InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Desert Rose ❯ The Mirror of Memories ( Chapter 13 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: ji-an

Inuyasha's memories. Went back and fixed some more mistakes!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, it's the sole property of Romiko Takahashi, and I cannot take credit for her genius.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Mystery / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.11.2006 | Updated On: 03.19.2007 | Pages: 17 | Words: 18.5K | Visits: 2.3K | Status: Completed

Let's just say, you get SOME clues in this chapter.

Chapter 13: The mirror of Memories

There was only one light, for the rest of the abyss that surrounded him was dark, though is didn't hide the two people in front of him. His heart burned and ached from what he had seen…

The blade had run through her heart before he could get to her to stop it. Her assaulter had twisted his wrist and pulled out the razor with her un-beating center riding on its tip. The woman's body fell into the dirt and what she was carrying crawled out from under her body and tried to shake her awake.

He watched, his legs moving but the earth held still. He couldn't reach, she was so far. He let our a cryptic scream when the sharp edge sliced through her frail form, letting her new, crimson blood run into the sand. He couldn't catch their killer, for he had disappeared into the dark as he fell to the ground watching the two lie motionless, the woman who was once his, now gone and the small child. The child who mirrored his face! He saw himself lying there, dead in the ground!

He jumped from sleep on the bed onto his elbows, cold sweat running between his eyes and dripping down his chin. His muscles gave a powerful jolt of pain complaining about his sudden movement. Inuyasha's body and, whatever kept the blood flowing in his chest, heaved. The moonlight shined on his pale skin, revealing the loss of color in his face. He was shaking, though not from the cold that had swept into the room, from the icy image that filled his mind.

“ Another dream.” He growled. “ When will those damned images end!” He snarled. The weight on his chest, shifted and he looked down at the woman there. He mind jumped, but he soon realized that it was only Kagome, for the other was dead. Her lazy eyes and misty seeing didn't take long to come into focus and see the look of distress on her friend's person.

“ Inuyasha? What's wrong?” She asked lazily as her world came into focus. Still dark, the moon had barley even begun to rise to the center of the sky, and he was wide-awake, panting, sweating, and looking at her with…fear? It was the first time she had seen this emotion appear on his face. That which frightened her to think she had hurt him somehow in her sleep seemed to fade when his face returned to it usual emotionless glance. He rose to a sit, dragging her body to an upright position as well.

She stared at his face to see if the fear would cross it again, but it did not.

“ It's nothing.” He finally answered. “ Just a bad dream.”

“ Really? What kind of bad dream?”

He gave her one longing stare that making her nervous from the intensity of his face and knowing how close his body was to hers, she tried to change her attention. “ What did you see in your dream that bothers you so?” She asked.

He didn't say anything, just held her forearms as he removed himself from the mattress and walked to stare at the moon on the balcony. The dreams wouldn't stop. He had shared this room with her for three days and each night, just like before; the dream hunted him in his sleep. He looked into the silver of the moon, it's light shining on the lonely land of his home before him. Every night he was with her, he awoke from the same dream only to rise and stare at the moon for comfort. This time it was different: Kagome had awoken. He could feel her eyes on his back from behind. She came up to look in the direction of his eye line, staring at the moon with him, before she turned her attention to his face again.

“ I-Inuyasha?”

“ What?” He answered gruffly.

“ Was it a nightmare? Because that's all it is, just a dream.”

His face became sullen. “ I know that.” He replied, but his countenance proved otherwise. Why was he so dejected from one dream?

“ Was it a bad memory?”

“ I don't want to talk about it!” He barked.

She sighed, knowing this conversation was going nowhere. She returned into to the room to lie on her stomach in the bed, for her back still stung from the whips she had endured. Three days she had been up here with Inuyasha, and though his wounds had heeled immensely from her aid, they were both in fragile condition. Her back wounds had yet to completely close, and his wounds had completely sealed themselves, although, he still had to recover from the loss of blood. Many times she had helped him heal from the pain by purifying him, though it left him unconscious for a while.

Inuyasha hadn't let her leave his sight. He certainly kept a keen eye on her. When she moved, his eyes moved with her. Even when she was resting, she could feel his eyes on her and it made her nervous when he had to change her bandages. She felt like she was under constant surveillance. It wasn't until she yelled at him to keep his eyes to himself that he finally stopped paying so much attention, but that didn't mean he wasn't watching her.

Inuyasha came to sit on the bed his hands over his forehead, covering his eyes. His back was to her and she heard him growl before saying her name. “ Hey, Kagome.”

“ Huh?”

“ Listen, I'm sorry for getting angry. I keep having that damn dream!”

“ If it's only a dream, why do you seem so bothered by it?”

He didn't answer again. Surprised by the soft touch on his back, he turned to look at the girl, whose eyes were watching him kindly from where she lay on her belly. “It's just a dream, Inuyasha. There's nothing more to it. The images in your head have no way to harm you.”

` That's not what I see.' Inuyasha thought.

Light hit Kagome's eyelids. She could feel the warmth of the sun on her head and knew it was daylight, but refused to open her eyes, too comfortable with the warmth underneath her to fully wake up. Opening her eyes and squinting from the intrusion of light into her pupils, she noticed the sleeping face of Inuyasha as his body rested beneath hers. His features relaxed in the sanctuary of sleep as she stared into his calm face. He looked like the angel she had first seen in the desert when she met him for the first time. This was the first time she woke to see him still resting with her since she said she wanted to be his host. Staring at the top of his head, Kagome looked at the ears that lay flat against his crown.

