Battle of the Shikon

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from InuYasha.

Chapter 5: Eternal Heartbeat

Once the ground felt solid beneath her feet, Kagome felt a great urge to weep. Stubbornly pushing it down, she clenched her fists and took a deep breath. 'Now is not the time,' she reminded herself. Looking up, she heard the scraping song of crickets and the soft whisper of the breeze. All was quiet and dark, just like the shadows of time. Pulling herself up the creaking ladder, she hoisted herself over the edge of the well and set her feet down again. Climbing the stairs, she pushed back the wooden doors to the navy blue carpet of sky, several stars blinking silver in their constellations.

Turning from the sky and its half-moon, she gazed upon her house. There were no lights on; everyone was probably long asleep by now. 'It'd be easier to tell them in the morning,' she thought gratefully. Suppressing a sigh, she made towards the front door.

Quietly slipping in, she pulled off her shoes and dropped her backpack beside them. Passing by the rooms, she had just reached the stairs when she heard the moaning yawn of her cat. Freezing in her spot, she waited fearfully for any sound of her waking family. When none came, she made a silent prayer of thanks and began climbing the stairs.

The memory arrived like a flash of lightning. As she placed her foot on the very top step, the almost forgotten memory of slipping and falling face-first came to her. She had been nearly eight at the time and the fall had knocked out a loose tooth. If she hadn't been so relieved to be rid of it, she might have cried. Instead, she whooped happily and began searching for it. It took a solid week to find and for the following week, she had carried it around, believing it to be a magical tooth from its disappearing abilities. By then her Grandpa had placed it in the room with all the other family heirlooms to humour her, but now she supposed it was to get her to let go of it. "The Magical Kagome-Tooth" it was called hence forth.

She managed to stop the giggle from escaping by putting a hand over her mouth. A funny memory. Wallowing in her mirth for the precious remaining time, she reached her room and carefully slipped in. Changing into her pyjamas, she slid under the warm sheets of her bed. She almost expected nightmares of her dark future, but none came. It wouldn't be until the next morning when she would appreciate this final blessing.

It seemed that she had only just placed her head down on her pillow when a great weight seemed to attack her stomach. Bouncing up, she gave a yelp of surprise as Buyo mewed loudly and fled towards her feet. Rubbing her stomach from the cat's scratches, she blinked a few times to clear her vision. 'Morning already? What time is it?' she thought groggily. Glancing at her clock, she realized just how early it was.

"Did Mom send you up here?" she asked accusingly at Buyo. All she got in reply was a tail swish and a mew. 'She must have seen my shoes and backpack.' It was Monday after-all. She should have known that her mother would think Kagome would want to get up early for school. She still wanted to, to say goodbye to her friends, but that did not make waking up early any easier.

Pushing back her blankets, she left the warmth of her bed with a chill. Quickly going through her usual routine, now a bitter thought, she slipped into a fresh school uniform and slowly made her way downstairs. There was nothing for it now. She would have to tell her family the truth and let it be. 'Doesn't mean I have to like it,' she thought angrily. She had long accepted her fate, but wonder to how it had happened still dumbfounded her. 'Why?' she often wondered to herself, never voicing a single worry.

"Hey, sis," Souta suddenly said, making her jump in brief surprise. At first his face held a cheerful smile, but it slowly melted into slight concern. Trying to wipe the sadness from her own, she put on a smile as well.

"Morning, Souta," she replied. Would she ever get to say that again? It must have shown on her face, for the grin on her brother didn't return. Refusing to mention it, she waited until he went on towards the kitchen before following.

"Good morning, dear," her mother said while slipping fried eggs onto some toast. "I would have let you sleep in a little longer, but I suppose you want to get to school on time." Kagome felt a stab to her heart. How could everything seem so calm and normal while her world was collapsing? Still, she kept the smile and accepted the eggs.

"It's okay, Mom. I did want to get to school today," she answered, staring at her eggs and toast. Slowly starting to eat them, she stubbornly ignored the feel of Souta's suspicious eyes on her. How would she begin?

