Ch. 29 – The return of Loki

The walls and ceiling were marked with blood, the floor covered in it. The dark, slimy red coloring and indifferent smell gave the warning that it has been freshly shed. Hiroto's gaze found its way to the open window, a figure leaning against the stained wall, sitting on the floor crying. "Lady Kagome…" Hiroto remarks slowly and gently, trying to avoid scaring her.

Kagome looks upon hearing her name, tears falling without relent from her face to the now slightly damp floor. She looks at him, yet she seems to be looking right through him. "… What… do you… want?" She speaks after a few minutes, her voice a hallow whisper.

"What happened?" He starts to walk over. "Are you hurt at all? Why are you crying?" He kneels down in front of her. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier, I shouldn't have said that. Please… talk to me."

"… It is… not safe… for you… here. Go… home…"

"I'm not going to leave you up here alone."

"… Take everyone… and leave this place."

"I will not repeat my last statement."

"You will die… if you stay here. You must… get everyone… away from here. Or else… we will all die."

"What are you talking about?" He reaches out to her.

"No, don't." She recoils. "Leave… me alone."

"You're shaking and you've obviously been scared. I'm not going anywhere. Please, let me help. Tell me what happened. I will not desert you."

"He's back… you must warn everyone. Get them to safety."

"Who? Who's back?"

"… The evil one has returned…"

"I'm going to get Khan ok? I'll be right back." Hiroto slowly gets up and walks backwards to the door so he can watch her, just incase she tries to do something stupid in her poor state of mind. "Stay here." He leaves the room and flies down the stairs. "KHAN!"

Khan appears at the bottom of the stairs some odd seconds later. "Lord Hiroto?"

"We have a problem, I need your help."

"What is it that you have need of me for sir?"

"Something bad has happened and I don't know what it is. You need to come talk to Lady Kagome. Now."

"Where is she?"

"Up the stairs –" Khan is gone in a flash. "…Nice to know I'm apparently not allowed to finish my sentence."

(Back upstairs)

Khan slowly opens the door and leaves it open so the lighting from the stairs will add to the slowly dimming lighting in the room. "Kagome…" He spots her across the room. –Oh shit. Something definitely isn't right. And something smells funny in this room. Maybe it's the dried blood everywhere.- He walks over to her, eyes full of concern. "What happened here, tell me."

"The evil one… has returned…"

"I don't like being up here, its kind of creepy. Why don't we go downstairs." He reaches out to her.

She flinches and sheds a tear. "…"

His eyes widen as he recognizes a certain scent and his feeling of concern grows. "Naraku… was here." He looks back down at Kagome and notices something that he had not noticed before. –There's something behind her… and she's holding onto something. I'm gonna need some help.- He thinks for a minute or two before calling out quietly. –Oliver!-

No response.

-OLIVER!-

-Mm? What?-

-Get your ass up here.-

-Why? What if I'm busy?-

-I suggest you get over here if you don't want me to send Kurai to kick you out of your room. And who knows what she'll find in that room of yours of what she'll do to get you out of your room.-

-…Coming.-

(5 minutes later)

"Alright, what do you want you –" Oliver walks in only to stop in his tracks and stare at the walls.

"Want to finish your sentence."

"…What?"

"I'm going to pick up my Sister."

"So?"

"I need you to get whatever's behind her and what she's holding. And Lord Hiroto, I know you followed him up here."

"Can I help at all?" He peeks through the open door.

"I need you to get water, a lot of it."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

"OK. I can do that." He leaves and comes back several minutes later. "Is 4 buckets good?"

"Ya, that's fine. Ready?"

"Anything else I can do?"

"…You can help Oliver."

"Ok. Ready."

"Oliver?"

"Just say when." Oliver looks at Kagome. "Good luck Khan."

"Now." Khan grabs Kagome and pulls her away from the wall, one arm around her waist and the other across her arms. Oliver seizes whatever she was holding onto tightly and Hiroto takes possession of whatever was behind her.

"NO!" Kagome shrieks, the sound hurting their ears. "NO!"

"Kagome it's ok! Calm down!"

"NO! YOU CAN'T! HE'S MINE! GIVE HIM BACK! LET GO OF ME!"

"Calm down damn it!" Khan continues to hold onto her struggling form. "You need to calm down before you hurt yourself!"

"GIVE HIM BACK! YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM! PLEASE! NO!" She continues to shriek. "NO! NO! NO! PLEASE NO!" Tears pour down her face.

"If you don't… calm the hell down… right now… I'll drown you."

"LET GO!" Her eyes glow blue and fiery purification sparks start to appear in the air. "LET ME GO!" She continues to cry out.

