InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purgatory & Innocence ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

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

Chapter Four



"Kagome? Did anyone see where she went?" Inuyasha frantically glanced around.

Sango turned around. "I don't know. She was just here."

Without warning, an enormous molten ball of fire burst forth from the depths of the forest and headed towards Sango. "LOOK OUT SANGO!" Miroku scooped Sango up off of her feet and lept out of the line of fire just in time.


"MIROKU!" Inuyasha shouted. Another fire ball nearly hit them.

"Inuyasha, can you see what's attacking us?"

"No, so you need to get Sango and Shippo out of here. Find Kagome! I'll take care of this!" Miroku dodged another ball of fire. He set Sango down quickly while Inuyasha used Tessaiga to hold off the attacks that were now firing by twos and threes. Inuyasha lept into the air. BAM! With his Tessaiga, he destroyed two more fireballs in mid-air.

"KAZAANA!" Miroku opened the wind tunnel pulling several of the balls of fire into the void. Inuyasha looked back at Miroku. "NO! GET OUT OF HERE! BAKA!" Miroku's eyes widened when he noticed the saiyoushou hovering nearby. He closed his Kazaana quickly and lept out of the way of a stray fireball that had been pulled toward him when he attempted to help Inuyasha by using his wind tunnel. "Saiyoushou!"

"Naraku, whatever you're up to...I won't let you get away with it!" Inuyasha growled. *But I can't sense him anywhere. Where the hell is he?* Inuyasha turned to Miroku. "GET OUT OF HERE...NOW!"

"You can't do this alone, Inuyasha!" Miroku attempted to argue with him, but Inuyasha could barely keep the attacks away from his companions. "MIROKU, GO! FIND KAGOME!" Miroku could feel the angst in Inuyasha's tone. Miroku fought the urge to stay and fight along side Inuyasha. He knew that they were Inuyasha's only hope in finding Kagome at that moment. "GO!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Hai!" Reluctantly, Miroku finally agreed.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Shippo asked Sango. He watched as Inuyasha destroyed another fireball with Tessaiga.

A massive fireball came within a few feet of Inuyasha. *That was close.* "Keh! Just you and me now!" He held Tessaiga steady. "Bakkuryuuha!" A thrust of enormous energy rushed from Tessaiga. Inuyasha grinned mischieviously. The winds surrounding the energy tore through everything in its path. Several wind funnels erupted from the sword and sped fast into the forest. The trees were wiped out instantly leaving anything in its path ripped to shreds. "Keh! that was too easy."

~*~

Miroku stopped in his tracks. "I have a feeling something isn't right. Sango, you and Shippo continue to search for Kagome. I'm going back."

Sango stared at Miroku with great concern. He captured her hands in his, holding them to his chest. "Don't worry Sango. I'll return safely to you." Her look of concern faded. She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head slowly. Miroku's left hand wandered south to her backside. SLAP!!

"Ok. It's just us now, Shippo." Sango announced as she walked calmly past Shippo.


"You'll never learn, Miroku." Shippo snickered.

Miroku smiled from ear to ear as he rubbed the spot where Sango had slapped him. *It was worth it though. She loves me.*

Sango held a hand up to her mouth to disguise a small grin.

~*~

Kagome slowly stood up. Fear rushed over her when her eyes met with Sesshoumaru's. Although his eyes were a beautiful shade of gold and glistened when the sunlight hit them just right, they also had a way of boring a hole right through you as if they were swords being driven into your eyes when you stared back at them. *How can someone that beautiful be so dangerous?* Kagome shivered. It wasn't because she was cold, it was fear that sent this reaction throughout her body.

Sesshoumaru stared down his nose at her with a rather threatening glare. She couldn't hold eye contact. He made her nervous and he thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of making her very uncomfortable in his presence.

*Rin?* Kagome had noticed Sesshoumaru holding the child they called Rin. *Is she sleeping?* She looked up at Sesshoumaru once again. The same dangerous glare came staring down at her.

"Ummmm...Gomen. I didn't mean to get in your way. I was...or at least I thought..." Kagome stumbled with her words becoming more and more visibly nervous.

"I see that my worthless brother has managed to fail at protecting you once again. Or do you enjoy making a fool of him?" Sesshoumaru spoke in a condescending tone.

"Why do you care?" Kagome snapped at him.

