Hidden Powers of the Heart
By Kawaichan
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. There, you happy now? Hope you like it, please read and review, if you'd be so kind!
"Now, you will tell me what I want to know, or I will not hesitate to kill you."
Naraku sneered down at the girl on the ground. Kagome stared dully back at the evil hanyou standing above her, refusing to acknowledge his demand. Instead, she looked about her surroundings. The tatami mats were in perfect condition, suggesting not much movement occurred in this room. The walls were black, odd for such large castle. The whole room was dark, save for the pink glow she saw coming from beneath Naraku's haori. He had the large chunk of the Shikon jewel. The glow of the nearly-complete jewel lit up Naraku's cruel face and magnified the evil sneer he had assumed.
She turned her body so that she was facing the person she once knew as Kohaku, her eyes pleading. Yukane simply acknowledged her glance and looked away once more. He would be no help
"Now tell me, girl. Where is it you come from." Naraku said quietly, the threat clear in his voice. Once again, Kagome simply looked back at him, her eyes completely devoid of emotion or care.
"I won't tell you anything, Naraku," she replied evenly. "Just leave me alone." Her sadness grew as she thought of Inuyasha. He wasn't coming to save her. It felt once again like that awful baby had hold of her heart, yet that horrible creation was gone now.
Naraku's cool façade vanished like sunlight behind a cloud. He grabbed her by the throat and drew her up. "You WILL tell me NOW, or you die!" he screamed at her, tightening his grip ruthlessly on her throat, cutting off her air supply.
"So?" Kagome choked out, as if she had not a care in the world. "I don't care. If you're going to kill me, just do it and get it over with. Otherwise, just leave me alone. I'm not in a good mood."
Shock registered momentarily in Naraku's black expression. He threw her down onto the tatami in frustration. Kagome was slowly losing consciousness. Her throat and neck were bruised and raw, and she was still bleeding from Kagura's attack. She hardly heard what he said next and began drifting to a different place.
"What are you playing at, bitch?" he yelled. "Very well. If you will not cooperate with me now, I will send Yukane here after your friend Sango. And the wasps after Miroku. Shippo will be dead within the day. And finally, I will go after Inuyasha myself. Right now, he is under Kikyo's spell. He will be easy prey."
Kagome jerked awake. "NO!" everything hit her at once. Her friends were in danger, and Inuyasha was under a spell by Kikyo! She thought Kikyo was dead! Naraku himself pushed her off of a cliff! It must have been a strong spell to do that to Inuyasha! Her mind snapped awake as she felt something break inside of her again, just as it had with Kagura's wind spell. Her mind became impossibly clear. Power surged through her. She felt the pull of the Jewel and knew what to do. Her hand came up of its own accord and the Shikon Jewel shot from beneath Naraku's haori and into Kagome's hands before Naraku could even blink
The shards Kagome had collected appeared in her other hand. She placed the shards with the jewel. Bright light escaped from the jewel as the shards fused with the larger part. Now all that was missing were Kouga's shards from his legs. She would deal with that later. Right now, she had a job to do. Kagome turned her attention back to Naraku. He had messed with her group for the very last time. She blinked once and her eyes shone with a bright pink light. Her whole body radiated energy. As her rage grew, so did the power
Naraku was suddenly fearful for himself. He watched as the young miko went from nearly dead to a vessel of power barely held in her slight form. He backed up until his back hit the black, windowless wall. He saw her look at him once more and panicked when she smiled at him.
Kagome smiled at Naraku. For a fleeting moment feeling a twinge of pity for the human he used to be before she unleashed her power on him. The room was obliterated in a matter of seconds. Pink light flowed from Kagome like a river breaking its dam. It was his last sight before he was completely obliterated from the world. The power washed through the entire castle, causing it to disintegrate. Animals in the surrounding forests ran from the great shock of light exploding from the miasma filled barrier. The barrier and miasma dissipated as Kagome's power shot outward.
Miroku, Sango, and Shippo stopped dead. Light and wind rushed to them with such force they were almost blown away.
"Do you feel that? That is Kagome's aura!" Miroku yelled over the surge of the wind.
"We need to get to her, Kirara, lets go!" Sango called once the surge was over. The members of the group were filled with hope and dread at the same time. The flash of light let them know she was alive at least until that time. Abandoning their search for Inuyasha, they sprinted in the direction of the light blast.
