The Trap.
Authoress: Princess Lalaith.
Miroku was in his watch-turn. It was around midnight, and even then none of them seem to be able to get any sleep. Sango was taking care of her hurt little brother, who thanks to Seshomaru was alive; Shippou and Ai were helping her carry water and the medicines they had been given to be sure Kohaku would be ok. Inuyasha had said he was bored, and had gone off for a walk. And Kagome was inside a small hut in he limits of the village, she had been there concealed for the last three days, since they had that fight with Naraku and got the full Shikon no Tama back. Even when Kaede had suggested she could try purifying the jewel, Kagome had been very insistent at it being her duty to do it, and so she had to be alone and relaxed to be able to concentrate her spiritual powers.
In a way they were all already celebrating Naraku's defeat, they had no way of knowing he still had one last trick under his sleeve.
.---.
"We just can't let them be happy." A female figure scorned from the shadows.
"And we won't." a second figure, this one you couldn't tell whether it was man, woman, or neither of them. "They shall pay."
"But how? We've lost the jewel, they have it now And that foolish little girl will be protecting and purifying it."
"The same situation happened before, and in the end I won. Who tells you I won't be doing it again."
"What are you planning?"
"You'll find out in due time." The figure laughed. "After all, we all know history is due to repeat itself."
.---.
Kagome woke up really early, feeling a tug in the Shikon no tama. Without knowing really what was pushing her into it she left the camp and walked away. Inuyasha caught up her scent as she left and followed her. A few hours later they arrived to a certain valley that Inuyasha believed he cold remember, and even if Kagome didn't she feel strange just by being there.
"What are you doing here Kagome?" Inuyasha asked her.
"I'm not completely sure." Kagome answered sincerely. "Perhaps the shikon no tama believed this to be a more peaceful place where to be purified."
Inuyasha didn't make any more questions. Kagome sat on the ground, crossed-legged, holding the pearl in between both hands, concentrating her spiritual energy to continue the ritual to purify it.
Hours later Kagome grew tired and decided to relax a bit, she hung the jewel around her neck and laid down on the green grass. Inuyasha remained sitting next to her in silence. After some time Kagome decided to break the silence:
"You notice how long we have been next to each other, and yet we haven't fought?" Kagome asked him.
"Maybe because we haven't spoken at all since we got here a while ago." Inuyasha suggested.
Kagome turned to look at him in silence, a small smile graced her lips.
"Maybe, so, you wanna risk to talk a bit with me?" Kagome asked with a smirk.
"Don't know." Inuyasha murmured, faking a thoughtful tone. "Maybe it would be better if we just remained in silence."
Kagome raised an eyebrow.
And then they both laughed.
.---.
Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Ai woke up a few hours after dawn.
"Where's Kagome-nee-san?" Ai asked looking around.
"Don't know." Sango said.
After about fifteen minutes looking almost everywhere in the village where they lived; they confirmed that those two were nowhere around.
"They aren't in the village." Sango said.
"A villager told me he saw two persons leaving the village early morning." Miroku said.
"But why didn't they tell us?" Shippou asked. "Why did they left without telling us where they were going?"
"I'm not sure Shippou…" Miroku said.
Kirara suddenly growled, calling everyone's attention.
"Something's wrong." Sango murmured unsure
"Kagome-nee-san…Inuyasha-nii-san…please, be okay." Ai pleaded.
.---.
Kagome and Inuyasha had being chatting for a while about simple things, they seemed to have forgotten about everything: Naraku, the evil demons, even Kikyo…
The sun was setting already, and whatever spell had fallen upon Inuyasha's and Kagome's mind seemed to weaken.
"It's a bit late isn't it?" Kagome asked suddenly. "Sango, Miroku and the kids will be worried about us. After all, we did left the village without leaving them even a note.
"Then maybe we should go back." Inuyasha suggested.
He lent her a hand to help her up. And then they walked back; they had to cross a river, and they decided to use the same boat they had used to get to that place.
The sun was setting, the river was calm, and Inuyasha used a cane to push their boat through the flow of water. At this point, they felt like the situation was vaguely familiar to both of them.
When they finally reached the other side Inuyasha stepped out first, Kagome followed, but as she did she tripped over the edge of the boat and was about to fall down, face first. But she never touched the ground, instead Inuyasha held her from her arms, and pulled her straight up.
Kagome was silent, not knowing what to say.
