Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It's all in the Mind ❯ Destruction ( Chapter 4 )

Sorry for the long wait people. There is just so much going on at the moment, I mean I've just come back from holiday, everyone in the house is helping my sister get ready for her first ever trip to America on Friday and she is a nervous wreck. I've been rereading all my stories so I remember where I left off (and planning two new ones) and been finding beta readers for some of my stories so it's been a bit hectic and probably will be for quite a while, sorry, though I tried to make this chappie nice and long to make up for it, don't know if I succeeded though)

(Personal note only for Darkest Melody: Hey sweetie, I can't believe it! No more home internet/email for almost a month? I feel for you I really do, hmmmmm I'll keep contacting you via my chapters okay? I'll most likely post notes for you in my other stories as well so look for them!)

Thanks to all the reviewers:

Lady Light xXxAngelikk Darkest Melody Amara Kariisme

Tsukiyo_Kitsune_tears badassreviewer jenipenny

~It's all in the Mind~

Chapter Four

When Shippou had watched his Okaasan running into the forest he had been scared, and a bit upset. He had dropped the little slip of parchment with the figures of those recently deceased, critically injured or recovering and had started to run after his fleeing okaasan on all fours, knowing that running like that would give him more speed.

He managed to gain a bit of speed and run about ten paces when he felt a cool, large, clawed hand grab the scruff of his neck, gently, and lifted him up from the ground. His small legs and arms stopped their motions as he stared hopelessly into the forest. He knew without asking where his okaasan had gone, and as her kit he was afraid for her. She was such a delicate human; he wanted her safe, with him. Sniffing a bit, scared for what would happen to his okaasan while around the demonic Inuyasha Shippou's head drooped slightly before he looked over his shoulder at Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands who stared out into the forest as well, calm, silent as always.

"S-Sesshoumaru-Sama, what will Inuyasha do to her?" He paused, not wanting to voice his worst fear…but he did "Will she be alright? She's just a human after all…" His voice trailed off as his eyes met those of Sesshoumaru's, his golden eyes showing no fear, no worry or concern, he trusted her to stay safe, alive.

"Kit, do not worry over such things, your okaasan proved herself a worthy opponent this battle, do not think lightly of her capabilities" His words were crisp but quiet, his respect for her there, but well hidden as he spoke. His eyes turned back once more to the forest, silently following the path Kagome had taken before placing the young kit down on the ground while at the same time using the 'new' arm Kagome had healed earlier on in their acquaintance to grab the piece of parchment containing the figures from the ground.

Keeping half of his attention on the young kit his eyes scanned the numbers on the parchment, and he silently cursed at the number of deceased youkai. To loose so many was disastrous, especially when some of Naraku's army still survived in the surrounding areas, with so many dead and the large number of injured he feared more would be injured during the predictable raids on the human villages. Scrunching up the parchment within the palm of his clawed hands he looked up away from Shippou as he saw the Ookami Ouji approaching him, the lines on his tanned face showing his displeasure.

"Sesshoumaru, where's Kagome?!" His voice held the lack of respect he had for the Inu-Youkai before him, obviously still sore from all their previous 'head-buttings' with each other and his eventual loss in all of them. His ponytail bounced in time off of the back of his neck as he strode over to the Inu and the young Kit. "Well?"

Sighing in exasperation at the disrespectful Ookami, Sesshoumaru was barely able to hide his irritation behind his emotionless mask before answering, "Do you always feel such a constant need to know where the Miko is Ookami?" Kouga's constant badgering where it concerned the young Miko woman almost bordered on obsession in Sesshoumaru's mind, but it was not an unhealthy one, if it had been the Ookami would have been dead long ago. Sesshoumaru had given his word to the young human that he would protect her. One of his only friends and people to have gained his respect, and when he gave his protection he meant it.

Honour to a youkai meant a lot, for youkai were such powerful beings that if they did not keep their words then their power could easily overwhelm an unsuspecting prey, and there was no honour in such an easy kill. Youkai thrived on challenges in everything, from the mind, to blood challenges even to mating challenges, although they were becoming rarer of late. And to decline a challenge just for an easier kill, in any sense of the word was not honourable, and as Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, honour meant a great deal to him.

Kouga growled quietly at Sesshoumaru's question before staring down at Shippou "Do you know where Kagome is?" He stood there one hand on his hip in general annoyance as he waited for the young kit to reply.

