InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A New Sibling ❯ Naraku's Dungeon -- Part 1 ( Chapter 21 )

I'm so sorry for not updated in so freakin' long. I've been sort of busy…if you call going to camp and destroying your older brother at Soul Calibur II being busy, then yeah, I was busy as a bee!

Anyways, I really do apologize for taking so long, but yeah, here's the next chapter. Oh, and I'll was at my aunt's house for a couple of days, so I wasn't able to write for a little while. My younger sister's birthday is the 9th, and I have yet to get her a present…I probably won't anyway. But, yeah, there's the scoop on my personal life, hope you enjoyed… n.n;

I won't post a quote or anything this time, because I'm trying to update this chapter as soon as possible!!! So, I'm gonna go take a shower, get dressed, and then finally get to writing this chapter! Oh, and I'm gonna start putting replies to your reviews at the bottom, okay? Okay…

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*Dungeon*

Naraku sits down and leans leisurely against the wall of the dungeon, watching as Kuzume struggled against her chains and Ayumu hung there just glaring at him. He gave a slight chuckle, brushing aside a stray strand of hair, and earning a threatening growl from Ayumu.

"What has you so upset, Lady Ayumu?"

Ayumu glared a moment longer. Then, leaning forward, she spat in his eye, causing a startled gasp from Kuzume. Naraku calmly stood, wiping his face clean with the sleeve of his haori. He stalked up to Ayumu and struck her across the face, cutting her lip in the process.

Without another word, he marched from the room, closing and locking the door behind him. Soon after, the two women could hear voices outside of the room, but could not hear what they were saying through the heavy door.

A few moments passed, and the girls relaxed in their chains - barely able to hold themselves up on their toes. Just as Kuzume was moving her wrists to a comfortable position in the shackles, the door swung open, revealing a large demon with the body frame of a man, but the skin and facial features of a snake.

It walked over to Ayumu, jangling from the armor it wore and the keys it held. <Wait! Keys…!>

The snake-man grabbed her wrists, roughly pulling her toward him. Unlocking her shackles, he tossed her to the ground and made his way over to Kuzume. As he reached for Kuzume, she flinched away, frustrating the snake-man. He pulled his long, winding tail around to her side and begun to shove the sharp end into her side.

As she screamed in agony, the snake-man seized her wrists, unlocking them and letting her fall to the ground, holding the slightly bloody spot on her side.

The snake-man left without as silently as he had come in, and Ayumu quickly crossed the room to check on Kuzume. She was starting to heal already, and seemed to be relaxing again.

"Why did Naraku have us unshackled?" Kuzume asked as she sat up and rubbed her sore ribs.

Ayumu looked toward the door and locked her eyes there, then answered, "I have no idea, but he must have something up those tacky, purple sleeves of his."

Kuzume looked at her and sighed, saying, "You just don't know when to be serious, do you?"

She replied, "Of course, I do, but I just choose to lighten the mood!" She smiled happily as she looked straight into Kuzume's face.

That's when Kuzume noticed that Ayumu's pupils were slowly turning gold to match the iris of her eyes. As a healer or not, she could tell that that wasn't a good thing.

"Ayumu," she said with concern laced into her voice, "there is something seriously wrong with your eyes."

Ayumu looked down at her hands in her lap and heaved a great sigh. "I know," she said, lifting her hand in front of her face, "I can hardly see my own hand right in front of my face." She looked toward the door again as if someone were standing there, and said, "I'll kill Naraku for this."

Kuzume put a comforting hand on Ayumu's arm, whispering, "It's alright. You don't know when he'll be back or even what he can do. You might as well calm down right now."

Ayumu clenched her fist, saying through clenched teeth, "He'll come back soon enough, and when he does - I'll give him hell."

*In the northern pass*

"We're lost!"

Everyone stopped walking and looked back at the small kitsune.

"For the last time, Shippo," Suzuka started, "we are NOT LOST!!! So, quit whining…"

They continued walking, Shippo still shivering from Suzuka's outburst, but getting over it quickly to run and catch snowflakes.

The blizzard had passed some time during the night as the small group took shelter in the cave and slept. The weather had turned for the better with just enough snow to keep the ground covered.

Sesshoumaru quickened his pace to walk beside Suzuka, asking, "About how long will it be until we reach Naraku's castle?"

Suzuka took a sideways glance at him and replied, "We should be at his front gates within the day, but I feel some sort of barrier. It's weak."

"I can feel it, too. That barrier was not meant to stop anyone."

Miroku, overhearing their conversation, went to walk beside Suzuka, too. She glanced warily at him from the corner of her eye, as if expecting him to do something.

"I can also sense it, but it would seem as though the barrier is made specifically for demons."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru looked into the distance, nodding his head. "It would seem as if you are correct. When we approach it, we must take great caution in getting passed it."

"One false move," Suzuka continued, "and we could be history. Though, you humans and InuYasha may be able to pass through unharmed. Sesshoumaru, Shippo, Kelala, and I must be very careful."

"He could have just disguised the signature of the barrier so it would seem harmless. The only thing that barrier could keep out would be forest creatures, nothing more."

Suzuka looked to Sesshoumaru. "If it could even accomplish that it would be a miracle, Sesshoumaru."

"Indeed."

*Dungeon*

Naraku entered the dungeon room once more, but this time he had a small dagger with him. <I can only imagine what that's for.>

"Well, my little koi, how are you feeling this morning?" Naraku asked in an all too sweet tone of voice.

Ayumu looked up as Kuzume sat studying his face, then both began to study the dagger.

It was a very plain dagger with no designs decorating its surface. But the thing that caught their attention was not the wielder of the dagger, nor the fact that it was even there in the dungeon with them. What caught their attention were the bloody splotches all up and down both sides of the whole seven inches of it. He had obviously used this blade before…

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Reviews!!!

Taiyoukai Kuzume: Yeah, sure, I updated, but sorry it took a month! Heh heh…

Santa Claus: Um, yeah, I go by Yuki…and you might just try telling her to "shut up already" I promise nothing to work, but you could try it…

do_u_have_2_no: …that's great to know…? And thanks, they are actually just apparitions of my own personality…if you read "The Adventures of the Masaharu Girls" you'll understand yet another side of me…my stupidity. But, yeah, glad you like `em!

Inyomaru: You do know that's not a real name, right? Anyways, I figured you were one of Kuzume's friends when I saw your name. Hope you had a fun sleep-over! And sure, more reviews! She's not mean, either! What gave you that idea?! Ayumu can be meaner than Suzuka usually is! (I love to torture Inu…and Sess-chan if you read my other fanfic!)

Anyways, if you really want to just talk to me instead of just reviewing and hoping that I reply to your review, why don't you just email me. That would make everyone's life easier. Check out my bio or whatever…or just email me at pyro_scout@sailormoon.com

Happy Haunting,

Chisai Oni