Chapter 15

"Try harder," one of the lab assistants commanded through the intercom. "We know what you can do, 643. You'll manage."

Kagome looked up at the huge dragon she created. She tried her best to make it friendly, but something about it's appearance made her wary. It was dangerous, being afraid of it, because then it would shift to her fear and attack her. To try and keep control of her emotions, she held Shippo tightly in her arms for comfort as she looked the beast in the eye. "I-I'm trying," she stammered.

"That thing is scary," Shippo mumbled as he clutched her for life. Kagome absently nodded, watching it roar.

The dragon tossed it's head, growling at the space of the room. She had been transferred to a room about thirty stories in height, but even that wasn't enough. It wanted to spread it's wings and fly. A large, thick tail swung against the walls that were at least twenty yards across, cracking the stone that made up the room. There was no harm, however, since the cracks strangely disappeared as if they were never there to begin with. It roared, revealing rows upon rows of sharp teeth.

"Make it a fire-breather-"

"Fuck you!" Inuyasha replied, sweeping Kagome in his arms and jumping out of the way before the dragon's giant claw-tipped paws could stomp on her. "Kagome, make it disappear. This is getting dangerous."

Kagome closed her eyes, about to chant her own incantation to herself- 'it's not real, it won't hurt me' when a bolt of electricity similar to a stun gun shot through her arm and raced through her body. With a cry, she writhed and suddenly dropped through Inuyasha's arms, landing on her back and inflicting more pain until the shock settled down. She peered up at Inuyasha as he flickered in and out of sight before coming solidly visible once more, then at the dragon who was still solidly existing.

"What happened?" Shippo exclaimed as Kagome struggled to remain conscious.

"That stupid bracelet Sango put on you," Inuyasha growled, his voice covered by the thunderous roar. He helped her sit up, feeling her tremble against his hand.

"I'm alright," Kagome told them, sounding out of breath.

The intercom echoed the scientists' voices again. "Don't disobey us. You'll regret it, dearly." "Make spikes appear all over the dragon's body." "Fire-breather!" "You're not stopping."

Shippo walked over to her. "Are you okay, Kagome?"

No. Her brain felt like it was being strained to it's limit. Anymore and Kagome was sure she would pass out. Did they want that to happen? Glaring up at the dragon she created, she gasped when large spikes, roughly the size of her own body, formed on the dragon's scales like a second armor. Not only that, but it finally noticed that it had victims to eat. With a deafening bellow, the beast took a strike at them using it's long neck as an advantage. Inuyasha had to pick her and Shippo up and leap thirty feet away as it's head smashed into the stone ground.

"I'm going to kill it, Kagome," Inuyasha told her, meeting her gaze firmly. They both knew that it would possibly hurt her. Being injured, however, was better than being dead. Kagome couldn't stop it with everything going on around her, so it was the only choice.

"Be careful," she replied as he released her, giving her Shippo.

"Heh, what do you take me for?" Inuyasha smirked dryly before turning to face it. "Go take cover somewhere." To the dragon, he shouted, "Hey, you over-grown lizard! Come over this way!"

Kagome hesitated before running to the closest wall as Inuyasha ran in the opposite direction. Inuyasha wasn't invincible. He could die just as the dragon could. At least, that's what she feared. Facing against a tough looking dragon wasn't in their book of things to protect her from. Please be safe, she prayed to him.

Shippo seemed to read her thoughts. "Don't worry, Kagome. Inuyasha's strong," he assured and thumped a fist on his chest, "I can protect you too!"

When he moved to jump out of her hold, she held him tighter. "You're just a kid. You'd get squashed like a bug out there," she reasoned at his hurt look, "You weren't made to fight."

The kit pouted and crossed his arms, his gaze locked on Inuyasha fighting.

"You can stop it, 643," the intercom intoned, the assurance sounding fake with his bored tone.

Inuyasha's claws raked the exposed skin at the dragon's neck, barely ripping into the tough scales. With a scowl, he kicked off the beast, rolling when he hit the ground hard.

He needs to be stronger, Kagome thought worriedly as her half-demon tried again in the same spot, managing to spill blood. Stronger than that dragon...

The monster roared and threw Inuyasha off his rhythm by stepping forward, batting it's wings as it reared up on it's hind legs to swat him like an annoying fly. "Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed and closed her eyes, expecting the force that he hit the wall above her to kill him instantly. Dust fell from the impact as Inuyasha fell to the ground, thankfully still in one piece. She ran to him, hesitating when he lifted himself up. "Are you okay...?"

