Sorry I kept you guys waiting so long. Exams were a pain in the ass! I passed everything though, that's good! Oh and by the way, I had a birthday that I forgot to even mention after I had it because I was so busy. My birthday was on January 2 and I am now 17! Yay!
Needless to say I was surprised by some of your reactions on the Inuyasha/Moyuru thing. I was really expecting more people to want to kill me but it seems as though there were only two of those. One person even went so far as to remove me from their favorites list and their alert list. -pouts- sour sport! If they would have read the big bold print in the author's notes then they would have known that this thing with Moyuru isn't permanent at all! I now think that I know who I want to pair Moyuru up with. You are all welcome to guess, but I'm not telling. Here's a hint, they're tall, strong, handsome, and . . . okay, I can't tell you anymore. I think that I'm going to save that all for a sequel anyway.
DON'T WORRY INUKAG FANS! THEY WILL BE PUT BACK TOGETHER BY THE END OF THIS FIC! JUST BEAR WITH ME HERE AND STOP TRYING TO KILL ME BY SCREAMING "INUKAG" TEN MILLION TIMES! THE MORE A RELATIONSHIP GOES THROUGH THE STRONGER IT BECOMES ANYWAY! STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT!
Okay, anywho, I know my chapter has the same name as an Ozzy Osborne song, but I couldn't think of a name for it. Anyway, Here's chapter 19! Did I surprise you all with chapter 18? Huh? Well, here's the next installment of this ridiculously long story, so read, review and enjoy!
BTW, thanks to all those that have reviewed so far. . . I love you people!
Mayu Kitsune
Changes
"Calm down Kagome." Shippo stated.
"Yeah, I'm sure they're both fine, it probably just took Inuyasha a while to find her." Sango offered.
"There's also the matter of convincing her to come back." Miroku added, "Naomi was the only thing keeping her here before."
Kagome didn't seem to calm down though the others did have a point. Maybe she was just worrying over this too much. She still couldn't bring herself to calm her nerves. Though she didn't want to admit it, it wasn't them getting killed that she was worried about. Inuyasha could take care of himself.
What was bothering her was the thought that something could have happened between them. The way he had regarded her earlier before he left was anything but friendly. He had seemed mad at her. He seemed even spiteful towards her. She knew him better than almost anyone and she knew that if he were angry at her then he'd act rashly, but how much so? Would he be so rash as to turn on her?
"What? That troublesome hanyou is back? She should have learned her lesson." a villager muttered darkly.
"I say we make it known she's not welcome here." another commented.
"They're back!" Shippo announced happily.
Yes, but we seem to be the few glad of it." Miroku pointed out, looking around at some of the not-so-thrilled villagers. There were numerous whispers and murmurs in the village as the two hanyou made their way in.
Kagome and the others began forward to meet them. Kagome felt a hint of jealousy at noticing Moyuru was walking so close to Inuyasha, nearly touching him as she gave uneasy glances around. The miko shrugged off the feeling; she knew that Moyuru must've been scared and that was why she was sticking so close. She knew the villagers didn't like her in the least bit.
Inuyasha and Moyuru continued toward them, Inuyasha sending a glare at some of the villagers as though daring them to make a move against the kitsune hanyou behind him. Kagome couldn't help but to feel the jealousy grow a bit. He was never that protective of anyone but her. . . and Kikyo.
Kagome tried once again to shake the feeling. Inuyasha had said that he wouldn't put her through a repeat of Kikyo ever again, she had to at least trust that. Inuyasha and Moyuru were just good friends. Kagome didn't show any signs of her thought as the two half demons approached.
"Glad to see that you two made it back okay." Sango stated with a bit of a smile. She had to try lifting Moyuru's spirits at least a little. It depressed everyone else to see her so downcast.
Moyuru returned with a small smile, "Thanks, it's good to see you all too." she said quietly, though never moving from Inuyasha's side. She felt safer near him.
"I don't feel comfortable around here." Moyuru said quietly, now going so far as gripping Inuyasha's sleeve. She moved even closer to him when she noticed the man from before, the one that had nearly become her executioner. A woman who Moyuru guessed was his wife stood next to him though her look wasn't as unfriendly. The woman carried a small boy in her arms.
Wait, Moyuru remembered them. They were the mother and child from before; the two people she had tried to save during the battle. She felt a bit of happiness at finding that they had both made it out okay.
Moyuru soon noticed that she had been staring a bit. She averted her gaze to the ground, not really wanting to look anyone in the eye. She had been raised barely ever looking anyone in the eyes.
