Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, All characters and such belong to Rumiko Takahashi!
Ok, There's not much for me to say.. So, Here is Part 3 of 'My place in this world':
Chapter seven: My place in this world
Kouga's mind averted from his comrades conversation, his eyes wandered around the many demons and humans in the clearing. All enjoying each others company, neither bickering.
'Hmpf.. I never thought I'd see the day when humans and demons actually got along..' He thought, rolling his eyes. He noticed someone over by a demon, Jinenji. Kouga smirked.
'Kagome..' he thought, interested now. He walked over to her, walking behind her and placing his hands over her eyes, playfully.
"Guess whooo?" he asked, not taking his hands away.
'And just when I thought my night couldn't get any worse..' she thought, sighing deeply.
"Oh, couldn't it be...Kouga?" she stated, sarcastically.
He took his hands away, stepping in front of her, taking her hands in his. He smirked again. "How'd you guess? Anyways, If I had known you were going to be here, I would have came sooner..To protect you."
Kagome laughed an uncomfortable laugh. "Oh..how thoughtful.." was her only reply.
"Kagome..may I have a word?" he asked, flashing her a dazzling smile. She rolled her eyes, knowing that he couldn't possibly make away with her when there were so many friends around. She nodded, following Kouga to the edge of the sparkling pond.
"I want you to know, Kagome.. That I will look out for you..protect you and fight by your side through out the up coming war. I wont let anything happen to you." He looked at her reflection in the water.
"You really don't have to, Kouga.. You know Inuyasha will look out for me, as he always does." She stated, looking at her reflection as well.
Kouga raised an eyebrow. "Then why is it he left you here, to go with Kikyo, when he knows that I am here as well?" he laughed. "If you call that looking out for you, then you'll be dead before he gets back...That's why I want to protect you.. It's my right, after all."
Kagome looked away, knowing that he was somewhat right. But, she decided to change the subject to something other than Inuyasha. "Protecting me is your right? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well.." he began, looping his arm around her waist, pulling her up to stand. He took her hands in his again "You are my woman, and you'll be the lady of my pack."
Kagome gulped, but smiled, feeling relieved as she seen someone else enter the clearing. She looked back to Kouga. "What about Ayame, Kouga?" She asked, "You promised yourself to her years and years before we even laid eyes on each other."
Kouga laughed. "Ayame? Why would I want some useless female demon when I could have apowerful priestess like you!"
SMACK!
Kouga rubbed the back of his head, turning around. "A-A-Ayame!" He stuttered, utterly surprised..
Kagome smirked, "I'll leave him to you.."
Ayame glared at Kagome, moving aside to let her pass all the same.
"So" Ayame began "I'm only a useless female demon? Well, It's nice to know how much I mean to you, Kouga."
"Ayame. It's not like that. It's just...well.." he was lost for words.
"Welllll?" Ayame pushed him on.
"Don't get me wrong now, Ayame, I didn't forget about you, But, when I met Kagome..Well, I just fell in love with her..it's hard to get over your first love!"
Ayame's eyes grew wide. "FIRST LOVE! I was your first love, you jerk!"
Kouga growled, "Listen to yourself, wench! You were only a child. I wasn't IN love with you!" He gave a quick glance at Miroku and then gazed back at Ayame. "I'm not a lecher!"
Ayame kept her smirk. "Well, Kouga-dear, you could have fooled me!" she said, stomping off to talk with Ginta and Hakkaku.
Kouga sat down, placing his head in his hands. 'What kind of a mess do I have myself in now..'
–Back in the forest–
Inuyasha sniffed around. Kikyo noticed it and laughed. Hearing her laugh again made Inuyasha's stomach hurt, in that likeable sort of way.
"Things would have been so different if Naraku never have existed.." She said, hoping to get the right reply from Inuyasha.
"Yeah.. So would our lives.." he added.
"Yes, so many people would not have died." she sighed, feeling remorse.
Inuyasha blushed and looked away. "No.. I literally mean 'our' lives.."
Kikyo smiled, unbeknownst of Inuyasha. That is the reply she had wanted. "I do agree. It's hard to think what could have happened.. But maybe it's not too late."
Inuyasha looked into Kikyo's eyes. "What do you mean?" he replied.
"I mean, With all the allies we have back in the clearing, plus us..With all that power we will surely defeat Naraku. It wont take very long at all.."
Inuyasha thought hard. And looked down at his beloved sword. He had thought Naraku was already dead, and had thought up a new life for himself.. Including someone else other than Kikyo. He thought about Kagome, but when he did, there was always a small thought of Kikyo wedged in his thoughts, making it hard to forget about what they had shared...He never thought he could still share that with Kikyo.
"What do you want to happen?" He asked her, "You know..after all of this is over?"
Kikyo smiled. "I want to live the life of a free woman. A life with a child of my own to raise and love.. Something I've never been able to think about when I was protecting the jewel.."
She looked to Inuyasha. "What will you do?"
