InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Project Hope ❯ Raining Blood ( Chapter 15 )

Sigh…it seems all my beloved filler chapters will be no more from now

on…*sniffle* Maybe it's better that I get it over with. Sigh…I'm adding little quotes from people that I know and people that I don't know and little tidbits that I'll make up. Why? No idea, not leave me be.

It's been a while hasn't it?

As I said, I haven't/ hadn't given up on this story and as it is, I'm

Updating to reinforce my promise and…well to update.

I'm not sure how it happened, but this story somehow became very…dark.

Chapter 15

Raining Blood ( I make the most cheerful titles.)

I looked upon your face and realized,

That it was raining blood.

-Jamie Cochin

A sudden splash of ice-cold water broke Inuyasha from his sleep. As he coughed, he heard several other splashes and sputtering as the others were wakened. He

shook his head, sending water droplets flying into the equally cold air.

A chorus of moans and groans came from the circle of captives came to. He heard something like, "I swear I didn't touch her…" coming from Miroku.

Inuyasha's lip quirked upward. Miroku's probably been knocked by Sango more times than he cared to remember. Perverted monk…

The people that had thrown water at them pretended to smell something foul.

"What the hell is that smell. Oh…it's what you smell like after sleeping with

animals."

Laughing at their own joke they sauntered away their black robes swishing.

Sango, Rin, and Miroku groggily looked up and gasped, dumbfounded.

Rin's voice, thick and slurred from the drug that was close to wearing off

spoke, "Where are we…what happened?"

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha who didn't look like he was in the mood to explain. Well talk about breaking the bad news. "We're being held…" she searched for

the right then gave up trying to dull it, "We're being held prisoners, belongings of the Ryu, the people from the H.E.P. They want Inuyasha and Sesshomaru back."

No use sugarcoating it.

For a moment nobody spoke. Then Rin sarcastically hissed, her voice underlain

with a coldness that they hadn't heard before. "Wonderful. I'll take it that

we're not here for a tea party."

Even Inuyasha was taken back by the chill in her voice. He gave a cool smirk.

"I bet that's exactly what you'd want. A nice party with cake and flowers."

Kagome stomped her feet, a ringing of metal silencing Inuyasha. "Stop it. You

don't need to attack Rin. She's not the one responsible for this. We don't need more trouble…"

Rin narrowed her eyes and glared at Inuyasha. Then, the anger replaced by panic she cried, "Where's Sesshomaru?"

Before Kagome could console her Sango burst out, "Where's Kirara! What did

they do to her!"

Miroku gulped, his eyes large and worried. Inuyasha scoffed. Breaking already

and nothing had even happened. He stretched his legs and casually said, "Chill out or you'll give yourself a stroke."

Everyone gave him a hard stare and Kagome was about to protest but he cut her off. "Kirara and Sesshomaru are in cages. Probably awake by now."

Sango's face was getting red with anger and she shouted, "How can you be so

calm about it! Kirara, Sesshomaru and you might be taken to the H.E.P and here

you are calm as a cucumber!"

Miroku nudged her with his foot signaling for her to be quiet. He said softly,

"It won't be any good to us if you waste your strength yelling." He dropped

his voice several notches and whispered to Sango, "Don't push him…It's not

like he's exactly jumping at the idea of going back. Let him sort out his thoughts."

Inuyasha snorted softly, picking up the whispers that Miroku thought he

wouldn't hear. Sort his thought…damned fool. There were no thoughts to be

sorted out.

It wasn't like he'd actually expected to be at that Hope forever. He'd known

this would happen and it was his fault for thinking it might last. His nose

twitched as the faint smell of blood scratched his senses. Ignoring the glares

from everyone he glanced at Kagome's throat. Thin trails of bright red blood

trickled down her neck, and stained her shirt. The skin was rubbed raw, red and

irritated.

Kagome squirmed as the front of her shirt became uncomfortably damp with the

blood that slowly fell down her chest and neck. A dangerous look flashed in

Inuyasha's eyes, the gold for an instant became crimson, dark as blood. A sudden and loud snarl startled the group and the look disappeared from Inuyasha's eyes and they returned to their gold hue.

