17 – by Twilight Zero
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Ookay, so after tallying all the votes…the winner is the alternate ending!!! And so, here it is, I hereby present to you the alternative chapter 9 of the story 17, and this will start right after Naraku slashed Kikyou. Special author's note at the bottom, so please make sure you guys read it! It's not everyday that I get to ramble…oh well. Special thanks to all of those who reviewed and voted!! Itadakimasu!! ^___^
ooooOOOOoooo
"AAAHHHH!!" Kikyou fell on the mossy ground, her hand letting go of the jewel. Just as she was about to reach it, a foot pressed down her palm, threatening to break her bones. She winced and looked up, horrifed and shocked at what she saw…
…or make that – WHO.
"Inuyasha?!" her mind screamed.
"Keh, I never knew that you were this stupid, Kikyou. You actually let your guard down! Now that's something that we won't see everyday," the hanyou taunted. He bent down and got the shimmering jewel, his golden eyes scanning the orb with fury in his eyes. "Now that I have the jewel at last, I can finally become a full youkai! And as for you…" he looked down on Kikyou, "you're going to die here…you're going to rot and be food for the worms! Hahaha!!!!"
"No," she thought weakly. 'Inuyasha' walked away and never looked back at her. Kikyou, at the meantime tried all her best to get up, but to no avail. She had been tricked! All those that he said…
…they were just lies. She cursed herself for the first time, and kept scolding herself as to why she had fallen for a trick like that. Kikyou raised her head and looked up at the gloomy sky, tears welling up her eyes: "INU-YASHA!!! WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS TO ME?!?!"
*TING…*
A strange aura caught the real Inu-Yasha's attention, and looked behind his back to see if anyone was following him. He was sure someone called him, but he can't point out where. He was on the way to their meeting place and his hopes were higher than before. Finally, he's going to be with her forever! This is just like a dream…
When suddenly…
*SWISH* "What was that?!" he muttered as a figure dashed ahead of him with almost the same speed as his. His eyes caught sight of the blood that was dripping in his hands, and they smell awfully familiar. Trying to figure out the scent, an image flashed into his mind…Kikyou.
Inu-Yasha opened his eyes. "Kikyou's blood! Come back here you bastard!" and started a mad chase. His feet dashed faster than before and it won't be long before he eventually caught up with the creature. Taking a few strides, he leaped up and landed in front of him, causing his prey to almost crash into his mighty claws.
"Kukuku…she's going to die now…" it mumbled. "Kikyou's finally going to die…"
"Shut up!" The hanyou grabbed him by his collar and looked at him only to be met by a pair of cold eyes. "What the-?!"
"She's going to die, Inu-Yasha…and it's all your fault…" it teased. In the blink of an eye, it changed its appearance to resemble his. "YOUR FAULT ALONE!!!"
He was so terrified that he backed away from him, and dashed to the opposite way to rescue the great miko. "I'll deal with ya later, ya freak!! You're gonna pay!!"
Naraku chuckled slightly and watched the hanyou dash away to his beloved woman. Looking at the jewel in his hand, he concentrated all of his aura into it, and succeeded in turning it into a dark jewel. "At last…I've done it…the jewel's mine…"
Eyes flashing with pure evil, he spotted Kikyou's village. Time to execute Phase 2 of his plan…and then his revenge will be complete…
"Kikyou!!"
The miko heard Inu-Yasha's voice while she was lying down on the cold meadow. Anger rose in her veins and the instinct to retaliate flooded Kikyou's mind. Struggling, she tried to get up, with the safety of the village in her mind. But before she could even take a step a flash of red stopped her tracks. It was the hanyou.
"Inu-Yasha…"
"For the love of Amaterasu*, you're seriously wounded!" He came near her and was about to assist her wen she slapped his hand away.
"Don't you dare touch me!" She shrieked.
"What?!" Inu shot back. "I was only trying to help!" Then…it happened…
-= SLAP! =-
"You, trying to help me?! After what you did I don't need you anymore!!" Tears flooded her eyes and it blurred her vision of the person standing in front of her. No, not a person…
…a monster…
"You finally showed your true color, Inu-Yasha…I should've known that you only wanted the jewel! That's why you befriended me in the first place, isn't it?!"
"Kikyou it's not true – "
She pushed him back with her weakened strength. "All those hugs and kisses were just to make me soft towards you! So that you'd gain what you want!"
