A/N: With Naruku's defeat, the Shikon no Tama is completed. Kikyou also returns, and now fate has made life for Kagome worse….who and what will the wish to purify the Shikon no Tama be?
Love Transcends
Chapter One: The Shadow Fades
Kagome's hands shook as she dropped her bow and arrow to the ground. The fine maple wood of the bow hit the ground with a hard 'thud'. All around the twenty-first century girl lay dead grass and tries, merely skeletons of former life. Her hands trembled furiously as she sank to her knees, the impact creating small dust to blow up. Her blue eyes stared forward as if they were plastered there. 'No...' was all she could think.
The sight before the girl's eyes was horrifying. Kagome, when she was younger, had thought that movies with dinosaurs were horrifying…but, this. This was not possible, how did it happen… with the blood everywhere among the petrified tree's skeletons, the remains of demon bodies. Kagome found no words, no actions…only to shake.
Inuyasha stood frozen, it seemed. His eyes wide with shock, his right hand holding the hilt of Testusaiga. The Testusaiga's long blade stuck through Naruku's back, sending night black blood down Inuyasha's right hand. Yet, although their sworn enemy's flesh had been pierced by the Testusaiga (and several pure arrows), there was a blow that could, no that would, change everything. Naruku's hand had gone through Inuyasha's torso, completely through. Inuyasha's red blood ran down his back. Kagome let out a small sound as she continued to tremble.
Inuyasha clenched the Testusaiga in his hand. With what strength he could manage he let out a small low growl and pulled the Testusaiga out of Naruku. He heard Naruku chuckle lowly and his dog ears bent back in anger.
Naruku's head hung but a low chuckle bellowed from the cavity in his chest. "It seems, Inuyasha….we both shall perish…" Inuyasha let out a weak snarl and pushed Naruku away, let out a yelp of pain as Naruku's hand was pulled from the whole in his chest.
Pain gripped Inuyasha. The Testusaiga fell from his hand and retreated back to its katana state. Inuyasha fell to his knees and slowly turned his head to face Kagome. His amber eyes studied the stricken girl sadly. He wanted to hold her. Inuyasha forced himself to stand. He forced his legs to shuffle slowly to her. 'Kagome….' He thought. Inuyasha found himself to stop moving, although his mind screamed for them to continue to Kagome. Inuyasha's strength gave out. He tipped to his right and fell to the ground.
Kagome found her voice. "Inuyasha!" she screamed out. She picked her shaking self up and ran to the hanyou's fallen body. Kagome fell to her knees and cradled Inuyasha's head in her lap. The hanyou opened his eyes to look at the tear struck woman. Inuyasha brought his hand weakly up to Kagome's face, his claws brushing against her tears. The hanyou looked at his hand, seeing Kagome's tears running down his claw on to his hand.
"Eh…" Inuyasha said softly as the tear rolled down his wrist then arm. He looked up at Kagome. "..You woman always have to cry, don't you?"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted at him, trying to conceal her grief. She tried to bring her composure together. "You…you have to be silent Inuyasha….save your strength."
"Keh." Inuyasha muttered rudely. "I'll be fine…Kagome..." he felt the cavity in his chest explode with pain and he let out a snarling yelp. He felt Kagome begin to shake again. He looked up at her blue eyes again. "..Are you ok….?"
"Daijoubo!" Kagome shouted at him, making the hanyou wince. "Inuyasha, please hold on…don't die…."
"Nani!?" Inuyasha asked. He brought his hand on her face into her hair. "..Who said anything about dieing?!"
"Naruku…."
"That jerk doesn't know anything!" Inuyasha scolded her lightly. "..Kagome, I promised to protect you, I won't die…" he then clenched his eyes shut as another roaring pain came to him. Inuyasha let out another snarl and intertwined Kagome's raven hair in his claws as he snarled in pain. Kagome held him close as he continued to whimper and snarl. Kagome let the hanyou's head rest on her shoulder. Kagome cried silently as Inuyasha's breath tickled her neck.
