Scars
DISCLAIMER: I don't know how many times I will have to say this, but oh, what the hell! I do NOT own InuYasha (Rumiko Takahashi: Hoozah!), he belongs to her. (Rumiko Takahashi: MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!) So please enjoy while I curse myself of my existence and how I can not own InuYasha. (Miss Artemis: stomps off)
Prologue: Part 3...For the Honor of a Friend
Gold, ember eyes slowly opened to only quickly snap shut again, a string of curses could be heard being whispered fervently under his breath. InuYasha, slowly cracked his right eyelid open. Above him, seeping through the fresh green leaves were little golden sun-rays spilling around the pair at the bottom of the oak tree. InuYasha turned to his side as the warmth beside him, cuddled closer to his form. He gave a small pleasant smile that only grew until his fangs just peaked out.
"Kikyo…"
In a loving gesture, he ran his right hand through her silky tresses and away from her face, allowing him to see her beauty openly. His left arm tightened around her possessively if possible around her form and pressed her closely against him inhumanly possible. Last night…he could barely remember, other than milky skin and pleasure beyond belief that he thought was never possible. Yes…he had to admit that last night was magical. Closing his eyes, he nuzzled her hair affectionately to only have his golden eyes snap open in curiosity as his sensitive nose had met not only the silky strands of hair, but of something rough and hard.
"What the…?"
Picking up the odd object, InuYasha inspected the small white rock with his thumb and index finger. Lifting it up to the sunlight, InuYasha turned it, wondering what the hell it was; his dog ears twitched in annoyance. Strange…It looks so familiar, where have I seen it before? He sniffed it like a curious kitten (A/N – Inu: Curious as a kitten? What the fuck is up with that? I'm a DOG demon wench! – Miss Artemis: Hey, shut up and just play along damn it!) It looks like some kind of fang or an arrow head of some kind…Kikyo mumbled something under her breath along the lines of: 'InuYasha, go back to sleep' but InuYasha just ignored her and continued to look at it until it hit him like a ton of bricks. Wait a minute…He wrapped his fingers and hand around the fang slowly. …didn't this come from that…InuYasha dropped the fang as if it burned him,
"Rosary!" InuYasha looked down at his chest, his right hand patting around the flesh where the necklace would have been, his eyes wide with astonishment. Looking around wildly, InuYasha noticed the many purple prayer beads lying around Kikyo and him, some on their laps, or in Kikyo's case her head. He spotted the other three fangs as well. As he made way to get up, InuYasha gasped in sudden pain and fell back down, wild curses that would send Shippo running for cover; he poked at his abdomen harshly to only feel small pain. I thought only females were affected when it came to sex…Moving forward slightly, he felt the sharp poke of a pain. Looking down, InuYasha sweat dropped to find an arrow with only the end of it showing the feathers as the middle and up was covered with his and Kikyo's clothes.
Curiosity getting the better of him, the hanyou took the end of the arrow around the feather area and brought it up, immediately looking at the top.
"How…?" He could only sputter in bewilderment as he found one of the prayer beads cracked open with the arrow stuck in the middle of the bead. Who…who could destroy the necklace? Nobody so far was able to break it! The miko power is too great to be taken off by a demon; even half-demons…InuYasha brought the end of the bead thoughtfully against his chin, tapping at a regular pace. It was very rare to ever find InuYasha actually thinking about something, he didn't quite strike to be the one to sit and think rationally.
Okay, demons are unable to remove a rosary, so that's out of the question…Kikyo can't be able to, she had denounced her title as a priestess, so she can't do much, even if she does have some magic in her…what did that old hag tell me again?
"HEY! Old hag, how do I get this damn rosary off?" Keade-baba looked at him with a grim expression like always, although if you looked at her remaining eye, you can see twinkling amusement.
"You can't, InuYasha." InuYasha gaped at her, anger residing in his eyes,
"WHAT D'YEAH MEAN I CAN'T? I'M FOREVER TO BE STUCK WITH THIS FUCKING SIT COMMAND?" Keade-baba finally let out a chuckle, turning into a full-fledge laughter that made InuYasha question her sanity. Slowly quieting down, the old miko looked at InuYasha, pure amusement now shown on her face full-fledged, a smile playing on her lips.
"What the hell's so funny?" The old miko shook her head and walked passed the pissed off hanyou.
"Yo, hag! I was talking to you! So can you answer it or not?" Keade-baba had sat down at the small fireplace in the middle of the room where dinner was slowly being cooked. She placed her hands in her sleeves,
"Aye, I do." She paused, secretly laughing her head off as InuYasha started steaming up again; it was so amusing to tick this half-demon off that it would be the death of her rather than a youkai.
"Well, TELL ME ALREADY!" Keade-baba shook her head while clucking her tongue like Kagome would to InuYasha in a scolding way,
"Such patience InuYasha, but to answer to ye question, it tis simple; the one who gives the command of course since it reacts to their voice." She waited calmly. InuYasha's mouth dropped to almost to the floor. Closing it, he slowly turned towards the wall, causing Keade-baba to watch him curiously as to what he was going to do. In a dead-panned voice, he said,
"I'll be 'sit' until modern day Japan." That said, the hanyou thrust his head against the wall numerous of times.
