"What... what did you say?" I asked that boy, knowing I didn't want to hear his answer. This was just sickening to me... wrong in all aspects. The little boy gave a sinister chuckle that made me want to slit his throat and make sure that he never made - what was I thinking?

"just what you always wanted to think mother."

"No it's not!" This boy was inside my head. It seemed odd that he could read my mind... and that no one was able to see him.

He must be in my mind. That's where I am... isn't it?

"bingo!"

I narrowed my eyes at the boy, only to have him give me a dark smile, the fire playing shadows across his face, making him seem more dangerous than he probably was.

"I've dealt with demons like you before, with Inuyasha and them, and I know you're really weak. Leave me alone."

"i can't leave you alone mother. i'm inside you."

"Tell me where we are." My voice grew stronger, more demanding. I had to get rid of this boy NOW. He was just evil. I felt waves of malice and hate rolling off of his body. I could feel it inside me... he was evil.

"mother - we're inside your head. don't worry. you're in charge here. want to wake up and see if i am really weak?"

His words held a playful quality, one that I did not appreciate at all. But he did offer to let me wake up...

...wait!

Wake up? I was sleeping? So I was inside my head... Hm. And if I woke up, I wouldn't have to stand for him just... staring at me like that. His eerie, big black eyes that would never stop staring...

Waking up would mean he would once againstart whispering to me, taunting me... I could deal with that much better than seeing him in this physical form, with his eyes glued to me. "I want to wake up!" My voice was stronger, more demanding. It didn't reflect how I felt, and my courage wavered as a smirk spread across that pasty white face of his.

When he moved forward onto his arms and feet, inching towards me in this primal manner, my fear took over. I didn't want those hands, that face, his eyes - I wanted out. He was just getting closer and he was going to come over and he was going to touch me with those small sickly hands and then he was going to

"LET ME WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

Nightmares and Visions

Understanding

by: bs

Kagome had started thrashing about in her sleep as Miroku and I entered the hut, with Sango at her side trying to wake her up. Kaede was bringing forth something, I couldn't tell what, and I raced over to Kagome's side.

As soon as I reached her, her eyes shot open, she sat up swiftly and shouted loudly (really loudly) "WAKE UP!" She shut her eyes and pulled her legs towards her and shuddered.

"Kagome..." Sango spoke softly to her. She gently placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder, and I noticed that her scent was drenched in fear. Her body stiffened at the contact of Sango's hand, but did nothing to push it aside.

She smelled normal again... she didn't smell gross anymore.

The gross smell was now outside. It was outside the hut..? That didn't make any sense! I quickly stood up and ran outside, lifting up the flap to the hut door and peering outside.

I came face to face with that little boy I had glimpsed upon in Kagome's time. Strangely enough, when I had reached the boy he faded away into nothing. But this time - he was here. He was pretty damn solid.

And he reeked.

"Keh. You bloody bastard. You're that little idiot who's been bugging Kagome haven't you?"

All that little irritating brat did was smile a big smile, stretching his white ugly face and showing his teeth - or what would've been teeth. His mouth was covered in black, jagged looking things that I suppose were his teeth. They were lighter than the black of his eyes - which is saying a lot since I think black isn't supposed to have different shades.

"Hey! I'm fucking talking to you! Stop staring you little freak!"

Damn this boy was more annoying than Shippou! He opened his mouth and from it came this low groaning noise.

"Hey! Stop it! Shut up! I swear if you don't I'm going to - "

Miroku reached out and dragged me quickly into the tent. The little boy apparently, from the sounds of things, leapt right then and slammed into the flap that was the hut door. There was a loud thud from the impact he made with the door, and a very low sizzling noise. It was then I noticed the paper talismans that looked as though they had been slapped onto the walls hastily.

"Inuyasha - I believe we should not mess with the creature outside." Miroku began carefully. He looked over in the direction of Kagome. "It may harm her..."

"What do you mean by that monk!" This was all starting to piss me off. It wasn't a kill the beast to make Kagome better.

"I mean - that creature out there... it's connected to Kagome. Harming it may accidentally harm Kagome. And we don't want that... especially you Inuyasha."

Keh! What did he mean - especially me? I sniffed the air and gave Miroku a glare. I went and sat next to the door, tracking the creature's movements. He was circling the hut, trying to see if there was a weak point that he could use to his advantage. Keh!

