"A Heart's Immaculence"
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha (for the fourteenth time!)
Author's Note: Hello, my loyal readers! Thank you once again for reading and reviewing! My motivation is always high to continue writing when I hear from you and read the positive things you have to say. Now I don't know if some of you understood what I meant in the previous part of this chapter when I said "Not everything is as it seems." Once you begin reading this part of the story, then you'll realize what I meant. Kudos for those who got it and shame on those who didn't! (Just kidding!) I can understand how some of you were disappointed that Sesshomaru and Kagome were so close in "getting close," and that it was all ruined. Darn it! Even I was getting into the groove of the moment in that particular scene, but all good things eventually come to an end, don't they? But why so soon, right? Again, please be patient with my story. It is starting to get long, and I haven't even mentioned Inuyasha and the gang or Naraku in a while. I really need to do that because they're still important in this story, although they are not the "main" characters. Patience, okay? Remember that all good things come to those who wait. I just hope I'm able to deliver the goods properly, get it? Are you ready to read to know what happens now? Go ahead!
Chapter 13 (Part II)
The darkness of the night crept lower and was more sinister, devouring the moon like a plague, shadows vanishing into the gluttonous blackness, the youth of nature losing its luster and becoming nothing but bleakness. The atmosphere was cold, almost death-like, an ominous grave freshly dug for one whose life was absent of warmth and vitality. The earth itself was stained by the spilt sustenance of a mortal soul, a breath kidnapped by unfortunate circumstance, chained to the air and whisked away, unbound by gravity.
The figures within the dark, within the black box from which nightmares originate, were shrouded in either grey, white or black, the only colors left to clothe them after the night's darkness engorged itself, feasting on the beauty of all things bright. It seemed as if an eternal abyss had laid its callousness over them, a foundation with smothering, deleterious parapets. And it was unrelenting, this never ending darkness, an oubliette which kept its captives under its unyielding authority.
Removing himself from his former position, Sesshomaru stretched out his body, his height a tall pedestal that required nothing to embellish its strong, masculine frame. His eyes were like a hearth that held hot coal, the blaze which burned within producing a terrible heat that could not be extinguished. He stared at the figure a few distance from him, the familiarity he once knew in him no longer there, the unknown replacing the known. Strangely, since everything around him was colorless and vague, Sesshomaru noticed that the only thing left inside the darkness which held any luminosity was Kagome's blood. While his body was wrapped in white, Inuyasha's was in grey and Kagome's own body could not be seen. She was entirely consumed by blackness, the redness of her blood a sign she was still there, made invisible by the silent but deadly lover who prevented her from bestowing a kiss to the one she enamored, stealing her soul for itself, forcing her to be its paramour in the underworld.
Sesshomaru had looked at Kagome's blood but once, for he had intended to search her body for a single speck of life using his instincts. However, he knew it was unnecessary to utilize his senses as well, because even though he sensed Kagome's breath was gone, her essence ceasing to enter his body, it was his heart which had announced her melancholy departure.
A whirlwind of feelings descended upon him…sadness...confusion...loss...betrayal, emotions he again had to ignore and constrain if he wanted to possess power and control over himself, restraining his pain to concentrate on punishing the individual responsible for his inner conflict.
"Inuyasha!" Sesshomaru said under his breath, bending his head downward, his chest heaving so heavily it pained him to breathe, seeming as if he was being punched from within.
Inuyasha remained in a locked, combat position, his body hunched slightly forward, arms bent inward, his bloody claws stretched to their fullest length, his legs crunched a few inches above the ground. As frightening as he appeared in his full demon form, Sesshomaru was not affected by his brother's transformation, yet there was something disturbing about his expression he did not like. He was appalled at how evil Inuyasha looked and in the manner in which he was looking at him, a cold, wicked, malicious smile spread across his face. But there was another thing Sesshomaru saw in Inuyasha that he had never really possessed, for although his brother may have said he held such hard feelings towards him, he truly never meant it.
It was more than apparent, the one feeling he was now carrying. His transformation into his full demon self proved it. Not even Sesshomaru himself harbored such a destructive emotion towards his brother.
Inuyasha was now the embodiment of hate. Hate was what he now was. And hate is what had slayed his soul and the young woman he had loved.
"Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said wickedly. "Kagome was not meant to be yours. I had to kill her before you had the chance to."