"Hai, I know where okaasan is, and I'm not telling you anything!" Shippou yelled at the arrogant Ookami, who, if looks could kill, would have killed him ten times over and then some. Instead he settled for growling at the young kit before storming off to go to his remaining pack, never knowing that he might very well never see Kagome again.

Watching the Ookami walk off, Shippou sighed and started walking away from the direction of the forest, knowing if he stayed much longer he would go and find her, and most likely distract her and get her killed. He turned back once, scenting the air in hopes of smelling her calming scent of waterfalls and lily's coming closer, but he smelt nothing.

As the young kit reluctantly walked away Sesshoumaru glared into the forest, almost as if glaring at his half-brother hiding within the safety of the trees, his protection had been given to the Miko, and not even someone of his own blood would take his honour from him. Especially a weak Hanyou like Inuyasha, if it were at all possible for Inuyasha to make Sesshoumaru loose his honour it would be even more of a disgrace, to loose honour to something as weak as him, a lowly half-demon. Even one who was slowing gaining respect, Inuyasha was still deemed a lowly Hanyou, for he could never be a full demon as he was marred with human blood, the blood of the human no Demon had respected or approved of as Inu-Taisho's mate.

Yes, Inuyasha had done a very worthy thing on the battle field, something very remarkable for one such as himself, but it would never excuse the fact that he was a Hanyou, a breed never accepted by the human race or Youkai.

Youkai accepted humans to an extent, they were a pure blooded race, all human blood, whether innocent or vile blood, it was all still human, and as such they were deemed a slight respect as a race in their own right, usually viewed as a pathetic race yes, but it came to show the amount of respect they had in the fact that they had not been wiped out by the Youkai Lords long ago. For beings as powerful as they, it would have been no problem to eliminate the ningen peoples.

Sesshoumaru blinked at his thoughts, it was at times like these that he sometimes wondered how difficult it was for Inuyasha, he felt no pity for his brother, he had been born a Hanyou and needed to learn how to survive as one, no amount of coddling on his part would stop him being a Hanyou or change everyone's views on them, but still, it made him wonder from time to time.

Deep in thought, Sesshoumaru barely heard the scrabble in the bushes in the distance as he heard someone running, his sense of sound sharpened as he concentrated in curiosity, no animal had come anywhere near the large camp of youkai and humans, they were smart enough not to, but the sound was far enough away that it was difficult to decipher who or what it was running in the opposite direction of the camp in such a blind hurry.

And in those precious seconds it took Sesshoumaru to realise it was a human running away, and to make the connection that the human was Kagome, he lost his last chance at seeing her again, and saving her a world of heart ache as, although he raced closer to her, the sounds of her breathing and her existence in the feudal era vanished, as she went back to hide in her own time.

Away from things he would soon come to find, hidden in the woods, growing cold in death.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was with shaking fingers that the tired and red eyed figure emerged from the ancient well inside the shrine's well house, clean of any cuts or blood which should have accompanied the tears and slashes in her clothes, or what remained of her clothes anyway. Her hair was messy and wind swept, telling the tale of the running she had been doing lately, although she wanted to forget. She wanted the images of him, of Inuyasha to go away, she wanted the images of him lying there, dead, eyes glazed to not be seared so completely onto the inside of her eyelids. Where she would always be reminded of her sins, of what she had done to her friend.

"I-Inuyasha…" Her voice cracked as she sobbed, heaving sobs that racked her delicate frame. Eyes releasing the humiliating tears she didn't want, sniffing as her nose ran, and trying to ignore the burning in her throat from her cries and screams before…when he had hurt her, and when she had…w-when she had hurt him. She hadn't meant to though, it had been an accident. I-It had been the jewels fault. It had distracted her, if she could just believe that now, then-then maybe she wouldn't feel the guilt that weighed upon her battered heart.

She opened her eyes in hope of forgetting the pictures that kept flashing in front of her, she tried to steer her mind from her grief, and guilt and towards her family, the family she had neglected for months without a single word of how she was or even if she was still alive.

It had to be done Kagome…he threatened your existence…I need your help…it had to be done…

She shook her head, but kept her eyes open even through her exhaustion, no…no…she had promised to help after the battle yes, but not at the extent it had cost her, if…if she hadn't been distracted by subduing the jewel then Inuyasha would still be alive, walking around, sulking even in his Youkai rages, but he at least would have been a-alive.

Even if you hadn't agreed young Kagome…you are still affected…it is within you…you must help for you own survival…do not mourn what cannot be undone…you need to live…for us!

