This is my first Inuyasha fic, but I have been watching the series and reading fics on it for some time now. I originally planned for this story to be a one-shot, but I realized as I was writing, that it was going to be a lot longer then I had originally thought. So now I get to post it in chapters.
Yes, this is an I/K romance. Does my story have a plot? Yes, eventually you'll see it. I just kind of go on and on and on... but that's a good thing, right? Then the story can be longer. So lets get on with it already.
All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own them!
P.S. As I go back and read my work, I wonder if I should go back and revise it. If anyone has any ideas, let me know!! I'd love to hear them. A good rewrite would do this chapter some good.
~~Sil Sil~~
***********
Past vs. Future- Inuyasha's love
***********
Chapter 1: Goodbye Kikyo
Inuyasha fingered the rosary around his neck. It was the very same rosary Kaede had put around his neck that enabled Kagome to control him. He had tried several times to remove it, but nothing, not even his Tetsusaiga could cut through the spell.
It hurt him to think that Kagome could ever use such a word to bring him down. Sit! Why that word of all words! He was no dog! He was a half-demon! He should be feared, but instead, they mocked him.
Inuyasha sighed. He knew it wasn't totally Kagome's fault. She hadn't known him at the time. But now... now they were friends, and maybe something more...
Inuyasha blinked and mentally slapped himself for even thinking that. "Whatever," he mumbled to himself, trying to fall asleep.
Kagome yawned underneath him. "Inuyasha? Did you say something?"
"Nothing you need to worry about, wench. Go back to sleep," he said looking forward in the tree he sat in.
"What have I told you about that! SIT!" Kagome had used the magic word.
Inuyasha felt as the pull of the magic of the rosary activated. He met dirt a split second later.
"Won't you ever learn?" Kagome asked, standing over him now.
"Stupid, girl," Inuyasha mumbled into the ground.
Kagome had a smug look on her face. "You can get up now."
Inuyasha felt the spell start to falter and the first chance he had he jumped up and glared at the young girl. "What the hell did you do that for, wench? I did nothing to deserve that!"
"SIT!" Inuyasha met ground again.
"He'll never learn," Shippo said yawning. "Come on, Kagome. Lets go back to sleep." Shippo waited until Kagome had gotten back in her sleeping bag before cuddling beside her in a ball.
Inuyasha sat up and just starred at her. Her back was facing him. Inuyasha rolled his eyes then looked downcast at the ground.
*Kagome... I... * he started to think, then paused. "Ptf... never mind," he whispered to himself. He stood up and got back into his tree. They had a long day ahead of them.
***
"Now die." Sesshoumaru swung his whip around, hitting Inuyasha several times, pushing Inuyasha further and further away from Kagome and Kikyo.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried. She watched in horror as the two demons battled.
"Why do you care for that half demon so much?" Kikyo said, looking at Kagome from a distance.
"Wha.. what..?" Kagome was stunned by her question. "What do you mean?"
"I can tell you hold feelings for him inside of yourself. Do you love the half demon, Inuyasha?"
"Of course not!" Kagome cried, blushing. She looked to where Inuyasha stood fighting. He hadn't heard.
"Then why do you care wither or not he lives or dies?"
"Because he's my friend! Wouldn't you care if he died?"
Kikyo gave Kagome a cold stare. "Maybe at one time, I would have cared. But to him, I am nothing but the walking dead. This body is nothing but a clay shell with part of my soul incased in it."
"That's not true! Inuyasha loved you! And I'm sure he still does."
"It does not matter now. He is still a half demon, and I a wondering soul." She turned away to look at the fight, a sad expression on her face. "Things can never be like they were. Naraku made sure of that."
Kagome felt pity for the priestess. She felt as if it was her fault, if only just a little, that Kikyo had been reborn. It was her soul that brought the clay figure of the Priestess back to life.
"Please do not pity me," Kikyo said still watching the fight. She paused, then turned her head to look at her. "He loves you, now."
Kagome blushed. She had nothing to say to that. She turned back to watch Inuyasha. *Inuyasha.. it's all my fault we got into this battle.. I'm sorry*
She waited and watched for her chance to help him.
***
Flash Back
***
"It's almost lunch time, Inuyasha. Aren't we going to find some place to stop and eat?" Kagome walked behind Inuyasha with Shippo on her shoulders.
"Yah. I'm hungry, too," Shippo said, rubbing his little belly.
"Yah, well... we have a long way to go yet. We have to meet Miroku and Sango by tonight. We'll be late if we stop." Inuyasha turned his head to look at Kagome.
"Yah, I guess your right," Kagome said. She smiled. "But that's ok! Because I brought along some snack foods!" She dug around in her bag as they walked.
"Did you bring some of those thin fried potatoes, Kagome?"
Kagome smiled and nodded at the little Kitsune. "Sure did. Now if I can only find them."
Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder at her. "What about those noodle things? Ramen?"
Kagome looked up at him. "Hungry, Inuyasha?" She raised an eyebrow.
Inuyasha F'eed. "No." He went back to looking straight a head again.
Kagome shrugged. "Alright then. Don't eat."
"I won't!" he turned around and yelled.
"You don't have to yell, ya know. I'm standing right here."
"I'm not yelling," he yelled again.
Shippo covered his ears. "Inuyasha! Not so loud!"
"Inuyasha," Kagome said sweetly. "SIT!"
Kagome left Inuyasha in the dirt as she walked away looking smug. "I guess that'll teach him."
"Kagome-chan," Shippo cried with his mouth full of Chips. "Look! It's Kikyo's demons!" Straight ahead of her was in fact 3 of Kikyo's soul snatchers.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called. She turned around to see him pulling himself out of the dirt.
Inuyasha sniffed the air. "It's Kikyo's alright. She's around here somewhere." He ran past Kagome and followed the soul snatchers.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called after him. "Wait!"
But the half-demon did no such thing. He kept going ignoring Kagome's cry.