"I do not understand the meaning of your words," said Sesshomaru, his anger increasing. "Did you say you killed her because—"
"Yes, brother. She was with me long before she ever met you. I was her friend. I loved her, so it was only appropriate that I kill her instead of allowing you to. You were nothing to her but a cold-hearted, arrogant demon. And what was she to you? Nothing but a worthless human. It all makes sense. You were supposed to be the one to kill her, but I couldn't let you do that, since her death would have meant nothing to you. For me, on the other hand, it meant everything."
Sesshomaru shook his head. Inuyasha's words did not make sense. He sounded as though he was being puppeted by madness, the strings attached to him being pulled by an evil he was unable to locate in order to sever the hold it had on him.
"Why would I want to kill her?" Sesshomaru asked himself, searching his mind, then his heart for the answer he did not know.
As if he was reading his mind, Inuyasha gave him a cruel response, a response that made the youkai's heart pulsate uncontrollably out of rhythm.
"Your love for her, Sesshomaru. That is what would've made you kill her."
Suddenly, before Sesshomaru could reply, the surrounding darkness enveloped him and Inuyasha, blinding him again in blackness for the last time.
Sesshomaru slowly opened his eyes.
He was now awake from his dream.
The night continued to spread its mysterious power over the land, infecting anyone who came into its path, influencing the mind to see and believe what was not actual, illusion replacing reality.
Inuyasha stirred in his sleep, and he was tempted to shout, the mental image in his subconscious mind causing his body to coil into a ball, clutching Tetsusaiga to his heart. His dreams had not subsided but rather increased since he last saw Kagome, the torture of having to endure such pain taking a toll on him emotionally. It was the same dream he had had several times before, but this one seemed more lucent and tangible.
"No!" Inuyahsa whispered. "Kagome!"
Sango and Miroku , who were sitting together on top of a log, both heard Inuyasha simultaneously, looking at each other and questioning what was happening to their friend. They saw how distressed he looked, even in his sleep, and they did not know whether or not to wake him, afraid that if they did, he would think they were his enemy and accidentally pounce on them.
"Look at him, Miroku," said Sango worriedly. "Whatever it is he's dreaming about must be very painful for him."
"He must be dreaming about Kagome," Miroku said, scratching the back of his neck. "He said he dreamt about her being killed."
"Yes. Sesshomaru was the one who killed her."
"That is odd, though. Why would Sesshomaru want to kill Kagome? She has never done anything to him. I don't see the connection."
"Maybe there's more to this dream than Inuyasha's telling us. The whole concept of Sesshomaru killing Kagome doesn't make sense."
Both Miroku and Sango turned their heads in unison when Inuyasha gave an agonizing moan. His face was pale and small beads of sweat had gathered on his forehead.
"We shouldn't have told him to rest," Miroku said guiltily. "He had objected to taking a nap, probably knowing what would happen."
"But he needed it, Miroku," Sango said, grabbing a piece of cloth from the inner sleeve of her kimono and wiping the sweat from Inuyasha's forehead. "Since he's had this dream, he hasn't slept well and he's lost his appetite. Look at how thin he's become."
"I agree. Of course all of this is related to Kagome. If we don't find her soon, I'm not sure what will happen to him."
Sango got up and went over to check on Shippo and Kilala who were both taking naps themselves, tired from the several hours they had spent searching for Kagome. They both were in peaceful slumner, Shippo curled comfortably inside Kilala's fur, breathing calmly and cozily. The demon slayer patted Kilala's head and smiled at Shippo before returning to sit with Miroku again.
"I'm going to kill that bastard!"
A loud, swooping sound was heard from behind, and Sango turned around to see that Inuyasha had unsheathed his sword and had swung it just inches away from Miroku's head. Miroku had ducked in time, his hand touching his chest, panting heavily from the unexpected, unintentional attack from his hanyou friend.
"Miroku!" Sango said, running to help Miroku. "Are you alright?"
"That was too close!" said Miroku, touching his head to make sure it was still intact. "We better wake Inuyasha up before he starts walking, or should I say attacking, in his sleep."
Miroku was cautious as he approached Inuyasha, careful not to startle him, lest he try to attack him again.
"Inuyasha?" said the monk, placing a gentle hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "Inuyasha, wake up."
