A/N: I have also, like I have with my other story, composed a play for my readers!
Egad! What's this? The police?
Yes, it is us! We have come with a simple request, update your stories or face our wrath!
Orly? And what wrath do you speaketh of?
The wrath of melting all of your plastic 'kandi' bracelets and making really tacky furnishings from them!
OH DEAR! Fine, you win, for now!
P.S. Yes, I know there is no police, and ORLY isn't exactly a "play" type... uh. Phrase.
I do not own Inuyasha or related characters, I do not own anything that is under copyright that may be mentioned in this fan-based fiction. The story line was created by me.
--
She must've sat at the edge of the well for some time now, because the sun that hung high in the sky was now fading off beyond the horizon. She sighed, it had been quite awhile since she had last visited Feudal Japan, she wondered how angry everyone would be with her. She wondered if Inuyasha let go of his grudge.
She also wondered, if Sesshoumaru had missed her, as much as she has missed him. She shifted, her rear end was feeling slightly sore from sitting there for awhile, and her thighs weren't to silent in protest either. She played with the straps to her new bright green backpack that she purchased since she had left her yellow one at Kaede's.
"Kagome, you're still here?" a warm and soft voice spoke from behind. Kagome looked over her shoulder to see her mother approaching her. Kagome smiled slightly, she was glad to have spent a lot of time with her mother. She helped heal the gushing of most of her emotional wounds, and gave her most of the confidence to get back in the game.
"Yes, mama. I'm having a slight... doubt, you could say." Kagome shifted again as her mother came and hugged her from behind.
"Be safe, Kagome. And remember you will always have someone who loves you. Outside of this family." Kagome leaned into her mother for a brief moment, feeling her confidence build up slightly again.
"Thanks, mama." Kagome smiled, before looking into the darkness of the well below. Her mother released her and stepped back.
She took a deep breath, then slid off the edge of the well to be taken back to her duties in the era that she seemed to have messed up.
--
His claws annihilated another demon, this task has become bothersome, searching solely off of rumors. Not to mention having to keep someone with enough spiritual powers around to purify the jewel fragments. He nodded his head to the elder woman behind him, as she approached the new fragment that laid in the blood.
"I believe we should rest, we have certainly chased every rumor we've heard of since two days ago, and even with an elevated spiritual sense, I need rest, and you might need some time to clear your head as well." the older woman spoke to Sesshoumaru, who narrowed his eyes at her.
"You can rest on Ah-un, but we are continuing our search. I hired you to purify, not speak an opinion." he began to walk forward, not once looking back at the old woman.
--
Inuyasha had just returned from an eventful day of rumor gathering, the small village they have landed in was too paranoid to even mention the jewel, let alone partake in gossip about it. Thoroughly annoyed, he allowed Miroku to work his magic to get them a place to stay for the night.
Sango un-loaded all of her gear, she not only carried her weapons, but also the backpack Kagome had left behind. Much to Inuyasha's distaste, she wanted to keep it around. Miroku set himself up in a comfy position on one of the futons they had placed in the room.
"Man, I'm tired of these annoying villagers being too afraid that just mentioning the jewel will get them attacked. If anything they should worry more about the interrogator!" Inuyasha huffed and sat crossed legged against the wall.
"Calm down now, Inuyasha, if anything we seem to be getting better luck, people have been pointing us to the south now for some time." Sango said while loading some wood into the small fire pit in the centre of the room. Kirara took refuge next to Miroku, and Shippou dug through the pack Sango had been carrying.
"Yes, Inuyasha, no need to get all flustered. It will just cause problems, besides without Kagome's help..." Miroku trailed off, followed quickly by Inuyasha hitting the ground with his fist.
"We don't need her help! We did just fine without her before while she was running around with Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha faced the wall in a scowl.
"If I remember, correctly, most of that time we spent searching for her... Maybe if you weren't so rude to her, we might be getting somewhere in our searches." Sango spat out bitterly. Miroku and Inuyasha both looked at Sango who just prodded at the small fire.
"Enough of all this talk, Kagome was one of my best friends, and I'm not going to sit around and let some selfish half-demon speak so negatively about her. You brought it upon yourself. Inuyasha." Sango glared daggers at Inuyasha who just sneered back.
"I think we all need some rest!" Miroku jumped into the conversation with a nervous laugh.
--
Kagome tossed her green backpack out of the well, and shortly after followed her climbing out. She picked her pack up and walked toward Kaede's village. She wondered if they would be there, waiting on her all this time, or have moved on without her.
She approached Kaede's hut to be greeted by some of the villagers, she walked through the entrance and frowned, no one was there, not even Kaede. She set her pack down and walked over to the fire, there were just dim embers, she prodded at them, and then tossed some small twigs she found laying around into the fire.
"Ah, Kagome. I see you've returned." Kaede spoke from behind. Kagome jumped slightly and laughed nervously. "You have returned to obviously find that Inuyasha and others are not here." Kagome nodded and looked at the ground.
--
"They left not to long ago, they were heading south." Kaede said looking at Kagome who just played with the hem of her skirt. Kaede placed more wood onto the fire, while the stew she had prepared boiled, filling her hut with a delicious aroma.
