Summary: Her Purity revised! Knowing the end was near, Naraku kidnaps and rapes Kagome, leaving her terrified of men, including Inuyasha. With this knowledge, Inuyasha tries to help her, but what happens when her condition only gets worse?
Notes: Her Purity revised.
Chapter Four: Trauma
Rating: M

The Crown Jewel

"Kagome?" Shippo's hesitant voice forced itself into Kagome's brain, making the girl groan and roll over, only to wince and grip her side. "Don't move!" Shippo said. He set down the small bowl he was using to smash medicinal herbs in and rolled Kagome onto her back, trying to be very careful but still a bit clumsy.

"Sh—Shippo?" Kagome groaned. Her side was killing her and her head hurt like crazy. She felt very sick and wanted to go back to sleep, but her pain kept her from doing anything. "What…?"

"You have to be quiet, Kagome," Shippo whispered. His voice cracked slightly and Kagome felt small drops of something wet hit her face. She could easily visualize his frightened face looking around, searching cautiously to see if anyone heard. "He'll hear us and then come back…"

Kagome finally opened her eyes and saw Shippo's small form kneeling near her head, tears streaming down his face and dripping from his chin and onto her.

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked. She tried to sit up, but Shippo grabbed her shirt sleeve to pull her back down. Though Shippo was too weak to do much than a small tug, Kagome lay back down anyway, a puzzled expression on her face as she examined her surroundings. Shippo returned to mashing the herbs with a frightened, nervous look adorning his face. "Where are we? What happened?"

"I—I think we're in N—Naraku's lair," Shippo stuttered. Fresh tears filled his eyes and he sobbed quietly in fright. "He—He kidnapped us and b—brought us here!" With extremely shaky hands, Shippo scooped up the herbs and tried to apply it to Kagome's arrow wound, but Kagome gently took it from him and applied it herself, worried over the distressed child. Shippo sat back and held his hands up to his eyes, trying to wipe away his tears.

Kagome had felt the malicious aura since she woke up, but now that she knew that it belonged to Naraku, she began to feel panic course through her. She recalled the fight and how she had obtained her injury. Just how could Naraku have erected a barrier around him? She took a deep breath to calm herself. Now wasn't the time to ponder the fight. She and Shippo were in real danger and had to figure out how to escape.

She looked around the large room they were in and noticed a door on the far opposite side of the room. She moved to get up, ignoring Shippo's protests, and walked to the door, but tripped over something and fell to the floor, a loud yelp of pain escaping her as she landed on her wounded side. Lifting her head, Kagome's eyes widened as she stared at the chain that was attached to her foot. She looked at Shippo and saw that he had one around his small waist. Their chains were attached to separate metal poles, just close enough to each other that they could still have physical contact, but it was impossible to escape.

Her breath catching, Kagome desperately looked around for something she could use to sever the chain, but the only thing within reach was the small, ceramic bowl Shippo had been using. She looked down at it before looking at her own body. Her bloody shirt had lifted a bit to make room for the bandages that were underneath. Speaking of, Kagome looked at Shippo, who was still trying to dry his eyes.

"Where did you get these medical supplies?" she asked. She looked around again, searching hopefully for her backpack. Maybe there was something in there she could use.

"K—Kagura brought them to me," Shippo said. He sniffled and crawled over to where Kagome was. The chain was just long enough for him to lean against her thigh comfortably.

"Kagura?" Kagome asked, surprised.

"Y—Yeah. I was scared at first, but then she said that she had to help you. I don't know why, though…" Shippo trailed off and wiped his nose. Kagome could feel the anxiety growing in her. Why on earth would Kagura want to help her? "She said that your arrow m—missed your vital organs…"

Kagome looked down again, stroking Shippo's head in what she hoped was a comforting manner. But then, she noticed something that made her stop.

"The jewel shards…" she gasped. Her hand left Shippo's head to clasp for the necklace around her neck, then the top of her shirt, but nothing was there. She looked down at Shippo, who had begun crying again.

"He took them!" Shippo wailed, his small hands curling into fists. "I tried to stop him, but he said he'd hurt you!"

Kagome hurriedly lifted Shippo into her arms and hugged him tightly. He sobbed into her shoulder and she couldn't help the small tears that began so escape her own eyes. When Shippo had calmed down enough, Kagome pulled away and wiped his bangs from his eyes.

"I'll be fine, Shippo," she said softly. She kissed the top of his forehead. "I'll be fine, so don't worry about me. Can you tell me how long we've been here?"

Shippo gasped for breath and wiped his puffy eyes again. "I—I don't know, Kagome—I'm sorry, I—" But Kagome hushed him by hugging him again.

