InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fang of the Father ❯ Things Unresolved ( Chapter 14 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

LES: This chapter is big for the reason that I'll give Inuyasha the chance to resolve things with a certain somebody. I may dislike Kikyo, but I'm going to make an attempt at being fair to her, and admit to the things she did for Inuyasha. Even if I believe she, in the end, did more harm than good. Starting with a flash-back to the final fight against Naraku.And since, at the time I wrote this, I hadn't read the final fight, this is my own version of the final battle. No going inside Naraku's body, no Inuyasha going Yokai and attacking Kagome, and Kikyo is there.I've winged it! XD

Muse: You take pride in that? Loser.

Chapter XIV: Things Unresolved

“Adamant Barrage!” Inuyasha yelled, swinging his Tetsusaiga and sending harder-than-diamond spikes straight at the evil hanyou, Naraku. The adamant spikes easily tore through Naraku's shield, and tore away most of his body.

“Damn hanyou!” Naraku swore.

“Look who's talking, Onigumo!” Inuyasha shouted back in retort, calling him by the name of the mortal bandit that the countless Yokai had bound themselves to in order to create Naraku. “At least I'm a natural hanyou, not a mortal playing at being a Yokai!”

Naraku roared and once again attempted to take Inuyasha's Yokai powers within his body. The pieces that Inuyasha had tore off attached themselves to the hanyou.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome screamed. She pulled her last arrow from her quiver. She had been saving it for Naraku's finishing blow, but she had to save Inuyasha. She aimed at the quivering mass of flesh that had engulfed her hanyou.

“Go ahead and save him, miko, it doesn't matter to me.” Naraku taunted. “Without your purifying arrows, it's only a matter of time before I kill you all.”

I—I could well be dooming us all… She glanced at Miroku and Sango's spent bodies. But I… love Inuyasha! I can't let him become a part of Naraku!

But, before she could release her purifying arrow, another powerful purifying arrow flew out of nowhere, and destroyed the flesh cocoon. Inuyasha burst out, covered in slime, but otherwise okay.

Kagome knew instantly who had fired that arrow. “Kikyo!”

Some distance away, the undead miko lowered her bow. “Naraku.” She hissed, cold fury in her voice. “I will not allow you to harm one hair on Inuyasha's head.”

“Kikyo!” Inuyasha gasped; shocked that she had shown up after all.

“Inuyasha, stay back if you value your life.” Kikyo ordered, notching another arrow.

“Ah, the mysterious maiden Kikyo has finally decided to side with her old hanyou flame.” Naraku taunted.

“I was never on any side besides Inuyasha's and my own.” Kikyo said. “Even though you were too blinded by your own lust to see it.”

“You are a magnificent example of what a miko's powers could be, Lady Kikyo.” Naraku said. “No doubt that you could loose that arrow and purify me to a crisp. But… I know that you won't. To purify a Yokai aura such as I have, you would need a massive burst of miko spiritual power. The slightest miscalculation of power and you'll purify me and Inuyasha both. And there's simply no `waking up' from that. Could you live with yourself, Kikyo, for killing the creature you love a second time?”

“Inuyasha, you must trust me. You will not be harmed.” Kikyo swore, her arrow still trained on Naraku.

Inuyasha had seen both Kikyo and Kagome purify enough Yokai for it to be at the top of the list of `Ways I don't Want To Die.' There would be nothing left after purification. Since he was a hanyou, there might be some pieces left, but not nearly enough to survive. The hanyou sighed and said something that he never thought he'd say since getting sealed to the Goshinboku over fifty years ago. “Kikyo… I trust you.”

“So… it's taken you two fifty years to learn how to trust? So different from the day I tricked you into attacking each other. It took so little effort. But you forget one thing…” He pointed his hand at Kagome, and it transformed into a deadly-looking spike. “Release your arrow, and I'll release this.”

Kagome gasped, but felt as if her legs had gone numb. “Kagome!” Inuyasha yelled, moving forward.

“Stop, Inuyasha!” Kikyo ordered. “Come any closer, and I cannot guarantee your safety.”

