Author's note: and now…the moment you've all been waiting for… THE UPDATE! Ha ha! THANK YOU ALL FOR REVIEWING! Tears I LUV U GUYS! No awards for me? Cries waaaaah! Wut do you have to do to get one? Please let me know!
Chapter 17: The Aftershock
Inu Yasha sat in silence, barely able to breathe. How could this be happening to him? Why? WHY! "K-kagome?" he said slowly and softly as the crowd squeezed in tighter to get a better look "Come on wake up" Inu Yasha said a little more urgently this time as he attempted to ignore the fact that she was already dead "You have to get up now" he continued, his voice cracking with every word he spoke "We've got to go home and fix your wound!"
The crowd loomed around the pair in dead silence, some had to turn away, wiping their tears and wailing at the sadness of it all. Even Naraku couldn't help but stand idly by watching the scene intently. If he had actually had a heart, he was sure it would've broken when it saw this.
"We'll go home and fix you up and then you'll be good as new" Inu Yasha was saying desperately to the young girl who remained limp in his arms "If you get up right now, I'll let you go to the west wing. Don't you want to know what's in the west wing?"
But, even with the otherwise tempting offer, Kagome did not stir. Inu Yasha's voice faltered as he continued his attempt "Sango and Miroku will be worried about you Kagome" he said, the tears running down his cheeks slowly but steadily "and think of all the things you left at home. The library! You still haven't read all the books in the library! Don't you want to do that?"
Kagome remained slumped over in death, not even flinching as Inu Yasha's tears fell from his eyes to her face. With every drop that left the watery tear ducts of Inu Yasha sullen eyes, another trace of his last vestiges of love, strength, and most importantly, hope, went with it as though engulfed by the silvery tear.
Naraku remained still watching as the hanyou continued to yell at the girl as though this very action would somehow allow her life force to fully inhabit her body once again. How pathetic he thought, smirking inwardly I went to all the trouble of killing her and he still doesn't pay any attention to me.
"I was right about you" he said suddenly, gaining the ability to speak once more "love has made you weak."
Inu Yasha gave in to his despair and sobbed freely "Love is not something to be insulted" he said with a cracking voice.
"Love is for the weak" Naraku said "it can lift you to the highest cloud in heaven and bring you crashing back down to earth in mere moments! It turns the most intelligent of people into lovesick fools! It makes you crazy, always putting the others happiness before your own! But when that person decides they've had enough, it can crush a spirit so badly it will never be the same again!"
"I thought so myself at first" Inu Yasha replied in a considerably calm, patient tone "But I was wrong! It is because I failed to see the true wonder, the true JOY of loving another and having them love you that I was placed under this curse! It is because I was blind and indifferent to the thick layer of ice that I myself had let form around my heart that this sadness, this grief, this injustice was lain on me! But now I realize that there is no other feeling like the one you get when your in love! Nothing compares to it! And no matter how hard you fall when its over, someway or another you are always pulled back on for another ride!"
Naraku simply hmmphed in response and said quietly "yet it is because of love that this girl so willingly ended her life. What a fool she was! To love someone that much is the sign of a truly insane person."
"Maybe at first I thought that way too" Inu Yasha said "but now that I've experienced that devotion, loved so much I would give my life freely if it meant theirs could be elongated, to hear such vile things said about the one that proved they truly loved me, to hear the only one that ever saw me as a real person being mocked…"
He stood and, for the first time, looked up at Naraku, who saw that his facial expression was that of someone with a deep determination and hatred that ran down to the very bowls of his soul "…is something I will NOT stand for!" he shouted suddenly, lunging for Naraku with outstretched claws.
The crowd backed away, fearful of what Inu Yasha might do if one of them interfered. Naraku kept a straight face as he merely dodged the oncoming attack. Inu Yasha seethed as he continued to lunge at Naraku. Attack after attack came and each time Naraku pulled the same trick and dodged just before Inu Yasha came within a metre's range.
