"And the scent ends right here." Kouga said, as the time traveling priestess on his back looked around the area that they stopped at.
The surrounding area was void of life. There were barely any luscious trees, any grass and any animals in sight. Just dry ground, dried up trees and a gloomy grey sky. In fact, the whole area just looked depressing.
Kouga hesitated in setting Kagome down from his back. He looked around for any signs of dangers first, before he let the priestess down. And even after he set her down, Kouga said, "Stay close to me Kagome and don't leave my side. Although the place looks deserted, it's too early to say for sure that there aren't any demons hiding somewhere."
Sticking close and behind the wolf demon, Kagome nodded her head in agreement. Suddenly, a strange fog appeared out of nowhere. It started off barely noticeable, before it completely covered their view of the surrounding area. The mysterious fog was so bad that it also made it hard for Kouga to smell the scent of anyone approaching them.
And within that instant Kouga and Kagome became blinded by the fog, there appeared the sound of something approaching behind them at a fast rate.
"Kouga?" Kagome said, with worry evident in her voice as she held on tighter to the wolf demon's arm.
"Stay behind me Kagome."Kouga repeated, as he turned to face whatever was approaching them at a fast rate.
They remained like this until they heard, "That's strange. I could've sworn that Kouga and Kagome ran this direction, but I can't see them anywhere due to this fog." A familiar female voice said, much to Kagome's relief. "What about you Kilala? Do you smell them anywhere nearby?"
Hearing the growl of the fire cat demon that soon followed, Kagome called out, "Sango, Miroku, Shippo? Is that you guys?"
Her calls were immediately met with Shippo's voice that sounded relieved. "Kagome!"
"Kagome, Kouga!" Miroku called, "Where are you guys? It's hard to see you guys because of this fog."
"We're over here!" Kagome called out besides Kouga, who just looked unbothered. "You guys sound like you're not too far away. Just follow the sound of my voice!"
It wasn't long before the rest of the group caught up with Kouga and Kagome who just remained in the same spot they had been when they first arrived.
"There you are Kagome!" Shippo cried out with joy clear in his voice as he jumped off Kilala's back and landed into the priestess's arms.
"We were keeping up with you two by following Kagura's scent as well as your own, but then the fog suddenly came and covered it up." Sango said, as she got off Kilala. "Did you find Naraku's castle yet?"
"No, we didn't." Kagome said, "It's hard to see anything in this fog, and even before the fog all Kouga and I found was nothing. Just a bunch of dried trees and dried up ground. There's not even an animal in sight."
"I wouldn't say that anymore." Kouga said as he kept his eyes straight ahead. "I think we're at Naraku's castle. Look around."
After hearing the wolf demon's words, the group looked around and noticed that he was right. As the fog was beginning to clear up, the group noticed they were standing in front of an abandoned ominous-looking castle.
"W-When did that get here?" Kagome said, as Shippo crawled up the priestess's arms and perched himself on her shoulders.
Staring at the castle with narrowed eyes full of suspicion, Kouga didn't hesitate and walked towards the stoney entrance of the walls that surrounded the castle. Miroku followed suit.
As soon as the monk left her side, Sango began to follow after him before turning to the priestess and the fox demon, "Come on you guys. Lets go get Inuyasha."
At this, Kagome nodded and walked beside Sango to the entrance of the gloomy and depressing castle. Once at the entrance, the group began to look around before they saw a dark figure in a large purple orb in the sky.
Immediately recognizing who that figure was, the group took out their weapons and gave the figure dark glares.
"Oh my, look what we have here." Naraku smirked with mockery clear in his voice, "Inuyasha's former companions who have replaced him with Kouga the wolf demon."
"Does that mean that you really do have Inuyasha, Naraku?" Miroku called out, "If this is so, answer me this, why did you deceive us the last time we faced each other in battle? What were you planning to do to Inuyasha, that required you to hire a monk to remove the beads of subjugation?"
"If you want to find out so badly," Naraku began, his trademark smirk never leaving his face, "Why don't you go into the castle and see for yourself?"
At the spider demon's nonchalant words, a cold chill ran through the group's bodies. What had Naraku done to Inuyasha that made Naraku so carefree about it? This alone bothered the group.
"Just answer the question Naraku!" Kouga shouted, "What did you do to Inuyasha?"
"Yeah. We're not gonna go in and check!" Sango shouted, "For all we know, you could've laid out some traps to take us down one by one, before we find Inuyasha's dead and mangled body!"
Though it was unlikely Inuyasha was dead due to Naraku's past actions and the information given to them by the middle aged monk, the group didn't want to take that chance. Who knows what was waiting for them inside Naraku's castle. Maybe, in the midst of all the deadly traps, there may also be a mind controlled Inuyasha waiting to use the Tessaiga on them, once they entered the castle walls. After all, that was most likely to be the case anyway, since Naraku did have the beads of subjugation removed off the InuHanyou.
"Don't tell me you all are scared?" Naraku sneered, as he began to chuckle in amusement , "Oh, no. After you went through the trouble to come all this way to defeat me and save Inuyasha."
