Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
A Love That Could Cross Time
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In the Takahashi residence a woman sat up in her attic as she searched through all her dusty boxes, looking for the one item that seemed to escape her eyes. Her hair was tied sloppily back into a small bun and though she had many wrinkles which lined her face you could tell once upon a time she was very beautiful.
'Oh where can it be? I know it's up here somewhere!' She frantically ripped open boxes, and then threw them to the side, in her quest.
"Grandma?" a voice called from below. "Are you up there?" "Yes Rumiko I'm here. Come on up!" A muffled "Ok" could be heard as the girl walked to the stairs that led to the attic. 'Now let's see….'the woman thought as her eyes scanned the room. 'I know I placed it up here somewhere….'
Suddenly her eyes lit up in excitement as she noticed a small chest in the corner of the attic. 'Oh I remember!' The woman quickly walked over to the chest and bent down next to it. She then unhooked a small latch on the front and flipped the lid open uncovering the items within. Inside laid a few leaves, some beads, a picture of a small cat, some prayer wards, and a small dusty book.
"Grandma what are you doing up here all alone? Everyone is celebrating my birthday downstairs but you." the girl complained as she pouted. The woman laughed at the girl's expression and quickly motioned her over as she took out the small book and closed the chest. "Rumiko today is your 15th birthday. Do you mind if I read you a story that is about a girl that had just turned 15 too?"
"What kind of story is it?" Rumiko asked curious. "Oh it's the best kind! It's a fairy tale…"The curiosity in Rumiko's eyes quickly died and she took on an annoyed expression. "Grandma don't you think I'm a little old for fairy tales? Besides I've already read them all when I was younger."
The woman looked thoughtful for a moment as she sat herself in an old rocking chair that was near one of the shutters in the attic. The shutters had been thrown open to let air circulate through the room and a cool breeze played with the woman's hair as she made herself comfortable. "I see….but have you ever read a feudal fairy tale?" The girl's attention was captured once again. "Yes this fairy tale took place in Japan." "Hmm I've never heard of a fairy tale from Japan before…..very well Grandma." The girl laughed as her grandma got sparkly eyed at being allowed to share her story.
"Ahem, now let's see….the story's name is Inuyasha, which is actually one of the main characters in this story……." The woman said slowly as she patted a couple of boxes next to her for the girl to sit on. As she sat next to her grandmother Rumiko nodded her head for her to continue. "Okay. Once upon a time, a girl named Kagome made her way slowly to the back of her house in search of her mischievous cat…." and so the story began.
Rumiko's eyes lit up in excitement and wonder as her grandmother told her of the character's first trip through the well. She sighed upon hearing the description of the hanyou Inuyasha and frowned in annoyance in the parts of the story where he was a jerk. She giggled upon hearing of the amorous monk Miroku's antics and her eyes shown in admiration for the demon slayer Sango. She became excited upon the entering of Shippo in the story. "Awww he sounds so kawaii!" Tears began to fall from her face as they reached the part of the story where Sango's brother died, and they gathered again upon hearing about the planned betrayal between Kikyo and Inuyasha.
Rumiko found herself becoming angry at the character Naraku and decided that he was the worst villain she ever heard of. She laughed outright at the way Koga declared his love for Kagome and let out a sigh when Inuyasha took Kagome into a hug only to gasp in shock when he afterwards pushed her into the well. Upon hearing of Inuyasha's brother Sesshomaru, Rumiko immediately decided she hated him, but in those moments when he was with Rin she couldn't help but smile at how kind the demon lord could be.
The story was a long one and yet Rumiko felt as if time had stopped. The story was so fascinating… a girl the same age as herself accomplishing her goal of finding the jewel shards against outstanding odds and meeting all those new friends, she even had met her first love. Rumiko sighed dreamily wishing all of it could have happened to her. Upon hearing about the meetings between Kikyo and Inuyasha, Rumiko couldn't help but interrupt her grandmother by gasping out is dismay, "But I thought he loved Kagome? How could he do that to her? Oh wait! I forgot…..Inuyasha loves Kikyo too! I'm so confused Grandmother….I don't know which girl I should be rooting for to win his heart!"
