Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to The Rpg Spot. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Past the Pain; Winter Contest 01
Topic Started: Jan 16 2006, 02:08 PM (78 Views)
Makokam
Member Avatar
Apostate
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Past the Pain

Kagome frowned deeply as she looked at herself in her mirror. She had been pulling her brush through her hair so strongly that it was beginning to make her head hurt. Finally, she allowed her tears to fall, turning away from her reflection and throwing her hairbrush across the room with unbelievable force. It made an odd noise when it came in contact with the wall, and bounced back several feet.

About this time, one would usually suspect to hear the pounding feet of Mrs. Higurashi, Kagome's mother, or that of her grandfather and little brother Souta. However, no one came. No one came because they couldn't come. And they never would again.

Grabbing her overstuffed yellow bag, she made her way slowly down the stairs. She threw the bag to the side, and stomped into the kitchen as her tears continued to fall. Sitting on the kitchen table was the hated thing that confirmed her reality. She sat down, cradling her head in her hands and allowing her tears to fall freely on the newspaper. On the front page, a photo of her mother, grandfather, and Souta stared back at her. 'Family Killed in Interstate Accident' the headline read. She hated that newspaper. It was only there to taunt her...to tell her what she already knew.

She hadn't been back to the feudal era in almost a week now. She had come back to restock on supplies and visit her family for a day or two, but on her first night, they had gone out...and hadn't come back. Inuyasha was sure to come looking for her soon enough. Soon, she was going to have to face everything, and everyone...

Almost as if on cue, she heard his annoyed voice calling out to her. “Kagome? Where are you?” he smirked, inviting himself straight into her kitchen.

Inuyasha stopped. The house was very quiet, and he only caught one fresh scent: Kagome's. But...this was different. Her scent was mixed with the smell of saltwater. She was crying. Was it his fault again?

“Kagome?” Inuyasha whispered. He found her in the kitchen, her head in her hands, slumped over a recent newspaper article. “Kagome?” he repeated. “What's wrong? Are you all right? We got kind of worried when you...” He stopped, paling slightly at what he saw. The newspaper. It said for him what Kagome could not. He stared down at the pictures of her family members, and dropped to his knees beside her, placing a hand under her chin so that she would look at him.

“Kagome...” he whispered. “I...I'm so sorry. When...when did this happen?” he gulped.

She began to sob harder, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It...was...earlier...this week...” she gasped between sobs. “Gramps...wanted me...to stay home...get ready to leave...” she explained. “I wasn't with them!”

Inuyasha's eyes widened. “Kagome...please...don't say things like that...” he pleaded. “Your mother wouldn't want you to be thinking like that, you know? Your family loved you. They would want you to move on with your life and be happy...”

Kagome looked up at him. Her eyes were puffy, and her face was stained with tears. “I..Inu...yasha...” she choked, swallowing hard, “I don't know...what to do anymore. I don't...I don't have any place to go...”

His heart ached for her, and he held her tightly. “No, Kagome...that's not true. You'll always have someplace to go...you can come to the feudal era. Kaede would love it!” he smiled, trying desperately to calm her down. “You can stay with me and the others. We all love you, Kagome...” He placed a light kiss on her lips, and she turned quickly away.

“Be careful, Inuyasha. Everyone I've ever loved has died...” she smirked coldly.

Inuyasha blinked. “Kagome...quit talking like that, damn it!” She looked up at him in surprise, and he continued. “I understand that your loss is horrible, but putting a wall around your heart is only going to make it worse for you!” He frowned, picking up her yellow bag, and glanced back at her. “Come on. I'm not going to let you sit here in this house by yourself and cry. I know a whole bunch of people who love you and wouldn't want you to be sitting here by yourself wallowing in self pity...”

*---*---*

“Kagome!” Kagome held her arms out as a small red blur jumped up to pounce on her. “I've missed you a bunch!” Shippo exclaimed. “Why were you gone so long? Did you bring me any candy?” he asked.

Kagome forced her best smile, and nuzzled the kitsune. “I'm sorry, Shippo. I forgot to to get you any...I'll have to get some when...the next time I go back.” she finished.

