InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Alone till Love ❯ Reunion ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I do not and I repeat DO NOT OWN ANY INU-YASH CHARACTERS!

Cresent Moon22000: Welcome back, folks! What'd you think?

Mia: *in bad mood* Welcome, my ass! Just read the story already.

Inu: I second that!

Cresent: *evil eye* Be nice dammit! Or I'll call Sesshie!

Mia & Inu: *whining* not HIM.

Inu: *mumbling* actually, he's a HER

Cresent: OH NO YOU DIDN'T GIRLFRIEND! *snaps fingers, then grabs the oh so familiar mallet and grins hysterically*

Mia & Inu: NOOOOOOOO! *begin to run away, screaming*

Cresent: Enjoy the story…*puts "Terminator" shades on* I'll be back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 2: Reunion

The pastel sky, clouded and vibrant, didn't even begin to warm up Riku's spirit. He brushed a strand of silky, raven hair from his face and scowled up at the sky. "Lovely day, isn't it Riku?" said a voice behind the demon. He spun around and found himself face to face with a woman. A She-elf to be more precise.

"Why yes, very lovely indeed. May I ask why you are here?" Riku replied curtly, inclining his head at the slender elf. She frowned in return. "Th-then you…You really don't know who I am." Her voice faltered and threatened to break. Riku looked at her closely. She seemed familiar enough, and yet---

"I-It's Danika, Riku. Danika!" the girl sputtered, pushing a few black strands of hair behind her ear. Riku's face broke into a smile that was heavily laden with memory. Bit the smile vanished almost instantly.

"B-b-but! But that means other survived?! Other guardians?!" Riku exclaimed, staring at Danika incredulously. She nodded slowly. "I…I wasn't there at when it happened…." The girl frowned deeply, fidgeting with inner turmoil.

Riku let out a bark-like laugh and threw his arms around Danika, joyful and smiling. "I have forgotten! All these long years! That means-Chito! Danieru! Akirako! They live to?!" Danika began to laugh to and embraced Riku. "Yes! They are searching for Kagome, Kougen, and Kouwyn."

Riku pulled away suddenly, holding Danika at arms length. "They will not find her…" he said, turning away from Danika's keen elfish eyes. They pierced into him nonetheless. "She left, the day she came into her eighteenth year…over a year ago…" Riku's voice trailed off, laced with pain he wouldn't dare expose.

"Kougen and Kouwyn, What of them!" Danika asked, turning her blazing crystal eyes on Riku. The demon nodded, turning to look at the beautiful elf standing before him. He had forgotten how entrancing her eyes were….Danika could feel his piercing eyes searching her own equally sharp eyes. She fought back the light blush that threatened to creep up her golden cheeks, and cleared her throat.

"Thy are fine. Off fooling around I suppose." Riku said, turning and plopping down on the vivid green grass. It was truly a beautiful summer day….days Kagome used to love. Danika sat down gracefully beside Riku, staring ahead of her, but not seeing.

"Riku" said a breathless, excited voice from behind them. Kougen. He had aged ever so slightly, though ten years had passed. His emerald eyes shined with an inner hope and his hair blew slightly in the light summer breeze.

Behind him stood Kouwyn and three others. Three others that Riku stood up and embraced. "Chito!" He exclaimed, gripping the tall, red haired demons hand, and pulling him into a hug. "Danieru! Akirako!" Riku put his arms around the two.

Danieru looked quite like her younger sister, Danika, but her eyes were a deep golden, and her hair was a pale brown. They both were slender, slightly tall and had golden, sun-kissed skin. Riku inwardly thought that Danieru looked as if she had lost her elfish glow-she could pass for a mere human, if not for her point-tipped ears.

Akirako hadn't changed a bit, from her long, long strawberry-blonde hair to her deep, purple-tinted eyes.

She had always been the shortest of them all, but she was definitely getting older. She was catching up to Danieru.

Riku smiled, wallowing in the happy memories of his childhood with these people. Danika, the youngest, was only but four years older than Kagome, twenty-two. Danieru and Alirako were in their late twenties, along with Chito, all of them younger than Riku, who was only thirty-five as it was. But age did not postpone the fun, laughter, and tears that filled the atmosphere as the group got reacquainted.

Nine years had passed. Nine years that had felt as if it were an eternity. Riku could only for one thing, and his happiness would be complete---and that his little sister to be, with them. Laughing and joking as they all did now. He smiled at the group, but pulled away after a few moments.

It just wasn't right…somehow.

The demon began to walk, hair swaying, and eyes blinking in the bright sunlight. He turned as his ears picked up someone behind him. It was Danika. She had followed?

"You all right, Riku?" she said, linking her arm with his as they began to walk together. Their feet coincidentally falling into step with each other. Riku turned his face from Danika. "Fine." He answered,

falling into the cold reserve he had grown accustomed to. It was, at times, his only weapon.