"Listen to me! It's not what you think it is!…"
"Stop! Stop with your lies!" Kikyou turned away from his gaze and brushed past him. "Never step foot in my village again," she told Inu-Yasha. "I don't want to see you again. Ever!"
Slowly, she walked away from that remorseful place, leaving Inu-Yasha stunned. When it was all clear, she finally allowed her emotions to be released…
"Never step foot in my village again…"
Inu-Yasha looked at his hands, the memory of his clone's hand flashing back into his mind. "You don't want to see me anymore? Kikyou…" and without him knowing, a tear rolled down his cheek and dropped to the lush green grass below, sliding down a blade before it plopped to the ground like a fragile pearl...
Back at the village, the villagers looked at the entrance only to see "Inu-Yasha" enter. Evil flashed into his eyes, as he raised the jewel that was in his hand. "Now's the time for my revenge!" he yelled aloud. "You humans…you all disgust me!!" The Shikon glowed with an eerie pink aura, and the mist of it surrounded him. "Grant me the power!!! Give me the power to destroy everything and everyone in this earth!"
All of them trembled with fear…
Lightning flashed and thunder boomed deeply as the ground shook, fulfilling its evil request. The sky darkened and turned into an eerie combination of purple and red as Naraku transformed into a huge black dog with three eyes, the third one on top of its forehead. Its green saliva dripped from its fang-laden mouth, dropping to the ground and melted it in the process. The being took a giant leap, blocking the evacuating villagers and gnashed at the front line without hesitation. Blood splashed on the walls of the nearby huts and cries of agony filled the place.
These were all seen by Kikyou…and her body became cold for a moment when she saw the villagers became instant dog food. She held on for dear life on one of the trees outlining the village, crying. If she hadn't left everyone in the first place…
This was all her fault…
"Bring all of the survivors to the shrine! Hurry!" Kaede was guiding the others to safety while men covered their escape. "Women and children first! We have to get to the sanctuary! Don't scatter!"
All of them rushed up the stairs of the shrine. Kaede was holding her sister's bow and arrow, ready to shoot the monster if it attacked them. Being the village's next miko, she has to fulfill her responsibility. After all, she has some miko powers in her blood, even though they're not as powerful as Kikyou's. "I don't want everyone to die…I don't want to be left alone…" she thought as hot tears welled her eyes. No! She musn't cry! She has to be strong for everyone!
Naraku already finished killing all of the men covering everyone, and averted his attention towards the women and the children. "Rrr…" he growed and ran ahead of them, halting in front of the Shikon shrine. "No escape for you cowards!" He rumbled in a deep voice. All of them cried in fear…
"Say your prayers!"
…
ZWING! An arrow flew past the villagers and hit Naraku deep in the legs. He howled in pain.
"Don't touch the villagers, you monster!!" It was Kaede!
"Grr…you runt!" he cried, wincing at the arrow which had the miko's power protecting it. "How dare you…!"
"Don't even try to retaliate!" She reached for an arrow behind her, set it and aimed…
"You bitch!…" Naraku got up slowly and headed towards her…
…when another arrow flew towards him, hitting him squarely on the chest, barely missing his heart. The place filled with his cry and he slammed on the ground. Kaede wisely stayed away from the blood that was flowing out of him, lest she's suffer being melted by its acidic property. Looking to where the miracle arrow came from, her tear-striken eyes rejoiced when she saw her big sister.
"Kikyou onee-sama!"
"It's our miko!" the surviving villagers exclaimed and rushed towards her. The weak miko fell to her knees after launching such a powerful attack. One of the village women tended to her wounds while the rest watched as the monster turned back to his non-monster form. Lying now on the ground, was Naraku holding the Shikon Jewel, with Kikyou's arrow on his chest.
His eyes glinted and sparked with fury, as he used up all his remaining energy to charge at Kikyou. In his palm, the jewl glowed evilly, and it powered up the fist that was holding it. "This is all your fault!!!"
………
"Sankontessou!!"
Kikyou immediately perked up, and looked over the village woman that was holding her. "That attack!"
~SWISH! CLASH!~
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH KIKYOU!!!"
I'm sure of it! "Inu-Yasha!!!!"
"What?!" exclaimed Kaede. The sisters looked at the red-coated hanyou push Naraku away from them. The one who was pushed clashed into the shrine's flower patch, while the hanyou stood in front of the villagers, ready to protect them in case the foe fights back.
