Disclaimer:I don't own InuYasha. Trust me, I don't. If I did, I would make a most fluffy, indulgently sweet ending with a hopeful sunrise or some silly cliché romantic moment like that. Then again, maybe it'll happen. A girl can dream, right?
Warning:This chapter may contain some spoilers for those who don't keep up with the manga (and I don't mean the manga in the States). It may or may not contain an excerpt from chapter 474 "Wounded Heart." We shall see…
Warning (2): Scratch that. It does contain the spoiler. Oh well.
Chapter Three: I Still Remember
InuYasha woke, startled. The sharp, harsh cry that rang within the walls of the well grated his ears, forcing him to clamp them shut against his head.
What happened?
He knew he had fallen asleep, and that he hadn't been paying attention to the sounds that had been coming from beneath the well. Even then, though, what would make that soft, gentle voice from earlier cry out in such a manner? More over, why did that scream set him so much on the edge, to the point that he felt the need to… save her?
Another flash – perhaps a memory? – hit him, and his head began to hurt, the pain pounding against his skull.
He was seeing Kikyou in a whisper of a dream, and the most wonderful feeling embraced him. He thought she had died; he thought… it didn't matter what he thought, did it? She was there, in front of him, beckoning him to take her hand. All he had to do was accept…
Just as he was about to take her offer, to let her lead him away to wherever it was she wanted, he heard her voice– the voice of the woman who had soothed his troubled mind; mended his wounded heart time and again. 'Kagome?'
He woke up and found himself tied in a tangle of roots and vines– those of the demon Kaou. Angered – no, enraged – at the fact that he let himself be manipulated by that good-for-nothing of a demon, InuYasha finally managed to break through his binds. He attacked Kaou blindly, wanting nothing more than to rip him to shreds for what he had done. Just when he had thought some damage had been inflicted, however, the demon turned into a mass of roots and vines, trapping InuYasha's arm and, before the hanyou could do something to retaliate, struck a bundle of vines where InuYasha's heart would be. Before he knew what was happening, InuYasha saw an arrow fly right in front of him, hitting Kaou directly. The demon disappeared, but InuYasha wasn't quite sure that was the end of him. Still, though, realizing that Kagome had saved him, InuYasha followed her scent out of the building.
What he saw made his heart plummet.
Kagome was tangled in Kaou's vines, completely vulnerable to his relentless attacks on the heart. Without a second thought, InuYasha hurried to aid her, damned if he was going to let Kaou hurt her, too. Urging her to hold on, InuYasha carried her limp form in his arms, praying that she was all right.
Kaou's voice broke all around him, and before InuYasha could try to determine where, exactly, that bastard of a demon was hidden, he spoke. "What a wonderful flavor… That girl's soul is even more wounded than yours."
InuYasha stared down at the girl in his arms, his heart beating so fast he was afraid it would burst. "And the cause of that girl's pain is…"
He went silent, and Kagome stirred. Standing up and grabbing her bow and arrow, she shot at the flowers, so angry about Kaou's discovery that her power seemed nearly incredible given her current condition. Without realizing it, Kaou appeared behind her, ready to attack. Spotting him and warning Kagome not to move, however, InuYasha quickly lunged at the demon with Tessaiga and killed him.
After all was said and done, Kagome still supported him, even though she was hurting, too. It didn't matter that he knew she needed better than himself– all that mattered was that she accepted him, forgave him, healed him when all he could do was condemn everything he was…
"Kagome, how are you so strong?"
And then, being the Kagome he held so dear to his heart, she began to scream, explaining it was kindness, not strength, that she so possessed in abundance…
When finally the memory dissipated, InuYasha felt his heart racing rapidly, ready to expel itself from his body. Why did it feel so painful to look at that girl– Kagome? More importantly, why was her scream so identical to the one that woke him up? 'I don't know what the hell is going on, but I don't like it. Why can't I remember anything about the girl from the visions?'
Frustrated, dejected, InuYasha rose from his place on the ground, finally deciding he was going to leave. He couldn't take it anymore. His heart hurt to see that girl – that Kagome – but he didn't so much as have a ghost of a memory of her– at least, not one that he could willingly recall. What was the point of staying?