Leaning up slowly so she didn't rouse him from his delightful sleep, Kagome reached for the two triangles on top of his head. The moment her thumb and forefinger tried to catch an ear, it flicked away from her touch and she giggled at that sensitivity. Finally getting the ears into her hands, she was surprised how soft the fur there was. It felt like strands of silk between her fingers. She felt his chest rise and looked down with wide eyes only to calm when she saw that he had taken in a deep breath instead of waking.

Unable to resist the urge to stroke them anymore, Kagome began to move her fingers, massaging the fuzzy triangles. She could feel the hanyou under her inhale in long, relaxed breathe of appreciation. So fascinated by the softness of his ears and the way they twitched into her hands while she ran her fingers over them, she didn't look down to check whether he was conscious.

`They're so soft. I didn't expect them to be so soft.” She mumbled.

“ You know, neither did I.”

Hoping that she was hearing things, Kagome swallowed and looked down to see two golden eyes looking at her from under the pillows of her breasts. Her face was burning again. She tried to move but, before she could move away to hide her shame, his arms pinned her in place, shackling her waist and making movement impossible. Her heart throbbed against his nose. Trying to push herself upward with her elbows, her hands still on his ears, she heard him say, “ Don't move.”

“ Ah, let go, Inuyasha!” She struggled to get away, his hold on her remained un-wavered, as he his breath puffed against her chest when he spoke again.

“ I said don't move. You got your chance with my ears and now it's my turn.”

Not sure what he had meant by that, she squeaked when he turned them over, rubbing his head deeper into the cushions of her breasts while his legs lay on the bed, straddling hers. Barley able to keep herself breathing, her fingers squeezed his ears as his hit a tender spot between her breasts. She could feel the warmth of his skin, the only thing separating them was the thin cloth of her robes. She gasped for air, when one of his hands found its way to rest against a mound on her chest, stroking the fabric over her skin smoothly until her skin reacted by hardening.

Inuyasha paused when he felt her heartbeat quicken next to his hand. Not wanting to scare her, and trying to keep himself under control, he decided to stop things there before he went wild and took things too far. He removed the arm that still held her waist while taking his hand away from her breast. She heaved from the attention she was just given, not knowing how to react to the experience. He watched her with concern for a moment from his position over her before a sharp force made his head snap sideways and his cheek sting.

“ What the hell was that for!?” He growled at her, glaring at her from his position above.

Bringing her hand back, Kagome retorted. “ JERK! Abusing me like that!”

“ Oh, like you didn't do the same with my ears!”

“ I thought you were enjoying that!”

“ Who's to say YOU didn't enjoy what I just did?”

Her eyes widened and she looked to the side, face reddening. “ I-I didn't. I was gasping because I was on my back and the whip marks hurt.” She couldn't deny to herself that she hadn't enjoyed what he had just done and she hated herself for having such lecherous reactions in her own body.

She heard him chuckle and brought her face back to glare at him. “Well, if that's the case, then I should re-bandage you, shouldn't I?” She eyes him suspiciously. “ I'm not going to do anything.” He said in his defense yet still she glared at him. Sighing, he managed to open her shirt, causing the girl to shriek and give him another smack on his cheek. Ignoring the pain on his face, he managed to force the girl into her belly before looking into her wounds.

()()()()()()()()()

“ We were so close to killing him! Why didn't you let me get rid of him?” Hiten spat at Naraku, whose looming aura of darkness clouded the room, where he sat on his thrown in a menacing silence.

“ Patience, Hiten. She has yet to get close enough to him and I want him to suffer before we kill him. The more he suffers, the weaker his ability to stop the desert spell becomes. Besides, Southern Domain is now ours. It matters not that the half-breed is alive when we've had such a victory.” Naraku stated.

“ But, I was so close. We could've won the war by now if I had killed him!”

“ Patience. He will die soon enough. The girl will be his undoing.”

“ I'm all up for letting the mutt suffer,” a third voice came into the room, “but, I want revenge. That dog killed a member of the Band of Seven.”

“Bankotsu.” Naraku began. “ Where is your host?”

“ She's gone `hunting,' as she calls it. So, Naraku, what are your plans for the half-breed?” Bankotsu asked.

“ Right now, we have to get the girl away from him.”

()()()()()()()()()()

Miroku sat at the edge of the steaming, outdoor bath. Usually his mind would wander to his wife sitting on the other side of the water, but he was too worried to pay any attention to her as of late. Four days and they had seen neither hide nor hair of Inuyasha or Kagome. He was beginning to wonder if they had survived at all.

A touch on his arm had him turn to stare at Sango. She looked at him with a worried expression. “Miroku, you don't seem yourself today?” She said.

“Really? How so?” He asked with a weak grin.

“ Are you worried about Inuyasha-sama and Kagome?”

“ Yes. Even though Sesshoumaru-sama says they are both alive, I cant help distressing.”

For a moment, silence erupted between the two as they recalled their conversation with the tai-youkai. Sesshoumaru had not been pleased with their report of what had happened that one day in Southern Domain. Though no emotion of distress came across his face, there was an uneasy air as Miroku stood next to Sango in the lord's office to explain the unfortunate happenings. He was not pleased about the fact that the country was now under Easter Domain's control, nor was he happy about Inuyasha and Kagome's disappearance. However, he told Sango and Miroku that both of them were alive; he was certain of it.

