Chapter 19: Unforeseen Solutions
A sudden pain shot threw Inuyasha's chest and it caused him to stop running in the center of the sidewalk. Sesshoumaru, who had been following him with Rin on his back stopped and looked at his little brother.
Inuyasha placed his hand over his hear and clutched his shirt. "I don't like this feeling…Lets' hurry!" He then took off down the street at almost twice the speed as before. They were so close he could feel it, he was also able to pick up her scent. The closer he got the more panicked he became. The smell of blood started to drift on the slight breeze and it was Kagome's blood.
A few minutes later they entered onto the grounds of a small shrine. Compared to Kagome's home this was tiny. There was one small temple with two even smaller side buildings. Inuyasha started growling and walked toward the temple. Sesshoumaru placed Rin on her feet and together they followed Inuyasha. The smell of blood was getting thicker, even Rin could smell it. Being able to smell Kagome's blood was making Inuyasha sick to his stomach. All three walked up the few steps and slowly into the temple.
Once inside the room, Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks causing Sesshoumaru and Rin to bump into him. He stood stiff as a board staring at the sight before him. By the far wall was Kikyo in priestess robes with her back to them, bow in her left hand, her right hand raised to something on the wall in front of her. "KIKYO! Where's Ka…go…...me………"
Kikyo spun
around at hearing her name shouted from behind. When she had turned around she
had moved enough to reveal Kagome's right side. "So she was right. You did
come. But not fast enough."
As Kikyo stepped aside to reveal the rest of Kagome, Inuyasha's eyes widened and he sank to his knees on the floor. Tied to the far wall was his wife, his best friend, his mate. His eyes widened further as they focused in on the arrow sticking out of her chest, blood stain down the front of her robe.
"That's not a sealing arrow is it?" asked Sesshoumaru who was staring disbelievingly at his sister-in-law. He heard Rin try to stifle a scream and went over to comfort her.
"No sealing arrows his time. I made that mistake once before. I won't make that mistake again." Kikyo spoke nonchalantly. "Almost all my planning was wasted too, Shame."
Noticing Inuyasha was in no condition to talk or ask questions. Sesshoumaru did it for him. "What was it you were trying to accomplish here anyway?"
"I simply wanted it to look like someone else had taken and killed her. Then I would go and comfort Inuyasha and he would take me back."
"Your crazy!" shouted Rin from Sesshoumaru's arms. An unexpected anger filling her eyes as she continued to shout. "You killed two innocent people for a future that will never be yours. Inuyasha doesn't love you." Rin pushed from her husbands arms and slowly stalked toward the armed woman. "He crossed time for her. He chose to leave his old world behind just to be with her. He created a new life with her. And you have the audacity to go against him and his chosen destiny. YOU BITCH!" Now only a few feet from Kikyo, Rin lunged at her, immediately wrapping her hands on Kikyo's throat. She didn't let go en after they fell to the floor, Rin was on top and applying more force.
Stunned for a moment by his wife's suddenly violent behavior, Sesshoumaru could only stare. When reality of the matter hit him, he rushed forward in an attempt to retrain Rin. She was so angry and full of adrenaline at the moment, he had to wrap his arms around her waist and rip her off of Kikyo.
Kikyo lay gasping for air as Rin tried to lunge at her again. "She was my only friend. She was the only person who understood why I fell in love with Sesshoumaru. She was a warm, kind hearted, loving person and you took her from us." Tears were streaming down her cheeks now. She tried a few more times to get at her but her husband held her tightly.
"Rin please
stop." Sesshoumaru begged her. His eyes held sadness also as he embraced her.
"You don't want to be like her. Don't kill her. There are far worse punishments
than death and I'll make sure she gets it too."
While all this was going on, Inuyasha had managed to stand on his feet. He slowly shuffled toward Kagome, a dazed, lifeless look on his face. Everyone I the room watched him. While their attention was elsewhere, Kikyo made a mad dash for the door. Without even looking, Sesshoumaru let his Poison Whip loose and wrapped it around Kikyo's ankles, slamming her to the floor.