InuYasha threw the arrow away from as far as he could, breathing heavily with wide eyes.
"Kagome…" She saw…InuYasha couldn't believe it. He kept repeating in his mind: she saw…she saw…she saw…she saw…she saw…she saw…she saw, until it put him into a trance that seemed almost unbreakable. Shit!
"InuYasha!" InuYasha snapped out of his thoughts hurriedly and turned to Kikyo in alarm to find her hugging his fire rat haori close to her chest while pointing at something in front of them. InuYasha's eyes half widened and half narrowed as a boomerang twirled at them with amazing speed.
-.-.-.-.-.-
Sango looked around her in confusion. She nervously shifted the hirakotsu on her shoulder more comfortable. Looking down, she was shocked to find herself in her demon exterminator outfit.
"What's going on…?" Walking forward, she passed the many cherry blossom trees that lined the wide dirt road. "Kagome? Shippo?" Reaching a village, Sango was slightly relieved to find it out to be Keade-baba's, but strangely, no one was there, it was as if the villagers had gotten up and left everything: their huts, clothing, food, animals, and equipment-everything they owned.
"Miroku! Kirara! InuYasha…where are you guys!" Her scream echoed noisily through the open air. Breathing heavily from her scream and her heightening fright, Sango turned around in circles as she walked through the village, as if to keep eye of everything just incase someone happened to pop up.
"Keade-baba! Kohaku! Why isn't anyone answering me?" Sango stiffened and screamed a new after a few moments of silence, heightening her hirakotsu,
"Naraku, if you've done something to them I'll be sure to kill you slowly and painfully in anyway possible you bastard!" Sango stopped as she heard distant sobbing of a girl that sounded strangely of…
"Kagome…" Sango whispered in concern and yet in happiness. The sobs slowly became louder until they were deafening. Turning around sharply, Sango's features softened as she found Kagome running at her with her left arm clutching something to her chest while she used her right sleeve to try to wipe away her tears. Sango dropped her hirakotsu and opened her arms to hug her.
"What…?" She gasped when Kagome merely ran right through her.
"K…Kagome? Kagome!" Sango turned around and ran after the still crying girl away from the village, leaving behind her hirakotsu without a thought. Sango breathed heavily as she tried to reach Kagome whom was running up the hill,
"K-Kagome! Stop, please wait for me!" Sango's eyes watered as she found Kagome getting faster away from her while her movements seemed to get slower by each passing second.
Eyes widening, Sango tried with all her might to move her legs and go faster, but it just seemed as though someone was controlling her, making her move extremely slow until she was standing.
A scream echoed throughout the dark atmosphere around her causing Sango to try even harder to find that the barrier was now gone. Running as fast as she could, Sango realized by the path that it was on the way to the Bone Eater's Well.
"Kagome! Kagome, are you alright? KAGOME!" Sango screamed, covering her mouth in horror, bile slowly climbing up her throat uneasily. "Oh gods…" Her body shook violently as she found her best friend lying in a pool of her own blood, soaking the young girl's uniform and hair making it look as if it was a dark red instead of beautiful onyx black with dark blue 'highlights'. Kagome was laid down on the ground in a sprawled position on her back, her left arm across her stomach while her right arm hung out limply at her side, blood staining her face, her once emotion filled eyes were now empty and wide with fright that would make Sango remember in her sleep forever.
Standing in front of the well was non-other than InuYasha who looked as if he was reverted into his demon form, his blood red eyes and sadistic smile sent shivers of fear down her spine. Her hands were bloody as well as the tips of his brilliant silver hair and the front of his haori and hakama, she had noticed that Tetsusaiga was not in its sheath as it should be. A pitiful whimper caught her ears. Her small scared pupils swiveled down at her friend in an instant. Kagome's right hand clenched the Shikon no Tama in her fist. With blood lightly dripping from the corner of her mouth, Kagome choked on her own blood as she whispered,
"S-Sango…b…behind…y-y-you…" Confused, Sango didn't have to wait to find out as searing pain entered in the middle of her back. Eyes widening to a bigger size, Sango stumbled a few steps forward. Clutching the front of her demon armor, Sango saw her own blood seeping through the cracks of her fingers, weary with loss of blood, Sango looked over her shoulder to have them narrow down in anger and hate,
"K-Kikyo…you…bitch…" Before falling onto her knees painfully and to slump to her side. She heard Kikyo chuckle darkly as the cold priestess walked towards her copy, effectively wrenching the Shikon no Tama from her dear friend's hand before walking towards the still feral growling InuYasha. She sighed happily as she latched the necklace around her neck before wrapping her arms around the uncontrolled hanyou; it appeared that it didn't matter to her that the top of her miko garb was now as red as InuYasha's haori. Kikyo flipped her hair over her shoulder and smirked down coldly at the tayiji,
"I may be a bitch demon exterminator, but at least I'm not a friend to some copy that should have no will to live."
