~Chapter Nine~ ~My heart is my heart, and my love is my love, not yours, not yours at all~
~With Shippo and Karu~
"Wow!! Look at this one, Shippo-kun!" Exclaimed Karu as she picked a pinkish blue daisy from the grass and up to Shippo's eyes.
The teenage fox demon smiled brightly.
"That is a nice one! How lucky you are to find such a color! It will bring you good fortune, I do believe!" Shippo stated.
Karu beamed up at him with joy. "Truly? Neat! I'm gonna go find more over here!!" She explained as she ran off to the other side of the field.
Shippo stood up, a fine young man now.
Because he was older now, he had taken on the form of both demon, and human, and right now, he was in his human form.
His hair was still the orange it had always been, but his tail was gone, and his ears were human, and his fox feet were human as well.
He smiled at little Karu as she jumped through the tall flowers, trying to capture a small butterfly in her hands.
He thought of her as the little sister he never had.
She looked up to him to take her to this spot almost every few days of the normal week.
He lived where he wanted, but his home was near her.
She reminded him so much of Kagome if he had ever met her as a 5 year old child!
Karu turned to him and smiled happily as she held up another flower.
"LOOK AT THIS ONE!!! ISN'T IT LOVELY??" She called over to him.
He laughed slightly. "Yes! It does look lovely! Go find some more, and don't forget to pick some for your parents!"
Karu stared for a moment. "YOU TOO??" She called again.
Shippo shrugged. "I guess."
Karu nodded. "OKAY!"
Shippo glanced at the scenery. So many greens and many other colors.
Summer was grand. Nothing seemed to go wrong on these days of peace.
He had all he needed to be happy. A little sister. All his friends from the journeys long past, and two younger siblings, MiMiru and Miku, to look after and love as their older brother.
He smiled at the thought of being something so important.
He let the warm breeze flow past him, and make it's way to Karu's cheek.
She felt it as well, but instead of it being warm, it was a sudden chill that fell around her.
"Humm. That's funny. It's supposed to be warm outside cause it's summer, right?" She questioned a small butterfly that landed on a near flower.
The insect knew of nothing to say and flew away without the courtesy to say goodbye.
Karu sighed. "Well…..now what? I'm so confused."
Suddenly, she heard a footstep and turned around quickly.
"Who's there?!" She cried.
A woman she had never seen before stepped forward from the trees and into the field.
Although she looked very lovely and nice, there was some sort of sense to her that Karu didn't like, and even at that age, she knew that the feeling she got wasn't good.
"I'm so sorry to startle you." The woman stated.
Karu stared, forgetting her manners all together.
The woman was weary nice clothes! A beautiful priestess kimono, and a bow and arrow set on her back! She was flawless!
Karu swallowed hard and bowed.
"I…I'm sorry. I forgot to be polite like my mama tells me." She stuttered.
"Why do you act so afraid?" The woman asked.
Karu shrugged. "I….I'm not….supposed to talk to strangers."
The woman's eye brow raised. "For a child of Inu-Yasha's to be so polite and timid, I'm rather impressed and shocked more less."
Karu smiled a bit. "Y…You know who my daddy is?" She asked.
The woman smiled stiffly. "Yes. I know your father more then anyone on this earth."
"No." Karu stated, a little irritated at the last comment.
The woman glared. "What?"
"I said no. You can't know my daddy better then anyone else cause my mama knows him better then anyone else! She says that they both know everything about each other. It's just a thing whenever you fall in love." Karu stated, obviously copying what Kagome had told her.
The woman seemed a bit angered, but kept cool.
"Yes……right. How could I forget that your mother is that young girl." She snapped.
Karu put a mad look on. "Don't say my mama's name in such a manner! You act as if you know her too! I don't think you know my daddy neither!! You are just looking for a fight! Go away and leave me be! I'll call Shippo-kun on you if you don't go!"
The woman stared in aggravation. She had had it with the girl.
"Now there's the Inu-Yasha inside you. You little fool!! How I hate Inu-Yasha!! Because you are his daughter…I will hate you too!!!!" The woman yelled as she slapped Karu to the ground with a strong hand.
Karu sat up and held her hand to her cheek, it turning red in the cause of the blow.
"Please…..leave me alone!!! Please!!" She quivered as the woman came closer to her.
"Do you wish to know my name? My name is Kikyo. I am here to take back revenge on your father and mother. I hate them both, but because you are both of them put together…I will hate you even more!!" She snapped, as she grabbed Karu up into her arms and ran off into the forest.
