InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Metamorphosis ❯ Illusions ( Chapter 2 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: King Baka 
Kagome's dealt with illusions before, but never like this!
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.28.2008 | Updated On: 12.08.2010 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 5.3K | Status: Completed
Kagome's dealt with illusions before, but never like this!
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.28.2008 | Updated On: 12.08.2010 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 5.3K | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.
Fanfiction of the Week: Courtship, by whitewavereborn
Another one of the first fics I read, and still one of my favorites to this day. And I can’t really explain why; nothing really sticks out at you. It’s just an all-around solid story.
Illusions
*Beep! Beep! Beep!*
Kagome jolted awake to the persistent chirping of her alarm clock. Groggily, she tried to sort through her jumbled thoughts. I’m home? But wasn’t I just in the feudal era? A quick look at her clock revealed that it was in fact Friday, the day she was supposed to return to the past and make up with Bakayasha. She sighed; despite how frustrated and angry he made her, she could never stay mad at him for long. She had missed him these past few days…a lot. Still, as she got ready for school, she couldn’t help the feeling that something was amiss. She could have sworn she had been in the feudal era recently, but it must have been a dream, right? It was really foggy, and she couldn’t even remember what happened. She went through the well, then something bad… Shrugging, she resolved to give the mysterious dream no more thought, as she finished getting ready, grabbed a bite to eat, and scurried off to school.
Her day was…odd would be the best way to put it. For one, Hojo didn’t ask her out, even though it was Friday. In fact, he barely even looked at her. Kagome wasn’t sure how she felt about that. On one hand, she wasn’t interested in Hojo and was glad that he had apparently given up on her. On the other hand, she was now realizing that some part of her had enjoyed the romantic attention, even if it wasn’t from the person she loved in return. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi acted even stranger. They kept talking about Inuyasha, and that one time they had met him at the shrine. Even weirder, they kept praising him, tossing around adjectives like ‘perfect,’ ‘boyfriend,’ ‘hot,’ ‘sexy,’ etc. It gave her a headache, not to mention rosy cheeks, though she couldn’t say she disagreed with them. Okay, maybe she didn’t agree with ‘perfect.’
And throughout the entire day she couldn’t shake the foreboding sense that something was seriously wrong, despite the number of times she tried to reassure herself. All in all, it was an exhausting morning, and Kagome was only too happy to flop onto her bed after trudging home. She hadn’t intended to fall asleep, but that never seemed to matter much when she lay down on her comfy mattress. She roused some time later to the tender touch of fingertips on her forehead, brushing a few unruly strands of hair behind her ear. Thinking it was her mother, and not fully cognizant of when it was, she snuggled further into the comforter.
“Ten more minutes, mama…” she moaned sleepily.
“Kagome.”
It took her a few seconds to figure out who the speaker was, but when it finally clicked she bolted upright, the last vestiges of slumber pushed out by rising panic.
“I-Inuyasha?!” Oh, no…I fell asleep! I was supposed to go back today! A quick look out the window confirmed what she already suspected; it was dark already. Hoping to stave off the inevitable tongue-lashing, she hurried to explain herself. “Inuyasha! I’m sorry…I didn’t mean…I fell asleep…I’ll make it up to you! I’ll bring you extra ramen, and potato chips—”
“Kagome.”
“And I won’t ‘osu—’ you for a whole day—”
“Kagome.”
“And— ”
Inuyasha finally cut her frenetic tirade short with a gentle finger to her lips. Kagome’s eyes crossed then widened in shock; he had never touched her in such an intimate manner before. And the look in his eyes had countless butterflies fluttering in the pit of her stomach, creating an all too pleasing sensation. Then he smiled—not his usually fanged smirk, but a real smile—and she swore her heart almost leapt from her chest. She could hear it thundering in her ears, a testament to the effect this one man could have on her.
“It’s ok, Kagome, I’m not mad.” He removed his finger, but Kagome still lacked the ability to speak at the moment, leaving a silence that was somehow comfortable and nerve-wracking at the same time. Still grinning, Inuyasha sank down to one knee, bringing his eyes to her level. If Kagome didn’t think her heart could beat any faster, that simple act had done it. She unconsciously licked her lips while simultaneously trying to convince herself this wasn’t what she thought—hoped it was.
“Kagome,” Inuyasha continued, never breaking eye contact, “there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you…” Kagome held her breath, afraid to do anything to break the beauty of the moment. “I love you.”
