InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ After-effects ❯ The kindness of the human heart ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: As usual, I do not own Inuyasha and the gang.

 

Author's note: Well, here's the next chapter. Considering how much of a cliffy the prologue was, I decided that I'd spare everyone and post the next chapter right away he he he. So, without further ado, on with the story :).

 

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Chapter 1: The kindness of the human heart

 

Throughout his existence, Inuyasha had experienced many kind of pain, each more violent than the other. But nothing could possibly compare to what he was feeling now. The agony of knowing that he would never again be able to hold her against him, never smell her delicate scent, never have her sit him was unbearable.

 

"Kagome, this is a joke right? Speak to me!" cried the hanyou desperately. "Just say my name… Please!" he said his voice dying in a strangled whisper.

 

From behind him he could hear the horrified gasp from his friends as they saw the schoolgirl's fate. "God, this can't be happening," he thought frantically. "You swore that you'd stay by my side and never leave even when I went to see Kikyo," he finished before something odd struck him.

 

"Kikyo… her soul… it's not leaving her body," he mused, surprised by this fact. "Which means she's still fighting to stay alive," he thought again.

 

The others, unaware of the hanyou's train of thoughts, watched in surprise as he suddenly started to shake the dead body of Kagome and speak to her. "You're still there are you wench?" he questioned firmly. "So tell me how to help dammit, I know you can hear me!" he snapped again.

 

"Inuyasha, she's dead, " began Miroku sadly. "You can't possibly hope for an answer from her," he finished with his head bowed.

 

"NO!" yelled the hanyou angrily. "Her soul hasn't left her body, which means she's still…" he trailed off as his eyes caught something pink hanging around the dead girl's neck.

 

His eyes widened as he took the small glass vial in his hand and brought it to his eyes. His gaze then shifted to his friends behind him who all sported a look of sudden illumination on their face.

 

"The jewel!" they all cried in unison before darting to the center of the clearing in search of the missing item.

 

Kagura who had been completely ignored by everyone watched the display with a certain amount of jealousy. "No one has ever cared about me like this," she thought a bit disgruntled.

 

Her musing was interrupted when she spotted something shiny, lying on the ground a few feet in front of her. "The shikon jewel," she murmured as she bent down and picked it up.

 

Her gaze shifted to the searching friends as she contemplated her next move. "I could keep it," she mused before a wry smile graced her lips. "Yeah right, this jewel's nothing but trouble, they can keep it if they want it," she thought. "Yo dog boy," she called out loud catching everyone's attention.

 

Inuyasha spotted the jewel as soon as he turned his head in Kagura's direction. He was on her in an instant with a fierce snarl on his face. "Give it to me," he demanded in a cold voice.

 

"Well aren't we the fierce one," she began in a sarcastic voice. "We had a deal remember? I honored my end of the bargain, now it's your turn to honor yours." she finished pointedly.

 

The hanyou looked confused for a second before his face lit up in understanding and he fished a glowing red orb from one of his pockets. "Give me the jewel and I'll give you what you want," he answered simply.

 

"Fine," she said and dropped the sphere on the ground. In front of her, Inuyasha did the same with her heart and both moved to retrieve the object they wanted.

 

******

 

As soon as the hanyou had the jewel in hand, he immediately took the last shard and placed it in the hole. It fit perfectly and the jewel glowed a soft pink as the fragment fused with the body; it was finally complete.

 

Inuyasha wasted no time and headed straight for Kagome. He kneeled in front of her, his heart jumping in anticipation. He gulped once and started to concentrate on the stone in his hands. "Please jewel, hear me now and grant my heart's desire. Bring Kagome back to life," he begged to the stone.

 

For a few seconds, nothing happened and the hanyou was beginning to think he had done something wrong. But just as he was beginning to lose hope, the jewel started to pulse. Lightly at first but it quickly grew in intensity. It shortly got to the point where everyone had to shield their eyes not to get blinded by the light. And as suddenly as it had started, it was over.

 

Four pair of eyes turned to the schoolgirl lying on the ground expectantly. They weren't disappointed because a soft moan escaped her lips and after a few seconds, her eyes opened.

 

"Where… am I?" she asked in a tired voice.

