"Achoo!" someone sneezed so hard that it caused many tissues and Kleenex to fly about. The sneeze was then followed by a rather large and dramatic groan.. Something in a bed with an orange and pink-patched quilt covering its entire body shifted under the quilt and appeared to be rolling over.
"Nngh," the mysterious being under the quilt groaned. The room that the beast was in with the walls being a dead white and the drapes a very feminine pink really wasn't helping the fact that it was on it's own death bed. Hot air rose from the covers that the quilt was under and if you listened very closely, you could almost hear the beast panting for air. Very slowly, the bland white door creaked painfully open.
"Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?" a middle aged woman in a green dress and beige fully body apron asked tenderly, stepping slowly into her daughter's room with a bowl of hot soup and rice pudding on a tray. The creature under the quilt grunted and moaned as it rolled over. A small hand appeared and pulled down the quilt until a pair of honey-and-chocolate eyes were half-visible.
"Sick as a dog and just as tired," Kagome managed to mumble from under the covers. "I feel like I'm going to die!" Kagome rolled her eyes to make her look dead, emphasizing her point.
"Do you think you can stomach something to eat?" the older Higurashi asked gently as she sat down on her daughter's bed, caressing her daughter's face gently. Kagome gave a weak nod and very slowly lifted her head up and –eventually- sat up straight using the head of the bed frame as a support. The older Higurashi brought the tray to her daughter and put it on the young girl's lap.
It took most of Kagome's strength not do droop her head and get hair, face or both in the miso soup and rice pudding.
.o0O0o. Chapter Twenty
Kikyo's reappearance .o0O0o.
Kikyo walked slowly and with gradual steps as the crossed a very small and shallow creek, her face extremely pale and her cheeks cold. Her soul-stealers giving their high pitched, whale-like calls, Kikyo continued to walk but listened attentively to what the soul-stealers were telling her while they zig-zagged and circled about her.
"So, Naraku has returned to go into hiding," Kikyo spoke to both herself and her soul-stealers. Stopping, Kikyo looked up, gazing at the cloud filled sky through the openings of the leaves on the trees, stray rays of light shining on her face.
"How devious this Naraku is. First he attacks InuYasha and then goes into hiding. One could only predict his next move would be a full out assault." As much as Kikyo loathed Naraku, part of her felt compelled to help him. Was it because in the end of the battle, she'd be able to drag InuYasha to hell with her if he didn't die then, on the spot? Whatever the case may be, Kikyo decided then and there that she would help Naraku recover the shards of the sacred Shikon no Tama and when the time was right, she'd destroy Naraku with her own hands.
As the differently shaded clouds rolled and joined one another, Kikyo resumed her walking, ignoring and not caring that many drops of water became heavy and splashed about her. Kikyo paused for a moment and looked behind her. Not even a second later she jumped in a back-left diagonal and had to roll on the ground because of the force she had jumped with. Though the reason why she jumped was soon to be discovered, for a bolt of lightening shot down from the sky and would have struck Kikyo had she remained still or had continued walking. Had she remained on her feet, Kikyo would have surely been knocked down by the tremor sent through the ground.
A deep glare to no one in particular flashed onto Kikyo's rock-like face as she stood up, left hand at the right side of her waist. When she peeled her hand off of her skin through her kimono top, she was disgusted to find no blood on her hand –or anything else for that matter. Kikyo's soul-stealers were then scattered all over her and the surrounding area as they tried to recollect all of the souls that were gushing out of her wound instead of blood. Kikyo's face went from annoyed and disgusted to a softer, half-amused one.
"That's right," Kikyo inspected her hand with a weary smile, "since I am not really alive, I have no blood to die with." While the soul-stealers returned the souls to their mistress, Kikyo walked on, avoiding the rain puddles as she walked.
.o0O0o. With InuYasha .o0O0o.
The group was settled down around a fully blazing fire with InuYasha munching away on a flame-broiled fish with his back slouched so badly, he was a chiropractor's nightmare but best investment. Shippo was leaning on Kilala as he slept, using the heat of the fire to keep his front warm and drew heat from Kilala's back and tail to keep his back warm. Kilala was soundly asleep with her little body curled into a little circle with a sleeping Shippo in the middle. Miroku was snapping some twigs and throwing them into the fire and then bringing his palms up to the fire to warm them. Sango just stared at the fire, nibbling unconsciously on her piece of flame-broiled fish very slowly.
