InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Alone till Love ❯ The Return ( Chapter 5 )

Mia: I'm feeling....CRAZY!!

Cresent:Moon22000: Everyone. Slowly. Back. Away……OH NO! SHE'S GOT `THE' HAT!!!

Mia: *puts on a HUGE cowboy hat* On with the story! Yee-haw!

Cresent and Inu: ........*sweat-drop*

Cresent: Crazy is an understatement.

~

Chapter 5: The Return

After the group was cleaned up, bathed, and dressed, it was Riku's turn to explain things. After apologizing to Chito with eyes still flashing dangerously He nervously, thought without showing it, spoke to his group members of the plan Kikyo and Soul had devised on behalf of Kagome. While finishing his explanation, he was interrupted......

Danika stared incredulously at Riku, her beautiful face lined with disbelief. "How do we know this is what Kagome wants?!" she snapped, on her feet in an instant. "You asked me to trust you! Is this why?! Because you were too scared to admit the truth to me! You can't do this, Riku! You can't!"

Kouwyn and Kougen exchanged glances that clearly showed agreement with Danika, however they both remained silently attentive. Danieru, Chito, and Akirako sat on the grass, all watching Riku and Danika with rapt attention. This was definitely a battle of the wills.

"Danika, her fate has been sealed! If she attempts to fight Auron, which she WILL do, she will perish! This is our only option!" Riku exclaimed, Danika's eyes burning into his. "A guardian does not HIDE from the enemy! Even if death is the certain consequence! You know this, and I'm sure Soul has warned Kagome!"

The two stood, looking daggers at each other.

"I will not lose my sister to a petty battle of honor!" Riku snapped at last, breaking the tense silence. Danika took a step forward, their faces close now. "It is not your decision to make, Riku. You can only protect her to a certain extent, and you are pushing the boundaries as we speak." she said, her voice dangerously low as her raven hair rippled slightly in the wind.

"She is not your sister, you do not understand." Riku hissed back, his voice just as dangerous as hers. Danika's expression vanished and was replaced by shock. "She's my best friend, Riku! But this is NOT your choice! Let it go! You can't protect her from destiny!"

"I'M SURE AS HELL GOING TO TRY! I WILL DO AS I SEE FIT!" Riku roared, turning from Danika's piercing eyes. "I am the Lord of the guardians, and I will not be spoken to as if I was but an ignorant fool. She is my sister and I will do what I feel is right. YOU WILL NOT QUESTION ME."

Danika stepped away from Riku, a pained expression on her face. Her sparking eyes blinking back tears.

Riku put his hands up. "Danika, no--that's not what I meant!" Danika, however, stepped away once more. "You dishonor us....." she muttered, and plopped down next to Danieru. Riku looked at the girl, eyes intense but no longer filled with anger. He turned to find every eye upon him.

"Watch for Kagome, I need to speak with Danika." Riku snapped to his brothers, who nodded in unison. "We will keep watch." Kougen replied, getting to his feet almost eagerly. Kouwyn nodded but remained in his seat on the emerald grass; watching his brother with hidden anger. Did Kagome have to be the topic of every conversation? It was disgusting......Look at the pain she caused Riku and Danika......

Riku extended a hand to help Danika up, which she ignored and climbed to her feet gracefully. The elf stormed off, away from the group, with Riku at her heels. When they were far enough away, Riku jumped into the air, and using his demon speed, landed directly in front of a fuming Danika.

"Danika, stop!" Riku said, fighting to keep his temper down. He had never grown so angry as back there, thinking he was going to lose Kagome......or chance losing Kouwyn and Kougen. Just for honor. Honor that, in the end, had betrayed his own father.

The raven-haired elf did stop, though hesitantly. "I'm sorry! Danika, I didn't mean to snap, okay?" Riku said, angrily. "You don't understand, you couldn't! I lost them! All of them Danni! My mother, my father...I fear so much for my sister, for my brothers!"