And she was struck still, unable to move or even make a sound. She wanted nothing more than to leap into his arms and tell him his love was reciprocated, but something stopped her. The instant those three delightful words passed his lips, the feeling of wrongness returned full force. Torn between her deepest desires and what her instincts were telling her, she remained motionless, even as Inuyasha leaned forward and brought his lips to hers. The kiss was warm and gentle, and the passion behind it nearly overrode her enigmatic reservations. As he cupped her cheeks in his hands she couldn’t help but lean into him, even respond hesitantly to the soothing undulation of his lips against her own. But when he slowly pushed forward, laying her down on the bed and placing his hands at her waist, she could contain her anxiety no longer. Breaking the kiss, she pressed lightly but firmly on his chest, and the feel of powerful muscle under her hands as well as the disappointed look in his eyes nearly shattered her resolve once again. But she couldn’t deny her feelings, and as much as she wanted to go further—much further—with Inuyasha, she knew she would never enjoy it with so much unease hanging over her head.
“I’m sorry, Inuyasha,” she muttered, brown orbs pleading, willing him to understand. “I’m just not ready…”
He tried to hide his pain, that much was obvious, but the unmistakably fake smile he adopted only served to increase her already overwhelming guilt. Nodding once, he rose to his feet before stalking to the window.
“You know, you could stay…” Kagome suggested hopefully, eyes shining with unshed tears.
“No,” he replied with a shake of his head, amber orbs locked on the wall, the floor, anywhere but her. “I should go.” And with that, he was gone.
It took only a few seconds for the proud miko to break down completely. Sobs wracked her thin frame, and it was a long while before she calmed enough to think clearly. What the HELL is wrong with me?! I finally get what I want, and I blow it! Inuyasha tells me he LOVES me, and I can’t even say that I love him back! Why do I feel this way?! WHY?!!! She had never before experienced such a level of self-disgust, but a small part of her, the part that had stopped her from enjoying Inuyasha’s company that evening, assured her she had done the right thing. But why was that? She wasn’t afraid of having sex with Inuyasha, and it wasn’t because they weren’t married. How many kids these days waited until they were wed, anyway? And no thoughts of Kikyou had ever crossed her mind. If anything, the dead miko’s continued “survival” assured her that Inuyasha had truly chosen her, Kagome, and that she wasn’t just some replacement for Kikyou. So what was it? Why couldn’t she follow her heart? What was holding her back?
Kagome sighed heavily, drying her tears with a handy kerchief. Judging from his reaction, I don’t think Inuyasha understood. I need to see him, to explain myself. Ugh…how am I going to do that? I can’t even explain myself to…myself! But I can at least tell him that I love him. Maybe then he’ll understand. I just need some time to figure out what the hell is wrong with me. Nodding in determination, Kagome leapt from the bed and rushed down the stairs, out of the house, and into the well. The normally comfortable sensation of the time warp did nothing to calm her suddenly raging nerves. Deciding to confess her feelings to Inuyasha was one thing, but actually doing it was another altogether. Just do it, girl! You can’t possibly screw things up any more than you already have. After taking a deep breath to regain her scattered composure, she heaved her way out of the well. The melodious chirping of the crickets helped calm her, bring her peace within the serenity of the clearing. The moon cast more than enough light to see by, but a soft glow from the direction of Goshinboku drew her attention.
She started toward the ancient tree then abruptly halted. Her heart seized and lodged in her chest as several familiar youkai soared into view, their long bodies bathing the trees in an eerie radiance. Kikyou’s shinidamachu! Wh-what are they doing here?! An all-encompassing dread gripped her as she crept inexorably closer, hoping against hope that she was wrong, that Inuyasha wasn’t there. The logical part of her argued that she would be better off not moving any closer, but she was drawn in like a moth to flame, and the hot, searing pain was worse than she ever could have imagined. For when she glimpsed her hanyou, the man who had just told her he loved her, holding Kikyou against the tree in a passionate embrace, his lips locked with hers, she felt her very soul cry out in indescribable anguish. When Inuyasha’s hands drifted downward to rest on her hips, massaging her belly, Kikyou responded by throwing her arms around his neck, leaving his hands to do as he saw fit. Finally, Kagome tore her gaze away; if she observed the two lovers any longer, she might die on the spot. Though under the circumstances, she would be lying if she said that thought didn’t appeal to her, at least somewhat.
Heart beyond shattering, its bloody pieces dripping downward into her gut, she stumbled backward. Then she turned and ran. She had no particular destination in mind; she just ran, away from the man who had betrayed her, away from the pain, and away from the final resting place of her unrequited love. Nature seemed to share her grief, as a downpour opened up, soaking her to the bone. A tree root came out of nowhere, taking her feet out from under her. She made no attempt to break her fall, nor did she get up. What was the point? I’m such a fool…I thought he really loved me. But in the end, it had been Kikyou who held his heart. It had always been Kikyou. Dammit! I never had a chance…Kikyou was always better. I wish…dah! I don’t want to think about him anymore! I just want to forget…
“I wish I never met him!” she cried aloud, as a clap of thunder boomed to punctuate her statement. The rain continued to fall in torrents, the cool night air causing her to shiver violently. Still she lay unmoving, wallowing in her despair, not caring in the least about her body. Eventually Kagome stopped shivering as her heartbeat slowed, and she closed her eyes, waiting for blissful darkness to take her.
