:= A Long Journey's Memories=:
- By:FallenFan77
-x-
Author's Note
I've been waiting for the right time to write this and finally I did. This, ladies and gents, is the little one-shot sequel to A LONG Journey Ahead. I loved writing that story and I loved writing this one shot, I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha!
-x-
Inuyasha stared at the fire, it crackled various time and he let out a long deep sigh as he stared up at the starry night. It was only two days after he made that wish that turned back time and turned Kagome back to her normal self. Truthfully, he enjoyed the days when she was only a child and made him open up even more than he use to.
He gazed at the young miko from the future who was peacefully sleeping in her sleeping bag. When Naraku set that horrid trap so he can get rid of Kagome and take her shards away, it changed him and Kagome knew it as well. Although she did not know the particular reason for his protectiveness over her.
If she only knew why instead of sitting me to the pits of hell, Inuyasha thought with a scowl on his face. When she was a child and was dying in his arms, he did not care if there was an audience or if his bastard of a brother was there to tell him that he was weak and pitiful to cry for a human girl.
Inuyasha subconsciously tightened the hilt of his Tetsusaiga, while letting out a low and inaudible growl. During the time of that battle with Kagura, he knew something was up. Something in the back of his mind was telling him to go back to the village and protect the "little" wench, or so as he called her, so it would set his ease. His temper got the best of him and that resulted in Naraku disguising himself as his demon form and hurting the young Kagome in her abdomen making a hole that was the size of his fist.
If it weren't for the complete Shikon no Tama she had in her hand moments after she died, he would have lost the only person who truly loved him for him. He has come to know that Kagome, the one sleeping by the fire, cared for him and loved him for who he was. Her dying words made him upset, the feeling of pain and failing to protect the second girl who entered his life.
"Inuyasha...I'm happy to have meet you," her younger self had once said. Inuyasha snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a groan slip from Kagome's lips as she tossed and turned around her sleeping bag. The fox kit was starting to wake up, but he was hauled into slumber when he fixed himself into a fetal position.
The half demon stared up at the sky once more. He has learn many things on his journey with the young Kagome and the others.
When she was first turned into a child, the fear of her not being able to convert back into her normal state made him worry. Although there was another thing that made a smile on his face, the fact that she could not or did not know the word of command to "punish" him. He enjoyed that for a while until he and the kit made her somehow remember of that word.
Inuyasha closed his eyes and began to recollect the funny moments, he wondered where on earth she had gotten all those sticks. He scoffed, the little wench was a complete opposite than she is now.
The sun began to rise and it wasn't long before the others started to wake up because of it's bright light that hit their eyes. Kagome yawned and stretched, siting up and placing a hand on Shippo head and ran her fingers through his hair with a smile on her face. She then looked over to Inuyasha who was propped on a tree branch only yards away from the group.
Her ocean blue eyes stared at Inuyasha, Is he asleep? If he is, then I'm glad he is taking his time to rest. He rarely sleeps and the only time he had a goodnight's rest was in my time. Inuyasha opened one eye and noticed Kagome gazing at him. He arched a black brow in questioning. She shook her head and then turned her attention to the sleeping kit next to her. Kagome laughed to herself, he seemed to be dreaming about treats because he kept muttering "Ninja treats" in his sleep.
Kagome slowly crawled out of her sleeping bag and brushed herself of. In a hush whisper, one that the half demon could hear, was that she was going to a nearby stream to wash her face from the drowsiness that began to take over. He 'keh'd and she took that as an opportunity to walk off. Inuyasha told her and the group, the night before that there was a stream so that they can collect water for their journey.
Upon arriving at the stream, Kagome went on her knees, cupping her hands and splashed water onto her face. Letting out a sigh of content, the girl from the future sat down and let the sun rays hit her face. The only sounds that she could hear are the crickets and birds chirping as usual.
She had a mysterious dream of herself as a child and her being with Inuyasha brought a look of confusion onto her face. Was the dream trying to tell her something? Kagome thought it was just a dream nothing more, yet she knew it was more than just that.