"I don't care. Your life and his honor mean nothing to this Sesshoumaru. You are a human and he is a mere, pathetic, hanyou." His evil glare resumed as his eyes fixated on hers. He seemed to be waiting for a reaction from her. His remark was like a slap in the face. Every word burned her. She could feel her anger building within.


Without hestitation or even a moment to think before she spoke, she blurted the first things that came to mind. "Inuyasha was protecting me! And he's not pathetic. He's more of a man then you could hope to be." The rage was strengthening in Kagome. "Yes, it's my fault that I ran off, but I know Inuyasha isn't far behind. I just got scared. And if it's wrong to have that kind of HUMAN reaction...then that's fine with me! At least I can FEEL something, unlike you!"

Sesshoumaru surveyed the area behind her. He couldn't see or sense his brother anywhere in the vicinity. "I see no Inuyasha, miko, so I suggest you hold your tongue in my presence if you don't want to meet with an untimely death."

Kagome gasped at the threat. Her eyes fell upon Rin once again. "What about the girl? She's human! If you despise humans so badly then why are you caring for her?" Sesshoumaru didn't feel like having the obvious pointed out to him. She was mocking him.

Kagome noticed the small cut on Rin's neck. *A wound?* She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. She reopened her eyes and held back any anger she felt towards the demon lord.


*Her aura has changed.* Sesshoumaru was astonished with the sudden change in her. Never had he seen a human disreguard their emotions so easily before.

"Is the girl alright? She looks..." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her again.

"LORD SESSHOUMARU HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL! SHE'S FINE! NOW GET OUT OF OUR WAY!" Jaken shouted.

"I wasn't trying to..." Kagome sighed.

"Silence, Jaken." Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome stepped closer to him. She seemed as though she lacked something. Fear. He sensed no fear in her. Kagome felt a sudden tinge of sorrow burn within. It was as if she could feel someone elses pain, not her own. She felt their deep anguish. The closer she came to Sesshoumaru and Rin, the deeper the sorrow felt.


*Am I feeling what he's feeling? Or am I feeling what the child is feeling? I'm so confused...and sad for some reason.* Kagome was next to tears.

~*~

The forest became quiet once again. "Keh! Got you!" As Inuyasha turned around to leave. He felt a sudden prick on the side of his neck. He slapped the area with the palm of his hand. Something stuck in the side of his neck. He pulled out a small piece of wood, the size of a splinter. "What the...?"

Inuyasha saw Miroku running towards him. He seemed to be running in slow motion. Inuyasha barely felt himself fall to the ground.


~*~


A small creature lept from one tree to the next, trying to get as close to Inuyasha as possible without being seen.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted.


*DAMN!* "Stupid human. He doesn't know when to give up, does he? I'll teach him a lesson."


"No. Let him go. You have done what you were told, now go." A whispered voice spoke.


"Yes, my master."


~*~

Inuyasha drifted into a deep sleep. His mind was clear of all things, but one. *Kagome* He saw himself sitting on top of a boulder, holding Tessaiga. "Inuyasha..." He thought he heard Kagome's voice behind him, but it sounded mingled with another voice. He barely even heard the other voice, but it was there none-the less. *Could it be...Naraku?* He wasn't certain. The other voice was low and distorted. Inuyasha grew angry. He slowly removed Tessaiga from its sheathe and grinned slyly. He could sense them approaching. He waited for the perfect moment to strike. *Whoever you are...you're not KAGOME!* He swung his sword in one swift movement nearly grazing Kagome's throat with the tip of the blade. He suddenly had a look of horror on his face. *It really is Kagome! I could have killed her!*

"I give up. Your heart has always belonged to Kikyou. I can't compete with her. I won't interfer anymore." Kagome spoke in a saddened tone. Inuyasha felt his heart aching. Her words were painful to hear. He bowed his head in shame. *She finally had enough. Look what I've done to you. Can you ever forgive me?* Kagome slowly faded into the darkness.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" Miroku was kneeling next to him. "Inuyasha! Are you alright?" When he opened his eyes, he seemed a little different to Miroku. "What happened?" Inuyasha shook his head. "Nothing." He stood up and gathered his sword and sheath. Slipping Tessaiga back into its sheath, he quietly spoke to himself. "Never again. I'll never hurt you again Kagome."

