"M-m-me? Why would you say such a thing about me?" Hiim stuttered, trembling under the glare of InuYasha and Kouga. Had it not been for the strong grasp by a callused hand of a certain half-dog-demon, then Hiim would have definitely collapsed.
"Well I don't know," InuYasha stated stupidly, "maybe because you just Happen To Smell Like Wolf?" InuYasha pulled Hiim closer towards his face so that he could make his point clear. With his hands rubbing repeatedly over the bald spot that had accumulated most of his head over the passed years in pure fear, Hiim scratched at his bald spot, then slowly brought his hand down and drew his face over every single detail, as if he was soon going to forget what his face was like.
"Yes it is true," Hiim confessed, his voice becoming less and less nasal by the second, blue-grey hair covering his bald spot and growing halfway down to his waist. "I am a half-wolf demon." His human ears disintegrating and leaving no trace to prove they were ever there as demonic ears took their place atop of Hiim's head in the exact same spot as InuYasha's ears were.
Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kagome all took a step back, not at all expecting this transformation from this half-demon. For the Hiim that all four of them knew looked nothing like the half-demon currently in front of them.
Hiim's bald spot had been completely replenished and was covered by thick grey-blue hair with ears resembling those of InuYasha, but they were the same colour of his hair. The old and yellow, crooked and overlapped teeth were now perfectly straight and as white as those of any wolf. The normal and dull black eyes of Hiim were now as blue as shallow river water and just as deep. His fingers and fingernails now completely transformed into the equivalent of daggers, Hiim was no longer the pesky, wimpy little human he had been known as. No, Hiim was now a full fledged half-demon.
"So-So it's true," Kagome got out, her words as stupid as she was acting at the moment, stumbling over rocks and roots, nearly falling multiple times. "You really are…a half-demon."
"Correct," Hiim sighed, his voice now much lower and masculine –a combination of the voices of Miroku and Myoga. Though his eyes were staring at his feet as if they were the most interesting and fascinating things alive, his voice was doubled over with regret and sadness. "I am that of both wolf and that of angel."
"A-angel!" Everyone demanded, not believing his or her own ears. If what this half-demon was saying was true, then wouldn't that make him half dead? After all, once one was dead, there was simply no returning back to the earth world. So how could this be possible? Kagome went up to Hiim and looked him straight in the eyes while her left hand was restraining Kagome's right hand, making it so that the right hand couldn't rise and tweak the adorable ears placed atop Hiim's head.
"But how can that be?" Kagome asked softly. "In order for that to happen, then one of your parents would have to be an angel! How can a wolf marry an angel? She's already dead!" Millions of questions whirled through Kagome's pretty little head, but she knew that if she asked them all right away, then she would definitely scare off this half-demon.
.o0O0o. Chapter Nineteen
Questions for Hiim .o0O0o.
Hiim gave a long sigh before he continued. "Both of my parents are half-demons such as myself. Marriage and Mating do not occur out of the family lines, for if we did, all of our power would be lost. My father is my mother's second cousin; that is just how it is. We have no other option. If we do, then what little Ten'nyo blood we have left will disappear forever.
"But one day there will always be the possibility that if one of our family was to marry an outsider, then Ten'nyo blood would mix with others and then in the near future –as the prophecies predict –one of the most Heavenly of Angels will arise in vain and will stop at nothing other than to destroy us completely. Though the prophecies predict this will happen over the course of many years, our family will do no such thing. We will protect the family bloodline; even it means disgrace to all of us." During this whole speech Hiim gave, all sets of eyes were glued on both Hiim and Kagome. Though Hiim had not known that Kagome had just had a Ten'nyo's spirit in her own body and that the angel had had the power to arise, the rest of Kagome's friends did. And what they had all seen had taken at least four years off of each one of their lives.
"So," Miroku took a step forward, "what do we do now?" When no one fully understood the question being asked, all eyes were averted to the monk, full attention was given. Looking around, Miroku was in quite a predicament if he didn't have an answer ready soon.
"What I mean is: what are we going to do with Hiim? If what he says is true, then where did he come from? Are there other like him?" Miroku was going to continue, but he decided to stop where he was as the eyes of his companions slowly averted their way to Hiim. Hiim was no longer trembling, but was rather comfortable with the glares of these people.
