The Portal

Chapter 31 – Kagome’s Mistake

One week later....

Kagome was bored. She had been to the gardens and she had wondered around in the temple for awhile. She even visited the library, which unfortunately, housed a ton of scrolls that were written in ancient Egyptian. Sesshomaru was busy meeting with Lord Anubis and Lord Hapy concerning the re-opening of the Portal and the practically impossible task of gaining access to the keys in Lord Seth’s possession. She had happily allowed Sesshomaru the pleasure of handling the details, as spending hours discussing strategy wasn’t really her forte.

Deciding that a little adventure was in order, she proceeded toward the inu village where the merchants were selling and the slaves were busy working. Kagome had only been privy to gazing upon the lovely temple and it’s courtyard, and tropical gardens, but she had yet to see how the common folk lived. A place that, she no doubt, would feel much more at home.

As Kagome and Tala strolled along headed for a brief interlude from the aristocratic nature of all those in the temple, her thoughts wondered to her friends and family. It seemed like forever since she had eaten her mom’s cooking, and slammed her bedroom door in Souta’s face. She would even welcome a mummified ear from Gramps right about now. Had they been wondering where she was? Had Inuyasha told them of her disappearance? Her mother was probably frantic with worry, which made Kagome feel anxious and sad. If only she had a way to contact them, just to let them know she was ok.

Her friends were more than likely out hunting for jewel shards right now... without her. Inuyasha was probably furious that she wasn’t there to help. Then again, he was probably just as worried as her family, especially since she disappeared with Sesshomaru and Naraku. That thought upset her more than anything. Did Inuyasha even know that she was still alive? Had they assumed she was dead after all? That was a heart wrenching thought indeed. Shippo would be a broken kit if he believed she were dead. She was like a mom to him. Then there was Sango. Sango was more than a best friend, she was like a sister. If Sango thought she were dead, her friend was sure to be needlessly distraught. Miroku would, of course, be the strong gentleman and help her deal with it, but still, it was needless grief.

Her depressing turn of silent reverie brought a tear to her eyes. It was so damn unfair! She didn’t ask to be hurled to this place, and her friends shouldn’t have to be left wondering what happened to her. It was just so unfair.

Some good had come of the whole thing though, and that helped to ease her torment somewhat. She had seen things she never dreamt of seeing and met people she never dreamt of meeting. She had met Tala, who made her feel like she had found something that she never knew was missing. Then there was Sesshomaru. To think that she would never have known him in the way she does now, was almost terrifying. She could have continued on, traveling with Inuyasha, gathering jewel shards, occasionally watching her hanyou hero as he battled his hate filled half brother, never knowing what lay beneath the icy exterior of the taiyoukai.

Perhaps it was fate that led her to disappear into the portal? A pre-destined event which was designed to bring them together. Ah, as silly as it sounded to her, she smiled and allowed the warmth of emotion to flow freely. It was nice to think that she was meant to be with Sesshomaru, even if it was a silly fairytale dreamed up in her mind.

He had proven to be so much more than she imagined. There was a hidden warmth that he reserved only for her. That made her feel so special, and cared for. Even Inuyasha had never inspired feelings such as the ones she felt over Sesshomaru. Inuyasha had, long ago, planted a seed of doubt in her mind. The seed’s name was Kikyo. A dead woman brought back to life by the cruel intentions of an old witch. A beautiful priestess cursed to forever walk the Earth with only a tiny portion of her soul, while watching life from afar.

Inuyasha loved Kikyo at one time, and would still do anything to protect the clay reproduction, but Kagome knew that his love for her was not the same as it had been long ago. Still, though, it did nothing to ease the feeling of being second. Having been compared to Kikyo so many times, not just by Inuyasha, but also by everyone that knew the undead priestess, had given Kagome a complex. Even Naraku was fond of calling her ‘the reincarnation’. Just because she held Kikyo’s reincarnated soul, did not mean that she was anything like her. They were totally different. None of that helped her feel less like a walking version of Inuyasha’s lost love. It only left her continuously wondering if the hanyou really wanted her for her or because she was a suitable replacement for his lost love.

Sesshomaru, however, had no reason to compare her to Kikyo. When he looked at her he only seen her. When he kissed her he was only kissing Kagome, with Kikyo never entering his mind.