"Kagome-chan," she heard Sango's voice say behind the bushes that Kagome had passed to go by the stream. "Good morning Sango-chan," Kagome told her with her usual bright smile. Sango nodded and smiled back at her.
"Inuyasha has been acting differently don't you think?" Sango asked her. Kagome took a moment to think about it and it was true. The past two days, he was very quiet, even when Shippo will constantly bug him. He would only say 'keh' and turn to look at the side. Then there was the case when Kouga came to "talk" to them. Inuyasha did not start a fight and Kagome was happy that he didn't. Fortunately Kouga told them about weird happenings by a village nearby. The wolf demon did not forget to call her, his woman, which usually ticked Inuyasha off before he left.
Once the wolf demon had gone, Inuyasha said that they'll be going there in the morning. Now that it was morning, they weren't far from the village, only a ten minutes walk well run if they went at their normal pace.
The group had breakfast five minutes after and settled on going to the village shortly after that. The journey to the village was short and oddly quiet. Kagome bit the bottom of her lip, she was worried about Inuyasha. What made him change? She kept asking herself that over and over again.
"Kagome," the said girl heard him say, not noticing that they had arrived and people that were walking around the village were staring at her on Inuyasha's back while the others were standing nearby. She blushed in embarrassment and got off from his back, mumbling sorry to him in the process. He shrugged and did not say anything after that.
When they settled on looking for answers, they were stopped by a man, he had to be the headman as he was being followed by men behind him. "Hello," Miroku said stepping up to the front of the group and smiled at the headman,"We were just passing through and heard that strange occurrences were happening here."
The man nodded,"Yes, there has been a snake demon destroying the village and it's bigger than any snake demon I have ever seen." Inuyasha's ear twitched and he knew that it was a demon with a shikon jewel shard, it was the only explanation to why it was stronger and bigger than a regular snake demon.
Kagome looked to one of the huts by the forest, why had it seemed so familiar to her? She hasn't been in this village before but she knew that she had seen all of this before. A young girl with long black hair a inch over her shoulders and brown eyes.
Inuyasha knew who the girl was, she may not have remembered, but it was the headman's daughter known as Amaya when they were last in the village before the wish.
Miroku and Sango began to talk to the people in the village while Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippo walked around to look for anything unusual. "Keh, it's a waste of time being here. The snake demon probably left already and is now long gone from the village," Inuyasha stated.
Kagome shot him a look,"How are you sure? What is it comes back today or later in the night. It would be best to help these people, don't you think?" Inuyasha shrugged and muttered an "Whatever", as he went over to a tree. Nothing is going to happen for the next couple of hours so why walk around and look for something that is not coming until later, he thought. He closed his eyes, his hands behind his head, resting lazily on a branch.
Shippo jumped off Kagome's shoulder and went with Kagome to the same hut they saw earlier, the young girl was sitting outside. "Hi, my Otou-san said that you'll be staying with us over the night to fight the snake demon. Is that true?" the young girl asked her with a curious glint in her eyes.
"Yup and we will take care of that demon no problem," Shippo said with a smile. The young seven year old giggled and smiled at the kitsune. Kagome contently smiled to herself, thinking that Shippo was going to make a new friend while they stayed.
"Miko-sama, would you like a something to eat?" a woman in her mid thirties asked her while walking out of her shoji door of her hut with bowls of miso soup. Kagome smiled kindly at the elder woman and got a plate for herself, while she also offered Shippo as well. Kagome placed a bowl aside for Inuyasha and thanked the elder woman. She smiled back at her and went inside her hut. The young girl, Amaya looked at the tree where Inuyasha was sitting at.
"Isn't he going to come here and eat?" Amaya wondered.
"Don't mind Inuyasha, he is stubborn and doesn't like going near humans a lot," Shippo said to Amaya.
"Okay," Amaya said and began to continue eating her miso soup her mother had given her. Kagome got up, taking her bowl and Inuyasha's over to the tree where the half demon was leaning on a branch at.