Kagome's heart split in two. "There he goes again, chasing Kikyo," she said in a sad voice. "Oh well." She tried not to show how much it affected her. Inuyasha did this every time Kikyo was around. *Doesn't he realize how much he hurts me?* she thought. "Lets get going, Shippo."
Shippo blinked in surprised. "Aren't we going after Inuyasha?"
Kagome shook her head. "Not this time."
"But why, Kagome?" Shippo jumped down to the ground.
"What if something happens to him? What if she tries to take him to hell with her again?"
Kagome looked in the direction Inuyasha had gone. "I don't think she'll do that today, Shippo. Lets just say it's a feeling I have."
Shippo nodded. "If you say so." He looked around. "Which way were we going?"
"It's this way, I think." Kagome started walking in the direction they had been going. Then her senses kicked in. She shot her head up and look to the side.
"What is it?" Shippo asked. He sniffed the air. "It's a demon."
"With a Shikon Shard." Kagome took an arrow out and readied her bow. "Get ready Shippo. Inuyasha isn't with us this time." *Where are you, Inuyasha?* Kagome was nervous.
***
"Kikyo," Inuyasha said when he spotted the priestess walking down the road.
Kikyo glanced up and stopped in her tracks. "Inuyasha. What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that." Inuyasha didn't make a move. "Kikyo..." her name trailed off his lips.
"Were you looking for me, Inuyasha?" she asked, pausing to look at him with her beautiful eyes. "Have you decided that she isn't enough?"
Inuyasha, of course, knew she was talking about Kagome. "What are you talking about? Kagome isn't enough for what?"
Kikyo gave a sad smile. "Tell me, Inuyasha. Do you really care for my reincarnation more rather then me?"
"It was nothing to do with you, Kikyo! I have to protect you and Kagome. I owe my life to the both of you!"
"She's more then just a shard detector, isn't she? I can very well find the shards as easily as she can, yet, you choose her over me." She paused. "You love her, don't you?"
"Don't be stupid!" he cried. "She... she's just a friend."
Kikyo slowly approached Inuyasha and starred up into his golden eyes. "Do you love her only because she resembles me, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha frowned. He gabbed Kikyo's shoulders in both hands startling her. He looked down into her hypnotic eyes. "She is nothing like you are. She isn't as beautiful as you, or as powerful as you. You are you, Kikyo, and she is Kagome. Kaede showed me that."
"Inuyasha..." Kikyo said under her breath. "If you truly love me, then come to Hell with me where we can be together forever."
"Kikyo..." Inuyasha was lost her in eyes. But something in the back of his mind made him remember someone else. *Kagome* he thought.
Then, to break Inuyasha out of his trance, he heard a blood-chilling scream. *Kagome!* Inuyasha let Kikyo go and backed away a few steps. He turned in the direction of the scream. "Kagome!" He took off, then, leaving Kikyo starring after him.
"Inuyasha...you may fight the truth, but I can see it. You choose her again over me." Kikyo sighed and started to walked in the same direction. She wanted to see what was going on, and interfere if possible.
***
In the Present
***
If Kagome had run instead of trying to ward of Shesshomaru they wouldn't have gotten into this mess. Kagome watched as the two brothers fought against each other. Inuyasha had the Tetsusaiga out and was pushing forward, trying to get a good strike in with his precious sword. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, kept the brother of the Tetsusaiga, the Tenseiga, sheathed, knowing it was useless in a battle. Instead, he used his poison claws and whip.
Inuyasha dodged an attack. He jumped back just before Sesshoumaru's whip hit ground. Inuyasha swung his blade over his shoulder. *Where is it?* Inuyasha thought as we looked for the dark aura that enabled Tetsusaiga's attack. "There!" he cried, and swung the sword, the good and the bad aura hitting each other. "CUTTIN WIND!"
Sesshoumaru pulled the Tenseiga out of the sheath and held it up to block the blast. The Tenseiga took most of the blow, protecting Sesshoumaru for the most part. The demon was thrown back and landed on his back many yards away. He tried to sit up, but slumped back into the ground defeated.
"Hah!" Inuyasha boasted. "Your no match for me, Sesshoumaru, even with a shard of the Shikon Jewel."
Sesshoumaru growled. "No half breed is going to defeat me." He pushed himself to his feet and flew at Inuyasha, his claws extended. Inuyasha was caught off guard and was struck. Sesshoumaru's poison claws went right through Inuyasha's shoulder.
Inuyasha staggered back, holding his injured arm. "Why you!"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.
"Get back!" he ordered. "This is my fight!"
"But your hurt!" Kagome cried.
"Leave him be," Kikyo said.
"Don't you even care what happens to him?! If you ever loved him then you would!" Kagome's eyes started to fill with tears. "I don't want him to hurt because of me!"
Inuyasha heard what she said. He sniffed the air. *Tears?* he thought. He looked at Kagome and saw a glimmer in her eyes. *Is she crying... over me?*
"Damnit," he cursed to himself. *I made her cry again*
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sesshoumaru attack. Inuyasha jumped back at the last second, avoiding the attack.
"Pay attention to the battle in front of you. Not with the battle in your mind." Sesshoumaru smiled evilly. "You really do take after our father. A demon that loves a human. How pitiful."
Inuyasha growled. "Shut up!" Ignoring the pain in his shoulder he attacked. He swung Tetsusaiga.
Sesshoumaru jumped out of the way and swung his whip forward. Inuyasha once again dodged it by jumping high into the air. On his way down, he brought the Tetsusaiga over his head and swung. He missed and hit the ground. Sesshoumaru laughed while Inuyasha cursed.
Kagome looked back and forth between the two brothers. Each was injured, but they still had a lot of fight in them. To her, they were equal. Inuyasha was protecting her and Kikyo from the demon, while Sesshoumaru was aiming at getting the Tetsusaiga, as he usually did. Only this time, he had a shard on him.
