Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plotline and my eight mangas. That's right - yesterday I bought three new ones. I now own 6, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17...and Maison Ikkoku no. 1. Next on my list: 7, 9, 12, and 18.
Well, this will be the Inu/Kik chapter. Don't worry, Kagome fans, in the end it all transfers to Inu/Kag. In fact, there are even tiny bits and pieces in this chapter that hint at Inu/Kag. And nobody panic - I have no intention of claiming Houjo is Inuyasha's reincarnation. That would be interesting, and I have nothing against Houjo, but he is practically Inuyasha's exact opposite.
Reviewers
Wow. Seven reviews on the first chapter. I feel so loved...-sniffs-
ArtificialRed: Thanks. This is probably, over all, one of my best stories ever written. Of course, I may just feel that way because I actually spell checked it.
Guardian of the Hell Gate: I hope my update was quick enough for you
Emily: Well, like said in the last chapter, Kagome IS Kikyou, so basically it's the same thing. And the final chapter will have Inuyasha's reincarnation in it, so fundamentally it will be Inu/Kag. And the reason Inuyasha didn't protest is because he was thinking of Kagome's safety and how Naraku killed Miroku and Sango's families - he said so himself. -points to conversation between Kag and Inu-
Carri: Thanks...-blushes- I forgot...okay, I didn't see that episode and I only read the manga once -kicks the TV-. I was told if I stayed up past 11 on a school night watching TV again my TV was getting trashed. That and I fell asleep. I wish I lived in another time zone...
ninalee-chan: Thank-you
shmo: Thank-you, as well.
Heart of Friendship: Thank-you, Amber. Unfortunately, I haven't yet decided what Inu's reincarnation will be named. But I'll let you know when I find out. It will probably be something from another anime, though.
===
Kikyou walked casually into the cavern where Onigumo rest, nearly dropping the bowl or herbs she carried in shock as she looked upon Onigumo. An arrow pierced his heart, and she could tell right away he was dead. Suddenly, memories that seemed to be hers - but she was sure weren't - passed in front of her eyes. Her pinning Inuyasha to a tree, her death, her being brought back to life, a girl in a strange green kimono named Kagome - her reincarnation - traveling with Inuyasha in search of shards or the Shikon no Tama, and that same girl striking Onigumo dead with an arrow. Kikyou blinked a few times. 'I know these aren't my memories...they haven't even happened,' Kikyou thought, touching the jewel around her neck, 'The Shikon Jewel is still in one piece...' She shook her head. 'But how else could Onigumo have died?' She decided continuing to worry herself over it would be useless, and the best thing to do at the time was to see Onigumo was given a proper burial.
===
Kaede snickered as Inuyasha came into view. "Just what do you find so funny brat?!" Inuyasha exclaimed, eyeing her.
"Nothing," the young girl protested, "It's just I almost didn't recognize you without your dog ears." Inuyasha snorted, rolling his eyes. Kikyou laughed lightly, sitting next to Kaede.
"Inuyasha, there's nothing wrong with the way you look," Kikyou assured him, "you said you wanted to become human."
"Easy for you to say," he told her, "you've been human all your life. I'm usually only human one night a month."
"It may take a little getting used to," Kikyou told him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "but you'll get used to it. Anyway, now I don't have to worry about keeping demons away from the jewel and can live a normal life." Inuyasha smirked.
"Kikyou, no matter how hard you try," he told her, "you'll never be normal." Kikyou raised an eyebrow.
"Is that a compliment or an insult?" Kikyou questioned. Inuyasha looked at his nails.
"My fingernails are too short," he complained. "I want 'em long again." Kikyou chuckled lightly.
"Are you avoiding my question, Inuyasha?" she asked him. He snorted.
"Ya wanna know somethin' weird?" he asked her. She shrugged. "Ever since that day you said Onigumo died, I've had this name ringing in my head," he told her, "I don't know how or why, or even whose it is. But it won't go away!"
"And what name would this be?" Kikyou questioned.
"Kagome." Suddenly a memory of Kikyou's surfaced. Kagome was the name of the girl who had supposedly shot Onigumo - in those strange memories she had been the girl Inuyasha had been with...her reincarnation. "It's really weirding me out. Though, I have to admit, it's kind of a nice name. Any ideas?"
"Not a one," Kikyou told him, shaking her head, "maybe it's just something from a past life of yours that you can't forget." Inuyasha thought for a moment.
"Yeah," he thought aloud, "I bet that's it."
===
Kikyou strolled happily near the lake, when suddenly she felt a push from behind her and she landing the icy crystal-clear water.
"You need to be more careful, Kikyou," a voice told her playfully, "you never know what idiot is gonna come up and push you in." Kikyou shivered lightly, smirking. She grabbed his ankle, pulling him in, as well. "I bet you think you're real slick, don't you, Kikyou." Inuyasha splashed her, dampening her hair. Kikyou chuckled, rolling her eyes. She dunked Inuyasha a few inches under the water, and then let him surface again.
