I don't own InuYasha! Shut up about it and leave me alone! cowers
AUTHOR'S NOTESOkay, I worked hard on this post. It is my pride and joy. Don't crush my bubble by saying it sucks! Okay, I'm just being hyper. I don't care if you have valued criticism. Besides, no one replies to this fan fic! laughs The Pepsi made me all hyper, sorry if I'm freaking you out. But anyways, TADA!
PS: Unless someone replies to this fan fic I will not post another post. And I mean it!
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Chapter Ten: Kagome
Their footsteps echoed through the darkened hall, searching for a light of any kind. It was a trap; there was no doubt about that. But as they walked and searched only one thought crossed InuYasha's mind: Kikyo. Why was it that she had sacrificed herself to Naraku to save him right after stealing the Shikon Jewel from Kagome? Was it that she still loved InuYasha and didn't appreciate him loving Kagome or…was it something more? Did Kikyo have another plan?
They had lost Sango and Miroku along the way but did not notice. Kagome kept close to InuYasha but still saw the slowly growing glow of the Shikon Jewel at the far end of the castle. Even though it was dark InuYasha could see the determined look in her eyes that told him that, despite his wishes, she wasn't going to keep quiet. Finally they reached the doorway that Kagome could sense the Jewel in. InuYasha stopped and turned to her.
"No matter what I want to stay quiet and hidden. Get the Jewel then get out of here. If you run into Miroku and Sango you can send them here. But that's it! You hear?" said InuYasha, not looking at Kagome but at the door.
He felt her nod as if she couldn't find anything else to say to it. He knew she was worried but wasn't about to jeopardize her life. He would never forgive himself if she got hurt. Or worse…
"InuYasha?" whispered Kagome just before he opened the door.
Inside it was just as dark as the rest of the castle. Still there was no sign of Naraku or any of his reincarnations. A moan brought their attention to the corner in which Kikyo had been laying. Her eyes opened and she saw InuYasha. But he would not look at her afraid that he would fall in love with her again when he had finally realized that he had to make a choice. And he chose Kagome. She was alive, she was here and he loved her more than anything. Sooner or later… he would have to tell her.
"You fools!" cried Kikyo, struggling to her feet.
"Don't, Kikyo!" said Kagome, rushing forward. "You're hurt."
"I have died once before so it does not matter," snapped Kikyo, making Kagome stop in her tracks.
There was a lengthy pause in which InuYasha dared a look at her. It was in that moment he realized that she wasn't the same woman that had killed him nearly fifty years ago. How could he have ever mistaken that excuse for a being as Kikyo? It was true that she smelt, looked and acted just like Kikyo but there never was the true essence of Kikyo.
"Feh," said InuYasha, looking away and crossing his arms. "You can get yourself killed but if you wouldn't mind handing over the jewel we'll be on our way."
"Never!" cried Kikyo, clutching tighter at the Shikon Jewel that she had been holding since they walked into the room. "If you hadn't shown up soon the Jewel, Naraku and myself would be heading to the next world."
There it was again. The briefest glimmer of the real Kikyo, the part of her soul that InuYasha recognized. He shook his head and started toward Kikyo.
"Look, I don't care what kind of plans you've made but you are not taking that thing with you!" said InuYasha.
"You want it so you can become a full demon and destroy Naraku," said Kikyo in a low menacing voice. When InuYasha said and did nothing she started to laugh.
And it was times like this when the real Kikyo just seemed to melt away. But still he couldn't help but think of her as the women he fell in love with. The women he was willing to become human for. But as he was thinking of this Kagome's face filled his mind.
"All right. If you won't hand it over I'll just take it," said InuYasha, grabbing for the Shikon Jewel.
But just as he was doing this Kagome screamed and the door and wall they had entered through shattered into splinters. Kikyo slipped away as InuYasha rushed to Kagome's side. He forced her down to the ground as Naraku made his entrance into the room.
"Kagome, as soon as I attack Naraku I want you to follow Kikyo. Don't let her out of you sight!" whispered InuYasha. She nodded and started to get up.
"Well, InuYasha, I didn't expect you to take the bait so blindly," laughed Naraku.
"Feh, you thought I would miss a chance to kill you? Not on your life!" said InuYasha, drawing his sword.
"So cocky. Too bad that won't save you," said Naraku.
"Enough talk!" cried InuYasha, leaping forward and swinging his sword blindly. Naraku laughed and moved out of the way easily. "Damn!"
"I'm sorry, were you aiming for me?" said Naraku. Quickly and silently he drew his sword. Before InuYasha could make a single move Naraku had stabbed him in the stomach.