"What are you doing here?!" Kaede demanded.
He shot her an angry look. "Well?! What do you think?!"
Ichigo, the girl from before grabbed the kimono sleeve of her mother, and smiled naturally…
"You – saved us…" she gasped.
Kaede looked at the girl, then back to the hanyou. Inu ignored everyone else and took a glance at the miko that was sitting behind everyone. Her eyes still have those look of mistrust, and she pulled them away from his gaze. The peaceful atmosphere was soon cut off with Naraku standing up, enveloped in a blazing purple aura. Lightning crashed in the sky, and cold stinging winds soon blew upon the place, tossing the hanyou's long white locks mercilessly.
"Amazing performance, Inu-Yasha…" Naraku grumbled, and advanced towards him. "BUT YOU'RE NO MATCH FOR MY AWESOME POWER NOW!!! FACE THE WRATH OF MY NEWLY-GRANTED STRENGTH!!!!" He fired a projectile, which the former merely dodged. Inu landed on a sturdy tree branch, which was soon blasted to bits by the enemy.
The logs zoomed their way down the screaming villagers. "Noooo!!!"
"I'll take care of this!" Kaede fired more arrows and knocked them all to one side. "Hang on out there, Inu-Yasha!"
"Don't worry about me!" Inu cried and dodged another fire from Naraku. "Worry about yourselves! Run away from here now!"
"But-"
"JUST GO! I CAN HANDLE THIS!!"
The younger miko nodded and pushed everyone to safety. Kikyou was assisted by some of the village women, but instead of fleeing she joined in the battlefield, carrying her bow and arrows. "Onee-sama! Don't go, it's dangerous!!"
"Kikyou-sama!!"
Inu glanced behind him, and saw her stagger towards them. "You idiot! Get away from here now; you're not fit to battle with this creep!"
"It's all my fault that the village is under so much chaos….." Hot tears slid down her cheeks, as she gritted her teeth in order not to feel the pain that's trying to tear her insides out. Screaming, she aimed an arrow at Naraku. "I'LL FINISH THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL!"
"No! Stop!!"
Naraku looked up and growled. Kikyou's spirit was flaring up, and overshadowed his own. "NO!!!"
~ZWING!!~
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A year later…
"…now, all you have to do is take this medicine and you'll get better in no time!" Kaede, now the village's new miko advised to one of her patients. It was the season of summer, and it was over a year ever since Naraku was perished. The village recovered nicely, and soon everything went back to normal.
"Kaede-sama! I have what you asked me to bring!" Ichigo ran over to her carrying a basket of herbs. She volunteered to be her loyal assistant, and was great in her field.
The young miko tugged at her red haori and shaded her eys with her palm. She smiled, while looking at the blue sky. She never felt so good in her entire life.
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The now 18-year old Kikyou sat on the same spot where she and Inu-Yasha talked calmly for the first time before. The gentle winds tossed her long eartails gracefully, while the rest of her hair was tied in a single bun, adorned with sakura-designed combs. For the first time in her life, she sported a white kimono, with a wide purple sash and a purple scarf. (A/N: Just like Tomoe's outfit from Rurouni Kenshin…looks good on her, ne? ^-~) Her heart-shaped face was gleaming with radiance, as she surveyed the village from afar.
"That kimono looks good on you…"
She looked over her left shoulder and saw Inu-Yasha smiling at her. He was still wearing that firey red outfit of his, and his long hair was secured in a low ponytail, perfectly emphasizing his dog-like ears. "So, what can you say about your younger sister now?"
Kikyou nodded. "She's doing a great job, in fact. The village people love her."
Inu-Yasha looked shocked. "Even greater than what you yourself have done?" he asked, wide-eyed.
"She's more faithful to the responsibilities than me…yet I can't help but envy her…" The memory of Naraku's defeat came back to her. "After that battle, the Shikon no Tama can't be purified any more and is no more than a small orb of glass. He used up all its power and in the end, that power was used against him…because of that there's no need for Kaede to protect it anymore…"
"I didn't know that you can get jealous too."
"I'm still human, you know." She stood up and bowed slightly before him. "I have to go now."
Inu-Yasha's face softened a bit. "But you're now free Kikyou…aren'y you happy?"
She froze in her steps, and looked at him. "I'm happy…I just don't know how to express it."
