InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Dark Side ❯ Upon Arrival ( Chapter 6 )

A/N: Whew! I am, so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. College has been harsh, I’m sure many of you can feel my pain.


Chapter 6: Upon Arrival

The place reeked of Naraku now that he had lowered the barrier. Inuyasha couldn’t help but crinkle his nose while he ran towards the castle; god he hated that stench. Inuyasha looked over in Kouga’s direction, seeing his faced mirrored on the wolf demon. Apparently, Kouga couldn’t stand it either. The rest of the group moved in silence, all of them ran out of words about the situation a long time ago. Now, they just wanted Kagome back. Damn the nearly completed jewel.

“We’re close. There usually were a few guardian demons around here, but I doubt they’re around…” Kohaku trailed off. Everyone knew what he was going to say, they were all thinking it anyway ‘…since this is a trap’.

Inuyasha snorted. “Heh, too bad. I could really go for a few weaklings to beat up right now.”

“All the same, time is of more importance than the defeat of a few lesser demons,” Miroku added.

Inuyasha began to pick up speed when he heard an annoyed growl from Kouga behind him. Then Kouga shot up beside him. “We’re moving to slow. I’m going up ahead. See ya there.”

“Hey,” Inuyasha shouted after him. Fuck, the wolf was still fast; to the point that you would think he still had the jewel shards in his legs. Inuyasha let it go. Letting Kouga scout ahead was probably a good idea anyway, //as long as he doesn’t run into anything again//, Inuyasha smirked. Lost in his own world, Inuyasha nearly missed what Miroku said.

“I sense a strong evil aura, but it’s not Naraku’s, and it’s not demonic.” The monk looked confused by his own senses.

Sango looked towards the castle with a worried face. “What else could it be?”

Miroku shook his head. “I don’t know. It almost feels like…”

“Like what?” Inuyasha demanded.

Miroku closed his eyes and shook his head again, as if he could jut the feeling out of his mind. “Nothing, never mind.”

Everyone gave Miroku a quizzical look. Inuyasha stared ahead in anger and worry //Kagome better be safe//. He pushed back the feeling of dread that was threatening to billow up in his stomach. “Whatever it is, I can handle it.”

His declaration of confidence was interrupted by a scream of pain from ahead. Inuyasha’s eyes widened in realization; that was Kouga!

Ginta and Hakkaku began to run faster, worry giving them speed. “Kouga!”

Passing through the front gates of the castle, they found Kouga lying face down on the ground, barely conscious with a huge gash out of his shoulder. Miroku, Sango and Kohaku jumped off Kirara and ran towards the severely wounded demon. If he hadn’t been barely conscious, Inuyasha would have thought he was dead. His blood was everywhere. Whatever did this to him had to be some sort of projectile weapon. Kagura came into Inuyasha’s mind, but Kouga could handle her just fine. How the hell did she get in such a good hit?

Sango knelt down and rolled Kouga over. “Kouga, what happ--” Sango stopped abruptly and let out as gasp, inkling Inuyasha to look over her shoulder. He couldn’t help but step back a little in surprise himself as he noticed tears sliding down the wolf’s face. Kouga may be sensitive at times, mainly towards Kagome, but seeing him cry was like seeing Miroku making an oath of abstinence.

Inuyasha sank to his knees by the injured wolf. “Kouga…?”

Kouga’s face was in utter shock as tears still fell. “It’s not her. Something’s wrong…can’t be her,” he managed weakly before passing out. Sango started tending to his wounds as Ginta and Hakkaku looked on, both in a daze.

Inuyasha scanned the grounds for the assailant, but there was no one in or around the front garden that they stood in. The door to the castle was wide open, but there was nothing but darkness behind it along with the hint of Naraku’s miasma. Inuyasha gave one last look at his comrades, his eyes lingering on the injured wolf, and set off towards the gaping entrance. He might have always fought with the wolf, even threatened to kill him more times than he could count, but it had always been just a simple show of male testosterone, nothing more. To a demon, that was being friends. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles as he walked away; whoever the fuck did that to Kouga was going to pay.

Inuyasha stopped in front of the stairs before the door and was about to call Naraku out when a head peaked out from behind the entrance, followed by the rest of her body. Inuyasha’s heart leaped as a wave of relief swept over him. It was Kagome! She was safe, her wounds had been tended, as a matter of fact, they weren’t even there, and somehow that didn’t matter. All that mattered was she was here, standing in front of him, safe and sound, smiling. He was so happy that it didn’t even register that she wasn’t smiling her usual smile. Something about it was dark, but who gave a damn. Inuyasha bounded up the stairs and landed in front of her, his demon pride barely stopping him from leaping into her arms.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but Shippo said it for the both of them as he scampered toward her. “Kagome you’re okay!”

