Hunger by clawsandteeth
Hunger
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I stare down at my bare feet and watch as a fine layer of ash settle over them. This was once my home that I shared with my family, Grandpa, Souta and Momma. Now all that remains are burnt remains of my home. Everything is different now and gone. Everyone is here and gone.
Nothing is left of my home in the future, and the one in the past. Only 3 months ago, Naraku won, and with his success brought on a world of change. I had thought the future was rid of Naraku that it meant we had defeated him, that fate would be on our side. When Naraku had destroyed the only beings capable of taking him down in the feudal era it became a place of darkness and sadness. My comrades were destroyed, and I had been forced to escape to the future. A place I was sure was free of the horrors. I was forced to witness under Naraku's rule were horrible unthinkable things. Only to find my home in the future like the one I had escaped.
The first sign of the changed world was instead of the well house roof being the first thing that greeted me. I was welcomed by a dark gray sky. I had climbed my way from the well finding myself on unfamiliar ground. Burnt and unrecognizable, nothing stood out. I had found my way towards the place my home should have stood only to find a smoldering pile of a building that once may have been my home maybe not in this changed world.
All around me the changes were so clear and real that it was hard to breathe all I could do was stand there bewildered and alone. The city below my shrine was most shocking to me. Only a couple tall buildings stood out over the land, and it looked nothing like what I remembered. Small shacks stretched out as far as I could see. I wasn't surprised, when a suffocating presence behind me made me turn around to face my enemy.
Naraku stood a smirk on his face; he was wearing a very modern suite and around him other demons stood. As if guarding him.
"How do you like my world Kagome?" He asked.
"I can't say what you have done with the place surprises me." I answer. After spending almost 3 months with the monster, things he did didn't surprise me.
He chuckled, seriously entertained, to my frustration.
"I have truly missed you over the years." He sighs. "I'm sure the feeling isn't mutual. You saw me only a day ago correct?"
I didn't answer. Why would I? Instead I asked a question of my own. "Is my family safe? They have done nothing to you."
He laughs again, "They are safe, they were not hurt in this fire this was once a fabrics plant not your family shrine. Which I'm sure you would have guessed eventually."
I looked away from him, not wanting the relief I felt being noticed my Naraku. Giving him such satisfaction would only let him be aware that he had won.
"Do you want me to escort you to your family?" Naraku asked his smirk making my insides churn.
"If I say no," I ask.
"There is no, no Kagome." Naraku stated. "Come."
He started down the shrine steps his guards fallowing close behind. I follow, this is Naraku's world, I was in it once before and one thing is for certain, what he tells you to do you do.
I follow carefully moving myself down the uneven steps, and watching out for the large cracks and holes in them. I follow Naraku and his guards threw the dusty streets of what use to be Tokyo, but now seemed nothing more than a slum town. At the sight of Naraku, human and demon alike flopped to the ground faces to the ground. Once he would go they would raise their heads a little to look at me. Some seemed confused and frightened for me, but most seemed just to have a raw curiosity for what I was doing walking with the Naraku.
Only a few blocks from the shrine we stopped in front of a shack made of tin and plastic bags like all the other homes. There was no indication of a difference except the large dark number 248903 written on the tin door.
Naraku tapped the door and it was opened quickly by my mother who fell to the floor like all the others. Behind her I could make out Souta and Grandpa doing the same.
"Please rise." Naraku spoke. My mother peeked up before standing fully. Her back popping loudly making me flinch. Souta and Grandpa stayed in their positions.
"I have found your daughter." Naraku said. My mother was visibly shaking and it made me want to reach out and hug her, but I stayed put silently watching the scene. "She seems to have suffered some kind of fall down a well and has a small amount of amnesia so do make sure she remembers the rules."
"I'm truly sorry if my daughter caused you any trouble." My mother was able to keep her voice slightly even as she said the words. "I will keep a better eye on her."
"Good." With a nod Naraku walked back towards me leaning in close to my ear. "Remember Kagome, this is my world so be careful of what you tell others. You and your family can easily be taken care of." Then he was gone. His guards fallowed behind.
Once he was gone it was like someone rang a bell and the empty streets of my home became lively with people coming from inside, and people rising from the ground. They all came to me asking questions. I didn't answer a single one because my mother had pulled me inside of our tin home.
My mother was hugging me tightly one minute, and then the next minute she was sitting me in front of a table with a bowel of green soup.
"We were so worried Kagome. You've been gone for almost a whole day, now you return home being escorted by President Naraku. What happened?" She was talking so quickly that I almost didn't catch it all.
I hesitated for a moment not sure what to say, if anything. What would they believe?
"This is wonderful." Grandpa said suddenly.
Everyone's attention went to the little old man hunched over the fire pit adding a log then stirring the pot of whatever was above it. "Maybe Naraku has plans of making Kagome one of his concubines."
I almost choked twice, once I noticed how both Souta and my mother seemed to like the idea, and even seemed to get a little excited about it.
"Why are you wearing such old timely cloths?" Souta ask. Then the conversation is diverted and my mother yells out Naraku must have bought me such clothing.
