I'm about ready to kick Inuyasha's ass. Any who, here's the next chappy. Once again, Rumiko Takahashi holds all rights. She is the Queen.
He made his move in the dead of night.
Like Kagome said, the barrier was lifted from the house and he could walk away from it without qualm. Kagome slept soundly in what he presumed to be their room, strange as it sounded. He felt no sense of guilt at leaving the vicinity and thought that such a thing would mark a clear indication of the truth.
He sought to find Kikyou. Encountering her, even if she was old and decrepit, would help him understand the reality of his predicament. If Kagome truly was his wife he would strive to make the best of this situation. Though he failed to remember his love for her, he knew that he could not simply abandon her.
If she was not his wife, and everyone in that village including her were liars, he didn't know what he'd do. Their deception would require an appropriate act of justice.
He whizzed past trees, the night sky covering him in a cloak of shadows. With his nose lifted high, he sought out Kikyou's scent, striving hard to remember her distinct smell, and not Kagome's.
Hours ticked by, until he was so far away from the village he could no longer smell it. Good, he thought. With his eyes zeroed in on his cause, he ran and he ran nearly the whole night through. Before he knew it, the sun was beginning to rise, its yellow beams branching across the sky. But Kikyou was nowhere to be found. It was so strange that she could have been so far gone. Away from her village and sister? It didn't ring well with him, and he growled in denial at the thoughts which suddenly plagued him.
He would not lose sight of his quest.
He was growing tired, his legs screaming for rest. But he pushed forward, until he came into contact with a new scent. One he remembered swiftly, and not with the slightest hint of excitement. He stopped on his heels, and turned to where the scent blew in the strongest. He found himself in the middle of a forest where a road seperated the land in two. He waited for the person to reveal themselves, his claws sharpening at the ready.
Sesshomaru and Jaken finally appeared, the two walking side by side on the same path as he. The demon lord was dressed the same as ever, with a white and red kimono, his tail blanketing his shoulder. When he caught sight of Inuyasha, he didn't stop to speak. Instead he continued walking, ignoring him. In the past, Inuyasha would have left him alone, having experienced it enough to last countless lifetimes. But if there was any other person he could rely on for the truth (as much as it hurt), he could find it in him today.
He growled and jumped over Sesshomaru. Then he snapped his name.
Jaken screeched, having been scared half to death by Inuyasha. "How dare you!" he squawked. "Who do you think you are, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha ignored the toad and simply met his half brother's golden eyes. "I'm talkin' to ya, Sesshomaru."
"What is it, Inuyasha?" he replied, ever monotonous and nonchalant.
"What are you doing here? You're not far from humans."
"I had no idea the presence of mere mortals could apprehend me in such a way."
Inuyasha scowled. "You're not planning on hurting anybody right?"
Sesshomaru finally showed some emotion, his eyes glaring at Inuyasha with disdain. Inuyasha smiled. This was normal. This he remembered. Sesshomaru had always despised his very existence. Soon they would fight, their battle echoing to the sky. Inuyasha craved this like nothing before. It would be a welcoming distraction.
But instead of unsheathing his claws, or snapping his whip, the demon simply continued walking around Inuyasha.
Okay. That was weird.
In an instant, he stalled his quest. Sesshomaru piqued his interest, having never rebuffed a fight before. Inuyasha followed him, and Sesshomaru continued to ignore his very existence. This, of course, was normal, since Sesshomaru spent most of Inuyasha's life as far away from him as possible. What wasn't normal was the fact that he allowed Inuyasha to follow after him.
Something was wrong.
What wasn't?
After some time, Inuyasha managed to rationalize why he was pretty much stalking the guy. He wanted to make sure he didn't hurt anyone. He was walking on a human-made path, where he could come in contact with them at any moment. He could've flown over it, but not even Ah-Un was near. Sesshomaru also had a few weapons in his arsenal, along with his various demonic abilities, which could enact some serious damage. Inuyasha saw two swords on his side, one with a grey hilt, the other black and white. He wondered where the demon was able to find those swords, and remembered the one he left with Kagome. Perhaps the weapons were forged from the same blacksmith?
He growled, annoyed by the questions he could not run from.
With his patience running thin, he said, "Where the heck are you going, Sesshomaru?"
Sesshomaru continued on his way, but said, "Why are you not with your wife, half breed?"
Inuyasha froze, feeling as if he had just been struck. No. Not him too!
Kagome's image plagued him, her eyes looking up at him with sweetness and expectation. He imagined her also worried and somewhat distraught from his abandonment.
"Don't have a wife," he muttered, attempting to wave the thoughts away with a swipe of his hand.
Sesshomaru stilled, not turning. Jaken chose instead to speak, whirling around. "Have you gone mad!" He let out a hint of breathiness in his tone. "What do you mean you have no wife?" He cackled, his voice filled with sharpness and bite. "Kagome will not like the sound of that. Have you two gotten into a fight? Ah," he sighed. "The strife that only comes with marriage. How happy I am to remain single, forever at Sesshomaru's side!"