They turned their heads as best as they could and all excluding Inuyasha cried

out in anger. A few Ryu were poking at Kirara with metal rods, electricity

flowing through it and burning her coat and hurting her skin. She tried to snap at them, but the heavy muzzle made that impossible and pawing also so by the heavy cuffs on her paws.

Sango's eyes flared and she screamed, her throat sore, "Stop it! Stop or I

swear I'll burn your eyes out!"

The Ryu turned, not at all afraid, but they looked more amused. One, a woman

with black hair and dark eyes strode over to them, leaving Kirara to collapse as

her knees gave way. Her long strides carried her over to Sango and with a quick

swing, she slapped her across the cheek.

The painful slap echoed through the cave, and Sango sat eyes-wide, head thrown to the side. She finally turned her gaze to glare, a hateful, resentful glare at

her attacker. The anger was obvious, it flamed in her husky green eyes,

The woman that had slapped her glared back and she barked, "Don't you ever

speak to the Ryu like that again. Next time it won't just be a slap. When we get you to the H.E.P I promise you'll want your eyes burned out."

Sango's mouth became a tense line and the woman gave a triumphant smirk.

"Disgusting. All of you are traitors to your own race, befriending these…these

demons."

It was apparent that the Ryu hated humans as much as demons. The venomous tone they used whenever they said the word demon or the look in their eyes as they

stared at them made the enmity clear.

Inuyasha laughed suddenly and everyone turned their gaze unto him. His

shoulders shook and he chuckled, his fangs glinting in his mouth. The woman

raised her perfectly plucked eyebrow and snapped, "And what the hell is so

funny?"

Inuyasha rasped out his last chuckle and sucked in his breath. He tilted his

head to the side and stared with a grin on his face. Kagome flinched. He looked like a madman.

Inuyasha sighed, that crazy smile plastered on his face "Oh, nothing. It's just that you speak with such a sense of…justice."

He grinned and closed his eyes. The woman was obviously amused. She sauntered over to Inuyasha and bent over him. Staring him in the eye- which he had once

again opened- she hissed, "Believe me, Boss isn't all too happy about you trying to escape. But hey, you were of help. Now we have more subjects then ever."

Wrong thing to say. With a hoarse shout of anger, Kagome twisted her legs and

thrust her feet into the woman's stomach and sent her tumbling backwards. Some other Ryu rushed over to help her up.

"Kaguya! Are you alright?"

The woman- Kaguya- pushed herself up and glared at Kagome. "Huh. You're not worth it."

The whole group was tense as they watched her stomp off. Kagome glanced at

Inuyasha. That woman talking like that to him had…really, really pissed her off. What would happen if he was taken back? Shaking her head, she mentally slapped herself for even thinking about it. The movement caused the rope around her neck to tighten and cut deeper into her skin.

She sucked in her breath as the sharp pain lingered there, where she couldn't get it. A chill went down her back when she heard a faint, very faint rumble from beside her. Inuyasha was growling at her? In innocent surprise, she looked over at him all the curiosity draining out of her when she was the look upon his face.

His lips were twisted in a small snarl, small, but terrifying, the low growling rolling out. There was something so different about him. She'd seen him growl before, but this time, it was as if…it was as if all the other times he'd been playing around. Every curve, every shadow on his face was incredibly intense. It sent shivers down her back. Kagome had almost forgotten that he was half demon. That blood made him…dangerous. Kagome searched his eyes and started. They were…red. Blood red.

The scent of her blood, her intake of pain, the way she bit her lips to keep from crying out and the fact that it was his fault, it was driving him mad. He hadn't meant to growl, but it had swelled inside of him, like boiling water. All of them…they would be lucky if they got out of here with their limbs intact. It was maddening, utterly maddening. His demon blood was becoming restless with every passing second. He felt it pulsate through his veins, thrum in his chest, swirl around his core.

If any of them, if Kagome was hurt, not one Ryu would get out of here alive- not if he was still breathing.

~*~

"Are you sure?"

The man who's ridden into the cave on some sort of water demon nodded shortly. "That's what the Boss said."

