InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A New Sibling ❯ Naraku's Dungeon -- Part 2 ( Chapter 22 )

Okay, this time I so got this chapter up before three weeks…I wasn't counting, but I'm sure Kuzume was…*glare*. Okay, so here's the chapter and if you want to read a really awesome, really incomplete story, then read Hikari's! Her username is Hikari,MakaiNekoTanmaoftheHigashi. Long name, but that's it!

A quote this time:

"That sure was a terrible movie, won't you? That sure was, you know." - Mystery Science Theatre 3,000 (MST3K).

On with the story!!!

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*Mountain pass*

"Are we there yet," InuYasha whined again from the back of the small group.

"No!" Everyone was getting a little peeved at him now.

*Dungeon*

"Kyaa!!" Kuzume wailed in agony as Naraku slowly drove the bloodied dagger through her left shoulder. With another scream, Naraku yanked the blade back out along with a small chunk of flesh, leaving a pained Kuzume bleeding and whimpering on the floor.

Naraku made his way over to Ayumu. As both women watched in astonished horror, he wiped the blade clear of only some of Kuzume's blood. The same snake-man that had unshackled them moved from holding Kuzume to holding Ayumu. Naraku wasn't willing to take the risk of either woman being able to inflict harm upon his person.

Ayumu sat watching his every move, or as best she could with her failing eyesight. When dagger met flesh, she flinched only slightly. Within another moment Naraku drove the blade deep into her chest. Blood drained from the wound and her mouth; he had punctured a lung, allowing blood to flow freely into it.

"That might teach you to respect your betters, if you had the chance to further live and act upon this lesson." He withdrew the dagger, a slight spray of blood following it as the bleeding increased. "But, with that wound, you won't make it out of here alive, even if your beloved brothers come for you." Naraku let out a heart-stopping laugh as he watched Ayumu's stilling form fall to the floor of the dungeon cell.

Kuzume watched on in terror as Ayumu's unseeing eyes lay open, staring at her in frozen horror, promising the same fate to come to her. Naraku dismissed the snake demon with a slight wave of his hand and walked back to Kuzume.

She held her shoulder which was still bleeding, and looked up at him in terrified disgust. He bent over to eye level with her and gently placed the tip of the bloody dagger on her chin.

"I will be back for you later, koi, but until then I will leave Ayumu here to keep you company." He gave another evil laugh as he left the room locking the door after he was out.

Kuzume quickly crawled across the floor, toward her fallen friend. She gently set her hand on Ayumu's right shoulder, silently willing her to just get up and be okay. But, Kuzume knew she was already dead. Naraku had driven the dagger straight through Ayumu's heart.

She sat down beside the corpse, resting her head against the wall behind her. The bleeding from her arm was slowing as her demon blood healed it. She looked over at Ayumu's face, cringing when she saw the horrifyingly painful look there.

Kuzume reached over Ayumu's corpse, closing her eyelids and her jaw. She pulled her hand back, leaned her head back again and fell asleep.

*Mountain Pass*

"Are we there y-"

"No!"

"Yes, we are," Suzuka corrected. She stopped and looked from the ground to the sky, then back again. It was as if she were sizing up a giant standing in front of her.

"We……are?" InuYasha stood next to her, staring at the empty forest, "and why are we just standing here?"

Sesshoumaru stretched his hand forward. His claws suddenly came into contact with an invisible barrier. As the barrier bent with his hand, it appeared to be like water, bending and sending ripples outward.

"Well, better test it, right?" Sango walked forward and through the barrier.

Still holding their breath, all the humans looked back up to see Sango on the other side of the barrier and completely unharmed. Without further hesitation, the rest of the humans followed suit.

When they were safely on the other side of the barrier, InuYasha went through. After a sharp intake of breath and a small cough, he turned around to face the demons still standing in the same spot as before.

"Just a little pain in the chest, but other than that, I got through fine."

The demons started to walk forward after only a moment's hesitation. Suzuka turned back around, causing Sesshoumaru to stop and watch her.

"Stay here, Shippo, my friend, and keep Kelala with you. At least, until you know that it's safe, okay?"

