InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ An Inu-Yasha What if...? Story: The Sacred Tree ❯ The Truth about the Disappearance ( Chapter 6 )

Part VI: The Truth Behind the Disappearance

Kagome looked at Shippou's home. So, this is where he lived. She smiled slightly and rang the doorbell. Next time she would have to come for a normal visit. Today she needed answers.

Sayo opened the door and appeared startled by Kagome. "Kagome-san? What are you doing here? You didn't tell us you were going to come."

Kagome smiled and bowed her head a bit, avoiding Sayo's eyes. "It was a last minute sort of thing. May I come in?"

"Of course." Sayo moved out of the way, allowing Kagome inside. Kagome entered and Sayo led her to the parlor where Shippou, Setsuna, and Mamoru were having some tea. Kagome saw their surprise when she entered the room. Shippou stood up.

"Kagome. Dosh ta?"

Kagome smiled. Shippou-chan… Even to this day, he could sense her real mood. He knew this wasn't a house call. She sat down in front of him.

"Shippou-chan… I need you to tell me everything about when Inu-Yasha disappeared."

"Eh?!"

Shippou took her hand in his. "Kagome… Why do you want to know? I thought you didn't want to discuss Inu-Yasha, let alone talk about his disappearance."

Kagome nodded, her eyes focused on their joined hands. "I know I said that Shippou-chan…but I need to know…" She looked up at him now, his eyes worried. "I need to know if it was the first day of the new moon when Inu-Yasha vanished! I need to know, Shippou-chan! So just tell me everything you remember from then."

Shippou shook his head. "Kagome that was ages ago…"

"O-ne-gai!"

Kagome gripped onto his hands as he took in a sharp breath. At Shippou's nod Kagome felt relief wash through her. Shippou's gaze moved elsewhere and his eyes seemed to fade back into his memories…

::Shippou Flashback Mode On::

Shippou smelled someone coming. He gave a light smile as he identified the scent and the person who gave it. Ukyo, Sango and Miroku's daughter. He sighed. It really sucked that he was a youkai. She was so kawaii! But although she looked to be about his age, he knew he was much older than she was. Everyone in the village still thought they made a cute couple… He shook his head. He would look sixteen for a long time, while she would age during that time. It wouldn't be fair to her…or to him for that matter.

When he saw her, he shook off his thoughts. She looked worried.

"Shippou-chan? Shippou-chan?"

"Nani, Ukyo-chan?"

She looked up at him and smiled. Shippou jumped down from the tree and faced her. Kami, she was so kawaii! That pretty long hair and her gentle smile. She was also a great cook. Oh, well. "Nani?"

"Tou-san and Okaa-san want you to go over to the house. Inu-Yasha-san hasn't been back in a week and they're worried. It's not like him. That and they feel something is wrong."

Shippou blinked and then rolled his eyes. That baka. What did Inu-Yasha think he was doing? Worrying everyone? "Hai, Ukyo-chan. Let's go."

She nodded. Ukyo led him to Miroku and Sango's house. The older Buddhist monk had white hair at his temples and wrinkles around his eyes and mouth from way too much laughing. His wife, Sango, was beside him in her demon exterminator outfit, her once black hair was now streaked with silver strands and it was picked up in her usual high ponytail. The two looked ready for battle. What on earth was going on?

"Nani Sango, Miroku? What's the big deal with Inu-Yasha? I don't see what's the problem with him being gone for a week," Shippou said sitting before them. He blinked in surprise when he saw the worry in the faces. "Oy, you two really are worried."

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Of course, Shippou. This is not like Inu-Yasha. Especially since…" Miroku shook his head and turned to his daughter. "Ukyo?"

"Hai, Tou-san?"

"Find your brother. We need his help in looking for Inu-Yasha."

Ukyo nodded. "Fuyuki-ni-chan is probably hitting on the village girls. I'll get him." Ukyo ran off into the village to get her older brother. Shippou watched the sway of her hips as she left. Sango's sigh brought his attention back to his old friends.

"By Kami, why did that boy have to get your lechery? He's a terror to the poor girls of the town!" Sango eyed Miroku with narrowed eyes.

Miroku shrugged at her. "What am I supposed to tell you? It's been in my family for generations, Sango! At least whenever we found a mate we only stayed with her."

Sango caressed her boomerang. "You had better, if you know what good for you, you lecherous Houshi. You keep your paws on me, or there'll be hell to pay."

Miroku grinned at her. "Promise?"

Sango grinned back.

