InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Graduation ❯ The Arrival ( Chapter 8 )

I am so, so, so, so sorry that I have no updated! I hope that this extra long chapter makes up for it! And I apologize in advance for any mistakes in advance. It is very late here.

 

I do not own Inuyasha.

 

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Graduation

 

Chapter 08

 

The weeks passed uneventfully. Kagome's stomach was clearly showing her pregnant state and was quite distended. Miroku had brought up the topic of his and Sango's wedding a couple weeks ago, causing the slayer to blush and stutter. The villagers readily agreed that it was passed time for them to be married and commenced the preparations for the wedding. The preparations were coming along smoothly, but it would not be preformed until their hut was completed, as they would need some place private to consummate their marriage.

 

Kagome was extremely excited for the upcoming event and insisted on retrieving the finest cloth that she could find in her time for their formal wedding kimonos. The couple was extremely grateful and deliriously happy for the help. Inuyasha also helped the engaged couple out by helping to build their hut, greatly speeding up the process. Though it wasn't going as fast as his and Kagome's hut as his attention was divided between the hut and his mate, who was having trouble moving around due to her large belly and swollen ankles.

 

On the final day of construction, the eve before the wedding ceremony, an almost forgotten tingle shot down Kagome's spine as she helped Sango put the finishing touches on her kimono. Sango looked worriedly at her friend when she gasped and stiffened. “Are you alright, Kagome?” she asked with a concerned voice.

 

Kagome glanced at Sango before looking out at the forest into the distance in the direction from which the feeling was coming from. “I sense a jewel shard,” she murmured.

 

Sango stiffened as well at the information. It could only mean one thing, as there was only one jewel shard they had failed to collect. Kohaku.

 

“Come on, Sango, let's go meet him,” Kagome said, storing the needle that she was using and standing from her kneeling position. She held out a hand to her friend and Sango tentatively took it before she too stood and they headed off towards the forest, Sango still gripping Kagome's hand tightly.

 

“Oi, wench! Where do ya think yer goin'?!” a loud voice demanded from behind the two girls. Kagome looked over her shoulder to see Inuyasha and Miroku heading towards them from the sight of the couple's new hut.

 

“I've sensed a jewel shard,” Kagome told the two men as they approached them.

 

Miroku looked worriedly at his fiancé and moved forward to embrace her. Sango let go of Kagome's hand and clutched the front of Miroku's robes. “Are you going to be alright, love?” he asked her in a whisper.

 

Sango nodded and took a deep breath before backing away from his chest. “Which way, Kagome?” she asked her friend quietly.

 

Kagome smiled reassuringly at her before heading off into the forest with Inuyasha protectively at her side. They walked a little ways into the forest and after about ten minutes they came to a clearing where a boy of about fifteen stood.

 

“Kohaku,” Sango whispered, letting go of her fiancé's hand and rushing forward to engulf her younger brother in a hug.

 

“Sister!” the young boy chocked out, clutching his sister's kimono as he cried into her shoulder.

 

“I was so worried when we couldn't find you, Kohaku! I thought…I thought…” Sango sobbed and clutched him tighter.

 

“I know sister, I know,” he murmured, his tears lessening. “I've come to return the shard in my back and I know that I will die again when it is removed.”

 

“No! No, no, no! We'll figure something out! There has to be a way! You can't die again!” Sango shrieked, clutching the front of her brother's robes.

 

“There is no way, sister,” Kohaku said gently, resting his hand atop her own. “And I can no longer live with a clean conscience; all of the things that I have done, the people that I've killed. I can only hope that I will be forgiven in my next life.”

 

“But…” Sango sobbed.

 

“No buts, Sango,” Kohaku told her sternly. He then looked up at Miroku. “You'll take care of her for me, won't you?”

 

“Of course,” Miroku said sincerely, accepting the weeping demon slayer from her brother.

