Author's Notes: Why does everyone think Kagome's going to die? Didn't I do that enough in the previous series? Although your guys' reactions were all funny to read. Please, read on and you'll see what I had planned from the beginning.
Priestess Made of GlassClosing her eyes, Kagome fought the tears that even now readily fell down her porcelain cheeks. What Yamatsu had done to these demons was wrong and Kagome saw only one clear choice in the matter.
Not only that, but if she saved the demons, she saved her friends and family too. Already Miroku and Sango were back to back against the vast army. Shaoran and Shiori stood off to the side, but they could be next. I have to do this. So she dove deep within herself and asked for guidance from her predecessor. Guide me…please…
"Kagome!!"
She heard her name come to the lips of the one she loved the most, the one she wanted to protect more than anyone. Inuyasha…I'm sorry…
There was no pain, but as she stretched out her abilities, she felt herself grow tired. When her eyes closed this time, it would be forever.
The bright flash blinded Inuyasha and for a moment, he had to shield his eyes with his arm. As the light died down, Inuyasha looked to the direction of his loved one. "No…"
All around him, clanks were heard as the collars with the defiled Shikon no Tama lost their power. No longer black, the pink spheres held no influence over the demons and they instantly stopped their attacks.
"Shippo!" Yuuki ran over to a severally beaten Shippo, just as her brother seemed to snap out of his nightmare.
"Yuuki?" The large fox demon asked. When he looked down at his hand, he instantly dropped the axe. "Wh-what have I done?"
Yuuki cried and tried to wipe up the blood from Shippo's wounds.
With on eye swollen shut, Shippo managed a smile. "Yuuki, behind you."
Turning around, Yuuki's eyes widened when she saw the gentle smile she'd missed so much on her brother's features. "Oniichan?"
Kneeling before her, he held out his hands. "Yuuki, I'm so sorry."
"Oniichan!" She rushed into his arms and cried in relief.
Getting to his knees, Shippo held a hand to his broken arm.
Seeing the little fox cub that was so like his younger sister, the fox demon smiled. "I don't remember what I did while under Yamatsu's control, but I know what you've done took a lot of courage. Thank you for protecting Yuuki, even if it was against me."
Nodding, Shippo accepted the apology.
Miroku and Sango looked around in bewilderment. "That light…you don't think?" Sango spoke quietly.
Miroku nodded. "The jewels have been purified."
"But so many at once?" The taijiya asked.
"MOM!!"
Shiori's scream brought everyone's attention to where Kagome once stood.
Inuyasha stood before her, his son behind him. "Dad? What happened?"
Inuyasha had yet to find his voice. He couldn't even believe what he was seeing. "How could you…?" Standing before him was the object of his endearing love, the mother of his pups, and most of all his soul mate, completely encased in thick pink tinted crystal.
"Just like Midoriko-sama." Sango breathed, instantly recognizing the transformation. The priestess responsible for the creation of the Shikon no Tama had the ability to purify the souls of demons, though it ended up taking her life. Was this to become Kagome's fate?
Punching the base of the crystal statue, Inuyasha fought the tears in his eyes. "Dammit! Why'd she have to be so stupid!? Why couldn't' she just wait for me?" He cursed.
"She- she's not stuck like that, is she?" Shaoran tried to be brave as his twin joined his side.
Punching again, Inuyasha caused both kids to jump.
"Inuyasha." Miroku began to approach.
As he did though, the demons all around him bowed down facing Kagome.
Hearing shuffling behind him, Inuyasha turned around and saw every demon in Yamatsu's army on their hands and knees, heads bowed before his Kagome. They all knew they owed their freedom to the priestess frozen before them.
"Mommy!" Shiori cried and ran up to the statue, hugging it around the knees.
But there was one face amongst the crowd that neither knelt nor showed any emotions whatsoever.
Anger rising in him instantly, Inuyasha launched himself into the air and ran at his brother as fast as his human body would go. "YOU!" He shouted in rage.
Easily dodging the swipe, Sesshoumaru said nothing.
"You knew! Somehow you knew! Why didn't you stop it!?" Inuyasha accused.
"Don't you think I tried?" The older brother replied calmly, dodging another messing punch.
"Then why stop me? I could've saved her!" Inuyasha went in to attack Sesshoumaru again, but this time was caught by the throat.
Gasping, Miroku and Sango rushed to the scene, along with Kirara and Shaoran. Just because the dog demon had been there for them for a few days, didn't mean he wouldn't kill Inuyasha when he got the chance and steal Tetsusaiga.