Inuyasha shrugged. "Well, I've changed my mind about the whole 'becoming a full fledged demon and such... And I made this change recently, So, in fact, I'm not quite sure."
Kikyo nodded. A thought striking her head. "What do you think Kagome will do?"
Inuyasha eyes shot to Kikyo's gaze. "Ka...gome?" he mused. "I'm..not sure. I suppose she'll go back home."
"Will you let her?" She ventured on into Inuyasha's thoughts. Inuyasha said nothing, Kikyo kept her smile, though it now seemed more evil. "You think I do not know about your feelings for her?" she laughed "please, it's written all over your face!...do you love her?"
Inuyasha scowled. "I promised to always protect you as long as you live! I do not break promises."
"That's not the point. Answer my question, Inuyasha. Do you love her?"
Inuyasha scowled, saying nothing. Kikyo raised an eyebrow. "Just as I thought. But, I will not fret. Do you know why?"
Kikyo gained Inuyasha's gaze again. "I do not fret because I know that when you look at her, you still have me in mind.. And that is satisfaction enough for me."
The two stared at each other in silence for what felt like hours. Kikyo broke the silence with a yawn.
"Let us travel back now, Inuyasha.." She yawned again "I've grown tired."
Inuyasha bent down, motioning her to get on his back. She made no protest, climbing gracefully on. They bounded back to the clearing.
–The clearing–
Kagome sat down, talking to Sango and Miroku about everything and nothing. Miroku had a bruise on his cheek from being slapped so many times in the cheek for being a lecher to Sango. Kagome chuckled.
"I see nothing has changed." The two also laughed.
"Nope, nothing has changed as far as I know.." Miroku replied, lightly touching his cheek.
Kagome seen others come into the clearing, she turned to look. Her eyes widened. Inuyasha was carrying Kikyo on his back, the way he did for Kagome so many times before.
She smiled..she didn't know what else to do. She felt like screaming..crying...even dying. Inuyasha was her life, he was the reason she got up every morning. His world was hers...why couldn't her world be his?
Kagome walked over to them, and spoke in an almost monotone. "Hey guys...find anything out while you were gone?"
Kikyo looked at her like she was a child. "No, nothing. But we'll keep searching."
Kagome smiled slightly, wanting Inuyasha to see that she wasn't jealous, she wanted him to see that she was the better person. "Well, if you need any help..." She trailed off as Kikyo gave her a hidden stare, something Inuyasha didn't see, for he was a ways away talking to Miroku.
"No. That's fine. Inuyasha and I can take care of anything that crosses our path. Besides.." she looked her in the eye. "No offense, But if we take you with us, we'll spend half the time protecting you, instead of fighting or even protecting ourselves."
Kagome went wide eyed. "I only offered help!"
Kikyo glared at her. "Well, Thanks, but we don't need it. I can do everything you can and more. So, you can go back to your own time and leave us be!"
Kagome felt tears form in the corners of her eyes. She ran out of the clearing. Kikyo smirked, walking over to Inuyasha. Linking her arm with his and laying her head on his shoulder. He shined a fake smile down at her, knowing in his heart that he felt terrible for leaving Kagome..
Suddenly he smelled a familiar smell leave the clearing, fast.
"Kagome.." he said aloud, walking towards the exit of the clearing.. Kikyo grabbed his arm
"Where are you going?" she exclaimed.
"Kagome's gone.. I have to find her!" he yelled back. "It's my fault she's gone"
"Well...I'm coming with you.." Kikyo stated, knowing she couldn't change his mind.
"Thanks, now, come on!" he smiled.
Once they were outside of the clearing, he pointed in the opposite direction of the war he was going.
"You go that way..I'll go this way.. Please, Kikyo, find her!" He sped off..
Kikyo smirked. 'Oh, I'll find her...too bad you wont first..'
Kagome ran and ran.. She wanted to get away from her troubles... all of a sudden the ground gave away, sending her falling down a short cliff.. She screamed all the way down, when she was close enough to the ground she seen her fate. 10-20 small, pointed sticks were upright and waiting for her.
'Must be a youkai trap set by nearby villagers..' she thought, smiling..accepting her fate. As she hit the ground straight on her back, she could feel one of the sticks piercing up through her back and through her stomach.
She kept her smile as she groaned in pain, her eyes slowly closing..her breath becoming slower..
A pair of eyes watched her, satisfaction evident in the eyes of the on-watcher. The watcher walked back to the clearing, and met up with Inuyasha.
"Hey, Kikyo, did you find her?" He asked, anxiously.
She smirked at first, but put on a solemn face. "No, Inuyasha.. I could not find her.." She pretended to be worried.
Inuyasha sniffed the air, his eyes becoming red as he smelled blood. "Kagome!" he screamed as he bounded off in the direction Kikyo had come from. In the split second it took him to run off, He gave Kikyo a hurt look, knowing she knew something he did not.
He stood at the top of the cliff, horror filling his eyes as he looked down below.