Chapter 12: Kikyo's Heart
Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.
A/N: Gees, am I losing my audience or something? I mean, so few people are reviewing my fanfic...how bad am I? Oh well, anyways, enjoy your read! Oh yes, I think that I'll be stopping this story soon, so yeah. I need to get working on my other ideas, you know.
With Kagome and InuYasha
InuYasha was standing at Kagome's room door listening intently. Kagome had gone to distract Naraku with some of her grandpa's fake wards, and the dog demon was like a lookout. How Naraku got into the future, they didn't know, but he had somehow gotten in one way or the other. Withdrawing his sensitive dog ear from the door, InuYasha sat down on the floor and thought about things.
If Naraku had come here, did Kikyo betray Kagome? Were Kikyo and Naraku's 'offspring' waiting for him and Kagome on the other side of the Bone Eaters' Well? Did Kikyo hate him now? Did she hate Kagome?
Of course she doesn't hate Kagome, she loathes her, a voice inside his head nagged. You should know that well by now. The two mikos hate each other, and that is that.
Not bothering to look up, the hanyou pressed his ear back onto...a fleshy, soft surface.
Naraku had opened the door, and Kagome still wasn't back from her grandpa's room.
"Hearing out the way my strong muscles work?" Naraku smirked smugly.
"Stupid demon," InuYasha replied quietly, but it was loud enough for the evil demon to hear.
"Losing your temper already, my friend? Your brother has told me that you are always one to lose your temper easily."
The dog demon was about to answer with something horrible when Kagome returned with her grandfather's demon wards. Upon seeing Naraku, she quickly pinned one to the hanyou's chest and, laughing, ran to stand beside InuYasha to see the expression on Naraku's face.
To her surprise, Naraku yelled in pain. A blue light shot from his chest as he faded and disappeared into nowhere. InuYasha was now watching the flimsy pieces of paper with a newly awoken awe, respect and fear.
"What the...? That wasn't supposed to happen!" the high-school girl cried. "It just wasn't...I wanted so much to see his facial expression!"
"Oh well, it's better than having Naraku and-wait, oh no! The Shikon jewel disappeared along with him!" the hanyou cried in despair. Kagome's face turned from a look of amazement into a look of sadness.
"I guess we'll have to destroy our part of the Shikon jewel, ne?" she asked sadly.
"No, that would be a waste of work," the dog demon replied, draping an arm over her shoulders out of habit. "Let's just keep it as a memory of what we've gone through."
"InuYasha, you've grown wiser over the days you've followed me to school," Kagome observed, and laughed as a glare went in her direction. The old InuYasha was back again.
It was going to be a long day.
With Kikyo and her 'Friends'
Kagura was once again trying to keep her patience high as Kikyo's foot continued tapping on the soft, grassy ground. Even though the grass half muffled the miko's noise, the remainder of the sound that Kikyo made was very annoying.
Once again the wind witch was about to voice out her complaints when Naraku suddenly appeared out of the blue, and he was NOT a pretty sight. He was gasping with pain, and he had blood all over him. On his chest a demon ward was pinned onto him.
"Oh, love, what have you gotten yourself into now?" Kikyo asked. Kagura rolled her eyes and followed her half-mistress, and Kanna followed, her face still emotionless.
"That miko girl...demon ward...worked..." Naraku got out as Kikyo took him somewhere safe and tended to his wounds.
"Hm...she always seems to be interfering in our plans, don't you think?" the clay pot asked, and Kagura stifled a snigger. Seeing Naraku in his current status really made her day. If only he'd set her free, then she wouldn't loathe him as much, but she'd still try and help InuYasha and co. to defeat the hated hanyou. However, the chances of her being freed were two billion to one, so she could never have any of those fantasies come true.
Kanna, on the other hand, was amazed. The moment she had seen Naraku in his bloodied form sent lots of emotions rushing back to her, and a pulse was in her chest, something that Kagura had once said that she longed to feel. It was a pleasant feeling, and the little girl was free. Something had taken her heart out of Naraku's hands. She was free, and she liked the feeling. She did not, however, want to make Kagura jealous, so she had kept quiet and tried to act like her old self.
Naraku was about to lie his head down for a quick nap when he suddenly grimaced. "The stinking dog demon and his wench have arrived," he whispered with hatred in his tone. Kikyo, looking up, suddenly felt something twang inside her when she looked first at InuYasha, then at Kagome. Something that made her feel complete, and not like the soul-less shell she had been in death.
"So there you are, Naraku," InuYasha said. "We were looking all over for you, you bastard!"
"Were you? You could have surprised me, the way you were wandering all over the place like a lost, insolent little puppy." Naraku smirked at the insult that he had added at the end. Knowing InuYasha, that insult could make him lose control of himself.
"Stop arguing, Naraku! InuYasha's right; you are a bastard, and you always will be."
Kikyo stood up, her eyes showing defiance. She had surprised everyone with what she had previously said, but the miko's mind was made up. She knew exactly what she was going to do, and she would accomplish it without any regrets.
"K-Kikyo, what the hell are you doing?" the hanyou asked uncertainly.