"Ack, Shaoran! Throw it to me!" Inuyasha tried to loosen Sesshoumaru's grip on him.
"You got it!" Not fully trusting his uncle since day one, Shaoran threw the sheathed weapon to his father's awaiting hand.
Taking a quick swipe, Inuyasha unsheathed his sword and got Sesshoumaru to let go. Flipping away, Inuyasha watched the sun rise behind the white haired demon and felt his own yoruyoku return to him.
In a flash, Tetsusaiga transformed and he faced off with his brother anew. "You could've said something. Anything to get her to stop!"
"It seems being around humans hasn't taught you to be silent around those above you." The comment made Inuyasha growl, but he said nothing. "The Sun Goddess Amaterasu sent me the vision. Therefore she is the only one who might know how to save your priestess."
Pausing a moment, Inuyasha sheathed his dog fang once again and approached with as calm of an expression as he could manage, but it still came out as a glare. "Where can I find her?"
"Her shrine is at the top of that mountain." Sesshoumaru pointed to the biggest mount in the near horizon.
"Got it." Inuyasha started off in that direction.
"Inuyasha!" Miroku called out.
Pausing, Inuyasha continued facing his destination. "Take care of the kids for me while I'm gone, Miroku. And Kagome…" Then he disappeared into the distance.
"Uncle Miroku?" Shaoran tried to pull his sister away from the statue, but in the end it took Sango's strong arms to free the girl from what was left of her mother. In tears, Shiori grasped the taijiya's shoulder and let the rains come.
The monk turned to Sesshoumaru. "Well? What will you do?"
Tearing his eyes away from where his brother had gone, the dog demon replied. "Rin is sure to be wondering where I am..."
"You're darn right I am!" From the sky flew down Rin riding Aun, the beast having stayed close by its favorite rider.
If shock was ever taught to Sesshoumaru growing up, his features showed every ounce he felt. The young girl landed on the floor and stood before her master wearing the same smile he remembered her having. "Rin?"
Nodding, she clasped her hands behind her back. "Yep! And good as new too which is more than I can say for you! Just look at your beautiful white…eh?" She was cut off when Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her and squeezed as hard as he dared.
Then, barely above a whisper, he said to her, "I was so worried about you. How dare you go against what I said?"
"B-but if Sesshoumaru had been hurt worse, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." She spoke truthfully from her heart.
Pulling away, Sesshoumaru looked into her eyes. "I swear I will make Yamatsu pay for what he's done to you."
Blinking her eyes, Rin was shocked at the promise and could say nothing.
Standing up, Sesshoumaru pretended no one there had seen his lapse in behavoir and turned towards the cavern. "Ready Rin?"
"Un!" She exclaimed joining Sesshoumaru's side as together they entered Yamatsu's underground abode.
"Did I just see what I thought I saw?" Sango asked in surprise.
"I'm not even sure I saw it." Miroku said in awe. Then looking towards Fujiyama, his expression got serious. "You had better hurry back, Inuyasha."
The mountain wasn't too steep and Inuyasha couldn't help thinking how quickly Yamatsu and his army would've made it to Amaterasu's shrine if they hadn't stopped him. Once Kagome was safe, Inuyasha would deal with him later. Whatever pain he made Kagome go through, Inuyasha would make sure Yamatsu suffered ten times worse. (A/N: Something we all want for the villain, ne?)
Inuyasha noticed the air got foggier the higher he went up, but that didn't slow him down. The longer he waited, the longer Kagome remained frozen. When the ground leveled out, Inuyasha assumed he was close to the top, but he wasn't sure since he really couldn't see anything.
"Well, it's not like sight's my only sense around here." Closing his eyes he began sniffing around, trying to pick up anything that might lead him in the right direction.
He quickly picked up an unfamiliar scent and followed it until he began seeing the outline of a building. "Well, I guess this is it." Stepping into the wooden shrine, Inuyasha saw a large golden statue of what he assumed was the Goddess Amaterasu and at the base was a table made for offerings.
"But I'm not here to give anything am I?" He said smugly. Walking closer, he kept his hearing alert for any noises around him.
"You don't even feel safe within my dwelling, Hanyou Inuyasha?"
Jumping, Inuyasha instinctively reached for his sword, but stopped. "You gonna show yourself, or am I gonna have to get rough with ya?" Somehow the fact that he was talking to a goddess didn't seem to register with him at the moment.
