InuYasha Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Brave New World ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

AN: Look something else I shouldn't be working on! But you guys know how inspiration can be sometimes. It'll smack you across the face and say “Do thine will, biotch!” Also, to explain my disappearances and extremely sporadic updates from here on out (and for the past few weeks), as some of you may know I've been in the process of moving since just after Christmas. Well I'm finally in my new house but things are crazy! Everything is a mess and over half of my stuff is still in storage. To top it all off, I don't get internet on my computer out here. I only get it on my phone now, and even that is patchy. Anyway, I have to go into town to my dad's house to update my stuff…

The inspiration for this story came while I was listening to `Attack' by 30 Seconds to Mars. The entire CD (`The Kill') actually shaped a large part of the story :] Well, as always, enjoy and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I don't own, please don't sue!

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Brave New World

Chapter One

Underground, in the depths of a dark castle, hallways carved from stone led the way to dank rooms sealed by thick bars. Little could be heard in the dungeons. Rats scurrying along the floors looking for scraps of old food and the dripping of water was what could usually be heard. But listening closely, humming could also be heard as it joined the echoed sounds.

A soft and haunting tune with no apparent rhyme or rhythm rose and faded as it floated through the halls, bouncing off of the stone.

Inside the only occupied cell sat a lone figure huddled against a damp wall. Once-long, ebony hair was now dull, matted, and cut at jaw-length in choppy chunks. Pale skin that had lost almost all color was clammy and covered in dirt and small amounts of dried blood. Dirty clothes, torn and tattered, hadn't been washed in anything other than a small puddle in the cell's corner during the five months of imprisonment.

The feminine hum stopped for a moment as several deep breaths were heard before a sob wrenched its way through the dark and silence.

For the prisoner Kagome Higurashi, all measure of time had been lost long ago. There were no windows and she hadn't seen the light of day in months. The only thing even close to a time gauge was the semi-regular meals that she received. Some days seemed to pass in the blink of an eye while seconds sometimes felt like hours.

The last time Kagome had seen the outside world or her friends had been during one of their many battles against Naraku. When the evil half-demon had her within his grasp, he had instantly fled the field with her. The next thing she could remember was waking up in the dank cell that she was currently in.

Naraku had taken a great deal of pleasure in torturing her for the small chunk of the jewel that she held. As small as it was, it was the only thing keeping him from the complete object. For the longest time, nobody had laid a finger on her. She had simply been reminded on a consistent basis that her group had no way to find the castle and therefore no way to find her. With the reminder that the chances of being found were nil, she had been prompted to give over the jewel with the promise of being released.

Kagome knew that it may have been a while before she was found, but she had faith that her friends would rescue her. Until then, she had to remain strong and not give into the enemy. After realizing that his first tactic wasn't working, Naraku grew increasingly violent.

The mental, emotional, and physical abuse had become her world. She was never removed from her cell. Her tormentor always came to her. She had been mocked, beaten, and ridiculed over the months. Naraku had even cut most of her hair off when he had seen her nervously playing with it and braiding it in order to distract herself from all that was really happening.

But Naraku seemed to truly lose his temper with her several days before. In a desperate move, she had swallowed her small portion of the jewel. She knew that Naraku wouldn't risk killing her while she was in such close possession of a piece of the jewel. She had overheard a conversation between Naraku and Kagura not long before. A possibility had been brought up. If the guardian of the jewel died with the jewel as a part of their body, it may disappear and not resurface until she was reincarnated.

As Kagome leaned against her usual wall, she noticed that she was unusually hungry. She seemed to always be hungry lately with the small amounts of food that she occasionally received, but now it seemed as though she had gone days without seeing anyone who Naraku sent to tend to her. She gingerly reached up a hand to run thin fingers over protruding ribs.

The salty tears that began to gather in Kagome's eyes burned harshly. But before the first drop was able to fall, a large crash startled her.

Kagome crawled over to the bars that contained her to try to get a better view of what was happening. Light and sounds were streaming down the stairs leading to the cells. When another crash and a small explosion sent debris flying down the hall, Kagome moved back to the other side of the cell as quickly as she could manage. Soon she heard Kagura's voice.

“Kanna, hold him back for as long as you can!” The wind sorceress ordered. Kagome could hear quick steps coming her way as her heart sped up. What did the demoness want with her this time? She had been sent to torment her on Naraku's orders before on several occasions. But with the commotion coming from the castle above, Kagome doubted that this was the case. Had her friends finally found her? Hope began to blossom for the young woman. That is, until she saw Kagura. She had never seen the woman so…disheveled.

Kagura opened her fan and sliced through the cell bars with ease before stepping through and yanking Kagome to her feet.

