Warning: You have to know, when I write a fic, nothing turns out as it seems. Well, maybe sometimes they do, but in this case, they don't. Confused yet? Me too. ^^
Disclaimer: Only the National Goverment can grant patents and copyrights, and I refuse to deal with the government. So no, I can't and won't ever own Inu-Yasha. (Can you see I just had an Amer. Gov't test today?)
Feedback: I read my reviews on days I feel down or have Writer's Block. So sendie!
Have you gotten used to my confusing writing style yet? 'Cause here's some more, and probably even more confusing 'cause I wrote it all in one sitting! ::glares at muses:: Now my head hurts...
Elf #1: Nyah nyah...
Elf #2: Just paying you back for making us write all your stupid school papers.
Elf #3: ...zZzZ...::drool::
Elf #4: ::is somewhere, tied up in a closet by his brother::
Elf #5: ::crying 'cause Elf #2's making everything so sad::
::blink:: ...
(if you haven't already, I have mini-bios of me muses on my profile, just so you won't get too confused when they pop up all the time. ^_^)
~ ~ ~
Her feet and legs ached terribly, even with the muscles that had grown on them over all their travels. Leaves were stuck in her hair, mud mixed with blood from her hands caked her skin. It felt like she had walked through a less flame-filled, dirtier version of Hell. But she had finally found it, avoiding the village entirely. It was better that way.
Even after all the times she'd done it, she couldn't help but hesitate at the sight of the pitch dark square, filled with the demon bones at the bottom that she always thought she would fall onto, moments before disappearing.
She gripped the worn wooden edge tightly until her knuckles were white, forcing herself not to think about the yellowing remains waiting for her at the bottom, the essence of death and decay. She had to do this; there was no other choice. There was no reason for her to be here anymore, her role already taken over by another.
Home. She was going home. At last.
With closed eyes, she jumped.
~ ~ ~
The tears wouldn't stop.
Heart-filled sobs wrenched their way up his throat, and he didn't stop them, couldn't stop them. His mind didn't acknowledge how far he had run from his friends, how much noise he was creating, how easy a prey he was to any youkai who heard his cries. For once, fear and survival did not fill his thoughts.
All he could feel was his pain and his hate.
[No matter where he turned, he couldn't find her. The forest seemed to eat up his calls, his voice breaking from desperation and unshed tears.
Why couldn't she hear him? Why didn't she come and comfort him, show him that she was fine, like she always did?
Immediately, he turned around to head back to the lake, where he first saw the light. Giving up trying to run upright, he fell on all four, scampering faster than before. He darted around trees and burst through bushes, not getting his tail caught once. He couldn't stop now, panic overriding the burning in his lungs.
Something was greatly wrong.
It wasn't a small quarrel this time. No, something serious had occurred, something dark. And it scared him beyond any demon they had ever fought. He couldn't feel her anymore, couldn't sense the warm aura she had always given off. Even when he was trying to chase her down, there had been something wrong with the sounds of her steps. They echoed in his ears, growing louder in his mind until all he could hear was that sound.
Emptiness. ]
He hadn't stopped her. The one who was suppose to care the most, who he himself secretly looked up to, had let her go...for that thing.
Tiny hands tightening into fists, tears slipped from the corners of his closed eyes, squeezed shut as he tried to forget the scene, the action that had shattered everything.
[Collapsing on the ground, he couldn't seem to get enough air into his lungs, his heart pounding in his ears. But he had made it.
Despite the loud complaints of his muscles, he pushed himself up onto his feet, moving a few steps unsteadily. Immediately, his eyes caught the waterfall of white hair, and he opened his mouth to call their leader, the one with the sharpest nose of them all, and always came through no matter the situation.
"Kikyo, I---"
No sound came from his mouth as he watched the scene unfold, eyes wide and unblinking. He no longer felt the fire in his limbs, the stinging of his hands rubbed raw from the ground. All he could focus on was what was transpiring before him. Nothing prepared him for the fall.
"...I don't understand."
What was he doing? Why was he standing there? Even the little kitsune could tell there was no active magic in the air. He was not being enchanted. So why isn't he pulling away? Why isn't he looking for Kagome?
"I'm alive, Inu-yasha. I'm alive."
Even with his mind numb with shock, the truth hit him like a rock. Somewhere, far away, he realized he was crying, wet patches already staining his shirt.
