Hello again.
Sengoku-goku-goku-go-tsu-bu-tsu-bu-tsu-bushi-o-togi-togi-togi-mui-de-doki-doki
XD lmao. that was that thing they had to say on the fourth drama CD for inuyasha. A tongue twister to open a door of some sort
or something.. Hilarious. Especially when Kikyo said it.. I will never forget Kappei Yamaguchi saying that and being so excited about it.
That dude has an AMAZING voice. One of my favourite seiyu ever...
So anyway, I LOOOVE this chapter. I am SOOO happy with what I did to it.. Honestly.. Well read on and see my changes.
"Yuka," Inuyasha said, "Take everyone home, away from here. It's not safe to stay here any longer."
"Not safe?" Asked Eri.
"Nani?" Added Ayumi.
"Come on, everyone in the car! Now!" shouted Yuka.
"It's too late." Said Inuyasha. Everyone stopped and looked at him. "It's here."
Chapter 8 - Naraku
"NANI? What's here?" Cried Yuka, eyes wide in fear.
"Wake Kagome and get everyone out the back. But whatever you do, DO NOT let Kagome come out front. Got it?"
"Hai…" She said, looking hesitantly.
"Go! NOW!" He yelled. Yuka reluctantly turned and ran out of sight, into the bedroom.
"You…" He said, pointing to Eri, "Go into the first room on the left and you'll find a sword in the back corner, near the window. Bring it to me."
"Oh… ok." She said running to the room, without thinking about the question.
"What should we do?" Asked Hitomi.
"Go get Kagome's mother and Souta and round everyone up. Get them in the living room." He commanded.
"Right." Said Ayumi, taking Hitomi by the hand and running into the hallway.
------
Inuyasha, with his head high, sniffed the air.
That scent, I recognize it, he thought. But how…That's not possible….
"Here's the sword." Eri said. handing him the battered Tetsusaiga. She gave him a strange look.
Why was he sniffing the air? She wondered. And why… Does he want a sword? This isn't a typical kendo one…
Inuyasha snatched it from the human girl's hands and ran to the door. He threw it open and ran into the front yard.
He heart was beating wildly as his suspicions were confirmed. The scent was so strong he would have to be stupid not to recognize it.
"Come out here, NARAKU!" Inuyasha roared, transforming Tetsusaiga.
"I'm surprised you're senses did not fail you." Said a voice, from which the owner could not be found, "After all, you are only a worthless hanyou."
"I wouldn't be talking, Naraku." Inuyasha growled, hatred boiling within him.
"Where's your human wench?" Naraku taunted.
"Shut your mouth! Come out here and fight me, you bastard! Or are you to weak without your precious jewel?"
------
Inside, the house was in a frenzy. Everyone was shouting and running around in confusion.
Kagome had awoken and was sprinting to the door, when Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka grabbed her arms, holding her back.
"Stop, Kagome-chan!" Eri warned.
"You can't go out there. It's dangerous!" Ayumi pleaded, anxiously.
"I have to. You don't understand! I can't leave Inuyasha out there alone." She hollered, trying to free her arms. "He needs my help…" Whatever was outside, she needed to be there to help fight it.
"No. You are not going out there." Said Ayumi, tightening her grip. "He told us not to let you outside!"
"LET ME GO!" She screamed, twisting her arms out of their hold. She wasted no time in running outside.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha called, hearing her scream and the door open.
"Inuyasha!" She cried, latching onto his shoulder.
"What are you doing out here? Go back inside!"
"Well, look at that. So the prophecy is true. The little miko is going to have a child." Naraku commented.
"NARAKU?" She yelled in fright, squeezing Inuyasha's shoulder. He put an arm around her and pulled her closer.
"I can take care of myself." She whispered in his ear. "Don't worry about me." She looked up at him, her eyes telling him she felt confident in her strength. She slowly bent down to pick up her bow and quiver.
"Keep in mind, you're not only protecting your life anymore. You have the baby to look after." He said softly.
"I hate to ruin the moment," Naraku remarked, sarcastically. "But there is the matter of you and my..."
"W-why are you still alive?" Kagome interrupted, boldly. "You died, we all s-saw you."
"Appearances can be deceiving."
"But w-we have the jewel. Why would you pretend to die and not take the jewel?" Kagome shouted to the forest, behind her back she strung an arrow to her bow. Her hands were shaking so badly she was having hard time doing it.
"I never said that I pretended to die, human. I was injured, badly. So badly I was too weak to hold the jewel. The aura surrounding it was to powerful for me to penetrate at the time-"
"Wait!" Kagome interrupted again. "What about... The baby? And your other incarnations! Are they still alive?"
