InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Harsh Changes ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Harsh Changes

Chapter Three-The Decisions Made by Mothers

Kaede tended to an ill child at their house, a bit away from the village. He had fallen out of a tree he had been climbing to prove how much of man he was and had broken their arm. The eight year child that tried to prove he was a man was now crying like a baby. It wasn't a bad break, but the constant screaming of the little boy made it a painful process for Kaede, whose ears were growing quite tired of the boy's screams. Finally, the last bit was put on his splint.

"There." she told the crying child, who upon hearing that stopped crying.

"Thank you, so much. Lady Kaede." the mother said gratefully.

She picked up her supplies and began to head back. The path ahead of her seemed much longer than it would have been a few years ago. She stopped by the lake, where InuYasha sat by the edge, deep in tortured thoughts. His eyes reflected a torment that Kaede could only imagine. She wandered off the path, headed in his direction, but InuYasha caught sight of her and took off before she could even get into yelling distance.

There wasn't angry or even surprise for his reaction; Kaede understood he wasn't ready to face any one yet. She continued her voyage home. The events of that day had left a stain on everyone's soul. But InuYasha must have the worst of it. His guilt was something that must probably tainted everything he did.

Kagome had been in horrible shape when Miroku brought her into Kaede's hut. Miroku at first didn't explain the situation. He was having trouble accepting it himself. His eyes looked as distance as Kagome's did. It was Sango who had informed her of the situation, while tending to Kagome's injuries.

Kagome had a broken wrist, a shoulder that had been dislocated then popped back in, her ankles were swollen, her face had a bruised that covered almost her entire right side, and her body was covered in deep cuts. She had lost a lot of blood and she was trending on shock. And that was only the physical wounds. Kaede didn't want to think about what emotional scars would be left from being so brutal attack by a friend.

Kaede went past Sango, who was angrily destroying some of the forest. Poor Sango, Kaede thought to herself, this must be hell on her. Kagome was like family to Sango. To have her hurt like that and not to seek revenge goes against what she had always been taught. Kaede continued on, choosing to leave Sango in peace. She didn't look like she wanted to talk.

Kaede, herself, wasn't sure how to take the situation. But was sure, Sango's desire for blood wasn't the best course of action. Then again, she wasn't coming up with any good paths to take. Kaede was feeling her age at that moment, taking a short break by a tree to catch her breath. How she wished this never came to pass. But what happened had happened and nothing she wished was going to change that.

- - - - - - - - - -

Miroku came stumbling onto the scene. InuYasha was putting his pants on, his limps moving like they were made of stone. Sango had Kagome in her arms, rocking the crying girl covered hastily in InuYasha's coat.

"What happened?" he demanded.

Sango's eyes flashed dangerously, a fire burning behind them that threaten violence.

"Why don't you ask him?" she cried out, that fire directed toward InuYasha, who just starred blankly into space.

His body was covered in blood. Miroku turned to him.

"InuYasha, what happened?"

InuYasha didn't react. He just sat there.

"He raped her." Sango offered, tired of InuYasha's silence, the disgust dripping from her lips.

At the verbalization of his crimes, he lunged forward, and puked on the ground in front of him. Miroku glance around. How did this happen? Sango demanded Miroku to come to her with a harsh sound. He did, kneeling beside the weeping Kagome.

"Take her, take her to Kaede." she told him, a threat hidden in her voice.

He took Kagome in his arm, but Kagome held onto Sango.

"Don't hurt him, leave him alone."

She had heard the threat, too and was now was giving her last word. She was begging for forgiveness on InuYasha's behalf. Sango gave her a strange look, a mix of surprise, confusion and disbelief. But she nodded and Kagome let her weak hold go.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ms. Higurashi left her daughter sleeping in her room, the confession still weighing heavily on her mind. She sat down in the living room where Kagome's grandfather and brother sat watching TV. Some pointless bickering was being held between the two. When they saw the expression on her face, the argument was forgotten.

"Mama, what's wrong?" Souta asked.

"Souta, go play outside."

