InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Remembering You ❯ The Stolen Doll ( Chapter 21 )

Author Notes: I can't believe I'm finally updating. . . I have been getting distracted by drawing and discovering `Bleach' (not necessarily drawing only Bleach) . . . my friend thought that it was the best idea in the world to lend me twenty something volumes of the `Bleach' manga. When I start reading a manga and I really enjoy it, I get obsessive. I start drawing fanart and thinking of potential fanfics. . . because seriously, I need another fanfic to juggle (sarcasm intended). . . another bad thing to distract me. . . rereading of Rurouni Kenshin manga! I forgot how much I love it! Sigh, I might even do a fanfic with my beloved Kenshin and Kaoru again. . . but I swear, I won't start anything until I finish Remembering You. . . which is probably not going to happen within the year of 2006. . . sigh. . . enjoy the chappie anyways~

 

Disclaimer: Inuyasha = not mine

“. . .” dialogue

`. . .' thoughts

 

 

The Stolen Doll

By Hoshi-ni-Onegai

 

“Don't be so jealous Inuyasha, you know this isn't for real.”

 

The hanyou frowned at Miroku's words. “This isn't going to turn out well.”

 

In response he nodded. “It's not the safest plan, but it's the only one we could think of. We want to put an end to this as soon as possible.”

 

“Keh.”

 

Sango rolled her eyes from her seat in the limo. “He's just grumpy about having to go stag tonight for the Tokyo Association of Bankers' Ball.”

 

“She's my fiancé! She should be with me not with that idiot wolf.”

 

Miroku shook his head, “You can't say those kinds of things tonight. Look, for this plan to work you're going to have to pretend to hate her. The story is that you caught her cheating on you and that she's now with Kouga. I know this won't be the easiest thing for you, but for her safety you're going to have to pretend.”

 

Inuyasha scowled as they arrived at the ball, but was able to maintain his silence.

 

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“Where do you think you're putting your hand Kouga?”

 

The wolf demon in question smiled innocently as he wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist. “I promise that it won't go below the belt.”

 

She looked at him flatly, “Or any higher than where you have it now right?”

 

He continued smiling and kissed her on the forehead. Pulling back a little he whispered as he continued to smile. “You're going to have to seem happier to be with me for this to be convincing.”

 

She sighed and nodded. “I'll try my best.”

 

“God, am I that difficult to pretend to like?”

 

Hearing the humor in his voice she shook her head. “You have no idea.”

 

Coming upon the steps that would lead down to the main ballroom Kouga whispered in her ear. “This is it. If you even remotely have an actress's bone in your body this is the moment to start using it and pretend that you love me.”

 

She flinched at his words a bit, but soon gathered herself to smile back at him. “I'm sorry I couldn't love you.”

 

Leaning forward he kissed her lips chastely, “That's not something for you to apologize about.”

 

Seeing that she was trying to compose herself after the kiss Kouga grinned and guided her down the steps. As she was taking each step with care so as not to trip over her dress, she was too distracted to catch the seething look upon a certain hanyou's face as he looked on from the corner.

 

“Don't be angry with her Inuyasha, it's only an act.”

 

He glared at Miroku as he growled. “He didn't have to kiss her in front of me. And where does she get off wearing that dress?”

 

“What are you talking about? It seems like a perfectly fine dress.”

 

“Look, he's on a date with him. She dressed like that for him. Not for me, him. For the idiot that couldn't fight if not for the help of the shikon shards.”

 

Miroku glanced at Kagome who had on a stunning full-length burgundy satin gown with her hair half swept up and the rest in waves down her back. He smiled at the sight and shook his head as he faced the hanyou once again. “Do you actually think that she wore that dress for Kouga?”

 

“She's kissing him isn't she?”

 

“If she was dressing for Kouga she would not have worn something in a tone of red, and would not have bugged Sango about what to wear for six hours- while repeatedly asking: `do you think Inuyasha will like it?'”

 

A small smiled tugged on his face at the monks words, but he soon shook it off. “I have to keep a front of looking pissed off.” His gruff answer was softened as he mumbled under his breath as he walked past his friend. “Thanks.”

 

The night continued on without Inuyasha and Kagome exchanging words. Just to keep up the act Inuyasha would give a glaring look at Kouga with his arm wrapped around Kagome. Then again, it wasn't completely an act. While dancing one of the many songs of the night Kagome froze in mid-step causing Kouga to fumble. “What's wrong Kagome?”