"I'm sorry." Khan states quietly. The water comes spiraling out of the buckets, circling the two before engulfing them in a giant water-filled bubble. Hiroto and Oliver watch the scenario play out for 20 climatic minutes. After that the water splashes all over the floor, completely dampening it. Khan just stands there, Kagome limp in his arms.

"What took you so long?" Oliver asks.

"Sorry I was trying not to kill her."

"Well now we know why she was so distressed."

"Enlighten me as to why then."

Oliver holds up a head. "Naraku came to drop off Lord Sesshomaru."

"Both pieces." Hiroto lays the body gently on the floor.

"And that's why she wouldn't stop shrieking." Khan reasons. "She thought we were taking him away from her. I'm sorry Kagome." He looks at Oliver and Hiroto. "Leave him here for now, its safer that way. Tell no one."

"Why not? The servants, soldiers and everyone else in the Western Lands must know that my cousin, their Lord, is dead."

"Not yet. They don't need to know now. That will cause problems and as you just witnessed, Kagome is clearly not ready to handle reality. I'm going to bring my Sister to her room. I suggest you two go to bed, tomorrow does not look like a fun one." They all leave the room and go their separate ways.

(Kagome's room)

Khan walks in and gently lays Kagome down on the bed. She whimpers as he releases his protective hold on her. "I'm sorry Kagome." He sits in the windowsill. "I never thought I'd see the day when Sesshomaru is dead. I remember the first time I saw him; we were friends ever since that fateful day that we met. I was a young teenager wandering around the different lands taking on challengers. I was walking through a meadow and Sesshomaru ran into me, quite literally. It was a good thing that I have a hard head otherwise I probably would've been knocked unconscious for a little while. Anyways, so I challenged him to a duel. And I won." He stares out the window at the sky. "The stars are really nice tonight… well back to my story. So he asked what I wanted from him since I was the victor. I asked him for a shirt. Ya, I could've asked for anything and probably gotten away with it. But my last shirt had gotten shredded by my last opponent, who by the way, I killed for that because it was my favorite shirt. But anyway, so I followed him home and got myself a nice new shirt, which became my new favorite shirt. He asked me to be his training partner, so for having nowhere else to go, I stayed. I've been here ever since. Good times… good times." He falls asleep.

(The next day)

Khan wakes up and looks around. "I have a bad feeling about today… where's Kagome?" He searches the room. –Shit. Where'd she go?- He immediately shoots out of the room and straight up to the tower room. 5 seconds later he's tarring a dagger out of Kagome's hands. "Don't even think about it!" He rips it away from her grasp. "Don't you dare do that ever again!"

"No! Khan please!"

"Absolutely not! You are forbidden to kill yourself!"

"But Khan I want to be with him!" She cries.

"You are not to do anything stupid, like killing yourself, that you'll regret later! Is that understood?"

"Khan please –"

"Is that understood!?!"

"…Yes…"

"Good." Khan walks to the door. "You may have some time to think now." He leaves, taking the dagger with him. He goes downstairs to check on Kurai.

"Why…" Kagome holds onto a lifeless hand. "Why did you have to die… I love you… I'm lost without you…"

"It's so nice to know you feel that way about me." A voices comes from somewhere inside the room.

"Sesshomaru…" She looks at him hopefully.

"It's just too bad…" The head reattaches to the body and he stares up at her. "That you don't remember my name." His appearance changes to a man with black hair, black eyes and an evil smile.

"Naraku –"

He silences her with his hand and drags her over to him with the other, holding her on his lap. "Did you really think that you would never see me again?" He whispers in her ear tauntingly. "Will you submit to me this time? There is no Sesshomaru to hold you back."

-K-!-

-And there is no communicating with your brother. That will not be allowed.-

She tries to call out again but finds herself unable to reach outside her mind. She tries to bite him so he pulls his hand away from her mouth laughing.

"You do amuse me so. Why don't you come home with me? My place is much better then this. And… we could have some fun." His eyes light up.

"I rather die then go anywhere with you." She remarks coldly.

"You have a string sense of heart… but what happens when I poison it?" A giant claw rips through her flesh and she is unable to move. He stands up, taking her with him. "I can't wait to see you again my dear. You must remember; you belong to me." He pulls his claw out, a hole pierced through her heart remains, covered in a black substance. She falls to the floor gasping for breath. "Don't worry my sweet, it will all be over soon. And then you will finally be where you belong, at my side as my mate. You will see me again soon." He evaporates into a giant purple cloud and disappears outside the window.