The woman's expression softened visibly. She could see that Moyuru was scared. She wasn't a threat to the village, she was just a scared kid. It didn't matter if she was hanyou, she had feelings like everyone else.
The woman began forward with her child, but her husband's hand on her shoulder stopped her. She sent him a somewhat dirty look. She hadn't liked the way he had treated Moyuru earlier, even after she had told him how the girl had saved her and their child's lives. "Let go." she said firmly, "Whether you like it or not, we owe her."
Her husband reluctantly released her though he didn't follow, he wasn't at all pleased with his wife's choice in action. She had once shared his views, but now her perspective had changed while his had stayed the same. He just stood in a bit of a huff while his wife approached the hanyou.
He watched Moyuru like a hawk, remembering how she had come back covered in blood before. He couldn't be sure that the blood on her hadn't been form humans. His gaze was cold, he was ready to kill her if she made a move to hurt his wife or child.
The woman and her son were the only two people to step forward. Moyuru didn't seem to notice them as the Kagome and the others made an attempt to comfort her.
"Excuse me, Moyuru. That's your name isn't it?" the woman asked.
Moyuru's ears perked at the sound of her name and she timidly turned to the woman, "Yes, it is." she replied quietly.
The woman put her child down before before bowing to the hanyou and saying, "Thank you for saving my son and I."
Moyuru blinked and looked to her in confusion. There weren't very many people that had ever thanked her.
The woman then straightened, "You also showed me that I was wrong to judge you just because you were half demon. You're not a bad person." she added.
Moyuru still looked to be dumbfounded. The woman seemed to sincerely mean it. The hanyou looked down upon feeling a tug on her pant's leg and was surprised to see the woman's son looking up at her. He reached his arms up to her and she regarded him questioningly. Did he want her to pick him up?
The lady just smiled, "Go ahead, it's not like he's going to bite you." she stated.
Moyuru looked a little timid but picked the little boy up. He was even younger than Naomi, he couldn't have been any older than three or four.
The little boy gave her a hug and snuggled into her, "Thank you for saving my mama fox lady." he said in his small voice.
Moyuru still looked a bit perplexed.
"You're not gonna run away again are you?" the little kid asked, earning him a surprised look from Moyuru.
"It seems like he likes you, you may have friends here that care about you yet." the boy's mother said with a smile.
Moyuru lifted her gaze to look at her. The hanyou's emotions were mixed, raging, on the brink of overwhelming her.
"Just so you know, I now care what happens to you." the woman added.
That was all the push Moyuru needed. Her head lowered and her shoulders began to shake.
"Are you okay?" the woman asked, nearing her.
"Yeah, why're you crying?" the little boy questioned as he looked to her.
"You really care? You don't want me gone even after all that's happened?" Moyuru asked quietly in a hopeful tone.
"That's right." the woman replied.
Within an instant Moyuru was sobbing into her front, "Thank you!" she cried, having thrown an arm around her while still holding the boy with the other. The boy's mother looked taken aback but returned the hug, letting the hanyou continue her crying.
The faces of some of the villagers softened. Was this the big threat? What they had been so afraid of and showed so much hatred towards? A scared and lonesome teenager? She really hadn't meant to cause harm and it had taken this for the villagers to realize their mistake in judgement. They had never seen her like this before. Even the people that were set in their ways couldn't help but to feel some kind of sympathy for her.
The woman's husband stood off to one side, seeming to be considering something. he stepped forward after a moment, stopping behind his wife. She looked back to him, "Don't. Can't you see? She's so young, she doesn't mean any harm." she said in a pleading voice.
her husband looked elsewhere, "I know." he stated, "I. . . I'm. . . sorry." he added hesitantly, nearly grudgingly. He had been wrong about her and he saw that now though he didn't want to admit it.
Moyuru looked up to him and gave him the same questioning look she had given everyone else before giving him a small watery smile, "I . . . I accept you're apology." she said quietly.
Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka came forth from the crowd as well, both feeling the need to be with Moyuru. The hanyou was confused, they still cared after all? They still cared after all the deaths, attacks, injuries, everything? Most of the people out in the village seemed to have changed the opinions of her, now only a few still looked at her hatefully.
For now these people stuck in their ways seemed a bit outnumbered. Perhaps this happening would help Inuyasha as well. He hadn't been too readily accepted either, and even later he had been accepted because a few people either feared him or learned not to be afraid.
That's all she needed, all she needed was for someone she didn't know to just come out and say that they cared. Kagome thought.
Moyuru looked around after a moment, her teary gaze searching the faces of the people that stood around her. Her expression was still somewhat confused.
"See, you're not alone." Kagome said.
"Yeah, you have more friends than you thought." Sango agreed.