"It's all right, it's all right," she whispered comfortingly, though she couldn't help the fear that was beginning to spread and hoped that Shippo wouldn't smell it. "Earlier—when I woke up—you said that he would come back. Was he in here more than once?" Shippo froze in her lab before slowly nodding into her chest, his tears soaking through her shirt. "What did he do, Shippo?" she pressed. "Did he hurt you? Please, tell me," Kagome pleaded softly, stroking Shippo's tail softly.

"He—He said that he was—g—going to do things to you after he t—took the shards," Shippo cried, gasping. Kagome felt her heart jump and her blood freeze. Her mind ran through all the possibilities of torture that Naraku probably had planned for her and the thought shook her to the very core.

In a shaky voice, she asked, "W—What things?"

Shippo cried harder than ever. "He w—wants to take away y—your ability to sense the shards!" he whimpered. "I—I didn't understand—h—how he can do that—"

But Kagome understood very well what that meant. Her body completely still, Kagome felt the utter terror filter through her body. Shippo pulled away and looked up at her. She was staring down at him with a horrified look in her teary eyes. The fox kit felt fear well up in him again at his surrogate mothers expression and pulled on her shirt to try and snap her out of it, but nothing worked. Tears poured over her cheeks, landing on Shippo's face and mixing with his own as she held him.

"K—Kagome?" he called tentatively. Kagome shook her head and pulled Shippo to her in a tight hug.

"Don't worry, Shippo," Kagome gasped. She rocked back and forth, her chain tugging on her ankle and her wound stretching painfully. "I—Inuyasha will come for us. Inuyasha will s—save us…" But Kagome's voice broke off and she turned quickly towards the door. There were soft footsteps coming towards their room.

Shoving Shippo behind her, Kagome stood on unbalanced feet and grabbed onto the poll that she was chained too, her lip trembling slightly. She could see the silhouette of a figure outside the shoji door, but its edges were too blurry to make out whether it was male or female.

She waited with baited breath as the door slowly slid open.

oOo

Kagura walked leisurely down the halls of Naraku's castle, one hand resting casually at her side while the other clenched around her fan. The look on her face was unreadable, but the expression in her eyes was one of pure disgust and malice. She walked as slowly as she could on the dark, wooden floors, her feet lifting and falling gracefully with each step she took until she arrived at a large set of double doors with the spider kanji engraved into them; Naraku's room. She knocked and opened the door, not waiting for a reply.

The room she entered was extremely dark, almost black if it weren't for the one window that allowed a small bit of light. The dark shadow of a lone figure in the room beckoned Kagura closer. She obliged reluctantly

"Kagura," said a deep voice.

"Naraku," Kagura spat in return. Naraku chuckled for a moment before reaching into a large, ceramic pot, a thick, red substance pouring out of it as his hand dug for something inside. Kagura's eyes widened, knowing what was coming.

"Did I order you to help the girl?" Naraku asked, despite already knowing the answer. Kagura remained silent, her eyes locked in on the pot. She twitched suddenly and winced as Naraku glanced at her and pulled his hand out of the pot, a pulsing object clutched in his fingers. "Answer me."

"N—No," Kagura gasped. She grunted as Naraku squeezed her heart painfully and fell to the floor, her hand clutching her chest.

"Then why did you do it?"

Again, Kagura remained silent as she tried to pull herself together. Grasping her fan tightly, she tried to stand on her feet, but a small squeeze from Naraku had her collapsing on the floor again.

Naraku chuckled and repeatedly tightened his hand around Kagura's heart, his smile widening as she convulsed on the floor with pain. With his free hand, he beckoned Kanna to him and looked in her mirror, lifting an eyebrow at the sight of the priestess hugging the fox demon. Pulling back, he gave the heart one last, painful pinch before tossing it back inside the blood filled ceramic pot, lifting his hand and licking the blood from his hands.

"This will be the last time you disobey me again, Kagura. Is that understood?"

Kagura hissed as she stood, her body hunched over in pain. "Y—Yes…" she said bitterly.

"Good. Leave."

Without a second thought, Kagura turned and quickly headed towards the exit, slamming the doors loudly behind her as she left. She leaned against them and panted heavily, the pain finally beginning to recede. She looked left and right down the corridors, as if wondering if anyone was watching her, before she turned right and walked down the hall to the room that the priestess and the fox were situated, her defiant nature getting the better of her.

Though she may be one of Naraku's many minions, she did not possess Naraku's same interests, which she was grateful for. It may not be inside her, but she had a heart, and she'd be damned if she let him use it any longer. She was created by him, birthed by him, but she was in no way similar to him. She had a mind and a conscience, and that conscience was telling her to do the right thing.

But she couldn't. Kagura knew that Naraku would kill her the instant she tried to set Kagome free, and couldn't risk it. Not now. However, she could try to do something to salvage the little one. Kagura pulled out the long, black cloth she had tucked away in her robes earlier before pausing at the entrance of the door that led to the priestess and fox pup.