Then is dawned on her. *Sesshoumaru has a jewel fragment, but still, both of them are equal. If Inuyasha could just...* She turned to look at Sesshoumaru. The jewel fragment was in his new arm. *Just like last time* she thought. She sighed. *Don't the bad guys ever get tired of the same old tricks?*
"Inuyasha!" she shouted.
"Now what!" he yelled, obviously annoyed at being disturbed while in a battle.
"We know he has a jewel shard! But the two of you are equal right now. If you just..." She never finished her sentence. Inuyasha smiled knowing what she meant.
"If I get rid of the shard, I get rid of his power." Inuyasha smiled.
"It won't be that easy," Sesshoumaru stated. He jumped backward, almost floating slowly to the ground.
When he landed Inuyasha raised his sword. "You running away now?" he sneered.
Sesshoumaru smiled evilly. "I don't think you see the situation your in, little brother."
Kagome looked over at Kikyo then realized what Sesshoumaru was saying. "No..." she said under her breath.
Inuyasha's sensitive ears heard her whispear that little word. He was confused. But, as Sesshoumaru started to raise both his hands (yes... even his replaced demon arm), Inuyasha's eyes widened. He saw it now.
When Sesshoumaru had jumped back, he had landed dead smack between Kagome and Kikyo, putting him in the middle. Sesshoumaru raised each hand at a girl.
"Now you choose, Inuyasha. You are very much like our father. You love humans. Now you get to choose which human you want to save." Sesshoumaru's smile faded as he got serious.
"Wha.. What..!?" Inuyasha cried. "Sesshoumaru! You're a coward! Hiding behind two innocent women!"
Kikyo looked sadly up at Inuyasha. "Inu... yasha..." she whispered. She knew she was in arms reach of Sesshoumaru's whips. He could kill her.
But Kagome knew the same thing. Her lower lip trembled. She looked up at Inuyasha. "Inuyasha," she whispered.
Inuyasha stood still as if paralyzed. He looked at Kikyo. Her face was saddened. Her eyes were downcast as she seemed to stare at his feet. Her hair blew lightly in the wind.
He looked over at Kagome. She was frightened. She starred straight at him, looking into his golden eyes. She was scared, but... there was something else in the way she looked at him. Inuyasha just couldn't place what that was.
He looked back at Kikyo who was now looking at him. He looked at Sesshoumaru and growled. "You bastard! How can you force me to make a decision like this!?"
With arms still raised, Sesshoumaru made his whips come out and cut the air. Kagome winced as she heard the snap of them in mid air.
"Inuyasha! You jerk!" she cried, not knowing what else to say. "Save me!"
"What do you think I'm trying to do, wench!" he growled, annoyed that she would say such a thing.
"Well, you're not trying very hard! Get me out of here!!" Kagome was hyperventilating. *Who is he going to choose? Or will we find a way to save us both?*
"What do you want me to do, then! I can't choose just one of you!"
"And why not!?" Kagome was panicking. The whips were getting closer.
"Damnit," Inuyasha cursed. "Sesshoumaru! Fight me one to one! Leave the women out of it!"
"What fun would that be, Little Brother?" He paused and smiled. "You have but a few more seconds to decide. Will you choose the walking dead over the living? Or perhaps the Reincarnation of your old love?" Sesshoumaru was enjoying this.
Inuyasha growled deep in his throat. *Damn! Why did this have to happen when Miroku and Sango were away!* He mentally yelled at himself for splitting up a few days before.
"Kagome! Kikyo! Get away from him! Get out of his reach!" Inuyasha shouted, moving forward.
Kagome took a step back hoping Sesshoumaru wouldn't notice.
"Don't move!" Sesshoumaru lashed his whip out and hit Kagome on the leg. She cried in pain and fell to her knees. "This is what happens when you disobey me."
"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried. Ignoring his brother, he ran to Kagome and cradled her in his arms. "Kagome! Are you alright?"
Kagome looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She nodded meekly then looked down at her leg. Lucky for her, she had decided to wear jeans that day, so it kept some of the pressure of the whip off her. But, alas, the whip did get through. Her jeans were torn in a straight line across the back of her leg, and blood was oozing out of it. Kagome winced.
"We have to get you back to the village," Inuyasha said. "We have to take care of this wound."
"Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru shouted. Inuyasha jumped in front of Kagome to protect her, glaring at his older brother for what he did. What was unexpected was what Inuyasha saw when he turned around.
Sesshoumaru was holding Kikyo tightly around the neck with his new arm. She was trying to pull his arm away, but to no avail. "Inu.. yasha.." Kikyo said, looking at Inuyasha with sad eyes.
"Let her go, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha raised the Tetsusaiga and it roared to life.
"You chose, Inuyasha. You chose the reincarnation over the real thing. You chose to be with THAT human, instead of this one? Typical," he sneered. "Like Father like Son, I guess, eh, Inuyasha?"
"Let Kikyo go, you bastard!"
"I don't think so." Sesshoumaru raised his clawed hand to Kikyo's throat. "Any last words, Priestess?"
"Damn you," Kikyo spat. "I'd rather give up my life then have someone like you kill me." And she did just that. Kikyo's body stiffened. She gave off a light glow as the souls of the dead started to fly from her body.
There were only a few at first, but more were on their way. The bright blue balls engulfed Kikyo then faded away into the sky.
Sesshoumaru frowned and threw Kikyo's body to the ground in front of Inuyasha. "Take her. I have no need for her now." He looked up to the shy. "Jakan! Come. We're going now." Jakan appeared out of nowhere with their two headed flying horse-demon. Sesshoumaru jumped up and landed on its back.
"Until next time, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru smiled as they flew away into the sky.
"Damnit! Kikyo!" Inuyasha rushed to the fallen Priestess's side. "Kikyo! Stay with me!" Inuyasha's voice was breaking.
"Inu... Yasha..?" Kikyo blinked open her eyes slowly. The color of her eyes were dull. She was loosing her life.
