A Little Fall of Rain
by Chione

-----------------------

Even Kikyou-onee-sama's powerful soul,
couldn't win against Kagome.
This child is...
isn't just any old reincarnation.

I am the only one who can purify Naraku and completely remove him from this world.

------------------------

I was lost. Not literally, of course, my feet knew exactly where they were. Not surprisingly, through my travels for the Shikon shards, I'd gained a very keen sense of direction. Particularly in the wilderness. I may not be able to find my way in modern Japan, but the past? I knew it without thinking. Without trying.

It wasn't my heart, either, for once; that knew where it wanted to be: precisely where it was, not necessarily safe but welcome, in the clawed grip of my inu hanyou.

My mind was lost. How do you dedicate your life so thoroughly to one thing--or two even--and then go on after it's accomplished? For so long, I'd been consumed by the quest for the shards, to defeat Naraku. Somehow, I couldn't grasp that it was over. I kept expecting to hear Inuyasha's voice demanding I get a move on, and then follow after him for days on end in search of a rumored jewel fragment.

I never would again.

So what, then? Where was I supposed to go? What was I supposed to do?

Logically, I knew there was still a year left of school for me to complete. But that was silly logic at best. The truth was glaringly obvious in the steady decline in my test scores; I'd been gone too much, too many times, too often. I'd never catch up to my class starting so late.

School was lost to me too. I couldn't bring myself to feel sad. It was all so trivial! How could I go back? I had died. I had killed! I had faced down the purest form of evil known to man or youkai, many times, and survived. Well, in the end I did.

As much as I loved them, Yuka-chan, Eri-chan, Ayumi-chan, Hojou-kun, they would never understand me again.

And somewhere along the line, that became okay. I mourned the lose of our close friendship, but it was all right. Because I had my friends and family here, in the Sengoku Jidai, who did understand me. Who experienced everything with me.

And because I had Inuyasha.

Oi, Kagome! What the hell are you doing?! Inuyasha shouted at me. I was waiting for that, actually. Hoping he'd come to find me. You're not supposed to be out of bed, dammit! Or have you already forgotten that you--that you--

He couldn't say it, but we both heard it in the silence anyway.

I know. I just wanted some air, it's hard to get that in the hut. Besides, I'm healed. The only reason I collapsed was from the drain, really, I'm fin--

He cut me off. You're not fine! You--you fucking died!

He said it, and suddenly it was real, it was tangible between us. For three days we'd avoided the topic, me mostly sleeping and him mostly quiet. No more. We couldn't keep dodging the words like it hadn't happened.

I wanted to tear that look off his face. Make him see why, comfort him. Maybe once, I thought he saw me as only a shard detector, but that was so long ago, and I knew that even if he loved Kikyou, he cared for me too. I'd scared him, it was understandable.

I couldn't bare it if our roles were switched, and he died.

Yes. I did. To save you, but now I'm alive again. Naraku is defeated, we've got the Shikon no Tama, and everything is the way it should be again. So there's nothing to worry about, I won't die again. Not for a while, anyway. I'll be old, gray-haired and wrinkly just like Kaede and I'll die nice and snugly in my bed, surrounded by my family. That's a long way off. I just wanted him to stop looking at me like that. During the speech, I'd taken steps, bolder with each one, until we stood nose to nose, my head tilted up, and his down.

His voice turned hard, barking out the words through a trembling jaw. Don't even-- he paused, arduous breathes pumping in and out of his chest. Don't trivialize this, dammit! Don't pretend it didn't happen! You can't do that! You can't go and jump in front of me like that! You were dead!

I didn't want to get angry. Deep, full breaths helped, but only some. I tried so hard to keep calm; I hadn't been angry since that day. We hadn't argued, and I dreaded the return to our usual routine. How could I blame him for being worried? I couldn't, I always worried. But he was always so reckless! Always protecting me without thought to his injuries and he scolds me for trying to do the same for him!

I begged, Please don't fight with me. Not now. I'm so sorry for making you worry, and I'm sorry that I died because I didn't want to--

You better not of!

--and I really just want to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. My eyes began to mist, and I knew that was the end. I tried never to use it against him, his fear of my tears, and this time I hadn't meant to start crying. Still, he'd forgive me anything if it'd prevent me from crying.

