'As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them.' ~John F Kennedy

"Talking"

Thoughts

Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 7

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Modern Day, Tokyo:

" Kagome, Kagome, can you tell us what happened that night on your birthday?"

"Kagome, who are you wearing?"

"Kagome, what kind of Youkai are you?"

" Kagome, are you still in line for the Higurashi fortune?"

"Kagome, have you been accepted into Youkai society yet?"

" Kagome, have they found a potential arrangement for your mating rites yet?"

"Kagome... Kagome... Kagome..."

The hounding of questions assaulted the young girls' ears as she made her way past the news crews, her eyes shifting to a blood red, then back to a sapphire blue. Noticing her distress, Sango made her way back to her friend's side, eager to get to the safety of the Plaza entrance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru stared out of the limo window, his mind reeling at the new information he had just obtained, the small TV in the limo still relaying the news that he had found out moments before the bulletin aired.

"Tsubaki, dark Miko, was reported missing by her apprentice, 24 hours ago, and the Federal Bureau has reported what appears to be the death of the dark Miko in what looks like a drug deal gone bad. Investigation is underway as they appear to have found traces of a miasma and the illegal drug commonly known as 'the Jewel'..."

Closing his phone and gauging the Inu sitting across from him in the limo, the kappa, assistant and devoted worshiper to the Inu prince, addressed his employer with the good news.

" Milord, the documents you have requested have arrived, I have had them delivered to your private address..."

" Hnn." The Western Prince responded, his mind still lingering on his thoughts. This made the little kappa very weary of his lord as he often found him unpredictable at times like this.

'Tsubaki... she would have had something to do with the Higurashi girl's disappearance and transformation. Naraku was there, the Spider uses his Miasma in his transportation... what is he up to that this Sesshoumaru has not been made aware of...'

The warning from the wind witch still fresh in his mind, he exited the limo that had pulled up outside the Grand Plaza.

As he emerged from the limo, he skipped out on the shutterbug reign, for that he was grateful, he scented the air, not detecting anything out of the ordinary, the Inu's beast was still uneasy with the situation tonight and for the life of him, the great Inu could not figure out what had his beast so spooked. Something was happening and if there was one thing he had learnt in his years of service to his father and the training he had undergone to resume his role as Taiyoukai, it was to trust your instincts. This was such time.

" Jaken, keep everyone on alert..." was his departing message to his assistant before he made his way inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

By now, everyone had taken their seats, the Gala was about to commence, Izayoi offered her mate a quick peck on the cheek before he left her sitting at their table and made his way onto the podium to deliver the speech, followed by Kei Higurashi and the Singapore associates, and, sitting on the podium as was custom to the Youkai Council, were the other three Youkai Lords for the other territories who would honour the merger with their blessing.

The last to take their seats were the Higurashi's and Sango who had managed to locate Miroku. She touched his shoulder from behind as Kagome took her seat next to her mother.

" Roku, there you are..." She greeted the Monk.

"Aah my butterfly, I was beginning to worry, what took you?" He turned to his girlfriend with a worried expression.

" I was helping Kagome and her mother. How goes the new role as assistant to Kei-san?" She asked, sitting next to him.

" Very well, the business deal was closed without a hitch..." he offered her with a wink.

A small giggle escaped Sango as she took Miroku's hand.

" I'm so proud of you..." She stated, warmth shining in her brown orbs.

He kissed her on the temple and the couple looked towards the stage as the Western Taiyoukai spoke into the microphone.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

Hana had made sure that Kagome was settled before taking her seat next to her daughter; she sought out her husband in the sea of people, and found him standing next to the Taiyoukai on the podium. She offered him a small wave, and he smiled in return. She whispered an 'I love you' across the room for her husband and he smiled and indicated with his hands a 'me too'. She then turned to face the Taiyoukai as he began his speech.

" Ladies and Gentlemen, Youkai and esteemed members of the Council, Mr President and fellow associates... wow this thing is loud..."

There was a quiet chuckle taken up by the audience as the Taiyoukai adjusted his voice to the microphone.

" Thank you all for coming tonight, as we all know, tonight we celebrate the merger of my own Tashio Enterprises, with that of our continent brothers, the Sing Company from Singapore..."

