Disclaimer: I own Inuyasha manga but no Inuyasha… ::sighs:: If only the two could swap places…
A/N: I'm sorry for such a long wait! I had slight writer's block. I don't have anything else to say, so on with the chapter!!
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Ch. 11: Preparations of Departure
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Lady Higurashi burst into the palace just as the four would-be travelers were on the verge of leaving. She was breathing heavily and her strands of her hair had fallen from her normally perfect bun.
"Where's my baby?" She demanded. "Is she all right?"
Kikyou emerged behind them. "I'm all right, Mother," she said calmly.
The queen gave a deep sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging noticeably, as she allowed the stress to leave her. She embraced her daughter tightly. "Oh, Kikyou, I'm so happy you're okay! I was sure I was going to lose you after today." Tears began to build behind her closed eyelids.
Kikyou patted her mother's back, "It's okay, Mother, I'm fine now."
The two kings and the other queen entered several minutes later, seemingly in less hurry, however upon closer examination of their faces, one could tell that they were indeed worried. Queen Myeko hugged her son in relief just as Queen Hatsuyo had done. Inuyasha blushed slightly at the public display of affection and Kagome smiled.
"Oh, you're both okay!" Myeko beamed after withdrawing from the hug, "Now we can have the wedding after all!"
"Yes, just ignore the rest of us," Miroku muttered dryly.
The queens clasped hands happily.
"We'll have to have lots of beautiful flowers…" Myeko began.
"… And the most exquisite food!" Hatsuyo finished.
"And the decorations! We must bring in experts."
"I'll we have to get the finest tailors to sew the most beautiful wedding dress!"
"Oh! And we'll have to send out invitations to all the people in both our kingdoms!"
"And we'll have to…"
The two women continued to go on and on until Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore.
"No!" He said in a slightly raised voice.
Myeko and Hatsuyo ceased talking and looked at him.
"No, what do you mean no?" His mother asked him.
"I…" Inuyasha looked at them nervously. He had meant to tell his parents in private, but now he had the undivided attention of everyone in the room, including those of Higurashi family. "There will be no wedding," he said quietly.
"And why is that, son?" King Inutaisho said in a controlled voice.
"I don't love Kikyou," Inuyasha replied. "So I can't bring myself to marry her… when I love another." He smiled at Kagome weakly.
Inutaisho's face grew red in anger, his control gone. He stomped up to his son. "What are you doing to yourself, Inuyasha?!" He hissed venomously. "That girl is merely a robot. It has no emotions and it is not alive. How can you love that?! You would give up a prosperous relationship just for a little puppy love?"
Inuyasha met his father's glare. "How dare you, Father! Kagome is not just a robot! She has feelings and she loves me just as much as I love her!"
Miroku nudged Kagome in the ribs slyly at this.
"You will marry Kikyou, Inuyasha!" Inutaisho barked. "You are insulting our guests!"
"Fuck the guests! I don't care!" Inuyasha shouted. "I won't be polite if it means I'll be making the biggest mistake of my life!"
In his anger, Lord Inutaisho suddenly struck his son across the face forgetting everyone else in the room. It was a light blow, but it still sent Inuyasha crashing to the ground. Queen Myeko gasped and rushed in to grab her husband's arm.
"Please, Inutaisho, calm down! It's okay, we'll talk to him, but just calm down!" She beseeched.
The elder demon dog seemed unaware of her pleading, his eyes bleeding red. He raised his other arm to strike his son again.
Without warning, Kagome rushed in front of him, her arms spread to shield her love. "Stop!"
Inutaisho's fist slowed its descent. In a low voice he spoke, "Move, girl, or I'll be forced to hit you too."
"No," she said, trembling visibly, "I won't let you hurt him."
"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered, still holding his cheek where the blow had landed, "Just get out of the way, Kagome."
She looked over her shoulder at him. "No," she said shaking her head. "He may be your father, but he's just shown that it doesn't bother him to strike you. I won't let you get hurt."