He was about to leap into Kagome’s outstretched arms when Miroku yelled. “Shippo stop! Don’t go near her!”

Shippo slid to a halt as Inuyasha turned his head to yell at Miroku for being an idiot, but his face made Inuyasha bite his lip. What did the monk sense that they didn’t?

# # # #

Miroku fought hard to keep his composure as he stared down Kagome. He had sensed it earlier, but it felt too impossible, so he shoved it to the back of his mind. Sensing it this time made Miroku break into a cold sweat. The aura was menacing, not as dark as Naraku, but there was more power behind it, almost like it was two powers in one. But he didn’t want to believe it then, or now. Even though he could see it plain and clear, he found himself wishing to wake up from this nightmare. This had to be a nightmare. After all, how could the powerful evil aura that he was sensing be from…Kagome?

But it was her. Kagome’s once bright and shinning aura was now an ominous dark cloud just waiting to crack open and release its poison. Her eyes were cold and hard. He didn’t know she could have such eyes. Even the way she stood now seemed dark and unfamiliar. Miroku found himself praying that she would keep her silence, afraid of what her voice may sound like now. Right now, she didn’t even look like Kagome. //Wait//

Miroku looked down at Kouga, remembering what he said. “It’s not her. Something’s wrong…can’t be her.”

Miroku’s eyes grew in realization as he stared at Kouga’s wound. It couldn’t be, could it? No, he wouldn’t believe it. This had to be some trick of Naraku’s. “Inuyasha, Shippo, get away from her! That isn’t Kagome!”

Inuyasha looked at him on confusion, but he didn’t move. So did everyone else. Sango and Shippo looked like they were about to cry, which made Miroku even more determined to prove this woman’s falsity. It just couldn’t be her…

“Miroku, what are you talking about?” Inuyasha demanded, taking a step closer to the so-called Kagome.

Miroku watched as Kagome’s eyes flicked towards Inuyasha, then back at him, like she was checking the hanyo’s distance away from her. That was his proof; there had to be some kind of trap laying in wait. Now if only he could get it through to that thick-skulled hanyo.

Kagome closed her eyes and shook her head. “Miroku, who else would I be?”

The woman sounded too much like Kagome. But it was impossible. Their Kagome wouldn’t be able to move yet because of her injuries. Though her clothing was torn and splattered with blood, she didn’t have a scratch on her. That proved it. “Where are all of your injuries?” Miroku demanded.

Everyone looked towards her, noticing what he did as their faces grew serious. Kohaku jumped into a defensive stance in front of Sango and the others, while Kirara growled low in her throat. Inuyasha still looked like he didn’t believe it, or that he refused to, taking another step toward her. “But, she smells like Kagome, and…”

“Inuyasha.” Kagome called, walking the final step between them and placing her palms on his cheeks. She closed her eyes and leaned forward, as if to kiss him, and Miroku’s heart felt a jolt. She was gathering her spiritual power and was having it increased by an unknown dark source. //With that much power she could…//

“Inuyasha get away!” Miroku yelled as he released his wind tunnel, using it to pull Inuyasha and Shippo back toward them, whether the stubborn hanyo wanted to listen or not, Miroku was going to get him out of there. Closing his wind tunnel, Inuyasha fell hard at Miroku’s feet with Shippo clinging to his shoulder.

# # # #

Inuyasha laid in confusion on the ground, staring at the black sky for answers to all the questions plaguing his mind. He knew in his heart that she was Kagome, there was no doubt, but…if Miroku hadn’t pulled him away, Kagome would have purified him to ashes; if you could call what she was going to do purification. Her once pure energy seethed with tainted rage, radiating along with a power too dark to be hers.

Inuyasha turned his head to see Shippo clinging onto his shoulder, his little body wracked with sobs. Inuyasha understood. Kagome almost killed them. The little kitsune looked like his heart was being torn in two. Kagome was like a surrogate mother or older sister to the little demon, and she had almost killed him, without a hint of care or restraint. Seeing him pale with confusion and fear made Inuyasha’s own eyes mist up a little as he stood up. “Shippo, go to Sango.”

Shippo stared at Inuyasha, still shaking and apparently too afraid to move. “Don’t worry,” Inuyasha said trying to console him. “We’ll figure out what Naraku did and get her back.”

Inuyasha’s proclamation was met with a menacing laugh that seemed to echo around them. Shippo squeaked and ran over to Sango as Inuyasha growled at the offending and all-too-familiar voice.

