Pairings: Inuyasha/Kagome Miroku/Sango Sesshomaru/Rin
A/N: WHEE! Today's my B-day! So, for today, I shall try to update all the fanfictions I have posted so far (that aren't discontinued)…yeah…I'll try! O.o
x.
Chapter 14
x.
It had been hours since Kagome and Kouga had received the information from the elder. They had been waiting by the campsite, waiting for the others. They needn't wait long, Sango and Miroku had come minutes after they had, and Sesshomaru was always nearby somewhere.
"So, did you find something?" Sango asked her friend. "We couldn't find anything. The travelers just wanted to go to the trading spots; they just gave us strange looks every time we asked them."
"I think we have a couple leads," Kagome replied cheerfully. As her friends and acquaintances listened on, Kagome explained what the elder informed her, Kouga adding in parts she missed. Finally, after everything was explained, she turned to Sesshomaru. "So, is Ah-Uhn a pure-blooded dragon?"
"What do you think, human?" Sesshomaru asked. "Of course not."
"How can you tell?" Kouga asked, nosing around Ah-Uhn, poking it in various places, all the whilst ignoring Jaken's screeching insults. "Dragons all smell the same to me. The only part I can tell of them is what element they control, and that's not much."
"Hmph, you don't live up to your name, wolf," Sesshomaru scoffed mockingly. "A pure-blooded dragon would only have one head. Also, there are many differences between pure bloods and other dragons. I don't really feel a need to explain these things to you incompetents."
Before Kouga could attempt to kill Sesshomaru, Miroku jumped in. "I've heard some things about dragons, though being a monk, I'm not that knowledgeable on the subject," he started, "For ordinary dragons aren't really the type to destroy; only to guard treasure or seek lovely companions. Pure-blooded dragons tend to live quietly in the small amount of tranquility that is left in these warring state eras. Unfortunately, there aren't that many left in Japan. Most were killed off by assassins or hunted for stealing treasure and such.
"Dragons live in various places depending on their element. The only ones that are unable to fly would be the ones living in the forest; with so many trees blocking take off and having great speed and agility, who needs to fly? However, seeing as we need a dragon capable of flying, I'd suggest a mountain dragon or a sea serpent. Mountain dragons are used to flying, and can reach speeds unimaginable, so we'd be able to make up our ground. Sea serpents can also fly fast, and would be long enough to carry all of us on them. Unfortunately, they are incredibly difficult to find."
Miroku sighed. "If you want, we could always try flying over to the Continent to get a pure-blooded dragon there; they're pretty abundant, but it may not work on the barrier Nali's projected."
Kagome shook her head. "Let's try finding a sea serpent. Since there's so many of us, that's our only choice."
"Alright, then, Miroku, where should we search?" Sango asked.
"I'd suggest the swamp area," Miroku suggested, "Someplace where humans wouldn't want to go. Somewhere where there wouldn't be many demons, and the water would be murky enough to hide in, but clean enough to live in."
"I got it," Kouga said abruptly. "About 5 kilometers from my wolf den, following the path of the river, there's a swamp fitting your description. There might be a serpent there; my tribe wouldn't really go near there, saying they had a bad feeling. That was probably the serpent or something."
"Alright, then let's go," Sesshomaru said coolly. "We've wasted too much time already."
Shippo, who had stayed silent most of the time, hopped up on Kagome's shoulder and glared down at Sesshomaru (AN: Oops. Sorry, but I forgot to mention where Shippo went…Let's just say he went with Sesshomaru and didn't have a great time.)
x.
A couple hours later, Kagome and the others finally caught sight of the swamp. Kagome grimaced and held her nose at the awful smell coming from the murkiness of the place. A thin layer of fog spread around the swamp, giving it a creepy feeling that made Shippo duck for cover by burying his head in Kagome's shirt.
"Well, this is it," Kouga inquired, "No wonder the watch never went over here."
"This place is creepy, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin squealed, causing Shippo to pop out of hiding. He bounded over to her and said, "Don't worry, Rin, I'll protect you!" Rin smiled, her fear ebbing away like rain splashing onto a window. Sesshomaru growled slightly; why does Rin insist on helping these people? Just to repay a debt? How foolish. Of course, oblivious to himself, he cared more for Rin then anyone else.
As the group landed, they immediately saw an outline of two other people. Kagome squinted, but still couldn't see them through the thick fog. As the group neared cautiously, they could make out two familiar voices.
"Why are we here again?" asked the cocky voice everyone knew.
"To gather a particular herb that grows here," replied Kikyo's voice.
"Well, hurry up! I don't want to be here all day."
"You never were patient, were you?"
"Feh."