Inuyasha was still asleep, but it seemed that the suffering his dream was causing him lessened when Miroku had spoken to him.
"Inuyasha," said Miroku again, this time speaking directly in his ear. "Wake up!"
Inuyasha opened his eyes instantly as if he had been stabbed by a dagger and, seeing Miroku so close to him and his lips almost touching his cheek, the hanyou jumped up hastily and hit the monk on the head with his fist.
"What were trying to do to me, Miroku! Kiss me!" Inuyasha said angrily. "Your lechery is more shocking than ever. I thought you only liked women."
Miroku blushed, embarrassed by Inuyasha's words. "No, no, no! You have it all wrong, Inuyasha. I was just speaking into your ear to wake you up, that's all. You were dreaming again."
Inuyasha was in disbelief. He was ashamed that he had fallen asleep when he had promised himself he wouldn't, and he could not believe he had been dreaming. At that moment he did not remember his dream at all, but then he looked down and saw his hand holding the Tetsusaiga in its transformed state. His body also felt hot, and he could feel the sweat trickle down his face. He then heard the rapid beating of his heart, and he knew he had dreamed that horrible nightmare once again.
"How bad was it?" Sango asked Inuyasha, seeing his arm tremble as he placed his sword back in its sheath.
"Ah, it was nothing," Inuyasha replied, not wanting to sound worried. "Just the same old dream about Kagome."
"Don't act like your dream is not serious, Inuyasha," said Miroku. "Sango and I saw what that dream was doing to you. You must tell us exactly what it is you saw. Maybe your dream can help give us clues to where Kagome is."
"I know it's serious, Miroku!" Inuyasha shouted, waking Shippo and Kilala. "I just don't want to talk about it! I don't even want to think about it anymore!"
"Calm yourself, Inuyasha," said Sango. "You need to figure out a way to control yourself. Getting upset about things isn't going to help the situation. Now we know your dream is about Sesshomaru killing Kagome, but Miroku and I don't understand how this can come true. Is it even possible? You know Sesshomaru and Kagome aren't anything to each other. They both are from different sides of the universe."
"Don't you think I've been trying to figure that out myself?" said Inuyasha impatiently. "We all know Sesshomaru hates humans, but he has never killed one. He's too much of an aristocrat to do that, and Kagome hates my brother's guts."
"Tell us about your dream, Inuyasha," said Miroku sternly. "I think that is the only way to develop a logical reason to this mystery."
"I can't talk about it, Miroku! I told you that already! So quit bugging me about, okay!"
Miroku slammed his staff over Inuyasha's head in anger as he always did when he made him lose his temper.
"Listen, Inuyasha! Kagome is probably in trouble just like you said. She is out there alone without anyone to protect her. You're the only one who can give her that protection. If Sesshomaru is after her, you better force yourself to spit out what was inside your head while you were asleep."
"Is there something in your dream you don't want us to know about, Inuyasha?" said Sango demurely.
"Is there?" Miroku said, massaging his chin with curiosity. "What else besides a killing occurs in your dream, Inuyasha? Are Sesshomaru and Kagome doing something that is out of their character? Is that what it is?"
"Miroku!" Sango said, understanding what it was Miroku was hinting at.
Inuyasha began to blush, his hands rolled into tight fists.
Aware of Inuyasha's face changing color, Miroku patted him on the shoulder. "I see! Well, if there is any comfort that can be found in it, there's the fact that it's only a dream. Nothing more than that."
"Easy for you to say!" Inuyasha replied through clenched teeth. "But I'm more than sure this dream will come true if nothing's done about it."
"Very true, Inuyasha," said Miroku. "We don't want Sesshomaru taking advantage of Kagome and stripping her of her innocence."
"I didn't mean that part, you idiot!" Inuyasha was even more upset.
"Miroku!" said Sango, shaking her head. "Don't you know how to restrain that mouth of yours!"
"What are you guys talking about?" Shippo asked, resting himself on Kilala's back.
"Inuyasha dreamt about Kagome again," Sango said. "Inuyasha's going to tell us all about it."
"Not all of it!" Inuyasha retorted.
"Why not, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, a goofy smile on his face. "I'm sure recounting your dream to us won't be as interesting if you leave certain parts of it out."
Inuyasha punched Miroku in the stomach, followed by Sango slapping him across the face.
