InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Storm of Emotions ❯ chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Inuyasha had woke from a light slumber, an uneasy feeling bringing him to a state of awareness. A thick fog had begun to travel in under the fading light of the moonlight. He had vacated the tree in which he was perched to take in the scents and sounds from the area. Smelling the air and carefully listening for any signs of danger he had walked the perimeter of their small camp, stopping here and there to listen. He had not been able to detect any impeding danger to his pack, but his uneasiness would not vanish.

Sitting beneath a large tree, the hanyou continued his surveillance of the area. He realized that the fog was the perfect cover for any evil trying to attack them. He positioned himself to look casual, but all his senses were firing on a heightened alertness. His gaze traveled to the lithe form snuggled in with the small kit. His mate was now his top priority. The youkai side of him would now be willing to sacrifice anyone and anything to keep her safe. This meant that he was unsure of how he would react if they were attacked. The Tessaiga had worked thus far to calm the beast within, but he had his doubts of its effectiveness if Kagome was placed in a life or death situation. Now that her scent was mingled with his, he was certain that if he transformed into his youkai self, Kagome would not be harmed. However he worried about his other friends. His gaze sifted to them as he contemplated his possible youki reaction to them.

Another wave of uneasiness washed over him, he snapped his head away from the fire to stare intensely into the thick fog. Ears twitching, he listened for possible signs of movement in the dense sheets of gray mass. His nose caught it first. The subtleness of the smell filtered through the wall of gray, igniting receptacles of recognition in his mind. He knew that smell. He had know that smell for years and as the scent strengthened, there was no mistaking it.

“Inuyasha,” a soft voice flitted on the soft breeze. “It's been far too long, Inuyasha. It's finally time. I've come to fulfill our promise.”


Kagome struggled with the images being blasted into her mind. She tried to force herself to wake, wanting to seek refuge in her awakened state. Her body would not listen, the dream worsened, images flashing faster. She tried to scream out for help, but soon found that even her voice was frozen. She could not move to alert anyone of her problem. Her heart began to race as the images raced past closed eyelids. It pounded dangerously until suddenly the images stopped, and a storyline began to play, almost like a movie. She was a bystander, able to watch, unable to move or interact in any way.

If she had been able to gasp aloud, she would have. The scene was strangely recognizable. A young miko, weary and bloodstained, took deadly aim at a formidable foe. Bow drawn tight, the arrow released leaving a trail of pink energy in its wake. The arrow slowed as it impacted its target, a large piece of red fabric. The image slowly expanded, revealing the from of a young hanyou.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome thought, heart still beating wildly as the arrow pierced his heart and sealed him to the Goshinboku.

The illusion jumped forward in time. It showed her the arrival of herself in the feudal era. Soon the images began to speed up showing her a slide show of images, no longer a movie. Images of her first encounters with Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and everyone else she had met. Images of the Shikon jewel shattering. Suddenly the images changed once more. They focused on Inuyasha's hidden past with Kikyo, secrecy and deception became apparent as he sought comfort in his former loves presence. These slides continued for sometime never straying from images of the revived miko and hanyou.

Naraku chuckled to himself as he felt the young priestess trying to fight the power of the jewel. He had implanted the images of her past in the jewel. It was feeding off of her memories and now as her confusion and self doubt grew, it would begin to lead the visions in a different path. Slowly convincing the girl that her visions were in fact memories. It would paint the picture of a complex triangle of deception. Eventually ending once Kagome was certain that the hanyou had betrayed her and hated her. From there, it would be her own feelings of hated and fear that would encourage her to use her reiki to finish off that despicable creature.

Even now as she lay helpless, visions were laying waste to her feelings of love for the hanyou, and the paper doll illusion of Kikyo was taking up her position. Simply seeing the two together would be enough to set Kagome off when she awoke. Her new protector would assist her in her endeavor to slay Inuyasha.

Inuyasha stared restlessly into the depths of the fog. He could hear her approaching. His heart tightened with worry. What was happening was too strange. Kikyo had accepted that his feelings had changed. Why would she be doing this now? Maybe she had been possessed?

“Ki... Kikyo?'” He called out, unsure of the vision slowly penetrating the fog.

Her form materialized as she walked closer. One hand outstretched towards him as if beckoning him to her. He stood, hand grasping the sword his father granted him for the protection of others. He couldn't take a chance, not with Kagome lying so close. Something was not right with Kikyo, he could tell it the instant his eyes met hers. Her eyes were lifeless, even though her body was made from graveside soil, she had always had emotion filled eyes. What was wrong with her?

It was then he sensed a presence approaching from the rear. He recognized that scent too. It belonged to the mangy youkai Kouga. Deciding that the situation was becoming tense he called out to alert the others.

“Miroku! Sango! We've got company.” He yelled behind him, not taking his eyes off the approaching priestess.