Karu didn't know what to say, but only one thing was on her mind that she could think of.
"DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Suddenly, Shippo heard the cry and looked off to where Karu had been picking flowers.
When he saw she was gone, he panicked.
"SHIT!!!!!! KARU!!!! KARU!!!!!!!!!!????" He cried as he ran over to the area.
Nothing was there.
"Oh crap!!!!! I GOTTA GET INU-YASHA AND KAGOME BEFORE SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He exclaimed.
~Back at Kagome and Inu-Yasha's hut~
Kagome sat on the floor, Inu-Yasha beside her, and Sango facing her.
"Are you sure this woman at the stand wasn't just fooling with you, Sango?" Kagome questioned.
Sango nodded. "I could tell by the sound in her voice she spoke the truth."
Inu-Yasha looked to Sango, sensing the fear in her.
"Sango? What's wrong? I can small your fear from over here!!"
Sango nodded. "Well….please. I wanted to warn you. Keep Karu by your sides at all times!! Don't let her go far from your eye sight!! If Kikyo is truly out there somewhere…..I'm afraid she was after you two, but then I got to thinking, why would she try to get you two, when she already knows that there's something much more valuable that she can take without a fight at all!!"
Kagome and Inu-Yasha stared with worry.
"Inu-Yasha….Kagome…..your daughter is in danger. Serious danger. Where is she now?" Sango stated.
Kagome looked to the hut door with concern.
"She went out with Shippo to pick flowers. I don't think that………." She paused her talk.
Heavy breathing was coming nearer, they all could hear it.
Suddenly, Shippo burst through the hut door, out of breath, and tear lining his eyes.
Kagome got to her feet and ran over to his sight as he fell to his knees.
"Shippo!!?? What happened??!!! Where's Karu!!!!!!!?????" She cried, not yelling at him, but yelling at the fact that something horrible much have happened.
He looked up to her face as a tear fell down his cheek.
He brushed it away quickly and got o his feet, taking Kagome's arm and looking to Inu-Yasha and Sango.
"PLEASE!!! YOU MUST COME!!! KARU HAS DISAPPEARED!!!!!! SHE WAS BY MY SIDE AND A SECOND LATER SHE VANISHED!!!!! COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shippo screamed.
Inu-Yasha could feel this slit through his soul, his heart beating harder in his chest as he rose to his feet.
"What….do you mean? Shippo?" He stuttered in a trembling voice.
Shippo shook his head. "I'LL EXPLAIN LATER!!! PLEASE!!! YOU MUST COME!! I'D HAVE GONE TO LOOK FOR HER MYSELF, BUT I KNEW THAT IF IT WAS SOMETHING HORRIBLE, I COULD DO NOTHING FOR HER!!! I NEEDED YOU!!!!! I DIDN'T LEAVE HER!!!! I WENT FOR HELP!!!!!! COME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Inu-Yasha nodded slightly before rushing out the door.
Sango ran to her hut and grabbed her boomerang before heading out.
"Sango? Where are you headed to in such a hurry?" Miroku questioned as he sat on the floor looking over his omen cards.
"NO TIME TO EXPLAIN!!! I'LL TELL YOU LATER!!! WATCH THE KIDS!!!!!" She exclaimed before running out the door again.
Miroku stared.
"Papa? What's wrong with Mommy today?" MiMiru questioned as she walked into the hut with Miku close behind.
Miroku took his daughter onto his lap and looked to Miku as he sat down beside him.
"I don't really know, but we'll find out later. Something tells me something bad is happening." He explained.
Miku sighed. "Then why don't we all go and see. It wouldn't hurt!! Come on dad!! You could use your wind tunnel! It's a good way to defend yourself!!!"
Miroku patted to boy's head. "Yes. But I need to stay here with you. If I let you go see what's going on, your mother would get so mad at me! Don't want that to happen, do you?"
Miku sighed in aggravation and went to sit on the other side of the hut.
Miroku smiled at the boy's frustration and then put on a serious face.
"Papa? I wanted to know….have you seen Karu today? I wanted to play, but she was supposed to be back home a long time ago and then come here. I don't know what's happening." MiMiru explained with a sad tone.
Miroku suddenly had that strange feeling that this was what everything was all about, or he surely would have seen Karu that day!
He didn't want to worry MiMiru though, so he put on a smile and hugged the small girl.
"Don't fret. Karu is fine. She's probably just out with Shippo still. She goes to pick flowers with him I believe."
MiMiru nodded and went to pester Miku.
