Times of Change
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all of its characters don't belong to me. Neither does Kurama (he's from the cast of Yu Yu Hakusho). I do claim all original characters though, even the bad ones. Well that about wraps it up, let me know what you think at the end!
Learian Words and their translated/loosely translated meanings:
Kreelie- idiot
Tione- sister
Tionto- brother
Eliree- lover
Lireeh-tionto- Heart-brother
Lireeh-tione- Heart-sister
Lonii- Son
Lanii- Daughter
Ceriee- Mother
Cireen- Father
Chapter 22: Naraku's Demise and Kikyo's ArrowInuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and even Sesshoumaru, all learned the next morning what it meant to have the full attention of two knowledge hungry Learians. They wanted every bit of information that each one of them knew about Kikyo and Naraku. The retelling of their stories took hours but not once did their attention waver or their interest dim. But they were polite and waited till afterwards to ask their questions, which was a bit awkward for Inuyasha since some of them were more feeling oriented than what he liked.
But later, by about two in the afternoon, they were laughing about it. "The two of you looked like you'd just die if you weren't told everything you wanted to know." Kagome teased them.
That's because we would have! Shad answered playfully.
"Plus now you won't have to explain anything to us later." Destiny added with a grin.
"You know it's odd how different people of all races will all try to covet anything that can make them more powerful, wealthy, or important. It's hard to say what race is better than which when the majority all act the same." Miroku said thoughtfully, causing the others to give him a few thoughtful looks.
"That's partly true Miroku." Destiny agreed. "But you have to remember that there is just as much good in this world, or any world for that matter, as there is evil. Both forces constantly battle, trying to cancel the other out but it really comes down to people like you and I who are just pawns in a game."
"I don't like the idea of being a pawn." Sesshoumaru stated.
"I don't think anyone does." Destiny said to him. "But it's true isn't it? Even now we are on the side of good, doing battle against Naraku, who is on the side of evil." She added.
"I did not always side with Inuyasha or you." Sesshoumaru pointed out.
But did you side with Naraku? Shad asked.
"To gain a human arm, yes." He answered.
But were you siding with him or using him? Shad pointed out.
Inuyasha looked at Shad, then Destiny, and then back to Shad and shook his head. "Do you two practice how to argue and win?" He asked.
Shad grinned and shook his head. No, but we did have to learn how to argue well to get out of trouble with the Dragon Clan. You see, we cannot lie unless under extreme measures in which we are trying to hide our identities or protect someone and we were a bit… wild I guess you would say.
"What do you mean by wild?" Sango asked.
Oh just silly things like dropping a bucket of paint onto an emperor…
"And ink on his son and daughter." Destiny added with a grin.
"You did what?!" Miroku yelled in horror.
Oh that wasn't bad! Shad said with a laugh. Remember when we rigged that bratty prince's room with all kind of booby traps?
"The one who kept insisting that I was going to marry him?"
Yep. And that was the night one of his 'lady friends' wanted to see his room? Shad added with a snort. That had to be one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
By that time Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru especially, were all looking at the two like they were some kind of strange bug.
"You did that to a prince?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Yes." Destiny answered. "You see, by this time we still weren't broken in to our so-called 'royal stations' and figured 'see sucker, torture sucker.'"
"What is a sucker?" Sango asked.
Someone very easily taken in or deceived. Shad answered.
"You two were horrible!" Kagome exclaimed.
We were not! Shad denied hotly. We were, and still are if I may say so, very, very good.
"Careful," Sango warned. "Your head's growing bigger."
No it's not.
"Ego-wise it is."
Well of course!
Sango sighed and looked over at Destiny. "How do you insult someone like that?" She asked.
"Call him a dog." Destiny answered
I am not a dog! Shad growled.
Destiny opened her mouth to say something more but Kurama clamped his hand over her mouth. "Don't even start you two." He warned them but his voice was teasing rather than serious. "Besides we have to get on task." He reminded them both.
That's right… Inuyasha, you and the others are aware that Destiny, Kurama, and I will not be allowed to interfere in your fight Naraku unless he proves too much for all of you to handle? He asked worriedly.
"Why?" Miroku asked.