Danika, however, wasn't' fooled in the slightest bit. "You're lying," she said simply, her voice not angry, nor demanding. Her tone was easy and not asking of Riku. The demon half-smiled. "You always used to know when I was hiding something….how is that?" he laughed. Danika smiled, turning her vast, ocean-like eyes onto his handsome face.

"Elfish intuition?" She said with a laugh, her eyes twinkling. Her raven hair glimmered in the sun light, mingling with Riku's. They fell silent, the only sound the voice of a nearby stream and breeze whispering carelessly through heavily foliaged trees.

"She's been gone for a year, not a word. I thought we were family." Riku spat suddenly, his voice cold; empty. Danika looked at him, a slight shock in her eyes. "We hunted for you for these nine years…we had to be so careful, never mentioning your name, for the fear of Auron." Danika said quietly, trying her best to avoid the subject of Kagome.

Truth be told, Danika felt the same. Best friend….Kagome….it happened so long ago, surely Kagome did not live her life so alone because of her parents' death? Danika shook her head slightly. "I feel what you do. I deeply wish that Kagome would come to us. We have heard rumors, Riku…horrible rumors. Do you know of Soul?" the elf asked, he voice faltering slightly.

"Soul?! Does he still live!? Surely that is not horrible!" Riku said suddenly, looking at Danika in a thoughtful way. Danika shook her head. "It is said he is with Kagome…forlorn and lonely, wandering the woods…"

"And who says that is what Kagome is doing?" Riku said sharply, not losing his temper, but not exactly containing his anger either. Danika frowned deeply. "Riku, I would not lie. Do not grow sharp with me. I only speak what I have heard." She said, her eyes meeting and locking with Riku's. They stopped in mid-step and turned to face each other.

Danika grabbed Riku's hand. "I miss her as much as you do…" she said quietly, a strand of smooth, raven hair falling in her sun-kissed face. Riku slowly tucked it behind her ear. "I know." He said, just as quiet. Their gazes locked again. It was like staring into an ocean, waves slowly crashing and rolling, vast and deep-wise and old beyond age. Her eyes…they were so beautiful.

Slowly, hesitantly, Riku took Danika's small, tanned hands in his own, their eye contact never breaking. "Sometimes, I wondered…how would I live? If Kougen and Kouwyn were gone, just like Kagome….I thought of them, of Chito, Danieru, Akirako…you, Danika." Riku admitted weakly, his heart fluttering as Danika raised he head to look deeper into his eyes, her gaze was steady, not faltering.

"I felt the same…all these years…" Danika said after a moment, taking her eyes from Riku's. She had missed him so much…had he felt the same? He and Kagome had been her very best friends. When Kagome had been busy of angry, it was with Riku that Danika had spent her free time. But were they now beyond friendship….Danika's heart began to beat harder. Could they possibly….?

Riku's face was so close…Danika smiled weakly, a wave or warmth and happiness over her. Was she to kiss Riku?! They're gazes were locked…the crimson and raven eyes of Riku meeting the blues and gold's of Danika's. They're lips were so close…a mere inch…

Suddenly---"Riku! RIKU!" yelled a voice from down the path from which yet they had came. Kouwyn was running down the trail, he demon speed making him almost a black and blue blur. "Riku!" There you are!" Kouwyn said, obviously relieved.

Kouwyn looked at them curiously. "Oh, sorry, was I interrupting something?" he sniggered, looking at the two's hands, which were clasped together and their faces, which were turned in Kouwyn's direction, only inches away from each other.

Riku growled low in his chest, a warning. Kouwyn smirked. "I'll just leave you two alone then." He said, laughing and turning, walking slowly back towards the others.

"He, check these two out!" Kouwyn laughed, running his friends. "KOUWTN!!" Riku and Danika yelled in unison. They broke away, and began to go after Kouwyn, but Danika stopped Riku before he sprinted off.

"I…" she began, but Riku tilted her chin up towards him and planted a kiss on her lips, ever so lightly. A tickling, sensuous felling that left Danika breathless.

Riku then smiled at Danika charmingly, and took off after his younger brother. "I'm gonna KILL you!" He yelled to Kouwyn playfully. Danika laughed and began to walk after the two with an amused grin on her tanned face.

It was gonna be a long day.

Long was an understatement. The day faded into an evening. After a small dinner, and more teasing from Kouwyn, the group of demons (and elves) headed to the nearby river, the same one that had sung it's rushing song to Riku and Danika.

It was a very humid evening and far hot enough to swim. So, Kouwyn, Kougen, and Chito stripped of everything except their plain black trousers and dove into the river. Eventually the cool crisp water enticed

Akirako, who laughed as Kouwyn and Kougen made cat-calls and joked about "skinny-dipping", Danieru smiled and kept her feet in the shallows.