She knew it too, she knew that was the truth, but she wouldn't believe it, it was all the damn jewel's fault, and as soon as she got rid of it the better…if she didn't get rid of it somehow then someone else would get hurt, she knew it. Curling her fingers into a fist she stumbled away from the well in anger at the stupid responsibilities given to her by the jewel that had already ruined her life enough already.

She ignored the voice talking to her, trying to make her see 'reason', it was as if her mind was clouded in a haze, she no longer cared, cared about responsibilities, the grief or the guilt, anything. Her steps were slow and ungainly as she struggled to reach her house. She had managed to stumble up the stairs to the well house door with little trouble, but the flat expanse before her made her nauseous. Nothing to hold on to, nothing, it was just a small expanse of concrete slabs leading to the side door.

Grimacing as the hard concrete hurt her aching feet, wishing that it was grass instead Kagome stumbled along, exhaustion dragging at her eye lids and at her limbs. As she walked closer her vision became more askew as the headache pounded at her temple. She knew she was at her final stretch, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to stay up much longer. But if she could just get to the kitchen, one of those sharp steak knives would be big enough to dig the jewel out from her side. She knew it would be.

She also knew just how ridiculous she was being, but it was the only solution she could think of to get rid of the jewel which had more or less ruined her life. If she got rid of it, then everything would be better. No more demons chasing after her for ultimate power, no more deaths and no more voices in her head asking for help she was no longer willing to give, even if she knew she had to help, for her survival at least.

With these thoughts haunting her, Kagome stumbled the last few steps towards the door, wondering if her family even thought her alive, after all this time. It had been so long since she had last seen her family, since the last time she had been able to get home. As Naraku had gotten stronger it had been deemed unsafe for her to go home in case Naraku found out about the well and her time. She had also needed to be trained in proper fighting skills besides archery and to do that she had stayed behind in the past to be trained by Sesshoumaru.

She knew Sesshoumaru had, at least at first, wanted nothing to do with her. But Youkai honour had kept him quiet for she had helped him, in a manner of speaking. She had in fact saved his young ward Rin, while at the time not knowing who she was, and so to repay her for looking after his ward he had offered, that if she had had need of it, to call upon him to teach her how to fight, properly.

She had at the time been quite annoyed at the 'properly', but when she had eventually called him (after many Osuwari's) she found that at her level of fighting skill back then she lasted a miraculous 0.01 seconds against him. Although he was much stronger then most demons it still showed her what she needed to see. That if she was ever alone and without a bow, she would die. It hadn't been a very comforting thought.

So he had trained her, slowly at first but enough so that each night she had returned to her room in Sesshoumaru's castle with bruises, aches and cuts all over her 'frail ningen' body. It had been a slow process, no sudden coming into her powers, no hidden talents. It had been back breaking (though not literally) work, she had bled, she had whined and even cried, she was no super human. Yes she had Miko abilities, but that didn't stop her skin from being broken, it just helped her heal faster so she had had less excuses in which to try and back out of 'lessons'.

So it had been over a long period of working with Sesshoumaru, Sango and Miroku that she was at the ability she was at today, though at that moment she didn't feel particularly strong. But soon she would be able to rest, able to rest with out the jewel constantly plaguing her life, she would still be able to visit her friends without putting them in constant danger. Even though for some it was too late.

Her mind shied away from those thoughts, the haze in her mind lifting slightly at the grief of Sango, Inuyasha and Totosai threatened to overtake her. No she would be strong, strong enough to live, for them, to repay the debts she owed them for causing such misery in their lives. She would just have to survive without the jewel, that was all. No problem.

Kagome finally reached the door as she fell against the door knob her side throbbing from where the jewel lay once more, protesting in worry at her thoughts, if that was possible.

Do not do it Kagome…you will doom us all…

She ignored it and struggled with stiffening digits to pull up the cloth covering her front torso area from falling down off of her shoulders. The material seemed harsh against her skin for some reason, but she didn't have long to think about it, for as she managed to twist the door handle and push open the door, her knees finally gave out. And with a harsh thud Kagome fell onto her knees just in side the doorway, before she finally gave into the haze around her mind, and fell into unconsciousness.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Souta was bored, extremely bored in fact. He'd gone to school, then come home but with having had played all his previous Play Station games there was nothing new for him to do, so obviously, he was bored. What he hadn't planned to cure his boredom though, was to see the body of his older sister lying just inside the front door, her clothes falling apart around her.