"That means we could get a home in the inner district." Souta said almost bouncing from his seat. "Maybe even three meals a day, like those jerks in school brag about."
"Ah, and a new dress," My mother chimed in.
Amazed I sat silently as they discussed all the things they could get with a higher status that came with me being sold to Naraku. The very thought made me feel nauseous, remembering all the times he tried back when I was locked away in his castle.
"What do you think Kagome?" My mother finally asked.
"Not going to happen." I say quickly.
"What?" My mother asks genuinely surprised.
"I would rather eat dog shit." I answered.
Shock and confusion ran through the small home and the small light above flickered bring it to a end.
"I was just kidding." I say quickly hoping just to let it go. "Besides, the great Naraku wouldn't lower himself for little old me." I was being sarcastic but they didn't notice instead they went on taking about how he must be interested because he "Wasted his time on a lowly human form the slums." This was their direct words, which I didn't find amusing.
By night fall the excitement had finally settled, and we settled down for sleep. Our home was nothing but a square room. With dirt floor and one cot by the window on the other side of the room the fire pit and kitchen table and a cabinet that stored food. On the wall was a shiny black TV which was so out of place I asked about it. I was told it was for special broadcast Naraku sent out when he had something to say. I shared the cot with my mother while Souta and Grandpa had thick blankets on the floor and slept on that.
The night was very cold, but it seemed to bother no one but me. We slept fully clothed and my mother and I only had a thin blanket to keep the cold out. I couldn't sleep so I used that time to go over things in my head.
1. Naraku had won the war. As a result Inuyasha and everyone else was murdered and I was captured my Naraku. He kept me locked up for 3 months torturing me with his very presence. I learned things about Naraku that years of chasing him didn't reveal. Those things could be used against him later on.
2. I escaped. He let me I was aware it was way to easy. I first searched out Kadea's village finding it empty I escaped to the well and ended up here.
3. I thought I was escaping a world ran by Naraku when in truth I was entering a world more greatly controlled by him. One I had no idea how to survive in.
Things were so messed up and a pain to think about. I forced all thoughts of Naraku out and focused on the heavy breathing of my grandfather which slowly put me to sleep.
I wake to find my mother searching through the cabinet of food looking very perplexed as she counts on her fingers. The cabinet is empty and I can tell this worriers her. I sit up to discover Grandpa and Souta already gone there mat folded neatly in the corner.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Oh you’re awake." She says. "I need you to go buy some cabbage for the soup I'm making. I would do it myself but I'm late for work as it is."
She moves towards me handing me the money. I stare at it wondering how I could spend something I hadn't seen before.
She doesn't wait for me to ask anything as she out the door. I blink after her. I wasn't even sure how to find the market in all this mess. Leaving the tin home and back onto the now muddy streets, I receive looks from the neighbors around and some even whisper and I'm sure it's about the event from yesterday. I even receive some loathing glares from some of the female's human and demon alike. I resist the need to roll my eyes. I quickly walked down the street and onto another which was a lot less muddy and more flooded actually and had a horrible smell of urine. I hesitated entering the street because I witnessed a large rat run across the street and into a alley. It came to no surprise to me but it showed Naraku cared zip about the people he ruled. The unbearable conditions of the place were home for them. At that moment I felt as if I had failed, which I had. Not destroying Naraku had made the world a horrible place, from what I could see.
I gave up going down that street decided a market wouldn't be that way so instead I continued straight for a couple of blocks. I finally made it to a more coward paved section of the town. The smell of baking bread and other foods told me I was very close to my destination. The streets were so crowded people were shoulder to shoulder pushing and pulling their way through. I finally found a stand that sold vegetables and picked out a cabbage.
"98" The stand owner told me holding out a meaty hand for the change. Not at all sure how much that was I handed the man all of the money. He quickly took it and a smile spread across his face.
"Come on Hitsu she gave you too much." The Voice came from beside me familiar but different. I turned. "Inuyasha?"
He gave me a look,"Yeah why are you acting so surprised?" He turned to look back at the stand owner. "Come on Hitsu give her, her change."
The stand owner grunted but released the change and Inuyasha started to pull me away from the stand and through the crowd of people.
"You almost gave that guy almost a hundred over. You feel alright?" He asked glanced back at me as we continued pushing through people.
I was stunned silent. The hair, the eyes, the claws, they were all there. The only thing different was the gray shirt and black pants he was wearing. This was Inuyasha before me pulling me through a crowd of people when I had watched him blown away only 3 months ago.
"Kagome are you alright?" He stops to look at me a deep frown set over his face. "Why in the hell are you crying?"
When I hug him I can tell he's surprised because his body goes stiff and doesn't loosen into I let him go. "Come on, not here." He tells and starts to pull me again.
We finally reach a building an apartment. Inuyasha opens the door of the first one in the building we enter a cozy little place which is totally different from the dirtiness of the outside. A nice sofa with only a few patches sit in the center of the room a smaller chair across from it. They also had a large glossy TV that sat on the wall. On the left was a small kitchen with a real stove and a fridge. Then a hallway that I guessed the bedrooms was.
