InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Side of the Moon ❯ It's All in Your Head ( Chapter 3 )

Meg: Well the (not so) Great One aka Her Royal Highness-

Muse: *Off in distance * That's right!!

Meg: * Rolls eyes * Anyway, she decided that I should make this chapter a bit shorter than the others. Don't worry; the next one will be normal length!! ^__^

Muse: Yeah, yeah, I'm on vacation right now!

Meg: e__e What do you mean 'Vacation'? You never work!!

Muse: * Glares*

Meg: Well, there goes chapter 4…* sigh*

Title: Dark Side of the Moon

Rating: R

Obsession: Inuyasha

Genre: Dark, angsty stuff. Lots of it. And a teeny, weenie bit of romance.

Main characters: Kagome (duh!), Naraku, Miroku and Inuyasha (sort of). May be others later.

Summary: Check the first Chapter!

Feedback: Duh!!

Author's Note: Man, I'm SO sorry this took so long! I had planned to put this up last Sunday!! I was a little busy last weekend, though, so…you know…Anyways, the pairing is actually not a pairing at all! ^__^; Well, I'm pretty sure you guys can guess what it is. Ok, so maybe you can't, but you'll be able to figure it out hopefully by the next chapter. I know I said that I'd tell you this time, but if you simply can't wait to know, then review and then I'll write the next (revealing) chapter faster! Hey, maybe even this weekend! I actually wasn't going to post this until I got 10 reviews on FF.net (I have 7 as of now). I think there might be something VERY defective with mediaminer's review system so I'll not pay as much attention to it right now. Anyway, on with the show! I'm sure you're sick of me now. Man, this is a long AN. Oh, GORE WARNING…sorta.

Dark Side of the Moon

By: Meg

Chapter 3

Later that same night, Kagome stood against the railing of her balcony. Too afraid to leave her house, and yet too afraid to leave the presence of the Sacred tree, she stood quiet and still, watching the aged limbs of the tree sway like a dancer. She had found it impossible to sleep that night as she remembered Naraku's voice too vividly to sleep. The way he haunted her mind was beginning to terrify her. Each syllable had burned itself into her memory. She couldn't forget his voice, and thinking of him made her shiver. She wasn't sure if it was fear or something else that forced her to do so.

She hated him; more so than she ever thought she could hate anyone. The first real bitter emotion had been directed towards Kikyo, even if she hadn't realized it at first. The past incarnation that was Kikyo had hated her as well. The dead priestess that had been resurrected came to possess only part of Kagome's soul. It was later known that Kikyo kept that part had held the essence of the flawed human character, the part that held the will and ability to hate. Now that which was once Kikyo's hate was Kagome's again. That hate was now directed at Naraku.

Kagome could hear the rustle of the Sacred Tree's branches. They were louder and nearer, as though she was beneath the tree. She looked up and suddenly she was there. The tree towered over her like a God and for the first time Kagome didn't feel as comforted by it. A small gasp came from her and she looked around her. How could she be here? Was she dreaming?

Kagome touched her neck and Naraku ran across her mind. Pain rushed into her, stealing breath from her as it began in the pit of her stomach. She fell to her knees and nearly doubled over as her eyes plunged tightly shut. She gasped as the pain spread to her limbs, running through her veins like fire, scorching her along the way. She felt as though she would explode if it didn't stop.

" Will you still reject my offer?" His voice sounded near by, not like the echoing sounds that were sent through her mind and violated her by extracting thoughts.

Then she saw him there. The pain hit harder, eating up her blood, while nausea welled up. He was not really there, she knew, but she saw him, as though he were burned into the back of her eyelids. He stood clothed in the white pelt of a baboon, and still like a photograph of a blizzard. She could see his crimson eyes where the baboon's had once been and they glittered with an emotion she could not tell and did not know.

" Naraku…" she ground out faintly between her teeth.

He seemed to come closer to her; the picture of him became bigger and clearer. The pain intensified to a blinding agony for a moment before ebbing to a constant almost unbearable sting. "Yes?" he replied slowly, patiently.

Again his voice sounded material and nearer than before. She wondered if he was actually real and physically there. She gasped again for breath, clutching her sides in agony. A moan erupted from her.

The image of Naraku was gone, but she had a strong feeling that he was still near and listening. " What…are you doing to me?" she moaned out, tears springing to her eyes from the pain.

Her head fell forward and rested against the soft, damp ground. Her hands fell to the ground and her nails dug into the earth. A smooth deep chuckle emerged from where ever he was and languidly slid through her ears. The sound made her shiver again. It was pleasant and unpleasant at the same time. His tone was deep a smooth and would be quite easy to listen to. It also made her shiver as his voice usually followed or preceded death and destruction.

" I'm just persuading you to return more quickly."

So he knew of the well then; Naraku wasn't alive in this era, he was using the well. " What makes you think I'd ever go back?" she seethed at him.

Thoughts raced through her mind as to what could possible force her to use the well again. Her mind came to a pause as she suddenly felt her hair being brushed away from the side of her face and neck. Fingertips brushed against her skin and another set of chills threatened to overwhelm her. She took in a quick breath to stop them and the pain momentarily subsided. Those fingers touched the small scar on her neck. "Hhm," he muttered, and she felt his breath on her ear.

She let out the breath she had been holding and felt her body go slack. Naraku's fingers went from her cheek to her ear and then threaded themselves in her hair. He pulled her head back until it rested against something warm. The baboon pelt that she expected was now the smooth texture of silk.

