He couldn't believe he was following orders from kouga; especially when, in his opinion, the wolf had a nasty habit of being wrong.
Kirara carried Roku and Sanga on her back, running along side of kouga, with the hanyou trailing behind. He fought a feeling a familiarity that he knew kagome fought too, when either of them glanced at the fire cat and the reincarnations of their friends.
He knew she missed them terribly, it was kind of like mourning for the dead, the memories and sadness would go away, only to come back again and hit you in the back of the head. Leaving you emotionally down for the count.
On the brighter side; Inuyasha was glad that they had once again waited for the cover of night. Although he was new to this modern world; he still knew that their story was best kept a secret.
Kouga had said that he had studied the scent of the paper, investigating small leads after he got out of work each day. Just recently though, he had followed a particularly strong scent that resembled that of the note the witch had left; and stumbled upon an old building in the forests away from the city.
The wolf demon had become wise in his old age, and had decided not to charge into the building and attack like he once was prone to do.
From then, he ran to kagomes house, after encountering his two old friends, who apparently were still chasing him, because of a bet, it seemed. Inuyasha didn't know why they would waste their time; it wasn't like the wolf would actually go through with it. His memory seemed to get foggy when asked to recall promises, if Inuyasha remembered rightly from the time with ayame. Kouga had yet to say anything about why they needed Sanga and Roku.
The half-demon scented the air quickly before looking back to see if kagome was still securely on his back. She was silent, and smiled at him, before looking toward the others and furrowing her eyebrows in determination.
He smiled despite himself and looked forward again, making sure to navigate the trees that they were now passing.
It was just then that he sensed a presence that resembled a youkai's, but seemed a little different. Whatever it was, it was definitely dangerous and moving toward them fast. He stopped running, grunting at kagome and giving her a look that said to get back.
The others evidently felt the demonic aura as well, and circled around to join him and kagome.
"Inuyasha, I… I sense… It's the jewel!" Kagome gasped and looked at him, knowing how very dangerous this thing could be.
"Feh! Like it could do anything to me!" He crouched in a fighting position, not liking how the stupid jeans restricted his body. Sniffing the air, he glared at kouga as the wolf-demon stood beside him with his signature cocky look on his face.
Sanga stood next to kagome, shouldering her large boomerang and casting a wary look at Roku. Who only gave her a cheesy grin and waved his sutra's in his hands without conviction or worry.
The demon slayer just rolled her eyes and looked at kagome… Although it really wasn't the correct time to think of such things; she couldn't help but feel a certain friendship for the girl she barely knew. Roku had told her about his same thoughts last night for both kagome and Inuyasha.
After he had gotten over the initial shock of a very crabby, sleep-deprived Inuyasha scaring the crap out of him; he had spoken of a certain kinship. Somehow he knew, like sanga, that the bond Inuyasha and kagome shared went beyond just love… He could feel that it consisted of time itself, among other things.
All of her life… She had felt… almost empty, with only her brother to keep her company. The reason that she had met Roku was because of this feeling, he felt the same too. Like there was something missing from the picture of their lives. She felt like she didn't know herself at all; and had something else to find before she knew who she really was. And she felt that maybe, if she and roku stayed with these familiar people, they would find what they were looking for.
She knew that there was another missing; the group of five that they had couldn't have been complete. Sometimes, during the times she had been sleeping at night; she had dreams that consisted of Inuyasha, kagome, and people that she could only assume to be her and Roku. There was also a young fox, along with Kirara, who now stood next to her, baring her fangs at the coming evil.
The incredible sound of trees snapping like twigs jerked her out of her thoughts, as she readied herself.
All of the sudden, the demonic aura became stronger, and there emerged from the forest, a dragon like demon that stopped before Inuyasha and glared down at him, ignoring kouga.
"My mistress insisted that I greet you and challenge you." Its voice was raspy, and carried a bored tone with it. Kagome was sure that she had heard it before from somewhere…
"In order to gain the sacred jewel, and find your family, you must win against me in a fight to the death. Do you accept?"
Inuyasha growled and nodded his head, meeting the dragons gaze straight on without a sign of fear or second thoughts. Immediately, a light began shining in front of the dragon, a light that contained a sword.
"Your Tetsusaiga, For the sake of honor." Inuyasha's eyes widened as he stepped forward, and grasped the glistening sword that had been lost for 500 years.