“But… Kagome…” Inuyasha turned his worried gaze on the younger miko.

Kikyo closed her eyes and seemed to be composing herself. “I understand now…” She opened her eyes, a fire in the chocolate orbs like those of her funeral pier. “Die, Naraku!” She released an arrow filled with massive purifying energy.

The wave of purification hit Inuyasha, and he cried out in pain. But he did not move an inch, even as the pain forced him to his knees.

As promised, Naraku fired his arm-spike at Kagome a split second before Kikyo's arrow turned him into dust. Inuyasha, who was still doubled up in pain, was too far away to help as the spike raced towards Kagome with fatal accuracy.

Kagome herself had control of her body wiped away by the sheer blast of Kikyo's spiritual energy. She could do no more than watch as the deadly remains of Naraku sought her life as if to give Inuyasha one last parting agony.

Suddenly, Kagome's vision was filled with an expanse of white and red. “Kik—“

The undead miko placed herself as a `living' shield for Kagome. The deadly spike hit Kikyo and impaled her as it was meant to impale Kagome.

The injured undead miko fell back into Kagome's arms. “Kikyo!” The younger miko gasped.

“Don't worry. I feel no pain.” Kikyo said, souls starting to leak out of her body. “I am nothing more than bones and graveyard soil, after all.”

“Kikyo!” Kagome looked around and gasped. Inuyasha was struggling to his feet, in his purely mortal form… at mid-day. Kagome could not help but admire the control Kikyo had on her powers. She gave her arrow enough power to destroy Naraku, but kept it in check enough that Inuyasha was only forced to assume his human form. “Kikyo!” He struggled over, using the Tetsusaiga as support as he collapsed next to them. “Kikyo… why?”

“It was meant to be this way.” Kikyo said, looking at Inuyasha. “Inuyasha… this is your form as a mortal? You are just as handsome as I always dreamed you'd be.” She ran her fingers through his midnight black hair, caressing his human ears.

“Kikyo…” Inuyasha gasped, chocking back the raw emotions that affected him so greatly in his human form. “My life… it's still yours. You destroyed Naraku and saved Kagome's life. With the knowledge that everyone is alive and safe, I'll go to Hell with you.”

Kagome felt silent tears sliding down her face. This is it. Kikyo is going to hold Inuyasha to his delirious promise, and I'll never see him again.

“Inuyasha…” She paused. “I release you from your promise.” Kikyo said, causing both Inuyasha and Kagome to gasp in shock. “Live and be happy. I… won't say `Let us meet in the next life', because we already have.” She ran her fingers across his face. “Inuyasha…” She did not say another word. And so, with the last image of the mortal face of the man she loved in her eyes, the last of Kikyo's souls escaped her body and she returned to the after-life. The last piece of Kagome's broken soul was released from Kikyo's body and migrated back into Kagome.

“Kik—Kikyo…” Inuyasha let tears run down his face. “Kikyo!” He now sobbed uncontrollably, cradling Kikyo's false body to himself.

Kagome didn't say a word, nor did she show any affection towards him. She was simply there. Never in a million years could she hate Inuyasha for mourning over his first love.

Even when Shippo came out of hiding and Miroku and Sango came back to the land of the living, they all had the sense to not ask questions even though millions of them were floating through their minds. They would all allow the hanyou-turned-human to mourn in his own time.

(End Flash-back.)

Inuyasha sat between the roots of the Goshinboku, just under the spot where he had been sealed for fifty years. It was at this place that he had last seen the real Kikyo with hatred in her eyes as she struck him down. Fifty years later, it was here that he met a strange girl from the future who looked so much like Kikyo that he managed to over-ride his nose's protests that something wasn't right about her.

“Endings and beginnings.” Inuyasha mused to himself. “Fifty years… damn.” Even to a Yokai, fifty years wasn't a small stretch of time. “Tree, you and I have a lot of fond memories about… nothing.”

He absentmindedly felt the scar on his chest where Kikyo had shot him. “I would still be dead if it weren't for Kagome.” The hanyou mused to himself.

`What is it like to die?' Those who knew his story asked that question a lot. He always answered that it wasn't anything special. Like going to sleep.