Sango's fists tightened on the dry grass until her knuckles turned white, her amethyst eyes darkening to a black burgundy as searing hot anger coursed through her veins. How dare she say that to Kagome! Kagome is one of the most people who deserve to be alive! Its people like her with restless souls that can't move on shouldn't live! Sango coughed making her blood cover the grass and small specks go on her own face, she felt herself go light headed as darkness claimed her eyesight,
"Besides," Kikyo drawled out as she and InuYasha started to disappear with the Shikon no Tama, "The jewel looks better around me anyway. And just so you know exterminator, if it wasn't for me, your precious 'Kagome' wouldn't be alive."
No…that can't be true! KAGOME!
-
"Kagome!" Sango looked around her, her eyes wide with fright as she clutched her chest, more precisely her heart. Looking around uncertainly to find Miroku snoring and Kirara softly purring, she sighed with a small fleeting smile before it was replaced with a small saddened frown. She shifted even more into Kirara's fur and gripped her kimono closer to her as she watched the stars before they disappeared as tints of pink started to claim the sky declaring morning. She shifted more and buried her face into her companion, sighing comfortably in the silky substance.
It felt so real…Everything is what it looks like in real life. The village…the scenery…the well, everything was so clear it scares me. The blood on Kagome was so horrible, even during our toughest battles she only gets a few bruises and scratches, but they're almost gone in the morning thanks to her 'medical supplies'. Sango's eyes parted slowly to only halfway. And InuYasha…He looked so possessed it was frightening, not even during the times with Princess Kaguya when she almost transformed him into a full-demon, he was able to suppress his blood-lust, even for a few minutes. And him hurting Kagome…Tears entered the demon exterminator's eyes, but not to the point of slipping into her battle cat's fur and awakening her. I don't think I could bear it! Kikyo…Her fists tightened brutally on her sleeves. How dare she…how dare she say that about Kagome! Kagome walks, talks, smiles, and feels like her own person! She's nothing like Kikyo and she'll never will be! They're so different! No matter what, even if she somehow reverts back to the person she used to be, Kagome and her are like night and day! Kagome laughs out in the open, she doesn't mind playing with the children in tag, she doesn't keep control of her anger, she doesn't let anyone trample over her…And Kikyo, she's so polite and refined…it's almost boring. And Kagome is filled so much with life!
Shaking her head with her thoughts, Sango stood up slowly as to not awaken Kirara, raising a shaky hand, she ran it over her face before walking towards Kagome's sleeping bag, smiling fondly at the bump in the sleeping bag. Sitting down on her knees, she sat there for a while just thinking over on how to talk to her. She grumbled to herself. I can exactly say 'Hey Kagome, I had this weird nightmare that no one was around and when I saw you, you were crying and running towards the well and when I finally got there, you were killed by InuYasha. Then Kikyo came, killed me and took the Shikon no Tama and left with InuYasha' What a way to start the day…The tayiji sighed in frustration and just shook her head violently, scolding herself.
Idiot! She yelled at herself. Kagome's not going to judge you by a dream, just wake her up and tell her about it, luckily she'll be too sleepily to remember it when she wakes up later on. Brightening up at that idea, Sango reached over and hesitated for a moment before shaking the shoulder of the being inside of the sleeping bag. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Kagome's shoulder isn't that small! But who…? With an eyebrow lowering dangerously and with flushed cheeks from anger, the demon exterminator grabbed the bundle and heaved the being out into the open crisp air. She gaped angrily at the 'thing' she held in her hands,
"SHIPPO?" Sango's left eye twitched in anger. What the hell? Kagome should be sleeping in here, not him damn it! She shook the sleeping and presently drooling kitsune.
"Shippo! Wake up darn you! Where's Kagome! Shippo!" Shippo cracked his eyes open a few centimeters before crashing them back down.
"Ugh, Sango!" He whined making her handle on him tighten. "Why'd you wake me up? I was finally giving InuYasha a beating…" After a mental rueful smile, Sango shook him again until the kitsune cooperated with her. "What do you want anyways?" Sango stopped for a moment and suddenly found one of the reasons why InuYasha quickly got irritated with him.
"Where. Is. Ka-go-me?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Sango exploded,
"You were sleeping in her sleeping bag! You should know!" Shippo yawned widely, his furry tail bristling from the morning chill,
"I don't know! The last time I saw her last night was when she tucked me into here and watched the fire-I don't think I saw InuYasha either last night."
'I don't think I saw InuYasha either last night…' Sango's eyes widened in realization to the kit's preference. Oh gods, Kagome! Looking around slowly she looked at the campsite. No bow and arrows…no back pack…no pots or pans…Where can she have gone? She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt Shippo's small clawed hands around her wrist. Shippo wrinkled his nose in curiosity, a trait that he picked up from Kagome along the journey,
"Hey Sango, how come you have the jewel shards?" Eyes darting to her right wrist, her heart felt as if it was hit by her hirakotsu. Shippo picked up the small clear container holding the jewel shards. Every time the sunlight captured an angle of the lilac-purified shards, it would make them glisten beautifully and create little rainbows. Sango lowered her head and dropped the kitsune-who was lucky that the sleeping bag was underneath him at the time. Wincing and rubbing the sore spot around his tail, Shippo looked up to find Sango strapping on her protective knee pads tightly, already in her demon exterminator outfit. He shivered. Her eyes…they were so cold and ruthless, it was unlike her. Standing up on the sleeping bag and with his tail twitching in nerves, Shippo fidgeted with his hands, his large green jade eyes now gaining some tears,
"S-S-Sango…?" Heaving up the hirakotsu, Sango turned to the small demon,
"Hai, Shippo?"