Kagome was glad that the sword was back, but she didn't understand why. Why would a witch that was so agonizingly wicked, be so nice as to give back Inuyasha's sword? It seemed a little too familiar to be confused about what the enemy did; it made her feel like Naraku was still alive and well.
Inuyasha unsheathed the tetsusaiga, seeing it transform into the infamous fang that it once was in times before. His gaze drifted from his sword to the dragon, a look of hatred on his face.
"Come at me, if you wanna die that is…" His voice was deadly smooth and calm with a silent taunt hidden in his words.
The fight started quickly, as the dragon came after Inuyasha, everyone else but kouga got out of the way because of the ferocity of the sudden fight. The dragon moved like a snake, slithering out of the way as Inuyasha dove in for his neck with his sword, making the hanyou hit a tree instead. He cursed and jumped up again, this time targeting the dragon's tail and hitting it, causing a small dent that quickly healed up. Kouga attacked the dragons leg, causing it to fall to the ground and screech in pain.
But why did kouga's blows hurt, and Inuyasha's did not? It also seemed strange that the wolf demon had not uttered a word since they had left kagome's house. Inuyasha attacked its neck again, this time hitting it and almost severing it, if he had not been hit out of the way by the dragon's tail.
He crashed into a tree, cracking it in half with the force of his fall. He got up again and rushed forward, uttering an intense battle call that made kagome glad that he was on her side.
But as kouga attacked the dragon's neck at the cut, the head fell off and the body crashed to the ground.
"Thanks a lot kouga! I was gonna do that!" Inuyasha yelled. But kouga didn't answer; he simply turned toward inuyasha with an expectant look on his face. Kagome glanced at Inuyasha and gasped.
The sword that he held was glowing blue, and slowly, inuyasha was fading.
"Inuyasha! The sword! Let go of it!" She screamed as she rushed towards him, forgetting her bow on the ground. If what she thought was happening… No, it couldn't be…
"Huh?" He looked at her strangely, and opened his arms to catch her as she came.
But he didn't catch her…
She walked right through him…
He frantically looked down at himself, seeing his body fading from beneath him; he looked at kagome and reached for her.
"No! KAGOME!" He was being imprisoned again, this was how it ended the first time, and this was how the damned witch had sealed him away. How had this happened! Why!
He didn't want to leave her, he didn't want to lose her again! He would go mad, he knew!
Kagome had gotten up and frantically tried to grab onto his outstretched hand in vain. Just as he was almost completely gone, his eyes found hers, and he mouthed to her.
"I'll find you, kagome, I lo-" He was gone, just as kagome threw herself at the spot where he once stood.
"INUYASHA!" She banged her fists against the ground, crying for him to come back.
"I need you! Please don't leave me!" She buried her face into the ground and cried her tears into it.
Sanga rushed forward and put her arms around the weeping woman, feeling compassion that was strongly like that of a sister. Roku looked for kouga, seeing that the wolf demon was suddenly gone; he furrowed his eyebrows and saw a glittering jewel lying where the dragon was dead.
"Lady Kagome. Is this not the jewel?"
"Not now Roku." Sango gave him a small smile before trying again to soothe kagome.
"She must take it. It is so badly defiled; I dare not touch a thing of such evil." He insisted seriously, his violet orbs penetrating her brown ones. She nodded gravely and roused kagome softly.
"Kagome-Chan, c'mon, we have to get out of here."
Kagome looked up, with her tears flooding her face; her gaze drifted to the jewel of four souls. She snuffled and reached for it, instantly purifying it in her capable hands.
"I know what I have to do." She said quietly to herself, her voice broken by her tears.
"Kagome-Chan?" Sanga asked, unsure what she should say.
"I have to go back…"
Authors note: Hello! (Dodges random bricks thrown at her head)
Okay, so I kicked the plot in the ass, and we're finally coming to the final chapters of cast in stone. In order to explain what just happened; the tetsusaiga was real, but it had a spell on it that after the dragon was defeated, Inuyasha would be put back in bondage. That's sort of what the second prophecy says in chapter 16 or 15. As for kouga, you'll see in the next chapter.
I have the end almost completely mapped out, and I have my brother's computer, so I might be able to finish this story within the month. Those who have stayed with me during this story, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I beg you to stay for the final stretch.
I also have a one-shot that I might be adding a chapter to if enough people want it. I'll be adding other one-shots too, so look up my account!
Thanks so much! Read and review!
zeldagurl