"Okay, okay!" Miroku yelled. "I was just kidding! Tell us whatever you want us to know, Inuyasha."
"Yeah, yeah! Tell us, Inuyasha! What exactly happens in your dream?" Shippo said eagerly as if begging for a bedtime story.
"And why are you so excited about hearing about it, Shippo?" Inuyasha said furiously. "You want to hear me talk about how exactly Kagome dies? You want to know how Sesshomaru kills her? Are those the details you want to hear!"
Shippo's smile turned upside down, and Inuyasha's anger made his eyes red and watery.
"I would love to hear every detail of your dream, Inuyasha!"
Inuyasha and the entire gang heard the calm but sinister voice of the one demon whose presence evoked hatred in each of them, all of them staring at their fully attired enemy in his newly acquired body.
"Naraku!" said Inuyasha bitterly. He was surprised he had allowed Narkau's scent to slip by him. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to visit you," Naraku said mockingly. "I heard you haven't been feeling well since you began having bad dreams."
"How do you know about that?"
"I know about everything, Inuyasha. Kanna, my small but loyal incarnation, has been showing me how uncomfortably you sleep through her mirror. It must be a horrifying dream to make your body suffer from such spasms."
"I'm in a real bad mood, Naraku! It's a good thing you're here. I'll use you to release all this tension I have inside me."
Inuyasha pulled out his Tetsusaiga, Miroku and Sango ready to use their weapons as well when the appropriate time called for them.
Naraku laughed maliciously, taking out his own sword and pointing it towards Inuyasha.
"I didn't come here to fight with you, Inuyasha," he said. "You are not the one I'm after at the moment. I was but passing through this forest to find Sesshomaru, to have a word with him about a certain girl who is now with him."
Inuyasha's eyes widened, and his hands became limp, the grip on his sword loosening.
"Naraku!" Sango yelled, positioning her Hiraikotsu above her head. "You know where Kagome is, don't you!"
Naraku lauged again, his mouth wider and more wicked. "Sango, always ready to fight me, are you not? You should not interfere in this matter. It doesn't concern you or the monk, but it does concern Inuyasha."
"Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha said. "Are you saying she's with Sesshomaru?"
"Yes, she is."
"Don't lie to us, Naraku!" Miroku said, his tight hand aimed at his enemy, ready to release his wind tunnel if the opportunity struck itself.
"It is your problem if you and your friends don't believe me, Inuyasha, but I am telling you what I saw. You see, my true objective in this matter was to pay Sesshomaru a visit, but when I got to him, I could tell he was in no position to receive a warm welcome from me. He was, how should I put it, indisposed?"
"Indisposed in what way?" Inuyasha said charily. "Sesshomaru isn't someone who gets distracted by anyone or anything, especially when it comes to you."
"Apparently this distraction was powerful enough to capture his attention."
A terrifying thought entered Inuyasha's mind after hearing Naraku's words. Had Sesshomaru harmed Kagome? Had he actually hurt her? Was he too late to save her from him?
"What was Sesshomaru doing, Naraku?" Inuyasha asked aggressively. "Was he hurting Kagome? Answer me!"
Naraku smiled at Inuyasha and pulled back his sword, the tentacles attached to his body wavering up and down animatedly behind him.
"I'll let you find that out for yourself."
With those last words, Naraku vanished into the night sky as quickly as he had arrived.
"What was that all about?" Miroku asked, turning to look at Inuyasha who had become more pale and disconcerted.
"I don't know," Inuyasha said fretfully. "I have a very bad feeling about all of this. Not that I trust anything Naraku has to say, but we shouldn't take his words lightly."
"What should we do, Inuyasha?" Sango said. "Do you think Naraku's scheming something that involves Kagome?"
"It sure looks that way, yet I—" Inuyasha's thought was detached from his mind when he felt something fly over him in a slithering motion. He could not see what it was, for some clouds had covered the moon, eliminating the light momentarily.
"What is it, Inuyasha?" asked Shippo. "Is it Naraku again?"
The clouds had dissipated, and the moon was shedding its light over them again.
"Look up there!" Sango said. "Aren't those Kikyo's soul collectors?"