Kagome is laying on the floor, still having trouble breathing. She soon falls unconscious and the wound starts to close around the black substance penetrating the inside of her heart.

(In Kurai's room)

"I'm glad to see that you're feeling better." Khan sits in a chair.

"It's just the wounds from my own dagger when it broke that have yet to heal completely."

"As long as you are ok, that is all I care for."

"Then can I have a hug?" Kurai smiles innocently.

"…Sure…" Khan gets up, walks over to her and gives her a hug.

"Thank you." She kisses him before he gets far enough away.

He turns a light shade of pink. "… You're… welcome…" All of a sudden he shudders. "Damn it!"

"What's wrong?"

"Something's not right." He speeds down the hall. "I'll return later!"

(In the tower room)

Khan, with his now very little patience, breaks down the door only to have his nose flooded with a foul scent. "Naraku…" His eyes show to be holding a light shade of yellow against their silver coloring as he checks the entire room. He looks to the floor to find an unconscious Kagome who appears to be in a lot of pain. "I can't believe that bastard has done it again… and I wasn't here to kick his ass." He glows silver as his healing powers try to find any damage done to Kagome.

(15 minutes later)

Khan puts Kagome in her bed and sits in the windowsill. "It just doesn't make any sense." Khan talks to himself. "She is obviously in a lot of pain… yet I can't detect any damage. What the hell did he do? I didn't see any wounds on her when I got there and there aren't any now. What could he have possibly done to hurt her that I would not be able to find?"

(That afternoon)

Khan is sitting outside in a tree. "So what possibilities are there? It's Naraku, he wouldn't have healed her… maybe he poisoned her mind. No, I would've heard her scream, and besides, that's my job, in a certain sense… why the hell did Kurai kiss me? I am a butt ugly bastard and she's well, her! Why am I thinking about this! I am not supposed to!! I wonder what Hoshi is doing to Oliver at the moment. I would pay good money to see him try an con her into mating… That is it! Naraku forced Kagome to not call me! The stupid fucker! Where is Sesshomaru at the moment, I need guidance in this situation! Where the hell is he!?! Gahhh… why did Kurai kiss me?!? Why!!!"

All of a sudden Kurai appears on the branch next to him. "Hey Khan! Whatcha doin'?"

"Aaa!" Khan falls out of the tree, hitting every other branch on the way down and landing on his head. "Ow."

"Did I scare you?" She smiles innocently.

"No, I'm used to people randomly showing up out of nowhere when I'm going off on tangents and trying to figure something out."

"Aw, that's too bad. I was hoping to catch you off guard."

"Why?" –Dare I ask.-

"No reason…" She jumps out of the tree and lands at Khan's feet.

"Like I'm gonna believe that from a devilish fox-girl like you."

She suddenly tackles him without warning. "Hugs!" She holds onto him.

-Aaa! It burns! Well actually, it doesn't. And it's kind of… nice… what? Damn you! I will never conform to your evil ways! NEVER!- "What the hell?"

"I got you!"

"…So you do. Question is, what are you going to do now?"

(Inside the castle)

Hiroto paces around in Sesshomaru's study. Kagome walks in and doesn't even acknowledge his presence. "Lady Kagome?"

"…Lord Hiroto." Her voice sounds kind of hallow. She goes over to Sesshomaru's desk and starts going through different papers.

"What are you doing?"

"… What are you doing in here?"

"I was thinking."

"…Why would you be here, in this particular room? Why don't you go outside."

"I think this room is a nice one. Your voice doesn't sound the same as usual. Is something wrong?"

"There is nothing wrong with me. You are just thinking too much. Why don't you sleep."

"Sleep? It's the middle of the day."

"Why don't you sleep anyway." She starts to walk over to him.

"Lady Kagome…" Hiroto backs into a wall. "Are you sure you're feeling ok?"

"I am fine. You on the other hand, are not." She thrusts a hand forward and shoots him with a purification shock. He doesn't even have time to scream as he immediately becomes unconscious, Kagome having shocked his heart. He slumps down the wall and hits the floor with a soft thud. "Good dragon." She goes back over to Sesshomaru's desk and continues going through all the papers, obviously searching for something.

(Elsewhere)

"Where are we going?" Touketsu asks for the 15th time.

"I am going to see Lady Kagome. You can go lock yourself in a broom closet." Zeta tries not to lose her patience.

"Oh yeah! Oliver's friend!"

"Don't you have anything else to do?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because Lord Hiroto said to spend time with you since we're going to be together for a long time." He grins.

"… You don't… mean what I think you mean… you better not…"

"Just wait till later! We'll get a huge super cool room!"

