Hello hello. Well, this is it. I'll probably be revising the chapters, fixing the grammar and other small things, but other than that, this is the end. Am I sad? More than I expected. But I'm also glad to be finally finishing an Inu-Yasha fanfiction.
Thanks again to Elton, who proof read this chapter for me.
For the last time, (in this story at least) I don't own Inu-Yasha!
Witness: Myouga
Ah, well…it's not as if I ran away. It was very important that I…patrol the land around the village. As Lord Inu-Yasha's domain it must be protected. I…wasn't scared…and even if I was naught but my duty to Lord Inu-Yasha himself could have pulled me away.
"What do you mean, you're going home? OI! Get back here bitch!"
"Inu-Yasha! I already explained it once! Don't start acting like a jerk again! Haven't we been over this? I'll come back! I always come back!"
"Keh." Myouga noticed that his master's voice was softer now, sullen. Eagerly the little demon hopped towards the two.
Lady Kagome is indeed a fine girl. She will make an excellent mate for the lord Inu-Yasha. If only those two could control their tempers a little. For one thing I think it would make for a much safer lifestyle. Alas, Lord Inu-Yasha is still rather like a pup in many ways. He tends to be brash and rude. Still he has won the affection of the Lady Kagome, if only he would stop being so…
Myouga's thoughts were interrupted when the two he had spoke of came into view and he realized that he was behind on the ever interesting drama of his Lord's love life. Obviously important things had happened. How else could he explain why his lord was standing with Lady Kagome, pressed against a tree at the edge of the well clearing, kissing her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Or else as if there was no tomorrow.
What is this?! Could it be? Or…could my senses have lied to me? Is perhaps some grave danger approaching? GYAA! I should have known! Well…I do have those important duties. I'll just check in with Lord Inu-Yasha quickly…
*SPLAT*
"Lord Inu-Yasha…" Myouga cried weakly as he unflattened his little body. He cowered before an angry growl.
"Myouga…" the voice was warning, trailing off into a louder growl. Myouga saw Kagome roll her eyes. She half smiled as Myouga cowered before Inu-Yasha's might. She was also blushing quite deeply. Both were breathing heavily.
"What have I done Lord Inu-Yasha? I just came from patrolling your territory and happy to see you yet alive I came to check on your well being. I had thought you were out of danger but when I find you thus, kissing the Lady Kagome so urgently I can not but wonder if my Lord is in danger still."
"So let me get this straight Myouga-jiiji, you ran away because my life was too dangerous. And now come back here but want to make sure its safe before you settle in for a bit?" he sneered dangerously.
"OH! How can my Lord be so cruel! I…I…"
"You cowardly little bastard I should…" Inu-Yasha squished the flea and smirked in satisfaction at the mumbles of apology muffled by flea's flattened body.
"It's nice to see you again Myouga. I had wondered where you were. I should have known..." Kagome made a face between amusement, pity, annoyance, and exasperation as the flea pulled his body back to its original shape. She stooped down, hand out stretched, allowing him to perch on her palm and be lifted up. Inu-Yasha finally sighed in resignation and smiled more warmly that Myouga had ever seen. It was as if a curtain had fallen from his young master's eyes.
"It's over Myouga."
Oh, how different you have become my Lord. I know you do not realize just how much. But your smile, your tone of voice, everything. You have become free. I know you don't remember that I knew you before your father died and I ran…but…this free you. This is who I think you were meant to be. In even that short sentence I can understand you. You are relieved, hopeful…
"What will you and Lady Kagome do now Lord Inu-Yasha?"
Did you ever imagine you would have a future to think about? I hardly dared to think you would have one. Always attracting so much danger!
"I don't know…Keh. Kagome wants to go home and 'put her affairs in order.' Keh. I don't even know what the hell she means."
"I'm standing right here, stupid. You could have asked me."
"Bitch."
But some things don't change, right Inu-Yasha? You are still you. It's only…now I can see in your eyes how little insult you intend with your harsh words. And you smile easily, almost carefree.