To think that she had wasted so much of her life waiting for Inuyasha to forget Kikyo and give himself completely to her, was frustrating indeed. She had thought herself in love with the hanyou for a very long time, but now things were different. Having been cast onto this planet and forced together with Sesshomaru, she had come to understand one thing very clearly; she never really was in love with Inuyasha to begin with. What she felt for Sesshomaru was so much more than anything she had ever felt for Inuyasha.

She had just passed a few merchants in the open air market. The place was teaming with inuyoukai and humans alike. It appeared the inu’s ignored the humans mostly, and the humans were all as busy as ants running here and there on some urgent mission or task given by their master. She received more than the average share of glances, and just as many outright stares. It seemed Tala drew much more attention than she imagined he would from both species. As they walked through the bustling street, she was aware of many pointing fingers and whispering voices. Kagome began to think that this was not really the best idea that she had ever come up with.

Tala was walking unusually close to her. She could feel her thigh brushing against his shoulder with every step she took. Apparently he was feeling her unease at being the center of so much unwanted attention. Kagome decided it was time to return to the temple. No one had approached her yet, but with the looks she was getting it was only a matter of time, and she couldn’t say for sure if it would be a nice conversation. An alley to her right looked comfortably deserted, and Kagome could see a bright light at the end of it. Maybe she could duck down the ally and head back to the temple on a street that was not quite as busy as this one.

Without a second thought, she and Tala made their way down the ally. What a relief! The absence of gawking eyes put her much more at ease, and her steps began to feel much lighter.

About three quarters of the way down the deserted alley, a gruff looking inu male stepped out of an entryway, blocking her path.

“Excuse me,” Kagome said as she made to step around him, however, he stepped over blocking her path once more. She looked up at him in confusion, and he grinned evilly, giving her the distinct impression that he wasn’t there for a friendly chat about the weather.

Kagome stepped back, and a tiny shot of fear bolted through her body. No one knew where she was. She had stupidly wondered off with out telling Sesshomaru. Her spike of fear spawned the transformation of her pet, and Tala was soon hissing at the male with his glossy black eyes.

Another male stepped out to stand behind the first, which Kagome decided was way too many for her peace of mind. She abruptly turned to go back the way she came, but found that during the moment the second man had appeared, three more had shown up behind her. Now she was really scared.

Tala felt Kagome’s fear and raised up on his hind legs as he hissed his warning to the male inuyoukai surrounding his mistress. He flicked his spiked tail to and fro in an ominously defensive stance. Kagome knew that her friend would do whatever he could to protect her, but there was no way he could fend off all five of them. She cursed her stupidity for wondering about without a weapon. She really had not thought it would be dangerous with Tala by her side.

“Wh... Just what do you want?” Kagome asked nervously as she glared at them with mock bravery.

“Look a here fella’s. Just who we were looking for, but the boss didn’t tell us how pretty you were, little miko,” The gruff looking inu said in an equally gruff voice.

“What boss? What are you talking about? Listen, I am from the temple, and under Lord Anubis’ protection. You would do well to go and leave me and my pet be!” Kagome demanded with more confidence than she was actually feeling.

“So we heard, but we don’t answer to Anubis, and our boss is paying handsomely for you,” The inu said as he and his partners stepped closer.

Tala’s hissing increased in violence and Kagome frantically searched for a way out of this mess. She looked for a door or even something that she could wield as a weapon, but nothing was at her disposal. It was just her and Tala against five male inuyoukai.

Time to bluff.

Kagome allowed her power to flare, and raised her pink enflamed hands up to her would be attackers. “I am a miko! Don’t you dare come closer or I will fry your ass to hell!”

A round of laugher was the unwelcome response to her bluff, and Kagome suddenly felt the desperation of her situation. The circle became tighter and she backed against the stone wall of the ally. She wondered, if she screamed would anyone hear her through the noise of the market? Doubtful. What did they want from her? Who was this boss that they spoke of? Kagome pushed those thoughts aside as she prepared for battle.

The gruff man stepped to the side, allowing his minions to take over. Kagome glanced into the faces of the four men, quickly assessing which one to take out first. She looked down at Tala who was now staring intently at the largest man on her left. She assumed he would go for him, so she decided to take the one next to him. He was smaller, even bordering on thin. Maybe if she could take him down, the surprise of her attack would give her an opportunity to run for safety.