"Inuyasha," she called to him with the bowls in her hands. Kagome noticed his ear twitch at her voice and he slowly opened one eye to look down at her. "What is it?" he asked in a abrasive tone. Kagome narrowed her eyes and was about to tell him that she was only giving him food, but then she was stunned in surprise when he jumped to her side.
"Well aren't'cha going to say something?" he said gruffly. He crossed his arms over his chest and had a serious look on his face. Kagome sighed and shook her head,"The head man's wife gave us something to eat. It's miso soup, but I know you like ramen so you don't have to-"
She was once again, surprised that he slowly took the bowl from her hands, silently thanking her then sat himself on the bole of the tree he was on. Inuyasha looked at her and arched a brow,"Are ya just going to stand there looking stupid or are you going to eat?"
Kagome rolled her eyes and sat next to him and began to eat her bowl of miso soup. They ate in silence and they could hear the laughs of Amaya and Shippo retelling a story of a time when they were fighting Hyōga, the moth demon and how he fought with his minions to keep his friends safe.
"Keh," Inuyasha said, hearing the small tale. Kagome laughed to herself and looked up at the sky that was getting darker. The day had gone really quick, it felt as if it was only morning when they arrived at the village. When they woke up that morning, she could tell it was well over six, but by the time the group had started going to the village, it was past eleven. While they were searching for answers and any signs of the snake demon returning, it had to be an hours after noon.
"Say Inuyasha," Kagome said to him, still staring up at the sky. "Hm," she only heard from him. Kagome continued on,"A few days ago, when...when you told me that you were happy to have met me. What made you say that?" curiosity got the better of her.
Inuyasha did not know what to say. What was there to say to that anyways? The response he could of came up with would have made her think that he was hit on the head or fell off a tree, telling that she was turned into a child. He knew Kagome was waiting for an answer, but he did not know how it would make her react.
"I guess it's because I um...I," he trailed on staring at her while she looked up at the stars above. He suddenly remembered the time when little Kagome was watching the night sky and starry night, it was the day of her sixteenth birthday, but depending on the situation when she was turned into a child, it was as if she was celebrating her eight birthday.
"Never mind, it's okay, you don't have to answer," Kagome got up and brushed off her clothing. Inuyasha sighed and watched her walk away a few steps forward.
A scent hit Inuyasha's nose, it was a demon's scent. He acted on instinct and nearly launching himself at Kagome, knocking the both of them to the ground.
"Itai...Inuyasha, what's the big idea, why'd-" Kagome sensed the aura of a scared jewel shard and it wasn't long when a enormous snake demon came crashing down and knocked over the tree there were just sitting under.
"My lucky day...a half demon and a priestess," the snake demon hissed at them.
"Well it ain't so lucky as you thought," Inuyasha commented, unsheathing Tetsusaiga with a smirk that could kill.
"What can a half breed like you do to a powerful demon like me?" the demon had said. Kagome gripped tightly on her bow and arrow that she had in her hand, something snapped and she became angry.
"Inuyasha is a strong demon," she heard a voice say in her head. "Half-demon," someone had corrected. "Yes well hal-" the person who spoke first had said. That's when she heard her voice or at least it sounded like her voice, but a child's,"Don't call him that, I know he is one but- " the girl had stopped then continued,"If no one is going to help him. I will!"
Kagome felt a painful headache, why was she getting these little scenes of things she did not know. She shook it off and readied her arrow onto her bow, releasing it just as she heard Inuyasha cry out,"Wind scar!"
The demon, like all the weak demons they both have fought, died by it's deadly blow and was killed on the spot. "Keh, yeah he is a "lucky" bastard alright," Inuyasha said, scoffing at the words of the demon before his death.
"Inuyasha..." he heard Kagome say, he turned around just in time to catch her before she fell. "Kagome!" he shouted worriedly and held her in his arms. "What's wrong?" he asked her when she was breathing heavily.
"I keep seeing weird things. Things that are about me. But, I'm a little kid, yet somehow you are there. A-and the other's," Kagome said to him.