"Hey Sango," InuYasha muttered, his elbows up high in the air and his mouth filled with fish, "you gunna eat that?" Sango passed her fish over to InuYasha, her eyes never budging from the fire. Sango's eyes remained unmoving as the fire danced to the amazingly rapid beat that only the flames could hear. Even though the smoke changed directions and blew directly into her face, Sango remained stationary and unmoving.
"What are you thinking about, Sango?" Miroku asked, his gaze remaining fixed on the soft and delicate face of Sango, an outline of the flames dancing in her eyes and painted on her face. When Sango didn't respond, Miroku sighed and closed his eyes, bringing his hands together and rubbing them together to warm them. He then leaned back and spread his arms far apart, as far apart as Miroku's body would let him.
Sango's back shot straight up and her eyes went as large as frying pans with her pupils and iris' shrinking so that they were only as small as Totosai's. Sango's arms were about to go flailing about had it not been for the fact that she would hit Kilala had she done so. Besides the noise of InuYasha's munching rather rudely, the only sound from around the fire was that of a hand rubbing against a demon-slayer's attire.
Before InuYasha could raise both of his eyebrows, Sango had knocked Miroku unconscious by thrusting her elbow with a tremendous amount of force into the back of the monk's head. Now, since there is so much force being sent to such a small surface area, the elbow is the most lethal weapon on the human body. And once you take all of that into consideration, don't forget how strong that Sango is and has to be! And was it coincidence or perfect timing that a bolt of lightening struck not too far away as soon as Sango's elbow was but six centimetres away from the back of Miroku's head?
Well, no matter. Now that the squabble was done, InuYasha could resume eating. And that's exactly what he did. InuYasha ate all of his fish, Sango's fish, the now-unconscious monk's fish and the last bight of Shippo's fish -with his elbows up the whole time!
Once night fell, Sango dragged Miroku over to the side of the hut and propped him up so he was using the hut as a support. But as she moved the monk away from the fire, Miroku shivered and curled up into a ball, his body trying to preserve as much body heat as possible. Sango saw this and felt a twinge of pain in her heart -be it guilt of something a bit more affectionate she couldn't be sure.
Not taking this into much consideration, Sango took the sleeping bag that Kagome had left in the Sengoku Jidai by accident and lay down relatively close to the fire and draped the sleeping bag around her and tried to fall asleep. But no matter how much she twisted, turned and snuggled the sleeping bag, Sango just couldn't fall asleep. Sighing, Sango got up and, with an innocent blush on her face, moved over to the monk and sat down beside him, sharing the sleeping bag with Miroku.
Unconsciously –literally-Miroku draped his arm rather lazily and awkwardly around Sango's shoulder and pulled her into him. Sango, who was not at all ready for Miroku's actions, was just stunned and did nothing but let Miroku do what he was going to do. But all that Miroku did was pull Sango into his chest and lean his head on her head. At this, Sango blushed even more, but then smiled and looked up at Miroku's sleeping face. The flames of the fire were greatly dimmed but were strong enough to bring out every detail of the monk's face, and Sango was memorizing each and every part of Miroku's face as if she would never see him again.
Slowly closing her eyes, Sango inched her face closer to the monk's and very slowly and with much hesitation, raised her lips and very gently kissed the monk. Sango backed back down, eyes never leaving those of the monks, and then slouched down into his chest. She then fell asleep within moments, Miroku's arm still around her shoulder and Sango's soft and slightly callused hand in Miroku's large and warm ones.
Shippo and Kilala then gave a small smile, their right eyes open and had seen the whole thing.
InuYasha stood up, content that everyone was finally asleep. He had previously, on multiple occasions, smelled Kikyo and could only wait until nightfall to go and see her. Now that Kagome was back in her own time and was sick, there was no other chance then the present. Grabbing the Tetsusaiga and attaching it to his Fire Rat Haori, InuYasha silently shoved the screen door out of his way; his head turned and faced the rest of the shard-hunting group slightly. But something caught InuYasha's eye right before he left. Koruna, who hadn't been able to go to Kagome's time but was too freaked out by it and demanded to return, had something gleaming from the back of his head. InuYasha squinted his eyes in order to see it better, but gave up when Koruna rolled over while he slept.