Inuyasha's eyes softened. He stood up, shakily, using Kagome's shoulder as support, and faced his dad. "Don't hurt her, Father. She has nothing to do with this."
"She has everything to do with this! She is the reason you are not going through with this perfect marriage!" He growled.
"Perfect, huh?" Inuyasha chuckled bitterly. "You mean there's nothing more perfect than a man marrying a spoiled brat he doesn't love?"
Sango slapped a hand to her forehead, wishing he would just shut his mouth.
Inutaisho shot a glance at the Higurashi family. They seemed a bit upset at the insults hurled at them. "Inuyasha, you are upsetting our guests. I will not have you speaking the this manner while the Higurashis are here!"
"I don't want to marry Kikyou, Father! Why can't you understand that? Sesshoumaru is going to marry someone he loves, so why can't I?" He demanded.
"This is different."
"How? How is it different? Tell me!"
Kagome watched helplessly as they raged at each other. One simple statement had escalated to a full out battle between father and son. And she was the cause of it. She felt extremely guilty for providing such a rift between their relationship, but what could she do? She looked to the others and saw that they seemed at a loss as well.
Gently, she put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Please, stop fighting." She begged him quietly. It was unlike her to be so submissive, she knew, but at the moment, more shouting would only add to the chaos.
Inuyasha felt her voice calm him and his tense muscles relaxed somewhat. "Father," he said in a weary voice, "I don't want to argue with you anymore. We have to go."
"Go where?" Inutaisho asked icily.
Miroku decided now would be a good time to interrupt. "To Toutousai's, Milord. We have reason to believe Naraku has something sinister planned and we wish seek out the blacksmith Toutousai to learn what he knows." Miroku bowed respectfully.
"You will be going nowhere," King Inutaisho replied coldly.
"You don't have say in that, Father," Inuyasha said bravely, "If we don't go, it could affect everyone in the kingdom, in both kingdoms! He already almost killed Kagome."
"I said you will not go!" The older man shouted.
Lady Myeko pulled him to one side, out of earshot of everyone else.
"Maybe we should let them go." She started quietly.
"Are you out of your mind, Myeko?" He demanded.
"No… but just think, he'd probably restless right now. He needs adventure and the threat of Naraku is indeed serious. He will come to his right mind when he gets back."
Inutaisho scoffed, "Yeah right, he'll just take this chance to get alone with his little girlfriend."
"No," she said, shaking her head, "we'll let Princess Kikyou come along with them."
He stared at her, "You're really serious about this?"
She smiled, "Of course. Every man needs an adventure in his lifetime. You had one too, don't you remember?"
"You'd think I'd forget? It was because of that adventure I met you," he grinned.
"Yes, my dashing knight in shinning armor, saving me from the witch that held me captive in my own home," she said wistfully, "So will you do it? We'll let Kikyou come with them and she can bring her own servant to help her."
Inutaisho sighed reluctantly, "All right."
The two returned the rest and announced their assent.
"But," Inutaisho said in a voice that told them there
would be no arguing, "You must take Kikyou with you."
Kikyou smiled happily and Inuyasha groaned.
Within minutes, preparations had been made and they were set to leave for Toutousai's. The Higurashi family had ordered their most faithful servant to go with Kikyou. He was a skinny, pale man by the name of Shinidama-Chuu. Inutaisho made it known if they decided to ditch the servant, they would also be in trouble because he would also serve as their guide.
And so they set off, ready to face the unknown of the road ahead of them.
^_~
After approximately a half hour of traveling, Inuyasha already began to get annoyed. At first he was content to just hold Kagome's hand, but apparently, that didn't go well with Kikyou. She was constantly breaking into their silence, not to mention the bothersome slaps in the background, courtesy of Miroku's perverted nature and Sango's indignation.
