Dark-Light
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
By Anime-Goddess-Sakura
Thanks to my beta dog-demon-emiko and all of those that reviewed this story. I'm really sorry for the long wait.
Chapter 16 Taking different paths.
Silver eyes snapped open. Mitsuko found herself looking at what looked like the ceiling of a cave. The first thing she noticed was that she was warm, very warm. Closing her eyes for a moment, she snuggled closer to the warmth. She was still very tired.
She was just drifting back to sleep when she recalled the last thing that happened to her and of course her mind reminded her of Akuma. Her eyes snapped open and she quickly sat up. She groaned and held her head as dizziness washed over her. She mentally cursed her stupidity. She should have known better.
However she had no time to ponder over such petty things as she gazed around. Her body was tense. She knew very well that there was a possibility that could have been captured by Akuma and the idea really didn't appeal to her. She shivered as she recalled the feelings that the God of Chaos had managed to invoke with her. Oh, yes she had been afraid of him. She wasn't ashamed to admit it. She knew very well that she wasn't the only one that was afraid of such a dark creature.
Nevertheless it hadn't been the fear that had shocked her, it was the other feelings that she felt with him close to her. Her face heat up as the obvious want in his gorgeous red eyes. Yes, he was very beautiful, but he was beautiful in a very dangerous sort of way. She shook her head furiously, her blue hair flailing around as she tried to banish such sinful thoughts. She needed to be very careful with Akuma. The first lesson that she was thought by the Goddess of Heavens was that evil could be very tempting and Akuma sure proved her right. She berated herself for thinking about her enemy.
Her silver eyes scanned her surroundings. The more she looked around, the more certain she was that she alone. She couldn't sense any auras for the matter. She knew better though, auras could be easily masked. Scenting the air, she once again cursed for the rain was drowning out the scents. Deciding to take a chance, she slowly stood up. Her legs felt like jelly as she tried to walk. She swayed for a moment, but she managed to lean against the cave wall and steady herself. Taking a step forward she was glad to see that she wouldn't fall.
She slowly walked around the small cave, trying to find a clue of how and who brought her here. Whoever had brought her here had made sure that she was well tended too. Her makeshift bed was some blankets and some furs by the looks of it. There was a small fire burning brightly who offered more than enough warmth.
Looking at herself she was shocked. She was practically naked from the waist up. She once again thanked Kagome, for the futuristic chest binding contraption a.k.a. a bra. Her shirt was almost completely torn. She would have used her powers to mend her clothes, but she was still recuperating. Pushing her modesty away a moment, she walked to the cave entrance. She needed to get moving. Kagome and the others would be worried by now.
She stopped in her tracks as she made out the distinct shadows of people coming towards her. Her body instantly went into alert as she summoned a bow and arrow in her hand. She felt herself weaken, but she didn't care. If whoever was coming towards her was an enemy, she needed to defend herself. She quietly pulled the string and arrow back as she watched the persons coming closer. Yet just as she was about to release the arrow, she stopped.
Silver eyes widened as the two people walked into the cave. Familiar deep turquoise and mint green eyes stared at her. The bow fell from her hand as she looked at the two very familiar faces.
"Tomeo, Yukito." She whispered.
She slowly took a step towards them, but swayed. She once again mentally cursed herself. Of course she wasn't strong enough to use any of her powers and of course she would faint. How utterly embarrassing, those were her last thoughts as she surrendered to the awaiting darkness.
Kagome let out an audible growl. They had reached the clearing where the light had come from, but Mitsuko was nowhere in sight. Neither Sesshoumaru nor she could pick up a scent due to the stupid rain. The rain had drowned out and washed away every trace of scent. Her blue eyes scanned the clearing, hoping to find some kind of clue.
Yet there seemed to be no trace whatsoever. Distress quickly took hold of her; her thoughts going to her little sister. The power that she had felt coming from the individual called Akuma was very dark and it made her fear for her sister's wellbeing. She knew that Mitsuko could handle herself, she was a great fighter, but Akuma seemed too strong for her. Come on, the guy managed to take down the whole group of shard hunters. Even Sesshoumaru seemed to be no match for the strange creature.
And there's was also the fact what she saw in Akuma's eyes. She wasn't naïve, she had seen the lust in that creature's eyes and they had been directed towards Mitsuko. Kagome clenched her fists at her sides. If he dared to lay one finger on her, she would make sure to purify his ass to oblivion. Anger surged through her. She didn't know what it was, but she knew that as the older sister it was her duty to protect her younger sister.
Sesshoumaru watched her intently. Her aura came alive with every emotion that she felt. It flared with her anger and dulled with her distress. He quickly sensed her distress. His inner youkai quickly jumped forward, urging him to console her. He gently grabbed her wrist making her look at him curiously. She let out a startled gasp as he pulled her against him with her back pressing against his chest. He gently nuzzled her neck, while he emitted some soothing growling noises. She seemed to instantly calm as she leaned against him. His inner youkia growled in joy that he was able to comfort her.
He narrowed his eyes, she was shivering. She was soaked to the bone, both of them were. The rain hadn't lessened. Even he could feel the cold seeping through his body. Yet he was also worried about her health. She was tired and her wounds needed to be cleaned and taken care of. He knew that what he was about to suggest would probably cause her to chew his head off, but at the moment he didn't care; she was more important at the moment.
"Kagome, we should let the rain pass, before we go look for your sister. At this rate, we will never find her." He said softly, while nuzzling her neck.
Just as Sesshoumaru had predicted, she didn't like the idea. She quickly wrenched herself free of his grasp to turn and glare heatedly at him. Her aura flared as her blue eyes shot daggers at the Demon Lord.
"No, we can't!" Kagome yelled.
Her eyes shown with disbelief and anger that Sesshoumaru would even suggest such an idea. Didn't he understand that she just couldn't leave her behind? What would she tell her parents? She would not abandon her sister.
She decided to ignore Sesshoumaru while she looked around again. She knew that her sister wouldn't just vanish like that. She had tried to pinpoint Mitsuko's aura, but for some reason had been unable to. She growled. She should have paid more attention to her sister. She cursed Naraku. The bastard always knew how to play them. To him, they were nothing more than pawns in his little game. She hated the fact that they fell each time in his traps. First it had been Kikyo and Inuyasha, than there was Miroku's grandfather, therefore cursing Miroku. There was also Sango and her whole family. Her little brother Kohaku was still under his control. Kouga the wolf prince had also fallen in his traps, causing him almost to kill Inuyasha. He was always playing them and they were foolish enough to fall in his traps. She fisted her hands at her side. She would Naraku pay for all that he did, she swore.