"That is none of your business. All you must know is I am back to reclaim the jewel. My jewel." He yelled triumphantly. "Hand it over, girl. Or I will have to kill you and the child."
"SHUT UP! Don't you talk to her like that" Screamed Inuyasha, his rage building. "GET OUT HERE AND FIGHT ME, YOU COWARD!"
Kagome's hands swung around and she shot her arrow into the forest.
"Pathetic human. You are nothing compared to Kikyo. I cannot begin to comprehend what that hanyou sees in you." Naraku smiled inwardly. That comment was sure to spark feelings within the girl that could make his task slightly easier.
Kagome knelt down, dropping her bow and quiver to the ground and began to cry. She held her head in her hands Her body shook with each sob.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked her, kneeling down. "What's wrong?"
She stared at him with blank eyes. Why does everything always come down me being compared with Kikyo?
Inuyasha suddenly realized what was wrong.
"Kagome," He said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "It's ok… Don't listen to him. Do you really care what he says? You are your own person. You have your own talents and abilities. Let that bastard say what he wants. It doesn't change my feelings for you."
Kagome smiled and wiped her tears away.
"Thank you, Inuyasha." She stood up, her legs a little shaky. She grabbed her bow and quiver and the two stared into the forest for a minute.
Naraku watched the scene with interest. It would appear Inuyasha no longer held the feelings of desperate love for Kikyo that he once had. The bond between Inuyasha and the girl had strengthened more than he had anticipated. But he would not allow it to interfere with his plan to break the girl's spirit and possess the jewel once more.
As Kagome stood there, something snapped, and she returned to her naturally defiant and confident self.
She called out, "Naraku! Get out here! I will kill you myself!" She took a quick breath and began yelling. "I am so sick of you! You and your cocky attitude! You are a disgusting, despicable being. You do not deserve to be alive! You tricked Inuyasha and Kikyo into hating each other, you destroyed Sango-chan's family and hurt Kohaku-kun. You cursed Miroku-sama! You've killed hundreds, no thousands of people! You've destroyed families and brought only destruction and death to the world. God knows what other unspeakable horrors you've committed And for what? This stupid jewel!" She yanked it out from underneath her shirt. "You are a selfish, horrible, awful person. YOU FUCKING BASTARD! I HATE YOU!"
She put a hand over her mouth and stared in shock.
She could not believe she had just said that. Four years of hatred had just erupted from her.
Inuyasha looked at her in surprise. He had never seen Kagome this angry before. She had never shown hatred towards anyone and actually meant it.
Naraku seemed slightly surprised at the outburst, but it did not change his opinion of the girl. If anything, it strengthened his desire for her. He would take much pleasure in breaking that defiant spirit of hers. He began to smirk as he thought of his plan.
He had things planned for Kagome that would destroy Inuyasha in ways the hanyou couldn't even begin grasp. Though for now, he would return to the feudal age, and wait just a little longer to set his main plan into action.
"Well, it is no use, I shall return later. For the jewel and the your lives."
The forest went silent and Naraku was gone.
"He's gone." Inuyasha said, angrily. "I let him escape again!"
"H-How could he have gotten here?" She whispered, shaken from the event. She looked at Inuyasha, her eyes showing fear and worry. She put a hand on her stomach, and leaned against him. He could feel her shaking and did his best to console her.
"Kagome-chan!" shouted Eri. Inuyasha moaned and Kagome led him back towards the cabin.
"I don't know." He said to her, swinging Tetsusaiga, turning it back into its original form.
"W-We cant s-stay h-here. I can't p-put my f-friends lives in d-danger." She said, looking up at them on the porch.
"How did I let him get away again? Damn that bastard."Inuyasha cursed.
"Kagome-chan!" Yuka shouted running down to meet her. "Are you ok?"
She brushed the tears from her eyes and shook her head. "We're not safe. We have to leave! Go get everyone ready."
"Hai..." She said, quickly hugging her friend. She let go and ran inside.
"Wait a sec… Kagome, when you ran out Naraku said something. Do you remember what it was?" Inuyasha asked.
Kagome thought for a moment and then replied, "He said something about a prophecy. Yeah, and that it was true. What do you think he meant?"
"I don't know, I think we should go talk to Kaede. Maybe she will know." Inuyasha suggested.
"Hai…" She said, her eyes filling with tears again. She was on the brink of a mental breakdown. When it had finally seemed as if everything was alright, again something had happened that threw spiralling down towards sadness.
