InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fragments of Memory ❯ New Memories ( Chapter 8 )

Fragments Of Memory

Story Akiko (Krystal)

Inuyasha Rumiko Takahashi

Sesshoumaru x Kagome

 

Chapter 8 - New Memories

 

Sesshoumaru blinked as he pulled back, glancing at the bite mark that was now placed on her. He shook his head. This woman would drive him up a wall.

 

“That kinda hurt,” she frowned, placing a hand to her neck as she looked up at him.

 

“And you're infuriating,” he muttered, releasing her from his hold and straightening up. “How you manage to get me to do some of the most pathetic things is a mystery to me.”

 

“Well excuse me. I don't recall forcing you to do any of it!”

 

And she was going at it again. Her mood just flipped from one to the other without warning. “And you need to learn how to control your moods, wench.” He narrowed his amber gaze as he glared at her. “I don't need you around, just remember that.”

 

“So I mean nothing, is that it?!”

 

Sesshoumaru glanced in the direction of Rin and Jakken before looking back at Kagome, an expression of indifference cast upon his features. “Exactly. You mean nothing to me, mortal,” he replied calmly in his ice-laced voice. He then turned back toward where the other two were, sniffing the air slightly. He frowned and headed towards the area.

 

Kagome blinked, stumbling back a step at his response, and how casually he said it. He really meant it. She did mean nothing to him. She was a mortal. Her heart had once belonged to a hanyou, she knew that after questioning him about it, but now it didn't. She couldn't even remember the hanyou. The voice that rang through her mind earlier had belonged to Sesshoumaru's brother, but it was calling out for the other woman.

 

It was easier for her to just let her heart and mind believe it was Sesshoumaru she loved instead, right? It felt right to her to be so close to Sesshoumaru. To be kissing him. She clenched the fabric of her kimono over her heart. It was aching again, and it seemed worse this time. She couldn't catch her breath and her vision was blurred and burning with tears.

 

Her breathing hitched when she felt a presence near her and shot her gaze over. It was at that moment she remembered she had lost all her arrows to the ground when she had been running away from Sesshoumaru. And now, those very arrows were behind the form that showed was in front her.

 

[[[]]]

 

“That, Inuyasha, for not informing us of you're plans to let Sesshoumaru watch over Kagome. How dare you make such a choice without us,” Miroku explained, smacking the hanyou over the head once more with the end of his staff, and then let out a gentle sigh. “What are we going to do with you?”

 

Inuyasha growled, glaring death at the monk. “Not a damn thing, but I think I'll beat you into the ground for a little revenge!” the hanyou shouted, lunging towards Miroku, only for the monk to dip behind Sango.

 

“Now, now, Inuyasha. Temper, temper,” Miroku spoke. “No need for such violence.”

 

Sango sighed, and then whipped around, her hand making contact with the monk's cheek right away. Her hand twitched slightly as Miroku's cheek turned red in the form of a handprint. “Pervert.”

 

Inuyasha blinked and shook his head. “You'll never learn, will you, Miroku?”

 

The monk just smiled happily, his own hand covering the mark now. “It's all worth it, Inuyasha; it truly is,” he sighed happily, causing Inuyasha to shake his head some more. He then paused and glanced out the window in the hut, his nose sniffing the air.

 

Before anyone could ask Inuyasha was out of the hut, telling no one to follow him.

 

Miroku, Sango and the other two all exchanged glances.

 

“It's that dead woman's stench in the air,” Kouga sneered, having a disgusted look to his face. “He's running right after her,” he finished.

 

“It just might be that Inuyasha is seeking comfort in my sister's presence now,” Kaede spoke up, placing another lump of wood into the fire, and then sat back in her spot, sighing.

 

“What's the story with the dead wench anyways?” Kouga asked, glancing at Kaede, who returned his gaze. “I don't understand why he's always running off to her if he's so damn in love with Kagome.”

 

“Aye, his heart is torn. My sister is his other love, the one who held his heart before Kagome ever came.” The elderly priestess gazed into the fire with her one eye. “Kagome is my elder sister's reincarnation.”

 

Kouga blinked, then huffed. “So you're saying that you're dead sister still holds the dog-shit's heart?” He watched her nod. “Why not just kill her again? Send her back to where she belongs?”

 

“Inuyasha would murder anyone who tried,” Sango sighed. “His love for Kikyou is still there, as is his love for Kagome-chan.”