A clear angel's voice came to Kagome's ears. Kagome lifted her head up, looking through her bangs. The angelic choir voice continued as the half of the Shikon no Tama around Kagome's neck began to levitate from her bosom. Kagome further lifted her head as small Shikon no Tama pieces floated around her. Their pink iridescent light surrounded her with a heavenly ki. The shards all came together in the shape of a sphere around Kagome's neck, emanating a holy glow. Sparkles gathered around the sphere of the four soul jewel, radiating with lovely colors. The emanating jewel was suspended in the air, a slight wind blowing.
The dark spell that surrounded the battle field, Naruku's own creation, began to blow over as if dust. The rising sun's lights poured through the leaves of the trees, sending the warm welcoming feeling. The Shikon no Tama's light faded and the jewel, now completed, lay on her bosom again. Kagome felt a sense of completeness within herself. She closed her eyes, letting the warm feeling spread through her being. A few moments later Kagome opened her eyes and looked down at Inuyasha. The hanyou appeared to be sleeping peacefully.
A hand came and grabbed Kagome's slim shoulder. She gasped and whipped her head around to see the miko Kikyou. The undead miko stared down at her reincarnation, studding her. The pale porcelain face of the miko reflected the dark blue water eyes. Kikyou's glassed eyes looked at the unconscious hanyou lying in Kagome's arms.
"K-Kikyou!" Kagome stuttered. "I...Inuyasha….he…"
Kikyou's eyes danced to the smoking pile of ashes across from herself. Naruku's remains burned. A self-satisfying glee came to the miko's eyes. The man who had betrayed Inuyasha and herself now was nothing more than burning demon flesh. Kikyou looked back down at Kagome, seeing the possibly fatal wound in Inuyasha. The miko bent down and brushed aside the hanyou's white bangs, drenched in the sweat of battle. Kikyou stood. "Follow me."
"W-what?!" Kagome asked.
"Bring Inuyasha and follow me." Kikyou turned. "…If you wish to save his life, that is." She bent down with the grace of a swan and picked up Kagome's bow and pure arrows. "We do not have much time; Naruku may have poisoned Inuyasha's blood with the blow he gave him." Kikyou waited until Kagome had managed to get Inuyasha on her back, although she was not as strong as the half-demon. Kikyou lead the way back to her village, Kagome stumbling behind.
Kikyou glanced over her shoulder and found the Shikon no Tama resting on Kagome's bosom. Her glassed eyes rested on the Shikon no Tama. A small frown appeared on the miko's lips. 'So, it is re-formed.' She thought, her eyes moving to Kagome. 'But now, the question remains….will she be stronger than I was? Will she accept her fate as the Shikon no Tama's protector? Can she purify it? And if she can…what wish will she ask?' Kikyou shook her head slightly and turned her head forward. Inuyasha and Kagome's friends were still at the village.
~*~*~*~*~
Kagome stood outside the small wooden hut of Keade, Kikyou's younger sister. Kagome had changed into traditional miko clothing, since her fuku had been soiled with Inuyasha's blood. Kagome wrestled her hands in the miko pants nervously, hoping from any sign from either Kikyou or Keade that Inuyasha would make it. Naruku's blow had been so damaging…worse than when Sesshoumaru's attack on Inuyasha to gain the Testusaiga. Inuyasha seemed so peaceful in his sleep, his dog ears twitching slightly as the wind had blown. A small smile appeared on Kagome's pink lips.
Sango, the youkai exterminator walked up behind Kagome. She wore a simple kimono, white with a pink sash and gold obi in the back. Sango studied Kagome's back, and then glanced up at the wooden hut. Kagome had been standing there all day; Sango doubted she had even slept. "Kagome, perhaps you should get some rest."
