A/n: REVISED. I hope you like it and I apologize for any grammatical errors.
~Chapter 4~
The courtyard of the Western village was filled with the injured and dying, those who were able scrambled frantically about doing what they could to offer aid. It was utter chaos and Kagome, unable to deny her nature, stepped forward to help. Before she could take a second step, Sesshomaru reached out for her hand and pulled her back, "I understand that you wish to help them, but there is another who only you may be able to save."
Kagome looked into Sesshomaru's beautiful golden eyes and watched as his seemingly impenetrable walls crumbled before her. She could see what he hid; the fear and desperation—and a tiny glimmer of hope. She knew then that whoever it was that he was wishing she could save, was someone he cared deeply for. As much as she wanted to stay and help, she found herself letting him lead her through the scores of demons, humans…and hanyous.
They came upon a second barrier and Kagome shivered at the sheer strength of it. It was a thing of beauty, created to protect and to be admired. As Sesshomaru led her through it Kagome was once again left speechless; the structure was quite possibly the largest she had ever seen in the Feudal Era. It was in the center of a lake that was so clear it was as if the palace had its very own looking glass. The Western Fortress was held up in the maws of opal carvings of Inuyoukai—it was perhaps the most stunning piece of architecture that Kagome had ever seen. At the palace steps, she could see a red dock—she supposed the dock was for those who couldn't fly, she thought as Sesshomaru lifted her in the air for the second time in the past hour. Before she pulled her face out of the Inuyoukai's mokomoko she was already standing on a balcony; she turned as the Western Lord reached out to slide the shoji open.
Kagome pressed a hand to her stomach and took a step back—she could sense the illness inside; whoever was in the dark room did not have very much longer. She turned her head to the side and looked down because as much as she had prayed it otherwise, she had known that the only being that Sesshomaru cared enough for to save was his ward. She knew, but she had to ask him and so she did, "Who is it? Who is in there?"
His eyes closed as he bowed his head and whispered, "Rin."
Kagome took a shaky breath and prayed that she would be able to save the girl. She said nothing as she took her first step in to the dark and panned the room before her eyes settled on a western styled bed. Her eyes closed for a moment, blocking the image of the small quivering bundle that lay beneath silken sheets. She gave herself a few moments to compose herself before gathering the courage she needed to approach the little girl. She hadn't even seen Rin, but as she grew closer she could already sense that whatever the girl was dying from was not something that she could heal. She knew then, that Rin was going to die.
She sat down beside the once vibrant girl, the child's collarbone immediately drawing Kagome's attention. The blue of Rin's veins had become black; the illness creating a map of where it had been, like the most ruthless of conquerors. She slowly pulled the blanket back and fought the bile that rose in her throat at what remained of Rin. The beautiful little girl was rotting, the smell that had unbelievably been hidden beneath the covers made her eyes water.
Kagome could see bone and muscle, and when she pulled the blanket further away from Rin's tiny body she finally had enough. The sheet had peeled away at what remained of Rin's skin, pieces of flesh clinging to the white silk. There were obvious signs of infection as puss bubbled up and slid down, staining the cover below in shades of green and yellow.
It was a miracle that the child was still alive and Kagome knew without a doubt, that Rin clung on by her will alone. She couldn't hold on for much longer though, and Kagome didn't know how to save her. She stood and slowly made her way back out to the balcony, her eyes wide as she fought to keep her emotions under control. She stared wide eyed at the water below, barely noticing Sesshomaru's presence beside her until he quietly asked her, "You cannot save her, can you miko?"
She wiped away a tear as she shook her head, "I am so sorry Sesshomaru-sama, if I knew of a way to save her…I would give my own life."
It was silent for a long while before Sesshomaru sadly whispered, "As would I miko."
Kagome turned to look at him and asked, "If she dies, can Tenseiga bring her back?"
When he answered she could hear the defeat in his voice and another tear fell down her cheek, "I have already saved Rin once, I will not be allowed to do so again."
She turned back to look out to the water, "What is happening Sesshomaru? What did that to her?"
He let out a weary sigh and held out his hand to her, "Come miko. We have much to discuss, but I feel that it is best for you to first see your pack."
He once again pulled her to him, his arm wrapping around her waist before jumping from the balcony to the steps below. As Sesshomaru led her up the stairs, two Inuyoukai bowed before pushing open the doors for them. When she looked over Sesshomaru's shoulder she was greeted by the familiar faces of her friends.
~oOo~
They had made it safely to the palace and as instructed by his half-brother, they waited for him in the empty throne room. Inuyasha silently took inventory of his pack; if he asked about their well being he knew he would receive no answer.
After Kagome had left, Inuyasha had known that his friends would never forgive him. How could he expect them to when he couldn't even forgive himself? The hanyou hadn't even considered lying to them about their beloved miko's absence, he owed them the truth since he was the one who had driven away their friend. He had no excuses other than he had been afraid that Kagome would leave him, and she had. The truth was he adored Kagome, but Kikyo had such a strong hold on him that he couldn't let the older miko go either—and so begin the start of his lies. He had thought he could have the best of both worlds; the love of his mate and the devotion of his best friend—in his selfishness he had thought it to be a brilliant plan. He had never once considered the pain it would cause Kagome once she found out, he had only been concerned about his happiness.
The day that Kagome had found him with Kikyo his eyes were opened to his own greediness, but it had been far too late. Inuyasha had felt many different kinds of pain in his long life, both physical and emotional, but the look in Kagome eyes that day was a pain he could not even begin to describe. He remembered her silence and how deafening it had been as she pulled the beads from his neck; it had felt as if she had shoved her fist into his very core and tore the soul from his body. He had watched one of his loves walk away from him and he knew then that Kikyo would be his punishment. He would never be able to look at his mate without seeing Kagome and feeling the heaviness of his guilt.
