Hate is Only Skin Deep by Simply Hopeless (FF)/ Assassin's Kiss (AFF)/ Devil_n_Blue (MMPH)/ Hopeless_Blue_Kiss (AO3). I am 1 writer w/ 4 usernames on 4 sites.
Warning: Refer to the first Chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit from the anime/manga Inuyasha and/or own any of the characters from it. This product is the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media. I am, however, the sole author of this fanfic and owner of the original characters that I created: Terry, Faith, Joy and Hope. So please do not steal them and/or my story. It's happened before.
Author's Note: Hello guys, it's Friday and do you know what that means? It means more InuKag drama for you and more hopefully meaningful reviews for me. So I hope you enjoy and see you next Friday.
Chapter Ten: Kikyou's Funeral
Faith knocked on the door and smiled at Keade as she opened it. "I'm sorry for bothering you Keade but do you know where I can put Inuyasha?"
Keade frowned slightly not knowing what Faith meant. She looked to the side of Faith to see Inuyasha frozen in a block of ice before looking back at the now smiling young woman.
"It was an accident," Faith tried to look innocent but if she stuck out her bottom lip it couldn't hide the mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"Everything with you seems to be an accident lately, Faith," Keade managed in her best imitation of a stern voice before she broke into giggles. "Um... come in. Oh and if you can bring—"
"Coming through," Faith's cheerful voice swept pass Keade with the towering bulk of the ice following.
"How did you..." Keade trailed off as she noticed that Jaken along with some other toad youkais were pushing the ice.
"Lord Sesshomaru would never had his personal retainer do something demeaning as this, never," grumbled Jaken as he continued to push.
"Well this Lady Faith doesn't care if you were Sesshy's twin brother. Your ass is going to push that block of ice or be prepared to have your legs served with butter," roared Faith from ahead.
She was tempted to freeze the ungrateful toad youkai right now but who would push the heavy block of ice then. She frowned, letting out a sigh, before opening up a door and pointing inside.
"Here this room will do nicely," she announced then stood there waiting for the frozen Inuyasha was pulled inside. She then turned to Keade and smiled happily. "Can you please call a servant down to stoke the fire? It will take longer to wait for the ice to melt unless it is not added by a fire."
"Yes of course," Keade smiled nervously not knowing what to make of Faith.
Faiths winked before walking past Keade and back to the entrance hall were she paused at the door. "I will be back tomorrow to check up on him. Oh and please see if Kagome could come I would like to have a chat with her," Faith said calmly enough before turning to the toads.
"Jaken and you other creepy crawlies if you're not home by the time the sun comes down then I will personally dissect you myself," Faith looked at the toad youkai with distaste before walking out the door and slipping into the waiting limo.
"Um... Keade do you... do you think..."
"What is it?" she understood already why Faith gave all the undesired jobs to these things. They're slimly, green skin was enough to give her goose bumps and their smug attitudes were something no person wanted to endure.
"Well do you think Inuyasha-sama would like to have a couple of strong toad youkai around the house as servants... I mean we will make little fuss and work really hard," a toad youkai piped up.
"I don't know if he would—"
"This Jaken will not leave his Lord Sesshomaru in the hands in that crazy kitsune he had decided to marry," Jaken nodded his small head firmly before moving out to walk out the front door.
The other toad youkais looked at Jaken's retreating back for a moment then fell at Keade's knees. "Please try and help us out."
Keade was at a lost for words but took a step back so that she could not have to endure their grimy fingers, deathly cold from pushing the block of ice. 'These are the same creeps who were talking about Inuyasha behind his back,' she thought frowning.
"Lady Faith scares us especially now that she's pregnant," a brownish green-toad whispered in a conspirator's voice before turning his head to see if the kitsune wasn't somewhere around, lurking in a dark corner.
"Your just exaggerating," laughed off Keade but another toad youkai reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"One time this faithful servant to bring his lady a cup of chamomile tea and she poured it all over my person saying that I was trying to poison her and the baby," he let go of her hand to show the recent burn marks.
'Granted it was true but still she did not have to hurt me,' the toad thought grudgingly before smiling innocently up at Keade.
"Um I see... I look into it and see if Inuyasha is hiring."
"Thank you. You are such a kind one, granted you're a ningen and a miko to boot but we will look pass that and—"
Keade blasted them out with a wave of her miko powers and made a face of disgust. "Now I have to take a bath," she groaned before she padded towards the nearest full bathroom.
"Please see to the toad youkais outside Hana," Keade said kindly to the servant who came to give her a towel, a washcloth and a bathrobe.
"As you wish," the servant who bowed was an old human woman.
"Please don't bow Hana, it is not necessary. I am just a guest and—"
"You are Inuyasha-sama's family," Hana spoke firmly before looking at kindly at her with her warm toffee colored eyes. "I have been with the Taisho family ever since Master Sesshomaru and Master Inuyasha were young pups and I will treat you with the same respect I award them."