Inuyasha suddenly pulled her to him, embracing her tightly yet tenderly. Kagome was too shocked to even try and respond to the gesture.
"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome gasped under her breath, not knowing what else to say to him; how to explain what was happening.
"I don't have any complains..." he whispered to her. "I'll become human, for you."
And with that he pulled her head up, and then dipped his own to catch her lips with his in a sweet kiss that left Kagome out of breath. This was…heaven on earth for her. This was the most wonderful thing she had ever imagined could happen to her: Inuyasha confessing his love (in a way), and saying he would remain by her side; and now they were kissing. It was all so wonderful, so perfect…but then why did it all seemed so wrong?
The sun set faster than they had expected and so Kagome and Inuyasha couldn't get back to the village on time. They got to the remnants of what once had been a village, near the well Kagome had to cross to get to her time, closer than the village where they lived. The village where Kikyo had died and Inuyasha had been sealed fifty years before.
They decided to stay there for the night, mainly because Kagome was tired already, and during the night she had to follow another purifying ritual so Naraku or his minions wouldn't find the pearl.
"You should get a rest Kagome." Inuyasha said.
"If I just could…" Even if not noticed physically, mentally she was truly exhausted. "But I can't let myself be distracted, no matter what; If I do Naraku will find me, and with the continuous purifying rituals I'm no exactly up for a fight with him."
"Isn't there a way for you to finish the purification sooner?" Inuyasha asked, truly concerned.
"If I could just canalize all the magic of the jewel into a pure cause, then the Pearl would no longer be of any use, and I would be free again."
"I already told you I wish to become human. Why don't we make the wish now? That way you can rest."
"Are you really willing to give up your only chance to become a full demon?"
"I already told you, all I wish now is to be with you, and if you're human, I believe I should too."
"Oh Inuyasha…"
"So, are we gonna do it now?"
"We can't. The sun must be up when doing something like that. The light might help me push away any darkness that might try to difficult the ceremony."
"Then so be it, I shall wait."
With that Inuyasha jumped to a branch and set there; while Kagome got inside the only building that seemed to be whole, a small hut she decided to use as shrine for the night to continue the purification.
.---.
In the middle of the darkness the sexless figure smirked.
"The plan has begun, but the best part still needs a few more details."
"You really believe this will work out?" the woman asked her.
"Of course. They'll fall under my trap, they're already standing on the edge. No matter what they do. After all, they already fell under this trap once…"
"Do as you wish with the miko, but remember, Inuyasha is mine." The woman said coldly.
.---.
Kagome was again sitting on the floor, crossed-legged with the Pearl between her fingers; and whispering some ancient prayers to keep just pure emotions around her.
"Kagome?" she could hear Inuyasha's voice fro just outside the hut.
"What is it Inuyasha?" Kagome asked without moving from his position.
"You sure I can't turn human now?" he asked.
"Yes Inuyasha." Kagome replied. "You must wait until the sun rises.
"You promise we'll do it at sunrise?"
"Yes."
"Fine. I'll see you then, don't be late."
Suddenly Kagome had a bad feeling and turned around, but Inuyasha was already gone.
'Something strange is going on…' Kagome thought.
.---.
Early the next morning Kagome got to her feet, she was still tired, but hoped that after fulfilling Inuyasha's wish she would have enough time to rest. As her school uniform was dirty she decided to use the clothing she had done by herself a Miko outfit, and along with those she used the wooden sandals, and wore her hair in a loose ponytail with a white ribbon. Then she got the Shikon no Tama from the place where she had hung it just before dawn, when she took the chance to get about an hour's sleep, and hung it around her neck.
"Ok. Here we go." Kagome murmured aloud as she reached for the door, and as she did, a chill ran down her spine, and she wondered: 'Why do I still feel something is wrong?'
.---.
Minutes later Kagome got to the top of a nearby hill, where she believed it would be the best place to fulfill the ceremony. The sun was already getting up, and still Inuyasha hadn't arrived.
"He's late…again." Kagome thought. "Well, it doesn't surprise me."
She got the Pearl off her neck, and decided to do some meditation as she waited for the hanyou to arrive, and maybe that's why she couldn't feel when someone else approached her from behind.
"Ahhh!"
That was Kagome's cry the moment she fell to the ground hard, with a terrible wound on her right shoulder and back, and the Pearl slipped from her fingers.
"You stupid wench." A male voice called her. "I can't believe you really thought I would become human, just for you."