Kagome gasped as she saw Inuyasha and Kikyo together. He looked the same; acted the same; except, there was still something different about him. She watched, unmoving, as Kikyo and Inuyasha turned their heads and spotted them. They stood like that for a few moments, staring at each other; the only movements were when Inuyasha and Kikyo decided to step forward, until they were only a few paces in front of them.
When Inuyasha spoke, his words ripped Kagome's heart up.
"Who are you?" he asked arrogantly. He glanced at Kikyo, who only put on a smile and shrugged.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome mumbled. Inuyasha's dog ears twitched a bit, and he glared at her.
"Alright, how do you know me?" he asked.
"You don't remember, do you?" Miroku asked, walking up and tapping Inuyasha lightly on the head with his staff, causing the half demon to glare angrily at the monk. "That's to be expected, I suppose. I mean, it WAS Kikyo who did this to you."
"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if Kikyo did this to him," Sango murmured to herself, glaring at Kikyo, who received a glare in return.
Inuyasha gave a curios look, but said nothing.
"Well, little brother, you truly have forgotten," Sesshomaru inquired amusingly. "How unfortunate for you."
Inuyasha formed a hardened glare, taking out his Tetsusaiga. "Sesshomaru? Oh, I get it. These are just your friends; come to kill me today? Or are you gonna die easily?"
Sesshomaru frowned. "You know better than that, little brother. To think I would travel with these unworthy humans."
"Then why are you with them?"
"Because we've been searching for you, Inuyasha. And a way to return your memories," Miroku tried to explain, but knew it was futile to make him understand this way.
"I don't know where you're getting at, but I don't like it," Inuyasha sheathed his sword, and turned to Kikyo. "Let's go already." Kikyo merely nodded her head, and the two of them walked off.
"Hold it!" Kagome shouted, running up and grabbing Inuyasha's arm. Inuyasha glared at her, but then gave a curious look.
"Why do you look like Kikyo?" he asked. He glanced at Kagome, then back to Kikyo. "You two look almost identical. And what's with the weird outfit?"
Kagome, however, wasn't listening. She was focused on Inuyasha's neck. 'The rosary…' she thought. 'It's not on there…but how? Only I can remove it!'
"How'd you get the rosary off?" she asked Kikyo menacingly; a tone she didn't even knew she possessed.
Kikyo glared. "One of my new powers. Being part of you, and vise versa, we are able to do things others cannot. Example: You put on the rosary, meaning that you are the only one who can remove it. My soul is part of you, and as long as I am on this earth, I can also remove it. Of course, you can never do the things I can do, I'm much too advanced for your meager priestess powers."
Kagome felt tears coming; she tried to stop them from falling, but she couldn't help it. The hot liquid trickled down her cheeks as she averted her face so her bangs covered her eyes.
"I want you dead," she whispered harshly, making Kikyo stare at her in surprise. "But you're right. You are much more advance than me." Kagome backed up a bit, and drew her arrows. "But that doesn't mean you can still survive all of us!"
Sango rushed forward, drawing her Hiraikotsu. The large boomerang felt like a feather to Sango as she held it above her head. Miroku had snuck off somewhere, though it didn't matter. Kouga walked up beside Kagome, claws extinguished and prepared to launch an attack.
"Inuyasha, go back to the village," Kikyo ordered. Inuyasha shook his head. "Do it now."
"Feh. You're not the boss of me. Besides, you need someone to protect you, and I'm the only one you-" Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, Kikyo reached up and shocked Inuyasha, dazing him, and causing him to back up a few paces. Taking his chance, Miroku rushed from the bushes, swinging his staff and hitting Inuyasha hard in the back of the neck.
Inuyasha fell unconscious, Miroku catching him and dragging him away. Kikyo only watched the monk try to get Inuyasha back to their side; she didn't try to stop them at all. Miroku plopped Inuyasha's body next to Kagome, and stood next to Sango, prepared to use his staff or wind tunnel if necessary.
As Kagome aimed her arrow, and Sango her boomerang, Kikyo began to glow a bright blue. At first, Kagome thought she was aiming an attack, and fired her arrow.
All of a sudden, the blue energy shot out from Kikyo, and the priestess disappeared. As the energy touched everyone, they began to disappear as well. Kagome closed her eyes tightly, clinging onto Inuyasha's fire rat kimono. She prayed that they would be together; she didn't want to be alone in a swamp with who knows what out there. She wanted Inuyasha with her, even if he didn't know who she was. She wanted to be with him; as she felt the light hit her, she could feel herself floating. She could still feel Inuyasha beneath her, his chest slowly rising and falling.
As she felt herself land, she could tell they were somewhere else, but still in the swamp. She felt Inuyasha's chest under her, and released her fierce grip on his kimono. Reluctantly, she soon let the soft beatings of his heart lull her to sleep.
TO BE CONTINUED……