 

It was then Kaede cut in. “He's originally going after this Naraku character because Naraku is the reason my sister ended up dying. It was he who had created the wound that caused my sister's demise. Naraku ha made such a web of deceit and distrust that anyone who gets caught in it seems to lose someone they care for.”

 

Miroku gripped his staff tightly as his gaze shifted towards the ground; Sango closed her eyes, her fingers tightening on the strap of her giant boomerang while Kirara nuzzled her cheek; and Kouga let a growl slip.

 

Kaede sighed and forced herself to stand up. “In any case, since Kagome seems to be in the care of Sesshoumaru, someone should probably take her this bag of hers,” she motioned towards the yellow bag beside the door.

 

“We can all do it,” Miroku suggested, his grim expression changing instantly to a smile. “It'll be a pleasure for me to see Kagome-sama once more, granted she will not remember me, but it'll still be nice. I'd like to see for myself how she is truly doing now.”

 

Sango nodded as Kirara jumped from her shoulder. She walked over and grasped the bag, lifting it up, seemingly without a problem, then looked at Kouga. “You'll keep your temper under control, won't you, Kouga?” she asked in a sweet, yet warning tone.

 

The wolf demon huffed and slipped outside, the small cat demon on his heels. He watched as she transformed in a whirl of flames, and then watched the exterminator and monk followed him out.

 

“Take care while we're out, Kaede-sama,” Sango told her, bowing gently. “We'll be back as soon as we can.”

 

“Aye, you take care as well.”

 

With another bow, from the exterminator and the monk, they mounted Kirara, except for of course Kouga, who ran along side of them.

 

[[[]]]

 

Kagome stood up and stumbled back slightly when the shadows revealed who was standing there. “You're… the priestess… from earlier,” she forced out.

 

“You truly seem to have lost all you're previous memories. It's curious to me how such a thing could've happened to you,” Kikyou spoke, walking towards Kagome, her Shinidama chuu encircling her for a moment before they moved around the area more freely. “It amuses me now how easily you have become nervous of my presence,” she smiled slightly at this as she backed Kagome into a tree.

 

“Whatever it is you want it has nothing to do with me,” Kagome replied, closing her eyes the second her back touched the tree then opened them up right away.

 

“How is it you managed to lose those memories of which seemed of so much importance to you?”

 

Kagome shook her head, closing her eyes. “I don't remember anything that happened to me previous of my waking to find myself in the company of Sesshoumaru, Rin and Jakken. I don't know anything other than what I was told.”

 

“Told?”

 

Kagome explained to her the same thing Sesshoumaru had answered earlier to her, the incident in which afterwards she lost her memories.

 

Kikyou listened closely as Kagome explained; sorting through what information she could get from her reincarnation, asking questions she figured Kagome would be able to answer and trying to gain more information, and listening as Kagome recounted seeing Inuyasha and the others, than to seeing Kouga. “It seems, whatever this wolf did to you previous to Sesshoumaru's appearance along with your loss of blood has caused the lack of memories. I also wonder at the same time if, at that very moment, you wanted to lose those memories.”

 

Kagome blinked, looking at Kikyou with shock apparent in her expression. “I wanted to lose my memories?”

 

“It has been known that traumatic events have caused a person to lose their memories.” Kikyou paused and her cold, amused eyes turned to those of pity. “I know you have gone through more than your fair share of those types of events, but you had managed to pull through. I suppose, with the blood loss it was easy for the urge to forget those memories had more power and did as you truly wished.”

 

“Then how do I get my memories back?” Kagome asked, her voice sounding desperate.

 

Kikyou shook her head. “I myself do not even know how that is possible. It is different for every person I have come across. Some do get their memories back over spans of time and others don't. It's different for every person.”

 

Kagome blinked and clenched her fists tightly, her eyes falling closed. She wanted to remember everything, didn't she? Or would it be too painful for her to remember?

 

“You truly have my pity,” Kikyou whispered, breaking Kagome out of her thoughts. “To be brought to this world and go through things such as this. I should not have been..” she stopped, her gaze turning from Kagome and her matching bronze gaze turning cold, emotionless once more.

 

“Kikyou!” came a voice, and this caused Kagome to freeze for a second. That voice. It was the one of Sesshoumaru's brother. Kagome shoot past Kikyou and gathered up her arrows, slipping them back into the quiver on her back just as Inuyasha broke through the trees. “Kikyou!”