Converting /tmp/php2jqtvP to /dev/stdout
Fanfiction of the Week: Courtship, by whitewavereborn
Another one of the first fics I read, and still one of my favorites to this day. And I can’t really explain why; nothing really sticks out at you. It’s just an all-around solid story.
Illusions
*Beep! Beep! Beep!*
Kagome jolted awake to the persistent chirping of her alarm clock. Groggily, she tried to sort through her jumbled thoughts. I’m home? But wasn’t I just in the feudal era? A quick look at her clock revealed that it was in fact Friday, the day she was supposed to return to the past and make up with Bakayasha. She sighed; despite how frustrated and angry he made her, she could never stay mad at him for long. She had missed him these past few days…a lot. Still, as she got ready for school, she couldn’t help the feeling that something was amiss. She could have sworn she had been in the feudal era recently, but it must have been a dream, right? It was really foggy, and she couldn’t even remember what happened. She went through the well, then something bad… Shrugging, she resolved to give the mysterious dream no more thought, as she finished getting ready, grabbed a bite to eat, and scurried off to school.
Her day was…odd would be the best way to put it. For one, Hojo didn’t ask her out, even though it was Friday. In fact, he barely even looked at her. Kagome wasn’t sure how she felt about that. On one hand, she wasn’t interested in Hojo and was glad that he had apparently given up on her. On the other hand, she was now realizing that some part of her had enjoyed the romantic attention, even if it wasn’t from the person she loved in return. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi acted even stranger. They kept talking about Inuyasha, and that one time they had met him at the shrine. Even weirder, they kept praising him, tossing around adjectives like ‘perfect,’ ‘boyfriend,’ ‘hot,’ ‘sexy,’ etc. It gave her a headache, not to mention rosy cheeks, though she couldn’t say she disagreed with them. Okay, maybe she didn’t agree with ‘perfect.’
And throughout the entire day she couldn’t shake the foreboding sense that something was seriously wrong, despite the number of times she tried to reassure herself. All in all, it was an exhausting morning, and Kagome was only too happy to flop onto her bed after trudging home. She hadn’t intended to fall asleep, but that never seemed to matter much when she lay down on her comfy mattress. She roused some time later to the tender touch of fingertips on her forehead, brushing a few unruly strands of hair behind her ear. Thinking it was her mother, and not fully cognizant of when it was, she snuggled further into the comforter.
“Ten more minutes, mama…” she moaned sleepily.
“Kagome.”
It took her a few seconds to figure out who the speaker was, but when it finally clicked she bolted upright, the last vestiges of slumber pushed out by rising panic.
“I-Inuyasha?!” Oh, no…I fell asleep! I was supposed to go back today! A quick look out the window confirmed what she already suspected; it was dark already. Hoping to stave off the inevitable tongue-lashing, she hurried to explain herself. “Inuyasha! I’m sorry…I didn’t mean…I fell asleep…I’ll make it up to you! I’ll bring you extra ramen, and potato chips—”
“Kagome.”
“And I won’t ‘osu—’ you for a whole day—”
“Kagome.”
“And— ”
Inuyasha finally cut her frenetic tirade short with a gentle finger to her lips. Kagome’s eyes crossed then widened in shock; he had never touched her in such an intimate manner before. And the look in his eyes had countless butterflies fluttering in the pit of her stomach, creating an all too pleasing sensation. Then he smiled—not his usually fanged smirk, but a real smile—and she swore her heart almost leapt from her chest. She could hear it thundering in her ears, a testament to the effect this one man could have on her.
“It’s ok, Kagome, I’m not mad.” He removed his finger, but Kagome still lacked the ability to speak at the moment, leaving a silence that was somehow comfortable and nerve-wracking at the same time. Still grinning, Inuyasha sank down to one knee, bringing his eyes to her level. If Kagome didn’t think her heart could beat any faster, that simple act had done it. She unconsciously licked her lips while simultaneously trying to convince herself this wasn’t what she thought—hoped it was.
“Kagome,” Inuyasha continued, never breaking eye contact, “there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you…” Kagome held her breath, afraid to do anything to break the beauty of the moment. “I love you.”
And she was struck still, unable to move or even make a sound. She wanted nothing more than to leap into his arms and tell him his love was reciprocated, but something stopped her. The instant those three delightful words passed his lips, the feeling of wrongness returned full force. Torn between her deepest desires and what her instincts were telling her, she remained motionless, even as Inuyasha leaned forward and brought his lips to hers. The kiss was warm and gentle, and the passion behind it nearly overrode her enigmatic reservations. As he cupped her cheeks in his hands she couldn’t help but lean into him, even respond hesitantly to the soothing undulation of his lips against her own. But when he slowly pushed forward, laying her down on the bed and placing his hands at her waist, she could contain her anxiety no longer. Breaking the kiss, she pressed lightly but firmly on his chest, and the feel of powerful muscle under her hands as well as the disappointed look in his eyes nearly shattered her resolve once again. But she couldn’t deny her feelings, and as much as she wanted to go further—much further—with Inuyasha, she knew she would never enjoy it with so much unease hanging over her head.