“Leave her alone, runt,” Inuyasha growled. He could smell the salt that signaled Kagome's oncoming tears. “Why don't you go back with Kaede for a minute, Shippo?” he suggested. “We have...something to talk about. We'll be there in just a minute.”

Shippo glanced at them with questions in his eyes, but after a moment, he shrugged it off and did as he was asked. When he was well out of range, Kagome finally allowed herself to cry again. Inuyasha cradled her and explained what happened to their friends while she continued to cry.

The demon slayer and the monk were no strangers to loss, and they sympathized with the young miko as she let her tears fall. The demon slayer Sango knew better than any what Kagome was going through. Her family had been murdered by her own brother, who was still, to this day, under Naraku's control.

“Kagome...it's all right,” Sango smiled as best as she could. “You have to...you've got to continue living. Your family would want you to be happy, Kagome. You know that. Somewhere deep down, you know it's true. You can't fall apart now. You have to pick up the pieces. Honor their memories. Live out your life happily, just as you would if they were still there to tell you to do so...”

Kagome managed a small smile. “Thank you...Sango.” she said as she wiped her eyes. She glanced up at Inuyasha. “Thank you, too...for bringing me here...” she whispered.

*---*---*

“You do realize, don't you, that if Inuyasha and that miko discover what you have done, that they will rip you into a million tiny pieces and you'll never get that jewel...right?” Kagura smirked.

Naraku laughed. “But don't you see, Kagura? I want to break her down. I want her to crack. When she realizes what I have done, she'll shatter into little pieces. She's as fragile as glass right now, and when she sees what I have done...she is sure to break.”

Kagura allowed her eyebrow to rise slightly. “And what good would that do?” she asked.

“It would do a world of good. It would get her and Inuyasha out of my way. I could kill them easily...” he mused.

Kagura laughed. “And how many times has that plan failed you already? This is surely going to come back to bite you in the ass...”

*---*---*

Kagome had not gone back to the future since Inuyasha had made her leave her home over a month ago. She had busied herself with helping Kaede with her miko duties, raising Shippo, and watching over the village people. She was doing as everyone had told her...living out her life...trying to be happy...like her family would have wanted.

Kagome smiled when she looked out of Kaede's hut. Shippo was entertaining some of the village children using his fox magic and a pair of her socks. He was putting on a puppet show about Kagome and Inuyasha. He smiled at her when he realized she was watching, and waved, sending the sock on his left hand flying toward his audience.

Kagome yawned, and walked back into the hut to lay down. Soon, she drifted off into a dream-filled sleep. She tossed and turned as the images flashed through her head...each one was a new assault on her memories...on her wounds which had yet to heal.

“They all screamed before they died,” a voice laughed in her head. She could see it now. She was looking at the interstate. In front of her was a blue car, engulfed in red and yellow flames. She choked back a sob. The voice continued to talk to her, although she could see no one.

“You didn't go, did you?” the voice smirked. “And that left plenty of room for me to ride along...I gave them a bit of a surprise, I think...” he laughed.

Realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She recognized that voice. It was none other than Naraku. But what did he mean?

He continued to talk as she stared on in horror. Suddenly, not only could she see her family's burning vehicle, but she could hear screams. Their screams. They were in pain...screaming...and no one was going to save them.

“What did you think? That I was going to let them die that easily? No. You know it can not be like that. They had to feel the pain before they died. The fire...the heat...the burning...and no one did anything about it...” He paused, letting his information sink in as Kagome dropped to her knees in front of the scene before her. “What you told Inuyasha was right, Kagome...Everyone you've ever loved has died...and they are next. He is next. I'll make his death just as slow as theirs...so you can watch...”

“No!” Kagome screamed, shooting awake. She was surprised to find that she was caught by Inuyasha. She began to sob. Her small frame shook in his arms as she relived the nightmare that had just played through in her head.

“It was just a nightmare, Kagome. Calm down. It was only a dream...it wasn't there...” Inuyasha whispered to her.

