InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Birth Marks ❯ on the Wings of Birds ( Chapter 35 )

Sorry for taking so long, I had the realities of senior year in high school kick in.

Chapter 35: On The Wings of Birds

Last time: He held up his hand, “not now. I have to revive you if your spell or whatever doesn't work, Kags. And I remember what happened and why you two don't remember much. You guys found out too much and wanted to forget. You did, but I didn't.” Kuwabara looked out the door and rubbed his arm. “You found out that not all spirits want to be saved.”

This time: Kagome nodded, flashes of memory going through her mind if those missing years when they were younger. A smiling face, a little girl, her name… her name was… Keiko. More flashes, this time of a broken wing, bloody and being crushed in reddish hands, a scream tore through the air as the vision went black.

Shaking her head, Kagome leaned against the wall in what she hoped would be a discreet manner. Now she remembered why. Why she and the boys could only remember passing flashes of their childhood, and why Keiko never really wanted to be around much when Kagome was. She was the angel, she was the one whose spirit was crushed by the ghost-turned-phantom, dying and falling from Tenshi status. That's why she was mortal now, utterly and completely, with the memory of what it was to fly, knowing that she could never attain that again. That's why the two girls never talked again after that, that's why they would fight over Yusuke's attention. Closing her eyes, Kagome sighed and sent up a small prayer that Keiko would eventually forgive her for keeping something that the other no longer could have.

“…alright?” Yusuke asked, his hand on Kagome's shoulder. Smiling briefly, Kagome nodded and stood upright. “What do you think of the plan?” he asked, wanting her confirmation. Kagome gave Yusuke a confused glance and shook her head, she must have blocked out the conversation. “Since auntie Gin might catch us, how about we try this on the other side?” the other side meant the well and open spaces. If something went wrong, there would be less of a chance that outsiders would get in the way. Kagome nodded and opened the box in her hands, taking out a half-pendant on a chain and put it around her neck. Yusuke agreed silently and placed the other half around his neck also.

Kuwabara looked grim. He already knew that it was impossible for him to pass through without some major help from the others. It was highly unlikely that the shrimp would like to go through the time portal, so he was virtually stuck. Standing at the door, he watched the cousins put on their necklace charms with a grim realization. This time he wouldn't be part of the adventure, just like when Yusuke went off to demon world to train. Those were the longest three years of his life to date. “Hey, just be careful, okay?” Kuwabara asked gruffly, folding his arms across his chest. Kagome nodded and smiled, giving the carrot-top a hug.

“Don't worry, I'm going to make sure that your sparring partner stays alive long enough for you to win!” Kagome and Kuwabara shared a small laugh at Yusuke's expense. Nodding in agreement, Kuwabara hugged Kagome back and stood back to get a good look at her.

Inuyasha growled and pulled Kagome away from the human's grasp. Kagome already had a lot of foreign smells laced throughout her scent without a strange human male's scent on her too. Smells such as in Kaede's garden, but stronger. Many scents that he didn't know, or want to know, what they belonged to. There was a scent of magic that clung to her almost insistently also, hidden underneath her natural scent. It spiked whenever she did those small spells earlier, but otherwise he would not have noticed.

“Is this alright Inuyasha?” Kagome asked, gesturing toward Yusuke. “Yusuke's a really good fighter and I trust him with my life. Since we're going after Naraku… he could probably help us.” Inuyasha didn't like the idea, but relented anyway, grumbling under his breath. Nuzzling Inuyasha's chin, Kagome smiled in contentment as she wrapped her arms around the hanyou. “Thank you, you don't know what this means to me.”

“Yeah, yeah, can we go now?” Inuyasha asked grudgingly, not willing to give into the warm nuzzling.

“Not yet,” the boy, Yusuke, spoke up. “I have to get some supplies and clothes. And mom would be pissed, not to mention Keiko, if I didn't tell her I was going on another trip.”

“Don't forget Puu.” Kagome supplied quietly.

“And Puu. The little fluff ball would never forgive me if I left him behind.” Yusuke consented, nodding.

“Would tomorrow morning work? We'll be leaving early, so you'd better show up even earlier if you don't want to be left behind!” Kagome offered, trying to appease both dominant males. She could tell that those two would get along swimmingly with how they were glaring at each other was any indicator.

Yusuke nodded. “You'd better not leave at midnight or something or…“ Yusuke held up his hand, pointing at her heart, “bang.” He grinned and walked off with Kuwabara in tow.