Sesshoumaru had expected her to act the way she did, but that didn't stop the angry growl from leaving his lips. As the male, he was the alpha and therefore he was in charge. He had to admit that he liked that she stood up to him. In this situation however, what she did wasn't really appreciated. He swore to protect and that included her stubborn self as well. She must have heard his growl, for she turned to look challengingly at him, clearly daring him to force her to leave.
"Kagome." Sesshoumaru growled, his patience running out.
"Listen here, Sesshoumaru, you don't understand. My little sister can be hurt or even worse, she could be dead and you want me to just sit back and wait for this stupid rain to pass. By then it could be too late. If you want to, you can leave, but I'm not going anywhere and there's no one that will be able to change my mind, not even you. " she said resolutely crossing her arms over her chest.
Sesshoumaru growled deeply in his throat. He could understand her distress, but he also knew that she needed to rest. Knowing Kagome though, she would put others before herself. She was so damn selfless. He refused to let her overexert herself like this. Just as he was about to 'persuade' her, he felt a very familiar youki in the air. He growled angrily, his eyes flashing red. Kagome must have thought that he growled at her for she growled back at him.
"Don't growl at me, Fluffy." Kagome snapped.
Sesshoumaru ignored the ranting female as he concentrated on his surroundings. The youki seemed to be enclosing the whole clearing. He couldn't really pinpoint the location. He cast one look at Kagome. Apparently she hadn't noticed this, seeing that she was still babbling on.
"Kagome." He said sternly, hoping that she would shut up and listen to him.
She simply ignored him as she continued rambling on. He bit back his aggravated growl. The woman didn't know when to shut up sometimes. The only time that she was quiet was when he was kissing her senseless. Of course he wouldn't mind kissing her at the moment, but with the company that they had, he didn't think it would be the wisest thing to do. Movement from his right caught his attention and with speed that only a demon Lord possessed he managed to pick up Kagome bridal style and jump out of the way of the attack.
"Stupid dogs and their...!" Kagome was cut off as Sesshoumaru picked her up and jumped away.
She let out a startled shout and instinctively clung to him, her arms wrapping around his neck. Sesshoumaru landed gracefully on a tree branch. Kagome was still in his arms as she turned to stare at the spot where she had been standing earlier. She swallowed hard. The ground where she had been standing just a few minutes prior was completely charred. Okay, so she needed to shut up sometimes and pay more attention to her surroundings.
She turned to ask Sesshoumaru let her down, but kept quiet as he noticed the look on his face. She swallowed again, oh boy did he looked pissed. She wisely decided to shut up. There was no need to get him even angrier.
"We have company." He whispered without looking at her.
Duh, no shit, she thought mentally.
Of course she didn't express her thoughts, instead she settled on nodding her head. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as the youki in the clearing increased. She quickly turned to stare at Sesshoumaru. She watched as he clenched his jaw, apparently he had sensed it as well.
"Can you fight?" he asked softly, surprising her completely by his gentle and worried voice.
No wonder, she had fallen head over heels for him. What sane girl could resist him, especially when he was being so protective of her? She shook her head, trying to banish those thoughts. Now was not the time to daydream.
"Yes." She said calmly; she was tired, but she would be able to fight.
Of course, she wasn't about to tell him this. Knowing him he would fight the enemy alone then. And just looking at him, she could notice that he was tired. OF course others wouldn't be able to see this, but she could. After spending time with him, she was able to tell different things about him.
"They have us surrounded." He said slowly putting her down, bringing her out of her thoughts.
"What are they?" She asked a bit unsure.
"I'm not sure." He whispered as he drew Toukijin.
Kagome summoned a blue whip that sizzled with purifying energy. Not a moment later their opponents charged at them. They jumped away from the tree branch as it was sliced in half. They both landed gracefully on the ground, but had to quickly block their enemies' attacks.
Kagome winced as she finally got a look at her opponents. The whip in her hands became hard, so that Kagome could use it as a staff, blocking her opponent's claws. She scrunched her nose up in disgust as she got a good look at the youkai in front of her. Eight red beady eyes looked at her as the creature that resembled a black beetle opened his mouth to reveals sharp pointy teeth. It was like looking in a blender with hundreds of tiny teeth.
"Kami, haven't these things heard of breath mints?" Kagome asked disgustedly as the youkai's breath washed over her.
It smelled like rotten fish. She made a disgusted noise in her throat before pushing the creature away. The whip once again became fluid as she wrapped it around the creature's head, with a simple pull she managed to decapitate it.
"What are these things?" Kagome asked hoping to get an answer from Sesshoumaru, who was busy cutting through his opponents with Toukijin.
"They're Natsuko's soldiers." Sesshoumaru said as Toukijin made quick work of his opponents.
"Why am I not surprised?" Kagome asked sardonically as she avoided being trapped in a web that one of those creatures shot at her. Using her claws she cut through the web. She wondered what kind of insects, these creatures were. They could shoot web like a spider, but they looked like a beetle. She winced as her whip was blocked by the hard shell that her enemy had. And look, they had wings that resembled those of a fly, she thought as she watched one of them took off in the air, only to turn and fly towards her at full speed.
She easily managed to avoid the attack, using her whip she channeled her purifying power into it and wrapped it around the flying creature. In no time at all, it was purified.
"You've got to do better than that." Kagome said smirking; of course this was her kitsune side acting up again.
"Look out!" Sesshoumaru growled jumping in front of Kagome, he used his sword to cut through a spear that was thrown at her.
"Thanks." Kagome said smiling.
"Stop playing around." Sesshoumaru snapped.
He ignored Kagome who huffed angrily, while he concentrated on his surroundings. He could sense Natsuko close by. By the feel of her youki, she was injured. That's why she wasn't attacking, that's why she was letting her followers attack.
Cowardly butterfly, he thought with disdain.
"Sesshoumaru, I can sense jewel shards, Naraku is here." Kagome said breaking Sesshoumaru out of his reverie.
Unknown to him Natsuko was hidden in one of the trees watching them closely. She held her right side that was bleeding heavily. She cursed Arashi and Ciro. Her amethyst eyes narrowed at how easily the two lords had attacked her as soon as they found out that she had betrayed them. The left side of her face was badly burned thanks to Ciro. Her beauty marred. She clenched her fists.