"Kikyo! Are you alright! Kikyo!" Inuyasha was on the brink of tears.
Kagome sat behind Inuyasha where she had originally been standing. She was clutching her leg. "Inuyasha.. is she..?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "No."
Kagome nodded. She tried to stand up, but with a cry, fell back to the ground. She couldn't walk, let alone stand by herself.
"You idiot!" Inuyasha yelled at her, looking at her to make sure she was alright. "Stay there and don't move. You're going to hurt yourself."
"Inuyasha." Inuyasha turned his head to listen to what Kikyo had to say. "This is it. I'll be going to hell, now."
"No!" Inuyasha cried. "You can't, Kikyo. You can't leave me."
Kikyo shook her head slowly. "I have no choice. I have no more souls to sustain me. And the part of my soul I did take back from her won't do it." She looked sadly up at Inuyasha. "If you wish me to live, then I must have the rest of her soul."
"Then she will die!" Inuyasha said.
Kagome listened carefully to their conversation. She was scared. *Inuyasha wouldn't do that to me, would he?*
"Why can't you just call your soul snatchers and have them bring you more souls?"
"I don't have enough power to control them anymore. I wouldn't be able to wait that long anyway." She closed her eyes. A slight whisper escaped her lips that only Inuyasha could hear. "She loves you...like I once did." Her body went limp.
Inuyasha stiffened. "Kikyo..." A pause. "KIKYO!"
***
***
Kagome cried. She had her legs pulled together against her chest and she just cried. And she felt bad for it, too.
After Kikyo died, what little soul she had taken from Kagome lifted into the air and
reentered her body. Kikyo's clay body no longer had life. She had died, but in a way, she has also been reborn, within Kagome.
Inuyasha didn't say anything to her as he picked up Kikyo's body. He just walked away, into the forest, ignoring the fact that Kagome was badly injured. That's what had made Kagome break down in tears.
She couldn't stand it anymore. Yes, he did choose her, kinda, when he ran to her to make sure she was alright. But he also chose Kikyo when he left with her body instead of taking care of Kagome.
*I'm being selfish* Kagome thought as she cried. *He just wants to bury Kikyo's remains* Yes, another part of her was telling her something different. *If he really cared for you, why isn't he rushing you to the nearest village to take care of that wound?*
*Because he just can't leave her body laying out in the middle of the road!* she argued with herself.
*So burying the body of the dead is more important then making sure you stay alive?*
*No! That's not true! He loved her! He has to say his final good byes. Just think what he's going through right now!*
Kagome shook her head, bringing more pain to her shaking body. "No... no... No!" she shouted at herself. Her crying increased. She was sobbing.
"Kagome." It was his voice. It was filled with pain. "Lets go. You need to see about getting your leg healed."
Kagome knew he could smell her tears. She knew he heard her crying. And yet, he didn't ask her about it. He didn't acknowledge her sadness. He just wanted to go. Maybe just to get away from this place.
Kagome nodded. She took a deep breath of air and pulled her arms away from her face. She didn't look up at him, though. She kept her head down to keep him from looking at her tear stained cheeks.
He grabbed her by the arms and helped her up. She winced and stood on her uninjured leg. He offered his back to her so that she might climb on so that could move at a faster pace.
Inuyasha paused looking around. "Hey," he said, almost sounding normal. "Where's Shippo?"
Kagome blinked. "He went looking for you just before Sesshoumaru attacked me. Didn't he find you?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "No." He sniffed the air. "This way." Inuyasha took off following Shippo's scent. It went straight down the trail they had originally been following.
They ran for only a few minutes before they spotted the form of a large fire-cat demon flying through the air. Inuyasha skidded to a stop as they met them.
"Kagome!" Sango cried, jumping off Kirara to tend to her friend. "What happened? Are you hurt?"
Inuyasha set Kagome down but still hung onto her. She needed the support.
Kagome nodded. "My leg. It's not too bad through. Most of the bleeding has stopped."
Miroku jumped down off of Kirara. "Lady Kagome. Did Sesshoumaru do this to you?"
Kagome nodded as the little orange ball of fluff jumped over Kirara's shrinking form and landed in her arms. "Kagome! I was so scared!"
"Hi, Shippo. I see you went to get reinforcements." Kagome hugged the little Kitsune.
"Hai! I knew Inuyasha was with Kikyo, and I could smell Kirara not to far off!"
"You did a good job, Shippo." Kagome smiled.
"Come on," Sango said, taking Kagome from Inuyasha. "Let's get you on Kirara. You need to see the healer immediately."
Kagome nodded and was led to Kirara, who transformed into her large demon form. Kirara kneeled down and Sango helped her on. "Thanks," Kagome smiled, wincing.
"So, Inuyasha," Miroku said. "Care to tell me what's troubling you?"
"Go away, Monk," Inuyasha grumbled.
"How did I know you were going to say that?" Miroku sighed and walked over to Kirara and the girls. "So are we ready to go?"
Sango nodded. "I think so. Kagome?"
Kagome nodded. She looked up at Inuyasha who had this hands in his sleeves and was looking at the ground. "Inuyasha? You ready?"
Inuyasha looked up at her. Even though she was hurt, her brown eyes still glowed. *Is it because of the tears?* he wondered. He shook his head. "Go on without me. I'll catch up."
"That's what started this whole thing," Miroku stated.
"No," Kagome interrupted before Inuyasha could say anything. "It's ok. Let's leave him for a while."
Miroku got her meaning and nodded. "Alright." He turned back to Inuyasha. We'll meet you up at the next village, alright? We'll be there until you return." He nodded to the half demon and climbed on Kirara with the others. Shippo bounded up and landed on top of Kirara's head.
Kirara walked up to Inuyasha and nuzzled his hand.
"We'll see you soon, OK, Inuyasha?" Kagome said smiling.
He only nodded as he looked into her eyes.
"Then we're off!" Sango cried, and Kirara leaped into the air.