"W-Where are you g-going?" Sango turned away and walked out of the campsite, she stopped five feet more and asked instead, avoiding the question because she knew if she were to tell the kitsune, Shippo would be heart broken and frightened,
"Shippo, can you tell me where InuYasha headed last night?" Shippo nodded uncertain,
"He said that he was going to get more firewood, but never came back last night. I…think he went…" Shippo paused before pointing North-East. "…That way." Sango nodded and started walking towards the bushes and trees,
"If I'm not back when Miroku gets up, just tell him that I'll be back before noon." Shippo nodded.
Sango walked and stopped to find a small string of red wool, she realized it was InuYasha's fire rat haori. She frowned darkly. So sloppy InuYasha, were you in such a hurry to get to her that you forgot to cover up your tracks? Shaking her head, Sango jumped easily over the thorn bushes and into the thick forest. Running through the trees with years of practice and stealth, Sango sprinted through the forest with swift ease and no sound except for the small pad of her feet as she hit the forest floor. Jumping from tree branch and landing in a crouched position, she studied the caked mud near a bog and touched the substance and rubbed her index and thumb together.
"Still a little damp…" Looking up briefly for a moment with a determined look, Sango started bounding off towards the direction the mud encased foot steps were going. "…I'm not far away."
How could he? Sango thought repeatedly as she used the trees to bounce off the side of them so she wouldn't miss any clues as to wear her friends were. Hanging onto a thick branch while still having her feet planted against the hard oak wood, Sango peered down and frowned. That's strange…the tracks stop here…Using her hirakotsu, Sango slid down carefully from the tree and with a strong tug, freed the bong boomerang soundlessly. Walking around the abandoned area, she decided to walked further north and see where it lead her to.
"Hmm…" Bending down she picked up a small tuft of feather. Inspecting it, she let it drop slowly. This is the same feathers of Kagome's arrows, was she in trouble? Did a youkai come after her thinking she had the jewel shards? Standing up, the tayiji dusted off her black-skin tight clothing to freeze. At first, her eyes widened in surprise, to only slowly and gradually narrow down to cat-like shape.
"InuYasha…" She whispered. She squatted down behind the bushes and watched through parted leaves, the hanyou sickenly nuzzle the top of Kikyo's head. She scowled and grimaced. How disgusting, rubbing your face in dirt and death. She watched him blink in curiosity before picking up something white. Staring at him, Sango instantly realized that he wasn't wearing something that he always HAD to wear…The rosary…it's gone…Did Kagome…? Choking back tears, Sango's fist tightened even more on the hirakotsu.
It all seemed as if her miko friend had planned this all thoroughly. All those times she would be the last to fall asleep…all the times when InuYasha told them he was going to get firewood or go scouting and never coming back until dawn…all the times she would catch Kagome looking fondly at either her, Miroku, or Shippo, and always looking longingly at the hanyou when his back was to her…all the times she would find her practicing her archery with a well-drawn target in the center of a thick tree trunk with all of her arrows splinting the other in half…Kagome knew.
For the past few weeks, Sango registered, Kagome had been planning this the entire time, waiting for an opportune moment to do this when everyone was too preoccupied with Naraku and the hard battles that were increasing each passing days, it would have made sense to take the moment where they were all too tired and sore to stay up before night even came. The shards and the rosary were the only things tying Kagome to their world and hers, and now with neither and if Sango thought what she knew; Kagome would have gone through the well for the last time. She was never coming back…she had stopped InuYasha from being able to get through the well and bring her back, was it really over?
Sango sat down on her bottom heavily, bringing her legs closely to her chest, dropping the hirakotsu as unsettled tears started to claim her eyes once again. Where had things gone wrong between them? She wondered silently to herself as she watched the hanyou sniff the object she had concluded to be part of the rosary. They were such good friends, always staying beside the other if needed, backing each other up, always making sure that the other was above their needs, destroying every obstacle in their path from trying to stop them from completing their goal against Naraku.
When did things start to fall apart? Just a year ago when we believed that we had destroyed Naraku and fought against Princess Kaguya, our feelings for each other grew stronger…what happened? Sango bit her lip as she remembered.
FLASHBACK
InuYasha snarled and growled viciously as he stood in place, looking as if he was internally struggling within himself against the magic of the mirror. His long silver hair grew longer to just below his waist before hovering around him as his claws grew longer and his eyes slowly turned blood-red. Kaguya stood standing in the center of the star of five symbols that had imprisoned her for so long before. She mumbled spells under her breath to bring InuYasha further and closer into granting his deepest and darkest wish.