"Oh no…" She stops to face a wall and starts whacking her head against it.

"Hey! What are you doing that for? You're gonna hurt yourself doing that!" He gets really close to her face. "Are you listening to me?"

She turns a slight pink and punches him. "Get away from me."

(About an hour later, outside)

Loki arrives at the front gates. "It's so nice to be back home." She smiles evilly. "Now to find my ward…" She walks through the fields to the front door.

Khan appears in front of her. "What are you doing back here bitch?"

"I'll have you know, Khan, that I am here to see Kagome."

"That's Lady Kagome to you, lowlife."

"How dare you call me a lowlife! I am royalty!"

"You are not welcome here bitch!"

"Still hate me do you?"

"Absolutely."

"Then you'll just have to deal. Now if you'll get out of my way, I have to see Kagome."

"Lady Kagome!"

"Whatever. Let me pass."

"Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged." She pulls out a dagger.

"Touch him and you're a dead bitch." Kurai appears behind her, holding a dagger at her throat. "Drop it."

"Aw, you have a love bug Khan. How sweet. I hate sweet." She twirls around and whacks Kurai on her injured arm, making Kurai drop her dagger and hold onto her arm. She grabs hold of the back of Kurai's neck and hold her dagger close to Kurai's head. "Let me through or I'll cut off her pretty little head."

Khan just stares at her.

"Make your decision quickly."

"…Fine." Khan moves out of her way.

"A wise decision." Loki walks to the door, dragging Kurai with her. When she reaches the doorway she throws Kurai at Khan and proceeds through the door. "Later love birds." She finds Sesshomaru's study and shoves open the door. "There you are Kagome. You know I didn't get a very nice welcoming from your brother. You will have to fix that."

"I can only do so much right now, Warden."

"Oh good, you remembered proper etiquette."

"Here are the files on everyone that has been requested." Kagome hands over a neatly filed stack of papers.

"Oh good, I wasn't sure if you'd get the directions right."

"You do not need to concern yourself with giving me many directions, Warden. I have my orders from Master."

"Even better. You know, I like you a lot better this way."

"I am glad you approve, Warden."

"WHAT!?!" They both look over to find a stunned Khan standing in the doorway. "You did NOT just call her Warden!"

"And if she did? What are you going to do about it Khan? She is being programmed."

"PROGRAMMED!!! What the hell did you do!?!" He runs over and puts distance between Kagome and Loki. "Get out of here! NOW!"

"I can't go yet. My job isn't done."

"Get the hell out of this castle before I rip your head off!"

"I am not finished here." She reaches out to Kagome.

"Get the fuck away from my Sister you bitch!" Khan smacks her hand away. "Don't you ever touch her! She doesn't need to be tainted with your filth!"

"Maybe you should sleep."

"What?"

"Just like your friend over there." She points to Hiroto. "How about it Kagome."

"…" Kagome reaches a hand up towards Khan.

"Kagome…" Khan doesn't want to believe what he's witnessing.

Purification sparks show at her fingertips. They start to glow more as her hand gets closer to his heart. Then she suddenly pulls her hand back, closing her hand and burning herself. "I refuse to hurt my Brother. Especially not under the commanding of you."

"You will pay for your insolence." Loki smacks Kagome across the face hard enough for the sound to vibrate through the room. She leaves a set of claw marks on Kagome's cheek. "I will return again. And when I do you better remember your place, ward." She jumps out the window.

"Kagome… what is going on?" Khan looks closely at his sister and notices that her eyes are darker then usual. "What's wrong with your eyes?"

"I am sorry. I will be punished for that." She starts to walk away.

Khan grabs hold of her wrist gently and stops her from leaving. "Tell me what is going on here. I want answers and I want them now."

"There is nothing wrong. Everything is fine."

"Your tone of voice is not the same either. Are you sick?"

"No. I am fine."

"What happened to Lord Hiroto."

"He is sleeping."

"I see that. Did you do that?"

"I was only following orders." She pulls her arm away and heads out the door.

"Only following orders… from who?" He starts to go after her down the hallway but he stops and looks over at Hiroto. "… I'll send Oliver to come help him." He follows after Kagome. "What did you do to Lord Hiroto?"

"I put him to sleep, nothing more."

"Who told you to do that?"

"It is not needed for you to know who. Only that it has been done. Please leave me alone." She walks into her room and shuts the door on him and locks it.

"Pft. Like a lock is going to keep me out?" He goes to his room and jumps from his window to her window. "Naraku told you to hurt Lord Hiroto, didn't he?"

Her eyes shift to their normal coloring. "Khan you should be with Lord Hiroto, not me. I gave him a purification shock! I hit his heart! I was supposed to do the same to you, I'm sorry."