He looked blankly at her for a moment. The tone in his mother's voice alarmed him and he sat still for a moment. She repeated herself, the tone only lighting a little. He nodded and quickly picked himself up to leave the room. She waited in till she heard the door slam. Her eyes turned to the old man sitting on the couch.

"What's wrong?"

"Kagome told me what really happened."

He sat up, intently listening to her as she sat down beside him.

"InuYasha raped her."

At first the words were hollow, not real. Then they became real.

"Bastard." he spoke barely above a whisper, angry rising in his chest.

"She's pregnant."

Again, he was hit with a hard blow. He actually closed his eyes.

"Is she-how is she?"

"Shaky. She keeps telling me it's not his fault. I think she really believes she to blame for this."

"What are we going to do?"

She glanced out the window at the moon that hung low in the sky.

"In the morning, I'm going to arrange to have an abortion and you'll destroy the well."

He nodded, agreeing with the plan. This was the only way. Kagome was simply too young to be having a baby and she wasn't going to go back. That was for damn sure. If they had to destroy the whole shrine, they would protect Kagome from that monster.

Souta felt the floor fall out from under him. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. He stood shakily by the doorway of the living room, where he had been hiding once he slammed the door to make sure his mother thought he left. He couldn't believe that InuYasha would hurt Kagome, not like that.

Shippou had fallen asleep on Miroku's lap. It was an uneasy sleep. He missed Kagome, and by the way every one was acting, she wasn't coming back. All he could think about was the way she looked when she left. What had happened to her?

He thought he could comfort her if only he knew what was wrong. But no one would tell him. No one would explain why everyone was in such torment. It was the worst feeling in the world, to know someone you love was hurting and not knowing why.

Miroku felt the small fox kicked in his sleep. He wished he could tell him. But he didn't know if he knew the words to explain it. Besides, it not like it will do anyone any good to have someone else with a grudge against InuYasha. He hadn't slept inside in heaven's know how long. He looked up to the roof, where InuYasha had last been seen.

"InuYasha." he whispered, knowing very well he could hear him, "You can't avoid this forever. You're going to have to face it, one day."

With that, the sound of movement on the roof came drifting down, signaling he had left.

"Well, at least he was really there and I wasn't just talking to myself."

- - - - - - - - - -

Kagome went running in the general direction of InuYasha. A few monstrous growls and InuYasha's curses directed her to where he was. She called out his name, but heard no answer. Suddenly a loud unnatural scream cut through the air, then silence. She felt her blood run cold.

"InuYasha, please be OK." she cried out.

She ran out into a clearing, her eyes darting around desperately searching for the silver-hair boy. She kept running, over to a ledge. She gazed down to see the horrid demon InuYasha attack on the ground. But where was InuYasha? The ledge was only a few feet off the ground, so she simple jumped off, almost falling onto the dead demon's body. Catching her balance, she quickly took off, calling InuYasha's name. She past a small grove a trees and then saw a flash of red among the branches. She followed him. Was he hurt?

"InuYasha, are you OK?" she cried out, only to be answered by a growl.

- - - - - - - - - -

Souta took off upstairs, tearing into Kagome's room. Kagome was sleeping in her bed; he practically jumped onto her.

"Kagome, wake up!" he screamed.

She jerked out of bed and Souta looked up into her blood-shot eyes.

"Kagome, is it true? Kagome, did he really hurt you?"

Kagome just starred at him at first not sure what he was talking about. But it slowly dawned on her. She opened her mouth but closed it again. What was she going to say to him? She tried to answer, but he shook her.

"Tell me the truth. Kagome. Please."

"Souta, I-"

"Mama said you're going to get an abortion. Kagome, did he hurt you?"

"She said what?"

"She said you're going to get an abortion to get rid of the baby and that Grandpa is going to destroy the well."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat. She looked down at the floor, the room began to spin. Her grandfather and mother must have heard the disturbance, for at that moment they came barreling in her room, her grandpa quickly removing Souta from the room, trying to calm the hysterical boy, closing the door behind them.