Inuyasha had nothing to say to that. The world had gone mad and he didn't know how to make sense of it. Not even a talk with Kikyou would alleviate this dilemma for he somehow knew that even she was different in this world.
"Shut it, Jaken. I'll kill you," Sesshomaru snapped. While the toad demon began to cry and beg forgiveness, Sesshomaru looked at Inuyasha. "Half breed," he said, this time watching him intently. "You are not well."
"The hell I'm not," he snapped, his voice like a whip, lashing out at the world. "It's not me! It's all you morons acting strange."
Sesshomaru cocked his head, his gaze still unwavering. Inuyasha began to sweat, the stress of this ordeal making him feel exhausted. He needed to find a place to rest, but he could not. Sesshomaru turned away from him, continuing to walk away.
Inuyasha followed. The three of them marched for miles, passing small villages and even camp sites where demons sought to find quiescence. The sun had finally arisen from the horizon, and was nearly hovering above them. Birds flew from their perches, filling the air with music and sound while the bump on his head throbbed, growing warm from the heat.
He had been gone for a long time, and he thought of Kagome once more. What was she doing while he had run away? Send out a search party? She didn't seem the type. Perhaps she would simply wait on his return, trusting in him to keep his promise, though he had broken it long ago.
He failed to pay any attention to his surroundings, so lost in his thoughts. They passed a well, one which was filled with demon bones. Inuyasha caught a whiff of their scents; a putrid stench, swimming with hundreds, if not thousands of villains, who had succumbed to the superiority of various humans and demons alike. Their smells threatened to clog his nostrils. Within them though, Kagome's essence filled him, and he stopped in his tracks.
Why the hell was Sesshomaru returning to Kagome's village? What business did he have venturing here?
"Hey, Sesshomaru! What's the friggin' deal?"
The demon chose not to respond, and ambled away. Inuyasha began to sweat, fighting his desire to flee from the area. He had left this place with the sole purpose of never returning, and yet he found himself there once again, as if drawn.
The villagers, humans he could not remember having ever encountered, saw him walking with Sesshomaru and sent the group smiles. Children even waved a hello to him and he returned the wave out of courtesy.
The woman who'd called herself Kaede came out of her home and saw Inuyasha. She gasped his name, then stomped toward him.
"Where have ye been?" she demanded. "Kagome and I have been looking for ye everywhere! Ye worried the lot of us, ye bounder."
Inuyasha looked into her eye closely, trying to see if she truly was the little girl he remembered. Her eye patch must have come after he had left, but he remembered the color of them, gentle and animated as that of any young child.
She became flustered at his unrelenting gaze, then spoke when Sesshomaru broke their silence.
"Where is Rin?" he asked Kaede.
Kaede faced him and hastily replied. "Inside, Lord Sesshomaru."
To Inuyasha's astonishment, the demon walked into the small and humble abode. Seconds passed before the quiet ended with a piercing scream.
I knew it! I knew he came to harm them. Inuyasha lengthened his claws, letting the fingers cackle and pop at the ready. Lady Kaede called out to him to stop, but he had already begun to run inside the hut.
Inuyasha stopped swiftly when he found his half brother. The villain was standing in front of a young girl, her hair tied to a pony tail on one side. She looked up at Sesshomaru, one hand wrapped with his own; her eyes sparkled with what Inuyasha could only describe as undeniable affection.
His claws shortened and his jaw immediately dropped.
What the fuck?!
The young girl, who could not have been more than sixteen years of age, turned to Inuyasha and beamed at him. But Inuyasha could not take his eyes off of Sesshomaru as the demons' gaze had not yet averted from the girls'.
"Inuyasha!" she practically sang. "How are you? Are you okay? Do you remember me?"
He shook his head, flabbergasted.
The girl waved one hand in front of Inuyasha and he saw Sesshomaru scowl.
I must be dead. I am in hell and I must be dead.
"Have you nothing else to do?" Sesshomaru growled, his voice irate. Despite this, he still had one hand on the girl, their fingers touching as if he never wished to let go.
The girl turned to Sesshomaru and said quietly, "My lord, Inuyasha bumped his head while fighting a worm demon and forgot nearly all of his memories."
At that, Sesshomaru laughed. He finally faced Inuyasha only to mock him. "You let such a weak demon get the best of you? How typical," he said, his disgust for Inuyasha as clear as the day.
The girl let out a small gasp and she placed another hand on Sesshomaru's shoulder, unmistakably comfortable with his touch. "Please do not be too harsh on him, Lord Sesshomaru. He is not well."
He fell silent, his eyes now set only on the girl.
Inuyasha wanted to vomit.
