Disclaimer: Inuyasha characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Other characters are property of Kidoairaku.
Rating: PG-13: for language and just in case
Summary: [Nar/Kag] The ningen foiled his plans again! What was it about this human girl that allowed her to infinitely ruin his plots? He would find out for himself what she was really able to do…
Genre: Romance/Drama
A/N: Okay, okay, I seem to have a lot of thank you's to say in general. Bah. This one goes to Shikome Kido Mi. He came up with the new title, genius. Bah again. It's a heck of a lot better than "True Love," so it's gonna stay "Corrupt." Funny, it's totally relevant to what I'm attempting to write. ^_^ Also, another one out to Cacat-angel for getting on me about the flaws in Chapter 10. It was SO historically inaccurate, and I guess I wanted to keep it kinda parallel, so, thank you! ^_^ There's a little info back in 10 about my tiny research project, so, if you'd care to check that out, it'll be in the 10's A/N. Preferred dates of the Sengoku Jidai, little glass facts, and dates of porcelain. I did a little looking-into for a friend of mine about pianos, too, and fighting fans (which are really cool, by the way), so, haha. Little bit of a research break. ^_^ Anyways. The chapter. ^_^
Corrupt
Chapter Twelve: Set
July 2003
Kagome awoke with her head pounding, sharp stabs of pain coming in needlelike stakes between her eyes. Her dreams had been plagued by memories, their sequence erratic and dizzying.
She clenched her fists experimentally. Her body was recovering, and the vigor she'd lost was slowly seeping back into her. Mentally she cheered, brightening at the prospect of rising soon. Her muscles were beginning to cramp badly, the futon no longer holding so much comfort.
Kagome turned on her side and drew the covers up around her, her thoughts bouncing back to her dream. It had been an odd experience. She'd felt as if she was sidelined, but still very much part of the memories. Her pained eyes had taken in the scenes with resolute acceptance, all the events that led up to this entrapment, and felt the same spurring emotions she'd had at the time of the encounter. She'd actually relived her memories. Kagome curled into herself. It seemed like someone had been there with her, watching as she did through the fragmented recollections. A stranger…manipulating her thoughts…
The last scenes had run together smoothly, seemingly melded into one long memory—Naraku's deception and the mysterious dream. Certainly, they couldn't have been connected in any way… It was unthinkable. Was it a sign? A warning of some sort?
The door opened. Stiffening, Kagome clutched the blanket more tightly. A draft slithered through the open door, and she shivered.
"It's quite cold, wouldn't you agree?" she heard from behind her. Soft footsteps made their way around her bedding, the material of Naraku's hakama sliding into view. She curled into herself a little, suddenly feeling very alone, very trapped, and also somewhat violated, although she didn't understand why. In any case, it was probably from the hanyou that her feelings stemmed.
"What do you want?" she rasped harshly, glaring up at him from her covers.
"Manners, Kagome," he scolded, eyes narrowing.
She shrank back slightly, still keeping her glare leveled. She briefly entertained the idea of throttling him…if only she could get up. Fabric rustled as her captor settled against the wall in front of her. "Well?" she prompted impatiently, turning away from him.
"Yes, I am very well, thank you." A low chuckle resonated, drawing a frown on Kagome's face. She obviously didn't appreciate his jest. The humor vanished from his face immediately. "I would suggest you bathe."
Kagome turned to look suspiciously over her shoulder, eyes slit in question.
"I believe you've gone for quite a while without one." He paused, his lips quirking up into an amused smirk. "And if I remember correctly, you bathe quite often."
She flew into a rage at once, throwing the covers off irritably. Her dulled blue eyes sparked dangerously. "Why you…!"
"Temper, Kagome," he murmured, rising. "Come."
She sputtered. "W-What? How can I?" Days of physical inactivity had probably lulled her into dysfunction. Oddly enough, sitting up in her displeasure had proved easy. Her eyebrows furrowed, stubbornly refusing the assistance Naraku offered her. When she glared at him her eyes said it all: 'Why should I trust you?'
Taking the response calmly, he withdrew his hand, folding his arms. Naraku watched as she struggled with rising, amusement touching the edges of his expression.
Kagome managed to firmly get herself into a kneeling position, leaning forward and attempting to push herself up fluidly. The instant she was up though, grinning triumphantly, she tumbled forward into Naraku's unfolded arms. Her mouth twisted as she glowered at him reproachfully.
