InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Naraku's Expiriment ❯ Waking the Dead ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter13 ~ Waking the Dead

 

Autumn lay on the cot, even more bandages on her already weakened body. Kaede had confined her to the bedroom to get her rest. It was as she said, “You can't be the jewel's guardian if you're not in one piece yourself.” She closed her eyes and tried to force herself to relax. It was no easy task. Her demon blood did not want to relax. It wanted to go outside and indulge in an ass-kicking spree.

 

I'm turning into Inuyasha, she thought.

 

“Child, ye be sleeping yet?”

 

“No Kaede,” Autumn said. “I can't sleep. I'm just not tired.”

 

“Hmmm…” Autumn heard her digging into a box and then Kaede came into the room with a glass bottle full of a lavender liquid. “I don't like to use this, but here. It'll make you sleep. I'm sure it'll give you some…interesting dreams.”

 

“I don't care what kind of dreams I have, Kaede,” Autumn said, “As long as I finally get some descent sleep.”

 

“I see. Well, suit yourself.”

 

“Trust me,” Autumn said, as she downed half in one swig.

 

She would soon regret her words.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

It was a dark night and so very cold. Autumn ran, tears streaming down her face, heart replaced with fragments of ice. So very cold…so lonely. Her haori was tattered and her silver and auburn tresses were matted heavily with blood. She had done something bad…very bad…unforgivably wrong. Just like she had been wronged.

 

“Ahh, sweet Hanyou, you did your task well.”

 

She looked up at him with cold eyes, still with traces of red. Naraku. Around her, Inuyasha, Sango, Kagome, Miroku…all dead. What? No! How could this have happened?

 

“Yes,” she said softly. “I did.”

 

“And he was so cruel to you,” Naraku purred. “Why, he just broke your heart, didn't he? You thought he loved you…but instead…he tried to kill you? And why?” Autumn did not respond, but tears coursed silently down her face. He continued on relentlessly, grabbing her chin so that she would be forced to look into those red eyes. “Just because…you are a Hanyou.”

 

The blue aura of the shard around her neck faded and became an angry red as Autumn's heart gave another angry leap. Naraku noticed this and smiled.

 

“The shard…has been corrupted by your impure heart,” Naraku said. “I guess you were not fit to be the guardian after all.”

 

“I…I…didn't mean to…but…”

 

He ripped the shard from her neck, nearly choking her in the process. “Ah, but of course you didn't mean to. That's the problem isn't it. You never mean to. You just do, acting out on your rages, mm?”

 

Autumn stared at him. “What do you mean?”

 

“Hold on a moment, this scene seems rather familiar, don't you think?” Naraku asked. “Let me try to figure out why…oh…I've got it. This is almost identical to the day…Inuyasha murdered the villagers and led to the corruption of the Shikon shard.”

 

“You knew…” she said. “You knew…” Autumn whipped out Maboroshi no Akari and charged at him, “DAMN YOU BASTARD!” But he sent her back with a wave of his hand, and she was sent into a nearby tree. The blade crumbled beside her.

 

Naraku laughed. “Mystic light cannot be welded by someone…with such a dark heart.”

 

“It…was all my fault,” Autumn muttered. “I should have known…better.”

 

“Now we must perfect this scene,” Naraku said, ignoring her. “As I seem to remember it, Inuyasha was pinned to a tree by an arrow.” He gave her a grin, “We have to honor the late Inuyasha's memory now, hmm?”

 

“Shut up,” she growled.

 

“But where can we get an arrow?” Naraku mused. “Oh, I know someone who would love to have the privilege.”

 

Autumn turned to the side and saw Kagome, bleeding profoundly, giving her a glare. “K-kagome?”

 

“You little bitch.”

 

The words stung like a wound full of salt. “WHAT?”

 

“You decided you'd get a little power and used the shard against us,” Kagome shouted. “What kind of a way is that to treat your friends?”

 

“I didn't mean to…”

 

“STOP SAYING THAT! YOU KILLED INUYASHA! YOU KILLED ALL MY FRIENDS AND DESTROYED THE JEWEL! YOU RIPPED OUT MY HEART!” then she smiled slightly. “I guess I'll have to do the same thing to you.”

 

It was only then that Autumn realized she was aiming her arrow. Too stunned to move, the arrow had no trouble at all reaching it's mark. “No!”

 

Kagome dropped the bow and fell to the ground no longer having any purpose to life. Autumn was pinned to the tree by the arrow, quickly becoming numb from its powers.

 

Naraku grinned. “Oh poor dear, looks like even your friends refuse to stand by you now. So I guess you'll just have to lie with them…on the cold ground.”

 

“Ba--stard…”

 

That only made him laugh. He leaned forwards and kissed her. Autumn had to fight the urge to scream…this was so wrong. This was no way to die. He pulled away from her and smiled. “Yet another woman defiled by darkness, hmm? You have no idea of the joy that brings me…”

 

As her eyes closed she could still hear him laughing. “I wish…it could have gone…another way…” she choked out, and then her heart stopped beating.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Autumn screamed, rattling the walls of the room. Her face was covered with a light sheen of sweat and her blankets had tangled around her, binding her limbs. “NOOOOOOOOOOO!” She struggled to get free, and fell on the floor with a heavy thud.

 

It took her a moment to realize where she was, but the smooth oak floor and dustbunnies under the cot jogged her memory. She was in Kaede's hut, just recently awake from a nap.

 

“What an awful dream,” she muttered.

 

Kaede hadn't been kidding when she talked about odd dreams…

 

“Girl, what have ye gotten yourself into, now?”

 

From her view on the floor, Autumn saw an upside-down Kaede looking at her. “I'm sorry, but I had an awful dream, and then…”

 

“What was the dream?” she asked sharply.

 

“Why?”

 

“I want to know what kind of dream can have ye screaming loud enough to wake the dead.”

 

“I was talking to Naraku…and everyone was dead,” she started.

 

By the time she had finished, Kaede looked slightly shocked. “I see…I have never heard of dreams like these.”

 

“I think…I'd like to catch up with the others,” Autumn said. “I don't feel safe here.”

 

“That might not be such a bad idea,” Kaede said. “Demons will be looking for that aura of the jewel shard.”

 

“When can I go?”

 

“Come the first lights of morning,” she responded.