InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hanyou and Miko ❯ Kagome and Midoriku ( Chapter 20 )

Disclaimer: Don't own him. Love him, but don't own him. How cruel the world can be.

 

Chapter 20: Kagome and Midoriku

 

The pain was awful. She felt it flowing through her, attacking her from the inside. All Kagome could do was scream, hoping to force the pain out of her mind. Was this how InuYasha felt when she purified him? If it was, she would have to apologize to him again. The pain was so much Kagome doubted even he would be able to hide the hurt. It seemed like hours, or days. Kagome hadn't had a grip on time since she encountered Midoriku wondering in her mind.

 

She knew that's where she was now, in her own mind, and Midoriku had entered her mind when her time was most dire for training. Kagome understood, now. She understood why it had to be like this. If you never experience your own powers, how can you fully understand them? The pain was finally subsiding. Kagome relaxed a little, Midoriku standing over her, comforting her mind.

 

All Kagome wanted was to be back with InuYasha and the rest of her friends. She wanted to make sure they were all okay, but she also knew in order to do that she had to complete Midoriku's task. From the first time the older miko's energy hit her, she knew why this had to be done. She knew why she must endure the pain. She had to do it for them. For Kaede, for Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, for InuYasha. One day it would be up to her to protect them, and Kagome was going to be ready.

 

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“I did that?” InuYasha was in disbelief. Sango had gotten back with Kaede. The two had gone in the hut to look after Kagome while Miroku spent the time filling in the blank spots in InuYasha's memory. “I was youkai?” Miroku nodded. “Did I… I didn't…?”

 

“No, the only one you seemed to hurt was Suoh. You almost attacked Shippou, but you were able to stop yourself long enough for me to get him out of the way.”

 

“Is he alright?”

 

“He's fine. Sango made him stay with the villagers. It's best he doesn't see Kagome in this state, at least not now.” Sango and Kaede stepped out of the hut.

 

InuYasha stood, ears standing up on end. “Kaede? Sango?” the two stood silent. InuYasha swallowed hard. “Kagome?”

 

“It isn't good, InuYasha. Kagome is very sick. The youkai blood that she was apparently bonded with also carried a virus, fatal to humans. I have given her a remedy, but ye won't know how effective it is until…” Kaede stopped.

 

“Until she gets better or dies?” InuYasha stated through gritted teeth. Kaede and Sango nodded.

 

InuYasha walked toward the hut. “I'll just take her to her time. They probably have some kind of `medicine' that can help her, no problems.” Miroku stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

 

“It won't work. The well,… is sealed.”

 

“What?!”

 

“That's the first thing you tried. You couldn't get through.” InuYasha took off to the well, wanting to see for himself. Sure enough, when he jumped down his feet met the ground. He sighed as he returned and entered the hut. The others followed. InuYasha's eyes flared. How could she be so stupid?! She knew the well would probably close after she used the jewel! And for him. Now she was weak and sick, something he couldn't protect Kagome from. He looked down at her, turning and shivering, sweat rolling down her forehead. “Kagome…Why do you always have to be this stupid?! Why did you let the well be sealed!? You stupid, stupid wench!” A hand touched his shoulder.

 

“She only wanted you to live. Kagome wants to be here, with you.” Miroku stated. That was all the hanyou could handle.

 

“Look at me, Miroku! I'm nothing! I have nothing! Kagome should have everything. She deserves better!” he paused, letting his eyes wonder back to the sleeping miko. “She deserves better than me.”

 

Miroku was shocked at the sudden outburst of emotion. InuYasha was never one to show so much of his emotions. He looked questioningly to the hanyou, trying to decide whether InuYasha really believed what he said. “Don't you think she should decide who's good enough for her?”

 

“Keh. Stupid wench, she don't know what's good for her.”

 

“And you do?”

 

“Maybe.” Miroku sighed. The hanyou was getting increasingly stubborn when it came to Kagome's safety.

 

“Well you can tell her how stupid she was for wishing your butt back to life later. Right now she needs you.”

 

InuYasha nodded his head. He then took his place beside Kagome, wrapping an arm around her waist and stroking her hair with the other. Her body flinched at the touch, then relaxed against him. Stupid wench. You can't do this to me Kagome! You can't leave me! You hear me!?

 

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“Focus all your emotions Kagome. Focus on your anger, you love, your sadness and happiness. Take all those emotions and turn them into raw energy. Use all of them, make them do your will.” Midoriku coaxed the young miko.