Inuyasha's ears twitched to hear her words, was she actually remembering their whole journey. Was it even possible? He hardly believed it because he knew that Midoriko or at least her spirit told him that she would not remembered what has happened or the others.
"Kagome! Inuyasha!" they heard the rest of their friends looking for them. Inuyasha looked back at Kagome, there was a shard in her hand. When did she get it? He shook his head, it didn't matter, she feel into slumber by the time the others reached them.
Kagome woke up and scrunched her nose, surprisingly she did not see Inuyasha by her side like usual. There was Shippo sitting next to her with a smirk on his face.
She groaned as she sat up and looked at her surroundings. Kagome blinked several times, she was in Kaede's hut.
"Kagome," the kitsune said happily, he then smiled at her. His green eyes were sparkling, almost as if he were crying. "Shippo...how we are at Kaede's? Weren't we at the village where Amaya-chan lives?" Kagome asked him.
Shippo looked down at the floor,"We were but that was three days ago. You haven't woken up until now and I should go get Inuyasha. He told me that I had to watch over you for a little while, he went to do something."
He didn't have to say that Inuyasha went to do something, she knew exactly where he was. Kagome sighed and looked on the floor. "Kagome are you okay?" the young kit asked, he knew how she acted whenever Inuyasha went to see Kikyo. He didn't like it when Inuyasha goes to see her because it makes him feel upset when ever Kagome isn't feeling as happy as she is regularly, with her bright smile.
Baka Inuyasha, you are making Kagome hurt inside, Shippo thought seeing the crestfallen face of that of his adoptive mother.
"Ano...Shippo, where are Sango and Miroku?" Kagome questioned to change the subject. She didn't see them or hear them by the door. At times she'll hear the sound of a hand making contact on flesh, yet she did not hear any of that at all.
"Miroku and Sango are speaking with Kaede if she had seen any strange occurrences, but apparently she hasn't." Shippo played with his thumbs, the air has suddenly grew tense for some reason.
Kagome got up and stretched her stiff muscles and yawned, she noticed her yellow book bag in the corner of the hut. Her eyes widened, That's right I have to go to my time to be with my family for my sixteenth birthday. I can't believe it's been a year since I've-
She sighed and let her shoulders slump,"Shippo, if you see Inuyasha, can you tell him that I'm in my time. I have some things to take care of back home."
When Shippo heard her speak, his head shot up straight and listened to her. "Okay Kagome, I will tell him that. You can count on me," he told her. Kagome smiled and got her book bag and walked out of the shoji door of Kaede's hut and walked out.
Shippo bounded out of the hut and jumped onto her shoulders,"Are you sure you don't want to wait for Inuyasha?" He didn't want her to go off by herself
Kagome shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile,"That's alright. I'm fine on my own. I have my bow and arrows with me and besides...I don't want to cause him trouble or start a fight."
The young kit look at her incredulously, she was acting differently than she was three days ago.
When the two had finally reached the well, Kagome looked down at it and her brows furrowed. "Is something wrong?" Shippo asked her as he jumped back onto the ground and stared up at her. Kagome couldn't place it but she felt some what different.
"Am I home?" a young girl had asked. The second voice sounded like a young man and he had answered her," Yeah you are. What were you thinking of leaning over the well like that?"
Kagome couldn't hear the voices in her head anymore, her eyes shut tight and she drew in a quick breath before jumping into the well.
Shippo looked over the well's edge and didn't see Kagome like he has always been seeing everytime she jumped into the well back to her home in the future.
:= Kagome's Time =:
"Mama, Ji-chan, Souta? Anyone home?" she called out as she opened her door and noticed the entrance empty.
"We are in the kitchen!" her mother called from the said place as she placed her book bag onto the hanger on the closet by the front entrance.
"Welcome home Kagome, how was your day?" her mother asked her as she made them something to eat. Kagome smiled at her mother and looked at the plate of food that was now placed in front of her when she took her seat on the table.