However, both the monk and his wife were on edge. Knowing the tender condition both of them were in, they couldn't help but voice their fears to Sesshoumaru, who snapped at them not to worry.

“ I wonder how Kagome-chan is feeling.” Sango muttered.

“ Let's just hope we see them soon.” Miroku said.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

“Hey, Inuyasha!”

“Hmm?” He turned his attention from the view of the balcony to the girl sitting on the bed. Two more days and the two of them were recovered to full health, though they were both beginning to dread their return to the outside world since both of them had a peaceful time enjoying each other's company. Other than the small amount of time they had spent together in Southern Domain and the small time together in Inuyasha's home, Kagome and Inuyasha hadn't spent that much time together since before Kagome was training as a host two months earlier.

Why was it that when she was sepperated from him, Kagome couldn't get him out of her head? She kept on telling herself to stop, for she knew she would leave one day, but it didn't stop the swelling emotions she felt whenever she was around him. What was his spell on her anyway? She wanted to help him, solve the mysteries about him, but more than anything, she wanted to be with him…

The moon had risen now and the wind was whipping through the golden room.

“Do we have to go back down tomorrow?”

“I don't see why we have to say up here now that we are back to normal.”

“Inuyasha…”

“What is it?”

“Can't we do SOMETHING before we go back! We've been up here just HEALING for almost a week! Can't we do something fun! I am so BORED!”

“Well…” He turned to face her fully and the devilish look on his face made her squeak and try to get away from his approaching figure. Unfortunately for Kagome, she ended up backing in to a corner and couldn't escape before Inuyasha grabbed her wrist, dragging her dangerously close to himself. If he wasn't holding her by her wrists, or if he wasn't crushing her against him, she was sure she would've smacked him by then.

“Hey!” She squeaked.

“Have you ever been flying?”

“What do you mean? And let go of me!” She squeaked as he walked toward the balcony, dragging the second body he was holding with him. Walking out into the edge of the balcony and jumping onto the stone rail, Kagome looked down to see the immense height.

“I-Inuyasha?” She said nervously.

“Hold on.”

The sensation that followed was like led jumped into her stomach. She screamed into Inuyasha's chest as her hold on him tightened for dear life and her eyes squeezed shut. He, on the other hand, was enjoying the closeness. Before long, Kagome no longer felt the falling sensation as the wind caressed her hair. Curiously, she opened her eyes, only to gasp as she flew in the skies while Inuyasha jumped from tree to tree.

“Kagome, look up.” The moment she did as he told her, her breath caught as they flew under a blanket to stars. She looked into the skies. It was nothing like she had ever seen before. A sapphire color sky with diamonds glittering was all she could see.

He could feel her heartbeat as it thudded against his chest, making him wonder if it was the sky that was exiting her or it was the fact that he was practically lying on top of her as he jumped from treetop to treetop. He wondered what that heartbeat would feel like when he was exiting it…

“I've never seen so many stars in my life.” She gasped, her hold on his remained unloosened.

“Don't you have stars in your home?” He huffed into her ear.

“Yeah, but there are so many lights in the city, you can barley see any.”

He chuckled into her ear. “Then this must be a real treat for you huh?”

“Thank you, Inuyasha.”

“But, I bet you would've liked it better if I wasn't crushing you against me.”

Her face reddened when she realized the position she was in. “When will you stop teasing me?”

“I told you: when it stops being so much fun.”

He landed on the highest branch of a tree and settled her down on his lap with her back to his chest. She shifted uncomfortably and he chuckled. “Oh, you think that's funny, do you? Well, then, I'm going to leave!” She was surprised that he let go of her without any objection, only when she saw the abysmal fall from the tree. She fell back into her original position, afraid of the height.

“On second thought, I'm going to stay.” She panted.

“What's the matter, afraid of heights?”

“Oh, shut up!”

“You did almost fall out of the tower, remember?”

“Don't remind me. Is there a particular reason you picked this tree?”

“This is the Goshinboku tree. It's five hundred years old. My Father purposed to Mother under this tree.”

“How sweet. What! There's a Goshinboku in my home too!”

“I guess, then our worlds are connected.” He said. “So, are you happy now?”

“Huh?”

“You said you were bored. So did you like flying, or would you rather we stayed in the golden room and have sex?”

Kagome jumped in his hold. He smirked as her red face threw an insult at him.

“Jerk! Stop making fun of me!”

“Whatever.”

They stayed in that tree, just looking at the stars for a moment, before Inuyasha started teasing her again. After a few yells, he finally asked. “Ready to go back?”

“You won't let me fall, right? You know I hate heights.”

He stood, made her face him as he held her close. “Never,” was all she heard, before she screamed as he jumped from tree to tree again.

`…It's clear now, isn't it…' she thought has she held onto him while staring at the crystals in the sky.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Far into the swirling plains of Eastern Domain, where the castle, filled with dreadful silence stood with it's gloomy aura, Naraku's final orders came into his servants' ears.

“Naraku…” Hiten bowed after hearing his master's orders. The looming air around them was filled with sinister smog.

“Take her there, Hiten.” Naraku's vibrating voice ran into his ears.

“Yes, my lord.” Hiten, rose and left the room.