Unconsciously, he took a step back, one hand clutched to his chest, trying to stop the ache eating away inside him. How could he? How could he drop her just like that, for a woman who had been dead for 50 years? How could he remember this...this...shell for all those years, and yet forget Kagome in one second?
"What---"
How could he look at this woman so tenderly, when Kagome could be lying somewhere, dead?
THWACK!
He didn't even realize what he had done until the hanyou turned around, anger and then shock in those amber orbs. Behind him was that...shell...who looked like, yet was not Kagome. Never Kagome. How could he choose her?
"Inu-yasha, you JERK!!!"
All his anger was poured into that last word, a word that held more malice than ever before. Yet, a hate greater than the time the hanyou nearly destroyed the well flared up in him. This time, he had gone too far.
Unable to face the source of his pain, he turned to run, tears still falling, each one intensifying the ache in his chest.
"Shippo, what's wrong?"
Looking up at the only other male in the group, he tried to swallow the bile in his throat, the tears threatening to overflow again. The priest's eyes were so worried, so sincere and caring.
They looked like Kagome's eyes.
Fresh sobs rose, and he sprinted off. The houshi didn't know, hadn't seen everything like he had. Hadn't witnessed Inu-yasha's hesitation in the arms of the woman who should be dead.
And now she was gone.]
Gone.
The word echoed in his mind, reawakening the loneliness that had dwelled in his heart when his father had died. When his mother had died. He had been so alone, fearing every shadow would take his life, until he met her, and had a family again.
Kagome...mama...
"Shippo! Shippo!!"
...gone...
"Shippo...what happened?"
Turning around, he threw himself blindly at the exterminator, the only source of maternal comfort left to him now. Muscles tense from surprise slowly relaxed, and he felt her enfold him in the sleeves of her kimono, her questions dying as she quietly held him.
And the tears fell.
~ ~ ~
"Where is Lady Kagome?"
He watched the confusion cross the hanyou's face, before horror dawned in his golden eyes. The houshi didn't need any other evidence to figure out what had basically happened.
Only this time was worse.
His eyes narrowed as something other than Inu-yasha's dense obliviousness was bothering him. The air hummed with the remains of a spell, a powerful one, if the leftover magic hung around this long. And the woman...Kikyo...
Last time he had seen her, she did not have the faint flush in her cheeks like she did now, the pinkness in her lips, the shine in her eyes. There was no chill in the air, no glow of numerous souls trapped in that husk of a body. He couldn't find a single soul demon anywhere. In fact, she looked...healthy...
Pray to the gods, let him be wrong.
"Inu-yasha, head back to Lady Kaede's hut. I will meet you there later."
"What about---"
The rings clanged violently on his staff as he struck it against the ground, silencing the inu-demon. He turned away, knowing the half-breed would be angry for being cut off, but frankly, he didn't care. Not this time.
"Do not say anything, Inu-yasha. There will be plenty to talk about once I've gathered the others." He looked at the supposedly deceased priestess, struggling to keep his tone neutral. "I assume you understand that your cooperation will be needed...Lady Kikyo."
She only nodded her understanding, saying nothing, showing nothing. Miroku almost flinched; cold seriousness did not belong on a face like hers, not when it so resembled Kagome's. He wanted to do nothing but go searching for their lost friend and teammate, but if what he suspected was correct, they may never see the cheerful girl ever again.
Right before turning to follow the direction Sango had gone, a glint of a familiar object in the priestess' hand caught his eye. His mouth pressed into a grim line as his discovery only further supported what he suspected, dread continuing to settle in his stomach.
Sometimes, he hated being right.
~ ~ ~
He couldn't keep the smirk off his face as he landed carefully in the tiny space, eyes running over the tiny wisp of a girl lying on the ground, old brittle bones crushed under her from her fall. A quick run of his hand through her hair found the fresh bump on her head, the cause of her unconscious state, and a check of her eyes confirmed what he thought.
The smile grew wider on his face. Even unconscious, he could feel the torment raging inside her, eating away at her.
Stupid girl...thinking you could escape so easily...
One arm braced under her shoulders, the other under the crook of her knees, he lifted her up easily before leaping out of the confining well.
Yes, she would be of great use to him. Great use.
He smiled.
~ TBC ~
Author's Note: It's kinda sad 'cause I started to run out of ways to describe crying...