"It was great mama," Kagome retorted, she didn't want her mother to worry if she had told her that she was passed out for a few days. Mrs. Higurashi smiled warmly at her daughter and they both turned to hear Souta telling her grandfather about how he would make a great soccer player.
"Sis, you're back!" Souta cried out and gave her a hug when she got up from her chair.
"Nice to see you too squirt," she told him and finished eating her lunch. "Where's the big dog?" Souta said, seeing if his hero was anywhere near.
Kagome placed her spoon down into her bowl and looked at her food,"In the Feudal Era. I better go and catch up with the school work. It's been a while since I have gone and if I am going tomorrow, that's if Inuyasha comes to get me, I'd have to complete my work."
Mrs. Higurashi nodded,"Alright dear, we will be right back, we will be getting you a cake from the store. We will be back by five okay dear."
Kagome smiled at her mother,"Okay mama. I'll be here."
:= Feudal Era =:
"She went back!" Inuyasha shouted angrily at the kit. Shippo cowered for a few minutes then he stood up straight,"She wouldn't have if you were the one who sat next to her when she woke up!"
Miroku sighed and Sango gasped. Shippo indeed was correct but, in some other ways he was wrong.
"Now now, we don't need you to get all angry, I'm sure Kagome had another reason," Miroku began to say when he looked at Shippo then back at the angry half demon that was leaning against the wall of the hut.
"Keh, whatever. The wench could stay there for all she likes. I don't care," Inuyasha told them and walked out of the hut. They all knew too well that he didn't like it when Kagome went to her time, when ever she was away, he would be by the well or at the Goshinboku awaiting for her return.
"He's gone off to sulk again," Shippo muttered.
"I heard that you little runt!" they heard from outside. Sango smiled, even though she too felt lonely when ever Kagome was gone. Miroku sat by her as she was too lost in her own thoughts, thus, making it a way to grope her while she was not paying attention.
Sango gripped onto her skirt and her face clouded with anger,"Why you perverted lech!" she screamed, hitting him over the head as hard as she could.
Miroku panicked and he was out cold a few seconds later. Shippo gulped while Kirara mewed in content, her two tails flicked twice as well.
Inuyasha grumbled as he walked down the path to the well,"Who does the wench think she is to just go back and do those damn 'test' things when she knows we have jewel shards to find."
He stumbled across the Goshinboku first and he stared at it. Inuyasha shook his head when he remembered that time when he thought she was leaving to travel with Sesshoumaru. "Stupid wench," he muttered and continued on walking.
There was still light coming from the setting sun as he reached the well. Inuyasha stared at the bottom. He didn't want to admit it, but he did miss Kagome when she was in her time.
How many days has it been since we last fought Naraku and the damn bastard got away. Inuyasha thought, then another important thing was on his mind. "Of course, Kagome's mother had told me it was her birthday coming soon and-" he sighed for the thousandth time.
:=Kagome's Time=:
"Happy birthday Kagome," her mother said taking the picture of her daughter as she blew out the number sixteen on her cake.
Her brother and grandfather wished her a happy birthday as well and Kagome smiled up at them. She loved being with her family, but she also loved being in the feudal era, she missed talking to Sango about boy problems and such, telling Shippo how to talk to a girl when he was always too shy.
Then there was Inuyasha, always watching over her at night. She missed sleeping under the stars, there weren't so many stars now in her time, but in the past, she loved watching them.
"Kagome?" her mother asked in concern looking at her daughter when Kagome hasn't responded to the last two times she called her name.
"Oh sorry mama, I was just thinking," Kagome answered.
"It's alright sweetheart. Why don't you finish doing you homework. I know you have so much to do."
Kagome nodded and bounded up the stairs to her room. When she closed the door she gazed at her surroundings, something was missing. She shrugged and sat down on her chair and wheeled it to the desk with the piles of books on it.
"Let's see I need...that's right I need my history text book," she muttered to herself as she once got up and walked over to her closet.
"History text book...history text book..." she looked through it and then something fell on her head. "Itai," she mumbled. She looked at the book that was settled on her lap and eyed it carefully.