She knew very well that she wasn't in any shape to take on Sesshoumaru or the Dark Light at the moment. Yet that didn't stop her from trying. Her followers could do the work just fine. She bit her lips as her face throbbed. She cursed Ciro to the pits of hell once again. She watched in anger as her little army was slowly being taken down by Sesshoumaru and Kagome. It was clear that not even her soldiers were a match for the powerful Demon Lord and the Dark Light.
She suddenly felt very scared. She couldn't hide forever. And she knew very well that once her little army was taken care off, Sesshoumaru would come after her. There was no way she would escape.
The increase of very dark youki around her, made her tense. Her eyes quickly scanned her surroundings. She felt that youki before and she didn't know if she was supposed to be relieved or not. He was the one that got her into the mess after all.
She gasped and took a step as Naraku seemed to appear out of nowhere in front of her. She instinctively brought her hands up to protect herself when the spider hanyou reached for her. So it came as a big surprise when Naraku only reached for her injured face. She gasped as a tingling sensation went through her skin. Amethyst eyes widened like saucers as Naraku healed her face.
"How?" she asked dumbfounded.
"Come with me." Naraku said softly.
"Why? Why are you doing this?" Natsuko asked confused.
"If you stay here, they will kill you. I don't want to see you die." Naraku said earning him a disbelievingly look from the lady of the Southern Lands.
Just at that same moment, Sesshoumaru and Kagome managed to find them.
"Naraku." Sesshoumaru growled angrily, unsheathing Toukijin.
Natsuko turned at the Demon Lord that she so much desired. However she understood that it would never be, not as long as the Dark Light lived. Her eyes widened like saucers as she felt Naraku press his chest against her back, while whispering in her ear.
"He will never love you. However I can promise you revenge if you come with me." His hot breath sent shivers down her spine.
She watched as Sesshoumaru pushed Kagome protectively behind him. Something she felt almost like pain passed through her heart. She had never been rejected before. It pained and angered her at the same time.
"I accept." She whispered.
She didn't notice the smirk on Naraku's face as his miasma surrounded them. Her eyes met Sesshoumaru's one last time, before both Naraku and she vanished in the miasma.
"What just happened?" Kagome asked as Natsuko and Naraku disappeared.
"I don't know, but it seems that Naraku and Natsuko are now allies, which will mean that the Southern Lands are now officially enemy of the youkai council." Sesshoumaru said sheathing his sword.
It seemed that things were only getting even more complicated for them.
Akuma sat languidly in a tree. He had one leg pulled up, bend at the knee, one of his hands resting on his knee. A lazy smile played on his lips. He could still smell her scent, he could still feel her. It had only been a few hours since he left her and already he wanted nothing more than to find her and make her his.
Yet every good predator knew that there were times when you needed to have patience. He knew that she would come around she just needed the right persuasion. The way she had reacted at some of his touches was all the encouragement he needed. She was curious, she was innocent. She didn't know what she wanted. And oh he would love to show her everything that she so innocently and unknowingly craved.
He fisted his hands as he got a very disturbing thought. Normally he would use force to get any female he wanted, but when it came to her, he wanted to be gentle with her. He growled as he tightened his fist, drawing blood as his claws dug in his skin. There had to be something wrong with him.
"Reminiscing about your sweet light?" Naraku's voice broke the silence.
Akuma tensed. He hadn't sensed the foul hanyou and it bothered him. He should have been able to sense him miles away and yet he didn't. Of course he didn't let Naraku see how much this bothered him, instead he lazily turned to gaze at the hanyou who was standing below the tree. Naraku's eyes were narrowed dangerously as he gazed at the God of chaos. Feeling extremely playful, Akuma decided to goad him, just so that he could see how much the hanyou could bear.
"What do you want hanyou?" he asked bored.
He watched in satisfaction as the hanyou narrowed his eyes even more. He smirked, the hanyou was furious. Waves of anger were radiating off him, while his aura increased drastically. Of course he would be angry; he had after all betrayed him. The foolish creature should have expected that. Akuma was perplexed as Naraku's miasma retreated into him as he wiped every emotion of his face. The hanyou setteled on staring calmly at Akuma, making the angel of death wander what the spider was up to.
"You betrayed me, angel of death." Naraku said calmly his crimson eyes looking coolly at Akuma.
"Don't tell me you were surprised?" Akuma asked nonchalantly as he ran a hand through his dark hair.
"It seems that she already has her claws sunk into you. It's really pathetic how the God of chaos AKuma has fallen for such a prudent child. She's nothing more than a child." Naraku said sarcastically.
"Think what you like." Akuma said, turning his face away from him.
"Or maybe I'm mistaken. Could it be that you're seeking salvation, peace by her hand. Didn't it say that the God of chaos, the angel of death could only find solace in the arms of one pure of heart, soul and body? If I'm not incorrect you're drawn to her like moth to fire. Do you really seek retribution, after slaughtering how many? After killing your own father?"
That was the last straw. Naraku found a hand through his chest as Akuma stood in front of him glaring murderously at him as his eyes glowed red. He didn't even see him move.
"You hanyou know nothing." Akuma hissed, baring his fangs.
"Don't I? Maybe you're the one who's blind to realize what is really going on." Naraku said before crumpling to dust.
Akuma looked distastefully at the doll. Coward, he thought mentally. No wonder he didn't sense him. His blood red eyes were glowing eerily. His rage was threatening to take over him. Naraku's words although unappreciated did ring a bell. They brought back memories that he wished to be forgotten. Letting out a ferocious growl he took off towards the sky. He needed to kill something.
Mitsuko sat quietly in front of the fire with her two guardians curled up, protectively around her. Onyx and Amethyst were sacred beast spirits that for some reason had chosen to be her guardians since the moment she was brought to the heavens.
She looked calmly at the dancing flames as she gently rotated the cup of tea in her hand. It was still pouring outside. She shivered as a cold dust of wind traveled along her body. She was glad that she managed to repair her clothes with her magic. Lightning danced along the sky, while thunder roared in the distance. Her hair was down and cascaded in silky strands along her shoulders. The light of the fire danced along her face and body, giving the impression that she was glowing. She gently scratched Onyx's ear earning her a purr. A soft smile appeared on her lips.
Mitsuko studied Tomeo for a moment. His long silky dark violet hair cascaded along his back and shoulders, while his deep turquoise eyes had a very far away look. Tomeo's skin was darkly tanned and he was very tall with a very lean build. His features were very defined, with a strong jaw and manly lips.
From the Celestial Wings, Tomeo had been the one to teach sword fighting. He wasn't one to play around. He was strict and demanding, but he could also be nice, well to her at least. He had always been that very protective older brother to her. He was also the one that toughened her up. When training, he was nothing short of a slave driver.