Inuyasha watched as they flew up into the sky toward the village. "Kikyo..." he whispered. "Kagome..."
Yes, this is an I/K romance. Does my story have a plot? Yes, eventually you'll see it. I just kind of go on and on and on... but that's a good thing, right? Then the story can be longer. So lets get on with it already.
All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own them!
P.S. As I go back and read my work, I wonder if I should go back and revise it. If anyone has any ideas, let me know!! I'd love to hear them. A good rewrite would do this chapter some good.
~~Sil Sil~~
***********
Past vs. Future- Inuyasha's love
***********
Chapter 1: Goodbye Kikyo
Inuyasha fingered the rosary around his neck. It was the very same rosary Kaede had put around his neck that enabled Kagome to control him. He had tried several times to remove it, but nothing, not even his Tetsusaiga could cut through the spell.
It hurt him to think that Kagome could ever use such a word to bring him down. Sit! Why that word of all words! He was no dog! He was a half-demon! He should be feared, but instead, they mocked him.
Inuyasha sighed. He knew it wasn't totally Kagome's fault. She hadn't known him at the time. But now... now they were friends, and maybe something more...
Inuyasha blinked and mentally slapped himself for even thinking that. "Whatever," he mumbled to himself, trying to fall asleep.
Kagome yawned underneath him. "Inuyasha? Did you say something?"
"Nothing you need to worry about, wench. Go back to sleep," he said looking forward in the tree he sat in.
"What have I told you about that! SIT!" Kagome had used the magic word.
Inuyasha felt as the pull of the magic of the rosary activated. He met dirt a split second later.
"Won't you ever learn?" Kagome asked, standing over him now.
"Stupid, girl," Inuyasha mumbled into the ground.
Kagome had a smug look on her face. "You can get up now."
Inuyasha felt the spell start to falter and the first chance he had he jumped up and glared at the young girl. "What the hell did you do that for, wench? I did nothing to deserve that!"
"SIT!" Inuyasha met ground again.
"He'll never learn," Shippo said yawning. "Come on, Kagome. Lets go back to sleep." Shippo waited until Kagome had gotten back in her sleeping bag before cuddling beside her in a ball.
Inuyasha sat up and just starred at her. Her back was facing him. Inuyasha rolled his eyes then looked downcast at the ground.
*Kagome... I... * he started to think, then paused. "Ptf... never mind," he whispered to himself. He stood up and got back into his tree. They had a long day ahead of them.
***
"Now die." Sesshoumaru swung his whip around, hitting Inuyasha several times, pushing Inuyasha further and further away from Kagome and Kikyo.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried. She watched in horror as the two demons battled.
"Why do you care for that half demon so much?" Kikyo said, looking at Kagome from a distance.
"Wha.. what..?" Kagome was stunned by her question. "What do you mean?"
"I can tell you hold feelings for him inside of yourself. Do you love the half demon, Inuyasha?"
"Of course not!" Kagome cried, blushing. She looked to where Inuyasha stood fighting. He hadn't heard.
"Then why do you care wither or not he lives or dies?"
"Because he's my friend! Wouldn't you care if he died?"
Kikyo gave Kagome a cold stare. "Maybe at one time, I would have cared. But to him, I am nothing but the walking dead. This body is nothing but a clay shell with part of my soul incased in it."
"That's not true! Inuyasha loved you! And I'm sure he still does."
"It does not matter now. He is still a half demon, and I a wondering soul." She turned away to look at the fight, a sad expression on her face. "Things can never be like they were. Naraku made sure of that."
Kagome felt pity for the priestess. She felt as if it was her fault, if only just a little, that Kikyo had been reborn. It was her soul that brought the clay figure of the Priestess back to life.
"Please do not pity me," Kikyo said still watching the fight. She paused, then turned her head to look at her. "He loves you, now."
Kagome blushed. She had nothing to say to that. She turned back to watch Inuyasha. *Inuyasha.. it's all my fault we got into this battle.. I'm sorry*
She waited and watched for her chance to help him.
***
Flash Back
***
"It's almost lunch time, Inuyasha. Aren't we going to find some place to stop and eat?" Kagome walked behind Inuyasha with Shippo on her shoulders.
"Yah. I'm hungry, too," Shippo said, rubbing his little belly.
"Yah, well... we have a long way to go yet. We have to meet Miroku and Sango by tonight. We'll be late if we stop." Inuyasha turned his head to look at Kagome.
"Yah, I guess your right," Kagome said. She smiled. "But that's ok! Because I brought along some snack foods!" She dug around in her bag as they walked.
"Did you bring some of those thin fried potatoes, Kagome?"
Kagome smiled and nodded at the little Kitsune. "Sure did. Now if I can only find them."
Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder at her. "What about those noodle things? Ramen?"
Kagome looked up at him. "Hungry, Inuyasha?" She raised an eyebrow.
Inuyasha F'eed. "No." He went back to looking straight a head again.
Kagome shrugged. "Alright then. Don't eat."
"I won't!" he turned around and yelled.
"You don't have to yell, ya know. I'm standing right here."
"I'm not yelling," he yelled again.
Shippo covered his ears. "Inuyasha! Not so loud!"
"Inuyasha," Kagome said sweetly. "SIT!"
Kagome left Inuyasha in the dirt as she walked away looking smug. "I guess that'll teach him."
"Kagome-chan," Shippo cried with his mouth full of Chips. "Look! It's Kikyo's demons!" Straight ahead of her was in fact 3 of Kikyo's soul snatchers.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called. She turned around to see him pulling himself out of the dirt.
Inuyasha sniffed the air. "It's Kikyo's alright. She's around here somewhere." He ran past Kagome and followed the soul snatchers.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called after him. "Wait!"
But the half-demon did no such thing. He kept going ignoring Kagome's cry.