When he had returned with Kikyo instead of Kagome all hell understandably broke loose. Of all his friends, he had thought that Sango would be the one to attack, that she would be the one he should fear—he had been wrong. Shippo's tiny body had flown through the air, his sharp claws digging into Inuyasha's face as his fangs sunk into the hanyou's throat. When Kikyo aimed a spiritually charged arrow at the kit the hanyou did the only thing he could think of; he used his body as a shield so that he could protect Shippo from his mate's wrath. The Kitsune's grip only tightened and when Inuyasha had tried to whisper Shippo's name, blood curdled up into his throat and into the kit's mouth.
He hadn't thought to fight off the little fox; he deserved the kit's wrath. He had been fully prepared to allow Shippo to kill him, but death did not come for him. It was Kirara who had saved him, though Inuyasha knew that the neko had only done so for the sake of Shippo. The little fox's eyes were blood red as he struggled in the fire cat's mouth; he had fought until he ran out of strength and went limp. Inuyasha would never forget the keening cry of sorrow that Shippo let loose; the heartbroken sound had pierced Inuyasha's heart as he struggled to breathe through his gouged-out throat.
Miroku had helped him into Kaede's hut and laid him down; his words would be with Inuyasha until the day he died. "You took something beautiful, something wild and pure—and you destroyed it. Kagome was devoted to you, she fought for you and even though it went against everything that she was, she killed for you. That beautiful girl has nearly died for you…and Kikyo? What has that vengeful bitch done for you that was so great that you would forsake Kagome so easily? Perhaps if Kagome were a bit colder, perhaps if she were a walking corpse you might have shown her the love she deserves. Is that the answer then? Is it the bitch in Kikyo that entices you? Tell me Inuyasha, because I so desperately want to know how you could turn your back on the one person who loved you in a world that despises you."
Inuyasha remembered being unable to answer as hot tears ran down his face. Miroku had looked upon his sorrow with an unsympathetic sneer before shaking his head and standing to walk away. The monk had not yet finished with him though; with his back turned Miroku's grip on his staff tightened as the monk trembled with rage, "I suppose we should be grateful for this turn of events. Kagome can now move on and when she does she will be back, but rest assured it will not be for you. You and your dead whore deserve one another, but Kagome—she deserves everything that you are not. I tell you this now Inuyasha, the moment that spider is gone you will never see any of us again. Heal well."
Inuyasha had healed, but Miroku's angry words wrapped around the hanyou's soul and still remained. They had never gotten the chance to fight Naraku though; the Darkness had fallen upon them and slowly devoured all that it touched. They had witnessed what the Darkness was capable of as they were in search for the shards and had fled from it. They had decided that their best chance at survival would be to stick together, though it had not been easy.
Shippo hadn't spoken since the day he had attacked him; the kit had become lost in his own mind and all their attempts to bring him back only seemed to push him further away. The little fox had become something akin to an animal, his youkai only feeding his hatred of both Inuyasha and Kikyo. It didn't help matters that as the little fox's sanity faded away, the strength of his abilities grew. Inuyasha was wary of Shippo and as the kitsune's animosity towards Kikyo grew, Inuyasha found himself unable to even sleep in fear that the kit would attack his mate.
Shippo was not the only volatile member of their small group—Sango had at first pretended as if Inuyasha and Kikyo didn't exist. It wasn't until after they stumbled upon Kohaku's body did Sango finally collapse beneath the weight of her heartbreak. Sango had lost her beloved brother and her dearest friend; the young woman mourned not with tears, but with anger. She lashed out at them, the demon slayer more of a threat to Kikyo than even Shippo was. Inuyasha had considered leaving to keep his mate safe, but even with how dangerous both Shippo and Sango had become, they were still safer together.
Miroku made sure that both Inuyasha and Kikyo never forgot that they were unwanted—he kept Sango and Shippo, even Kirara close as he pushed them away. He seemed to have a calming effect on the kitsune and demon slayer and if they had been a pack like before, he would have been considered alpha. Miroku had formed a bond with Kagome over the years—the monk was protective of the young miko and if not for his obvious love of Sango, to an outsider it may have looked as if the miko and monk were more than friends. It was Miroku's loyalty to Kagome that made him seem almost cruel in his loathing of the couple…it was only after the change in Kikyo that the monk decided to just ignore them instead.
It was the death of Kaede that had changed Kikyo. The old woman had become infected by the Darkness while visiting a neighboring village and had come home feeling ill. They had all worried over her, giving her teas and trying their best to keep her warm, but soon they realized that they could do nothing for her. As her body slowly began to rot from the inside out, Kikyo had held her sister until Kaede took her last breath. It was with her final breath that Kaede had managed to both bless and curse her sister. The blessing was that of her soul—Kaede gifted Kikyo with her freely given soul; never would her older sister need another.
It was the curse that had truly changed the arrogant miko, because with Kaede's soul came her memories and the maternal love for a certain futuristic miko. When Kaede left one world for the next Kikyo cried great sobs for not only her sister, but for the younger miko as well. She was a wicked person and she couldn't even beg forgiveness from the one she had hurt the most.
It was after Kaede's death that Naraku had been killed. His death remained a mystery to them all, but they were certain the Darkness was responsible—it was made clear that the Darkness did not discriminate between good and evil. Miroku no longer had a swirling vortex of nothingness attached to his hand and though the monk should have been relieved, he was too busy trying to survive a much more terrifying foe.
As Inuyasha reminisced about all the pain they had endured in the past year and a half, he nearly missed the soft sound of Kikyo's gasp. He looked up and his eyes widened in fear because standing beside his half-brother was the last person he ever thought to see again. Kagome had returned.
A/n: I hope you liked it. Review please.
~Inari