Jumping out of the well, InuYasha sat on the rim, looking down into the empty space. He felt somewhat guilty leaving that girl alone, but what if she wasn't even real? What if his mind was just playing tricks on him, or he was going crazy? 'Well, I don't know about you, but I heard that girl just as well as you did, and I know I'mnot crazy.'
InuYasha snorted. 'That's not the point. The point is that I'm getting a nagging feeling that the girl I heard in the well is the same one from the visions, and I have no idea who the hell she is, except that her name's Kagome. More importantly, it's affecting me– hearing that girl makes me… feel things, and I don't know why.'
'Feel things… like what?'
InuYasha sighed, exasperated with himself and his youkai. 'She makes me feel sad, all right? And I don't know why the hell I feel sad just looking at her if I don't even know who she is or where she's from.'
'Well, fine, but we can't just leave her there, you know. She was… crying… and I don't like it when she cries.'
'How would you know? We don't even know her!'
'I know we don't, all right? But I still don't like it. I just… know.'
Sighing, InuYasha got up and shook his head. His best bet right now was to find someone – anyone – and find out just what the hell was going on. Glancing back once before leaving, InuYasha silenced his youkai and bound away.
ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
After leaving the well, InuYasha had been able to pick out a scent not too far off and began running in that direction in the hopes of finding some answers.
A groan from someone close by stopped him in his tracks and prompted his sprinting over to where the source of the sound had come. The sight that met him, however, was the last thing he had expected to see.
"Ooohhh… my head…" said a monk, sprawled on the ground with a woman in some exterminator outfit lying on top of him. The bloodstains on the monk's clothing rang a warning bell in InuYasha mind, daring him to connect that man's blood to Kikyou's. Did he know something about what had happened?
Nearing the man steadily, InuYasha examined his movements carefully, and nearly gawked at the supposed priests actions.
"Well, well! This is certainly a pleasant surprise! I have no recollection of why I'm here, there's a beautiful woman lying on top of me, and from the looks of it, no one is to be seen for miles!" The monk grinned deviously, obviously unaware of InuYasha's presence. "This most definitely calls for celebration…" he muttered quietly, smiling sheepishly as he stroked the woman's backside with his hand, which seemed to be wrapped up in some cloth and tied with beads, as was noted by the spying hanyou.
Appalled at the monk's unholy actions (even though he didn't feel compelled in the least to reprimand him, since it was neither his place nor worry), InuYasha strode to his side, tapping his foot impatiently. The monk looked up, casting a fleeting glance at his mischievous hand before tucking it beside him neatly, and simply stared up at the hanyou.
After quite a bit of silence the monk cleared his throat. "How may I help you reach enlightenment, my good sir?" inquired the monk in what seemed to have been a tone of advertisement, apparently hoping the demon before him would be inclined to accept.
Exasperated, InuYasha rolled his eyes and bent down, glaring at the monk all the while. "Who are you?"
The monk, taking in the half-demon's appearance, spoke. "My name is Miroku, and I am a faithful servant of Buddha, aspiring, as every other living soul undoubtedly is, to reach enlightenment, as well as complete my journey." He paused, glancing around him once more, as though waiting for something to pounce, then added, "Now that I have answered your question, just who might you be?"
InuYasha scoffed, turning his head haughtily to the side. Just who did this man think he was? 'Servant of Buddha my ass… he's got his lecherous mind set on lust. But still, maybe knows something…' Leering to the side, InuYasha replied, "I am InuYasha, and I would highly suggest that you listen well, because if you don't, I'll–"
But his introduction was interrupted as a slap resounded in the night air, having come from directly in front of the hanyou. Looking to the monk, he saw that the exterminator woman had awoken, conveniently having found the monk's hand on a less-than-convenient area, and slapped him, leaving a large, almost glowing red handprint on the monk's face.
"Holy hell–" was just about all that escaped InuYasha's mouth before the woman decided to round on him as well, leaping from her place on Miroku and practically jumping on InuYasha.