"What it means Inu-Yasha, is that I have to go home to drop out of school and to tell my family some decisions."
"Keh, it's about time. You could have saved me a lot of trouble if you just dropped out sooner."
"You know I had to wait Inu-Yasha. First I wasn't sure if you would…choose me" there was hesitation and embarrassment in those words but pride too. That pride warmed Myouga's heart because it was the pride of a woman worthy of his Lord because she would find so much to be proud of in him choosing her. "And then…" the embarrassment in her voice grew and she looked down and away. Gentle claws guided her face back so that brown eyes looked into gold once again.
"Because you thought I might die. You would have gone back then? You would have left Miroku, Sango, even the kit?" Inu-Yasha spoke quietly eyebrows raised and eyes wide as if discovering some subtle, sacred secret. Kagome blushed.
"I…It would have been to painful Inu-Yasha. I wouldn't have been able to stand more than a visit."
"You shouldn't have worried over nothing idiot. I wasn't going to lose to that bastard; I wasn't going to die. Don't you trust me even a little?" he smiled remembering her pretty voice whining those same words to him. "Stupid wench" he muttered sourly. And then, the almost always on guard Inu-Yasha slipped. It was only for a second, but the consequences were less than pleasant. He had, after all, merely followed his insult with a 'humph' and an arrogant looking flick of his head. It was yet another small show of how he had changed. Unfortunately, his play cost him.
"Sit." The beads glowed. She bent down and retrieved them.
"ARGH! You bitch! Where are you going?"
"Later. Dog-boy." She laughed twirling the beads around a finger. "I really do miss that sometimes" she murmured as she went
So playful. He always did need a playmate as a pup.
"Get back here!"
"I'll be back! Don't worry! I love yoouuu!" she sang the last words as she hopped into the well. A blue light appeared and vanished.
And what can he argue to that? I can now see myself living happily here. He will be so happy. If only your mother could see you Inu-Yasha…how proud she would have been to see you become such a hero. I had my own doubts about you for a while my lord, but how whole she has made you, how complete and at peace. She would have liked to meet your future mate, and to know that you had found friends.
He smiled a gentle aged smile at his young master, looking as wise as he ever had. Inu-Yasha's eyes were wide with surprise. He sat still a while more, pushed up from the prone position that the spell had left him in, hunched in a crouch, hair blowing lightly. Myouga couldn't resist. However, all of the companions had eventually found that almost nothing could wake the mind like little old Myouga's, bite. With a firm slap to his neck Inu-Yasha stood up resolutely, ready to jump down the well after the girl. Then he stopped, and though still looking perturbed, sat himself at the base of the well. It was silent for a long moment, in which Myouga tried to figure out the best way to soothe his master's temper without being squashed yet again.
"Myouga…" his voice was quiet, gentle. Nevertheless, Myouga was surprised and almost fell off his perch on Inu-Yasha's shoulder.
"Yes, Lord Inu-Yasha?" he replied hesitantly, shuddering slightly when he thought of times that a seemingly sudden mood change had merely been a smokescreen to through the flea demon off. His lord could be quite sadistic in that way.
"Is this what she should be doing? Her school was…Am…Am I ruining her life?" Inu-Yasha's voice was insolent, belying his worry. "Keh."
What is this?! After all these years he finally comes to me for advice…what to say what to say!? If I say the wrong thing…
Myouga had a disturbing daydream involving Inu-Yasha squishing him repeatedly into oblivion.
"Er…what do you mean Inu-Yasha?"
"She…gives up everything for me. What have I given her? Keh, I feel so weak. She's really going to quit that 'school' thing Myouga-jiiji. And what should I care, she doesn't need any of that crap she learns in her books here. But…"
"Ah…Ah…No, no, no, Lord Inu-Yasha! The Lady Kagome loves you very much! She understands what you need! I'm sure it is no burden to her! No burden! She is a kind lady, your lady Kagome."