He was taken aback. "Keh…it seems that your poker-face stayed with ya permanently!" Inu-Yasha crossed his arms and glared at her naughtily. Kikyou smiled and walked back to him. She caressed his face and leaned towards him. Inu stiffened.
"Yet this 'poker-face' of mine disappears when I do this…"
Inu Yasha said nothing after that, as she met his lips with hers. They ignored the world and everything else. For now, all that matters to them is each other…
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* Epilogue *
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History created a new chapter, as a girl emerged from the Bone-eaters well dressed in a school uniform. After the painstaking effort to climb out of the well, she was greeted with a lush green scenery. Shocked, she sat on the well's edge, observing everything around her…
"Where am I?"
A black-haired young man emerged from the bushes from the sides. Not so long ago, he smelled a seemingly sweet side coming from the direction of the well. Curious, he decided to check it out, and came face to face with a stranger. His dog-like ears perked when he heard her question.
"New to this place, lady?"
The one who was called looked at him, and he found it hard to take his gaze away from her. She hopped down and walked towards him in an excited manner. "Do you live around here?"
He crossed his arms. "No, I don't." He replied sarcastically.
"I was just asking!" she exclaimed. The boy looked at her outfit, and he regretted asking her his earlier question. "I guess you are new here. What's with the outfit? You look strange."
In return, she looked at his old-style gi. A blazing, yet somehow dark combination of red and black. His hakama's red and black and was paired with a pair of loose black haori. "You look weird yourself. Those clothes are so old-fashioned! Anyways," she brushed past him. "I need to find a way home."
He looked behind her. "Uh…excuse me miss…"
"What?!" she exclaimed, still walking. He was trying to warn her of a loose root that was sprawling on the ground. It tripped her and was about to fall flat on the ground if it hadn't for his swift aid. The boy caught her on the waist, flinging her long black hair in front and rested on her shoulders.
"I told you…I was trying to tell you about that root." He let her go.
"Then why didn't you told me about it sooner!? Geez, I sure hope that nothing's broken…"
He "chi"ed. "By the way, what's your name?" the girl asked.
"What?"
"I'm asking for your name. My name's Higurashi Kagome." Kagome extended her right hand for the boy to shake, but it seems that in his world, handshake is not a popular custom. He just stared at her hand like it was the greatest thing he saw, then stared at her face.
"My name's Youya," he finally replied. It was then that Kagome noticed something strange on him – he had doggy ears. Intrigued, she leaned forward to touch them.
"Are these real?!"
~PETPET~
"Hey! Leggo of the ears!!" he yelled. Youya took hold of Kagome's small wrists and pulled her away from him.
"So those are real, then," she concluded with amazement. "How cute!"
"Well – haven't you seen a boy with dog-like ears before?!" he stuttered, blushing a bit. Kagome just answered him with a "Does it look like I have?" look. He smirked.
"So, want to stop by at my village? You look tired, my mom can take care of you!"
The couple walked back to Youya's village. "Your mother?" Kagome asked.
"Yeah…" he nodded. "She's the village's former priestess. You know what, my mom once tripped from that very same root back there…well, that's what my dad told me…"
THE END…
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Finally! The story "17" has reached its conclusion! I'm sure you Kagome fans didn't like the way things turned out in the end, but – come on! I just think that it's cute for her to be paired with Inu and Kikyou's son! Lol…me and my wild imagination…right now, I can imagine you guys cursing me this minute…evil aren't I? Hehe…
Oh yeah, if you're wondering about Youya's name…(You-ya), the "You" is actually short for "Youkai" and "Ya" is the kanji reading of "night". See, the 2nd kanji in Inu-Yasha's name actually means "night", just like Tooya's name in Ayashi no Ceres which means "ten nights". Oh well…I hope you guys got that one. ^^;
But just to let you peeps know, I'm absolutely not a Kikyou fan, and just like I said in my author's notes, it's time that I write Kikyou fics for a change because most of my former stories mainly focus on the IY/Kag pairing. So flame me if you want(hehe, I'm actually brave today ^^)…coz this going to be my last IY story! I don't really care …but to those who aren't going to curse me, may Kami-sama bless your kind hearts! (hugs random ppls)
I hope you guys liked this alternate ending as much as I liked writing it! Well what are you waiting for, send in those reviews now and tell me what you think! Sayonara!!
~Twilight Zero