Title: Who Wants to Live Forever
Author: The Painted Lady
Disclaimer: Inu Yasha and all the characters herein portrayed are sole property of Rumiko Takahashi. As I am not her, I am not making any money off of this. I am merely borrowing them for a short time. I will return them, washed and pressed, when I am finished. The song "Who Wants to Live Forever" is performed and owned by the group Queen, and I am merely using it to set the scene. I'm not Queen, either, so I'm not making anything off the song.
Author's note: This chapter is dedicated to my sole reviewer, LittleSuteinu. I will continue this as long as anyone is reading it, be it one person or one hundred
Chapter Two
What is this thing that builds our dreams for us
Then slips away from us
Hope.
This was the one thing that Inu Yasha held close to his heart. Even though Kagome was…no, he wouldn't think about that right now, there was a way to bring her back. She had still been warm when he fled the small hut where they had lived for so many years. He hated to leave, his friends calling to him as he ran, but he knew that there was no time to explain himself. Time was of the essence, and he was short of it.
Running through the forest that surrounded his home, Inu Yasha had a single thought. He must get the Tensaiga from his brother. With it, he could bring Kagome back to him. Branches of the forest seemed to reach out to hinder him, twigs beat against his face, bent on inflicting harm. He felt no pain, however. He felt nothing but that hope, which bordered on desperation, that with his brother's sword, he would be able to restore Kagome.
'Kagome!', his mind howled with sorrow. She had only been gone moments, but his soul was already lost without her. He felt very heavy, as if his legs were made of lead. As tears threatened to fall, he growled angrily. She would soon be back with him, there was no need to grieve. Shaking himself mentally, he stopped running blindly, and tasted the air. To the West, his nose told him. And not far away, either.
The hanyou ran for what seemed days through the ancient forest, while in reality it was mere hours. The only thing that witnessed his passage were the rocks and trees, and the occasional wild animal, who knew from experience to hide as soon as demon scent hit their sensitive nose.
Abruptly, the woods opened into a grassy clearing. Standing in the center was his brother, Seshomaru, accompanied by Jaken the Imp and a two headed dragon. "I've been expecting you," the Lord of the Western Lands stated as he turned to face his brother. His cold exterior was tinged with pity as he looked upon his younger sibling.
"What do you mean, 'you've been expecting me'?" Inu Yasha snarled.
Sesshomaru merely shrugged. "Because I feared that this day would come, and you would be in this state, this Seshomaru has had your village watched ever since the miko fell ill"
"If you know that much, then you know why I've come!" The hanyou came full into the clearing, the moon illuminating his visage.
The demon prince nodded. "I cannot let you do this deed you seek, however"
Inu Yasha unsheathed his sword, it glittered dangerously in the pale light. "If you will not help me, then I will take the Tensaiga by force"
He charged then, but his brother dodged his headlong attack.
"Your anger makes you slow, little brother. You become sloppy." Drawing his own sword, Tokijin, Seshomaru began to block Inu Yasha's blows. He did not try to attack, merely stayed ahead of him, met him blow for blow. Seshomaru knew that his mate had died, and only hours earlier. This was Inu Yasha's release. He was, however, hard put to keep up with him.
"Stop blocking, Seshomaru!" Inu Yasha roared, as another of Testuaiga's attacks was turned. "I don't need your sympathy! I do, however, need your sword"
"You just don't understand, do you half breed?" the demon prince said coolly as he brought Tokijin up to oppose Testuaiga's attack.
Grunting from the impact, Inu Yasha knew that something was up. In all the years that they had fought, Seshomaru never was one for small talk during a battle, or ever for that matter. He also knew that if he wanted to, Seshomaru could have ended this fight as easily as he himself had started it. "The sword brings people back to life, doesn't it"
"Of course, you fool," the western Lord responded, then staggered under a mighty blow.
"That's all I need to know, then"
"Enough of this!" Seshomaru stated, turning Tensaiga's blow. He knocked the sword out of Inu Yasha's hand, then whirled his own over to meet level with the hanyou's throat. "You simple minded creature"
The inu youkai backed off two paces and sheathed his own sword. "The Tensaiga would indeed bring her back to this world, but the illness that she suffered from would not be cured. She would live forever in pain and torment"
"Liar!" Inu Yasha roared, lunging at his older brother. He was knocked back by the stinging green whip and effectively silenced.
"You dare call me liar, half breed?" Seshomaru hissed. "Do you think me so cold hearted that I would let the protector of the Shikon Jewel pass into the next world if there was something that I could do about it? You forget, during the last fight with Naraku, she saved my life. I would offer her the same if I could; it would be the honorable thing to do"
Inu Yasha glared up at the demon prince, "How do you know this to be true? Haw can you know that the sword wouldn't heal her"
Seshomaru turned his back on him, but the hanyou thought he heard strain and sadness in that usually controlled voice.
"Because many years ago, I tried to save one that I cared for, and all I accomplished was torment"
With that, the Lord of the Western Lands vanished into the blackness of the forest.
Inu Yasha sank to the ground, feeling the hope that had elated him and kept him going this far leave his body. Kagome was gone. As this realization hit him, no tears fell. He thought it odd at that moment, to be so anguished that it was too hard to cry. There was a lump in his throat, something was trying to get out. He closed his eyes, opened his mouth, and expressed himself the way a dog who has lost its master would.