Upon opening it, she was not at all surprised to see Kagome using the skinny pole as a shield with the fox cowering behind her, though the kit seemed to relax a bit when he saw who it was.

Sliding the door closed behind her, Kagura walked slowly towards the two, both of whom walked back as far as they could with the chains cautiously. She looked meaningfully at Kagome before glancing down at the child and back up to Kagome again, and then used a single finger to beckon the girl to her. The priestess didn't move at first, but slowly looked down at Shippo before walking, ever so slowly, towards the wind demon. Shippo clung to her leg, not as frightened as he was before, but still cautious.

Kagura gently stroked the black silk cloth she was holding before offering it to Kagome, who looked taken aback.

"You know what he's going to do?" she asked, point blank. Kagome closed her eyes for a moment, her terror consuming her once again before she nodded, though a bit uncertain. "You'll need this," Kagura said, gesturing to the long cloth. Kagome hesitantly took it and tucked it around the neck of her school uniform before backing away again uncertainly. Kagura turned to leave, but Kagome's voice stopped her.

"Why did you help me?" Kagome asked suddenly. Kagura turned around, an unidentifiable look on her face, and, without answering, left the room, sliding the door shut softly behind her.

Kagome didn't know what to make of Kagura's sudden change in attitude, but was grateful because it forced her mind away from what she knew was bound to happen if Inuyasha didn't arrive soon. She looked down at the long black cloth around her neck and fingered it gently, patting Shippo on the head when he asked what it was. Kagome suddenly thought of Shippo's innocence and felt her heart tighten. He was far too young to witness the sin that might occur. Sinking to her knees, Kagome clenched her eyes shut, not noticing Shippo as he clambered into her lap and tugged at the black cloth.

"What is it, Kagome?" he asked. Kagome pulled the cloth from around her neck and held it in front of him before biting her lip, her chin trembling.

"It's a present," she said softly. "For you," she added. Without waiting for Shippo's response, Kagome pressed the thick black cloth over his eyes and tied it in a tight knot behind his head. "This is how you wear it…"

"B—But I can't see anything," Shippo commented, his lip beginning to quake. "I—I can't see you! What're you d—doing?"

Kagome pressed a finger to his lips and hushed him, gasping softly as she cried. She hugged him tightly to her.

"Promise me, Shippo," she started. "That no matter what happens—no matter what you might hear, you will not remove this cloth."

Shippo shook his head, fear beginning to well up in him. "W—What're you—?"

"Promise me!" Kagome interrupted, her voice cracking. Her hands clenched his arms tightly. "Promise me!"

"I—I promise!" Shippo cried. His tears were beginning to soak through the cloth.

Kagome sobbed quietly, kissing Shippo on the forehead before holding his little hands in hers. "D—Do you remember that lullaby I taught you a couple of days ago? The one that I sing you to sleep with?"

Shippo nodded, his nose sniffling.

"Sing it, Shippo," Kagome demanded as the door slowly began to open. Kagome felt his presence and held the small fox close to her as his aura began to creep up her spine, making her shiver with fright. "Sing it, and don't ever stop!" Kagome wept. She raised his hands to his ears and pressed them tightly to his head so he couldn't hear before carefully pushing him away

"K—Kagome?" Shippo called frightfully. He was about to remove his hands from his ears, but Kagome shouted suddenly.

"Don't, Shippo—" there was a loud rustling. Shippo hastily pressed his hands to his ears again, his eyes moving behind the darkness of the blindfold. "Just sing it!" Kagome yelled. She yelped suddenly, crying out in pain.

"Hush, little baby, d—don't say a word…" Shippo started slowly, taking huge gasps in between. He heard Kagome's scream and the sound of tearing cloth and pressed his hands tighter on his head. "M—Mama's gonna buy you a M—Mockingbird…"

Shippo curled his fingers around his pointed ears, anxiety still building within his small body. He could smell Kagome's tears and the foul stench of her blood. "A—And if that M—Mocking bird won't sing, Mama's gonna b—buy you a diamond ring…" Kagome's high pitched screams forced his tears to fall faster.

"I—If that d—diamond ring turns brass—" Shippo sobbed, the volume of his voice escalating until he was almost screaming. His claws dug into the scalp behind his ears, causing him to bleed as Kagome cried for Inuyasha again and again and again. He bent his little fox toes and leaned over on the ground, curling into the fetal position as he heard Naraku's grunts become louder and louder. "M—Mama's gonna buy you a looking g—glass…" Shippo wailed as if suffering agonizing pain as he smelt the terror that filled the room, his entire body shaking. There was a scent there that was unfamiliar to him, something that he didn't like at all. Not remembering the next line, he started over again.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word…"

This is the MOST depressing thing that I have ever written and I am so glad it's over! Poor Kagome! Poor Shippo! I hope Inuyasha arrives soon!

Review please!

~Miyopiyo