Inuyasha growled, “I saw him do that earlier, what's that supposed to mean anyway? He's going to poke us to death?”

Kagome shook hear head and replaced the board to the hole in the wall. “No, he can shoot his energy out his finger, like a gun.” She saw his confused look. “Like that cannon that one of the seven assassins had, only smaller.” Kagome shrugged, that was the best way she could think of. She started walking toward the house, stopped and smiled toward Inuyasha. “Come on, I haven't been home in a year! I wanna see Momma now!” she called, a playful look on her face. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and followed. Sometimes she could just act like a pup more than Shippou. Speaking of the kit, he wondered if the child had woken up yet.

“Hurry up Inuyasha! Are you coming or going back through the well?” Kagome asked from the front door, holding it open for the hanyou. Inuyasha took a leap and landed on the front porch, startling Kagome slightly.

“We should go in. Enjoy your bed for tonight, because I have a feeling you won't be sleeping in it for a while.” Kagome nodded and left the door open for Inuyasha to follow inside.

“Momma!” came the exited squeal of Kagome, emanating from the kitchen where her mom was most likely making dinner. Inuyasha followed the noise, looking into the kitchen where Kagome was hugging her mother nearly to death. “I've missed you so much! It's been so long since I've been home!” all Gin could manage to do was hug her daughter back hesitantly, giving Inuyasha an inquiring glance.

“Kagome,” Gin spoke up, earning some breathing room from her daughter as she stepped back, “where were you?”

Blushing, Kagome rubbed the back of her head as she traced patterns in the wooden floor with her big toe. “I don't really know how to explain this,” she took a deep breath, as if she was diving into deep water, “but to me it's been over a year since I came home. The last time I saw you, you were saying something along the lines of `they are expecting you' or something like that. I think you were possessed then, so you probably don't remember…” Gin shook her head as she tried to understand what her daughter was saying. “Thought so. Well, basically, you sent me to England to get training from these people that called themselves `the Daughters.' They taught me how to use my powers and everything. I also met a lot of Kami that taught me things also. I remember now Momma, I remember everything that I forgot!” with that revelation, Gin's mouth formed into a grim line. Not everything that Kagome grew up around wasn't exactly the best formula for good memories. Some of them she would have liked to forget herself.

“That's good honey,” Gin tried to give a half-hearted smile of her daughter's behalf, “maybe some of your memories could help you in the future, don't you think?”

Kagome nodded enthusiastically and gave her mother another hug. Giving a jaw-cracking yawn, Kagome stretched, “wow, I'm tired! I'm going to go to bed early, is that okay Momma?” Gin nodded and Kagome walked out of the kitchen with Inuyasha in tow.

Up in her room, Kagome released the glamour spell that had changed her clothes. She sat on the bed stiffly, reaching behind her back to try to undo her bodice's laces without snapping them with her claws. She had gone through more sets of strings that way than most girls would in their entire extended lifetimes! When she was tired from training, Kagome didn't even bother with trying to untie the strings for fear of slicing the entire apparatus to ribbons.

“Let me get that,” Inuyasha offered, sitting behind her on the bed.

Kagome nodded and lay on her belly so he could get to the lacings better. “Just don't slice anything apart. It'll be hard to get repairs in this world.” Inuyasha scoffed and used his claws to delicately pick apart the knot at the small of her back.

“Why are you wearing something like this in the first place?” Inuyasha asked, success gleaming in his eyes as he finally undid the first knot.

“This?” Kagome asked, fingering the hem of one of her sleeves, “all the trainee girls wore this while I was there. It's their uniform or something like that. Even most of the teachers wore stuff like this, only with a colored sash around their waist and a crescent tattoo between their eyebrows.” Kagome didn't see, but more like sensed Inuyasha's raised eyebrow. “No, not like Sesshoumaru. Their crescents had both points pointed up—ooh, that's better!—like at the ball.” Kagome sighed as Inuyasha loosened the strings on the bodice before proceeding to unstring the thing.

 

“So… you were training with a bunch of hostesses?” Kagome shook her head as she sat up so the bodice could be removed completely.

 

“No. the crescent meant that they were an initiated priestess, like the red and white that Kaede and Kikyo,” both cringed at the dead priestess' name, “wear. I was thinking while I was there… and I understand that you still care for her. I-I guess I can share if that's what it comes down to. The only thing making you choose would accomplish is hurting all three of us.” Kagome sighed and took her bodice and folded it up to put on her chair. Standing up in nothing but the white shift, Kagome took a few deep breaths and did a few quick stretches, reveling in the freedom of the confines of the bodice. In the afternoon light, Inuyasha could easily see the outline of Kagome's natural form through the cloth. Fighting down his natural reaction, Inuyasha stood up and encircled his arms around Kagome's slim waste.

