InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Child's Wish ❯ Could it be? ( Chapter 2 )

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha. While the plot and the lovely little Takara are my creations, everything else belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I make no profit off this, and do it only for my own enjoyment and hopefully yours.

 

Chapter 2 - Could it be?

 

The next morning started normally enough. Inuyasha and Takara had breakfast with Miroku, Sango and their children; something they did more often than not, seeing as Inuyasha's cooking skills were pretty much limited to fish-on-a-stick or instant ramen. As they ate, Sango found herself watching Inuyasha closely. She had still not told her friend that his daughter knew about Kagome, or at least a little. She knew Inuyasha had wanted to spare his daughter the pain of her death, but she had always thought that was a bad idea and the Takara should have been told about her mother long before now. From the look of things, Inuyasha didn't know yet, and Sango was reluctant to bring it up. In the end though, Sango decided it would be better for her to tell Inuyasha before he found out on his own. So, once breakfast was over, the children had been sent out to play and the dishes were washed, Sango moved to bring it up. However, she never got a chance, as just as she opened her mouth one of the village women ran in, calling for Inuyasha.

 

“Inuyasha-sama!” She panted, coming to a stop before him. “Inuyasha-sama, I was down by the river, about to do some washing, when I came across a young woman lying unconscious on the river bank. I don't know whom she is, and she doesn't seem to be hurt, but she's naked and I couldn't wake her up. I didn't know what to do.”

 

“I'll go tell Kaede.” Miroku said as he quickly hurried out the door.

 

Inuyasha glanced at Sango who quickly nodded her head and made shooing motions towards the door. “I'll watch Takara for you. Go!” Inuyasha nodded his thanks before bounding out the door to do just that.

 

A minute later, Takara come in looking confused. “Where'd Daddy run off too?”

 

“There's a woman hurt down by the river.” Sango explained. “Your daddy went off to see if he could help.”

 

Takara nodded, she knew her daddy was the village protector and always tried to help people. She hoped the woman was okay.

 

###

 

Inuyasha raced down to the river as fast as he could. Even if the woman didn't appear to be hurt, naked and lying unconscious on the riverbank? That couldn't be a good sign.

 

As Inuyasha approached the river, he smelt something familiar in the air, and for a moment his mind refused to acknowledge what it was. When it did seep into his disbelieving brain what he smelt, he almost fell over in shock.

 

No, it can't be! He tortured heart cried. She dead and nothing can bring her back, I can't think like that. It's just something that smells similar, that's all. Still trying to convince himself, Inuyasha continued towards the river.

 

When Inuyasha arrived, he saw a young woman lying on the bank who he assumed was the one who had been hurt. She was lying on her side facing away from him, wearing an old kimono that he realised the village woman must have wrapped her in for the sake of modesty. He figured it must have been one of the things she had been planning on washing, seeing as it was rather dirty and didn't smell too great either. It didn't cover that wonderful smell that brought back so many memories that he was currently trying to suppress though.

 

Kneeling by the young woman's side was one of the older village women, Ishi. Inuyasha recognised her instantly as the mother of the boy Kagome had fished out of the river while they were chasing the Corpse Crow that had stolen the Jewel. Inuyasha tried to push that memory out of his mind too. He couldn't help it; it was that damn smell, the one that was so much like Kagome's. Everything was reminding him of her, but he couldn't afford that right now. If he allowed himself to indulge in his memories, he knew he would likely break down crying and he couldn't allow that. Besides the fact that no one is ever meant to see a man cry, he couldn't let himself break down while there were people who needed him. It was what Kagome would have wanted.

 

Ishi noticed he was there and stood up to bow to him. She seemed rather nervous for some reason, although Inuyasha couldn't for the life of him figure out why. It wasn't like the two of them were on bad terms or anything. Well, sure her niece had expressed a brief interest in him, which he hadn't returned, but she had gotten over him quickly enough and married a merchant from a nearby village. There was no reason Ishi would hold a grudge over that, was there? And it wasn't like she was still upset over him basically dumping her son into the river while going after the Corpse Crow, she long ago forgiven him for that.

 

“Inuyasha-sama.” Ishi said, nervously wringing her hands. “Kiku should not have sent for you, we could take care of the girl without your help.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Inuyasha asked, confused as he stepped closer to the unconscious woman. “I always help out in instances like this, you know that.”

 

“It's… it's just… Inuyasha-sama forgive Kiku if it upsets you, she didn't realise how much she resembles her!” Ishi said as Inuyasha moved to kneel by the unconscious woman's side, sounding somewhat frantic and not making a whole lot of sense. “She was gone before I could stop her, I was so shocked by how much they look alike. She never meet her, you know she only moved to this village three years ago after all.”

 

“What are you babbling about?” Inuyasha asked, confused and exasperated. However and he reached over and gently rolled the woman onto her back, he had his answer as his heart stopped beating.

 

This woman, she looked exactly like Kagome, just as he remembered her from the morning before she was killed. The only difference was that unlike the Kagome from his memory, this one was clearly not pregnant and had the slim figure of a maiden. That, and this woman's face was somewhat dirty, although someone had clearly made an effort to clean her. But other than that, she was prefect, and Inuyasha felt a single tear run down his face despite his best efforts.