A slight smile came to Moyuru's face. This was the first time in her entire life that she had been surrounded by friends. . . it felt so good. After a moment the rest of the villagers dispersed, most of them now with a new outlook on hanyou.
"I'm still confused. . . Naomi . . ." Moyuru started a little later once the boy and his mother had left. She looked downcast again, "I failed her, I've done so much wrong."
"That wasn't your fault, you've done more good than anything." Sango offered.
"You saved that little boy and his mother, I'd say you did pretty good." Kagome added.
"Yeah, you're not bad." Shippo stated.
"Well, now that things are going to somewhat get back to normal around here then we should get back to finding the jewel shards." Miroku said as his hand went for Sango's rear.
Sango turned red and tensed as the monk's hand violated her space. Miroku didn't even act like he noticed anything he was doing!
There was a loud smack as Sango's hand came in contact with his cheek. "Ow!" he exclaimed.
"What's the big idea, monk?" Sango growled.
Miroku held his hands up in defense, "I was just adding some normalcy to the situation." he stated sheepishly.
"Gee, and I was beginning to think that maybe that fist in the face Moyuru gave you earlier had taught you a lesson!" Sango snapped.
"I think you overestimated him." Shippo said, shaking his head slowly.
"He never learns." Inuyasha agreed.
Moyuru managed a small laugh. The scene was truly funny. The demon exterminator looked as though she could tear Miroku to pieces.
Moyuru wiped the rest of the tears from her eyes, "There's something I have to do before I start traveling with you." she said.
"Well you might want to hurry up and do it tonight, we're leaving tomorrow." Inuyasha stated.
Moyuru nodded, "I won't be long." she stated as she began off.
The rest of the villagers had dispersed while they were all talking. Finally, things seemed to be getting back to normal, just that now they had a new addition to their group. After all of the problems things finally settled down.
Though everything looked sorted out, there was still one matter that bothered Kagome. Was Inuyasha back to normal? He looked after Moyuru with a certain fondness that Kagome couldn't help but be jealous of. No, she thought, I'm just thinking too hard, I should be glad that things have been set right.
"She's been gone for an awful long time, what could she be doing?" Shippo wondered aloud.
"She said she needed some time alone, she's probably at that little girl's grave." Inuyasha stated.
"For this long?" the kit questioned.
"She was really attached to Naomi, it's going to take her a while to get over her death." Sango replied thoughtfully.
Kagome hadn't said much, her attention mostly focused on Inuyasha though she tried not to show it. What had gotten into him? He hadn't said a word to her since he got back and it was now dark. He had looked to her on occasion and it seemed as though there were something he wanted to tell her, but he still didn't say a word.
At the current moment the inu hanyou was lying on his side with his back turned to the rest of the group and his fingers drumming on the ground impatiently. Did he ever get that anxious whenever she was gone for an extended amount of time? He did nearly always come to get her when she stayed "too long" in her time. Now that she thought about it, wasn't there something in her time that she was forgetting?
Kagome suddenly wen rigid as she seemed to remember something.
"What's the matter Kagome?" Sango questioned.
"I forgot something! I blew Hojo off again!" Kagome exclaimed.
"Who?" Sango asked.
Nearly everyone jumped as Inuyasha let out a growl, his fist slamming into the ground.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome said questioningly as the hanyou got to his feet.
"I'm going for a walk, I can't stand just sitting around." he muttered as he began off.
"What was that all that about?" Shippo questioned.
So that's what Inuyasha's been so angry about? Hojo? Kagome thought. She was suddenly struck with a realization, What if he saw us hugging? He could have gotten the wrong idea!
Kagome hesitated a bit before getting up and starting after him. She had to set things right. She had to know if that was exactly what was making him angry, if that was what was making him act so indifferent towards her lately. It was just another one of their usual misunderstandings like that one a month previous when she had seen Inuyasha and Moyuru hugging. She walked in the direction Inuyasha had headed in.
He was headed toward the graves of the villagers. Wasn't that where he said that Moyuru had probably gone to? Why was he going there? Kagome had a bit of trouble trying to find him. He moved so much faster than she did, especially when something had made him angry.
The miko continued her search for a few moments. Where could he have gotten to? She paused upon seeing his silvery hair a small distance away. She gained a puzzled expression when she noticed that there was someone there with him. Who was it? She silently began forward, moving for the trees behind where he stood.
"What are you doing?" Kagome heard Inuyasha's voice ask once she had gotten in hearing range. She froze. Had he spotted her?
"You'll see." another voice responded. Kagome relaxed a bit before quickly vanishing into her hiding spot. He hadn't been talking to her, but the voice that had answered. . . she knew that voice.