~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A member of the security staff had made his way onto the stage, whispering something into the head of the Council's ear that was seated behind the Western Taiyoukai. Kagome's keen eyes had followed the movement of the man as he had entered the great hall and made his way over the head Council member. She could not help the feeling of absolute dread that crept over her as his whispered words. While she was absolutely positive that even with her Youkai senses she would not be able to hear what the man had said to the elder Youkai, yet she had heard him as if it was plain as day.

" Sir, the Northern Lord Onigumo and his Son have been detained in traffic and will be arriving late..."

She shuddered as goose bumps ripped through her flesh and her breathing became shallow, it felt like she was being suffocated from the inside out. The blood in her veins ran cold at the mention of the Spider and his Hanyou son. Suddenly a voice sounded in her head, she recognised the voice, it was her, but not, more primal, feral, and it spoke to her as if it was another person.

"Danger... must find safety..." It said. Kagome blinked at the realisation that it was not her, but someone else talking to her in her head.

' Ok I'm going nuts, that was not me... was it?' Panic began to swell in her belly again at the warning and the possibility that she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She tried to breathe again, taking in calming breaths, she looked over back at the podium, and her brows furrowed in confusion as she witnessed the security man, the same man she had seen seconds ago, follow the same path up the podium and whisper into the elder Youkai's ear. This time as the security man bend over to whisper in the Youkai's ear, she did not hear what he said. Panic took over Kagome as her breathing became laboured; she leaned forward on the table, holding her head in her hands, trying to soothe the oncoming headache she could feel was building behind her eyes.

'what just happened, I just saw the same guy walk by, and whisper into the Youkai's ear... am I having visions now or something...What is happening?'

Trying to remain calm, Kagome eyed her mother sitting next to her, calm as a cucumber, oblivious to her daughter's distress.

' Did Mama not hear or see what I did?' She questioned her subconscious.

On the fringes of her sub-conscious, Kagome could sense the restless presence that she had felt earlier that week, it had returned, and this time it was more urgent that before as it pressed on her conscious mind.

Kagome rubbed her temples, and looked around the room, Miroku and Sango were holding hands, listening to the Taiyoukai as he gave his speech, Bank and Jak where whispering something into each other's ear, and examining one of the napkins as if it where new found treasure.

She then looked over to the Southern Lord's table and eyes Kouga and Ayame, Kouga looked a little scorned as he sipped his drink, occasional glancing at Ayame who sat with her arms folded across her chest, complete attention on the Taiyoukai.

Kagome then glanced over at the Western Lords table, a little ways from where she was sitting, she say Izayoi and Inuyasha, he was looking over at her and offered her a small wave. He was also making some kind of gestures with his hands that Kagome did not have the time to try and process. She then saw the empty seat next to him and her eyes then travelled to the opening door.

'What is happening, everyone is so calm and fine, and I'm on the verge of a panic attack...'

Kagome looked back at her mother, and whispered in her ear that she was just going to the toilet.

" You Ok?" her mother inquired.

" Fine, just need some air..." was her response as she made her way out of the hall and headed for the bathroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bypassing the last entourage to arrive, Kagome headed for the bathroom, eager to be alone. She swung the vanity door open, and made her way to the sink in the girl's bathroom. Her heels echoed in the tiled room as she walked on shaky legs.

Setting her red clutch down on the vanity, Kagome placed both hands on the side of the basin and took a deep breath. She then opened the tap and ran her hands under the cool water and splashed a little on her face, careful not to rum her makeup.

She did not see the entourage that she passed was Naraku and his father, she did not register the smirk on the Spider Hanyou's face and the small gesture he made to Kagura after the Spider saw her fly past him in a flurry of red. Noticing her lack of escort, the Spider pounced on the opportunity of her being alone, sending his slave to capture the Youkai female again.

Kagome did not see the Wind Witch follow her to the bathroom. Kagome looked up at her reflection in the mirror, she looked at her red rimmed eyes, and hearing the small creak of the bathroom door open, she saw the wind witch emerge. Kagome's eyes bled red and her control over her body slipped to a type of auto pilot. A growl escaped her throat as Kagome's subconscious mind could feel the shift in mentality, she was no longer in control, she could feel the primal feral being that sat on the verge of her subconscious pushed her out of the way and took control, as it did, it spoke to her and the one word it said issued a complete submission from Kagome's conscious as her instinct for survival outweighed her curiosity.

'Run...'

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru had arrived later than he had intended, he made his way past the ushers in the entrance hall and made his way over to the main hall, and he could hear his father's voice booming through the speakers as he gave his speech. When he opened to main door, he was greeted by his father's booming voice as he spoke.