He grumbled, but conceded, burying his head in the curve of my neck. He took deep breaths to calm down, and reassure himself that I was all right. I let him, wrapping my arms around him. The day was beautiful, the air was fresh and clean, and I could freely breathe in the scent that was uniquely him; woods, something deep and musky, and the slight undertone of spices--cinnamon, I think.

That was what I wanted. Peace, quiet, and Inuyasha.

Quite the paradox, ne?



I didn't want to pull away, or turn around and face the woman I knew entered the clearing. I couldn't deny my curiosity about her absence; after all, Naraku was defeated. Why hadn't she drug Inuyasha to Hell?

Not that I was complaining.

Inuyasha, you fool. His body stiffened in my arms, his breath no longer brushing my neck as he held it. Letting your guard down just because my reincarnation thinks she destroyed Naraku.

Once again, the world stopped.

I lived a life where surprises were a given. Shock, despair, hopelessness, even hatred had become things I understood too well. On any number of occasions, I'd felt my lungs constrict to the point of not being able to take in air, and many a time I've felt as if the world had slowed to a stop just to drag out my pain.

I wanted to scream.

He pulled away to face her. Kikyou. What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

Her lips twisted in a partial smile, nearly a smirk save for her expressionless, gray eyes; they were so similar to my own, yet so different. I hated seeing them. Exactly what I said. I've told you before, Inuyasha. Only I can defeat Naraku. He is still alive, still plotting against you and me. The girl did a good job, she managed to weaken him. But only I can remove his evil from this world completely. Only me.

Inuyasha gaped, eyes narrowing and flicking frantically back and forth between us.

My week, which had been bad from the start--namely, with my death--was abruptly so much worse. He doubted me because of Kikyou. He discounted the disappearance of Miroku's Kazanaa, the purification and complete of the Shikon, the deaths of Kagura and Kanna, and the release and inevitable death of Kohaku. From her words alone.

I got mad.

I stepped forward, no longer willing to wait in the shadows for Inuyasha and Kikyou to resolve their issues. This involved me too, and I knew, really and truly knew--beyond any doubt--that Naraku was dead. Gone. And not from arrogance, nor jealousy did I know; I couldn't feel the same evil overshadowing the past as it always had from the moment I stepped through the well. Even during the short period of the Kaguya incident, when we believed Naraku to be dead, the world hadn't felt this way. I felt my powers destroy him. It'd haunt me, and reassure me, for the rest of my days.

I would defend myself.

Kikyou, whether you believe it or not, Naraku is gone. I don't know why you think you're the only one who could've taken him out for good, but you're wrong.

You are an arrogant fool. Naraku could never be destroyed by the likes of you. Without any proper training, especially. she said. Don't assume.

Immediately that old saying popped in my head. You know what assuming does. Makes an ass' out of u' and I was sure I wasn't assuming. I had nothing to back up my stance, nothing to prove Naraku was really gone. Only his continued absence, which was only something viewed in time. Kikyou, on the other hand, had doubt. That lingering, festering leech attaching itself to Inuyasha's--and thus everyone else's--thoughts, never letting go. It'd make us all paranoid, and he'd spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder, or following a trail that wasn't there.

All because of her words.

Kikyou, do you know for sure Naraku is still alive? Have you seen him, spoken to him, anything? Inuyasha begged, a growl permeating in his voice. Was he that confused?

Could he still not make up his mind?

I could feel that doubt, eating away at the back of my mind, having snuck in the back gate. Was I really so sure? How could I be? What if she was right? We couldn't risk ignoring it.

Even if I failed, at least-- I steadied myself, gathering my confidence to do what I had planned, at least we have the jewel. And we can purify it. Naraku, if he's still alive, can never have it again. With that, I tore the jewel from it's place around my neck, bringing it out in front of me so both of them could see it.

---------------------------------------------------------

Just a short, quick edit to make myself happy.

Okay, so sorry bout just leaving it there but I'm stuck and don't wanna risk writing more and it not being very good quality. Actually, I'm not happy with the chapter as a whole, but it's the best I could get for now. I've got so much to do this week, I won't get another chance to update for a while, and felt bad, so I finished this and put it out.

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and support! I love you guys! Please give me feedback, review!

REVIEW PLEASE!

Chione

P.s. REVIEW!

l
l
l
l
l
V