What else is wrong?"
"Inuyasha is in a weird kind of coma. We need to take him back to Kaede. Fast. I'm not sure what happened to him," she explained softly.
"This is all my fault!" Miroku sighed, re-tying the prayer beads tightly to his hand, "If I had been able to resist helping that woman then we'd all be back at Kaede's village and no one would be hurt or missing. Why did it have to happen?!"
A random ghost appeared before them, "because then there would be no point to this chapter........whoooooo..........bye now." The ghost disappeared again, leaving them all confused.
"Chapter?" Sango asked, looking at Miroku strangely.
"No clue," he shrugged, "let's just get out of this place."
Author: Heeheehee! Poor Inuyasha and Kagome. They're trapped in the village that repeats the same horrible tragedy over and over again each night. (From Fatal Frame 2 for those of you who have played it) Kagome's in the house where they kill the girl so I hope she can get out and doesn't decide to go exploring.............
Sephiroth: I want cookies!
Author: Shutup. Anyway, sorry about the stupid ghost thing near the end of the chapter, but I was bored and decided to add in a little humour to a pretty much serious chapter. I plan on making things less angst and what- not soon and more fluffy, but I felt like trying something different. What did you guys think?
Readers: ::afraid to tell the truth and say it sucked:: Um...........it was great! ::eyes shift back and forth:: Sure...........great!
Sephiroth: ::narrows his eyes:: If you don't like the story then I will be forced to run you through with my masemune!
Adam: Haha. You have to compensate! You must be really pathetic since your sword is so big!
Sephiroth: ::glares:: My sword is big to kill stuff, not to compensate for...............stuff.......that's not big! Don't you have five swords yourself?!
Adam: Well...............um..........
Author: ::rolls her eyes:: Anyway, I'm cutting these author's notes short cause like I said up at the top, I'd like the pass my classes. lol. See you all next chapter. (And please tell me what you thought of the lemon.) :D