Danika's features softened. A shadow of a smile appeared on her face as the old nickname crossed her mind. `Oh Riku......' she thought, frowning deeply as he gazed at her, eyes fiery with emotion.

"Riku, she needs to find life on her own." the elf replied, taking a small step towards him. "You can't always be there, you can't always be there to save her....." The demon looked suddenly crestfallen, his now dismal features darkening.

Riku pulled Danika into an embrace, and sighed slightly. `She doesn't know this pain......and I hope she never has to......' Riku thought tightening his grip on her slightly. `I will never let her feel this guilt......never.'

The wind whipped through the trees, and Riku could smell someone coming, a guardian. The scent strongly reminded him of the deep, inner turmoil that ate at him day after day.

"I need to know I can, Danika. I need to know, or I will never be able to live my own life...... I wasn't there to save them either.....what if I can`t protect them, Danika? Kagome, or Kouwyn, or Kougen....what if I can't protect you?" Danika held Riku tight. "Then I would die knowing how much I love you."

Riku smiled, and held Danika close. The peaceful silence was broken however, as Kouwyn's voice rang out. "RIKU! SOUL HAS COME!" Both heads snapped in the groups direction. Riku's features were undecipherable as he glanced at Danika. The elf stared into his eyes and released him from her arms. "Let's go." she said simply, and the two raced towards their friends.

Riku smiled ever so slightly, but with indescribable happiness nonetheless. He was going to see his little sister and his best friend Soul once more.

~

Soul stood there, tall as ever, an elegance about him none but Riku could rival. The two demons locked eyes and both faces cracked into smiles. "Riku!" Soul exclaimed, his tone rich and deep. Riku gripped his friends hand, and pulled him into an embrace.

"We have missed you." Riku said with a smile, "Have you brought Kagome?" The raven-haired demon glanced around, hoping to find his sister standing there. He found no one but his friends, who all shared large smiles. Soul shook his head, as if to confirm Riku's suspicions.

"She is not with you." The lord of the guardians replied, his voice not betraying the unutterable dejection. He had wanted to see her so badly, to know he could protect her always from this moment on. And now, his hopes had been shattered. He almost let his anger out once more, but fought it.

He could not protect her.

Soul seemed to notice Riku's crestfallen expression. "She will come when her training has finished. Do not fret for her, she has grown into a stronger guardian than we could've hoped." Soul replied, so only Riku could hear his rich voice.

Riku nodded slowly, and turned to his brothers and friends. "Kagome is coming!" He replied with a smile, and yet......could he truly trust Soul to make certain Kagome was not in danger? That Kagome was nowhere near Auron? He shuddered compulsively at this thought, but none seemed to notice.

His brothers' grinned back at him. Kouwyn sighed inwardly at the thought of his sister coming back to join them once more. After all the trouble with Kagome......he wasn't so sure he was ready to face her. She was no better than her actions. And she had still walked out on them, and she had still left them alone.

~

After a moment, the entire group was conversing. Reminiscing and joking, the gap that had once been so wide between them all, slowly closing all the while. The guardians were becoming friends all over again. Danieru who had been so thoughtfully silent until this day, seemed to open up and begin to speak, though her eyes seemed to only focus upon Soul.

As the friends continued in their merriment, the sandy-haired elf took her opportunity to speak to Soul alone. With a smile, she went closer to the handsome demon.

"Soul, may I speak to you alone?" Danieru asked, watching his reaction carefully. He smiled, seductively, and took Danieru's hand in his. "Of course Danieru." was his rich-toned reply. Danieru smiled her most flirtatious smile and slowly tucked her pale brown tresses behind her ears. Soul watched her with rapt attention.

"You've grown so beautiful, Danieru. Lovely and so full of grace, even more so than your sister." Soul said as the two grew farther from the group of laughing friends. Danieru smiled brightly. "I'm glad at least you are aware of this change." she said, linking her arm with the tall demon. The two walked in silence for a moment, coming to the banks of the river, and walking along them. The rushing voice of the river soothing them into a passive silence.