Before Keade could protest the old woman began to make her way off to intend to the toads.
"His family?" she sighed, a sad smile on her face at that thought. 'But will he die like the other members of my family,' she thought and shivered at the thought before opening and closing the door to take her shower.
THE NEXT DAY
"Kagome-chan do you really think I have a short temper?" Faith frowned at her ice tea before looking innocently at Kagome.
"Faith you can easily answer that question yourself," Kagome looked at the kitsune wryly before pointing at the frozen Inuyasha defrosting by the fireplace.
"He deserved what was coming to him though." Faith smiled slyly before standing up. "I'm not usually this way you know Kagome. I mean I really do consider Inuyasha as one of my friends but when he said that comment I just snapped."
She looked regretfully at the defrosting Inuyasha, the tin tub the ice was sitting in was almost ready to overflow with the melted ice water. She rang a bell on the mantelpiece and a servant quickly scurried inside and bowed respectively to the women.
"Please have someone put Inuyasha into another tin tub and have the already full one poured out... thank you," Faith smiled kindly to the servant before turning to Kagome.
"I think Sesshy is coming around to allowing us to adopt Rin," Faith smiled happily before sitting back down. "She is a sweet girl."
"I am so happy for you," Kagome smiled then sipped at her tea.
"Are you going to adopt Shippo?" the kitsune bit delicately into a small teacake before setting it back on her plate. Her icy blue eyes were focused intently on Kagome.
"How did you know that I was thinking about... I was Shippo wasn't it?" Kagome couldn't help but smile.
"He asked me if I could persuade you to adopt him," Faith chuckled softly to herself looking seriously at Kagome. "You know you would make a wonderful mother and Shippo has taken a fancy to you."
"I don't know if I'm read to be responsible for another person. I mean what with Ki—"
"Are you going to spend your whole life tearing yourself up about it? What's done is done and can't be easily changed. I know goodness well that you would take care of anyone with your life," she patted Kagome's hand reassuringly and Kagome nodded her head slightly 'yes.'
"I would do that but I wasn't able to—"
"No buts, no moping, no anything depressing from you," Faith looked at her sternly then smiled. "I just felt the baby kick, do you want to feel?"
Before Kagome could say anything Faith stood up and walked a little towards Kagome. She grabbed her hand gently and rested it on her belly so Kagome could feel the baby kick.
Kagome's eyes widen in surprise and smiled slowly as she felt the distinctive thump against her hands. "It... It kicked... wow."
"I know I thought it was great too, well up till it decided to kick all night and all day," she grimaced only making Kagome laugh.
"I would say motherhood suits you but that would be a lie," growled Inuyasha after a dry cracking noise was heard.
"Oh god he's back again," Faith mumbled under her breath before smiling sweetly at Inuyasha.
"Watch it Faith!" growled Inuyasha.
"Watch what?" she looked innocently at the hanyou then smiled slyly at him. "Don't tempt me Inuyasha."
"Enough you two!" Kagome stepped between them and gave them warning looks. "I will sit you both and... oops," Kagome smiled sheepishly at Inuyasha who had tilted over the tin tub as he fell down against the ground.
"Damn women and their emotions they should be—"
'Oh god this will be a long day,' Kagome thought as she bent down to help Inuyasha up only to have him shrug her off.
"I can stand up myself!"
"Damn hanyou and your pride," Faith looked with anger in her icy blue eyes. "Kagome was trying to help your dumb ass."
"Don't you think she can speak for her damn self!"
"Yes I do but—"
"Sometimes it doesn't hurt to have someone help her out and—"
"She's not a baby!"
"No you're the baby," mumbled Faith under breath.
"I heard that! You want a piece of me!"
"Bring it!"
"Um Faith your pregnant..." trailed off Kagome not knowing what else to say.
"She's not going to back out of this fight now Kagome!"
"Who said I was!"
'A very long day,' Kagome then began to tug away who had grabbed a hold of Inuyasha's hair.
THAT NIGHT, AT KAGOME'S HOUSE
Kagome slid the back door open and paused to breath the crisp, cold air in before she silently her way down to the shrine. Her unbound black swished languidly against her shoulders, her house slippers barely making noise against the slate floor leading to the building.
She paused at the entrance and stepped inside, breathing in the sweet smell of essence that always clung to the shrine's insides. She bowed her head respectively to the main alter before she turned a left and went into a, hidden, small, comfortable room.
Before she entered she took off her faded red slippers and padded across the woven floor mat in socked feet. She didn't even dare to wear her house slippers in the tatami room because you always had to remove your shoes before entering.
She went to a little shelf on the right and pulled out the necessary supplies before setting them neatly on the floor. She then began with slight difficulty to kneel down on the rug in front of the family altar.