Inuyasha and his friends watched as the soul collectors soared in the air until Kikyo disclosed herself from the darkness, her body fully exposed under the white light which shone down on her. She walked a few paces towards Inuyasha, her face unreadable, a blank slate with nothing written upon it. She stopped a few feet from Inuyasha, careful not to be too close to him or too distant.
"Kikyo!" Inuyasha said, his tone suddenly absent of worry.
Miroku and Sango noticed Inuyasha's change of tone, and they did not like it in the slightest.
"Inuyasha," Kikyo said, her voice thin and unfeeling. "How unexpected this is, seeing you again. You always seem to distract me from my desired purpose."
"The same can be said about Inuyasha with Kikyo," Shippo whispered to Kilala.
"Why are you here, Kikyo?" Inuyasha questioned.
"I sensed Naraku's presence nearby."
"He is gone, for now anyway."
"You don't look well, Inuyasha. Are you ill? Is it because of me that your face is so white?"
"No, Kikyo! Why would seeing you make me like this?"
Kikyo's expression was cold. "Are you saying that I am not capable of arousing any guilt from you to feel towards me?"
"That's not what I meant. I'm always happy to see you."
"Unfortunately, I do not feel the same when seeing you."
Thinking about Kagome, Kikyo looked around the premises but did not see her reincarnation anywhere.
"I see my reincarnation is not with you," she said. "So. She has still been unable to find you, Inuyasha. How pitiful!"
Inuyasha stared at Kikyo in surprise as did Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kilala.
"Kikyo," Inuyasha said, a touch of hope illuminating his eyes. "Have you seen Kagome? Do you know where she is?"
"I have seen her, but that was a day ago. She came to my village to have her wounds healed and to take shelter before setting out to find you again."
"Wounds?" Inuyasha was worried again. "Was she hurt? How? Did she mention anything about Sesshomaru? Was he the one who wounded her?
"Sesshomaru?" Kikyo remembered Kagome moaning his name in her sleep and Sesshomaru's unexpected appearance that one morning when he threatened to attack the village. "What would he have to do with it?"
Inuyasha could see Kikyo was concentrating deeply on the matter.
"Kikyo, please. If you know anything, tell me."
"I know in which direction she went.That is all."
"Where did she go?"
"She went westward."
Inuyasha touched Kikyo's shoulders with both his hands and smiled at her warmly.
"Here we go again," Shippo said loudly, disliking the idea of Inuyasha being so near Kagome's rival. "If Inuyasha gets any closer, he's bound to kiss her any minute."
Turning his attention back to his friends, Inuyasha ran to them, his body quickly rejuvenated.
"Let's go," he told them.
However, before Inuyasha and the gang were off on their way, Kikyo spoke again.
"I saw Kagome leave with Sesshomaru."
Everyone was shocked by Kikyo's words but none more than Inuyasha. He did not believe what he just heard. Naraku was the first to mention Kagome being with Sesshomaru, and now Kikyo was claiming she had seen the same thing. Was he still dreaming?
"What!" Inuyasha grabbed Kikyo's shoulders roughly. "Don't lie to me, Kikyo."
"It saddens me, Inuyasha, that you do not take what I say as truth."
"He kidnapped her. Is that what you mean?"
"Believe what you wish. I am telling you what I saw."
And with that, Kikyo's soul collectors swarmed around her and carried her away.
"Do you believe Kikyo, Inuyasha?" Miroku said.
"I don't know," he replied.
"Well, we better head in the direction Kikyo said Kagome went, whether you believe her or not."
"You think I don't know that! If Kagome's with Sesshomaru, then my dream is now closer to coming true than it was before."
Inuyasha's fear escalated and locked itself around his heart like bars in a prison. He was disoriented by the night's events, and he was unsure whether he could survive another night without Kagome, uncertain whether he could live if his nightmare became real.
There you have it, everybody! I told you that not everything is what it appears to be. What do you think about the situation now? Things are starting to get really mixed up, if you know what I mean. In a way, its Kagome's fault, isn't it? I mean, if she hadn't run off after arguing with Inuyasha, none of these things would be happening. But then there wouldn't be a story, would there? Don't think I'm being hard on Kagome. I'm not. I like her a lot, and I'm always on her side. What about Sesshomaru? Will he be on her side or not? What does he think about all he's been going through now, especially after that dream about Inuyasha killing Kagome? You'll find out! Thanks for reading! Please don't give up on me! Keep writing your beautiful reviews!