She shook her head. “No, Inuyasha! He was there! It's all his fault! He caused the accident...burned them alive...” she stammered. She was screaming into his shirt now. “He burned them alive! He did this to me! He...I can't...I can't do this anymore...”

Inuyasha's eyes widened. Kagome was hysterical. The light that usually shone in her eyes was gone. Her cheeks were stained with tears. She pushed him away.

“Get away, Inuyasha...” she whispered. “I was right...he...he'll come after you...he's inside my head. I...I can't do this anymore...” she shook her head.

Inuyasha blinked. “Kagome...” he lifted his head with her hands. “You can't do this. You can't give up. You just can't give up on everyone...on me. It's what he wants. You'd be giving everything to him. He's trying to increase your pain...but you can't let him hurt you like this. You have to be strong...and let us help you.”

“But...”

“We aren't going to let you go off on your own, or leave you just because Naraku wants it to be that way. He's trying to break you down. You have to show him that you aren't going to give in to his mind games. If you don't...you're letting him win...”

“Inuyasha...I don't want you to...” Kagome began.

Inuyasha's lips crashed against hers, cutting her sentence short, and he pulled her closer to him. When he finally broke the kiss, she looked up at him confused.

“You are not going to go through this alone, Kagome. I know you're strong, and I'm going to help you beat this. I don't want to lose you to him. I...I love you too much.”

Kagome gasped. “You...Inuyasha...I...I don't know that I'm as strong as you think.”

“But you are, Kagome...and we are going to make Naraku pay for what he did to you. We'll show him that he can't break you down. We'll let him see just how much he underestimated you...that you aren't weak like he thinks...”

Kagome shook her head. “But Inuyasha...I don't want you to get hurt. I couldn't handle it. I couldn't handle losing anyone else...”

“You aren't going to lose anyone else.” Inuyasha frowned. “I promise.”

“Don't make promises you're not sure you can keep, Inuyasha.” Kagome whispered.

*---*---*

Kagura laughed at the image in Kanna's mirror. “I hate so say I told you so...but I told you so...” she smirked. “Look, you went and made things worse for yourself.”

“Worse?” he laughed. “This is just what I need. Inuyasha has set her up for me! Now all I need to do is finish what I started.” Naraku replied.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” demanded Kagura.

Naraku smiled. “I'm going to help Inuyasha break his promise, Kagura, and then I'm going to watch as whatever strength he has given to her washes away.”

“You still haven't explained why you're targeting her and not just going to kill Inuyasha. If you were smart about it, this whole thing could have been over a long time ago. Something always ends up ruining it, because you always have to try to do things so underhanded. Why don't you send me? I'll go kill Inuyasha and then we can take the jewel from the miko and be done with it.”

“Because that is not what I want. I want them to suffer...both of them. I will make them beg...and then I will kill them.”

“You're an idiot,” Kagura growled under her breath as she made her way out of the castle. If he was going to insist on doing this, there was someone that she had to pay a visit to. She only hoped he would listen to her.

*---*---*

“Sesshoumaru...” Kagura called.

He looked up. “What do you want?” he asked in his monotone voice.

She cleared her throat. “I thought that you would like to know what Naraku is up to, seeing as how it concerns your brother...”

“Half-brother,” Sesshoumaru corrected sharply, “and this Sesshoumaru could care less what Naraku does to Inuyasha.”

Kagura shook her head. “I know that isn't true, Sesshoumaru. It can't be. Besides, this goes way beyond Naraku trying to kill Inuyasha.”

The dog demon's eyes held some slight curiosity. “How so?” he asked.

Kagura sighed. “Naraku went to the modern era through the well the miko uses...” she began, “and killed all of her family. Now he is trying to infiltrate her mind. He wants to break her down. He wants her to lose herself...her inner strength...and he plans on doing that by tearing her apart from the inside out. He is going to kill her and Inuyasha...”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “The miko...my brother's intended mate?” he whispered.

Kagura nodded slowly. She had been unaware of that bit of information, but at least the demon lord seemed interested in what she had to say. “Yes...” she said.