Her gaze slowly traveled to Yukito. Unlike Tomoe, Yukito was much quieter and calmer. Yukito was a little shorter than Tomeo. His skin was extremely pale, almost like snow. His hair was short spiky and white. His eyes were a mint green and always holding compassion in them. Yukito taught her hand to hand combat. He thought her that every warrior needed to be agile and light on his feet. To him fighting was another form of dancing. Yukito was her confidant, when Alicia had passed away; he had been there for her, often consoling her.
Her gaze saddened as she recalled what they had just told her. She would leave Kagome and the group behind. Akuma wanted her and Akuma always got what he wanted. He would not give up. He would come after her and he would kill anyone who came in his way. She knew very well that if the God of Chaos did come after her that Kagome and the others would try to stop, just like they had done tonight and without a doubt he would kill them. She just couldn't allow that. She just couldn't, she thought tightening her hold on the cup.
The only safe place for her would be the heavens, seeing that no other creature that wasn't an angel or had the knowledge of the secret pathway would be able to find the holy place. Every other creature would be expelled by the holy seals that protected the realm of the heavens. Akuma wouldn't be able to reach her there.
She had never thought that the notion of actually leaving the little group of shardhunters would sadden her that much, but it did. She berated herself for feeling like she did. She wasn't a part of the group. She was an outsider and therefore it wouldn't matter if she left. Still it hurt. She shook her head, she needed to grow up. This was for the best.
"I should be going back to the castle soon. I'm sure my sister is worried about me." Mitsuko said standing up abruptly, making the two Celestial Wings gaze at her.
"You should let the rain pass." Tomeo grunted, making Mitsuko stop in her tracks with her back to them.
"Mitsuko." Yukito said softly.
"I know; I just want to say goodbye to them." She said softly, without turning to look at them.
"Very well, we'll be waiting for you." Tomeo said softly turning to look away.
He could feel the sadness emanating from Mitsuko and it pained him a lot. Yukito also felt really bad at the moment, but he knew that it was all for the better. Mitsuko smiled sadly as the two guardians her stomach trying to soothe her.
"I'll see you in the morning." She said softly, before running to the opening of the cave and disappearing in the rain, with her two guardians following her.
"It's for the best Yukito. She's safer with us." Tomeo said, noticing the sad look on Yukito's face.
"Is it?" Yukito asked standing up and walking to the back of the cave.
Tomeo stared at the entrance of the cave, where Mitsuko had disappeared a moment ago. The same question that Yukito asked him, reverberating in his head. Was this really the best decision?
"Damn, she got away!" Arashi snarled as he and Tsukyoumaru stood in the pouring rain.
They had followed Natsuko in the forest. They almost caught up to her, when she gave them the slip.
"We must head back." The bat youkai said softly as he brushed his hair out of his face.
Arashi sure didn't mind the rain, him being an elemental youkai after all, but he sure didn't like standing in the blasted rain. They were just about to head back, when a figure emerged from the trees. The two Lords stood rooted to the spot as Mitsuko stepped from out of the trees. Her clothes were plastered to her body, while her hair was sticking her face and neck. She looked absolutely breathtaking like that, but it was the look in her eyes and the look on her face that made them stop.
Her eyes looked so broken and sad, while her face held so much sorrow and confusion. The look in her eyes quickly vanished as she noticed them there, while she schooled whatever she feeling behind an emotionless façade.
"My Lords." She said softly in a voice that clearly showed her surprise to seeing them there.
"Lady Mitsuko, what are you doing out here?" Tsukyoumaru asked stepping towards her.
He stopped in her tracks though as Amethyst and Onyx made themselves known. Both of the guardians stepped forward and growled at the Lord. The bat youkai's eyes went wide. Never had he seen such creatures before. They looked a lot like foxes, but there were much bigger. They were slightly smaller than the neko youkai that belonged to the demon slayer.
Yet unlike other foxes, these had wings, large furry wings and in the middle of their head, they had a horn, just like a unicorn. And they had three tails instead of one. One of the foxes was completely black, while the tips of her paws, tails and ears were silver, while the other fox was completely white while the tips of his paws, tails and ear were gold.
"Onyx, Amethyst, please stand down." Mitsuko said quietly to her two guardians who reluctantly obeyed.
"Who are those two creatures?" Arashi asked stepping forward.
"They're our my guardians. We should ….."
The White Light quieted and brought her hands to her head, clutching it. Her head was pounding and her chest felt like it was going to explode. The pain was incredible and it took all of her willpower not to cry out. It was becoming harder to breathe. She didn't know what it was.
She was gasping for breath now, cold sweat breaking on her skin. She winced and fell to her knees as the pressure in her head and chest increased. She could distinctively hear her two guardians calling out to her, but they seemed very far away. She looked up as she heard both Arashi and Tsukyoumaru call out her name. She tried to tell them that she needed help, but she found that it was hard to speak.
Her silver eyes widened in fear as she watched everything around her blur and slowly begin to fade away. It was almost like putting a fresh painting in water and watch all of the color slowly wash away and mingle in the water. Everything seemed to blur in one tornado of colors, until it became too much to bear.
Closing her eyes she took a deep breath through her nose, hoping to calm to gain some control of herself. Yet as she opened her eyes, she found herself in an unknown place. She was surprised, noticing that all the pain was gone. She wondered why, but decided not to dwell on that at the moment; there were obviously more important things to do at the moment.
Quickly standing up, she looked for her two guardian and the two Lords. Yet to her confusion, she was all alone. The sharp cry of an eagle made her look up to the sky, just in time to see the said bird flying over her. Shaking her head, she turned around, only to gasp. There in front of her stood an imposing large castle. The shiny green roof gleamed in the sunlight, while the red walls looked imposing.
"Where am I?" she asked confusedly looking at the feudal era castle.
"You mean, where are we?"
Mitsuko almost jumped out of her skin as she noticed Kagome standing next to her. She stared curiously at her sister. She knew very well that she wasn't there about a few minutes ago. In fact she hadn't even felt her presence before now.
"Mitsuko!" Kagome asked blinking owlishly, before tackling her sister, causing both of them to land painfully on the ground.
"Are you okay? What happened? Did Akuma do anything to you?" Kagome babbled on as she hugged Mitsuko tightly.
To say Mitsuko was overwhelmed would have been an understatement. And there was the fact that Kagome was hugging her so tightly that she could barely breathe and there was also the fact that Kagome was lying on top of her.
