InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stolen Soul ❯ There Are Many Kinds of Pain ( Chapter 7 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Author's Note: I can't remember if Koga has encountered Kikyo previously at this point in the series, and I'm too lazy to go through all the manga volumes to find out this one tiny detail. So I'm going to assume they've encountered each other previously, at least briefly, and that Koga knows at least vaguely the Kagome/Inu-Yasha/Kikyo triangle (or is it a Koga/Kagome/Inu-Yasha/Kikyo rectangle? heh), because that's convenient for my story. So if I'm wrong, call it artistic license. That's why they call it "fiction," instead of "fact." :)

Violence Warning: Though this story is rated PG-13, primarily for swearing, this chapter does contain some bloody violence. Just wanted to warn you in advance.

New Japanese Terms in This Chapter
hibakama -- loose red trousers worn by miko shrine maidens and priestesses

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me. This fic, however, is mine. Please don't take it without my permission.



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* * *
Chapter 7
There Are Many Kinds of Pain

* * *




It was several days before Kagome met a traveler with a destination near the Bone-Eaters' Well.

The thin elderly merchant who was driving the wagon warned her, "I've not heard of any such well, my lady, but I do know the forest you speak of, named for the demon imprisoned there. Inu-Yasha's Forest, they call it. I'll be passing near there, though it's four days' passage."

And so a bargain was struck, for Kagome would tend to any medical needs along the voyage, and this would pay her way.

When the time came to leave, Kagome thanked the villagers for their kindness, and all bid her good luck. Tanaka, however, could not be found, and Kagome could only imagine that he must be hiding to avoid saying good-bye. "Thank you for your friendship, Tanaka," she called to the forest. "I will miss you."

As she turned toward the wagon, the small boy came hurtling from behind a tree and hugged her legs, his tears wetting the red cloth of her hibakama. "I don't want you to leave," he sobbed.

Kagome knelt and gently held the boy's face in her hands, drying his tears with her fingers as best she could. "I have to leave, Tanaka, to find my family again. But you're a good friend, and I won't forget you. You brought me joy and comfort in a time of great sadness."

Throwing his small arms around her neck, Tanaka hugged her tightly, his remaining tears wetting the side of her neck and her straight black hair. "I love you, Lady Kagome," he whispered, sniffling.

Kagome smiled softly. "I love you too, Tanaka. And so you'll always be in my heart. Because that's what love is."

Nodding against her neck, Tanaka at last released her and backed away, rubbing his fists into his eyes to rid himself of the embarrassing tears. Pulling the traditional miko's white hair ribbon from her hair, Kagome held it out to the child. "So you can always remember me," she smiled. Tanaka snatched the ribbon and abruptly ran away, sniffling with renewed tears.

Standing, Kagome looked around the village and saw many friendly faces, many people sorry to see her leave, even after only such a short time. But she had been growing weaker every day, and so she couldn't put this off. She needed to go to the well, to try to see Mom and Grandpa and Souta again, to at least let them know what had happened to her, so that they wouldn't always have to wonder.

"Ready to go, my lady?" asked the old merchant, and Kagome nodded, climbing up to find a seat for the long trip.

Please let Inu-Yasha not be there, she thought to herself. I couldn't bear to see him again with Kikyo, especially Kikyo looking like me. I couldn't bear to be so close to him and have to stay away. So please let me be able to go through the well. That's all I ask. Please let me just go through the well in peace.


* * *

"All of the grief, pain, and suffering since her arrival here have been the fault of that girl. She should never have been here."

When they had passed near Inu-Yasha's forest, the merchant had left Kagome perhaps a mile from Kaede's village. Finding herself suddenly desperately craving Kaede's wise kindness, for the woman had always been like a parent to her, Kagome had walked straight to the old miko's hut, only to stop when she heard voices from within. As she had creapt nearer, she had recognized her own voice. Wait. Not me. Kikyo! That's Kikyo, sounding like me!

Peeking briefly through the mat hanging at the doorway, Kagome saw that Kaede and Inu-Yasha were sitting with Kikyo, listening to her.

Listening to Kikyo talk about Kagome.

Listening to Kikyo blame Kagome for everything.

And neither of them was saying anything in Kagome's defense. Nothing. Nothing at all.

The pain Kikyo had spoken of so often, the pain created by the sliver of soul in the false body, the pain which had twisted Kikyo toward blind hatred, now twisted Kagome more fully toward blind grief, convincing her utterly of her own abandonment and rejection, leaving her little able to defend against a slide into mindless despair.