“All I can do is warn them,” Sesshoumaru told her. “This is not a battle that I can fight for them. I can not help the miko overcome the darkness in her own mind. Naraku feeds off of it...I understand that...but she must find her own light.”

Kagura nodded again. “At least you can try to warn them. They would have killed me on sight...” she whispered. “No one must know that I gave you this information. It would certainly mean my life...”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “Thank you, wind sorceress.” he said before turning away.

*---*---*

Kagome cradled Shippo in her arms, and nuzzled her cheek to his for a moment before kissing his forehead and setting him back down on the ground. She smiled lightly as Kaede picked him up, and from his perch on her shoulder, he waved.

A single tear dripped down his cheek. “Be...careful!” he called after them, a note of pleading in his voice.

“We will, Shippo!” Miroku waved to the kit.

They turned to leave when suddenly Sesshoumaru appeared, blocking their path.

“What do you want, Sesshoumaru? We're trying to find Naraku. I figured we could at least do that without your getting in our way.” Inuyasha smirked.

Sesshoumaru growled. “Calm yourself, little brother,” he warned. “I come bearing news from the wind sorceress Kagura. You must be careful. She has informed me that Naraku has infiltrated the miko's mind...he intends to torture you...he feeds on your pain...on the darkness within your heart.” Sesshoumaru told them. “In order to beat him, you must first overcome that pain, so that it can not be used in battle.” He sighed deeply. “This battle can not be won with physical strength alone. You must recover your strength of heart and mind if you hope to defeat Naraku,” he said, mainly to Kagome.

Inuyasha blinked several times, as if he was in shock. “Did you just...help us?” he squeaked out.

Sesshoumaru frowned. “No...I helped the miko.” he said quickly, and pivoted on his heel.

“Thank you...Sesshoumaru.” whispered Kagome.

*---*---*

“Inuyasha is sure to catch my scent soon,” Naraku smirked to himself. “But by the time he realizes what's happening, it'll be too late for him to shield himself from my attack.”

Inuyasha and his friends were indeed making their way up the path as Naraku hid himself. They were silent, except for the occasional comment from Inuyasha about what he planned to do to Naraku when he saw him. It was Kagome who stopped first. She held her hand out, blocking Inuyasha from going any farther.

“He's up there,” she whispered.

“No, he's not. I haven't even caught his scent yet, and if he was that close than we weould have already...”

“Known by now?” Naraku finished for him as he came into the clearing.

Inuyasha gasped. “Naraku! How did you...where we you...?” Inuyasha stammered.

“I've been waiting for you for quite some time now, Inuyasha...Kagome.” he smirked at them.

Kagome removed an arrow from the quiver on her back, and loaded it into her bow. “You bastard! Don't you dare talk to me!” she screamed, aiming it straight at his heart.

“Oh, Kagome...so much hatred...so much pain in your heart. Your mother would be sad to see you like this, wouldn't she?” Naraku smiled.

Kagome's bow lowered slightly. “Shut up!”

“Don't listen to him, Kagome. Remember what Sesshoumaru said.” Inuyasha whispered, his sword drawn.

“Oh, and your little brother...he was thrown from the backseat. Didn't go through the windshield, but I imagine it hurt quite bad to hit it so hard. Didn't think he'd survive it, but he did...that little brat. Luckily for me, the car caught fire. No one would have survived those flames...” Naraku described with a sick smile on his face.

Kagome's arrow had dropped, forgotten, to the ground. She fell forward to her knees. Inuyasha dropped down to catch her. “Stop it...” she began to cry. “I can't hear anymore...I can't stand it...”

“Kagome...” Inuyasha whispered. “Stand up...be strong. Don't give him what he wants...”

“I think it is time I silenced you, Inuyasha...” smirked Naraku, and a tentacle shot out from underneath him and wrapped itself around Inuyasha's neck.

Kagome was completely dazed. Still crying, she had not moved from her spot. Sango and Miroku rushed forward in alarm. Inuyasha was struggling to move, or to be able to breathe at all. Kagome seemed not to notice. There was a far away look in her eyes, as if she herself had already died.