"And here is the man of the hour, without my Son's tenacity and drive for the deal and the passion he has shown for the company..." He inclined his head to his father's acknowledgement.

All eyes shifted to him as he made his way over to his seat , the feeling of foreboding growing greater upon his realization that the Northern Lord and his son where not present. He found his seat, only to be greeted with a restless Hanyou.

"Icicle butt, there something wrong with Kagome..." The Inu hanyou said to his half brother as he took his seat.

"Will you cease your insolence whelp..." He spat at the hanyou as he sat down. His eyes moved over to the table where he should of seen the newly transformed Youkai woman. When he does question himself later on the issue, he could not be able to tell you what made him look for the girl, whether it was concern for her well being, brought on by the nagging whelp, or his genuine curiosity to see her transformation with his own eyes.

He eyed her mother, and the missing seat she should have been occupying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

It all happened so fast, if Kagome had to recall the encounter later on, she would not be able to relay it to the detail she was experiencing it now as it unfolded before her. In the blink of an eye, Kagura had sent a wave of her 'Dance of Blades' towards Kagome. Sensing the oncoming threat, Kagome just barely escaped the piercing winds as she flung herself into one of the stalls. A feral growl ripped from her throat at the audacity of the wind witch.

" Bitch, I am here to take you back to my Master." Kagura claimed, before making a dash for the younger Youkai. Kagome registered what Kagura had said, which only furthered her anger and flashed in her now ruby red eyes.

Seeing the move made towards her, Kagome gathered her Youki, and in a sprint of power met the wind witch halfway. They collided with a sickening thud, claws at the ready and upon impact Kagome dug her sharp appendages into the wind Youkai's shoulders. Kagura responded with a scream of pain as she pushed the offending Youkai off her. Kagome retracted her claws, blood now marring her porcelain skin, she recovered from the shove and perched on her haunches, she eyed the wind witch. By now her fangs where elongated and her dress had ripped all the way to her waist, her elaborate hair had come undone and fell around her in a halo of black, only accentuating her now untamed features. Two purple pupils stalked the wind Youkai as she too righted herself.

" You whore, this was my favourite dress..." She exclaimed, lifting what was left of her evening gown. A kind of smirk lifted Kagome's plump lip, exposing more of her elongated fang.

'She's smug about it.' Thought Kagura from her position across the tiled floor.

A agitated noise escaped Kagome's throat, She dropped her head to lean against the tiled floor, sapphire flashed in her eyes again for a second, and then she moved, heading for the wind witch again, Kagura reeled back, not prepared for the attack. Kagome wound her arm back, muscles constricting and as she neared the Youkai, she unleashed the tension, cracking Kagura across her left cheek in a sucker punch that would shame Mike Tyson.

Kagura's head lolled back and recoiled from the blow, she fell to the floor which gave Kagome the quick exit she was hoping for. In a flash of red, Kagome made for the door, pausing to take one last look at the offending Youkai. She offered another deep growl, a warning from her to never challenge her again.

Kagura wiped the blood from her lip, a smile gracing her bruised features.

'She is strong; I hope I roughed her up enough to make it look legit...'

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome dashed back to the main hall, her purple pupils taking in her surroundings, the adrenaline pumping through her veins and her primal instincts driving her forward. A grunt ripped through her as her inner selves fought for control.

Kagome's subconscious was in a state of pure panic, she was rattling the proverbial cage she now found herself in, eager for answers.

'Hey, you... what's happening, what's going on out there? Who are you? Hey, I'm talking to you? Hey?'

Then in an apparition before Kagome's conscious mind stood the form of her, her hair was more wild, her eyes where ruby red, her markings where more pronounced and moved with her hair as if alive on her very skin. A growl ripped from her elongated fangs as Kagome tried to understand the feral tongue she spoke in.

'Me, you. You, me.' It growled at her, gesturing to Kagome and back to herself with her clawed hand.

The light bulb went off in Kagome's mind. She had spoken to Kaede about possibly having a 'beast' within her like other powerful Youkai, this was her baser side, her primal side. The side of her that was brought out by her Youkai instincts, and only in the more powerful Youkai, would they be able to develop the two differences, removing the primal from the civil. Here before her stood her baser side, the side of her that saved her life, and has been helping from the fringes of her subconscious with her powers. Kagome gapped at herself, taken aback by the power that rolled off her 'beast'.