"It's going to be ok. Don't worry." He said, hugging her. "I wont let anything happen to you or the baby. No matter what."
Kagome heard the door open and her mother rushed outside, followed by everyone else.
"Kagome what happened?" Her mother asked, worriedly.
The tears spilled from her eyes and onto Inuyasha's haori. She turned to face her family and friends and said, "I c-can't…. Never mind… You won't understand. It doesn't… matter…"
"But Kagome-chan!" groaned Eri.
"We need to know!" said Souta.
"Drop it guys!" ordered Yuka.
"Kagome, we're going home. Everyone in the car. Eri, call a taxi please?" Asked Kagome's mother. "I don't know what happened, but I will not let you be harmed."
------
Half an hour later the group arrived at the Higurashi shrine.
Inuyasha, Kagome, Yuka and Ms Higurashi were sitting at the kitchen table.
Eri and Ayumi had been dropped off. Kagome had made an excuse about what had happened. The two hadn't seemed very convinced, but that didn't matter. Souta and Hitomi were over at a friends house.
The spirit of Christmas had long since been forgotten. All at the Higurashi kitchen table sported faces with worried or scared expressions. Inuyasha and Kagome had just finished explaining, in great detail, about Naraku and everything he had done.
"If what Naraku said is true, then any of his reincarnations, may still be alive." Said Inuyasha.
"I don't think so. There wasn't any way we could have killed him after he separated from his human heart… Kagura told us he had merged back with it again... We know that she is still alive… Or she was the last time we saw her. As for his other incarnations, we know Hakudoushi to be dead. But Kanna…I have no clue." Kagome told them.
"True. But they were connected to Naraku by his heart, so they are probably still alive. We need to be cautious. Just in case."Inuyasha advised.
"I think you two should head back to Sengoku Jidai… Maybe you could find some answers there." Yuka suggested.
"I agree, but please be careful Kagome." Her mother added.
"I will, thank you for all your help." Kagome said, pushing the chair out and getting up. "Let's go Inuyasha."
"Already?" He said, surprised.
"We need to hurry! Naraku could strike at anytime." Kagome was obviously stressed. Her face was tired and worn and she looked as if she was ready to collapse any minute.
"But what if he attacks here?" Inuyasha asked.
"I have the feeling he will follow me. I have the jewel and I think all of this might have something to do with our child."
"Hai… I think you're right." Inuyasha said. "Go grab whatever you need."
Kagome nodded and walked up the stairs to her room. She stopped at the top of the steps and listened in.
"Inuyasha, you know that she'll have to come back soon. As soon as she starts showing, she'll have to return. She can't be under that kind of stress while she's pregnant." Kagome heard her mother say.
"I know, I'll have to fight on my own. I'll bring her back after a month or so. We just need to lure Naraku and then I'll get him. I can do it. I can do anything to protect her."
"Inuyasha, please be careful. I don't want the child to grow up without a father. It needs you back just as much as Kagome-chan does." Yuka warned.
"Hai… I just cant believe we let him get away. I thought we had him. That bastard!" Inuyasha said through clenched teeth. "I'll kill him, if it's the last thing I do."
"Don't let it be the last thing, Inuyasha." Kagome's mother warned.
Kagome leaned against the wall, as tears came to eyes.
I can't leave him! I won't! She thought hurriedly. I don't know what I would do if I lost him. I couldn't go on living.
She hurried to her room and packed her bag. She grabbed some medical stuff as well as her new bow and quiver, and some clothes. She closed the bag and slipped the strap over her shoulder. She left her room and hurried down the stairs. She stopped a few steps from the bottom and wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
She took a breath and stepped into the kitchen.
"You ready?" Inuyasha asked, looking at her.
"Yes. Let's go." She said. "Goodbye Mama."
"Oh, Kagome. Please be careful!" Her mother said, pulling her into a hug. She let go and Kagome walked over to Yuka.
"Thank you so much, Yuka-chan."
"Kagome-chan, be careful!" Yuka advised.
"Don't worry Yuka-chan. I'll be fine!" She looked down.
Yuka reached out and touched her chin, pulling her head upwards.
She stared into Kagome's eyes and whispered, "Your greatest weakness is your fear. Believe in yourself and the impossible will become possible." She gave her a reassuring smile and nudged her toward the waiting hanyou.
Kagome stumbled towards Inuyasha, trying to take in Yuka's words.
Where had those come from? She wondered. Yuka seemed to have grown up very quick in the past year.
She had gone from immature and jumpy to mature and supportive.