~*~

A bright light formed around Kagome's body. The emense pure energy that gathered within her was far more powerful then any Sesshoumaru had ever experienced. Her eyes fell half shut, her breathing became long and deep and the air surrounding her became cold as ice. Her breath flowed from her mouth, visibly, as if she were standing outside during a cold winters morn. She raised her hand towards Rin. The tips of her fingers began to glow brightly when she layed them upon Rin's wound.

Sesshoumaru could feel the power she released run through Rin and into his own body. The pain he felt from the energy was becoming far to much for him to bare. Yes, even the great demon lord, Sesshoumaru, felt pain. His eyes became red as his anger took over. He was always in control of his temper, but the pain in which he was experiencing was too intense for him. His body seemed to lose control and act on its own accord. Her pure energy flowed like water through his veins. He arched his head back and growled loudly as his face began to distort, forming that of a dog. He fought back the urge to change into his demon dog form, but he had little strength left to do so. Suddenly, he could feel the energy begin to ebb. He was able to capture a bit of his dignity and restrain himself from being forced into changing into his dog demon form. He began to calm himself, taking control of his anger. He was breathing a bit fast and deeper now, but he was certainly in control again. He stared down at Kagome as he watched her eyes completely close. She collapsed to the ground and lay quietly at his feet.

Rin opened her eyes and smiled up at Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. His eyes opened wide with surprise.

Jakens mouth gaped open.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru interupted her. She pulled away from him. She smiled and nodded. He set her down on the ground. As soon as her feet met the earth, she ran over to Jaken and forced a hug on him.

"YUCK! GET AWAY YOU...YOU...!" Rin giggled and set him free. Jaken slowly excepted a grin across his face once he realized how relieved he was that she was alright. He hadn't hated the girl like he led on and Rin knew it.

"Rin. Go with Jaken and gather wood." Sesshoumaru never strayed from Kagome as he spoke. "Jaken...see that nothing happens to her." Jaken gulped loudly. "Hai."

Rin danced and twirled around behind Jaken as if nothing happened. They both began singing. "Sesshoumaru-sama...Sesshoumaru-sama...."

~*~

Kagome's eyes fell shut and she felt light as air. Even though she sensed her body falling...she felt nothing when her body met with the ground.

Her mind danced with visions of happier times with her family as they sat at the dinner table laughing and chatting amongst themselves. Quickly, everything disappeared and now she was standing in front of the old Time Tree where she first met Inuyasha. It started off slowly but then memories of her adventures with Inuyasha and her friends rushed past her like a picture show on fast forward, but it all came to a sudden halt. Her mind became silent and then she could see something in the distance. It came closer. *Inuyasha?* He was sitting on a boulder holding onto Tessaiga. He seemed to be deep in thought. She tried to call out to him. *Inuyasha?* She couldn't speak. She could hear herself call his name in her mind, but couldn't speak it aloud.

Inuyasha slowly withdrew Tessaiga. The slow sound of metal, as he withdrew his sword from its sheath, sent a tingling chill up Kagome's spine. *Inuyasha?* She tried to call out to him once again. *Inuyasha...* As she called out to him, she felt her body ache for the first time since she went unconscious.

Kagome approached Inuyasha warily. He stood up, reguarding her presence and readily swung Tessaiga, nearly cutting Kagome's throat. She was horrified by his actions and immediately began to sob. *Why Inuyasha? Why?* She could feel her body becoming heavier as each moment passed.

Inuyasha bowed his head in shame. His sword, still in his hand, rested at his side. "I don't love you, Kagome. I'm sorry. I can never love you."

Kagome felt herself being pulled away from him. Her heart was heavy as she watched Inuyasha's form becoming faint. She could feel it breaking. She felt so helpless.

She could hear another voice in her mind as she struggled between the worlds of consciousness and dreams. It wasn't her own voice she heard, it was clear to her that someone was invading her mind. *So...familiar...* Tears streamed down her cheeks.

*How unusal. She looks like a normal human girl, but her strength has shown otherwise. She can't be trusted.* She blocked the voice out of her mind and forced herself to awaken. Her head ached with a small amount of pain. "I must have hit my head." She groaned as she lifted her head.

~*~

Sesshoumaru knelt down to observe the unconscious miko. He placed his hand on the side of her face, brushing some stray hairs away so that he could observe her better. *How unusal. She looks like a normal human girl, but her strength has shown otherwise. She can't be trusted.*