Meanwhile, Kagome lay limp on the ground, Inu Yasha's own tears illuminated by the glow of the moon. Slowly, Kagome opened her eyes. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and looked at her surroundings. Hearing the angry cry of her friend, she whirled around and saw Inu Yasha continuously battling Naraku. No matter how much of a disgusting pig Naraku was, he was still Inu Yasha's cousin. And Kagome could not let Inu Yasha feel the burden of being responsible for the death of his own flesh and blood being pushed upon his shoulders.
She stood, frantically waving her hands. "Stop Inu Yasha!" she called out loudly "Don't kill him!"
But Inu Yasha continued to lunge at his cousin as though he had not even heard her.
"Don't you ignore me!" Kagome said, stomping her foot firmly on the ground "I said leave him alone!"
But yet again, Inu Yasha continued as though nothing had happened. Kagome got fed up and ran to cut in between the two battling cousins. Standing in between them, she repeated herself, looking fiercely into Inu Yasha's now fiery eyes "STOP IT!"
But Inu Yasha did not even look back at her and ran right through her! Kagome screamed and held up her arms as a shield when she saw his disregard for her. Bracing herself, she waited for the impact. But it never came. Kagome let her arms drop and could only stare as she saw Inu Yasha still fighting…RIGHT THROUGH HER! She looked at herself in confusion as she realized that not only were all her wounds completely gone, she was totally transparent!
"What's going on?" Kagome said, puzzled as he through her hands to the scenery behind them "why can't Inu Yasha hear me? And how could all my wounds just disappear? I could have sworn I was fatally wounded just a second ago."
"That's because you were…" said a calm, deep but feminine voice from behind Kagome.
Kagome whirled around to see who was talking to her "at least someone can hear me" she said in relief as she turned. But, to her further disappointment and frustration, saw that no one was there.
"Oh great" she said sarcastically, sitting down and resting her chin in her hand "now I'm hearing things."
"Are you sure of that?" the voice said again in a slightly teasing tone.
"Yeah" Kagome said before she realized that it was the same voice as before. She whirled around again "who's there?" she said as again there was just blank air standing before her.
"I'm someone you should know by now" the voice said again "the reason you can't see me is because you don't know who I am."
"But how can I know you?" Kagome said "please, won't you tell me what's going on? Why can't anyone hear me?"
"Those among the living who do not possess spiritual power cannot possibly expect to hear the dead" the voice explained.
"So" Kagome said "I'm dead."
"That's correct" the voice said again monotonously "look, Kagome, at Inu Yasha and tell me what you see."
"I see…" Kagome began, not exactly sure of how to answer. Then it came to her "I see a brave man who did not know the strength of his own heart. I see someone who went through great pain and suffering during his life and was able to maintain a pleasant disposition the whole way through! Someone who needed help and received it by opening his heart, someone I have grown to love more than any other!"
The voice replied in an almost happy tone "I see that in him as well. He has changed much since the last time I saw him. His heart has grown much softer and the glimmer of hope in his eyes that was once miniscule is now almost fully inhabiting its golden playfield. Is that your doing?"
"I don't know if I'm that significant" Kagome responded truthfully "In fact, I don't know how much help I've been at all! With my premonitions taking over me, I've been more a nuisance than a help."
"But you loved him enough to give up your life for him yes?" the voice asked.
"He's done so much for me" Kagome replied "it was the least I could do in return."
"Do you love him Kagome?" the voice inquired.
"Yes" Kagome responded without hesitation.
"Then I daresay he will overcome his curse yet" the voice replied.
Kagome could tell there was a hint of a smile in its tone. Then she realized something she hadn't before "I know who you are now!" she yelled excitedly "you're the one who placed the curse on Inu Yasha! You're my ancestor, Kikyo!"
"Correct" Kikyo replied as a sudden light flashed brightly before Kagome's eyes "follow the light Kagome" she heard Kikyo say "we have much to discuss."
Author's note: finally updated! I hope you all liked this chapter! MORE TO COME SO KEEP READING! And review too please I would love to get up to 125 if I could! Help me in anyway possible! Multiple reviews are welcome! I'll even except flames, just be gentle !