 

Seeing the tear, Ishi instantly panicked and started babbling apologies that Inuyasha only half heard. His thoughts were in chaos, as his heart and mind tried to make sense of what his senses were telling him.

 

After a full minute had past, so suddenly that Ishi let out a started yelp, Inuyasha scooped the young woman up and started running full speed back to Kaede's. No matter who this woman was she needed to have the old hag look at her.

 

But… who was she? Was this all just one more dream of Kagome coming back to? Would he wake up in a moment to the bitter reality that Kagome was forever out of his reach? No, this felt far too real to be a dream. So then, was she some kind of reincarnation? Granted she was too old to be Kagome's reincarnation, seeing as she was at least twenty and Kagome had only died five years ago… but then again, Kikyo had likely been reincarnated a couple more times before she eventually became Kagome, right? But, if that was the case why did she look and smell exactly like his beloved Kagome? For all that Kikyo and Kagome were similar in looks, scents and power, there were still differences between them, differences that he couldn't see now. Reincarnation really didn't make sense in this case. So was this all some crazy, heart-wrenching coincidence, or could it be that this really was Kagome, somehow, back from the dead and back in his arms? No, he told himself firmly as Kaede's hut came into sight, no he couldn't allow himself to think like that, he was only setting himself up to be hurt so much more. No.

 

Arriving at Keade's hut and barging in without knocking as usual, he wasn't surprised to see that Kaede was already at work laying out the herbs she thought she might need. However, Inuyasha did pause at the sight of Miroku helping the old Miko, and shifted the woman in his arms slightly so that the monk couldn't see her face. It was bad enough that he had to see her and be reminded of Kagome so much; his friends didn't need to suffer the same. He wouldn't have even brought her here for Kaede to see if it wasn't for the fact that she knew so much more about human illnesses and injuries than he did.

 

Tersely, Inuyasha told Miroku to get back to his Mate and pups, refusing to put down the young woman in his arms or let him see her. Miroku was more than a little confused by the Hanyou's request and expression, but as this seemed important to his friend and knowing he could be of little help anyway, Miroku left without a word.

 

Kaede was also confused, and was about to ask Inuyasha to explain himself when he gently put the young woman down on the futon she had set up, and she choked on her words. By all the Kami, this woman looked so much like Kagome! No wonder Inuyasha was so upset! Fighting back her tears, Kaede quickly went to work examining the young woman, while Inuyasha stood back, refusing to leave the hut. She found no sign of injury or disease, but she did notice one thing about her (besides her looks) that was somewhat disturbing.

 

“Inuyasha.” Kaede said hesitantly. “Ye did not use the Jewel to wish Kagome back to life did ye?”

 

Inuyasha looked taken back by the question. “I… I thought about it in the past, after Sesshomaru told me he couldn't bring her back using Tenseiga. I never tried though, I was always too afraid the Jewel would twist my wish around.”

 

“The reason I ask is because I sense the Jewel's power on this girl.” Kaede said. “It's faint, very faint, but it's there.”

 

“What?” Inuyasha demanded. “But the Jewel's been sealed away for years.”

 

“Have ye seen it lately, Inuyasha?”

 

“No.” Inuyasha said, suddenly feeling nervous. “Once you sealed the damn thing away, I never wanted to look at it again.”

 

“Perhaps ye should go check to see if it is still there, child.” Kaede said, both worried and hopeful. Before she was even finished speaking, however, Inuyasha was out the door and running at full speed back to his own hut. Rushing past stunned villagers he reached his and Takara's home before hurrying inside and into his own room. Grabbing the box in question out of his chest of clothes (nearly empty as he preferred his Fire Rat ensemble more than any other clothes), he did what he had five years ago sworn he would never do and opened it. He didn't know whether he was surprised or not to see that it was empty.

 

He ran back to Kaede's hut, ignoring the villagers' calls asking him what was wrong, and quickly told the old Miko the news.

 

“What does all this mean, old hag?” He demanded.

 

His language didn't offend Kaede; it had clearly been a tiring morning for the Hanyou. “I… I think that this woman might really be Kagome.” She said, her voice betraying both her joy and her fear.

 

“But that's impossible, I never made that wish!” Inuyasha cried. He wanted so badly for it to be true, but couldn't bear to have his heart broken if he got his hopes up to discover it was wrong.

 

“Maybe not out loud.” Kaede said. “But if the desirers of the heart were strong enough, it is possible that the Jewel somehow heard them and made them come true. That would explain why the Jewel was gone, your love for Kagome may have very well been enough to purify the Jewel. I understand why ye are afraid Inuyasha, but this young woman might very well be our beloved Kagome brought back to us. Tell me, is her scent the same, as well as her looks?”

 

Inuyasha couldn't answer in words, and instead only nodded.

 

“I thought so.” Kaede said. “Of course, we can not tell for sure until she awakens and we are able to see if she knows us.”

 

At that moment, the young woman in question let out a low moan and opened her eyes slightly.