Inuyasha went into the kitchen pouring a glass of water from the fridge handing it to me. "Tell me what wrong Kagome is."
I sit on the couch holding the cup tightly as I tried to make sense of it all. Inuyasha sits by me really close. Our legs touch and he moves closer. Almost as if he was going to kiss me?
"What do you remember about me Inuyasha?" I ask moving away my face warm. This Inuyasha obviously had every idea who I was, but what relationship did we have?
Inuyasha frowns, “What do you mean Kagome?"
"Just tell me everything you remember about me." I explain trying to keep my composure.
Inuyasha seemed to think for a moment "I don't get what's going on but alright. We met in school 2nd year maybe so we were around 8 you sat with me at lunch when no one else would because I'm half demon." He paused looking at me nodding. "You live in section 18 with your mother, brother, and grandfather. You like pea soup and Sundays because it's usually your day not working. This reminds me. Why aren't you at work?"
"I have no clue." I answer.
"You better didn't get fired. It was hard as hell getting you that job. Did you get into a fight with the manager again like your last job?" He asks looking at me his hand moves up and brushes my hair from my face.
"I have no idea Inuyasha." I say with a groan trying to ignore how much he was touching me. "I'm so confused."
Then I remembered something, "I dropped the cabbage back on the street."
"No problem." Inuyasha says standing walking over to the fridge pulling out the cabbage. "Why my mom insisted on buying that stuff is beyond me we don't eat it."
"Your mom," I ask my confusion growing.
"Yeah, she should be walking in the door in 3 2" The front door opens and a women walks through the door.
"Oh, Kagome is here. I heard what happened." She walked over to us her face filled with concern.
"What happened?" Inuyasha asks he runs a hand through his hair.
"She didn't tell you?" The women said frowning. "She had a run in the Naraku yesterday and she seems to have amnesia her mother told me all about it."
"That's why you were asking me all those questions." Inuyasha concluded. “And acting so strange, why didn't you tell me?"
I bit my lip everything was happening to fast and I no idea what to do. "Sorry." Was all I could think of to say?
The room fell silent as they both watched me watch them, and finally Inuyasha broke the silence. "Mom we're leaving now." Inuyasha yanked me from the couch and we were out the door before Inuyasha's mother could say anything.
Outside of the apartment I stopped Inuyasha from dragging me. "I think I should go home now." He didn't argue, but he leaned over and kissed me lightly on my forehead. I think I forgot to breath.
“Are you alright?” He asks seeing my face. I nod and barely make my legs move back home. I had to get away from for now to sort my thoughts out. I found my way back with ease.
Once inside our tin home I handed my mother the cabbage and she began to cook it. I crawled onto our cot pulling the covers over my head wanting to blocked things out, but the place Inuyasha had kissed me burned warmly. No one asked what was wrong they didn't even object when I refused to eat dinner.
Now 3 days later I stand in front of the brunt remains of a fabric factory which in my mind once was my home. I couldn't stop thinking about what Naraku had planned and I couldn't stop the thoughts of having a second chance at destroying him. Everyone seemed so oppressed here and no doubt Naraku ruled supreme. I had no help here at taking him down and that sickened me. I had returned here to try to venture down the well only to discover it destroyed.
Feeling defeated and extremely tired I made my way back to my tin home. As soon as I opened the door the TV on the wall turned on and a face appeared. The face of a young demon looked into the camera, with Silver hair and golden eyes, Sesshomaru.
My family had awoken and sat up watching intently as the demon began to speak. "Naraku's time is over it is time for him to step down. He is an evil crazed lea-" The broadcast was broken.
"Those rebels are just going to cause trouble for all of us." Grandpa said angrily. "They are doing more harm than good."
"Rebels," I ask a glimmer of hope appearing.
I couldn't get an explanation from my family so I settled on asking Inuyasha the next day. Even though the very thought of Inuyasha sent a swarm of butterflies flying in my stomach.
=
I couldn't sleep and who could in my predicament. The next day I was up early heading out the door to speak to Inuyasha. The sun had barely risen, but my whole family was awake and ready for a day of work. In the few days of being here I learned my mother worked in a factory that made clothing and my grandfather a factor that made shoes. Souta only worked on Fridays and Saturdays, he being only fourteen he was a sort of water boy for Naraku's army. When he turned fifteen his schooling would be over and he would begin his training for Naraku's army and I won’t let anything like that happening.
"Kagome would you like oats?" My mother asked.
Smelling the awful tasteless stuff I declined polity going towards the door. I was hungry here I was always hungry, but I had better things to do, besides the less I ate the more my family ate. Food here was very scarce. Opening the door I came face to face with a man pale as snow. His eyes were a light pink that reminded me of a rat. His hair was the same color as his skin. He was for sure a rat demon.
"Kagome," He asks.
Receiving no answer he stuck out his hand to me I didn't take it. "I am Baki. Naraku has sent me to fetch you." He slid his hand into the pocket of his coat.
"I don't think so." I declined waiting for him to leave. Instead he watched me with his pink eyes as if searching for something. I could hear my family behind me gasp at my direct decline of Naraku's orders.
