InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Sealed Fate ❯ Chapter 6

“Kikyou…”

The dead miko stood before him, her black hair flowing with the wind. She made light, yet determined steps to the dog demon who seemed frozen to his place. She gave what she hoped was a warm smile.

“InuYasha…” She let her words trail off as she drank in the sight of him. She liked him best when he was caught off guard; it reminded her of the early days when he it had been just the two of them trying to forge a place in the world. He was always so unsure of how to proceed with her then. Seeing his discomfort brought her back to a secure place.

“W-What are you doing here?”

“Is it not obvious? I came to speak with you, Inuyasha. The last we met, I told you I would be back soon to finish our discussion.”

The hanyou blinked twice trying to keep up with her. He had forgotten that she had told him that they would be paid another visit.

“I see that the girl is not here. This is good. I do not wish to be interrupted. Is she nearby?” She asked, hate seeping into her tone at the last sentence.

Inuyasha began to panic. Was this it? Was she finally coming to take his soul to Hell?

“They are back at the village… I jut needed a little air.”

Kikyou nodded in understanding.

“It is already late. I doubt that troublesome girl would come wandering into the woods at this hour by herself.”

Inuyasha almost, almost blurted out that that was exactly the kind of thing his dumb bitch would do. She couldn't help getting herself into dangerous. But his quick tongue was bitten by his even quicker fang. Had he said that, Kikyou would request a location change, and he didn't want to chance…

“What is it you want Kikyou?”

“Inuyasha, the time has come…”

He waited, breath hitching in his throat.

“…We can no longer go out separate ways. To defeat Naraku, we must band together. From this day forward, I will accompany you. Always.”

~.~

Kagome had not paid any mind when she returned from her bath and did not find a disgruntled hanyou. She had expected it. After all, they had just had it out not too long ago. And when the hour grew later and there still didn't seem to be a sign of him, she felt a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that perhaps she should look for him, but she decided to ignore it. He often stayed outside on the nights that they stayed in villagers huts; he felt cramped in or unwelcome and found solace in the trees. But he almost always alerted the group of his whereabouts.

So she had stayed up. First slumped against the wall, facing the door to catch him in the act of returning, later laying on her futon, finally closing her eyes and perking her ears up for any sound of him.

Yet it was silent.

As dawn began to break, she had reached her limit. She had to go and find him. Rising carefully so as not to wake her companions, she pulled on a sweater to protect her from the chill of the morning air. She lifted the mat to the door and stepped out into the beauty of feudal era Japan at daybreak.

The first thing she did was scan the trees. Even though he would likely bee too high up for her to glance easily, she somehow always managed to sense his aura, guiding her like a compass. She felt an immediate sting of fear cross her as she realized that the dog demon was not nearby.

For a moment she contemplated making rounds on the village, but she knew that the only reason he would do that would be to make a quick patrol. But he had only done that at the village by her well; she doubted that he would do one here when he was so eager to move on. So walked forward to the forests edge, knowing that if Inuyasha was to retreat, it would be into the safety of the woods.

Kagome rubbed her hands over her arms, trying to bring a little warmth to her upper half.

`Inuyasha… Where are you?'

It was a question that seemed to be answered instantaneously. The figures of Inuyasha and Kilyou made their way towards her.

Suddenly she couldn't breathe. Again. AGAIN she had caught them together in an intimate moment. She took two, three blundering steps backwards unable to take her eyes off them and run. What were the doing? They were heading in the direction of the village?

Inuyashas eyes were trained on the ground, his entire exsistence felt heavy. He was unaware of the sounds of the earth beneath his feet, the birds ushering in the dawn or she rustle of fabic belonging to the walking clay miko beside him. He was in shock.

It was only when the wind blew a sweet fragrance his way that his senses seemed to snap back to attention. His ears swiveled and he caught the sounds of her unsure footing. He lifted stare and found himself locked in a gaze. He opened his mouth to say something… anything…

“K…Kagome…”

It wasn't enough; it didn't convey what he wanted it too. It didn't tell her that he was unhappy about this arrangement, that his brief safe haven of happiness that Kagome had created for him was gone. He already mourned its passing. He wanted to scream that he had no choice, that his life wasn't his to make decisions with, that he owed it to her to grant this request. That he loved her, not Kikyou. That his demon blood was boing and scorching his veins that he was betraying his mate. He was so over flowing with the things he wanted to say.

And yet all he could struggle to blurt out was her name.

And it told her everything she needed to know. Without saying anything more, Kagome knew that Kikyou had made the move. No longer were they to be in limbo.

Kagome didn't know what to do. He had seen her. She she run? Should she stand her ground? She bit her lip. No matter what she wanted to do, it seemed as if her body had made a decision for her. She suddenly felt like her legs were jello. It took all she had not to crumble to the ground. She could feel the tears glaze over her eyes, but she refused to spill them. She would allow herself that comfort when she bury her head in her pillows at home. She couldn't explain why, but she knew that if she cried in front of Kikyou it would be irreparable.

“What are you doing here Kagome?” He asked, his voice low and drained.

“You… You didn't come back to the hut last night. I thought that because of the… I was worried…”

This made Kikyou arch an eyebrow.

“Did you have a quarrel, Inuyasha? How petty.”

“No, it wasn't like that.” Kagome answered tightly.

“It matters not. From this day forward, I will be accompanying Inuyasha; it is our destiny to destroy Naraku and complete the Shikon jewel.”

~.~

She had known this was coming. She could tell from the moment that she laid eye on the pair. When Kikyou delievered the news, all she could do was turn her head nod times. When Inuyasha made a move to get her attention, she did the only thing she could think of-

She plastered a happy smile to her face, so fake and large she was sure she was going to cramp.

