InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Infatuation ❯ Darkness Rising ( Chapter 15 )

Taisho Mansion

 

Kagome stood anxiously in the background, bobbing on the balls of her feet. The staff of doctors and nurses Sesshomaru had brought into the estate swarmed her brother the moment Miroku set his prone body down on the guest bed. The miko had seen hide no hair of her sibling, despite her attempts to catch peeks between white coats and scrubs to see what the medical staff was doing to Souta.

 

Finally, a surgeon broke away from the group and came toward the Slayer. His mouth was set in a thin line, his eyes held that brand of pity reserved only for strangers.

 

“Oh kami, no,” Kagome cried out, slumping against the wall. “But he had a pulse! He can't be dead!”

 

“Your brother is not dead, Miss Higurashi,” the surgeon assured her in soothing tones. “He is stable now. But I do have some bad news.”

 

“What?” Kagome asked fearfully.

 

“The blow he sustained to his head gave him a very bad concussion. Since he was unconscious for so long, he is now in a coma.”

 

“No,” Kagome whispered in disbelief, stepping back as if she had been physically struck. “How…How bad is it? He's going to wake up, right?”

 

The surgeon looked solemnly at her.

 

“Right?” she choked out.

 

“We're not…certain at this moment if he will. He has suffered very severe head trauma. We don't know the extent of the neurological damage. Comas are tricky matters. It could be days, weeks, months, maybe even years before he wakes up.”

 

Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She pushed past the surgeon and made her way to the bed. The remaining medical staff parted to allow the distraught woman to her brother's bedside.

 

The bandages surrounded Souta's head, but she could still see some of the purple and yellow bruising that crept down the side of his face.

 

`When I get my hands on Hiten, he's going to wish I had taken both arms and rammed them down his throat,' she thought angrily.

 

A breathing tube had been inserted into his airway to assist with breathing. IV's had been hooked up for feeding and dispensing of medications. A heart monitor was attached to his finger, making sure his heart rate remained steady. Her brother was connected to so many tubes and machines it made her sick to her stomach.

 

As the miko gently ran her fingertips over the unblemished cheek, it all suddenly became too much for her. She tucked the sheets around her brother and then escaped the guest room--that had turned into a hospital room—as quickly as she could.

 

She ran right into Rin, who had been waiting patiently outside the doorway with Ayame and Kouga. The smallest Slayer reached her hands up to Kagome's shoulders to steady her. “How's Souta doing?”

 

Kagome took a shaky breath. “He's in a coma.”

 

Rin and the others gasped. “I'm so sorry, Kags.”

 

“I know you are,” Kagome smiled weakly. Then her features darkened “Hiten, the bastard, is going down for what he did to Souta. And Kohaku…Oh my kami, where's Sango?”

 

“In the boys' room,” Ayame answered softly, squeezing Kagome's arm.

 

The miko nodded to all of them, silently thanking her teammates for their support. She turned and began her long trek down the hallway, crossing to the next corridor over. She spotted Miroku leaning against the wall, his arms folded and deep in contemplation. He looked up once he sensed her presence.

 

“She's inside. She wanted to be alone, but I'm sure she won't object to your presence,” Miroku smiled wryly.

 

Kagome patted him gently on the arm as she passed into the room. Sango sat on Kohaku's bed, clutching his sweatshirt to her chest and staring out the window. Kagome spotted traces of tears on her dear friend's cheeks, and she quietly went to her, wrapping her arms around Sango's shoulders and hugging her tightly.

 

Sango reached one hand up to cover Kagome's.

 

“I'm so sorry, Sango.”

 

The Slayer nodded. “How's Souta?”

 

Kagome choked back tears. “He's…He's in a coma. The doctors aren't sure if he'll ever come out of it,” she whispered.

 

“Oh kami, Kags. Souta is strong. He will pull through this. For you,” Sango whispered fiercely, turning and hugging Kagome tightly to her.

 

“So is Kohaku. I know he's alive and I'm sure he's fighting them.”

 

“I know…”

 

“I just can't believe we failed them,” Kagome's voice broke, and she began to cry earnestly against her sister's shoulder.

 

“Me too, Kags. Me too,” Sango whispered through her own tears.

 

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InuYasha tried to sit up in his bed, but was forced back down by his brother.