“Come on,” she said still dragging Kagome behind her.

Kagome observed the woman with a wary curiosity. Her normally sleek hair was falling from its bun. Her clothes were in disarray, hanging loosely from her body, while her bare feet padded along the stone. Kagome could also make out new bruises and several shallow cuts marring her skin.

When Kagura tugged on Kagome's arm with a little more force, Kagome tried to speak up. “What—?” She began.

Kagura quickly cut the younger woman off when she turned to give Kagome a serious look before reaching into her sleeve. “Here,” the demoness said holding out what used to be Naraku's large piece of the jewel.

Kagome stared wide-eyed before rasping out, “I don't understand.”

With a quick glance back toward the stairs—where more crashes were resonating from—Kagura quickly explained, “Naraku is becoming unbalanced. He will kill you soon if he has a chance at that jewel. When he gets it, he will have no more use for Kanna or myself and we will die.” Kagura began to drag Kagome once more as they headed further down the hall. “You will leave this castle with the entire jewel while Kanna and I do our best to take care of Naraku. If we fail, Inuyasha should be able to take care of what's left of him.”

Kagome could only stand on shaky legs as she stared at Kagura. Was she serious? Was she really helping her to escape?

Kagura once again pulled out her fan and demolished the exterior wall at the end of the hallway. “There is a river below the castle. Follow it downstream and you will find your friends.”

“Sister,” Kanna's soft voice sounded slightly strained. “The mirror is cracking.”

Kagura quickly shoved the jewel into Kagome's hands and began making her way back to her sister's side.

Kagome looked out of the hole Kagura had created and saw that not only had the castle been located on a cliff face, but the river that Kagura had mentioned was at least forty feet below her. She knew that she was weak from her captivity, and even if she survived the fall, she wasn't sure that she would be able to swim.

She was only able to hesitate for a moment before another, much louder, explosion rocked the castle and she heard Kagura shout “Go!” before a powerful gust of wind carried her into the night air.

Bracing herself for the impact with the water, Kagome tried to straighten her body vertically as much as she could. Her feet entered the cold water first and she took a deep breath before her head was submerged as well. The river's current instantly swept her away and she felt very much like a ragdoll being tossed around. She wasn't going to be able to fight the current right now and the only thing she could hope for was to be able to keep her head above the water long enough not to drown.

As her head broke the surface of the water, Kagome inhaled deeply and looked around for anything to hold onto. Nothing came into view and she focused on trying to direct the way she was going, but she was too weak to put forth the effort that was needed. Kagome tried to think of an alternative plan, but her thoughts were cut short as she was dragged underwater once again.

It was only by pure luck that she came to a bend in the river where the water swirled in a shallow pool by the bank before moving on. As soon as her body met solid land, Kagome crawled onto the shore as she tried to cough up the water that she had inhaled and swallowed. The sharp coughs led her body to start dry-heaving until a puddle of water was expelled from her stomach along with the last piece of the jewel that hadn't been able to move on.

Kagome smiled lightly as air returned to her lungs and she held her two pieces of the jewel together in one small fist. Darkness was calling to her and her exhaustion demanded that she give in. It would have been best to search for her friends, but her body was no longer responding to her wishes. As she lay on the pebble-covered shore, the last thing that Kagome's brain registered was a thin trail of smoke rising into the air from a nearby fire and a few voices that sounded strangely familiar.

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The dripping was back. Kagome's breath quickened as her hands ran across the familiar stone walls. What had happened? She had escaped! Why was she back in the hell hole Naraku had caged her in? Had it all been a dream?

Kagome closed her eyes tightly as she struggled to remember what was going on. Then she heard footsteps. They were heavier than Kagura's. The pace of the steps were slow but sure. She closed her eyes tighter as the smooth, deep voice that had tormented her for so long reached her ears again.

“Kagome,” the voice called in a mocking manner.

Kagome covered her ears in an attempt to block out the voice.

“Kagome,” the voice called again.

Tears began to stream from her eyes.

“Kagome!” The voice was beginning to change. It now sounded less deep and more anxious. It sounded familiar, but was not the voice of Naraku.

As Kagome continued to struggle to remember what had happened and brace herself for what was happening. When she felt a hand land on her shoulder, she screamed out.

Kagome opened her eyes as she attempted to sit up and was greeted with the warm wood of a hut instead of the dark stone of a cell. `A dream?' She thought before her eyes landed on several familiar figures talking around a fire and one very concerned figure sitting by her side. “Sango…” Kagome's voice whispered.

