Chappie Nine

One Chapter Closer To The End!

The next morning dawned clear and bright. Birds were singing and bees and butterflies flitted from flower to flower. Kagome looked around at the nature scenes, "This seems kinda too perfect, don't you think? Especially since it's fall. It shouldn't be this warm." She paused, "Do you hear that?"

I brush against those freckles and I hate it

So my life goes on and I heave a little sigh for you

It's heavy the love that I once shared with you

But it dissolved like it was just a sugar cube

And now the little pain sitting in my heart has

Shrunken a little but it really does hurt me now

Those silly horoscopes I

Guess I can't trust them after alllllll

Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmmmmmmm

Ooooooooooooooooooo

I wonder what it would be liiiike

Yeahhhh

I'd be so happy

Inside my heeeaaaaaaaaart

All my memories

I have are beautiful in my mind

But they don't feed the hunger

Deep inside my soul

And tonight I thought

I'd beee just sitting in my sorrow

And then I must wonder what

What it really means to you

I just can't see it any moreeeeee

I just can't see it any moreeeee

Ooooooooooooooooo

The singing became progressively louder as the group listened; trying to figure out from which way it was coming. InuYasha felt a tap on his shoulder, "Oh! You got cursed again? This time it wasn't my fault…Sesshy!" A strange woman ran to the taiyoukai and embraced him in a smothering hug before he could react. (AN: If you wanna know what she looks like, read Fumetsu No Fushigi)

Finally, after many agonizing moments of bewilderment, he managed to shove the woman off of him, "Who are you, to dare touch this Sesshoumaru?" His fingertips had begun to glow green. "Aww…you don't recognize your own mother? What a disgraceful son you are…sniff" Her eyes began to water. "So, you claim to be my mother? You will pay for this transgression, wench."

Her face took on a look of understanding, "Ah! I'm in the wrong fanfiction." Kagome looked strangely at her, "Fanfiction? What are you talking about?"

The woman flipped her hair, "Well, I can't tell you. It's an ancient Chinese secret. If I did tell you, I'd have to kill you." InuYasha growled at that, "Hurt her, and you'll be the dead one." "My, such protectiveness. You must really care for her." She grinned. The hanyou's face turned beet red, "She's just a shard detector! That's it!"

Kagome stiffened. Fighting back the urge to slap the male-turned-female into next week, instead she said in a flat voice, "Osuwari." Turning, she calmly walked into the field, into a copse of trees.

Sango rounded on her, "Why do you say things like that when you know they upset her so much!? She's not just a shard detector to you, but you don't want to admit it!" She grabbed one of InuYasha's side bangs and whispered threateningly, "If you ever say anything like that to her again, I will personally make sure you can never speak again. Got that?"

InuYasha shrugged her off, crossing her arms, "Keh. Fine. But I'm only doing it because I know you're more than capable of carrying out your threat." Everyone thought the same thing, 'He's so transparent. Why does he fight it?'

Throughout all of this exchange, the woman just watched calmly, "I think you should apologize to her. She looked really upset." The hanyou gulped. She knew the stranger was right, but was deathly afraid to apologize. She'd never been very good at it. InuYasha considered bolting, but quickly reconsidered when she saw everyone glaring at her. Even Sesshoumaru. Bracing herself, she walked over to where Kagome was.

Kagome was sitting against an oak tree, staring into space. 'He's such a jerk! Why does he say these things? And to think I love him, the biggest baka in the universe…oops, wrong gender.' She smiled a little, then began to cry her eyes out. What she didn't realize, though, was that she spoke out loud.

InuYasha froze from her position behind Kagome's tree. 'Did she just say…she loves me?' For some reason, she felt giddy. 'No! I love Kikyo!' She felt confused; too many things were going through her head. She needed some time to think. The hanyou began to walk off, but accidentally stepped on a tree branch. Wincing, she froze. Again.

Kagome looked up, "Who's here? Where are you?" She knew there was someone close by. Standing up, she peered into the shadows. Nothing was visible besides more trees and the field. On a wild notion, she yelled, "Osuwari!" THUD. "Ow."

The miko rounded the tree and glared at the prostrate hanyou. "What do you want?" Her face was red from crying. Sitting up irately, InuYasha pulled a twig out of her haori. "Did you have to do that?" Kagome snapped, "You are such an insensitive, uncaring, ASSHOLE!"

InuYasha looked at her in shock. Had Kagome just said asshole? Now she felt really guilty. To have pushed the miko so far as to cuss? She really fucked up. Feeling very uncomfortable, both from the confession she'd overheard and the guilt, she stammered, "I…uh…just came to…apologize. There. I'm sorry." She kicked at the ground and gave Kagome a sidelong glance.

Now Kagome was in shock. "Did…you just say you were sorry?" InuYasha blushed and nodded slightly. Kagome kneeled down and wrapped her arms around the hanyou, "For this, you don't get the 's' word for a whole week." InuYasha stiffened, but slowly melted into the hug. The pair just sat there for a minute until Kagome whispered, "Uh, InuYasha? Will you let me go please?" Reluctantly, she did, red and blaming it on the curse. Damn female hormones.

Kagome and InuYasha joined the others, who were packing up to go. The strange woman gave everyone a hug, much to Sesshoumaru and InuYasha's dismay. Walking towards the pass, she said, "Oh, by the way, my name's Ayami. You'll definitely be seeing me again. Have a pleasant trip!" Shaking their heads, they looked at each other questioningly.

Sesshoumaru spoke up, "You have the most amusing things happen to you. I am curious to see what else will happen. Jaken, take Rin and go to the palace. I will be returning shortly." The toad began to protest, but stopped after seeing his lord's death glare. Instead, he murmured, "Yes my lord. Rin, follow me." Before the girl left, she gave the taiyoukai's leg, being too short to reach his torso, a hug. Before anyone could comment, he turned his death glare on the Inu-tachi. Nobody said anything.

Walking through the flowers, InuYasha was deep in thought. Kagome's confession kept ringing in her head. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding. She reviewed over her feelings for Kikyo. She had been in love with Kikyo before, but was she still? Every time she pictured the undead miko, her face dissolved and was replaced with Kagome's. Her heart jumped. Finally, she realized her true feelings. She loved Kagome.

At that moment, she made a decision.

"Mission complete?" "Yep. I gave the happy couple a push in the right direction. And, it seems that she's made up with her brother." "Wow. What a shocker! Tell me about it over a few beers, Ayami." Two figures walked into a club, a techno beat greeting their ears.

I'M BACK!!!!!!!! Sorry I haven't updated in a looooooooooong time, but I just kept forgetting to work on a new chapter. What with school, and band stuff…October was hectic! I had NO free time! Well, anyways, I hope you liked this chapter, and keep on reading. REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED TO KNOW PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY READING THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!