 

For her part, Kagome was really confused. Her memory was garbled and she couldn't remember anything clearly, much less why she was lying on the ground. "Why are they looking at me like this?" she asked herself upon noticing that everyone had a silly grin on his face and was just about ready to cry.

 

"Huh guys? Is something wrong?" she said confused this time.

 

"Kagome!" cried Shippo happily before throwing himself at her. The kitsune buried his face in her chest and promptly started to sob, while the girl simply held him, not quite understanding his reaction.

 

It was then that it hit her. "My chest…" she thought as memories started flooding back into her mind. "I should be dead!" she mused uncomprehending. "How…" she started. "How can I be alive, I was dead… I know I was!" she exclaimed in a haunted voice.

 

"Well Kagome-sama, you have Inuyasha to thank for this," began the monk. "He made a wish on the jewel to bring you back," he finished looking approvingly at the hanyou.

 

Feeling all eyes turning to him, the said hanyou blushed lightly in embarassement. "Keh! It would have been too much trouble to explain what happened to her family," he grumbled while turning away to hide his discomfort.

 

"He… wished me back?" thought Kagome bewildered.

 

"Could this mean that…" she trailed off as her imagination kicked in and a picture of her and Inuyasha kissing filled her mind. This sent tiny goosebumps of pleasure down her spine and she couldn't help but shudder a little at the pleasurable sensation.

 

"Kagome, are you ok?" asked Shippo, sensing her slight motion.

 

The schoolgirl snapped back to reality and saw that everyone was looking at her with knowing glances. Her face turned a nice shade of crimson as she realised that she had been staring at the hanyou with a rather silly grin pasted on her face. Strangely enough, it was Kagura who saved her from her embarassement.

 

"Well isn't that touching," shot the sorceress in a sarcastic voice.

 

******

 

Kagura could not begin to understand the emotions coursing through her being at that very moment. Ever since her birth, she had been a slave to Naraku, unable to do anything but his bidding because he held her heart in the palm of his hand. She had dreamed, yearned for this very moment all her life. Yet, now that she stood there, her heart in the palm of her hand, freedom only inches away, she felt afraid.

 

"Why… Why am I so afraid?" she thought confused. "It's my heart, all I have to do is put it to my chest and I'll be free forever," she continued.

 

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't quite bring herself to make the simple movement that would put it back in its rightful place. Finally, after a few seconds, she managed to get her arm to work and she slowly started to bring her hand closer to her chest. However, for each inch that her hand travelled, her determination also wavered. So she eventually found her hand stuck three inches from its intended destination.

 

"This is ridiculous," she thought frustrated.

 

"Ah the hell with this," she said and closed the remaining distance in one leap. Her hand connected with her chest at the same time that a bright light engulfed the clearing. Although she did notice, what she noted the most was the warm sensation flowing through her body as her heart touched her skin. It felt like her body was coming alive after having been frozen in ice.

 

She gasped loudly as she felt the sphere penetrate her skin and take its place. There was a second of stillness and then she could feel it start to beat. Excitement bubbled in her as the realisation that she was finally free started to sink in.

 

"Free… I'm finally… free," she murmured as her heart sped up in response to her excitement causing her to feel more and more elated.

 

Closing her eyes, she opened her arms wide and started to slowly turn around on herself. The wind picked up slightly and she could feel it brush against her skin gently, as if it was giving her a welcoming embrace. She continued on like this for quite some time before her equilibrium started to waver. She chuckled lightly at her own antics and opened her eyes, only to meet the sight of Inuyasha and his gang welcoming back the schoolgirl in the world of the living.

 

For some reason, she felt her heart twitch at the scene before her. "What's this?" mused the sorceress puzzled. She tried to dismiss the sensation, but the more she looked, the more her heart wrenched in her chest. "Oh, this is making me sick!" she exclaimed softly before making her way to the group of people.

 

"Well, isn't that touching," she shot to the group in the hope of ruining the moment. "What the hell am I doing?" she thought.

 

"Kagura, what do you want? I already gave you what you wanted," asked an annoyed Inuyasha.

 

"That's true… What on earth do I want with them?" she mused. "Just curious to see if the jewel had worked that's all," she said in a detached voice before turning to leave. "God that's lame," she cringed as she walked away.

 

"Kagura, wait!" came the voice of the schoolgirl behind her.