"As much as I understand we are enemies, Kagome, there is nothing you can do right now," he said pointedly, scooping her up. "Perhaps you could be a little more cooperative in my wake."
She snorted, crossing her arms. "I couldn't care less what you think."
"I have given you more than courtesy," he returned sharply, rounding a corner, "I expect the same."
"Oh, I thought my disobedience was enlightening, I'm sorry," she bit back sarcastically. The walls suddenly became much darker, and her lungs felt suppressed. Her hands flew instinctively to her throat, where her breath was constricting.
"Do not try my patience, Kagome," Naraku warned, his grip tightening on her body.
The choking miasma dissipated, and Kagome breathed in relief. She remained silent for the rest of the trip to the bath, finding herself lethargic and rather reluctant to be killed.
His crimson eyes flickered with intrigue. Strange girl, this one was. They hadn't much farther to go to the bath anyways. Upon reaching the sliding door he paused. The girl's gaze lifted questioningly to him, but he ignored it. He reached awkwardly toward the door, thought better of it, and turned down a narrow corridor leading outside.
He made for the spring he had found on earlier occasion, deciding it would better suit the girl. Traveling around with the hanyou Inuyasha had probably inured her to utilizing nature's provisions.
Kagome gazed in wonder at the dying greenery, crippled and black, nude branches drooping gloriously toward the underworld. The trail on which they moved was barren wherever he stepped. What little grass growing curled away from his person, shriveling in on itself. She shifted in his arms to stare behind him, wondering if the foliage was truly gone. Yet, as soon as he stepped over them, the tiny blades regenerated themselves as petite shoots in the ground; they seemed to sparkle as soon as he passed. Kagome's eyes widened in awe. Was Naraku able to restart the cycle of growth?
She scoffed. Yeah, right.
He set her down gently at the water's edge. Her legs faltered a moment, threatening to give way under her; Kagome grasped his sleeve tightly to steady herself. As soon as she seemed to regain control, though, she retracted her hand as if burned, glaring at him.
"Well?" she prompted.
"Well, what?" he snapped back irritably.
She huffed in exasperation. "You're not staying here to watch me, are you?" she spat.
"No, I'm not." His hand moved to the sash coiling around his waist. "I'm getting in as well."
Her shock was evident; she attempted to step back, instead stumbling and falling gracelessly to the greenery that flourished at the spring's shore. "Y-You…sick…pervert!" she stammered, face lighting in a blush.
He had removed his haori, baring his upper body to her. "Do you require assistance?" he inquired politely, once again offering his hand.
"No!" She shook her head vigorously, swinging her black locks about. She was up in an instant, fiddling with her obi. "Turn around," she commanded meekly.
Naraku complied, grinning bemusedly as he undid his hakama. His ears tuned to the whisper of silk preceding the soft lapping of water as she hastily entered the spring. He took it as his 'okay' to turn around, so, allowing the loose pants to slide to the ground, he slipped in as well, watching furtively as she moved away to the other side, her back to him. Turning her back on the enemy, he mused absently.
He still had yet to figure out what made her so special. Come to think of it, he didn't really have a method to go about finding the information, either. What a plan this was turning out to be. His thoughts drifted over to his most recent ploy. He sank into the water. Another detachment would probably be in want, as well as a kidnapping. There would probably be more impact on the hanyou if Naraku could bend Kagome to his will as well. Knowing her, though, it would be near impossible. He'd already lent a hand in saving her life and didn't know what could have greater impact than that. His eyes wandered toward her figure, observing as she quietly cleaned herself. She cast a nervous glance over her shoulder and, catching his eye, turned back quickly under the pretense that she hadn't seen him staring. He smirked wickedly, making his way to her through the steamy water.
As soon as Kagome heard the slush of liquid, she glared at him. When she saw he was nearing her, though, she squirmed with unease, instinctually lowering herself into the water. Naraku didn't stop, though, and she became more nervous, turning to face him while attempting to hobble backwards and keep her body out of sight. Finally, when she'd become backed to the edge, Kagome turned her most defiant expression to him, daring him to come forth.
He did.
"Why so nervous, Kagome?" he chuckled, extending a hand. "I will not do you any harm. For now," he added absently.
She looked glorious, her lustrous hair damp yet not quite plastered to her skin, large cerulean eyes narrowed, lips curled into an uncharacteristic snarl…for a moment, he found himself wondering how in seven hells Inuyasha had managed to mistake this girl for Kikyo, when Kikyo was the epitome of grace and purity and this girl was a picture of foolhardy perversity; there was a distinct difference. He gazed deeply into her eyes, those enchanting eyes that Kikyo could never hope to have. Those blue-gray orbs spoke volumes.