Kagome smiled at herself, and offered her a hand, in a gesture of unity. The 'beast' smiled back, exposing her fangs, she took the smaller hand within her clawed appendage, and then as if they were never two, they merged, becoming one overlapping one another.

Kagome's physical form fell to the ground; she was clutching her head and in a cry of pain, light exploded from her in a wave of blinding power. It shook her to her very core, and when the light passed, Kagome stood, her Youki power rolling off her in waves, busting from her very core. Her now ruby red eyes still dominated her vision, and for the first time in Kagome's entire existence, she felt whole. She pushed the double doors open to the great hall and stepped into the room full of Youkai and human's alike who all turned to view her entrance as they shuddered with her show of power.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Northern Lord had made his way into the Grand Plaza, seeing his son nod to his date, a smug smile lifted the corners of his lips.

" Father, excuse me for a minute, I need to take care of something..." Nodding at his son, knowing full well what he was going to 'take care of', and make good on his promise to obtain the Higurashi girl, he made his way over to the Great Hall, and quietly made his way over to the podium where all the other territory Lords where sitting, nodding in acknowledgement of the other Lords, he sat down.

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha leg was bouncing up and down in agitation, he had not seen Kagome return from the bathroom yet and she had been gone longer than necessary. His protective instincts where kicking in. He was also eager to take to her, and find out how she felt about him and their whole friendship; he also wished to tell her how smoking hot she now looked with her Youkai enhancements. When he had first laid eyes on her entering the great hall, his eyeballs almost fell out of their sockets. She look amazing, he felt his heart burst with an emotion he could not describe, and a small twitch in his pants alluded him to the fact that she was indeed Kagome, and definitely smelled like her, even at this distance.

What bothered him was the look of anguish that covered her features, and as he could not go to her for the speeches had already begun and he was obliged to remain with his mother at their table, he kept a very close eye on her from the table he sat at. Now his agitation was growing in leaps and bounds as it had been close to twenty minutes that she had been gone, and his protective instincts where licking in, whether it was a result of his latest failure on not protecting her properly, or his eagerness to be near her, he did not know, all he knew if that she was gone to long and he damn well didn't like it.

He turned and whispered his agitation to his half brother as he sat down, only to be shushed. His ears pinned back on his head, another ten minutes passed and he could not contain his agitation any longer, he was going to go and find her.

He turned to his mother to excuse himself for a few minutes, when he felt it, the boom of power rocked the hall, it bubbled in the room and they exploded going outwards like an atomic bomb and the sound waves that crashed and rolled from the powerful force. His hairs stood on end all over his body as he registered the Youki that filled the room, suffocating the other powerful auras in the room for a split second before it recoiled and fell back to the source of the blinding light, coming from the double doors that Kagome had gone through half an hour earlier.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru had felt the tingle of power tickle his senses seconds before the blast from the double doors erupted. He looked towards the source of the power and surprise flashed across his features at the sheer raw, unyielding nature of the blast, it was pure power, dominating and suppressing every and all auras within its immediate vicinity. His golden eyes narrowed as the light subsided, pinning the double doors with a intense look.

'The hanyou had said that the Higurashi girl was missing, she was not in the room and the blast of power could mean her release of her beast... something has happened for that to happen...'

The doors swung open to reveal a creature that Sesshoumaru had never seen before in his entire lifetime. A goddess of beauty and sheer power stepped through those doors, even his mouth dropped a little upon her entrance. Her ink black hair fell around her as her Youki pulsed around her, sending the locks flying in what could look like a makeshift wind, her ripped dress exposed her entire left leg as she put one step in front of the other, entering the great hall, her markings, the swirls and twirls that decorated her body seemed to move and dance with the power of her Youki. Her elongated fangs peeked over her red lips, the small gash above her eye she had gained from the wind witch, drew blood and left a small stream of the red liquid across her temple and into her cheek. Her longer claws where dripping with the red liquid as well, making her every young man's fantasy of a warrior goddess, breathing life into a very dull landscape.

Sesshoumaru could not deny how attractive she looked upon entering; she stirred desires within him that had been lying dormant since his adolescent years. He would of indulged in the sight she presented a bit more, but the throbbing that had been bothering him for the entire evening had now reached a defining thud as he watched the vision of death make her way into the room. Her red eyes where glittering with power as her purple pupils narrowed on his form, her eyes conveying a message that he could not quite decipher.