 

“What the fuck, Sesshomaru!”

 

“Idiot, you are still not healing correctly. Tonight is the night of the new moon. You must rest accordingly,” the taiyoukai commanded.

 

“Like hell. I need to find Kagome,” he growled, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, only to be forced back down by Sesshomaru.

 

“This Sesshomaru will not tell you again.”

 

“Aw, shucks, didn't know you cared,” InuYasha bit out sarcastically.

 

The taiyoukai gave the inu-hanyou a cold glare as he sat back down in his chair.

 

“I'm serious, Sesshomaru. I need to go to Kagome.”

 

The taiyoukai concentrated for a moment, sensing out the woman's aura. “The miko has just left her brother's bedside and gone to visit Taijya-san.”

 

InuYasha's eyes widened slightly, comprehending the significance of that statement. `Damn, poor Kagome and Sango. I guess they need each other right now…Shit, I failed to keep the brats safe like I had promised.'

 

“Do not feel sorry for yourself, hanyou.”

 

“What? I wasn't fucking feeling sorry for myself! I was thinking about Kagome and Sango. It's called compassion, you bastard. At least I have a little of it.”

 

Sesshomaru just stared steadily at him—face remaining emotionless—as he rose out of his chair, walking to the door. He paused as he grasped the doorknob.

 

“Think what you will, brother.”

 

InuYasha watched in confusion as Sesshomaru disappeared out of the room. He leaned back into his pillows in a huff, glancing out the window.

 

`A couple hours left until sunset. Then I can't leave this room or the others will know. Damnit, I've got to figure a way to sneak out of this room and back before then.'

 

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Onigumo Industries, underground lab

 

Naraku walked slowly around the boy's body that lay prone on the steel table, carefully examining him.

 

“Thankfully, you left him in one piece, idiot,” the evil C.E.O snarled, glaring disdainfully at Hiten. “Your moronic electrocution act almost ruined him beyond use.”

 

“I apologize, Naraku-sama,” Hiten muttered, bowing at the waist. “I was only--”

 

“Leave.”

 

Hiten disappeared from the laboratory without another word.

 

Moments later, Kikyo entered through the swinging double doors, carrying a metal tray loaded with nasty-looking medical devices. Urasuae followed slowly behind her, holding two vials filled with green liquid. Kagura filed in last, lugging a long metal box. A pea-green hand, tipped with vicious-looking claws, peeked out.

 

“Ah, there you are. Are you prepped for the operation?” Naraku inquired.

 

“Hai, Naraku-sama,” Kikyo replied tonelessly.

 

“Good. Commence immediately.”

 

Kikyo sat down the tray, immediately plugging in the bone saw and flipping its switch. She lowered the rotating blade to Kohaku's right shoulder. Pressing it deep, blood sprayed in every direction as it sliced through the skin. The saw made a horrific screech as is reached the bone of the boy's shoulder. Kikyo used both hands to press harder. Her face remained impassive, as if she was sawing through a sheet of wood, instead of taking off the arm of an unconscious boy.

 

Urasuae stood at Kohaku's left. She took the two vials, dumping one after the other down the boy's throat, forcing him to swallow the potion. His body began to glow, and a white substance started to slowly seep off his head, shoulders, fingers and toes. His body looked like an eerie corpse being carved up for parts; pale, glowing in some unearthly manner, and covered in blood.

 

Naraku began to laugh. “I can't wait for my new little soldier.”

 

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Taisho Mansion

 

InuYasha twisted painfully on the bed, struggling to breathe. Sweat drenched him, causing his hair to stick uncomfortable to the back of his neck and the sides of his face. The sweat had also soaked through his shirt. He shifted again and hissed in pain. The inu-hanyou wrapped his arms around his battered torso, trying to soothe the pain as his body thrashed about. He could feel his blood boiling, his skin tingling, his features shifting.

 

`No! Not now. Fucking defective blood…'

 

He released a loud, painful and guttural groan as the changes began.

 

`Kagome…' was InuYasha's last coherent thought before he fell unconscious.

 

--------------------------------

 

“What was that?” Kagome asked, lifting her head out of her hands to survey the room.