 

“No matter how long you were gone, I still missed you,” Inuyasha admitted quietly, settling his chin between her ears. The soft appendages flicked in response to his warm breath. Nodding softly, Kagome placed her hands over his and hummed softly, both content to steal a small piece of peace for the time being. It would likely be a while before they were alone together again. Kagome yawned, the tip of her tongue curling slightly. Laughing, Inuyasha pulled Kagome back, “you're tired, go ahead and lie down then.” Kagome nodded and went over to the bed and lied down on top of the covers, closing her eyes softly.

 

“Inuyasha?” Kagome murmured, half asleep. The boy turned from the doorway, looking at the sleepy hanyou, “will you hold me?” after a moment of hesitation flashing past his face, Inuyasha nodded and crawled behind Kagome on the bed, his arm encircling her waste and the other pillowing his head. Kagome smiled lightly as she passed out. Only Kagome knew just how long it had been since she had anyone close enough to hold.

 

(O)

“Hey Yus-kun! We were about to leave you behind if you had shown up any later!” Kagome called down from the Goshinboku. Her yellow bag was sitting at the foot of the tree as well as a stack of home made lunches for the others. Inuyasha was dressed in his usual attire and held a hand on the small of Kagome's back to make sure that she didn't fall off the branch that they were sitting on. Kagome was wearing the hakama that Inuyasha had given her, but was wearing a sleeveless orange halter top with a Chinese collar around her neck. The orange top matched the orange flowers that hemmed the bottom edge of her hakama.

Kagome jumped down and hugged her cousin fiercely. “Yeah, you can imagine the toddler messing his diaper over me missing the ride!” Yusuke laughed, putting his pack down beside Kagome's yellow monstrosity. “Do I get breakfast, or are you going to let your poor cousin starve this early in the day?” Kagome laughed and shrugged.

“I haven't had breakfast either. Mr. Grumpy pants wanted to leave without you two hours ago,” Inuyasha scoffed, crossing his arms and jumping down to stand beside Kagome. “Momma probably is waiting with breakfast almost done anyway!” right then, a blue… blob fell on Yusuke's head. It looked like a bright blue penguin with bunny ears and a tuft of black fur between them. “Hello Puu! I haven't seen you in forever!” the foot-tall creature flew off Yusuke's head (he was looking a little peevish anyway) and into Kagome's arms. Kagome walked off with the creature, cooing to it the entire way.

“What is that thing anyway?” Inuyasha asked, hauling up Kagome's bag to put it by the well house.

“He's me…kinda.” Yusuke shrugged and placed his bag next to Kagome's. “Puu's what's called a `spirit beast' and he's supposed to represent what my soul is like.”

“So you're a blue blob?” Yusuke shrugged and blushed.

“Technically… he's a phoenix.” Kagome called over, hearing the boys' conversation. “Puu is like Kilala and this is his smaller form. Hurry up! I smell pancakes!”

Yusuke grinned. It wasn't often that he got home cooking unless he cooked it himself… and that never turned out pretty. “Puu you traitor, get back here!” he called half-heartedly. Knowing the spirit beast, Puu wouldn't leave Kagome's side unless it was necessary.

“He's a phoenix with bunny ears!” Kagome sang, dancing a little with Puu. Yusuke groaned and caught up to Kagome, glaring at the demi-demon half-heartedly. “Don't be mad with Puu Yusuke, he's just too cute to be mad at!”

“Yeah, she said the same thing about Shippou, and see what happened there!” Inuyasha grumped, thinking about `future Shippou,' who was otherwise known as Youko Kurama the thief. Yusuke laughed. That was an opportunity too hard to miss when this was over!

“Admit it Inuyasha, you like Shippou.” Kagome admonished, letting Puu sit on her shoulder.

“Yeah, like an infected wound.” Kagome gave Inuyasha a glare and stomped inside to get some breakfast.

(O)

“Ready?” Kagome asked, rubbing her half of the charm on her necklace.

“As ready as I'll ever be. Are you sure that this'll work?” Yusuke asked, pulling his half of the charm also. Kagome shrugged and looked over at Miroku. The monk nodded his ready and Kagome closed her eyes to start the spell.