"Not a choice." Baki said simply. His eyes darted back towards my family and I understood quickly.
"Alright I'll come." I say.
Baki smiles, "You might want to get a better coat it's beginning to snow."
The only better coat in our house belonged to my grandfather, and I didn't feel right taking that from him, so I got into the small black car thankful it was heated. Baki sat beside me in the back as we pulled away from my home he said nothing of why Naraku wanted to see me. I stared out the window as big fluffy snowflakes fell over the city. It was sticking and covering up the hideousness of the city. The tin homes almost looked pretty covered in snow.
The landscape changed completely from tin homes to large expensive looking homes. Children even played out in the snow not like back in the tin place were the children hid from the snow afraid of becoming sick. We go through another town with paved streets and light posts and not a tin home in sight. In the center of town a large mansion appears and I'm aware my meeting with Naraku was nearing.
The car stops outside of a tall gate and it opened once the driver identifies himself. Then the car travels for at least another fifteen minutes before it stops in front of the doors. I don't wait for instructions I get from the car. No one stops me as I push open the large doors and walk in into the grand well decorated room. Marble floors and a large staircase to the left are the only visible things.
"Ah Kagome you made it." My eyes dart to Naraku who is making his way down the stairs.
"What do you want Naraku?" I ask.
"Come eat with me." He begins to make his way towards a door. We enter a large dining room with a not surprising large table filled with all kinds of food.
"Sit." He tells me as he takes his own seat.
I hesitate but sit furthest away from him as I can. He begins to sip on something and I glare at him.
"I wasn't aware you ate so much human food." I say.
He shrugs, "It's not bad, but most of this is for you, my guest." I make no move for any of the food. "If you do not eat it my children will. Some of them enjoy human food."
I stare at him in shock and he reads it his smile growing.
"It's been over 500 hundred years Kagome I have many children." The thought of him breeding sends whatever hunger I was feeling from smelling something horribly delicious.
"What do you want?" I ask. My patient is gone and being in his presence for so long has been too much. It's time for him to tell me what he wants for I can leave and go find Inuyasha.
"I see you do not want small talk." He says. "That's fine I guess we can jump straight into business. You see Kagome I'm aware you have seen the hacking of the rebellion and are getting all kinds of silly little thoughts in your pretty head. Unfortunately for you the option of joining them isn't possible. Your family's fate is still in my hand. Also you don't want me destroying Inuyasha for a second time?" He chuckled.
I openly glare at him. My ounce of happiness gone was replaced with a familiar feeling of anger and defeat. A feeling I understood all too well from spending months in Naraku's mansion. I was forced to spend time with the man, who had destroyed my friends and took away my freedom.
"What do you want?" I ask again. Masking my defeat the best I could.
Naraku took a bit of bread. "Mikos and Monks are rare around here." He paused. "The rebellion is filled with silly humans and few demons. If the demons are destroyed the humans will crumble."
"So you want me to purify the demons in place for my family's safety?" His silence indicates I'm correct.
"Why don't you just do it yourself? I'm sure you’re powerful enough to take out a few demons. “I ask.
"That would be to easy Kagome. I want a war and I want you to be the hero that saves the country of Naraku from those evil rebels." He says. I don't believe him something was up. It wasn't how Naraku worked.
"I have no choice?" I ask already aware of the answer.
He laughs, "Of course not."
I leave the mansion defeated. I return to an empty tin home the fire is out and its freezing. I don't waste wood and start another one instead I curl myself under the blankets and let myself cry for the situation I'm in. I have no idea what to do, but to go along with what Naraku wants. I'm no use alone before I had Inuyasha and the others to help me now I'm alone with this problem on my hands and no way to fix it.
Then I remember Sesshomaru's face appearing on the screen and then I'm up and out the door. Heading towards Inuyasha's home, and ignoring the wet snow that sticks to me. I catch Inuyasha on his way out of the apartment.
"Kagome," He smiles when he sees me. This new Inuyasha bothers me.
"I need to talk to you, about your brother." Inuyasha's face goes blank. He then glances around nervously before taking my arm and dragging me into the apartment.
"You can't talk about him Kagome." He says. "Cameras are every place."
"Just tell me why he is in the rebellion." I ask.
"I can't really Kagome." He said nervously. "I got to go." With that he left me inside the apartment alone.
When I return home soaking wet and without success I'm greeted with a van parked outside our tin home. My mother and Grandpa stand outside talking to the guys in the suites.
I'm greeted by Baki. "Kagome you are back." He says like he truly happy.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"We are here to take you to your new home in Naraku's mansion. We brought this van along thinking you had some kind of possessions but it seems you don't." He says.
I glare at him. I had no idea this would happen. Living with Naraku again was not something I wanted to do. "What about my family?" I ask.
"They have to stay here, but don't worry they will be taken care of." Baki says.
No choice I say bye to my family and get inside the van headed towards Naraku's home.
