Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha Characters, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I'm merely using them for my own twisted enjoyment. I do however, own all Original Characters, this plot line, and all the fan fics referenced in this story. :D
Terms:
Virid: green
Sulphureous: bright yellow
Niveous: snowy; white
Nacarat: bright orange-red
Atrous: jet black
Ultramarine: deep blue
Rubiginous: rusty-colored
Chapter twenty three:
Back at the village several arrows flew through the air and were quickly blocked by Sango's enormous boomerang.
Growing frustrated, Miroku heard the arrows collide and quickly spun around, battling them away with his staff.
"Get it together men, kill them!" The head soldier ordered as the bows were raised once more.
The captives began to wail in fear.
"We're done for."
"Please save us."
Miroku sighed. "I'm sorry Sango. If I were to use my wind tunnel we could probably escape alive, but - "
She cut him off, "If it means killing all these men, than I can't do that either." The two of them stood as a human shield between the frightened captives and frustrated villagers.
"However Miroku, it's our duty to rescue Kagome." Sango jumped into the fray once again.
Miroku started fighting them off again. "Absolutely, so there's no way on earth I'm about to give up trying."
The arrows continued to tear through the air towards them and the people they were protecting as two warriors continued fighting them off.
Inuyasha leaped off the rooftop. "Miroku, Sango!" He watched the barrage of arrows sailing towards his friends.
"Keep firing," the leader commanded.
Inuyasha's ominous sword easily shred the wooden arrows into splinters as he landed in front of his friends taking up a protective stance.
"What the - ?" a soldier asked shocked.
"Inuyasha," Miroku said grateful for his friend's shocking and timely return, as he watched the hanyou place his sword into the scabbard at his waist, before spinning around and punching one of the soldiers.
"Why you," Inuyasha punched the soldiers away from his friends, who were catching their breaths and absorbing the fact that he'd returned.
XOXOXO:
Up in the trees Naien smiled. 'That a boy mutt, good thing he's back now.' She felt excitement entering her blood. 'We're close now.'
Ultramarine eyes met her rubiginous ones and an atrous braid bounced as he signaled for them to get into position. He pointed toward their entry point. The two silently made their way to where they would enter from and waited for their moment.
Below them and in the village a soldier faced off against Inuyasha. "Curse you demon."
"So you're the boss here are ya?" Inuyasha raised his fist bringing it down and slamming the man into the ground.
Sango turned to the frightened captives. "Get out of here now," She held off the villagers making a path for their escape.
"Yes ma'am," the captives cried out and fled.
Inuyasha gazed around at all the unconscious bodies that covered the ground. 'They're only humans.' He picked up a strange yet somewhat familiar scent. 'Huh this smell, is it…?'
Before he could finish his thought, Miroku ran up. "Inuyasha, Kagome has been taken to the castle."
"On my way," Inuyasha ran towards the castle. His face was deadly serious.
'She'd damn well better be safe.' His fist balled tightly. Running through the castle he followed Kagome's scent. 'Damnit, that's Kagura's scent mixed with Kagome's.'
Outside the castle Sango ran over to the monk. "Miroku, let's go," The smaller demons ran up to them.
"Right," he ran toward the castle.
Inside the castle Inuyasha came into a room and stopped. He saw two bodies on the floor. 'This is the priest who told us that Kikyo was still alive… so it was a set up!'
"Kagome," he grunted. "Damnit, I'm just a bit too late." and ran off again.
Up in the air on a feather Kagura, the infant, and the silent priestess, rode high above the clouds, leaving away from the village. Unknown to them the mercenary leader and his woman had spotted them leaving and were giving chase from below.
Bankotsu's jaw clenched. 'Good thing Naien and I were there, or else that mutt and his friends wouldn't have known where to look for their miko friend.' Breaking another pellet in his hand he allowed the scented mixture to fall to the ground.
Naien caught his movement and smirked. 'That's my Bankotsu all right - Smart as a whip even when he's playing dumb." Pride filled her eyes as she followed the man who'd won her heart.