"INUYASHA!" cried Kagome, being held back by Kikyo.
InuYasha moaned as Naraku kicked him back against the wall.
"I'm disappointed. That was a little easier than I thought it would be," said Naraku, sheathing his sword.
Suddenly a flash of light went across the room and hit Naraku in the leg. He cried out in pain and saw Kagome standing in her fighting position, having just loosed one of her arrows.
"Damn you, witch," hissed Naraku.
"Hey! You're fights with me!"
InuYasha had struggled to his feet and had suddenly punched Naraku across the face.
"Really, InuYasha, you think you will be able to fight for that much longer? There was poison on my sword. It will soon paralyze your entire body," laughed Naraku, seemingly unshaken by the punch.
"Well, that's enough time to tear you apart!" cried InuYasha, jumping forward.
Naraku grabbed InuYasha by the neck and threw him across the room. There was a crack of not just wood but also of at least two ribs as well. He walked half way across the room, his arm changing shapes. InuYasha looked up, in obvious pain.
"This ends here. Die, InuYasha!" cried Naraku, his arm growing and heading straight for InuYasha, readying to give the final blow.
"NO! INUYASHA!" cried Kagome.
"Don't be a fool," said Kikyo.
"Let go of me!" snapped Kagome.
Kikyo cried out as she was thrown backwards. Kagome ran forward and…
"You idiot girl!" snarled Naraku.
Instead of piercing InuYasha, his obvious goal, Kagome had gotten in the way and was pierced right through the chest.
"You lose…" muttered Kagome, falling to her knees.
"No…NO! KAGOME! NO!" cried InuYasha, catching her as she fell.
"I—I'm sorry…" she muttered, turning paler by the second. "I couldn't do more…I couldn't kill him."
"What are you talking about? I told you to stay hidden. You weren't supposed to get hurt…" whispered InuYasha.
"Inu…Yasha…" muttered Kagome. "I love you…" With that her eyes closed and her hand fell limp.
"Kagome? Kagome!" cried InuYasha.
"She died. How sad," said Naraku, drawing his sword yet again.
"You… you… BASTARD!" cried InuYasha, jumping to his feet.
The anger and hate that filled InuYasha's eyes were enough to make even Naraku quiver. Kikyo was amazed at the rage that was emanating from him from such a simple death. Though even she missed the girl in her own way she didn't truly realize what had caused such a sudden change in InuYasha.
"Did she really mean that much to you, InuYasha?" sneered Naraku, kicking the Tetsusaiga to InuYasha's feet.
He picked it up, not daring to look away from his enemy for a slightest moment. Naraku came at him, he dodged, then parried. Finally he went on the offensive, throwing Naraku's sword out of his hands in one large, hard swipe. Then he raised his sword for his ultimate attack.
"This ends here, Naraku," hissed InuYasha through clenched teeth. Then, while bringing down his sword in a mighty swipe he cried out: "WIND SCAR!"
Naraku's cry filled the room as InuYasha leaned against his sword, breathing heavily from exertion and his injuries. As the events and the realization that Kagome was dead caught up to him, Kikyo stepped in front of him.
"You truly cared about her more," she muttered.
"Leave me alone!" cried InuYasha.
"InuYasha…" said Kikyo softly, moving his face to look at hers. "She wouldn't want you to go on living in such a depressed state. But do not make the same decision as I and not go on living. There's still a whole much more you can do. And who knows, you may learn to love again."
"You don't know how I feel," snapped InuYasha.
"You were the one man I ever loved, InuYasha. Don't tell me I don't know how you feel," said Kikyo. "Don't you go denying any of it. You loved Kagome and now she's gone."
After she said this she allowed his face to drop as he collapsed to the ground. Cries of "InuYasha!" and "Kagome!" could be heard from the distant dark corridors of the castle. For awhile he felt just like laying there forever until he died. But then the voices of Shippo, Miroku and Sango were right on top of him.
"InuYasha. Are you okay?" came Shippo's small voice that was extremely full of worry.
"You can't kill me that easily," muttered InuYasha, sitting up and looking anywhere but at his friends.
"Kagome?" came Sango's timid voice, making InuYasha flinch. "She's as cold as ice… Miroku! Kagome! She's dead!"
"K—Kagome!" cried Shippo, running forward.
"Who in the hell did this?" cried Miroku.
"It's like you've never seen a dead body before," said InuYasha, still choosing not to look at his friends. They would never forgive him if they knew what had really happened.
"InuYasha, what happened?" said Miroku in a tone that said not to lie. He did anyways…in a matter of speaking.
