InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tortured Love ❯ Chapter 5 – Searching for Pain ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5 - Searching for Pain

 

 

<b>Some useful translations:</b>

Onna - woman

Houshi - monk

Ningen - human

Taiyoukai - great demon lord

Neko - cat

Inu - dog

Baka - idiot

Saimyoshou - Naraku's insects from hell.

Sama - respectful, male or female

Hai - yes

Miko - Shinto priestess

Youkai - demon, apparition

Hanyou - half-breed

 

~~~***~~~

 

“Where the FUCK is she at?” Inuyasha screamed out into the thin air. The sound of his frustration carried for miles, echoing off of the steep walls high above the lush valley. It had been too long. She had been missing for far too long. They hanyou had searched far and wide for his missing miko, but his frantic search had not produced any results at all. It was as if she had simply vanished.

 

Inuyasha sat down heavily upon an outcrop of huge boulders. He needed to think. Thinking was not his strong suit, and he usually avoided it at all cost. It was preferable to leave the thinking up to Miroku. The monk was good at that sort of thing. That and chasing unsuspecting young women. Inuyasha sighed deeply. He couldn't talk about this right now with Miroku. The monk was mad at him. So were Sango, Shippo and even Kirara.

 

He couldn't really blame them this time. If he had not been distracted Kagome would still be with them. If only he had not wondered off that night. If only he had not scented her nearby. Kikyo. It had been a really long time since he had seen or heard from the undead priestess. He only went to see her for a moment. It was only to check up on her and find out is she had any ideas where Naraku could be found. Once he found her though, well, it was nice to just sit with her for a little while.

 

It wasn't really a romantic rendezvous, it was just a little quiet time shared between him and someone who used to mean a lot to him. They really didn't talk all that much. They just sat in a tree looking out at the night sky.

 

How was he supposed to know that Kagome had followed him? Damn that crazy wench. After returning early the next morning he discovered Kagome missing from her sleeping bag. It had taken him half the day to track her scent, finally figuring out that she had seen him and Kikyo together. After she ran off he followed her scent back into the forest, but then it just disappeared. No trace. There and then not. What was she thinking by running off like that?

 

He and his friends had spent several hours at that spot trying desperately to find a clue as to her whereabouts. Shippo was in tears, but that was nothing new. After awhile they came up with nothing. Not a single clue. It was like someone had wiped the slate clean, leaving the area void of any sign that Kagome had ever been there.

 

They were too far from Kaede's village for Kagome to have gone home. That was out of the question. So they focused on the surrounding area, calling out for her. Inuyasha covered a wide circumference searching the volume of shrubs and water holes for any signs that she had been there, but still came up empty handed. That was three days ago.

 

It did not take long to come to the only conclusion possible. Kagome had been abducted. By whom? They had no idea, but most bets were placed on Naraku. If Naraku had taken Kagome, then why had they not heard from him yet? It was unlike him to enjoy a demented victory without flaunting it at his enemy. Why would Naraku take Kagome and not rub it in their faces? Was she still alive? Inuyasha could only hope so.

 

Miroku watched the silent hanyou staring out over the valley deep in thought. It was a rare occasion to witness Inuyasha in thought. It looked rather painful. He decided to put aside his anger for the moment and see if he could lend a word of wisdom. If he did not intervene Inuyasha could very well end up harming his brain.

 

“Inuyasha, can I be of some assistance?” Miroku asked.

 

Inuyasha did not even spare him a glance, “Go away Miroku. Can't you see I'm trying to think here?”

 

“That is what worries me my friend,” Miroku replied.

 

“Humph. As if you were worried about me,” Inuyasha grumbled.

 

“Contrary to your belief Inuyasha, we are worried about you. It has been three days since Lady Kagome's disappearance and you have not slept or eaten. You can not keep this up. Should a confrontation arise you will not be at full strength for the battle. If you are severely injured who will search for Kagome? We need your strength Inuyasha.” Miroku tried his best to talk some sense into the hanyou. He was taking Lady Kagome's abduction very hard. Blaming himself even more than they blamed him.

 

They had all been angry when Inuyasha told them the truth behind it all. Finding out that he had left his post and slipped out of camp to visit Lady Kikyo only added bad feelings to an already bad situation. In truth, however, it was no ones fault that Kagome had chosen to follow the hanyou, but since she had, and since she had fallen into the hands of an unknown assailant, they had taken much of their frustrations out on him.

 

It was clear now that they were, perhaps, a little to harsh on Inuyasha. He was not taking this well at all. In the years of traveling with him, Miroku could not once remember him passing up food, but the hanyou had persistently turned away from every meal since. Something had to be done to snap him out of it. They couldn't give up on Kagome. She would never give up on them.

 

“Come now Inuyasha. Sango has prepared some ramen from Lady Kagome's time. It is the last of her supply, and will help you regain your full strength for the battle that we all know is soon to come. Whoever has taken Kagome will raise their foul head eventually and that is when we shall take her back and exact our revenge.” Miroku patted his hanyou friend twice on the shoulder before turning away. He was glad when he heard the rustle of Inuyasha's firerat kimono behind him. Maybe Inuyasha would take the needed nourishment and get some rest.

 

Tomorrow they would begin the search anew.

 