 

Kohaku moved to stand in front of Kagome. “Are you sure, Kohaku?” the priestess asked the young man.

 

Kohaku nodded. “You need to complete the Jewel of Four Souls and my time on this earth is over. There is no way that I can begin to repay for all the suffering that I have caused in this life, so hopefully I can atone in my next one.”

 

Kagome nodded and the boy turned around before bearing his back to her. The priestess touched the scar on the young man's back where the shard had been inserted. She could see the jewel in her mind's eye turn from a dusky purple to a bright pastel pink. Kohaku gasped in pain as the purified shard forced itself from his flesh. Kagome caught the shard as Kohaku's body slumped to the ground. Sango shrieked anew, yelling out her brother's name as she disengaged herself from her fiancé's hold, rushing over to her fallen brother. She cradled his head against her chest and sobbed at the loss of her last family member. Kagome kneeled down next to them and felt the boy's neck for a pulse. When she got none, she looked up at her friend and sadly shook her head. Sango sobbed harder and leaned against Miroku who had moved to kneel next to her.

 

Kagome stood back up with her mate's help and looked up at him forlornly, not even being able to imagine losing Souta once, let alone twice! Inuyasha pulled her into a hug and then started to lead her back towards the village, giving the couple the time to mourn the loss in private.

 

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The funeral for the young demon slayer was short but heartfelt. His body was cremated and ashes scattered into the wind. At night, the engaged couple constructed a small boat and sail, only large enough for a candle, and let it go in the river, watching the small candle light float out of sight.

 

“We can postpone the wedding if you want,” Miroku suggested once the light of the candle disappeared.

 

“No,” Sango said strongly, wiping away her tears. “We will have the wedding ceremony tomorrow like we planned.”

 

“But, are you sure?” Miroku asked concerned.

 

“Yes, it would just put all the hard work the villagers and Inuyasha and Kagome have done for us to waste,” she told him.

 

“But is it what you want?” Miroku asked quietly.

 

Sango smiled genuinely up at him. “We've waited far too long as it is. I want to finally be your wife.”

 

Miroku pulled her to him and engulfed her in a hug. He buried his face into the side of her neck and planted a kiss there. “Thank you, love,” he mumbled.

 

Kagome stood next to Inuyasha and looked on from the sidelines, happy tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. With one hand she held Inuyasha's tightly over her bulging stomach and the other she clutched at the front of his fire rat robe.

 

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The next evening came quickly with all of the last minute preparations on decorations and food. The ceremony was beautiful and Sango looked exquisite in her simple four layer kimono. Kagome had wanted to make her a twelve layer kimono, but Sango had put her foot down, saying that it would be too much and Kagome had done enough as it was.

 

The dinner was short, as Sango and Miroku had disappeared pretty quickly, though no one really had any doubts as to where they were going.

 

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The months went by quickly and Kagome grew rapidly, her stomach was now large enough for her to set her tea cup on. She was also limited in mobility, not just by her condition, but also by her mate, and had to stop traveling between the future and the feudal era.

 

Inuyasha was being as overprotective as ever by not allowing her to move very far on her own, not that she was complaining. Her feet and lower back hurt like an elephant had trampled over them. And her daughter seemed to have fun playing sock'em bop'em with her internal organs.

 

Her due date was steadily approaching and Inuyasha had confined her to bed rest, keeping her wrapped in blankets and furs to ward off the cool of the winter weather.

 

“I am so ready for her to be born,” Kagome groaned as she cuddled with her mate in their bed. “There's definitely no more room in there.” She absentmindedly rubbed her protruding stomach.

 

Inuyasha chuckled. “Soon, Kagome,” he told her in a soothing voice as he covered her hand with his own over her stomach.

 

“It had better be soon because I don't know how much more of this I can—” Kagome suddenly stopped with a gasp, both of her hands shooting out to clutch her belly.

 

“Kagome? Are you alright? Is it the pup?” Inuyasha asked worriedly, sitting up on his knees next to his mate.