"Ya know," Sango started, relaxing her arm that had been holding her Hiraikotsu, "the monk's got a point. Speak up you. Where do you come from?" Sango did not question Hiim, rather interrogated him, hoping that he would crack. Hiim did nothing more then give a small sigh and linked his fingers together and then brought them to the back of his head which was now leaning back
"There is a legend," Hiim started, his eyes now completely closed, "that a Ten'nyo came down to earth together to bathe, hence their name, bathing angels. One maiden was especially beautiful. A wandering wolf spied these beauties and stole one of their robes. Now without these robes, the Ten'nyo could not return to heaven. By pure chance, the robes that the wolf stole were of the most beautiful Ten'nyo there. Nearly powerless without her robes, the Ten'nyo had to do most everything that the wolf demanded of her.
"As soon as the man saw the beauty in front of him, he instantly fell in love and simply couldn't bear giving her back her robes if it meant her departure of earth. Later on, the Ten'nyo was given a responsibility unlike any other she had ever had before. Now that she had borne this wolf's children, she had to take care of each and everyone of them. That would be seven to be in total.
"Though she kept on living in despair with this man whom she didn't love, the Ten'nyo now had a purpose to stay on Earth. Though she loved her children so very dearly, she longed to return to heaven. But without her Robes, how was she going to do that? But the children did have a purpose in her life. In some later days, the children came up with a nursery rhyme to where the wolf was keeping the Robes hidden. Once the Ten'nyo was able to decipher this song that her children sang, she found the robes and returned to heaven. As sad and heartbroken both of the parents were, the Ten'nyo was extremely delighted to go back to heaven, never to return home again."
Once Hiim had finished his bewitching story, both Sango and Kagome were in near tears. Both of them were about to burst with tears not only of sadness, but also those of fascination and of love. How a wolf demon could fall in love with an angel, make her bear him his children and her loving his children. It was so very romantic, yet so very sad all at the same time.
"That's, so sad," Kagome started with a small sniffle as she leaned into Kouga's chest, gripping his fur vest. "And yet, it's so romantic!" Sango was feeling the exact same thing, only she didn't have a lover to lean into and sob with. But Miroku advanced slowly and hugged her from the back. Sango gladly returned the hug, and turned around while still in the hug to be fully embraced. Kouga, who still had his woman gripping onto his ever-so-fury vest, now wrapped both of his arms securely around Kagome's back, and never planned on letting her go.
"Seeing as how everyone completely FORGOT ABOUT OUR SITUATION HERE;" a certain half demon with white long tresses barked out, trying to snap everybody back to what the seven had just been talking about. "We still got this guy to deal with." And with a "humph" from Kagome, they all returned to their previous train of thought.
"So where exactly is it that you come from?" Shippo finally asked, chewing on a stick –yet again –wishing it was one of Kagome's candy sticks.
"I have just told you," Hiim stated simply, completely not understanding the real question that was being asked.
"No I know that," Shippo said, starting to grow a little impatient, "But where do you come from? The eastern land? From the Continent? Where?"
"I come from a land that none of you will ever see, and that no one can locate," Hiim half-explained, his words completely in riddle. Shippo rolled his eyes in exasperation and just laid back onto a fair sized stone with Kilala at his side.
"That sounds an awful lot like what the hair demon told us Naraku had gone to," InuYasha said rather quickly, his eyes closed and head down, arms crossed and Tetsusaiga at his side ready for mortal combat.
"What InuYasha says has a point," Miroku responded with an inquisitive tone of voice as he brought one index finger to his chin.
"Is that Hiim might somehow be related to Naraku?" Sango finished off Miroku's sentence for him, knowing exactly where this train of thought was going. Hiim just leaned halfway up against a solid tree, a cocky little smirk was let loose on his face, his right leg brought up to make a 90 degree angle as he placed his foot also on the tree, giving him an appearance of a completely relaxed half-demon.
"Real eyes realize real lies," Hiim spoke, his voice speaking no more then riddles now. These riddles were enough for Kagome to want to grip her hair and tug, but refrained, due to the fact that she was currently in Kouga's warm and secure embrace.
"Oh fur…" InuYasha stormed straight up into Hiim's face. Hiim only opened his slightly bright grey eyes as soon as InuYasha was so close, one could count the pores on his now wrinkled forehead. "Look, either just tell us where Naraku is, or just get the hell outa here. Either one's fine with me."
"InuYasha!" Kagome shouted, a sting in her voice as she used for discipline. "Sit boy!" And that's just what InuYasha did. He sat down. Only…it wasn't the way that any of us would consider sitting. Oh no. When Kagome says the magical three-letter word "sit," InuYasha sits, his whole body at once. And usually three feet through solid earth too!
