InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Miko's Instincts ❯ A Miko's Instincts Chapter 27 ( Chapter 27 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Naraku's plot revealed. Kagome and the pups are in danger! Can they be saved? Also, baby names for the three pups are revealed. Finally, is it the end of the adventure, or the beginning?

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 10.28.2005 | Pages: 14 | Words: 10.0K | Visits: 4.1K | Status: Completed

A Miko's Instincts Chapter 27

By Majicman

Disclaimer: No, I certainly do not own any of the characters in InuYasha. I do enjoy playing with `em, though.

InuYasha, much to Kagome's amusement, was rushing around their hut like a madman. Fortunately, she had been able to restrain him with a quick sit command the first time he went for Kaede. Kagome doubted the elder miko would have appreciated InuYasha bursting into her hut in the nude. Now her mate was hurriedly jumping into his clothes in preparation for another mad dash.

“Take it easy, InuYasha. It will be hours yet.”

“Feh-feh-feh-feh-feh-feh!”

“Would you settle down?”

“ButthepupsarecomingandIhavetogetKaederightaway!”

“Do I have to say `it' again?”

InuYasha tried to settle down, but was failing miserably. He was sitting on his haunches, panting like a - well - a dog.

Kagome tried not to giggle, but it wasn't easy. “I've only had one contraction, InuYasha. There's plenty of time. Why don't you take a couple of deep breaths to compose yourself and then get Kaede?”

“Berightback!”

Kagome sighed. Was it her imagination or was her hanyou getting faster? “Might as well get Sango,” she thought as she struggled to her feet and exited her home. She made her way to the hut next door and, standing outside, called out, “Sango…Sango!”

The sounds of stirring came from within. “Kagome?”

“Yes, Sango, it's me.”

Finally the taijiya's head cleared. “Is it time?”

“Yup.”

Kagome waited while Sango hurriedly pulling on a kimono and emerged from her hut. “How many contractions so far?”

“Only one.” Kagome looked past Sango. “Isn't Miroku up yet?”

Sango blushed. “Well…umm…you see…I kind of wore him out.”

Kagome laughed. “I know. This time, you two got us started. In fact, I think that's what started my contractions.”

“Where's InuYasha?”

“He went to get…”

Both girls heard Kaede's voice coming closer. “Would you put me down, baka?” InuYasha was rapidly approaching, carrying Kaede bridal-style. Apparently he had abducted the elder miko in her sleeping garment and she was having considerable difficulty keeping herself decently covered. Finally the hanyou put her down in front of Kagome and Sango.

“Would you two stop laughing?”

“We can't help it, Kaede,” said Sango.

“Oooh.”

“Kagome?”

“That's two.”

“How far apart?” asked Kaede.

“Under 15 minutes?”

Both Kaede and Sango looked at Kagome. “InuYasha,” said Kaede, “best you bring your mate to my hut. I have everything I need there.”

By this time, Miroku had woken up, pulled on his robe and emerged to join everyone. “Lady Kagome's in labor?”

Sango took her palm and struck Miroku in the forehead. “Duh.”

Kaede looked at InuYasha. “I told you to get going.” InuYasha picked up his mate and rushed off. Kaede turned to Sango. “Come along. I'll need you to get the midwife. Besides, Kagome will want you nearby.”

“What about me?” asked Miroku. “I could get the midwife.”

“NO!” yelled both Kaede and Sango.

Naraku sat outside Onigumo's cave watching the scene his Saimyoushou relayed to him.

“Time, is it? Ku-ku-ku-ku-ku. Yes, it's time.”

There was a glow and Naraku's person seemed to melt, then reform. Standing in his place was a perfect copy of Kaede. Only one thing was needed to complete the deception. Naraku pulled on an eye patch and started towards the village.

Kagome lay on a futon in Kaede's hut. InuYasha hovered over her nervously, looking outside every few seconds. “Where are they?”

“They're not as fast as you are, InuYasha. I'm sure they'll be along an a minute…uhhhhh.”