"The girl was stupid and didn't do what I told her to do. Stupidity got her killed," said InuYasha.
"How can you be so heartless!?" cried Shippo. "It's like you don't even care about Kagome!"
"What do you mean I don't care?" snapped InuYasha, turning to look at Shippo.
But the sight he saw was not that of his friend crying. It was Kagome's face. For some reason she looked so peaceful, as if dieing hadn't really hurt her at all. In fact, if she wasn't so pale and there wasn't blood all down the front of her shirt he would have thought she was sleeping.
"Kagome…" muttered InuYasha, reaching forward and hugging her close. "Why?"
As tears feel down his cheeks he didn't notice Miroku, Sango and Shippo slip away. He didn't notice the rising of the sun or the birds singing. He didn't realize that Kikyo's scent had completely disappeared. All he really noticed was how cold Kagome was and how much his heart hurt to lose her.
But then suddenly everything disappeared. All InuYasha saw was white—white emptiness. There was absolutely nothing, just him…and Kagome's body in his arms.
He put Kagome down on the floor and wiped the tears off his face that he wished were not there. When he opened his eyes again they landed on the dead girl's body as if they couldn't help it. But something was different—horrifyingly, terrifyingly different.
"No… NO!" moaned InuYasha, brushing Kagome's raven hair aside. Except for this girl's hair wasn't raven—it was brown. And this wasn't Kagome…it was…
"Sueko…" breathed InuYasha, staring down at the dead body. "Sueko? How could it—how could you be dead?!" He shook the lifeless Sueko as fresh tears fell down his face, willing it to speak, but nothing happened.
"InuYasha?"
He ignored the voice, just shook Sueko harder. "Talk to me! Why are you dead? Why do I feel this way? Why does it hurt…so much?"
"InuYasha!"
"Shut up!" he cried to the voice. "Sueko, why are you dead?"
The tears wouldn't stop. The aching in his heart wouldn't stop. And the voice calling his name wouldn't stop, either. But then it felt as though someone slapped his cheek and he opened his eyes…
"InuYasha!?" cried Sueko. Seeing that he was awake, she smiled. "Are you going to sleep in all day or what?"
InuYasha blinked at Sueko. "It was all a dream…"
"Yeah. Though it didn't look as though you were having a really good one, either…Want some chocolate? My mom used to give me some when I was a little kid. It helps…"
InuYasha looked at Sueko. Her face was cheerful and full of life. It wasn't pale and didn't look as though it would be cold to the touch. His dream had felt so real…
Noticing that Sueko was expecting him to say something, he mumbled a, "Sure," and watched as Sueko rummaged through her book bag, muttering, "I'm pretty sure I have some left…in here…somewhere…"
"Aha!" cried Sueko triumphantly, holding out the piece of chocolate she was looking for. She tossed it to InuYasha—he caught it—and, swinging the book bag Sueko stood up and grabbed InuYasha's wrist to pull him up. "Hurry up now. Yoshiko wants to get a head start with the traveling. She has this weird idea that…"
Sueko and InuYasha walked out of the hut. The startling change in light made InuYasha blink a few times in his sleepiness. It was a good thing Sueko was still holding on to his wrist and dragging him along because the sunlight made it hard to see clearly.
"Now he's awake," he could here Sango mutter.
"Let's get a move on then!" cried Yoshiko.
Blinking a few times, his eyes adjusted to the bright sunshine. He looked at what was in his hand. A bite size piece of chocolate covered in a dark pink wrapper that was shaped like a heart. It had, "Happy Valentine's Day!" written on it.
"What's…Valentine's?" asked InuYasha, making sure to pronounce it right.
"Huh?" said Sueko, turning her head at him. Her eyes went down to the candy in his hands. "Oh! It's left over from Valentine's Day…that's a really old piece of candy! But chocolate lasts a long time so it should still be good." Then, realizing she still hadn't answered the question yet, she laughed and added, "It's a holiday back in my era. Um…it's to celebrate love…Yeah, weird, huh? It's mostly for couples but friends exchange candy to. See, you're supposed to give chocolate to people…" Sueko giggled. "You don't have to get me anything back, though," she added with a smile.
"Oh…all right then," said InuYasha as he carefully peeled the wrapping of the delectable treat and popped the thing in his mouth. He had eaten chocolate before—Kagome had brought some from her era once—but that had been a long time ago and he had forgotten just how sweet chocolate was.
"Good, huh?" said Sueko, watching InuYasha chew.
"Yeah," he admitted. But InuYasha felt as though the chocolate was bittersweet—or his morning, that is.