"Because we are a last resort only to be used when there is no hope left." Destiny quoted with a scowl but a smile soon played across her features as she looked at them reassuringly. "This isn't our tale, centuries from now, when only the forests remember the long battles and the sea recalls the sorrowful cries mothers and fathers will tell the story of the Shikon Jewel and how a hanyou and miko came together with the help of a monk and demon huntress and the aid of his older brother to defeat an evil known as Naraku."
"But you three will be included as well!" Sango exclaimed and was a bit taken back when both Learians smiled gently and shook their heads at her.
We are the Forgotten Guardians, Sango. Remembered only dimly in the minds of mortals. To them, our history has simply faded to a long forgotten myth that only few will ever know.
"That's so sad." Kagome said softly.
Not really. We are what we are. He answered.
"Why are you three so accepting?!" Inuyasha asked. "You'll fight for other people but you won't fight for recognition and your own rights! Why?"
We are what we are pup. Guardians that have long been forgotten. Shad answered thoughtfully.
"But not all have forgotten you." Kurama pointed out.
True but those who do know us are those we've adopted into our family. And do you honestly think that ones such as we are so easily accepted? For thousands of years mortals have either wanted us for our power or they wanted us dead for even daring to be alive and a small number accepted us for who and what we are. Those will be the ones who remember us and that is all that matters.
"Would no one accept you?" Miroku asked.
"We did not ask to be accepted or shunned. We just were… Learians, although not antisocial, don't feel the need to socialize a lot as long as our families are with us." Destiny tried to help explain. She shook her head then and smiled gently at all of them. "This is all things you've heard before so let's talk about something else."
"Like fighting Naraku!" Inuyasha muttered darkly.
Destiny smiled and was about to answer when a dark laughter cut off her words.
"Ku ku ku ku ku…"
All of those who'd been sitting jumped up and spun to face the evil laughter. It was Naraku, not one of his puppets hiding in a baboon suit, but the Puppet Master himself. By his side was the wind demon and the pale child whose mirror could steal any mortal's souls. "Think you can handle me Inuyasha?" Naraku sneered.
"Any time you bastard!" Inuyasha yelled and raised the Tetsusaiga in challenge.
"Let's begin then." Naraku said dismissively before charging at them in a deadly attack.
Destiny, Kurama, Shad, and Shippo were quickly removed from the fight scene but stood ready to help, lest any of their companions should fall. And although they were not allowed to fight Naraku just yet, that did not mean they were unable to use the magical abilities they had to protect Inuyasha and the others from the deadly attacks Naraku put them through.
Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were fighting Naraku while Miroku and Sango kept the wind demon off their backs. Kagome had managed to take the childlike soul-stealer out of the battle early on and shot an arrow at the beautiful, but evil, wind demon whenever she could.
There are those who say we should not exist…
"Hanyou!"
Do we ever forget an oath…? No, once given it stands forever… Even beyond the grave…
"Kagome, I will protect you."
Sorrow, everlasting sorrow…
"Brother, I will always miss you."
Born to live, born to die…
"I don't want to pass on my curse."
It was impossible then for Inuyasha and the others to explain what came over them. Voices in their heads, not evil just oddly comforting, whispered over and over in their minds. Giving them strength from the memories the words brought forth.
Are you strong enough?
Will you fall…?
Fight to protect…
Live another day!
But then the voices began to change and were replaced by those whose very tone spoke of untold agony.
Can you hear the cries…?
Justice!
Justice!
Give us Justice!
Free our souls!
Let us be Free!
Justice!
Justice!
Free our souls!
Free us!
It was the cries of all the innocents that Naraku had murdered, and even he heard them and from the corners of his eyes, saw them. Watching him and condemning him to hell for all eternity. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru pressed ever closer, taking full advantage of Naraku's failure to keep his attention focused on them. From somewhere off to the side they both heard the wind demon's final scream before she died. Yet no matter how much they attacked Naraku he also seemed to be able to fend them off.
The swords my sons. You must combine the swords. Echoed the voice of the deceased Lord of the Western Lands. Such a simple command, yet it was given with all the love and power the once great demon had while he lived. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha both acknowledged their father's voice and reached out towards one another with their minds, even as they sub-consciously moved so that their sword arms were by each other. And somehow, the two swords merged into one yet each brother still controlled his own sword.