XOXOXO:
Inside the new hideout a pale skinned, niveous haired child was clutching her mirror tight to her chest and stared off to nowhere.
Kagura landed. "Hey there, if it isn't Kanna." She led the priestess, who was still holding the infant into the dwelling and over toward the silent child.
Kanna's pale hand extended and in the middle laid a single shard emitting a vile black glow.
Kagura walked over examining the shard. "A scared jewel shard…?"
The infant spoke up. "I want you to implant that tainted sacred jewel shard into Kagome. Once it is in, she will be completely under our control. My mission here is almost done." He removed his head from the miko's firm chest. "Implant the shard and then I shall go into hiding."
The wind demoness frowned and picked up the black shard. "With this Kagome will become Naraku's slave you say?" Walking over she tilted the priestess's chin. "She will share the same fate as Kohaku," She stared into the empty brown eyes almost feeling pity for the girl.
Kagome's mind kicked into gear. 'Kohaku…? This impure light, does she intend to place that thing inside of me?' Her pale pink lips trembled as she tried to refuse. 'No! I can't move my body,' she thought desperately. 'This strange infant has a grasp on my soul.'
Her arms began trembling, which soon had her body shaking. 'I have to break free. I have to free myself from its grasp and take back control.'
"Kagura hold on," the pale head ordered.
"Hm?" Kagura stared at the wicked baby.
"She's a stubborn one," he turned to stare at the eyes of his slave. "She's regained consciousness." He informed the demoness.
'Inuyasha save me!' Kagome's body filled with desperation.
"It's useless, you must realize by now that he won't come and save you." the child spoke to her, trying to reassert his power over her. "Inuyasha has made his choice and he has chosen Kikyo, not you."
Kagome's heart cracked as his words sunk in. Her chest filled with pain and her soul filled with longing.
XOXOXO
With Bankotsu and Naien:
'Finally, we've reached their new hideout.' Bankotsu broke two capsules in his palm, dropping the substantial dust to the ground, marking the spot. He nodded for Naien to follow him and they again melted into the shadows of the trees.
They focused on controlling their breathing and the rapid beating of their hearts as they lay in wait in case the crafty demons moved again.
'I'm so close to getting my vengeance.' Bankotsu called on his iron control to keep the emotions and bloodlust at bay. 'Once that slow mutt and his friends come though, there will be no holding back. I just have to be patient a little while longer.'
Naien had to call on herself discipline not to jump into the fray. 'Kagome seems to be in a trance.' She chewed her bottom lip and rubbed her hands down her thighs. 'How much longer should we wait?'
She sensed Bankotsu's need and walked over slipping her hand into his bigger one, silently offering her support.
He blinked and looked at their hands before nodding to her and squeezing her hand in silent thanks. Feeling a little calmer he focused back on the building below them. As an added measure he broke open a pill and sprayed the dust over them to re-hide their scents. 'There can be absolutely no mistakes!'
XOXOXO:
Inuyasha ran full speed through the trees following the strange scent he'd picked up on back at the castle. 'Damnit, I'm such an idiot!' The scene before he left to search for his first love entered his mind. 'I'm making the same mistake again.'
The scene of Kikyo being stabbed by Naraku and falling over the cliff popped into his mind, only Kikyo's robes had been replaced with Kagome's school uniform and Kikyo wasn't the one falling and crying out for him.
'I lost Kikyo and then I thought I was the only one hurting and acted selfishly. Now I'm about to lose someone else who's important to me - damnit!" His heart lurched at the thought of losing sweet innocent Kagome. 'No! I will not lose her too!'
"Wait for me Kagome, wait for me until I get there! Don't you die on me!" He continued running towards the scent.
XOXOXO:
"Remember Kagome, when you learned that Kikyo had died. Weren't you actually quite pleased?"
She gasped. 'How can this be?'