"All of the grief, pain, and suffering since her arrival here have been the fault of that girl," Kikyo had said with Kagome's own voice. "She should never have been here."

Gods ... she's right! It's all been my fault, especially the jewel. I should never have come down the well to break the jewel. Or I should have gone back and just stayed there, like Inu-Yasha told me to do.

Kikyo paused briefly before concluding simply, "I should not have died, and she should not have lived."

I can't listen anymore! They're not even saying anything! They agree with her that I should never have even lived! Gods ... I should never have come here!

Kagome turned and ran toward the well, her sandaled footfalls upon the dirt blending in with the normal noises of the village, so that even Inu-Yasha with his advanced hearing did not notice.

At any rate, his attention was rather distracted, because as Kagome was running away and out of hearing, Inu-Yasha was staring at Kikyo and exclaiming in outraged horror, "But you stole her body!"

* * *

Kagome was long gone, moments later, when Kikyo stood in her body, aiming a purified arrow at Koga's heart.

"What the hell is going on around here?" Koga demanded, obviously confused. "Kagome would never threaten me! What have you done to her, Dog-Turd?"

"Silence, demon, for words will not save you," Kikyo said coldly, pulling her arrow back, her eyes narrowed.

But before Kikyo let her arrow fly, Kaede raised her wrinkled hand and spoke sternly. "Kikyo, do not harm this wolf prince, for he is friend to Kagome. He meant no harm in approaching you."

Looking back and forth between the two women, Koga frowned and crossed his arms across his chest. "What are you talking about? Why do you call her 'Kikyo', old woman?" But then, out of curiosity, Koga leaned forward, sniffing intently. "Hell!" he exclaimed suddenly. As a half-breed, Inu-Yasha might not have noticed a difference, but now that Koga was paying attention he could smell a change in Kagome's aura. The body still smelled like Kagome, but the aura ... there was something to it that smelled like someone else.

It smelled like Inu-Yasha's dead miko.

"Shit! That isn't Kagome! What have you done to her, you dog-faced moron?" Koga was now baring his sharp teeth and tensing as if to attack, his blue eyes trained on Inu-Yasha's golden ones.

Unsheathing Tetsusaiga, Inu-Yasha replied angrily, "I didn't do anything, you idiot, but if you don't get your wimpy wolf ass out of here I'll be glad to wash Tetsusaiga with your inbred blood."

The two demons stared intently into each other's narrowed eyes, crouching in readiness, until, as if at some unheard signal, they leapt simultaneously toward each other. When she saw the wolf demon begin to move, Kikyo released her arrow, but she had not allowed for the speed granted him by the Shikon shards in his legs. Kikyo's arrow found, instead of Koga's heart, a whirlwhind of dust in his wake.

Koga's punch into his stomach sent Inu-Yasha crashing to the dirt, but not before Tetsusaiga had slashed the wolf prince's shoulder. The wound was not serious, but the sight of blood inflamed both their tempers.

"How did you do it?" growled Koga, hatred burning within him. "How did you manage to put your dead miko bitch into Kagome's body?"

"You dare to call Kikyo a 'bitch'?" roared Inu-Yasha, conveniently forgetting how many times he had used the same term to refer to Kagome. Kikyo was different. She was above such things. She was ... sacred. And, anyway, it was one thing for Inu-Yasha to insult Kagome. It would be a completely different thing for someone else to do so.

The dust flew around them as the two demons clashed again and again, Koga pounding Inu-Yasha repeatedly with his fists and incredibly strong legs. Inu-Yasha struck whenever possible with Tetsusaiga, but the wolf prince was too fast for him to strike deep.

Kikyo notched another arrow, but found herself unable to get a clear shot during the struggle.

"I knew you were stupid," Koga spat, punching Inu-Yasha across the jaw with a force that sent blood flying out of Inu-Yasha's mouth onto the dirt. "Preferring a walking corpse to kind" -- punch! -- "brave" -- kick! -- "generous" -- double punch to the gut! -- "sweet Kagome..."

Inu-Yasha swung Tetsusaiga blindly, blood running into his eyes from a cut on his forehead, but he did not connect with Koga's body. "Shut up about Kagome!" he roared, baring his teeth in warning. "You don't know anything!" Inu-Yasha struggled to rise, but Koga flew at him again, both feet colliding with Inu-Yasha's chest to send him breathless into the dirt.

To tell the truth, Koga's words were wounding Inu-Yasha as much as the punches and kicks. He hadn't done this to Kagome, but he hadn't been there to protect her, either. And he'd been protecting the person who did cast the spell. Gods! It's all so complicated! What the hell am I supposed to do now?