He sighed and continued to trudge along annoyed with a persistent Kikyou, a bickering couple, and a silent Kagome. Oh yeah, and that Shinidama-whatever guy too.
^_~
Kanna, offspring of Naraku, shined the mirror at her master as he studied it carefully. A humorless grin spread across his face as he watched the six of them approach the cave of Toutousai. Kanna watched him passively, her blank, black eyes staring into nothingness.
"Perfect, everything is going well," he said to himself. "Kagura!" He summoned.
A small whirlwind picked up and Kagura appeared in its midst. "Yes?" She had a bored expression on her face.
"I want you to follow Inuyasha and his little group. Make sure they get to the old blacksmith's place with no interruptions. When they get there, report back to me."
Kagura eyed him wearily, "What is it that you have planned, Naraku?"
"It is only your job to follow my orders. My plans do not concern you."
She wanted to retort that if she was being ordered to follow those plans, they did concern her, but she held it back. "Very well, master." She spat out the word. Pulling a pure white feather from her hair, she flung it into the air. It transformed into a larger feather, fifty times the size of the original, and she jumped onto it. The feather whisked her away.
Naraku smiled to himself and pressed the tips of his fingers together.
Everything was going according to plan.
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A/N: Yes, I do realize that last line was very cliché ^_^ Ah well, you guys will still review right? Right?? LOL. Hey this chapter was 300 words more than the last! Yay! Cattykit's getting her touch back ^^ Anyway, review y'all!
By the way, the review responses will be short, sorry! But if you want the chapter out faster, it's going to have to be that way… U_U
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Review Responses (18 reviews… ::does double take:: THANK YOU SO MUCH!!)
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Queeney: Thanks! I think I actually have a plan in mind for Kikyou now. It's very vague though… and thanks for reviewing thrice! I'm sorry I took so long to update. Blah, I hate writer's block… Chihiro-tears: Don't worry I will ^_^ Footballchik21: Hi! You finally got a penname I see ^^ Nope, sorry I can't tell you what's going to happen ^^ where would the fun in that be? It's going to get very complicated… The conversation's not going to go on, but they're going to visit Toutousai. And Mushin has the Shikon no Tama because it was a family heirloom… but that might change if I find another reason. Brie: No, Kagome's not human again and I'll get to why Naraku didn't kill Kikyou later. Thanks for reviewing! Pinksakurablossom04: So many plot bunnies, eh? LOL. Thanks for the review! KamalaKali: ::sighs:: I got the last chapter out so fast and this one out so slow ^_^ I'm glad you like this story! It makes me feel loved LOL. Thanks! Amberescence: You're just very sharp that's what! I'm very lucky for your help, thank you so much! Kikyouiscoolbutisevil: Kagome is alive but not human. I don't think Myouga will be in this and no… I'm going to keep Rin as she is. Thanks for the suggestions though! Inutikidudez: I can't tell you that… LOL. inuyasha_kagome: Kagome didn't die because she's an Android and the resilience she has is from the power Naraku gave Mushin. I'll tell you what happened to Kagome's eyes later on in the story and for your last question… I can't tell you ^_^ I'm glad you have questions though! If you have anymore, feel free to ask! Thanks for the review! A Reader: Yeah, I know it's a little doubtful… it's a love at first sight kinda thing. Heehee, I'm a major grammar/spelling freak so you don't have to worry about those from me! (Unless I'm being careless ^_^) Thanks for the review! Ilukaiba: Thank you!! I really do love that story of yours. When are you going to update?? LOL. Thanks for the review! Chikachisato: Thanks! Yeah, it is going pretty fast… sorry! Super Hyper Anime Lover: Thanks! Yotaka: Aww… that's too bad. Thanks so much! And sorry for this insanely short RR but I really have to go or my Dad'll be on my back!!! Moonlight-Miko: Heehee, thanks for the backup! Thanks for the review and I'm glad you also reviewed my other fics!! Makes me happy ^_^