Kaguya's face flushed in anger. "What is Boss thinking?"

Either way, she knew better than to go against his orders. Still, she would have preferred pulling out their hair and hanging them with it.

Turning on her heel, Kaguya made her way to the circle of captives. They turned to look at her warily, Kagome nearly shooting daggers at her. Forcing herself to put on a sarcastic smile, Kaguya placed a hand on her hip.

"Well, it's your lucky day."

Faces weary, the group stared at her, their guards up. In a clipped tone, Sango said, "I'm going to regret this, but what are you talking about?"

"I'm certainly not talking to you." Kaguya glared at Sango. "I'm talking to this one." Here she shot a look at Kagome.

Without saying anything, Kagome stared evenly at the woman standing before her. Did she really want to know?

"You can go."

Those three one syllable words twisted before their eyes. Go? Kagome pressed herself against the pole in surprise.

"Go?" She said aloud her thought.

"Yes. Go."

"What about my friends?"

Kaguya stared at her down her nose. "The Boss said to let you go. Nothing was said about them."

Shaking her head, Kagome nearly shouted, "Then I'm not going anywhere!"

Bending down in one angry movement, Kaguya knelt so that she was just a little higher than Kagome. Squishing her cheeks in between her long cold finger, Kaguya jerked hard so that Kagome had to look her in the eye- not that she wouldn't have done it on her own accord.

"I don't think you understand me. It's not am offer. You don't have a choice. You're leaving and their staying,"

Pushing her face back, Kagome stood up, obviously enjoying being higher than Kagome. Kaguya huffed and flinging her hair out of her face, walked briskly off. Silence hung over the group as questions raced through their heads

Why did they want Kagome to go?

Where they taking them to the HEP?

Would Kagome be safe by herself?

What had happened to the Hope?

Kagome watched Kaguya's back s she walked off, the sharp clicks of her heels evidence of her displeasure. If she left her friends, they'd be taken to the HEP, no doubt. She couldn't let that happen. But, if she didn't leave, they would most likely just kick her off and leave her behind anyway.

Sango breathed, "Kagome…"

When had that lump in her throat appeared?

"Biting her lip, Sango asked uncertainly, "What are we-"

Her question was cut short by Inuyasha. "Shut up."

Breathing sharply through her nose, Rin glared at him as Sango's jaw clenched visibly. This wasn't the Inuyasha that they knew and had grown so fond of. This wasn't him."What the...hell is wrong with you, Inuyasha?"

Stretching as much as he could, Inuyasha just grinned again. "It's not like you bunch can do anything about it. Might as well just let her go." At this point there isn't much we can do. At least this way Kagome can live.

^_^

The Boss stood at the top of the field, looking down on the Hope. Glorious, absolutely glorious. The new…make-over did this place wonders. Flames screeched upward, licking the sky of its blue, flinging embers at it in anger when they failed to burn down the sky al together. It was all you could see. Red and black. Buildings fell to the ground, the wood burned black. The trees, grass, all of it was drowned in the tide of vicious fire as it raced over the Hope.

An icy smile spread over Boss's face as he watched demons running, some carrying small bags, others pulling along their young, and a few pushing and shouting, desperate to escape. The fear heavy in the air, the horrified screams, all of it- it was absolutely glorious.

They had nowhere to go. This island that was their safe haven was just that…but it was also their prison. They had no way to escape. Unless the three priestesses where present there was no way for them to leave this island.

The smile grew, spreading across his face to reveal white teeth as he watched his men round up and shackle the terrified demon like cattle. No...cattle were better than demon. The smile twisted, transforming into a sickly snarl. His flint hard eyes scanned the view, watching the chain bound prisoners being dragged along, kicked toward the cave that would take them to the passage. Their clothes and faces were black with sot, their eyes wide as if they couldn't quite comprehend what was happening.

Soon…they'd be off to where they belonged. The Hep.

He spun around walking downhill, his robe, a red so dark that it could have been black, swirling about him like blood. The cloth floated a second, its strange hue blending perfectly with the sky, a mirror reflecting the chaos below it.