"Kagome…I'm okay. Could you please…get off…me." she managed to choke out.
Kagome blushed as she quickly scrambled off her little sister. She stood up and offered Mitsuko a hand, which she gladly accepted. Kagome was blushing embarrassedly. She knew very well that Mitsuko wasn't used to someone as affectionate as her.
Yet she was just super glad to see her sister alive and safe. Call her sentimental fool, but she was glad. She was a very affectionate person. Mitsuko was probably thinking what an idiot she was. Kagome felt her face heat up even more.
"How did you get here?" Kagome asked hoping to break the silence that settled between them.
She recalled being with Sesshoumaru. They had been heading back towards the castle, when she was assaulted by tremendous pain in her head and chest. It had been very difficult to breath. After that she couldn't remember what happened exactly. Everything was a blur to her. She scratched her head confusedly. Things were always weird around her. It was a fact that she came to expect.
"Your guess is as just as good as mine. I really don't know how I got here." The White Light said softly.
Neither of them knew how she got there. So they didn't know how to go back. Deciding that whoever lived there would be able to help them get back, they walked inside. They carefully escalated the steps. Two statues of lions stood at each side of the front door.
They soon found herself in the main courtyard. Sakura trees decorated the whole courtyard, surrounding the whole place in its sweet scent. Mitsuko took a deep breath, enjoying the calming scent. Kagome on the other hand observed her surroundings with childish awe. Being raised in the future, she had never been able to see such a beautiful and feudal castle before. She was captivated by details and beauty of the fortress. It was truly a work of art.
They carefully made her way to the main house. Whoever who lived there, seemed to like statues, the whole place was decorated with these stone art pieces. Some were of lions and dragons, while others were of angels.
"It's beautiful." Kagome whispered.
"Can you sense anyone, Kagome?" Mitsuko asked bringing her out of her reverie.
Kagome shook her head. She couldn't sense anyone. Both of them gasped as they were suddenly transported somewhere else. They found themselves in a long hallway. The hallway was lit by many candles. The place was eerily quiet, much to their dismay. Suddenly voices caught their attention. Carefully opening the shoji door, Kagome watched as a woman dragged a little boy along.
On close inspection Mitsuko noticed that the woman was actually a tennyo. Her feathered heavenly cloaked was securely wrapped around her shoulders. The heavenly maiden wore an elegant violet kimono, while her dark light brow hair cascaded in waves along her back. Her emerald green eyes held great worry and fear.
Mitsuko's eyes rested on the little boy. Pale moonlight colored hair reached his shoulders. Large emerald eyes with flecks of blue stared worriedly at the heavenly maiden as the woman dragged her along.
"Mother." The little boy called out, but the tennyo ignored him as she hastily dragged him along.
"Excuse me." Mitsuko called out, but they didn't seem to hear her as they continued down the hallway.
"Hello." Kagome tried, but just her sister, she was ignored or not heard either.
Curiosity got the best of them as they followed them. However all of the sudden they were once again transported somewhere else. This time they found herself in a dark small room. The boy was sitting in front of her, with his legs pulled up as he stared in front of him. Mitsuko raised her face to look in front of her and was able to see the tennyo standing there.
"Where are we now?" Kagome asked confusedly.
"I don't know." Her sister answered, her eyes fixed on the newcomer.
The tennyo had company. A male angel was standing there, glaring at the tennyo. His pale moonlight hair was held in a high ponytail on top of his head. His blue eyes were glaring at the tennyo. For some reason he reminded her of someone, but she was unable to remember who.
"Where is he?" The angel growled as he stalked towards the tennyo.
The woman's frightened blue emerald eyes darted all over the place as the man stalked towards her.
"He's your son." The woman tried reasoning, but was backhanded in the wall.
This statement seemed to anger the man. He stalked furiously towards the tennyo and backhanded her into the wall behind her. Kagome instantly made a move to step out and stop this. She would not allow any man to hurt a woman in her presence. She found herself unable to move though. She was paralyzed.
"I can't move." She cried out, her eyes meeting Mitsuko, who found herself in the same situation.
Both moved their eyes towards the angel and the tennyo. By now the angel looked more than furious as he glared at the heavenly maiden. Mitsuko looked away from the two adults, only to stare at the child in front of them, who was looking sadly at the two adults.
"That abomination isn't my son! He must be destroyed or he will destroy us and this world!" the angel yelled.
Kagome growled in anger. How dared he? He was talking about his own son. His own flesh and blood.
"NO, he has a choice. He can escape his fate! He can choose good instead of evil. " the tennyo yelled blood on her lips as she looked defiantly at the man.
"He will only bring pain and destruction upon this world." The angel roared.
Kagome's eyes lowered to the little boy in front of her. Who was he? Her ears twitched as she heard the boy mumble some things. Straining her ears she was able to hear what he was saying.
"I never meant to be different. I never meant to be what I am." He whispered over and over again.
Kagome's eyes instantly saddened. He was so young and already it seemed he had so much hanging on his shoulder. Mitsuko had heard him as well. For some reason, she wanted to hold him and tell him everything would be okay. Her body instinctively reached for him and to her amazement she was allowed to move. Without thinking she gathered him in her arms, pulling him against her.
"It will be okay" she whispered, trying to soothe him.
"No, it won't. I'm a monster and I will always be." A male voice whispered in her ear, startling her.
"Not even you can cleanse me." She shivered as she felt the hot breath on her ear.
She had no time to wonder who the man was as she noticed the boy in her arms slowly fading. She panicked, despair like she never knew before took over her. She let go, only to reach for him once again, but she was shocked as her hands went right through him.
"Mitsuko, what's going on?" Kagome yelled as she watched the boy slowly fade.
"NO!" Mitsuko yelled, not understanding why she felt the urge to hold on so much to that little boy.
Both of the girls let out a startled scream as the floor below them gave in and they fell in a deep dark abyss.
"Get the healer!" Sesshoumaru barked as he arrived at the castle with Kagome in his arms.
They were walking to the castle when she had suddenly collapsed in his arms. She was burning up with fever and convulsing. The guards quickly showed him the way to the infirmary. Throwing open the door, he was surprised to see Mitsuko lying on a bed. Just like Kagome she was burning up. The markings on her forehead glowing brightly as she turned and thrust in bed. Both Arashi and Tsukyoumaru were trying to hold her down.
"What's wrong with her?" Sesshoumaru asked concernedly looking at his future mate's sister.