Kagome watched terrified from her imprisoned state as she saw InuYasha's human form start to appear into the mirror. Tears built in her eyes and finally over the brim as she struggled more violently as Kaguya whispered triumphantly,
"Yes, InuYasha, become your true beast, the beast you yearn to become."
"NO! InuYasha, DON'T TURN YOUKAI! Don't become someone you're not! Please!" Kagome begged as she struggled even more against the powerful-barrier bonds on her wrists and ankles. Kagome watched frightened as her best friend slowly and gradually started to give into his desire.
Sango and Miroku watched with baited breath as Kagome continued to struggle against her bonds more violently. Shippo, hiding on Miroku's back asked frightened,
"Miroku, what's happening? Is InuYasha becoming full-demon?" Miroku flinched as he gripped his shoulder,
"Yes, Shippo…" He gasped out as he continued to stare at his close friend, "But I am afraid that this time, there's no turning back, he'll forever be a youkai, he can't ever be a half-demon again." Shippo almost fell off of his back,
"Never turning back? I thought InuYasha could control his demon!" Miroku's eyes darkened slightly as he stared now at the smirking Kaguya as she continued to cast her spell over InuYasha who in return started snarling even louder that sent Shippo scrambling even more behind Miroku,
"This is the castle beyond the looking glass; I believe the mirrors are at their most potent when dealing with our darkest desires. It seems to feed off our anger, pain, and want. I don't know if InuYasha can get through this alone, but I don't know what to do, neither of us can get through to him." Sango looked up from her position in the middle of the pillar and stared at InuYasha, Kaguya, then at Kagome who continued to cry with silent heartache.
Miroku's right…None of us can get through to him, but…Sango's eyes narrowed. Kagome can!
"Shippo!" Shippo turned to her,
"Yeah Sango?" Sango wedged her head towards Kagome's direction,
"Go to Kagome and release her somehow, I think she might be the only one who can help InuYasha!" Shippo nodded and although hesitating a few times, scampered his tail off towards Kagome. Kagome looked down to find Shippo. Shippo gave her a comforting smile,
"Don't worry Kagome, I'll set you free!" Walking forward, he reached towards her ankles to squeak in surprise as he was sent backwards a few feet and on his back.
"Ow!" Kagome looked down at Shippo thoughtfully and turned to InuYasha, her eyes gaining more tears. Why InuYasha…Why do you want to become full-youkai? What will it prove? You're as strong as it is…is strength all you care about? What about us? Did you ever stop to think of how you changing would affect us all? Kagome choked on her sobs. What about all the good times we've had? Do you really want to give all of that up to be stronger? Kagome shouted out at InuYasha,
"Please InuYasha, I love you! Don't change! Please!" Kagome gasped in surprise as she felt the jewel shards pulse at her shouting. Looking down at the small capsule, her eyes hardened in determination and turned down to Shippo again to find him sitting up, his furry tail standing up on all ends.
"Shippo, I have an idea, get the jewel shards!" Shippo rubbed his head,
"Jewel shards? What can they do?"
"JUST DO IT!" Squeaking, Shippo nodded and hopped onto her shoulder and unclasped the container from her chain and hopped back down.
"Now throw them at me!" Tossing them at her, he watched fascinating as light magenta lightning bolts crackled against the barrier. Grunting, Kagome flexed her muscles and pulled against her bonds, and after a few minutes, they broke sending small sparks of light lilac purple around her. Not wasting a moment, the moment she made contact with the floor, she ran towards InuYasha who was still snarling madly. Without thinking, Kagome ran into his arms, hugging him closely, crying into his chest.
"Please don't change! I love you as a half-demon!" Sango watched Kagome flinch in slight pain as InuYasha grasped her upper arms harshly with his claws piercing through her tender skin, blood seeping through the material of her uniform and down his hands, but it seemed as though Kagome didn't care as she held to him tighter, closing her eyes as she buried her face in the hanyou's chest. Tears leaked through the corners of her eyes.
"I love you so much InuYasha…I love you as you are, please don't change, don't become someone you're not. Why do you have to change? Why can't you be who you are right now?" Kagome flinched even more as InuYasha growled inhumanly as his grip tightened on her arms. She looked behind her shoulder to find the human-InuYasha slowly open his eyes. Kaguya laughed at her,
"Do as you wish miko, but InuYasha is already sealing his fate with his wish, nothing can stop me now." Kagome ignored her and looked up at his face, her eyes squinting halfway in rejection. This isn't him…this can't be him. Kagome watched his eyes narrowing and turning blood red, a purple scar appearing on his left upper cheek near his eye. Tears pooled in her eyes like liquid marbles. I know that he doesn't want to become youkai like this, but…how I can I…? Slowly reaching forward, her breath hitching with desperation in her eyes as clear as day, a small tint of blush appeared on her cheeks. The scene before Kaguya came when she was talking to InuYasha about the jewel came back vividly into mind. He was so serious and he looked so lonely, does he think that becoming youkai will take away the pain? She softly pressed her lips against his bared fangs, sighing against his lips, noticing how rigid he got. Please InuYasha…wake up, please…She closed her eyes tightly, making a tear to slip from her eye and down her cheek. Don't you want to stay with me?