"The woman who came between you was gone. But the moment that Inuyasha heard that Kikyo was alive he went after her again." He stared deep into her eyes. "Whether she is dead or alive, Inuyasha's heart belongs to Kikyo. Don't you feel bitter towards Inuyasha? Don't you hate Kikyo?"
His voice became hypnotic as he continued. "It's okay to feel hatred. You are not wrong to hate them. Fill your heart with bitterness once more." His mind purred. 'And let me grasp your soul.'
Kagome's eyes closed.
"You got her," Kagura moved forward to place the shard at the teenager's forehead.
Kagome's body pulsed.
Kagura moved to plant the shard on her skin.
'I feel bitter toward Inuyasha? I hate Kikyo?' The room began to fill with the rhythm of her heart beat. 'I guess I have every reason to, but – ' Her heart pulsated and the shard was rejected as a pink tinge surrounded her aura.
"Huh?" Kagura felt her hand pushed back from the force of the aura. "What's going on here? Somehow she repelled the shard?" She stared at the shard with ruby eyes. 'So there are some things even this devilish brat can't do.' Red painted lips tilted at one end.
Finally able to move her lips Kagome spoke calmly. "You're wrong,"
The infant stared at the girl with wide eyes. 'She spoke… My suggestive powers are not working on this girl.'
Pouring her determination into her words Kagome continued. "What you're saying to me is completely wrong. Inuyasha can't forget about Kikyo and even if I can accept this rationally, I still feel the pain of jealousy in my heart."
She lifted her head. "However, bearing a grudge against Inuyasha and feeling jealousy toward Kikyo, these are normal feelings that any human would have. It doesn't mean that I should necessarily feel bitterness towards these two. This isn't the first time that Inuyasha has tried to leave me, because he knew how difficult all this was for me."
"I've even wished Kikyo gone, but then I've always felt bad after for harboring such thoughts. I know, all these feelings, they mean, that I - " She took a deep breath and finally accepted the truth and depth of her feeling. "They mean that I'm in love with Inuyasha!" Tiny crystals fell from her eyes.
The infant growled in annoyance at this latest development as he felt his precarious hold over her melt away.
Inuyasha broke through the wall. "Kagome!"
Looking behind her Kagome smiled weakly. "Inuyasha," She released the infant and fell backwards toward the ground. 'You came for me.' Her soul filled with joy.
Inuyasha caught her just before she could hit the ground. "Kagome," his arms cushioned around her and he supported her tiny weight cradling her body to his warm chest.
XOXOXO:
'Bout damned time that mutt showed up.' Bankotsu smirked and excitement entered his eyes. He tugged Naien's hand signaling it was time and grabbed his halberd.
She grasped her katanas and they prepared to jump down.
XOXOXO:
Kagura stared at the hanyou cradling the teenager and staring back at them. "Now I see why Naraku hates that girl."
"Why you," Inuyasha growled. "What did you do to Kagome?" he tightened his hold on her protectively.
"I just rummaged around inside her soul a little bit. Because you can't seem to get over Kikyo, I was able to find a tiny bit of darkness inside that girl's heart." The infant spoke, adding, "It's too bad, just one more little step and I could have crushed her soul," He stared regretfully at the girl. 'I wish I could have finished the task.'
Inuyasha growled. "Bastard, just what the hell are you?" Anger filled his amber eyes, causing them to harden into crystallized amber orbs.
The others arrived.
Sango dismounted from the fire cat's back. "Inuyasha!"
Inuyasha scowled. "Took you long enough." He glanced sideways at his companions. "You're late as usual."
Shippo asked worriedly, "Kagome, are you alright?"
Miroku and Sango stood between Inuyasha and Kagura. "Kagura, Kanna." He stared at the female demons in front of him.
Kagura snorted. "What? You two are still alive?"
Smugly the infant said, "Monk, and demon slayer, tell me, how many of the castle soldiers did you kill?"
Miroku stared at the unusual infant.' This infant, was he manipulating the castle soldiers?' He replied,"Hate to disappoint you, but we don't kill needlessly."