~~~***~~~

 

The mirror whirled with blending colors before turning gray. Naraku sat back after motioning Kanna to exit his chambers. So, Inuyasha is not handling his current tragedy well? Too bad. It was only just beginning.

 

A deep velvet chuckle erupted within the darkness. Naraku was enjoying every moment of this. It would have to be chalked up as one of his better plans. The purified shards still dangling from the young miko's neck would surely begin to glow with glorious taint soon. She could not possibly hold onto her inner purity and light after the torment placed on her in the privacy of his dungeon. If it worked as he hoped, those four shards would turn black with malcontent; then, he would retrieve them from her. Once he added them to his sizeable chunk of the Shikon jewel, they would offer his portion a considerable surge in evil power.

 

That was only the half of it. Soon Inuyasha would be diminished to the sniveling idiot that he is. Losing Kagome to his greatest enemy was a terrible blow for the boy, but discovering that she had been used in such delightfully tormenting ways would bring him down hard. The true victory would be the moment that he witnessed Inuyasha's horror when the miko admitted her love for his brother. It would crush him, mind and spirit. Leaving an easy path to crush his body as well. Then there would be nothing left of Inuyasha. Nothing at all.

 

Naraku could not remember exactly why he had such a deep-seated hatred for Inuyasha. He knew that it had begun with Onigumo's love for Kikyo, but somewhere along the way it became more than that. It became a dark game. An obsession to make the hanyou suffer. A game that drove him like a fire in his belly. It was a need. The need to bring him to his knees. Was it because he had been loved freely by Kikyo? Maybe at one time. Maybe in the beginning. Now it was beyond a dead human's jealousy. It was a deeply rooted hatred for the hanyou that was unexplainable because he had no reason to determine its source. It simply was.

 

Now was the time to set things in motion. Already the miko had willingly given herself to the taiyoukai, who had proclaimed her as belonging to him. The inu in him was strong in its possessiveness of one it proclaimed under its protection. The inu would fiercely protect what it considered its property, and it considered the miko deserving of its protection. Lord Sesshomaru may not like it, but his inu would not willingly give up the onna, even after they were freed.

 

So far he had been focused on the miko, driving the taiyoukai to become protective over the wench. It was now time to see how far the miko would go to protect the taiyoukai. Naraku chuckled. Things were coming together perfectly.

 

Before he could join the two lovers in his dungeon he had to take care of one thing. It was time for Inuyasha to learn that Kagome was not the only one missing.