 

Everyone in residence at the mansion—who wasn't on bed rest—had been led to the dining room in an attempt by the servants to serve a normal meal. Most, beside Sesshomaru and Kouga, were only politely picking at their plates.

 

“I didn't hear anything,” Miroku replied quickly, sharing a glance with Sesshomaru.

 

“But I thought I heard--”

 

“You heard nothing,” Sesshomaru interrupted coldly, issuing a sense of finality with the statement.

 

Kagome looked between the two Hunters, examining them critically. “It sounded like InuYasha.”

 

“Silence, ningen,” Sesshomaru ordered.

 

“How dare you speak to me in that manner,” Kagome shouted, springing to her feet and glaring angrily at the taiyoukai.

 

Rin, Sango and Ayame looked worriedly at Kagome.

 

“I dare. This is my home. You are here at my behest.”

 

Then they all looked pityingly at Sesshomaru. `He's a goner now,' Sango laughed mentally.

 

“You are one self-obsessed asshole, you know that?” Kagome screamed, tearing around the table, glowing pink. She grabbed the taiyoukai by his collar, yanking him so that they were face-to-face. “After ALL the shit we've ALL been through recently, when you hear YOUR BROTHER in PAIN you don't GIVE A SHIT? I ought to purify your ass right back to the seventh hell!” Kagome began to glow more brightly.

 

“Kagome!” Miroku and Sango cried, jumping out of their seats. Each grabbed one of the miko's arms and detached her from Sesshomaru, pulling her far away from his person. Sesshomaru seemed shocked for a moment, as if he had just realized exactly how close he came to actually being purified out of existence, then gracefully pushed back his chair and stood.

 

“Think what you will,” he growled, “But this Sesshomaru has his own reasons for handling matters his own way that shall not be explained to one such as you. Fine. Go check on the idiot hanyou. The more who discover his weakness, the better.”

 

With another snarl, Sesshomaru whipped around and exited the dining room.

 

“I'm going to check on InuYasha,” Kagome announced, pivoting and stomping out of the room.

 

The remaining Slayers and Hunters eyed each other tiredly.

 

Miroku broke the silence. “I suppose we better--”

 

“Yeah,” everyone chorused, then split up in varying directions.

 

Rin found Sesshomaru in his office. She stopped at the doorway and waited.

 

“Yes?” he inquired tersely, eyes never leaving the stack of papers in hand as he continued to sign or fill in various parts of the forms.

 

“She didn't mean to get so angry at you. She's just very upset right now,” Rin said quietly.

 

“That does not excuse her behavior.”

 

“I know. But think how you would be behaving if your brother was in a coma that no one was sure he'd ever wake up from. I know I wouldn't be doing half as well as her.”

 

Sesshomaru paused his pen. Then he nodded.

 

“Thank you, Sesshomaru.”

 

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“InuYasha? Are you all right in there?” Kagome pounded on the door. “I don't like when you don't answer me, dog-boy. So either say something, or I'm busting in.”

 

“Kami, wench, do you have to be so loud?” a weak, gruff voice came from behind the door.

 

“Yeah, I do. Now are you going to open up? I thought I heard you crying out in pain a little bit ago, and I wanted to make sure you're okay.”

 

“I'm fine, Kagome. I just…Hit my shin on a set of weights in here. You know how metal striking bone hurts like a bitch.”

 

“Don't feed me that crap, dog-boy. I know all your free weights are in your weight room down the hall. Now open up. I bet you re-opened that wound in your side and are afraid to `fess up to it.”

 

“If only,” InuYasha muttered, glancing out the window at the new moon appearing in the night sky.

 

“What was that?” Kagome hollered through the door.

 

“I said, `Go away.' I don't need a nursemaid right now. I'll be fine.” InuYasha pushed himself out of bed, then crumpled to the floor, cursing in pain.

 

“InuYasha! That's it! I'm coming in right now!”

 

“No! D--”

 

The door flew back, busted off its hinges. Kagome stood illuminated in the doorway.

 

“Don't.”

 

“InuYasha?” She took a step forward, squinting in the darkness. “Is that you? What happened to your hair? And where are your ears?”

 

“Fuck, you sure as hell don't listen, do ya wench,” he grumbled, struggling to push himself off the carpet.