She heard him speak and she felt him pull on her hair harshly, causing her to flinch. The rumble of his voice was felt against the back of her neck, " That well of yours is still useful. It will close soon. I will close it."

He pulled on her hair again and she gave out a whimper. Kagome could feel his breath on her hear again. She could not stop herself from shaking this time and a satisfied chuckle erupted from him. His other arm slid around her side and over her belly. He moved so that his cheek touched hers. " I have a strong instinct that tells me you will not refuse."

Then his touch seemed to have disappeared. He did not move away, or at least she had no memory of him moving from her. His touch and presence simply left. " I will show what you have yet to claim from the past. "

The pain began in torrents again, as when Naraku had appeared to her. This time she fell onto her back and lay down against the damp, cold ground. Kagome couldn't open her eyes, or maybe they were already open; she couldn't tell. Her entire body was hurt and couldn't move anymore. All she could do was breathe.

Images flashed in front of her; at first they went to quickly to see, but the feeling came with it. The picture did not linger, but the emotion was there and she felt it first hand. Pain was something she already knew, but the new pain spread over her back and through her arms. Something was bending her the wrong way and popping her bones. She felt something dripping down her arms, but she still couldn't open her eyes. She couldn't move anything at all. Something was pushing or pulling her into something she wasn't meant to be. She felt another crack and screamed.

Then everything seemed to have stopped. Paralyzed on the ground, she stared into the deep red that filled her vision. Then more pictures flashed by and they began to remain longer. She saw inklings of the pictures' subject. With each picture, the next stayed in her vision longer. There was blood, a lot of blood. She wasn't sure if it was hers or not. It seemed to run endlessly before her like a river.

Then the vision switched to a pair of hands bound by ropes. They also were stained in blood, as the hands had been cut from struggle. Kagome suddenly saw herself there, felt herself there, bound by ropes in the endless dark. The ropes cut into her hands and she felt her blood slide down her arms above her. Tears flooded her eyes and fear pierced her. She screamed but with some else's voice mixed with her own.

Then the pictures began to linger too long. She was forced to look at the horrible wounds that Naraku had inflicted. She knew for sure that he did this; no other creature could cause this kind of pain, not even Sesshoumaru. Long angry marks were carved into a man's skin as though he had been whipped a thousand times. In places where the skin was broken, blood trickled out. Their pain again became her pain and it seemed to last for hours.

Her tears still refused to fall. She couldn't let Naraku's game get to her. This was just an illusion. She was dreaming again and soon she'd wake up and find herself in her bed, buried under the blankets. When she woke up, her brother might be there, to watch her sleep again. Her mother would be making breakfast down stairs and her grandfather would be trying to sell some story to the tourists. Please let me wake up…

Another image flashed in front of her, but no new pain came with it. Clawed hands were bound in rope above a head of silver hair. He was shirtless and his skin gleamed with blood and sweat while a gash bled from his side. She stared in shock for a long moment, as though her limbs were still frozen from the paralysis.

The tears were falling now. Who cared if Naraku saw her? Let him. It wouldn't make a difference. Her limbs began to thaw out a little and she felt able to move again. Kagome reached out an arm to touch Naraku's victim of torture, but she never seemed to be able to reach him. " Inuyasha…" she whispered, as though fearing his life if she spoke too loudly.

Her arm fell and she tried to close her eyes. They were already closed and the images were being fed to her without consent. The image fled and darkness filled her mind. Kagome heard Inuyasha cry out in pain. She tried to cover her ears, but the sound persisted. " NO!" she screamed and sobbed at the same time. " Stop it! Naraku, you bastard!"

" Hmn…then open your eyes," he told her.

Nearly choking on her own sobs, she did as he said. This was another image, but somehow, it was real. It felt real, as much as she didn't want to admit it. Kagome saw the form of the once dead hanyou she had loved. It seemed as though she was in an actual place, possible a dungeon. He was against a wall that she couldn't see. The only thing she could make out in the dark was Inuyasha.

She tried to move to him, to make sure he was still alive, but Naraku took hold of her. His arms seemed to have swallowed her. She felt Naraku at her back, but she struggled anyway. It didn't matter what Naraku did to her as long as she got to Inuyasha and that he was still alive. " Be still," he scolded her.

Whether it had been her own choice or not, she ceased her struggles. " Is he still alive?" she sobbed. " What have you done to him?"

He only laughed at her broken voice. " I have done what you desired most, haven't I? I revived your precious Inuyasha. Are you not satisfied by my work?"

Kagome spat as more tears fell down her face. Inuyasha had remained still this whole time.

" He is alive. I will keep him that way," he added.

" Why…why have you hurt him?" she asked weakly, her body exhausted and now loosening into Naraku.

She could hear the smile in his voice. " I will spare him this pain, but you must return to the past." Kagome felt Naraku touch her wet cheeks, wiping away some of the salty tears. " I will only hurt him more if you refuse."

Tears fell again and continued to fall. She could only shut her eyes to block the image from her view. " Consider the offer again," he said, and then let her go.

Now free, she tried to reach the horrible sight of her beloved, but as she neared, the image faded away. She looked about her and saw only darkness and an endless void, which she could not find the limit to. She pulled her knees up to her chin and hugged them to her. More tears fell and she whimpered a curse at Naraku, whom she could not see nor hear.

The darkness began to fade away, but the void lingered on as the Sacred Tree filled her vision.

~*~

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