Miroku stepped up beside Inuyasha, his hand in the stance to pull of the prayer beads at a seconds notice. “Naraku.”

The evil entity appeared beside Kagome, smiling in success. “And how will you do that, Inuyasha?”

“You bastard, what the hell did you do to Kagome!” Inuyasha could barely contain his anger as he unsheathed Tetsusaiga.

Naraku let out a low chuckle as he placed his arm around Kagome, clearly baiting Inuyasha to charge out in anger. And as always, it worked, not that Inuyasha could give a fuck right now. “Get your fucking hands off her! Kaze no Kizu!”

His attack was deflected by Naraku with ease, pissing Inuyasha off even more as he growled in frustration. The chain of Kohaku’s Kusarigama swept by Inuyasha’s ear, its sickle end headed strait for Naraku. With a wave of his arm that was also deflected, but it was enough of a distraction for Inuyasha to get close enough to try and cut the bastard. As his blade got closer, Naraku kept grinning until suddenly, Kagome was between them. Inuyasha stilled his blade at the last moment, its edge merely an inch or two away from Kagome. All he could do was stare into her now hard eyes that were once a gentle brown. He used to be able to see her loving spirit through those eyes, now all he saw was a wall. “What’s wrong with you?” He whispered meekly.

Kagome’s face didn’t even flinch as she raised her hand to the Tetsusaiga, using her spiritual power to transform it into a useless blade once more. Inuyasha stood there, not sure what to do, his mind and heart at war with one another.

With her hand still around Tetsusaiga’s now dull blade, Kagome pressed her palm to Inuyasha’s chest. The touch that use to make his blood boil and his cheeks red now sent a cold shiver down his spine. He knew what she was planning, but was powerless to think of anything to do as he felt the warmth of her power starting to burn him. At this range, not even Miroku would be quick enough to pull him back. Inuyasha closed his eyes, hoping that this would be a strong enough hit to jolt him out of this nightmare.

Inuyasha felt the burn of Kagome’s hand receding as a whistle of something flying through the air filled his ears. He opened his eyes, knowing that sound all too well //An arrow?//.

A spiritual arrow landed between them, forcing Kagome and Naraku to jump back. Inuyasha looked over to see Kikyo still holding her bow. “K-Kikyo?”

Kikyo pulled another arrow out of her quiver and aimed it at Naraku. “You’re despicable, Naraku. You waited until she was too weak to defend herself and forced that tainted jewel upon her.”

“What do you mean?” Inuyasha asked.

“Of course. That explains the other power I have been sensing,” Miroku stated.

“Yes,” Kikyo explained. “Kagome has the whole of Naraku’s tainted jewel shard in her forehead. It has defiled her once pure soul in a way that even I thought impossible.”

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Naraku chuckled. “How powerful she could become without all of you holding her down.” He turned to Kikyo. “Even more powerful than you.”

Kikyo’s eyes narrowed as she let loose her arrow. This time, Naraku didn’t even flinch. “Kagome, my dear.”

Brown eyes turned pitch black as Kagome erected a barrier, absorbing Kikyo’s spiritual arrow without a hint of difficulty. Inuyasha’s eyes widened in awe as the once power filled arrow fell to the ground like the stick it was made of. Naraku’s laugh rang through his ears. “You’re powerless, Kikyo.”

One of Naraku’s tentacles charged at Kikyo. Inuyasha’s heart felt like it was going to stop when suddenly Naraku stopped his would be fatal hit. Inuyasha saw Naraku looking down at Kagome as if a conversation had just passed. Naraku smiled and began circling his miasma around Kagome and himself. “So you have the last shard.”

Inuyasha knew what he was doing. “Stop!” He was going to run away.

“That’s useful to know.” The miasma dispersed, showing that he and Kagome had left.

“Come back!” Inuyasha yelled at the vacant cloud of poison, dropping to his knees and pounding the ground with his fists in frustration as tears welled up behind his eyes. //Kagome…I’m so sorry Kagome. I couldn’t…I…//

Inuyasha was broken out of his revere by a hand lightly touching his shoulder. Turning, he was met by Miroku’s solemn face with Shippo perched on his shoulder, crying in abandon. “We can’t stay here.” Inuyasha nodded and they took off for refuge.

#

They found and abandoned shack and set up camp while Kikyo treated Kouga’s wounds, closely monitored by Ginta and Hakkaku. Inuyasha found himself alone outside, staring into the fire as waves of guilt, worry, and fear rushed over him. He felt like the world had been pulled out from under him. Kagome, the once bright, innocent and beautiful woman that he knew had been twisted and distorted into a cold, dark…enemy. One that Inuyasha couldn’t fight even if his life depended on it, as he proved earlier today.