 

[[[]]]

 

Jakken breathed heavily, his hands clenching the staff of skulls tightly in his grasp as he glared at the demons standing in front of him. “Curse it,” he grumbled. “They chose to attack as an ambush after Lord Sesshoumaru left us for some time,” he huffed. His grip tightened as one of the demons stepped forward, causing fire to fly from the mouth of one of the heads, and caused the demon to back up quickly.

 

“Master Jakken, what are we going to do?” Rin questioned softly, standing close behind the toad who stood between her and the demons. “We don't know when Lord Sesshoumaru will be back.”

 

“Blast it, Rin, I know!” Jakken scolded the girl, sending out another blast of fire, only to watch it poof out before it got close to the demon. “Uh-oh.” Jakken was exhausted. He let out a heavy breath of air and pushed Rin away. “Get to Aun, you insufferable child!”

 

Rin stumbled a bit. “But what about you, master Jakken?” she cried out.

 

“I'll be fine!”

 

“But--!”

 

“Move,” was all that an icy tone spoke before the two were out of his way and the demons were destroyed, his silver hair flowing through the air, lagging behind his quick movements.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama!” the two called out in unison as they ran towards their master. Jakken just bowed and Rin ran right over, hugging his leg slightly. “You're amazing Sesshoumaru-sama!” she cheered, smiling happily.

 

Sesshoumaru glanced down at the two, his gaze shifted to Rin alone. “Rin, are you harmed?”

 

The child shook her head, smiling happily still. “No, Sesshoumaru-sama; Master Jakken made sure I stayed safe! He was amazing at keeping the demons at bay, he even managed to kill a few of them as well!”

 

He nodded and then looked in the direction from which the demons had come. They came from out of the perimeter he had patrolled earlier. Rin caught his attention once more. “Where's Kagome-neesan?”

 

He blinked and then looked in the direction from which he had come. Had she fallen behind? He shook his head and then paused, sniffing the air. He then walked back in that direction, causing Rin and Jakken to follow suit after him. Rin made sure to grab the reins of Aun as well, to make sure the two-headed dragon followed them.

 

[[[]]]

 

“Kikyou…” Inuyasha whispered, then paused when he saw Kagome. Shock obvious in his expression as he watched her back up a few steps. “Ka-Kagome? What are you doing here?”

 

Kagome narrowed her gaze a bit, her bow already placed in her hand, an arrow having been snatched. The arrow was positioned in the bow, and all she needed to do was to raise it to attack and defend herself if need be.

 

He glanced from Kagome to Kikyou and back to Kagome. He stepped forward, showing no signs of hostility, not sure if it would calm her down though. “Kagome, you've been crying.”

 

Kagome raised the bow slightly when Inuyasha took a step closer, ignoring the fact her hands were shaking slightly. “Stay away,” she warned, gripping the bow and arrow tightly in her hands.

 

“I'm not going to hurt you, Kagome. Please. Why have you been crying? Sesshoumaru isn't hurting you, is he? If he is, tell me.”

 

“Why would you care?!” Kagome shouted out, raising the weapon fully, the arrow pulled back, it aimed for Inuyasha's chest. “You're the one who causally said he could have me! I wonder if what he told me was true,” she spoke harshly, her eyes cold and distant. “I somehow find it hard to believe you cared about me so much, like he told me, if you could just casually give me up like I'm some piece of property.”

 

“Kagome I…”

 

“Inuyasha,” Kikyou spoke softly, gaining the hanyou's attention and stepping between him and Kagome, which caused Kagome to aim her arrow down towards the ground.

 

Inuyasha blinked. “Kikyou, please tell me you didn't do anything to her.”

 

“She didn't do anything to me,” Kagome shouted out, startling Inuyasha.

 

He watched her with amber eyes, and then looked back at Kikyou. It didn't matter if Kikyou did or didn't do anything to Kagome; she had always defended Kikyou to the end, and it seemed she still would.

 

“My reasons for having been crying aren't your concern!” Kagome shouted out once more, huffing slightly, her hair swaying slightly with some of her movements, giving Inuyasha a good look at her neck. He froze. He gently moved Kikyou from his way and was at Kagome's side in what seemed a heartbeat, pushing the arrow away from himself, his other hand brushing over her neck. “That bastard… he…”

 

Kagome stumbled back from Inuyasha, releasing the arrow and watched a cut appear on his cheek. Her breathing quickened as her bangs slipped into her eyes. “I said stay away from me!” she shouted.