“Kagome!”

“Looks like your pups can't wait to be born.” Kagome smiled at her mate. “Come here. Help me breathe.”

InuYasha raced to his mate's side and held her hand. “Breathe in, breathe out…breathe in, breathe out.”

Kaede entered the hut. “How are ye doing, child?”

“Okay,” answered Kagome, “but it seems like these pups are in a hurry to be born.”

“Aye, they're as impulsive as your husband.” Kaede turned to InuYasha. “I'd appreciate it if you left for a few minutes.”

“I ain't leavin'!”

“Kagome?”

“I'm not sitting him for that, Kaede-baba.”

“Very well, but I'd like some privacy to get dressed. Your husband didn't give me the chance before.”

“Ahh, right. InuYasha?”

“Feh! I'll be close by.” The hanyou left the hut and waited outside.

Miroku was waiting outside. Sango brushed passed him with the midwife in tow. She moved pretty well for a girl who was only a week behind Kagome in her pregnancy.

“What are you doing out here, InuYasha?” asked the monk.

“Feh! Gotta let Kaede get dressed.”

Miroku laughed. “You did kind of rush her back to your home, you know. I bet that's the fastest she's moved in years.”

“Feh!”

Kaede poked her head out the door. “I need ye to fetch some water and set it to boiling for me, InuYasha.” The elder miko turned and went back in to join Kagome, Sango and the midwife.

Kagome was laughing. “Doctors do that to nervous husbands where I live too.”

“What are you talking about, child?” said Kaede. “I just want tea.”

“Oh.”

InuYasha brought the water up to where Miroku had gotten the fire started. He poured the water into a pot, set it over the fire and sat down, lost in thought.

“Worried?” asked Miroku.

“Yeah. That bastard, Naraku, is out there somewhere…and I don't know what he's up to!”

“Would you like me to place a ward…”

“Ahem.”

InuYasha and Miroku looked up to find Kaede standing behind them. “It seems we need your help, InuYasha.”

“More water?”

“Water? No, this is serious.”

“Is Lady Kagome in trouble, Kaede-sama?” asked Miroku.

Kaede held a dry-looking leaf in front of the hanyou. “I need you to find fresh leaves like this for me, InuYasha.”

“Wh-What for?”

“I know this plant,” said the monk. “It helps stop bleeding.”

“That's right.” Kaede turned back to InuYasha. “Your mate seems to be losing too much blood and I am worried. I believe you'll find this plant about halfway to the slayers' village.”

“But it will take a couple of hours!”

“Aye, I know. But she'll bleed even more after delivery.”

“Let me get Kirara,” offered Miroku.

InuYasha, Miroku and Kirara were on their way, top speed, to retrieve the medicinal leaves when the Kaede they had been talking with turned and walked between two huts. There was a glow and Kaede's person seemed to melt, then reform. Standing in her place was a perfect copy of InuYasha.

This InuYasha smirked, then poked his head into Kaede's hut. “Sorry to bother you, but one of the pregnant girls on the other side of the village has gone into labor, but the baby's not coming out. She seems to be in great pain.”

Kaede grimaced. “Sounds like a breach birth.” She turned to Kagome. “You should have at least an hour left. I hate to leave you, but only one with miko powers can turn the baby the right way.”

Kagome smiled weakly. “I'll be okay. May InuYasha come in and stay with me now?”

Kaede looked at InuYasha. She was still a little upset about how the hooligan had kidnapped her earlier, but she wouldn't keep the mates apart because of a small thing like that. “Of course, child. I will be back soon.” Kaede raced off to the opposite side of the village.

InuYasha pulled Sango aside. “I know Kagome would want you here, but we are having difficulty keeping Shippo away. Perhaps you could reason with him?”

“Of course. There's a little time yet. I'll find him and we'll have a talk,” replied Sango.

InuYasha waited till the taijiya was out of earshot, then looked at the midwife. “Leave us.”

“But she could deliver at any time.”