Heh heh heh! I still have it! There now Inu-Yasha! Your life is finally falling into place!
However the flea failed to notice the still troubled look in Inu-Yasha's eyes.
"She is…My Kagome…I…isn't there anything that she wants from me? Isn't there anything?"
"My Lord is too generous! He thinks always of the lady Kagome! Be happy lord Inu-Yasha? 'Tis a fine woman who will sacrifice for her lord." Myouga smiled proudly and leapt down from Inu-Yasha's shoulder to his hand, patting Inu-Yasha's palm with one small hand.
So fine a boy. They would have been proud. Be proud Lord Inu-Yasha!
Inu-Yasha growled and smashed the little flea, letting him float down towards the ground as he leapt away.
"Keh. Idiot old geezer! Kagome is no fine woman! Kagome is…Kagome! Keh!" Myouga, pulling himself together once again barely reached Inu-Yasha in time to see the bright blue light before he fell through time, clinging desperately to Inu-Yasha's hair. And he heard his lord mutter to himself. "She's an idiot if she thinks I don't know what she's doing. Stupid, wench!"
Inu-Yasha hesitated in the well house.
Still goes in without thinking, still unsure. You know not what exactly to say and yet here you are. Your mother would have loved to see you like this Inu-Yasha, a young hanyou in love. Your father would have teased you. Not that he was much better…
Myouga searched for the distinct smell of the girl who had been here a moment earlier, but found himself having difficulty picking it out.
Apparently now decided on his course of action, Inu-Yasha headed in the direction of the house. Myouga, almost slipped his hold on his lord's hair as they left the well house and his senses were assaulted. So many sights, smells, tastes, stronger than in the well house, that Myouga felt slightly light headed, as if he had drunk a little too much blood from an intoxicated human.
What are you going to do my lord? Why did I come? Could I get back on my own? This all seems very unsafe! This world feels so strange, the smells and sounds all mixed and confused, the air tasting slightly stale. Oh, the things I do for my lord, to be at his side and guide him!
While Myouga boosted his own ego and resisted the urge to flee (since in this case it could only lead to more danger) Inu-Yasha had reached the house and knocked on the back door.
Strange home, large too. I had not realized how well born the Lady Kagome was. That makes her an even better match for Lord Inu-Yasha! And so magnificent a house, surely of foreign design.
"Oi. Kagome." He called. The half-demon's eyes were serious, Myouga could see from his new perch on the boy's collar. He almost missed the prayer beads, which had been his favorite perch.
Your father had eyes like those Inu-Yasha. When he felt he had hurt your mother by taking her from everything she had known, her family, her life as a human. Why must they always be so difficult, guilt ridden and pride bound?
The door opened to reveal her confused looking face.
"Inu-Yasha? What are you doing here?" she frowned, but it was more gently than she would have when their relationship was more uncertain and more volatile.
"Don't" he spoke a bit too loudly, sounding forced and uncomfortable. Her eyebrows raised in confusion.
"Um, don't what?" she smiled good naturedly.
"Don't drop out of your stupid school. It's not like we really have anything else important to do, with Naraku dead and…" his voice trailed off into uncertainty.
So generous he is My Lady, if you could only see. He is still so young and reckless, yet his heart has matured so much. Even if you had been able to guide him through life as you wished to, I do not know if he could have…No, he would have been better, less angry, less closed off from the rest of the world, which he still is save this girl. Though even you couldn't have made him accepted, could have spared him the difficulties of belonging to neither the humans nor the youkai.
"Are you telling me to go to school Inu-Yasha?" The girl looked truly thrown. She had most likely been expecting impatience, or absurd jealousy, or worry. She looked at him suspiciously, but only half seriously. Reaching up, she tugged one silky white ear.
"You are Inu-Yasha, right?"
He twitched his ear in half-hearted irritation.
"Keh. I guess I'm feeling generous today."
