Innocence
by Sarah Barah
*Author's note
Konnichiwa! ^_^ Its meh! Sarah Barah here! What up ya'll? lol ^.^ I'm so weird.... *sigh* anyways... How have ya been peeps? I've been fine. I went to Pennsylvania to see my Grandma and my Aunt Cathy. We went to a scrap booking shop and I made a little book for my cousin's wedding! I'm going to greet the guests at the wedding too! Of course... that means I won't be here again for a bit.... so I gotta write, write, WRITE!
Chumoru: Hey! How come I wasn't invited? (
Etsuko: Because, baka, your just a character... u.u;
lol! That's true, I always knew that Chu was a "character" lol....
Chumoru: Oro? o.O;
Etsuko: *rolls eyes* Never mind Chu. It's a bit too complicated for your mind to follow...
ROFL! ^.^ *chuckles* Welpers, here's the disclaimer:
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters except Chumoru and Etsuko. The other characters belong to the talented genius of Rumiko Takahashi! lol
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Kagome climbed out of the well, using the vines growing along the walls to pull herself up. She felt the familiar tugging and slowly followed the place her heart led her. Without a single thought, she walked until her heart led her to the God Tree. Inuyasha was laying atop one of the branches, his eyes closed. She smiled as a low growl came from his throat. He was fast asleep.
Aw, he's asleep...
She climbed up to Inuyasha's branch and softly knocked on his head, waking him up. Inuyasha stirred and his eyes fluttered open. Then he looked up to see Kagome smiling down at him.
"K-Kagome? What are you doing here? I thought you were taking another stupid math test," he said, yawning slightly. Kagome looked down at the ground below them.
"Well, I thought something was wrong. I came here because I thought you and the others were in trouble. But, I guess I was-" she broke off when she saw the form of the hanyou maiden, Etsuko, coming towards them. "Etsuko? But, she is supposed to be in bed resting..."
Inuyasha followed her gaze and gritted his teeth.
"Etsu...." he said softly, his eyes wide.
"What's wrong, Inuyasha?"
He looked back to Kagome and then down at the ground, "N-Nothing." Memories flooded his mind all at once, making it hard to sort them out. He saw her, Etsuko, the same woman from so long ago. He remembered the time he had spent with her, and how she had grown to love him. That was before he left. Before he met Kikyo. Before their betrayal...
How? How could I possibly forget that?! Oh gods... how many woman have I betrayed?
"INUYASHA!"
He looked up to Etsuko, her eyes blazed with a familiar hatred. As familiar as the back of his own hand.
"Et... Etsu.....ko....." he had trouble saying her name. It had been so long since he had uttered that name...
"Inuyasha? What is it? Please tell me!"
Kagome wrapped her arms around one of his and looked him deep in the eyes. Then she noticed the pain and regret in his face.
"Kagome, you have to get out of here."
"Nani? But why Inuyasha?"
He pulled his arm from her grip and got up slowly.
"Don't ask questions, just get out of here, dammit!"
She looked at him, a bit taken back. Her face was pained, as if he had just ripped out her heart.
"But, Inuyasha."
"JUST GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!"
She climbed down from the tree and ran into the woods, and out of sight.
When he was sure she was gone, Inuyasha turned to Etsuko and jumped from the tree. Etsuko landed on the ground and set Shippo down on the ground gently.
"Shippo, you must leave us alone for awhile. Run off into the woods and find Kagome. Don't come back until one of us gets you. Now go!"
She waited until he had also gone, looking back once, unsure of himself. But she motioned for him to continue into the woods, and he looked to Inuyasha. Inuyasha nodded and he scampered away after Kagome.
Etsuko smirked when Shippo had gone.
"Hello Inuyasha. My revenge awaits me...."
"Etsuko...."
"DON'T! DON'T YOU DARE! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR IDIOTIC EXCUSES," she screamed, her eyes clenched shut as if trying to shut out his voice.
"I.... I know nothing I say can make it any better.... but you have to know, I didn't mean to hurt you..." he looked at her with sad gold orbs.
"OH WHY THE HELL DO YOU CARE? I'M NOTHING TO YOU! I'M JUST ANOTHER WOMAN YOU BETRAYED!"
Etsuko ran towards him, her sapphire orbs flashing, her claws outstretched towards the inu-hanyou. And so their battle began.