As Inuyasha
stood before the lifeless body of his wife, he looked her over. He couldn't
hear her heartbeat either. With one clawed hand he reached up and shredded
Kagome's bindings, letting her arms fall loosely to her sides. The arrow kept
her pinned to the wall and the sight gave Inuyasha the feeling of Déjà vu. "Is
this how I looked when you found me?" The thought made his heart ache. "We
don't even know why or how I was awakened… But of course I was only sealed, I
wasn't…If I had known this fate awaited you I would have wished for death so
you wouldn't have met me."
"Inuyasha, no you don't. You two found your soul mates in each other. You two got to taste pure happiness and joy even if it was for a little while. Isn't your being sealed worth it." Spoke Rin, sad but calmly.
"Nothing is worth Kagome's life. She would have been better off not knowing me." Inuyasha growled out as he clenched his fist tightly at his side.
"From what you told us, she would have died if not for you from that centipede. You helped her to live several more years and I know she would have rather died knowing you then not to have known you at all." Stated Rin tearfully. She looked up at Sesshoumaru with a very sad face. "I would feel the same way."
Inuyasha looked up at Kagome, desperation rising to the surface. He stepped closer and cradled her head in his hands. Forcing her to look at him though her eyes were closed. "Kagome wake up, it's time to go home. Please wake up. Shippo is at home waiting for us. Come on you've survived demons, Naraku, even your soul being taken from you, this should be nothing. Please, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up. Kagome… wake up…"
Rin and Sesshoumaru had to avert their eyes from the desperate and painful sight. Nothing happened to Kagome at Inuyasha's pleas. Sesshoumaru couldn't take it anymore. "Inuyasha, why don't you get her down from there?! Free her!"
Having to pull the arrow out of her chest terrified him. Inuyasha couldn't stand it when ever she was hurt and now she was beyond hurt. He needed to free her like Sesshoumaru had said. Scared, he slowly reached up to the arrow and took hold of it.
*Thump Thump*
Everyone in the room stared at the arrow as it pulsated. The blood that drenched Kagome's robes slowly receded.
*Thump Thump*
"I thought you said it wasn't a sealing arrow?!" demanded Sesshoumaru.
"It's not! The blood is proof of that. She's dead, that's for sure." Kikyo stated bluntly.
*SLAP*
In the little time it took Kikyo to finish her last sentence, Rin had crossed the room and slapped her, and hard too, cause she was sprawled out on the floor massaging her cheek. Rin growled down at her then returned to Sesshoumaru.
*Thump Thump*
Once all the blood was gone from the robe, Inuyasha slowly started to pull the arrow free.
*Thump Thump*
With each inch of the arrow that was pulled out, the arrow and center of Kagome's chest started to glow dark purple. It grew brighter with each inch pulled. The moment the arrow was freed it ceased to glow and Inuyasha threw it aside. All of Kagome was glowing now. With the arrow removed, her body slouched forward and Inuyasha caught her, sinking to the floor holding her.
*Thump Thump*
"In…Inu…ya…sha?"
The sudden and unexpected whispering of his name brought tears to his eyes for the second time in his life. Inuyasha looked her over. She was still very stiff and cold, but she was breathing and he could hear a heartbeat. "But how?" He asked out loud Inuyasha then noticed the spot centered at her chest was still glowing. Modestly, he searched for what was glowing. It was the necklace he had given her the day she left feudal Japan. He clenched the necklace in his hand and whispered "thank you!" He then released the necklace and hugged her tightly. "I'm so happy you're alive! Wait…Kagome, sit me!"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Don't want to. Plus you're too close."
Inuyasha motioned for Rin to come over and hold her as he scooted away. "Ok, sit me!"
"No."
"Do it."
"No."
"Sit me."
"O…yasumi!" she faked then started to fall asleep.
"Not yet, sit me first."
"No."
"Just do it!"
"No."
"Prove to me you're alive."
"No."
"KAGOME!"
"Fine, Osuwari!"
*CRASH*CRACK*
Relieved, Inuyasha picked himself up off the floor and went back to Kagome's side. She was fast asleep now, but at least she was alive. He was so wrapped up in Kagome he almost missed his brother mumbling about him being a "masochist" which he wasn't, he just wanted to test and make sure it was really Kagome.
"I'm going to go out and wait with Kikyo for Sakaki to show up. He sure is slow for a detective." Sesshoumaru stated as he headed for the temple door.
"I'll leave you and Kagome alone. I'm going to join Sess outside." Rin moved Kagome over to Inuyasha's lap and stood up. "I'm so glad she's alright."