“Inuyasha? What is with the fog, I don't sense any demonic presences nearby?” Miroku replied, quickly assessing the situation. He turned as Sango grabbed her weapon and her trusty neko transformed.

“Who is it Inuyasha?” Sango asked.

“Feh, Kikyo and Kouga. Somethings not right with them though.” Inuyasha did not like the direction this was going. “Hey Kagome, you had best get your bow!”

No response came from the girl. She was still snuggled into the blanket with the young kitsune. Sango noticed her lack of reaction and knelt beside her. As she leaned over to touch Kagome, she hesitated. A strong force was being emitted from where Inuyasha stood. His hair was wiping wildly around him, his stance tense and vibrating with demonic energy.

He had felt it before Sango even stepped towards Kagome. They were bonded now and she was calling out for him, though probably unaware of it herself. His youki had raged to the surface and Inuyasha was currently fighting with it to keep it at bay. It was revealing to him his mate's state. He could suddenly feel her fear and stress. His ears picked up the sound of her racing heart. As quickly as it appeared, the demon with in him vanished, returning him to his normal state.

“Sango, somethings wrong with Kagome. She's terrified right now, can you see anything?” He asked the taijiya once he was back in control.

Sango looked at him questioningly, observing his double transformation. Assured that he no longer had his full youki, she returned her attention to her friend before her. Attempting to roll Kagome on her back, she found that her body was stiff as a board. Her breathing was labored and she was perspiring heavily. She quickly noticed the large jewel glowing black in Kagome's neck. She also saw the bruised flesh on the opposite side. Frantically she pulled Kagome onto her lap, unsure of how to ease her discomfort.

“Inuyasha! Kagome has most of the Shikon jewel embedded in her neck! It's very tainted and she seems unable to wake.” She worriedly wiped some hair off of Kagome's damp face. Placing a hand on her chest, Sango pulled back when she felt that heartbeat racing at a deadly speed.

“Naraku!” Inuyasha growled. “YOU BASTARD! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO KAGOME?”

Inuyasha was aware that the demon devout of any normal emotion was probably not far away, enjoying the pain and suffering he was inflicting on the group. That explained his sense of unease earlier. Naraku was likely using a barrier to mask his presence. The question remained about the authenticity of the miko before him and the wolf youkai approaching from behind.

He was tempted to answer the annoying hanyou, but preferred to let the dog suffer! It suited his likings more. His eyes burned red at the excitement of his plans taking shape before him. His body pulsed in a frenzy of raw physical reactions as he began to feel the pleasure of Inuyasha and Kagome's pain. He wanted that feeling to climax. He wanted the hanyou dead, but most of all he desired the miko with his shards in her delicate flesh. It was simply a waiting game and he was going to thoroughly enjoy watching it play out before his very eyes.

Kagome stirred somewhat from her frozen trance. It was almost more than she could handle. Images of Inuyasha embracing Kikyo had engraved themselves deeply in her mind. She saw the moment of her betrayal over and over. Inuyasha had chosen Kikyo. He had chosen the dead woman over her. Even going so far as telling her to her face that he wished her harm. Inuyasha wanted her dead.

“You are worthless! Did you really think I could possibly care for a pitiful creature like you? Now that Kikyo has found the remaining jewel shards, you are useless to me.” He had snickered at her, hate and loathing seething from the depths of those amber eyes.

Her whole body convulsed when she heard those words. For the first time she felt afraid of him. He glared at her with such hatred, Kikyo nestled in his arms. What had she done to deserve such treatment?

He had beat her after she had tracked him down in the forest. After stealing her shards, he had called out to Kikyo, smiling as she emerged through the thick foliage. Together they had bantered her with verbal abuse, treating her as nothing more than dirt. The scene replayed over and over in her mind. Again sending her body into tremors.

Sango became frightened when Kagome's small frame was racked with convulsions, eyelids fluttering, but never opening. Highly distraught she called out to Inuyasha.

“Inuyasha!” She cried. “Kagome's... she's... I don't know, something is very wrong.”

Miroku took up a vigilant stance as the hanyou backed away from the approaching priestess. Hands braced upon his prayer beads, ready to unleash the wind tunnel if necessary.

Inuyasha knelt by his mate, gathering her tenderly from Sango's lap. The beast within began to stir, distressed by the condition of the girl. He carefully inspected the segment in her neck that the shard was embedded in. Silently he cursed himself for his failure to protect her.

“Damn!” he muttered, head hung low as he cradled her unconscious form.

“Get your hands off my woman!” a low growl rumbled from the undergrowth nearby.

“Kouga!” Sango gasped, standing to a battle ready stance.

She watched in horror as the wolf youkai emerged, hatred plastered on his normally friendly face. He circled the camp, coming to rest in front of Inuyasha and Kagome. Sango found herself directly between the wolf demon and the distraught hanyou.