Tough luck you little bastard - Miroku and Kaede would make sure there was no way for you to get in. I turned my attention back to what was happening inside the hut.

"Kagome..." Miroku was talking softly to her. "We need to talk. This creature, when did he start bothering you?"

"For... about two weeks." For some reason Kagome's voice seemed odd - as though she were sick and weary.

Kaede nodded her head. "And is this why ye were questioning about the demons?"

Kagome gave a small nod. "I didn't want to mention it before because I thought it was just a dream, but..."

And she hesitated. "But what?" I prodded.

She gave me a look. "It... it calls me mother..." she broke off in a shudder. "And it told me it was inside me."

Apparently, Kaede had just connected some vital portions of this information. "Aye... child. It has been around two weeks since your encounters with Tsubaki correct?"

Kagome nodded. What did that dead evil miko have to do with this?

Miroku sighed, like he understood. Sango rubbed her hand on Kagome's back for comfort, as though she understood what the message implied.

"What? What about the evil miko?" I snapped. Why was I always out of the loop!

Miroku shook his head at me. "Ahh.. Inuyasha... you remember how she manipulated Kagome with the tainted jewel shards?"

I scowled at this.

"Ah, well... perhaps the poison in the shards spread through Kagome's body - not completely staying within the shards. And so when we removed the shards the poison stayed. Now, Tsubaki was a powerful miko, and so... perhaps the poison grew into that creature."

...how many times did he have to say perhaps?

"What are you getting at!" I growled. This didn't make that much sense. Sure - the poison might have stayed, but Kagome was good enough at purifying stuff that she could purify the shit outta a little poison!

"I'm not sure... this is just a possibility. This is the only thing that could have caused it - we have not had any great activity as of late..."

Kaede held her hand up to Miroku, who stopped talking. "Inuyasha - the poison might have spread and infected her soul... or mind. We are not sure which yet. And if this is truly the case of what is occurring, then any harm that befalls the creature will hurt part of Kagome. If this is truly the case - then that creature will have taken part of Kagome's soul or mind."

"Keh! How is it we didn't notice it before?"

Miroku gave an audible thinking sound. Trying to sound smart. Keh! It doesn't work.

Sango opened her mouth, but closed it and frowned. Kaede looked questioningly at her. "What is it child?"

"Well... once long ago, during my training... my father mentioned of something of this case. A demon of sorts would infect a human and live dormant for awhile, taking in its surroundings... It assesses the person's weaknesses and strengths and plays on them. Usually they do take over the soul, mind, or body of the victim - rarely a big portion.

"However - these beings never come into power. They have to play on the emotions of their prey. Eventually, these creatures only come into true physical being and power if their victim believes and fears them."

This whole situation was pissing me off.

"This is stupid. How do we FIX this!"

Sango looked at me, and then at Kagome, who was leaning against her for support. "Well... these creatures usually have to find some emotional distress that the person is suffering at the moment, and play on that as their weakness."

Everyone in the cabin seemed to turn their heads to stare at me expectantly.

Miroku coughed.

"Inuyasha... I have to ask you. Have you had any activity with Kikyou lately?"

After sitting and listening to everyone discuss what was going on I felt slightly comforted knowing what was happening.

Just slightly.

At least I wasn't crazy and other people could see the little boy.

But... when Miroku asked Inuyasha about Kikyou, I could see him stiffen. He had been pretty angry about the whole thing. He seemed hesitant to answer.

It was then the hut shook and I heard an inhumane howl pierce through the hut. As we all looked at each other in surprise, something crashed through the ceiling of the hut, only to stand and shake off the bits of wood that clung to him.

It was the little boy.

AN: I just want you guys to know I'm pretty freaked writing this all by myself downstairs. Eep!

O.O what was that noise! ahh T.T I hope you're enjoying this :D And I hope everyone knows who Tsubaki is... ehh... I think VIZ has published that far into the manga and adultswim showed the dubs and stuff. so yeh. for those of you who are unaware Tsubaki was an evil evil priestessy person - hated Kikyou cuz she wanted to guard the Shikon jewel and comes back and causes hell for the gang. she pairs up with naraku blah blah... sorry if I spoiled anything for anyone! xP