 

She turned around to see Kagome sprinting her way. "What?" she asked briskly once the girl had caught up to her.

 

"I wanted to thank you for what you did," she said with a smile.

 

"A deal's a deal," shot the sorceress before turning away once again.

 

As she looked at the retreating form of Kagura, Kagome spotted a small hole the back of her kimono. Through it she could see part of the horrible scar that would forever be the testimony of her heritage. This mark would identify her as Naraku's offspring for the rest of her life. The schoolgirl felt a bit sad at this realisation. Her eyes brightened though as an idea formed in her head.

 

"Kagura!" she called again. "Hold on for a second."

 

"What…" she began but trailed off when she saw that the girl wasn't listening. Instead, the sorceress could see that she was running toward her friends and even calling the hanyou's name.

 

"Inuyasha, do you still have the jewel?" asked Kagome once she had reached him.

 

"Well, yeah it's here…" but he never got to finish his sentence because the young miko had promptly snatched the sphere from his outstretched hand and was currently sprinting toward the wind sorceress. He shot a confused look at Miroku, Sango and Shippo but he could see that they were as baffled as he was.

 

"So, what's this all about," asked Kagura a bit puzzled.

 

"Well," began the schoolgirl slightly out of breath. "I was wondering if you would like to get rid of the scar on your back," she eventually asked.

 

This caught the sorceress completely off gard and for a time all she could do was stare, dumbfounded. She had all but forgotten this stupid mark. However, now that she thought about it, she realised that as long as she bore it, she would never truly be free. The shadow of her heritage would always loom over her and she would be cursed to pay for the deeds of the one who had held her in chains for so long. Though the offer was very tempting, there was still something the sorceress didn't understand.

 

"Why are you making that offer?" she asked confused.

 

"Well… Children shouldn't have to pay for what their parents did," answered the young miko. "So that's why I'm offering to wish your mark away," she finished showing the shikon jewel in her hands.

 

"But what's in it for you?" countered Kagura shooting her a piercing glance.

 

"Well, I just thought it would be a nice way of thanking you for your help," said Kagome a little uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

 

"Forget it Kagome," shot Inuyasha as he appeared beside her. "She's not gonna accept your offer, she doesn't know what kindness is," he finished.

 

"Watch your mouth dog boy or I'll slice you open with my fujin no mai," threatened the angry sorceress.

 

"Kagura, you should just accept Kagome-sama's offer," said Miroku as he too popped up, followed closely by a limping Sango.

 

"Miroku's right, not everybody's cold and calculating like Naraku," added the demon slayer.

 

"Yeah, just say yes Kagura," finished Shippo who popped up on Kagome's shoulder.

 

"What is with those guys," thought the sorceress uncomprehending. "After all I've done to you… Why?" she asked, unable to believe they would simply forgive her.

 

"Feh! If we were to blame you for all the evil you did, then we would have to blame Kohaku too," countered the hanyou.

 

"But he was under Naraku's control," she answered, confused by the last remark.

 

"True, but so were you," said Inuyasha simply.

 

This last retort struck home and for the first time since the beginning of this argument, Kagura could feel her resolve waver. "I…" she stammered, not knowing how to answer.

 

"Kagura, I'm just trying to make you happy," said Kagome.

 

"Why?" questioned the sorceress, as her will to resist the temptation of freedom slowly ebbed away.

 

"Because I find it sad that you couldn't choose your path in life. That's why… I'm offering to free you from all that is Naraku so that you may actually have a chance to be what you want to be," answered the schoolgirl.

 

"But what if I decide to become worst than Naraku himself?" asked Kagura, feeling herself giving in even as she spoke the words.

 

"Then you would have chosen to be this way, no matter how sad this choice would be," said Kagome.

 

"Fine then," began the sorceress while turning away. "Get rid of this mark and let's be done with it. Just don't expect any sort of payment for this, girl," she finished in an annoyed tone of voice. Deep down though, she could feel a strange warmth spread within her chest. "Is this what it's like to know someone cares about you?" she asked herself right before Kagome interrupted her musing with her answer.

 

"I never expected anything from the start," said the schoolgirl with a smile.

 

"Jewel please hear my plea, free Kagura from the curse of her heritage," prayed Kagome.