()()()()()()()()()

“So what have you been doing this whole time, Kagome-chan?” Sango asked as the two of them walked through the forests.

“I was helping Inuyasha with his injuries.” She couldn't tell Sango about her own injuries. She had worried too much about her already.

“I was so worried, Kagome. We hadn't heard anything from you two for more than five days, and then you walk into the throne room with Inuyasha at full health.” Sango sighed.

After Inuyasha and Kagome's magical reappearance that morning, Sesshoumaru had demanded a word with his brother in private, but before Inuyasha could follow, he had ordered Sango to watch over Kagome and not let her out of her sight. Sango didn't tell Kagome about this, since the girl would most likely go bellow at Inuyasha.

Sango giggled at the thought. Kagome had only been with him for almost four months, yet she was the only person who was able to keep him in line at the least, not including Sesshoumaru-sama. She looked at the girl walking at her side, her fresh, host clothes fluttering as she moved.

“Strange weather we have today. Clouds rolling in out of nowhere. I think it might be a storm.” Sango stated.

“A storm? On no, please, no thunder!” The second Kagome said it, the skies roared and flashed with lightening.

She screamed and began running back toward the castle, leaving a surprised Sango rushing after her.

“Kagome-chan! Wait!” In an instant, everything slowed. Sango's steps felt as though they took forever to touch the ground. She watched as the world seemed to flow slower, as Kagome rushed into a bolt of lightning that hit the ground before she could stop herself.

The flash cleared, revealing…nothing.

“She's gone!”

()()()()()()()()()

Her sense of touch came into focus before her body shivered and her mind reeled. “It's cold…” she muttered. She felt as though her body was being attacked by thousands of needles in her flesh. Opening her eyes, Kagome saw the blanket of white that surrounded the mountains and leaf-less trees around her.

“Snow?” she lifted herself from the fluffy blanket, shivering as her host clothes clung to her burning skin. Hands on opposite shoulders, Kagome began walking through the ice. How did it get so cold? She wondered. The last image that came into her mind was the flash of lightning before she came to and saw the snow.

“Where…am I?”

Panic erupted from her as she thought she could've been transported to another realm, but her common sense blocked that theory out. She felt like she did when she first came into the desert: helpless and scared. All she could see this time, instead of sand, was the icy whiteness that covered everything in front of her.

She was freezing, the cold stabbing her like a thousand knives. “Inuyasha…” she hoped, she could still hear him. Wherever she was, she was far from Western Domain, and she hoped, with all her being, that her bond was still able to communicate with him. “Inuyasha…” She called again, hoping to hear his voice.

Kagome! Where the fuck are you!

“I-I don't know.”

What do you see?

“…Snow.”

Shit! You're in Northern Domain.

“What do I do?”

I'm coming…

“Inuyasha! Wait!” Too late, his presence was gone.

She sighed. She was cold, alone, and scared. What could she do other than walk endlessly through the snow…

“ Hold it there, woman!” A voice reached her ears through the freezing arctic. She turned to see them, clad in furs to keep the cool out, pointing their spears in her direction. The army of northern guards advanced on her, ready to strike, should she be any threat to them.

“Who are you?” One of the men asked, his fur cap over his brows.

Just as she was about to answer, the men advanced on her again. Did she really look like that much of a threat?

“I asked you a question!” The apparent leader growled.

“ Stop. You can't touch her…” Came a smooth, lifeless voice from behind the wall of solders. The men separated, creating an open walkway for the owner of the voice to come near Kagome. She watched as the rest of the men bowed in respect as the man walked toward her.

“Lord Levion, she is an intruder. She could be a spy.”

The man addressed as Lord Levion, whose face Kagome couldn't see because it was covered by a fur hood, walked up to Kagome while telling the guard his reply.

“ Can you not feel her host energy? By custom, we are forbidden to touch her. Where is your host pendant, girl?” He asked as he came to stand directly in front of Kagome. She reached into her chest and pulled out the jade pendant Jordan had given her, letting it hang from her hand. The other guards gasped in awe at the pendant, as if they had never seen jade before.

The Lord standing in front of Kagome removed the hood that concealed his face. Kagome gasped, he look like…like Jordan! The same emotionless grey eyes, only his had no shine in them. His hair was kept short, barely reaching his chin, silken, black, and wavy. He reached with his hand and fingered the jade pendant hanging along its golden thread from Kagome's fingers. He ran his fingers over the engraved markings of the jewel.

For a moment, Kagome saw his eyes to narrow.

“You…You're blind?” She asked.

“Indeed. Where did you get this? Did you steal it?”

“What!”

“There's only one person I know that has this exact pendant. Did you steal this from Lady Jordan?”

“ What? No, she gave it to me after my debut. Wait! How do you know her?”

Lord Levion said nothing as he let go of the pendant and turned, walking back into the crowd of guards. “ Your name?” He asked without turning.

“ Kagome.”

“ What kind of leader would I be if I let you stay here in this blizzard? You are to come to crystal palace as my guest until I can find your sorcerer. Follow me.”

“ My Lord, are you sure-”

“Silence! Any friend of Jordan is a friend of mine.”

After her experience with Lord Sin, she couldn't bring herself to trust this, Lord Levion. However, it was better than staying in the middle of a snowy death. She followed him, while the guards followed her. After a time, her feet began to sting from the cold and her skin began to feel the stab of the ice in the air. She was having difficulty taking her steps; she wasn't clad in furs like Lord Levion and his guards.