"Why you…" InuYasha grunted, spitting out about three feet worth of dirt. His hand had never left the hilt and the sheath of his trusty Tetsusaiga, so he decided to use some leverage to help pull himself up out of the three foot print in the ground that looked like a very awkward fall from quite high up in the sky.
"Come on InuYasha! Now's not the time to be rude!" Kagome called from across the clearing, Shippo and her backpacks in her hands. "Well Mr. Hiim, do you know anything about a character named 'Naraku?'" Kagome near pleaded as she gripped the backpack rather tightly and Shippo along with it.
"Kagome, is something of yours broken?" Sango inquired, hearing a slight hissing sound as if something was being deflated, like a bicycle tire. Kagome gripped her bag more tightly, thinking that something might fall out of the giant yellow backpack.
"No…There shouldn't be…" Kagome looked around nervously, until she faced Shippo, now blue in the face from Kagome squeezing him for so long. "Ah! Gomen!"
"Hey! Back to this guy! If you guys don't mind!" InuYasha shouted, not exactly thrilled that the conversation had, yet again, taken a turn. Shippo rolled his eyes, as did Kilala, but eventually the whole group was refocused on this "Hiim" character.
"You say that you come from a place where no one can find," InuYasha started rolling up his sleeves. "Well I want you to tell me exactly where it is. And fast!" But despite all the threats InuYasha was dishing out, Hiim stayed completely calm, his eyes remaining closed the whole time.
"Now don't be silly! I just can't take you there!" Hiim exclaimed teasingly as he threw his arms up in the air to emphasize his point. "I can't take you unless you're a wolf!"
"Then take me." Kouga took a solid step forwards, completely unafraid of what would happen. Hiim gave Kouga a skeptical look, but went and stood beside him. Hiim gave a dramatic sigh.
"I'll need Kagami in order to do this," Hiim muttered under his breath, his head dipped low. Hiim took his left and placed it in his kimono pockets, looking for something. Pulling out a small, reddish-purple ocarina, Hiim wrapped the chain holding the ocarina around his wrist. Proceeding with whatever he was doing, Hiim closed his eyes, giving his face a complexion so innocent, it was as if this half-demon could have never killed a whole army.
"Motto ima ijou ni!" He exclaimed, his eyes snapping open and staring directly up into the sky, his pupils shrinking immediately and practically disappearing in his now dark grey eyes.
"Watashi o yogoshite!" Hiim cried out, the hand holding the ocarina and the wrist that was binding the ocarina to his palm shot up into the air above him. Doing so, Kouga was a combination of being freaked out and being wierded out. But before Kouga had a chance to do anything at all, a giant lightening bolt crashed down into the Earth and zapped Hiim and Kouga.
"Cough cough!" was all that one would be able to hear for quite a few seconds as Sango, Koruna, Kilala, Miroku, Kagome and InuYasha waited for the smoke to clear.
"K-Kouga!" Kagome cried out as soon as she could open her eyes without serious stinging due to the dust and smoke that were irritating her eyes. But when she did open her eyes, her hands immediately went to the opposing side of her waist and gripped the flesh hard, for she was laughing uncontrollably. For directly in front of Kagome stood a freshly crisped and barbequed Kouga and Hiim, completely grey and black from soot. Both Hiim and Kouga's clothing were half burnt directly off and both of the two gentlemen's hair was burned to a crisp, making the five-seconds-earlier-perfect-straight-hair now slashed, diced and frayed.
Kouga was currently standing on his left leg with both of his hands in the air and his eyes the size of frying pans and they resembled them too, accept they were white with tiny pupils instead of black. Kouga's hair was all over the place and looked like static. His clothes were as burned and as crisp dark as the rest of his body, and at first glance, one wouldn't be able to tell what his skin was and what his clothing was if they tried!
Though nothing else could really be said for Hiim that couldn't be said for Kouga, the sight was twice as funny, because not only was Hiim looking like a complete fool with one hand way high up in the air holding a burnt ocarina, but he looked like he was about to jump into the sky.
So now you have both Sango and Kagome laughing their asses off and having to hold onto each other so that neither of them would fall over. Kagome coughed painfully in between fits of laughter. Neither of the two girls asking why the "Watashi o yogoshite" thingy didn't work because neither of them were really thinking about what Hiim even said. The two of them were really thinking along the lines of 'Oh my god! The two look like dumb asses!'