"We were in the woods searching for Natsuko, when we ran into her. She looked fine and everything, but than all of the sudden she collapsed." Arashi said looking at the young female on the bed.
Inuyasha jumped to his feet as he watched Sesshoumaru bring Kagome in. Kikyo who had been cleaning his wounds, was almost knocked over by the hanyou. She watched with an almost saddened expression as he rushed towards the Dark Light.
"What the fuck did you do to her!" Inuyasha growled angrily, his eyes threatening to bleed red.
"Be quiet hanyou! I didn't do anything to her." Sesshoumaru snapped as he send Inuyasha a frosty glare that made the hanyou back of, but it didn't stop the hanyou from glaring at him.
His instinct was telling him to protect Kagome at any cost. And Inuyasha wasn't helping it by blaming him for something that he didn't do. Both of the brothers quit their glaring as they watched an old owl youkai walk in.
Arashi assured them that she was the palace healer and that she would be able to cure both girls. The old healer softly laid her hand on Kagome's forehead and was shocked to see how hot she felt. She furrowed her brows as she stepped away and gazed at Mitsuko, who was still thrashing on the bed.
"Put her on the bed, next to her sister, Lord Sesshoumaru." The old healer said calmly to the Lord.
Sesshoumaru really didn't want to let his precious cargo go. Dog demons were known for their protectiveness, so it was really hard for him to let go of her. The healer must have noticed his hesitance. She smiled soothingly at him.
"They're twins, my Lord. If I'm not mistaken their both seeking each other's presence at the moment. I just want to try something, my Lord. I promise she won't be hurt." She said encouragingly.
Sesshoumaru hesitated. His instincts were telling him to keep her close to him. However as he observed the healer, he knew that she was doing only what was in Kagome's best interest. Pushing down his instincts, he stepped towards the bed, but stopped as he watched two unknown creatures growling and baring their fangs at him.
"He won't hurt your mistress." Tsukyoumaru said trying to calm the foxes.
One of the foxes stood up and approached Sesshoumaru, making the demon Lord growl threateningly. The demon Lord stopped himself from lashing out as the creature dared the sniff Kagome.
"She's our mistress' sister." The fox said backing away and looking at the other fox.
The fox stepped back and allowed Sesshoumaru passage. He gently laid Kagome down next to Mitsuko. As soon as he set Kagome down next to Mitsuko, both of them seemed to calm down, astounding him. All of the occupants of the room were surprised at this. It was very strange to say the least. The healer smiled knowingly as she gently covered them with a blanket. The two girls instinctively sought each other out as they snuggled against one another. She turned to gaze at the confused faces in the room.
"What happened?" Sango asked confusedly.
"They're twins and they share a very strong bond." The old healer said as he moved away from the bed and began prodding the slayer's wounds, making her hiss.
"What will happen to them now?" Sesshoumaru asked gazing at Kagome's peaceful face.
"Let them rest. I'm afraid that whatever is happening is out of our reach at the moment."
Inuyasha being the stubborn hanyou that he was, made to reach for Kagome, but was repelled by a strong magical shield. He hissed as his fingers were burned by the strange energy. Sesshoumaru was standing the closest to the two girls took a step back. He narrowed his eyes as he instinctively reached for his sword.
"What the fuck was that!" Inuyasha snarled.
The shield gleamed like liquid silver, while it encased the two girls almost affectionately. The hairs on Sesshoumaru's neck stood on end his body reacting to the shield that throbbed with power. He watched out of the corner of his eye as the healer stood up.
"Do not approach them as I said before there is higher power at work here." The old healer said finishing bandaging Sango's injuries.
"They'll be fine." The black fox said gently lying down next to the bed and putting her head on her forepaws. She folded her wings behind her and closed her eyes.
The white soon joined her at the other side of the bed. Sesshoumaru looked quizzically at them, but decided to leave his questions for later. It was clear that they were protecting Mitsuko.
Inuyasha began arguing with the healer. He didn't understand why the shield would repel him. The healer got angry at the hanyou, who probably said something rude, resulting in an argument. The demon Lord drowned out the argument and returned his gaze to the woman who had managed to capture his once dead heart.
He felt so powerless at that instant. He really sought to aid Kagome, but unluckily found himself unable to even reach her. He fisted his hands at his side, his claws digging in his skin and drawing blood.
Growling at himself he walked to the closest wall and leaned against it with his arms crossed over his chest. It would no good worrying; he would stay with her until she woke up. If there was something about the little vixen on the bed was that she always came out unscathed. He would put his trust in her and hopefully everything would turn out fine.
They didn't know for how long they had been falling, but suddenly they stopped. The feeling was strange to say the least. They were floating. Neither of them had their wings out. The feeling was very liberating to say the least. Kagome quickly brushed the thought aside as she turned to gaze at her sister.
"Mitsuko." Kagome whispered, noticing her sister's silence.
Mitsuko didn't answer her though, making her worry. Sniffing the air, she was able to pick up the scent of tears. Kagome watched as round crystals fell from her sister's eyes. Kagome slowly reached for her, but Mitsuko didn't even react. Her silver eyes were hollow, shocking the Dark Light.
"Mitsuko, snap out of it!" Kagome yelled shaking her sister.
Finally she seemed to react and gaze at her sister. Her silver eyes came into focus as she stared confusedly at Kagome.
"Where are we?" Mitsuko asked, wiping the tears of her eyes.
Both of them looked up as shiny spheres appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them, illuminating the darkness. The spheres flew around them and seemed very curious about the two females as they flew around them and even went as far as touching the females.
Kagome giggled as one of the spheres touched her cheek. She slowly touched her cheek. It was warm where the light had touched her. Even Mitsuko smiled. They felt safe, they felt at home. The White Light reached out and managed to grab one of the spheres. The sphere floated gently in her hand, before rushing away from her hand and twirling in her hair, making he chuckle. Their fun was interrupted though by two unknown voices.
"Dark Light." A soft voice called out to Kagome.
"White Light." Another voice said softly.
Two large spheres of light appeared seemingly out of nowhere, brightening the whole place. The girls had to cover their eyes due to the brightness of these new entities. By now both girls realized that all these spheres were living creatures.
"Don't be afraid little ones. We are the oracles, keepers of time and destiny."
"Lady Fate and Lord Time." Mitsuko whispered.
"Yes, my sweet White Light, you're correct." The male voice said softly.
"Why are we here?" Kagome asked curiously.