Sango watched with a deep blush and wide eyes as InuYasha had seemed to loosen his hold on Kagome, his claws slowly retracting back to their normal size. Blinking back tears and screaming childishly at the picture in front of her, Sango beamed. If there's one person who can save InuYasha from his heart, it's Kagome.
Bleeding eyes slowly turning white with amber-gold eyes returning, InuYasha almost gasped in shock to find Kagome kissing him, instead stared amazed at her beautiful face and crystal tears through half-lidded eyes. Sango didn't miss the small smile that crept on his face before he pressed his lips to hers, causing Kagome to sigh against him. Kagome…if it weren't for you…InuYasha broke the kiss and peered down at her with amazement and wonder in his eyes apparent. Kagome stared back up at him with tears still brimming her eyes, pink still tinting her peachy skin.
"I-InuYasha, w-will you be okay?" Kagome snuggled into his warmth with a content/happy look as InuYasha hugged her tightly to him, nuzzling her crown of her head, his left hand stroking her onyx hair with such a tender care that it made Sango's eyes soften even more at the two. Has he let Kikyo go and finally moved on?
"Stupid…" She heard InuYasha whisper to Kagome as he held her tighter to him, his eyes half-lidded with care, "You could have gotten yourself killed, what were you thinking?"
Kagome buried her face in his haori, taking in his scent of spices and forest dew,
"You don't usually think when you're saving the person you care for, InuYasha."
InuYasha looked as if he was thinking something over, after a few moments, he hugged her even tighter and whispered in her ear,
"I'll be a half-demon a little longer, Kagome…just for you." Nodding her head, Kagome let her head lay against his hard chest. Oh, InuYasha…
END OF FLASHBACK
They looked so intimate together…It was as if they finally noticed their feelings for each other. Sango stared back to find InuYasha holding an arrow with a bead embedded halfway into the arrow; Sango realized now of why Kagome practiced so much. She really had planned it all…She tilted her head to the left to just miss an arrow with the bead intact still. She watched InuYasha stare horrified into nothing, as if lost in his own world. She picked up the arrow and held it in both hands, tears falling against the lush grass. She stared sadly at the arrow, no sign of moving showed on her face, her acknowledgment and logic gone from her, the shock that she would never see Kagome again not registered to her.
WE were so happy…like a family. In a way, the more she spent time with this strange assortment of group, she had made it her family. Their antiques, actions, words, reminded her of what and how family acted. With everyone she had once knew gone, she had felt as if the world had turned its back on her and this group, this family…had become everything to her, but now, just when Naraku was reaching his peak-the spark died. The family was separating, it was obvious, but she didn't want it to end! Sango could remember many countless nights staring up at the stars or into the dying fire; that the journey would never end, even though she knew it would. But…ending it like this? Without Kagome with us to finish the journey?
Standing up and still clutching the arrow in her left hand, she blindly lifted her hirakotsu as if her hand had a mind of its own. She stared at the horror-stricken hanyou and felt a hot searing feeling enter her heart and through her veins, an emotion she knew too well, a reckless rage that blinded her from rationality and reason, and she wouldn't wake up from it until she was through. Heaving the hirakotsu, Sango launched the hirakotsu at the man who broke the family,
"HIRAKOTSU!"
-
"Shit!" Cursing, InuYasha grabbed Kikyo and jumped out of the way at the last minute. The tree merely snapped in half cleanly; before the tree could move, the hirakotsu slung back, slicing a foot or two above the last cut, cutting it into three sections.
Hurriedly putting on his hakama, he looked around alert. What the hell was that? Was that…
"InuYasha." Turning to the voice, his suspicions were confirmed as he found Sango stepping out of the bushes and into the clearing, her long black hair rippling in the wind. Even though her body was steady and in battle-alert, her face was streaked with fresh tears and her eyes gave away emotional pain, anger, and sadness. He immediately grew angry, what the hell was the tayiji thinking? She almost cut off his head for fuck's sake! What right did she have to almost kill him before he destroyed Naraku?
"Sango, you bitch, what the damn hell was that for? You're lucky it didn't hit me!" Sango looked to as if she hadn't heard him, causing the hanyou to grow even angrier. She whispered deadly in a dead-panned voice that made InuYasha vainly remember Sesshomaru,
"Then I won't miss again. HIRAKOTSU!" Growling, InuYasha yet again dodged the large boomerang and started running towards the remaining stump of the tree where the Tetsusaiga was sheathed. Shouting out, he jumped back, holding a palm to his sliced haori, Sango was in a crouched-half stretched position where she had swung out at him with her sword. Sheathing it, she caught the hirakotsu just in time and swung it forward into a pointing position. Her eyes seemed to have darkened,
"You will not get Tetsusaiga; you are unworthy of it half-breed."