The aforementioned hanyou, not having expected the woman's however futile attack, fell backwards, she landing on him. He held on to her hard, making sure that she didn't escape. She was with the monk, so maybe she knew something as well.
"LET – ME – GO!" The woman screeched at the top of her lungs, punching and kicking fruitlessly at InuYasha, trying to wriggle herself from his seemingly inescapable hold.
Heaving her over his shoulder as he rose, he squeezed her around her middle, signaling for her to be quiet. The woman, however, had different ideas.
"Let me go, you disgusting, filthy vermin! I need to find InuYasha! I need–"
Without a moment's hesitation, InuYasha placed the woman on the ground, his eyes probing hers. "What did you say, woman? Who did you need to find?" His heart was ready to leap out of his chest at the newfound discovery. So this woman did know something. She must have, anyway, if she was looking for him and obviously ended up in the right place.
Freeing herself from his grasp, the woman sent daggers at him as she glared his way, her brown eyes piecing into his gold ones.
"I said," began the woman, bitter anger in her voice, "I need to find InuYasha! He's the man that slaughtered every one of my people! It's because of him that I don't have a place to call home anymore!" she yelled, violent rage swimming in the depths of her vehement gaze. "So if you don't mind, I'd like for you to get out of my way and leave me be!"
Pushing InuYasha out of the way, the woman took a few steps before stopping. Only then did she seem to realize that she was completely and utterly confused. Where was she? Why was she here? She had been with Naraku just a few moments before, right before her gaze landed on… on… people. That's all she remembered? That she saw people?
Turning – albeit, regrettably – back to the demon and the perverted monk, she stared at the both of them, befuddlement writ in her eyes. "Err… where am I?"
The monk stood up, dusting his robes. "Well, I do believe you and I seem to be lost as far as our whereabouts are concerned. What say you to joining me so that we can find our place again, eh? Two's company…" the monk trailed off, smiling hopefully at the woman.
"No, thank you, I'll pass," answered the woman, obviously repulsed at the idea of traveling with such a lecherous man.
"Oh, but my lady, I–"
"Save it." The hanyou stalked towards the woman, looking her dead in the eye. "Woman, what is your name? Who told you that InuYasha killed your people?"
The woman in question eyed him carefully, as though wondering whether he was to be trusted or not. Apparently deciding that revealing her name wasn't too terrible, she answered. "My name is Sango, and I am one of the few remaining demon exterminators in this land. The advisor of the lord at whose temple I had… been staying informed me of the attack on my village by the demon named InuYasha," she concluded, spitting after saying the name of he whom she perceived to be her nemesis. "Does that answer your question, demon?"
Not at all fazed by the venom with which this woman uttered his name, InuYasha stared at her for a moment longer, her story seeming a little too strange. Why did it seem as though he had heard that story a long time ago, from the same woman, even though he had never met her in his entire life? 'Whatever…'
Focusing his attention once more on the woman before him, he probed her eyes with his own, daring her to lie to him. His gaze was intense, but she didn't even blink. "No," was his simple answer. "I need to know his name, woman."
Rolling her eyes slightly at his insistence (and edging to her right, due to the fact that the monk was nearing her), she sighed in frustration. "Is it that necessary that you know his name?" InuYasha's silence answered her question well enough, and she sighed. "His name is Naraku. There, are you satisfied now?"
A sharp intake of breath to her left and a fallen, jingling staff alerted Sango that the monk was somewhat taken aback by this bit of information. Judging from the expression on his face, Sango believed she couldn't have been more correct.
"Did you say Naraku?" questioned the monk, his eyes widened with shock.
"Yes, monk, I did. What importance is his name to you?" Sango countered, eyeing him carefully now that he was so near to her.
"He… he was the one who cast a curse upon my family! Both my father and grandfather died because of his curse! Where… where was he last?Where is Naraku?" the monk bellowed, his cry echoing throughout the forest that surrounded their clearing.
By this time, Miroku had seized Sango by her shoulders, his eyes imploring her to tell him what he wanted to know. Sango, carefully prying his hands off her, looked at him directly and stopped, meeting his deep violet eyes for the first time. For some reason, her voice hitched in her throat as she stared at him, transfixed by the deep shade of his eyes.