Someone put a fur coat around her shoulders. She turned to see Lord Levion walking without his coat. He looked ahead, as though his warmth meant nothing. They continued walking until a palace made completely out of crystal stood shimmering in front of them.

Did every Domain look as beautiful as the last? The moment she had entered into the palace, it was warm. Lush green plants surrounded the halls; it was like she had stepped into a greenhouse. The world inside the castle was far from the frozen wasteland Kagome had just come from.

“ Crystal Palace is actually a city as well as a castle. It goes under ground. You've been granted a great honor coming here.” Came the voice of a guard.

“You are dismissed.” Lord Levion gestured as the guards left to scatter all in different directions.

“ Kagome-san, will you come with me please?”

She followed Levion into his private rooms where blue tapestries and plants surrounded the walls and a large bed covered in furs centered in the room. Feeling a little nervous here in his room all alone with him, Kagome was startled to hear him speak.

“ I was hoping I could speak with you. You are most likely here for information, are you not?”

“ What do you mean?”

“ If you know Jordan, then you know something, and you would want to know the rest, am I right?” He answered as he sat himself on the fur-covered bed.

“ Well…” What did she want to know? She was here by accident and the only thing she wanted to know was…

“ Before I ask my questions, I want to know what your relationship with Jordan is.”

“ She is my older sister.”

“Then shouldn't she be the ruler of Northern Domain?”

“ She didn't want the throne. So what do you want to know?”

Kagome took a deep breath. “ Please, do you anything about a lost heart?”

“ A…lost heart?” He repeated.

“Yes, do you anything about how someone can lose a heart?”

“ Who is it you speak of?”

“ No one.” She lied.

“ You speak of a taboo subject, but I will tell you the details since you are an acquaintance of my sister. What do you want to learn?”

“ How does one lose their heart?”

“It happens in three ways. The first, is a sorcerer could easily steal another's heart away for their own selfish reasons.”

“ Why would they do that?”

“ All people, whether human, demon, or hanyou carry unimaginable power in their heart, for it is the one thing that gives them life. Should a sorcerer have hold of another's heart, their powers would no doubt increase, while the heartless person wastes away.”

“ That's horrible!”

“ Indeed. Such sorcerer was outlawed many years ago, after the great war.”

“ And the second way to lose a heart?”

“ There's one more horrible than the first. A heart regulates all emotions. Losing a heart is like loosing part of oneself. Should a sorceress of sorcerer fall into a state of complete emotional anguish, they could willingly rip out their own heart and lose all emotion. Some people believe that a heart makes them weak. However, though the person will never feel pain again, this is irreversible. Once the hearts gone with its feelings, it's gone forever, taking its power with it. You see, a sorcerer, or anyone for that matter, cannot reach their full vigor without the heart's power. Every person has a final form. Demons have one, humans have one, and sorcerers have two. Hanyous, one the other hand, have three.”

“Why?”

“ A hanyou has a human, demon, and half-demon form. In human form, they are just like you and I. No demonic power. Their demonic characteristics shrink into a normal human look. In half-demon form, they are their usual selves. In demon form, a form that is triggered under immense anger or a life-threatening situation, the hanyou loses all sense, driven wild by the need to survive. They will kill anything in their path, whether friend or foe, and if a hanyou has lost their heart, then this form will trigger more often.”

“What about a sorcerer's final form?”

“In this form, the sorcerer is at their most powerful. They can perform numerous abilities without pausing. This form takes the color of the person's aura and cannot be performed without a heart.”

“ Lord Levion,” Kagome asked, afraid to know the answer, “what's the final way to lose a heart?”

“ The most horrible thing that could happen to someone.”

“What could be more horrible than the two you just described?”

“ A fate worse than death. Have you ever seen hell, Kagome?”

“ I think I came close once. Why?”

“ If…you were too see something so horrible, so terrifying, that haunted you for everyday of the remainder of your life, would you want to go on feeling those emotions? Should anyone see something so terrorizing, something that makes them breakdown, something that causes them a pain worse than death: a pain that attacks them in their mind, their dreams, their heart. They would beg for that pain to be gone. They would want to die to stop that pain, but instead of dying, they go on living half-lives. The moment they break, the moment that cannot stand that horrible anguish any longer, the heart drops out, taking with it the part of their soul that feels pain. From then on, the heartbeat in their body is artificial. All the functions influenced by the heart for the body, work automatically. The person goes on, at times emotionless, having only two primary feelings. The longer a person goes without their heart, the less of their soul they have. Before long, the body is an empty shell, unable to feel emotions.”

Kagome was sure, no, she was positive that, that was how Inuyasha lost his heart. What could have been so frightening that he would let his heart drop out.

“ Is there a way to reverse this effect?”

“ Yes, though many people don't want it reversed because they don't want to go through the suffering that caused the heart to drop out in the first place. The way to return the heart is simply to find it and give it back, but…well, let's just say that the person will go back to the way they were…I wont say anything more than that.”

She had to find Inuyasha's heart! Kagome was sure of it, he was losing his soul. And whatever he had seen that was so horrible must be still haunting him.

“ I just wish I could know what it was that made it happen…” She mumbled out loud before realizing.

“ Perhaps, I can help you.” Levion had a serious expression on his face. “ Would you be willing to do anything to help your friend?”