She smiled as she gripped the strings of her internal powers to bring them to the surface. Opening her eyes, she grabbed Yusuke's hand and squeezed, sending a small amount of power into his body.

FLASHBACK

“Ready Yusuke?” Kagome asked, sitting on the lip of the old well. Yusuke looked down it apprehensively. There was no way in the many levels of hell that he'd jump into that thing. No telling how deep it actually was.

“N-no!” Yusuke yelled, feeling hands on his back pushing him in. the blue light surrounded him as he went through the time rip. Kagome, holding Puu, and Inuyasha went through soon afterward. On the other side, they found Yusuke by the edge of the trees, losing his breakfast. Kagome looked down and Puu even seemed a little green.

“Oh no you don't!” Kagome warned, putting Puu down. The little phoenix tried to fly toward Yusuke, but it looked like he was drunk before crashing halfway there. The bird laid still and Yusuke wobbled to another tree to lean against. “I guess time travel doesn't suit you, ne cousin?” Kagome asked, grabbing a water bottle out of her backpack.

Yusuke leaned forward and put his head between his knees, “I feel like shit.”

“And you look like it too,” Kagome agreed, handing him the bottle, “rinse your mouth out with this and drink some of the rest. It might help settle your stomach.” Yusuke nodded and took the bottle.

Seeing Kagome take care of her cousin, Inuyasha headed off toward the village. “I'm going to see how the others are doing.” Without waiting for a reply, Inuyasha bounded off through the trees.

Kagome watched Inuyasha go off and sat down next to Yusuke. “Can you stand?” only a low moan and a shake of the head was her answer. She nodded and stood up. “I should probably get Puu. You two went through separately, so that's probably what the problem is.” Yusuke shrugged and groaned. So far, this wasn't the vacation he thought it would be. Kagome placed the sick bird beside Yusuke and he reached out to stroke Puu's soft fur-like feathers on his back.

“Hey buddy, you're not doing too hot either, huh?” laughing slightly, he did feel a little better touching his spirit beast though. Maybe it was because they were part of the same spirit? Puu trilled weakly and sat up, leaning against Yusuke's thigh.

“You'll get used to it after a while. But the well didn't affect me this much though…” Kagome mused, seeing Yusuke green again after the mention of a return trip.

“Kagome-chan!” a call rang through the clearing. Kagome snapped her head up and grinned.

“Sango-chan! I missed you!” she stood up and jogged over to greet her friend.

“What do you mean? You haven't even been gone a week yet.” Sango asked, but didn't dissuade her friend's hug.

Kagome pulled back a bit. “Well… I'll tell you later. Right now we have to get Yusuke to the village. Apparently Yusuke and time-travel don't get along too well.” Sango nodded and looked at the strange boy. He had on a sleeveless Gi on that had pants the same shade of green as Kagome's and a yellow shirt tucked into it. A black belt completed the outfit.

“I-it's fine, I can walk.” Yusuke said, holding himself up by leaning against the tree with one hand on his temples, the other holding a passed-out Puu. Kagome rushed to his side, taking Puu from his arms.

“Let us help you, okay Yusuke?” Kagome asked, putting the detective's arm around her shoulders. Yusuke groaned but didn't pull away from the help. Sango grabbed his bag and followed quietly, wondering why Kagome brought a stranger from her time with her.

“Kagome-chan…”

“Yes?” Kagome looked over her shoulder at the slayer.

“Never mind,” Sango looked off into the forest, her lips pursed. Kagome shrugged and continued on.

Once they got to the village, Kagome led Yusuke to Kaede's and no sooner than lying down on one of the mats, he was passed out. Kagome chuckled, “oh how the mighty Yusuke has fallen, taken down by a little time jump!” Yusuke slept (and snored) the majority of the rest of the morning and Kagome filled in the others what had happened.

END

Yusuke tried to bite down a scream and a moment later, Kagome joined him as he sent a small amount of energy through her arm also. The two knelt, supporting each other, breathing hard. Twin bulges grew from either side of their spinal columns as they started to glow. Miroku cringed also, playing the medium between the physical plain and the spiritual. This wasn't what his powers were meant to be used for.

Kagome let out a brief scream as the twin bulges on her back seemed to pop like zits. The bony structure of a pair wings pushed out of her back, quickly covered with flesh and feathers. Yusuke followed suit a moment later with his wings. Inuyasha's eyes grew wide as he started to run forward, only to come in contact with a barrier that Miroku had put up just for that reason. The energy that the two exerted climaxed, transforming both of them into their complete demon states. Kagome lost her hanyou ears and gained a tail, while Yusuke's hair grew and turned blonde. Both gained tribal-like markings along their face and arms.