Again, he felt drawn to her.
Their bodies were so close; he could feel the warmth rising off her heated skin. As he crept impossibly closer, she stood to meet him in another silent challenge. Naraku gazed back evenly, eyes seductively lowered half-mast. He could feel her resolve slipping away as he leaned toward her; she was giving up, giving away.
The caress started as slow and innocent, chaste as it could be, before turning more violent, passionate; he'd lost himself the moment their skin made contact. By the time concupiscence had cleared enough for him to gather his wits, Kagome was backed onto the grassy slope, tears streaming as she struggled. I will never release you… The thought came from nowhere, cutting clearly through his passion-induced daze. Frowning slightly, he continued his administrations in a more conscious manner, running his fingers through her sodden hair. I might have use for this, he mused absently, gently pulling a few strands from her scalp and wrapping them round a finger. He then calmly withdrew himself from her personal space, pulling her back into the water.
Kagome sobbed brokenly while Naraku retained her hand. Her eyes fell anywhere but on him, tears continuing to slither down her face. As the seconds passed, though, her shoulders began to tremble violently while she bit her lip, still burning with sensation. Having nowhere else to go, she clutched Naraku.
He stood motionless. Foolish girl. After a while, though, he found his arms encircling her. Nothing more. He did not say anything to her, did not move to comfort her in any way except by embracing her. Even then, it was not intentional, a mere reflex of his borrowed human body. They were both nude, their bodies pressed together intimately, but nothing came from this. It did not stir him; it did not bother him. To be honest, it reminded him oddly of the dream he'd had a while ago, where he'd been holding the girl unyieldingly and telling her strange things: that he'd never release her, that she was his and no one else's, how she'd be his forever…the same dream that was replayed in her mind several hours past.
She sniffled on his shoulder, the wracking sobs having subsided. Naraku nudged her back, his inspiration for the next plot coming to him. A dream…
He set an indifferent stare in his eyes. "Finish bathing."
Kagome nodded meekly, turning around again. He could see her tremulous hands attempt to still. She sighed and dove into the water.
It was him, she realized fearfully. Naraku was the one holding me in my dream!
~*~*~*~
Even though the thought of leaving her had become surprisingly unpleasant, Naraku led Kagome back to her room, her legs having regained the strength formerly lost to them. She didn't say a word through the sojourn, and once she stepped inside the walls of her prison, she seated herself at the far wall, where the sliding door to the courtyard was still cracked open. Through this, he silently left her room, entering another neighboring hers. In here, he procured a katana and a clay jar before returning to the outside world.
As he shuffled to center of the enclosure, he thought a moment. It was doubtless if the girl heard him she would poke her curious little head through to see what the commotion was. It was also expected that she would be properly horrified, and perhaps somewhat awed, at his display. If her compassion was strong enough, she would probably rush to him after he was finished. It did not matter to him either way; the Shikon prevented any real pain from the act, and since he'd obtained a large portion of it, he probably wouldn't feel a thing.
Setting the jar down, he positioned himself in front of it, drawing his blade out. Naraku filled his mind with features for his new detachment, whom he deemed would resemble Kanna. She will have someone to confer with, he mused. Lifting the sword so the point touched his stomach, he violently rammed it through his body. He panted, his spider-shaped burn pulsing while dark blood oozed from his mouth and torso.
As predicted, Kagome did poke her head out inquisitively, gasping—nothing surprising. His breath came raggedly, throat contracted. The air around him stirred as he tugged the sword from his body, allowing his blood to spill freely. The blade was promptly inserted into the jar, hilt to the sky. His blood slithered along the cold steel, the pull of gravity drawing it downwards. Naraku felt it, the slow rising of youki in his esophagus. In other cases, it would've been violent, resolving with him nearly vomiting the energy out. Instead, the procedure was reminiscent of little Kanna's; the spirit slid painlessly from his lips, coiling around the blood-soaked sword. As it moved downward, the blade was wiped clean to shine brightly. He withdrew it, sheathing it at his waist. Naraku smirked at his work. She would be ready shortly.
~*~*~*~
"Yume," he murmured.
That would be her name. It fit her purpose perfectly. He would've added 'ko' at the end if it had suited his tastes, but it hadn't, so he'd just left it as 'Yume'. The name didn't matter much anyhow.