"We've come with a warning. Naraku is becoming stronger and evil seems is slowly rising and conquering this world. The condemned beasts have been released and they will not stop, until everything and every life is destroyed. A lot of blood will be shed and lives will be lost, but no matter what happens, neither of you should give up nor abandon one another. The Dark is always tide to the Light; just as evil is always tide to good. And not every evil is a threat. Just like not all darkness is enemy. It's up to you to decide if you will go against the tide or flow with the rivers." The two voices said in unison.
It sounded really strange. It was a mix of a female voice with a male voice. Yet the tone was soothing.
"I'm sorry, but I don't get all of it." Kagome said bluntly; she just didn't get why all of these higher powers had to speak in riddles.
"In time, you will understand. Now you must go back to where you came from. Your friends are waiting for you." The two voices said in unison.
"Wait. Who was that boy that we spoke to earlier?" Mitsuko asked.
"You will find out in due time, my child." The two voices said in unison, as they slowly faded away.
Once again, the girls felt like they were falling. Yet this time they weren't scared as the small lights guided them.
Natsuko's eyes widened as she stood in front of Naraku's fortress. She had never expected the hanyou to have such a large castle. She tentatively followed him into the large building. She shivered at the coldness of the place; everything was made of dark material. The walls were made of dark stone and wood. The curtains in front of the windows were crimson, while the floor was made out of black stone as well. The whole place emanated a very dark aura. She shivered as she unconsciously closed the distance between Naraku and her.
She could almost swear that she was being watched by what felt like a hundreds of eyes. Naraku smirked as he noticed her obvious discomfort. His wall had eyes. No one could infiltrate his castle without him knowing and that wasn't all thanks to these eyes, he was able to know if anyone was planning anything against him. His let his crimson eyes wander to the female that was now walking next to him. He knew very well what he would do with her. He quietly led her through the halls. He stopped in front of a large door. With ease he pushed it open. He heard her gasp and couldn't help, but smirk.
They quietly stepped into what looked like the training grounds. Her eyes widened like saucers as she observed everything. She was surprised at how many youkai were there. Some of them were quite powerful to say the least. Her large eyes took in everything. Many of the youkai were unknown to her and she couldn't discern the species, but she wasn't surprised. She ahd heard of the jewel's power and she assumed that it was very well possible that some of these creatures were Naraku's creations with the help of the jewel.
She narrowed her eyes as some of the youkai dared to look at her lustfully. Her youki spiked clearly telling them to back off. She might have been defeated by the Dark Light and Sesshoumaru, but she was still the lady of the Southern Lands.
The youkai got the message as they continued to spar. Naraku didn't say anything as he watched her closely. She wasn't as strong as him, but she wasn't weak either. She would be perfect for his plans.
She mentally chuckled. The other Lords would never expect Naraku to be this well prepared. It seemed that the hanyou was prepared for a war if it came down to it. And there will be war if she had anything to say about it. She would get her revenge and all the Lords, especially Sesshoumaru.
"Shall we go inside, so that I can show you your room?" Naraku asked breaking the silence.
She almost jumped as his velvety voice swept over him. She turned to stare at him and almost gasped as she noticed how close he was to her. She could feel his hot breath on her face and it made her heart quicken and her blood heat up. She cautiously took a step back.
Naraku was a very dangerous male. He was cunning and could manipulate anyone he wanted. Yet he was also very beautiful. She watched in awe as his long dark locks cascaded along his shoulders and back. His skin was pale, almost like porcelain, making his hair stand out, while his eyes were a mesmerizing crimson color. His dark clothing only intensified his mysterious and dangerous allure. She shook her head as she tried to control herself.
"Yes, lead the way." She whispered, her voice coming out huskier than she had expected.
He nodded his head and walked passed her inside. He unknowingly grinned at her. He had picked up her distinct scent of arousal. She didn't even realize that she was walking right into his trap, the naïve little insect. This would be easier than he had expected, he thought smugly. The little butterfly was slowly getting herself entangled in the spider's web.
He cast a gaze at her and watched as she quietly followed him. It was clear that she was deep in thought. In no time, they arrived at her room, which of course was conveniently right next to his.
"We're here." He said breaking her out of her reverie.
She looked quizzically at him as he motioned to her room. She carefully stepped inside and was surprised at how different the room was from the rest of the castle. While the rest of the castle was dark and gloomy, her room was warm and inviting. She whirled around to thank the hanyou, but stopped as she found herself once again very close to him.
"Naraku." She whispered.
He grinned as he gently pulled her against him. Even through the clothes, she could feel the warmth of his body. She didn't know what was happening to her. Normally she was the seductress, not the other way around. At the moment she felt weak as he nuzzled her neck. She knew that she should feel anger that he was touching her so freely and revulsion that he a hanyou dared to touch her, but to her shock she didn't feel any of those feelings at her. Instead she felt a burning that was slowly taking over her body as his strong and alluring scent wrapped around her.
"I will help you get your revenge, my sweet butterfly. They will pay for disrespecting you." He whispered in her ear, making her shiver.
Without a word, he let go at her. She stumbled as she watched him take one last look at her, before turning around and walking out of the room. She clutched her chest as she tried to calm herself down. She didn't know what was happening to her, but for some reason she felt drawn to the hanyou. She shook her head and scowled at the notion. She would not lower herself. She was above him. With a growl she made her way to her bed, intent to forget what had just happened between them.
Naraku stood quietly outside the door contemplating his next move. She was responding better to his advances than he had expected. Natsuko was just another pawn in his game. Everyone had a part in his game, from the Dark Light to the little kitsune cub. If there was something he excelled in, it was manipulating or using people.
Out of the corner of his eye he watched the wind witch trying to hide in the shadows. He smirked knowing very well that Kagura was a very curious creature and that she was looking for a way to get her freedom. Well, if things went the way he wanted, she would never have her freedom.
"Kagura." He called out in a soft, but authoritative voice.
As expected the wind witch stepped out from the shadows and made her way towards him. He could see the hatred in her eyes as she stared at him. This 'child' of his was too rebellious, he thought amusedly. Unlike his other servants she refused to bow to him. Normally this would irk him and he would punish her for it, but right now he had more important business and he needed her in perfect health, so that she could do her work.
"I need you to find Hakudoushi for me." He said calmly, watching her eyes widen in confusion.
"Isn't the brat looking for some shards in the North?" She said haughtily; she really didn't like the little youkai.
"Ah, but I need him here. He needs to do something for me." Naraku said cryptically, making her wonder what "And Kagura, make sure that you're not seen.
"Very well." Kagura said slightly angry as she scrunched her nose.