Materializing before the statue of herself, the Goddess Amaterasu placed one hand on her hip and held the other on her staff. She was dressed in white robes with gold trimmings and had a golden sash wrapped around her waist. Her hair was down to the floor in long, yellow locks. "You have come seeking aide about your priestess, am I correct?"
Removing his hand from Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha placed them in his sleeves. "You wouldn't be a goddess if you were wrong." Then he glared at her. "So what do I do?"
"I am sorry for you to have come all this way, but there is nothing you can do." She said simply.
Tightening his hands into fists, Inuyasha lowered his head. "I don't like the answers you're giving me."
"But I can not tell you anything else." She admitted. "What the priestess did was her own choice. She did it to save the demons who had fallen under Yamatsu's control. She knew the consequences and accepted them."
"But why should she have to pay the price for something Naraku's son did!?" Inuyasha shouted.
"Life isn't always fair. You better than anyone else should know this." Amaterasu spoke calmly. "For some to be saved, others must fall."
"Then let it be Yamatsu! That asshole is the one who started this whole mess!" The dog demon argued.
Shaking her head, Amaterasu looked sadly at the hanyou before her. "I wish I could. But he is under the guidance of another god, a dark god of evil named Mikaboshi. He is the one who sent Yamatsu the jewel in order to get the other insignia and free himself."
"I don't care about all of that! I wanna know how I can save Kagome!" He shook his head. "There has to be a way!"
"There used to be. Long ago there was a beast god who had the power to heal anything. But he was killed by demons who wanted to become immortal." The Sun Goddess explained.
"Demons killed a god?" Inuyasha asked skeptically.
Nodding, Amaterasu continued. "Yes, we can live forever, but we are not immune to everything. These demons knew our weakness and used it against the beast god."
"What was that?"
Laughing, the goddess replied. "I'm not going to tell you. But if that beast god were alive, he would know how to save the one you love."
Inuyasha looked down at the ground sadly. "Dammit!" He threw a punch and smashed a hole in the ground. Clenching his eyes shut, Inuyasha couldn't believe what he was hearing. His Kagome was stuck remaining a statue for all time.
"There is a way to change Time's past." The Sun Goddess mentioned. "The well that once separated your two worlds is also what connects the past with the present. With my help you could go back in time and prevent the beast god from being murdered. Though there's no guarantee even he will know how to cure your priestess."
"I'll do anything!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
"Very well." The goddess agreed. "Once you go through the well, you will arrive in the priestess' world, though she will not appear as she is now, but then again neither will you. Together you must return to this world and save the beast god. Though I must warn you the time you enter the girl's life will not be an easy one. Help her and she will ultimately help you in return."
Raising an eyebrow suspiciously, Inuyasha could already tell the goddess knew more than she was letting on. Crossing his arms, he glared at the goddess. "And just how do I get back?"
"Return the girl to her own world and when you come through the well again, it'll return you to this time." The goddess assured.
Nodding, Inuyasha agreed. "Do it."
Raising her staff, Amaterasu began chanting an ancient spell.
Immediately, Inuyasha felt pain run over his body in waves. Crying out, he fell to his knees and held his stomach. "W-what the hell!?"
Outside, the sun began moving from West to East, day turned to night, and then night turned back into day, and then faster and faster.
Inuyasha looked up and saw the tip of Amaterasu's staff glow bright yellow before the pain sent him into unconsciousness and he fell to the ground.
Good luck hanyou…Then the goddess disappeared.
When Inuyasha awoke, his surroundings had changed. No longer was in the wooden shrine at the top of Mount Fujiyama. Instead he was somewhere else far more familiar. It was Inuyasha Forest.
Gasping, Inuyasha shot to his feet and reached for his sword, only to find it wasn't there! "What the hell!?" His voice…
Walking over to a nearby pool, Inuyasha looked down and saw his reflection. He wasn't the hanyou he remembered, but more like a pup from the past! He looked maybe five, six years old! "Holy sh…!"
"Awe, looks like the puppy lost his way."
Spinning around, Inuyasha saw three ugly looking demons, one armed with a club, making their way towards him. "What do you want?"
"And such attitude. I'm gonna enjoy sucking the meat from your bones!" The large green oni in the middle said.
Knowing he couldn't properly defend himself in his current state, Inuyasha turned and ran. Dammit! If only I still had Tetsusaiga! But the truth was that until he met Kagome many years later, it still resided in his father's hidden grave, somewhere in his right eye.
Looking behind him, Inuyasha could see the demons were still on him and catching up. (A/N: Does this scene sound familiar? If not yet, keep reading.)