"Oh, Sango, I can't!" Kagome cried and turned to the youkai exterminator. Tears threatened to fall down the reincarnated miko's face. "What if Inuyasha dies while I sleep! I can't sleep knowing that Inuyasha's life may end soon!"
Sango shook her head. "Kagome, Inuyasha's spirit is such strong willed. You think an injury like Sesshoumaru's will kill…"
"It isn't like his!" Kagome cried out again. "It isn't! Naruku could have poisoned Inuyasha's blood when his skin made contact with Inuyasha's blood!" she looked over her shoulder at the hut's entrance. "I wish Keade-sama and Kikyou would let me in….I can't stand not knowing what is not happening with Inuyasha."
"You care a lot about him." Sango commented. Kagome turned her eyes back to her friend. Sango smiles softly. "Inuyasha is more than just a friend to you, Kagome. I can see that. I would say that Inuyasha cares the same of you – if not greater."
Kagome looked away. "Only because I am his love's reincarnation."
"No!" Sango gasped in shock. Is that what Kagome truly thought? Sango shook her head. "No, Kagome, no. Inuyasha cares for who you are. Even if you are Kikyou's reincarnation, or even if you weren't! Inuyasha is attracted by your presence and beauty."
"Beauty?"
"Yes, I do think Inuyasha believed you are beautiful, Kagome." Sango smiled softly. "You are a very pretty girl, Kagome. And I am sure that when Inuyasha awakes, he will want to see you looking your best." Kagome blushed. "Come on, you take a nap for a few hours to regain your strength, and I will wake you if anything happens with him, ok?"
"Hai." Kagome nodded and followed Sango.
Keade sighed and sat back on her legs, placing her old weathered hands on her knees. She looked at her undead sister, Kikyou, with her one eye, studding the miko as she inspected Inuyasha. "What do you think Kikyou onee-sama?"
Kikyou looked at her younger sister with her glassed blue eyes. "Inuyasha was hurt horribly, Keade. I am not sure how to deliver the poison from him." She looked back at the sleeping hanyou. Inuyasha's breathing had become tattered and uneven. Kikyou let out a breath of frustration. 'How is it that Inuyasha does so poorly now? When he was with Kagome he was better off….Kagome.' Kikyou looked at her sister. "Keade, where is Kagome?"
"She is with Sango, napping." Keade spoke. "Why, onee-sama?"
"Kagome may help in stabilizing Inuyasha while we perform." Kikyou said softly. She closed her eyes. "Keade…."
"Hai, onee-sama?"
"The Shikon no Tama has been completed." Kikyou looked at her sister. "This means now, that Kagome is its protector and must purify the Shikon no Tama."
"Kagome faces the same complications that you did onee-sama." Keade agreed.
"I hope that she also does not make the same errors and childish wants as I did as well." Kikyou spoke softly. "She will need to be strong, unlike myself."
"Onee-sama! You were strong…you still are." Keade spoke with conformance.
"How little you know of your older sister, Keade." Kikyou spoke sadly. "I was strong in the ways of healing, a strong miko. Yet, I was not strong enough to wield and purify the Shikon no Tama." She looked at her sister again, with unwavering eyes. "I wanted the normal life my younger sister had, tainting the Shikon no Tama with jealousy. Kagome must fix my errors, and completely make the Shikon no Tama pure – as when it was when the priestess who birthed it."
Keade looked down at Inuyasha, the hanyou kept a ragged breathing. "It is dangerous now, for Kagome. With the completion of the Shikon no Tama, more demons shall be after her. She needs Inuyasha for protection…."
"We shall then have to send her to her own time until Inuyasha can move." Kikyou confirmed. "She will understand, Keade. Kagome will now have to learn." She took in a deep heavily weighed breath and studied Inuyasha's possible-fatal wound. "The bleeding has stopped."
"And of internal bleeding, onee-sama?"
"That, my dear sister, I am not for sure of." Kikyou let out another weighed breath. "We shall have to let fate take its course…again."