"Well?" prompted the monk, looking a little affronted by the fact that she didn't trust his hands on her (even though he had thus given her no reason to do so in the first place).
As though she had been brought back to reality from a trance, Sango looked startled, finally realizing what she was supposed to say. "O-oh, right. I apologize for my lack of manners." She stated a tad shyly, blushing the palest shade of pink– barely noticeable. "Monk, I do not know the whereabouts of Naraku seeing as, if you hadn't already noticed, I don't know my own whereabouts," replied the exterminator, taking a step back from Miroku, just in case.
The aforementioned monk appeared as though an added weight had been hefted onto his shoulders, making him slump a bit. The news, it seemed, did not sit well with him. "Ah…" he began, but trailed off as he was lost to his own thoughts. His countenance appeared to be that of a man deep in thought. Finally, after a few minutes' time, much to the irritated hanyou's displeasure, Miroku picked up his staff and tried to walk off, as though he had never spoken to them in the first place.
"OI!" roared the hanyou as he leaped over to Miroku and grabbed him by the collar of his robes. "What the hell do you think you're doing, monk? I need to ask you a few things!" InuYasha yelled right into Miroku's ear, making him flinch. "Do you have any idea what has happened in the past day? Do you know who Kikyou is, monk?"
Sango's face turned to meet InuYasha's after his mentioning Kikyou's name. "Did you say Kikyou? What is your name, demon?" inquired Sango, curious as to how he knew that particular priestess' name.
He blinked once, as though it took him a bit to register the fact that this woman seemed to know something about Kikyou. Walking straight back to her with Miroku in tow, InuYasha placed himself right in front of Sango, ready to hold her down if he needed to, so long as it meant he would be getting some answers. "My name," began InuYasha warily, knowing that this woman's animosity would intensify significantly moments after he stated his name, "is InuYasha."
All Hell seemed to have broken loose in that one moment, beginning with the scream of Sango and ending with InuYasha's body hovering over hers, pinning her completely to the ground. What he failed to hold down with his limbs was held down with his weight. From the look of it, InuYasha was sure that the woman wouldn't try anything under such circumstances.
"Now listen here, you little–"
"You killed my people!" she shrieked, severely impeding InuYasha's better hearing abilities for a good while. "You murdered almost everyone I lovedand cared for!You ruined my home!" Tears were streaming down the woman's face, her sorrow palpable in the air around her. "You… you are a monster, InuYasha…" she whispered, her throat hoarse from screaming as loudly as she did. "Why…?"
InuYasha, feeling guilt for a sin he had not committed, looked to the side where the priest had decided to take a seat, knowing that any attempts to escape from the hanyou would be useless. "I didn't do it, I promise you."
He had sounded so convincing, but how could Sango be sure? InuYasha, from what she had seen, did not have any characteristics that would resemble those of a ruthless, savage killer. However, Naraku said…
Her thoughts were interrupted by the hanyou's voice. "What is your relation to Kikyou, Sango?" questioned InuYasha. He was looking at her again, a mix of remorse and pity awash in his golden gaze.
Annoyed that he pitied her, she turned her entire head to the side, not wanting to look at him. "Kikyou was the name of the priestess to whom our village entrusted the Shikon no Tama more than fifty years ago, but at around fifty years ago, the priestess died."
InuYasha gaped at her, golden eyes wide and mouth hanging slightly open, as though he had forgotten how to speak. How… how could Kikyou… havedied? 'Fifty years ago?That can only mean… that I've been under Kikyou's arrow for at least fifty years. But… it feels as though it were yesterday. And even then… how was the arrow taken off?' InuYasha's mind was in disarray, all his thoughts jumbling together and not making any sense whatsoever.
Sango, who had been pinned down by InuYasha this entire time, was becoming extremely agitated. He hadn't moved at all, and seemed to have been brooding over something without letting her free. 'Not that you can blame him, since you did try to attack him…'
And what was that all about? From what she gathered, it seemed as though they were all there without really knowing how they had gotten there in the first place. None of them knew what was going on, but somehow, they must have been linked to each other before they all lost their memory, or else they wouldn't have found each other so abruptly.