****************
Shippo found Kagome sitting alone in the depths of the forest. Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling to the ground.
"Kagome?"
Kagome turned, startled. Then she noticed Shippo.
"Oh, Shippo-chan, I didn't see you..."
She sniffed softly as Shippo put his hand on her's.
"It's alright Kagome. Inuyasha's just a big jerk..."
Kagome shook her head slowly.
"No. He's not.... it's not.... his fault.... I know he was just trying to protect me... but... still...." she started sobbing again, hugging Shippo. Shippo looked up at the sky through the trees, and sighed.
You stupid idiot.... you made Kagome cry....
****************
Inuyasha dodged another swipe of Etsuko's claws and then tripped her, causing her to fall to the ground with a loud thud.
"Ugh...." she said, squinting in pain at her shoulder. Then she aimed her gaze on Inuyasha. He was standing above her, the tetsusaiga aimed at her throat.
"Don't do this Etsuko. Don't make me hurt you."
Etsuko laughed, mocking him.
"You're a complete fool! You don't really think you can scare me, do you?"
He just looked at her, confused. She took advantage of the moment to grab the sword and pull it from his grasp, tossing it aside. Inuyasha looked at her, a bit surprised.
"I have seen hell, Inuyasha. I have seen hell and lived it! I have looked in the face of death and laughed! I have walked 300 miles covered in blood, AND YOU INUYASHA, CANNOT SCARE ME AFTER THAT," her hand went through his shoulder, making a huge hole in it. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground. But then he got up, holding his shoulder, and stared at Etsuko.
"I.... I can't take away what happened. But I can't let you hurt Kagome just because of what happened between me and Kikyo."
She smirked and knocked him to the ground, then she pinned him down. One of her claws, found it's way to his throat, and she held it there, looking into his eyes. His golden orbs held no fear, only sorrow. And as she reached into his mind once more, she could see his memories.
*Inuyasha's Memories*
"INUYASHIE!"
He turned to see a young Etsuko, running towards him. He was about 10 years older than her, but she still refused to leave him alone. No matter what he did, he couldn't shake her. But recently, he had grown used to her. Everywhere he looked, she was always there, by his side. He even felt a little happy to see her, because he was so bored of being alone. Though, he would never admit it.
"Feh, hello brat."
The young hanyou ran to him and wrapped her arms around him, "Inuyashie! I missed you!"
"Come on! Get off," he growled, pushing her away. But she only smiled.
"Alright. Hey, ya wanna go play? Huh huh?"
He never said yes, so he didn't know why she even bothered asking every time. But he guessed that she thought that one time he might change his mind. But no way was that ever going to happen.
"Feh," he said simply and turned away from her. But she wasn't swayed, she only jumped onto his lap and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Aw, come on, Inuyashie! Don't cha wanna play?"
He simply "keh'd and pushed her off of him.
"Alright, maybe next time then?"
"Whatever."
She smiled and yawned, leaning her head on his shoulder. Soon, she was fast asleep. A weak smile tugged at the sides of his mouth, but he sighed and closed his eyes, shaking his head and falling asleep as well.
****************
He was running. He had decided to leave. No one wanted him at home anyways. His mother was dead, his father was gone, and his brother hated him. He had no friends... well, except for that dumb girl.... and what did she matter anyway? She was just another idiot, like all the others. He would make a new life, and have a pack of his own. He didn't need anyone, or anything. He could make it alone. And that's just what he would do....
Then, a voice came out of nowhere. The voice of a maiden, not far away. It caused his ears to tingle with the sound, and he decide to investigate it.
****************
The sound led him to a young miko, her hair the color of a raven's wings, her voice soft and sweet, and her eyes calm and filled with kindness. She was beautiful. Her very sight, filled him with awe. All he could do was stop and stare at her, until she turned around. He hid from her, but she smiled.
"I know you are there. Please, come out."
"Feh," he replied, jumping down from the tree he had been hiding in.
"You have been watching me for awhile. Why?"
He kept silent and turned away, looking at the ground.
But she didn't pressure him further, but just continued on.
He watched her, but then walked away, back into the safety of the trees.
****************
Kikyo lowered her bow to look at the half demon, whose bright red haote was stuck to the tree with her sacred arrows. She could not find it in her heart to kill him, so she simply said, "Do not come after the jewel again, I do not want to have to kill you." Then she turned, leaving him to stare after her and growl angrily.