 

Kagome was sweating. She was trying to do as Midoriku instructed, but it was harder than it sounded. Midoriku had shown her a barrier, a strong barrier that instantly purified any youkai daring enough to come close enough. She had to bring back her past, remember her emotions, and use them. That was the secret of the miko's power. Kagome kept urging herself on, reliving her most emotional memories:

 

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Kagome watched in horror as Sesshomaru reached down and tore a hole through InuYasha's chest with his own hand. Blood poured from the wound, laying in a puddle at his feet. `No…' she thought to herself, `InuYasha…' To her surprise, InuYasha grabbed Tetsusaiga from his brother, turning the blade toward him and ripping off the human arm which allowed him to wield Tetsusaiga. He was alive…

 

They walked back to the village on InuYasha's insistence. It was strange, Kagome thought, that he wanted to go back to the village. She thought of his wound. It was pretty deep, and InuYasha was left weak. When they arrived InuYasha asked to talk with her, alone. Kagome nodded, placing one arm around InuYasha's shoulders to support him. She followed him, not knowing where they were going, and was surprised when she noticed it was the clearing where the well was located.

 

“How are you doing?” he asked.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“You try to take care of everyone else, but your hurt too.”

 

“Oh, it's…just a little bump, that's all.” He held his head low. “InuYasha…” she gasped. The hanyou had his arms wrapped around her tightly.

 

“I…was scared…” he replied in a low whisper.

 

“InuYasha…” before she could react the chain around her neck was broken, and she was pushed down into the well.

 

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Kagome felt her power escalate.

 

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InuYasha was lifted into the air by the spider-head's rope-like web. He was in his human form, the first time she had ever seen him as human. The spider-head used it's fangs and bit down hard on InuYasha. He screamed from the pain. Kagome walked in just after it happened.

 

“Kagome! InuYasha's been poisoned!” yelled the little kitsune, tears forming in his eyes.

 

Kagome gripped Tetsusaiga in her arms. “Hold on, InuYasha, I'm coming!” she ran to help, cut off temporarily by the spider-head, but soon was back running to get to the hanyou.

 

“Kagome,…save yourself.” He pleaded.

 

“No chance.”

 

“I'm serious, it's too late for me…”

 

“I'm not leaving here without you! No way!” she used the hilt of Tetsusaiga to break away the webbing holding InuYasha. She drug him into a nearby room and slammed Tetsusaiga into the door to hold back the spider-head. He was cold to the touch and dripping with sweat.

 

“Kagome, back there, why were you crying?”

 

“I-I was worried I might lose you.”

 

“You…shed tears for me…Kagome, if it's not too much trouble, may I lay in your lap?” Kagome nodded, allowing his head to rest on her lap.

 

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Her power surged through her body, small sparks starting to flow from her fingers.

 

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Kagome had just found InuYasha laying in the forest, ripped to shreds for Suoh's claws. “InuYasha? Don't go…” her voice was almost a childish plea. She moved one of her hands to rub his ear, the other still held on tightly to his other hand. “InuYasha!” she yelled out losing herself to her sorrow, followed by uncontrollable sobs. She was on her knees with her head lying across his shoulder, hands around her stomach and knees drawn tightly against her.

 

“No InuYasha!” she started beating the chest of the unmoving hanyou. “Don't you dare leave me! Don't go, please!” She screamed his name over and over, trying to call him back.

 

“Kagome? He-he's gone. There's nothing we can do now.” Sango tried to coax her friend.

 

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“Nooooo!!” She screamed out. All her emotions were raging now. She focused everything she had to form the barrier. A blue flash of lightning consumed her, emitting from her outstretched hands.

 

“Good.” Midoriku stated.

 

Kagome fell to her knees, panting, holding her chest. It hurt; everything in her body was in pain.

 

“You used much energy for your first time. It will make you weak at first, but as your power grows, your energy will also.”

 

“And now?”

 

“Now it is time for your second and final task. It will not be as easy as this one was. You must prepare yourself by meditating. I will tell you when you are ready.”

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Three days had passed, and Kagome still hadn't wakened. Her friends also had the hanyou to worry about now. He would only occasionally leave the hut for fresh air, and would return to her side mere moments later. Days without sleep, even he looked like living-death. Matted hair, dark around the eyes, ears in a permanent droop. All he could do is be there for her, and that's what he planed on doing.

 

Her fever had slightly cooled after the second night, easing his worry little but not much. She still hadn't so much as stirred. InuYasha and Sango took turns forcing herbs and drinks down her throat, keeping her from getting worse. InuYasha sighed, his shoulders going limp as he once again pulled the sleeping miko upon his lap. One clawed hand cradled her in his arms. The other ran through her hair, shimmering and smooth to his touch despite the miko's outlook.

 

“InuYasha?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Maybe you should get some rest. I have to admit, you've seen better days.” Miroku walked in beside him.

 

“Not until she's better.”

 

It was Miroku's turn to sigh. “It's not doing any good for you to kill yourself, InuYasha. She'll need you when she wakes, and you want to be there for her.”

 

“And I will. I'm not leaving her, Miroku, even if it's just to sleep. I'll be here when she wakes. Then I'll rest.” Miroku just shook his head.

 

“I do have a proposal for you. It may help Kagome.”

 

“What?” one of his droopy ears tweaked in the monks direction.