In Naraku's mansion I am given a room with nothing inside, just white walls and a window. Naraku says I have to earn things I get by being loyal and treating him with respect. It is understandable when I spend the first week there without any outside privileges and a blank room. I refuse to call him sir like a good soldier. So I sit in the blank room with its white walls and do nothing but think. I think about many things. Ways to take down Naraku by myself and nothing comes to mind. I lack the power to destroy him. The rebels seem nothing to me but a joke because they haven't seen to do anything but hack into the TV and give out there messages. Inuyasha is a different person now. He no longer the fierce fighter I remember I didn’t really won’t him involved.
Naraku enters my room one day. "Wouldn't you like to see your family?" He asks.
Yes I would but I wouldn't call him sir to get it.
He shakes his head at my silence "You are different." He says.
With that he leaves leaving the door open.
I hesitate for a long while then I allow myself to move outside of the room into the hallway. It was strange that Naraku just gave me access to his home the way he was doing. I decided they were watching me somehow. On my journey down the halls of Naraku's mansion I find in every room I go by was empty like mine and I discovered this side of the mansion was empty. Then I caught sight Baki down the hall waving to me.
"How has your stay been so far?" He asked once I reached him.
"Wonderful." I say and he laughs.
"Come I have something to show you." He started down the hallway. "Naraku brought you here for training and he seems to have a lot of trust in your abilities." He glanced back at me as we continued down the hall. "He hasn't told any of us anything. We're curious. How did an eighteen year old human capture Naraku's attention? What Kind of powers do you possess?"
We stopped in front of a pale blue door we lingered on the outside as he waited for my answer. "Why don't you ask Naraku?"
He laughs. "That would involve questioning him, which is something only you seem to be able to get away with." He opened the door. The room was filled with weapons of all kinds. In the center of the room pinned to the wall was Inuyasha's sword beside that was both of Sesshomaru's along with Miroku's staff. Sango's weapon leaned against the wall underneath, Naraku's prizes. I had a feeling I was just another one.
Moving towards them I ran my hand over Inuyasha's sword a flood of memories going through me almost suffocating me. All that work we had done to destroy Naraku only for him to win. They were destroyed and I would forever be hunted for our failure.
"That's a sword of one of Naraku's enemies." Baki shows up behind me making me jump my mind returning to the present. Baki was holding a case out to me "Naraku wants you to have this." He opens it revealing a black bow simple except for the small red spider mark on the side. It is Naraku's signature.
I hesitate before I allow myself to take it feeling it with my fingers. “It’s nice." Is all I can say? Baki seems pleased.
"Well you're going to have to earn your arrows with training. I would get plenty of rest if I were you I won't go easy on you because you're tired."
Laps around a mansion, in the snow aren't what I consider a good time, but the scenery around Naraku's castle is beautiful. It had surprised me at first that his castle wasn't as dark and gloomy as I remembered but actually really beautiful on the inside. The winter landscape of the outside was even more beautiful. Countless times I had found myself slowing my jog to a walk and just look around. My cloths had been replaced with a couple of warmer shirts and a heavy black coat and pants and boots, the clothing of Naraku's army. I was called to stop around lunch time.
"Naraku wants to have lunch with you." Baki says once I'm back inside. "We'll meet back here around 4."
I nod trying to catch my breath as he leaves I come out of the wet jacket and make my way towards the dining room. Half way there I contemplated ditching lunch with Naraku. Something I truly didn't want to do. I sighed coming to the conclusion he would find me anyway.
As I slid into the seat three chairs down from Naraku he watched me intently and I ignored him by taking pieces of bread and making a sandwich. He watched me the whole time I ate which made swallowing very hard. Finally I looked at him.
"What?" I snapped.
He sat back in his chair with a sigh "I was just thinking how I could truly get you to be on my side." He said.
"You can't" I say.
He nods "Your right."
The ground is wet and cold and I realize that's because I'm on the ground in the snow. My eyes pop open and I barely avoid the kick headed towards my head. I'm on my feet now a few yards away staring at Baki as he laughs and insults me, as usual.
It’s been a week a long week of training with Baki behind Naraku's mansion, on top of Naraku's mansion, and in Naraku's mansion. Filled with near fatal falls and broken limps healed my Naraku's healer. Baki seemed to forget that I'm human and a fall from 500 feet could be the end of me. In the last seven days I've been in the infirmary over 50 times if not for Naraku's healer I would have been done long ago.
"You have no potential what so ever. You’re weak and clumsy." Here goes Baki again with the insults. "You can't even take a littl-" He was interrupted by a large siren. I was being pulled inside by Baki. "Stay here." He ordered then left. He couldn't have really thought I would listen.
I followed him all the way to the front doors of the mansion was a man was being dragged in my group of Naraku's army. No not a man a demon. Silver haired and golden eyed, Sesshomaru. They dragged him towards the dungeons by Baki's orders. I had gasped when I saw who it was getting Baki's attention I cursed as I hide behind the corner. I didn't need extra laps for defying Baki's orders as much as I needed time to figure out how to get to Sesshomaru.
Night fell and I simply made my way down the hall towards the dungeon. Guards were watching the door and looked at me funny when I approached.
