**********
Prisoners: the Bone Eater's Well
End of an Era
**********
Inu Yasha sighed as he let the kit escape. It helped a bit to vent his frustration by terrorizing the little fox, but in the end it wouldn't bring Kagome back. Even when Shippo threw a small rock at the back of his head, he couldn't bring himself to do anything but mope.
Myouga hopped up to hang onto the end of his master's nose, "Lord Inu Yasha, the well-"
"The well is sealed, I know."
"Pardon me, Master Inu Yasha, how could you know a thing like that?"
"I don't want to talk about," he muttered bitterly, "Right now we need to catch up with Sango and Miroku..." Inu Yasha let the little flea and the kit (once he had come out of hiding) ride on his back, in Kagome's old spot as they hurried to the confrontation with Menomaru.
*I've known for months that she was going to leave soon*
**flashback**
Inu Yasha was rooting around in Kagome's kitchen looking for Ramen when he felt the hand on his shoulder. *Wait, if anyone else had come into the house I should have smelled them!* he was spun around to look into his captor's eyes. The older man's eyes were as amber as his own. *...and I couldn't smell him because he smells just... like... me!*
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"Scream all you want! I did, when I was in your position, five hundred years ago."
The younger Inu Yasha looked at the hanyou dumbstruck, "Huh?"
The older Inu Yasha sighed, "Well, you never were very bright..."
"Hey, take that back!"
"Stop being so dumb! Argh, never mind, you never do!"
"Who are you?!"
The older hanyou looked at him in amazement, "Oh come on, even you're not that stupid!"
Inu Yasha of the past blinked twice, "You're me..."
"No shit, Sherlock..."
"From the future..."
"Yeah."
"Here to tell me...?"
"To stop being such an asshole!" he sighed again and ran his clawed fingers through his long silver hair and raised his gaze to the ceiling, "Never mind that either, you never do..."
There was a rattling in the cupboard, and the elder Inu Yasha pulled his past self out and up by the hair, "There are a few things, Inu Yasha, not many, but a few things in this life that are more important than Ramen."
The younger Inu Yasha wriggled to get out of the hanyou's hold, before finally accepting that his older self was slightly stronger, "Name one."
The older Inu Yasha's face softened, "Kagome."
"Feh, that bitch."
"She's leaving, Inu Yasha."
The younger hanyou looked into his own eyes in disbelief, "What?!"
"Soon, Kagome will return to this time, to stay, and you will be without her for five centuries," he looked down, "You will miss her... more, even, than you missed Kikyo..."
Inu Yasha the younger tried not to show how troubled this made him, "Feh, why are you telling me all this?!"
"To keep you from screwing up my chances! Listen, I have lived five long centuries in the hope that I will see that girl again, and I will not let my dumb younger self screw things up for me!"
"Feh, what do you want me to do about it?"
"Just listen, you dumb ass! The next time you see Kagome, be kind to her... remember that you don't have much time left to ensure the love of your life."
"Kagome! Are you crazy?!"
"Hey, remember, I know how you feel about her."
The past Inu Yasha growled.
"Oh, and be nicer to Shippo, too."
"Like hell I will!"
The older Inu Yasha shrugged, "Feh, do what you want, but don't say I didn't warn you. Also, remember this, tenth month, third day, at twelve twenty two."
"What's that?"
"When you'll be having this conversation again, from the other side... and the Ramen is in that cupboard," he gestured with a clawed finger, "Be sure to clean this mess up before Kagome gets back." The older Inu Yasha began walking away.
"Bastard," he muttered, watching himself leave.
The older hanyou turned and smiled, showing his fangs, "It takes one to know one."
**end flashback**
Inu Yasha's attention was brought back to the present as he arrived beside Miroku and Sango to face the gelatinous orb that Menomaru had sealed himself in. "Any updates?" he asked them.
"Well, we had a bit of trouble with a couple of Hyouga's minions, but it was nothing we couldn't handle," Sango explained, "Where's Kagome?"
Inu Yasha grimaced, "Through the well- she's not coming back."
Miroku and Sango gasped. The ground began to shake as Menomaru began to grow inside of the shell which had protected him, finally reaching over one hundred feet tall.
"Aah!" Shippo yelled, and hid in Inu Yasha's hair.
Miroku grasped his staff resolutely, "Then let this battle be for Kagome, we will fight in her memory." Sango nodded, and Inu Yasha stepped forward.
