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Summary: Inuyasha is presented with a one-time opportunity – to become a full demon. With his childhood years, not to mention the first ever reason for hunting down the Shikon Jewel in mind, his choice seems apparent – a no-brainer. But there's a catch. Becoming a demon will mean giving up the life he knows now. In fact, only he will remember his life as a hanyou, while others will now only know him as Inuyasha the youkai. Is he willing to give everything and everyone up?

Chapter Fourteen

Inuyasha didn't have any time to waste. He had to get to Kagome and tell her the truth before Naraku's words seeped in too far. All he could think about was how familiar this all was. Just like Naraku made it seem as if Inuyasha had betrayed Kikyo 50 years into the past, he made it seem as if he had betrayed Kagome as well. Inuyasha growled, feeling his youkai waking in his rage. Naraku just wouldn't quit would he. He'd kill him. He'd fucking kill him.

Inuyasha didn't remember Kanna's room being so far away from the exit of the castle. The mindless females that populated started to come out of their room. As Inuyasha passed each uninterestedly, he peeked into the bedrooms. Seeing the resemblance in the décor, he realized that all the rooms looked the same. There was a good chance that the room he was just in wasn't even Kanna's. Which meant that the route he was taking to get out probably wasn't taking anywhere near the exit.

He growled in irritation, now unsure of his next move. Damn! What do I do now? He was tempted to as one of the concubines about the exit, but from the look in their eyes, they all looked dumber than dirt. Apparently Naraku wasn't looking for smarts when he chose his sluts, just looking for a socket to stuff himself in. Fucking bastard.

Another door nearby slid open. When Inuyasha turned to see which other female was going to try entice him into their rooms, he found himself looking at familiar face. It was the dark miko that had taken out his arrows earlier in his journey. Her dark red hair was pinned on top of her head, and her eyes reflected mischief.

She's a priestess. She has to have some brains. He called to her: "Listen lady, I never caught your name, but I need you to tell me how to get out of this castle."

The woman only smiled – a wicked smile. Inuyasha growled: "As in now, I need to get out of here now!"

"Need to save your little miko, half-breed?" the woman taunted.

Inuyasha was taken aback at her words. They were familiar to him. Then he remembered: the dark miko that had given the opportunity to become a youkai. She had called him a half-breed when they first encountered her. And she had called Kagome a 'little miko'.

Now looking more carefully at this woman, he saw that her evil smile was the same one the miko of the past had given him. But it couldn't be…

"Mujin?"

The woman's smile grew. "Oh Inuyasha, you remember me. I'm flattered." She said in a daunting tone.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "No offense or anything, but you can't be Ryoko Mujin. Mujin was a crusty old hag. You're a fairly attractive woman. There must be some mistake."

Mujin growled. "I am Mujin you filthy mutt! How else would I know your real name, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I'm a skeptic."

She looked as if she meant to kill him, but suddenly her anger melted away, and she smiled again. "It's fine Inuyasha. If you don't want to trust your only source to save Kagome, you don't have to. I'm not willing to help, I just decided to make an appearance."

Mujin, or the younger woman impersonating her, had just said the magic words. "Save Kagome? How would you help me save Kagome?"

"I got you here didn't I? Surely I'd know how to take you out."

"Out of…?"

"This youkai world you've created for yourself. I imagine its not going as smoothly as you wanted it too."

That was for damn sure. It might have been a rush at first. But he had been over it all for a while. The only bright spark had been Kagome. And now she was broken, tainted by Naraku's seed. And the jewel…

…Shit! I left the jewel in Kanna's room!

"No my dear, I have it." Mujin said, showing him the blackened sphere.

"How did you…wait how'd you–"

"I read your mind dear. And I'm a kuro miko. I can do whatever I want."

"Give me that, I need to take it to Kagome to purify."

"As if she's going to do that for you. She hates you Inuyasha. You left her for rape."

"I did not leave her for rape!"

Mujin looked coy. "As far as I'm concerned, it seems to you were locked in a room with Kanna while Kagome was being raped. Sounds like you left her for rape to me."

Inuyasha snarled, hatred now directed for this woman as well. Mujin continued, ignoring his growls. "It's a crying shame too. Because she's the only one who can change things now."

"What do you mean."

"The only way you can return to your way of life as a hanyou, is if some one from that life can remember it. And it seems, only Kagome remembers some. But not enough to incite the change. And now, I don't think she cares about your well-being. So as far as I'm concerned, you might as well get used to this demon life with Kagome hunting you down, trying to kill you."

"You think this all a game? Kagome is hurting!"

"I told you all I can do. This is your fault Inuyasha. You asked for this life."

Inuyasha wanted to rebuke her some more, but knew in the end, that she was right. He had asked to be a youkai. He thought he'd prefer this over being a hanyou, even if he lost his friends in the process. He'd make knew friends, he figured. New demon friends. But now he realized that this youkai blood meant nothing to him. Not as much as Shippo, Sango, Miroku, even Kaede and Kikyo meant to him. But most importantly, nothing in the world was worth losing Kagome over. He wished he had know that before, that it didn't take all of this for him to realize.

He sighed in defeat. "You're right, this is my fault. But I want to change it now."

"There's no other method than what I told you. If you get her to remember, the process will be reversed. But you'd have to get her to listen to you first."

Inuyasha nodded and left the room. No longer caring on how to get out the right way, he started to slash through the walls, following the faint outside scent. The girls in the various rooms screamed, but he couldn't care less. He had wasted too much time already.

He had to get to Kagome and fast. He had to get her to remember.

---

Inuyasha could recognize her slender silhouette even with the darkening sky. She seemed to be looking up at the setting sun. He called out her to get her attention.