It was a happy reunion, friendships going on as if they had never spent those nine years apart! Riku and Danika watched, less connected to the others. In truth, they were huddled, speaking of Kagome. Danieru could hear them--and she knew that would explain the low voice, solemn looks, and tears sliding down her sisters cheeks.

`I miss her too…we all do.' Danieru thought to herself, brushing her pale brown hair from her face. She looked enviously over at her sister and Riku. He was very handsome, that Riku. His eyes glowed and burned with a fiery type of flicker. He was speaking with Danika so intently….Danieru slammed her fist into the soft bank of the river.

No one noticed.

`Fine Riku, you stay with HER…whatever…' She thought dismally. Her head was spinning and she felt like diving into the river and letting it take her whereever it pleased. She cast one last gloomy look at the whispering couple, let out a small, forlorn sigh and got to her feet…

Soul wouldn't appreciate Danika and Riku.

~

After the fun-filled visit to the river, it was growing cold--and darker. The sky was already dotted with winking stars and a large crescent moon. The breeze blew through the vividly green grasses and trees. The air was already chill and the cloudless starry sky only added to this.

Chito and Kougen, after much laughter and wasted time, finally got a fire going and the group sat around it, talking--telling stories and jokes. Even Riku and Danika were in on the action this time. It was a lovely night, and not a problem arose---Until the talk turned onto Kagome.

"I…I don't know where she's at. She hasn't contacted us." Riku admitted, his voice fallen into the cold reserve again. Since Kagome was gone…it seemed no matter how good life was, no matter how bright the sun shined---nothing would ever be truly good without her….and he didn't like speaking about it to anyone. He was even reluctant to speak about it with Danika.

"Well, man…I think she's dead!" Chito said insensitively. He had never known Kagome too well, but Riku was looking daggers at him all the same.

"WHAT?!" Kougen, Kouwyn, and Akirako cried in unison.

"You thoughtless DICK!" Danieru exclaimed angrily.

"I do, I mean, from what you guys say, she was always so bright and cheerful. Well golly gee then,(A/n: had 2 put that in there. I was watching rocket power)why hasn't she seen you all in a year. She obviously doesn't love you guys too---!" Chito began, turning more and more cynical as he spoke.

"BASTARD!" Riku yelled, on his feet in an instant. "Take it back." The raven-haired demon hissed vehemently. The crimson in his eyes was replacing the black, glowing dangerously.(A/n: ok to get this strait Riku's real eye color is red, with a little black in it.)

Chit looked at him, and swallowed. "I-Well It's true!" He snapped, "She can't care about you that much if she just up and leaves!" That was it, Riku snapped. After all that was said, he couldn't take it. He roared in his anger.

"BASTARD!" Riku pinned Chito to a tree, his clawed hand clamped tightly over his throat. "TAKE…IT..BACK!!" Riku yelled through gritted teeth. "TAKE IT BACK, OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

Chito thrashed helplessly, biting and kicking at Riku muscular arms futilely.

"I…I'm…sorry!" Chito choked, his eyes beginning to roll back in his head from the lack of oxygen. Riku released him and the red-haired demon slid down into a crumpled pile at the base of the large tree.

Riku turned to find everyone staring at him, bewildered, scared, and upset. "What the hell?!" Kougen exclaimed, "For all we know it could be true, you don't have to be so fucking cruel!" Riku stared at his brother in shock.

"NO. You know what Kougen? No. She isn't dead!" Riku spat back, his anger almost brimming over as Kougen crossed the small amount of space between them. "They're your friends, Riku! FRIENDS!" Kougen snapped, pointing angrily at the people looking at the two, slightly horrified. "THEY'RE HERE! KAGOME'S NOT!"

The words rang through Riku's head over and over. "KAGOME'S NOT!" The words were harsh, cold---without any love whatsoever. Riku gaped at his brother. "She isn't is she? IS SHE. Riku, stop it, we're here for you now. WE ARE. Not her…" Kougen stared at his taller, elder brother. His gaze was almost loving, as he looked at him.

"I love you man….we all do. Please. Just stop…." Kougen pleaded, grabbing his older brother hand and gripping it. "I'd do anything to see her again…smiling and happy. But for now, please…there's nothing we can do.

Riku stared at his brother for a moment, looking stick between being angry and utterly forlorn. Suddenly, Riku pulled his younger brother into a tight embrace. He let go after a while, and waved to Kouwyn.

"Come here." He said quietly.

Kouwyn came over, frowning deeply. He seemed on the verge to tears. Riku pulled both the boys, the brothers he had come to know as best friends, into his arms. "I'm so sorry." The demon apologized, and letting go of the two.

"I'm sorry." With that, Riku turned, his crimson eyes forlorn and laden with pain. The demon Lord began to walk, vanishing into the darkness. He was ashamed of himself. And worst of mall…he was ashamed of Kagome.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~