"All right, you bastard, it's time to die!" Inu Yasha yelled up to Menomaru.
"I? Killed by a puny little hanyou like you?! Ha!" as he spoke, branches began to grow out of his back and arrange themselves around him like wings. "I have not yet begun to fight," he taunted, as hoards of flying demons appeared in his wings and flew down to charge the hanyou.
"We'll take care of these bugs," Miroku yelled, unleashing his air rip upon the myriad of demons, "Wind tunnel!" he yelled.
"Lord Inu Yasha," the little voice came from his shoulder.
"Myouga! You stayed?!"
"Only to advise you to run away, my lord, I'm afraid that without the Lady Kagome, we don't stand a chance."
"Feh, we just have to find a way to fight without Kagome, that's all." Inu Yasha illustrated his point by running toward Menomaru and bring down Tetsusaiga directly in front of the giant youkai, the force of the strike going up into the air to ricochet off of the wall of energy surrounding Menomaru like armor. Inu Yasha was knocked back by the power of his own blow.
"Fool!" boomed Menomaru, "Did you really think that you would defeat me so easily?" The center of his forehead glowed red, and Inu Yasha reacted instantly, picking up Shippo and getting himself and the little kit out of striking range. The beam of red energy came down on empty ground instead, and left a smoldering crater.
"Ah! I don't like the looks of that!" Shippo whined.
Inu Yasha growled, "Sango, throw your boomerang at his head!"
Sango didn't ask for an explanation, she just threw her boomerang at the spot of red pulsing energy on the creature's forehead. The beam of red light lashed out again, destroying Sango's boomerang, and giving Inu Yasha the opportunity he'd been waiting for.
"TETSUSAIGA!!" again Inu Yasha struck the ground, and Tetsusaiga's power rushed through the red energy of Menomaru's own attack, and into his exposed forehead.
Menomaru's head filled with the power of Tetsusaiga and he moaned, before the attack came full circle, forcing the demon's head to explode.
"Gee..." Sango stood aghast.
"Wow, did you see that?"
"Yes, Shippo," Miroku replied.
"Boom!" Shippo illustrated the demon's head exploding, the body teetering, and finally crashing to the ground.
"Yes, Shippo, we all saw," Miroku repeated patiently.
"I really don't think he should be exposed to this," Sango mused thoughtfully. She turned to Inu Yasha, "and you owe me a new boomerang."
*****
Thirty years later
Sango brought Inu Yasha a bowl of the closest facsimile of Kagome's instant Ramen that she'd been able to create. Inu Yasha accepted it gratefully, marveling at how even with the wrinkles on her face, *More from laughter than from worrying, even with all the hardships she's faced...* to him, she looked even lovelier than the day, twenty-five years ago, that Miroku had asked her to live with him, and she'd accepted.
Miroku joined them, both of his hands were bare since the Naraku had lifted the curse when Miroku had tried to use the deadly Air Void against the evil man. Naraku had died minutes later, slain by Tetsusaiga after a long and bloody battle in which they were able to collect all of the shikon shards they'd been missing. All but one, at least.
Inu Yasha had just told of his meeting with himself all those years ago. Sango and Miroku had listened sympathetically, even offering advice.
"Make a home for her," Miroku suggested, "Sooner or later, everyone wants to settle down into a home with one they love," at this Sango smiled kindly.
"You're lucky, in a way, Inu Yasha, having five hundred years to prepare."
Inu Yasha sighed, "Five hundred years..."
Sango waved her hand impatiently, "At least you know you'll see Kagome again, and you'll have Shippo with you... if..." Sango trailed off, her face reddening.
Inu Yasha leapt to his feet, "Hey, if I'm alive, then Shippo will be too, I'd rather die than see that little kit hurt-"
"He's almost as tall as you are," Miroku reminded.
"And I'll beat the living shit out of anyone that hurts one hair on his dumb little head!"
The old monk sighed, "Just promise me one thing, Inu Yasha," the hanyou nodded, and Miroku broke out in a big grin, "Give Kagome our love."
Inu Yasha felt a lump in his throat at the old man's heartfelt words. He suddenly found something on the floor of the modest home very interesting while he collected himself. He was snapped out of his morose thoughts by the presence of a hand on his butt.
He turned to look into the serious face of Sango, "I've been wanting to do that for years," she explained frankly. Miroku nodded understandingly.
Inu Yasha stood in shock, before finally busting out laughing, "You two really are perfect for one another, you know that?"