 

~~~***~~~

 

“Hurry Inuyasha! There it goes, do not lose it!” Miroku shouted with panting breath as he ran along side of Sango.

 

“Shut up! I got it!” Inuyasha shouted in frustration to the monk on his tail.

 

“The saimyoshou may lead us to Naraku!” Sango shouted to Shippo when he asked why they were chasing after the poison insect from hell. She leaped skillfully over a fallen log without missing a beat. They were all beginning to feel the strain of the chase, but Sango pushed the burning pain in her legs back down. She refused to give up on this one chance. It had been almost four days since they had seen or heard from Kagome, and this was the only lead they had. Her `sister' was out there somewhere, unprotected and frightened and alive, and she refused to give up. She just had to be alive.

 

Had Kirara not been exhausted from flying for most of the day, she would have called on her friend for a ride, but she dared not push her cherished feline beyond her limits. They could very well need her strength for a battle very soon. Another fallen log, and Sango took it with ease. Miroku was right beside her every step of the way. The flying insect was just ahead of Inuyasha, just beyond their reach. Suddenly without warning Inuyasha burst through the foliage ahead, then they heard a loud yell. “AAHHHH!”

 

“Inuyasha!” They all shouted in unison as they simultaneously poured on the speed. The yell from their friend did not bode well at all. Soon the four of them pressed through the thick foliage. Sango made a hard push through a rambling bush, but was suddenly stopped by Miroku's staff thrown in front of her. She looked up. There was nothing there. No trees, no rocks, no ground at all. They were standing on the edge of a very steep cliff. And Inuyasha was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Inuyasha!” They shouted again. All of them going down to their knees to peer over the side. It was a long steep drop disappearing into the mist below. They all thought the worst! Inuyasha had fallen to his death!

 

“Shut up and get me out of here!” Inuyasha's voice echoed through the mist. A collective sigh of relief passed through the traveling companions. Sango looked to Kirara. “I know that you are tired my friend, but you must go and collect Inuyasha.” Kirara mewed sweetly before transforming into the fierce hulking size of her two-tailed neko ancestors. She leapt fearlessly over the cliff's edge and made her way down to find Inuyasha, who was holding on with one hand to a lone root sticking precariously out of the cliff.

 

“It's about time,” Inuyasha muttered before leaping onto the neko's back. She growled in response before taking to the wind and soaring back to their friends waiting at the top of the cliff.

 

When Kirara landed Inuyasha jumped down and turned to find his friends who were trying desperately to hold in their laughter. His face turned beet red for a moment and he turned angrily away. “Feh! How the hell was I supposed to know there was cliff there!?”

 

No longer able to hold in the round of laughter, Shippo was the first to crack. Sango and then Miroku joined his burst of giggles. Miroku finally got himself under control and said, “Inuyasha, did your mother not teach you to look before you leap?” The houshi's comment was followed by another round of gut shaking laughter.

 

“Oh get over it already! Damn. That shit cost us our chance at finding Kagome!” Inuyasha growled in frustration as he looked out over the steep incline. The saimyoshou was gone. Not a trace could be seen.

 

Inuyasha's angry remark brought them all back to the painful reality. Mirkou sighed heavily. “We are not even certain that it is Naraku who has Kagome.”

 

“Well, I'm willing to bet my Tetsusaiga that it's Naraku. That filthy bastard. When I get my hands on him....” Inuyasha growled out.

 

Shippo had scurried over closer to the brush while Inuyasha let out his frustration. It was not uncommon for the hanyou to take out his anger on him, and with Kagome gone he was careful to make himself scarce in the face of the hanyou's wrath. “Listen!” Shippo suddenly interrupted.

 

“What?” They all asked.

 

Shippo whispered as he pointed into the forest. “I hear... something. Over here. It sounds like someone crying.”

 

“I hear it too.” Sango said softly. “Just barely, but I hear it.”

 

“Come on! Let's check it out!” Inuyasha took off through the brush. Careful this time to look before he jumped. No sense giving those baka's traveling with him any more chances to laugh at him.

 

Soon they discovered the source of the crying. There in a small clearing was a young girl, but the crying wasn't coming from her at all. As they stepped closer they realized that it was coming from the kappa youkai lying at her feet. The toad was kicking and squalling as if he had lost his entire world. Recognition set in and Inuyasha swiftly drew his sword. The sound of the metal fang leaving its sheath drew the attention of the girl and the pathetic green youkai on the ground. Another bestial grunt directed their sights to the two-headed dragon lounging near the forest edge. The beast was locked on them with both of its eerie heads and four glossy black eyes.

 

