Disclaimer- It's true I don't own Inuyasha…I would have told you I did, but I've already told you I don't in just about all the chapters before this one…
Suzu- This chapter is basically a catalyst, but a very sweet one. Read and enjoy, please. Thanks for your support.
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Chapter 22
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It was a deep, dark night that held its breath, disturbed only by the rustling of the breeze through the untended brush and vegetable plots that surrounded a small wooden cottage. Inside, a variety of beings ringed a blazing fire. There was a demon lord, his henchmen, a pretty, young girl, a monk with a kind and humorous face, and a dangerous looking tajiya.
"Kagome told me…she told me she would leave us. She told me to not stop her! I…" Sango's voice broke. "I let her go. It was what she wanted." A tear trickled down her face, leaving a trail that glowed in the orange firelight.
"However, she entrusted the Shikon No Tama to Inuyasha…she said that it was what he had wanted all along. It probably broke her heart, thinking those thoughts…" Sango murmured, her voice trailing off.
Sesshomaru's eyes contemplated the story so far. His face remained emotionless, but you could see in his eyes that the demon was registering what had happened. Finally, he spoke.
"You already told me that the fox kit delivered the jewel to that girl before she was sucked into the well. How did my brother reach her era without the jewel's aid, is it not impossible to traverse the realms without the magic shards?"
"Aye, but somehow, there was one more shard that had been driven into the legendary Goshinboku tree. Inuyasha used it to enter the realm of Kagome-san." Miroku winced at the memory of the hanyou, never before seen so crazed and desperate.
Rin cried out, "Inuyasha-kun! Kagome-oneechan! Are they alright? Why have they not returned?"
Sango looked at the moon outside bitterly. It would be the new moon soon. Each month of the quest, during the new moon, they had hidden Inuyasha from outsiders, until more and more people eventually found out.
"I don't know." Silence once more lapsed across the room.
"And so… what can I say?" Miroku rubbed his chin thoughtfully, while the rest of the people/youkai ringing the fire in the little room stared at him with varying expressions.
"Miroku-sama… don't push yourself." Rin offered kindly. The monk smiled sweetly at Rin, appreciating her comment. "My my, Rin-chan … what a kind girl you are, so unlike--"
"THAT'S ENOUGH, LECHER" Sango brandished a gleaming boomerang and let momentum and old habit guide it down towards the monk's head. Unfortunately for Miroku, Sango had left the Hirakotsu in the room from her unfinished polishing job. It was within easy reach and proved to be quite useful in these certain little predicaments.
"So the Shikon No Tama has erased the filly's memories, and my thick-headed little brother has gone to retrieve her from the mortal era, is that right?" Sesshomaru glared at the fire, as if focusing on it would provide a sufficient explanation.
Miroku regained his composure. "Yes. So far, they have not returned. It has been almost two weeks since he left…three weeks since Kagome-san has left us."
"Aaiii! Kagome-oneechan has entered the mystical other realm. I hope she is alright!" Rin clasped her hands together and wailed at the 'horrid' prospect of it all
"Rin! Desist from such horrid noises!" Jaken proceeded to tap Rin smartly in the head with his staff, but stopped abruptly as Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes towards him.
The tajiya sighed inwardly. "Meanwhile, there is nothing to do but wait." Sango bluntly concluded. "Kagome would not have wanted us to mope around. If your business with her cannot wait, then stay here with us, if you choose." Sango stood up and stretched, tired.
Sesshomaru stood up as well. "No need. We will camp out somewhere near the woods and wait for them to appear from that enchanted well of theirs. I have farewells to say to my disgraceful brother."
Sango and Miroku both turned his way, startled.
"Farewells?"
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Slowly, Kagome crawled out of the well in Inuyasha Forest. The sky overhead was drenched in shining stars, and the grass underneath her grew in thick, lush clumps. The air lay damp and foggy tonight. All around her, trees towered from the ground. 'So different from home'. She glanced up to see the god tree.
'Maybe not that different'. Kagome could feel tears welling up at the corners of her eyes again. She sniffed, and then wiped them on her sweater. She glanced down at her clothes again, with more care this time. 'You're the only things I have to remind me of home left.' She shook her head, trying to stop the rush of self-pitying thoughts. 'Pull yourself together.'
Inuyasha jumped out of the well a split second after her, his red hoari soiled to a dusty color. "Augh! The wells caving in!"
Kagome peered at the well. It was indeed starting to fall apart, as if the wood of the tree of time had finally did its job, and it was time to finally go. The wood corroded as if touched by acid, and gradually formed a pile of mush on the grass: compost. She watched Inuyasha curse the deformed well and smiled.
"Feh." The hanyou reached inside the folds of his fire-rat hoari to extract a glowing, miniscule shard. Slowly, it floated to the air, a shining sliver of rosy light, shimmering in the dark forest. It lit up both the hanyou's and Kagome's awed faces.
A voice echoed through the forest as the last remaining piece of the jewel glowed brighter. It sounded like the woman from Kagome's dreams.
'It is finally time for the Shikon No Tama to go from this world. The cycle of evil should stop now. Finally, both my soul and the demon's may go to their proper afterlives. It was the lingering soul of one like to me that allowed me to finally take action, for it has been too long already. I believe her name was…Kikyo. She and I are like souls. Please, young miko, do your best to purify this land. '
A fierce breeze swept through the forest, and the glimmer disappeared. Both figures stood there, until Kagome spoke up.