The glow flashed and both were tossed back like rag dolls. Kagome landed on her back, but Yusuke barely managed to stay upright, panting. Kagome sat up carefully, balancing on the balls of her feet and her fingers much like Yusuke was. The angelic twins grinned at each other as they flexed their wings gently, allowing the blood to crust and flake off of the feathers. “let-let's not do that again, okay?” Yusuke panted, stretching his wings out to their full extent. Kagome nodded in agreement.

“It won't be so bad the next time, now that the pathway's open. It'll be almost instantaneous next time.” Yusuke rolled his eyes and attempted to stand up, folding his wings tight against his back. Good thing he took off his shirt before the process started; otherwise he'd be without a shirt for the rest of the adventure.

Kagome stood up also, not bothering to bring her wings in completely, and touched Yusuke's hair. Yusuke grimaced, “great, now I need another haircut. This happens every time!” he groused, making sure that all of his ankle-length hair was between his shoulder blades so they would be out of the way of his wings.

Kagome laughed and held out her hand. “I can do that now if you wish. Claws are as good as scissors anyway.” Rolling his eyes, Yusuke turned around to allow Kagome access to his hair. “But first, we need to chill. We're expending too much energy right now.” Kagome murmured so only Yusuke could hear her. He nodded and they both took a deep calming breath. Yusuke's hair turned black once again and Kagome's hanyou ears returned. Although their markings and her tail remained. During this, Miroku released his barrier and connection between worlds.

“Kagome-sama, you look like a Tenshi.” Miroku commented, looking over her mixed features. Kagome blushed and turned away, putting her hand on Yusuke's shoulder to signal him to sit down. As he did so, he spread out his wings like a cloak so he wouldn't sit on them. Kagome looked at Yusuke's dark wing and smiled, lightly touching the top.

“That's new. You have a red stripe that connects your wingtips. It's even on your back.” Kagome commented, tracing the blood colored stripe with her finger, sending a shudder down Yusuke's back. Drawing one wing forward, Yusuke looked and traced the stripe also.

“Yeah, yeah, great. Now hurry up before I leave you behind!” Inuyasha called impatiently, walking out of the field that held the well. Kagome shrugged and grabbed Yusuke's hair in one fist, slicing it short at the neck. Putting the hair to the side, she used her claws to layer his hair into what his haircut was previously. Without any gel in it, Yusuke looked a fair bit friendlier to talk to. Kagome smirked and ruffled his hair.

“All done. Just don't expect me to do that too often for you, alright?” Kagome commented, pulling out a plastic bag and stuffing the locks into it. She tied the bag shut and stuffed it into Yusuke's backpack. While Kagome was doing that, Yusuke had the chance to look at Kagome's wings as well. They had the same blood-red stripe as his, as well as the same iridescent-black feathers. “You ready?” Yusuke nodded and stretched his wings out fully before tying his yellow shirt back on, hiding the extra appendages completely from view. Kagome followed suit with her green and orange haori over her wings. Carrying their backpacks finished the illusion of having no wings. Both shirt and bags could be quickly shed while going airborne.

Kagome walked up to Sango and quietly took Shippou from her arms. The kit was still asleep even after the few days that he had to adjust to the new blood. Stroking his cheek lightly, Kagome leaned him against her shoulder, where he nuzzled under her chin with his claws imbedded into her haori. Soundlessly, Inuyasha watched the exchange and walked off, signaling for the others to follow. They soon fell into place with Inuyasha leading. Kagome was a half-step behind with Sango and Miroku following shortly after. Yusuke, being the new one in the pack, took up the rear and furthest position from lead. Kagome had quickly told him when he woke up what not to do. “Kagome,” Inuyasha said almost emotionally.

“Yes?”

“Do you remember Kagura's scent?” Kagome nodded an affirmative. “There's a stench that has been hanging around since she left, which direction is it going?” Kagome closed her eyes and raised her nose.

“It's going that direction?” she said hesitantly, Inuyasha nodded and headed where she was pointing, to the west.

“That's Naraku's stench. Remember it.” Inuyasha picked up his pace gradually to a run and the others had no choice to follow. Yusuke and Kagome on the ground, Miroku and Sango on Kilala.

(O)

Well, that's it for now. Ryoko, you and your sisters are in my prayers and for those in the United States, happy late Turkey day! Dark