Her grandmother smiled warmly at the girl's confused face. "Inuyasha didn't know which one to choose either, and I think that caused all three of them much pain, but let's move on with the story. We're almost to the end!" Next came the many battles and Rumiko gasped in all the right parts as the mighty Inuyasha took down the group's countless enemies. The final battle came and Rumiko was on the edge of her seat in anticipation as Inuyasha squared off against Naraku for the last time. She clapped her hands in glee as Naraku was finally slain and couldn't keep back a smile as she heard that Sesshomaru had brought back all who died in battle, including Kohaku. "I knew Sesshomaru would be good in the end!" Rumiko cried out. "I knew he would be too." Her grandmother smiled. "Now let's see… ah yes, the ending of our story."
"Already?" Rumiko became sad at the thought of this fantastic story being over. "Do you not want me to tell you what happened in the end?" Her grandmother asked innocently as she noticed her granddaughter's sad expression. "No!" Rumiko shouted. "I mean, Yes! Continue! Please…."She added in a more quiet tone as her grandmother got over her shock at Rumiko's outburst and letting out a small cough the grandmother continued, "….very well….Kagome knew that now that Naraku was defeated and the shikon jewel was once more completed there was no reason for her to remain in this era. A few days after the battle she made her departure known, despite all pleadings for her to stay and as she gave her last tearful farewell she was surprised to see that everyone she had met on her journey was there, even Sesshomaru.
Kagome looked up at the great demon in shock and her eyes widened more when he stated in his trademark matter-of-fact tone "Priestess Kagome, all of the people here are alive because of you, thanks to your kindness and devotion to your friends, you have affected all the people who stand before you in some way, and for that I honor you." He made a small yet graceful bow to her and it immediately had a domino affect as all the beings behind him, demons and humans alike, all lowered themselves to the ground as they showed their respect for the girl who had changed all of their lives. After giving a few more speeches Kagome made her final trip to the well alone. She was about to drop in when she felt a hand on her wrist.
"Inuyasha" she said breathlessly.
When she saw he was not at the party she became worried that she wouldn't be able to say goodbye to him. She felt a small glow of happiness knowing he had come to say a final farewell. "Kagome…." He trailed off letting go of her wrist as he became unsure of what he was about to say. "Inuyasha I'm leaving now, but before I go I want to let you know that I love you and I will always love you." Kagome then got ready to go not expecting anything from the now silent hanyou. Suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed her once more only to then move around her waist and pull her close.
"Why must it always be like this Kagome? Why have I always waited until it's too late to tell you how I feel?" "Inuyasha" Kagome felt the tears start to swell up in her eyes as she knew that this would be the last time he would ever hold her in his embrace. "I want to be with you Kagome…..I don't care about the time difference! Somehow we were meant to be together!" "Kagome pulled away slightly to look up into his eyes, both of them filled up with so much love.
"Inuyasha I love you too, but…"she embraced him burying her head into his chest as his hold on her tightened. "But, it could never be. You wouldn't be happy in my time I know that you need a place where you can walk proudly not a city where you would have to hide who you were every day as though ashamed. Someone so used to freedom like you could never be content in such a strange world as mine...oh how I wish things could have been different! Why couldn't I have met you in my time?"
Inuyasha smiled at her words, inhaling her scent, trying to forever memorize it. "Sometimes life just isn't fair like that" he whispered.
"I'll always love you Inuyasha, it doesn't matter where you are, you'll always be in my heart." Inuyasha tilted her chin up and looking into each other's eyes they both only saw love radiating in their depths. He slowly bent his head nearer to hers, and Kagome wanting to capture his lips quickly raised herself up on tip-toe as she pressed her lips against his, throwing her arms around his neck.