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Every night after that one InuYasha was haunted by Kagome. Not just Kagome, either, but Sueko too. When he closed his eyes at night he relived the night that Kagome got killed. Sometimes it skipped the Kikyo part, sometimes just plunged straight to where she died, but it always ended the same…with Sueko, dead, in his arms. And every time he woke up he tried to figure it out…why was he dreaming about this now, and not before, when he hadn't known Sueko? Okay, so that would make Sueko out of the dream, but he had never dreamed of Kagome's death before now. So if he hadn't had them then, than why now, and why was Sueko in the end of it?
His thoughts would go back to that night on the full moon, when Yoshiko told him that Sueko had liked him. While it was such a ridiculous thought it wouldn't go away. And he also couldn't help thinking, 'How do I feel about her?'
That's what InuYasha couldn't figure out. How did he feel about Sueko? He didn't hate her, he didn't like her…the only way to describe the feeling was with the way he had felt about Kagome, but—it can't be…No, there was absolutely no way he liked Sueko as much as Kagome. He had never liked anyone more then Kagome—ever—and no one could change that, not even some silly girl who came out of the well one day. Though then again, wasn't that Kagome? Wasn't Kagome just some silly girl that came out of a well too? Kagome and Sueko did have a lot in common, but they also had their differences. Not just in appearance, either. Sueko was more stubborn, Kagome more easily jealous, Sueko more daring, Kagome braver…but both cared about InuYasha. Both were there for him. Both were kind to him, understanding…they knew he was upset without him having to say a word. They knew when he needed someone there beside him.
Kagome just wanted him to be himself.
Sueko just wanted him to be happy.
'But there's no way,' InuYasha thought, 'that I feel the same way about Sueko as I did about Kagome.'
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He was in a meadow. There was no one in sight—there was no one around at all. It made InuYasha feel very, very alone, as though he was the only one left on the planet.
He looked at his surroundings. To his left was the edge of a forest, to his right the way to the nearest village. Why he knew that he didn't know since there wasn't anything there to suggest that a village was nearby.
Turning around, InuYasha saw a sight that took his breath away.
He knew this place. He knew it all to well, despite the fact he had only been here once. There wasn't just a mound of dirt in front of him…there was a grave.
This was the place where Kagome's body laid.
InuYasha knelt down. He had only been here once before for a reason: he didn't like it here. Which was understandable. But he was here for a reason, wasn't he?
His eyes lay on the pile of flowers on the mound of dirt. They were now dead from lack of water. Looking around, he spotted a white daisy swaying in the wind that he could have sworn hadn't been there before, but he brushed the dead flowers away and replaced it with the plain white daisy. Setting it down on the earth, InuYasha's hand tingled as though he had triggered something sacred.
A strong wind blew his long silver hair in his face, and InuYasha brushed it away. Just as he did the wind that had suddenly appeared dispersed just as rapidly. And looking up he saw something that made him fall from his kneeling position to a sitting one.
"InuYasha," said a soft and kind voice. It belonged to a female. More importantly, it belonged to a girl he knew all too well.
Kagome.
"W—what?" cried InuYasha, crawling backwards away from the sight.
"It's all right. Please don't be frightened!"
"H—how?" cried InuYasha, stopping and just sitting down.
"That's not important," said Kagome. She looked just as he had remembered her: messy raven hair, chocolate brown eyes, the kind face, and that weird green outfit she wore. It was just as weird as the pants and shirt Sueko wore. But why was Kagome reminding him of Sueko?
Kagome smiled and walked over to InuYasha. She sat down next to him and hesitated before reaching out her hand to pet one of his dog-ears.
InuYasha closed his eyes. "Stop that," he muttered, not really meaning it.
"But I've missed how soft they are," giggled Kagome. But then she stopped rubbing his ear and leaned back, making InuYasha turn his head to get a better look at her.
"I'm here for a reason, you know," she said seriously—though her expression looked so happy and yet full of sorrow that it made some of the seriousness in her tone go away.
"I figured," said InuYasha dreamily. He felt so content, with Kagome back…
"It's okay," said Kagome suddenly.
"What?" InuYasha asked, narrowing his eyebrows with confusion.
"It's okay," said Kagome. "I don't care."
"What are you talking about?" InuYasha wanted to know.
"You already know what I'm talking about," said Kagome. She was no longer looking at InuYasha, but was instead looking ahead, up at the sky. "It was different when you liked Kikyo. I was angry…I was jealous. I mean, she was already dead, and she had betrayed you, yet you kept going back from me to her, trying to figure out which of us you should love, Kikyo, or me? I envied Kikyo and wished she would just die again, even though I know you'd become hurt with her gone. But…this is different. Now I'm the one who's dead, and you've got her. And now you have to choose again. Which girl should you give your heart to? Will you give it to me, the girl you once loved who is dead, or Sueko, a girl with her whole life ahead of her and a destiny to follow? You had to make the decision once, and now you have to do it again."