"Ah, Kagome! So nice to see you again." Turning in her chair, she spotted her Grandpa walking into the kitchen with his roll of newspaper tucked under his arm. Carefully masking the sudden sting from her face, she returned his greeting. It was not his appearance that hurt her, but his words. "Nice to see you again" sounded as if she were a distant relative coming for a visit for a day or two. Had she become that detached from her family and home?

"Morning, Grandpa," she said nonetheless. He nodded in reply and automatically went to his chair and hid himself behind the newspaper. Buyo crawled into his lap, but the elder man ignored the meowing.

'I have to tell them now. I have to,' she thought sullenly. Looking up from her breakfast, she eyed each member of her family. Her mother had that same small smile that she had held the day Kagome had told her of the Feudal Era. Souta was frowning into his eggs with a furrowed brow. Her Grandpa was hidden from view, but she had no doubt that he had a similar frown while reading the news. Buyo, of course, was trying to paw his toast.

"I have something to tell you," she said suddenly before she could stop herself. Since when did her conscience jump out like that? Souta's head shot up at her while her Grandpa and mother took a moment to glance up. Might as well keep going now that it began.

"What is it, Kagome?" her mother asked calmly. Her small smile was half-gone as if she had read her daughter's mind.

Resisting a scowl, Kagome struggled to maintain eyelevel. She had to look straight at them if she wanted a chance at getting through this. "I, um..." she stumbled unsure how to begin the story, despite this being the fourth time. "I have a problem," she finally stated.

When they did not interrupt, she took a small breath and continued. "You guys already know about the feudal era and Naraku and everything..." she trailed, "Well, um...we found out how to finally defeat him..."

"That's wonderful, Kagome!" her Grandpa cut in, slapping his knee with cheer and setting down his newspaper.

Kagome smiled blandly, though she did try to put her heart into it. It was wonderful that that problem had been solved, but she regretted it meaning another problem born. "We made the plan and everything, but..." She clasped her hands together. They didn't shake this much when she was telling the others.

"What is it?" Souta asked.

"I..." 'I will die! Just say it!' Tears slowly began leaking out of the corner of her eyes despite herself. How could Naraku do this? Her family didn't deserve this! They didn't! "If we go through with it, I will have to die." She gave up trying to hold back the tears, letting them flow silently. Refusing to wipe her eyes clean, she kept her arms at her sides, awaiting their reaction.

Only Souta grinned in disbelief. He almost looked relieved as if knowing this was all this was a joke. Knowing. He was still a little boy, a child not even into his fourth year at school. Breaking that innocence made her want to rip out Naraku's heart right then and there.

Her mother and Grandpa's faces were expressionless. She could almost see their calculating thoughts, trying to figure out if she was serious. Her Grandpa seemed to be staring at her as if she really did have one of the illnesses he had conjured up. That compared to Souta's grin made new tears flow out again, still soundless.

"Souta," she whispered after a short sob. She wanted to say more, she wanted to say much more, but her tears would not allow it. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the grin vanished in a flash from her little brother's face. Her fingers itched to reach Souta and hug him. He was her kid brother, her baby brother, her only brother. He was too young to learn that his sister was doomed to death. Much too young.

"K-Kagome?" he muttered, eyes wide. Wide with fear of the truth, she was sure. Much too young. "Kagome, I don't...?" His voice quivered slightly, eyes unblinking.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," was all she could say. A hand darted up to rub her cheeks for a minute before dropping again. Had she truly experience despair before? No, she couldn't have. She knew what despair was now. It was the face of her only brother in that eternal heartbeat.

"No..." he muttered, tears swelling up in his own eyes. "No, you're lying!" They began to flow. "You're lying, Kagome! No!" He half stood up as if to flee. Staring at his sister, he did not move.

"Shh, everything's all right, Souta." Kagome did not say this, but her mother. Darting her water-filled eyes towards her, Kagome felt a small shock. Her face was the image of winter, eyes cold and stoic enough to shame even Sesshomaru. She felt her nose tickle, but she suppressed it.

"Mom?" Kagome uttered softly.

