Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

In a New Light	By : Sylean Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > Naraku/Kagome Views: 17606 -:- Recommendations : 5 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor do I make any profit from this story.

Chapter List
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In a New Light
Chapter 20
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor do I make any profit from this story.
(A/N: This chapter will have some VERY dark themes, graphic descriptions of rape, torture, murder, and the like. You have been warned! For anyone not wanting to read such descriptive language, skip the fairly short marked area.)

The sun had not even risen when Kagome had given up on sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, the images of last night came rushing back and forced her into nightmares ranging from failing to save that girl, to finding all the captives dead, to being the one being raped by that grotesque brute. Seeing that face as he did such horrible things still had her shivering in disgust. She had only managed to fall asleep to begin with out of pure fatigue, mental and physical. It didn't last long, but it was enough to get her through the day. There was one good dream that stood out among the gruesome array from last night. The soldiers had been chasing her, the general among them, when Naraku swooped in and came to her rescue by cutting them all down. That's all she could remember and as much as she wanted to remember what came next between her and the dark demon, she was grateful that her mind was forgetting all the graphic details of the nightmares.
Quietly, so as not to disturb the rest of her friends in the hour or so of sleep they had left before the alarm-dog "crowed," Kagome worked her way out of her sleeping bag and the short distance to the stream. Kneeling at its banks, she splashed her face with the cold water and sat down among the flowers. In her time, those people would have been imprisoned, stood trial, and all the other lengthy processes to award justice. But here, there was no such large-scale system. Individual lords could enact justice within their kingdoms, or go to war with other rulers, but even those methods consisted of a show of force. If demons were acting up and slaughtering people, she wouldn't have hesitated to shoot them down. Those humans, were no different than such demons. No, that was incorrect. Those humans were worse than such demons. They were murdering and raping their own kind. How could she have not seen it before? Yes, sometimes demons killed people, and not like she'd allow such, but it was usually for food. Those men killed and tortured for entertainment, it was disgusting. They had no needs to be met by such actions. Kagome finally let the last of her unshed tears fall, weeping for the ugly truth she had uncovered. It was so much easier when the right thing to do was black and white, but Naraku had shown her a whole new spectrum. She couldn't believe she had been so blind before.
Hearing noises from her camp signaling that they had awakened, she splashed her face once again to erase the evidence of her residual distress. Standing up and looking into the blue sky, she felt relief flood her along with her fresh clarity. Today was a new day, and with it, she would make as much of a difference as she could.