Not watching where he was going, Inuyasha tripped on the forest floor. Turning around, he saw the demons coming at him. His fire rat robe would only provide so much protection. Gotta keep running…
He got to his feet and ran to the edge of the forest. But when he got there, he saw the river that was usually there was just a deep cliff. Oh, you gotta be kidding me! Turning around, Inuyasha had yet see the demons, so he knew he had to hide.
Ducking beneath the rock at the edge, Inuyasha kept as quiet as he could. When the demons came and looked around, he pushed himself deeper into the nitch that he'd found and held his breath. Looking up at them, he withheld a growl. Go away already! I've gotta get to Kagome and finish this thing up!
When they were finally gone, he allowed himself to catch his breath before coming out of his hiding space. "Idiots." He muttered.
Brushing himself off, he made his way to where he thought the well would be. As he came to the clearing, he sighed with relief when he saw the well just as he remembered. "At least that's still there."
Walking into the clearing, his senses immediately went off, but since they weren't as attuned as when he was older, he had barely a fraction of a second to jump out of the way before a green whip slammed into the ground where he had just been standing.
"Now what is it!?" But the answer was obvious. "I ain't got time to fight with you Sesshoumaru!"
Out of the shadows of the forest, a younger version of Sesshoumaru smirked and brought back his weapon. "What's so important that a filthy, half breed can't stop and chat with his older brother?"
"That's none of your business!" Inuyasha shouted back. He remembered now that even when he was younger, Sesshoumaru still picked fights with him for being a hanyou.
"Well, we'll see about that!" Sesshoumaru used his whip again and attacked the helpless dog demon before him.
Bringing up his arms, Inuyasha blocked what he could with his robe, but he impact threw him back into a tree. Thinking fast, Inuyasha pushed off the tree and aimed for Sesshoumaru's legs.
The older dog demon was caught off guard and the impact of the attack knocked him down on his stomach. "How dare you think you can stand up against me!" Raising his fist, Sesshoumaru punched Inuyasha off him.
This time, Inuyasha was thrown back into the edge of the well. His head hit the side and he slumped to the floor.
Getting to his feet, Sesshoumaru glared at the little pipsqueak. "I will make you regret you were ever spawned, Inuyasha." He ground.
Looking behind him, Inuyasha barely got to his feet and took an uneasy step back. His head was swimming and his vision of Sesshoumaru was splitting into two. "Not today." Then he let himself fall down the well and into oblivion.
Walking up to the well, Sesshoumaru looked down and saw nothing but darkness. Not caring what happened to the little runt, Sesshoumaru scoffed and went off to find other, bigger demons to play with. Someday he would be the strongest demon alive, just like his father. Then he would make the humans pay. (A/N: Until he falls for a human himself! Ha! But like I'm gonna tell him that? Yeah, Sesshoumaru, you're the biggest hypocrite alive because in just a few hundred years when you grow up, you're gonna fall for a human just like your daddy! NOT! I wanna live man!)
Coming back from the funeral, a six-year-old Kagome wiped away the tears that even now continued to fall. Her mother, dressed in all black just like her daughter, reached down to grab her daughter's hand. "I know it's hard for you, Kagome, but you have to be strong and move on. That's what your father would've wanted."
"But what about what I want!" She shouted back, pulling her hand away from her mother and glaring at her remaining parent. "Didn't he think about that before running off to be somebody else's hero!?"
Kagome's mother frowned. She knew her daughter loved her father very much, but they would all have to come to terms with it. It was better if she understood now instead of playing it off for later. "Your father did what he had to so he could provide for this family." She said sternly. "I knew the risks he faced before I married him." She was saying that to convince herself more than anyone.
"I don't care what you think or what you say anymore! He didn't really care about me, so he left me! And one day you're gonna leave me too!" Turning around, she ran off to another part of the shrine.
Wanting to follow after her, Kagome's mother felt the hand of her own father, who shook his head. "Give her some time. It's hard for a child that young to understand death, even one raised on a shrine."
"I know but…" Her words left her. Even now she still felt the sting of her loved one leaving her so soon.
"Focus on yourself for now and I'll try to find her." Her father assured.
Nodding, the older woman retreated into the house.
Sniffling, Kagome hid in the small shack that was always her favorite hiding place. Her grandfather used to tell her stories about the well that was there and how it was cursed. But she never believed any of those old ghost stories.
Sighing, she sat on the steps and held her chin in her hands. "Why'd he have to leave me all alone?" She wasn't mad at her mom, or even her dad, she just wanted everything the way it was before.