Reaching attentively out, her body leaning slightly from the pillow she was knelt on, she opened the door to the altar. She leaned back to grab the lighter on the floor before leaning forward again to light the candles to the right and left.
She allowed her lips to curl sadly upwards at the small dancing flames before continuing with the ritual. She changed the flowers and water before setting food out for her deceased father and grandmother.
Taking the essence she lit them with the flames from the candle's before setting them in the ash before picking up the small wooden stick and ringing the metal bell inside the altar before she settled to the chanting that was required.
Her lips moved but her words only came out in a steady hiss, only stopping for the needed intake of breath. Focusing her eyes from her chant she stared lovingly at the family altar, her fingers brushing lightly against the picture of her grandmother, then of her father.
She let out a heavy sigh wishing that he had been here with them. She would always feel much better as a little girl when he sat her own his lap and wrapped his strong, reassuring arms around her. Her small head leaned against him to hear the deep, stoic thudding of his heart.
'If... if I close my eyes now I can still feel his arms wrapping around me, from behind, to encircle my waist,' she thought, her eyes beginning to mist over with tears. She bit her bottom lip to stop them from spilling before she whispered longingly. "Otosan."
She leaned forward to ring the bell again with the stick before leaning back. Looking at the picture of her father she failed to realize the presence of another until she felt warm arms wrap around her from behind.
"Mother," she breathed after her first initial shock, leaning her head instinctively against the older woman's tall frame.
"Kagome," her mother untangled one arm from around her daughter's waist to pat the young woman's head before murmuring soothing sounds to ease her troubled heart. "Everything will be okay dear."
"The day... the day before the funeral has finally arrived, hasn't it?" Her body is washed and prepared for the funeral tomorrow," Kagome frowned slightly, her voice trembling with the effort to stay calm. She turned her head slightly to hear the sound of her mother's heart and relaxed visibly, her eyes barely open as she looked at the altar from the corner of her eyes.
"Yes it has Kagome. The day has finally arrived," her mother began to rock slowly from side to side; her soothing movements feel peace she hadn't really felt since before Kikyou died.
"Can I see her... can I see Ki... Ki..." she could barely get her friends name out, her eyes shining with a fresh wave of tears.
"No not yet Kagome. It had arrived a little after you had arrived. It's in the other room now and though I know you would like to stay with body and see it I think its best that you go to bed. Besides you have enough to bare for the moment."
"But I—"
"No buts young lady. March yourself to your room and get some sleep," her mother released her arms from around her and stood up before reaching a hand out to Kagome so she could stand as well.
Kagome was tempted to say something but since no one was allowed to say anything while standing up in the tatami room she only gave her mother a plaint kiss on her cheek before walking pass her.
When the older woman heard the reassuring click of the shrine door closing, she fell back down to her knees and look at the husband that left her so more then a decade ago. "How is our child going to bear this Kozue?" she questioned the phograph of her smiling husband but knew that it would not respond... could not respond.
"How..."
THE NEXT DAY, AT THE FUNERAL
Kagome's throat was hoarse from crying, her eyes slightly pink as she sat down in the chair in the front. She could help but cry during the services, at one point she fell to her knees and began to sob till Miroku had to help her up back to her seat and comfort her.
"I'm fine now Miroku," Kagome smiled weakly at him. It was time to view the body before it was buried and this part of the funeral sadden her even more then the other parts.
Miroku helped her up and walked her towards the coffin so that they both could take a look inside. She let out a groan and buried her face into Miroku's white shirt, wetting the silken black tie with her tears.
"Oh god, oh god, oh god," she murmured over and over again. She wanted to leave... needed to leave but when she felt Miroku murmur soothingly to her she nodded her head weakly and turned to look at Kikyou in her casket.
It was strange yet fitting that Kikyou was wearing the outfit of a Shinto priestess, a white blouse with a pair of red hakama. Her hands were clasped around the half of the shikon no tama jewel that Kagome had given to him.
"She looks... she looks so peacefully," Kagome was almost tempted to shake Kikyou awake but she knew in her heart that her friend would never wake up again. "I miss you so much Kikyou," Kagome mumurmered softly before putting a velvet black box close to Kikyou's hands.
"This was meant for you," Kagome said before she began to walk with Miroku back to her seat were Sango was waiting to wrap her in her arms.
"What did you give Kikyou?" Sango asked curiously, seeing even from her seat that Kagome had given her deceased friend something.
"I just... I just gave her the engagement ring that Inuyasha had wanted to give her. She should have had it... she would have had it if it wasn't for mmmmeeeeee!" Kagome began to sob again.
"It's okay Kagome," soothed Sango patting Kagome's head and Kagome nodded numbly before getting up and wiping her hand across her face. She went to go speak with Kaede and was glad that the younger woman didn't ignore her like she had seemed to be doing today.