“Inuyasha, Kouga's youki is very strong right now. For Kagome's sake I think we should avoid confrontation.” Miroku chided in, backing closer to his friends. A terrified Shippo had awoken during the confrontation and now perched himself on the safety of the monk's shoulder.

Avoiding confrontation was no longer an option. Inuyasha had met his breaking point. This was the last straw for Naraku. After this battle, it would be over. No longer could he allow anyone to harm his mate. No longer would he suppress the demon within. He was preparing to remove the Tessaiga and unleash his true form, when a barely audible gasp drew his attention back to the girl in his lap.

He brought his hand up from the sword at his side to gently caress Kagome's cheek. Her eyes fluttered once, then twice, finally slowly opening to stare into his. At first she seemed disoriented, glancing around, gathering her bearings.

His heart stopped in his chest when those beautiful eyes so full of love and adoration trained in on his again. They instantly filled with fear and hatred, her hand pushing him away. Her scream of terror echoed through the forest.

He was there, holding her. Was he preparing for the kill? She had to get away, had to find a weapon. She wasn't going to die without a fight. Would he rip her to pieces before she could reach her sacred arrows? She pushed back from him ignorant of the look of pain and dejection on his face. Turning once more she saw her savior gallantly preparing to fight.

“Kouga!” She screamed out, desperately clawing at the ground, trying to drag herself so she could run to him. “Kouga Please! He'll kill me for sure!”

Inuyasha was stunned, she had fled from him in fear. Fled in tears, trying desperately to reach the wolf that stood before him. Never had he seen such raw desperation come from anyone. What the hell had happened to her? His heart had felt as if it had been torn from his chest. His own mate thought that he was going to kill her. No doubt this was because of those shards in her neck. Naraku was toying with their emotions, enjoying every bit of his suffering and most definitely getting some sick kick from Kagome's terror.

He stood, preparing for an attack from the youkai she was now hiding behind. He growled upon realizing that Kouga's arm was wrapped securely around her thin waist. Never had he wanted to harm another man than he did in that moment. He was about to draw his sword, when that voice reached him again. Cold lips whispered right beside his ear.

“Fancy meeting that dirty wolf and his disgusting bitch here. I thought you asked me here to fulfill you promise... INUYASHA!” Kikyo smirked devilishly as she tucked an arm through his. “Hello Kagome, miss me?”

Kagome's eyes shifted from shades of terror to sparks of hatred. Luckily, she had found her bow and arrows propped up on a tree just behind Kouga. She had thrown the quiver over her shoulder and already drawing an arrow. She stood behind Kouga, bravely drawing the string tight and aiming at the clay pot priestess.

“Tsk Tsk Tsk. I think she means to shot us Inuyasha. I believe she has forgotten that her powers are insignificant compared to mine.” Kikyo smirked, taunting the frightened young miko.

“Inuyasha?” Kikyo questioned after failing to get a response from the hanyou at her side.

Sango and Miroku stood on the sidelines watching the evil plot unfold. Kagome had sought refuge behind the enraged wolf, obviously terrified of Inuyasha. Kikyo had emerged through the dense fog and crept up on Inuyasha. A slight conflict had erupted, leaving the jewel plagued girl aiming a deadly arrow at Inuyasha and Kikyo.

The Tessaiga pulsed wildly, trying to quell the malicious desires of the monster within. This time it would fail. The air around them crackled with new tension and a strong youki. The wind picked up and then switched directions. Miroku could see hints of red and blue in Inuyasha's features as his white hair blew about his face. Claws began to lengthen and an eerie growl was beginning to vibrate within the walls of the fog. Miroku grasped Sango, slowly drawing her away form the people in front of him. Inuyasha was transforming despite the will of the Tessaiga. This meant that they were no longer safe. In Kagome's state, she would not be able to stop Inuyasha's transformation. Sango, realizing much the same, called for Kirara. The three mounted the nekoyoukai and took to the skies above.

“We can't leave Kagome down there!” Shippo whined, frightened by what was transpiring below.

“Shippo! Inuyasha has transformed, we can only assume that he would kill us if we tried to lay a hand on Kagome right now. I'm not sure why, but my intuition tells me that he will not harm her. All we can do is watch and see how the situation progresses.” the monk tried to comfort the young kit. He feared his assumption though. Kagome's safety was not as assured as he led the kit to believe.

She had witnessed the transformation within him. She drew the bow back tighter and focused the arrow on him now, instead of the revived miko at this side. Just as she was about to release the arrow, she heard it. A faint voice calling her from the back of her mind. A deeply masculine voice. It was calling to her, asking her something. She couldn't quite make out the words. She gave the bow a little slack, straining to here that voice.

“Mate!” it called out.

“You must concentrate mate. Here me!” the words began to be more articulated and louder.

Kagome was confused, the voice was familiar, yet she couldn't place it. What was happening to her? Why was she suddenly hearing voices?

An image came to her mind. Fireflies and loving amber orbs? What did it mean? Why did the vision elicit feelings of love and comfort