“I said…leave us!” InuYasha put his hand on the hilt of his katana. “I wish to be alone with my mate!”

“Of course.” The midwife looked at him strangely and raced off to find Kaede.

“In-InuYasha?” gasped Kagome.

“We need to talk,” said InuYasha.

Where was he going? Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed in annoyance. It wasn't that he cared that much about what happened to Jaken, but he did care that others understood that he took his responsibilities seriously. And if Jaken was one of his responsibilities, so be it. Sesshomaru smiled. At least it didn't mean he couldn't get rid of the pest himself someday.

So this time when Jaken had crept off, Sesshomaru had followed at a discreet distance. He even made sure to stay downwind of the imp. Not that it mattered much. All the times Jaken had warned him about approaching youkai, Sesshoumaru had already known they were there long before. No, Jaken would not detect him.

But why was his retainer traveling to InuYasha's village? And, as disgusting as it was…Sesshomaru sniffed again, why did the imp smell…excited?

Kaede had reached the other side of the village and was frantically searching for the hut with the mother in trouble when the midwife found her. “What are ye doing here? Ye should be with Kagome.”

“I was, Kaede-sama, but InuYasha sent me away.”

“What be that ye say?”

“He seemed very angry. He even threatened to draw his katana.”

“That does not sound like something InuYasha would do,” Kaede thought. Of course, InuYasha had been the one to send her on what now looked like a wild goose chase…and he had sent the midwife away when she was needed most. This was beginning to look like…

“Naraku,” she hissed.

“What was that, Kaede-sama?”

“'Tis Naraku,” said Kaede. “He deceived my sister and InuYasha so those years ago. Now he plays with us all! Quickly, quickly! We must hurry back! Kagome and her babies are in danger!”

“InuYasha.”

“Yes, monk?”

Ever since InuYasha, Miroku and Kirara had hurried off to find the medicinal leaves, there was something bothering the monk. I couldn't quite put his finger on it…yet.

“Did you notice anything…strange…about Kaede?”

“What do you mean?”

“I'm not sure. The whole time we were talking with her, there was something nagging at me.”

“I was a little surprised she sent us away when she did,” said InuYasha. “Besides, Kaede's not one to be caught unprepared. I was surprised she didn't already have plenty of those leaves.”

“True. But there was something else. I'm sure of it.”

“Well, she's a strange old hag…and sometimes the way she looks at me gives me the creeps.”

“That's it, InuYasha! The way she looks at you!”

“Huh?”

“Think, InuYasha. Over which eye does Kaede-sama wear her patch?”

“Why, over her…right eye.”

“Yet the Kaede we talked with had a patch over her…”

“…left eye.” InuYasha's eyes widened. “Naraku!”

“You go ahead, InuYasha! We'll…”

The hanyou was already out of sight.

“…catch up.”

“What is it, Kaede-sama?” asked the midwife.

“A barrier. A powerful one.” Kaede scowled. “Naraku's in there.”

“What can we do?”

“We must wait till InuYasha returns and can break the barrier with his Red Tetsusaiga. And we must pray it will not be too late.”

Kagome looked at her mate questioningly. “What is it that we must talk about, InuYasha?” Kagome smiled. “Perhaps you'd like to discuss names again?”

“Names? No. I don't think so. Not for these…mongrels.”

“Wh-What?”

“Listen to me, Kagome. I have found a witch who can cast a spell so that the next pups we have will be pure youkai.”

“What are you saying, InuYasha?”

“It's simple. I will kill these…”

“InuYasha!”

“…mongrels…and give them to the witch. She will use them to make our next pups full youkai.”

Kagome stared at InuYasha.

“Imagine. The pups of a worthless hanyou and a weak human will be full youkai!”

Kagome looked at the creature that was in the hut with her. This was not her InuYasha.

“Now I will help you deliver these pups and destroy them,” said the creature as it reached out to touch her belly.

There was a blinding flash of pink light and the creature's arms were severed just below the elbows.

“Impudent wench,” the creature hissed.