"What the fuck is your problem Sango?" InuYasha yelled as Sango swung at him with her boomerang where he effectively fought back with his claws; immediately spotting the Tetsusaiga latched beside her own sword. With each strike and blow they gave, a large booming crack sounding like thunder and lightning echoed throughout the northern lands. InuYasha knew that by seeing him and Kikyo together would anger Sango greatly, but not to the extent to killing him. What was her problem? Surely Kagome would get over it, right? Sango's blows grew harder and powerful with each swing as she shouted at him between each stroke,
"You-(clunk!)-hurt Kagome! (Thunk!) And I will not-(whack!)-let you go unscathed while she is-(crack!)- heartbroken you-(Thwack!)-BASTARD!" Swinging again, she made InuYasha skid over the grass, leaving two long deep trails in the ground before he stopped himself from hitting the tree.
"She knew what she was getting into, Sango! She damn well knew!" Running forward with his demon speed, Sango almost couldn't keep up with him. Grunting, she caught herself wit her left hand and flipped over to her feet before she hit the ground when InuYasha had clawed her at her side. She didn't pay attention to the severe wound she just acquired. Her anger towards InuYasha hadn't at all seized to a halt.
"SHUT THE HELL UP! YOU HURT HER INTENTIONALLY YOU BASTARD! YOU KNEW SHE LOVES YOU AND YOU STILL DIDN'T REGARD HER FEELINGS! YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING WAS WRONG! LEADING HER ON WITH THIS BULL SHIT SINCE KIKYO WAS REVIVED!" Running forward, she grasped her hirakotsu along the way, never seizing her pace as she charged InuYasha, angry tears spilling off of her face, "AND I WON'T LET YOU GO UNSCATHED UNLIKE SHE WAS!"
The two continued to fight against the other, anger towards the other.
"I DON'T REGRET WHAT I DID TAYIJI! NOT ONE BIT, SO JUST GO LOOKING SOMEWHERE WHERE SOMEONE WILL GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THAT WENCH! SHE WAS ONLY A SHARD DETECTOR AND A COPY AND SHE'LL ALWAYS WILL BE!" Her anger had seemed to reach a whole new level at his words,
"HOW DARE YOU!" She screamed outraged. "KAGOME IS HER OWN PERSON! JUST BECAUSE SHE AND KIKYO LOOK THE SAME DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE THE SAME AND YOU KNOW IT DAMN IT! I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU!" She reached back as far as she could, her body in perfect position to let the hirakotsu fly when she found she couldn't move. Eyes widening in their still angered position, as much as she struggled, she found that she was glued in place just like in her dream.
"I think that's enough." InuYasha snapped his head over Sango's shoulder to find Miroku glaring at them with hardened eyes. It was one of those times where the monk seemed to be a whole new person. His left hand was stretched outward in the direction of Sango with a sutra between his index and middle finger. The kanji in the sutra glowed a light purple and if anyone looked close enough at Sango, her whole body was outlined in the same color as the kanji. She growled as she remembered that sutra as one for boundaries,
"MIROKU, LET ME GO DAMN IT!" Miroku merely ignored her and walked forward until he was right behind her and pressed the sutra in the middle of her back. Gasping, Sango with her tears staining her face, slumped forward. Catching her along her waist, Miroku didn't look away from the confused and bewildered hanyou.
Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he took Sango into his arms, cradling her exhausted form. He started walking away when InuYasha called at him,
"Monk, give me Tetsusaiga." Miroku stared coldly at the hanyou with icy-glaciered eyes that made InuYasha feel slightly betrayed for his closest thing he had for a friend stare at him that way.
"I believe Sango is right InuYasha, you are not worthy yet of Tetsusaiga." InuYasha had somehow appeared before them snarling with his fists clenching and unclenching, his fingers cracking.
"You and the bitch there don't have a say if I'm worthy or not!"
"On contraire InuYasha. Remember what Lord Sesshomaru tell you before in your fights with him over Tetsusaiga? He said that only one with honor would be able to wield its true power and right now InuYasha…" Miroku merely shrugged him aside as he walked back to camp, "I could have never be more sure than right now that Sesshomaru-sama would be the best person now to have Tetsusaiga." InuYasha stared icily into the back of the monk. Sesshomaru…ice ass bastard of a half-brother…wield Tetsusaiga? Only when Hell freezes over and Naraku would go around trying to bring world peace.
Growling, he made movement to follow them and get Tetsusaiga back even if it meant having to hurt them, InuYasha stopped when a voice asked,
"Why?" Looking down, InuYasha scoffed to find the tear-filled eyes of Shippo.
"'Why?' what runt?"
"Why…why did you have to hurt okaa-san?" That said, the kitsune bobbed after Miroku, his tail almost covering his body.
InuYasha stared after the three where the left for what seemed like hours when he kneeled down to pick up the arrow that Sango had dropped. Snapping it in half from squeezing it too hard, InuYasha stared at the broken arrow on the ground. His ears twitched back and forth in confusion.
I didn't hurt her. He tried convincing himself as his fist tightened even more at the piece of wood he held until the wood made such a welt into his palm that it drawn blood. She knew I love Kikyo; that I made a promise to always be there for her, she knew it was coming sooner or later. I had promised to go to hell with Kikyo and I won't ever go back on my word, the wench should know. It's not my fault that she's…gone for…ever…Pounding his fist into the ground; InuYasha swore every cuss word he knew possible.