"I want to see the prisoner." I informed them. They glanced at each other unsure. They had heard of the way I talk back to Naraku and get away with it and some people even mistook that as I was of some kind of importance.
"Naraku ordered no visitors for the prisoner." The human one says.
"He said I could." I lie. They don't seem to believe me. "You don't really want me waking up Naraku at this late of an hour for something so silly do you?" I ask. They again exchange glances. I start walking away back towards Naraku's quarters.
"Alright alright" One of them calls out. I wipe the smug look on my face then turn around.
"Thank you." I say as I walk through the door being held open.
The temperature drops as soon as the door closes behind me and I regret coming down barefooted. I walk down the pair of stone steps reaching the bottom I started searching the cells for Sesshomaru. The smell of human waste and blood reached my nose making me want to gag, but I pushed it down searching the cells quicker now. Then I find him.
He wears a white long sleeve shirt stained with blood maybe his maybe someone else it wasn't clear. He also wore dark baggy jeans and boots. He sits in the cell arms folded and eyes closed. Then his closed eyes open.
"Who are you?" He asks.
Something was wrong. Something with his eyes they were a little unsteady and he wasn't looking at me. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Sesshomaru was blind.
He took a deep sniff. His face remained blank. "Who are you?" He asked again.
=
I open my eyes to stare at the ceiling my mind to restless for the sleep I wanted to come. It had been almost 3 hours since my visit with Sesshomaru. Nothing had happened. What was I expecting? For Sesshomaru to recognize me, for him to be able to help me in my secret plans to destroy Naraku?
Which ever it was disappointment ran me crazy and made it impossible to sleep. Sesshomaru was blind. For such a great demon he was in the feudal era blindness might not have been a problem, but like Inuyasha I was sure he was somewhat different. The fight within him possible subdued like Inuyasha's. Then again he was in a rebellion set out to destroy Naraku. Maybe the fight in Sesshomaru wasn't all gone.
Giving up I sat up. Sure any minute now Baki would slam my door open demanding I get ready to train. I left my room in search for something to do anything that would get my mind away from my current dilemma. I found just that. I ventured as close to Naraku's quarters as I dared finding a long hallway with closed doors. I opened the first door I came to. The light from the hallway shinned on the face of a little girl with black wavy hair. She was sleeping innocently and I came to the conclusion this was one of Naraku's children.
I closed the door looking down the hallway wondering if behind every door was one of Naraku's children.
"Her name is Aasha." I jumped turning around to face Naraku. Who stood only inches from me our bodies almost hitting each other. "She is my youngest five years old tomorrow; would you like to come to her party?"
He was so close to me and I didn't even... I regained my composure. "I have to meet Baki for training." I slid by him quickly escaping down the hall. I was aware he watched me go.
I squeeze my eyes happy to see the bright red feather of sticking out of the hay dummy almost one hundred yards away. I turn to find Baki looking unimpressed.
"I'll go get it." I huff. Having only one arrow meant archery training was hell. Every time I shot the arrow I would have to go and get it.
"Good, practice is over." He says moving a hand through his hair. "I'm going to go get ready for the party. I expect to see you there." With that he leaves.
With a heavy pull the arrow came loose, and I sigh. The snow was melting around me and it gave the whole world a wet soggy look. I looked towards the sky at the dark clouds above. I hadn't seen a sunny day since I arrived here and I started to think the sun didn't shine here.
I turned ready to head back in when something caught my eye hanging from the tree across from me. I walked towards it. A silver tube was as long as a pencil and as wide as a can. It was for me. I was sure of it; even so I hesitated before I plucked it from its string. I opened the lid pulling out a curled piece of paper. I read the contents:
Dear Miss Kagome,
Destroy this as soon as you're done reading the contents of this letter. We are the rebellion and we are aware you reside in the home of Naraku unwillingly. We ask that you help in the aid of freeing our solider Sesshomaru. Your cooperation wills forever me in our debt. If you feel as if it cannot be done we understand to the fullest, but please help aid us. All we ask is for you to escort him out of the dungeons onto the roof. We will handle the rest.
Great Fang
I tore the pieces of paper into fine small pieces shoving them into my mouth and swallowing. Of course I would help. If only to spite and annoy Naraku it was what my job was.
I ran a hand over the silver dress on my bed feeling the silky material. It was beautiful. On returning from training I had found it inside my room. No doubt from Naraku saying I was required to attend his daughter's birthday party. I sat beside with no plan of putting it on. The sound of my door opening made me look up.
Baki peeked in making sure I was fully dressed before pushing it open further. "Why aren't you dressed yet?"
I shrug, "I don't think I'm going." I say.
Baki gives me the same look he gives me when he thinks I'm not running fast enough. "You have to and you are already aware of that Kagome." He picks the dress from the bed putting it into my arms. "A lot of important people are showing up here today all to see you. Embarrassing Naraku by making him drag you out will not be good for either of us."
"I thought the party was for his daughter?" I ask. However his words had gotten me thinking. "So with so many guests here that means Naraku would be busy right?" I ask.
Baki nods, "Of course." I smile and Baki looks at me suspiciously. "What are you thinking Kagome?"