“ Yes! Anything!” she said on impulse.

Levion stood and gestured for her to follow him. He led her through secret corridors that connected to his rooms till they came across a locked door and stepped through. Kagome entered the white room, where in the center was a giant mirror, whose frame was made out of a blue crystal, hanging from the ceiling.

“This is the Mirror of Memories. My ancestors made it thousands of years ago. It can show anyone's memories. Once you step into the mirror, you can ask it anything about anyone's memories and it will show you a time line. The farther you walk along that line, you see the most recent memories. The mirror isn't always reliable, though. Some memories may be blocked. Do you want to see your friend's memories?”

“ Yes, I do. Anything to help him!”

“ Then all you need is something that belongs to him and the mirror will open to you.”

Kagome stopped. What did she have of Inuyasha's? She…she had nothing!

“ Does it have to be a material object?” She asked.

“ It could be anything. Do you have something?”

“ I do.”

“Then step into the mirror.”

Heart beating like a drum, Kagome touched the mirror, surprised as the glass rippled like water. Pushing through the mirror, she entered arms first. The inside was larger than she ever thought. White, everywhere. For a moment, a voice rang in the mirror.

Who's memories do you wish to see…

“ I want to see the memories of Inuyasha of Western Domain.” Kagome stated nervously.

…what do you have of his…

“ I have his energy. Here.” Pulling on Inuyasha's sorcerer energy, she gave a small amount as an offering to the mirror. The voice echoed again.

…Acceptable…Follow the time line of memory from childhood to the present. Memory starts the moment the life begins…and you know where it ends…

Kagome watched as a red line appeared in front of her. She began walking along side it. Words appeared over the line, showing different parts of memory. While walking down the road, she saw a title that said, “ Earliest Childhood Memories.” Unable to resist the urge to see what Inuyasha looked like as a child, Kagome pulled the word with her hand.

The white around her suddenly disappeared to be replaced with a small clearing in the middle of a lush forest. She looked around and heard birds sing, making her look up at the light coming from the treetops. A sound of a sneeze came to her ears and she turned to see a boy sitting by a tree, his face hidden in his arms. She walked up to him, noting that he was shaking.

“ Hey, are you okay?” her hand tired to touch his shoulder, but it went right through him like a ghost. Kagome gasped before the realization hit her. Of course, she was in his memories, nothing she did could change anything here because it was all in the past. The boy looked up and Kagome couldn't help but squeal when she saw the shorter white hair, and bright golden eyes. It was Inuyasha when he was about three or four. He looked so adorable with his smaller frame.

“ Who's there!” He called out.

A little girl around his age came out from behind a tree. Her hair was red, and her eyes were green. She looked at him from her hiding place.

“ You're Inuyasha-sama, right?”

“ Yeah, so?”

“ I'm Aya. I saw you in the forest. Why were you crying?”

“ I wasn't crying!” the boy responded defensively.

“ But I thought…Did someone hurt your feelings?”

“My brother was picking on me…again.”

()()()()()()()()()()

Satisfied with seeing this small memory, Kagome left the now playing children in the clearing and returned to walk along the memory line. The white had returned only for a moment before a title caught her attention. “ First Experience with Prejudice.” It read. Wondering what it could mean, Kagome pulled on the title and was transported to a market place. She immediately recognized this place as Southern Domain, having passed through this town when she was with there with Inuyasha.

She spotted him with a beautiful woman with long, black hair, wearing the pink robes of a host. He was holding her hand and he looked to be about five or six years old. `Still adorable' Kagome thought as she watched him cling to his mother. Following Inuyasha and his mother, she began hearing snickers from the people around the area.

“ Look at that. Disgusting! A hanyou child, with the queen of Western Domain, no less.”

“ I don't know who in their right mind would let the likes of HIM be a prince to their kingdom.”

“ I don't trust his kind. There is a reason our country is only human.”

“ What a terrible spawn. His type doesn't deserve to live.”

Kagome wanted to shout at them. How could they? He was only a small boy, he didn't do any harm to anyone. She stopped when she saw Inuyasha and his mother stop at a stand to buy a jeweled pendant.

“ Mother,” Kagome jumped at small Inuyasha's voice, “ why are we here? I don't like it here, can we go back home?”

“Your father needs a word with the king here. Don't worry Inuyasha-chan, we'll be home soon.” The woman said lovingly, while running her fingers through his silver hair.

Kagome watched as more snickers came from the people while Inuyasha's mother brought him a ball. She giggled when she saw Inuyasha smile joyfully. They continued walking, until the ball from under Inuyasha's arm fell out. Kagome began chasing Inuyasha as he let go of his mother to catch his ball.

“Inuyasha! Wait!” Kagome heard his mother call.

She ran after him as he turned a corner into an alley and stopped. Kagome stood behind him as she saw a few boys of ages around thirteen and fourteen, snickering down at him while holding the ball in their hand.

“What a cute little hanyou, what are you doing in your turf half-breed?” The first boy with freckles said.

“ I…just want my ball back.” The hanyou boy answered.

“ Aw, he wants his ball. Give it to him.” The second boy with orange hair said.

“ With pleasure.” The boy holding the ball said.

Kagome's heart ached when she saw the boy fling the ball at Inuyasha so hard, he fell backward into the mud in the corner of the alley before looking up fearfully at his attackers. The three boys began throwing stones at him, and Inuyasha, being too small and afraid to help himself, covered his face with the red sleeves of his robe as the stones hit him.