"Shut up Naraku!" Kouga called out, having half a mind to wipe that smug look off the spider demon's face. "As a matter of fact, I'm going to go into the castle ready to face whatever is waiting for me. A mind controlled Inuyasha or not. I'm not gonna let some mutt face beat me."
Before Kagome and the others could stop him, Naraku said, "Although a mind controlled Inuyasha would've been a fascinating idea, Inuyasha is not under my influence. Inuyasha is of his own mind and is very much capable of making his own decisions."
If that was the case, then why was Naraku keeping him alive then? Was Naraku trying to deceive them?
"Really, why don't you go in and check? There are no traps in the castle waiting for you." Naraku said in the same nonchalant tone that he used earlier, "Just Inuyasha simply waiting for you to come to his rescue. So go. Go ahead."
The skeptical and chary looks that group gave him caused Naraku to chuckle darkly. And at the sounds of the spider demon's chuckles mocking them, Kouga decided that he had enough and began to walk towards the already opened wooden doors of the abandoned castle.
"Wait Kouga!" Kagome called out, as she grabbed the wolf demon's arm before he could walk up the wooden steps of the castle. "Let Sango and I go instead. It's better that way."
"No, it's too dangerous." Kouga said, "For all we know, Naraku could just be trying to deceive us just like before. There is no doubt in my mind that Naraku has Inuyasha under some kind of control, otherwise, why else would he be so calm in letting us go see mutt face as if he has nothing to worry about." Saying the last part as he glared at the spider demon.
"I know." Kagome said, "but if Inuyasha is under any type of control, there's still a chance that I can reach through to him like before. He may not be under the beads of subjugation, but I believe that I can get through to him somehow and someway."
"No." Kouga said, as he turned back around to walk up the wooden stairs, leaving no more room for discussions.
"No?" Kagome repeated, "But Koug-"
"Damn it Kagome. I said no!" Kouga said, turning his back to the priestess, "It's too dangerous. If it's hard for me to go in, then why would I let you, the woman that I love, go in?!"
However, as soon as Kouga spoke these words, he stopped and just stared at Kagome. For some reason, saying those last words to the priestess just didn't feel right and that was strange. Usually when he says similar words to Kagome, Kouga just always felt like it just belonged there, but now he felt like it didn't.
'But don't I love Kagome? What is the difference between now and the other times that I have said this to her?' Kouga said, taking the time to look at the priestess, 'Could it be it was because Inuyasha was there or somewhere around each and every time that I said it to her?' Tearing his eyes away from Kagome's, Kouga looked at the open dark entrance of the castle, 'But why does it matter whether or not, if Inuyasha's there or not?...Unless…'
Kouga remained lost in thought as he gazed into the dark entrance of the castle, 'Inuyasha.'
As if he could sense what the wolf demon was thinking, Naraku asked, "Would you rather Inuyasha came out here instead?"Before anyone could respond to that, Naraku called out the InuHanyou's name once in a reasonable tone that wasn't too loud, but loud enough to reach inside the castle.
And sure enough, as soon as Naraku said the other's name, Kouga could hear approaching footsteps coming from inside the castle. He almost expected Inuyasha to walk out of the entrance in front of him, but instead of the entrance, there was the sound of a door sliding open from a different side of the castle.
Kouga's and the others' eyes followed that sound and found themselves looking at the other side of the castle that they were standing in front of. As Inuyasha's footsteps became closer and closer, Kouga smelt something strange on him. No. Kouga realized it wasn't on the InuHanyou. It was coming from the InuHanyou. Inuyasha smelt as he usually did, but he also reeked of Naraku's scent.
And besides that, Inuyasha also smelt of another scent-a scent that was almost he dared say feminine-like. 'But why?' Kouga thought, as he tried to pinpoint where he smelt a similar scent before. For though it smelt a little familiar, and it was also a bit alluring.
And within that moment Kouga had thought that Inuyasha appeared from the side of the castle. Inuyasha looked the same as he usually did, however, the air around him was different. It made Inuyasha seem a bit more mature than last time.
However, as Kouga's eyes looked at the rest of Inuyasha's body, he noticed that in the other's arms was an infant. An infant with black hair and crimson eyes. 'What the Hell…' Kouga thought, as he stared at the infant who looked at the world with cold yet small crimson eyes that looked very much similar to the spider demon's instead of the wind socresses'. And although the child smelt of Naraku, it also smelt of Inuyasha….'But How…' Kouga thought stunned at the sight before him.
Apparently, Kouga wasn't the only one who noticed the infant, the others in the group did as well as sounds of gasps could be heard besides him. "I-Inuyasha?" The priestess besides Kouga finally spoke, 'Wh...Wha...What's…"
However, before Kagome could finish what she was trying to say, Inuyasha walked past the group and headed straight for Naraku. And in that instant that he did, Inuyasha's feet began to levitate from the ground as he floated to the spider demon who looked pleased. Inuyasha continued to float up until he was beside the spider demon. Carrying the infant in his arms, Inuyasha looked down at his group with unfamiliar and cold eyes.
It was then that the group finally found their voice.
