THE TEARS OF A DEMON
The sun hadn't yet risen when Kagome woke that morning; she sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. A cold shiver crawled up her spine, she felt like someone was watching her. She twisted around and scanned her room but she couldn't see anyone. She got out of bed carefully but as soon as she stood the feeling was gone. She quickly got dressed and headed down to the kitchen. She grabbed an apple as she pulled on her sweater. She slid out the door and headed for the shrine behind her house. Again she felt the shiver, she looked around but couldn't see anyone around her. She crept up to the closed door of the shrine and opened it. She jumped back and tripped over her own feet and landed on her rear end. She blinked at the tall, dark figure standing in the doorway. "What's gotten you so jumpy?" She recognized that rough, male voice. She got up and stomped over to him. "Sit." The dark figure crashed to the ground. "What the hell'd you do that for?" Kagome walked up to him and watched him pull himself up to his feet. "For scaring me. Why are you here anyway Inu Yasha?" Inu Yasha snorted, "Like you want to know." Kagome pouted, she hated it when he was so stubborn. "Fine." Kagome pushed him out of the way and walked down the short staircase to the well. She walked to the well and looked back, "Are you coming Inu Yasha?" He didn't respond he just walked down the stairs. Kagome jumped into the well and Inu Yasha was right on her heels.
They climbed out of the well, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were sitting in the grass with the sun setting at their backs. "What are you guys doing here?" Miroku looked up at her, "Didn't Inu Yasha tell you, we think we have tracked Naraku down." Kagome perked up, "Really?" Sango nodded, "Yes. We were going to check it out but Inu Yasha and I both decided that we should get you first." Kagome turned to Inu Yasha, "Oh Inu Yasha…" Inu Yasha pulled back a bit, "What? Don't get the wrong idea, I was thinking of the jewel shards." Kagome folded her arms across her chest, "Oh really?" Inu Yasha jumped, "Ya really." Miroku shook his head, "Here they go again." Both Inu Yasha and Kagome looked at him, "What's that supposed to mean?" Miroku flinched, "Oh nothing." "Come on let's get going." Sango picked up her boomerang. Kagome nodded, "Let's go the village first, so I can pick up a bow and arrows." Miroku nodded and he and Sango began walking. Shippo jumped into Kagome's arms, "Hey Kagome, guess what? The whole two days you were gone…" Before he could finish Inu Yasha dropped his knuckles on Shippo's little demon head. "Hey what you do that for Inu Yasha?" Kagome glared at the half demon; who just shrugged and began walking. "Inu Yasha is so mean." Shippo whined as he rubbed his head.
"Thanks again Kaeda." Kagome took the bow and quiver full of arrows from the old priestess. "It's no trouble, Kagome. But please be careful, Naraku is no demon to take lightly." Kagome nodded and walked out of the small hut. Inu Yasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were ready and waiting. "Hurry up Kagome." Inu Yasha called. "You shouldn't yell at her like that." Sango whispered. "Why not?" Sango gave him a look, "You know why. Your heart knows." Inu Yasha blushed, "Shut up. I don't." Kagome walked up, "You don't what Inu Yasha?" "Nothing." Kagome gave him a confused look. "Don't worry about it Kagome, he's just being Inu Yasha.
The trail lead them deep into a forest a days walk from the village. "Man this place gives me the creeps. I feel like I'm being watched." Kagome shivered. "I have the same feeling." Sango looked around them but all she saw was forest. "Yes I feel like that too. I wonder how it is." Miroku's gaze shifted around him. "You guys are scared of nothing." Inu Yasha, who was leading the group, let out a conceited laugh. "Look a clearing." Miroku pointed off to their right. Inu Yasha sighed and headed for in direction. As soon as they reached it demons started to attack them. The group started to kill them off. "Get idea Miroku." Inu Yasha pulled out the Tetsiaga and used the wind scar to kill large groups of the demons. Suddenly the demon numbers began to decrease and soon all the demons were gone.
"Is everyone ok?" Miroku looked around at everyone. They all nodded. "What?" Kagome looked around. "What is it Kagome?" Sango pulled up her boomerang. "It's nothing. My imagination. I thought I heard someone say 'die' but I'm sure I just imagined it." Sango shrugged. Kagome gasped but no one heard. "What do you think that attack was all about?" Sango looked at Miroku. He shook his head, "I'm not sure. Inu Yasha, what does your demon eyes and ears detect?" Inu Yasha scowled, "Gee thanks, leave it all up to me." Miroku sighed, "I told you, I'm not being offensive but your hearing and sight are better then ours." Inu Yasha waved him off, "Ya. Ya. Well I don't see, hear, or smell anything."