"Hush, InuYasha. Hear me out, Naraku. You have gone too far; I will finish you off once and for all and destroy the Shikon jewel so that it will never return to the realm of the living ever again."
Kagome and InuYasha watched with an air of awe and respect as Kikyo loaded her bow and aimed it at the heart of the hanyou lying on the ground. Naraku gritted his teeth; although he could do nothing, he had to do something for survival!
"Kanna! Use your reflection attack!" Naraku instructed weakly.
"You certainly are foolish, Naraku, for the moment my reincarnation pinned that demon ward on you, her heart returned to its owner," Kikyo laughed and pulled at the bow even harder. What was she waiting for? Why couldn't she shoot now?
"Kikyo...if you don't hate Naraku any more...leave him be. I will finish him off," Kagome was surprised as she said all this, and her dog demon friend looked at her curiously.
"Hu hu hu, you foolish and stupid girl, you'll never be able to kill me!" Naraku smiled and showed all his yellowing teeth.
"Huh, your makeshift spells have no effect on me whatsoever!" Kagome quoted Kikyo's words as she strung her bow and aimed it at the about-to-be-dead hanyou. She was about to fire when something struck her. It wasn't evil; it was a pleasant feeling, one of love. Looking at Naraku, she realized that it was him doing that to her.
Kagome fought the feeling away, but the farther she drew her bow, the more her love feeling grew. InuYasha noticed Kagome's facial expression and growled, but the Kikyo held him back; she knew that Kagome wanted to be left alone now, and for once, the dead priestess respected that. Kagura and Kanna just stood there, waiting, for Kagome to release her arrow.
No one knew what would happen next...
With Sango, Miroku and Shippo
Sango, Miroku and Shippo were all sitting around a dim fire at camp. Miroku still wasn't convinced that Sango had not meant what he thought she meant, and the others were still trying to make him believe.
"Oh come on, Miroku, I just meant that I didn't want to...um..." Sango sighed heavily, close to tears. If only Kagome were here, then she'd sort this mess out without any problems. She now wished that Miroku was one that forgave easily.
All she got in response was the monk turning away from her and crossing his arms InuYasha style.
"He admires InuYasha, so he likes imitating him," Shippo whispered, and Sango couldn't help but giggle, before sighing sadly.
This was going to be a long day...
With InuYasha and Kagome
As every minute went by, the eeriness of the scene was noticeable. Kikyo was grabbing the back of InuYasha's haori and letting Kagome fight the spell off on her own. When the dead miko had lowered her bow, Naraku's spell had worn off completely, and hatred for the hanyou had swamped her heart again.
If she couldn't stop that spell from getting to her, then her reincarnation would never be able to either.
Kagome struggled, and found it hard to control herself. Part of her wanted to go up to Naraku and kiss him, and the other part went on encouraging her to throw the spell over. Kagome was torn between two choices; she wanted to do what her second half bid, of course, but what COULD she do about it?
Wait...if she lowered her bow, what would happen? Kagome, with the help of the spell, lowered her bow, and she tried to keep the curiosity and hope out of her face as she took her arrow from the bow. Almost at once the spell disappeared without a trace. Now this was going to be interesting...
Kagome continued lowering her bow and put on a pout. She was good at drama classes, and she hoped that the drama training would help in cases like these. "Feh, Naraku, you've won this time, but you won't be able to get me," she said before turning her back on her foe. Kikyo had seen through Kagome's plan; but she didn't want her reincarnation to receive all the grateful thank-yous.
"Die, Naraku, die!" Kikyo yelled, and she quickly loaded her bow. It shot right through the hanyou's heart before any thing could happen, and InuYasha was mercifully let go of the miko's tight grip.
"Well, Kikyo, you may have succeeded this time...but I will drag you down to hell with me!" as if those words were fated to become true, a large hole formed in front of the miko, and a large gust of wind began to pull her in.
"InuYasha, please help me!" the priestess shouted with despair. Kagome noted, with some unexpected amusement, that Kikyo had not bid InuYasha to go to hell with her. Maybe her heart had changed, and now she was looking at the real Kikyo.
"Hold on, Kikyo!" Kagome's heart felt like breaking up into a million pieces when her dog demon linked a strong arm with the priestess's feeble one, but she wouldn't let it. The high school girl shot an arrow through the large hole, and it disappeared. Kikyo fell to the ground, unconscious, as a blue light shone from her body. Then out flew the miko's dead spirit, and it was smiling.
"I can rest in peace now," she smiled. "Oh yes, Naraku may not be totally dead, but I can tell that his downfall will be on its way. Good luck, Kagome. Don't forget to give that ass a good whop for me. InuYasha, I will love you always, and I will see you and Kagome in hell...many more years later."
And with those words, the spirit clung onto one of her soul workers and disappeared into thin air. The miko was dead and well satisfied at last, though nobody knew why.
That night
Everybody had a bottle of sake that Kagome had brought from her time (A/N: I wouldn't know why she'd bring one, but anyways, that's the way things go). Each one toasted to the glorious death of Kikyo, but InuYasha was not participating. Miroku and Sango were acting odd lately, and he wasn't going to do anything until he found out what was going on. Besides, he owed them many signs of being nosy, didn't he? Well, this was his big chance, and he wasn't going to miss out on it.