Looking over at the monk who was sitting across from her, Sango's brows were knit together in concentration. How could the Naraku she knew have cast a curse on his grandfather, if Miroku himself was already about twenty, and Naraku not that much older? 'None of this makes any sense…'
ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
Shippou woke with a yawn, stretching his small arms above his head as he took in his surroundings. Where was he? What happened?
A distinct shiver ran up his spine as the image of his father being killed appeared before his eyes, as though in answer to his question. That still, however, did not answer his question as to his whereabouts. 'What is this place? Why do I smell my blood?' Looking down at his shirt, he yelped, having seen a large part of it covered in his dried blood.
"Wh-wh-what is this?" he stuttered, terrified at the implications of having seen the dried liquid on him. 'Am I… am I dead?'
Looking around him more carefully this time, he took note of the birds chirping, the dewy grass beneath him, the trees all around… and the very faint sounds of people talking. He couldn't quite smell them, but he certainly could hear them. 'Do they know anything about this? About what happened to me?'
An annoying itch began to irk him around his shoulder. Reaching over to his left shoulder with his right arm, he scratched it and, satisfied the itch had been rid of, began to head towards the voices. What he didn't expect, however, was for a flea demon to jump out of his clothing, barking about how youngsters had no respect for the elderly anymore.
Shippou jumped back, hearing the old demon's voice but unable to see him. "I'm sorry! I didn't know you were there! Uh… where are you?"
To make things easier for the young fox demon, the flea jumped onto his shoulder again, sitting himself down comfortably upon it. "Apology accepted, demon. At least you showed some remorse for your disrespectful manner; I know a certain few that certainly could take a few lessons from you…" he trailed off, grumbling afterwards about rude and bad-mannered hanyous.
After a pause, Shippou decided it would be best to introduce himself first. "Well, my name's Shippou, and I'm a fox demon."
Nodding lightly at the younger demon's show of manners, the flea demon sighed appreciatively. "Ah, what a good day it must be, to see children like you show such fine manners!" He cleared his throat and continued. "My name is Myouga, the flea demon. I am a most loyal and humble servant of Master InuYasha. Have you heard of him, child?"
Shippou shook his head, not having recognized the name. Myouga proceeded.
"Very well. In that case, might you know our whereabouts, young fox?" the flea questioned, obviously as lost about his location as Shippou.
Again, Shippou shook his head. "No, I don't sir, but I hear some voices that don't seem too far away. Do you want to see if they know anything?"
Myouga seemed to ponder the possibilities for a moment. 'On the one hand, those people might not just be people, and instead some ferocious, blood-seeking demon, in which case I wouldn't want to go. On the other hand, they might just know something…'
Deciding that if it was the former, he could just run away quickly, Myouga took Shippou's offer. "All right, m'boy! Let's go!"
ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
"So wait, you're telling me that this… Naraku guy–" InuYasha was motioning with his hands, trying to put together what the three had gathered thus far, "–put a curse on your family fifty years ago," he looked to Miroku while saying that, "told you I killed your family just the other day–" Sango nodded in acknowledgement, "and looks twenty or so? Yeah, that doesn't make much fucking sense to me."
Miroku sighed along with Sango. "Look, InuYasha, I'm not really sure what's happening either, but how is it that we all ended up together? Something crucial is missing, and we can't seem to figure out what."
At his words, InuYasha involuntarily thought of that girl – the one whose cries he had heard in the well – and he suddenly looked guilty. His expression hadn't gone unnoticed by Sango, and it was quickly mentioned. "InuYasha? Why do you look so… sad?"
He looked up, not having realized until too late what he must have looked like. "Err.. nothing. It's nothing." He hid his face, not wanting to be seen. He wanted to just let the subject drop, but he couldn't seem to stop himself from asking the question that had been plaguing his mind. "Have either of you ever heard of a girl named Kagome?"
At that very moment, a redheaded fox child halted to a stop, seemingly having been running to the group. The three looked at him, waiting for him to explain himself, all wondering why he seemed vaguely familiar.