It appeared to be a photo album, an old one but it looked in good condition. She has never seen it before and her hands went to the front cover but it did not open.
"Huh?" confusion swept over her and she tried to open it again.
"It doesn't open that way."
Kagome looked over her shoulder to see Inuyasha sitting on her window pane. "Inuyasha?" she questioned, leaving the photo album on the floor.
"Happy birthday," he muttered. Kagome blinked several times, had she told him that it was his birthday, she would have obviously remembered.
"Um, thank you," she told him with a smile, then her eyes went back to the photo album,"You know how to open it?"
He nodded and he picked it up with a claw hand and set it down on her bed. Kagome walked over to see how and her eyes bulged out when she noticed what makes it open.
"Is that?" she wondered, still not believing her eyes.
"Keh of course wench. It's the necklace you said that grants my wish and that it's better than the sacred jewel," he said, he tried to fight the blush that crept on his cheeks, half failing and half succeeding. Kagome would have lost because her face was beat red.
She looked down at the floor and shuffled on her feet. He still has it with him, she thought with a smile on her face.
The sound of a click was heard and her head went on to the photo album that was on her bed.
Kagome's brows furrowed as she stared at the photo, it was her and Inuyasha, but herself as a young child. She would have remembered if she met a silver haired dog eared demon when she was younger.
"This picture was taken not too long ago," he told her.
She gazed up at him and then at the photo,"Really? Why can't I remember it?"
Kagome wasn't given an answer and she waited for it. Inuyasha was suddenly very quiet and she wondered why. "Inuyasha?" she said, her blue eyes looked at him with curiosity, What's wrong with him?
"It was the wish I made on the Shikon no Tama. You died in my arms when Naraku wished you as a child when we fought him about a week ago," Inuyasha explained to her.
Kagome's face didn't fault, her expression remained the same as it was moments ago, confusion and lost. The way he told her how she died, what had happen, she could hear the hurting in his voice.
"You thought me many things," he told her.
They sat down on the bed as Kagome went through the photo album. There was one where she was taking a bite of her cake, Inuyasha standing behind her with his arms crossed like he always did. Kagome smiled at this, even if she did not remember what had exactly happened. She has seen bits and pieces of what had happened, yet not seeing it completely.
"So when I told you that I had been seeing those little dream like scenes, were actually memories? Or some bit's of it," Kagome said. Inuyasha nodded and stared at the photo.
"Keh, it's stupid but I wished that I haven't remembered them at all," Inuyasha muttered.
Kagome was taken-aback to this, she sharply got off from the bed and stared down at him,"So you just wish that you didn't want to remember the little me is that it? You wish to just forget it. I see, maybe you shouldn't have wished me back to life, if that what's you wanted."
Inuyasha cocked his head to the side and his brows furrowed,"What the hell...Kagome, you don't remember but when it was your birthday you told me to make a wish, keh even taught me," he snorted and shook his head," It was stupid but I didn't want to make you feel bad. But when you started to teach me things, to cry for others and not feel weak because of it, it means that you have a heart." A blush crept on his cheeks.
"Or so you said," he added.
Kagome looked down at the floor," Inuyasha, even if I don't remember, I want you to keep those memories. Those memories, even if you do not know it, they are memories. They are what makes us feel warm inside when we are alone."
Inuyasha stared at her, she was right, he suddenly remembered something else. He reached into his haori and took out the photo that he kept. "Here wench, just another memory for that book of yours."
Kagome got the photo from his hands and he smirked at her. In the photo, herself-younger self- was sitting at the bottom of the Goshinboku smiling happily with Inuyasha propped on a branch. She placed the picture on the last page of the photo album and smiled. "A memory that should not be forgotten," she said.
-x-
"Memories are the treasures that we keep locked deep within the storehouse of our souls, to keep our hearts warm when we are lonely."
- Becky Aligada
Author's Note
I had fun writing this one-shot as it's sequel. It ties very nicely with the title and that was how I ended it. Thank you for reading.
Yours Truly,
Fallen :)