“Where's Sesshomaru?!” Inuyasha shouted as he sniffed the air searching for his half brother.

 

Rin scooted off of the boulder where she was perched and made her way over to the group. She knew them through her lord. The one in red holding the sword was master Sesshomaru's half brother, Inuyasha. She looked around for the nice miko that always traveled with them, but she was not among them this time. Her shoulder's drooped a little after that. She could really use a kind shoulder to lean on right now.

 

“Answer me!” Inuyasha shouted again. Then just as quickly the toad scurried in front of the human girl protectively brandishing his ugly old wooden staff.

 

“How dare you talk to the ward of Lord Sesshomaru in such a manner, hanyou?! Our lord will teach....” Jaken was about to finish his warning when he realized once more that his lord was missing. He dropped the staff and fell down to his behind with a plop. “Oh Master! Where are you?!”

 

Inuyasha looked confused. “Huh? Hey, what the hell is going on? What do you mean... `where are you'? Don't you know where he is?”

 

Rin stepped over Jaken and stood in front of Inuyasha wringing her tiny hands in worry. “Please excuse master Jaken. He has become grief stricken since our lords capture eight days ago.”

 

Eight days ago? Sesshomaru was missing since eight days ago? Could it be a coincidence? Sango pushed Inuyasha aside and kneeled down in front of the girl. “I'm Sango. Do you remember me? Kohoku's sister. You are Rin, correct?” The girl nodded and gave a half hearted smile. Sango took a deep breath. Her heart was pounding. This was the first lead that they had come up with since Kagome's disappearance. If it was a lead at all. She would have to find out more. “Tell me Rin. Lord Sesshomaru has been missing for eight days? Do you have any clue where he could be?”

 

“Yes, and no,” Rin replied. “Sesshomaru-sama was taken by that wicked woman, Kagura and an ugly old witch. I think she put a spell on him, because he couldn't move or talk. Jaken tried to stop them, but he passed out when he got close. I... ::sniff:: ....couldn't....::sniff:: stop them.” Rin's tears began to flow. Her worry over her master very evident. Sango hugged her for a moment until she had regained control of her emotions.

 

When Sango stood up she met Inuyasha's eyes. One word was ground through their clenched teeth. “Naraku.”

 

Miroku shook his head, deep in thought. Why would Naraku take Sesshomaru and then Kagome? Could it be that he had taken them both or was this just some strange coincidence? More than likely not. The fact that they were both missing was enough to lead them to believe that Naraku had a hand in Kagome's disappearance also. The thought that their sweet innocent young friend was in the hands of that vile creature was almost more than he could bear. They had to find his lair and fast.

 

Miroku turned to their only hope. He smiled down to the young mortal girl. “Rin, I am Miroku. Can you tell us which direction they took Lord Sesshomaru?”

 

Rin nodded and pointed in the direction that they had flown away on the giant white feather.

 

“Ah, you are a very smart girl.” Miroku praised.

 

“Arigato. Where is Kagome-sama?” Rin asked the monk. His smile soon turned to a frown.

 

“We believe that the same people who took Lord Sesshomaru has taken her as well,” Miroku sadly answered.

 

“Oh....” Rin replied sadly. “Are you going to help my lord?”

 

“Silly ningen! Lord Sesshomaru does not need any help from this rabble!” Jaken was aghast that Rin had lost sight of their lord's greatness. He would slay Naraku himself and return to them! Wouldn't he?

 

Sango stepped up and took over. She kicked Jaken in the side. Not overly hard, but enough to get the irritating toad to quit his sniveling tirade and give her his undivided attention. “Look here toad. We are going after our friend, who is probably being held just like Sesshomaru. You need to get his ward to safety. Do you have someplace safe that you can take her?”

 

Jaken looked around frantically for his staff of heads. He didn't like the taijiya standing over him. She made a living by exterminating his kind, and he didn't want to be exterminated! Unfortunately he found his staff firmly held beneath the female warriors foot, he scooted back a bit. “hai... hai. She will be safe at the castle.”

 

“Fine. I suggest you take her there and let us look for Sesshomaru. If I find out she's been in danger because you didn't listen to me, I'll find you and make you pay.” Sango charged with a little more force than was really necessary. She didn't want the toad to think that he and Rin could follow them. They would only slow them down.

 

“Hai,” Jaken said once again, as he scurried to his feet. “Come Rin! Quit wasting time and let us be off!” He wanted to put the warrior wench in her place, but without his lord there to protect him he was hesitant. Instead he decided to take Rin back to the castle. From there, he and Ah-Un would backtrack and seek their lord themselves by following Inuyasha's scent. He wouldn't trust his master's safety to these baka's.

 