"I saw that. But what is going on?"

"I don't know. I'm losing myself. I can see what I'm doing but I can't stop myself. I'm sorry I almost hurt you." She cries.

"It's ok…" He goes over and hugs her, holding onto her. "Shh… you didn't hurt me. But I need you to talk to me so I can help you. Oliver is taking care of Lord Hiroto so don't worry about him. We're all worried about you."

"I'm sorry. I'm being pulled away from myself."

"Then just talk to me while you're here."

"It's Naraku. He's doing this and I don't know how to fight him. I'm just so scared."

"There is no need to be frightened. I will kick his ass soon enough. I bet he's just hiding cause he's afraid of me kicking his ass." Khan smiles.

"He has Sesshomaru, I know he does. I can feel it."

"Do you know where?"

"In the dungeon of his dark castle."

"Any idea where the castle is?"

"No. I've tried to find that out while he's in control so that I would have something, but there is nothing. I cannot find him. And every time I get close everything goes blank and all I hear is his taunting voice and chilling laughter."

"We will find a way to get him back, I promise."

"I don't even know if he's… still alive."

"He is."

"How do you know?"

"It's Sesshomaru we're talking about. He may have some issues, but he wouldn't let Naraku stand in his way of coming home to you. He loves you too much."

"How will we get him back? I can't even control myself."

"Well first we've got to figure out how Naraku is controlling you. What happened in that tower room while I was absent?"

"I was talking to Sesshomaru… or at, I thought I was. And then he came alive and changed into Naraku. It was so scary. I tried to call you, really I did." She cries.

"Shh… it's ok. Then what happened?"

"He started taunting me and said that contacting you would not be tolerated. He tried to get me to go with him. And when I didn't he –" She stares off into space.

"What?" He looks down at her. "What is it?"

"Leave."

"Huh?"

"Leave now."

"What are you talking about?" He notices her eyes starting to shade over. "Oh. That."

"Go now!" She shoves him away from her, her eyes almost completely dark and hides under the bed.

"Oh shit." He hears sounds of her fighting with herself. "I think now is a good time to leave. I will be back later to try to talk with you again. Until then, I'll make sure you stay in your room so you don't do anything stupid." He jumps out the window and returns to his room.

(The next day)

"Kagome?" Khan opens the door slowly and looks around the room. "Are you sane?"

"Define that term for me won't you." She's standing right next to the door where he can't see her. She tries to attack him with a clawed hand but he shuts the door on her.

"Nope." He re-barricades the door and walks down the hallway. "I'll try again later."

Hiroto finds Khan in the hallway. "How is Lady Kagome?"

"I'll let you know next time I can talk to her."

"She wouldn't escape through the window would she?"

"She can't. She hates heights, and we're on the 3rd floor. Besides I took some time while she was sleeping to board it up."

"And she didn't wake up and hear that?"

"No. She can sleep through my howling. And if she can do that then she can sleep through just about anything."

"May I visit her later?"

"… Only if you want to take the chance of being purified again. But it would be worse then the little shock she gave you."

"You call that a little shock?" Hiroto looks bewildered.

"Lord Hiroto, if only you know how much purification energy she has. Sometimes it's scary. You know, earlier on in their relationship she almost killed Sesshomaru because of that. She all most purified him to death and she was only holding his hand."

"Ouch."

"You should've seen him when he came home. It was funny as hell. Looked like he had been used as a living lightening rod."

"That must've been a sight."

"It was. His hair was all fuzzy and sticking up."

"Now that sounds funny."

"It was the topic of my amusement for a while."

(Lunchtime.)

"Hey Khan?"

"Yes Lord Hiroto?"

"Do you think it would be alright if I go see Lady Kagome now?"

"I suppose we could go see if she's non-possessed."

"Dad!" Zeta comes charging over.

"Yes my daughter? What is it?"

"You did NOT pair me with Touketsu! Please tell me that's not true!"

"Well…"

"IT IS!!! This is totally unfair! How could you pair me with an idiot like him!? At least pair me with a decent looking idiot!"

"I'm sorry. He volunteered himself."

"He did WHAT!?! He didn't tell me THAT!"

"Gee I wonder why…" Khan walks down the hallway.

"Why don't you take it up with Touketsu for now, I'm busy right now."

"Doing what?"
"I'm going to see Lady Kagome."

"Ok. Have fun." She starts to walk in the opposite direction. "How should I kill Touketsu for this… hmm…"

(Kagome's room)

Khan un-barricades the door and opens the door slightly. This time using his acute sense of smell to pin point Kagome's location in her room. He finds her sitting on her bed quietly. –Kagome?-

"I cannot talk to you through telepathy like we do sometimes Khan. I can't answer you."

