InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Dreams ❯ Revelations ( Chapter 35 )

Broken Dreams

 

Chapter 35

 

Revelations

 

“Damn Raijin.” Naraku hissed. He glared angrily at the severed clay doll of the incarnation Kagome had killed. “I knew I should have kept a tighter leash on him.” Naraku turned his head to glare at Kagura. “And you…you are far too quiet.” A glowing red orb appeared in Naraku's hand. “I trust you and Raijin are not together on his little betrayal?” He sneered. A quiver of fear slipped into Kagura's eyes, but she quickly whisked it away. She would not give Naraku the pleasure of knowing her terror. She could not refuse his will, but she would refuse him that much.

“Raijin left of his own free will, Naraku. As you no doubt know, I would know nothing of free will. How could I possibly have helped?” Kagura snapped back. Naraku glared, and gave Kagura's heart a squeeze, leering at the kaze-youkai as she fell to the ground. Seeing someone in pain always helped to calm him down. Kagura's heart may well have been a glorified stress ball to him. Naraku gave the orb another squeeze before he tucked it away safely into his kimono.

“Raijin is not my strongest incarnation, but he is more dangerous than then his predecessors.” Naraku mused. Goshinkishi, Juromaru and Kageromaru were powerful, more so than Raijin. However, Raijin had something they did not; intelligence. For all their power, Kageromaru and Juromaru were basically stupid, and Goshinkishi's arrogance led him to death at the hands of Inuyasha's blood-thirsty youkai side. But Raijin possessed no such weakness. The only weakness Kagura possessed was her lack of loyalty, but her heart had quickly put her fate in Naraku's hand- literally. Every incarnation he had created was but a test. They were tests to create a powerful, intelligent, loyal incarnation that would be strong enough to kill Inuyasha and all others who might oppose Naraku's wrath. Well, Naraku finally got the incarnation he sought, a powerful, intelligent servant. A pity Raijin was lacking in the loyalty department.

“I will not let him get away with this.” Naraku growled. “But now, Inuyasha and that cursed miko have a powerful ally with them. And all I have is you.” Naraku shot a look of disgust at Kagura. “And there are not enough excess youkai parts within me to create another creature to kill Raijin. That bastard has truly cost me dearly.”

“Master Naraku.” Kanna said softly, appearing next to him. Naraku glared at Kanna before turning his attention to the image appearing in her mirror. A slow smile curled its way onto Naraku's foul lips. No more explanation was needed- Kanna's message was loud and clear.

“Now there's an idea…”

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“You mate will surely have rested for the night, wolf. I assure you, she won't being leaving you any further behind tonight. Rest, and you may leave to continue your search for her later.” Yoshi coaxed. Kouga growled.

“I don't need to rest, I just need to find Kagome!” He snapped. He noticed Miroku staring at him warily, but he ignored it. It was driving him mad. Kagome's scent had led Kouga to a cave. A cave that had recently been lived in, but abandoned a few days prior, now more than a week. Why, Kouga didn't know and didn't care. But that same scent was there, although it was obscured with some sort of foul smoke and dried blood. But it was the same scent. Kouga knew that scent, but from where?

“You two.” Kouga snapped. “You two will stay here. I'm going on to the village, I'll see if I can find Kagome. I'll come back when I do, until then, you stay here.” Kouga marched out of the hut.

“Well, if he is leaving then we can at least rest here for a few days while Kouga attempts to track down Kagome.” Miroku said. The miko had been missing from their party for over 2 weeks, and Kouga grew more irritable with every passing day. Miroku welcomed the break.

“I pray to Kami he does not find her.” Sango whispered. Miroku frowned. Sango had barely said a word since he had returned with Kouga.

“I share your feelings Sango. Kouga may yet take his anger out on us, but as long as Kagome is same, I shall endure his leadership.” Miroku replied. Sango shook her head.

“Miroku, you don't understand…Kagome…” She looked at Yoshi. “You are certain that is the name she called him?” She pleaded. Yoshi nodded. “Then there is more at stake then Kagome here.”

“What do you mean Sango?” Miroku asked.

“Inuyasha, Miroku…he…I think he's alive. I think Kagome found him.” Miroku gasped.

“But…surely he had been killed by Kouga so long ago.” Miroku protested.

“Yoshi said Kagome found an old friend in this valley, and she called him Inuyasha. Miroku, we never did find his body. I don't know how, but somehow he…”

“If he's alive, then where is he?” Shippo shouted from Miroku's lap. Miroku was stunned. He could have sworn the kitsune was asleep. Apparently not. “Of he's alive, we have to find him!” Shippo cried.

“That's why I'm worried.” Sango explained. “He's traveling with Kagome again.” Shippo gasped as he made the connection.

“But…then if Kouga…” He stammered. “Oh no…”

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“I know that scent, I know it from somewhere!” Kouga thought, walking swiftly through the forest. Although he wanted to get to the village by dawn, his legs were not happy about it. Even with the Shikon-no-Kakera imbedded in them, they were tired after running around the valley all day. Kouga decided to travel to the valley end before resting.

“It's a person, I'm sure of it.” Kouga mused. Then, a flash of inspiration came to him. Kouga actually stumbled to the ground at the thought. “No…it couldn't be…” Kouga shook his head and tried to convince himself he was wrong. But it wasn't working. H knew that smell now- three years ago, it had been intertwined with Kagome's as a scent claim, a mocking superficial way of showing your intended. Kagome had been the intended of another three long years ago. But…he couldn't possibly…Kouga's lip curled into a snarl, his eyes flashing red briefly.

“Inuyasha…” He hissed. He got up and kept trudging into the forest. There was no mistake about it, that was Inuyasha's scent that had been with Kagome's in that cave. It may have been someone else with an identical scent, but Kouga didn't really care. Whomever the smell belonged to, he wanted to find them. If Inuyasha was dead, then Kouga would take Kagome back, simple. If Inuyasha was somehow still alive…well, Kouga would just have to fix that. He had killed the hanyou once. He would do it again.