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. |
In a New Light
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor do I make any profit from this story.
Warning: There will be lemons in this story, some non-con as well.
Chapter 46: Truth Revealed
(A/N: I absolutely love getting the reviews from you guys, it sparks up my inspiration and I'm already working on the sequel. Only problem is I'm more excited for the second half than the first. LOL. I could use ideas for Kouga's initial reaction, the ones I have... they just don't feel right. Later reactions/interactions I have planned, but still need an initial impression that does not end in placation. All opinions, ideas, or even just a line or two of dialogue would help; I want to get it post-worthy as soon as possible for you guys.)
Kagome's and Naraku's silently seething spectator, Inuyasha, having overcome his shock, just glared at the pair. For once the words to express his fury had been robbed of him. After a long moment, Naraku lifted his head and resisted smirking an "I won" grin at the dog. It would be satisfying, but would not help the next step of his plan.
Kagome, having all but forgotten they were not alone, started thinking about being taken away from this place. She wanted to be taken someplace that she could hold Naraku forever; she would never let him go again.
"I would like nothing more than to heed your request, but first," Naraku spoke into her hair before turning her around for her eyes to lock with Inuyasha's. She immediately read the hurt, betrayal, shock, rage, and pain radiating off of him. "There is still this matter to attend to." Naraku let his aura loose, sure that the monk would sense it and come running with the others.
"They are going to hate me…" she mumbled to herself.
"If we leave now, they will. They will remain trapped in their own assumptions, unless," Naraku explained smoothly, "you use this opportunity to explain yourself."
"I don't even know where to begin…" she heard the others approaching rapidly and backed up into Naraku for protection and as a way to hide. It was obvious she was terrified.
"Between the two of us, we will make them accept this change in dynamic," Naraku whispered to her.
As Sango, Miroku, and Shippo, all riding Kirara burst into the clearing, Naraku severed the binds on Inuyasha, slicing the bundle of hair and dispelling the hold, making him fall to the ground as his support was removed.
"Naraku, let Kagome go?" Sango screamed out of instinct.
"WHY, Kagome?!" the sharp edge to Inuyasha's voice as he lifted himself from the ground was as painful as a knife in her heart. It effectively drew the attention of the others. Naraku's hand on Kagome's shoulder was her reassurance that she did not have to face this alone.
She gulped, "I, uh, you see, I," Inuyasha's eyes met hers, full of unrestrained, turbulent emotions, "I fell in love." She moved her gaze up and over her shoulder, making it obvious to all around just who she was referring too. Seeing him there, standing with her, he was her strength in this. She would not have been able to tell it all on her own. "I fell in love with Naraku," she repeated much more confidently, "and this fighting needs to stop."
"Fighting! You are telling us to stop fighting? What about that monster; he's the one who goes around slaughtering innocent people!" Inuyasha screamed out.
"He must be manipulating her," Sango posed, again resuming her threats towards Naraku and demanding he release Kagome.
Naraku could feel his blood heating up with the increasing volume of the verbal barrage, but the most aggravating part was the building fear and pain he felt coming off the little woman pressing herself into his side. He could kill them, he knew he could with ease, but that would only hurt her. He needed them to accept this, so that she would not fret over their reactions. If she were disturbed, her thoughts would be on them and not him. He wanted all of her attention and would not share their intimate moments with any others, whether physically or mentally. It was no secret that he was a greedy being, far too covetous to ever give up this love; this most intense and passionate feeling, surpassing anything he's ever experienced. That didn't mean he'd force her in any way, for that'd forfeit it, he'd persuade her and any others. With the manipulative wheels turning he let lose a feral grin towards the ensuing chaos.
Kagome's distressed whimper pulled him out of his mind. "Have you forgotten all the pain he's caused; all the lives he's ruined? How could you, Kagome?" Inuyasha accused viciously.
"He's probably just using you for the jewel," Sango warned.
Kagome gasped, 'The jewel, that's right.' Without a word Kagome retrieved the item from her pocket gaining gasps from all the newcomers.
All throughout the tirade, the only one of her friends that had not yet spoken, was unsurprisingly Miroku, who had just had his budding suspicions confirmed. Taking advantage of the sudden silence, he posed his question, "Answer truthfully, Kagome, do you regret anything?"
"I… the only thing I regret, is that I kept this a secret for so long. I didn't want to hurt any of you," her soft, timid voice became firm once again. "But I do not regret, not for a second, that I fell in love with Naraku. I don't expect any of you to understand, I'm still not even sure if I understand completely, but this is my decision, and I have no intention of changing it, no matter what you say."
"I have no intention of casting judgment," Miroku dispelled the defensive attitude.
"So, you're okay with this?!" Inuyasha growled at him, not sure where to aim his aggression. It was so much easier when he could just cut down the source of his frustrations.