 

“You may not be interested, but it's another blood bond, not as permanent as

Suoh's, but it may help her to regain her energy sooner and rid her of the virus his blood has caused.”

 

InuYasha looked at the cuts across her wrists. He hated those cuts. “Will you have to cut her?”

 

“No. I have prepared a set of prayer beads.” He held out a bracelet of white prayer beads in his hand. “I'll perform the blood bond with these. When she awakens, she can take them off, if that's her wish, and the bond will be broken.” InuYasha thought.

 

“And whose blood would you be using?” Miroku grinned.

 

“Why, yours, of course InuYasha. I won't need much.”

 

“Why me?”

 

“Would you rather Kagome be bonded to me?” InuYasha sneered, then held out his

hand. Miroku pulled out a dagger from his robe. He made a cut the length of InuYasha's palm, handing him the prayer beads. “Now InuYasha, I need you to hold these why I activate them.” He bowed, crossing his hands over the beads, praying over them. A few moments later the beads started to glow, and turned to a crimson red in color. Miroku took the beads and placed them around Kagome's wrist. InuYasha wrapped his hand and moved the other to Kagome's face, gently stroking her cheek.

 

“By using your blood the beads should help her recover quicker. There may be a few other side effects.”

 

“What kind of side effects?” InuYasha cocked an eyebrow.

 

“Oh, little things. You may find yourself more in tune with Kagome, until she removes the bracelet of course. Nothing long term.”

 

“Monk…” Miroku was out the hut entrance before InuYasha had time to react. He didn't feel any different. He was probably just being a lecher like always.

 

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“No! InuYasha!” Kagome ran to his side. She was too late. InuYasha was gone. She laid her head across his chest weeping. How could this happen? How did I get here? All she knew was that she had somehow she and her friends were surrounded by youkai. Dozens of them, coming from every direction. Shippou was the first to fall to the youkai. He didn't have a chance, outnumbered two to one.

 

Kagome didn't have much time to recover herself before Sango also fell. She could still see the look in Miroku's eyes as he kneeled next to his future wife in tears. He fought desperately to keep the youkai at bay, refusing to let them near Sango. He was the next of her friends to fall. Then there was InuYasha.

 

InuYasha stood in front of her, protecting her, shielding her. Youkai after youkai attacked, and she was helpless to do anything but watch as InuYasha was torn more and more. His blood now dripped freely to the ground, soaking it to a deep red.

 

“InuYasha, please, get out of here!” she begged.

 

“I'm going to protect you, Kagome.” He turned and faced her. “I'll protect you with everything I have.”

 

“No, InuYasha!” he ran straight into the youkai, Kagome coming to his side. The youkai gathered around her, closing in. She knelt by his side, crying into his haori. He had lost too much blood, she could feel it coming from him, she could… she could still feel him. How could she still feel him? He wasn't dead?! But she was holding his body; his heart wasn't beating, his skin going cold under her fingertips.

 

This wasn't InuYasha. None of this was real. She concentrated hard. No, he was still alive! So were the others! She could feel them, she could sense their presence. Shippou… he was somewhere nearby with Sango. Miroku is moving toward them. And InuYasha… he was with her, but something was wrong, something just wasn't right about him, it was as if he were weakening.

 

Everything disappeared, the youkai, the bodies of her friends, and the forest itself.

 

“You have passed the final task.”

 

“Midoriku, this was the test?” Kagome looked around until she caught sight of the miko.

 

“Yes.”

 

“But, I failed. Everyone died, I let them die…”

 

“That was not the test. You are a miko. You will not always be able to help those you love, it's part of being a miko to allow yourself to be protected. This was just to allow you to expand your mind beyond what your eyes see.”

 

“So, all I had to do was realize everything was fake?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How will this help me?”

 

“You will never be as physically strong as the others, nor should you be. Your strength is in your mind, your heart, your very soul. You remember what almost came to be after Nishi's curse?”

 

Kagome swallowed hard. “I almost kill InuYasha.”

 

Midoriku nodded. “Now if you focus on what your soul tells you, you cannot be tricked by a curse as that again.”

 

“InuYasha, I feel him the strongest right now. Something's wrong with him, it-it just doesn't fell right. Can I go back now?”

 

Midoriku smiled, waving her hand in front of her in an odd gesture. Kagome was sent swirling into a void of pink and white light, going home.

 

A/N: Ok, someone said my last few chapters have been a little short. I really just type until I think it's enough, but I've had finals this week so they might have been a little shorter than usual. But that doesn't mean I'm running low on idea's or anything, and there's still plenty story left. Hope that clears a few things up!!

 

Ok, ok. A few more rewards to reviewers:

 

For the most…demanding…review in the last couple of chapters: Inuyasha-craver and SetsuntaMew

 

For the most flattering review: dogdemoninuyashaandkagome

 

For the all-time fluff lover review: I AM EOWYN

 

That's all for now so thanks to all the other reviewers and good luck with the next awards!!