“I’m sorry, Inuyasha,” she muttered, brown orbs pleading, willing him to understand. “I’m just not ready…”
He tried to hide his pain, that much was obvious, but the unmistakably fake smile he adopted only served to increase her already overwhelming guilt. Nodding once, he rose to his feet before stalking to the window.
“You know, you could stay…” Kagome suggested hopefully, eyes shining with unshed tears.
“No,” he replied with a shake of his head, amber orbs locked on the wall, the floor, anywhere but her. “I should go.” And with that, he was gone.
It took only a few seconds for the proud miko to break down completely. Sobs wracked her thin frame, and it was a long while before she calmed enough to think clearly. What the HELL is wrong with me?! I finally get what I want, and I blow it! Inuyasha tells me he LOVES me, and I can’t even say that I love him back! Why do I feel this way?! WHY?!!! She had never before experienced such a level of self-disgust, but a small part of her, the part that had stopped her from enjoying Inuyasha’s company that evening, assured her she had done the right thing. But why was that? She wasn’t afraid of having sex with Inuyasha, and it wasn’t because they weren’t married. How many kids these days waited until they were wed, anyway? And no thoughts of Kikyou had ever crossed her mind. If anything, the dead miko’s continued “survival” assured her that Inuyasha had truly chosen her, Kagome, and that she wasn’t just some replacement for Kikyou. So what was it? Why couldn’t she follow her heart? What was holding her back?
Kagome sighed heavily, drying her tears with a handy kerchief. Judging from his reaction, I don’t think Inuyasha understood. I need to see him, to explain myself. Ugh…how am I going to do that? I can’t even explain myself to…myself! But I can at least tell him that I love him. Maybe then he’ll understand. I just need some time to figure out what the hell is wrong with me. Nodding in determination, Kagome leapt from the bed and rushed down the stairs, out of the house, and into the well. The normally comfortable sensation of the time warp did nothing to calm her suddenly raging nerves. Deciding to confess her feelings to Inuyasha was one thing, but actually doing it was another altogether. Just do it, girl! You can’t possibly screw things up any more than you already have. After taking a deep breath to regain her scattered composure, she heaved her way out of the well. The melodious chirping of the crickets helped calm her, bring her peace within the serenity of the clearing. The moon cast more than enough light to see by, but a soft glow from the direction of Goshinboku drew her attention.
She started toward the ancient tree then abruptly halted. Her heart seized and lodged in her chest as several familiar youkai soared into view, their long bodies bathing the trees in an eerie radiance. Kikyou’s shinidamachu! Wh-what are they doing here?! An all-encompassing dread gripped her as she crept inexorably closer, hoping against hope that she was wrong, that Inuyasha wasn’t there. The logical part of her argued that she would be better off not moving any closer, but she was drawn in like a moth to flame, and the hot, searing pain was worse than she ever could have imagined. For when she glimpsed her hanyou, the man who had just told her he loved her, holding Kikyou against the tree in a passionate embrace, his lips locked with hers, she felt her very soul cry out in indescribable anguish. When Inuyasha’s hands drifted downward to rest on her hips, massaging her belly, Kikyou responded by throwing her arms around his neck, leaving his hands to do as he saw fit. Finally, Kagome tore her gaze away; if she observed the two lovers any longer, she might die on the spot. Though under the circumstances, she would be lying if she said that thought didn’t appeal to her, at least somewhat.
Heart beyond shattering, its bloody pieces dripping downward into her gut, she stumbled backward. Then she turned and ran. She had no particular destination in mind; she just ran, away from the man who had betrayed her, away from the pain, and away from the final resting place of her unrequited love. Nature seemed to share her grief, as a downpour opened up, soaking her to the bone. A tree root came out of nowhere, taking her feet out from under her. She made no attempt to break her fall, nor did she get up. What was the point? I’m such a fool…I thought he really loved me. But in the end, it had been Kikyou who held his heart. It had always been Kikyou. Dammit! I never had a chance…Kikyou was always better. I wish…dah! I don’t want to think about him anymore! I just want to forget…
“I wish I never met him!” she cried aloud, as a clap of thunder boomed to punctuate her statement. The rain continued to fall in torrents, the cool night air causing her to shiver violently. Still she lay unmoving, wallowing in her despair, not caring in the least about her body. Eventually Kagome stopped shivering as her heartbeat slowed, and she closed her eyes, waiting for blissful darkness to take her.
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