"I knew you were stupid," repeated Koga, "but this takes the cake."

Well, besides kicking Koga's ass, that is.

Inu-Yasha drew himself to his feet, aching and badly bruised already, to stubbornly brush the blood out of his eyes, leaving red streaks across his skin. Wielding Tetsusaiga determinedly, Inu-Yasha leapt into the air again, and Koga leapt snarling to meet him.

As the twilight gathered, the two demons whirled and spun and crashed in a strange violent dance punctuated by growls and curses, while the two red-and-white-clad mikos stood helplessly by, one with her bow drawn ready.

* * *

Kagome ran, blinded by tears, toward the Bone-Eaters' Well. They all think this is my fault. They think everything is my fault. Inu-Yasha has Kikyo now, and no one needs me anymore. I was just a shard detector, and now Kikyo can do that ... probably better than I could.

The words she had overheard at Kaede's hut had made her only that much more certain that she should go through the well, back home to Mom and Souta and Grandpa, even if she couldn't live there in this stupid fake body.

I just want to see them again, she thought as she ran. I just want to see someone who loves me. Someone who wants me around. I want my family.

When she arrived at the well, she came to a sudden stop, her straight black hair flying forward around her, since it was no longer restrained by the white hair ribbon she had given to Tanaka.

Writhing and twining around the well were five soul skimmers, each holding a bright soul in its sharp, insect-like legs.

"Not again," moaned Kagome aloud. "Shoo! Go away!" But the soul skimmers only flew nearer, winding themselves around her as if in some strange gesture of affection.

"Get away from me!" screeched Kagome, disgusted by the cold smoothness of their bodies when they rubbed against her own skin. The skin of Kikyo's fake body was the same temperature as the air, but the soul skimmers' bodies were even colder, sending shivers all through Kagome in reaction.

As the soul skimmers moved further away, Kagome drew her bow and notched an arrow, aiming for one of the snake-like demons. She tried to gather her purifying energies, but almost nothing happened. Just the faintest glow on the arrow, which disappeared almost immediately. It was as if she had lost her power almost entirely. Still, she had arrows, and she had become a fairly good shot. She followed the soul skimmers with her arrow, preparing to shoot.

But as she stood there, Kikyo's miko clothing billowing around her in the gathering breeze, Kikyo's silky hair brushing against her face, Kikyo's dead heart unbeating in her chest, Kagome could not bring herself to kill the creatures.

They're only trying to help me, after all. They're just being loyal to Kikyo. They're like her slaves, and that's not their fault. They don't deserve to die for that.

Lowering her bow and sliding it again over her shoulder, Kagome put away her arrow with a sigh. "You don't have to serve me or anyone else anymore," she called out to the soul skimmers. "You're free. Let the souls go, and I won't hurt you." The demons wound around her again, crowding her with their long chilly bodies as their auras radiated confusion and hope. "Let the souls go, and then you can go, too. I don't want anybody being my slave ... not you and not those souls. So go!"

And at that last word, the soul skimmers released the souls they held and broke free from their encircling of Kagome's body. They hesitated briefly, as if uncertain, but then scattered into the gathering twilight, their bodies weaving through the dense forest with an eerie light. And then they were gone.

Kagome sat on the edge of the well, just as she had done so many times before. But she had never done it in Kikyo's body, and the experience was strange. She looked down at the traditional miko clothing she wore and thought, Well, this outfit won't be so strange at home at the shrine, anyway. Still, I wonder what everyone'll say when I show up looking like some dead priestess they've never met. I can't go to school like this. Gods, I'm still so scared! What kind of life can I have like this? And I keep getting weaker, and my powers are gone! All I can do is go home, and hope that they'll still love me anyway.

As she tensed to jump over the edge, Kagome suddenly had a thought. There are probably still souls inside this body, souls Kikyo absorbed before the spell. I hadn't thought of that! I can't take them back to my time ... they don't belong there ... they might never find rest. I have to let them go here, so they can go up to heaven like they should have a long time ago.

Uncertain how to go about releasing the souls within her, Kagome again tried to gather her power, closing her eyes and concentrating as hard as she could, thinking intently, Let the souls go free. And then, suddenly, her body was buffeted as if by strong winds, and she opened her eyes to see bright light streaming from her body in all directions, streaming toward the sky. It's the souls! They're free now!