“That's great! You guys better go tell the others. It's such a beautiful morning I think I'm going to stay out here for a little while and enjoy it.”

Inuyasha was thrown aback. She was smiling? She was okay with this? He feared her reaction the most and she was encouraging it? He felt a sudden rush of anger that she couldn't muster up an ounce of jealously that his dead girlfriend was invading their space. Fuck HE was mad. Why wasn't she?

“-Kagome-“

She still had the ridiculous smile in place, but her eyes held such a mixture of hurt and anger, swirling into a storm like he had never seen before. He leaned back as if expecting her reach out and strangle him. She held his gaze and said in an upbeat tone:

“Go, Inuyasha!”

“But Kago-“

“Inuyasha, let us leave this girl be. It is none of our business how she intends to spend her morning.” She began to walk, and noticing that the hanyous foot steps did not follow hers, she turned to look over her shoulder and told Inuyasha in a serious tone “Come.”

And like that, he felt his feet involuntarily moving towards the hut where more unpleasantness awaited him.

So she sat on a rock trying her best to collect herself. Kikyou was joining the group. She was no longer needed. She could go back to her life in the future-

She could go to school like a normal girl-

`No Sango'

Modern conviences!

`No Miroku-

No demons attacking her endlessly-

`No Shippou'

No walking until her feet bled looking for shards-

`No Inuyasha...'

That was the worst of it. She would be without him. She already felt the pain in her chest, separation taking a physical form.

She had to head back and face the music. Gathering her courage as best she could, she took her first steps toward the very thing that was about to rip her soul apart.

Could she actually leave him?

Before she was able lift the mat to the hut, Inuyasha walked out. She drank in the sight of his silver mane shifting to look at her from the curtain of his hair.

“I need to talk to you.”

“Inuyasha…”

He could tell that she as resisting and he didn't have it in him for a fight. He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder as he leapt into the forest.

Kagome was stunned. What on Earth was he doing? Kikyou was there at the hut, and here he was carrying her around like she was his property!

“Inuyasha PUT ME DOWN!”

“No.” He didn't want to. He wanted to enjoy her scent so close to him. He was debating wheter or not to just run away with her, Naraku be damned. He knew when he put her down, he was going to lose her.

He didn't actually want to talk. But when he picked up her scent from inside the hut, he knew she was coming to bid her farewells. He couldn't have that. His demon WOULDN'T have that.

Judging that he was far enough away, he regretfully placed Kagome on her feet. For a moment there was fire in her eyes from being man handled, but it was lost in a instant. She took a deep breathe before speaking.

“Well, you said you wanted to talk. So speak.”

“Kikyou is joining us.”

“You brought me all the way out here to tell me that AGAIN? Are you trying to be purposefully hurtful?”

“N-no! Kagome, I want you to know Kikyou wanted to join because-“

“Stop. You don't owe me an explanation.”

Inuyashas ground his teeth. The wench was do damned difficult!

“Kagome!”

“It's okay Inuyasha. Really” Her voice was softer now. “Its for the best of the group. Kikyou is better at this than I am anyway. Besides, you never wanted me to hunt the shards with you in the first place. And I sure that with Kikyou things will go so much more smoothly! You wont have to stop all the time for my tests and-“

He had had all he could take. He had been fisting his hands by his sides so intensly his claws had drawn blood. He snarled at the woman in front of him. The bitch, HIS bitch was saying she was leaving.

“STUPID. ENOUGH OF THAT CRAP!” He shouted so loudly he hurt his own ears.

“Inuyasha! What-“

“Kagome… I know you don't think you play an important part in defeating Naraku, and that probably partially my fault… but we… we need you to help defeat Naraku. You cant leave!” He grabbed her by her upper arms and pulled her to him in a tight hug.

“Theres no reason for me to stay! Im only going to be in the way.”

“What about Shippou! Your' just going to leave him? And Sango and Miroku!”

And me…

The guilt of leaving her friends. The anxious look in his amber eye. She didn't want to go. And he had asked her to stay.

“…Okay, Inuyasha. Ill try to stay.”

He held her close, breathing in her scent. Instead of calming him as it always had, it was making him anxious. She still seemed to be saying goodbye

~.~

Sango was thoroughly pissed off at the hanyou. Not only had he made a decision for the entire group that a walking clay pot was going to join them on their travels, he more importantly had hurt her best friend.

And whats worse, he had somehow managed to make her stay to endure humiliation and sow torture. The slayer wished looks could kill.

Miroku shook his head sadly. He knew the happy days that they experienced together had just come to an end. Even if Kagome had told the dog demon that she would stay, he knew it was a hollow promise.

And Kikyou just got under his skin. True, she was beautiful, but in his opinion, she had ben trusted with a sacred duty and aimed to free herself of the burden by using Inuyasha. The blame was on her, in the monks eyes. Had she not been so selfish the jewel may not have been corrupted.

And poor Shippou, he could barely stand to be in the same room as Kikyou. His sensitive nose picked up the stench of graveyard soil and death. It made his head swim and stomach flip. He held on tightly to Kagome, burying his nose into her, trying to fill his lungs with her loving scent.

The group at around the fire, no one daring to speak a word. Kikyou had gone to walk the forest in solitude, waiting for her soul collectors to fill her once again.

The atmosphere was heavy, despite it being the original members of the crew. Kagome stood, and made an excuse that she needed to relieve herself. She really just needed to be alone to think. To breathe.

She never got the opportunity.

“Girl. I must speak with you.”