He stared at the pale skinned infant. 'This baby, the ghastly color of his skin, was he created from those lumps of flesh which Naraku was producing at mount Hakurei?' His eyes narrowed. "Tell me; are you Naraku's human hearts?"
The infant's eyes widened. "Why do you think that?"
Miroku tapped his staff on the floor. "We know that Naraku hid himself at Mount Hakurei in order to create a more powerful body. But he also wanted to cast away his human heart. Naraku told us he cut away his human heart, which continued to yearn for Kikyo, that way he could slay her. "
Having heard enough, Inuyasha snarled. "This baby is Naraku's heart which years for Kikyo? It's absolutely sick! The underhanded ways Naraku's toys with people's emotions…" He gently laid Kagome on the ground.
The infant chuckled. "There is the possibility that I am the human heart which Naraku once possessed. I can clearly see into a person's heart, their weaknesses and frailties. I know just what to do in order to make them suffer - to feel sorrow or hate. This is all familiar to me." His cold eyes sent shivers down their spines.
"But if there is one feeling that I did not inherit from Naraku, it is the anguish of yearning for Kikyo. Where do you think that feeling went? Those disgusting clumps of flesh that you saw at mount Hakurei, that's where."
Miroku blinked. 'That was Naraku's abandoned heart?'
The smug infant finished, "And that is why I feel neither pain nor sorrow."
Inuyasha moved to his feet and hissed. "So in other words, you're just a monster created from Naraku's heart - all twisted and grotesque. That's all I need to here, now prepare to die!" He released his attack.
The air pulsed and the windscar was kept at bay. Kagura stared at the infant she was currently holding. 'Huh, this infant it can create a barrier? This is the weirdest infant I've ever met.'
Inuyasha glared at them through the purple barrier. "My windscar, it's being sucked up!" His eyes widened with disbelief.
Watching the barrier glow and grow, Miroku gasped. "On no, everyone run!"
Inuyasha dove for Kagome, scooping her into his arms and dogged the attack as the windscar aimed for them.
Smirking Bankotsu broke through the ceiling and blocked the attack with his mighty halberd, sending it harmlessly into the air. "Hey mutt, are you having trouble?" He glanced sideways with laughing eyes.
The infant began floating into the air.
Naien scooped up Kagome's bow firing at the barrier. "On you don't! Get back here!"
Bankotsu jumped into the air. "Come back here you brat," he knocked the barrier covered group to the ground, before Kagura's fan could move.
Kagome roused. "What's going on?" Seeing Naien with her bow, she stared to where the girl was aimed.
Kagome jumped from Inuyasha's arms. "You're not getting away this time," She reclaimed and then fired her bow.
Naien nodded and ran towards the falling barrier with her swords drawn and fought a very shocked Kagura.
Bankotsu lifted his halberd into the air. "Face me coward!" He swung his blade down ruthlessly slicing Kanna in half and shattering the mirror that acted as Naraku's spy.
Kagome fell backwards, caught by Inuyasha again as she passed out.
Sango yelled, "Heads up," as the purple mist filled the air.
Naien continued to attack Kagura.
Miroku ran towards the infant, who was currently lying on the ground.
Just before his staff could pierce the baby's skin Naraku's tentacles showed up stabbing every which way, trying to defend the baby.
Bankotsu hacked away tentacles edging closer to the helpless infant.
Naien kept Kagura busy after knocking her fan from the demoness's hands.
A furious growl ripped from the wind sorceress and she dove for the woman, claws first. "My fan, damn you!" Ruby eyes narrowed and she itched to sink her claws into the woman's flesh.
Quickly stuffing something tiny into her mouth Naien caught the wrists and wrestled with her, making sure to keep the razor sharp claws well away from her. Her knees began pummeling whatever they landed against as the two women rolled around on the ground.
XOXOXO:
A/N Okay guys one more chap and that'll be it. Hope you enjoyed this one.