"This can't be…" Kagome tried to stand up, but she the wound hurt just too much. "Inuyasha…"
"I always told you I would turn into a full youkai, and then I'll come back and kill you!"
"No…" Kagome tried to take the Shikon no Tama, the magic in it should be enough to heal her, and give her enough power to fight her attacker.
"I think I'll take this with me." Inuyasha laughed at her as he step on Kagome's extended hand and then took the pearl for himself. "Pray that you die before I come back."
"No…" Kagome whispered, distressed. "Inuyasha…"
Inuyasha just laughed at her before leaving the place.
.---.
Just then, in the nearby village, Kirara was growling insistently beside the sleeping Sango and Miroku.
"What is it?" Ai asked as she woke up slowly.
Miroku rubbed his eyes, trying to concentrate.
"What's happening Kirara?" Sango asked concerned.
In response the mononoke just got out from the hut and into the forest.
"Kirara wait!" Sango cried out getting up immediately.
"What's happening?" Miroku cried following Sango outside.
"I believe Kirara wants us to follow her." Sango explained taking her Hiraikotsu and getting into the forest.
Miroku, Ai and Shippou immediately followed.
"What's going on Miroku?" Shippou asked, still a bit sleepy."
"I don't know Shippou." Miroku answered sincerely. "But I have the feeling that whatever it is, it's not good."
With that the three of them continued running, following Kirara deep into the forest.
.---.
Inuyasha was walking as fast as possible back to the valley where he was supposed to meet with Kagome. He knew he was late, and that Kagome would probably 'sat' him for that reason; but in the moment the only thing he could think about was turning into a human, for her.
'I have the feeling something just doesn't fit here…' Inuyasha murmured to himself as he reached the top of a hill.
There he could smell blood, woman blood.
"What happened here…?" Inuyasha began.
And just then some arrows were shot at him.
"What…!" Inuyasha yelled as he turned around.
He saw a woman dressed in priestess clothes, aiming at him with a bow and some arrows.
"Kagome?" he asked, but immediately shook his head. "No, she would never do something like that."
"Wanna bet on it?" the miko asked preparing another arrow.
"Kagome would never use her abilities against me." Inuyasha insisted.
"Oh…the stupid hanyou is getting all emotional." She mocked. "You really believed I would give up what could be a wonderful wish on myself, and just give it to you? That's stupid. After all, I was the one who could sense the shards, the one who purified the jewel, and you expect that I'll let you be the one to get the benefits of it all? You really are crazy."
With that she fired some more arrows at him. Inuyasha dodged the attack, and then ran toward the ruins of the old village.
"I would have never believed you capable of something like this Kagome, never." Inuyasha murmured to himself, deceived.
.---.
Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Ai ran as fast as they could following Kirara, still with that feeling that something bad was happening. And that if they didn't hurry, maybe by the time they got to their destiny it would be too late.
.---.
"You really think this will work?" the female figure asked sarcastically
"I'm sure it will." The second figure replied. "It's already been set into course. Now all we have to do is sit back and watch."
The female said nothing, she just left in silence.
.---.
Kagome used her magical senses, diminished with each second that went by due to her loss of blood; she tried to find Inuyasha. She had a feeling something bad was going on. She just couldn't specify what it was. But she knew that if she didn't get things straight in her mind soon, she would be regretting it for the rest of her life.
She had been walking a long way, throughout the burnt village, and a trail of crimson liquid, her blood, signaled ever step she had given.
Just then her senses caught up Inuyasha's aura, she could feel him, running right to where she was standing.
Without thinking Kagome made a harsh movement with her hands, a bow appeared in her left hand, and as she tensed the line, an arrow appeared in place. She was standing right before the Goshinboku, just a few feet away from the tree, when Inuyasha ran just before it.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out at him.
Inuyasha turned around, and could see her, I her miko outfit, aiming with a sacred arrow at him, and he could also see and smell the thin track of blood that fell from her wound.
'Why does this feel so familiar?' they both wondered at the same time.
And just then she let loose the arrow, it glowed pink and flew right to its target.
Time seemed to slow down, making every second feel like an eternity.
The glowing arrow broke the wind…
Its archer just sighed sadly, waiting for what was to come.
A shocked hanyou stared at a sad priestess with resignation in his eyes...
And finally the arrow embedded itself in its target…
The hanyou stared in shock at what was happening…
The priestess managed a small smile before collapsing to the ground…
And a hard gasp could be heard…
The just arrived Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Ai cried out at the scene that unfolded before them. And maybe it was their voices that set everything into normal motion again.
