Chapter 2 - pain

Seeing the mikos he hated and loved the same time whisper to one another made Naraku smile. His smile grew even wider when Kagome lept away, her goal way too obvious to ever startle him.

// So the mikos are finally working together... // Naraku thought. // Not that it's going to help them a bit. In fact, this is perfect... //

Unnoticed by the two tired and upbeat mikos, Naraku raised a barrier around Kagome where she stood on his right side. Kagome saw him making a gesture, but nothing seemed to happen. No pain, no glowing red barrier, nothing.

// Good, he's tired! We can take him down! //

“Kikyo!” Kagome yelled.

”I'm ready!”

Naraku saw the mikos aiming at him, not a bit concerned. He felt Inuyasha approaching from behind, and fast. Just as planned.

// The fool! He won't even see Kagome behind my barrier. He'll only see Kikyo! Until I decide otherwise, that is... //

Naraku faced Kikyo, her stern gaze far from the soft one that once had pitied Onigumo, and decided to taunt her to make sure his plan wouldn't be ruined. He was so looking forward for this...

“I'm tired of you and your better half now, dear Kikyo. Die!”

With that, Naraku threw out his miasmafilled tentacles faster that ever before. There was no time for neither miko to dodge or to fire an arrow. They were too close, the aim was off. Naraku saw Kikyos eyes widen and he knew what, or rather who, she saw coming. He chuckeled when he heard Inuyashas voice call out:

“KIKYO!”

Inuyasha yelled at the top of his lugns a second before he threw himself at Kikyo and managed to dodge the tentacle, shielding Kikyos body with his own, tracing the movements of the other tentacle the same time. It was heading nowere or...? In that very second Naraku let go of the barrier he had put up and Inuyasha saw Kagome stading rigid, unable to flee from the deadly threat, doubt and despair and agony in her face. Inuyasha didn't even have time to scream her name before the tentacle piercied through Kagomes right shoulder, making her arch backwards in pain, a shriek escaping her lips. Inuyasha felt his heart skip several beats and all he could see was the blood soaking otherwise white and green clothes. Naraku raised the tentacle up in the air, displaying Kagomes motionless body hanging from it, tearing her flesh. Inuyasha couldn't speak. He was still laying on top of Kikyo but his mind, his every fiber was focused at the torn girl he had faield to protect, his heart now beating but hurting him as it did. Naraku began to fade away, as if showing off in how easy it was for him to escape had there been any threats to him - not that there were.

“So, hanyou. Since you did not want to rescue this one, I'll be taking her with me. I know how to use her properly... “

Inuyasha fought to regain his vocie, to make his body move despite his shock. Hearing the spider hanyou's taunting words helped Inuyasha to find his strength, his rage, but Naraku had almost vaished when he did.

“Ma-mate-o! Wait!” Inuyasha jumped up, challengeing Naraku by body language. “Come back and fight, temee!!!” Inuyasha charged forward but was only met by a cold chuckle and thin air. Naraku and Kagome had disappeared.

“KAGOME!”

Inuyashas mind was spinning, he had called out her name without knowing. Had it really been Kagome? No, it must have been an illusion!

// I didn't see her when I came, it must be a trick! Oh Kami, let it be a trick!! //

Inuyasha lept to the place Kagome had been standing, finding her scent still lingering in the air, a scent he once had mistaken for Kikyos but never again since then. Inuyasha let his eyes trail around, searching for something that could tell him his nose was lying. There were red spots on the ground. Blood. Inuyasha reached down to touch it and sniffed it, even if he already knew it really had been Kagome. That scent. That bloodscent he was too familiar with because he had failed in protecting her too many times--- Inuyasha stared at his hand. Kagomes blood was staining it like he was the one who harmed her and, in Inuyashas mind, it was. HE was the one who failed to protect her. Lost in his own dark thoughts, still in shock, Inuyasha didn't notice when Sango and the others arrived to the scene. The yokai had left when Naraku did, leaving the rest of the group to come to what aid they could. Sango was helping Kikyo up, though not in a mild way.

“Inuyasha, where is Kagome?” Miroku called out his question. Inuyasha didn't answer. He was trying to dry off the blood from his hand on the hard, barren ground.

“Naraku took her.” Kikyo answered in a neutral tone.

“What? How could that happen?”

Sango and Miroku both looked at Kikyo while Shippo was shivering, heartbroken. He had done his best while fighting, his very very best and now he wanted to be in Kagomes warm embrace where no evilness could reach him. She couldn't be GONE!

“Naraku attacked us both. Inuyasha saved me, but Kagome got hit. Then Naraku took her,” Kikyo explained, no emotions what so ever in her voice.

Shippo whailed. Plunging into Sango's embrace, the next best to Kagome's, he screamed: “INUYASHA HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU LEAVE KAGOME TO DIE??”

Inuyasha felt his heart make a knot on itself and he flung his head up, his despair too obvious in his amber eyes. Both Miroku and Sango reeled at the sight of them. Kikyo averted her eyes, as if she was seeing something that hurt her.

“I DIDN'T SEE HER, GOTDAMMIT! I…” Inuyashas voice was cracking, his breath uneven. ”I didn't know she was there, I couldn't see her until it was too late!!!”

“Waaah! Kagome is DEAD!” Shippo cried, hiding his face against Sangos neck, making Sango embrace him harder and tears surface in her eyes.

Inuyasha yelled: “SHUT UP!” the same time as Kikyo said: “No, I don't think she is.”

This gained everyones attention as hope despite all logic enter their minds. Kikyo refused to meet anyones gaze. Looking aside, she said:

“We'll talk later. We must depart from here now, it's not safe.”

“But Kagome- “ Shippo stated.

“No Shippo, Kikyo's right. We can't stay here. Besides, we can't reach Kagome from here. We must find someplace secure and then decide what to do.”

Miroku sounded far more secure than he felt, but Inuyasha and Kagome aside, he was the third to lead the group. Sango never had any desire to do so, she only stepped up during battles or jobs and Shippou was a kid. So with Kagome gone and Inuyasha unable to make a sane desicion it was up to Miroku to keep them going, even if he himself more than anything wanted to charge forward and claim back the woman he concidered family.

“You're right, Houshi-sama” Sango admitted.

They had to do something, but they couldn't if they were dead. With Shippou safe in her embrace and Kirara padding beside her in small form, the demon slayer left to pad in Kikyo's trace. Miroku followed shortly after, just casting a glance towards Inuyasha to make sure his friend would follow them and not do anything foolish. Inuyasha knew the houshi's glances by now.

Inuyasha knew they were right, he knew it. Yet it took him several more minutes to be able to part from the spot where Kagome had been injured, to avert his eyes from the stains on the rocks that was Kagomes blood; as if being there long enought if yet too late could change the outcome of what happened

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