Inuyasha watched her leave then turned back to the sleeping woman on his lap. He fiddled with the necklace at her neck and a small smile creased his lips. "If you hadn't had on this necklace I would have lot you." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. Inuyasha stared down at her for a while before cradling her in his arms against his chest and stood up. He held her tightly as he walked out of the temple.
Detective Sakaki arrived just as Inuyasha was exiting the temple with a girl in his arms. Whether she was dead or just unconscious he didn't know yet. Off to the side of the temple stood the elder Shirokiba brother with his wife, both were standing over a pale girl with long black hair, dressed like a temple priestess. He walked over, eyed the girl sitting on the ground then looked up at Rin and Sesshoumaru. "Do I even need to ask what happened?"
"Probably not, but it might make more sense." Sesshoumaru said smugly. He saw the detective arch his eyebrow at him so he continued. "This girl Kikyo just killed Kagome…She was dead for at least 30 minutes when Inuyasha was able to revive her." Sesshoumaru started to think over the last 30 minutes of so. 'If only I hadn't left Tenseiga at home. I was careless to think nothing would happen.'
Hiro was surprised by the young man's words. '30 minutes! That's impossible… But he seems to be telling the truth.' He then turned to the girl at their feet. "So why did you try to kill Kagome?"
Kikyo glared at the detective and folded her arms in front of her. "Because Inuyasha loves me."
"Doesn't look that way to me." Hiro told her with a disbelieving look on his face.
"He loved me 500 years ago, he'll love me now." Shouted Kikyo.
"500 years? Well I must say, you two are aging well." Stated Hiro, still not believing her.
"I was reincarnated and Inuyasha is a hanyou that crossed time." Kikyo shouted again, as she got more and more annoyed. "He really has dog ears and white hair. And Sesshoumaru is a full demon and also has white hair. I'm really a miko from feudal Japan who was suppose to guard the Shikon no Tama. They're really demons! You have to believe me!"
Detective Sakaki stared down at Kikyo for a long time trying to make sense of her tale. He looked up at Sesshoumaru who shrugged then over to Inuyasha who shook his head. Hiro nodded to the brothers then walked over to his group of officers. He whispered something to one of them then walked back over to Kikyo while the officer vanished from the shrine grounds. Once Hiro was in front of Kikyo he stretched out his hand to help her to her feet. "It's ok Kikyo, I understand." He took her gently by the forearm and held them out to the side.
Before Kikyo knew it, she as placed in a white jacket. She looked around franticly as the other officer strapped the long sleeves behind her. "What's going on? Why am I…? I'm not crazy!"
Hiro shook his head at her. "There is no such thing as demons or half demons. The Shirokiba's are an outstanding and honored name in all of Japan and to call them demons is an insult and a travesty, not to mention just absurd. You will remain restrained until the day of a mental evaluation…Take her away Hakari."
The lieutenant that had brought the straight jacket took Kikyo by the shoulder and started to lead her away from the shrine.
"You can't do this! I'm not crazy! They really are demons." Kikyo thrashed about and shouted, crazed at what was happening to her. "Let me go! Unhand me! I'm a miko fro the past, show me some respect. LET…ME…GO!"
Lieutenant Hakari ignored he miko's objections and violent tosses of her body and proceeded to escort Kikyo to the police car. She kept a tight hold of Kikyo's arms all the way out of the shrine gates.
After Kikyo was gone, Hiro sighed then walked over to Inuyasha and stared down at the unconscious girl. "We should get her to the hospital." He followed closely behind everyone as they starte3d to leave. Hiro stopped suddenly and looked at the ground. "Shirokiba?" He looked up and saw Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and Rin looking back at him. "Your secret is safe with me. Youkai need to stick together right!?"
All three conscious Shirokiba's looked at the detective shocked. None of them knowing what to say.
"All youkai know of the Shirokiba blood. I'm a Tiger hanyou myself and I respect you. I'll keep you secret." Hiro bowed respectfully to them and waited.
They bowed back to Sakaki and smiled. Rin turned to Inuyasha. "We should get her to the hospital so we can get her home, where theirs family and it's comfortable."
Inuyasha looked over at Rin then down to Kagome. "Hai we should." He then led them all off the shrines grounds.
~******~