"OKAASAN!!!!" He ran, yelling for his okaasan as he did. He leapt down the last few stairs skidding slightly at the impact in his socks before he crumbled to his knees, his small hands shaking Kagome's slim shoulders, trying to wake her up. But nothing worked.

"'Gome, Kagome wake up! Onegai, what's wrong! Wake up! Okaasan! Quick!!" His voice was frantic, quivering in fright.

"Souta? Wha…Souta get out of the way!" Confused at first, then frightened the mother of Souta and Kagome, Mrs. Higurashi ran towards her eldest and her only daughter.

"Oh Kami, Souta go get your Grandpa and the first aid kit, now!" He nodded, the usually rebellious young boy obeying his okaasan at a single command, his young mind unused to the sight before him.

As he ran off further into the house, Ayumi Higurashi found herself left there, by the front door, alone with her young daughter and for the first time in years, she cried. Cried at the feeling of helplessness, and at not knowing what exactly had happened to her precious daughter to put her in such a condition.

And not for the first time, at the feeling of being so afraid for her child, and being unable to do anything to stop it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It wasn't long, maybe two or three minutes after Sesshoumaru had first realised Kagome was gone that Shippou stopped, and sniffed the air and found, with a sinking heart the smell of waterfalls and lily's, was fading. Not just around him, but near the forest as well.

"k-kaasan?! His voice was low, trembling as he stilled, his eyes widening as he understood more or less what that meant. "OKAASAN!!" And he ran, not caring who followed or that he left behind the suddenly frantic looking Kouga. He ran with a single mindedness towards the well, his one link back to his okaasan, not caring about the shouts from behind him as he went.

' 'Kaasan, okaasan, please don't leave me, onegai' His mind was in chaos, a mix of emotions and thoughts as he ran as fast as his four little paws could take him. ' 'Kaasan, you promised, you promised never to leave me 'kaasan, onegai come back!'

As he ran, the quiet surrounding the forest made him shiver, but he didn't stop. He knew something was wrong, something was very wrong. But he didn't care. But as he ignored it, what he didn't realise that what he was ignoring would be the difference between seeing his Okaasan again and not.

For as he ran towards the well, another being did. One that was loyal to the end, loyal to his master, the hanyou…Naraku. Its green tinted skin blended in well with the woods around it, its red eyes one of the few things making it easy to see. It's horns a jet black, not reflecting a single ray of light and it's cloven feet barely made a noise as it ran to the well wanting to avenge it's master, by hurting the Miko as much as he could, and he had realised the way.

If the wench was cut off from her 'family', then she would suffer the guilt for a lifetime. It had no clue where the well left, all he did know was that she had jumped through the well and had disappeared, so that was her only connection to this place. He could have laughed, his master had held such suspicions for a while that the Miko came from an unknown land, he had been right. Unfortunately, he was no longer around to witness the truth.

That just made the revenge that much sweeter.

As the two approached the well, the Oni hidden in the woods slowed to a stop about 10 feet before the edge of the forest using a large tree to hide as much of him as possible. Shippou though, did not seem to care. He raced into the clearing and stopped right next to the edge of the well and used it to gain his balance as he sniffed, tears forming in his ever widening eyes.

His voice was barely above a whisper but easily reached the Oni's ears "Kaasan…" He smirked, and without another second wasted, he charged.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He had stopped no more then quarter of a mile from the well, his body seemingly caught in the cold grip of…abandonment? Fear?...Yes, fear…but why?

His mind fleetingly travelled back to one of his only 'friends' as she left, but something else seemed to catch his mind, something, that felt extremely wrong, out of place and unnatural even. Growling at whatever it was that had caught this Sesshoumaru's attention so easily he turned, his golden eyes looking once more at the path towards the well. She was already gone, he would find out what was distracting him then bring her back, somehow, for he had no clue if he could travel through the well.

Oh yes he knew of the well, his idiotic brother had let some of it slip, and during the beginning of their training together Kagome had told him about where she came from. Which did explain her strangely styled revealing kimono and her speech, she had always spoken like they were equals, annoying at first yes but eventually he had come to see it as a way of Kagome saying she accepted that person. It had left him feeling oddly…contented, which was something Sesshoumaru rarely felt, if at all.

Before long he began to realise that the path he was taking was the one Kagome had taken to get to the well. He had deliberately gone to a forest near the well, a section which until recently had been a 'no-go' area, as the ningens called it, due to the haunting youkai presences. Sesshoumaru along with the three other TaiYoukai had taken care of the Youkai and had used it as their base to heal their own. It was also an area the Miko knew and as such there would be no unnecessary attacks on the Youkai, hopefully. With such high numbers of injured any attacks, even by humans would have done some damage. What with the TaiYoukai being occupied so much of the time.