“Naraku.”

Naraku's arms reformed and reattached to his body. “So you know who I am.” Naraku frowned. “I was going to turn you against your worthless mate and claim you for my own. Imagine, miko, your powers and mine combined. We would rule forever.”

“I don't think so, Naraku.” Kagome shot out another blast of miko energy, slicing off Naraku's left leg and causing him to fall over. After his leg reformed and reattached, Naraku started to get up. Kagome cut off his right leg and he fell over again.

“Would you cut that out?” yelled Naraku. “You know I can just keep reforming forever. You're wasting your time.”

Kagome started sending out blast after blast of miko energy.

“What are you trying to cut off now, wench?”

“Would you hold still? It's a small target.”

Naraku blanched. “After I get rid of those worthless pups of yours, I'll show you…it's the motion of the ocean.”

“Got it.”

“Damn you!”

Naraku finally dropped the InuYasha disguise and watched as his…member…reformed.

“Here, let me help you with that,” said Kagome, smiling. The miko used her power to increase the size of the detached part of the evil hanyou and started it floating back to him.

“Don't think you can buy my favor, miko.”

“Wouldn't think of it.” Kagome smiled wickedly. “You see, Kaeda has been helping me with my miko powers…and I've gotten pretty good.” Kagome pointed at the detached part, then pointed at his…”

“What do you think you're doing, wench?” Naraku's eyes widened as his detached member, now seemingly with a mind of its own, started edging towards him. Naraku looked down as it floated just above the ground till it came to his hakamas…then flew up one leg.

Naraku reached down quickly and pulled the material tight around his upper leg. The evil hanyou was now hopping around the hut while his detached member tried its best to get to where the sun didn't shine. Finally, the evil hanyou was able to pin the offending member to his leg and reabsorb it. A few moments later, the now-enlarged member reappeared in its proper position. “Nice try, wench.”

“Could have accomplished the same thing by letting it go where it wanted, you know,” said Kagome. Unfortunately, her contractions were now minutes apart and the next one just happened to hit at that moment. “Uuuuhhhhhh.”

Naraku took the opportunity to push Kagome back onto the futon. “First I shall destroy these.” He put his hand on her pregnant belly. “Then you.”

Kagome's miko energy raged at Naraku. “Ku-ku-ku-ku-ku! I am prepared for that now, miko. You may be powerful, but I am Naraku!”

He laughed. “And you can't destroy me, anyway, because my heart is not here.”

Sesshomaru frowned. He had been successful in tracking Jaken to this cave near InuYasha's village, yet the imp had disappeared. This wasn't possible…unless…

The Great Lord of the Western Lands entered the cave and descended into its depths. He continued forward until…what was that? It looked like a part of him had disappeared right before his eyes. Sesshomaru backed off, smiling in satisfaction. It was as he had thought.

Sesshomaru made up his mind and stepped forward boldly. He was now in the protected sphere of one of Naraku's shield stones…and there, before his eyes, was Jaken…and what looked like a ceramic statue of that undead miko. And Jaken was…it was unspeakable!

“Jaken! Off!” shouted Sesshomaru.

Suddenly the imp stopped what he was doing and jumped to attention before his master.

“Put some pants on, Jaken.”

“Y-Yes, my lord.”

“What you have been doing is vile and offensive, Jaken. I am inclined to end your miserable life here and now.”

“Oh, please, master!” begged the imp.

“You will return to the castle immediately.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I will take care of this.”

“No, my lord.”

“What did you say?”

“Yes, my lord. Of course, my lord. Whatever you say, my lord.”

“Get going.”

Jaken left, grumbling and rubbing his head.

Sesshomaru looked back at the statue of Kikyo. What should he do with it?

InuYasha arrived back at Kaede's hut to find the elder miko and the midwife waiting for him.

“Quickly, InuYasha!” shouted Kaede. “Naraku is inside that barrier with your mate! You must use Red Tetsusaiga to break through!”