"It does not seem like we have a choice in the matter," Miroku clarified, but with a harshness to his voice, speaking of how he was not too pleased with this development either.
"Of course we have a choice," Sango reprimanded. "We can free her from his spell."
"I do not sense any magic here, Sango," Miroku explained, having their own side conversation as Inuyasha resumed his harsh accusations. "I think she has been seeing Naraku all along."
"You don't mean-" Sango cut herself off, thinking on all the past conversations and one glaring detail surfaced; Kagome never actually said Sesshomaru's name. She turned her attention back to the argument before her, struggling to grasp the deceit she had so easily overlooked.
"-won't accept it, I can't. I thought you were different, Kagome; not the type to turn her back on her friends and for what?" Inuyasha continued ranting.
"Inuyasha, its not like that, I-" Kagome tried to defend herself and answer the questions that just kept coming.
"And how long has this backstabbing been going on huh? Have you been supplying him with information and telling him all our weaknesses too?" he had endless accusations, but she could only stand so much. "Or what about-"
A tick developed in Kagome's forehead, "Sit!" She stepped away from Naraku, emboldened by frustration, and peered into the hanyou shaped hole. "How am I supposed to explain myself if you won't quit screaming? Now that I have your attention, I can tell you that you know exactly when this relationship started, for you saw our first kiss. Haven't you realized that since that day, none of us have been seriously hurt directly by Naraku? And no, I haven't been giving him any kind of information that could harm any of you," she let her eyes connect with her other friends, letting them know she was referring to them as well, "it has all been separate from our ridiculous fight over the jewel."
Finally regaining his strength, Inuyasha pulled himself to his feet, "So are you just going to side with that murderer now, give him the jewel to become full demon or whatever? Have you forgotten that its your fault it is shattered in the first place and your duty to fix it?"
"How did that mission become hers to begin with?" Naraku, who had been scheming quietly, posed. "Who assigned the task and attached such guilt onto her?" His pointed words were blatantly cast towards the dog; all of them knew how he treated Kagome in the past. He ignored the assumption of what he would have done with the jewel, seeing as the guess was grossly inaccurate. Despite popular expectations, he didn't seek to become a full demon. Such an act would severely limit his perspective. It was because he was half demon, and half human, that he could understand, and thus manipulate, both sides so easily. Giving up half of himself would only prove to be a weakening of his deductive skills.
Inuyasha, not wanting to be defeated, spoke without thinking, "If she wouldn't have shattered it, it wouldn't be her task."
"Would you have rather she let the demon crow escape with the jewel? Allowing it to devour the child and have the completed Shikon fall into even more formidable hands?" Naraku countered, using the story that Kagome had told him as reference and making Inuyasha's ears fold back. "What if it was completed, have you taken time to contemplate how to get rid of it? It takes a selfless wish, correct? However, there is no way she could make a selfless wish."
"What do you know? Kagome is the purest person I know; if anyone can get rid of the jewel, its her," Sango spoke up, defending her friend in a bout of protectiveness. She immediately realized she was defending a possible traitor, and stepped back.
"You are correct, and it is because of that purity, that she cannot," Naraku explained smoothly. "She desires the safety and health of all, and any wish that directly, or indirectly, accomplishes that would thus be selfish, for it would achieve her desires." He let his words linger, the message reaching all but the anger-clouded mind of Inuyasha. "Mayhap, her task was not to complete the jewel, but to break it. If it ever were assembled, her task in this era would cease, and the well may very well close up."
"That makes no sense," Inuyasha shook his head, confused by the overload of information.
"It would certainly be a stretch if you were to understand the concept," Naraku scoffed insultingly. Kagome had thought of all these possibilities herself in the past; never quite understanding what was expected of her, but this was a totally new way of thinking about an old problem. She couldn't complete the jewel without killing Kohaku anyways, a dilemma they had yet to cross. She had an idea, one that would hopefully calm her seething friend. But would Naraku agree to her request?
"Naraku?" Kagome softly drew his attention down to her. He could tell she had an idea, it radiated off her, but in addressing him and not them, it spoke of how she would need his cooperation. "Will you please stop trying to kill Kikyo?"
Of all the things she could ask, of which there were other requests he expected, this was not among them. He recovered quickly, and to the observers, not even the slightest hint of shock was shown. As satisfying as Kikyo's death would be, for the "third" time, it would not even come close to having Kagome willingly by his side, "As you wish." The disbelief on each of their faces was evident, impossible to hide, and her smile, completely worth it. "Your wench is safe, Inuyasha. So long as she does not seek my life, I will not seek hers." Mixed into his declaration was a thickly veiled threat, but one that was not missed due to a stern glance at Inuyasha. It was understood, that the promise of mercy applied to the mutt as well as his undead woman; any transgression against Kagome or himself, by either of them, and he would not let them live. Her death would be Inuyasha's fault a second time. "Is that agreeable, Inuyasha?"