Inuyasha was looking curiously down at a black-haired girl that sat down in front of a grave beside him. Who was that? Kagome recognized her voice from somewhere, but her appearance didn't seem to match up. The girl turned to look at Inuyasha, giving Kagome a view of her face.
It was Moyuru! That was right, she turned human on a full moon and that night was tonight. What was Inuyasha doing with her? Hadn't he been the one to say that she needed some time alone?
"There, I'm done." Moyuru announced, placing something on the grave and getting to her feet.
Kagome had to squint to make out the shape of flowers on the grave. They looked like they had been arranged into a chain made of light and dark colored flowers with one big white one that hung in the middle like a pendant. Moyuru brushed herself off as she admired her handiwork.
Inuyasha looked to the flower necklace in question, "What's the deal?" he asked.
"That's exactly like the flower necklace I made for her the first day I spent with her." Moyuru replied. She pointed to the flower in the middle, "That's my haha's favorite flower, I told Naomi that every time I saw it, I thought of my mother. . . Now I have two people to think about when I see it."
Her shoulders began to shake as she struggled to hold back tears.
"Are you okay?" Inuyasha asked.
Moyuru nodded, "Damn human emotions." she cursed, "So hard to control. The more I remember the worse I feel. Maybe I'll never get over this."
Inuyasha hesitated before gently pulling her into a hug.
Kagome's eyes widened in her hiding spot. Did she just see that? Did he actually give her a hug? He almost never did that to anyone else! That wasn't hesitant at all! Kagome just continued to watch. Maybe it was just because she was half demon. He always acted weird around other hanyou.
Moyuru struggled with the tears some more, seeming to swallow them before looking up to Inuyasha, "So, have you told her yet? I don't think you should be out here with me like this if you haven't." she said.
Inuyasha sighed heavily, his gaze falling to the ground.
"You haven't." Moyuru stated more than asked.
"No." Inuyasha replied dejectedly.
What are they talking about? What's going on? Tell who what? Kagome questioned in her mind as she watched.
Moyuru pulled away a bit though not breaking the embrace.
"I'll tell her." Inuyasha insisted.
"Part of the reason I stayed out all day was to give you time to. I also went all the way to Seiya's grave. I figured you would need time so I took my time." she said quietly, "I don't wanna cause any more problems."
She rested her head against his chest, taking in a deep breath and sighing heavily.
He looked down to her in question, concern clearly showing on his face, "What's wrong?" he asked.
Kagome seemed to be getting more and more uneasy from where she watched. This didn't seem to be going where she wanted it to. He never acted this way around Moyuru when everyone else was around.
It took Moyuru a moment to answer, "I just can't stop thinking on all of this. . . my mother, Seiya, Naomi. . . I don't want to forget them, but it hurts to think about what happened to them all." she answered.
He hugged her to him more firmly, "Everything'll turn out okay." Inuyasha said reassuringly.
Kagome looked shocked. What was he doing? He acted as though they had known eachother forever!
Inuyasha continued to hold her there, completely unaware of Kagome watching them. Moyuru looked up to him after a moment. She wanted another kiss though she didn't voice her desire. When they had kissed the night before it had been the only time that she had ever been able to forget her problems. The feeling was addictive and she wanted to go back for more but she didn't say anything.
Inuyasha seemed to have read her mind. He had come to care about her so much in the past month. If there was anything he could do to make her happy, even for a moment, he would do it. He didn't want her to be in so much pain. He made the first move as he started another passionate kiss with her.
Moyuru just lost herself in it, forgetting her problems at least for the moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. This strange feeling she got . . . she just couldn't get enough of it.
Kagome gasped in shock from her hiding place. He was kissing her! No! This couldn't be right! This had to all be just some bad dream!
Sorry, Cliffy. You're just going to have to wait for Kagome's reaction to this show of affection in between Inuyasha and Moyuru. DON'T WORRY! INUYASHA AND KAGOME WILL BE TOGETHER AGAIN BY THE END OF THIS FIC! So don't kill me or maim me in any way or you'll never get to see them back together again!
PREVIEW!
Chapter 20: Breaking Point
Everyone has a breaking point, even the nicest of people have instances when they're anything but nice to someone. Kagome isn't above this little law of life. So, is seeing Inuyasha and Moyuru kiss going to be the point where she finally snaps and stops taking things quietly as she has in the past? Will she get angry or will she simply do as she did with Kikyou and stay mostly quiet about it?
I love you people who aren't such bad sports with all of this! I hope you continue to enjoy this fic! Arigato!
Mayu Kitsune