 

Kagome took a ragged breath and let her tense muscles relax as the minor contraction passed. “I think it's time,” Kagome told him a little breathlessly.

 

“Time?” Inuyasha repeated with a confused look on his face. “Time, time…TIME!” he suddenly yelled with surprise and panic. He quickly reached under her and lifted her against his chest. “Shippou!” he bellowed as he raced out of the room. His adoptive son barreled into the house from where he'd been outside playing in the snow. “It's time! Run ahead and tell Kaede!” Shippou's eyes widened and he quickly took out a leaf, changing into a duck and taking flight. Inuyasha looked down at his mate as she gasped again and curled over her stomach. “Are you alright, Kagome?” he asked his mate with a worried whimper.

 

Kagome took a deep breath and nodded, clutching the Jewel of Four Souls that was still around her neck. “Yeah, fine, just get me to Kaede's,” she gasped breathlessly. Inuyasha nodded and carefully rushed towards the old woman's hut.

 

Kaede greeted them at the front of her hut and held open the reed cover for them. “Hurry, lie her down on the futon and prop her up, Inuyasha,” she ordered, following them back into the small and dimly lit room. Inuyasha set Kagome down and sat behind her, propping her up on his chest and wrapping his arms around her to rub her belly. “Shippou, would yeh go and fetch Sango?” Kaede asked the small kit. He nodded and rushed out of the small hut. “How are yeh feeling, Kagome?” the old woman asked as she settled down next to the young priestess.

 

“Pretty good, you know, it's just a little painful,” Kagome joked.

 

“Aye, child, let's just see how far along you are.” Kagome shifted her panties off and out from under her thick winter kimono. Kaede checked her progress and ignored Inuyasha's quiet growling at looking at his mate in such a fashion. “It looks as though yeh have not broken yer water yet, so yeh have a ways to go, but hopefully it will being soon.”

 

“Wonderful,” Kagome groaned as Sango came barreling into the hut while telling Shippou to remain outside with Miroku.

 

“How are you doing, Kagome?” she asked her friend as she took a kneeling position next to the old priestess.

 

“I'm doing pretty good, but I'm going to be getting pretty bored sitting her waiting for something to happen,” Kagome giggled breathlessly.

 

“It would probably be beneficial fer yeh to walk around a bit. The movements might encourage thein water to break and the contractions to increase,” Kaede recommended.

 

Kagome nodded and Inuyasha helped her up, supporting her around the waist as they took to walking around the village. She was congratulated and encouraged by passing villagers as she told them of her plight.

 

“She's being one stubborn baby,” Kagome groaned, one hand under her belly and the other around her mate's waist.

 

“She must have gotten it from you, wench,” Inuyasha said jokingly.

 

“Ha! You must be delusional,” Kagome told him. “There's no one more stubborn than you!”

 

“Yer crazy, wench!” Inuyasha rebuked.

 

“And you're—” Kagome stopped with a gasp, her hand coming out from around her mate's waist to clutch at her belly with her other hand.

 

“Kagome? Are you alright?” Inuyasha asked, quickly changing from teasing mode to worry mode.

 

Kagome nodded as she felt moisture drip down her legs. “I think my water broke,” she whispered. Inuyasha's eyes bulged before he nodded and whisked her off of her feet, quickly making his way back to the old priestess's hut.

 

The old woman and Sango looked up from where they were preparing the futon to look at the frantic half demon and his mate. “Ah, finally ready, are yeh, Kagome?” the old woman asked kindly.

 

“Ugh,” Kagome replied as her mate carried her over to the futon, setting her down and propping her up from behind with his body, her back pressed against his chest. Inuyasha rubbed her belly as Kaede checked her readiness.

 

“You're looking good Kagome, you should be ready to start pushing soon,” the old woman said to the soon to be new mother before turning to the half demon mate. “Out with yeh Inuyasha, this be no place for a man.”