She had turned out perfectly. Her features matched Kanna's almost exactly, save for the color. Whereas Kanna was completely white, this spirit was cloaked in shades and tints of violet. Even the mirror she carried had dark glass. He guessed she was as much the obedient little girl that Kanna was, which would make her one of his most powerful weapons.
"Naraku-sama," she whispered back.
Her small hands tilted the mirror, and a reflection glinted off its surface briefly. It flickered, revealing to him Inuyasha, still angry as ever, streaking in any direction that gave the slightest hint of his whereabouts. Obviously, he had gotten past the denial stage and was now quite certain that it was Naraku that had Kagome. Smirking, he placed a finger on the glass's shimmering surface. The dream he created flashed across Inuyasha's reflection and disappeared.
"When he falls asleep, Yume," he instructed softly.
"Hai, Naraku-sama."
The girl vanished with a shallow bow. He looked thoughtful a moment.
"Kagura, Kanna," he called firmly.
They both appeared before him, one glaring at him openly, the other watching him expectantly with empty eyes.
"The human girl called Rin. She travels with Sesshoumaru. Retrieve her."
Kagura's ruby lips curled in disgust; Kanna nodded.
"Hai, Naraku-sama."
They left through the courtyard door, the swoosh of wind telling him they'd departed.
"Perfect."
` ` `
He crossed his arms, mouth twisting in a feral growl that seemed at home in his expression nowadays. Inuyasha had become incredibly snappy within the last week, and with good reason. Why should he be normal, after all, when Kagome, his only tie to the world, had suddenly been wrenched from him? She had been the hub of the wheel to which they were all connected. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo had all been adopted into their ragtag group by her hand, and without her, they seemed to communicate awkwardly, unsure of what to say. They all shared a common goal: to bring her back at whatever cost. Inuyasha took it the hardest, though. She had been his closest companion, nearly the first thing he saw after fifty years of fitful sleep, the first one he had befriended in an unfriendly world.
He'd become stiff all the time, senses straining for a sign of her. He could not lose her. Sense had long ago taken hold, presenting him with the realization that Kagome had indeed been taken by Naraku, whom was nearly invisible to all eyes. How would he ever find him?
Inuyasha was settled uneasily into a tree branch, his eyes closed. Near nonstop scouring of the woods and mountains had left him utterly exhausted, and yet still unwilling to rest. His body demanded it, though, so he had no choice but to slip into the land of Nod.
~*~*~*~
His legs pounded unforgivingly on the fresh trail as he streaked toward an unknown destination. He had seen Naraku. He'd caught the white pelt streaming teasingly past his eyes, a scent faintly reminiscent of Kagome following in its wake. Naraku had Kagome; he was close. If he ran faster, if only his legs would pump just a little harder, Inuyasha could reach him; he could reclaim Kagome, and everything would be all right.
The sinister trademark "Kukuku" met his ears, and he attempted to push his limits. He had to reach Naraku.
His surroundings were sucked away from him, leaving empty walls to trap him. He swiveled around.
"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha's amber eyes widened. He couldn't move.
"Inuyasha," he spat in disgust, "you insolent hanyou." The demon lord's fingers wrapped around Tetsusaiga's inky black scabbard. "You will never do the Tetsusaiga justice. You are worthless. The sword is mine."
Just like that, he walked off. That was it. He took it from his sash and waltzed off in all his prissy glory and his 'You don't deserve a blade like this, you filthy half-breed' shit. Inuyasha felt a wave of regret crashing through his system, followed closely by blinding rage.
Tetsusaiga was gone.
Kagome was gone.
The Shikon was gone.
Everything was falling apart. He felt the familiar pulses of energy gathering inside him, demanding to be released. Furious, he loosed it, allowing it to pound through his muscles, poison his mind. His eyes widened, blood-red and lilac. He could feel his claws lengthen, itching to slice through flesh and bone. It consumed him, sending a last thrill through his consciousness before blocking him out. The new Inuyasha rocketed towards the retreating white figure, arms outstretched anxiously. The figure turned, his hair melting into darkness, eyes swirling into twin pools of liquid azure crystal. Those eyes gazed up at him pleadingly, the face and figure molding into his lost Kagome's. He pulled back too late, and with a startled shriek, she collapsed into a backdrop of scarlet—her own blood. His surprise shifted to sadistic pleasure all too soon. Inuyasha licked his claws horrifically, smirking down at her.