Sango turned, "Kagome?" Kagome was pale and sweating. Sango walked up and grabbed Kagome's shoulders, "Kagome what's wrong? What is it?" Kagome didn't respond. "Inu Yasha!" Sango called as she held Kagome's shoulders. "Kagome what's wrong, please tell me?" Kagome's breath was deep but quick. "Ki…Ki…Kikyo." Suddenly Kagome fainted into Sango's arms. "Kagome!" Sango saw an arrow sticking out of Kagome's back. "What is…?" Inu Yasha landed next to Sango and when he saw Kagome he couldn't speak. "Kagome! Kagome wake up!" He took her from Sango's grasp. "Inu…Inu Yasha? It was Kikyo." She looked up at him through strong eyes, but Inu Yasha could see the pain that coursed through Kagome's body. Inu Yasha went to grab the arrow but a spell stopped him. "Nice try Inu Yasha but only I can remove the arrow."
A familiar voice drifted through the half demon's ears. "Kikyo! Why did you shoot Kagome?" Kikyo laughed, "So we could be together again. She was standing in her way. She looked like me so you thought you loved her but really you only loved her because she looked like me." Kagome twitched in Inu Yasha's arms then her arm reached up and grasped the arrow. "No! No one but me can take that arrow out!" Kikyo took a step forward but Sango and Miroku came between the priestess and Kagome and Inu Yasha. Inu Yasha grabbed Kagome's wrist and helped her pull out the arrow. "Does it hurt Kagome?" Kagome looked up at him, "No way. I'm fine, just a small flesh wound." Kagome pulled away from Inu Yasha and turned to face Kikyo. "Kikyo. Its come to it. Now it's between you and me. There can only be one of us, me, the reincarnation or you the magic copy." Kikyo shook her head, "How dare you call me a copy. I am the original."
Kagome picked up her bow and quiver; "Let's just settle this once and for all." Kikyo pulled out an arrow, "Yes. We fight to the death." Inu Yasha jumped between them, "Stop!" The girls waited for him to continue but he couldn't. How could he choose between Kagome and Kikyo? "Then you choose Inu Yasha. Kagome or me?" Kikyo lowered her weapon. Inu Yasha flinched, no he couldn't, he couldn't choose. He had been trying since he first felt deeper feeling for Kagome. Kagome dropped her weapons, "Kikyo. You win, I can't take this, I will return to my world and never come back." Inu Yasha moved to stop Kagome but Kikyo spoke, "Inu Yasha, you hear that. We can be together. We don't need to deal with her again." She walked forward a few steps and held out her hand for Inu Yasha to take. "I…I can't." Kikyo pulled her hand to her chest, "What do you mean, Inu Yasha?"
Kagome turned and looked at Inu Yasha, "You wont hurt me Inu Yasha if you take her hand." Inu Yasha turned and looked her in the eye. Kagome looked away, she knew he would see her pain if he looked into her eyes. He walked over and turned her chin to make her look into his eyes. "Kagome…" Kikyo reached out into the air, "Inu Yasha?" She stumbled backwards, "I should have known. Good Bye Inu Yasha." Inu Yasha turned, strangely he didn't feel like running up to her to stop her, he was ok with letting her walk away. Kikyo walked over and picked up her bow and an arrow. "I love you Inu Yasha. Please live happily with that girl." She turned and looked at him, her eyes flooded with tears, but she was smiling. She grabbed the shaft of the arrow and in one swift movement, planted it deep into her chest. Her eyes didn't fill with pain but with remorse, she mouthed good-bye and then she dropped to the ground, lifeless.
Inu Yasha looked away and back to Kagome, with a small smile, "Kagome." His smile faded as he watched Kagome's eyes roll back in her head and she fell limp into his arms. "Kagome? No, Kagome wake up!" Kagome's eyes fluttered open, "Inu Yasha. I love you." Inu Yasha pulled her deep into his chest and whispered into her ear, "I love you too, Kagome." He held her like that for a moment then he pulled her away but her body was limp. "Kagome?" He shook her lightly but she didn't wake up. "Kagome! Wake up Kagome!" Sango walked over and touched her neck, "Inu Yasha…" She didn't need to finish the demon already knew. He knew when he had chosen Kagome that she might not make it but he thought he would have had more time then this. "Kagome." He pulled her dead body into his chest again and sat with her. Sango and Miroku began to dig a hole for bury Kagome. "Stop. I want to bury her under my tree." Sango and Miroku looked over at him, "But Inu Yasha, that's so far." "Ya I know." He held onto her body, his shaggy hair covered his eyes that began to water and then the tears flowed from his eyes. "I love you Kagome."
By: Brianne Crawford… ;)