Looking upon her, the older woman gave a small sigh. The ice seemed to melt sadly from her eyes and was replaced with a strange emotion. Never in her life had she seen that face. It was like a distant hopelessness, carefully hidden yet never subdued. Misery, concern, acceptance, and fury all seemed to weave together in a jumble.

Instead of answering, she got up and came closer to Kagome and took another chair. "Kagome," she said slowly, not a hint of a tear in her eyes. "Is this something that you truly need to do?"

Kagome gulped uncertainly but said, "Yes."

Her mother drank the answer in and after a moment, replaced it with, "And there is no other way?"

"No," she gave in bitterly.

Another sigh hissed free as the dry sadness returned. She raised her thumb to wipe a tear from Kagome's cheek before wrapping her other arm around her daughter's shoulders and pulling her in a little. Kagome rested her cheek against her mother's shoulder. A few moments passed as the two cradled each other gently. Eternity. Eternity wasn't enough.

"Kagome," she cooed gently. "I love you and I will always love you no matter what." Kagome's breath caught at her simple answer. "Souta will always love you and your Grandpa will always love you." Shifting her chin to her daughter's forehead, she took Kagome's hand. "I will not ask why you need to do this. If you say you truly need to, I believe you." There was no doubt of her slow smile. "You do what you need to." She had said that once before. Long ago. The problem was very different than this one, but it seemed to warm Kagome nonetheless.

Kagome gave a small giggle and sniffed. Her mother had always been excellent at making people feel better. She would miss her after her task was done. A bitter thought, but the warmth around her weakened it. "I love you, mom," she whispered. It was amazing how much heart could go into four words. Reaching up, she kissed her mother on the cheek.

After they pulled away, her mother looked to her son. "Souta, I will phone your school about you being absent today. Kagome, would you like to go to school to say goodbye to your friends?" The woman was a mind-reader. She would miss that too, surprisingly.

"Yeah, I think so. Just for a little while." Sniffing again, she cleaned the remaining tears. Following her mother in standing, she nearly laughed at the serenity of her mother's face.

"Don't forget to finish your breakfast," said that calmly smiling face. This time Kagome did laugh. The world could be toppling around her, but she still had to finish her breakfast.

"Oh, before I forget, I have some things to give you, Kagome," her Grandpa suddenly said. Scurrying out of the room, the others listened to loud bangs and rustles followed by a door slam. The elder man re-entered the room, a gigantic brown sack in his hands.

Kagome stared as he plopped the bag at her feet. "What's all this, Grandpa?"

He opened the bag and started to rummage for something inside it. "It's a few things I've been saving over the years. Should come in handy for your battle," he answered determinedly. With no doubt of the bag's contents left, Kagome waited with a strained smile as her Grandpa drew out item after item from the bag and piled it into Kagome's hands.

"Here's a foot of a lizard demon; good for digestion, mind you. Oh and a few sacred scrolls handed down by my father's father's father's father. Very handy when you want to purify a demon, these are. Powder of a cow's liver for bruises, hair of a wolf demon for small cuts, dried leaves of an ancient Sokinai tree for fevers, bone of a priest's chicken for...hum, what was this for again? Oh yes, I remember now. If you stick it in a dark spirit's eye, it will kill it." With a grin, he slipped the bone into a purple velvet cloth and placed it into Kagome's arms. Her face was obscured from all the gifts, but no doubt there was a tired smile on her face.

"Thanks, Grandpa," she said, sliding the objects back into the bag for easier carriage. She knew he meant well, though none of his so-called "heirlooms" had worked as of yet. She would cherish every one of them.

"It was no trouble at all, Kagome. You just remember to use them," he answered with a proud grin. Kagome laughed as she placed the heavy bag back on the ground.

She supposed that time flew quickly now to make up for the eternities that had rolled by before. After breakfast, she bid a quick peck on the cheek to her family members, Souta blushing like a cherry. She was almost ready to leave when her hand stopped half-way as it reached to open the door. It dropped suddenly and she slowly glanced back.

"What is it, dear?" her mother asked kindly, hands folded together before her and lips curved in a loving smile. Exactly how Kagome always remembered her.