Kagome's heart split in two. "There he goes again, chasing Kikyo," she said in a sad voice. "Oh well." She tried not to show how much it affected her. Inuyasha did this every time Kikyo was around. *Doesn't he realize how much he hurts me?* she thought. "Lets get going, Shippo."
Shippo blinked in surprised. "Aren't we going after Inuyasha?"
Kagome shook her head. "Not this time."
"But why, Kagome?" Shippo jumped down to the ground.
"What if something happens to him? What if she tries to take him to hell with her again?"
Kagome looked in the direction Inuyasha had gone. "I don't think she'll do that today, Shippo. Lets just say it's a feeling I have."
Shippo nodded. "If you say so." He looked around. "Which way were we going?"
"It's this way, I think." Kagome started walking in the direction they had been going. Then her senses kicked in. She shot her head up and look to the side.
"What is it?" Shippo asked. He sniffed the air. "It's a demon."
"With a Shikon Shard." Kagome took an arrow out and readied her bow. "Get ready Shippo. Inuyasha isn't with us this time." *Where are you, Inuyasha?* Kagome was nervous.
***
"Kikyo," Inuyasha said when he spotted the priestess walking down the road.
Kikyo glanced up and stopped in her tracks. "Inuyasha. What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that." Inuyasha didn't make a move. "Kikyo..." her name trailed off his lips.
"Were you looking for me, Inuyasha?" she asked, pausing to look at him with her beautiful eyes. "Have you decided that she isn't enough?"
Inuyasha, of course, knew she was talking about Kagome. "What are you talking about? Kagome isn't enough for what?"
Kikyo gave a sad smile. "Tell me, Inuyasha. Do you really care for my reincarnation more rather then me?"
"It was nothing to do with you, Kikyo! I have to protect you and Kagome. I owe my life to the both of you!"
"She's more then just a shard detector, isn't she? I can very well find the shards as easily as she can, yet, you choose her over me." She paused. "You love her, don't you?"
"Don't be stupid!" he cried. "She... she's just a friend."
Kikyo slowly approached Inuyasha and starred up into his golden eyes. "Do you love her only because she resembles me, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha frowned. He gabbed Kikyo's shoulders in both hands startling her. He looked down into her hypnotic eyes. "She is nothing like you are. She isn't as beautiful as you, or as powerful as you. You are you, Kikyo, and she is Kagome. Kaede showed me that."
"Inuyasha..." Kikyo said under her breath. "If you truly love me, then come to Hell with me where we can be together forever."
"Kikyo..." Inuyasha was lost her in eyes. But something in the back of his mind made him remember someone else. *Kagome* he thought.
Then, to break Inuyasha out of his trance, he heard a blood-chilling scream. *Kagome!* Inuyasha let Kikyo go and backed away a few steps. He turned in the direction of the scream. "Kagome!" He took off, then, leaving Kikyo starring after him.
"Inuyasha...you may fight the truth, but I can see it. You choose her again over me." Kikyo sighed and started to walked in the same direction. She wanted to see what was going on, and interfere if possible.
***
In the Present
***
If Kagome had run instead of trying to ward of Shesshomaru they wouldn't have gotten into this mess. Kagome watched as the two brothers fought against each other. Inuyasha had the Tetsusaiga out and was pushing forward, trying to get a good strike in with his precious sword. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, kept the brother of the Tetsusaiga, the Tenseiga, sheathed, knowing it was useless in a battle. Instead, he used his poison claws and whip.
Inuyasha dodged an attack. He jumped back just before Sesshoumaru's whip hit ground. Inuyasha swung his blade over his shoulder. *Where is it?* Inuyasha thought as we looked for the dark aura that enabled Tetsusaiga's attack. "There!" he cried, and swung the sword, the good and the bad aura hitting each other. "CUTTIN WIND!"
Sesshoumaru pulled the Tenseiga out of the sheath and held it up to block the blast. The Tenseiga took most of the blow, protecting Sesshoumaru for the most part. The demon was thrown back and landed on his back many yards away. He tried to sit up, but slumped back into the ground defeated.
"Hah!" Inuyasha boasted. "Your no match for me, Sesshoumaru, even with a shard of the Shikon Jewel."
Sesshoumaru growled. "No half breed is going to defeat me." He pushed himself to his feet and flew at Inuyasha, his claws extended. Inuyasha was caught off guard and was struck. Sesshoumaru's poison claws went right through Inuyasha's shoulder.
Inuyasha staggered back, holding his injured arm. "Why you!"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.
"Get back!" he ordered. "This is my fight!"
"But your hurt!" Kagome cried.
"Leave him be," Kikyo said.
"Don't you even care what happens to him?! If you ever loved him then you would!" Kagome's eyes started to fill with tears. "I don't want him to hurt because of me!"
Inuyasha heard what she said. He sniffed the air. *Tears?* he thought. He looked at Kagome and saw a glimmer in her eyes. *Is she crying... over me?*
"Damnit," he cursed to himself. *I made her cry again*
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sesshoumaru attack. Inuyasha jumped back at the last second, avoiding the attack.
"Pay attention to the battle in front of you. Not with the battle in your mind." Sesshoumaru smiled evilly. "You really do take after our father. A demon that loves a human. How pitiful."
Inuyasha growled. "Shut up!" Ignoring the pain in his shoulder he attacked. He swung Tetsusaiga.
Sesshoumaru jumped out of the way and swung his whip forward. Inuyasha once again dodged it by jumping high into the air. On his way down, he brought the Tetsusaiga over his head and swung. He missed and hit the ground. Sesshoumaru laughed while Inuyasha cursed.
Kagome looked back and forth between the two brothers. Each was injured, but they still had a lot of fight in them. To her, they were equal. Inuyasha was protecting her and Kikyo from the demon, while Sesshoumaru was aiming at getting the Tetsusaiga, as he usually did. Only this time, he had a shard on him.