"Nothing that would get me in trouble I can promise that." I say quickly taking the dress escaping to the bathroom connected to my room.
When I return a few minutes later I find Baki still waiting in the room. "What are you making sure I actually come?" I ask.
Baki shakes his head. "No I'm here to do your hair." He says.
At first I thought he was kidding. "So you're going to do my hair?" I ask.
"Yes, now sit." He ordered. Hesitating I sit and watch him in the mirror as he began to brush my hair. He stops suddenly plucking a leaf from my hair. "Did you not wash your hair?"
I sheepishly watched him let the leaf land on the dresser. "I thought we didn't have enough time."
"Get out of the dress when done call me in." I did as told.
I was surprised when Baki began to wash my hair and then blow dry it. It was such a strange experience having a demon wash, then blow dry, then style my hair. It did look amazing after. I watched myself in the mirror pleased at how pretty I look.
"You're really good at this." I tell him. He shrugs putting his suite jacket back on.
"Time to go, we're already late." He ordered holding the door open for me.
As we entered the party every eye turned to me. A room full of demons, very strong demons had me almost backing out of the room but I was stopped by Baki who with a shake of his head lead me over to Naraku who was talking to a group of guests.
"This is Kagome, Naraku motioned towards me.”She is the one I have told you all about."
The female demon looked me up and down unimpressed I could tell. "Are you sure she's going to be of any help, Naraku? She is only human and not a very strong looking one." She says.
"Trust me she will be very useful." Naraku says locking eyes with me before going back to talking with his guests.
I glance at Baki who shrugs. "I don't see many children. I thought this was a birthday party?" I say glancing around once more only seeing finely dressed adult demons.
"Come with me." Baki leads me to another smaller room were a lot of little children were demon and human alike played some kind of game. The only adult in the room was a human woman who looked at us as we entered.
"That's Aasha." Baki points to a little dark haired girl in a bright pink dress. Then I noticed something I hadn't the night before.
"She's a half demon?" I ask Baki. Why would Naraku have a half demon child after making his full demon?
Baki nods, “Naraku's only half demon child. Could you imagine the controversy when the child was born from an unknown mother?" He hesitates seeming to think. "Well, not much at least while Naraku was around."
The little girl spots me and runs over smiling widely. "You're the lady that daddy brought here." She hugs me and I'm surprised by the kindness of one of Naraku's children. I bend down to her level smiling.
"I don't have a present for you but I wanted to wish you a happy birthday." I tell her. The little girl is suddenly shy.
"Thank you." She says quietly. "Do you want to play with us?" She didn't really wait for my reply as she started pulling me over to the other children.
A couple hours later all the children were going home and I was beyond tired from playing 'Solider' with a about ten 5 year olds. It was pretty much them making up surprise attacks to take me down. I was beyond tired.
It was only Aasha, and a lady, and I left in the room now. I had collapsed on one of the fluffy purple chairs in the room picking the birthday cake from my hair.
"Alright Aasha it's time for bed." The women came over shaking the half sleep Aasha who whined. The women continue to tug at Aasha trying to pull the girl up. "Aasha it's your bed time now come on." The obviously frustrated women said. She was fighting not to get mad and yell at her and make the little girl upset. Half demon, full demon either way she was still one of Naraku's children.
Seeing this as my opportunity to escape the adult party still going on the other side of the door and maybe find a way to get Sesshomaru to the roof.
"I'll take her." I say and Aasha perks up at that and jump into my arms the only way a half demon child could. "Is that alright?" I asked the tired looking women.
"It's fine with me." She says giving me a thankful smile.
Once I put Aasha in her bed she went to sleep seconds later. I looked at the clock in her room it was almost 3 that party would be over soon for sure. I quickly made my way towards the dungeons finding only one guard. I thought how I could get through. Surely the same thing wouldn't work again? It was the human guard, maybe I could distract him. Then the sound of heavy footsteps reached my ears and I quickly hid as the other guard came running by.
"We need your help. Ryokuson from district 14 got drunk again and is trashing the place." The demon guard said.
"What about guarding the prisoner?" The human guard asked.
"Forget him." With that they both went running down the hall.
I didn't waste time I flew down the stone steps of the dungeon going straight to Sesshomaru's dungeon. He still sat in the middle of the dungeon not seeming to have moved from the last time I saw him. I found the keys hanging on the outside of the cell I quickly took the keys unlocking the door.
"Come on." I say quickly. "I got get you to the roof."
Sesshomaru rises to his feet in one smooth move and strolls out of the cell down the hall again stopping waiting on me. "Are you coming?" He asks turning to look in my direction.
I nodded remembering he couldn't see I answer "Yeah" I run to catch up and lead him out of the dungeon. Looking to see if it was safe I lead him up the stairwell towards my room which was closest to the stairwell leading to the roof.
Once we made to my wing of Naraku's mansion my guard lowered a little no one was ever this far into the mansion so I was sure we wouldn't get caught. I glance back at Sesshomaru who eyes remained forward he didn't say a word. We burst through the door to the roof into the dark and icy wet air. It was snowing again.