(A/N: Graphic details beyond this point!)
Progressing in the same direction as yesterday, Inuyasha suddenly started sniffing the air intently, "I smell Naraku, and a lot of blood and death." He had a repulsed sneer across his face as he kicked up his speed. A few minutes later, the tents and carts from the camp came into view. Inuyasha landed on the outskirts of the hastily erected barricade and covered his nose with his sleeve. The smell of Naraku and death was overpoweringly potent, and it was no wonder why. Corpses were strewn everywhere, lives cut short brutally by a myriad of injuries. One man had blood leaking from his eye sockets, another died trying to hold his own guts into his belly, limbs were severed with the body they belonged to nowhere in sight, and on the ground around each body was some degree of movement, as if they had lain there for some time and struggled before death took them. Taking in the massive amount of gore, most of the travelers were shocked into nearly purging their stomachs, except one. Kagome, as soon as Inuyasha set her down, began walking purposefully around the dead bodies and making her way into the camp.
"Kagome, wait up!" Miroku hollered, still trying to find his resolve.
"We don't know if there are any traps set up like before," Sango chimed in.
She didn't listen, just kept weaving through tents and bodies looking for wherever the prisoners were kept. Rounding a corner, she stopped cold in her tracks. Staked against a fence was the general; large wooden splinters pinned each limb as well as his scrotum to the wood and earth. His face was intact, and there was no way she could ever mistake it, but that was about the only part she could recognize. The memory of that horrible, sadistic grin he wore as he tore into that girl made her gag even more than his state. His body had lacerations all over, blood having drained out of each lesion. He'd been stripped naked and had his cock severed, an unclean cut as if it had been ripped off, the organ sitting a few feet away as he sat in a puddle of dried blood. His face was twisted into an expression of absolute horror and pain. "A fitting end," she murmured to herself.
Inuyasha caught up to her and grimaced back at the sight, "That sick bastard, Naraku will pay for this."
(A/N: End graphic details.)
Kagome walked off again, continuing her search for the women. A few more corners with Inuyasha grumbling behind her about how stupid she was to wander off and all the ways he'd destroy Naraku before the prison cart came into view. She lunged into a sprint and closed the distance in mere seconds. The captives consisted of about 15 women and 4 children; 2 girls, 2 boys. The children clung to the adults, presumably their mothers, and cried. A few of the women shrieked in terror when Kagome and Inuyasha ran at them.
"Its ok," she quickly calmed them, "we are here to help." She looked around but didn't find a key. "Inuyasha, we need to find the-"
"Stand back," He bellowed, interrupting her, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer." He slashed the hinges off the door causing it to fall off the cart.
"-key," Kagome finished her sentence. "Or not." She shrugged and started helping the people out of the cart. The last two to limp out, Kagome recognized and nearly started crying at the sight of the two women she saw last night. Both were bruised from head to toe, their clothing ragged from being ripped off them, and dried blood caked on their skin. One was obviously in worse shape than the other. "Inuyasha, can you carry her please?" Then directing her attention to the girl who could barely walk, "Don't worry, we'll get you someplace safe. He won't hurt you." Kagome then looped her arm around the other battered woman and as a group they made their way out of the camp in the least gruesome path possible.
Outside the camp, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were waiting for them. Sango rushed over to help and Miroku habitually went to begin his spiel but before he could even get a word out, someone he hadn't expected silenced him. Kagome's voice held a deadly warning, "Miroku. No." His mouth clamped shut as he saw her and Inuyasha carrying out two women that had all of the obvious signs of being sexually assaulted. He felt guilty for not having been more considerate, but at least Kagome stopped him first. He didn't want to traumatize them anymore than they already were.
Once they traveled a short distance away, just enough to have the trees block their view of the nightmarish camp and luckily, having found a small creek, they set up their enlarged company. Kagome got to work tending to injuries along with Sango as Miroku and Inuyasha went back to salvage any food or supplies and lay Naraku's 'victims' to rest.
"I'm going to go get fresh water," Sango alerted Kagome as she carried a salvaged basin to the shallow creek. Kagome just nodded as she bandaged the girl with the lesser injuries. She was the one she recognized as the one who was taken away by the group of men last night, whereas the more severely injured one was the one the general had chosen. She had since learned their names to be Mia and Kura, respectively.
"Kagome, is it? You're a priestess, right?" Mia ventured timidly.
"Yes, that's right, Mia," she responded with a smile, "is the bandage too tight?"
"No, it's fine," she answered, then whispered, "It's just that, I have a message for you." Kagome perked up at this, confused and curious at once. "The dark angel that came last night, he gave us food, but told us that we are only to speak of it to the priestess that would come for us the next day."
Kagome's eyes widened, 'Dark Angel? Does she mean Naraku? And did he really take the time to give them food?'
"He also told us the direction of the nearest village," Kura coughed out, her abraded throat having difficulty forming words, and pointed to the east, perpendicular to the direction they'd been travelling for the last few days. Quickly doing the math in her head, Kagome estimated that it would be roughly the direction she would need to travel to get back home as well. Kagome nodded her understanding as she heard Sango return with fresh water.