The moon was the night before full, a great relief for InuYasha. Just the right time during the night as well, for the moon shone quite fiercely, making the daytime envious. But even without all of the light, InuYasha could easily find his way through the forest towards Kikyo. Making sure that he crushed no twigs under his feet and disturbed no sleeping animal, InuYasha ran and hopped from tree to tree nearly as swiftly as Sesshomaru.
Once arriving at his desired destination, InuYasha stopped running and leaping and stopped to catch his breath –something that he was rather short of at the moment. Once that his breathing had subsided to a normal rate and his heart rate had returned relatively to normal, InuYasha pushed the small bushes out of his way gently to reveal a Kikyo, basking in the rays of the moon, a delicate and heartfelt smile on her face. Bringing her eyes over to InuYasha, Kikyo's smile remained the same, but there was now a certain glint in Kikyo's honey-and-chocolate eyes that seemed to make her all the more attractive.
"InuYasha," Kikyo said the name as if it was one of the tenderest things on earth. Kikyo raised a hand and then patted the root next to the one that she was sitting on. InuYasha gladly accepted the invitation and sat down right next to his undead love.
"InuYasha," Kikyo reluctantly and a bit nervously asked, "why did you come?" InuYasha was slightly taken back by this a bit and his right hand went up on reflex to prove his point. He then closed his eyes and smiled softly, shaking his head. He then took Kikyo's hand in his own and brought it up to his mouth and kissed it in a very gentlemanly manner. He then started to kiss faster as he made his way up Kikyo's arm. Soon Kikyo was in InuYasha's firm and warm grip –a grip that assured that the arms would never let go. InuYasha then burrowed his nose into Kikyo's hair.
'I missed this Kikyo scent…it's as same as back then.' InuYasha opened his eyes and looked at Kikyo's face the best he could. InuYasha then brought Kikyo closer to him so that he could look at her straight in the eyes. He then took a bold kiss full of passion and a longing and desiring.
"I came for you," InuYasha finally responded to Kikyo's question once the two had broken the kiss. InuYasha then held Kikyo close to him, his arms under her breastbones.
"Come with me, InuYasha," Kikyo broke the embrace and clung to InuYasha's Fire Rat Haori. "Come to Hell with me and we can be together forever!" InuYasha's eyes widened and his pulse quickened. Hearing this was almost like new, for InuYasha had never really responded to Kikyo when she had asked him times before.
(Okay readers! Should Inu go with Kikyo to hell or not?)
…
(well, due to no one answering me…I guess I'll have to make him live. –sighs-)
"Kikyo," InuYasha started tenderly, "I can't do that right now. But I promise as soon as we have defeated Naraku, I will go to Hell with you. So we can be together."
"Together," Kikyo relaxed into InuYasha's embrace. But something was still troubling her. "But what about my other self? Surely you still care for her."
"Kagome is nothing."
"But surely, she would protest!" Kikyo tested InuYasha's loyalty and trust.
"I would go to Hell with you Kikyo. Why can't you just accept that?" InuYasha started to get accusing. But even then, there was still a hint of tenderness and caring in his voice. InuYasha then turned Kikyo fully around so that he could face her properly and then forced his lips upon hers, not wanting to hear anything else about Kagome. He had come this way to be with Kikyo and now she was interrogating him with questions about Kagome? Didn't Kikyo realize that InuYasha didn't care for Kagome at the moment? And that all he really wanted was to be alone with Kikyo?
Kikyo's eyes were about to widen but Kikyo had to resist. She couldn't let InuYasha knew that she was surprised. She had to make it look like she new each and every move of his. If InuYasha knew that she was really weak without him, she could never live it down.
Kikyo's soul-stealers then wrapped themselves about Kikyo, each one a soul to offer. Kikyo gave InuYasha one last kiss and then let herself b carried off by her little blue demons that were one of her vital life sources. But InuYasha did not run after his love. No. Instead, he just stood there, just watching Kikyo disappear with a combination of both serious and sad written on his face.