 

Looking into his eyes with wide ones Kagome whispered. “He's here.”

 

Discreetly turning their bodies to be facing the entrance, Kouga nodded. “Don't get nervous. Just act vacant. Remember, like a doll.”

 

She gulped and tilted her head down to be guided by the wolf demon's steps. Kouga kept her close as the song continued. When he felt a tap on his shoulder he squeezed her hand in assurance then turned his head. “Good evening Mr. Matsuhito.”

 

A smile curled around the man's lips as he nodded. “Yes, a good evening it is Mr. Senshi. I was wondering if I could cut in and dance with your beautiful date.”

 

Furrowing his brows Kouga leaned in and whispered harshly into Matsuhito's ear. “That was not part of the deal. I'll give you the orb and that's it. She belongs to me.”

 

The man let out a huff of air that sounded like a laugh. “You're in no position to be saying such things. I can easily make her fall in love with a random man at this very party -even Inuyasha. So I would recommend for you to step aside like a gentleman right now and let me have the remainder of this dance.”

 

He glanced from the passive expression that Kagome held to the smug one on Matsuhito's face. “I'm keeping the orb with me until you give her back.”

 

He smiled and bowed. “Of course.”

 

Whipping around, he headed for the edge of the dancing couples, where Miroku grabbed his arm. “What's going on Kouga?”

 

“He wants to fucking dance with her. He threatened that he could cast a spell for Kagome to fall in love with another guy here.” Turning to keep an eye on Kagome and Matsuhito he growled. “To keep up this act I had to go along with it.”

 

“Did you give him the orb?”

 

“No.”

 

Nodding the monk stepped away form the wolf demon. Sango questioned Miroku as he came up to where he had left she and Inuyasha. “Is something wrong?”

 

“I'm not completely sure. Just don't let Kagome out of your sights. I have a bad feeling about this.”

 

 

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“Are you enjoying your evening Miss Kagome?”

 

She nodded slowly as she tried to compose herself as she danced with a man she detested.

 

“We miss you at Hitobito no Ginkou you know.”

 

She nodded.

 

“But I'm sure your new job at Touken Ginkou is just as promising for a career path.”

 

She nodded.

 

“What I don't understand is why you're willing to fuck your new boss but not me.”

 

She twitched a bit but tried to keep calm and looked up at him with quiet eyes.

 

“I guess it's all that history between you two isn't it? Really, visiting you at the shrine when you were a child. . . he's practically a pedophile and you're fulfilling his every fantasy.”

 

Her eyes widened a bit but soon were back to normal, but her mind was reeling and going into panic.

 

“Or maybe it's not that history that made you fuck him. Maybe it's everything that happened back then, you know, when you first met on your fifteenth birthday.”

 

She froze at that and there was no recovering from it. Stepping back and her words trembled. “W-who are you?”

 

With a sinister smile he swept in and pulled her to his arms as if to continue dancing and whispered into her ear. “Your dance partner and a very old friend.”

 

She suddenly felt his aura surrounding her. Trying to pull away from the tight grip he had on her wrist, she frantically looked for Inuyasha in the crowd. When their eyes met she saw the panic in his gaze as he began to rush over. He wouldn't make it to her in time. Eyes wide and unblinking she mouthed a name she thought to be long dead.

 

In the next moment the aura seeped into her skin and she vanished along with her dance partner. No one but Inuyasha, Kouga, Miroku, and Sango seemed to notice as the ball continued on. Coming to the place the miko had just been Kouga looked to Inuyasha. “What just happened?!”

 

Inuyasha growled as he glared at the spot where the two had been standing moments ago. “Naraku!”

 

 

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It was like a vortex surrounded her. She couldn't breathe. Her lungs felt like an unseen hand was squeezing them and her skin cut with tiny alcohol covered razors. Her very being was being pulled apart and she could only wait for her end. Then it stopped.

 

Taking in a ragged breath and falling to her knees onto unforgiving marble floors she thanked god that it was over. Steadying her breath she looked up and her breath froze again. There stood her former boss and nemesis.

 

“Don't look at me like that Kagome, I always thought I treated you well.”

 

Backing up a bit then raising to her feet she glared at Matsuhito. “I don't consider being sexually assaulted as being treated well.”