"Kikyo and Midoriko-san are like souls. That makes sense." Kagome mused out loud. "It was the evil, base desires of mortal men who fused with demons that led to their demise. Kikyo played an important role in history…I'm glad."
Inuyasha followed up Kagome's sad smile. "I'm glad for her too. She was indeed an important figure in all our lives" he stopped, seeing Kagome smile a little mischievously. "…But not the most important person in my life."
"And who might that be?" Kagome chorused slyly, only to have her breath taken away when Inuyasha picked her up bridal style and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"Heh. Quit teasing, Kagome." Inuyasha smirked down at the embarrassed, but fuming girl in his arms. "Alright, we're going to Miroku's place!"
"Nani? Not like this we aren't!" Kagome argued hotly. 'Ahh! When did he learn to do that? And he says I'm the one doing the teasing!'
Inuyasha peered down at her quizzically, but was laughing inside. "Of course we are. It's the fastest. If I gave you a piggyback, you'd bump into the branches. Instead, I'll hold you out like so and let you clear away the underbrush." The hanyou grinned, amber eyes flashing.
"Humph." Kagome pretended to pout, but was enjoying the mutual relationship. She felt a soft glow inside whenever she looked at Inuyasha, not to mention how she felt when he kissed her.
Inuyasha leaped, and raced through the forest with considerable speed. He was careful to brush away any brambles that might scratch Kagome, despite his earlier comment. The forest smelled of a fresh pine and evergreen scent, with damp, foggy moisture. Suddenly, his nose picked up a different scent—a demon! Not to mention, a certain demon.
"I thought we'd cleared our differences up…" he growled under his breath.
Kagome noticed something bothering Inuyasha. "What is it?" she asked.
"We'll find out soon enough…" he assured her.
Following his comment, they leaped through the last trees and came out near a grassy clearing. Sure enough, three figures stood in front of them. Inuyasha let Kagome down on the grass.
A girl raced towards them. She had on an expensive looking violet kimono that glowed in the moonlight. When her silky mass of raven locks were pushed aside, Kagome recognized the face of Rin. She looked older, and showed shadowy signs of womanhood underneath the cherubic exterior.
"Kagome-oneechan!" The girl bowed slightly before she hugged Kagome. "I thought you were in the other realm!"
"I was Rin, but I'm back now." Kagome smoothed down Rin's hair. It still stung a little at the mention of her modern day era, but the pain was starting to cut less.
Meanwhile, Inuyasha looked coolly at his brother, who stared icily back. "What's the matter, Sesshomaru? Didn't we compromise?"
The elder sibling smiled slightly, though it was an emotionless gesture. "I have come to entrust Rin in your mate's care."
"What—when did I take a mate!" The hanyou burst out, rose coloring his face, earning a quirked eyebrow at his behavior from the elder demon.
Sesshomaru remained fixated and calm. "I'm leaving with Jaken for a few months to secure the western border of our late father. There are many there who start to rebel and need to be brought back under the Western Empire." Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "It would not do to let those rebellions go on. I am traveling to fixate the western lands and secure them under the family's name once more."
"I will miss Sesshomaru-sama so, but I am prepared." Rin chirruped lightly. "He says I am to stay with you for a while to learn how to become a woman."
Kagome smiled brightly. "Is that so, Rin…Why let me teach you?"
Rin laughed pleasantly. "It's because Sesshomaru-sama says he is not quite adept at such things." She ignored the glance from Jaken and the expression on Sesshomaru's face. "I'm always growing now, and if I am to be taken to court as a brought up young lady, it is essential for me to learn from you."
Kagome and Inuyasha both looked from Rin to Sesshomaru and back again. Did the demon lord intend to adopt the girl and introduce her to society? Finally, looking at the hopeful stare of the younger girl, Kagome gave in.
The older female took Rin's hands and held them as a gesture of sincerity. "I guess it's fine, Rin. Of course, Inuyasha…um…" Kagome flushed heatedly. "Ah… Inuyasha and I don't have plans about where to live…or…or--" She stopped and smiled sheepishly, trailing her eyes to the hanyou to ask for help.
Inuyasha noticed the glance and decided to chip in a few words. His brother was a nuisance, but that little girl was not so bad. She kinda reminded him of Kagome.
"It should be fine. Rin can wander around with us, or stay with Miroku, Sango, or Kaede-baachan." He shrugged casually. "Feh, it's not like were in this state forever, Kagome."
His words were graced with a radiant smile from Rin, a sigh of relief from Jaken, and a slight posture change in his demonic half-brother. Kagome's glance of warmth and love made him flush contentedly as well.
The hanyou sighed. Why did this stuff always happen to him? Seeing another glance from Sesshomaru, he quickly coughed to cover up his sigh.
"Sesshomaru-sama, we should be leaving." Jaken started in a half pleading, half whining tone. "The night is wearing on."
"You're right. We must travel quickly, just like old times, before Rin joined us." Sesshomaru's face remained stoic, but a tiny spark of remorse was in his eyes. "Take care, Rin."
"Sesshomaru-sama!" The young girl ran up to her guardian and gave him a hug. Then, looking up and smiling much like the first time she'd met him, Rin added, "Please promise to come back."
The demon lord's mouth tightened at the fact that Rin still made him promise this after all these years, but promised anyways.
"I will."
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Suzu- I know, short chapter it is… but it ties up some loose ends in this story. Meanwhile, we got a glimpse of the cute new relationship between Kagome and Inuyasha.
Will Kagome find a life in the Sengoku Jidai? This fic isn't over yet. Stick around for the next chapter.
Okay, this is your cue,
REVIEW!