Then is dawned on her. *Sesshoumaru has a jewel fragment, but still, both of them are equal. If Inuyasha could just...* She turned to look at Sesshoumaru. The jewel fragment was in his new arm. *Just like last time* she thought. She sighed. *Don't the bad guys ever get tired of the same old tricks?*
"Inuyasha!" she shouted.
"Now what!" he yelled, obviously annoyed at being disturbed while in a battle.
"We know he has a jewel shard! But the two of you are equal right now. If you just..." She never finished her sentence. Inuyasha smiled knowing what she meant.
"If I get rid of the shard, I get rid of his power." Inuyasha smiled.
"It won't be that easy," Sesshoumaru stated. He jumped backward, almost floating slowly to the ground.
When he landed Inuyasha raised his sword. "You running away now?" he sneered.
Sesshoumaru smiled evilly. "I don't think you see the situation your in, little brother."
Kagome looked over at Kikyo then realized what Sesshoumaru was saying. "No..." she said under her breath.
Inuyasha's sensitive ears heard her whispear that little word. He was confused. But, as Sesshoumaru started to raise both his hands (yes... even his replaced demon arm), Inuyasha's eyes widened. He saw it now.
When Sesshoumaru had jumped back, he had landed dead smack between Kagome and Kikyo, putting him in the middle. Sesshoumaru raised each hand at a girl.
"Now you choose, Inuyasha. You are very much like our father. You love humans. Now you get to choose which human you want to save." Sesshoumaru's smile faded as he got serious.
"Wha.. What..!?" Inuyasha cried. "Sesshoumaru! You're a coward! Hiding behind two innocent women!"
Kikyo looked sadly up at Inuyasha. "Inu... yasha..." she whispered. She knew she was in arms reach of Sesshoumaru's whips. He could kill her.
But Kagome knew the same thing. Her lower lip trembled. She looked up at Inuyasha. "Inuyasha," she whispered.
Inuyasha stood still as if paralyzed. He looked at Kikyo. Her face was saddened. Her eyes were downcast as she seemed to stare at his feet. Her hair blew lightly in the wind.
He looked over at Kagome. She was frightened. She starred straight at him, looking into his golden eyes. She was scared, but... there was something else in the way she looked at him. Inuyasha just couldn't place what that was.
He looked back at Kikyo who was now looking at him. He looked at Sesshoumaru and growled. "You bastard! How can you force me to make a decision like this!?"
With arms still raised, Sesshoumaru made his whips come out and cut the air. Kagome winced as she heard the snap of them in mid air.
"Inuyasha! You jerk!" she cried, not knowing what else to say. "Save me!"
"What do you think I'm trying to do, wench!" he growled, annoyed that she would say such a thing.
"Well, you're not trying very hard! Get me out of here!!" Kagome was hyperventilating. *Who is he going to choose? Or will we find a way to save us both?*
"What do you want me to do, then! I can't choose just one of you!"
"And why not!?" Kagome was panicking. The whips were getting closer.
"Damnit," Inuyasha cursed. "Sesshoumaru! Fight me one to one! Leave the women out of it!"
"What fun would that be, Little Brother?" He paused and smiled. "You have but a few more seconds to decide. Will you choose the walking dead over the living? Or perhaps the Reincarnation of your old love?" Sesshoumaru was enjoying this.
Inuyasha growled deep in his throat. *Damn! Why did this have to happen when Miroku and Sango were away!* He mentally yelled at himself for splitting up a few days before.
"Kagome! Kikyo! Get away from him! Get out of his reach!" Inuyasha shouted, moving forward.
Kagome took a step back hoping Sesshoumaru wouldn't notice.
"Don't move!" Sesshoumaru lashed his whip out and hit Kagome on the leg. She cried in pain and fell to her knees. "This is what happens when you disobey me."
"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried. Ignoring his brother, he ran to Kagome and cradled her in his arms. "Kagome! Are you alright?"
Kagome looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She nodded meekly then looked down at her leg. Lucky for her, she had decided to wear jeans that day, so it kept some of the pressure of the whip off her. But, alas, the whip did get through. Her jeans were torn in a straight line across the back of her leg, and blood was oozing out of it. Kagome winced.
"We have to get you back to the village," Inuyasha said. "We have to take care of this wound."
"Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru shouted. Inuyasha jumped in front of Kagome to protect her, glaring at his older brother for what he did. What was unexpected was what Inuyasha saw when he turned around.
Sesshoumaru was holding Kikyo tightly around the neck with his new arm. She was trying to pull his arm away, but to no avail. "Inu.. yasha.." Kikyo said, looking at Inuyasha with sad eyes.
"Let her go, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha raised the Tetsusaiga and it roared to life.
"You chose, Inuyasha. You chose the reincarnation over the real thing. You chose to be with THAT human, instead of this one? Typical," he sneered. "Like Father like Son, I guess, eh, Inuyasha?"
"Let Kikyo go, you bastard!"
"I don't think so." Sesshoumaru raised his clawed hand to Kikyo's throat. "Any last words, Priestess?"
"Damn you," Kikyo spat. "I'd rather give up my life then have someone like you kill me." And she did just that. Kikyo's body stiffened. She gave off a light glow as the souls of the dead started to fly from her body.
There were only a few at first, but more were on their way. The bright blue balls engulfed Kikyo then faded away into the sky.
Sesshoumaru frowned and threw Kikyo's body to the ground in front of Inuyasha. "Take her. I have no need for her now." He looked up to the shy. "Jakan! Come. We're going now." Jakan appeared out of nowhere with their two headed flying horse-demon. Sesshoumaru jumped up and landed on its back.
"Until next time, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru smiled as they flew away into the sky.
"Damnit! Kikyo!" Inuyasha rushed to the fallen Priestess's side. "Kikyo! Stay with me!" Inuyasha's voice was breaking.
"Inu... Yasha..?" Kikyo blinked open her eyes slowly. The color of her eyes were dull. She was loosing her life.
"Kikyo! Are you alright! Kikyo!" Inuyasha was on the brink of tears.