"Kagome!"

She shifted, but didn't turn around. Inuyasha ran up behind her and instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist. He could smell Naraku all over her, growled at the scent. He would kill for all her pain.

"I'm sorry Kagome." he said, holding her tighter. "I'm so sorry."

Silence, then: "Me too Inuyasha."

Her voice was hard. He felt her spin in his arms. Her face was a picture of anger. And immediately, she had her bow in her hand, arrow loaded. Inuyasha let go of her and threw himself out of her path, knowing he could take a shot at such close proximity.

"Kagome! What are you doing!"

She took out another arrow and faced him. "Killing you." She answered coldy.

She fired off that arrow as well. Inuyasha dodged that one as well. Then he remembered. Of course Kagome was going to want to kill him: she thought he was the reason she had been raped. That he had slept with her only to make off with the jewel.

"Kagome, listen to me, Naraku lied–"

"No. You lied." She fired another arrow. "You made me believe that you really cared about me–" Another arrow. "–that you loved me–" Another. "–but you just wanted the jewel. Just like every other fucking demon in this world."

Her aim was sure. Inuyasha was missing her shots by millimetres. Anger really did bring out the best strength in people. But her anger was directed at the wrong person. He had to get her to understand.

"Kagome, it's not like that. I would never leave you for rape. I was going to mate you last night."

"Sure." She said, her voice empty of emotion.

"Kagome, Naraku tricked us both. This morning I woke up, and I heard something in the bushes–"

"I heard this story already Inuyasha. You told me. You thought someone was going to steal the jewel. You went after them, and then they threatened to attack me." She aimed another arrow at his heart. "Nice try."

He could move out of the way for this one, so he reached out and grabbed it. The purity of it burned his hand, and he dropped it immediately. Kagome was no joke. She was really trying to kill him.

"That's not my story Kagome. Naraku is a shape-shifter. He morphed into me and led you to believe."

"Blah, blah, blah."

The arrows were coming at him in showers now. And since the quiver was enchanted, it was made that she never could run out of arrows. He would tire out before her, and then she have her chance to kill him. He had to get through to her before that point.

"Kagome. I love you. I love you."

She was about to shot another arrow his way, but she faltered at his words. For a moment, her face was no longer knitted in anger. He saw the broken girl, suffering from a rape, that she was trying to conceal. He had to reach out to that girl. He had to get her to understand.

"I would never leave you like that. I couldn't get to you. Naraku had me trapped. I had to watch it all. You don't know how hard it was to stand there and watch, and be unable to help."

Tears started to well in her eyes as, she drew her arrow back. "You don't know what its like to be there! To be the victim! To smell like the evil and poison that that demon contains as he…he…" she started trembling.

"Kagome, don't let him get to you. This is what Naraku wants. He wants you to taint the jewel so he can use it."

"It's too late. It's already been tainted. Ever since…" she couldn't finish, the tears rolling down her cheeks now.

"Kagome," he said tenderly. He wanted to hold her, but her arrow was still drawn. "Kagome, we didn't taint the jewel."

She looked up at him, confused. "W-W-What?"

"We didn't taint it. It was still pure. That's why Naraku raped you, and made it seem as if I betrayed you. He wanted you to get angry, to feel vengeance. That's what taints the jewel, your misdirected vengeance."

Her eyes flashed. "My vengeance isn't misdirected. It's pointed right at you. I'm gong to kill you Inuyasha."

"Kagome, please try to remember. Naraku pulled this same stunt on Kikyo and I and pitted us against each other. He–"

"No, shut up! Don't say anything about the past! I don't want to hear about the past anymore! I don't believe it. I don't believe you. I bet all of that stuff was just your elaborate way of making you gain my trust."

"No! This happened before! You remember! You have to remember!"

"I don't want to remember!"

She let go of the arrow, and it sliced through the air. Inuyasha didn't dodge it in time, and it pierced his chest, making direct contact with his heart. He gasped, and his hand flew to his chest, just as he tumbled backwards unto the ground.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Inuyasha!"

He groaned in pain as he made contact with the forest floor. Kagome was at his side in an instant, still crying. She held onto the arrow, and it burst instantaneously.

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…I…."

Inuyasha sat up slowly, holding his hand over the now bleeding wound. "It will heal."

"Don't overexert yourself. Lie back down."

"I can't. I have to get Naraku. I have to destroy him now." He glanced at her. "Are you okay now?"

"Inuyasha, I don't know…I'm so confused…."

"You need to trust me Kagome, I'd never do anything to hurt you."

She looked up at him, then nodded. "I trust you."

He took his time standing up and started to walk away from Kagome. She jumped up and started to follow him, but he stopped her.

"Stay here. I'm going after Naraku."

"You can't do it alone." She protested. "Not in your condition."

"I'll be fine. I told you, it will heal. It's not as bad as it seems. And you aren't coming: I won't let him hurt you again Kagome. Now stay here. What I need you to do is remember."

"Remember? Oh, but Inuyasha, I'm not sure if I can–"

"Just try, okay. Promise me you'll try."

She looked down, then nodded. "I'll try." Then she embraced him tightly, murmuring into his clothing. "Please be safe."

He held her tightly. "I will." Then he pulled away from her and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll see ya later."

Then, he turned around and headed back towards Naraku's castle, a vengeance in his own heart. He wasn't going to turn back until Naraku was dead.

A/N: theres your chapter. hope you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. i dont know about you guys, but im reeli liking this story. hell, i shud review my own shit!! lol!! but since thats extremely pathetic, im going to ask YOU guys to do it for me. plz and thnx!!

i'll see you soon

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