"But you hate me going to school. You always have. Every time I have gone home. Every single time, you have fought it. And now you are telling me you want me to go?" her look was one of unflattering disbelief. Though, Myouga, peering at Inu-Yasha realized that the hanyou's gaze that he didn't see her improper behavior as unappealing.
She possesses strange openness and unfeminine behavior, probably a result of her unusual world. She does not really act much the part of a lady. Though his lady mother didn't either. Headstrong, stubborn women. Hardheaded, reckless lords. No wonder my life is always in danger.
"Telling you not to go never stopped you before. I thought that education was the most important thing in the world to you." He spoke of her schooling as he usually did with a distrustful dislike and sarcasm. "You said it opened the world to everyone. You always seemed to love it so much." He frowned. "So why would you quit?" his frown deepened to a scowl. "I could never keep you from your damn school before, so why the hell would you quit now?"
"I'm not doing well anyway and I wanted to…" her voice trailed off as her eyes widened with a look of what looked to Myouga as some kind of sudden enlightenment. "Are you jealous of school?" the reaction was instantaneous. Inu-Yasha sputtered, turning a bright shade of red.
"WHAT?! JEALOUS?! Of-of your stupid education? I-It's not- I –Do you think I'm stupid!? A school's not something to be jealous of!" he looked at her darkly. "You must be joking." He had actually stumbled back a few feet in surprise at her words but had recovered slightly and ended with a suspicious scowl.
Incredible insight. She is already highly educated. I have seen her write, and she writes not only in the kana but in characters usually reserved for men as well. And the mathematical skill is exceptional as well, not to mention the other subjects, which I have never seen a woman, or any one human or demon, study as she studies them. It is only expected that she would see through you my lord. You are after all rather, ah- clumsy- when it comes to matters of the heart.
Sure enough Kagome was now smiling widely in amusement. "You are. You are jealous of my school. Inu-Yasha, of all the ridiculous things to be jealous of! This is really the worst ever! Stupid…" she rubbed her temples in fake agitation. "What to do with you?"
"Wait just a minute bitch! Who the fuck is jealous?! Didn't I just say not to give up school on my account? I won't be responsible for ruining your life!" he gasped as his fear slipped out in his anger. Her eyes widened.
"Ruining my life? How could you…oh."
So stupid…my poor stupid lord.
"Keh. You can't deny it. I hate your fucking school. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let you give up every one of your stupid dreams. Keh, I don't need anyone to take pity on me."
"Inu-Yasha…"
"Don't lie to me Kagome. Don't tell me that you don't mind, damn it."
"I wouldn't mind I l-"
"You would Kagome. I want you to have everything that you've ever wanted. I want you to be with me. But I- I don't want to ruin your life." he averted his eyes disdainfully, hiding in his pride from the humiliating weakness (in his mind) in acting so uncharacteristically sympathetic and expressive. "I wouldn't want you to be like the women in my time anyway. Stupid and mindless and obedient. " he smiled a bit at that, "Though it would be funny for a day or two" His golden eyes gleamed.
He's proud of her. How-How surprising. So tender. Loving. Is this the same angry, lonely lord who trusted no one, and took care of only himself? Worried only about being strong enough to kill his enemies. No. He's changed. More than he knows. And it's so…so…
"SO CUTE!" Three shrill female voices sent Inu-Yasha stumbling yet again, this time spinning in angry preparedness for battle. They quite suddenly found themselves surrounded by three excited teenage girls, who had move extraordinarily fast, even by Inu-Yasha's standards.
GYAAA! I'm going to die! What are these females? Banshees? Ogres?
"GAA! Inu-Yasha-sama! Save me! Kagome-sama!" His small voice was not heard, muffled by the fact that he was hiding under his lord's hair and the fact three excited voices were speaking all at once.
"That was so romantic!"
"You were going to drop out of school? For him?"
"Hojo mentioned something about strange a man."
"I thought he was a violent two-timing jerk?!"
"He's so strange looking!"
"Look at his hair! Is it dyed? It doesn't look dyed, but I've never seen someone with hair like this!"