"Stay back, Kagome," Inuyasha snarled, racing at the dragon again. Purple, jagged marks adorned both sides of his face as teal irises locked on to the dragon's weak point. Kagome's breath hitched in her throat when he leapt, but Inuyasha successfully cut a huge gash into the dragon.

She stared at the blood that ran in rivers, pooling at it's feet as he stomped back down to the ground. Her breaths came out in short gasps. It's... happening again. Just like the time with the ogre, witnessing her creations fatally injured made her mind blank. It felt like stopping a flowing river; it can't be done at once, yet Inuyasha was able to do so with one blow to the product of her imagination. Her knees became weak, forcing her to kneel as she tried to force herself to think. The strangest feeling ever- having nothing going through your mind while trying to register everything.

Beside her, Shippo was yelling. Inuyasha's blood-red gaze briefly met hers before he made a high leap and dug both of his hands into the dragon's neck, getting absolutely drenched in the red liquid as he tore up the dragon's skin and insides with the savageness of a wounded animal. Finally, the dragon's body collapsed and evaporated.

A sharp pain rang out and she screamed and screamed as it tore through her brain. Much worse than the electric shock earlier, it rippled through her body slowly; a torment that wouldn't fade. It kept blossoming from the front of her head, getting better by such a tiny margin that it wasn't noticeable.

Suddenly, Inuyasha was in front of her, his bloody hands cupping her face, smearing her creation's life on her skin. All she was aware of was his golden eyes, filled with so much anguish as he held her. Her heart stopped.

"Inuyasha! They're coming!" Shippo cried, jumping on his shoulder.

It didn't matter to her. She closed her eyes, trying to tell Inuyasha silently that she agreed to let him do this to her.

When she awoke, it was night. At least judging by the lack of power in the lights above her. She felt Shippo tucked into her side and absently petted his tail. However, she didn't feel Inuyasha next to her. "I-Inu..." she winced, her throat unbelievably sore.

She didn't have to make another word. Inuyasha walked over to her bedside, kneeling beside it. "I'm sorry, Kagome," he murmured before she could say anything. One of his hands sifted through her hair and she took comfort in his touch.

"There wasn't a choice," she whispered, taking hold of his hand in hers, noticing that it was clean now. "But we need to get out of here."

"Yeah..." Inuyasha agreed, not even asking how.

Kagome pushed herself up, waking Shippo in the process. "I think I have an idea," she told him before pointing at the closest vent near the door. "Inuyasha, I need you to tear that down. If you can take out a camera, you can do that."

"Okay," Inuyasha stood and walked over to it. He easily broke through it, with the sounds of grinding metal and a 'pop'. "Now what?"

She picked up Shippo. "Here's where you come in. I noticed that this building is full of ventilation. You're just the right size to crawl into the one Inuyasha pulled out. When you get in there, find a way to the hallway and open the door from the other side... destroy any systems you come across with your foxfire."

"I can do that," Shippo grinned and hopped over to Inuyasha, where he was lifted and shoved none-too-gently into the small hole. "Oww..."

"Shut up and get moving," Inuyasha told the kit. He walked back over to Kagome and picked her up, urging her to lean her head against his chest when she was up in his arms. "If anyone's watching us..."

"I know. We have to run fast," Kagome gripped his haori tight, nervousness spreading through her. "There's no windows, our best bet is the elevator. I'm hoping your sense of touch doesn't fade... if they decide to electrocute me again, I don't think this would work."

"Guess I just have to exist, then," Inuyasha replied as the whirring sound behind the door stopped. With his heightened senses, he heard fire crackling.

The door clanked open, letting light flood into the dark cell. Inuyasha wasted no time in collecting Shippo. "Let's go!"

A/N: Run!

Opalbrat: Nah, too cliche.

Deadman19: Stuffed him in a hole; that's all he's good for :P

ForeverxWeird & LicoriceSpice: Thank you.

alexischic: I think you scared Inuyasha away ^-^; (No 'sama'!)

WarmAmber92: I think this will be the last time I'll let the readers be right :D cuz I'm evil like that.

InuandKaglove4life: This chapter's a bit predicted :/ hopefully the next one will be better.

Even though I said Miroku and Sango won't have conflict in the story, their POV is coming up next chapter.

FxA