Yo, everyone. I do apologize for the long break since my last update. What was supposed to be research for this story ended up pulling me away from the actual intention, and I eventually got busy with other stuff. Also, as you might've figured, classes started back in January, and all that jazz. But I'm on break now, so here's the next chapter for you all. I can't promise anything good to come from this chapter, as I'm writing it at Borders.
InuYasha: ..enjoying an ice coffee…
Me: Very much so. It's been a while since I last had one. Anyway, on with the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha and crew.
Saving a Lost Hanyou – Savior
Chapter 9
"It began a very, very long time ago, this war between demons and humans" was how she started. "It still goes on today, you know? Right under our very noses." She turned her gaze ever so slightly onto the jewel that sat peacefully on a small cushion.
InuYasha lifted his cup of tea to his lips and took a sip as he listened intently to the old miko. They had been led to a room somewhere in the temple and the elder made a nice pot of tea for the three of them before they were where they are now. The elder had decided by herself that she would tell the story of the Shikon no Tama in her own way, in hopes that InuYasha might perhaps understand more, especially now that he knew most of what the whole ordeal was about.
The hanyou had taken it better, just as the miko had thought. Kagome had fidgeted occasionally throughout the whole time, but neither seemed to hint that their actions would repeat the other night. The elder woman nodded, and inhaled deeply. Now she was telling another part of the story, one that she hadn't completely told Kagome; the latter only knew bits and pieces of it, but nothing of the details. As she neared the end, she began to metaphorically pull the threads together, hoping that both would realize what they needed to know, and what choices they had to make. She frowned as she took a sip of her tea, before she continued on.
"The story that I've just told you, is relative to your current lives. Both of yours, as well as your friends."
"How is that possible?" InuYasha cut in, pausing in his action to reach for his cup.
"Haven't you noticed, InuYasha? The hanyou I spoke of, was you." The miko peeked at the boy's face, and saw that his brows were furrowed, and his ears back. She swore that he was growling softly, but she might've been mistaken. She looked at Kagome, and saw that she was surprised, which was something to be expected since she didn't know what they were about to know.
"That's not possible," InuYasha argued. "I remember living on this earth for 18 years. I've seen my birth certificate. My baby pictures… are you telling me that those were fake?!"
"Calm down, Inuyasha." The miko sighed. She knew she would have to deal with something like this. But she knew that she would have to be patient with him. "A wish was made on the Shikon no Tama to save you all, before Naraku could use it for himself. You were all to be reborn in another time. Another era. Her era." She watched as InuYasha growled softly. The only person that she had not thoroughly explained about was a certain young teenager that traveled with the group. She knew that being vague with InuYasha would only cause him more confusion, but she also knew that it was the better choice until they both asked about this mysterious traveler.
Kagome seemed to have noticed InuYasha's frustration, his true hidden emotions, as well as the miko's intentions, as she cut in. "But who is this 'she' that you keep telling us about? You've never told who she is or what connection she has with us." She already figured out the answer, having been told by the woman before her that she was not who she thought she was. But she firmly believed that InuYasha needed to hear it from the miko's own mouth.
The elder woman smiled slightly. 'So she figured it out.' She knew what Kagome was thinking when she had asked, and believed that now was the time for the truth. "Very well." She paused long enough to sip her tea again before she cotinued. "She is Kagome. She is the original Kagome, the true one. And she is the one who made the wish on the jewel."
"Wait a minute… are you telling me that she," InuYasha growled and pointed at Kagome, "is not real? That she's not Kagome?" He glared at the miko. He remembered from the other night that Kagome had said something similar, but never explained why. As he allowed the words from then, and the words now, to settle within him, he knew the answer before the miko silently nodded.
Kagome had watched him the whole while, and began to worry when she noticed the familiar signs of his depression. She was already on her feet and embracing him from behind as soon as the miko had nodded. She wasn't sure what exactly she could do for him, but she knew that this had to be done. She couldn't baby him anymore, now that things had gone this far. She slowly lifted her head and moved her lips close to his ear, and gently whispered, "InuYasha, I am the other miko in the story." InuYasha shook his head, mumbling for her to stop, but she didn't stop. "No, InuYasha, you have to listen. I'm not Kagome. I'm… I'm Kikyou…"
"InuYasha," the old miko softly spoke, not wanting to say the words that she knew might break him, but finding no other way out of it. She needed to reaffirm what Kagome had told him the other night. She closed her eyes and turned her head away. "Kagome is still trapped in the jewel."
You read right. Kagome is really Kikyou. To be honest, I was sort of having a hard time tying chapter 7 and this one together.
Also, you've surely noticed that I didn't tell the story that the miko tells the two. That's because retelling the WHOLE story of InuYasha would've been a huge pain, and I'm sure most of you already know at least the jest of it. Mostly manga version, by the way.
Anyways, good night, everyone, and be safe. Until next time.
~Kage no Kogoro