It was a long days travel bringing the women and children to the village since they had to move so slowly. Inuyasha got caught grumbling many times and Kagome had to bite her tongue at all the inaccurate accusations against Naraku, but eventually, the first signs of civilization cropped up. They explained to the village headman what had happened to them and were offered a place to stay and work. Their rescuers were given a nights lodgings as well, to show gratitude. This village was dwindling in population and this new development would only strengthen them. It was a rather uneventful night, well, for Kagome at least, and gave her an opportunity to catch up on her sleep.
Next morning, at Kagome's insistence, they headed back towards Kaede's village so Kagome could go home. It had been far too long and she could only groan at the mountain of make-up work she probably had by now. It took two days to get back since they had been quite a ways out, but it was all uninterrupted and uneventful. Kagome assured the others she would only be gone a few days and disappeared into the blue light of the time traveling well.
"If I've kept track of the days accurately, today should be Tuesday, so I'll study tonight, then go to school for a day or two, and go back the following morning," Kagome spoke to herself as she worked her way out of the well and towards the house.
"Mom, Souta, Gramps, I'm home!" Kagome called excitedly.
"In the kitchen, Dear," Ms. Higurashi called as she was just setting dinner on the table. "You arrived just in time. I hope you're hungry."
"Oh yes, real food, real food, real food," the teenager chanted flamboyantly.
"Oh, Kagome," Gramps pulled a wrapped box out of his pocket, "I found this in the storehouse that I think might help you with your adventures on the other side." He opened it to show off his find. "It's a petrified dragons claw that will give you increased endurance and-"
"Real food, real food, real food," she continued chanting waiting for the okay to dig in.
"I don't think she heard you, Gramps," Souta answers him instead, causing him to fake cry.

"Ah, that was delicious, Mom," Kagome praised.
"I'm glad you liked it, Dear," Ms. Higurashi smiled. "Souta, would you mind doing the dishes?"
"Sure, Mom," he agreed obediently.
"Father," Ms. Higurashi addressed the senile man, "wasn't there something you wanted to find in the shed for Kagome."
"Was there?" he tried to recall. "I don't remember, guess I'd better go take a look to jog my memory." He shuffled off to look through his odd collection of artifacts and junk that he pretends is valuable history.
"Kagome, come with me please," she addressed her daughter finally. Once in the other room, she retrieved an envelope from the top shelf, too high for either of the other two residents to see or reach, and handed it to her daughter.
"What's this?" Kagome asked aloud as she opened it. It was some kind of health report, but the name was blacked out. The terms were far too technical for her to understand. Turning it over, she found handwritten notes written on the back:
Effects: sexual excitement, euphoria, minor hallucinogen, clouded mind, dizzy. Highly addictive!
Withdrawals: irritability, trembling hands, headaches or cramps.
"You know you can tell me anything, right Kagome dear?" Ms. Higurashi spoke softly, but with a saddened undertone.
"I know, Mom," Kagome agreed easily, "but what does this have to do with anyth- Wait, these aren't my results, are they?" Her only answer was a deliberate nod. Kagome's eyes went big and she reread the handwritten portion. ''Effects: sexual excitement, euphoria, minor hallucinogen, clouded mind, dizzy.' That's how I felt when I was with Naraku, but I assumed it was just a natural response. 'Highly addictive!' Was he, drugging me? But how? 'Withdrawals: irritability, trembling hands, headaches or cramps.' I remember a few times I felt like this after he'd been away for awhile, and this I know is not a normal response. He really was, that jerk, he was drugging me! I can't believe it, I trusted him, and this is what he did in response! I won't let him get away with this.' By now, Kagome was gritting her teeth in anger, seething about this new information.
"Kagome?" her mom attempted to establish a dialogue. "Are you alright? Is there something you need to tell me?"
Kagome looked up, tears beginning to brim in her eyes, not because of Naraku, but because she realized her mom had been left in the dark to worry. The guilt tore at her heart, "I'm sorry mom. I didn't know... I mean, I never would have if I knew that is what… he tricked me, I'm so sorry." Her blubbering ended with the two in an embrace, tears flowing freely.
"Its okay, Dear, I understand," she comforted. "But tell me, who tricked you? Who did this to my girl? And he didn't… hurt you, did he?"
"No, Mom. He didn't hurt me," she calmed. "I'm pretty sure it was a trick from Naraku."
"Naraku?" her mom clarified. "That demon you and Inuyasha have been hunting down?"
Kagome nodded, "But now that I know his game, I won't let him do it again. Don't worry, Mom, we'll get him." Kagome's confidence had returned, invigorating her mother as well.
"I know you will, Dear," she smiled warmly.

