{The Road Between Souls}
{chapter 11 - sayonara}
Standard disclaimers
~~~
Kagome sighed as she settled down to take a break. Kouga was the one doing all the work, really, but still. All she wanted to do was to go running back to Inuyasha.
That would have, however, killed her whole village and probably gotten the Shikon no Tama out where dangerous youkai could have gotten to it. If somebody like, say, Sesshoumaru had found out about the jewel's whereabouts, Kagome could have killed herself. Stupid, stupid. If only she hadn't caught Kouga's attention that day, then she wouldn't be in this predicament.
But you wouldn't have met Inuyasha, either... a voice told her. That was true, and whether Kagome was willing to admit it or not, she was happy for their short time together. It was worth it all to her, deep down, just to be his for a little bit.
Was it really? Maybe, maybe not. Kagome kept thinking that she would have given anything for just one night with him. To touch his soft ears again, to listen to him breathe quietly, to smell his unique scent just one last time. She had been torn so suddenly from him, one minute thinking how wonderful it was to know that she would be there with him forever, the next in shock over Kouga's appearance and demand for her.
It had been a blast from the past, his insistence that she come with him, him carrying her over his back, not going at top speed as he normally would have. All she wanted to do was tell her village to go to hell and return to Inuyasha. But she couldn't do that. If it were only the village that had never cared for her, then she wouldn't have given it another thought. No, that wasn't true. She simply would be a bit guilty over her choice for Inuyasha.
But the sad fact of the matter was that the Shikon no Tama was far more important that she was. That stupid jewel never made anybody happy. It would be so simple to just go back to the taiji-ya village and return it to them. But no, it was Kaede's responsibility, and she doubted that her younger sister could deal with the whole youkai wolf tribe.
Kagome would simply return to pretending. She had pretended for three years with Kouga, how hard could it be to begin again and continue for the rest of her life?
Luckily for her, Kouga wasn't too bright, and mistook her sighs and the dead look in her eyes for exhaustion. He told all the tribe to leave her alone for a bit, out of consideration for her "ordeal". If it were Inuyasha, he would have plopped down next to her and forced her to talk to him.
If it were Inuyasha...
~~~
Sango paced listlessly down the hallway, bored and miserable. With Kagome gone, there wasn't much to keep her busy. No, that wasn't true. When Kagome had been there, it had seemed like time flew.
Kagome was different from any other girl. She didn't care what anybody thought of her, and wasn't afraid to stick up for her friends. The only time Sango had ever seen Kagome really shaken was when Kouga had come to get her.
She frowned at that thought, remembering what Kagome had said: No, I mean mate. Kouga-kun cared for me.
But how much could he have cared for her if he just stormed in and didn't even ask if she was okay? Kagome was actually happier than she'd ever been with Kouga. Inuyasha, from what Kagome had said, was all bark and absolutely no bite.
Well, Sango hadn't really seen the hanyou's sweet side yet, but then again she hadn't really interacted with him that much either. It would be like Tsuraiuta trying to tell her how Miroku had a truly innocent personality.
It was easy to see that everybody's favourite sour puss was in love with Miroku. What Sango didn't understand was why she kept herself so far apart from everybody else, Miroku included. Speaking of the world's most oversexed priest, Sango wondered about that rosary he was always wearing. Kagome had mentioned that an odd mixture of holy and evil energy always emitted from his right hand. She noted that the holy energy was always just a bit stronger than the evil, and that the evil felt like a curse, something that had been bestowed upon him rather than a real part of him.
Everything about him was mysterious, hidden. He wasn't open about his past, but was perfectly willing to listen to hers. Sango suspected that he had an actual reason other than being a sex-obsessed moron for continuing to ask "The Question".
He was smart enough (but only just) to figure out that it would be incredibly stupid to ask Kagome to bear his child, especially after she started sleeping with Inuyasha. Before, Sango knew, the stubborn hanyou had more or less told everybody else to leave her alone and that he'd more or less claimed her.
Inuyasha had left barely fifteen minutes after Kouga had taken Kagome, and those fifteen minutes were spent making a shambles of the garden, making it look like some monster had rampaged there.
Speaking of monsters, there was a rumor that if you ever hurt Inuyasha beyond (or close to it) recovery, he would go nuts and lose his human blood. It was just a rumor, and one that Tsuraiuta had scoffed at, so it was unlikely it was true. Tsuraiuta, no matter what she said, knew more than she let on. She likely knew almost all there was to know about the royal family. Not much (if anything) escaped the world's dourest youkai.
"Speak of the devil," Sango muttered as Tsuraiuta brushed up against her.
"Oh, Sango, you're needed in the kitchens," Tsuraiuta said in an offhand manner.