"Kaede, for whatever its worth I'm here for you," Kagome offered Kaede a trembling smile.
"I know you will be Kagome," Kaede said calmly as she hugged the older woman. "We will be there for each other."
"Kaede you're so kind," Kagome looked at Kaede and smiled.
"I will go finish greeting the guests now," Kaede said kindly before walking off to gree someone else.
"Kaede," came spoke softly her heart going out to the girl who offered such a brave face.
Kagome turned her head thinking that she might go greeting guess when she was frozen to her spot. Her eyes widen in fear as she looked at Naraku. She opened her mouth to say something but it came out as gurgling before she clamped her mouth shut again.
She looked quickly to where she could hide and quickly hid herself behind the nearest person, which happened to be Inuyasha.
"What the hell?" Inuyasha turned his head slightly to look at Kagome. He wasn't sure if he wanted to look at her or talk to her now. He turned his away from her as he looked at the casket still a little away from them.
"I'm sorry," Kagome unclenched her fingers from the back of his shirt and looked down at them. She could feel the tears pricking at the corner of her eyes again but she bit her bottom lip to stop them from spilling.
She knew that to him she was Kikyou's killer; will probably always be Kikyou's killer. She let out a heartfelt sigh, her thoughts of Naraku long gone as she began to walk away from him. From the corner of her eyes she hoped against hope that he would grab her wrist to stop her or mummer words of encouragement to her but then again why should he.
Inuyasha stood there still, looking ahead but now not really seeing the casket, his mind focused on Kagome.
Kagome sighed and leaned her head against the wall staring blankly at the others through her shimmering tears. Her fist was balled around a handkerchief while she
"I'm sorry... Miss Kagome Higurashi, right?"
Kagome looked up to see a young man standing in front of her. His clean, trimmed moustache failed to cover the hesitant smile on the officer's lips. She looked at him unsure of why an officer would be addressing her but offering him a kind smile all the same.
"Yes I'm Kagome Higurashi," she stood up straight and bowed politely to the police. "How may I be of service?"
"I'm sorry Miss Higurashi but you must come with us for questioning," said an older male officer who appeared by the younger ones side. He reached for Kagome's arm and tighten his grip as Kagome tried to pull away.
"You must be mistaken... I didn't do anything wrong," Kagome wore a confused smile as she tried to tug herself free.
"We are not mistaken Miss Higurashi. We need to ask you questions on Kikyou Takahashi's murder," he older officer said firmly.
"What is going here!" Inuyasha quickly pried the officer's hand from Kagome's wrist before glaring at the officers.
"Mur... murder?" Kagome gasped, her eyes unfocused as the words sunk in.
"What?" Inuyasha looked in concern at Kagome who was in shock.
"You were the late Kikyou's boyfriend right?" the younger officer said kindly.
"Yes... I am... was," Inuyasha corrected himself, grimacing slighlty.
"Well then maybe you should come along too," the older officer said.
"Why?"
"We have reasons to believe that Kikyou had been murdered," the older man continued.
Inuyasha took a step back and focused his golden eyes on Kagome, frowning.
"She said it was an accident."
"The footage taken at the crossroads at the time proves other words so if you'd please..."
"Of course," Inuyasha's look of confusion was placed under a calm mask as he looked at Kagome impassively with golden eyes.
Kagome turned her head slowly to look at Inuyasha, a helpless look in her soft brown eyes. "I did... I didn't..." and then her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she fainted, her body not able to take the emotional strain that was taxed to it.
Inuyasha quickly caught her and picked her up. He frowned down at Kagome and looked at her. 'I believe you didn't Kagome,' he thought firmly to himself. "I will follow you to the police station in my car," Inuyasha said calmly.
Both police officers nodded their heads as they began to walk down the temple steps towards their squad card with Inuyasha following.
"Were the hell do you think you are going with my girlfriend dog turd," Kouga walked up to Inuyasha and was ready to take Kagome from Inuyasha's grip but when he saw the look in Inuyasha's eyes he stopped.
"This is of none of your concern," Inuyasha said firmly before walking down the steps with Kagome's unconscious body in his arm.
'When I found out who did this to Kikyou he will pay,' he thought firmly, his face set.
A LITTLE AWAY
"Now the real fun can begin," a male voice spoke from within the recesses of the baboon cloak. He smiled to himself as he washed Inuyasha settle Kagome carefully in his car before he disappeared.
'Reasons,' is the next chapter. Everyone has a reason for doing what he or she does. Inuyasha has a reason for becoming a doctor and Naraku for killing Kikyou. Everything has a story to tell and I'm just the person to tell it. Well I hope you enjoy and I can't wait for your comments.
Next Update: Friday, Jan. 31 2014