Miroku sighed. *Karu…….so……this is what everyone is all upset about. I wonder what's happening?* He thought in his mind.
~Back with the others~
Shippo led Inu-Yasha, Kagome, and Sango towards the field of flowers that was Karu and his secret place to pick the daisies and lilies.
He pointed over to the area where he last saw Karu.
Sango stayed back to watch for others as Shippo took Inu-Yasha and Kagome to that spot.
Inu-Yasha was becoming more and more frantic.
What had happened?
Just then he found a small batch of flowers, dropped by he knew was his daughter.
He picked them up and held them to his chest.
"I know who did this………..I know what happened." He said stiffly.
Kagome and Shippo looked to him.
"It…..was…….Kikyo. She…..she came and took my…………." He felt tears and anger at the same time.
How he hated it that Karu had been taken that he wanted to fall down and cry, but how he so wanted to destroy Kikyo for what she had done, he felt anger and rage.
His fists tightened, but just as he was about to take off alone, he suddenly remembered the one most important thing here.
Kagome stood behind him.
Her hands shook with horror and concern for her little girl.
Her eyes filled with tears, and she didn't know what to do.
She buried her face into her hands and began to cry.
Inu-Yasha knew that Kagome needed to come. She had to be there with him, or else how could he defeat Kikyo?
He turned and held Kagome tightly.
"Shush now. It's okay. Karu is a strong girl. She will hold on until we find her, and I swear that we will. Dry your tears." He said softly in a caring voice.
Kagome nodded, as if being told by her father or older brother, and wiped her eyes quickly.
"I know….but…….how will we find her?"
Inu-Yasha turned to Shippo.
"Well? Do you have a slightest clue as to which way she was taken to?" He questioned.
Shippo nodded. "Actually, yes! If Kikyo did take her, that she wouldn't have been stupid enough to walk through the field where I could see her, so I bet she went into the forest. Deep into the forest at that."
Inu-Yasha agreed with him.
"Inu-Yasha? Can you follow her scent? I'm sure you could, if you remember anyway." Kagome stated.
Inu-Yasha sighed. "I really don't want to know Kikyo's scent anymore. It's almost something of a stench then a scent now, and plus. Kikyo is most likely not even living, only through maybe 2 souls she's stolen. She couldn't have a scent, and even if she did, it would be extremely hard to locate."
Kagome nodded.
Sango quickly ran up to them then.
"Nothing over that way, but I over heard Shippo's talk. I think he's right. Let's head into the deep forest. I'm almost positive that Kikyo took Karu there." She explained.
The other 3 nodded.
Kagome looked to the woods and began to walk ahead of everyone else, Inu-Yasha close behind her.
"Sango? Why are they acting so strange?" Shippo wondered aloud.
Sango walked as well, gesturing for him to follow.
"Think for a moment, Shippo. If you had a son or daughter that meant the world to you, and he or she was taken by someone you knew would do harm to them, what would you do?"
Shippo sighed. "Karu means a lot to me too. She's like my little sister. I feel like I let Kagome and Inu-Yasha down, because I promised I'd watch after her."
Sango knew that Shippo felt awful. "Don't beat yourself up because of this. It wasn't your fault. Karu just happened to wander out of your eyesight for a single second. It wasn't your-"
"YES IT WAS!!!!" Shippo interrupted.
Inu-Yasha and Kagome looked back at him.
"THIS IS ALL MY FAULT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED!! KARU MEANS SO MUCH TO ME AND LOOK AT HOW I'VE LET HER AND EVERYONE ELSE DOWN!!! SHE COULD BE HURT BECAUSE OF ME AND MY DAMN WONDERING EYES!!!!!! I HATE MYSELF!!!!! I WON'T REST TILL SHE'S FOUND!!!" He screamed as he ran ahead of the others, deeper into the dark wood.
Inu-Yasha and Kagome sighed.
"Poor Shippo. I know how he feels. How horrible it must be for him to think that it was his fault that Karu was taken!" Sango stated.
"But it wasn't." Inu-Yasha said in a serious tone.
"Listen. All that matters right now is finding Karu before it's too late. Let's go ahead and follow Shippo. Do you agree Kago-" He paused his talk when he saw Kagome not paying attention to him at all.
"Kagome?" He asked in confusion.
She pointed ahead of them.
There, flying deeper into the forest, was one of Kikyo's soul takers.
"KIKYO IS NEAR! I SOMEHOW SENSE IT!! AND DUH! THERE'S A SOUL TAKEN TO PROVE IT!!!! COME ON!!!! LET'S HURRY!!!!!!" She yelled as she ran just as fast as Shippo had into the forest, now becoming foggy.