Kagome called the shards from wherever Kouga was running. She also called the shard from Kohaku's back. Her heart went out to Sango. She sent a silent apology to the wolf demon when she felt the two shards coming towards her. The two shards came to a stop in front of her and she plucked them out of midair. Elation filled her as the jewel was completed. Her power increased a hundred fold. She turned to Yukane. He was laid out on the ground, head up and looking at her in fear. He was still alive! She extended her powers out to the battered man. He screamed once as his body returned to that of the young boy he once was. Kohaku lay on the ground amidst the chaos.
Kagome looked at the jewel. She thought back to how much destruction and angst the seemingly innocent looking jewel had caused. She had to get rid of it now. Taking a deep breath and lifting her head to the stars, she began to make her wish.
"Midoriko, please hear me. I wish for everyone who were hurt by Naraku recover and please let Inuyasha achieve what he has always wanted!" she called. The jewel lifted from her hand and began to glow until it blinded Kagome. She was suddenly knocked back for all of the power contained in the jewel. Her vision went white as the jewel expended the last of its energy. A figure emerged from the light
"Kagome, child, you have done well," the slightly transparent figure said. The voice was that of a woman. Kagome realized who she was almost immediately.
"Midoriko?" was all she could say. She was in awe at the amount of power she felt radiating from the center of her.
"Yes, child. You have freed me from my efforts, and for that, your unselfish wish will be granted. Rest now, Kagome. You served the gods well." She replied before she vanished. Kagome fell to the ground as the last of her power left her. Her wounds opened once more and she fell deeper and deeper into darkness.
Inuyasha was roused from his daze by Kikyo's scream of pain. He jumped up and watched the person he thought was Kikyo disintegrate before his eyes. The spell wore off, and the face of Kikyo disappeared and turned to that of Naraku. It was a golem! Inuyasha spun around when he felt an enormous power coming his way. He was met with a great pink light down in a valley. It was Kagome's power! She was in danger!
He was about to take off in her direction when he suddenly felt his blood begin to rage. What was happening! He fell to his knees in an attempt to ride out the waves of power rushing over him. His blood raged, and his skin began to crawl. His eyes glowed red for a moment before returning to their beautiful gold. Purple streaks slashed their way down his cheeks and his claws grew suddenly.
When he was finally able to stand, he was shocked. His strength had increased several times over. He felt better than he ever had in his life. He raced to the small pond by the village and gasped in shock when he saw his reflection. He had a tail! He looked like Sesshomarou more than ever! His features were more refined now, and he was actually taller. Was it possible? He was a full demon! He could hardly believe it. How had it happened? His head jerked up once more as the power-filled light died down. Kagome, he thought. She was in danger!
Assuming he now had all of the powers that Sesshomarou possessed, he concentrated on creating a cloud on which to travel on. He was instantly lifted up and whisked away toward the dying power surge. Wait for me Kagome! He silently called out to her. His fear for her had never been stronger. He knew now she was no longer just a mere friend. He knew he would die without her. His speed increased as his anxiety spread to every fiber of his body.
Sesshomarou stopped in his tracks and turned to the west. That strange light, it felt like that human wench his half-breed brother dragged around with him. His eyes widened slightly as Naraku's aura disappeared completely. He had been following it relentlessly for weeks now, unable to find his domain. His anger flared as he put the pieces together. The miko dare infringe on his prey? She will pay.
He turned on his heal and soared off to the west, leaving a startled Jaken and Rin to follow behind on Ah-un.
Everyone seemed to find the new clearing at the same time. Miroku and his group skidded to a stop only to find Inuyasha doing the same thing. Sango gasped when she saw Inuyasha's new features. The look on Inuyasha's face, however, made them all look in the opposite direction.
"Sesshomarou!" Inuyasha growled, "What the hell are you doing here!" he growled, but was cut off from anything further when Sango gasped.
"Oh No! Kagome!" she cried out, and started for her friend laying on the ground in the center of the destruction. She stopped suddenly when Sesshomarou appeared in front of Kagome and picked up her limp form.
"She has taken my prey, and will answer for it. Follow if you will, but your miko must answer for what she has done." He looked over to Inuyasha, and eyebrow lifting at his new appearance. He looked once more to Kagome, and vanished.
AN: hope that wasn't too bad of a cliff hanger! Hope you enjoyed this one, its much longer, so that should be nice. Thanks for reading!