Maybe I'm not the only one who has matured . Spending all my time in Sengoku Jidai, I must have become more out of touch with my friends here. She was struck with a pang of sadness at this thought.
"We had really better get going!" Inuyasha pressed. Kagome nodded and looked at her mother.
"Goodbye dear! Don't work yourself to hard!" Her mother advised. Yuka nodded in agreement.
"Sayonara Yuka-chan! Sayonara mama! I love you!" She said, biting her lip. They had a long journey ahead of them.
Inuyasha took her hand and they walked out the back door toward the well. Yuka and Ms Higurashi followed them out, but stopped outside the well house door.
Kagome pushed it open and thought of the last time she had been here.
Things had been so different, yet the same, then.
It seemed her life had taken a turn for the worse. She had been at an all time low. And suddenly everything had changed. Inuyasha had given himself to her, as had she had to him. They were finally together.
It was funny the way things worked out.
But once again, her life had taken a turn for the worse. Naraku was back and now she had more than one life to protect. She sighed and tried to ready herself as best she could for what would be the fight for her life.
"Ready?" Inuyasha asked.
He made to pick her up, but she felt something gently push her from behind. She stumbled for a moment and looked around.
"What?" Inuyasha questioned, worriedly. "What is it?"
Seeing nothing, she assumed she had imagined it. She told him it was nothing and she was ready to go.
He picked her up, bridal style. He jumped into the well and they were surrounded by the blue mists that were the place between times. The tunnel, it could be called. The place in which time was nothing and had no meaning.
She felt a slight thud as they landed at the bottom of the well, now in feudal Japan. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against Inuyasha's chest, as they soared into the air above the well.
He landed as gently as possible and remained silent. Finally he said, "What the hell?"
Kagome opened her eyes and looked around.
"Oh my god…." She whispered.
The forest was, well, no longer a forest. All of the trees were either gone completely or were burning stumps. The grass was charred and singed and there were missing chunks in the ground. It was a wasteland. No… A battle field.
"What happened here?" She asked in wonder.
"It's got Naraku's scent all over. He was here, and not long ago."
"We gotta get to the village!" She insisted.
"Hai…" He send leaping into the air. Kagome grabbed onto his haori and snuggled into his chest, too frightened to see what had become of the village.
"Not here too!" He growled.
She opened her eyes reluctantly and saw burning houses and rubble covering the ground. She could see bodies of the villagers strewn through out the rubble. Smoke coated the air.
"How could this happen?" She asked, her voice choking. She could smell fire and burning flesh. It was a disgusting scent. Inuyasha let her down and she walked around, looking at the massacre.
He put his arm over his face, his sense of smell so powerful that the smell was even worse for himself. Kagome plugged her nose and made of a face of disgust.
"We better find Kaede." Inuyasha instructed. Kagome's eyes widened in fear, as she thought of the elderly priestess.
"Kaede-obaa-chan!" She called. "Kaede-obaa-chan! Where are you?"
She waited, listening for a reply. Inuyasha's ears twitched as he heard a sound.
"Over there!" He yelled, running towards the ruins of a hut.
Kagome followed quickly after him.
He stopped in front of a fallen tree. Bending down, he pushed aside burned leaves and pebbles.
"Kaede-babaa! What happened?"
Kagome knelt down and saw the pained face of Lady Kaede. The old woman was covered in bruises and cuts. There was a particularly deep gash that ran from her shoulder down to her stomach. Blood soaked her clothing and had dripped into a puddle on the ground. Kagome could see that she was having a hard time breathing.
"Kaede-obaa-chan!" Kagome cried. She quickly began taking bandages from her bag but the old priestess stopped her.
"M-my time in this world…Is over. Do not bother… T-there is n-nothing you can do." She whispered, her voice hoarse.
"How did this happen?" Inuyasha asked.
"I-It was Naraku… He came here.. a-and demanded I g-give him the scroll." She explained, the sound little more than a whisper.
'Scroll? What scroll?" Kagome questioned.
"The… Ah!" She cried in pain. "T-the last remaining c-copy of…Ah!… containing the p-prophecy about.. Oh!… But I-I didn't have it. I g-gave it to…" Her eyes began to flutter.
"Inuyasha do something!" Kagome cried.
'Kaede…" He said nudging her shoulder. "Please, you must finish."
She tiredly opened her eyes and looked at Kagome. When she began to talk her voice was dry and raspy.
"You m-must find Sango and houshi-dono. They…" She began to cough. "T-They have t-the information you seek."
"Kaede-obaa-chan" Kagome snivelled. "Please, try and hold on. We'll get you help!"
