InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Silence ❯ Capture ( Chapter 3 )

Title: Silence

Author: Kerichi

Genre: Romance/Angst

Summary: Is it really possible to love if you're not truly alive? What is love, in the end? Juuroumaru finds the answers to his questions in one confusing human girl. Juu/Kag

Notes: My friends tell me I'm a character-torturer. What do they know, eh? Only one scene with 'Gome.... as the one in first person... Remember her dream last chap?

Chapter 3- Capture

The thick forest around me was peaceful and quiet, with occasional chirping bird... Sniffing around, I find a good place to rest, beneath a strong tree. ...Yawning, I feel myself swept off by the gentle breeze rustling the branches and pushing strands of my hair around... My legs ache from running so much...

... had I always been so easy to wear out...? Mm...I don't care.........yes... this is great...

I drift off to a peaceful sleep.

I'm running and running and he's getting closer…. Whispers… the familiar hiss saying, "Worthless fool…. Thought you could get away from me? I own you. I AM YOU! You can NEVER leave me. We will never be apart, never!!" the voice rises to a hysterical yell. "I'LL KILL HER BEFORE SHE'LL TAKE YOU!!"

The words, "You…. stay… the hell …. away…. from her… YOU ASSHOLE!!" rips from my throat. In this dream, I can talk, apparently….

Haunting light blue eyes filled with tears appear, and the dream fades into another scene, this one just as vivid...

Lying on… something soft, I have my arms around someone's flat bare stomach, dark hair tickling my open chest. The woman next to me sighs softly, whispering, "Juu..."

I'm just content to lie next to the person, my chest against her back, listening to her breathe. Those precious breaths that assure me that she's alive and mine. I trace imaginary circles on her abdomen and the woman giggles. I laugh slightly in her ear, making her shiver. I move to get up.

Just as I roll over, I hear a melodious voice say, "I had promised to stay with him...." sorrow radiates from the smaller body still lying limp.

Irritated for some obscure reason that she could talk about this other man around me, I agree with her. "And you will, but I won't let you ruin yourself over him." I grab her by the stomach and pull her up. "By never moving on to someone new, your holding yourself and the person that you love back." I whisper, not daring to break the calm. "They can't move on because they feel that it will hurt you, and you can't move one because your feelings never change."

She makes a little "hum!" sound.

"A love that's eternal... a love that never grows.... Is that real love?" I persist, lips brushing against a rounded ear.

"...No..." she replies, looking up. I'm lost in a sky of blue, and hope feverently that this isn't a-

'A damn dream!'

I awake, covered in sweat, an evil cackle breaking the forest silence. A big-haired human woman hovers the air, looking down her huge nose at me. I snap into a defensive stance, or crouch, if you prefer, and bare my long, sharp fangs at her. I meet the ground as my knees give out under me.

'What the hell?! I knew I was weaker, but this is ridiculous!'

The hag chuckles, her thickly painted eyelids lowering as she surveys my pathetic form. "Heh heh heh, you can't even stand, can you?" she taunts me in a groggy voice, pulling at the large brooch on her kimono top. I try to lunge at the now chanting witch, but land on my face. I notice the inscpritions in the dirt.

An electric sound is heard, and wrenching agony shoots through my limbs. Nothing that has ever happened to me before can compare to the scorching sensation crawling beneath my skin. I stay as still as I can in an attempt to quell the pain a fraction.

Then everything goes numb. My body becomes cold and I can't move. The last thing I see before everything goes dark is that giant, beak-like nose.

The stress... he can't take it... his body... failing....useless.... I need him alive!

That voice.... I remeber it... that is-

....Why?.... policy demands that I know what I am doing for my customers...

The witch? What?

....I'm paying you to not pry in this Yubaba...

Who is that guy? I think I know him.

...The customer is always right, I always say.

Just keep him alive.

Who... are they talking about?

I come to slowly, a painful ache in my bare shoulders. My head pounds, as I lift it up.

Oh, that made the room spin.... not a good idea....

I drop my head. As the world comes back to foucus, I realize my arms are held above me, bound to the ceiling by a strong chain. My jacket and undershirt have been removed, I notice, as I study the familiar markings drawn in a circle around me.

The hag brought me here, eh?

