Disclaimer: I do not own Disney's Gargoyles or Inuyasha. They belong to their rightful creators and distributors.
AN: Hey everybody. I finally got my new (if used) Desktop and now I'll be able to update my stories until I can find a job after getting my car and driver's permit (to get my license). Anyways, for the long wait, here's the next chapter to "Awakening with Sorrow"
Hope you guys enjoy.
Chapter Nine
After making it to the outside of the castle, Kagome rested to catch her breath before dropping to her knees and letting her tears go once again.
Everything, after showing the gargoyles, the Xanatos's, and her family what had happened 500 years ago, had come back to Kagome- weighing down on her emotions. The experience of losing Inuyasha became too much for her.
Unable to hold her sobs in anymore, Kagome buried her face in her now four-clawed hands and lit go. She never noticed or heard Bronx come up to her, whining- obviously feeling her sorrow and wanted to help her somehow.
Kagome felt Bronx nudge her shoulder, making her stop her sobs momentarily to look at the hound-like gargoyle. It made whining noises before licking away her tears, as if asking, 'Please don't cry.'
After a sniffle, Kagome wrapped her arms around Bronx's neck, seeking comfort from the animal's presence as it gave a low, soothing rumble that sounded like a gentle growl.
Tears silently continued to slip down pale cheeks and Bronx continued to soothingly growl. Slowly it began to drizzle and Kagome ignored it as she held the hound close to her. Bronx keened lowly and Kagome's sobs grew softer in sound. Slowly Bronx turned his head towards the door Kagome came from. Kagome ignored the slight movement.
A shadow fell over, blocking the moon and the drizzle. She looked up and saw a dark lavender wing covering her from the rain. She looked into the sharp face of Goliath and wiped her eyes. He stared down at her and Kagome looked away as though ashamed of her weak state. As though reading her mind...Goliath spoke softly and soothingly. "It's amazing." He said softly.
"What is?" Kagome asked, slightly sniffling.
"The things you went through and yet... you are here and still living. Most I know would have given up... especially humans raised in this day and age." He stated. Kagome looked up and Goliath was turned away from her.
"Most humans are not me. They are not destined for the life of heartache... I was. It was all because of one priestess... it's because Midoriko made the jewel… not to mention it was my ignorance that led me to breaking the jewel and causing so much suffering for others."
"Do you resent her for that? Do you hate her for giving you the life you have known? You also sacrificed a normal human life to set things right in your mistakes where many in your position would do nothing and try to forget they did anything."
"I do not nor have I ever. I would be ignorant to the true world around me if not for her. I know that everything I did was the right thing… I just wish it was easier."
"It was hard but that made you strong." Goliath said soothingly.
"It made me strong but it also stole some of my purity. Watching death day in and day out, being the cause of that death. I didn't deal with it well all the time."
"You did your best and you survived." Goliath murmured. "You survived." he repeated.
"By luck." Kagome added.
"Yes. Luck but also instinct. No human could live where you did without that instinct and believe it or not, you had power. Whether you could access it or not, it was there."
Goliath's words were soothing and spoke some truth in more ways than one. Also, in many ways he was right, her endurance of everything she went through was what helped her survive along with the fact that she had a power within her, but that still didn't make her feel better about being the cause of everyone's suffering all because she didn't understand anything in the beginning.
Seeing the sadness still in her eyes, Goliath sighed before offering a talon hand to her, saying, "Let's go back inside."
Looking back up at him before looking toward his hand, Kagome steadily resting her own smaller white one in it before he helped her up and started to lead her inside again with Bronx following close behind.
As they stepped inside, none of them noticed a certain trickster watching the exchange between the clan leader and their new addition to the clan.
Puck couldn't help but grin at the excitement he felt. Not to mention at what would lie ahead of the miko-turned-Gargoyle when Oberon's children hear that she had resurfaced.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Sometime later, after Goliath, Kagome, and Bronx returned inside to where the others were, everyone was silent when they saw Kagome. But Shippó broke the silence by standing and handed her the box he had with him. Kagome took it, though she was curious and confused as to what was inside.
The kitsune just smiled before answering her silent question, "It's a new Kimono, mother. I thought you would like something more decent to wear than the rags you have on from the final battle. Not to mention you look like you desperately need a shower… or even a nice soothing bath."
The corner of Kagome's lips lifted before she stepped up to her son before giving him a playful punch to his arm before saying, "You know me too well, kit."
Once Fox offered to take her to one of the bathrooms to get cleaned up, Shippó said that he'd be there in a bit to help her with the kimono. No doubt that it has a few moderations for her current form.
Fox left Kagome in peace as she showered, glad to get the dirty clothes off of her body. She sighed in bliss, loving the feel of the hot water on her wings. Kagome heard the door open and in Shippó walked. He sat on the toilet and held the kimono in his lap.
"You know...I am happy that you have become a gargoyle." He said softly.
"What?" Kagome asked softly, stopping her rinse, lather, repeat cycle.
"I'm happy." He repeated.
"Why?" Kagome asked in shock.
"Now… you can almost live as long as me. When I was a kit… I used to believe if you stayed in the past then I would grow without you and if I lived to the future, you may already be too old. Now… you can live as long as me and we can live together always with me protecting you and not the other way around."
The shower shut off and Kagome grabbed a towel. She wrapped her body and opened the misted shower door. "Shippó…" she whispered gently.
"I was grateful to you and Inuyasha for taking me in. If it weren't for you, I would have died. I was too young and just coming into my kitsune magic. I always felt indebted to you and now I can take care of you like a son should." He said gently.
Kagome wrapped her arms around her kitsune son, her wings coming to wrap and hook around them. "Shippó. Being here today is more then enough."