Thinking of her dad brought the tears back again, and she buried her face in her hands. "Daddy!"
Suddenly, the well before her lit up and the little girl gasped, at the sight. She wasn't afraid really, but some of the stories started coming back into her mind. Standing up, Kagome watched the light die down and held her breath.
There was the noise of some rustling going on, before she saw a hand snake its way over the top of the well.
"Ahh!" Screaming, she ran to the door, ready to run outside and get grandpa to come perform an exorcist, when she heard someone else shout and then a loud thump. "Huh?"
Creeping over to the well, she heard someone cursing profusely, some of the words she didn't even recognize. Slowly she went closer to the well and knelt besides it, gathering her courage enough to look over the side.
Placing her hands on the edge, she slowly lifted her head up with her eyes closed. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and found herself face to face with golden eyes and white hair. "Ahh!" She screamed again. "A ghost!"
Getting equally surprised, Inuyasha lost his footing and fell back into the well once more. "Dammit! Why can't you shut the hell up for a change!?" He shouted, getting to his feet.
Running to the top of the stairs, Kagome watched as the boy climbed out of the well and take a seat on the ground next to it breathing deeply. It was then that she noticed the small dog ears on the top of his head. "A dog boy?"
Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha crossed his arms and glared at her. "Hanyou. I'm a haaaannnyouuuu."
Blinking, Kagome knelt down where she stood to get a better look at him, but still refused to get any closer. "Are you a ghost?"
Raising his arm, Inuyasha showed a cut he got from his previous battle with Sesshoumaru. "Do ghosts bleed?"
"No I guess not." Kagome consented. "What were you doing in the well?" She asked innocently.
"Oh just taking a break from the sun." He replied sarcastically. "I was coming to see you! Duh!" Standing up, he tried walking up the stairs, but suddenly got dizzy and fell down again.
Gasping, Kagome ran to his side and tried to help him up. "You're hurt." She stated the obvious.
Gritting his teeth, Inuyasha forgot his body was weaker now that he was young again and couldn't take a beating like it used to. "I'll be fine in a few hours." He said.
Nodding, Kagome let go as Inuyasha tried ascending the steps again.
But the movement was too much for his little body, and he passed out, falling limply on the stairs.
Walking over to him, Kagome saw his cute little face and his doggy ears. I have to touch them. Raising her hands she hesitated only a moment before reaching forward and squeezing them softly. When she was finished, she sat down next to him and wondered what she should do next. "How am I gonna sneak a doggy ghost boy into my room?" She wondered.
When she heard the door giggle, she gasped and pulled Inuyasha's body into the shadows. Her grandfather took a quick peek inside, but muttered something and went to find Kagome elsewhere.
Sighing with relief, Kagome hoisted the unconscious "ghost" onto her back and drudged up the stairs. He was heavy, but as long as she didn't run into anyone else along the way, she would be fine.
Peeking her head out of the door, she looked for her grandfather, then made a slow dash to the front door. Inside, she noticed her mom was locked in her own room, still crying over the death of her husband.
Taking him upstairs, Kagome placed Inuyasha in her bed and watched him from her desk. "He is kinda looks cute when he's sleeping." She admitted.
Taking a deep breath, Inuyasha whispered, "Kagome…" Then turned and slept in a different position.
"Eh?" Kagome gasped. "Did he just say my name?"
"Kagome! Are you in here!?" She heard her grandfather's voice.
Rolling her eyes, she ran to the door and shouted out. "Yes! I'm in my room!"
"Come down for lunch! I'll make you some ramen!"
Kagome couldn't help but giggle. Leave it to her grandfather to cook the simplest thing in the house until mom was back to her usual self. "Be right there!" Looking back at the sleeping boy, Kagome thought it safe enough to leave him there. "I wonder if he'll eat ramen." Then she paused to think about it. "Do ghosts even need to eat?" Shaking her head, she rushed downstairs. Eat then think, it was the only way to live.
Author's Notes: Okay, I just reread the end of "To Protect the One I Love" and man was that hilarious! Sorry, got egotistical for a moment. But don't worry, Kouga-kun and his puppies haven't seen the last of this story yet. How was the chapter? Did things take a turn for the weird and unusual? I think this series definitely stands apart from the rest, but you be the judge. Oh and did anyone recognize the scene with a kid Inuyasha running from the demons? Now when you see that flashback, it'll be like watching my story in the series! Maybe…if you have as much of an imagination as I do…