But it wasn't like going to sleep, at least… not really. I was… so afraid. When that arrow pierced my heart; I knew that I was dead. I wanted to scream and cry… anything to stop from falling into the darkness.

“I was like… a pup again, a helpless pup who is scared of the dark.”

Kikyo… you chose death without fear twice. What made you do it? What gave you that strength?

“The truth…” A soft voice called.

Inuyasha's ears quickly perked and he leaned forward. “Kikyo? Is that you? How?”

“The Tree of Ages.” Kikyo said, a mist surrounding him like it did long ago when he spoke to Kagome through the tree. He couldn't see her, but he could smell and hear her. “It remembers my life, and thus allows my spirit to communicate with you across the ages. Just as you once spoke with Kagome through this very tree.

Yes. Kagome accidently shot me and ran back to her own time. Then I called her back through the tree. “So… you are actually Kikyo? The woman I remember?”

“Yes.” Kikyo's form now appeared before him, smiling. “But possessing the knowledge my soul gained during my second life.” She knelt down and embraced the hanyou. “I've missed you, Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha pulled out of her grip slightly. “Kikyo?”

“I know.” Kikyo said, pulling away. “I am dead, and you are still alive. You have a life, a mate, and an unborn child.”

“I'm sorry.” Inuyasha said suddenly.

“For what?”

“I haven't… forgotten about you, Kikyo.”

“Sometimes… you are too noble for your own good.” Kikyo laughed; just like how they had been years ago when she had teased him. “It's all right. If anything… I should be the one asking you for forgiveness.”

“Kikyo…”

“I was not able to love you as you were meant to be loved… as a hanyou. I tried to change you, but I should have realized that you are wonderful just the way you are.”

“I forgive you.” Inuyasha said. “You grew up only knowing the prejudices of our time. You gave me as much love as you could.”

“At least… it seems that my soul learned many important things on the wheel of reincarnation.”

“Kikyo… how were you able to face death so bravely?”

“Because I discovered the truth. That your happiness means the world to me. You had found happiness during your second chance at life. Therefore, I was content.”

“Kikyo… you were my first friend. I'll never forget that. Thank you.”

“Good-bye, Inuyasha. Live a long and full life. Live for every hanyou that couldn't.”

“Good-bye, Kikyo.” Inuyasha said as she faded away and left him alone. The mist faded, and he was sorely back in his own time once again. He stood up and gazed up into the swaying branches of the Goshinboku.

“Inuyasha!” The silver-haired hanyou looked around and saw Kagome coming up on him. “Somehow, I knew you'd be here.” She trailed off, staring at him. “Inuyasha… that look.”

“What look?”

“That's the expression you've always had when you've seen Kikyo.” Kagome said.

“I did.”

“You mean… Kikyo's alive?!” Kagome gasped.

“No. She's defiantly at peace now.” Inuyasha placed a clawed hand on the bark of the Goshinboku. “She spoke to me through the tree, like we did that one time, remember? The Sacred Tree allowed me to speak to Kikyo as she was fifty years ago… before Naraku…”

“And… are you all right?” Kagome asked, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

Inuyasha's own hand met hers. “I am. I finally got to say `thank you' and `good-bye'.”

That's right… She died three times, but he never had the chance to tell her good-bye. Kagome thought. That must've been what weighed on his conscience the most.

“Kagome?” Inuyasha asked.

“What?”

“Let's go home.” The hanyou offered his hand.

Kagome smiled and nodded, taking his hand lovingly.

LES: I may not be the biggest Kikyo fan in the world… In fact, I'm not a Kikyo fan at all! My true nature would be to bash that romance-ruining zombie into oblivion; but I also try to be fair in my fictions. And Kikyo is a large part of Inuyasha's life, whether I like it or not. Inuyasha cares for her deeply and would die for her. A dog's loyalty. He really is too noble for his own good sometimes. He makes a half-delirious promise and insists that he follow through on it! Even Kaede can see that they don't belong together anymore.

Muse: Um…

LES: Die, Kikyo… um… again!

Muse: She's lost it…