The feeling seemed to have been mutual for the fox, as was apparent when he peered around the group, staring at each one long and hard. He finally cleared his throat and, without another moment's hesitation, introduced himself. "Um, hi. My name's Shippou and I'm a fox demon. I woke up not too far from here, and… I don't really know where I am. I was wondering if you all knew?"
Miroku had been about to answer, when… something jumped out of Shippou and onto InuYasha.
"Master InuYasha! It has been so long since I have last seen you so well! I guess the rumors were true then…" he finished, proudly sitting on the hanyou's shoulder. "Might I have just the tiniest taste?"
InuYasha picked the demon between his index and thumb, sending him a withering glare. "No, you can't have a taste, Myouga. And just what rumors are you talking about?"
Myouga sighed sadly, evidently disappointed with InuYasha's answer. "Fine, fine… I had heard that you were freed of Kikyou's arrow! I wasn't sure if they were true, though, due to the fact that the Fuuin no Ya isn't supposed to be able to be dislodged by anyone save by the person who set it, but–"
"So Kikyou didn't dislodge the arrow?" InuYasha felt his heart drop, realizing that what Sango said earlier must have been true. Kikyou was dead. "Then how…?"
Myouga shrugged, wriggling out of InuYasha's grasp and sitting back down on his shoulder. "I am not sure, InuYasha-sama, but I heard that some other woman with strange clothes did it. Something about her being Kikyou's reincarnation or some such–"
Again, he was interrupted. "What did you say? Kikyou's reincarnation?" InuYasha kept thinking of that girl – that Kagome – and how much she resembled Kikyou. "Explain everything to me," he glared menacingly at the flea, "now."
After what seemed to be about an hour of retelling the past fifty years to InuYasha, the hanyou seemed distraught, feeling as though he knew even less than what he started with. 'Maybe…'
He stood up.
"Where are you going?" Miroku questioned, getting up himself.
"I want to go… check something out," the hanyou answered evasively, not sure whether he would actually reap any results from what he was about to do.
"Check out what? InuYasha, we're all in the same boat here. Just tell us, and we'll go with you!"
A growl escaped the hanyou as another flash of a memory invaded his mind, taking control of every single thought. "Ah… damn it!" he screamed, pain enveloping his mind as the memory began to play– as everyone else neared him in concern.
"InuYasha? InuYasha! Are you okay? What's happening?"
He couldn't place the voices– couldn't quite hear or see much of anything except for a girl – Kagome – walking alongside him, when suddenly there was some kind of mountain slide, and that Miroku took her away on some kind of machine…
His concentration was broken, and he was left with a splitting headache and a wisp of a memory.
Looking to Miroku, he seized him by the shoulders and shook him. "Tell me! Do you know a Kagome or not? She's got black hair and brown eyes and–"
Miroku shook him off, looking at InuYasha as though he had gone crazy. "InuYasha, get a grip! What happened to you? Why are you asking me if I know a Kagome?" His violet eyes searched InuYasha's gold ones for answers, but received none.
"I… I don't know. I… I saw you, and you took her. We were on some mountain or something, and then… you.. wanted her for..." He was trying. He really was, but he couldn't seem to place his finger on it. Reaching into the recesses of his mind, seeking the answers he so desired to know, InuYasha found it at last. "You wanted her because she had the jewel! Or, no… she had a portion of the jewel– a large portion, and you only had a shard…"
At that point, the group looked uncertain, staring at InuYasha as though he were mad. Noticing their expressions, he sighed. "Okay, I know… I sound crazy, but–" He cut himself off, sighing once more and turning back. "Look, I'm just going to go and see something, and I'll be right back, all right? Just… stay here." With that, he left.
An awkward silence encompassed the group at InuYasha's departure, until Shippou cleared his throat to speak. "I… I sort of remember a Kagome." He knew he sounded strange, saying this, but he couldn't deny that he did remember something of some Kagome. "She was… nice, I think." Finally, he gave a small chuckle at his own foolishness. "Never mind. I'm not even sure what I'm saying–"
Sango cut him off, a whimsical sort of tone entering her voice. "No, no… I sort of remember a Kagome like that, too. She was sweet, and looked exactly as InuYasha described, and had… strange clothes, I think." She too followed her reminisce with a soft laugh. "But I suppose you're right, Shippou. I am… merely speaking nonsense, I'm sure."