"WHY CAN'T YOU JUST FINISH ME OFF, DAMMIT!? WHY DO YOU KEEP SPARING ME," he called after her, but she did not answer.
****************
"With the jewel, you could become human. I know it is possible if you wish to," she looked up at him, his eyes burning into hers.
"I do. I want to be with you always, Kikyo..." he whispered this and soon found her embracing him.
"I-I want to be with you, Inuyasha," she said, staring into his eyes, "I love you."
He looked at her for a long time, and then pulled her to his chest, embracing her once again. Then, he kissed her passionately. In his heart, he knew, he had never felt so happy.
****************
"HAHA! NOW, WITH THIS JEWEL, I CAN BECOME A FULL DEMON!"
Inuyasha's mocking laugh filled the air, as villagers everywhere, ran for their lives, fleeing the inu-hanyou.
"INUYASHA!"
He turned to see Kikyo. Her shoulder was died red with blood, and he could tell she could barely hold onto the bow and arrow that she aimed at Inuyasha.
"DIE, INUYASHA!"
Then, the arrow flew, hitting him so fast, he had no time to dodge it.
"K-Kikyo," he said, then his world went dark.
****************
A girl ran towards the God Tree. The same tree he had been stuck to, for fifty long years. She wreaked of the smell of the one who had killed him, Kikyo. The one who betrayed him.
The girl fell to the ground in front of him, and he smirked, amused.
"Why toy with second raters, like Mistress Centipede."
The girl looked up. Her face was exactly like Kikyo's. It had to be her.
"Destroy her with a single blast, Kikyo. After all, you did it to me."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! My name's not Kikyo, my name's-"
He ignored her, seeing the one called, Mistress Centipede, coming towards them.
"She's coming."
"Hm?"
She looked back to see that he was right.
"Bring me the Shinkon Jewel! I want the Shinkon Jewel," Mistress Centipede screamed at the girl who looked like Kikyo.
The girl screamed and then a crowd of villagers, surrounded them.
"Tis time, Draw," one of the villagers shouted, as arrows flew at the centipede youkai.
"I'm saved," Inuyasha heard the girl say under her breath.
"Really Kikyo, I'm disappointed..."
"Listen you! I don't know who this, "Kikyo" is, except that she's NOT me!"
"Feh," he replied, "Do you really expect me to believe that I wouldn't know the STENCH of the girl who..." he broke off, looking at her, "Hm? You're... NOT her!"
The girl sighed, annoyed, "Get it now? My name's Kagome. KA-GO-ME!"
He looked away, a bit disappointed, "I'm a fool. After all, Kikyo looked intelligent... and pretty...."
"WHY YOU," she said, gaping.
****************
"SIT! SIT! SIT!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Inuyasha screamed, hitting the dirt. The hard fall, taking his back out.
"GET THE HELL BACK HERE, BITCH!"
Kagome smiled, walking back to the Bone Eater's Well, and waving, as she jumped in.
*End of Inuyasha's Memories* (well, that's not all of them, but I had to shorten it.... sorry.... :( )
As she looked into Inuyasha's thoughts, his feelings, his adventures, Etsuko started to understand why his heart, held darkness, and light.
She had been searching in the wrong places, the wrong ways. Kagome, had been the one to change him. Kagome had been the one to heal his wounded heart. She hadn't been able to. She had not even succeeded so far as to even get him to embrace her, without flinching. She couldn't erase his suffering. And now, years later, he had found happiness. Not in Kikyo, not in her, but in this girl. This mortal girl. In a way, she was jealous of the girl, for having taken the place of her, but then, she was able to see that he had felt so much torture in his life. He deserved to be happy now. He had suffered enough sorrows.
She moved her hand from Inuyasha's throat, her eyes clouded with tears. He didn't know how to react. The tears she had in her eyes, made him freeze, unsure if this was an act. But she got up, leaving him on the ground, and walked slowly away.
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MWAHAHAHA! I'm soo terrible! Leaving another cliff hanger! Well, things are beginning to make sense to Etsuko. But Inuyasha is a bit confused. Why is Etsuko acting so strange? One minute, she's trying to kill him, the next, she's crying! Sheesh, poor Inuyasha. Oh well, just stick around for the next chapter! See ya till then! ^.~
- Sarah Barah