"But can you hear me calling you?"

"Slightly, your voice is faint and far away."

"Thanks for letting me know."

"It is safe for now if you'd like to come sit with me."

"I've brought Lord Hiroto with me. He wanted to see you."

"Alright. Then you can both come sit with me for a few minutes."

Both demons walk in; Hiroto stands in front of Kagome while Khan sits next to her on the bed. "How are you Lady Kagome?"

"I am doing ok at the moment Lord Hiroto."

"I'm sorry I said those things to you before. I know I hurt your feelings. And for that, I am deeply sorry."

"A simple misunderstanding is the least of our problems. Don't worry about it."

"Why did you shock me?"

"… I did not do it on purpose. I am sorry I hurt you, I was not in my right mind."

"Oh. Were you possessed? You sounded different, hallow like and your eyes were dark."

"…Yes. I was. And I'm still having those spells. I know he did something. But I can't remember exactly what he did."

"Well I just wanted to see if you were ok. I'm gonna go talk to Zeta about Touketsu." Hiroto walks to the door. "I'm sure you'd like to spend some time with your brother while your still here for the time being."

"Yes, thank you."

He nods to her and leaves the room.

"So what do you remember?"

"Talking to what I thought was a lifeless corpse. Being silenced and dragged closer. Trying to call you and being taunted. The chilling sound of his laughter, when I tried to fight back. Then pain and darkness."

"Would you let me into your mind?"

"I don't think you'd like it in there. Even I don't like it in there. Not the memories of horror at least."
"I'm asking for your permission to enter your mind so we can try to find out what it is that he did to you. Will you allow me access to your mind or not?"

"…Yes."

"Then hold still." He gently places a hand on her head. "Ready?"

"Anytime before I get possessed again is good."

"You shouldn't get so excited, it's bad for you."

"Very funny."

"I thought so." He glows slightly silver as he uses a little bit of power to holographically enter her mind. All of a sudden he is flooded with pictures of various memories. "Wo. How many pictures do you have?"

"More then you. I'm older then you."

"Not if you don't count the years before you were reincarnated you're not. Now where are your memories of yesterday."

"Here." She shows him a shredded picture frame. "I can't put it together with him able to control me."

"That's fine. I love puzzles."

"Then I am going to sleep while you put together the pieces."

"Alright. Have a nice nap."

"I will."

He doesn't here her for a while. "I hate puzzles like these! Too many tiny little pieces! Damn you puny puzzle pieces!"

(An hour later)

"Does having half of the puzzle done count? No, I suppose not. Well it's almost done. Do I get partial credit? Hey what's this?" He catches a picture frame as it whizzes by. He watches it as the memory starts to play. "…Duck… tape…? But where's the duck? I don't get it. So that sticky silver stuff is called tape? Seems like a convenient object. Hmm… I wonder if I can acquire this silver stuff…" He touches the center of the frame and his hand is pulled into it. "Wahh!" He yanks his hand back.An object appears to be in his hand that he wasn't holding before. "Huh?" He inspects it closely. "It's the silver stuff! Cool! Well that was odd… but highly effective. Nice to know that she didn't lock her memories from me. So if this stuff keeps things intact and has various other interesting abilities, then it should be able to hold this stupid picture frame puzzle together. That way he can't shed it again while he's in control and I won't have to redo the whole damn thing." He flips the picture frame over carefully and starts taping. "Hey, this is fun."

(20 minutes later)

"Just a few more pieces and some more of this awesome silver stuff and I'll be finished." He smiled triumphantly. "And then I'll kick Naraku's ass." Suddenly everything starts to shake violently. "Eh? What the hell is going on?"

"I have to kick you out."

"Kagome?"

"Sorry Khan, but if he finds you in here we'll be in a lot of trouble."

Khan opens his eyes to find himself on the floor of Kagome's room. "You shoved me off the bed."

"It was the only way to wake you! Now go!" Her eyes are half clouded over.

"Are you going to be ok?" Khan asks as he goes to the door.

"Depends on how fast you can finish a puzzle."

"I almost finished it."

"You will have to try again later. I can't fight him if I don't know how. I don't remember what he did. You're the only one who can find out."

"Gee, no pressure or anything right?"

"Definitely not. Now get out of here, I can't hold him off much longer."

"Later." Khan runs out of the room and re-barricades the door yet again.

(Kurai's room.)

"Can I talk to you Kurai?" Hiroto stands in the doorway.