"Are those ears real?"
"I want to touch them!"
"Me too!"
"ENOUGH!" Inu-Yasha snarled and jerked his head away as three pairs of hands shot forward towards his ears, promising to be much less gentle than Kagome's.
"What the hell are you bit-"
"He seems violent."
"He sure swears a lot!"
"Everyone shut up. Yuka. Ayumi. Eri. You were spying on me!?" Kagome's voice was shrilly angry. The three girls gulped nervously.
"Um…We didn't mean to Kagome."
"It's just we came to visit you to, see if your small pox had cleared up, and then"
"We saw you talking to this guy and we just…" their voices had, to the supreme relief of the two demons present, quieted to a tolerable level.
Just human girls after all. I was a bit startled for a moment there. Girls in this world are certainly strange, so willful. The lady Kagome is perhaps not as unique in that regard as I thought. Well, no, that's not true. I much prefer the lady Kagome to these shrieking, crazed females.
"It's…alright I suppose. Anyway, it's just as well. Girls, this is Inu-Yasha. Inu-Yasha, these are my friends from school, Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka." The girls giggled.
"Funny name." Ayumi explained.
"Keh." Myouga wondered why he could sense no shred of fear or repulsion from these girls. Were they possibly mentally deficient?
They see that he is a demon and yet do not turn away. Do they even understand what he is? And he scowls and growls and they think it is funny.
And indeed Inu-Yasha was growling lightly as the girls scrutinized him. Myouga watched his send a meaningful look at Kagome who sighed.
"The thing is…Inu-Yasha and I were just leaving. You see we- um - We're visiting some friends in the country for the afternoon and…"
The flea watched as their faces fell in varying degrees of approval to disapproval.
"How romantic! And I bet the fresh air will be great for your small pox."
"I can't believe it? Are you really that serious about this guy? Is he serious about you?"
"She could do better then you, you know." Myouga felt something pull at his heart as the final statement was directed as his young master.
Human after all. His heart doesn't really deserve it. Ah well, faithful Myouga understands, Inu-Yasha. Yes, yes…Jealousy. That's what I'll tell him. Pay it no mind Inu-Yasha. And please! Don't do anything stupid!
"Yuka!" Kagome was frowning.
"Well. You did say he was a violent two-timing jerk! He does look a little dangerous. Is he always scowling?" but then the girl gave a repentant smile. "But I didn't mean to be rude. I'm sorry Inu-Yasha-san. I was just worried about my friend. Don't hurt her feelings anymore okay?" Then the girl was all smiles again.
Is it only Lady Kagome who surrounds herself with such fine people, bettering them with her friendship? Or has human kind matured? Or do they just not know the fear of demons they once did…Are there really no demons here?
When Myouga pulled himself out of his surprisingly serious thoughts (dizzying, sleepy, lightheadedness caused as Kagome's world bombarded his senses, for he was a small demon and not particularly adept at handling the onslaught) Kagome was bidding farewell to her friends.
"I'll be back at school tomorrow, okay? I'll tell you all about it tomorrow!"
"Okay Kagome! We'll see you tomorrow." Her three friends chimed.
"Take care of our friend Inu-Yasha-san." One of them called back. The three girls were practically skipping, throwing the occasional glance pack at their friend, and whispering and giggling conspiratorially between them. But Inu-Yasha wasn't paying attention. He was looking at Kagome, who was smiling at him serenely.
"It's not so much longer, school I mean. Only two years more." Inu-Yasha nodded, and then hesitated before saying.
"What about…U-university? That comes after right?" Kagome smiled, and Myouga was mildly surprised.
Before he never would have used that tone, or let himself sound unsure. Indeed, he wouldn't have even bothered to store it away in his memory, such an irrelevant word
Of course the flea also realized that he should have noticed this before; his young lord had been more willing to ask him for advice and help for a while now. It was no real matter, and he was going into a sensory overload anyway.