Inuyasha moved in a fraction of a second, and knelt next to the bleeding Kagome, holding her. Letting the Shikon no Tama on the ground besides them, he didn't seem to care about the magic jewel for the moment.
"Kagome…" Inuyasha murmured.
"Inu…yasha…Please…forgive me…" Kagome whispered.
"What for?" he asked slowly.
"I…I should have discovered all this trap…before…"
"You have nothing to ask forgiveness for. I am the one who should be asking for forgiveness. You saved me."
"How!" a shrieking voice interrupted them. "How could this happen! It's impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible with love Kikyo." Kagome managed to say.
"Naraku swore this trap would work." Kikyo insisted. "He said nothing would go wrong. History would repeat itself, and we would win."
"The trap?" Miroku asked. "What is she talking about."
"The trap that happened to her and Inuyasha fifty years ago." Sango understood.
"The trap that killed her, and left Inuyasha sealed on that tree." Shippou added. "The trick Naraku used on them so they would change their love and turn it into hate."
"How come it didn't work with Kagome-nee-san?" Ai asked.
"It did work." Kagome murmured. "If it hadn't I would have discovered all this long ago. It wasn't until I saw Inuyasha before me…when I was about to fire the arrow, that I felt I couldn't do it." She began crying. "Oh Inuyasha…I already hurt you once, I didn't want to do it again."
"It should have worked!" Kikyo yelled. "It should have!"
"I would never have." Kagome whispered. "I would never be able to hate Inuyasha because I…love…him…too much."
That statement, even when it wasn't a secret, it was hard on them all.
"Well…love or hate…in the end I win." Kikyo murmured. "You'll be dead soon."
"You'll die now." Inuyasha sentenced. "Iron Claws!"
His attack, added to the Sealing Arrow that was already holding her to the Goshinboku finished turning her back into ashes and clay, and her souls returned to their rightful owner. And still, that wasn't enough.
"Why isn't she healing?" Sango asked.
"Because I'm not supposed to." Kagome explained, she was already feeling cold. "I've used up all of my energy to purify the jewel, and because of that I now don't have enough power to heal. Like Kikyo said, I'll die irremediably."
"But…" Ai began.
"No!" Shippou cried out.
"Don't cry for me Shippou." Kagome murmured petting him. "Be happy. At least I no know that the Shikon no Tama will be in good hands, your hands; and without it Naraku won't be able to do any more evil, and eventually he'll die. Once Kohaku heals completely he won't have to fear that Naraku will get him again, Miroku's curse will be lifted, Sango will have avenged her people, and you Ai and Shippou will be safe." She coughed. "And you Inuyasha…will finally get your wish to be a full youkai."
"But Kagome…" Inuyasha began.
"I would just like to make a small request…Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered.
"Ask whatever you wish, I'll give it to you." Inuyasha replied immediately.
"I jut wish to die in your arms." Kagome explained. "I want the last thing to see, and feel, to be you."
"No…Kagome…" Sango was already crying.
"You can't leave us…" Shippou added.
"Fight…" Miroku murmured.
"Stay with us nee-san…" Ai pleaded.
"Don't cry for me…" Kagome insisted.
"Oh Kagome…this is all my fault." Inuyasha murmured, hugging her tightly.
"Don't say that Inu…"
Kagome couldn't even finish her sentence, as Inuyasha's mouth covered her, muffling her words, and sending her to what she was sure must be paradise.
'All I could ever dare to ask for was for him to hug me as I died, and he kissed me.' She thought with a sigh. 'At least I now can die peacefully.'
Kagome felt a light pang of pain in her mouth, apparently Inuyasha had scraped her with his fangs, it didn't matter in that moment anyway.
"Inuyasha…Aishiteru…" Kagome managed to whisper in her last breath.
"Oh Kagome…" Inuyasha moaned. "I just wished we could stay together…forever…"
A great joy filled her heart as she heard those words, and then she was so tired, she just closed her eyes and let herself go. Slowly she could feel peace fill her from her head to her toes, she felt so relaxed, so relieved, as she hadn't felt in such a long time. It felt so good she even began wondering if that really was how it felt to die. It seemed too good to be true.
Inuyasha almost crushed her body against himself, burying his face in her neck, as if trying to memorize her scent of flowers and honey before it wore out.