"I don't understand," Hiim said solemnly, bringing down both his arm and his ocarina. "Why wasn't I able to bring you to my world?" Hiim turned to Kouga who was in the current process of brushing off all of the soot he could. Kouga completely ignored Hiim and his hands rushed for his skort as it began to slip as he was brushing the soot off of him. Kouga blushed and continued to wipe away the soot, but this time with only one hand.
"That's odd," Miroku mumbled, taking a step closer to Hiim and examining the now-scorched ocarina. "This appears to be a spirit spell type. They will not work at all in a barrier, nor will they work to get inside a barrier."
"B-but that's not right!" Hiim stood up for his ocarina. "I've always gotten back into the barrier before! I can't just not get back home!"
"Well, if what the monk says, it looks your stuck!" InuYasha sneered. Raising his hand up high and then swung it down onto Hiim's back. "Anyone who can make himself look like a fool is great. But anyone who can get Kouga to look like a retard, well you deserve a metal!"
"Th-thank you…" 'I think.' Hiim wasn't completely sure of what he had just did, but if it meant this loud mouth half-dog-demon was proud of him, well then how could Hiim not be proud of himself?
"Why don't you try taking Kouga back with you, just once more?" Kagome did her best to say with her hand covering her mouth partway to muffle her laughter. And with that, Sango and Kagome started to laugh again. But this time, the laughter was not ecstatic and out of control like the previous time. This time the laughter was under control.
Hiim raised his ocarina skyward once more and repeated the chant: "Motto ima ijou ni."
"No wait! I was only joking!" Kagome called out, running towards Hiim. But her cry came too late.
"Watashi o yogoshite!" and with those final three words, hoops of gold and orange rushed up about him, each one of them ascending per second, and by the time that ten hoops had passed about his body, Hiim was gone! Though he had left Kouga (Thank god!), there was a slight emptiness now that he was gone.
Silence remained within the group for quite a while, for no one knew what to say.
"Well that was interesting." Sango stated simply, blinking. Everyone in the Inu group fell down anime style. Looking around at her comrades, Sango gave a clueless "Hm?" and looked around, as if expecting Hiim to just reappear out of the forest yelling "Boo!" as if the whole scene had been a practical joke.
Kagome then had a coughing fit, full of dry and throaty coughs, causing her immense pain with each one. Bringing both her hands up to her mouth so that not all of the cold and flu germs would circulate around her friends, Kagome coughed more violently now.
"Kagome, are you alright?" Sango asked stepping towards Kagome. Kagome shook her head weakly. But right out of the corner of her eye and just quick enough for Sango and Kouga to notice, Kagome blinked reassuringly. But this blink wasn't simultaneous. This blink consisted of one eyelid going down rather quickly, blinking towards Sango.
"No, I feel kinda sick. And I'm not sure if I can-" Kagome cut her own self off by losing her balance and making it look like she was fainting. Kouga, not unexpected, immediately caught the falling Kagome in his arms.
"Kagome!" Shippo cried out in his little voice, rushing also towards Kagome. He transformed into his giant pink balloon with eyes and arms and helped Kouga support Kagome, even though Kouga needed no help whatsoever. Kagome's dramatic illness won InuYasha over, seeing as how she had gotten Sango and Kouga to realize that she was sick.
"Just hurry up and get better already!" InuYasha barked, his face still extremely close to that of Hiim.
"Kagome, are you alright?" Sango asked stepping towards Kagome. Kagome shook her head weakly. But right out of the corner of her eye and just quick enough for Sango and Kouga to notice, Kagome blinked. But this blink wasn't simultaneous. This blink consisted of one eyelid going down rather quickly, blinking towards Sango.
"No, I feel kinda sick. And I'm not sure if I can-" Kagome cut her own self off by pretending to faint. Kouga, not unexpected, immediately caught the falling Kagome in his arms. Kagome's dramatic illness won InuYasha over, seeing as how she had "convinced" Sango, Shippo and Kouga that she was sick.
"Just hurry up and get better already!" InuYasha barked with his face all scrunched up.
'Way to go girl! Now if you can just get back home and see what I've missed!' Even Kagome's thoughts were slow and tired. But Kagome had no need to worry about how to get home. As usual, Kouga was at her ever demanding service and was always willing to oblige.