Simply too many changes in him. And what with all the danger all the time, and my duties as his retainer taking me away from him at the most inappropriate times…
"I'm not going to go to a University. I was never sure if I really would and…Well sometimes plans change Inu-Yasha." She sighed. "Well, why don't we head back for the rest of the day? I was going to have to come back anyway. I forgot my geometry book at Kaede's again." She shot him a look. "It had better be in one piece Inu-Yasha."
"Keh. Why would I touch your stupid spell book?!" Kagome ignored him.
"And I don't think Myouga's going to last much longer." Inu-Yasha, obviously not having known that the flea was there, swung his hand around and slapped his shoulder absentmindedly and squashing his small companion yet again. Stars flashed in Myouga's eyes as he floated downward towards Inu-Yasha's outstretched hand, out for the count.
When Myouga awoke again, he breathed a deep sigh of relief to find himself safely back in his time. It appeared that he had been tossed carelessly into the corner of Lady Kaede's hut. Outside Inu-Yasha seemed to be winding down from another loss of temper, his angry voice twinning with indignant exasperation from Kagome and with the false apologies, excuses, and accusations of the monk, the taijiya and the kitsune.
"—nothing better to do than watch us. Keep you damn mouth shut Miroku!"
"—Can't believe my whole family was spying on us! And now you guys too?"
"—mean any harm. I just wanted to keep an eye on the houshi, and then we heard you coming, and just happened to overhear.
"—Damn lecherous sorry excuse for a priest! Damn all of you!"
"Inu-Yasha, we were merely--"
"Keh, you're always 'merely'"
"Hey, shut up you jerk! Me and Sango only went along with Miroku to make sure you weren't takin' advantage of her!"
"WHAT!! Taking what? With her? Keh, unlike certain priests, I don't need to "take advantage of anyone!"
*Whack* "Fuck Miroku! That hurts!"
"INU-YASHA! What do you mean "with her?"
"Stupid girl! You wanted me to take advantage of you?
The fighting continued outside, as, from the sound of it, Inu-Yasha began chasing his three snooping friends around the village after Miroku had elicited snickers from Sango and Shippou when he mentioned something about Kagome's miko purity.
Oh, my, all so volatile. Perhaps in a few months things will have calmed down, well, in any case I really should be going. I just stopped to check in, and now, regretfully, once again my duties call. Be strong Lord Inu-Yasha! Faithful Myouga leaves you with difficulty, only to work and protect this territory in your name!
Myouga bounded away, catching only faintly the beginning of a warm feminine laugh.
Beside Kaede's hut, not yet aware of the flea's departure, Kagome laughed as Inu-Yasha held the kit by the tail, booted Miroku and glared at Sango. The four looked at her in surprise.
"This is how I want our life to be Inu-Yasha." Her eyes sparkled at him.
"What? You want me to spend the rest of my life threatening to kill every damn creature in two worlds who thinks that our business is their business?!" he looked exasperated and confused. Kagome seemed to hear him saying something far different and she gave him a gentle half-smile.
"Yes. I want to spend the rest of my life this way."
"Keh, surrounded by these fools?" But, and it was a shame that Myouga could not witness the look of happy understanding that flitted across Inu-Yasha's face before he replaced it with a half-hearted scowl. "I'd rather have tea with Sesshomaru." But then he smiled at her and at the future, in a way that startled his three friends, who glimpsed a side of Inu-Yasha previously reserved for one girl. And for once they weren't just unwanted witnesses.
"Mmm…" Kagome half-sighed, half-murmured in response.
"You want to live in the village? We can't live with the baabaa forever. And I'll be damned if I'm going to live in a house with that dirty minded priest. And we'll have to make sure the well will stay open. Still got to do something with the jewel too…" Inu-Yasha let his voice trail off. "Still it's as good a place as any…for pups."
Miroku smiled his most lecherous smile.
A moment later, Myouga swore he heard a distant crash and three outraged yells.
Maybe it will take more than a few months…Oh, Inu-Yasha, won't your life ever be peaceful!?
The End
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