"Very," Kikyou remarked, as he regained his breath. He smirked.
"Oh really?" he questioned. He pressed his lips firmly against hers as she locked her arms around his neck. A moment later the two heard various snickers coming from nearby the two broke apart instantly.
"Kaede!" Kikyou exclaimed. Indeed, Kaede - along with just about every other little girl in the village - was standing right in front of them, watching their every move.
"What are you brats doing here!?" Inuyasha exclaimed, more embarrassed than infuriated. The children began screaming - not really in fear as much as in fun, all running off in different directions and Inuyasha hauled himself out of the water. "Just like roaches..." Inuyasha muttered, "When a candle lights up, they scatter..." Kikyou laughed lightly and Inuyasha helped her up.
"Inuyasha, they didn't mean any harm," she told him, "little girls just find things like that amusing."
"Come on, let's get you home," Inuyasha told her, "And out of those wet clothes." Kikyou giggled lightly. Inuyasha blushed, realizing what he'd said. "I didn't mean it like that." Kikyou wrung her hair out, shaking her head.
"I know, Inuyasha," she told him, taking his hand into her own and beginning to walk back towards the village. She felt him tug on her arm, and once more her lips were locked to his. He quickly separated from her, licking his lips.
"Come on, let's go find you some dry clothes," he told her. She gave him a sideways glance, shaking her head. She would probably never come to fully understand Inuyasha.
===
Kikyou's words rang through his head like the sound of a gong. She placed her hand on his face. "Inuyasha, did you hear me?" she asked gleefully, "I'm pregnant." He grasped her hand, wrapping his arm around her tightly.
"Kikyou," he began, "this is probably one of the most wonderful days of my life. It's hard for me to believe it's really happening." A tear of joy trailed down Kikyou's cheek as she lightly kissed Inuyasha's lips.
"So, what's my son's name gonna be?" Inuyasha questioned, looking at Kikyou.
"And how do you know it won't be a daughter?" Kikyou questioned. Inuyasha shrugged.
"'Cause I'm smart," he told Kikyou. She chortled at his remark.
"What do you think?" Kikyou asked him.
"If it's a girl I wanna call it Kagome," he told her, "and if it's a boy I'm calling it Inuyasha Jr."
"And what's wrong with Kikyou Jr.?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow. Inuyasha shrugged.
"Alright, then, if it's a boy we can call it Kikyou Jr. instead of Inuyasha," he told her playfully. Kikyou socked him lightly in the arm.
"I bet you think you're really funny, don't you, Inuyasha?" Kikyou questioned kidding. He smirked.
"And so what if I do?" he questioned. "You got a problem with it."
"Of course not," she told him. He grabbed her hands in his.
"C'mon, Kikyou," he told her cheerfully, "we're gonna tell the village the good news!" And with the, Inuyasha pulled her out the door and announced that he would soon be a father loud enough so the whole village - and probably the Native Americans on the other side of the globe - could hear him.
===
"Get up! Get up!" a younger voice commanded him as he felt a sudden increase of weight on his stomache.
"I'm tired, Kagome," he muttered, keeping his eyes closed, "the sun ain't even out yet."
"Daddy!" she whined. He rubbed his eyes, picking the little girl up off of his abdomin.
"Alright, you win," he groaned, getting up.
"I want breakfast!" she told him, jumping up and down.
"I'll try and make you breakfast," he grumbled, "but don't wake your mother."
"'Cause she says she doesn't want you cooking anymore?" the young girl questioned.
"No, Kagome, because your mother needs her sleep and you kept her up all night," Inuyasha corrected his daughter, slightly annoyed.
"How come grown-ups have to sleep so much?" she questioned as Inuyasha hung the pot over the fireplace.
"What I don't get is how a seven year old can manage to get so little sleep and still be so hyper in the morning," Inuyasha grumbled. The young girl giggled, placing her hand over her mouth.
"Is the food gonna be hard black lumps that I can't eat again?" she questioned, watching him cook.
"Hopefully not," he grumbled, "but don't get your hopes up."
===
Kagome sat on her porch sulking, watching the sun set. "You okay, Kagome?" her brother asked, appoaching her. She nodded.
"I'm fine...I'm just thinking about someone," she explained to him. He held out the bag of cookies he was eating from.
"You want some, nee-chan?" he asked her. She looked at him, smiling for the first time that day.
"Thanks, Souta," she told him, picking a sugar cookie from the bag. She turned it around a few times in her hand. "You know what would really make me feel better?" she asked him. He shook his head. "Some instant ramen. Come on, I'll make us some." Kagome smiled and opened the door for her little brother, geading toward the kitchen to make herself and Souta instant ramen.
===
Well, I enjoyed this chapter, but next comes Miroku, Sango, and Kohaku, and I'm gonna enjoy it most of all. I can't wait! Well, I've got four minutes until my six hour Saturday evening anime marathon begins, so I'll end this A/N here. R/R, please!