“Inuyasha,” Sango called from the shack. “Come in here for a moment.”

He got up and made his way into the shack and sat down near the door. “How is he?” Inuyasha asked, looking over at Kouga.

“He will recover in a few days,” Kikyo answered. “It is Kagome that you must worry about now.” She pulled out the last jewel shard from her robes, holing it up as a prop. “Kagome’s very soul is being tainted by the jewel inside her. Though it gives her great power, I do not know how long she can live with it inside her.”

“Kagome told me,” Sango interjected, “that she was born with the jewel inside her to begin with. Could she maybe not be in any danger since her body is use to its power?”

“Her body was use to the jewels power when it was either pure or at least neutral. Which gives to reason that she is in even more danger.”

“What do you mean?”

“From what I can gather, when the Shikon-no-tama was inside her, she kept it purified by her natural aura, meaning that she is naturally “positive”. But now the Shikon-no-tama is filled with negative energy, the opposite of her natural aura. So it is literally ripping her soul to have the two opposing forces inside her.”

Inuyasha let her words sink in…ripping her soul…Kagome was slowly dying because of that bastard Naraku. Inuyasha heard sobbing coming from beside him and looked over to see Shippo curled up with his tail hiding his face on top of Kagome’s yellow backpack. He couldn’t imagine what the kid was feeling right now, not that Inuyasha blamed him. If he was small enough, he would be curled on top of that backpack right by him.

“Isn’t it possible that it might be the other way around? That her soul is slowly purifying it again?” Miroku practically pleaded.

“I’m afraid not. If Naraku had tried this when she was well, she probably would be purifying it. But in the state she was in…” Kikyo trailed off. Inuyasha caught Kohaku hugging his knees to himself even tighter. He couldn’t imagine how guilty the kid must feel. But if he said one word about it, Inuyasha would tie him to a tree with his own Kusarigama.

Just as Inuyasha was picturing this, Kirara put her front paws on Kohaku’s legs, meowing at him as if to tell him to cheer up. Kohaku unburied his face and smiled at the neko with watery eyes. The feline may not be able to talk, but the slayer siblings seemed to understand her just fine. Inuyasha even found himself feeling a bit better from the show of affection.

“Is there a way to remove the jewel safely?” Miroku asked.

Kikyo seemed to think about it for a moment. “She would have to be in a very weakened state to even begin to try it. But perhaps, with Kaede’s help, we may be able to. How was it removed from her in the first place?”

Inuyasha had sunk into a daze again until he felt eyes on him. He looked up, noticing that Kikyo’s question was directed at him. He forgot that he was the only one there who was present when it happened.

“From what I saw, it was in her side when that centipede bitch attacked her and ripped it out. It was in pretty deep, too. She even has a scar there now.” Inuyasha mumbled the last sentence, remembering the first time he noticed that light line on Kagome’s side. She had been stretching in the early morning, back when it was just the two of them, when her shirt lifted up enough for him to see it. He remembered how she jumped and blushed when he touched it. Ever since then, he always found himself looking for it whenever the wind blew her shirt up as they traveled.

“That’s definitely not an option.” A new voice chimed in. Inuyasha looked over to see Kouga conscious again.

“Kouga!” Ginta and Hakkaku chimed in unison as they began doting on their leader, helping him to sit up.

Sango took the wet cloth off of Kouga’s forehead. “How long have you been awake?”

“Long enough. Look, she might not be acting like herself, but there’s no way I would let anyone even try that,” Kouga declared as he winced at the pain in his shoulder.

“Of course not,” Inuyasha spat out.

Sango fiddled with the wet cloth nervously. “Kouga, what happened when you got to the castle?”

Kouga seemed to zone out for a moment. “Priestess, is the jewel shard that you have still so pure that a demon can’t even touch it?” He asked, totally ignoring Sango’s question. Everyone got the hint…he didn’t want to talk about it.

“Yes, and I can keep it that way, as long as no one else touches it.” Kikyo placed the shard back inside her robes.

“Then Kagome would be the only one who can get it from us.” Miroku concluded.

Kouga nodded. “Exactly. She’ll come to us, so we don’t have to hunt down that asshole Naraku again.”

Inuyasha just hoped he wouldn’t do anything to her until then as he though darkly of Naraku’s old obsession with Kikyo. //He better not even try to touch her//.


TBC…
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Please Review! Again, I would love 4 reviews for the next chapter.