Inu-Yasha and Sango ran after her with haste.
~With Shippo, and close behind Kagome~
Shippo ran faster and faster, but Kagome managed to catch up to his side.
"Shippo!!! Don't worry! It's not your fault!! It's no one's fault!! Let's just say is was Kikyo's doing, and nothing more! You know Karu loves you, and so that is how I believe she would never run off on purpose just to make you look bad! She's a good girl, and you are dear to her, and I." Kagome stated to him while running along his side.
He turned to her.
She smiled brightly.
He, not really feeling like it, but knowing it would make things better, smiled back.
"I know. I exaggerated back there a little, but Kagome! I was watching her! I at least have to find her for you and Inu-Yasha! She…..is so important to you." He stated.
Kagome nodded. "Yes. She is. She is like the symbol to mine and Inu-Yasha's love. I feel that if we lost her, a part of ourselves would go with her. Once you look into a child's eyes for the first time, and know in your heart that she's yours, and that you are to be her mother or father, it stays with you in your soul forever, and you can never lose that bond."
Shippo looked down to his running feet. "I'm so sorry." Was all he could say.
Kagome smiled again weakly. "Like I said. It's not your fault. It's Kikyo's. Now let's go get Karu back and stop Kikyo for good! Okay!"
Shippo nodded.
~With Kikyo and Karu~
Kikyo dropped little Karu to the ground in a dark thicket somewhere in the middle of the forest, where demons were able to stalk 24 hours a day!
Karu was crying and not knowing what to do.
"Please….please, miss Kikyo! Take me back! I'm scared. I want my daddy and mama. I miss them……and I dropped the flowers I was going to give them! What will I do, miss Kikyo? What did I do?" She sobbed.
Kikyo sneered. "Cry me a river. It's not like any of those things will matter in a moment."
Karu stared. "W…Why is that?"
Kikyo smirked then. "Because you'll be dead soon. In due time, your father and mother, and perhaps some of your other family members will be here, and when they do, I will slit your throat right in front of their very eyes, and let the anger and grief build up within them. It will truly be something to see!"
Karu's eyes widened.
"But…..but why? Why do you hate my daddy and mama so much? Have they done anything to you? Have I?"
Kikyo suddenly slapped the girl to the ground again.
"Fool. It's not polite to ask questions I'd rather not remember. I'll tell you this much though. Your father…..I tried to kill him 58 years ago, in this very village. I tricked him into thinking I was Kagome, your mother, and he fell for it. I took your mother's identity and trapped her within my soul, therefore fooling Inu-Yasha into believing I was actually the one he for so long sought. My plan was almost perfect, and I even took the lead of joining with the evil demon Naraku to destroy the half breed that your father was and still is. All was going well, until he was the first to attack me through his anger. I bound him to the sacred Goshinboku you know as the god tree, and in doing so, he was held in a deep sleep for 50 years, but on that same day, because of his attack on me, I too died, and my soul was released in the flames that cremated me, setting Kagome's spirit free once more. She was pulled the future though, unable to save Inu-Yasha, reborn as herself once more, and I thought my plan was perfect. Was I ever wrong. That wench mother of yours came back to the past, broke the spell I set over Inu-Yasha, and from there on, I shouldn't have to explain. I've tried many of times though to kill him, and still he lives. 5 years ago, I almost claimed his precious Kagome again through illness, yet he won. But not today. He won't make it in time to rescue his little daughter now will he? A thing so dear to him he would dye simply watching her death." She grinned down at Karu.
"So…you'll kill me because you want revenge? I don't understand! Why did you hate my father in the first place! In the very beginning! Why!!!!???" She asked.
Kikyo kicked her over to a tree.
"Shut that hole in your face before I decide to kill you now and leave your body for all to see instead."
Karu rubbed her side from which Kikyo had kicked, and nodded with fear in her eyes and tears.
~Back with the others~
Inu-Yasha ran quickly with Sango upon his back.
He hadn't planned on giving her a ride that day, but because Shippo and Kagome had ran so far ahead of them, it was somewhat hard to keep up without going at Inu-Yasha's rate.
"Look! There they are!" Exclaimed Sango after a moment.
Inu-Yasha ran up behind Shippo and Kagome and set Sango down.
"What's wrong? Is Kikyo near?" Inu-Yasha questioned Kagome.
Kagome nodded. "See?"
She pointed to the tree tops off in the distance.