"Sure Dad. What's up?"

"I want to send you and your sister along with Touketsu and Oliver home."

"Why?"

"Because it's getting too dangerous around here."

"But Oliver has a girlfriend here."

"Hoshi can go with you."

"How did you know it was Hoshi?"

"… Khan told me."

"And you want me to leave him behind?"

"I have talked to him and he agrees that it is best. He doesn't want to see you get hurt again, as do I."

"But I don't want to leave. I want to stay. I should be fighting alongside him."

"It's too dangerous here."

"I have the power of weapon assimilation. I'd like to see Loki take me on."

"Just because she threatened to kill Khan doesn't mean that you have the right to kill her." He pauses for a minute. "Alright, so it does. But still, it's best for you to go home. You are an heir to the Southern Lands. I need you to help Zeta take charge of the castle while I'm gone since your mother is dead."

"…Alright. But you owe me for this."

"Thank you my Daughter." He hugs her.

She hugs him back. "You are welcome Father."

(2 hours later)

"Is everyone all set to leave?" Hiroto looks around. Oliver is in his jaguar form and Hoshi is riding with him. Touketsu is also in his jaguar form and Zeta in her fox form. Kurai is currently clinging to Khan's arm. "… I guess not. Why don't you two start out." He speaks to Oliver and Touketsu; they take off at a brisk run, Hoshi clinging to Oliver's fur.

"I'm supposed to be fighting with you side by side." Kurai protests.

"I would not be able to handle seeing you get hurt. I would be upset at myself for letting that happen."

"But I want to fight with you!"

"And I want you to be safe. Besides, the Southern Lands need you to keep everyone in check. I need to help my Sister. And Lord Hiroto needs to help control things here."

"I could help with that."

"You just don't want to leave."

"Nope." She smiles, hugging him.

"Pest." He hugs her back.

"You know you love me."

"… Yeah…"

"I love you too." She kisses him gently, turns into her fox form and races off with Zeta to catch up with the guys, and Hoshi, who are now well ahead of them.

Khan stands there for a few minutes, staring after her, his eye twitches every few seconds. "Why does she feel the need to keep doing that?"

Hiroto laughs and shakes his head. "You two look nice together. You should be happy."

"… I am happy."

"Whatever you say." Hiroto turns to go back inside.

"I just have problems showing emotion in that sense ok?" Khan defends himself.

"Don't worry about it, I believe you." He smiles. They both return to Sesshomaru's study. Hiroto sits at the desk. "Well I'm going to start going over all this paperwork that has been accumulating." He pulls over a stack of papers and starts reading one of the parchments near the top.

"I think I'll go check on my Sister…" Khan walks out of the room and down the hall. He un-barricades the door but doesn't open it. He puts his ear to the door to listen for any hostile movement and to sense whether or not she's hiding from view just inside the door. "… Kagome?"

There is no answer.

"Kagome?" He opens the door just a little bit.

No sign of movement.

"Is everything ok?" He opens the door and walk in, looking around.

There is no sign of Kagome.

"Where are you…" He notices small pieces of charred wood on the floor. "Oh no." He looks over at the boarded up window to find a giant hole in it and the wood completely blackened except for a few marks on the edges of the window frame. "We're in trouble." He immediately runs to the window and looks outside. "We're in a lot of trouble. Where could she have gone? She hates heights. And where would she go?" He takes a minute to think about what could have happened. "… How long has she been gone?" He leaves the room in a silver blur and rushes into Sesshomaru's study. "Lord Hiroto!"

"What wrong Khan?" Hiroto looks mildly concerned.

"Kagome's missing and I'm going after her!"

"You said she couldn't get out of her room!"
"She went out the window!"

"You said she hated heights too much to do that!"

"She's possessed! I don't know how she's gonna act under the control of Naraku!"

"How long has she been missing!?"

"I don't know! That's why I'm going after her!"

"Well why aren't you gone yet! She could be in danger!"

"I'd already be gone if you didn't start bickering with me!"

"Fine then! Go!" Hiroto returns to the paperwork out on the desk.

"Fine I will!" Khan disappears in a flash. He stands outside the castle gates and debates what to do. "I could try to find Naraku's castle, I could find Kagome's scent and follow her, I could try to find Sesshomaru or I could kick Naraku's ass. Or I could do all 4 because I'm pretty sure Kagome is going to Naraku's castle and Kagome said that she believes Naraku is holding Sesshomaru in his castle dungeon. I think I'll do that." He searches around for Kagome's scent. "It would be so much easier if I knew how long she's been missing." He searches around the ground area by her window.