Quite weak now, relying on her remaining physical strength and grim determination, Kagome swung her legs over the edge of the well, and with a last look at the God Tree where she had first seen Inu-Yasha, where this whole mess had started, she jumped in.

* * *

Inu-Yasha and Koga were both bloodied and bruised by this time, because though Koga clearly had the upper-hand, he was not escaping unharmed. And though Kikyo fired arrows whenever an occasion presented itself, she had done no serious damage, because of her efforts to avoid hitting Inu-Yasha.

"So," panted Koga, bashing Inu-Yasha's head against the ground as the dog demon struggled to throw his captor off. "You put your bitch in Kagome's body, did you?" Inu-Yasha growled and clawed at Koga's arms, but found himself unable to throw the wolf prince off his chest.

Staring down into Inu-Yasha's eyes with rage and hatred clear upon his face, Koga spat, "You took Kagome's body ... against her will ... for your own pleasure. There's a word for that, you know."

Catching the wolf demon's implication, Inu-Yasha felt a fury begin boiling in his blood. Roaring, not wanting to listen to any more of Koga's words, Inu-Yasha struggled to his feet and held Tetsusaiga before him, his teeth gritting in still-increasing anger. Leaping at the wolf prince, he swung Tetsusaiga with all his strength, succeeding only in nicking Koga's heel as the jewel shards in his legs allowed him to leap far quicker than Inu-Yasha could swing.

Suddenly, Inu-Yasha saw dozens of lights fly into the twilit sky. They came from the direction of the well. Could it be...?

But while Inu-Yasha was momentarily distracted by the sight, Koga siezed his opportunity, and struck such a mighty blow that Tetsusaiga was knocked several yards away, leaving Inu-Yasha lying stunned with his head partially embedded into a now-splintered tree trunk.

Planting a foot on either side of Inu-Yasha's waist, towering over the dazed dog demon, Koga glared down at his injured adversary and hissed, "Using a woman's body against her will, Dog-Turd? That's RAPE. How dare you rape Kagome, you insolent half-breed? How DARE you? For this, you will DIE!" And with those words, Koga reached down a hand and tore out a large portion of Inu-Yasha's throat, sending dark blood spraying across Inu-Yasha's chest and Koga's legs.

An arrow whistled toward Koga as he stood glaring down at his foe, but he leapt easily out of the way and turned, advancing now toward Kikyo. "You stole Kagome's body, bitch? How? And where is she? Unlike that pathetic half-breed runt, I LOVE Kagome, and I want to know what you've done with her. NOW!"

But the dead miko wearing Kagome's skin was not looking at Koga. She was looking past him, over his shoulder, and her eyes were wide with disbelief and horror.

* * *

At the bottom of the well, Kagome lay rubbing her elbow, which had been bumped when she landed on the hard dirt. Leaning back her head, she looked up above her ... and saw faint stars in a periwinkle sky, rather than the roof she had been hoping for.

I didn't go home! The well didn't work! I'm stuck here forever!

But before Kagome could get herself worked into true hysterics, she felt a sudden sharp pain in her heart.

How can I feel pain in my heart when Kikyo's heart in this body is dead? Believe me ... I know it's dead. No heartbeat. Creepy lack of heartbeat in the middle of the night. Boy, do I know.

Kagome felt another sharp pulse of pain, and doubled over with a cry.

What is that? It's like ... it's like it isn't my physical heart, because that's part of Kikyo's body. It's like ... it's like I'm feeling pain in my heart where I keep everything I feel, where I keep my love for everyone dear to me, where I hurt when Inu-Yasha says mean things. It isn't my physical heart ... it's ... something else. Something mine , not Kikyo's.

And then another pain rolled through her and she suddenly gasped, as if some unspoken communication had been sent directly to her heart on this most recent wave of pain.

Inu ... Yasha?

* * *

"Inu ... Yasha?" gasped Kikyo, her borrowed face grown pale.

Koga turned to look behind him, and saw the hanyou standing once again, blood staining his white hair all along his left side, blood flowing down his chest to soak his torn red haori. Inu-Yasha's head was down, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths, his hands clenching over and over again as he flexed his claws.

When Inu-Yasha at last raised his head, Koga too gasped. The dog demon's eyes were entirely red, his face feral, his fangs bared in bloodthirsty rage. And then Inu-Yasha leapt.

Koga only narrowly dodged the swiping claws, for the two adversaries were now much more evenly matched. What the hell is going on here? I was sure he was dead, but now he's like a full demon!

Kikyo stood frozen for long moments, watching the two strike and dodge, watching Inu-Yasha's transformed face with disgusted shock. How can that be Inu-Yasha? He is ... he is a beast!