"I see..." Kagome said, breaking the small bit of silence. The confidence her mother had instilled in her instantly diminished. She didn't know what she would do now.
"It has been many full moons, hasn't it Kagome." Kaede said as more of a statement than a question. Kagome nodded again looking at the pot of boiling vegetables, beef, and spices. "They had waited for as long as they could, but duty calls in this era, and can not be put off."
Kagome felt slightly guilty, but then she breathed in and thought back to how much everyone has put up with her, and how much she has given up for everyone else. She suddenly knew she had it the best, because when they're not around she still has her mama, grandpa, and brother.
She stood to her feet, Kaede looked up at the young miko with a slight smirk. Kagome pulled her pack up and over her shoulder and walked towards the door. She looked back at Kaede who stayed seated facing the opposite direction.
"Now before you go, you might want to know, your modern contraption has stayed on the side of my hut. If you would require it." Kaede continued to prod at the fire beneath the pot.
"Thank you so much Kaede, for everything..." Kagome smiled at the back of the old miko's head, before walking briskly to the side of the hut to obtain her bicycle.
-
His nose picked up a very familiar scent, he tilted his head up towards the moon resting high in the sky as the scent of lavender reached his nostrils, he smiled softly.
"She is coming this way..." he said seemingly speaking with himself. His partners looked at each other with puzzled glances before sniffing the air themselves.
Surely, a few minutes later, Kagome came peaking over the hill, she was huffing heavily, as mounted on her strange object from her time.
Ginta and Hakkaku both were seated on either side of the tree Kouga was leaning against. He flashed a toothy smile at the young miko. Who almost fell of her bicycle, obviously not expecting to see the wolf demon and his companions.
"You have no idea how glad I am to see you!" she exclaimed, for a moment Kouga's heart swelled, before sinking slightly again as she jumped at him into a friendly embrace. She was grateful to have run into the speedy wolf demon and his loyal companions, however, she didn't know how to ask him for his help.
"I am glad to see you as well, Kagome." Kouga spoke softly, his heart was still sore from the realization she had found someone to love. He felt her tense in his arms, so he released her and looked in her eyes.
"Sis, you need something?" Ginta said in an almost knowing tone. Kagome laughed nervously as Kouga raised a brow before crossing his arms over his chest.
"What is it, sis? We'll be happy to help!" Hakkaku spoke up approaching her side, with a wide smile on his face.
"Well..." Kagome shuffled her foot around in the dirt nervously, how could she ask Kouga for help? She knew he surely was still heart-sore over what had happened. She felt an arm place itself over her shoulder, she looked up at Kouga who smiled down at her.
"Whatever it is, I'll be glad to help, Kagome." Kouga pulled her closer to him, he might not get to have her forever, but he gets to have her for right now.
-
Inuyasha sat on guard outside the bath house, per Sango's request whilst her and Shippou bathed. He leaned against the door, closing his eyes, sinking deeper into thought.
"Kikyou and I share a common bond with one thing... we both have the strong desire to be with you."
He paused and looked at her with shock, after making a decision that had everyone at his throat, after all that time, she still cared.
"I just have one thing to ask of you..." a slight look of confusion crossed his face before she continued, "Please, Inuyasha, can I stay with you?"
Soon, hand in hand they walked back to Kaede's village.
"Damn her..." Inuyasha said aloud, to no one but himself. His eyes slowly opened as he remembered that he was supposed to hate her for betraying him.
"That does it!" Inuyasha spoke once more to himself, his nose held high. "She doesn't matter anymore, all that matters is collecting the sacred jewel shards. But before I defeat Naraku, I must defeat Sesshoumaru. He has two things that belong to me..." He moved forward slightly as the door to the bathing house slid open.
"You can't think quietly, can you?" Sango said slightly frustrated, she threw Kagome's bag over her shoulder and walked out with Shippou in tow. She smiled to herself, quite pleased with what Inuyasha had said.
--
She held onto Kouga tightly as they raced through the forest, her hair was being blown in all directions, she almost had forgotten how quick he was. The silence and tension was almost un-bearable, she frowned remembering that one day she will have to call upon Kouga in favor again.
"I'm wondering..." Kouga broke the silence, she looked at him, he clearly was bothered by something.
"What's that?"
"Why aren't you traveling with Sesshoumaru? Why had he not come to take you to the south with him, if that is your destination?" Kouga felt her tense and start to tremble, he instantly scolded himself, as it was obvious it was the wrong thing to ask.
"I'm sorry..." Kouga began, before he was cut short.
"He and I do not accompany each other anymore..." Kagome fought back her tears, she knew Kouga could sense her sadness. "So I will accompany Inuyasha and the others once more to continue my duty collecting the jewel."
Kouga nodded, and remained quiet, he knew he could not compete between the two inu-brothers. It ached his heart so, but he had to be strong, because right now she needed him, and that was enough.
--
A/N: Hooray for an update! I'm trying to post this rather quickly, so I will just make a super quick thanks to everyone who has reviewed!! And a super quick thanks to everyone who has read my story/faved/alerted etc.
Thanks again! Another update will come soon!