~*~

Eye's hooded, Kagome watched Inuyasha. The others had fallen asleep and it was them at the moment. Her chest hurt, her heart ached. What was happening to him? The other night's images flashed in her mind's eye. Pain, anguish, sadness, all of it there in his golden eyes, it had been expressed more soulfully than one million words could have described.

She could almost see him change. Just being near the Ryu was driving him mad. If they took him the H.E.P, he'd be gone. She might just lose him.

A needle of surprise pricked her conscience. She'd lose him? It was strange how the three words could be interpreted in so many different ways. It could be said between friends, family, and lovers in fear, death, love or lust. Setting her eyes, Kagome told herself firmly that it didn't matter what perspective she looked at it from. She wouldn't let him, Sesshomaru or Kirara be taken.

"There's the little parasite."

The unmistakable voice of Kaguya brought the sleeping to their senses and the attentive to their guard. Inuyasha was no longer grinning crazily, but sitting there with a perfect imitation of Sesshomaru.

Flanked by two men, Kaguya planted her hands of her hips and sniffed like a princess with beggars at her feet. Flicking her hand, she signaled the two men and they knelt on either side of Kagome. Unsure, Kagome stuttered:

"W..What are you doing?"

Giving her no reply, the men silently cut her bonds and released her neck, finally enabling her to breath. Her relief was short lived, however, when they dragged her to her feet. She tried to brush them off, but her weak knees trembled and she found that she couldn't stand without support.

Sango's eyes grew wide. "Where are you taking her!"

Narrowing her eyes, Kaguya hissed impatiently, "Maybe I should record myself and just hit the play button on repeat. I said she's going back!"

Struggling weakly, Kagome cried feebly, "No!"

"Take her away!"

Kagome looked over her shoulder desperately, her friends all crying out her name.

"Kagome!"

Her eyes froze when she looked at Inuyasha. He wasn't calling out or anything. When he finally met her gaze, it was like the other night. He spoke to her with his eyes.

It's better this way.

Of course he had no idea what had become of the Hope.

Going limp, Kagome allowed herself to be tossed onto a small vessel and as the man at the front started paddling, the silent words echoed in her head. Did he even care? How was it better this way? She was going back to Hope and all of her friends would be taken to the H.E.P.

Two men held her arms on either side, staring straight ahead into the dark, cold and wet passage. The man at the front of the small boat paddled them through the black water. Kagome twisted herself around once more, straining to catch a view of her friends, only to find that they were already out of her view. She couldn't see them anymore.

The only sounds now were the sounds of her heavy breathing and the rippling of the water. Kagome wondered if she should just use her powers and kill her holders, but the idea diminished when she saw the jagged walls of the tunnel that were threatening to come together. Even a small use of her energy would bring the whole tunnel caving in on her.

Kagome sniffed, trying to force back the tears that were pushing at the back of her eyes. What was she supposed to do? Could she find help back at the Hope?

At the edge of her mind, Kagome's sense of smell tweaked. That smelled like…fire. But that was impossible. Fire in an underwater passage? Kagome wasn't given any time think. A light appeared rather suddenly from the roof of the cave. Blinking rapidly, Kagome looked up. What was going on?

A familiar crackling sound dimly reached her ears and the smell of smoke thickened. There was defiantly a fire. The two men by her side pulled her up.

"Time to go home." The unpleasant edge in the voice made Kagome narrow her eyes. Now what?

Kagome squeaked when she was raised unto the shoulders of one man as his partner open some sort of lock. Heat waves burst onto Kagome's face when without warning, she was pushed through the hole. It all happened so fast that Kagome was sure how, but instead of the cold tunnel, she was sitting in a field of fire.

Unbearable heat hit her hard as she coughed, the smoke already making her dizzy. Recognition hit her even harder when it dawn on her where she was. This was the Hope. This was the field where she and Inuyasha had first met Shippo.

What had happened to her Hope!

Pushing herself to her feet, fear drove Kagome into a dead run. Sleeve to her face, Kagome sprinted through the field, toward the houses. She ran up the hill like the hounds of hell were at her feet. When she reached the top, the sight that greeted her literally burned itself into her eyes.

