A/N: Heeeeeeeeey, thankie to everyone who voted! ^^ 40 reviews, wow! …And even though I haven't been updating…*guilty grin* Ok, so far the votes are: Kagome, 21 and Kikyo, 11. (I'm not counting repeated votes.) Well, the majority does lean toward Kagome/Inu, but…I really like the idea of a Kikyo fic. *ducks behind rock* Oi, don't kill me yet! Listen! Erk…I mean read.
Okie. Now, as This Year's Girl mentioned in her review, this is Inuyasha's second chance with Kikyo. The first time, they were tricked by Naraku, by the most dangerous enemy possible: one they never even knew existed. Is it any question, then, why both Inuyasha and Kikyo felt betrayed? Note the word both. If you diss Kikyo for not believing in their love, you are simply insulting precious Inu-chan, too. *Growls* Also, don't forget that the Kikyo we have now is a soulless puppet, so don't expect her REAL personality to completely resurface here. If you read/watch those flashbacks, Kikyo was willing to give up all her power and her high position in order to rid the world of the Shikon no Tama's evil influence. For those reviewers who condemmed her as a possessive slut-hey, I didn't exactly see Kagome going, "Here, Kikyo, you can have Inuyasha since Naraku tricked you two and you saw him first." Kikyo didn't just accept Inuyasha as human and make him change to that, either, as mmandy pointed out. Kikyo fell in love with Inuyasha as a half-demon, and I believe she would continue to love him in any form. She wasn't forcing him to become human, just providing him with an option that would solve all of their problems at once. And they had huge problems: If Kikyo continued her relationship with Inuyasha as they were then, her miko powers would have grown weaker and weaker until finally a demon managed to capture the Shikon Jewel and used its power to wreck havoc. Also, imagine the pain Inuyasha would go through as Kikyo slowly aged and he stayed the same for years. It's not a pretty thing to watch the one you love grow old and die while you stay young. Inuyasha using the Shikon no Tama to become human was simply the best way to solve everything, and Kikyo must have trusted him completely to let him do it, because once he had it, who was to stop him from wishing to become full demon? Inuyasha and Kikyo's love was pure and true, but cruelly cut off by Naraku. I, for one, truly believe they both deserve this second chance.
o.O Erk…that was a pretty long rant, ne? *collapses under the weight of the words* Now I guess I'd better just do the fic already…and one more thing! ^-^ I still will be using the voter's decisions, even if I think that Kikyo/Inu is the best.
Disclaimer: Nothing of Inuyasha belongs to…*stops as she gets déjà vu* Oi…haven't we been over this before?
Rating: Um…what was my rating again? I guess it should be PG…what did I give it? I mean, there's no violence or anything…
Second Chance
By Sango-chan
Chapter Four
Choices
Inuyasha paced restlessly around the trunk of the Shinboku tree. Once, twice, three times he circled its wide base, hoping that some idea would come to him. He laughed, self-mockingly. What was he expecting? An illumination from the heavens, perhaps, or maybe a flock of angels would descend and guide him on the right path? No, the choice was his alone, and whatever decision he made, Inuyasha saw pain.
Sighing and giving up his futile pacing, Inuyasha plonked himself up against the rough-barked trunk and peered upwards. The sun was high up, but it hadn't yet reached the noon hour. Tomorrow it would be time to make his decision…Kikyo would arrive shortly before he and step right into Naraku's trap…that is, unless he stayed behind and showed her the truth.
But what if he did? Then what would become of Kagome, the girl he had traveled with so long in search of Shikon fragments? She would forever cease to be, never given a chance at life. However…if she was truly Kikyo's reincarnation, then was her own spirit still hidden beneath Kikyo's personality?
There was no way Inuyasha could let Kikyo walk right into a trap that would mortally wound her, but neither was he willing to allow Kagome to be lost to him.
Shaking his head and growling in frustration, Inuyasha glanced hopelessly up at the sky once again. The sun still sat obstinately in the same position, much as his own thoughts chased around in circles and always ended up at the same point eventually. He'd been through this process so many times, only to come up with the same solution: He couldn't allow Kikyo to be hurt, nor live without Kagome.
Pounding his clenched fists on the ground, he mentally berated himself. Ever since I learned of Naraku, I've been wishing that there was some way I could go back and change the way things happened. Now, here I am, with that perfect second chance, and I can't do it! Why…
Knowing that it was useless to tread the mental pathways again, Inuyasha stood up and walked out of the forest, hoping that a change of scene would help clear his mind a little and give him some inspiration. His feet seemed to have a mind of his own as he walked towards Kaede's hut, which was now nonexistent, then stopped in front of Onigumo/Naraku's cave. It was now empty, as he had suspected, and the scent of demon pervaded the air for meters around. Now it's so obvious, but why didn't I notice that before? Then I wouldn't be faced with this choice…
Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks as a stunning revelation came to him. He didn't have to make a choice. What if he just left? Took himself off far, far away and never to be seen again? What if he just left Kikyo there…? If she hadn't used up all he strength in that magic arrow last time, surely her wounds could have been treated. Now that he thought of it, it was a perfect solution. Leave everything up to chance and just blow out of there. If Kikyo didn't fight Naraku, she lived. If she died, Kagome would be born. There was an equal chance of either happening, and Inuyasha wouldn't have to dirty his hands with any decisions, any doubts, any what ifs and regrets. A small section of his mind screamed that he was running away from his problems, that this would solve nothing…but the temptation was there, slyly fitting itself through the weaknesses and self-doubts in his will, whispering sweet, comforting words into his ear, dangling the freedom seductively in front of the hanyô's eyes.
Eyes wide and his heart beating fiercely, Inuyasha stared back up, meeting the fierce golden glare of the sun as it continued its slow, inexorable journey downwards to the west. His previous duty-bound promises to save Kikyo and Kagome flitted weakly about in the whirlwind of his mind, their now shrunken cries almost impossible to hear against the insistent howls of that one, marvelous, horrible idea.
What if…A/N: Yes, it's short, yes, I'm evil, but I squeezed this little chapter out just to please you! This little spurt was completely spontaneous, and I swear that I never planned it. Actually, I'm very bad at overall story layouts…anyways, leaves you wondering, doesn't it? ^^
Oh, one last note: I love all your reviews that have these great arguments for Kikyo and Kagome, but, well…some constructive criticism would help, too! I can't improve my writing without you guys' help!