It hadn't taken long, about half a minute to get to where Kagome had been, and it took a fraction of that time to realise why. Near the edge of the clearing, propped up against a tree, was Inuyasha, bloodied from Sesshoumaru's earlier attack and his eyes misted and half closed as his chest was still, no regular rhythm to show he was breathing, because he wasn't.

Stopping on the opposite side of the clearing, Sesshoumaru did not move. His golden gaze locked onto the form of his younger brother, reeking of death and Miko magics.

Expressionless, Sesshoumaru moved gracefully across the grass towards Inuyasha his gaze never wavering. How? What had happened? Inuyasha…was dead, it was a hard concept to grasp, after all this time he had tried to rid himself of his brother, the one who was able had been one of his brothers own. The reincarnation of his old lover.

Sesshoumaru sighed almost in pain and closed his eyes blocking out the image in front of him, what had he done to her? Kagome would never have attacked without provocation, and she would never have killed, unless…unless it had been an accident.

But it couldn't have been, she had never displayed such power in her Miko abilities before, not without the use of her bow and arrow or sword at least. This had been done without a focus, and against the Youkai mad Inuyasha. Something had happened, something was very wrong with this.

Inuyasha would never have hurt her, let alone provoke her enough to attack him with intentions to harm. But he had done something, and it had cost him his lowly Hanyou life. Which, for some reason, bothered Sesshoumaru more then he would have liked. Inuyasha was his brother yes, but they had never been close, not close enough to cause this kind of unsettling feeling anyway.

Moving his head to the side and opening his eyes, his gaze seemed lined with a dull blanket of grief, something he would never admit to feeling but still there all the same. Even if he was just a Hanyou, he deserved to be given the respect his Youkai blood gave him. A proper passing.

The rites of passage into the after life, where those of Youkai lineage went to their makers, and where they would be given the rewards they had reaped during their life. To pass on fully, the soul had to be shown the path.

And so, with one last thought for Kagome and the well, promising that after his duty was done to his brother, he would never again leave her alone to face something like what had happened that day, whatever it had been.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shippou, although young in Youkai terms, was not stupid. He knew this time something was different. With all the times his Okaasan had gone back through the well, this time stood out in his mind. He knew, for whatever reason, she was not coming back.

What he hadn't known though was that it would be the consequences on his side of the well that would keep her away, not on her side. So, when it happened, he had no chance to stop the Oni.

It was quick, quicker than any normal Oni, though if trained under someone like Naraku who had had such power it was not that surprising. But to Shippou, all he heard was the pounding of the cloven feet on the grass, a greenish figure racing towards him, and on instinct he rolled to the side, a slash of claws on his side the only thing to show for his encounter.

It was only a second or so later that he found out what the Oni was really after, he heard it was a terrible crack and crash as the Oni slashed at the old bone eaters well, it's claws breaking through the old stone making it crumble in on itself, until a cloud of dust rose like a mushroom in the air.

He had destroyed the well.

Lying on the ground, dust tickling at his throat, Shippou watched the cloud slowly disappear as he saw the Oni, grinning manically over the stone filled hole of what had been the well, and he screamed. "IIE! OKAASAN!!!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kouga had watched the little Kit run into the forest, but even with the anxiety eating at him he had stayed, for his pack with it's now dwindling numbers. The pups in the pack now had very few fathers, so he had to stay and try and help save as many as possible, or his pack would die with the lack of males to hunt in the winter and sire more pups.

But all Youkai within the encampment stopped when they heard the scream from the forest.

But only a few knew what it meant…Kagome.

"Kagome…iie…" The bandage fell from his numb fingers, even as within the forest Sesshoumaru finally layed his brother to rest, he too turned to the direction of the scream, and a look of regret and denial swept through his golden eyes.

Kagome was gone…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

STAMP….STAMP…STAMP…STAMP…STAMP 230; "What?"

"Errr, sir we have an update on that report, the classified one"

"And?"

"I-It's vanished…."

"Vanished!!"

"Yes sir"

"Then it's begun…" Koenma placed his stamp down on his desk and sighed, his eyes on the ever growing pile of paperwork before sighing again and taking the parchment from the Ogre before him, who stood nervously by the door. Grabbing the old parchment he stared at it….at the pact made so long ago…

…"Call the team in…they have work to do"