Kagome mentally counted... one... two... three GO!

Kagome ran for her chosen victim and kneed him in the crotch as hard as she could. When he bent over in pain she grabbed his head with both hands and pushed her power with all her might. She had never attacked with out a weapon, and wasn’t sure it would even work, but her power soon came to her aid and flashed through her body out through her hands and into the inu’s foul head. A scream of pain tore from the man’s gurgling throat, before he turned to dust.

Kagome had no time to run, however, because she was suddenly tackled to the ground. Through the dust she caught sight of Tala, who was suctioned onto the torso of the huge inu’s body, and making horrific efforts to rip out his throat with his long fangs. One of the inu’s on her back jumped up to pull Tala off, but before he could grab onto her pet, his wickedly sharp tail was thrust in the approaching enemy’s direction. Kagome had to hold down the bile that rose in her throat when Tala’s spike was harshly embedded deep into the forehead of the now dead inu. Tala wrenched it back out of the man’s head, without missing a beat, as he finally managed to get a lock on the remaining inu’s jugular. Soon a crimson spray of blood rained down over the ground covering her body, and Kagome screamed.

When she opened her eyes again Tala was stalking toward the gruff leader, who Kagome noticed had donned a strange mask. She couldn’t make out the one on her back, holding her hands together, but she heard his muffled voice call out, “Throw it now!”

The gruff inu then threw down a rounded vial, which shattered releasing a strange purple gas that looked oddly familiar. The gas poured out, filling the air, and to Kagome’s horror she watched as Tala began to grow weaker, until finally his legs gave way. Her only hope collapsed at the feet of the gruff inu male, and Kagome began to feel the effects of the gas taking over her mind. The last thing she remembered was wicked laughter filling the air.

~~~***~~~

Kagome woke up in a dark place, which was really fine with her because her head was splitting in two. When the memory of what happened to her flooded her mind, she jumped up from the straw covered floor and looked around for Tala. He wasn’t there, where ever ‘there’ was! It was so dork that she could hardly see. It was also rather damp. She could hear dripping water, and the far wall glistened slightly in the darkness, as if droplets were trickling down. The floor was dirt covered in straw, and the only opening was covered in rusted metal bars.

She was in a dungeon cell.

Kagome blinked a few times, trying to clear her pounding head, and stumbled over to the bars. She leaned as far as she could into them, trying to get a peek around. There was a light coming from a cell at the opposite end of the dungeon, but otherwise it was still and dark.

Suddenly she caught sight of movement to her left. Kagome pressed her face against the bars, ignoring the ruff texture of he rust pressing into her soft cheek. The cell next to her had an occupant. She was sure she seen movement. “Hello?” she called softly.

She received no answer, but soon discovered who was imprisoned next to her, as Tala’s long tail snaked out in an attempt to reach her. She got closer to the edge and stretched as far as she could, but only the very tips of her fingers could touch the tip of his fur. “Oh Tala, what in the world have I gotten us into?” Kagome whispered despairingly.

Out of the darkness, a figure immerged, and Kagome knew who it was before he spoke or before she could see him clearly. Recognition came from the thing he carried on his person. The Shikon no Tama.

“Naraku!” Kagome spat. “I should have killed you when we first arrived on this planet!”

“Kukuku, as if you actually could, little miko. Besides, you would not slaughter your future mate, would you?” Naraku replied in a velvety tone.

“I’ll never mate with the likes of you! Sesshomaru will kill you for taking me like this!” Kagome yelled.

A cold and malicious laughter echoed off of the dungeon walls. Naraku then said with a remaining chuckle, “Ah yes. Lord Sesshomaru. My dear, Kagome, I would not waste time waiting for a rescue from your lover. Lord Seth has other plans for him.”

“You bastard! You joined with Seth against us! Kami, it figures! You’re such a lowlife piece of crap!” Kagome screamed. The sound of her voice echoing uselessly in the dungeon stronghold.

Her captor brushed her words aside as he turned and disappeared into the darkness saying, “Given time you will change your mind.”

“NEVER!!!” Kagome yelled into the blackness. Then she crawled back onto the pile of hay and curled up. Her last thoughts were of Sesshomaru. Would he survive Seth’s plan to rescue her?

Kagome drifted into a fitful sleep and tears poured from her tightly closed eyes.