Knocking Koga to the ground with a blow that left the wolf prince unconscious, Inu-Yasha felt a purified arrow skim his left shoulder, where blood already flowed from his severely-damaged neck. He turned to look at the miko who now held a second arrow aimed at him. She had tried to kill him with that miko power shit!

Flexing his claws again, Inu-Yasha growled low in his throat, though it sent pain through his injury, and began to advance upon the younger miko, the one who had tried to kill him.

But then he felt a strange sensation, and he paused, scenting the air. A body was coming, but it wasn't the scent of the body that had made him hesitate. It was some small difference in the aura. It was familiar. It was ... confusing.

And then Kagome suddenly arrived at a dead run, jolting to a stop at the sight of the two bloodied demons and the two watching mikos. Kikyo held a bow and arrow trained on a full-demon Inu-Yasha.

"Kikyo," said Kagome calmly, "put down your bow." Kagome began to walk slowly toward Inu-Yasha, not wanting to startle him. She spared a glance for Koga and saw that his chest still rose and fell with his breaths, though shallowly. He would be okay after some time to recover.

"This is none of your concern, girl. Inu-Yasha is nothing but a beast now, a demon. He must be destroyed." Kikyo sounded almost as if she were in shock, as if the sight of Inu-Yasha's full-demon form had shaken her understanding of his being, as if she now questioned whether she had ever known Inu-Yasha at all before this moment. Taking a deep breath, Kikyo stood tall and drew her arrow back even more tautly.

Both Kaede and Kagome shouted urgently, "No!"

Kikyo turned to look at her sister and asked coldly, "Why would you beg for the life of a demon? Have you not seen what he is? Look at him! Look and see what he is!" Subtle tears glimmered in Kikyo's eyes, but her face was blank and determined.

Meanwhile, Inu-Yasha had been glancing between the three women in confusion, his red eyes glinting cruelly, his claws still flexing eagerly, ready for more bloodshed.

Kagome continued to walk toward him, though he growled at her warningly. "Stay away from me," he grunted. But she only shook her head.

Wracking her brains for what to do, Kagome suddenly remembered the last time this had happened, and how she had dealt with it. "Sit!" she cried confidently, but full-demon Inu-Yasha only tilted his head to peer at her curiously. Oh gods! It's because these darn bodies are switched!

"Say 'sit'!" she yelled at Kikyo, but the miko only gazed at her impassively, turning to aim her purified arrow at Inu-Yasha once more. Stubborn bitch! though Kagome with unaccustomed heat. Why can't she just do what I say?

"Do as Kagome asks, Kikyo," urged Kaede, "for there is a spell upon Inu-Yasha's rosary which will subdue him if you say the correct word."

But Kikyo ignored both of the other women, still staring aghast at the savagery apparent in Inu-Yasha's wild red eyes, the sharp claws that flexed with their desire to rend flesh.

"Look at him!" Kikyo cried at last with quiet dismay. "Inu-Yasha is a mindless beast, a demon, and he must be destroyed. I have destroyed countless other demons before him, but with him I always stayed my hand. I thought he was different, because of his human blood. Now I see that he is no different from they. He is a demon, and if I let him go he will continue his hunt for the Shikon jewel."

Taking her aim, resolve clear on her face, Kikyo concluded simply, "No. Inu-Yasha must die."

Running forward toward Inu-Yasha, Kagome yelled, "Wait!" Interpreting this sudden movement as a threat, Inu-Yasha crouched low in preparation to spring, but then Kagome was near enough to touch him and he hesitated. Throwing her arms around him, putting herself within deadly reach of his claws and fangs, Kagome cried desperately, "Inu-Yasha! Inu-Yasha! You have to transform back!"

And as she pressed herself close to his body, Inu-Yasha stood slowly from his crouch, surprised and confused, his arms limp at his sides. But as the girl held him it seemed almost as if another heart beat in rhythm with his own. He heard no sound of heartbeat ... it was as if he felt it inside ... and it calmed him ... made him feel warm and cared for ... and Inu-Yasha's arms slowly came up to wrap themselves around Kagome, pulling her even closer to him, his head lowering to nestle against hers.

Kikyo hesitated, her arrow ready, her mind in confusion. How...?

And when Inu-Yasha at last raised his head, his eyes were once again their usual gold, his face lost and confused in the brief moment before he slumped out of Kagome's arms, falling to the ground in a puddle of blood where he promptly lost consciousness.


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To Be Continued

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