 

“Kagome, what did he do to you!?” Inuyasha pressed, anger flaring to life in his eyes. He ignored the wound on his cheek and grabbed her wrist, pulling her close. “Tell me what the bastard did to you, Kagome.”

 

Kagome flinched in pain when he did this, causing her to drop her bow. Her eyes closed as she tried to pull away, her free hand grasping Inuyasha's wrist and trying to pull herself free.

 

“Inuyasha,” Kikyou spoke up, walking over and placed a hand to his shoulder. “Let her go. You don't need to treat her in such a rough manner.”

 

Kagome tightened her hold around Inuyasha's wrist, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. “Let me go!” she shouted out again, a spark appearing from her hand before her powers burned Inuyasha's wrist, forcing him to release her as she stumbled back and tried to reclaim her balance.

 

It was at that moment an arm slipped around her waist, keeping her from meeting the ground once more. She looked up, meeting Sesshoumaru's gaze. She took in a few rough breaths of air before she buried her face into the demon lord's chest, cling to him. She couldn't careless what he had said earlier about not needing her; she needed him.

 

“Sesshoumaru!” Inuyasha shouted out. “What did you do to her!?”

 

Cold amber eyes met those of enraged golden ones. Silver hair slipped over his shoulder as his hold around Kagome tightened slightly, trying to comfort her the best he could with his brother around right now. “What stupidity are you going about this time, Inuyasha?”

 

“There's a bite mark on her neck, what the hell is that about!?”

 

Sesshoumaru blinked and looked down at Kagome. He had forgot marking her slightly earlier today. He then just leaned forward a bit, placing his fangs in the exact same spot as when he bit her, his eyes closing for a moment. He could feel Kagome as she stiffened for a second and then relaxed as her face stayed buried into his chest.

 

“Sesshoumaru!”

 

“Is it too complicated for your tiny mind to comprehend, Inuyasha? I've merely marked her,” Sesshoumaru finally responded, opening his eyes and returning their cold gaze to his younger, half-brother. He smirked slightly. “You gave her to me, why should I not mark what is now mine?”

 

“You have no interest in human lovers, Sesshoumaru!” Inuyasha shot back. “You kept going on about how it was our father's downfall, and yet you seem to be following in his same path!”

 

“Hm,” he closed his eyes, a thoughtful look appearing on his face. “Father died for such pathetic reasons; I won't risk my life to save that of a human's,” he finally responded, opening his eyes back up. “Nor will I jump into a fight, such as he did for your mother, when already wounded.”

 

Inuyasha growled, clenching his fists tightly as was about to attack before he felt arms wrap around him from behind and a head resting against his back. He tensed for a moment and looked back, the best he could, catching a glimpse of Kikyou. His form relaxed slowly, but his glare towards his brother did not ease. “You hut her Sesshoumaru…”

 

“And you'll do what, little brother?”

 

“Inuyasha, please,” Kikyou whispered softly, tightening her grip around the hanyou slightly.

 

Kagome glanced over towards the hanyou, though she continued to stay close to Sesshoumaru. “I'm nothing of your concern,” Kagome sighed, her nerves having calmed down. “You have that woman there to worry about; I'm not yours anymore, so leave me alone. I can't remember you and you know, I really don't want to.”

 

Inuyasha blinked, his gaze darting to Kagome, the emotions in his eyes going straight from shock to pure pain. “Ka-Kagome…?”

 

Her gaze watched Inuyasha, unblinking and unmoving. “I try to remember small things, but they do nothing but make my head hurt and make it hard to breath. I keep hearing this small voice in the back of my mind telling me I don't want to remember; that things are better how they are.” Her gaze dropped to the ground. “You get so worked up over me, it seems, but you didn't come here for me, Inuyasha. You came for Kikyou,” Kagome paused, taking in a sharp breath of air, her eyes closed tightly.

 

The demon lord leaned forward, his lips brushing past Kagome's ear and whispered, “Calm down, miko. Relax and do not force anything.”

 

“You always went to Kikyou; you never cared,” Kagome flinched, taking in another desperate breath of air. “Never cared how much it pained… pained me in the end,” she huffed, trying to catch her breath. Her face buried itself into Sesshoumaru's chest. He wrapped his arm protectively around her now, his Tokijin pulled from his side in mere seconds as Inuyasha tried to step forward.

 

“You are not wanted, Inuyasha.” He paused and glanced to the side as Sango, Miroku and Kouga showed up. He was getting annoyed now.