Sango smiled down at the younger woman with relief in her eyes. “Kagome…we were so worried,” the demon slayer said as she gently smoothed her friend's hair and laid a cool rag across Kagome's forehead. “Let me help you sit up so you can drink something and then you can get some more rest. You can talk to everyone else when you're better.”

Following Sango's orders, Kagome sipped on the water offered to her before lying down and closing her eyes once more. She was looking forward to better sleep knowing that her friends were close by and she was safe.

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The days passed and Kagome continued to sleep. She was often fitful and screamed out against invisible attackers. The group of shard hunters had waited for her to reawaken, but they were losing hope as their friend continued to dream and live her hell over and over again.

Sango became more distraught as the days passed and she listened to Kagome's screams. She had been the last one to see the girl conscious. She had assured her that they were together again and that Kagome would see her friends soon.

“What can we do?” Sango asked the two males sitting in the hut with her. Inuyasha sat by the wall watching as Miroku meditated with Kagome's head resting in his lap. The monk was hoping to find what kept Kagome from them.

“Her soul is very lost and tortured,” Miroku spoke as his brows furrowed. “It is no longer as clear as it once was. I fear that if she were to wake up now she may lose her sanity in the memories.”

“Then what can we do?” Sango stressed again on the brink of tears. The young miko was the only family that she had left. Miroku's wind tunnel had disappeared signaling the death of Naraku and when they had found the demon's castle it had been burned and abandoned. Kohaku had been nowhere in sight, but Sango wasn't holding much hope at this point.

Miroku sighed as he opened his eyes and looked down at Kagome's strained face. “There are a few outcomes to this situation,” he stated gaining the attention of both Inuyasha and Sango. “I've come across people who have experienced great tragedies with which their minds and spirits cannot cope. Their bodies may force them to sleep until death.” At Sango's strangled cry he gave the exterminator a hopeful smile before continuing. “But there is a chance that we could purify her soul once more. This would take a very long time, though.”

“How long?” Inuyasha asked solemnly.

“Each memory of her encounter would have to be purified so that she will be able to come to terms with her captivity. Each memory would take a great deal of time on its own. And she was gone for several months. The purification process will not necessarily speed up the healing of her soul, but it will be able to calm her mind as it repairs itself. If taken to the extreme, it may even preserve her body as it is now so that she will be able to keep living her life once she has recovered,” Miroku explained.

“Where could we do that?” Sango asked. She was willing to try anything for her friend and sister.

“I'm sure we could persuade Mushin into sparing a room at the temple of my youth. It will take time simply to prepare the room. Are you sure this will be the wisest decision?” Miroku questioned his friends seriously. He wanted to make sure that this was what they all agreed upon.

Inuyasha eyed Miroku for several moments before asking, “What aren't you telling us, monk?”

Looking between his friends, Miroku prepared himself for their reactions. “With the damage done to Kagome's spirit and mind, this process could take years if not decades to complete. There's a high chance that Sango and I will pass on into the next life before Kagome awakens again. Someone will need to be there to awaken Kagome from her sleep when the process is finished. It's likely that you'll be the only one left at that time, Inuyasha. Either yourself or Shippo.”

Sango bit the inside of her lip to keep her tears at bay. “Fine,” she agreed. “If it's what will be best for Kagome, then I say we should do it.”

“I have to agree with Sango,” Miroku added as he looked to Inuyasha. “What do you think?” He questioned the half-demon.

Looking to Kagome, Inuyasha questioned Miroku, “If I'm the one who has to wake her up, how will I know when it's time?”

“I can seal the door to the room with a sutra which will glow when her spirit has been purified once more,” Miroku answered easily.

“Alright,” Inuyasha said. “We'll leave for the temple tomorrow.”

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The group reached the temple, prepared Kagome's room for her long slumber, and took their leave once more with each hoping to one day see the young woman from the future again. But the years passed and the sutra sealing the door remained dormant. Human generations passed and demons grew few in numbers. The small temple sat deep in the forest forgotten by many.

But instead of the metal and concrete buildings rising into the sky, a new breed of human emerged to steer the fate of the world onto a much different course.

Groups known as shinobi began to take foot in civilization. Large villages were built and dedicated to training the next generation of ninja to protect their ways.

And it would be the shinobi that awoke the miko from her centuries-long slumber.

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AN: BONUS! I was originally planning to update four stories and add one new one, but I'm adding a second new one as well! This is something I've had sitting on my computer for a while waiting to be completed and I was just struck with the inspiration to do just that. This will be my first time really working with the Naruto characters and I'm super excited! I have a vague idea of where I'm going with pairings, but I'm going to keep that to myself for now. Let me know what you think of this first chapter and thanks for reading!