“ Get out of here you filthy hanyou!”

“ No one wants your dirty blood here!”

“ You don't deserve to live you half-breed brat!”

The three boys yelled countless, degrading insults at the small boy. Kagome couldn't stand it anymore. She was just about to leave the memory, when the boys ran away as Inuyasha's mother came into the alley looking for her little boy. She saw his tear-stained eyes.

“Why do they hate me, mother? What did I do?”

Kagome saw the tears in his mother's eyes as she embraced her son. She left the world of that memory. It was so sad. He wasn't accepted just because he was different. She wondered if that was the reason he hated Southern Domain. Kagome returned to the memory line, where she continued walking alone the line.

()()()()()()()()

One title caught her interest as she passed it. “ First time” the words wrote from where they floated in midair. Curious to know that the title meant, Kagome pulled on the title to be taken to a red room where she saw a cat demon pounce on a fifteen-year old Inuyasha, who seemed unaffected by her attack on him.

“ You know, young prince. I have yet to give my reward to you.” She purred into his ear.

Kagome saw Inuyasha smirk as he looked up at the girl devilishly. “ So what is your reward for finding your little pet cat?”

Kagome blushed as the woman began removing his clothes. She ran out of the memory realizing that it was Inuyasha's first sexual experience. Even as she walked along the line of memory, many titles made her blush as she passed so many female names that meant a sexual experience and from the looks of it, all the girls had thrown themselves at him and he had complied. She never knew he was this much of a playboy or that so many demon and hanyou women had pounced on him or that at some point, his father had given him a harem…

()()()()()()()()

Kagome kept walking, when one word made her tug on the title of “ War.” She was taken into the throne room of Western Domain, where a man she assumed was Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's father sat at the throne. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru bowed in front of the throne.

“ My sons, this war is war is getting serious.” Came the voice of Inu-taisho, Inuyasha's father. “ Inuyasha, you need to take a host. There is a woman by the name of Kikyo, who I have chosen for you.”

“ Yes, Father.” Inuyasha replied.

`This must be the global war that servant was talking about.' Kagome thought. Thinking that she had seen enough, she jumped into the next memory that read, “ Meeting Kikyo.” Kagome jumped, when she saw the battlefield as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru walked to meet a woman wearing the red and white robes of a priestess. Kagome's heart gave a kick when she saw an older version of herself. `Is that Kikyo? She looks like…me?'

Her thoughts were answered when the woman spoke.

“ Hello, Inuyasha-sama. My name is Kikyo.” She said, holding out her hand.

“Pleased to meet you.” Inuyasha replied nonchalantly, shaking her hand.

“ Bother, I will go on ahead. The dance has been prepared for you.” Sesshoumaru said before he walked off.

`It must be Kikyo's host debut.' Kagome thought.

Kagome tried jumping into the next memory, but the line of memory had a gap. Between “Meeting Kikyo.” And the “ The war's end.” There were no words along the line of memory. When Kagome entered “the war's end”, she had seen Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru walk through a crowd of celebrating people who were yelling, “ The war is over!” Kagome followed them to see Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru being congratulated by their father in the castle, but when Inu-taisho told Inuyasha about the painting he had sent, Inuyasha's face became frighteningly angry.

“ Burn it!” was his answer.

Kagome saw the whole thing. Inuyasha's attempt to burn the painting, his change of mind, Sesshoumaru sealing the room with the painting and she even saw how Inuyasha had gone on a rampage to break all the mirrors in the castle before Inu-taisho locked him in his room for a week.

The rest of the memories began showing Inuyasha's heartless state, where he was either angry or teasing someone. She knew that he had lost his heart somewhere between meeting Kikyo and finishing the war. In the rest of his memories, Kagome could no longer see the emotions Inuyasha had in his other memories. He no longer showed happiness, sadness, pain, or even the playfulness she had seen when he was with that cat demon in his first sexual experience. She walked through, “Meeting Sango and Miroku,”and “Sango and Miroku's wedding.”

The last memory, Kagome had seen was right after the war. It was “Meeting Jordan.” She didn't understand. Inuyasha told her that he had met Jordan before he met Kikyo. Why would he say that? Kagome had watched as Jordan and Inuyasha shook hands. She gasped when Jordan's eyes widened.

“ You do not have a heart.” Jordan whispered.

()()()()()()()()()

Kagome stepped out of the Mirror of Memories to see Levion waiting for her on the other side. “What did you see?”

“ A life of confusion and torment.” Kagome answered.

Before Levion could reply, the ground shook, making Kagome lose her balance and stumble forward on her knees.

“ Kagome-san? Are you alright?” Levion asked, his head pointed upward as the rumble came from outside.

“I'm fine Lord Levion. What was that?”

“ That was no blizzard or storm.” Without warning, Levion sped from the room and down the corridors. Kagome chased him out and into his private room to see a servant burst in and say, “Lord Levion, we are under attack!”

Levion walked toward his bed and removed a sword from under his pillow. “ Tell the guards and the sorcerers to prepare our defense! And tell the priests and priestesses to help the people evacuate further into the city.” He ordered.

“ Yes, my lord!” With that, the servant left.

“Kagome-san, can you fight?”

“Give me a bow and I will!” It was a good thing that they were under attack because she wanted to blow off some steam!