"Mom," she began, but trailed off a little. A small breath, she finished with, "Thanks, Mom. For everything."

Her smile grew, but her eyes saddened. She said no word, only watched her daughter. "You go on to school, dear." Only the sky could know how much she would miss her mother.

A desire to weep pulsed within Kagome, but it was buried deep. She had said the truth now; there was no time for crying anymore. She knew one thing; her family's tears would not be in vain. Naraku would pay. He would die for his sins. Her family's broken hearts would be avenged. No time for crying anymore.

She left the house and began her walk to school. It was almost a surprise, a relief really, that her mind remained quiet through her journey. Her last journey to school as a normal, regular teenage girl of Tokyo, Japan. Except it was not normal, she was going only to say goodbye to her friends, her last goodbye.

The school's square white-brick building broke into her sight. She passed through the front doors and automatically steered herself to her first class. She had such little time left, but this was time to burn. She did not need it, especially now that these classes did not matter. Only her friends mattered, her family, her life, her duty. Sitting down, she gazed at the students around her, envious of their simple lives. Lives that would not end tomorrow. Lives that would breathe on for years to come.

Her second class was the same until at last the lunch period rang free and students fled the school. Among them were the three faces of her friends. As she hurried towards them, a thought occurred to her. What would she tell them? She could not tell them the truth about the Feudal Era, they would not believe it. Yet if she didn't tell them, what conclusion would they make? Their friend would be vanishing without a reason. It might not be that much of a problem five hundred years in the past, but in the present a missing person would be investigated, their friends and family questioned. Why had she not seen this coming?

Her chance to think died as she was spotted. Her friends were waving to her, scurrying towards her like puppies to a mother. They were different from her Feudal era friends. Very different. She knew it was unkind to think so, but she didn't believe she would miss these friends as much as she would Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kirara, and InuYasha. She had practically grown up with these friends, and a year away from them was enough to shift her loyalties? It made her sick to her stomach, no doubt showing on her face. This, perhaps, was one of the reasons they looked so concerned.

"Kagome! You feel well enough to come to school?" Ayumi asked politely. Their worried grins went unanswered.

"It's been a while since you were last here. What did your..." she dropped her voice, "psychiatrist say about you condition?"

"Erm..." Kagome stuttered. 'Back to metal problems am I?' she thought sarcastically.

"Tell us about it later, we should get to lunch already. I'm starving!" Yuka complained, giving a light laugh. The others agreed and began to walk towards the local fast food restaurant. Kagome sighed and followed.

Once seated, they quickly ordered their food, giving plenty of room to talk.

"So, Kagome, how has everything been? How've you been feeling?" Eri asked, sipping her coca cola.

"Yeah, your Grandpa told us that you had to start sessions with some psychiatrist. He said that it was getting really hard managing all the doctor appointments you needed, especially now with your...other problem," Yuka stated. Kagome didn't bother to ask what her new problem was. Chances were she didn't want to know.

"Well, guys, you see..." Kagome trailed off a little. 'What should I tell them?' she thought, desperately stretching out for an excuse. 'I'm moving away for a special doctor... no that would mean Mom and the others have to move as well. Oh, I can't lie to them about this! What should I...?'

"Kagome?" It was Eri's voice. Kagome looked up, surprised that she had dropped her gaze. "What is it?" She would have to tell it like it was.

"Guys, I have something really important to tell you. I don't know how...how I should say this except by saying it straight out," she said in a low voice. She blinked slowly and took a breath. Then, she steadied her gaze until she look squarely into her friends' faces. "Yesterday I...I found out that I am...I'm..." 'I can't tell them! They won't believe...I don't know...What should I...?' "I have to go away for a while. A long while. I...don't really know if I'll ever be able to come back..." 'I can't believe I just said that! How can I lie to them like that?' She fought down the urge to kick herself.

They were silent. They were so silent. She hated it! Speak already! Say something! Ayumi was the first to blink in surprise and jostle herself out of her stare. "Going away? What...what do you mean?"

"I...um..." Kagome searched for an answer. 'Now what?' "I told you about how my...boyfriend...lives far away right? Well I have to go live with him and some friends for a while. It's really complicated...I don't..."