"Then why the hell do I feel like shit?"
"InuYasha!"
"Are you okay, InuYasha?"
"You shouldn't be up yet InuYasha! You just started to heal!"
"I thought that maybe you would like to eat with me InuYasha, after all, I can't eat all the food the villagers gave me; so how about it InuYasha-you hungry?"
"I need to go home InuYasha! I have exams and I need to pass them!"
"SIT!"
"We should help them InuYasha, after all, Naraku is causing them pain too!"
"InuYasha, I love you…"
InuYasha growled and covered his ears as he heard Kagome's voice echoed through his head.
"Please don't change InuYasha! I love you as you are!"
"So InuYasha, are…you still thinking about being a full-blooded youkai? I mean, what's wrong with the way you are now? I don't think there's anything wrong being who you are. Don't you think?"
"Oh look! A falling star! Hurry up, make a wish!"
"Do you think that…after all of this with Naraku is done that I…can still come here and visit you InuYasha? Do you think it's still possible?"
InuYasha whined in his throat and clamped his ears shut even more.
"Oh Kagome…get out of my head…"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
SORRY FOR THE WAIT!
Truly you guys, I am SO sorry! It's just that well, my great-grandpa had passed away a week or so ago and family was over here so I couldn't write this without my nosy cousins trying to look over my shoulder, so yeah, I had to wait. But THEN, last Monday on the 22nd, school has started for me which really, REALLY sucks because I only had two and a half months of summer vacation! Not to mention I have a WHOLE LOAD of homework, even on the first day of school, so life at the moment, sucks. I think I've finally learned the meaning of it.
But enough of my problems-I FINALLY UPDATED! And thank ALL of you reviewers, the ones who reviewed chapter one that I hadn't answered to in chapter two, sorry, but my MSN mail doesn't give me EVERYONE that has reviewed my story, so when I had noticed I forgot two people, I had felt EXTREMELY guilty.
And talk about those reviews! I think I'm going to die of happiness here! (No pun intended) Thank you so much you guys! I really enjoyed reading them!
Reviewers:
Music IsMyBF27: Ah, little siblings, I feel your pain (nods her head) Really, I do! I have a little sister and she bugs the CRAP out of me, but alas, I also shouldn't continue about my problems. I don't want to bore you. (lol) And hey! You were my first reviewer! How can I NOT mention your review? (Beams happily) Hope you continue reviewing!
InuKagPar4Life: thank you!
jenfrog: Thank you very much! I hope you don't cry too much, even though it is supposed to be angsty. Hope you review!
Chidarake No Bara: So, did you like the reaction? I kind of found it hard to do InuYasha in this one, I don't know why though. (Scratches her head in wonder) Excuse me while I try to find out why…
drummergrrlrox: (Blushes) AW! I think it would be AWESOME to publish books, but, heh heh, I'm not that good! (Stupid modesty…) (Suddenly starts to laugh her head off) Hate InuYasha? The feeling's mutual, besides it was my point to make him a complete ass, after all I do have some hard feelings towards him for the way he treats Kagome in the anime series. (Reads the PS note) Struggling…to…not write…cliffies…DAMN!
xXFoolishXx: If you thought that was sad, what chapter is this? Thank you for the review!
twagirl: Kikyo is a hard person to understand, that much I'll give. Although I have flecks of hate for Kikyo for the things she's done to Kagome, I still kind of feel pity for her. (Tries dodging the food being thrown at her) Man, I just had this dry cleaned! (lol)
King of Chaos: (Sighs) The feeling is mutual, my other half is crying her eyes out as I type this… (GoldenStar: starts going through her second tissue box)
SweetyPieRin: Thanks!
Nekomata-17: What's the fun in giving away the ending? (Winks) You'll have to read to find out!
Hyzenthlay-shine dew fur: How do you think? I think I may have been a little OOC on a few parts, but I tried to put myself in that place and took it form there. (Shrugs) Sorry I didn't have enough Shippo or Miroku in there-and poor Kirara! I think I'll have to make it up to her somehow…
dadslittleangel13: Yeah! I can't wait to read your next review!
final fantasy and inuyasha rule: Man, everyone's crying aren't they? (Sighs) Oh well, that means I've got my angst back up and gear. (lol) Thanks for the review!
-Koriander-Grayson-: Yeah! I got an A plus PLUS! Best grade I've gotten so far since school started! Thank you! HUGS!
Manga-Artist: Your wish is my command (Not really, but I'll make it a strong request) (lol)
WasteMyTime: You bet! (Puts army paint stripes on her high cheek bones) No hell anyone's going to say I wreak in the writing department! (lol) Thank you for the comment and the self-esteem booster!
Rambacca69: When I started reading it, I was starting to cry! My thoughts were: oh no! My first flamer! NO! But when I read the ending, it was like as if the sun came out again! (smiles) MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I know I'm evil, my parents, my little sister, my older brother, and my older sister will agree with you right on the back.
THANKS AGAIN ALL OF YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! Please keep them coming!
Miss Artemis - :D