Levion chuckled before throwing a bow over his shoulder and Kagome struggled to catch it. With the bow in hand, she ran out into the battlefield of snow. Levion charged into the hordes of enemies and solders, slicing through anything with his sword. He sent many enemies flying with large amounts of ice spells. A blizzard forced the many demons flying. Kagome watched as Levion fought like it was nothing.

Safe from a distance, Kagome aimed for bunches of demons, fired and watched as the purification rendered them harmless. She ran into the hordes, firing short range at whatever creature threatened her safety. She ran through, using all her miko powers to blow enemies away as she purified anything she touched. The demon's screamed in agony as their blood changed from tainted to pure, collapsing on the ground, harmless and powerless.

A demon flew at her to attach her. Sensing something coming, Kagome jumped to the side before she creature could squash her. She was ready to fire at the snake demon, but it lunged at her and knocked her down, ready to bite into her neck. A flash of pink energy and the creature flew and collided into the snow.

Pointing another arrow toward another horde of demons Kagome yelled, “Purify!” And the arrow cut through the air like a boomerang and made another dozen demons fall to the floor useless.

“This is too easy!” Kagome yelled as another wave of arrows fired through the enemies. One by one the bodies fell useless in the snow, purified and without any demonic powers.

“I am no going to be the delicate flower anymore! I was trained so I could fight! Last time, Inuyasha's life was on the line, but he's not here now, so I'm not holding back! I'm tired of being useless! I will find that heart even if it kills me!” Kagome yelled as more demons came charging for her. “Come and get me!”

They lunged at her, claws and fangs ready to strike. Kagome took a deep breath, placing her hands together and she concentrated. The demons were an inch away before Kagome retaliated! “Curse Deflect!” Her entire body glowed as a barrier covered, sending whatever came at her soaring.

Kagome fingered her last arrow. After this final sacred arrow, she would have to rely on her own miko powers. God how she wished she had the angel bow that Jordan had given her! She pulled the string back on the bow, aiming for all the demons in her sight.

“Here goes…” Her fingers released the arrow as it went soaring through the air, purifying everything in its path before it lost its momentum and fell. With her final arrow gone, the demons lunged at the miko, thinking her line of power had vanished. “Oh no you don't! I'm not some damsel in distress!” The bow in her hand glowed pink from the miko power that cascaded from her hand. The force of the bow deflected demons that charged for her backward as she hit it on anything that came to her.

The creatures hollered in fear from her, their bodies lying useless in the snow. Kagome walked further into the war-zone. Levion was quite the fighter, she noted in her mind. He was fast with his sword as well as with his sorcerer. There wasn't a scratch on him and it amazed her that he could fight so well when he was blind. She made his way toward Levion and his army, deflecting still every demon that attacked her.

Levion froze any approaching threat he heard. His senses went wild before he realized it was only Kagome-san behind him. “Kagome-san, you handle yourself pretty well.” He said.

“Thank you.”

“Inuyasha is pretty lucky to have you as his host.”

“What!”

Still too shocked that Levion had learned her secret, Kagome didn't see the demon in back of her ready to cut off her head with an ax. She turned to see the ax come toward her head and squeezed her eyes shut, but no strike came. All she heard was a grunt of pain before, “Hiraikotsu!” The giant boomerang cut though another row of demon's in the icy snow. Kagome opened an eye to come in contact with a very familiar mass of silver hair.

“Hey.” Inuyasha said as he turned to look at her over his shoulder.

Any other time she would have been overjoyed to see him, but in this battle, there was no time to be overjoyed. She could see Sango and Miroku join the fight across the battlefield. “Kagome, let's finish this.” Inuyasha said.

“Right!” She nodded.

He grabbed her hand, leading her to the battlefield as the red appeared around her wrist. She knew what was coming: the goddess spell. Just as the energy from the spell filled her, Kagome summoned whatever miko energy she had left, as she chanted the incantation with Inuyasha before her feet lifted from the ground and her body glowed with a radiant white light. Instinctively, she raised her hand into the air in as Inuyasha did the same. She could feel the wind around her pick up its speed. “Kami Kaze!” Kagome sliced the hair with her hand. A tempest of wind came into the battleground, purifying any demon it touched. Kagome descended from her floating place, watching, as all the enemies lied useless in the ground. All the demons lay in the snow, purified and harmless.

“ Kagome?” She turned to face Inuyasha.

“Why didn't you kill them?”

“ I'm not a killer. What difference does it make? They cannot fight anymore.”

“KAGOME!” Before she could do anything, Sango had embraced her with all her might.

“I was worried sick! You run into a lightening bolt and disappear! And we find you in another continent!”

“How did you find me here? Or better yet, how did you get here!?” Kagome asked, clearly confused.

“Inuyasha used the Tetsusaiga to transport us here. We were on our way to find you, thinking you were at the palace, when we came across this battle!” Sango released Kagome from her embrace but was surprised when she turned to face Inuyasha.

“Inuyasha, you've absorbed the power of the Tetsusaiga?” She asked nervously.

“Yeah. It was easier than I thought.” He said coolly.

`Does that mean…I can go home?!”

Phew, DONE!! I hope you're happy. Please review! It was SO HARD to get this chapter to you. I'm going to a vocational school from eight to three everyday AND to college at night! I had to toil to get your guys this chap! PLEASE REVIEW!!! Love ya! Ji-an OUT! @_^