~~~***~~~

 

The huge flying insect hovered briefly in front of its master before buzzing off to join its hive. Naraku watched thoughtfully as it faded from his sight. He could not have been more pleased with the outcome. It appeared that Inuyasha and gang now had the information that he wished them to have. Currently they should be headed in his general direction. They would never find his stronghold however, without a clue here and there. He would make sure to provide them with such as the need arises.

 

The dark hanyou turned and headed back toward the dungeon where his freshly cleaned prisoners awaited his arrival. Kagura had been warned not to `play' with her charge while taking the miko to the baths. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was not awake during his bathing process. It wouldn't do to have him escape before the plan came to fruition. Kuto had seen to the inu and both should be back in the dungeon and unhappily chained in place.

 

He could hardly wait. His black heart leapt in his chest just thinking about the fun he was about to have. Naraku glanced to Kagura walking slowly just behind him. His wind sorceress had no idea the fun that she was about to have. Would she find it fun? Maybe. Actually it was rather doubtful that she would enjoy the end results, but things had a way of surprising him, so one could not be too sure.

 

Naraku waited patiently for Kagura to open the iron door. He stepped inside and glanced around. There chained on the wall was the lovely Kagome, and just as he ordered, he found the taiyoukai lying across his torture table. It appeared that Kuto had done an excellent job of securing the demon lord to the thick tabletop. His arms were straight out; perpendicular to his body, and cuffed in place. The collar around his neck was linked securely to smaller iron rings on the tabletop, and his legs were bent at the knees, dangling over the edge of the table and secured to the cuffs near the floor.

 

Spread out like an inu buffet.

 

Sesshomaru could not turn his head, but he clearly smelled the hanyou. So he had come to visit? No doubt to torment he and the miko further. This was becoming much too common, but so far no escape had been forthcoming. From the corner of his eyes he could see the hulking beast that Naraku called `Kuto'. He had been standing there glaring at him ever since he had awoken some time ago.

 

It was rather disconcerting to be accepting a platter of breads for the onna one minute and rendered unconscious the next. His health and lack of sleep had obviously taken a decline, or he would not have been caught off guard so easily. Perhaps it was his concern for Kagome. He could tell that her body was in need of nourishment. When he woke up he was pinned to this accursed table, sporting a pounding headache, and freshly bathed. Even his long hair had been thoroughly cleansed, and he hoped to the seven hells that someone other than the oaf staring at him had done the honors. Just thinking about those huge pudgy hands rubbing over his naked flesh made his skin crawl.