(An hour later)

"Got it! I'll be there soon Kagome; he can't possess you long enough to get you to his castle. Not unless someone is traveling with you, and even then, I know you will fight. Prepare yourself Naraku, for I am coming to kick your ass." Khan switches to his wolf form and takes off in the direction of Kagome's scent.

(The next day)

"All right, I've been running all night. I need a few hours to rest." Khan shifts back to his human form; jumps into a tree, makes himself comfortable on a branch and falls asleep.

(Elsewhere)

"Let's go ward. Up. Now." Loki demands.

No response.

"I said GET UP!" She kicks Kagome in the side.

Kagome doesn't move.

"You will learn to listen to orders when they're given." Loki growls. She walks into a set of trees for a few minutes and come back later, holding something in her hands. She raises it in the air and brings it down ruthlessly on Kagome.

Kagome's eyes shoot open as she screams. The sound ricochets off the trees.

"No get up or I'll hit you harder!" Kagome just glares at her from a sitting position on the ground. "MOVE IT WARD!" Loki tries to whack her again but Kagome ducks and stands up, getting into a fighting stance. "You will not last against me, ward. You don't have full control of yourself."

"I can try."

"It will be your own death that comes of this."

"I rather die then let my loved ones be hurt further because of me."

"If you joined us my Lord would make a queen of you and I would be your most trusted advisor. We would be a part of a great power that would have total dominion over all living things. No one would ever dare deny us anything for fear of losing their life."

"I am already a Lady. I have a mate that I love and care for. I have a family. I have my friends. And I have my Brother. I ask for nothing more then their safety and happiness. I am a Lady who cares for her people and respects them for who they are, the people of the Western Lands. I rather die then be feared for the rest of my life."

"Then prepare yourself for some discipline." Loki pulls out a handful of daggers and starts chucking them aimlessly at Kagome who dodges all of them.

"You have poor aim. Rin has a better throw then you and she's 12."

"Oh but you are mistaking my trap for an attack." She lifts a piece of rope out of the dirt. She rips it out of a ground and Kagome is wrapped into a net and thrown up into the air. She lands at Loki's feet, Loki's daggers shine in the morning light, tied around the opening at the now closed up net. "And now you fail in your poor attempt to help anyone, even yourself. You should remember this lesson for the next time you think you have a shot of defeating me." Loki starts to walk down the path in front of them, the piece of rope attached to the net that she pulled up out of the ground still in hand. She drags the net behind her as Kagome tries to burn her way out of the net. "I wouldn't even bother. The inside of the rope is laced with Naraku's poison. If you try to burn through it you will receive twice the damage of your own attack. If you try to purify it then your skin will become black with the dark purple coloring of the poison. Resistance is futile."

"You just wait I will –"

"You will what?" Loki prods her; she stops walking and turns to face Kagome who is staring off into space.

(Meanwhile)

Khan wakes up and looks around yawning. "I think now is a good time to get up. It's only been a few hours and I'm sure someone is traveling with her; she'd have to stop for the night. So I shouldn't be too far behind." He jumps down from the tree. "I thought I heard someone scream earlier. It better not have been from Kagome. I'll kill the one who caused that." He changes into his wolf form and proceeds to once again start running.

(Back w/ Kagome)

"You will submit to my Lord and become his whether you choose to or not. You cannot escape your fate."

"No…" Kagome holds her head in her hands as her eyes start to darken. "NO!"

"The closer we get to my Lord's castle, the more you lose. You should give up while you can and save yourself the trouble of being broken."

"I was broken once before… it will not happen again!" The darkness in her eyes has stopped its procession.

"Then I hope you have fun dealing with my Lord, for her intends to break you."

"I am no one's pet!"

"Not yet, but soon. Soon you will only wish to serve my Lord and stay by his side for the rest of eternity. No one can save you. You have already lost everything; you just have to let it go. And once you do, my Lord will have you as his mate."

The darkness completely engulfs her eyes. "… Khan…" Her mindset goes blank.

"Don't fight it, embrace it." Loki releases her hold on the net; it falls to the ground with a soft thud. Kagome stands up facing Loki and Loki reaches a hand out to Kagome for her to hold onto. "Give yourself up and let the darkness guide you."

"…" Kagome slowly reaches for Loki's hand.

"That's it. I'm not much farther from you." Loki gently coaxes her.

"Kagome no!" Khan comes charging out of the trees as a giant silver wolf. He switches to his human form as he nears them. "Get away from Loki! Don't do it!" He is still not close enough to be heard clearly.

"Don't listen to him. I'm you're friend… he is trying to hurt you. Come see me… I will help you. You can trust me…"