He felt like he was put into a position where he was forced to trade Kagome to Naraku for Kikyo's safety, and he had no choice in the matter. Kagome had chosen this, and the safety of Kikyo was the only thing he was going to be walking away with, "Keh." It was the only response he could find as he crossed his arms over his chest. He would find a way to get her away from Naraku; find a way to make her see how stupid she was being. Later, when she was not so worked up.
"I suppose you wish to settle things with your other friends too?" Naraku understood Kagome's line of thought before she even needed to speak it. He wanted this dealt with swiftly, so he could have her to himself.
It surprised her slightly, before she smiled widely, "Please." He knew what she wanted, the reasons that her friends sought his life, to be amended.
It was no great loss, and he had already called the boy servant to him. With the shard in his back, his speed and strength were increased, making short work of the distance. He was surprised the other demons had not scented him out yet. "Slayer, I shall return that which belongs to you." He turned towards the forest and called, "Kohaku, come." Walking out of the forest, completely playing the mindless servant act, he barely looked at his sister. Naraku was watching, he couldn't give away that he knew everything. "Drop the act boy, I already know you have regained your memories." Kohaku froze, suddenly terrified at being caught. "Return to your sister," Naraku ordered.
"You're letting me go?" he stuttered, incredulous that Naraku wasn't going to punish him or anything.
"This is the last use that you can be to me," he told him truthfully, even though its meaning was limited within his own mind. By returning the boy, he was garnering favor with Kagome and settling her worries.
Kohaku stood there for a bit longer, but upon hearing his sister call to him he turned and ran into her arms. "Oh, Sango," he sobbed, the gravity of everything weighing down on him.
"Kohaku, its okay now," she comforted. "You're safe." The two sat on the ground in an emotional embrace, tears spilling over unchecked.
Miroku watch with suspicion, for this was not the first time Naraku had released Kohaku, but this time seemed different. "Monk," his title spoken from Naraku pulled his attention, "do you wish to be rid of the air void curse?"
"What is the catch, Naraku?" Miroku questioned back. "I have a hard time believing you are doing this out of the "goodness" of your heart."
"The only catch is that you would be without a powerful weapon," Naraku taunted. "How many times has my curse saved your life, I wonder." Miroku stiffened, never really thinking of it that way. "You live in constant fear from a power you do not understand, never knowing when it may rip and pull you in. So, do you want to be rid of it, or…" he paused, letting another option cross his mind, "would you rather it be stabilized and eliminate that risk?"
"St-stabilize it?" Miroku stuttered. He had never thought of that; only that he would either get rid of it and live or keep it and die early.
"It would be a shame to find yourself in a hopeless situation, and not have the ability you currently do, yes?" Naraku manipulated with ease.
"And you can do this, permanently?" he asked, not willing to play with such a deadly weapon unless it would be a permanent change.
"No, I cannot," he clarified and looked down at Kagome. "Kagome's arrow would be the means in which to accomplish this."
"My arrow?" Kagome asked at having been drawn into the verbal sparring battle.
"Yes. With your keen wit, I'm surprised you have not already attempted such a feat yourself," he teased her lightly. "Your decision, Monk. What shall it be?"
(A/N: What shall it be, remove or stabilize? I have both options written, but am thinking for sequel material. Do I want him to have such a weapon later? It can go either way, but it feels like Miroku is synonymous with Wind Tunnel. And then there is the issue of his children, will they still inherit it or will stabilizing it remove them getting it? Opinions?)
While AFF and its agents attempt to remove all illegal works from the site as quickly and thoroughly as possible, there is always the possibility that some submissions may be overlooked or dismissed in error. The AFF system includes a rigorous and complex abuse control system in order to prevent improper use of the AFF service, and we hope that its deployment indicates a good-faith effort to eliminate any illegal material on the site in a fair and unbiased manner. This abuse control system is run in accordance with the strict guidelines specified above.
All works displayed here, whether pictorial or literary, are the property of their owners and not Adult-FanFiction.org. Opinions stated in profiles of users may not reflect the opinions or views of Adult-FanFiction.org or any of its owners, agents, or related entities.
Website Domain ©2002-2017 by Apollo. PHP scripting, CSS style sheets, Database layout & Original artwork ©2005-2017 C. Kennington. Restructured Database & Forum skins ©2007-2017 J. Salva. Images, coding, and any other potentially liftable content may not be used without express written permission from their respective creator(s). Thank you for visiting!
Powered by Fiction Portal 2.0
Modifications © Manta2g, DemonGoddess
Site Owner - Apollo