 

“Seems there's a small gathering here we did not know about,” Miroku smiled lightly. “Kagome-sama?”

 

Kagome looked up, her breathing still heavy as she looked at the four standing there. Kouga, Sango, Miroku and Kirara.

 

“Kagome-chan,” Sango spoke up, her smile soft a she stepped forward. “We thought we should bring you your bag of items, in case you ended up needing something from it,” she explained, walking over towards Sesshoumaru and her dearest friend.

 

She blinked as she watched Sango. “Thank you,” she smiled a bit and gently pushed herself away from Sesshoumaru and walked towards Sango, taking the bag.

 

“Are you doing all right, Kagome-chan?” Sango questioned, bring her hand up and placing it to the girl's forehead. “You look exhausted and stressed.”

 

“It's been a long day so far,” she replied. “And I'm doing just fine, thank you.” Kagome lifted the bag up and turned to walk back to Sesshoumaru, but a hand on her shoulder stopping her. Her eyes locked with Sango's when she glanced back.

 

“I know you don't remember me, Kagome-chan, but please, if you need something Sesshoumaru cannot give you, come and find us, I beg of you. If it's something medical, food, someone to talk to or just some comfort…” Sango withdrew her hand the moment she felt tears stinging her eyes.

 

Kagome blinked, smiling gently. “Thank you, and I will. I promise. I'm sorry I can't remember you at the moment, but I hope, even if it's not much, that I can remember you slightly. There are voices telling me there are things I don't wish to remember, and things are better this way,” pausing she let her bag hit the ground and wrapped her arms around Sango, pulling the exterminator into a hug. “The same goes for you, if you need something, please come find me as well,” Kagome whispered. “If I can't remember my old memories of you, then I'd like to make new ones.”

 

Sango blinked and tightly hugged Kagome back, burying her face into the teen and just nodding, as her tears broke free and spilled down her cheeks.

 

Sesshoumaru watched as Kikyou pulled Inuyasha from the scenes, away from the whole area to try and comfort the hanyou. His gaze shifted towards Kagome and Sango before he placed a cold glare on Kouga, forcing back a growl. He merely walked towards the two women and picked up the yellow colored bag from the ground. “Kagome.”

 

Kagome blinked and looked back towards Sesshoumaru, nodding a bit before she forced herself to release Sango, pushing the elder girl back slightly with a soft smile on her lips. “Cheer up, all right? I think you're much prettier when you're smiling, okay? New memories are always waiting to be made, just remember that.”

 

Sango blinked, wiping her tears away and simply nodded. “I will, Kagome-chan; thank you.”

 

Kagome nodded and turned around, running over towards Sesshoumaru after she plucked her bow from the ground, following the demon into the thick trees surrounding them. “Sesshoumaru…” she spoke up, pausing once they were far enough away from the others, causing the demon lord to turn and face her.

 

[[[]]]

 

Kouga watched them leave, ignoring the monk as he went to comfort the exterminator. His fists were clenched and he was biting his bottom lip. He had seen the mark on Kagome's neck. So that bastard thought he could claim Kagome as his just because Inuyasha gave up his rights on her?

 

“It seems as though Sesshoumaru has a great hatred of you, Kouga,” Miroku chimed.

 

Kouga blinked and looked at the monk. “I noticed,” he grumbled. “Bastard thinks he won this damn battle. Kagome isn't his.”

 

Sango sighed. “Not this again,” she groaned and walked over to Kirara, slipping onto the demon cat's back. “When you're done with this complaining of yours, Kouga, join us back at the hut. Kaede was working on food when we left,” she smiled softly, and then glanced at Miroku when he got onto the cat's back behind her.

 

“Ah, some food sounds amazing. Shall we go back to see if it's done yet?”

 

Sango merely nodded and Kirara took off into the air, heading back towards the hut.

 

[[[]]]

 

“Kikyou, what are you doing?” Inuyasha questioned, his amber gaze watching the dead miko in front of him.

 

“Do you still plan to fight a losing battle to gain her back, Inuyasha?” She stopped, and turned to look at the hanyou behind her. She watched as he looked away from her.

 

He sighed and finally walked closer to Kikyou, pulling the dead miko into his arms. “I'm sorry Kikyou,” he whispered, burying his face into her silky black hair, eyes falling closed. “Part of me is compelled to continued to get her back, but part of me has given up now. Maybe it's just a habit that keeps me fighting for her?”

 

“Inuyasha, will you stay with me? At least, for a few days?”