The lone howl sent chills down the spines of the wildlife that heard it, birds stilled in their nests, deer stopped in their tracks, and far off, another howl answered his.
After this, the tears came. Hot and salty they poured down his cheeks in twin rivers.
"And the curse of demon is fulfilled once again," a voice pierced through his sadness. Inu Yasha looked up to see Jaken leaning heavily on his staff. He continued, "The demon is destined to outlive his human companions, to watch them grow old and feeble, then eventually die"
Seized by sudden curiosity born of despondency, the half demon asked, "Who did Seshomaru try to save"
" 'Tis a sad tale. It was Lady Rin, about ten years ago. She fell gravely ill after giving birth to my lord's first and only son. When she died, my lord was devastated. So much that he brought her back with Tensaiga. The fang indeed restored her life, but she was in so much pain that she begged for death before the end. She cursed her life and his name, the hurt was so bad. The new life that she had been granted twisted her, made her bitter. Eventually, she threw herself out of the castle's tallest tower, thus ending her existence"
Inu Yasha nodded his head in aquiesance. He did not want Kagome to suffer, no matter how badly he wanted her to return to him. Resigned, he got up and started back towards the village. "Inu Yasha"
He turned to regard the Imp. No words were spoken, but the tears in Jaken eyes were enough to convey his message. He whispered, "Don't taint Kagome's memory. Remember her as you always have. Don't seek a second chance"
Hearing this because of his heightened senses, he nodded once more and turned towards the forest. His mind was blank, no thoughts ran through as his feet, on autopilot, returned him to the village as dawn broke over the hills. Sango had spotted him as soon as he entered the small town, and hurried to meet him. She fell into step beside him, but did not speak. There were no words to say. They did not go towards Inu Yasha's hut were Kagome's body was sure to lay, but on to Sango and Miroku's dwelling. The ex demon slayer offered him a bowl of broth, and they sat. Miroku was already inside, the new morning finding that his cough had grown worse and was unable to venture outside with his wife.
'They're so old' Inu Yasha thought, then Jaken's words came back to haunt him, 'The curse of the demon'
"Were did you go last night, friend?" Miroku rasped. "Sango was beside herself with worry, and I myself was concerned as well"
"I went to find Seshomaru." he answered hollowly.
"The Tensaiga?" the monk asked, a bit too quickly. Sango swatted at him and gave him a hard look.
"It won't work. Apparently it only restores life, it doesn't cure diseases. She would be alive, but in horrible pain"
The tayjia bowed her head, not able to take part in the conversation any longer for fear of the sobs that would escape her. She had watched Inu Yasha leave, and had an idea of where he was going, what he was trying to do. While noble, she had known that was a futile gesture. And only now, when all hope for their friend was gone, did she allow herself to grieve.
"There's still got to be a way," Inu Yasha muttered. Sango and Miroku exchanged worried glances. "A spell! Like the one that brought Kikyou back! That would work, wouldn't it"
Gently, the monk shook his head. "You know as well as I that it wouldn't. It wouldn't be the Kagome you loved. She would have to survive on the souls of the dead. She would have abhorred that. Besides," he added, "There's no one skilled enough now to perform a spell of that complexity"
"Well, I'll be damned if I'm just going to sit here and accept this!" the hanyou spat back.
"You're a fool, Inu Yasha!" Sango yelled. "Leave her spirit to rest. If it is as powerful as I think it is, it will reincarnate itself once again. The jewel will always need a protector, and her soul won't leave this world until the jewel does. You just need a little patience," she whispered. "And this"
Reaching into the folds of her skirt, the woman withdrew something and held it in her closed hand. She offered it to Inu Yasha.
Raising an eyebrow, he accepted the gift. It was a plain box, about the size on an apple. He tried to open it, but it would not budge.
"What is this, some kind of joke"
"I assure you, it is not." Miroku said, rising to his feet, albeit rather feebly. "Inside that box is something that will draw Kagome's spirit to you. However, you can never open it. I have put spells and sutras on that box that should last a thousand years"
At another raised eyebrow, this time from Sango, Miroku amended, "Well, maybe not that long, but for a good while. I repeat, you must never open this box, Inu Yasha, for if you do, there will be lasting effects, not only to you, but to Kagome's spirit as well"
"Fine, I won't open your stupid box. Geeze"
They were interrupted by the village elder knocking on the side of the hut.
"Excuse me, but it's time"
Grief hit them fresh as they realized it was time to bid a final farewell to their friend. As they filed out of the small house, Inu Yasha looked upon the hill to the temple. Kagome had built that temple. And it was here that Kagome would be laid to rest. Once she had told him that she was named for the founder of the shrine her family took care of. Little did anyone know then that she was the founder.
Being half demon, he wouldn't have usually been allowed at the temple, but the barriers held an exception for him. As the trio passed by her still body, laying on her funeral pyre, Inu Yasha stopped and said a small prayer for her. Then, after the village had paid there respects, Miroku lit the pyre. As the flames leapt high onto the miko robes that she wore, Inu Yasha could not bear to watch. Before he turned to leave, however, he lifted the rosary beads from his neck and gently wrapped them around her hands.
"As you had power over me in life, so you have power over me in death, it seems." With that, he leapt from the crowded village and into the forest. No matter how far he wandered that day, though, he could not escape the smell of smoke.
End Part