The group returned to silence, all left to their own thoughts. Sango dwelled on the thought of that Kagome, however, as though it made total sense. 'If there was a Kagome, and we're not just all imagining the same person, then maybe there really is more to this than meets the eye…'
ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
InuYasha arrived to the spot fairly quickly, searching frantically for the stain of blood on the ground. If that Kagome girl really was the reincarnation of Kikyou, and she was the one who freed him, then maybe that was her blood on the ground.
Finding it, he kneeled over on the ground and sniffed.
'No,' he thought grimly, getting up slowly, 'that isn't Kikyou's blood, but smells a lot like it. Why is this happening? Who is that girl, and why did she free me? More importantly, why is her blood here? What's going on…?'
In another moment, he was gone.
ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
When InuYasha finally returned to the group, they were all ready to bombard him with questions, when he looked up, his amber eyes full of a sorrow that none of them wanted to think about.
When he spoke, his voice was quiet, almost timid, but it was evident to everyone that what he was about to say was not open for argument. "I… don't know what's going on. I don't know why I'm here, or why any of you are here, for that matter. I don't know what turn of events led us all together, but I don't want to think about this anymore. Either we stick together as we are right now, or we all leave. I don't really care which one ends up happening, but I'm done with it."
There was a moment of silence. No one screamed or yelled; no one disagreed with InuYasha; no one mentioned their remembering that girl, Kagome…
Miroku spoke up. "I realized earlier that my curse – my kazaana – is closed, which means that Naraku is dead." He let that sink in, especially for Sango, then continued. "In light of that information, I can finally settle down somewhere, so…" He trailed off.
Sango continued where he left off. "If… If Naraku's dead, then I don't really have any where to go to. I mean, my… my family…" A tear slipped quickly down her cheek, but she wiped it away, and they all knew what she meant. "Anyway, I don't really have a home anymore, so I think I'll–"
Shippou cut her off. "My… my papa died, and I need a place to stay, too, so… maybe…?" he trailed off like Miroku, hoping InuYasha understood.
The silver-haired hanyou smirked, despite himself. "Well, then… either follow me or find your own place, but I'm tellin' ya now–" he looked to Shippou when saying this, "–I ain't got much patience for little brats like you."
He began to walk off with the others in tow. Myouga had jumped onto Shippou's shoulder after InuYasha's earlier departure, and he couldn't help but wonder at InuYasha's uncharacteristic show of kindness. 'Since when has InuYasha-sama been so kind? It's almost as if… as if he's had a woman's touch! But that… that's preposterous, unless….' The flea remembered the girl mentioned earlier, the one with the black hair and the brown eyes– Kagome. 'Unless, of course, his heart remembers what his mind cannot. What a curious thing, indeed…'
And so, they left.
Author's Note: Okay, I know, not as prompt as I would have liked either, but I did finish earlier than last time! And ZOMG! Next chapter is going to be SO exciting to write! After all, next chapter is when we REALLY get into the story. Up until now, this has all been explanation and introduction. Next chapter? We're going to meet up with some very happy, and (I'm sorry) some very angsty moments. It may not be so fun for you guys, but I am going to LOVE next chapter. Actually, here's a secret: it's kinda-sorta-already-half-done. Umm… oops? Haha, but anyway, GAH!! I can't wait to post it! XD
Author's Note (2): Oh yeah, some translations.
Fuuin no Ya: check last chapter.
Hanyou: half demon
Kitsune: fox child/demon (I'm not even sure I actually said the word, but whatever)
Anything else? Not really.
Author's Note (3): Plee-ee-ee-ea-se review!! I have nearly 600 views on this fanfiction (pretty evenly split with both chapters), but almost NO reviews. Come on! I could use some feedback people! I really like hearing what you all think about the story, speculations about what's going to happen, and all that wonderful stuff! Please indulge me… pretty please?
Peace out!
.:.ZG91.:.