 

“Fuck no, hag!” Inuyasha roared, deafening the women in the hut. “I ain't goin' nowhere!”

 

Before Kaede could say anything, Kagome spoke in a gasping voice, “Kaede, if it's alright with you, I would like to have Inuyasha stay. Please?”

 

Kaede sighed. “Alright, if yeh would like,” the older priestess responded.

 

Kagome smiled and thanked Kaede, but winced as pain wracked her stomach. Inuyasha whined and nuzzled her neck while rubbing her belly with one hand and allowing her to grip the other as the contractions hit.

 

It was a long and excruciating time for Kagome as they waited for her to dilate all the way. Inuyasha was practically shaking with nerves at the thought of something paining his mate. Finally, Kaede told her she was ready to push and with the next pain to bear down on it.

 

Kagome pushed with the next contraction and left out a high pitched keen at the pain that laced her groin, causing Inuyasha to flatten his ears against his head. Once the contraction stopped, Kagome took a shuddering breath and bore down on the next one.

 

During the long and painful process Inuyasha was offering his mate all of the support and encouragement that he could by rubbing her belly, allowing her to squeeze his hand as the pain hit her, and nuzzling her neck.

 

Then, hours later at around midevening, Kagome felt the tremendous pressure that had been building up in her groin for the past couple contractions dissipate and let out a keening wail. Her scream was quickly followed by cheers from Kaede and Sango as they received the pup causing her to wail as well. Kagome blearily opened her eyes to see her pup, covered in blood and placenta, her skin blotchy and tinted blue. Her hair, the snowy white color weighted down and tinted, her puppy ears stuck against her head and her tiny eyes clutched tightly closed in protest.

 

Kagome smiled tiredly, but continued to push in order to birth the placenta and reduce the risk of infection. Once Kaede deemed that it was all out, she cleaned her up and padded her for her after birthing bleeding. Sango cleaned up the pup and wrapped it in a white swaddling cloth.

 

“Congratulations,” Sango said with a smile, handing the bundle over to Kagome.

 

“My pup,” Kagome breathed. Inuyasha looked over her shoulder and ran a claw gently down the pup's cheek. Kagome turned her head towards him and smiled. “Congrats, Papa,” she murmured.

 

Inuyasha grinned and nuzzled her with his nose. “Same to you, Mama,” he said.

 

“She's perfect,” Kagome breathed. “And her ears are so cute!” She punctuated this by rubbing one of the pup's black tipped white ears, causing her to whine and blink her eyes open.

 

“They're blue,” Inuyasha murmured.

 

“They'll be blue for a little while until their natural color starts to develop,” Kagome explained.

 

“Well, I hope they stay blue, like your eyes,” Inuyasha told her. Kagome grinned and looked up at the hut door where Miroku and Shippou had just entered.

 

“Congratulations my reproductive friends. You have created the gift of life!” Miroku said with a lecherous grin and a flourish of his hands, causing the staff that he clutched in his right one to jingle. He moved to sit next to his wife beside the futon and removed Shippou from off of his shoulder. Sango smacked the back of his head for his lecherous remark.

 

“Is that her?” Shippou asked as he placed his small hands on Kagome's thigh and leaned over to look at the tiny bundle.

 

“Sure is, runt,” Inuyasha said. “This is your little sister. You gotta protect her just as much as your Mama, got that?”

 

Shippou gave him a serious look and nodded before looking down at the pup. “She has your hair,” he noted, “and ears!”

 

“Cute little puppy dog ears!” Kagome squealed quietly, reaching up again to rub one of the folded ears that were still pressed against her little head.

 

“They'll perk up in a couple of days,” Inuyasha told her, indicating his daughter's ears. “We need to inform Sesshomaru.”

 

“We can send a letter in the morning,” Kagome yawned, her body completely exhausted. It had been a long day and was quickly becoming dark.