Miroku rode up on Kirara just as InuYasha was ready to swing. He examined the barrier closely. “No, InuYasha! You must not do it!”

“Out of the way, bouzu! Kagome's in there with Naraku…and our pups!” The hanyou seemed on the verge of tears.

“It's the barrier, InuYasha,” said Miroku. “It's been tuned to respond to your Red Tetsusaiga. The energy of your attack will destroy anything inside! You might get Naraku, but you'll surely get Kagome and your pups, too!”

InuYasha stared at the barrier. What could he do?

Inside the barrier, Naraku pressed on Kagome's belly. “Why don't I help you force them out, miko? It will be my pleasure to see you in pain. But don't worry. I won't kill you till all that worthless hanyou's bastards are dead.”

Kagome's miko powers elevated and her attack gained in power.

“Impressive, but still not nearly enough.” The evil hanyou had to strain a little to block her attack.

But why did he feel such pain in the hand on her belly? Naraku looked down and there were three circles of light glowing from inside the miko.

“What's this?”

One circle was red, one blue and one green. The glow from each grew stronger till the beams came together to form one column of white light. Kagome felt, rather than heard, three voices that seemed to say, “Protect Mommy.”

The white light struck Naraku in the chest, where it seemed to pool, then expand, over his body.

With great difficulty, Naraku used his own strength to push back the white aura. “You cannot defeat me, wench,” he screamed. He couldn't repel the white aura, but he did battle it to a standstill. “I am Naraku. You cannot defeat me.”

Kagome looked up at Naraku. She couldn't keep this up long, even with the pups' help. With her miko powers, she could sense that her mate was just outside Naraku's barrier. All she needed was a little more strength.

She reached up and started stroking her mark.

Outside the barrier, InuYasha suddenly reached for his mark.

“What's going on?” asked Miroku.

“It…It's Kagome. When she touches her mark, I feel it.”

“She needs your support, InuYasha,” said Kaede.

“Huh?”

“Don't you get it? She wants you to send her your support. Don't your marks work both ways?”

“Oh…yeah.”

InuYasha started stroking his mark and picturing Kagome in his mind. In just a few moments, he felt a connection. But there was more than Kagome there. There were…

“The pups.”

“Huh?” said Miroku.

“I can feel both Kagome and the pups. They've fought Naraku to a standstill in there. But Kagome's getting tired.”

“Well, give her your support!” shouted Miroku.

“I'm trying, bouzu!”

Kaede grabbed InuYasha's shoulders. “Ye must concentrate not only on moral support, but also on sending her your energy. Your mate is a miko. She can channel your energy. Ye must send it to her now!”

InuYasha nodded, stroked his mark again and concentrated on his mate.

Inside Kaede's hut, Kagome smiled as she felt InuYasha's power flow to her. She looked straight at Naraku and smiled. “Now, Naraku,” she said, “it is time to pay for all you've done, all the suffering you have caused.” She added InuYasha's strength to her own and the white light flared at Naraku, enveloping him completely.

“You cannot defeat me. Even if you destroy this body, I shall build a new, stronger one. My heart is safe.”

Back at Onigumo's cave, Sesshomaru had finally decided what to do with the ceramic miko. “The undead miko never should have been brought back into this world,” he thought. “It's not right to allow this image of her to continue its existence. Especially with Jaken doing that to it.”

To a casual observer, it would appear that the Great Lord of the Western Lands was agonizing at the thought of what Jaken had done. To someone standing closer, it would appear that for the first time in hundreds of years, Sesshomaru was laughing hysterically.

With that, Sesshomaru raised Toukijin and obliterated the offending statue.

Back inside Kaede's hut, Kagome watched as a stunned look appeared upon Naraku's face. He had been laughing about how they could never defeat him. A moment later, he appeared to mouth the words “my heart” - and turned to ash. The barrier around Kaede's hut disappeared and the ashes blew away, just like with any other demon they had fought.

Miroku gasped and looked at his hand. He carefully removed the prayer beads and the protective cover.