"There are some more of the soul takers, and they're gathering over there!! That's where Kikyo is, I'm sure of it!!" She explained as the group pushed their way towards the bunch of soul takers.
~Back with Kikyo and Karu~
Karu sat there, and couldn't help but feel more weak and lost.
She didn't know if she would live to see another hour, or if anyone was going to find her!
She didn't want to, but she began to sob to herself trying to not to be too loud, for fear that Kikyo might just kill her for that reason as well!!
Kikyo sensed Inu-Yasha's presence coming closer, and Kagome's.
Kikyo smirked. "Well….I think I've had enough of you."
She suddenly reached down and again struck Karu in the face.
Karu was still crying, but she felt anger building up inside her.
"What's wrong? Scared? Do you now realize that no one will ever love you again after you go to hell?" Kikyo stated in a mocking tone.
Karu shut her eyes.
"NO!!!!!! STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed as she pulled her hand back and thrust it forward, hitting Kikyo's cheek with much power!
Kikyo stepped back and held her face.
It already began to throb!!
"You…….LITTLE WENCH!!!!! YOU'RE JUST LIKE THEM!!! NON OF YOU CAN EVER REALIZE THAT I AM BETTER!! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A………."
Just as Kikyo yelled this as she lifted Karu up into the air by her kimono collar, Kagome, Inu-Yasha, Sango, and Shippo pushed back the bushes to see what she was saying.
(Continuing on with Kikyo's sentence)
"A WORTHLESS, UGLY, CLUMSY, DIMWITTED, COMPLETELY USELESS, QUARTER BREED!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER…….AND YOUR MOTHER TOO!!! SUCH STUPIDITY AND RETCHED AFFECTION!!! I HATE THEM AND I HATE YOU!!!! NOW DIE, LITTLE KARU! BET YOU WISHED YOUR DADDY WAS HERE TO SAVE YOU NOW……." She shouted with revenge in her voice.
"NO!!!!!!! DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Cried Karu as Kikyo just about threw her up into the air, and set her bow and arrow up to shoot her with perfect aim.
Suddenly though, her blow was cut off as Inu-Yasha ripped his claws through Kikyo's back.
Kagome caught Karu before she hit the ground, and the uncoordinated arrow went shooting off into the trees, and stuck itself into a tree branch.
Kikyo spun around to face Inu-Yasha's anger filled face.
He took her by the collar of her kimono and pushed her up against a tree.
"HOW DARE YOU!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He screamed.
Kikyo tried to give him a fake look of "Please….I love you" expression, but he knew it was all a lie, and he wouldn't care anyway if it was or not. He could never love her!
"DAMN YOU, BITCH!!!!!!!!!! WHY!!!?? WHY DID YOU THINK YOU COULD WALK INTO MY LIFE AND TRY AND HURT MY DAUGHTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????" He shook her hard.
Kikyo placed an evil glare onto him, then grabbed onto his hands.
"Why? Because, my dear Inu-Yasha, I'm not stopping until I get what I want….revenge. I want to avenge my own death, and the death of my plan. You and that damn Kagome ruined it!! Your feelings for her was what destroyed my plans back 58 years ago, and 5 years ago too!!! I almost won…but you took it away and made me look like a fool!!!! I hate you, Inu-Yasha. I HATE YOU!!!!!!!! I WANT NOTHING BUT TO SEE YOUR LOVED ONES BLOOD OR YOUR BLOOD COVERING MY FEET!!!!!!" She screamed into his face.
She suddenly threw him to the ground, and stepped onto his hands with her bare feet.
"AND JUST WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!!!!???" He yelled.
She grinned with hatred for him.
"It's either your daughter and precious Kagome……or you. It's your choice. You can not escape hell this time. It's either I take you, or the ones you love most…being your lover and daughter. Think hard about this one, Inu-Yasha. Just remember one thing…..whatever you do choose….will be forever. So what's it gonna be? Your loved one's lives, or yours?"
Inu-Yasha couldn't believe what was happening!
Just a few hours ago, he had been so happy, knowing he was loved and wanted, always thinking he would for all time be free to love and be with Kagome forever, and watch his child grow into a woman herself……but now……Kikyo had taken it away, giving him two options he already knew the answer to.
He lowered his head to the ground, and looked over at Kagome and Karu.
He saw Karu's face. So innocent and loving. How he adored her. How perfect he felt she was, from the day he had first laid eyes on her as a tiny infant, only born minutes before.