Shippo looked up at her and sniffled, but complied and sat down with Kelala. They both watched the two taiyoukai pass through the barrier. When they passed all the way through, Shippo and Kelala stood, ready to walk through also.

"Shippo, stop!"

Shippo looked up to see Kagome running towards him. They both looked passed her and saw both taiyoukai on their knees, clutching at their stomachs. He took a fearful step back just as Kagome reached him and scooped him into her arms.

"W-what's wrong with them?!"

Kagome turned back to face the group. As she watched, InuYasha tried to pull them back through, but was thrown against a tree. She cringed as she heard a sickening thud.

"We don't know, Shippo, my friend; we just don't know."

*Dungeon*

Kuzume stirred in her sleep. Something was on her shoulder, moving her. She wanted to open her eyes and see it, but didn't want to wake up. Something, no, someone was pulling her shoulder, squeezing.

Her eyes flew open and she was suddenly face to face with Ayumu, their noses hardly an inch apart.

"Kyaa!!!"

Kuzume flung her arm outward, towards Ayumu, slinging her half-way across the room. As soon as she realized what she had done, Kuzume quickly scrambled across the room.

When she got closer, she could hear Ayumu muttering something to the effect of "…this is why I never help…" and "…never a thank you…!" making Kuzume blush.

"Ayumu, are you….um…o…k…?"

Ayumu looked up at her, seemingly able to see her. She looked at the floor and, sitting up, said, "yeah, why?"

"Well," Kuzume took a breath and swallowed, "you were dead. I saw you lying there." She pointed to the corner where Ayumu had been lying before she fell asleep. "Naraku stabbed you through the heart and punctured your lung, and you died!"

Kuzume was about to go into hysterics, causing Ayumu to cringe backward a little. Ayumu edged closer, saying, "what makes you think a little punctured wound would kill me?"

Kuzume shook her head. Ayumu had completely avoided the portion of what she said about being stabbed through the heart and dying. "You were stabbed! Right through your heart, and you died! I saw your corpse!"

Ayumu looked at her then away again, "no, you just saw my body." She swallowed, and wringed her hands again and again in her lap. "When I was smaller, Chichiue had to take my heart out. I was ill and my heart wasn't working. He placed a spell on me to prevent me from dying after it was taken out." She sighed as if exhausted. "So, I have no heart to be stabbed. Sesshoumaru doesn't even know. Chichiue said that he told brother to stay outside of the room until I was better."

Kuzume was astonished. This was the first time Ayumu had actually shared anything with her. And it was something she hadn't ever told anyone, nonetheless.

Right as Kuzume was reaching over to comfort Ayumu, the door opened and in stepped Naraku with a long, deadly-looking katana.

*Inside the barrier*

Sesshoumaru and Suzuka fell to their sides, writhing in pain, still clutching at their stomachs as if they were trying to rip something out. Suzuka looked up at Miroku and Sango who were standing over both taiyoukai.

"Run," she barely whispered through clenched teeth.

"Wha-why?!" Sango looked at her helplessly. Last time they tried to touch either taiyoukai, some one was thrown into a tree.

Sesshoumaru looked up, trying to control the convulsions in his spine. "We can't hold it back much longer!"

"Can't hold what back, Sesshoumaru?!" Miroku was trying in vain to understand what was going on.

Suddenly the two humans were thrust backward as they were hit by something very large. Or someone…

*Dungeon*

Naraku came in the dungeon wielding his katana as if it were a delicate lily. He took one look at Ayumu, and his eyes widened quite perceptively.

"How--?! Never mind that now. I'll just have to be sure you don't come back this time."

He quickly crossed the room holding the blade above his head, ready to strike her down. Just at the last moment, Kuzume flung herself in front of Ayumu.

There was a sickening thud followed by a crack that resounded through the dungeon as everything seemed to stand still.

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Okay, I'm done with yet another chapter! And this one came out much sooner than the other one, ne? Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Talk to you in the next chapter or if you email me!

Taiyoukai Kuzume: Okay, but I'm not gonna delete your reviews, just `cause I'm too lazy to probably. Anyway, koi = a nickname used when referring to a loved one. I know, "eeeewwwww…"

Happy Haunting,

Chisai Oni