Shippou and Ai held onto Kirara, wailing like babies who had just lost her mother, and in a way they felt it like that.
Sango was so distressed she didn't seem to notice the moment she threw herself into Miroku's arms, and how he held her to him, protectively, for the first time without a hint of perversion in his eyes or actions.
Inuyasha was about to say something else when suddenly he noticed something. Kagome's scent wasn't fading, like it happened when someone died, I seemed to be getting deeper.
A sharp intake of breath seemed to wake up everyone from their crisis.
A mix of shock, confusion, surprise and joy was that welcomed the one woman that for one second believed to be on the other side.
"Wha…" she began, not really understanding.
And it was then that suddenly she could notice something else, smells, many different smells seemed to reach her. Two above them all: salt water…¿tears?...and something strange…¿pain¿fear?
'What does all this mean?' she wondered.
"¿Kagome?" Sango and Miroku asked, a bit unsure.
"Yeah…" Kagom answered, not so sure herself.
"You're alive nee-san!" Ai yelled excitedly.
Kagome got her hands to the sides of her head fast, in an attempt to cover her ears from the sudden cry that seemed to be pounding inside her head. And it was then that she noticed her ears weren't where they were supposed to be.
"What the…" Kagome was really confused, but stopped herself the moment she felt a scrap in her tongue. "What's happening here?"
Sango and Miroku seemed truly shocked at what they were seeing, whatever it was.
"Kagome-chan…" Shippou began.
"…you're a hanyou!" Ai finished somehow excited.
"What?" Kagome asked.
And it was then that she noticed: the ears she hadn't found on the sides of her head were on the top, two small black dog-ears, one of them had a fleck of silver; also in her hair she had some thin silver streaks, and her forelocks were silver too; other details were her fangs, her claw-like nails, heightened senses, and she could almost swear that if she tried she would find she had super-strength and speed too.
"How?" Sango asked.
"Why?" Miroku asked at the same time.
And the answer seemed to come to Inuyasha's and Kagome's minds in a second: the kiss. The moment Inuyasha had accidentally scrapped her mouth and his by the way, their blood had mixed, and the consequences…well, they were obvious.
"But I've heard that this kind of changes, for a human to be turned into a hanyou, just happen when there's a true connection between both of them." Sango murmured thoughtfully
"You believe…" Miroku began.
They both turned to look at the hanyou, and the miko-hanyou, who seemed to be unable to take their gazes off of each other.
"I think there's no doubt about that." Shippou whispered.
Ai was about to say something, but Shippou shook his head and signaled her to leave the place, he did the same, and then Miroku, Sango and Kirara decided to follow suit.
Inuyasha and Kagome didn't even seem to notice when their friends left, they were just too concentrated on each other.
"Inuyasha…" Kgome began.
"Oh Kagome!" Inuyasha embraced her again. "I have to admit I was so afraid, I believed I had lost you."
"Inu…" Kagome couldn't believe what she heard, how he was admitting his feelings.
"I just can't live without you Kagome, I love you." Inuyasha said.
And for a moment, not even he seemed to notice how important those words that had just left his mouth were. Until he notice the sparks on Kagome's eyes, the evident joy shining on her face.
"Oh Inuyasha…I love you so much!" Kagome cried out holding to him.
They didn't even stop to think it; their lips found each other and locked in the most tender, loving and earth-shattering kiss they could have ever imagined.
.---.
Years went by, Naraku was finally destroyed; Kohaku finished his recovery; Miroku promised not to be a pervert anymore if Sango accepted him, and she did; Ai and Shippou traveled a lot together. In the end they decided to use the Pearl to keep the well open for Inuyasha and Kagome forever, so she could visit her family even when she had decided to live on the Sengoku, with her true love: Inuyasha.
.---.
And forever it was remembered, how that 'rule' of "History is due to repeat itself", was broken by a woman and her one true love.
Well, another fanfic that's finished. This one was inspired by my friend Mihara. We were chatting, and discussing how Kagome and Kikyo were alike, and how they were different. She said Kagome would never doubt Inyasha, unlike Kikyo who did. And then I told her that if Naraku was to repeat on Kagome and Inuyasha the trap we had already used on Kikyo and Inuyasha, they wouldn't fall for it and…voilá! That's how this fic was born.
Following rules I must say I do not own Inuyasha, nd no matter how many times I make that wish to the stars it will never happen so what's the case?
Hope you like the fic.
Please leave me our reviews, or write me, you can find me on the following e-mail: