InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets of the Shinju (Part IV): Power of the Purified Shinju ❯ The Shinju Changes Hands ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter Twelve

The Shinju Changes Hands

Kagome awoke sobbing. She was holding desperately to her father's body when she felt herself slipping into reality. She opened her eyes and realized that she was in Naraku's arms. He was sitting up and holding her much like he would hold a baby. She moved from his embrace and looked at him. He stared blankly at her and the look she saw in his eyes frightened her.

"Naraku…" she said softly. Something in him had snapped. At this moment she couldn't hate him, she could only hate Hitomi for doing this to him. Not to mention all that Hitomi had done to Inutaisho, Sesshoumaru, Miroku and even Kagome's own father and family.

"Naraku, please say something to me." He continued to stare at her and finally spoke.

"Onigumo." She looked at him for a moment. "What?"

"My name is Onigumo." He replied. She watched him for a moment and corrected herself.

"Onigumo, please talk to me." He looked down at his hands again.

"I killed them. I killed Akako…and my own children. I ripped them apart with my own hands and felt nothing." He looked at her again. "Why are you here?" She sat there for a moment, not knowing how to answer him. He then repeated himself. "Why are you here? Why haven't you tried to kill me? Why are you speaking to me? You should want me dead."

Kagome sat watching him, knowing that he spoke the truth. She should want him dead. She should get up and run away from him right now. But there was something there that wouldn't let her. There was a desperate look in his eyes. He longed for death now. Kagome knew that if she left him, he would find a way to end his life. "I can't wish death upon you, though part of me feels that I should." He stared at her for a moment and again went silent.

Suddenly Kagome cried out in pain. She felt as though she had just been hit with a shock wave of sorts. A stabbing pain rushed through her head and she recognized the call of the shinju. It was pulsing madly.

"Where's the shinju?" She asked frantically as she climbed from the bed. Naraku finally appeared coherent and turned to her. "Why?" She brought her hands to her temples and slipped to her knees. Never had she felt such a pain before. He was up immediately and pulled her to her feet. "What's happened?"

"I don't know." The words had no sooner crossed her lips and she knew. "Hitomi…" Again Kagome cried out as the shinju pulsed. Naraku held tightly to her and kept her from crumpling to the ground. He pulled her from the room and down the corridor, again she nearly fell to the floor and he quickly lifted her into his arms and carried her to the other end of the wing where the shinju was. Hitomi stood there smiling at them. Naraku stood stunned as the demoness held the shinju in her hand. He looked to Kagome, who was now standing next to him.

"She shouldn't be able to touch it. It has to be passed willingly."

Kagome shook her head slowly. "No, the shinju belongs to her blood. She's Inutaisho's sister." Naraku stood speechless. Hitomi then gave him a sweet smile.

"It's so good to see you again Naraku…or should I call you Onigumo?" Kagome put her hand on Naraku's arm. She felt his aura changing; his demon blood was trying to take over. Hitomi held up the shinju and Kagome could feel it being drenched in her hate. It was darkening in front of their eyes. Again it pulsed and Kagome winced, her breath nearly being sucked from her body.

Suddenly Kagome felt claws on her neck. Naraku's eyes blazed red and he resembled a monster. He looked even wilder than InuYasha did when he lost control to his demon blood.

Kagome tried to pull away but couldn't. A second clawed hand came down hard across her chest and shoulder. The pain was excruciating. Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated on Naraku's mind. She wasn't sure what was happening but Hitomi was controlling him somehow.

Kagome consumed Naraku's mind and she felt the grip on her neck loosening. She felt the mark on her back begin to burn severely again but whatever she was doing it was working. His eyes cleared and he looked down at her then to the demoness. Finally, Hitomi smiled and disappeared with the shinju. Naraku helped Kagome to the floor, though he was overwhelmed by the amount of blood that was now spilling from her wound.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "I can't heal myself. I don't have enough energy." He stared at her for a moment and then lifted her to a sitting position. He put his arms around her, his hands on her back. In seconds the burning disappeared and she felt as though her soul was set free from a cage. She focused her powers and the wound healed. "You removed your mark." She said softly, still recovering from the intense pain. He merely nodded at her.

Kagome stood with his help and walked to the window. "Something's wrong." She said as she gazed outside. Everything had grown calm. The sun was just rising and she heard nothing. Not the lingering chirps of bugs, or the beautiful songs of birds. Nothing.

Kagome turned back to Naraku. She could see he was still stunned by the turn of events. She walked back towards him. "She used you." He looked at her for a moment. "I saw your dreams. She was there. She darkened your soul and turned you into the monster that killed your family." He gazed at Kagome for a moment.

"She can see the future. She knew she would get the shinju." Naraku said in a defeated tone. "That is why she worked for me so willingly." Kagome's blood ran cold. "She can see the future?" She asked him. He nodded his head slowly.

Suddenly everything fell into place. It had started with Lady Mitsuko, but Hitomi had finished it. Everything was like a game of dominos. She used Inutaisho to blacken the shinju and turned him on Sesshoumaru knowing that one day she could get to his memories. Her need for Naraku was now obvious too. He had to kill Kikyo and then take Kagome so that Sesshoumaru would give the shinju to Naraku…and then Hitomi could take it from him. Never could she have taken it from Sesshoumaru.

Naraku also had to subdue her own powers. For reasons Kagome didn't understand, Hitomi feared her powers. Kagome's father must have been a threat too. Kagome didn't know why he had been passing between the modern and feudal periods but Hitomi obviously didn't want him alive.

Kagome suddenly realized just why Kikyo had been killed. She too would have possessed the same powers as Kagome had she developed them. Hitomi had desperately tried to get Kagome to agree to be her servant and she was sure that on a few occasions her life had been put into jeopardy as a direct result of Hitomi.

But if Hitomi could see the future, surely she knows exactly what Kagome plans to do to stop her. Unless…it struck Kagome. Hitomi had never been able to read her thoughts or get her memories, with the exception of the time she allowed it. Perhaps, Hitomi couldn't see the future clearly because of Kagome herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a terrible noise coming from the corridor. She turned in time to see Sesshoumaru standing there. He had his demon blood back and his eyes were glowing red. Kagome only had a split second to put up a barrier around Naraku before Sesshoumaru attacked.