Kagome coughed for quite a few seconds, then relaxed in Kouga's warm embrace. Kouga continued to run, but wasn't paying much attention as to where he was going. Instead, Kouga bowed his head and lightly kissed Kagome's cheek. The two quickly reached their destination and Kouga let Kagome down ever-so-slowly.
"KO!" Koruna roared in his demonic form. Koruna had been tailgating Kouga and Kagome the entire time, even though Kouga was going faster than the human eye could see.
"Thanks handsome!" Kagome said teasingly in a weak voice. Kagome tilted her head at an angle to make what she was saying even more flirtatious.
"Not a problem, Kagome," Kouga said, lustily. Sure, the two were just playing around, but both of them said what they meant and meant what they said. (An elephant's word is one hundred percent XD)
Kagome then hobbled over to the well while Koruna transformed back into the kitten form that Kagome knew and loved. Bringing her legs over the wooden well walls, Kagome motioned for Koruna to come to her side. Koruna mewed in his little voice and hopped onto Kagome's shoulder. Kagome reached for her large yellow backpack and swung it to her chest and clung onto it. Koruna decided that he didn't like Kagome's shoulder anymore and decided to hop onto his mistresses head instead.
"Bye Kouga," Kagome muttered as she leaned into Kouga's embrace. Kouga pushed Kagome away slightly so that he could take a deep look into her eyes. Not being able to resist his woman, Kouga went in for the kill and started to kiss Kagome for real. Kagome's eyes widened in shock, but then eventually lowered halfway and returned the kiss.
"I love you Kouga," Kagome whispered as she lay her head down onto Kouga's chest. At hearing these three first words, Kouga's eyes went as wide as frying pans, only not humorous. Kouga could feel his heart in both his ears and his throat.
"I love you too Kagome," Kagome whispered, embracing Kagome as tightly as he could without hurting her. "More than you'll ever realise." And with that, Kagome jumped down the well and was swallowed by darkness of the time rift where no light could ever enter.
.o0O0o. .o0O0o.
A/N: Well there you go! Chapter 19! Short, but LOTSA Kagome Kouga throughout the ending, huh? I'm sure that all of you were hoping for that anyway. I hope you all realise that I wasn't going to post until I got 130 reviews, but I'm feeling kind. And I'm posting a day before Monday, so yeah.
.o0O0o.
Kagome: Well thanks for being early! You were actually supposed to post two days ago! Friday the 13th of May!
Jassy: SSHHH Kagome! But that's Friday the 13th! You can't post a chapter on Friday the 13th, or else something bad will happen!
Kouga: But I thought you weren't superstitious…
Jassy: I ain't, but she is –points to Ally-
Ally: Hey! Leave me outa this Jassy! And since when am I Ally? I thought I was Hot Dog!
InuYasha: Oh Shut up already!
Kagome and Jassy: -at the same time- OSUWARI!
Kouga and InuYasha: -make an imprint four feet deep in the ground- OOOWW!
Jassy: Well since InuYasha isn't mine, but this story is, if none of you tell Rumiko Takahashi, then I give you…KOUGA PLUSHIES! –throws out Kouga plushies to all readers-
.o0O0o. Reviews .o0O0o.
Kagomente: Well don't get TOO high on the sugar-filled candy, okay? Really? U like my story better then the InuYasha Manga? YAYE:D I bet it's because there's no KagomexKouga in the manga, am I right?
Sakurablossomskxk: -blinx- you mean you read this story at 02h34? Holy cow! Was it really that good? What do you mean that the plot was very assumable? Is that a bad thing or a good thing? –cry's anime style-
Tori007otaku: No, you can't trade the Inu plushy for Kouga. I jut gave you a Kouga plushy, so you gotta keep both of them. So what you're saying is that you don't actually read the story first, rather you read the little A/N's and all? That's ridiculous, but I do see the logic. Thanks for the praise of me "Amazing work"!
DreamBeamz: Hooray for Kouga! –takes out pompoms and cheers him on- LoL. :O How did you know that Hiim was part of the family that took Kamatari's robes? Are you phsycic?
Miko Kagome Archer: Oh my FREAKIN god! Do you know that you reviewed not even four minutes after I posted? Man! How did you do that? And this time you even had a review of 23 words! –praises you- LoL. No! Naraku shall never eat me! NEVER! If I have to be eaten by Naraku, I will run to Jinenji because he's so sweet and adorable! He'll protect me!
Sunday, May 15, 2005