"Kikyo…" 'When will we be done fighting Naraku? When will I be able to be with you for one more time? Kikyo…'
.o0O0o. Elsewhere .o0O0o.
"Good, good," a dark and mysterious voice of a man echoed through the beautifully furnished room of the castle that he was currently residing in. His long hair and expensive clothes told anyone that looked at him that he was a man of great power. But you didn't have to tell that to the deathly pale girl in front of him holding a mirror for this man to see. The girl was dressed in a completely white kimono that reached to her knees, was holding a white mirror, white sandals and a white hair comb. Her hair was just as white as the rest of her body. In fact, the only thing that wasn't deathly pale was this little girl's eyes. They were as black and as cold as her master's heart.
'So Kikyo is revisiting InuYasha is she? That wench is ever persistent.' "Kanna, go fetch Kagura. I'm sure that she will be the most suited for this task." And with that, the little girl of no more than eight bowed and left the chamber, making no sound whatsoever.
.o0O0o. With Kagome .o0O0o.
"Oh Kagome dear, you have visitors!" Mrs. Higurashi called from the bottom of the staircase, hoping that her daughter was awake enough to hear what she was saying.
"Send them up if they want to," Kagome cried from her bedroom, not bothering to get up or even open the door, for that's how sick she felt. Mrs. Higurashi smiled softly and then took Kagome's friends' coats and hung them up. Ayumi, Eri and Yuka then thumped their way up the stairs and opened Kagome's room only to find a rather large lump under the covers.
"Hey Kagome!" The three chorused. Kagome sat up the best she could and actually brought the covers to her waist.
"H-Hey guys! How's it going?" Kagome asked for real, because she hadn't seen her friends in so long, she actually didn't have any idea on how life was in the present.
"A big test's coming up soon. It's one of those twenty percent of your grade average too."
"So what Ayumi's trying to say is,"
"This test's gunna determine our high school," Eri finished Yuka's sentence for her. Kagome went wide eyed and was dumbfounded.
"EH?" Kagome couldn't tie any words at all together, for her brain was at the cleaners at the moment and would be back shortly.
"What? Oh don't tell me you haven't been studying!" Eri closed up on Kagome's face, a small and devious grin on her face. Kagome half-bowed her head and looked like she was about to cry.
"Not nearly as much as I should have." Just then, the doorbell rang. All four of the girls' heads turned towards the staircase.
"Kagome dear, there's a boy here to see you! Would you like to see him?"
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Hojou!" Hojou called out in an extremely friendly voice with just a hint of nervousness.
"Hojou?" The four girls questioned one another. "Send him in!" And the only sound that anyone could hear next was two feet thumping up the stairs. A few seconds later, the smiling face of Hojou popped through the door.
"H-hi Kagome! I heard you had a cold, so I brought you a gift," Hojou stumbled with his words as he brought one of his hands that was hidden behind his back in front of him. In his one hand was a rather large basket of assorted fruit –many of which Kagome had forgotten the names of and then some. "All the vitamin C should be good for you!"
Hojou then brought out the other hand from behind his back. In his hand, Hojou held an assortment of talismans. "They are supposed to bring good luck, but then I remembered your family lives in a shrine so I suppose you already have all the talismans you need."
"That's okay," Kagome said gently, extending her arms to receive her gifts. "Ours' don't work anyway." With this, one could almost hear Grandpa Higurashi crying as his granddaughter saying that family secrets don't work.
"So Kagome, are you gunna ask him about studying with you?" Yuka asked in a whisper slyly. The whisper was just audible enough for Kagome and the other two to hear, but not loud enough for Hojou to hear. Yet again, Kagome's only response was to have a dumbfounded look smeared onto her face.
But that's exactly what Kagome did. She got out of bed and went to the bathroom to get a face mask and covered her nose and mouth. When she walked back into her bedroom, the three friends were already chatting to Hojou about Kagome and how he should make a play on her. But Kagome had to break it up when she asked Hojou desperately to help her study.
Of course Hojou agreed, and for the rest of the afternoon, Ayumi, Eri, Yuka and Hojou were breathing down Kagome's neck and reading over Kagome's shoulder, correcting any errors that might have occurred and giving her all the advice that the four possibly could.
