AN: Yikes where did all the time go? Summers half gone and I start college in a week! I had most of this chapter done a tree weeks ago but I was trying to get the next Ch of TFR up to par. Sorry for the delay.
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Inuyasha
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Inuyasha floundered helplessly, what the hell was he supposed to do? Kiss her? Ghost girl puckered up, eye closed expectantly. 'Uugh,' he shuddered. This was going to be like kissing Kikyo, wasn't it? Except this time he would be the initiator. He shuddered again. Her body was cold and smelled dead the same way Kikyo' s did. The only difference was the priestess smell like clay and bones too. Not that that made any big difference; it still wasn't appealing. It wasn't appealing with Kikyo either. Why? Because he was spoiled.
His lips had been ruined for dead women forever.
It all started two years ago. On her 17th birthday to be exact. Her family had thrown her a birthday party with all her friends and family. Coincidentally it had fallen on the night of the full moon so she and her family invited him to stay using the pretense of him being a friend from out of town.Kagome was so happy surrounded by all her friend and family, the expression on her face every time she open a present...Toward the end her mother gave Kagome her present, which she was asked to try on.
He remembered, quite vividly, sitting at the kitchen table annoyed by some of the vapid girls Kagome's age and then everything stopped as she slowly came down the stairs. It was as if he'd been looking at her, truly seeing her, for the very first time. The dress clung to her like wet cloth. And to this day, for the first ten minutes after that, he could remember nothing but curves. 'When did this happen?' He remembered thinking, When had she changed? When had her voice become softer? Her movement so poised and graceful? In short, when had she stopped looking like a girl and blossomed into a woman? He continued thinking along those lines till Kagome worriedly asked if he was alright.
But the real kicker was after the party. He had been leaving (he never stayed longer than he had to in her time) when he heard her quiet laugh accompanied by a deeper masculine one.
He was not jealous...but he had to check, just to make sure she was safe or whatever. Remember that scrawny twig boy, the idiot human male with the most gullible face. Well he wasn't so scrawny any more. Hojo had grown up too. Gotten a little taller, a deeper voice, his shoulders broaden and gained some muscle on those stick arms. Those arms were wrapped around Kagome like Naraku's tentacles.
Now he was jealous. He balled his fist so tight his palms bleed and lip rose in an awful snarl. It hit him so hard and fast, that was all he could do to stay put and not rip that weasely little bastard to shreds!
It was maddening, to see someone else holding Kagome like that, so intimate. Even more heart breaking was the way she gaze up in eyes with adoring amusement and a wistful smile...'When did this happen, I never smelled him on her!' He sniffed, actually he couldn't smell Hojo, only a stronger version of that perfume Kagome wore every once in- 'Fuck!'
They embraced for a while, like two lovers, but when they started kissing Inuyasha turned to walk away feeling sick.
"Hojo...mmwai. Ho-mm, please stop!" Inuyasha whirled about ready to carve Hobo up into tiny Hoho pieces. Kagome was smiling sadly (looking quite flushed albeit) and Hobo was grinning like an idiot.
"There something I need to say...I think you're a wonderful person but..."
"You're breaking up with me?" 'Yeeeees! Take that, Hobo!'
"Sorry, it's just I can't give you the commitment and time that you deserver." Hojo wilted like the pansy wimp he was. (Not that Inuyasha could say he would've taken it any better had their places been reversed)
"You a real sweet person, Hojo, you deserve someone who will be there for you all the time, not some of the time."
"I did I move too fast? Do you think we're too young?" ' What-what the fuck is he talking about! It better not be what it sounds like!'
She laughed, "No- no it's not you're fault, it's me. I just need some time. I'll be going away for a while after graduation to...settle my problem. So please find some one who will be there for you"
"I wouldn't care if I could only see you once a lifetime, I still love you, my sweet Kagome." Gagg me.
"But, but-"
"Don't worry Kagome, I will wait for you!" He said cheerfully, waving as he left. "And when you return I'll making you the happiest woman on earth!"
'Oh, hell no.'
He'd felt different after that, about Kagome. The idea that someone from her time could sweep her off her feet and take her away without him even realizing it, literally smacked him in the face and was very real to him now. He had skittered about her like a moron for a bit, then finally got the courage to do something
He gazed at her questioning face as they stood by the well. He took a step toward her, "Inu...Yasha?" she squeaked cutely
"Kagome... He leaned close. Close enough to actually felt the heat radiating from her lips on his.
...But at the second she turned her head and he met her cheek instead.
"I think it's better....if we just stay friends." she smiled wistfully, gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and he watched her walk away and disappear into the well with out looking back. He tentatively touched his burnt lips,
"I don't..."