The quality got a little iffy near the end, but I was really getting tired. I've been sitting in this cold metal chair in front of this screen for...almost four hours straight! My butt's cold and it hurts...
It's so wierd...the intro-ish thing at the top is so weird and cheerful, then you read this really angsty chapter, then you get another really weird and happy Author's Note. Talk about mood swings. ^^
Oh crap...I just realized that I had promised to explain my reason/purpose for this fic last chapter...Sorry! I didn't get as far as I wanted in the plot, so I can't start revealing anything now! Really really sorry! Don't hate me!
To the Reviewers: I nearly died when I uploaded the last chapter to have 13 review alerts in my mailbox the next day! And to have more sent while I was reading all your comments!! You don't know how happy I am! I think I was smiling to myself non-stop for...5 minutes! Good thing my parents didn't walk in or they'd thing I was being weird...again...^^; A million thanks and a million flowers to each of you for Sweetest Day, 'cause you're all so cool (and I don't have to pay for virtual flowers! ^_^)
Oh, I realized that some of my replies got messed up last time. Sorry, my HTMLing gets messy when I get tired. Hopefully, I won't make mistakes this time!
Sheleigh: Yeah, Inu-kun has problems with women, no? I guess that's what makes him so cute and endearing...when we don't have the urges to choke him for his denseness. Heh.
notaningen: According to the hints of future plot that my elves are sending me...expect it to remain sad. ::sigh:: I don't know if my muses are evil and cruel...or just strange depressed creatures.
Elf #1: We're not weird. We're special. ^_^
...
Rymsie: Yay, you understand what's going on! I worry 'cause sometimes I don't think I know what's going on when I write. It's kinda like this weird trance stage where my fingers just move. And I seem to be doing pretty good on updating so far, at least I'm surprised at my progress.
Elf #1: You're gonna jinx it.
Shh. If any delay happens, it'll be because you're boycotting being my muses, and then you'll have and angry mob of readers after your hides.
Elf #1: You mean after you. We live your head, remember?
Dangit.
amakasu toko: I think this chapter's longer than the last one. Hope you enjoyed it just as much as the others!
kitty demon: Of course I'd answer! You took time to review, so I should take time to answer. Anyway, I'm not saying I won't make it Inu/Kag, but I'm not saying I will either. Er...that's confusing...Just wait and see!
Trel: Thanks a lot for the support! I don't think I'd be able to make my writing less confusing if I tried anyway. ^^
silvertenshi: They just recently started airing the show on TV here...and I don't have the money to buy the VHS...poor me, so deprived. But, I have all the mangas(in print in my country)! So yay!
DemonBlade: The Shippo angst stretch out a lot longer than I thought it would...need to get more plot out!! Bet you're all sick of me describing how sad everyone is, right?
Itadakimasu: Actually, I'm kinda new to the field of posted fiction, so really say I've gotten good comments a lot. There's so many others better than me. (I like your stuff too. ^^) And you're my first "threatener" for more chapters! Whee!
Emcronia: I'm so flattered! I really didn't expect to get so many responses for this fic, much less fav. lists. You're all so great! Thankie!
Shisou: Really? I'll have to read some of your stuff (unless I already have, and my bad memory is failing me again.^^;), and I'm sure they're good. And you understand! Meaning you think like me!
Elf #1: ...Scary...
>P
animegirl1234: Not much happened really in this chapter, I don't think, but I hope you still liked!
Inez: I'm trying to get to the explaining parts, really I am. And now I have to think of a better reason for Kagome's actions! Hee. Don't worry, I thought what she did was kinda...un-Kagome-like too, so there should be another reason...Hmm...Gah, my brain's fried right now! Maybe I'll think of something later.
Oh, and do tell me if anyone's OOC ever. I try, but who know's what I write when I'm sleep deprived (went to bed at 12:00 last night...stupid tests...::looks at clock:: Gah! It's almost twelve now!!)
Hitsuji-Kumo: Thanks for reviewing all three chapters! Normally, I don't do that. I just read to the last uploaded chapter and review there. Your comments are greatly appreciated! (Wow, that sounded so formal...how 'bout just a big "Thank you!!")
Twin Star of Suzaku: Cookie...my first briber! Don't worry. I've basically dropped all other fics to work on this one 'cause I have so many ideas for it, and I really enjoy writing for it! So even though bribes aren't necessary, they're still fun to get. Heh.