They certainly took that differently than she expected. Their faces switched to looks of utter horror in less time than it would take one to blink.

"Kagome..." Yuka whispered in a voice of pure terror, "You aren't...I mean, you don't mean..." She paused to gulp. "You aren't dropping out of school to run off and marry that guy or something...are you?"

Heat flooded into Kagome's cheeks so fast that the others blinked in surprise. Eri half raised her hand as if to check Kagome's temperature.

"M-marry? M-Marry I-InuYasha?" The words tumbled out of her mouth in a breathless race. "I n-never...he would n-never..." All chance of sane speech left Kagome so she simply took that chance to close her gaping mouth and work some moisture back into it. 'Marry InuYasha? Where on earth did they get that idea? Besides, he would never...he wouldn't...' Only then did she realize how foolish her thoughts were. Forcing them to silence, she struggled to get her next words straight. "No, I...that's not the reason I'm leaving. I...I can't really tell you the reason." Her lips stayed parted for a second longer as if to continue, but she thought better of it and closed them.

"Why not?" Ayumi asked.

'You wouldn't believe me even if I told it to you,' she thought sullenly. "I made a promise," was what she said. Not entirely the truth, she knew, but it wasn't a lie either. She had made the promise to fix what she had started in the Feudal era. They would probably think different. The way she said it seemed to imply that she had promised not to tell them her reason. Perhaps for once she should let them believe blissful ignorance.

"When will you be back?" Yuka asked.

Kagome frowned at her lap. "I don't think I will be."

"Well, can't you come back for visits?" she added quietly.

No time for crying anymore. "No, I can't." She couldn't say any more. Oh if she could only tell her friends the entire truth! This would be so much easier! "I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I just...I just wanted to come to school to say goodbye to you guys." Naraku would pay.

"Kagome..." That was Ayumi's voice. Each friend had the identical look of lost sadness. Each would be losing a friend that day.

"Hey, Kagome!" The sudden voice had a sick cheerfulness to their ears. Kagome looked up from her teary-eyed friends and met the face of Houjou. "Mind if I join you?" All he needed was a vague nod from Eri to slide in beside her, opposite of Kagome. The fool didn't even notice their expressions or the depressed aura hanging like a dry cloud over their table.

"How are you feeling, Kagome?" he asked kindly. He had always been kind. Blind, yes, but always kind.

"Much better," Kagome answered wearily. Houjou had the right to know she would be leaving too, she had to admit. He might have been a pain to avoid with all those date requests popping up, but he was still a friend. "Houjou, I have some bad news..."

"Oh?" That grin never wavered. Not even a little.

"I, um...I'm going to be going away for a long while. I'm staying with a few friends a long way from here and I don't think I'll be able to come back, even for visits." Not as bitter as with her friends or family, but it wasn't the happiest time of her life either.

Finally that smirk faded into nothing. He was looking at her with a blank shock, stronger than she had expected, even from him. "You...you're moving away?" What did she expect? The guy did obviously like her.

"Just me, not my family," she replied. "I'm really sorry, Houjou."

"Wow, I don't..." He looked away from her to the white plastic bag beside his foot. Rubbing his head with a hand, he seemed to search for the right words. "I don't know what to say, Kagome..."

'What can you say? Nothing, really,' Kagome thought. What if it wasn't her "moving" away? What if it was Eri or Yuka or Ayumi? What would she have said?

"I knew that you were avoiding me a little, but I..." he trailed away a little. 'Perhaps he isn't that blind,' Kagome thought sarcastically. "...I would have never have guessed that you'd be so shy that you had to move away entirely." 'Never mind,' Kagome added, disappointed.

"No, Houjou, I'm not---" Kagome began.

"No, it's all right, Kagome," Houjou interrupted, his smile renewed. "Perhaps I was pushing a little too hard. I did ask you out a lot of times. I'm really sorry I pressured you into this. Here..." He reached down and pulled the plastic bag into his lap. Rummaging around in it, he took out some kind of pack. "I got this for your stomach aches, but I guess it's a going-away gift now." He even chuckled! It was amazing how resilient to sadness that boy was.