There was no hole.

Miroku whooped and danced. “I must get Sango,” he declared and ran off to find his wife, InuYasha and Kaede looking after him.

“Hello-o-o,” came a voice from within Kaede's hut. “There are pups being born in here!”

InuYasha, Kaede and the midwife dashed into the hut.

Kagome lay, gasping, on the futon. Her water had broken during the fight with Naraku and now one of the pups heads was beginning to crown.

“Stand aside, InuYasha,” said Kaede.

“But…”

“How many babies have ye delivered, InuYasha?”

“But…”

Kaede sighed. “Stand on her other side and hold her hand.”

“The first one's a boy,” called out the midwife as she cut the cord and wrapped the baby in swaddling. “Puppy ears and all. Seems to have a slight red cast to him, too.”

InuYasha continued to hold Kagome's hand, telling her how “effing great” she was doing. Kagome just smiled. It wouldn't be InuYasha if he didn't swear.

After just a few more minutes, the second pup emerged.

“A girl. Also with puppy ears,” called out the midwife as she again cut the umbilical cord and wrapped the new arrival in a warm blanket. “Seems to have a slight green cast to her.”

I'm having a little difficulty with the third one, InuYasha,” said Kaede, a look of concern showing.

Kagome smiled up at InuYasha and held his hand tighter, asking to borrow just a little more of his strength. Her aura grew in power.

“The baby seems to be turning the proper way, now. Yes, here is its head. And…here you go...you have another boy.”

The midwife once again pursued her duties by cutting the cord and wrapping the baby in a warm cover. “A slight blue cast to this one.”

Kagome looked up at her mate with a tired but happy smile. “Could you ask Sango and Miroku to come in? I want them to see our pups, and to hear the names we have chosen.”

The monk and the taijiya, who had been waiting outside patiently, rushed into the hut right away. Sango immediately rushed to her friend's side, then to the babies.

“Just think, Sango,” said Kagome. “In a week or two, I may be helping you deliver your child.”

“And it won't have a Kazaana.” Miroku beamed.

“InuYasha and I have chosen names for our pups and I wanted our friends to be the first to hear them.”

Kagome asked for each of their pups to be brought to her in turn. “Our first born son shall be named Akamaru.” She handed the child back to InuYasha, who set him down and got the girl for his mate. “The second born, our daughter, shall be named Midoriko. Yes, after the priestess. We wanted to honor her.” InuYasha took back the girl, set her down, and handed Kagome the third child. “And this young man shall be named Aoimaru.” Kagome yawned and handed the third baby back to her mate, who put him down with his siblings.

“Now, I need to rest…and I hope you don't mind if I ask all of you to leave for just a few hours.”

Everyone understood and began filing out of the hut.

“Not you, dog boy!” shouted Kagome.

InuYasha turned back to his mate.

“If you think chasing Naraku around was a pain, wait till these three get bigger.

A/N: I hope you liked the birth chapter. Sango and Miroku and Sesshomaru and Kagura will all have their children in the epilogue.

Credit for the names goes to Okaasan-7. Since I had written about the spheres of light being red, green and blue, her suggestions fit perfectly. My understanding is that Akamaru means Red Circle or Red Perfection (Aka = red, maru = circle, or perfection, as the circle is a symbol of perfection), Midoriko means Green Child (Midori = green, ko = child), and Aoimaru means Blue Circle or Blue Perfection.

Interestingly enough, in pre-World War II Japan, green and blue were considered shades of each other, so my choices or red, green and blue became a little awkward. In mixing light, however, those colors together in equal amounts make a white light (which I saw as purity versus Naraku's evil).

At the end of the epilogue, I will reveal the title for my next story, which will be rated R (or, I guess, Y).

I should note that I am tempted to write a sequel to this story…and I will do so if there's a call for it. I do want to write the aforementioned story first, though. Hope you don't mind. Should have it done by Christmas, I think.

Again, many thanks for all your reviews. I look forward to your future comments. Thank you!