"Oh Kagura and you'll find out that Hakudoushi isn't that much of a brat anymore." Naraku said chuckling as he noticed the confusion in her eyes.
He watched as she walked away and mentally chuckled. Yes, Kagura would soon find out that Hakudoushi wasn't the little brat she came to know. His plans were slowly coming together. He chuckled, the jewel and Kagome would be his.
Inuyasha had decided to leave the room for a minute and went out for a walk. Without even realizing it he found himself in the gardens. He felt about earlier. He had snapped at Kikyo when she asked him to accompany to her room.
He had apologized immediately and she had forgiven him. He was after all worried about Kagome. Yet he couldn't help, but feel bad now. He couldn't help being so brash. It was the way he was. His mother had died leaving him only a pup. He had to fend for himself since a very young age, explaining the way he was. He sighed, his ears drooping as he ran a hand through his long silver hair.
He had decided to move on, even when a part of him still cared deeply for Kagome. He often wondered if he was being unfair to Kikyo. Didn't she deserve all of his love? He came to a stop under a big tree. He ran his claws along the bark, making small marks in it as he raised his face and gazed at the dark sky through the leaves.
He tried to give her all of his attentions and affection. He loved Kikyo, he really did, but he often wondered if this love was the kind of love that you would only find once in a lifetime or if it was only a passing love, one that would wild and die away with time?
"Inuyasha." A soft voice called out to him all of the sudden, making him turn around.
His amber eyes scanned his surroundings and quickly found her. She was standing just beyond the shadows of the patch of trees behind him. It was Kikyo. He was surprised to see her there. He wasn't sure what she was doing outside at this hour.
She carefully stepped from out of the shadows of the trees. His breath caught in his throat as he gazed at her. She wore her normal miko clothing, while her long dark hair was untied and cascaded along her shoulders and back. Her dark brown eyes looked almost black in the dark of the night, while her skin glowed beautifully in the moonlight. Her bow and arrows were secured on her back. She looked like a tennyo as she there bathed in moonlight.
"Kikyo." He whispered, his voice coming out huskier than he had expected, apparently she had more of an effect on him that he had expected.
She silently stepped towards him, her movements as fluid of water. Her hair swayed and flowed around as the wind played with the dark strands. She quietly came to a stop in front of him. She just stood there gazing in his amber colored eyes. Neither of them said anything as they stood there staring in each other's eyes. The wind around them threaded through their hair, mixing the dark and silver locks together.
Inuyasha could see so many emotions swirling in her eyes and he knew that she was looking for something in his eyes. He suddenly got nervous. He absolutely panicked as he watched her dark eyes sadden. His hand quickly reached out and touched her cheek as she turned her face away.
She raised her large dark eyes to look at him as he gently touched her cheek. She surprised him by closing her eyes and leaning into his touch. His ears drooped as he felt the sadness radiating from her. Without a second thought he pulled her against him in a tight embrace. He rested his chin on her head, wishing that he could hold her like this forever.
"I can't bind you to the past. I won't bind you to a promise you made so long ago." She whispered.
He loosened his grip a bit, so that she could pull away a bit and look him in the eyes. He was confused by what she had just told him. Why would she do this? Didn't she love him anymore? Many thoughts ran through his head.
"Kikyo…I." he was silenced by her putting her index finger on his lips.
"I will be leaving tonight. I'm going back to the village." He tried to interrupt her, but again he was silenced by her.
"The village is defenseless and at the moment and Naraku might attack at any moment. My sister isn't strong enough to warrant any kind of attack." She said softly trying to pull away, but was stopped by her.
"Why are you doing this? You can't leave!" Inuyasha cried out panicking his amber looking sadly at her.
"I want you to be happy, even if it isn't with me." Kikyo said softly.
She slowly pulled away from him, wrapping her arms around herself as the biting cold traveled along her body. She needed to be strong, even when her heart was breaking slowly with what she was saying. She now understood what Kagome had done? The girl loved Inuyasha, but she brought her back, so that Inuyasha could be happy. And now in a sense she was doing the same thing. She wanted Inuyasha to be happy at every cost.
"What! I love you Kikyo!" Inuyasha growled, angrily that she would doubt him and his feelings.
Fifty years ago, he had promised to use the jewel to become human so that he could have a life with her. He still wanted to keep that promise? A voice in his head though, wanted to agree with Kikyo, maybe it was too late for them.
"Do you? Inuyasha, look at me. Can you swear you love me and that you're not just keeping your word? What about Kagome? Don't you still love her?" Kikyo inquired softly, her eyes swirling with so many emotions that made the hanyou quiet down.
"Inuyasha, I understand. We've both changed. It's been fifty years. Things change, people change. I would understand if your feelings for me changed."
"No, they didn't. I still love you Kikyo. It's just that…" he growled as he fisted his hands at his side.
She smiled sadly as she noticed the turmoil that he was going through. Fifty years ago, they would have been married or mated to each other without even doubting one another. Yet after what Naraku did to them? Doubts couldn't help but surface. They didn't have enough trust in one another to see through his trickery and made her wonder if those wounds could ever be healed.
"Inuyasha, I understand and no matter what you decide I will always be here if you need me." She whispered raising her hand and gently touching his cheek.
He closed his eyes and reveled in her touch. He opened his eyes and stared longingly at her. She understood and leaned up towards him, just as he leaned down towards her. Their lips met in a gentle touch, sending sparks flying down her spine. Her eyes closed in total bliss.
She loved him, she knew this for sure. She would love him always, but she would not bind him to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and allowing him to deepen the kiss. He had a right to choose. If he was happy with another, she would accept this. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks.
Reluctantly she broke the kiss. Inuyasha opened his eyes to gaze at her. He gently wiped the tears from her eyes, making her close her eyes in order to keep other tears at bay. Slowly she pulled away. And without a word, she turned her back to him and walked away. With every step that she took, she knew that she could be very well losing Inuyasha forever.
The hanyou stood there watching as she disappeared in the middle of the night and possibly out of his life forever. The thought made his stomach churn and his heart ache. He wanted to run after her, but her words which kept playing in her head, made him stay where he was. Did he really love her that much? Was she really the one? Unable to contain his emotions he let out an anguished howl.
Kikyo heard his howl and couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face. She kept telling herself that it was only for the best. Yet no matter how much she kept telling herself that, she couldn't stop the pain in her heart.
"Goodbye Inuyasha. Hopefully we will meet again, my love." She whispered quietly as she exited the city and disappeared in the darkness of the woods.
TBC…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………