"So I guess one child wasn't enough for you, was it Inuyasha?" Kagome called out to her former companion with nothing but disgust clear in her voice. "So who did you get pregnant this time? Was it Kagura?!"
"Yeah, it must have been because there's no way, any normal woman could give birth to such a creature as abominable at that!" Sango joined in as she also gave the InuHanyou a look of disgust.
"Please tell me that child is another one of Naraku's incarnations and you're just holding on to it, because Naraku commanded you too." Miroku said, though his face looked like he didn't even believe the very words he himself was even saying. A look that contained both disgust and disapproval settled on the monk's face as he stared at the InuHanyou. "If it isn't then I have no words for you."
"The child is mine." Inuyasha spoke in a calm yet cold tone, while looking down at his former travel companions with a look that now carried nothing but detestation in them."But Kagura had nothing to do with it. It was I who alone gave birth to this child."
Sounds of surprised gasps from the humans filled the air, while Kouga just remained stunned and continued to stare at Inuyasha.
"Impossible!" Kagome cried, as she glared at the InuHanyou, "There's no way that you as a man could ever give birth to a child. A woman had to be involved, so don't try to lie to us Inuyasha!"
At this, Inuyasha only remained quiet and continued to look down upon his former companions with such cold eyes full of disdain. Then Kouga saw it.
As the child remained in Inuyasha's arms, Kouga noticed that the child's head was laying upon something that appeared soft yet voluptuous. And the more he continued to stare, the more he noticed the two mounds of breast on the InuHanyou's chest, that he dared say were medium sized.
As Kouga continued to stare at the InuHanyou, Inuyasha returned the wolf demon's stare with one of his own. And as the two former rivals locked eyes with each other, it was in that moment Kouga finally realized how badly they fucked up. Suddenly feelings of guilt, shame and anger of his past actions towards the InuHanyou filled his mind, causing him to tear his eyes from Inuyasha's. While Inuyasha only continued to stare at the wolf demon as if he knew what the wolf demon was thinking of.
Naraku, noticing this interaction between the two former rivals, only reached over to hold the InuHanyou's hand in his hand. This drew Inuyasha's attention briefly towards the spider demon beside his side, before turning to look back down at his former companions who hadn't noticed what just happened.
"How could you Inuyasha?" Kagome yelled, wishing she could 'sit' the Inu Hanyou for his disgusting behavior. "Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, you went and got another woman pregnant, while abandoning Kikyo, the woman who you loved, back in the village!"
At this, Inuyasha only gave the priestess a cold stare, while Naraku just chuckled in amusement.
"Oh my, that sounds like quite the predicament," Naraku sneered at the group, "I guess I'll leave you all to it. Inuyasha and I have some business to attend to." With that said, he turned around and floated away, taking the InuHanyou with him.
"Inuyasha come back here!" Shippo shouted, as he remained perched on the priestess's shoulders. "It's bad enough that you joined hands with Naraku, but you don't have to leave!"
Seeing the spider demon and his former rival fly off in the distance, Kouga growled, "Damn it! We fucked up!" Drawing the group's attention to him. The group was confused by the words of the wolf demon.
"We?" Kagome repeated, "Inuyasha is the one who-"
"Inuyasha did not get that priestess pregnant!" Kouga growled out in anger at how twisted the entire situation had become, "It is impossible for Inuyasha to get anybody pregnant!"
"What do you mean by that Kouga?" Miroku asked, confused by the wolf demon's statement. "Of course Inuyasha could get a woman pregnant. Inuyasha is a man and unless there is something wrong with his seed, he ca-"
Suddenly, the memory of what the InuHanyou had said the night the group had found out that Kikyo was pregnant suddenly came to mind.
"Speaking of problems…" Inuyasha began, as he glanced back at the camp, before focusing his attention back on the monk. "I just can't get my mind around this whole Kikyo thing. I mean, it just doesn't make any sense."
As if he expected this, Miroku slightly turned away from his hanyou companion, "Yes, I know. You mentioned this a few times already."
As this memory replayed itself in Miroku's mind, he stopped talking much to the surprise of the others in his group.
"Ba..Back during the night when this all started," Miroku said slowly, as if he was finally understanding what the InuHanyou had meant back then. "Inuyasha told me that he didn't…"
"That because it really doesn't make any sense!" Inuyasha exclaimed, hoping for the monk to understand what he was getting at. "How could I have gotten her pregnant, when I've never even touched her like that? Plus, the last time I saw her alive was when Naraku pierced right through her heart, which was almost a month ago!"
"Then how would you explain the scent that Shippo found on her stomach. It was your scent. How is it that your scent was found mixed with hers where that child forms?" Miroku asked, but he wasn't asking it like he was curious, he was asking it like he already knew the answer. "Tell me Inuyasha, so that I may understand as well."
"I don't know!" Inuyasha exasperated, wishing he knew why himself. "None of this makes any sense! Don't you see what I'm talking about, Miroku! Something weird is going on but I don't know what it is!"