 

“It's not sexual assault if you wanted it.”

 

“I never wanted it!”

 

He grinned as he looked her over. “This is exactly what I wanted. Your aura flairs every time you get angry.”

 

Her aura receded almost suddenly and she changed the subject. “Do you actually think you can hide from Inuyasha? He knows my smell better than anyone else's, he's going to find me long before you have time to prepare yourself.”

 

“Know your smell? Oh Kagome, you just revealed that your dear Inuyasha is a youkai, a filthy hanyou at that. . . I hid myself from him for a pretty long time five centuries ago, I don't see why old tricks won't work.”

 

“Five centuries. . . I was right, you are Naraku.”

 

Matsuhito raised an eyebrow at her statement. “I haven't gone by that name in years.”

 

Straightening her spine, she looked directly into his eyes trying to hold back the fear that bubbled up from the memories. “We killed you.”

 

A pensive expression fell upon him. “You're right. . . you did. . .” He rolled his eyes. “Are you actually convinced that only the so-called `good' are reincarnated? All of you really should have better prepared for this.”

 

“For what? The second coming of Naraku?”

 

He smiled at her, “For your second calling of course. I'm so proud to be involved with both.”

 

She gulped down the dryness that suddenly appeared in her throat. “How do you know about that?”

 

“Research. People underestimate the power of really good research now days. It's not all about action, sometimes we need to think before we act.”

 

“If you know about the second calling you know that I'm supposed to rid the world of evil. Shouldn't you be afraid of me? Running for the hills even?”

 

She could only hope that this desperate attempt at a threat would work. The response she ended up with was a struggled to be held in laughter. “Afraid of you? Evil is never afraid of good. We are what defy it. Good is afraid of us.”

 

Steeling her gaze she titled her chin up. “I'm not afraid of you.”

 

“I know you're not. I'm not here to have a battle of wits here. I just brought you to collect your soul.”

 

“How did you know Kouga was lying?”

 

He shook his head. “Because I knew he wouldn't do it from the very beginning. I was just waiting for him to give you to me on a silver platter, all the while thinking he had one up on me.”

 

“Why my soul?”

 

“Are you really that dense? Think about whose soul you have.”

 

This was a topic that she hated. Being the reincarnation of the woman that cast a very large shadow. Kagome bit the words out with pure venom. “I'm not Kikyou. I'm not her reincarnation.”

 

“I know that. But I want you to think Kagome, and don't hurt yourself while doing that. Whose soul is neatly tucked into your body?”

 

Her expression got darker as she stated: “Mine.”

 

Matsuhito nodded, “Exactly. That's the same soul that has an amazing amount of miko power. But I wouldn't be bothering you if it were only miko powers. That soul is that of a god's and I don't think you realize how valuable it is. You really don't deserve it. You wouldn't know the difference between your own soul and that of a bird's found in Inuyasha's backyard.”

 

Her eyes widened, “You've been spying on us.”

 

“Oh I've seen everything Kagome.” He looked her over once again, but this time with what can only be considered a violating leer. “Everything.”

 

“That's impossible.” She gasped out as she subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself.

 

He shrugged. “You're right. But I've seen everything Inuyasha has.”

 

Kagome tried to deal with the horror of having Matsuhito. . . no, Naraku, being a witness to the most intimate moments in her life. She was the most vulnerable when she was with Inuyasha, and she was also the strongest. Inuyasha knew everything about what she had gone through and everything that they would go through in the future. Naraku had a full deck and he saw through her every bluff. But how? There was no way that he could know everything that Inuyasha knew- Her eyes widened in realization and she seethed. “His rosary!”

 

“Wow. That took you less time than I thought in figuring it out. But you know what surprises me more? Inuyasha never told you about the voice in his head.”

 

Kagome looked at him incredulously. “What voice?”

 

 

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A/N: I think the never-ending drama of Inuyasha is starting to tire me out. . . I'm starting to only read fanfiction that is AU, just so I don't have to deal with keeping up with the story. I almost want the manga to end just so I can get Inuyasha out of my system. . . sigh. . . I know I'm going to cry when it ends though (ok, maybe not cry). I'm just ready to get this fic over with so that I can write `Quadrille of War' where I get to choose the drama. I'm sorry for the short chapter. . . I think they'll be relatively short from now on. . . or frighteningly long. . . we'll see~