Shippó returned the embrace while burying his nose in her still wet hair and smelled butterscotch coconut from the shampoo she used. It was one of Shippó's favorite scents next to peaches and cream, Strawberry Vanilla, and Peppermint. After pulling out of his mother's warm gentle and strong embrace, Shippó decided to help her with the Kimono he made for her.
(Don't worry, Shippó supplies specifically made undergarments for Kagome)
After helping Kagome get her wings into the holes in the back of the kimono and such, the miko looked at herself in the mirror for the first time since she had awaken. She concluded that she looked no different than she did when she was human, other than the addition of her having gargoyle attributes.
Not to mention she noticed, other than her main of hair, she didn't have a bit of hair on her. But wasn't complaining. At least she didn't have to bother with shaving anymore.
But what made her breath caught in her throat was the sheer beauty of the kimono that Shippó made…
The kimono itself was silver with the sleeves reminding her of how Sesshoumaru's kimono sleeves were but in place of the red flowers were stray black butterflies. The obi was a blue with a swarm of black butterflies at each end. And what moderated it were the black pants that looked much like Sango's Taijya uniform with a hole for her tail, not to mention the skirt of the kimono was slit at the sides of her legs and slit in the back for her tail.
Kagome turned her kitsune son, hugging him while thanking him for such a beautiful kimono.
"Your welcome, mother. I felt you deserved something beautiful for when you woke up. And I was right when I felt that it would just enhance your beauty as a gargoyle." Shippó said softly before turn her around so he could brush her hair.
When he finished with Kagome's hair being dry, the miko had her hair pulled up in a messy bun that was help up by a sapphire butterfly hair comb.
Kagome and Shippo walked to the area in which everyone had gathered, Shippo holding her hand loosely in his. Goliath looked up as they entered and his breath caught in his throat. She looked stunning.
Brooklyn stood from his seated position and made his way towards her. Kagome blushed lightly when she saw him walk towards her.
"You look... wonderful." He stated softly.
Kagome blushed more and gave him a smile. "Thank you."
Goliath felt something angry stir within him. 'Jealousy?' he slightly wondered before shaking his head.
Shippó's voice broke his thoughts when he explained; "It's a bit of a moderation of the classic look on Japanese kimonos to help accommodate her form as a gargoyle. Not to mention it's more comfortable while in battle." He received a curious look from the younger members of the clan before the kitsune simply said, "More leg and tail room."
In a way, Brooklyn didn't care. Kagome looked more beautiful than Maggie and Angela put together in his eyes.
He once read a book in the castle's library that was about Japanese culture and he had wondered what the dresses would look like when a female gargoyle wore one. Kagome just gave a very stunning example… even more so since she was really a Japanese native.
A yawn broke out through the room. A sure sign of how tired Mrs. Higurashi was tired, same with Jí-chan by the looks of him dozing off and looking like he was about of fall out of his seat. With a little worry, Kagome made her way to the two before asking in Japanese, "Mom, are you and Jí-chan okay?"
"Hai, Kagome-chan. It's just a bit late and we're not used to staying up so long and after such a long ride on Xanatos-sama's Jet."
Kagome smiled in understanding and suggested they get some rest before turning to Xanatos and asked if they could stay for the night. With a nod, Xanatos agreed to let them stay as Hudson offered to take them to their rooms since the TV room was on the way.
Before letting her mother and grandfather retire, Kagome hugged them both goodnight, same with Souta since he decided to stay up a little longer to be with his sister. But Kagome refused to let her younger brother stay up so late, especially after such a long trip and told him to get plenty of rest. Souta was reluctant until his sister reassured him that she'd still be here the next night when he was rested enough to take an all-nighter.
When her human family disappeared down the hall with Hudson saying that he would see her again soon, Kagome gave a soft sigh before turning to Xanatos and thanking him for letting her family stay for a while.
"It's not a problem, Kagome. Since they are you family, they do have a right to stay and see you."
After thanking him again, Kagome asked if she could take a look around the castle by herself so she could get used to her new home away from home. Not to mention she had a lot to think about with what she should do now with her life as a gargoyle, even though it's already certain that she'll stay with Goliath's clan
Once Xanatos gave her permission with Sesshoumaru and Shippó deciding to take their leave and stay at a hotel that Shippó booked for them, Kagome hugged her son and older brother goodbye before she started exploring the castle on her own with Bronx following close behind, most likely wanting to give the miko some company.
With Xanatos and Fox leaving the room to turn in for the night, Goliath turned to the younger members of the clan suggested that, since Kagome was new to the clan and they spent most of their time getting to know her, their nightly patrol of the city could held off until tomorrow night when their new clan member was used to the castle.
Broadway and Angela headed to the kitchen to make something to eat for the clan while Lexington went to once of the computer rooms and Goliath made his way to the library.
Brooklyn though, decided to look for Kagome in case she got lost or was curious about any part of the castle even though Bronx was with her. This could give him a chance to get to know the new female a bit more.
3 pages done with this chapter so I hope it's enough to satisfy you guys. And I wrote this while having a bit of writer's block, so forgive me if it's seems a bit dull, but also thank Kagome Yuki Niwa for her help even though she had some writer's block as well.
Anyways, please review; it would be most appreciated. Suggestions and Ideas are more than welcome. But flamers with their flames are not because if you think you can write a story any better than I can, I'd really like to see. And if you can't, then you have no room to talk at all. Not to mention when the flamer leaves an anonymous name with no email, then that officially labels you a coward in my book. All in all, if you don't like this story, don't even bother coming back to read anymore of what I add.
As for the rest of my loyal and very loving readers, your encouragement as well as your generous words and compliments are great and they are what keep me writing and keep the ideas flowing.