Sango dropped to her knees next to Kagome as Miroku tried his best to free Inuyasha of Naraku's strong grasp.

“Kagome...snap out of it! Naraku is going to kill Inuyasha, Kagome! Kagome, wake up!” she screamed, finally slapping her friend across the face, hard.

Kagome blinked. “Inuyasha!” she yelled. “Put him down!”

“This is what you've always feared, isn't it, Kagome? Everyone you've ever loved dies...and so far, I've been the one to kill them all...” he smirked. “You are powerless...”

Kagome shook her head. “No...it's not true...” she said to herself. Suddenly, Sesshoumaru's words came to her mind. “This battle can not be won with physical strength alone. You must recover your strength of heart and mind if you hope to defeat Naraku,” he had said to her.

She slowly took a step forward. “My family loved me. This is all your fault...not mine. You were the one that killed them.” she spat at him. Bending down to get her arrow, she aimed it once more at his heart. “Let Inuyasha go!” she commanded.

Naraku smiled. “Do you think it is going to be that easy?” he laughed. “I am going to make you watch him suffocate! There is nothing you can do...just like you couldn't do anything to save your family from burning! The pain of loss has made you weak! You are powerless to do anything! I will kill him, and then I will kill your friends...but I will save you for last...”

“No!” Kagome screamed, the fire of anger burning in her eyes. “I am not powerless! Your mind games don't work! I didn't let anyone die! There was nothing I could do!” she yelled at him, taking another step forward.

“You didn't protect them!” he shot back.

Kagome frowned deeply. “Well, I'm protecting them now! You will pay for what you did to my family and me! You will be the one begging for your life, not me!”

Sango blinked in surprise at her friend, and took several steps backwards.

Kagome let one arrow fly, cutting away the tentacle that was trying to strangle Inuyasha, and he fell to the ground in a fit of coughs. Within seconds, she already had another arrow loaded into her bow.

Naraku's brow furrowed. “You little bitch! How did you...”

“I am not weak, Naraku...you are weak...” she smirked. “Weak and stupid...”

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome and nodded. He raised his sword above his head, bringing it down and hollering, “Wind Scar!” as Kagome let arrow after arrow fly straight at Naraku's heart. When the smoke cleared, there was nothing left but a small piece of the baboon pelt that Naraku wore.

“That seemed a little too easy for my comfort...” Sango whispered.

Miroku seemed to be thinking about this for a moment. “Hmm...there is one way to find out.” He told them, carefully removing the covering over his cursed hand. He closed his eyes tightly, but nothing happened.

He smiled. “It's gone...”

“That means he is, too...at least for now...” Sango nodded.

Kagome took a deep breath, dropping to her knees, and began to cry. Inuyasha noticed this and dropped to his knees beside her.

“Kagome...what's wrong?” He whispered. “You did it. You kicked that bastard's ass...and you did most of it all on your own. I'm proud of you. You did exactly what Sesshoumaru told you that you needed to do...” Inuyasha smiled. “You beat him at his own game...”

“I know I did...” she whispered. “But that doesn't fix what happened...”

He shook his head. “You're right...it doesn't. But you just made sure that Naraku could never do anything like that to anyone ever again. I was right. You're a lot stronger than you thought...and you just proved it.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead.

“Thanks, Inuyasha...” she smiled.

“We should be the ones thanking you, Kagome,” Sango shook her head. “You did it. You saved us all...” she hugged her friend. “Thank you...”
THIS is my side, THIS is the demiltarized zone, and THAT is your side.

"Good and Evil" is too complicated. I prefer, "Us and Them".
Posted Image

Xantarcube: *Throws Makokam down on the bed*

Dalmar: Dalmar runs from no man! ... Bees, on the other hand...

Posted Image
Join the Dark Side

If you ever wonder what to do in life, ask What Would Jack Bauer Do, because what Jack Bauer would do sure as hell will get things done faster than what Jesus would do.

 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Creative Writing · Next Topic »

edge created by tiptopolive of IDS