.o0O0o. With Kouga .o0O0o.
"KOUGA!" Ginta and Hakkaku ran up to an unsuspecting Kouga and body tackled him with all their strength. Kouga wheeled around just in time to see his two comrades running up as fast as they could to tackle him down. Surely, Kouga could have easily evaded the attack, but why not let the two play around, just this once?
"Oof!" Kouga was knocked down straight onto his back thanks to his friends with blonde Mohawks and two toned Grey half-affros. Ginta and Hakkaku were obviously excited to see their leader and comrade and stopped for nothing to tell him all about what had happened.
"Naraku has been sighted by a rumor going around a village!"
"So many of the demons have come out of hiding now that he's gone!"
"We found another shard!"
"We just killed off a giant centipede by ourselves!"
"Motoko's mate just had twins!"
"The wolves of the northern tribe have returned!"
That last one grabbed Kouga's attention more than anything else said. The northern tribe? That would meant hat Ayame would be there! Kouga couldn't cope with Ayame just right now, not after what had just happened with Kagome. He needed his rest more than anything else right now.
"Listen guys, that's just great. But I really need to rest for a little bit right now, so if you guys could tell the others to go away?" Kouga got up, his eyes closed and his arms pushing away Ginta and Hakkaku with a slight smile on his face. Ginta and Hakkaku were slightly shocked, for they had never before heard Kouga need to rest without him being severely injured. And right in front of him was their leader and he looked perfectly fine –with the exception of the rather large bags under his eyes.
"Sure Kouga,"
"If that's what you want," Ginta had started and Hakkaku had finished the sentence. They knew better then to mess with Kouga. Even though he was walking with his eyes closed, Kouga walked in a perfectly straight line. The moon on Kouga's face made him look ever so masculine and devious looking, as if he was planning something as devious as he looked.
Once alone in his cave, Kouga lied down on his straw mattress and kicked his feet up on the wall, his hands doubling as a pillow and his eyes closed. Kouga's lips were partially pursed, as he usually did when he was thinking about something very important. But what was whirling through Kouga's mind, no one knew. Kouga then sighed.
"Kagome just left and now Ayame's back? This isn't good," Kouga reflected back to one of the last times where he had seen Ayame, the time when she had reappeared to try and bring Kouga back to make the northern tribe and the eastern tribe one. Though Kouga was originally from the northern tribe, he did not wish to ever become one of them again. Kouga twitched his tail, a tail that only the northern wolf tribe had.
'What am I going to do with Ayame? The girl's just too thick to realize that I don't want her. I love Kagome and she loves me, whey can't she just get that through her head?' "But," Kouga took a deep breath, "she's determined and won't give up. I'll give her that much."
Just then, a serious of yapping, snarls and barks rose from outside of Kouga's cave. His attention now fully perked, Kouga opened one eye and looked out of his cave. Many of the wolves were circling and threatening something, but Kouga couldn't tell just what it was. Then, it hit him.
'Naraku.' In under a fraction of a second, Kouga was outside of his cave and in a battle stance, about to welcome whatever was upsetting his tribe with a bloody attack. Kouga's eyes widened then as he saw who it was. For it was not Naraku that was at his doorstep, rather one of his henchmen…err…hencwomen.
"Kagura!" Kouga cried out. "What the hell do you want?" Kagura closed her eyes and tapped her fan on her chin, a slightly evil smirk played on her lips.
"Isn't that answer obvious?" Kagura opened her pupil-less eyes. "Naraku wants the jewel for himself. And you have part of it." Kouga resumed his battle stance and lunged at Kagura. But a barrier prevented Kouga's assault to be successful.
"Stop wasting my time wolf. I'm here for a proposition."
"A…proposition?" Kagura nodded.
"Naraku wants the jewel for himself, but he also wants InuYasha dead. He is one of the only ones that stop Naraku from completing his goal. If you can get the shards from InuYasha, then Naraku will let you live."
"And if I refuse?"
"Naraku will kill you, your tribe and," Kagura paused and closed her eyes, tapping her fan on her chin once more. She then opened her eyes and a very evil grin then materialized onto her face. "He will also kill Kagome."
