Chapter 18: Kagome
"Kagome Kagome,
In her bamboo cage,
When, oh when will you come out?
In the time between night and dawn.
When the crane and turtle slip,
Who is the boy behind?"
As Kagome awoke to the familiar children's song, her head felt like it had been stuffed full of cotton. She peered around her with bleary vision, and realized that she was, in fact, in a bamboo cage. And the person singing was a young man in the cage next to her. He could have been handsome, if he was cleaned up. His long, dark hair hung limply around his face, and he looked a little pale.
"Are you alright?" she whispered.
"Me?" He turned towards her and started to laugh, but it turned into a hacking cough. She moved closer to him and reached out to rub his back in an effort to sooth the fit. "Don't touch me," he growled. His robes were dirty and bloodstained.
"Were you captured by Naraku too?"
"Hmph." The man glowered at the wall, as if wishing his anger might convince the cage to suddenly unlock. "Once morning arrives, I'll break us free."
"I don't know if we'll have until morning," Kagome answered, as she heard the sound of laughter and the two demons entered the room.
"Ah, she's awake! It's no fun if they can't struggle a little," the handsome brother said as he moved the rock that blocked the door of the cage.
"Leave her alone!" the wounded man demanded, attempting to put himself in between her and the Lightning Brothers.
The shark-faced one knocked to poor fool to the side with a swipe of his great paw. Kagome gasped as she heard the wet crunch as he hit the wall. "Don't hurt him! There's no reason for you to pick on a defenseless human!"
The Lightning Brothers laughed. "You don't recognize him, then? This is no human, this is the hanyou, Inuyasha." Shark-face jabbed at Inuyasha's crumpled form. "Although, you're right. We can't kill him yet. He needs to be alive when Sesshomaru finally finds this place and your dead body. But before that, we get to have our fun."
Kagome screamed and struggled, and tried to call upon her reike. Pain raked through her, as whatever spell Naraku had cast wound itself tighter through her.
She closed her eyes as tears threatened to spill forth.
"This can't be..." Kagome thought to herself. "I don't want to die."
"Then fight back." said a voice. Kagome opened her eyes and found herself facing...herself? No, she realized. It wasn't her, it was Kikyou.
"But, how? Naraku has locked away my powers."
"Has he? I didn't realize that a demon's spell had more power than a Miko."
"He's so much stronger than me!"
"Well, then, I suppose all of your brothers and sisters should have just rolled over and let the demons destroy the human kingdoms, since they're so much stronger. Pull yourself together. Only you can save yourself, girl."
Kagome knew Kikyou was right. And she felt ashamed. She had let herself be a damsel in distress, even though she was strong, too. She had to break this spell and rescue Inuyasha.
"You're right," she said out loud.
"Eh? Right about what?" asked shark-face.
Kagome calmed her mind and focused on her power, deep within her. She could feel the spell running through her like a python. She followed it to it's head, and called upon her power. She'd never been able to call it to her on command. But this time...this time would be different.
"Come." she whispered.
"What the hell is she mumbling about?" shark-face asked. He grabbed her by the hair and hoisted her to her feet. Kagome had to struggle to keep her focus. She felt the spell lash out at her, and manifested her bow in her mind's eye. She parried the blow with her bow, then stepped back and drew an arrow of energy. She released it, and felt her power strike the spell. It screamed and writhed as it started to dissipate. "I said...What the hell!" shark-face gasped as her reike wrapped itself around his arm.
"In the name of the great Kami, I purify you."
Author's Notes: I took an alternate translation of the children's poem "Kagome Kagome" and played with it a bit. This took way too long to get done! . Gomen!