"Inuyasha didn't touch Kikyo. He never touched Kikyo, so he was confused by what was going on.." Miroku finished, recalling the horrified look that Inuyasha had on his face when the monk told Inuyasha that he didn't believe him and how disappointed he was in the InuHanyou. "Inuyasha told me this, because he was trying to make sense of what was going on. He wanted me to make sense of what was happening...but I didn't believe him...I thought that he was lying to me."
Miroku finished as the look of realization slowly began to dawn onto his face as he now finally began to see the situation from a different perspective-Inuyasha's perspective. "If Inuyasha didn't get lady Kikyo pregnant…" He began, now looking at the wolf demon who looked back at him in restrained anger. "Then who got her pregnant?"
"Nobody did." Kouga growled, turning around to face the exit of the old castle they were at, "We're heading back to the village right now!"
"Kouga, what is going on?" Kagome began, holding on to the wolf demon's shoulders as he ran down the path they had taken earlier to the castle, "What do you guys mean by 'Nobody got Kikyo pregnant?' Of course, somebody got Kikyo pregnant. Inuyasha did. Kikyo said so and besides, didn't Shippo and you smell his scent on Kikyo's abominable area? So what you're saying right now is really confusing me Kouga." But seeing that the wolf demon had not replied back to her, she called out his name again, "Kouga, answer me. What is going on? Why are you now taking Inuyasha's side when he's the one wh-"
"We should've listened to Inuyasha from the very beginning, Kagome." Kouga finally said, though it was clear that he was trying to hold back his anger, "If we had listened, then things wouldn't be as messed up as they are now. "
"Huh?" Kagome said, "What do you mean by that? Inuyasha made a bigger mess of things by getting another woman pregnant? Yeah, that guy definitely messed up big time. He's such a pig, I can't believe that I used to-"
"Kagome, " Kouga said, not caring if he interrupted the time traveling priestess, "Let's address this when we get back to the village. Then you can tell me if you still think Inuyasha is a pig after this, ok?" Becoming more enraged by the woman's words as she continued to speak.
Meanwhile, not too far behind Kouga and Kagome, in the distance were the sango, Miroku and Shippo as they rode on Kilala's back heading towards the village.
"Miroku, answer me!" Sango began, "What do Kouga and you mean by 'Nobody got Kikyo pregnant'? That doesn't make any sense. Do you hear yourself? Doesn't Kikyo look pregnant enough?" As the monk continued to remain quiet, Sango called out once more, "Miroku!"
"That's what I'm trying to find out, Sango." Miroku finally said, as he tried to hold back feelings of anger and shame over his previous actions towards the InuHanyou who was only trying to appeal to him. The image of Inuyasha's hurt face kept flashing before his face. Miroku tightened his hand into a fist, as he felt his heart ache over the scene. 'Inuyasha.'
It wasn't long before the group arrived at the village, and once they did, they immediately ran straight towards the hut where they last left the pregnant priestess. However, as soon as they got there, they were greeted by the sight of Sesshomaru grabbing the arm of the pregnant priestess who looked back at the DaiYoukai in confusion.
"Sesshomaru!" Kagome called out, as soon as the wolf demon and her arrived. "What do you think you are doing? Let her-" However, Kouga let the time traveling priestess down from his back, but held her back from confronting the DaiYoukai. "Kouga? What are you doing? Let me go!"
Behind them, Miroku, Sango and Shippo arrived on Kilala's back. And upon seeing the scene between the DaiYoukai and the pregnant priestess, Sango tried to intervene. She jumped off Kilala and was about to reach for her weapon, before Miroku stopped her.
"Wait," Miroku said, keeping his eyes focused on the scene before him.
Seeing that the group had finally returned back from their journey, Kikyo tried to remove her wrist from the DaiYoukai's grip. "Please," Kikyo said, her eyes confused as to what was going on as she looked at Sesshomaru, "Why are you doing this? I have done nothing wrong and I don't even know who you are." When Kikyo saw that Sesshomaru wasn't going to release his grip on her anytime soon, she looked behind the DaiYoukai. Kikyo tried pleading with the group for their help. However, she saw how they just remained there-watching her-watching what would happen next.
Then Sesshomaru finally spoke, drawing the pregnant priestess's attention back to his cold eyes that gave her a glare of disgust and anger.
"Oh, woman of the water, "Sesshomaru began, "Why have you come to cause confusion?"
At these words, Kikyo looked stunned, before she broke out into a laugh. Behind Sesshomaru, Kagome, Sango and Shippo were confused why the pregnant priestess was laughing, while Kouga and Miroku just kept on watching.
Then, right before their eyes, a white light engulfed Kikyo's body as it began to change. Suddenly, the person before them wasn't Kikyo anymore, it was a woman with pale blue skin and light purple hair. The white of her eyes wasn't white anymore, but was dark blue, as the iris of her eyes were a pale yellow. However, the most shocking part about her appearance was the fact that she no longer had a pregnant belly.
Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Shippo and Kilala watched stunned at the woman's appearance, while Sesshomaru and Kouga just gave her an even darker glare that promised nothing but death.