 

“InuYasha!” Miroku appeared in the doorway, eyes widening. “I'm sorry. I tried to prevent her from coming here.”

 

“You couldn't have tried a little harder?” the now human-looking InuYasha muttered as Kagome and Miroku crouched down to help him up.

 

“She was concerned for your welfare.”

 

“Keh.”

 

“I was! And apparently I had good reason. Look at all that blood seeping through your bandages! It looks like I'm going to have to do some miko healing on you.”

 

Once InuYasha was placed back on the bed, Kagome began to carefully unwrap the bandages. She winced at how bad his wound looked, but placed her hands over the wound and closed her eyes. Her hands began to glow a warm gold. A few minutes later, she pulled away, and the wound had vanished.

 

“Wow! Kagome-sama, that was amazing work!”

 

“Thank you, Miroku. I've gotten better over the years at concentrating my healing powers.”

 

“Yeah, uh, thanks, Kagome.”

 

Kagome smiled, pushing back InuYasha's bangs with her fingers. “Now, does anybody wanna tell me why dog-boy is human now?”

 

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Onigumo Industries

 

“Well?” Naraku inquired impatiently.

 

“It is done,” Kikyo said.

 

“Good. Let me see him.”

 

“Kohaku, come,” Kikyo called.

 

The boy sat up from a metal tub in the corner, then climbed out and made his way over. As he stepped into the light, Naraku smirked malevolently. The boy's right arm had been replaced with a large green youkai arm, tipped with lethal claws. His eyes were now a glowing yellow, replaced by hawk-youkai eyes for better eyesight. His torso had a large scar running down the middle, from his sternum to abdomen, criss-crossed with stitches. Clawed feet peeked out from beneath torn pants.

 

“His soul has been transferred to permanent containment,” Kikyo informed Naraku.

 

“And the shard?”

 

“Implanted in his back.”

 

“Good,” Naraku replied. He turned his eyes back to the boy. “Welcome to my ranks, Kohaku.”

 

Kohaku smiled, fangs glinting in the light.

 

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Taisho Mansion

 

“Wow.”

 

“Uh-huh,” InuYasha muttered.

 

“That's weird.”

 

“Uh-uh.”

 

“I mean, once a month, every month, 12 times a year?”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

“That's gotta be weird for you.”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

“Can you say anything else, dog-boy?” Kagome asked, slightly amused.

 

“Uh—wait, what?”

 

“I believe InuYasha is just a little surprised, is all, Kagome-sama,” Miroku interrupted.

 

“Surprised? Why?”

 

“Surprised that you took it so well.”

 

“How else am I gonna take it?” Kagome asked, confused. “He can't help how his body functions.”

 

“But it makes me weak.”

 

“For the love of…” Kagome sighed exasperatedly. “If you say that one more time, I'm going to slap you silly. It doesn't make you weak. It's just part of who you are.”

 

InuYasha stared at the miko as if he had never seen her before.

 

The corner of Miroku's mouth curled, and he headed for the door. “I'll be back later. I've got to go check on Sango.”

 

“You really think that?” InuYasha asked, ignoring Miroku's departure.

 

“Of course,” Kagome said, scooting closer to him on the bed.

 

“Thanks,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close for a hug. They sat together for a while in silence, reclining against the headboard.

 

“Kagome?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“I'm sorry about what happened to Souta.”

 

“Me too.”

 

InuYasha pulled her around to face him, their noses touching. “I know he'll wake up. He's strong, like you.”

 

Kagome smiled, then captured his lips in a kiss.

 

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Special Thanks to reviewers: Bert8813, Snow_Princess_Jaz, Randomunit02, InuGoddess715, memOriesOfmybelOved, Kurinju-sama, shippoizmaFOX, Kylexi, Tweakles06, candie1206, fire-Angel-of-death322, desertsiren, sessygurl, Krazi3_AnimeLover, crazykk2, DesMM, Mishirure, ivy.luvs.dramiones

 

Please review! I need inspiration!

 

Also, just an fyi: I'm slowly working on a new Harry Potter fanfiction. For those of you who like Harry Potter, keep an eye out. The title will be `The Chosen,' set post-Hogwarts and revolve primarily around Hermione. It'll be action-packed, mystical, and of course have drama and doses of romance.

 

~Lizzie