"I don't need you anymore, Kagome," he murmured firmly.
~*~*~*~
He jumped from his disturbing dream, clenching his fists. It was so real… Sweat dribbled down his temple while air came in strangled pants. He would never be like that, would he? No, not as long as he had the Tetsusaiga; everything would be alright; everything would be okay. His clawed hand reached down, waiting to feel the rough cloth-wrapped hilt of his sword.
It wasn't there.
` ` `
The light was waning, the sun beginning to descend, its embracing arms of molten gold slowly withdrawing from their all-encompassing grasp. It was her favorite time of the day, when the bright yellow disk would disappear behind the line of the horizon. Then again, perhaps the time she most enjoyed was when the stars came out at twilight. The fireflies buzzed then. She sat carelessly in the tall grass, knees to her chest. It was so nice to just sit and watch the sun, she thought. A sigh escaped her small lips. It would be nicer if Sesshoumaru-sama were here, though.
Something flickered in the sky, a tuft of white flurrying about in the wind. She squinted curiously at it.
"Jaken-sama…" she called absently, pointing upward. " That's…?"
Rin watched in childish awe as a strange lady swooped down upon them, efficiently knocking the toad the ground. She desperately sucked in air, preparing to call for her Sesshoumaru-sama. He was far away, she knew; something about consulting an old friend of his, but she was certain he'd hear her, simply because he was Sesshoumaru-sama; he was just that powerful. Oddly enough, when she opened her mouth, nothing came out—no sound, that is—only a trailing mist that curled languidly into a glowing sphere. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, like fireflies were buzzing around inside, and then she felt empty. Before long, she didn't feel anything, and her body dropped lifelessly to the lush grass.
Kagura lifted the girl from the ground, looking her over briefly. "She is alright? Alive?" she asked sharply, turning crimson eyes to her spirit sister.
Kanna nodded in response, tilting the mirror ever so slightly. A soul glistened beneath its surface, fluttering about restlessly.
"Let's go, then."
She tossed her head, a feather drifting from its place in her tight bun of hair. Both she and Kanna stepped on, and the feather whirled away, carried daintily by the night winds.
` ` `
"I…"
"She would be company, would she not?" Naraku pointed out silkily. "I believe you would be quite miserable without anything to do."
Kagome averted her gaze insecurely. "I…guess."
The door slid open roughly, and a body was nearly dumped at his feet. Kagura glared at him contemptuously. "The girl," she announced curtly.
Naraku indicated for Kanna to come forward, and she did, turning the mirror in her hands. To Kagome's surprise, the spirit released a soul from the glass and it made a beeline to the little girl's body. She watched in amazement as the child gasped back to life, large brown eyes darting around fearfully. Sure, it had all happened to her at one point, the stealing of her soul and the emptiness it seemed to bring, but she had forgotten it in an instant, like it never happened.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" she blurted out quickly, casting a suspicious eye around. The girl seemed to shrink away from them, aware that she was in bad company. "Where is Jaken-sama?"
Naraku glanced at Kagome pointedly, and she moved forward slowly. "Rin, right?" Naraku had told her earlier, and although he did not inform her of the little girl's purposes, Kagome had the nagging suspicion that she was a captive as well. "I'm Kagome," she grinned as widely as she could. She paused. What else could she say?
"You are both captives, Rin," Naraku cut in sharply. "And until your respective owners come for you, you will remain in Kagome's room."
The girl nodded meekly, edging towards Kagome. She seemed to think better of it, though, and stood forward, raising her chin proudly. "Sesshoumaru-sama will save Rin! Sesshoumaru-sama is strong!" she declared baldly, stalking back to Kagome.
This seemed to amuse Naraku as he waved them away. Kagome shot him a questioning look before ushering Rin out of the room. What was he luring Sesshoumaru here for? She looked down at the bubbly girl, unusually silent. What in the world was Sesshoumaru doing with a little girl?
~*~*~*~
Yume appeared suddenly before Naraku, her violet eyes staring emptily at him. She pushed the glass forward, urging him to touch it.
"It is done, then?" His fingers melted through the mirror; he drew from it a sword encased in its gleaming scabbard: Tetsusaiga. He smirked. "Well done, Yume."