Kagome tore her wide eyes away from Houjou and dropped them to the pack lying in front of her. 'Of course, what else could it be?' she thought, unaware of her amused grin.

"Fish-heads?" she asked.

"Yeah, if you boil them with your soup or tea, it'll help stop any stomach aches. It tastes a little authentic, but it works really well." Authentic. Another word for revolting.

Nonetheless, Kagome took the pack of preserved fish-heads and slipped them into her bag. "Thank you, Houjou," and she meant it. The boy may be unbelievably blind, but he had kept fighting for her affection, regardless of the apparent illnesses, diseases, mental disorders, and fungi she had caught.

She had been wrong. She would miss these friends as much as she would the ones in the Feudal era. They may be different, but that was part of the reason she wanted to come back here every once in a while, she realized. Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi may be three girls with an obsession of Kagome's love life, but they were loyal and warm. They had accepted her bland reason for leaving forever and they have even managed to make her blush over InuYasha for a final time. Houjou may be rather naïve and overly-calm, but his smile was always friendly and his support always waiting. Loyal, warm, friendly, and supporting. Just like InuYasha, Sango, Miroku, and Shippou. Tears began to swell in her eyes. She would miss them. Those stupid, idiotic, blind, loving, friendly, supportive friends. She would miss them all. For an eternal heartbeat, she realized how much she would miss them.

Far away down an ancient wooden well in the Higurashi shrine grounds, a lordly dog youkai walked along a forest path calmly and stoically. Beside him was a little girl in a white and orange plaid dress and a small toad youkai in a brown kimono with a tall two-headed staff.

"Where are we going, my Lord? You haven't said a word since yesterday," the little girl pondered as she skipped alongside the lordly demon.

"Hush, Rin! Lord Sesshomaru does not need to explain everything to you! You are only a child! You wouldn't understand anyway!" The toad demon shook a green-scaled fist at the young girl.

"I didn't ask you, Master Jaken! I asked Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin revolted, her own fists and pouting frown glaring at the small demon.

It took the two of them a moment to realize that Sesshomaru had halted. Both peeked around him to see what had brought their Lord to a stop. It was a woman, her face identical to pale death. Despite the whiteness, it seemed to add to her overall cold beauty with her long black hair and white miko haori and red hakama. A full quiver and bow were strapped to her back, but her eyes seemed cold enough to kill a man with a simple stare.

"You are Lord Sesshomaru, are you not?" the woman asked. "InuYasha's older brother?"

Sesshomaru's cold golden eyes narrowed at his younger brother's name. "What is it you want?"

"Who's that?" Rin whispered to Jaken, crouching slightly to reach his ear.

"Don't you know anything, you foolish girl? That's Kikyou, the woman that pinned InuYasha to a tree," he answered in a scolding tone. All it took was a slight side-glance from Sesshomaru to make him freeze in his tracks as if struck by lightning.

"I am here to inquire about something. Tell me, have you met with the demon wind sorceress, Kagura, as of late?" Kikyou's eye was firm, unrelenting. She was as strong a master of stoic faces as Sesshomaru was.

Still, it seemed that you could get more emotion from a river stone than you could from Sesshomaru's face right then. "I do not know what you are talking about," he answered in a voice of icy wind.

Surprisingly, Kikyou's face smoothed into a warm, glad smile. "That was all the answer I needed," she said quietly. Holding his gaze for a moment longer, she turned and strode back the way she came. A high hiss of a strange note drifted around her and the shapes of odd floating white serpents began to surround her. She faded from sight before they could make out more.

Sesshomaru stared after her for a few moments. "My Lord? What was she talking about?" Rin asked, gazing up at the youkai.

He didn't answer. He didn't even turn to look at her. After a moment, he muttered, "Come, Rin," and began his pace again. Rin blinked after him but wasted no time in obeying, Jaken doing the same.


Finally I'm done this chapter! Such a relief, heh. Took a rather long time, sorry about that. I hope the next chapter isn't the same. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and thank you soooo much for all the reviews!