Then like it had so many times before, Sesshoumaru's own beast flashed to the forefront of his mind.

'Danger' it warned, and just like that, Sesshoumaru knew what he had to do, a low growl ripped from Kagome's lips as she moved. Sesshoumaru leaned down to the Hanyou who's own eyes were rimmed with red.

" Get them out. NOW!" He yelled, his own voice a bit more guttural than usual. Inuyasha dove for his mother, lifting the small women out of the chair, he dashed towards the exit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

Inu No Tashio stopped his speech when the wave of crippling energy blasted through the hall, he fell to his knees under the onslaught of sheer power and just as it began it was over. He was leaning against the podium as he looked towards the doors from the source of the power, and he witnessed his foreshadowing of death, his own angel of mercy step through the doors.

"Kagome?" he questioned to no one.

She eyed his form from her position at the doors then shifted her gaze to his sons at their table. Inu No Tashio followed her gaze and watched as his eldest stood, then yelled

" Get them out, Now!"

He looked towards his wife as his youngest stood and grabbed her around the waist.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~

Naraku made his way to the entrance again, opening his phone, it rang once and he breathed into the receiver "Detonate".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hakudoshi closed his phone, a sickening smile lifted his childlike lips. He turned to the Renkotsu and issued the order.

" Now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

There was a second of deafening silence that surrounded the Grand Plaza building, and then a high-pitched ring shattered the silence. The explosions began, in a chain effect that rumbled and shook the earth as if Izanami herself was rising from the underworld. The blinding light from the explosions engulfed the entire Grand Plaza in flames and carnage, lighting up the Tokyo night sky in a pre-dawn.

In the minuets that followed, people were scurrying out the what was left of the front doors in a state of panic and shock, chaos and fear filled the air as the dust and debris from the building settled, levelling the ground where the Grand Plaza in Tokyo once stood.

Golden eyes widened even further as he clung onto his mother, shock overtaking him as he saw what was left of the building crumble down to nothing, his mother's cries for his father drowned out the chaos and panic of the other people. Inuyasha stood for what seemed to be a lifetime as al that he knew was ripped from him.

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sango had managed to escape the carnage, with Miroku's split second reactions, they had huddled together under the table, securing Hana Higurashi under the table with them as the first bomb went off, taking out the podium in a blaze. Miroku then scooped up a now frantic Hana and ran for the doors, he ran like his very soul was being stolen from his body. Sango followed, hot on his heels. Panic and fear fuelled their escape. The now stood on the other side of the street, staring at the building that once stood there.

Hana's cries of anguish for her daughter and husband filled the air as she clung onto Miroku's shoulder. Silent tears of pain fell down Sango's cheeks clearing a path from the dust and charred skin on her face.

The sirens of the fire trucks and police cars were heard in the distance as Sango and Miroku stared back at the burning building.

~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~

It had been half an hour since the explosion, Inuyasha had found the surviving members of the group, being treated by the paramedics for smoke inhalation, he squeezed his mother's hand as silent tears streaked down her face. He again looked to the building.

" What happened to you, Kagome?" He asked the now smoking debris as his own tears began to fall.

Then as if he's prayers had been answered, a pile of debris began to shift and rise, revealing a now scorched Sesshoumaru, his jacket singed to a dismal state, his bare chest peaked through his now torn and burnt shirt. Blood spattered his face and neck and his hair was covered in ash and dust. He was limping as he made his way out of the carnage, and there cradled in his arms, were the remnants of Kagome, her own hair littered with debris, singed in places. Her skin was also covered with dirt and ash and blood marred her features that leaked out of the gash above her eye. Her form cradled against the chest of the Inu, she lay unconscious in his arms.

Sesshoumaru made his way over to the paramedics and handed the girl over to one of the medical staff, Inuyasha made his way over to them as quick as his feet could carry him, taking Kagome's hand, relief washed over him as he heard the shallow breathing and the gentle beating of her heart. He turned to Sesshoumaru whose golden eyes clouded over.

" What happened?" Inuyasha asked.

" Her beast has awoken..." He spoke, and then fell as he fainted. Inuyasha caught him just before he hit the dirt.

~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

End.

AN/ Long overdue I know. I've been pulling my hair out with how I should unfold this cataclysmic event within the plot. I hope you can bear with me as I figure it out. As always, reviews and feedback always welcome.

Magic