Two years ago he'd felt the warmth from Kagome's lips and they hadn't even touched. And he'd been ruined ever since. (Especially for S.L.U.Gs ( Single Life-sucking Undead Girls))
From his hiding spot the monk gave him a 'what are you waiting for?' look. He would. Inuyasha looked to Kagome, he couldn't see her face very well but she gave him a 'thumbs up'. He felt saddened by this. Had she given up on him completely? Already?
"My Lord? Is something wrong?" Okiku blushed...well as much as a dead girl could, considering she had no blood to speak of.
"No...of course not." He leaned in and met her ice cold lips without another seconds hesitation...
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Kagome
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Kagome looked on impassively as the black-haired Inuyasha gave the spirit girl what she wanted. She didn't feel anything not jealousy or anger or hurt. And why should she? Inuyasha was a friend the best she'd ever had. But he was just a friend. That's all. That's it. Nothing more. She didn't care who he kissed. Not a bit. Not at all... Unless the kisser tried to drag him into hell. Then she'd have to step in and referee.
Some would be confused, seeing as she was the one who choose to stay by his side, regardless of Kikyo, back when it hurt so much to see those two together. Back then she was only 15 and thought that the pain and unspoken feelings might crush her. But then she released something, had an epiphany of sorts. It wasn't the end of the world. Yes, it hurt. Yes, it seemed unfair. So what? Life wasn't fair. Instead of spending the rest of her life pining after what wouldn't or couldn't be, she choose take a different stance. Build a bridge and get over it.
It wasn't easy, but step-by-step she put distance between her and Inuyasha that way, physically and mentally. That helped a lot and when she was ready she looked else where for love. She met Ryu. And discovered she wasn't the type for short flings. Then she re-discovered Hojo. After going to collage for a year boring old Hojo was not so boring anymore. He was the kind of guy that make the perfect husband. But she was living a double life and that made thing difficult. She was going finish this quest and live her life happily no matter what happened in the end. And she could do it without a certain dog eared hanyou
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Susano
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Traveling on foot, Susano found, was an tedious thing as well as very boring passage of time. All one had to do was watch were one step and maybe not even that. How could mortals stand this form of travel? Why, he could walk for days! It gave him lots of time to think, something he rarely did. (Which is the reason for his nickname the impetuous male).
His trek was interrupted several times by lowly demons. The land seemed to be infested with them. In his opinion, demons were the absolute scum of the all realms. Men shared this sentiment although they were powerless and often cowered in fear. But for him, and his kind, demons were beneath his notice except when they stood in his path. Those beasts were not worth the dirt on his soles and certainly not the air that sustained their life. But that was neither here nor there.
His sister had sent him on 'a mission of great import'. He snorted, 'She just wants me out of her castle. She could've just sent a messenger. What if he's dead already? This will be a waste... and a help to the chalice thief.' By sending him here, his powers were siphoned at twice the rate of that in his own domain. He could feel and see the steady flow of energy leaving him, as small as it was at the moment.
The mission: to find Kaguya's son. A half mortal whose powers had never been touched nor awakened from dormancy. But with his luck the man was dead already. Either way Amaterasu had given him specific instruction to find his niece's son. They were vague and few. The first was to find the village of Kikyo the priestess and the Shikon no Tama...
Susano slowed coming to a grassy slope. There was a small river at the bottom, beyond that a plain and then the settlement. It was a simple matter to jump over the creek to the other side.
A hushed voice spoke as he acrossed, "My lord, leaving so soon? Please stay and rest a moment." It was a young river kami kneeling on one knee. His clothes were simple and almost drab, he looked frail and too aged for such young and what should have been a healthy stream. Susno's brow furrowed. 'Not even the chalice could cause this much damage in such a sort time...'
"You look unwell. What ails you Kawagami?"
The kami looked a little taken a back by his forward nature. The kawagami laughed uncertainly. "My lord, do not trouble yourself with thoughts on my state." The river-god bowed humbly, "Why is it that you walk this realm, Great One? Ah, forgive me! How rude of this lowly servant." The nervous spirit bowed again. "How may this unworthy one serve you," This was why he stayed with Amaterasu all the time; he was too impatient to deal with fawning servants and wordy courtiers. They spent too much time worrying about politeness and etiquette they never just said what they needed to say and be done!
"Tell me of any recent strange occurrences," he demanded bluntly, interupting the man's long and deep bow. Homage was nice but did it have to be so lengthy? The kami blinked confused, "My Lord?"
He sighed exasperatedly, "It is a matter of such importance that I've come personally to investigate." A small lie but if it could get this guy to hurry up and dispense with the pleasantries. "Tell me even if you think it is unimportant."
"Well now that you mention it, o gracious one..."