**********
TBC
Prisoners: the Bone Eater's Well
End of an Era
**********
Inu Yasha sighed as he let the kit escape. It helped a bit to vent his frustration by terrorizing the little fox, but in the end it wouldn't bring Kagome back. Even when Shippo threw a small rock at the back of his head, he couldn't bring himself to do anything but mope.
Myouga hopped up to hang onto the end of his master's nose, "Lord Inu Yasha, the well-"
"The well is sealed, I know."
"Pardon me, Master Inu Yasha, how could you know a thing like that?"
"I don't want to talk about," he muttered bitterly, "Right now we need to catch up with Sango and Miroku..." Inu Yasha let the little flea and the kit (once he had come out of hiding) ride on his back, in Kagome's old spot as they hurried to the confrontation with Menomaru.
*I've known for months that she was going to leave soon*
**flashback**
Inu Yasha was rooting around in Kagome's kitchen looking for Ramen when he felt the hand on his shoulder. *Wait, if anyone else had come into the house I should have smelled them!* he was spun around to look into his captor's eyes. The older man's eyes were as amber as his own. *...and I couldn't smell him because he smells just... like... me!*
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"Scream all you want! I did, when I was in your position, five hundred years ago."
The younger Inu Yasha looked at the hanyou dumbstruck, "Huh?"
The older Inu Yasha sighed, "Well, you never were very bright..."
"Hey, take that back!"
"Stop being so dumb! Argh, never mind, you never do!"
"Who are you?!"
The older hanyou looked at him in amazement, "Oh come on, even you're not that stupid!"
Inu Yasha of the past blinked twice, "You're me..."
"No shit, Sherlock..."
"From the future..."
"Yeah."
"Here to tell me...?"
"To stop being such an asshole!" he sighed again and ran his clawed fingers through his long silver hair and raised his gaze to the ceiling, "Never mind that either, you never do..."
There was a rattling in the cupboard, and the elder Inu Yasha pulled his past self out and up by the hair, "There are a few things, Inu Yasha, not many, but a few things in this life that are more important than Ramen."
The younger Inu Yasha wriggled to get out of the hanyou's hold, before finally accepting that his older self was slightly stronger, "Name one."
The older Inu Yasha's face softened, "Kagome."
"Feh, that bitch."
"She's leaving, Inu Yasha."
The younger hanyou looked into his own eyes in disbelief, "What?!"
"Soon, Kagome will return to this time, to stay, and you will be without her for five centuries," he looked down, "You will miss her... more, even, than you missed Kikyo..."
Inu Yasha the younger tried not to show how troubled this made him, "Feh, why are you telling me all this?!"
"To keep you from screwing up my chances! Listen, I have lived five long centuries in the hope that I will see that girl again, and I will not let my dumb younger self screw things up for me!"
"Feh, what do you want me to do about it?"
"Just listen, you dumb ass! The next time you see Kagome, be kind to her... remember that you don't have much time left to ensure the love of your life."
"Kagome! Are you crazy?!"
"Hey, remember, I know how you feel about her."
The past Inu Yasha growled.
"Oh, and be nicer to Shippo, too."
"Like hell I will!"
The older Inu Yasha shrugged, "Feh, do what you want, but don't say I didn't warn you. Also, remember this, tenth month, third day, at twelve twenty two."
"What's that?"
"When you'll be having this conversation again, from the other side... and the Ramen is in that cupboard," he gestured with a clawed finger, "Be sure to clean this mess up before Kagome gets back." The older Inu Yasha began walking away.
"Bastard," he muttered, watching himself leave.
The older hanyou turned and smiled, showing his fangs, "It takes one to know one."
**end flashback**
Inu Yasha's attention was brought back to the present as he arrived beside Miroku and Sango to face the gelatinous orb that Menomaru had sealed himself in. "Any updates?" he asked them.
"Well, we had a bit of trouble with a couple of Hyouga's minions, but it was nothing we couldn't handle," Sango explained, "Where's Kagome?"
Inu Yasha grimaced, "Through the well- she's not coming back."
Miroku and Sango gasped. The ground began to shake as Menomaru began to grow inside of the shell which had protected him, finally reaching over one hundred feet tall.
"Aah!" Shippo yelled, and hid in Inu Yasha's hair.
Miroku grasped his staff resolutely, "Then let this battle be for Kagome, we will fight in her memory." Sango nodded, and Inu Yasha stepped forward.