"Tsuraiuta?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think Inuyasha-sama will get Kagome-chan back?"
Tsuraiuta paused. "It depends, I guess, on how strong that Kouga guy is. I've watched Inuyasha-sama grow up; I've seen his fighting skills grow and his style mature. I'd say he's more than a match for ninety percent of all youkai, pure-bloods included. The real question after that is if Kagome will come back, whether or not Inuyasha-sama defeats Kouga in combat. Because, ultimately, it's Kagome's choice on the matter of who she returns with."
"What do you mean?" Sango was confused, then realization came to her with a flash. "Kouga's gonna threaten her over her village."
"Bingo," Tsuraiuta said grimly. "and I wasn't as close to Kagome as you were, so I don't know how long she'll be willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of that village."
"She'd die before betraying her family." Sango said with conviction. "Doesn't look good."
"And I doubt that Inuyasha-sama would kill Kouga. Once he did, he'd have to get through all the factions of the youkai wolf tribe - and even that is assuming he defeats Kouga."
"Looks like the only chance is for Kagome-chan to convince Kouga to let her go," Sango sighed out.
"It would appear that we have to place our faith in Kagome-san and Inuyasha-sama." Miroku commented to nobody in particular as he joined the cheerful little chit-chat.
"Apparently so," Sango sighed out. "Come on, Tsuraiuta, we need to get to the kitchens."
"Be right there," Tsuraiuta said absently. Sango rolled her eyes. Whatever.
~~~
"Kaze no Kizu!" Inuyasha roared as he sent the powerful wind blades ripping toward Kouga, who deftly dodged the deadly attack. Kagome watched the fight with a worried expression on her face. She didn't particularly care if Kouga was killed; it was Inuyasha she was worried about.
Kouga ran forward then, punching and kicking. Inuyasha easily anticipated his attacks, made predictable through anger, and dodged them all, finally slashing his claws upward at the wolf-youkai's face.
"Uwah!" Kouga yelped out as Inuyasha's attack left blood dribbling down his cheeks. He lashed out violently once more with his katana, slicing Inuyasha's stomach open. Inuyasha howled in pain, then crammed his hand into the gory mess that was his stomach, and concentrated on attacking the annoying wolf bastard.
"Hijin Kessou!" Inuyasha roared out, the flashing red blades finishing the fight - but not killing Kouga. "I won!" he cried out gleefully. "Kagome, it's time to go."
Kagome ran up to Inuyasha, an insane mixture of happy and sad tears on her cheeks. "I love you," she whispered, throwing herself into his arms.
Kouga stiffened at this confession. No...please tell me she's lying...she can't love him....she's my woman, dammit!!! And I can prove it, too...
"Kagome," he called out hoarsely. "Remember our deal. I can kill your village, and I won't hesitate to, either, if you leave me."
"I believe you," Kagome whispered quietly. Kouga looked at her, trying to memorize the image of her...and that filth next to her.
She was breathtaking. She stood at Inuyasha's side, her hands on her chest. Inuyasha was behind her, a cocky grin on his face. Kagome looked so sad, though - and now he knew why.
"KONO YAROU!!!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha screamed, jumping towards Kouga, ready to kill the bastard.
Kagome's quiet voice stopped him. "Inuyasha, don't. He'll just kill my sister and my brother. And if he dies, his tribe will do it for him." Inuyasha paused.
"So this is...goodbye forever?" Kagome nodded somberly.
Inuyasha slowly walked back to her. Funny, Kagome thought. Even standing in a pool of his own blood, he still makes my heart go "doki-doki". In a sudden change of gears, Inuyasha drew her tightly into his arms, and Kagome felt his hot tears dribble onto her shoulder. "Aishiteru. Itsumo," he promised softly. (Author's note: That means "I love you. Always.")
"As do I," Kagome said, tears brimming in her eyes now as well. "Always and forever. You will always be in my heart, no matter what happens."
Inuyasha nodded, squeezed her one last time, then let her go, and flew away, not looking back for fear he'd die of sadness.
~~~
Inuyasha wearily walked to his room, wanting to avoid Sango, Tsuraiuta, his parents...hell, he just wanted to avoid everybody. As he came into the small room, Inuyasha plopped down onto his futon - the same futon he and Kagome had been sleeping in together just last night. It seemed so long ago.
"And I promise I will always love you," he said aloud. "That will never change."
And he settled down to let himself die.
~~~
Oh, how sad! *dabs eyes with tissue* Anyhow, a warning - the rating will probably change to R soon, 'cause Kouga begins to abuse Kagome. Real angsty stuff, and of course lots of inner suffering.
Just a warning. It won't get too bad, but...I dunno. Just though you might wanna brace yourself for sadness.
-Katra Winner