"I-It is no use... I-I am only sorry I d-did not have time enough to explain…Ah!… the prophecy to you…" She coughed a few more times and closed her eyes.
"Kaede!" Inuyasha yelled.
Kaede opened her eyes one last time and whispered, "You have my congratulations on the child."
"A-arigato…" Kagome managed to say.
She's taught me so much, and now…now she's gone forever. All because of Naraku! How can one person be so evil? She felt the tears stinging her eyes.
"Oh… Inuyasha!" She sobbed, pushing herself into his arms.
"Shhhh…. It's ok." He rubbed her back while looking over at Kaede's pale face.
I will get this bastard no matter what it takes. I owe you that much, Kaede.
"How could he do such a thing?" Kagome mumbled. "It just isn't fair…"
"We'll n-need to give the villagers a proper burial." Inuyasha told her. It was only right..
"Hai." She replied, taking her head off of Inuyasha's shoulder
Kagome put her backpack on the ground and rubbed her eyes. It was all so horrible. She looked around for something that could be used as a shovel. She poked through the rubble until she came upon an actual shovel. She took it over to a spot, left of the village and began digging.
Inuyasha took the time to search through the remains of the village for bodies.
And so they spent most of the afternoon burying familiar faces. People Kagome had conversed with on many occasions.
Children, innocent children, with whom Shippo had shared his games and tricks with.
How could anyone want to cause so much pain?
After everyone they had found had been buried and properly laid to rest, Kagome suggested they use the remaining daylight to search for their friends.
"That'd probably be a good idea." Inuyasha decided.
With one last look at the village, Kagome picked up her yellow backpack and got on Inuyasha's back. She closed her eyes, not wanting to view the area anymore. She felt more tears stinging in her eyes. She would never see Kaede-obaa-chan again. She would never see any of the villagers again.
Naraku had showed that he was capable of terrifying things. So what horrors could the future possibly hold?
Kagome held in the feeling of great sadness and turned her mind to the issue at hand.
"Do you have any idea where we're going?" She half yelled over the roaring wind.
"I'm following their scents!" He replied.
Content with his answer she closed her eyes and relaxed enough to fall asleep. She couldn't bare to think about these things anymore. Inuyasha looked over his shoulder and saw Kagome fast asleep.
She could sleep anywhere! He thought comically. He landed with a thud and bent down trying to pick up Sango, Miroku, Kirara, or Shippo's scent.
The wind picked up around him and he could faintly smell Sango.
Yep, that's definitely her!
"SANGO!" He shouted. He waited for a reply, but heard none. The scent was so faint he couldn't tell what direction it had come from. Jumping into the air, he hoped he could get a better view of the area.
Suddenly Sango's scent was coming closer. And so was everyone else's! He looked around quickly and saw the faint outline of Kirara in the distance. He glided to the ground and began running in their direction.
Soon he was underneath them. He looked up and saw they were landing. Kirara must have heard him with her youkai senses and brought them all here.
"Kagome, Kagome! Wake up!" Inuyasha whispered, pulling her off his back and into his arms.
"Uhn.. Where am I ?" She asked, groggily.
"Kagome-chan! Inuyasha!" Sango shouted.
"What?" A confused Kagome looked up and was ecstatic to see Sango and the others flying on Kirara toward her. "Sango-chan! Miroku-sama! Shippo-chan!"
Kirara landed gently beside Inuyasha and Kagome. Sango jumped off the fire cat's back and ran to the couple.
Inuyasha let go of Kagome and the girl ran to hug Sango. Miroku hopped off and walked to Inuyasha. Shippo got off and nearly hurled himself at Kagome. He hugged her fiercely telling her how much he'd missed her.
"I've missed you too!" She said, hugging him back.
"Kagome-sama, we have important news!" Miroku informed her.
"Hai, I know. But first I have to tell you about what's happened!" She said, happily looking at Inuyasha. She smiled at him and turned back to the others. "But first we should set up camp."
The group quickly got to work, all of them eager to hear Inuyasha and Kagome's tale.
And so the plot thickens...
Well I hope you like what I did with Kagome's character.. I felt that she needed an outburst.. Not ONCE in the manga or anime did she ever swear or get INCREDIBLY angry (as Inuyasha often does) and I felt after all that happened to her and her friends.. SHe needed to vent the anger at the man who had
caused it. For any normal person who went through what she had.. it would have happened long ago... )
I also gave Naraku a personality. Now he has depth and is a real character in my story. Yay. We'll be seeing a lot more of him soon.. heh heh heh : D
See you next chapter!
-Kellai-chan-