 

The headache was finally beginning to subside when he heard Naraku's approach. He sighed in frustration at his steadily retreating luck. It would appear that there was an ulterior motive behind his bath. He could smell Kagome's clean jasmine scent nearby, but from his position he could not actually see her. She was being terribly quite, and that set him on edge more than anything. It was as if she sensed trouble coming.

 

“Ah, Lord Sesshomaru. I hope that you enjoyed your refreshing bath?” Naraku asked with a voice laced in sarcastic humor.

 

“If I could remember it then I would be better equipped to answer you, however, your mindless brute seems to enjoy rendering me unconscious. Do you not tire of this game Naraku? Kill me or release me now!” Sesshomaru growled in reply.

 

“All in good time, my friend. All in good time.” Naraku replied with another chuckle.

 

“Do not delusion yourself hanyou. This Sesshomaru is no ones friend, least of all yours.” Sesshomaru growled.

 

“Come, come, Sesshomaru. Are you not friends with the lovely miko? I must say that it appeared as though you and she were quite close in the cell last evening.” Naraku drawled teasingly as he walked slowly around the table containing the outstretched demon lord. He watched as the taiyoukai struggled uselessly with a burst of anger. Happy that the cuffs held securely in place, Naraku stepped closer. He hovered above the helpless taiyoukai taking his time looking over his muscular form.

 

Sesshomaru growled a warning to the filth that hovered so close to his naked flesh. He had no idea what the bastard had planned and would prefer not to be included. When Naraku reached out and ran his flattened hand slowly over his chest, Sesshomaru hissed baring his fangs. The hand crept over his chiseled abdomen, just stopping shy of his snowy down. Then surprisingly, and thankfully, the hanyou turned and walked away.

 

He heard Kagome's gasp of fright, and knew that Naraku had approached her. Sesshomaru struggled once more against the impossible iron shackles holding him firmly in place. For all his fighting, it done him no good, and he could only listen to what was occurring behind his head. He heard the chains rattle, and the miko softly crying. It angered him beyond belief that Naraku was using the woman against him. His eyes flooded red and his claws burst forth accompanied by his gleaming white fangs. He snarled and fought against the cuffs fruitlessly.

 

Naraku pulled Kagome along beside him to stand next to Sesshomaru. He then looked to Kuto. “Bring me the iron.” Kuto walked over the smoldering remnants of a fire, where he pulled out an iron heralding a glowing orange tip. He returned and handed the iron to Naraku, who released the miko into the brute's powerful hands. Naraku smiled evilly and held the branding iron very close the frightened onna's face while she winced away fearfully. “Do you feel the heat miko? It would be rather painful don't you think? Just imagine the sizzle of flesh ringing in your ears. The smell of it burning, as the excruciating pain overwhelms your senses.”

 

Kagome was frantic now. She was near hysterics. This could not be real! This nightmare would never end! He meant to burn her now? After everything else that had been done to her? She could hear the vicious snarling of Sesshomaru helplessly secured on the huge table, but she could not remove her eyes from the horror facing her. She could feel the heat warming her face. Why oh why didn't he just kill her and be done with it?! Suddenly Naraku stepped back and away.

 

She watched in equal horror as Naraku held the scalding heat very close to Sesshomaru's flawless face. The red of his eyes was a close match to the fiery ember of the metal rod. It became all too clear what Naraku was about to do, and before she could stop herself Kagome screamed out “NOOO!!!”

 

Silence reigned in the drafty dungeon for a brief moment in time. The echoes of the woman's voice faded swiftly. Naraku reminded himself that he deserved a pat on the back for this reaction. The miko was truly selfless. She would risk her own pain to save the taiyoukai. How endearing. He turned and looked Sesshomaru in the face. “It would seem that the miko does not wish any harm to befall her lover. You are a lucky youkai Sesshomaru. Let us see just how far she will go to spare you, shall we?”

 

 

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