Kagome paused for a moment, then said, "To make your decision easier, I'm here to say that I think it's okay for you to love Sueko. After all, why be in love with something that isn't there? What's the point? You'll just continue in a state of misery forever until your life ends, wanting something you can never have. But you too have a whole life ahead of you, so…"
She broke off, done with her monologue. And InuYasha understood.
"You want me to be with Sueko?" he asked quietly.
Kagome didn't say yes or no. "I love you, InuYasha, and I always will. And I know you love me too. But your heart's big enough that you can give other people that love too. Love never runs out. And if you love Sueko just a little bit more then me, well, I won't mind, not at all. I'm a dead girl, InuYasha. I'll never come back from the dead. My life is over. But Sueko's isn't."
"Um…Kagome?" said InuYasha.
"What?"
"Uh…what's your point with all of this?"
Kagome sat there and blinked at InuYasha for a few seconds, looking dumbfounded. Then she said in a low voice, "What do you mean what's my point?"
"About you not caring whether or not I like Sueko."
Kagome moaned and put a hand to her forehead. "Don't tell me you don't know!" she cried.
"Erm…"
"You like her, InuYasha!" cried Kagome. "You like Sueko."
"Well, of course I like Sueko! I haven't exactly killed her yet, now have I?"
"No, no, NO!" Kagome shook her head in frustration. "You're in love with her, okay?"
"Oh."
"And that would explain all the weird feelings you're having about her," continued Kagome, sighing.
"Wait a minute…have you been spying on me?" cried InuYasha, giving Kagome a look.
Kagome smiled innocently. "Sometimes I peak…besides, this is a dream! Not all of it is real!"
"I bet your just saying that," muttered InuYasha.
"But we can pretend it's real while it lasts," said Kagome, lying down on the grass.
"Yeah, we could," said InuYasha.
There was a moment of silence as InuYasha sat there savoring the moment and Kagome continued to lie on the ground, playing with a strand of hair. But then she sighed exasperatedly and cried, "Oh, get down here!" and pulled InuYasha's sleeve to bring him down next to her.
InuYasha didn't complain, just looked up at the sky with Kagome. It was a perfect sunny day with a few clouds in the sky. He wished this dream would never end. Even though it felt so real InuYasha could tell it wasn't reality… but, oh, if it could be…
'Let's just hope I never, ever, wake up.'
"Kagome?" he said, rolling over to his side, facing Kagome.
"What?" she asked, doing the same to get a better look at him.
"I…I really missed you, you know that? And I—"
Kagome gave InuYasha a reassuring smile. A smile that said, "I understand." Before InuYasha could say another word, Kagome leaned over and laid her lips on his.
It might have been a dream, but that didn't mean InuYasha could not feel.
The kiss seemed to feel like it'd go on forever…but then it finally ended, as good things usually do. And, with her face still inches away from his face, Kagome said quite sternly but with a smile still on her face, "Now get me out of your head already! How are you supposed to be in love with Sueko if all you can think about is me?"
"Huh?" said InuYasha, startled. But then it felt as though someone was poking his face—even though Kagome wasn't even touching him—and everything started to disappear…
"What time are you going to bed at night? Because, no offence InuYasha, but this is just getting ridiculous…"
"Sueko?" said InuYasha, blinking away the sleepiness.
There was Sueko's face right in front of him. Her face looked serious but you could tell by her hazel-green eyes that she was finding this all amusing. They were practically laughing out loud and nearly covered by her messy brown hair, which was all over her face (being more messy then usual because she had probably just woken up).
"Yes, it's me. Now hurry up! I think we've got a lead on one of the Shrine Stones!"
Two minutes past. Sueko and InuYasha didn't move an inch, just stayed still, looking at each other. Then, with a small, shy smile appearing on InuYasha's face, he lifted his hand and pushed some of Sueko's brown hair out of her face.
"It's always in your face," said InuYasha in barely a whisper, as if he needed to explain.
"Oh," said Sueko, returning the small smile.
"Ahem!"
InuYasha and Sueko looked up. Yoshiko was standing above them, her arms crossed and a sly smirk on her face.
"The early bird gets the worm," she said calmly. "Now stop dallying and get off your butts! Don't we have a stone to get?"
Sueko and InuYasha got up and followed Yoshiko. After all, she did have a point—there was a stone they needed to get back.