In turn, Inuyasha quickly pulled her deeper into the kiss by wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him. Their kiss was fierce, desperate, and yet sweet and loving. They pulled away gasping for air only to run into each other's arms once more as they tried to make their kiss last forever.
Finally Inuyasha released Kagome and said, "I will come find you, I promise that we will be together again someday. There will never be another woman like you Kagome; you are my one true love…" "I love you too Inuyasha and I promise that despite any man that comes into my life none of them will ever take the place of you, my one true love...I'll never forget you."
And with that Kagome jumped into the well for the last time, gazing up at Inuyasha who quickly peered over its edge as she left. When she came upon the other side, the well quickly filled up with water, sealing off her transport back in time, sealing off her only way of reaching her one true love. The end."
"Well now that wasn't such a childish fairy tale now was it?" Rumiko's grandmother asked as she wiped away a small tear. Rumiko herself was finding it hard to keep her tears back.
"It's so sad!" She cried. "Their love wasn't able to cross time; they were never able to be with each other. He couldn't cross time to be with her…."
"Oh I don't know," her grandmother timidly replied. "I like to think their love did cross time because her love for him remained strong, I think she knew that in the end he would keep his promise and come for her."
"But he never did Grandma! How could he when the well filled up and by her time he would be already dead!"
"Well I don't know exactly child, but I do know that in the end they would reunite and remain together, as they planned, forever…"
"I guess it does sort of let you make up your own ending, but I just can't see them coming together again. Oh well, even though it was sad I have to admit that was one great story grandma..."
"Yes well I think it lets all of us connect to loosing our first love."
"Did you have a true love besides Grandpa?" The old woman blushed at the question but answered truthfully. "Actually I did, and there is still a part of my heart that will forever belong to him."
"What happened to him?" Rumiko asked saddened that her grandma had lost her first love.
"Well, he died a long time ago….but even as my love for your grandfather sprung up inside of me, I never really did stop loving him."
"I'm sorry grandma…"
"Oh don't worry about it that was such a long time ago…" Suddenly Rumiko's Grandmother started to cough uncontrollably. "Grandma! What's wrong?" Rumiko asked panicked as she watched her grandmother slowly lose the color in her face. "Rumiko…." her voice trailed off, as a series of frightening coughs caused her to pause "…promise me….promise me you'll read this to your daughter and granddaughter….do you" she let out another series of painful coughs and gasped for breath, before smiling weakly and finishing her sentence "promise?"
"Grandmother don't say things like that you make it sound as if you are dying!" Rumiko cried tearfully starting to head for the attic door. "Rumiko please promise me! I don't want Inuyasha and Kagome's story to be forgotten, please promise to tell the story to others!" her grandmother cried.
Rumiko glanced at her grandmother with tear stricken eyes and said, "I promise grandmother, now just wait there I'm going to go get some help! You're going to be just fine!" and with that she took off to go find her father or anyone that could help.
"Goodbye Rumiko…"her grandmother whispered as she felt her life drain away from her. Suddenly in the light that had been filtered in from the shutters revealed a young man. He was dressed in a red hatori and seemed to be annoyed. "Hurry up Kagome I've been waiting for you. You always take to long in your era!" He said crossing his arms.
"Inuyasha." The old lady whispered before taking her last breath. Suddenly a form of an old lady came from her body. She appeared to be ghostlike and every step she took as she came closer to the boy she got younger and younger. Finally standing before him, she appeared to be in a green school uniform and her hair was no longer gray but a rich brown.
"I knew you'd come and get me Inuyasha." She said smiling at the boy blushing in front of her. "Keh, things just got a little boring with you gone that's all…." The girl rose herself up and kissed him on the mouth then taking the shocked yet smiling boy's hand they both walked away in the sunlight disappearing together.
A breeze shifted through the shutters and flipped a few of the pages in the dusty book over as the grandmother's soft voice rang through the attic.
"In the end they would reunite and remain together, as they planned, forever..."
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Please Review…….and cookies to anyone who guesses who Rumiko grows up to be the clues are all there….