Desperate, he left the hut and sought out someone- anyone. The monk! Yes, the monk. He found him in a house near Kagome's home. His wife was sitting by a fire, resting with twin daughters and a small boy. The monk was adding sticks to the fire, preparing breakfast for his family. Inuyasha stopped by the door and tapped it, the knock quick and anxious. The monk's head perked up and his eyes widened when he saw Inuyasha.
He cleared his throat and gestured for the monk to follow him. He obliged and left his home quietly.
They stopped close to a tree, a few meters away. Inuyasha spoke candidly. "You're a monk right?"
The monk sighed. "I see that you still cannot recall who I am. My name is Miroku and we are friends, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha nodded. "Okay. Sure. But you're a monk right?"
"Yes."
"So you're honest? Like, to a fault?"
"I am only human. Though I strive for purity, there are many things which stop me from-"
"Didn't ask for all that, monk. I just want to know the truth. Please," he added. "I'm lost.
Miroku looked at him with sympathy in his eyes. "I am here, Inuyasha. Ask me anything."
"That woman, the one who tended me. She's my wife?"
"Yes."
Inuyasha inhaled sharply. "For how long?"
"Five years now."
"And how long have I known her?"
"More than eight, I believe."
"How did we meet?"
"I think she would want to explain that to you."
"Please," Inuyasha practically begged. He felt so disoriented right now. Simply had to know who he was.
"She came from the bone eaters well. You were cursed for fifty years before her arrival to remain stuck to a tree, and she lifted that curse from you."
He was cursed? Who could have done such a thing? Only someone with immense power would be able to subdue him in such a way. Perhaps a demon or even a powerful spirit?
"Who cursed me?"
Miroku hesitated briefly before replying. "Lady Kikyou, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha could not believe anything else that came from the monks' mouth. He scowled at the human and turned away from him with a sharp cut. "You lie," he snapped.
Miroku made sure to speak low and carefully so as to not rile him further. "On my life, I tell you the truth. You and lady Kikyou were once very close, but a demon named Naraku caused dissent between the two of you. You wanted to become a full fledged demon, and in order for her to stop you, Lady Kikyou managed to shoot you to a tree."
Inuyasha remembered wanting to become a demon with every fiber of his being once. That's why he had visited Kikyou's village; to snatch away the Shikon jewel, an object known to many to grant any wish its holder desired. But after he met Kikyou, he had lost most of his demonic aspirations and wanted simply to enjoy her company. What could have transpired between them to have caused such a rift? And was it possible to gain her forgiveness if he hurt her?
He turned to Miroku, the man's brown eyes showing nothing but compassion. Inuyasha wondered how close they once had been, sensing the man's affection for him. He was amazed and somewhat warmed by the thought of having a close friend. He'd never had one before.
"Miroku," he said softly, feeling so weak and tired. "Where is Kikyou? Is she really far away?"
The monk flushed profusely, falling into a fit of silence. Inuyasha took it to mean that yes, she truly was gone. Perhaps to somewhere he could not venture off to. Or maybe, he thought. Maybe she is dead.
The idea didn't seem so far fetched. These people-his friends-did not wish to hurt him. They simply wanted him to take care and not act reckless. He could see it in the way the monk looked at him with kindness, and in the way Kagome stood by him, even though his silence saddened her.
Inuyasha's head began to hurt. The world spun around him and the monk managed to catch him before he fell to his knees. He smiled sheepishly. "I think I did too much today."
"I can walk you home," Miroku offered. "You look unwell. It was not wise of you to tax yourself so much."
"I know. I'm just..." Inuyasha frowned. "I'm so confused. I don't know what to think."
The monk paused for a brief moment. Then he asked Inuyasha a very intriguing question. "You must know what is true by now. Why are you so adamant on not believing what is so very apparent?"
The answer came to him swiftly. Because he was frightened of the idea of taking responsibility over another being right now.
He blinked at this admission. What a sorry excuse of a demon he was, if a simple woman scared him off.
"I don't know," he told him. "I'm just... I'm not ready for someone like Kagome." Truth. She was a full grown woman and he was... What was he? Though he was older than her by decades, he did not feel that way. Why, his last recollection was of him admiring a young teenage girl while feeling like the equivalent of a teenage boy. Now he was supposed to take up the mantle of acting like a real man and husband? How could he!
"I've lost too much of my memory to be able to function properly."
Miroku nodded, understanding. "Regardless, we are here to help. Especially your wife." He placed his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, the gesture both warm and reassuring. "You must trust her. She loves you deeply and seeks only to take care of you."
"I can sense that." The way she waited on him to ask her something, anything; seeking only to feel useful and wanted. Inuyasha could understand the sentiment and felt a pang in his heart. Somehow the woman reminded him of himself. After all, if he was lost, how much different could she feel having lost her husband?
This whole situation was a complete tragedy. Kagome was his wife. He was her husband. But he didn't know her and he definitely didn't know how to be a good husband. How would he go about the rest of his days, living with a stranger? A stranger he didn't understand. A stranger whose face besieged his every thought since he first saw her.
A stranger he did not love.