Pushing away all her stresses, new and old, about the feudal era and school work, Kagome walked home from school with her three friends, chatting, "Hey Yuka, Eri, Ayumi, how have you three been?"
"Pretty good," Ayumi responded cheerfully.
"Just going though classes," Eri added, a bit less enthusiastically.
"Oh yeah, my older sister just found out she's pregnant," Yuka informed, having just remembered this juicy detail.
"I didn't know she was married," Ayumi smiled at the good news.
"She's not," Yuka corrected, "my mom's been telling her to be careful, but I guess she wasn't."
"Yeah, being unsafe can do that to you," Eri quipped.
Suddenly, reality hits Kagome, 'Just like I had unprotected sex with Naraku! Oh no, I might be pregnant too. How could I have been so stupid?' Her face paled at the possibility. 'Would he even want that, or was this his intention when he tricked me, and what about my friends in the feudal era? Ugh, I'm so dead!' "Uh, guys I'll see you later," Kagome spoke up as they passed a convenience store, "I have to get something in here."
"Nonsense, we'll wait for you, Kagome," Yuka objected.
"We're in no hurry," Eri shrugged it off.
"And besides, we hardly ever get to see you anyways," Ayumi pointed out.
Kagome sweat drops at their persistence and turns into the store. She was purposely taking her time, hoping they'd get bored and leave, but also a bit shy to go down that aisle. Reading the product labels as she passed, 'Pads, tampons, condoms…' she gulped nervously, 'pregnancy tests. Which one? This one says early detection. That's probably the best choice.' She held it behind her back, but then realized she'd have to show it at checkout. 'How embarrassing…' Panicking at the last minute, she instead turned down a different aisle, pretending to look at the array of perfumes they had on display while she steeled her nerves. After staring blankly for several minutes, one bottle caught her attention, 'Sweet passion. Might as well.' She spritzed her wrist with the sample and rubbed them together, then smelled the sweet, fruity, but heady scent. 'I like this one.' She grabbed one and continued wandering around the store, deciding it'd be less embarrassing if she had a few items and not just the pregnancy test. She found a few 'ninja snacks' and finally made her way to the checkout, piling all the products up on the conveyor to bury the dirty little secret. As her rotten luck would have it though, the cashier saw the item and cast a judgmental glance before she scanned it. Quickly paying, she rushed out to get away from the awkward situation, but in her hurry, stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk and spilled one of her bags, the one with the dreaded item. Unable to catch a break, her three friends rushed over to help and one of them froze when a small rectangular box was in her hand.
"Uh, Kagome," Yuka drew the attention of the other three, "Why do you have this?"
The other two gasp as Kagome turns bright red, "You didn't, did you?"
"Tell us! Is that why you've been sick?" they pried relentlessly.

Having no other choice, Kagome was drug over to WacDonalds and practically forced at gunpoint to tell, luckily, she thought up a believable lie.
"Really guys," Kagome repeated, "its for my mom. You don't honestly think that I've done that, do you?"
"I guess that makes sense," they finally let that subject drop, only to pick up a different one Kagome didn't want to talk about. "So," they all chimed, scooting closer and trapping the girl, "what's the newest update on your love life, Kagome?" She nearly choked on her drink.
"Uh, nothing much," she responded with a straw in her mouth, hoping they would just drop it.
"Oh, come on," they urged. "Something had to have happened after that first kiss."
"Well, uh," Kagome stuttered, "there have been a few more… kisses."
Another round of gasps, "So, you do like him!"
"No!" she slammed her drink down. "That jerk had been tricking me, lying to me…"
"Oh no," Eri and Yuka sighed, 'not again. I thought this new guy would be more honorable than delinquent man, but it seems they are one in the same.'
"Why would he do that?" Ayumi spoke up in all her innocence. "There must have been a reason."
"A reason?" Kagome echoed. 'He does usually have a reason for his actions. What would his reason be for this? Was it so simple as to just get into my skirt? Hmmm, simple, and Naraku, don't really go together…'
"With as much as you are drawn to the strong, bad-boy types, Hojo doesn't stand a chance," Eri commented.
Just then, Yuka looked towards the door and saw Hojo come in and start walking towards them, "Speak of the devil."
'Devil, not really,' Kagome thought with angry humor, 'they have no idea what a real devil is like. Naraku, you had better have a damn good reason or you will regret manipulating me.'

(A/N: Now Kagome finally knows about Naraku's underhanded tactics. I think I know how I'll have that confrontation go, but I'd like opinions. What would my readers like to see?)
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In a New Light