Flames screeched upward, licking the sky of its blue, flinging embers at it in anger when they failed to burn down the sky al together. It was all you could see. Red and black. Buildings fell to the ground, the wood burned black. The trees, grass, all of it was drowned in the tide of vicious fire as it raced over the Hope.

Mouth hanging open, Kagome gasped in hot air. Her home was being destroyed. Was this why they had her go? So that she could see what had happened? Did they enjoy making humans and demons suffer?

Kagome's heart snapped. The people! Picking up her mad dash again, Kagome ran downhill so fast that her hair whipped quickly enough to draw blood.

Panic rose in the form of a sob. All of the homes, shops, everything was nothing more than a few burned columns and rows of wood, and everything was painted in black sot. The fire had died down here and smoke and ash rose in its place.

Streets and torched houses flashed past her as Kagome ran to an unknown destination. Her feet seemed to have a mind of their own and soon, she was panting and sweating in the town square. Silence was all that met her.

Her throat closed for a moment. "Hello! Somebody!"

Turning round and round, Kagome scanned the area for any living soul. There had to be someone…

"Anybody!"

A soft moan reached Kagome's ears and her eyes flew to the source of the small sound. Lying among the ashes was Joy. Rushing to her side, Kagome gently cradled the tiny girl in her lap. She was almost unrecognizable.

Her beautiful brown hair had been burned almost completely off and she had been burned in some places so badly that her clothes stuck to her skin. Her eyebrows and even her once long lashes had been burned. Black sot coated her body and she as still as a doll. Another sob escape from the older girl.

"Joy?"

She almost fainted with relief when the green eyes cracked open. Joy's lips became a tiny smile.

"Kagome…I knew that you…would come."

Kagome's chest shook in silent cries and she gripped the girl closer to her.

"Yes, I'm here. It'll all be okay now." The words were bitter even in her ears.

Joy's face tightened in pain as her tiny body coughed. Black saliva trailed her shin and Kagome quickly wiped off. She must have inhaled so much smoke…

Wheezing terribly, Joy forced herself to look at Kagome. "Where is…Inuyasha? Where is big brother?"

Drawing in a shaky breath, Kagome whispered, "He's coming soon, so you have to stay awake or he'll be angry."

Smiling softly at that, Joy whispered, "Big brother…is so nice…" Another coughing fit seized the child's body and she closed her eyes. "Wake Joy…when he comes?"

Kagome tightened her grip in panic. "No! Joy don't go to sleep or Inuyasha will be mad!"

"Wake Joy up? Promise…?"

Kagome shook her in urgency. "Joy! Open your eyes! Look at me, Joy!"

No response came from the child, her life already having left her body.

"Joy, please open your eyes! Please!" Kagome shook the girl's shoulders, her voice overtaken by her sobs.

"OPEN YOUR EYES!"

A cry of grief tore itself from her throat. This wasn't happening.

"NOO!"

A figure appeared from the smoke, making its way towards Kagome's shaking form. Clouds rumbled above them and tiny raindrops fell from the eerily red clouds.

"My, my, my. It's been all too long."

Kagome froze. She knew that voice. She knew that voice all too well.

"Well, Kagome? I do believe that least you could do is say hello."

Moving so slowly that it was almost painful, Kagome lifted her head, until she was looking into a set of eyes.

Blue met blue and time seemed to freeze, the stillness disturbed only by the rain. Kagome's whole being seemed to have stopped. Looking into the man's eyes she couldn't blink or think. She couldn't even breathe. All she could see was the cold blue of his eyes and the redness of the sky and clouds that blotted her vision. It looked like it was raining blood.

Crimson rain…bloody rain.

One word escaped her frozen lips.

"Daddy…"

A/N: I know, I know, you guys knew this would happen…but still. All please excuse my very, very, very disgraceful and pathetic attempt at a sad chapter…I was thinking of having Shippo die, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it!

Well, please review and tell me…should Shippo die in this fic?

I realized that my writing style has greatly changed and hopefully improved throughout this story…

Review?

Please?