Ok, ok… I'll take the no reviews as a sign of displeasure that I took so long to put up that last installment. Well, here's this one. Please review this time… I'm so busy… and I'm trying my best over here…
Slight twitching came from InuYasha's ears, hearing the chatter of birds in the new morning, though he was still asleep. In the middle of the night, he had seemed to shift positions. From leaning against the wall, he went to lying upon the ground. He shifted to his side, mumbling some words under his breath as soft snoring could be heard.
Kagome looked over at Inuyasha, and pressed her fingertips to her lips, recalling what happened. She smiled at first, then it faded as she recalled what had happened the last time she had been happy like this. Inuyasha had said he was happy to see her after pulling the tree out of the well... then Kikyo came along and he almost went into hell with her. "Is he two-timing me again?" She wondered. "He never did say..." she twitched her nose and picked up a bucket, walking delicately down to the stream to freshen herself up and get some water. Sitting down at the edge of the flowing water, she felt light headed, though the water helped clear her senses. "Kagome?" A voice called. Kagome turned to see InuYasha standing in the woods behind her.
"Inuyasha?"
InuYasha stirred in his sleep, turning on his stomach before grunting and turning onto his side. Twitching came from his ears, hearing soft voices from outside. He peeked open an eye to see that Kagome was no longer inside of the hut.
"Kagome... I just realized, Naraku has all the Jewel Shards now except for one.... Do you know where that last one is?" Asked InuYasha.
Kagome closed her eyes and reached out her senses, answering, "I think…. I think it lies somewhere towards the North from here, in the supposed direction of Naraku's castle.
He grinned, and unleashed his claws. "Good, well then Kagome, it's time to say good-bye." He began advancing towards her.
InuYasha sat up rubbing his eyes to get used to the morning light. He stretched his arms, letting out a small yawn. His ears perked, hearing Kagome's voice as well as a voice of another that sounded like him. Curious, he stood up.
Kagome, eyes wide, started to back up, but stopped when she felt the icy cold water of the spring hit the backs of her ankles through her socks.
"I-InuYasha!? What are you doing?! What do you mean it's time to say good-bye?!?!" Her voice became strained and frantic towards the end of her sentence.
Her only answer was a cold grin before he jumped up, slashing out with his claws, shouting, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!!" She dodged it narrowly, landing on her front in the cold water of the spring.
The voices grew louder when InuYasha stepped out of the hut. Having grabbed the Tetsusaiga, he sheathed it by his waist, heading down the path towards the spring. As he rose over the crest, panic rose in him, and he ran towards the strange scene below.
"Kagome?!" He called out, seeing her and someone who looked like him.
Inuyasha let out a low growl. He unsheathed the Tetsusaiga, the rusted metal appearance fleshing out as always to its powerful fanglike form. He hesitated for a moment, knowing if he struck from behind with the Windscar, that Kagome might get caught in it. He leapt to the side, arranging himself that the striking range of the Windscar wouldn't touch Kagome. He summoned the wind, allowing it to swirl for a moment around the lethal blade, then slashed forward with the Tetsusaiga, sending a powerful beam of golden light charging towards Kagome's attacker.
The InuYasha that attacked Kagome turned and leapt lightly into the air, the Windscar passing underneath him and away, causing destruction in the forest beyond, leaving deep ruts in the ground, smoking harshly. He landed, smirking. "Is that the best you can do?" He turned to Kagome, attacking her once more.
She rolled again, panting, her body weak from lying sick in bed and not eating anything for the past weak. This time, one of the claws caught her shirt, ripping a long gash across a sleeve and the body of the garment. The lower third of the shirt hung down, hanging at the sides, and the strip of cloth that had formed hersleeve dangled down like an odd sash. 'I can't keep this up.' She thought and stood quickly, feeling her lightheadedness return.
InuYasha's amber eyes widened in fear as he saw Kagome get attacked once more, ripping her school uniform. He shook his head, hesitating for a moment. 'I need to get her out of here. Whoever that is, he's goin' to keep striking Kagome even though I strike him.' He thought, sheathing his sword as he dashed for Kagome, picking her up in his arms. Again he hesitated for a split second, looking about him for a spot of safety. 'No, not the hut, it'll only put the others in danger as well.' He ran off in the forest.
"Foolish InuYasha, you think you can run from me so easily?" Naraku, still in InuYasha's form, leapt in front of InuYasha, striking at him with his claws.
InuYasha dodged that attack, doing a sharp right turn. "Hold on Kagome." He warned her as he leaped into the air, landing up a tree branch. From there on, he leapt from tree to tree.
A distance away, Naraku stopped pursuing them. InuYasha carried on a little longer, stopping at the Sacred Tree.
InuYasha glanced down at Kagome, somewhat narrowing his eyes at her. "What were you doing up so early? And in your condition? You should have known better than to wander outside in your state." He said in a rough tone, mixed with worry.
Kagome squirmed in his grasp slightly. "I went to get some water! How was I to know Naraku would show up as you?! Let me down, I want to go home!!!"
InuYasha set her down gently, listening to her harsh tone. "Well, you may never know!" Was all he could come up with. "Going home again?! For what?! Just because I was worried about you? Fine leave. That seems to be the one thing you're good at anyway. Just forget it." He said turning his back to her. "And just forget about that kiss we had." He said softly under his breath, hoping she wouldn't hear.
Kagome turned in half shock, half anger. She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth angrily, then set off back towards Lady Kaede's hut, meaning to get her stuff then go home, to the present day world.
InuYasha settled himself upon a high tree branch, letting out a soft sigh. Seeing Kagome wipe her mouth as if angry, he glanced down to the ground, feeling a bit hurt. That night, he meant that kiss. Was she thinking that he was two timing her? Well, he wasn't. He had already made his choice before he kissed her. That choice was none other than her.
He let out a sigh, jumping down from his perch. He left in the direction he had seen Kagome leave, into the woods, in search of Kagome to tell her what he couldn't say before.
Kagome was panting slightly on her return trip, bangs glued to her brow, damp with sweat. She was starting to feel a bit light-headed again, her adrenaline rush fading away, leaving her fuel starved body weak, limbs feeling leaden. A small clearing made itself visible to her, a faint, blurred outline of what appeared to be a stump in the very middle. Kagome made her way towards it with relief, meaning to sit for a moment and rest.
Pushing aside the saplings that grew around the edges of the clearing, Kagome looked towards the tree stump and inhaled sharply. The sun was able to shine strongly down into this exposed space, the light revealing a glittering something on top of the stump. Pushed into a crack of the weathered wood, was the last Jewel Shard.
Kagome dropped her pack, quiver and bow on the soft, light-green grass where she stood, staring at the little shard. This latest development proved to be too much after all the emotional trauma of the past few days. Fat teardrops began to gather on her lower eyelashes, threatening to roll down her cheeks in small rivulets. 'After all this time.... the last one....' She walked slowly, reverently forward, kneeling once she reached the stump. She stretched out one hand, shaking slightly, towards the Jewel Shard. Kagome had it between her fingertips when an arrow flew out of nowhere, almost grazing her hand and embedded itself in the wood of the stump.
Evil of me….. Well, anyway, hope you liked it, next installment coming soon! Well.. Hopefully soon… -.- My role-playing partner ditched me…. So, it's up to me to finish this fic. Oh well… I kind of like it better this way.