 

Inuyasha shifted and leaned back against the wall behind the futon, shifting his mate with him and helping her to support their pup. “Get some sleep, wench.” Kagome nodded and snuggled back against her mate, leaning her head on his shoulder and quickly falling asleep.

 

Sango motioned to Miroku and they left, making their way back to their own hut. Kaede unrolled her own futon and set about preparing for bed. Shippou curled up next to Inuyasha's leg and followed his surrogate mother into a deep relaxing sleep. Inuyasha smiled down at his steadily growing family, nuzzling his mate's face before falling into dreams of many pups with little puppy ears and a range of silver and black hair.

 

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Kagome was immediately awake at the small whine released by her newborn pup. Kagome shifted the winter yukata she was wearing to bare a breast and shifted the pup up to it, where she instantly latched on and began eagerly sucking. A strong arm came up to help her support the pup and a low chuckle alerted her to the fact that her mate was awake.

 

“She's got a healthy appetite, doesn't she?” Inuyasha asked as he shouldered out of one of his fire rat robe sleeves and draped it over his pup's head and mate's breast to preserve her modesty.

 

“I wonder who she got that from...” Kagome asked in a wry tone.

 

“Keh, musta been you, wench,” Inuyasha told her teasingly.

 

“Ha! Yeah right. No one eats more than you do,” Kagome scoffed.

 

“Yer crazy wench!” Inuyasha snorted. “Don't you remember that time last year after you did bad on one of your `tests?' You ate enough to feed a small army!”

 

Kagome chuckled and replied, “That's because I was sad. Girls eat when they're sad.”

 

Before Inuyasha could say anything further, Sango entered with Kirara on her shoulder and Miroku behind her. “Good morning!” she greeted. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Sore,” Kagome answered, drawing the pup from her breast and up to her shoulder to burp.

 

“That's to be expected of yeh after giving birth yesterday,” Kaede told her as she rolled up her futon and stored it against the wall.

 

“Hey, old woman, you got a calligraphy brush and some paper?” Inuyasha asked, moving from behind Kagome, shouldering out of the other sleeve of his robe and leaving it on Kagome. He moved to sit next to her, placing a pillow in between her and the wall.

 

“Aye, I do. Yeh intend to write yeh brother now?” Kaede asked, retrieving her writing box and bringing it over to the half demon.

 

“Yeah, he told me to tell him when Kagome whelped,” Inuyasha told them all, taking parchment out from the top and a brush and ink from the drawers in the front. He expertly started writing in a fancy scrawl, much to the surprise of the other occupants.

 

“I wasn't aware that you could write,” Miroku said, watching the expert way that the half demon held the brush.

 

“Keh, you forget monk that my mother was a princess. She taught me to write before she died,” Inuyasha scoffed, allowing the ink to dry before rolling the paper up and tying it with a tie that he'd found in the box. “Kirara, could you deliver this to the Western Castle for me?”

 

The fire cat demon mrowed and transformed into her larger counterpart. Sango placed a bag around her neck which Inuyasha put his letter into. “Thank you, Kirara,” Inuyasha told her, petting her between her ears. Kirara nuzzled his hand before bounding out of the hut and taking flight.

 

“It shouldn't take Sesshomaru long to get here,” Inuyasha remarked. “Should we go see your mother in the mean time?” Kagome smiled and nodded, fixing her yukata and handing her mate back his fire rat robe. “Sesshomaru should be here by tomorrow morning, so we'll be back then,” Inuyasha told the occupants of the hut. “You gunna be good, runt?” He looked down at Shippou who was sitting on Kagome's knees.

 

“Of course!” Shippou saluted, hopping off of his mother's lap.

 

“Good,” Inuyasha scooped his mate up, who held their pup to her chest, and strode out of the hut and in the direction of the bone eater's well.

 

“I hope that everyone's doing alright,” Kagome said, thinking of her family. “It's been so long since I've seen everyone!”