Kagome sat behind Inuyasha where she had originally been standing. She was clutching her leg. "Inuyasha.. is she..?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "No."
Kagome nodded. She tried to stand up, but with a cry, fell back to the ground. She couldn't walk, let alone stand by herself.
"You idiot!" Inuyasha yelled at her, looking at her to make sure she was alright. "Stay there and don't move. You're going to hurt yourself."
"Inuyasha." Inuyasha turned his head to listen to what Kikyo had to say. "This is it. I'll be going to hell, now."
"No!" Inuyasha cried. "You can't, Kikyo. You can't leave me."
Kikyo shook her head slowly. "I have no choice. I have no more souls to sustain me. And the part of my soul I did take back from her won't do it." She looked sadly up at Inuyasha. "If you wish me to live, then I must have the rest of her soul."
"Then she will die!" Inuyasha said.
Kagome listened carefully to their conversation. She was scared. *Inuyasha wouldn't do that to me, would he?*
"Why can't you just call your soul snatchers and have them bring you more souls?"
"I don't have enough power to control them anymore. I wouldn't be able to wait that long anyway." She closed her eyes. A slight whisper escaped her lips that only Inuyasha could hear. "She loves you...like I once did." Her body went limp.
Inuyasha stiffened. "Kikyo..." A pause. "KIKYO!"
***
***
Kagome cried. She had her legs pulled together against her chest and she just cried. And she felt bad for it, too.
After Kikyo died, what little soul she had taken from Kagome lifted into the air and
reentered her body. Kikyo's clay body no longer had life. She had died, but in a way, she has also been reborn, within Kagome.
Inuyasha didn't say anything to her as he picked up Kikyo's body. He just walked away, into the forest, ignoring the fact that Kagome was badly injured. That's what had made Kagome break down in tears.
She couldn't stand it anymore. Yes, he did choose her, kinda, when he ran to her to make sure she was alright. But he also chose Kikyo when he left with her body instead of taking care of Kagome.
*I'm being selfish* Kagome thought as she cried. *He just wants to bury Kikyo's remains* Yes, another part of her was telling her something different. *If he really cared for you, why isn't he rushing you to the nearest village to take care of that wound?*
*Because he just can't leave her body laying out in the middle of the road!* she argued with herself.
*So burying the body of the dead is more important then making sure you stay alive?*
*No! That's not true! He loved her! He has to say his final good byes. Just think what he's going through right now!*
Kagome shook her head, bringing more pain to her shaking body. "No... no... No!" she shouted at herself. Her crying increased. She was sobbing.
"Kagome." It was his voice. It was filled with pain. "Lets go. You need to see about getting your leg healed."
Kagome knew he could smell her tears. She knew he heard her crying. And yet, he didn't ask her about it. He didn't acknowledge her sadness. He just wanted to go. Maybe just to get away from this place.
Kagome nodded. She took a deep breath of air and pulled her arms away from her face. She didn't look up at him, though. She kept her head down to keep him from looking at her tear stained cheeks.
He grabbed her by the arms and helped her up. She winced and stood on her uninjured leg. He offered his back to her so that she might climb on so that could move at a faster pace.
Inuyasha paused looking around. "Hey," he said, almost sounding normal. "Where's Shippo?"
Kagome blinked. "He went looking for you just before Sesshoumaru attacked me. Didn't he find you?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "No." He sniffed the air. "This way." Inuyasha took off following Shippo's scent. It went straight down the trail they had originally been following.
They ran for only a few minutes before they spotted the form of a large fire-cat demon flying through the air. Inuyasha skidded to a stop as they met them.
"Kagome!" Sango cried, jumping off Kirara to tend to her friend. "What happened? Are you hurt?"
Inuyasha set Kagome down but still hung onto her. She needed the support.
Kagome nodded. "My leg. It's not too bad through. Most of the bleeding has stopped."
Miroku jumped down off of Kirara. "Lady Kagome. Did Sesshoumaru do this to you?"
Kagome nodded as the little orange ball of fluff jumped over Kirara's shrinking form and landed in her arms. "Kagome! I was so scared!"
"Hi, Shippo. I see you went to get reinforcements." Kagome hugged the little Kitsune.
"Hai! I knew Inuyasha was with Kikyo, and I could smell Kirara not to far off!"
"You did a good job, Shippo." Kagome smiled.
"Come on," Sango said, taking Kagome from Inuyasha. "Let's get you on Kirara. You need to see the healer immediately."
Kagome nodded and was led to Kirara, who transformed into her large demon form. Kirara kneeled down and Sango helped her on. "Thanks," Kagome smiled, wincing.
"So, Inuyasha," Miroku said. "Care to tell me what's troubling you?"
"Go away, Monk," Inuyasha grumbled.
"How did I know you were going to say that?" Miroku sighed and walked over to Kirara and the girls. "So are we ready to go?"
Sango nodded. "I think so. Kagome?"
Kagome nodded. She looked up at Inuyasha who had this hands in his sleeves and was looking at the ground. "Inuyasha? You ready?"
Inuyasha looked up at her. Even though she was hurt, her brown eyes still glowed. *Is it because of the tears?* he wondered. He shook his head. "Go on without me. I'll catch up."
"That's what started this whole thing," Miroku stated.
"No," Kagome interrupted before Inuyasha could say anything. "It's ok. Let's leave him for a while."
Miroku got her meaning and nodded. "Alright." He turned back to Inuyasha. We'll meet you up at the next village, alright? We'll be there until you return." He nodded to the half demon and climbed on Kirara with the others. Shippo bounded up and landed on top of Kirara's head.
Kirara walked up to Inuyasha and nuzzled his hand.
"We'll see you soon, OK, Inuyasha?" Kagome said smiling.
He only nodded as he looked into her eyes.
"Then we're off!" Sango cried, and Kirara leaped into the air.
Inuyasha watched as they flew up into the sky toward the village. "Kikyo..." he whispered. "Kagome..."