Shippou rolled his eyes at the two. They were always like this. "Will you two tell me what's actually going on? Inu-Yasha sometimes leaves with Kikyo for months on end. Why is this little disappearance so important?"

The two suddenly turned serious and turned to face Shippou. Sango spoke first. "One reason is because when Inu-Yasha leaves he usually tells us, but the main reason is…"

Miroku turned his gaze to Shippou. The kitsune met the monk's gaze. "Inu-Yasha has been gone about a week. He told no one he was leaving. But the day he left was…" Miroku took a deep breath. "Was the first night of the new moon. We all know he usually leaves the village on that night because he doesn't want anyone to find out, including Kikyo, but he's usually back at dawn. Both him and Kikyo are gone. And last week he didn't come back…"

::Shippou Flashback Mode Off::

"Dear Kami, Kagome. You were right. Inu-Yasha left on the night of the new moon, like he usually would, but that one time he didn't return at dawn like usual. And Kikyo was with him. We didn't even notice the importance of their absence until a week had gone by. I never made the connection. I assumed that he had disappeared that night…" Shippou released Kagome's hands and put his face in his own.

Kagome swallowed harshly. She looked at Shippou's devastation. She didn't want to bother him as he coped with this new realization, but she knew she had to find out everything. "Shippou-chan…?"

He looked up at her. Kagome swallowed. "The reason I asked is because of a nightmare I had last night. I dreamed that Inu-Yasha was on the verge of death on a new moon night, while he was in human form and that Kikyo was with him… Shippou-chan I saw him dying in my dreams…"

Shippou was shaking his head. Kagome grabbed his shoulder. "Why are you shaking your head, Shippou-chan? Inu-Yasha probably died that night!"

"Kagome… If Inu-Yasha had died that night, we would have found a body. Kagome, there was nothing. No body, no blood, no clothes, no Tetsuaiga, nothing. Inu-Yasha disappeared. That's what makes no sense about the entire thing. He vanished."

Kagome shook her head. "You don't understand, Shippou-chan. I saw him dying in Kikyo's arms…and then, before I awoke, I saw him being shot by an arrow." Gasps echoed in the room. Kagome ignored them and continued staring into Shippou's eyes. "It pierced his heart!"

Shippou still shook his head. "Gomen, Kagome. It was just a dream. Even if Inu-Yasha had died that night…even if he had been killed by Kikyo…" Kagome stared at him, biting her lip. "It doesn't make sense. How did she get rid of the body? The blood? Kikyo herself was gone! All that was left were her clothes. That was more than we found of Inu-Yasha."

Kagome's sight became blurry. "Na-nani?" All that was left of the both of them and the Shikon no Tama was Kikyo's clothes? She closed her eyes tightly against the pain in her chest. What happened to Inu-Yasha? What happened to him?!

"Inu-Yasha…"

B-BUMP.

Kagome's eyes snapped open and she whirled about, gazing at the startled faces around her. "Did…Did you hear that? Did you feel it? A heartbeat…"

The four shook their heads. Setsuna stepped forward. "Kagome-san. I think you need some rest. You've had a lot of emotional trauma over the last few days. It's probably what caused your nightmare, and I'm sad to say it's partly our fault as well. Gomen. But I still think you should return home."

Kagome shook her head. Iya… She hadn't imagined it. It was real. She had heard it, felt it. A heartbeat that reverberated in her… Her eyes widened in realization… What it possible?! Inu-Yasha…? "Inu-Yasha…?"

B-BUMP.

Kagome shot up and headed to the door. She wasn't imagining this! She could feel a heartbeat, hear it calling out to her…every time she whispered his name.

"Kagome! Where are you going?!" Shippou called out after her.

Kagome stopped and turned to face her friend. "Shippou-chan… I'm not crazy and this is not happening because of my grief. I can hear his heartbeat. It's calling to me. And I'm going to follow it. If what you say is true, Shippou-chan, and Inu-Yasha only vanished into the dawning mist, he didn't die… Then I will find him."

Kagome turned her gaze back to the door. "He's here… Somewhere… I can hear his heart calling out to mine. The pendant he gave me burns… I am going to find him, Shippou-chan. You can follow me if you wish. I'm going to find Inu-Yasha…"

B-BUMP.

Kagome rushed out of the room, her heart pounding frantically. Her legs wouldn't stop moving. She rushed out of the house and down the street, her wild heart guiding her. Tears filled her eyes and her chest felt like it was about to explode. Inu-Yasha…Inu-Yasha…Inu-Yasha…

"INU-YASHA!!"