"What is this?!" Naraku hissed, his eyes dilating in fear.
"The sound of your death!" Inuyasha snarled and as one, he and Sesshoumaru moved and demolished the evil hanyou. The very air around them seemed to explode then and for one terrifying moment, both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were afraid that they and everyone else was going to die. And perhaps they would have if Destiny, Shad, and Kurama had not been protecting them still; shielding everyone from the blast that would destroy everything within a mile radius.
But treachery was still abounded. Even as they all began to smile in the realization that they'd finally managed to defeat Naraku the whizzing death toll of an arrow sounded in all of their ears. A second later, Kagome cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, dropping his sword to run to her.
"The whore will die now." Kikyo said clearly in a tone completely devoid of any emotion.
To protect others at all costs…Family!
There are no words that can be used to explain the true fury a Learian feels when one of their own is seriously injured. It is a fury that is colder than ice and as merciless as an assassins blade and three thousands times more swift. Needless to say, Kikyo was dead almost as soon as she finished speaking and her body fell in ashes and decayed bones to the ground, releasing the spirits she'd held trapped within her for so long.
"Destiny!" Kurama shouted to her, snapping her out of the deadly faze she'd been in. "Hurry up! Kagome's life is in your hands!"
Kagome had been struck dangerously close to her heart, there was no telling what amount of internal bleeding she had nor if any of her vitals had been struck. "Damn and double damn and a whole lot of other words!" Destiny hissed as she lightly placed her hands on Kagome's chest.
"Can you save her?" Inuyasha asked hoarsely.
Destiny looked up at him for a brief moment and smiled. "My life for hers." She answered simply, ignoring the sharp intake of breath that both Kurama and Shad took. "First we've got to get the arrow out." She directed…
Waiting… When you wait it seems as if time moves ever slowly by. It'd been three days since Kagome had been wounded and Destiny began to heal her and since that time, neither had woken up. The only good news they'd had was that the wind tunnel in Miroku's hand had healed and he and Sango were planning on being married.
"Why won't they wake up?" Inuyasha asked softly, looking up at the sky.
"They will." Kurama said reassuringly as he came up behind the young hanyou.
"How do you know?"
"Because they both have too much to live for." Kurama answered simply. "Do you really think that Kagome would leave you now after you've been through so much?"
"No."
"Then she won't."
"But what if you're wrong?" Inuyasha asked and turned a bit so that he could look Kurama straight in the eye. "I don't want to live without her."
Kurama was silent for many moments as he studied Inuyasha. He's growing and is finally beginning to learn. He thought in a very pleased manner. "Believe me about this young pup. Destiny will not let Kagome die and I will not let Destiny die." He said determinedly and placed his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "They will come back to us."
That night, when they finally awoke, both Inuyasha and Kurama were there to take the one they loved into their arms and held them into the morning hours.
Shad - You call that a climatic ending?
S.D. – It's not over yet fuzz ball.
Shad - What? But the evil guys dead!
S.D. – *sighs* Yes, but killing the evil guy isn't what this story is about.
Shad - Oh really? So why are they dead then?
S.D. – Are they all dead?
Shad – *groans* I hate it when you do this! Does this mean you're going to write a sequel?
S.D. – Of course. After all, this isn't quite the ending I had in mind but if I made this story as long as in my head, it'd be too long so it had to be broken down into sections.
Shad - Well aren't you just a clever human?
S.D. - *smiles sweetly* I'd be careful if I were you, you're not going to stay single for forever.
Shad - What?!?!
S.D. – *laughs* Well that was a few hints as to what's going to be in the sequel. I'm sorry it took so long for me to update this! It's all his fault *points at Shad*
Shad - No it's not!
S.D. – It's all opinionated fuzz ball. Back to the point, I apologize for such a short chapter but I hope everyone enjoyed it just a little bit. There's one more chapter after this and then the first part of 'Times of Change' will be done. I am going to take a break from times and write a few other things before I settle back down to write the equal to this. After all, ya'll wouldn't want me writing crap would you? Thanks again for waiting and please don't be too angry with me! Don't forget to review!
Shad - *in the background* ha ha ha! S.D. has to take a break!
S.D. - *also in the background* Oh! Go cough up a hairball or something!