Kagome had also noticed her friends' strange behaviour, and the way InuYasha didn't want to drink any sake. He had always said that he'd like to try some, but tonight was different. He was keeping as far away from the group as possible, and after all the toasting was done she'd question him on his behaviour. Any rude 'don't ask me' behaviours and he'd get a 'sit' she'd been longing to try.
Miroku still hadn't forgiven Sango, and he wasn't planning to any sooner. Even though the laws of the Buddha said that you should always forgive, he had forgotten about that rule. Now he sat across from Sango, and he was avoiding all traces of eye contact.
Later on that night, Miroku sighed and watched the stars go by. Not only did he really want to make things up with Sango, he also wanted to grope her. Ever since she had hurt his feelings, he had always avoided contact with her, and that also included groping.
That was when InuYasha decided to show up, and he sat down beside the monk.
"What's wrong? You and Sango had another groping ordeal?" the hanyou asked with an evil twinkle in his eyes. Miroku whacked the dog demon with his staff and denied it.
"Just shut up and go," the lecher said grumpily before turning his back on an amused InuYasha.
"Ah, hiding something, eh? Well, tell old InuYasha about and see what he can do."
Miroku, finally losing control of himself, launched into a full explanation on what had gone wrong between him and Sango. When he finished, InuYasha was staring at him like as if he was a new type of animal.
"Miroku, you fool," the dog demon laughed out loud, breaking the sudden tension. "Sango didn't mean what you think she meant! That wench had-"
The hanyou was cut off by a whack to the head. "Don't you ever call my Sango a wench!" snarled an angry Miroku, and the lecherous monk left the hanyou to nurse two new bruises on his head.
With the Girls
"Kagome, I don't know why, but Miroku just over-reacted and thought that I never wanted to see him again." Sango's eyes were teary as she cried for what seemed like the fifty-second time. "I love him so much; why can't he feel the same way?"
"You love who?" a voice in a clearing asked. Miroku had come back from somewhere out in the woods, and he had overheard a lot of the conversation.
"Nothing Miroku! Sango was just mimicking...Kikyo!" Kagome invented, feeling guilty that she was accusing Kikyo of being bitchy when the miko had already done something to save all their lives. She turned around to hide her blush from the monk's eyes.
"Hm...Kagome, why are you trying so hard to hide Sango? I know she's there, plus I could hear her weeping," Miroku frowned and brushed off a bug that had landed on his clothing (A/N: All men wear haoris, right? Never mind...).
The first two words that came to the girls' minds were, Uh oh. Not only did Miroku have them there, but both women suspected that Sango would have to speak out the truth.
"So? Tell me the truth before I blow my top." Though the monk's words were deathly calm, his eyebrows twitched in anger, annoyance and impatience.
This time it was Sango's turn to express her side of the story, complete with her feelings for the monk. Kagome snickered when Miroku showed a look of pure surprise, but silenced herself the moment the lecher sent a glare her way.
A moment's silence shot through the three friends as Sango mentioned her feelings for Miroku. Miroku was about to reply with something nice when out of the blue, Shippo, Kirara and InuYasha turned up.
"Hey guys. What's up?" the hanyou asked, rubbing his head with some strange liquid that he'd found in Kagome's bag.
"InuYasha! That's my cooking oil!" Kagome laughed as she quickly found a towel and rubbed the substance off the poor hanyou's ears.
"No wonder they stung quite a bit..." InuYasha stated and everyone thought back to the time where InuYasha, despite Kagome's warnings, had dipped one finger into what she called a 'cooking pan'. The results, of course, were shambolic (A/N: that's a word of the week in my class), as InuYasha had run around, knocking their breakfast over and sending some of the bacon onto Shippo, who had also screamed with pain and muttered words that a baby Kitsune should not know.
But anyways, back to the story.
After Kagome had explained 'the news of the day', InuYasha looked at the couple at 'tut-tutted' at the two. "And I thought you two loved each other. Just show it next time, won't you?" he smirked, and Kagome slapped him gently.
"Ow! Wench, what was that for?" the hanyou cried, and in response earned a 'sit!'
Suddenly, the hanyou smelled something. "Naraku," he murmured, and Kagome turned a bright red before retreating back to camp.
"Oh no, her b.o's back again," Sango sighed rather loudly, and she quickly added a 'nothing' to the two suspicious boys glancing at her before escaping their tyranny of questions.
Miroku and InuYasha looked darkly at each other. They had to find out about Kagome's strange behaviour, and nothing, not even a 'sit' or getting slapped, was going to stop them in their tracks.
A/N: Yes, guys, this is the second last chapter because a.) very few people are reviewing b.) I'm getting bored with this idea c.) I fear that I'm getting bad with this idea. So yeah, I'll put up a sequel after the next chapter as soon as I can get my brain working again! Thanks for reviewing, all who have done it in the past! Also, you may want to read my new fanfic, 'D--- you and you , !' for DNAngel. Please review this chapter! Also, I haven't started my DNAngel fanfic yet, so don't look for it yet! Go to my autobio to check on it. Thanks!