"All right, you bastard, it's time to die!" Inu Yasha yelled up to Menomaru.
"I? Killed by a puny little hanyou like you?! Ha!" as he spoke, branches began to grow out of his back and arrange themselves around him like wings. "I have not yet begun to fight," he taunted, as hoards of flying demons appeared in his wings and flew down to charge the hanyou.
"We'll take care of these bugs," Miroku yelled, unleashing his air rip upon the myriad of demons, "Wind tunnel!" he yelled.
"Lord Inu Yasha," the little voice came from his shoulder.
"Myouga! You stayed?!"
"Only to advise you to run away, my lord, I'm afraid that without the Lady Kagome, we don't stand a chance."
"Feh, we just have to find a way to fight without Kagome, that's all." Inu Yasha illustrated his point by running toward Menomaru and bring down Tetsusaiga directly in front of the giant youkai, the force of the strike going up into the air to ricochet off of the wall of energy surrounding Menomaru like armor. Inu Yasha was knocked back by the power of his own blow.
"Fool!" boomed Menomaru, "Did you really think that you would defeat me so easily?" The center of his forehead glowed red, and Inu Yasha reacted instantly, picking up Shippo and getting himself and the little kit out of striking range. The beam of red energy came down on empty ground instead, and left a smoldering crater.
"Ah! I don't like the looks of that!" Shippo whined.
Inu Yasha growled, "Sango, throw your boomerang at his head!"
Sango didn't ask for an explanation, she just threw her boomerang at the spot of red pulsing energy on the creature's forehead. The beam of red light lashed out again, destroying Sango's boomerang, and giving Inu Yasha the opportunity he'd been waiting for.
"TETSUSAIGA!!" again Inu Yasha struck the ground, and Tetsusaiga's power rushed through the red energy of Menomaru's own attack, and into his exposed forehead.
Menomaru's head filled with the power of Tetsusaiga and he moaned, before the attack came full circle, forcing the demon's head to explode.
"Gee..." Sango stood aghast.
"Wow, did you see that?"
"Yes, Shippo," Miroku replied.
"Boom!" Shippo illustrated the demon's head exploding, the body teetering, and finally crashing to the ground.
"Yes, Shippo, we all saw," Miroku repeated patiently.
"I really don't think he should be exposed to this," Sango mused thoughtfully. She turned to Inu Yasha, "and you owe me a new boomerang."
*****
Thirty years later
Sango brought Inu Yasha a bowl of the closest facsimile of Kagome's instant Ramen that she'd been able to create. Inu Yasha accepted it gratefully, marveling at how even with the wrinkles on her face, *More from laughter than from worrying, even with all the hardships she's faced...* to him, she looked even lovelier than the day, twenty-five years ago, that Miroku had asked her to live with him, and she'd accepted.
Miroku joined them, both of his hands were bare since the Naraku had lifted the curse when Miroku had tried to use the deadly Air Void against the evil man. Naraku had died minutes later, slain by Tetsusaiga after a long and bloody battle in which they were able to collect all of the shikon shards they'd been missing. All but one, at least.
Inu Yasha had just told of his meeting with himself all those years ago. Sango and Miroku had listened sympathetically, even offering advice.
"Make a home for her," Miroku suggested, "Sooner or later, everyone wants to settle down into a home with one they love," at this Sango smiled kindly.
"You're lucky, in a way, Inu Yasha, having five hundred years to prepare."
Inu Yasha sighed, "Five hundred years..."
Sango waved her hand impatiently, "At least you know you'll see Kagome again, and you'll have Shippo with you... if..." Sango trailed off, her face reddening.
Inu Yasha leapt to his feet, "Hey, if I'm alive, then Shippo will be too, I'd rather die than see that little kit hurt-"
"He's almost as tall as you are," Miroku reminded.
"And I'll beat the living shit out of anyone that hurts one hair on his dumb little head!"
The old monk sighed, "Just promise me one thing, Inu Yasha," the hanyou nodded, and Miroku broke out in a big grin, "Give Kagome our love."
Inu Yasha felt a lump in his throat at the old man's heartfelt words. He suddenly found something on the floor of the modest home very interesting while he collected himself. He was snapped out of his morose thoughts by the presence of a hand on his butt.
He turned to look into the serious face of Sango, "I've been wanting to do that for years," she explained frankly. Miroku nodded understandingly.
Inu Yasha stood in shock, before finally busting out laughing, "You two really are perfect for one another, you know that?"
**********
TBC