Laughing, the woman smugly said, "It took you long enough to figure it out? How did you know it was me? Was I sloppy in anyway? I want to know, so the next fools I do this to won't ever know that it's me until it's too late."
"Woman," Sesshomaru spoke with venom clear in his voice, as he tightened his hold around the serpent woman's wrist, "Who sent you? Answer me now."
Her eyes reflecting pain at what the DaiYoukai was doing to her wrist, the Serpent woman smirked and used her free hand to point at Kagome who only gasped in horror. At the corner of his eyes, Sesshomaru gave Kagome a harsh glare. The others looked at Kagome in shock.
"No. I didn't!" Kagome began, " I don't even know what's going on and I have never seen this woman before in my life!"
At this, the hold that Sesshomaru had around the woman's wrist only tightened as he gave her a look that promised death.
"Woman," Miroku called out, "If you value your life, I suggest that you start telling the truth."
"I'm not lying. Kagome did send me over here." The woman hissed, as she glared at Kagome as said priestess continued to deny her accusations. "Back before all this started, when that half breed went to go visit Kikyo in the early hours in the morning, don't you remember coming to my lake? Don't you remember the thoughts that you had as you sat in front of my lake that day?"
Kagome's eyes widened in shock as she remembered the events of that fateful day. Back then, when Inuyasha had gone off to see Kikyo without telling her and was gone for the whole day. Kagome feared the worst. She didn't want to hear her friends voice her thoughts, so she went off somewhere that she thought was peaceful, and sat there. She remembered sitting in front of a lake as she got lost in her thoughts, her worries and her fears over the worst possible scenario that could happen between Inuyasha and Kikyo during his absence.
"You summoned me. You sat in front of my lake and worried about the worst things that could happen between the half breed Inuyasha and the priestess who is even dead in the first place." The woman continued, enjoying the look of horror that settled on Kagome's face.
"Th...That was your lake?" Kagome finally spoke, tears gathering in her as the events of that day flooded back to her, "I...I didn't know. Honest, I didn't know otherwise, I would've never-"
"Darling," The serpent woman smirked, before breaking out into a laugh "Nobody ever does."
"You wicked demon!" Miroku yelled, "Tell me, why did you take advantage of a situation like that? Does it bring you joy to cause confusion like this? Do you realize what you have done to Inuyasha?!"
"You mean what you all have done to Inuyasha." the woman corrected, her amusement only growing at the horrified looks that were given to her. "I only came in and continued a belief that you all carried in your hearts against Inuyasha. In fact, if you all first believed and trusted Inuyasha when he first told you that he didn't get me pregnant, then Inuyasha would still be with you right now." Adding, "By the way, where is that half breed anyway? I thought you all went to get him, or did you fail?"
"Damn you…" Kouga snarled, getting his fist ready as he ran up to the woman who was held captive by Sesshomaru, "You wicked wench, I'll kill you!"
As soon as Kouga was closing in on her, she transformed once more.
"Kouga, Sesshomaru…" She began as Inuyasha this time,"Everyone, why don't you guys believe me? I'm telling the truth."
At this, Kouga stopped in his tracks and froze. In fact, everyone around him froze as well as they all saw the manifestation of their guilt standing before them pleading with them-just like before when they refused to listen.
"Why? Don't you all know me?" She sniffed as Inuyasha, tears building up in those beautiful amber golden eyes as she shook her head, "Would I really do something like this? Why don't you guys believe me?"
Everyone was stunned. Although Inuyasha would never act like this, he did say these words. And when they all last saw him, he did look like he was on the verge of tears.
"I...Inuyasha…" Kouga finally said, not knowing what to say or do. He felt tore between trying to comfort the InuHanyou or kicking himself for being so stupid for hurting the InuHanyou that time. "... I...I.."
As tears began to fall from Inuyasha's face, she as Inuyasha looked up at Sesshomaru and pleaded, "Sessh…Please..." Came the soft plead, which caused Sesshomaru's eyes to widen in surprise at the sound. Inuyasha put his body against Sesshomaru's larger one and continued to plead, "Sessh...Sesshomaru…" Softly saying the DaiYoukai's name on his lips, as more tears gathered up in those beautiful amber golden eyes.
Taken back by this sudden behavior from his 'younger brother', Sesshomaru didn't realize when he lessened his hold on the serpent woman's arm until it was too late.
Suddenly, a smirk appeared on Inuyasha's face as he freed his arm from Sesshomaru's hold and pushed the DaiYoukai back. This action caused Sesshomaru and everyone else to snap out of it, as the serpent woman began to laugh.
Ashamed at how a simple mistake of his had caused him to be taken advantage of, Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in indignation and lunged towards the serpent woman. "You vile woman, now you shall die!" Sesshomaru hissed as his finger tips of his hand turned green.
As both Sesshomaru and Kouga reached for her, the serpent woman as Inuyasha glanced at the bucket of water beside her.
Sesshomaru, realizing what she was about to do, extended the green poisonous whip from his hand and whipped the bucket. This caused the bucket to spill its contents over the ground. However, as water was spilling out, the serpent lady jumped into the last remaining water and disappeared.
Sesshomaru growled in annoyance and immediately shot Kagome a glare, "Woman, where did you meet that serpent?"
"What…?" Kagome said, startled as all eyes turned towards her, "I..I don't know...It was some time ago and…"
"Remember!" Sesshmomaru said, his harsh tone alone easily striking fear in the time traveling miko.
"I really don't know and even if I did remember something..." Kagome said, as she struggled with her memories, "I don't think it would be reliable, since we were only in that location for such a short time, a few months ago."
"Wait, I don't think we should be worried about that particular lake." Miroku said, interrupting the time traveling miko as all eyes turned to him. "In fact, if I were that serpent, once my identity has been revealed, I wouldn't want to go back to the place where I originally found my prey. In case my enemies remember that location and go back to it in hopes of capturing me."
"So what you're trying to say is that even if we go to that lake, that serpent woman may not be there." Sango said, understanding what the monk was trying to say, "I see, since that lake puts her at risk of being killed."
"Exactly, but then that leaves us with which lake will she go to next and make her new home." Miroku said, as he continued to think, "Kagome said that the area of the lake was peaceful, so that woman wouldn't want to go somewhere that is busy with lots of people. No, she would want to go to a lake that is surrounded in a calm environment that encourages people to go to and get lost in their thoughts."
"Or maybe she would occupy a lake that is still popular, but would dwell in the part of the lake that doesn't receive attention." Sango added, "Remember when she wanted to know how we realized she was a demon, so she can be careful for the next people that she'll do this to? That could only mean that she does this sort of thing quite often. Which also means that she likes being around people, otherwise, how else would she get her kicks?"
"This is true," Miroku said, "So any lake nearby is an option. Preferably one without a god."
"We could try the lake of this village," Kagome spoke, reminding the group of her presence, "It's nearby and quite popular."
"Hmm, but perhaps too popular," Miroku said, "Besides, I don't think she'll want to stay in the lake of the same village where her act was exposed. That would be too risky for her."
"I see." Sango said, as she tried to think as well, "But we can't just let her get away like this. Considering th-"
"Who said that we're letting that wicked woman get away with this?!" Kouga snarled, clutching his fist tightly, "I'll haunt that wicked woman down in every lake that I come across and until I finally find her and end her disgusting existence. I won't ever forgive her for what she made happen to Inuyasha!"
"What has happened to Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru said, his eyes narrowed in suspicion at the wolf demon, "Didn't you all leave to get him from Naraku since he is now alive?"
Surprised at how not only Sesshomaru knew that information, but also at how interested he was in Inuyasha, the group looked at the DaiYoukai in shock. However, the wolf demon was not surprised.
"How long have you been watching?" Kouga asked, already knowing how exactly the DaiYoukai knew that information, "Because other than that, there's no other way you would've known that."
"Answer my question first wolf." Sesshomaru said, "If Inuyasha is not dead, why have you not returned with him?" However, Sesshomaru's question was meant with silence, which caused him to narrow his eyes in suspicion.
Suddenly, as if something had caught his attention, Sesshomaru immediately looked towards the woods of the forest. His eyes looked puzzled for a bit, before the look of anger took over his face. Without a word, Sesshomaru sped off into the woods.
The group was surprised by the DaiYoukai's change in behavior, until Kouga faced that same direction and growled, "It's Inuyasha. Let's go!"
As the group ran behind the full demons, they watched as Sesshomaru suddenly slowed down and looked upwards towards one of the trees before him. There, flying nonchalantly near the trees was one of Naraku's poison's insects. In that insect's hands, however, was a small white piece of clothing.
Coming to a halt, Sesshomaru kept his eyes on the poisonous insect as he and that creature now locked insect, seeing that Sesshomaru had stopped running, also stopped and stared at the DaiYoukai.
Kagome, noticing this interaction, asked, "What's Sesshomaru doing? Isn't that one of Naraku's poisonous insects? Why hasn't he killed it yet?' Directing her questions to the wolf demon who was carrying her on his back. Noticing how the wolf demon had also stopped running and had his eyes locked on the same insect, Kagome asked, "Kouga?"
"The piece of clothing that the insect is carrying smells of Inuyasha." Kouga said, keeping his eyes ahead, "Naraku wants to lead us somewhere."
"Naraku does?!" Kagome repeated, "That can't be good. Anywhere Naraku wants to lead us could be dangerous."
"Yeah, but it could also be where Inuyasha is." Kouga said, keeping his gaze on the white clothing in the insect's hands.
"Kouga's right." Miroku said, finally arriving with Sango, Shippo and Kilala as they finally caught up with the wolf demon and the time traveling miko. "So we don't have much of a choice."
As the group and wolf demon came to an agreement, the insect remained flying around the same trees before taking off deeper into the forest.
At the insect's departure, Sesshomaru watched the insect fly off before taking off after it. The wolf demon and the group followed suit.
Meanwhile, in a different part of the forest, was a lake whose water was nothing but still and calm. Little water droplets that formed on the leaves and grass of the wet and muggy environment, irregularly fell to the surface of the body of water that surrounded the woody yet wet area. Causing little dripping sounds every time it hit the water.
Drip. Drip. Drip…
There before the large body of water sat Inuyasha, whose face was buried in his knees as he remained in a fetal position.
Suddenly, a strange white mist appeared and surrounded the entire area as the feminine sound of a woman laughing wickedly appeared.
"That's it. That's it….." The female voice spoke in between the laughter, with the owner of the voice unable to be seen, "Such hatred...such bitterness….Such darkness...I love it…..I love it!..."
This caused small wave-like ripples to appear on the surface of the water. As the voice continued to laugh, even larger ripples appeared on the surface of the water, until something started to rise up from the water. As water fell from the creature as it was rising up, the figure of a woman with pale blue skin and light purple hair appeared from it, standing on the body of water as if it was solid ground. She hissed in delight as she approached Inuyasha as he continued to sit in a fetal position.
"Give me more…" The serpent woman smiled, coming closer to the InuHanyou who had his face in his knees, "Give me more!" Closing in on Inuyasha the serpent woman had her hands stretched hovering Inuyasha's head. As she was about to land her fingers in his hair, she felt something enter her chest and pierce her heart. In that instant, she looked down and saw Inuyasha's hand inside the middle of her chest. Shocked at this, the serpent woman looked up from her chest and saw fierce golden eyes glaring straight at her. Before the serpent woman could do anything, Inuyasha ripped his hand out of her chest, taking her heart with him.
The serpent woman extended her hands towards Inuyasha in an effort to grab her heart back from the InuHanyou. However, once she did that, Inuyasha squeezed the demon's heart in his fist; causing the demon's heart to burst open.
Blood from the damaged organ spattered everywhere and flowed down the InuHanyou's hand. The serpent woman fell to the ground as the light in her eyes died. As she lay there motionless on the ground, Inuyasha just coldly stared before dropping the damaged heart on the ground. WIthout missing a beat, Inuyasha knelt down beside the dead body and washed his hands in the water.
Shaking his hands dry, Inuyasha walked past the dead body and made his way into the woods. As soon as he entered the woods, Kanna walked out from behind one of the surrounding trees carrying a sleeping Sekichou. At the sight of his child, Inuyasha relaxed and walked towards Kanna.
Gently taking Sekichou from the arms of the emotionless incarnation, Inuyasha smiled upon seeing his sleeping child's face. "I see that he didn't give you too much trouble, did he Kanna?" Inuyasha asked, getting a silent 'no' from Kanna as she shook her head. "That's good to hear."
With the sleeping child and the emotionless incarnation in tow, Inuyasha walked deeper into the woods.
Sesshomaru, Kouga and the others had been chasing after Naraku's poisonous insect for quite some distance now, and as they continued to follow the insect, a familiar scent drew their attention away from the poisonous insect. Although this scent was similar to the one that the insect had been carrying, it was stronger, warmer and beckoned the lot to come closer.
This stronger scent encouraged Sesshomaru and Kouga to run towards it. And that's what they did, the lot ran even faster towards it as until the familiar scent became more of a familiar presence that caused them all to stop and stare at the large bushes before them. As soon as everyone stopped, the bushes rustled for a bit before Inuyasha walked out of them. Cold beautiful amber golden eyes met the surprised stares of his former companions, former rival, and his older brother.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped, still on the wolf demon's back, "What are you…" Yet before Kagome could finish, her eyes trailed down and saw the little sleeping bundle in the InuHanyou's arms, "Tha...That child…"
Inuyasha only returned the traveling miko's words, with a quiet stare. A stare that was unfamiliar on the InuHanyou's face.
"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru harshly said, drawing his younger brother's attention to him, "What is the meaning of this? Why does that child have the smell of both you and that vile demon Naraku."
"It's because he is the child of both Naraku and I." Inuyasha calmly said, "He is the child that I carried in my womb for 5 months and gave birth to."
As Inuyasha spoke these words, Sesshomaru's eyes instinctively searched his younger brother's body for signs of proof. Sesshomaru froze as he noticed two medium sized mounds of breast on the InuHanyou's body. And as Sesshomaru trailed his eyes further down, he noticed that Inuyasha's hips had gotten wider than from the time when he last saw his younger brother.
Baring his teeth, Sesshomaru snarled as he slowly began to approach Inuyasha. However, Inuyasha just stood still and watched unafraid. "Inuyasha." Sesshomaru snarled, "You dare!"
"Yes, Inuyasha dares. He is a bearer demon after all." Naraku's mocking voice said, as he stepped out from the darkness of the trees behind the InuHanyou, "Or did you all not know that before you took the serpent demon's side over his?"
Seeing the furious look of the DaiYoukai, the threatening look of the wolf demon and the distraught looks of the InuHanyou's former companions, Naraku smirked as he made his way from the darkness of the trees behind the InuHanyou. Inuyasha looked unbothered as Naraku went to stand in front of him.
Seeing the protective stance that Naraku took over the InuHanyou, Sesshomaru's eyes widened before he lunged towards the two Hanyous. Kouga also did the same. However, in that instant that they did, a magenta colored barrier suddenly erected between the two full demons and the two Hanyous.
Sesshomaru and Kouga both snarled and growled as they both tried to use their claws to destroy the barrier. Naraku appeared to be amused by this, while Inuyasha just looked indifferent to the whole scene.
"Inuyasha!" Miroku called out, drawing both Naraku's and Inuyasha's attention towards him, "Inuyasha, step away from Naraku right now. We will protect you!"
Intrigued by the words of the monk, Naraku smirked as he glanced back at the InuHanyou standing behind him. Inuyasha's face remained unbothered as he kept his cold gaze upon the monk. Somehow, Naraku drew the other's attention to himself. Miroku watched as Naraku made a facial gesture towards the monk, causing Inuyasha to shake his head in response.
As if pleased with the InuHanyou's answer, Naraku's smirked widened before he turned to look back at the stunned monk.
"Inuyasha's not interested, monk." Naraku said, causing the two full demon's attacks on the barrier to become more vicious.
"Naraku, how about you stand the hell away from Inuyasha!" Kouga growled out."So Inuyasha can make his own decisions without your influence!"
"My, I'm not influencing him to think any sort of way." Naraku said, with a smug look on his face, "Inuyasha is making his own decisions all out of his free will."
Suddenly, Naraku, Inuyasha, Kanna and even the magenta barrier around them appeared to be levitating off the ground. The lot watched as the group began to rise to the sky.
"You shall not get away Naraku!" Sesshomaru snarled, taking out his sword Tōkijin, before he could release an attack, the infant in the InuHanyou's arms woke up. It happened slowly, as small crimson eyes blinked open a little bit, before opening all the way. Upon seeing this, Sesshomaru and the others beside him froze as the infant's cold crimson's eyes locked eyes with theirs.
Noticing that his child was awake, Inuyasha tightened his hold around his son and gave the group below him a cold look of detestation.
Startled by the intensity of the look of resentment in the InuHanyou's eyes, Sesshomaru, Kouga and the others beside them just remained still where they stood until Naraku's barrier had flown far away from their sight.
However, it wasn't until Inuyasha and Naraku had left before Sesshomaru and Kouga finally had smelt the scent of blood and the scent of the InuHanyou intertwined together. The two immediately ran towards the scent, with the InuHanyou's former travel companions following close behind, only to see the dead body of the same serpent woman who had started this whole mess with her deception.
"Damn it!" Kouga growled, filling anger overwhelm him as he punched a tree causing it to fall to the ground right away. "How could've I been so stupid. Why didn't I listen to Inuyasha when I had the chance to?!" Kouga growled some more as he now went on his knees and began to punch the ground. "Dammit...DAMMIT!"
With a solemn look, Miroku waited until the wolf demon was done before he said, "It's not just you Kouga. We all should have listened to Inuyasha.
Snarling, Sesshomaru glared at the serpent woman's dead body. Sesshomaru's hand gripped his sword for a few moments, before releasing his hold as he turned around and walked away from the group.
Inuyasha remained silent on the ride back to the castle. In his arms, he gently rocked Sekichou until the child fell back to sleep. Silently observing the InuHanyou from the corner of his eyes, Naraku chuckled in amusement. "Before this, I never would've seen you as the mothering type Inuyasha. But I guess once you're in the role, things change, doesn't it?"
"I guess." Inuyasha answered in that same cold tone that he used on his former friends. Noticing this, Naraku's smirk only grew wider, before he looked away from the InuHanyou and set them forward as they approached the castle.
Once at the castle, the magenta barrier descended to the ground until it was on castle grounds. Upon the grounds, the barrier vanished leaving the group to move around as they pleased.
Inuyasha stepped away from Naraku and Kanna, and walked into the castle. Inuyasha continued to walk until he reached the corridor where his room was located. He slid past the door, entered the room and shut the door after him. Once inside, Inuyasha walked towards the small bed that was across the room from his own and laid his sleeping child on it. Once he made sure that his child was comfortable in the bed, Inuyasha went back to his own bed and sat down.
Silently following the path that the InuHanyou took, Naraku murmured a spell that masked his presence. Arriving outside the InuHanyou's door, Naraku remained quiet as he began to hear sounds of deep breathing and sniffling. The deep breaths sounded distressed and heavier with each outtake. It was long before he heard quiet sobs from inside the room.
Quietly, Naraku slid open the door just a little bit so he could see what was happening inside—even though he already had an idea of it—and saw Inuyasha sitting in a fetal position on the futon with his face in his knees. Inuyasha's body racked with quiet sobs that could only be heard through the sounds of the distressed breathing and the sniffles.
Sliding the door closed as quietly as before, Naraku stepped away from the door and went down the corridor.
I made this demon up, so it doesn't exist in the anime. But hey, what a demon. At least you know the truth now and it wasn't the real Kikyo. In this story, the real Kikyo stays dead.
I hope you have enjoyed this chapter as much as I have. The next chapter will be coming out soon. It should answer the questions you have.
Thank you so much for the reviews, they are greatly appreciated and I love reading them.
Until the next chapter guys. Take care!