Susano continuing his journey pondered the problems the river-god had spoken of. Rampant demons and wayward spirits everywhere, minor kami succumbing to the drain of the chalice causing disasters like the drying up of the river. These disasters were rare now but... 'That kawagami was fairly strong. If others like him are beginning to weaken...this world will soon fall into chaos. Who would want such a thing? It matters not. While Amaterasu is discussing what should be done and wasting precious time I'm going to take matters in my own hands and find the perpetrator immediately.' The sun's ray beat down on his in a seemingly angry manner. 'aah, Immediately after I find Kaguya's son' the sun went back to gentle sunny day, he huffed and continued his thought, 'then I'll find them and defeat them!' They wouldn't stand a chance against the mighty Susano!
So enveloped in his thought he failed to notice he'd made it to the rice field. But that change soon enough. 'Ugh that smell! What is that?!' It was awful! There was no denying that these fields were well fertilized. He wondered how mortals could put up with such a stench. Making a noise of disgust he made his way through the fields to what he assumed was a barn. He heard the clucking of chickens and the sounds of oxen and...crying? Curious he rounded the corner to spy a weeping family. An old couple and their young beautiful daughter (very beautiful daughter from what he could see) all huddled together in front of the barn. The old man was silently weeping the two women were crying hugging each other and generally making a horrible noise together.
"What are we going to do, Papa?!"
"I don't know, Mama, we can't just let that horrible monster eat our very last child!" He heard them wail. He was between gagging at their stupidity or...well gagging at their stupidity...But... A horrible monster? A lovely maiden in distress? This was a task for Susano, lord of the waves, ruler of the sea, the mighty- "Uh, can we help you...my lord?" a quite voice sniffled. The maiden stood before him, wiping her lovely violet eyes. She was a good head and a half shorter than he, but he was rather tall. She was of petite stature with long black hair, her face was ruddy from crying and her eyes were wet with tears but any one could see she was a beauty. He never knew mortals could be so stunning. Or maybe it was because he was all but mortal now...
"Kushinaide! What have I told you about talking to strangers!" Susano crigned at the old woman's shout. The old couple straightened themselves and hobbled over.
"Sorry Mama."
Susano turned on the charm, "Please do not be angry with her, I was traveling by and I just couldn't help but overhear you were having a problem. I may be of some assistance...
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Tsukuyomi
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"What?! That wretch! How dare she interfere in a private matter! You!" she pointed to the unfortunate messenger, "Tell Amaterasu to return my daughter at once!"
"But my lord it was Kaguya-hime's choice-"
"She will be returned here immediately! GO!" The servant scramble out of the throne chamber as fast as his feet would carry him. Tsukuyomi sat back down on the throne breathing heavily from his burst of anger. But this anger was spurned by worry. Worry for his daughter. True they were a bit estranged, even before he kept her captive in her own home for several decades. But he was unwilling to have her kill...It had occurred to him after he'd sent her to Amaterasu's palace who the perpetrator might be. It was only a matter of figuring out who had the power, the cunning and the motivation to steal the power-sucking chalice and bring chaos upon the world. The Old Hag of Black Night... 'I knew I'd regret ever dealing with that disgusting old witch.' Dealings with her or any denizens of the Palace of Eternal Night were expressly forbidden. But he'd done it seeing as it was a win-win situation for him provided no one find out.
"Remember my duaghter is not to be harmed, witch." He glowered at the bent over hag. A cold wind whispered through the trees, and the darkness was even inkier beneath the boughs in the moonless night. They met on neutral ground the mortal realm. But far enough so that Kaguya would not detect his presence and flee.
"And do not forget to wipe her memory of this nonsense. She cannot mourn what was never there." His plan was perfect, ingenious even.
Kill the human father and the son the wipe Kaguya's memories blank.
His careful and subtle influence over the jealous human Takemaru would drive the normally loving man into a rage, killing his daughter's lover. And if in the case she ever did recover her memories (a very real possibility she was his daughter after all) she would think he had nothing to do with it.
This way everything would go back to how it was before. His daughter would be innocent, obedient and safe. Just as she was before she got the notion to leave his domain and consort with mortals. All he had to do was wait till the child was born separate her from that wretched vermin she call babe....That would be the easy part it was simply a matter of forcing her to shed her mortal flesh.
The Hag laughed, an ugly sound that grated one's ear so much that he immediately wished her to stop. "Tsukuyomi-sama you insult me if you think I can not perform this simple task without mistake."
"If you mistake one part the deal will be moot, and I shall kill you and rid this world of your existence for good."
"Just don't forget your end of the bargain, hoshigami-sama...."
Her freedom had been the reward for her services if she used her powers to help him capture Kaguya, then he would release her from hell's prison. (She could only leave once a month as it was) She did help him but things did go as planned. Afterward he saw no reason to up hold his end of the bargain after all there was no way for her to escape from the nether realm. Of that he had been sure until now.
Somehow, he suspected, the old crone had found a way. And now she wanted revenge. Her first target would be his family, Kaguya, himself and that half-mortal creature he was loathed to admit any relation to.