Kouga was shocked and completely taken back. Every muscle in Kouga' body tensened and his heart just stopped beating. Naraku kill Kagome? It made Kouga's blood boil. Naraku would never lay a hand on Kagome as long as there was breath in Kouga's body!
"Don't you," Kouga closed his eyes, his demonic powers surging through his body and were going to come out, "EVER TOUCH KAGOME!" And with that, Kouga dove straight into Kagura through the barrier.
Kagura was too stunned that Kouga was able to pass through the barrier, even if it was incredibly difficult and straining, to move. Doing nothing, Kagura remained wide eyed with shock and her eyes went even wider when Kouga had managed to get a grip of her neck and started to dig his claws in her neck.
"Wh-at are y-ou doing?" Kagura choked out. Kouga's normally blue eyes were now as red as Kagura's eyes only more dangerous and deadly.
"Tell me where Naraku is! Tell me now!" Kouga tightened his grip on Kagura's neck as he got angrier.
"And why should I tell you?" Kagura sneered the best she could with the remaining breath that she had. Kouga's eyes hardened and glared at Kagura.
"Because if you don't, I'll kill you." Kagura's eyes widened. "It'll be easy. Like snapping a twig."
"Go ahead. I'll finally be free from Naraku." What Kagura had just said made Kouga retaliate and made him think. Kagura certainly wouldn't tell him where Naraku was residing if it meant that she would be free of his clutches forever, even if it meant her own demise. So how could Kouga get the information he needed out of Kagura if she was more than willing to die if it meant the destruction to Naraku?
'Wait a minute. Kagura wants to be free of Naraku? So she's being controlled by him? So that's what she was using my shards for. I can't just give her my shards. Kagura wants to break free of Naraku, but we all want that bitch to die.'
…
.o0O0o. .o0O0o.
A/N: Well to be truthful, I'm going to end it there because I'm not even SURE how I'm going to make Kagura talk. Any Ideas you guys? Well guess what? I posted in ONE WEEK! Hooray! And guess what else? My school's solar car tem came in THIRD! OVERALL THIRD! That means all of Ontario! YEAH! O yeah, this chapter is dedicated to all of the InuxKik lovers out there. I hope I made them happy.
.o0O0o.
Kouga: And we would care…why?
Jassy: O Hush you! I'm proud of myself!
Ally: Yeah! Leave her alone!
Kagome: -blinks- Where did you come from?
Jassy: Just ignore her Kagome. She's just a bit weird, that's all.
Ally: HEY!
Jassy: Shut up Hot Dog. MY story! Post one of ur own fanfics already!
Shippo: -leans head on hand- man, these two are worse then InuYasha and Kagome!
Jassy and Ally: SHUT IT SHIPPO!
Jassy: I have noticed a shortage of reviews…so I will not post until I get either 140 or 145. Depending on my mood. Got it?
.o0O0o. Reviews .o0O0o.
Everqueen: I posted the day that you reviewed! Are you lucky or what: P Well happy reading! Even though this chapter's kinda short…
InuAndKagForEva2: It's weird! By the looks of your name, you're a KagxInu kinda dude. But my story is a KagxKoug. So why is that? But I can't complain as long as you love the story! I dedicated this one to all of the KikyoxInu Lovers out there!
DreamBeamz: Hey…since ur phsychic…could you tell me how I'm gunna get Kagura to squeal? Huh huh huh? Well I'm very glad that you liked Hiim. I liked him too. But I hadta figure out a way to get rid of him without hurting anyone else. But the part with him and Kouga? Priceless! And yes, there will definitely be Kouga and Kagome making out sessions later on, don't worry!
Sakurablossomskxk: o good! I thought that you didn't like the story because it was the other type of assumable! Phewph! And I already had to cook your batch of brownies in order for you to like the story again! Oh well! Here, you can have it. My family recipe double fudge with a teeny tiny bit of honey in it to add sweetener. Are you serious? It takes 5 HOURS to proof-read ur sister's fanfics? Are they that long or that bad? I'll bring Hiim into the next chapter, since he sounds so hot! And I'll make Kagome get better and the whole shebang. Once I figure out how I'm going to get Kagura how to squeal.
May 29, 2005