 

“I'm sure that they're fine, wench,” Inuyasha said as he hopped into the well, the blue light surrounding them and transporting them five hundred years into the future. He skillfully hopped out of the old well and up and out of the well house.

 

“Mama's going to be so excited! I wonder what the date is,” Kagome thought, scrunching her brow and looking up at the sky. Inuyasha walked them to the front door and Kagome reached over to knock on it.

 

A muffled voice sounded from inside before the door opened, revealing Kagome's mother. “Kagome! Inuyasha! You're back!” she cheered, a smile spreading across her face. “Does that mean…?”

 

“Yep! She's right here,” Kagome said, indicating the bundle in her arms. She gently passed her over and watched as her mother's face lit up at the sight of her first grandchild.

 

“Oh, Kagome, she's so precious,” Mrs. Higurashi breathed, cradling the bundle gently. She ran her hand over the pup's head, gently rubbing the black tipped silver ears that had been dried from the previous day, becoming soft and fuzzy. She backed into the house and sat on an arm chair in the living room, followed by Inuyasha, who sat Kagome in his lap as he sat on the couch adjacent to the armchair.

 

“Isn't she?” Kagome asked, smiling. Inuyasha smiled in pride as his pup was complimented.

 

“She'll be gorgeous when she grows up,” Mrs. Higurashi observed, rocking the pup in her arms. “And she's gunna have Inuyasha wrapped around her little finger, aren't you sweetie?”

 

“Eh?” Inuyasha asked confused. His mate and her mother giggled.

 

“What's all the hubbub?” an elderly voice asked from the kitchen. Through the doorway came Kagome's grandfather, straw broom in hand and a surprised look on his face. “Kagome! And Inuyasha! You're finally back!” He smiled, leaning his broom against the wall and moving over to his daughter-in-law. “Is that…?” he asked quietly, looking down at the curious baby.

 

“Yep! Meet your great-granddaughter, father,” Mrs. Higurashi said.

 

Grandfather Higurashi stared in wonder down at the small pup. “Wow,” he breathed. Never had he thought that he would live to be a great-grandfather and yet he was. He was looking down at the proof. “Have you two thought of names yet?”

 

Kagome looked up at her mate and smiled before looking up at her grandfather. “I was actually thinking about Rindou,” she admitted.

 

Both mother and grandfather were startled. They looked at the calm and cuddling couple across from them in shock. “Are you sure that's a good idea?” Mrs. Higurashi asked tentatively, knowing how much the undead priestess had hurt her daughter and her mate.

 

Kagome smiled lightly at her mother and nodded. “I'm sure. She was a part of our lived that neither of us are willing to forget.”

 

Inuyasha carefully scented the air before scrunching his nose at the smell emanating from his pup. “The pup needs to be changed,” he murmured, looking at his pup squirm in discomfort.

 

“Oh, I'll take care of her!” Mrs. Higurashi said, standing from the armchair. “It's been too long since I've taken care of a baby.” She carried the pup upstairs and into the bathroom.

 

Grandfather Higurashi watched his daughter-in-law leave before turning to his granddaughter and her mate. “I'm very proud of you two,” he said before he grabbed his broom and retrieted into the kitchen to go out the back door and into the courtyard.

 

Kagome laughed at her mate's startled expression and nuzzled his neck before sighing. “I love you, Inuyasha,” she murmured.

 

Inuyasha grinned and nosed her hair, breathing in her scent. “I love you too, wench,” he mumbled into her soft hair.

 

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Again, I am so sorry that I haven't updated sooner, it's just been so hectic around here that it's not even funny. First a grandmother passing away, and finals week, and then graduation, and then orientation, and then the power went out for three days because of a tornado, and then I was working a lot, and I am exhausted! Meep! Anyway, Rindou means Bellflower, and Kikyou means Chinese Bellflower, which is also called a Balloon Flower, so technically she is still named after Kikyou.