Through lavender bangs, I watch the woman bustle about the cluttered, overdecorated room without lifting my head. The metal bars that seperate us seem to clash with the lush setting.

Not taking any chances, is she?

"Bring me the lass or laddie with the highest spirit energy," the gray-haired baba commands a green-haired boy. "and I'll give you your potion."

"...." the green-eyed boy says nothing.

I am starting to doze off when the kid finally speaks up, in a formal tone. "Yubaba..." the boy's bright green eyes watch the witch warily. "You must swear this will work..."

Did he say.... Yubaba? That was the second woman I dreamt about.... Thank Kami it wasn't the first.

Said hag sneers, curling a wrinkled lip. "Dragon, you're getting off easy. I'm giving you a potion AND sparing that little brat. All you have to do is find a girl with more energy than Sen."

The human-like dragon youkai frowns at her words, muttering, "Chihiro."

I frown as well, confused. What the heck is going on? Who are Chihiro and Sen? Who is Yubaba? Who is this kid? Where am I? ...oy, this is not much better than the last time I woke up in an odd position! First a pot, now this!

"What was that, Haku?" Yubaba looms over the dragon.

"Nothing." the green-eyed male turns away from the witch. Opening a strange door, the his form begins to shift away from human features to that of a dragon's. A gentle breeze brushes in like a lover's caress against my bruised form. I can see for miles... We are really high up...Haku pushes off with his rooster-like feet and glides out, his white body rippling like a flag in the wind.

"What a little good-for-nothing." my ears pick up Yubaba's cruel words. She comes to stand in front of my cage. "Are you awake, beast?"

I remain silent, slippping my eyes shut.

"Come on!" she steps closer. "Wake up, you!"

A snarl ripping from my throat, I struggle violently against my bonds, straining my muscles to get free... the pain of broken glass being lodged into my exposed flesh crashing down on me.

"Heh, heh, heh! Did you like that? It's called the 'Shattering Pain' curse." she looks at me with an evil glow in her brown eyes. "It only activates when you move."

I shudder and stay as still as I can.....

From one hell to another, nothing changes...

...Kuso...

Nothing... ever changes....

I look around the forest scene wearily. Our little group moves forward in the direction of the mountain witch's home, Inuyasha strutting in front, looking as arrogant as ever. Shippou and I walk after him, the tiny fox in munching on yet another sweet as he sit in my arms. Miroku and Sango march behind, Kirara taking up the end.

"Kagome?" Shippou asks, looking up at me.

"Yes, Shippou-chan?" I smile. The small kitsune is always so-

"Can I have some more pocky?"

"....." -hungry.

Sango and Miroku talk in hushed tones, and I wonder if I should tell them I don't sense any trace of a shard.... there is always the possibility that I just haven't felt it yet....

Shippou's still looking at me imploringly. I sigh, and prepare to let him down when I feel youki.

"What is that?!" Sango questions no one in particular as she un-slings Hiraikotsu and looks up to the sky. Something white is twisting and turning in the blue expanse. I feel my eyes widen as it's path descends and Inuyasha yells,

"It's a dragon!"

He draws Tetsusaiga as the white ryu lands in the grass before us.The dog hanyou almost falls over with the wieght. A drop of sweat rolls down my face.

Oops, I forgot.... Tetsusaiga's still heavy...

"This stupid thing!" Inuyasha yells, mostly to himself. "What the hell do you want?" he growls at the the green-maned dragon. It ingnores him, his bright green eyes glowin as it looks around our group.

In the blink of an eye, it wrapped itself around my waist and hoists me up into the air. I scream as I am pulled up into the air.

Kirara roars as she transforms and flies up after my kidnapper. The white dragon jerks me around and I kick and shout as the rest of the group is left behind. I feel like I'm going through water while the dragon flies at an incredible speed beneath me. Okay, so the scratch and shreik approach isn't working.... I keep quiet as we land at an....

ONSEN?!

A/N: I had a strange desire to call her Yubaba...Okay, I will admit, Yubaba, Chihiro and Haku aren't mine.... What are they from? C'mon! Tell me, you smartypants'!

Translations:

Baba- a really rude way to say old woman.Yasha uses it a lot when talking about Kaede-

Youki: Demon aura, energy

Hiraikotsu: Boomerang bone

Ryu: dragon

Onsen: hot spring bathouse-thing

Kuso: Damn