"Mom, you can't do this. I can't-"

"Shh, baby."

"No, you can't make me do this, mama. Don't make me kill my baby!"

Kagome was crying again, she tried to stand up, but the room was spinning too fast and she fell forward into her mother's arms.

"Kagome. Please, listen to me."

"It-it wasn't his fault. You can't. I can't."

"Shh. Please, just listen to me."

Ms. Higurashi forced Kagome to look at her, being mindful of the bruise on her right side. She waited in till Kagome settled down her sobbing and stop trying to pull away from her grasp. Kagome's grip the apron around her waist, just like when she was a scarred child trying to hide from something that frighten her.

"Kagome, this is the only way to fix the problem-"

"But Mom-"

"Just listen to me. Kagome, does InuYasha want the child?"

"I-I don't know."

"Well, even if he does want the child. A man that would do that to you is in no shape to raise a child."

Kagome bit her bottom lip trying to stop the tears, but to no avail.

"And you can't have the child here, can you?"

"Why not, Mama? I can take care of it-"

"With no prenatal care?"

Kagome looked blankly at her mother.

"You couldn't go to the doctor, how would you explain this demon baby to him?"

Kagome lowered her head, the salty rain hitting her hands still clutched to the white fabric.

"What about your studies? What about school? What about your friends? Kagome. Think of your future."

She let go of her mother and gave a defeated nod. Her mother embraced her.

"I know, baby, it seems impossible now. But this is for the better. This is all for the better."

She gave another weak nod, before separating from her mother.

"I'm very tired, Mom. Can I go to bed now?"

"Of course, honey." she said, quickly getting up and leaving, shutting the light off as she closed the door, leaving Kagome in the dark.

Kagome picked herself up from the floor and sat on the edge of her bed. She took a few shaky breaths, trying to calm the tears in her eyes. Maybe her mother was right. Maybe this was for the best. She laid her hands on her belly. The aura seemed upset too, upset by all the emotion running through its mother. She shook her head. She couldn't kill it. She felt it. It was alive to her. Her mother had made her decision and she would have to make her own.

She gazed up at the moon. It seemed to laugh at her. She gazed over at the big yellow bag that her brother had placed in her room. She closed her eyes. No tears slipped past her lids. This time her courage wasn't nearly as shaky as it had been. This time she had a reason to be brave. She made her decision; the only witness was the laughing moon.

- - - - - - - - - -

"What have you DONE?" Sango screamed.

InuYasha glared at her with his glowing red eyes. A deep growl and a sinister grin came across his lips. He got what he wanted from his bitch, now he wanted to fulfill his taste for blood. He began to back away from his bitch, but she started making sounds, squirming underneath him. He slammed in her again, commanding her to be still and silent. Sango started shaking.

"STOP IT!" she screamed, "STOP HURTING HER!"

He barked at her, daring her to come closer.

"Give him the sword, Sango." his bitch choked out, "Just give him the sword."

He growled at his bitch; he told her to be quite. She gave a small yelp in fear. Good, his bitch should be scared. She should also be silent when he said to be silent. The other one took the large weapon and posed it for battle. He smiled, sniffing the air. Her blood would taste good, it was filled with adrenalin. "Please, Sango. Just give him the sword."

She looked at his bitch, the other one's eyes filled with confusion, her hands faultier on her weapon. Was she going to attack or not? He had enough and began to put his weight on his legs, preparing to attack himself. If she wasn't going to make the first move, he would.

"Please, Sango." his bitch begged.

What ever she was saying to the stranger surely had an effect of her because she gave a strained scream of frustration, before throwing the smaller weapon into his face. It hit him hard on the bridge of the nose, causing him to yelp in pain. He was going to make her pay for that and quickly grab the weapon preparing to use it on her. Suddenly, he felt something push him back. A strange feeling ran through him. His eyes faded back to gold and the streaks on his cheeks retreated back. He looked blankly at Sango, and then turned to see Kagome's body beneath him.

"Kagome." he said harshly.

- - - - - - - - - -