Then he looked up to Kagome's face. The face he always saw in his dreams, and saw when he awoke again. She was the arms he ran to. The arms that he knew he would always be able to fall asleep in and never worry if she would get annoyed. She was his home that he would always have shelter from the rain or snow….and the lover that he knew would love him for all eternity. The eyes that looked back at him were to soft and gentle. He knew she could just about read his thoughts. Her grasp tightened around Karu as Inu-Yasha saw both of them.
His two most loved creatures. The things he never thought he deserved to have. The things he had for some long wished for…..but never thought it possible until the day Kagome whispered to him that she loved him. The day he saved her from death and pulled her away from evil and into his arms in which he thought he could hold her without end.
His heart shattered suddenly.
"GIVE ME YOUR ANSWER HALF BREED!!!!!!" Kikyo commanded once more, becoming impatient.
Inu-Yasha looked to the other side of him and saw Shippo, and Sango.
He also imaged Miroku and Kaede, and Sango and Miroku's children.
He saw happy times from the journeys of the Shikon shards, to unhappy times when he thought he had lost hope in everything.
He saw everything, and it was even clearer then before of what to do.
He looked up at Kikyo's face.
Such a still, unloving face, which he had been fooled by.
How he hated this, but……..
He stood up and lowered his head.
"Take me." He stated.
Kikyo smirked. "That's what I thought."
Kagome's world crashed down around her as this happened to quickly.
"W……What?……what are you saying?" She stuttered in shock.
He looked to her and then looked away, not wanting to see the pain he knew she must be in.
"Then…I will bind you to me and I will take you to hell….where you can repay me for destroying my plans……by staying in those hot pits until the end of time, doing nothing but regretting what you've done." Kikyo sneered.
Inu-Yasha looked up at her.
"But….but that's the thing. I don't regret anything. I don't regret falling in love with Kagome….or having a child with her….or swearing to be by her side forever…..or…….or giving myself to you. I don't regret any of it at all." He spoke with a wise tone.
"And why is this? Why are you even letting me take you when you know you have a chance at escaping hell. The Inu-Yasha I used to know while he was under my spell wouldn't do this at all." Kikyo quoted.
Inu-Yasha shut his eyes and looked to Kagome and Karu again, then back to Kikyo.
"Take me……..just…..don't hurt my family. I….love them too much. I love them all…..even that lecherous monk Miroku….they are my family…..and Kagome and Karu are most dear to my heart. Take me……not them. Because I know that this is all I can do now….to protect them." He said as a tear ran down his cheek.
"Very well. Perhaps love does have it's toll." Kikyo stated as the ground began to shift under them.
Inu-Yasha looked down and saw the ground opening up slowly around him.
The hot flames of hell shot up, not wanting to wait any longer to burn the world above and pull down the soul they had been waiting for.
Kikyo's smirk grew, and Inu-Yasha's spirit was burning away with every second going by.
Kagome felt the earth around her shake.
"Mama? W…What's happening? I don't understand." Karu stated with confusion and sadness in her voice.
Inu-Yasha heard these words and fell to his knees.
How could he bare to even think about losing the child he had loved in such a deep way.
Kagome held the small girl close to her and tried desperately to push away the tears so that she wouldn't worry her daughter.
"E…Everything's going to be fine, Karu. I….promise."
Sango heard this and frowned.
There was nothing any of them could do.
Kikyo had built up to this day, and her power was much too great to try and overcome.
This was one of the reasons Inu-Yasha knew he had no choice but to give up.
Sango walked over to Kagome and knelt down.
"I'll take Karu. She'll be save with me for now." She explained in a kind, yet saddened tone.
Kagome nodded and picked up the child, handing her to Sango's arms.
As Karu was being walked away, she looked over Sango's shoulder.
Inu-Yasha watched as she disappeared, her face already becoming a memory that he believed he would never see again for real.
At least he knew he had a child once.
Shippo left as well.
He felt that this was too much for him to bare, and so he left.
Now it was only Kikyo, Inu-Yasha, and Kagome.
Kikyo stood in front of Inu-Yasha, awaiting the ground's total opening.
Inu-Yasha clutched his teeth together and held back soon coming tears while on his knees in front of Kikyo.
Kagome just knelt a few feet away and didn't know what to do.
What could she do in the first place?
How could she save the one she loved most out of anything or anyone in the entire universe!
She didn't truly know, but she did know one thing.
She would find a way in time.
~Hi! Yep!! My last chaptie is comin' up in two more chapters! Hope you're enjoying everything so far! I am! HeHe! ^.^~
~chibikagome1@yahoo.com~