"How are they supposed to get to you?" I turn around to ask Sesshomaru only to discover he was gone. I looked around finding him walking towards the edge of the building I chased after him.
"Hey, you stop!" I turned around finding the human and demon guard coming up the stairs behind us.
I cursed as they began running towards us but they stopped in their tracks eyes wide at something above me. A hovercraft, the name came to me even though they hadn't existed in my time, but every science fiction book I had ever read described the hunk of machine perfectly. It had appeared from no place and was now pulling Sesshomaru inside it. Then I realized that this world was a lot different then I remembered it. I ran towards were Sesshomaru was being sucked up into maybe hoping they would take me with them I wasn't sure.
Something small came twirling down to the ground it was all in slow motion. The guards recognized what it was and trying to make a getaway as I stood their dumbly. The small silver cylinder hitting the ground right by the guards and it blows.
I am on fire. The small silver cylinder was sending out balls of fire all over the roof top through the icy air and landed throughout the roof top. One hit me in my side sending me over the edge of the building. Agony that's all I seemed to feel for days. I went from unconscious to conscious then unconscious again each time awakened I find a hazy image of people standing over me. I catch one of the hazy conversations no it was an argument.
"If you don't give her anything she'll die Naraku!" The white blur said. That was Baki. Was he really yelling at Naraku? The darker blur remained silent not saying a word only looking down at me.
"She shouldn't have defied my orders." He says.
"She's suffered enough Naraku. It's been three days she can't last much longer!" Baki says.
"Give her the pain killers." Naraku finally says and I'm out again.
"You alright, kid?" I blinked away the haziness to look at Baki, who was bent over me. It was my first time waking up and being able to stay awake since it happened.
"How bad is it?" I ask struggling to sit up. Baki stood back not even bothering to help.
"Really bad, but you won't feel a thing thanks to your pain killers." He shook a container full of pills in my face.
I shook my head trying to make sense of what happened. The rebels had tried to kill me even though they had promised to help. I put my hands over my face. I didn't understand anything.
I took my hands away to look at Baki. "How mad is he?" I ask.
He shakes his head "Avoid him for a few of days." He watches for my reaction. "Who are you, Kagome?" He asks. "You have been the only person I have ever seen to get away with so much. Even the children of Naraku's children have been killed for less. You blew up half his home yet he let you live."
"I wasn't the one who blew it up." I say.
"You were the main cause and gave them the opportunity. Plus you let Naraku's prisoner escape." He says. I remain quiet it was my fault but why would I care if I blow up half of Naraku's home? I didn't. However the very thought horrified me.
"Don't expect because of this I'm going to go easy on you at training. Next week it's back training we go." Baki says.
I huff. "Are you serious?" I ask.
"No." The demon says. I let out a breath in relief. "Of course we are." He shakes his head and leaves.
When I'm released from the hospital in Naraku's mansion it is Baki and Aasha who greet me and escort me back to my room which is empty now.
"Why is your room so empty?" Aasha asks looking around in bewilderment.
"I'm guessing it's my punishment for doing something wrong." I say under my breath but she hears.
"What did you do wrong?" She asks.
"Aasha isn't it about time for your schooling?" Baki says. "Besides, Kagome has training to do." Aasha pouts. "I promise she'll play a nice long game of tag with you after she's done."
I force a smile and nod and the little girl bounces away happily. I'm left with the evil smiling trainer Baki.
I stare at the clear blue sky and smile, a cloudless warm day, finally. It has been months since the first day I arrived in Naraku's castle and started my training with Baki. The very thought was amazing. I sat up from my grassy bed feeling the crisp late spring breeze. My body ached horribly from my recent training section with Baki but I had been able to escape to my secret place far into the woods around Naraku's house. I was sure it wasn’t really secret and that I had some sort of eyes on me. That was one of the many things that changed after the rebels tried to blow me away.
Now I wasn't allowed any place without Naraku's personal yes. Baki's training had gotten increasingly hard. I met the rest of Naraku's eight children who weren't even close to being as nice as the little half demon Aasha. The very thought of the demons sent shivers down my spine. Aasha was also something that changed. Our relationship grew she was one of the nicest people left and the only person who kept me sane. Naraku doesn't show his face around me anymore. I see him every now and again in the halls but he doesn't speak to me. I don't understand but it bothers me more than if he were speaking to me. I felt he was planning something.
The rebels, I had no idea what to think of them. They had betrayed me and had tried to kill me and at first I had no idea why. Then Baki had let it slip that they feared me. They thought because Naraku had gone through such lengths for me and felt it was necessary to train me that I could be a very large threat to them. Baki told me he suspected we hadn't really captured Sesshomaru but it was staged. They let him get captured to spy on me. To see who I was and how I was. Sesshomaru's report of me I had no idea what it would read. I didn't think it mattered much because they had tried to kill me anyway.
I couldn't trust the rebels and I couldn't trust Naraku. That was alright with me.
I blinked at the setting sun threw the trees remembering with this warmer weather brought along my first mission, a mission for Naraku.
Please review I really want to continue with this story.