"More trouble with Riku, I daresay?" Soul replied, after a moment, his short, rich laugh soon following. "When will you learn he is not right for you dear Danieru?" With this he turned to face Danieru with a sly smile. "When will you learn there are others who find you--attractive." The demon took a strand of Danieru's hair in his hand and twisted it gently.

"Even more so than those who I speak of may let on." Soul replied, pulling Danieru closer to him. Danieru smiled, the memories racing through her mind. Had Soul not fallen in love with Kagome then? She almost laughed aloud in relief.

Soul gazed at her, enthralled. "You're beauty is truly captivating, my dear Danieru." he whispered, their faces only far enough away to stare into each other's eyes. The elf wrapped her arms around his neck, which reminded her only to well of the day back in his private quarters......

Danieru couldn't help but wonder if he was as passionate still, as he had been that day so many years ago. Surely Soul, being an immortal* being, such as them all, would not have changed much. She smiled slightly.

"I fear, my Soul, that you may be only attracted to me for my mere appearance." Danieru laughed, the pale brown hair falling from behind her ears. Soul laughed as well, one that matched the grin on his face; Seductive and very much passionate.

"I cannot confess how much I have longed for this meeting, Danieru." Soul said, still smiling, as the two sat upon the bank of the crystal river. The elf cuddled close to him, remembering the immense jealousy of the previous night. Soul wrapped a strong, comforting arm around her and sighed.

"A longing I can't quite explain, even to myself." Soul added, after a content moment. Danieru smiled. She wished he would've been with her earlier, so that she may have been comforted before the memory had set it.....and yet, Danieru felt truly happy in the arms of Soul, and in this moment, not a regret crossed her mind.

"Danieru, I wish that you could know this terrible desire......" Soul whispered softly into the woman's ear, making her shiver slightly. She smiled, just as seductively as he, and brought her face inches from his. "I do......"

Soul brought his lips to meet her, a heated kiss that made Danieru swoon. Slowly, The two leaned back against the soft green grass, and began to meet each other's lips with even more passion than before, leading Soul to trail kisses down her tanned neck, ending at her nape and meeting her lips with more fervor than ever before.

Just as before, those many years ago, Soul's hands made their way up her shirt, running against her sun- kissed back. But soon he stopped, pulled away from Danieru, his face exposing the concern. At the opening from the wood, leading to the banks, was a pale, slender girl. There standing, horrified, was Kagome.

Kagome with long raven haired tied high and blowing in the summer breeze, her chocolate eyes flashing with jealousy, brimming with tears. She saw the two, and put a surprised hand to her mouth, suppressing a gasp. The girl spun around and ran......unsure of why she was doing so, and yet, positive it was what she must do.

Kagome vanished from sight.

Danieru, not wanting to spoil what was going on with Soul, planted a soft kiss on his lips, which he returned generously, and yet he seemed hesitant. "Don't worry about her, she will run into Riku soon enough......" the elf whispered, continuing to kiss the handsome demon she lay upon.

Soul wrapped his arms around Danieru, glad to be with her. He sighed and the two continued, both seemingly unmoved by the display of emotion on Kagome's part.

Someone across the river, however, was not so apathetic when it came to the youngest guardian......and it was not Riku.

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Mia: I would just like to say that that the * behind a word represents that if you are unsure of what it means, please see the footnote (that's this thingy).

I would also like to point out that demons and elves are immortal, unless killed in battle. Elves can also die of a broken heart, it is said. I guess we'll find out......

Cresent: Was that foreshadowing right there? Where it says elves can also-- -!!

Mia: *throws gigantic cowboy hat at Crescent's head* SHUT UP!! You're not supposed to tell!

Inu: Even I'M not that bad......

Cresent: *Evil Eye* Oh really?! Should get my ol' mallet out Inu-yasha? Huh!? Should I!

Mia & Inu: NOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Cresent: *sad face* You guys are no fun......Well, guess we'll see ya next time!! I gots ta go find my mallet......Mwhahahahahahahaha!