 

Just like with Inuyasha a short while before, the jewel started to glow a bright pink. However instead of blinding everyone this time, it began to pulse. After a few seconds of this, a blue aura appeared around Kagome and it began to beat in synch with the sphere. And then two rays of light, one pink and one blue, shot toward the sky and started to twist around one another until they were completely merged. The new beam then shot back down and struck the wind sorceress full in the back.

 

Kagura had expected pain to rack her body when the beam hit her, but instead, there was only a pleasant warmth that spread quickly through her whole being. As she reveled in the sensation, she could feel something within her dissolve away. Something dark and ominous that would have consumed her had it been allowed to grow. After it was completely gone from her, the beam of light disappeared slowly and both girls fell to their knees.

 

Inuyasha was at Kagome's side in an instant despite his injuries. "Kagome, are you alright?" he asked frantically.

 

"Yes, I'm fine, just a bit drained that's all," she answered in a weak voice. "Kagura, how do you feel, did it work?" questioned the schoolgirl.

 

"I never felt so light in my entire life, the darkness eating away at my soul is completely gone," she thought in wonder. She was so lost in her own mind that it took her a second to realise that someone was speaking to her.

 

"Kagura? Are you feeling alright?" asked the schoolgirl with concern in her voice.

 

"Yes, I'm fine… I think it worked," she said not daring to reveal too much of her emotions to the people in front of her.

 

"Let me check," said Kagome as she got to her feet and walked toward the kneeling sorceress.

 

A quick look through the hole in the back of Kagura's kimono was all it took to confirm that the mark had indeed completely disappeared. Shippo however noticed something even more peculiar than what Kagome had just confirmed.

 

"Kagura, you smell different," he said puzzled.

 

All eyes turned first to Shippo in surprise before turning to the wind sorceress who sported a confused look on her face before finally settling on Inuyasha as if asking for confirmation. It came a second later as he sniffed the air.

 

"Shippo's right, your scent has changed, you used reek of Naraku, now there's not even a trace of his stench left," he said equally baffled.

 

"It would seem that the jewel not only cleared the mark on Kagura's back, but changed her scent as well," began the monk. "Kagome-sama, if I may ask, what exactly did you wish for?" he asked.

 

"Well… I asked that Kagura be freed from her cursed heritage," she answered frowning in confusion.

 

"Well then, I suppose the jewel did just that. It erased all traces of Naraku from Kagura, that's why her scent changed... I guess," he concluded.

 

"It makes sense," added Sango. "That may also explain the strange reaction it had when Kagome-chan made her wish. It probably needed to tap in her miko power in order to fully carry out her wish," she finished.

 

"Interesting idea, a sort of selective purification," said Miroku in wonder.

 

Throughout the exchange, Kagura had remained silent, too overwhelmed by the idea that all of Naraku's traces had been eliminated from her to take an active part in the conversation. "That's why I feel so light, his presence is no longer weighting me down," she realised suddenly. She then felt the overpowering urge to get away, to fly and enjoy this new freedom. Looking around her, she could see that none of them payed close attention to her. "Time to take my leave," she thought eagerly.

 

She had taken about ten steps before the voice of Kagome stopped her. "Kagura!" she called.

 

"I told you not to expect any payment for what you did," said the sorceress in an annoyed tone of voice. "Let me leave already!" she cried in her mind.

 

"I just wanted to wish you good luck," said the schoolgirl with a smile on her face.

 

"Feh! Don't get too friendly with me because there's no telling when I might turn on you," she shot back before throwing her feather in the air and flying away.

 

"Keh! She could have at least say thank you," shot Inuyasha after she had disappeared.

 

"It's okay, I know that deep down, she was really happy... and it's all the thanks I'll ever need," said the young miko.

 

They all stayed silent for a few seconds, looking at the spot where the wind sorceress disappeared. "Well then," exclaimed Kagome suddenly, effectively breaking the silence. "What do you say we head back ourselves?" she spoke lightly.

 

This brought a comical reaction from the three people standing in front of her. The first thing that happened was that a dumbfounded look appeared on each person's face. A few seconds later, they looked at themselves as is just now realising the state they were in. And then, they all groaned loudly and collapsed on the ground in a heap.

 

"Hum… maybe I should go ahead and bring back some help," she offered after staring with a mix of amusement and concern at the three crumpled masses before her.