Taking it as her dismissal, the spirit evaporated, leaving the hanyou to his devices. He chuckled. This, indeed, was a multi-layered scheme. Setting the sword aside, he lay back, closing his eyes. For now, his work was done. Jaken would soon enough inform his Sesshoumaru-sama that his ward was taken. Inuyasha, no doubt, would follow after his half-brother for the supposed stealing of his precious blood seal. And then, no doubt, it would all unfold very nicely from there. Perhaps, if all went well, he would take care of the elimination of all his enemies at once. All, that is, excepting Kagome. He fingered a lock of coal black hair, wondering idly if he would kill the girl in ploy after all.
~*~*~*~
It wasn't a far walk to her room from Naraku's. After all, they neighbored one another; why, Kagome was not sure, but it probably had to do with keeping an eye on her. She shivered. After that display in the courtyard, not to mention the realizing he was the man in her dream, she wasn't sure she wanted to be anywhere near Naraku…
Not, of course, that she didn't mind in the first place; it was an extreme burden on her conscience to know she was relatively safer alone with him—nearly defenseless, she might add—than when he attacked their group altogether—while they were fully armed. Wistfully, she wondered what they were doing right now, their little ragtag group. Perhaps, she thought tiredly, Inuyasha had gone back to Kikyo to enlist her aid with the Shikon shards. Perhaps, she reasoned, Inuyasha had used just a little bit of logic to figure out that the best way to get through this was to snare the rest of the shards before Naraku had them all.
Kagome sighed.
If only he knew, Naraku was just sitting around idly with her, taking care of her, and seemingly, having nothing to do with the shards…
She gazed up hopelessly at the rippling blue barrier domed around his keep. How did he find the shards in the first place? He couldn't possibly have the ability to see them as she did. Besides that, he was a hanyou, and hanyou seemed to lack the ability to sense the Shikon power like full youkai. I guess he's special…
Sighing again, she turned her gaze to Rin. The little girl clutched her hand, stumbling along fearfully next to her. She must have seen something like this before to have been so scared; she was shivering. Kagome smiled softly at her and placed a placating hand on her untidy hair.
"Don't worry, Rin-chan," she murmured reassuringly. "Sesshoumaru-sama will come to get you; you just wait. And his brother will come, too." Kagome hesitated before continuing. "And they'll defeat Naraku," she said softly.
Rin seemed to take her word on this, nodding and then breaking into a quiet chatter. The girl was quite talkative, from what Kagome could see. It was hard to imagine Sesshoumaru keeping this kind of person around for long.
` ` `
The demon lord stared impassively as his retainer recounted the details of his and Rin's run-in with the hanyou's detachments. He could feel his anger seeping into him slowly, building to a breaking point. How dare the filthy half-breed take what belonged to he, Sesshoumaru?
"Sesshoumaru-sama! They ran off! Just like that! They took the little human!" he exclaimed nervously, tightly grasping his staff. He tilted his head thoughtfully to the side. "Although this humble servant does not know why you bother keeping her around," he mumbled under his breath.
"Do not question my motives, Jaken," he responded coldly.
Naraku was expecting him, he knew. But this Sesshoumaru would not go to him because the hanyou expected it. Neither would he go solely to rescue Rin. Naraku would pay. Before, he had found the steadfast pulse from the northeast annoying—what use had he of Naraku's obvious location? It served its purpose now. He didn't have to look anywhere for the hanyou. Sesshoumaru does not take treachery lightly, Naraku.
` ` `
Kikyo stopped mid-step, turning back in Naraku's direction. The barrier was weakening. Why, Naraku? She straightened, gazing toward Inuyasha's rapidly changing location, then to his half-brothers. Why? She questioned again. Why was everyone heading toward Naraku? She herself had remained close to his location for days, making certain he did not attempt anything out of line.
Her cold fingers caressed the cloth of her chihaya. Inuyasha followed his brother; his brother streaked toward Naraku; Naraku…did not move. Naraku… Her already chilled face steeled in its freezing resolution. I have already told you…Inuyasha is mine to kill.
A/N: I decided to stop it here and continue in the next chapter. ^_^ I had to put in a little bit about Kikyo…*cough*FORESHADOWING*cough*, too. ^_^ Hopefully, everyone'll be surprised, though. Heheh. Another thanks to Shikome Kido Mi and Cacat-angel. ^_^ Yay! Three cheers! I thought this was a particularly long chapter…kinda jumpy too. Please tell me everything makes sense. T_T I changed plans, so I might have a few more chapters than expected. And, of course, depending on inspiration, my plans still might deviate from the norm. ^________^ Whoohoo! Please review! Or not, either way. =)
-kidoairaku