InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Harsh Changes ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )

Harsh Changes

Chapter Eight-The Fire in the Forest

Many decisions were made over the next few weeks. Kaede would be Kagome's midwife. Also the question of where Kagome would live had to be answered. A house had to be built. The villagers offered to help, as long as InuYasha didn't live in the village. Meaning, he'd have to build his home on the outskirts of town. This pissed off InuYasha, who thought they were being ridiculous. But Kagome voiced that it was fine with her. It was decided that in front of the god tree was as good of a place as any. And as promised, the villagers helped.

Shippou wanted to live with InuYasha and Kagome. InuYasha didn't object, to everyone's surprise. To tell the truth, InuYasha still had trouble being in the same room with Kagome. The distraction of the fox made him forget about how Kagome still had scars. Besides, he had to live some where.

The day started quite early, since everyone wanted this project done pretty fast. InuYasha had successfully gathered all the supplies needed before hand, so all there really was to do was to build it. They were walking to the construction site now, right in front of the god tree. InuYasha and Kagome were quite a ways ahead of the others. InuYasha was peering at Kagome through the corner of his eye.

It was still hard to believe she was pregnant. He couldn't detect in her scent. Well, a little, but he expected more of a change in her smell. Then again, her scent always did have a habit of toying with him, barely hinting of its condition. He gazed down at her exposed arms. The scars that should have been in great relief were in much less than they should be. Her hair was quite long now. But she kept cutting it, he figured to save him from having to see her as Kikyo.

Suddenly the ground beneath InuYasha's feet disappeared. He should have been looking at where he was going; now he sat waist deep in a rice field. Kagome rushed to the edge of the field, her face darken with concern. At that moment, a frog decided to land on top of the hanyou's head.

InuYasha was furious and attempted to whack the frog off his head. But the frog dodged the attack and landed on his knee. Now, InuYasha had a nice large lump on his head. Kagome tried. Honestly, she tried not to laugh. But watching the small green animal out run the great hanyou was just too much. She had to hold her side as tears ran down her face.

"It's not funny!" he cried.

Despite the stern expression he held, it was good to hear her laugh. He lifted himself up from the muddy pool he was sitting in and decided to shake himself off, much like a dog. Kagome let out a playful scream of annoyance, before they both started back to the trail. The time spent by the water had given the rest of their group to catch up.

They finally arrived to the construction site, where the villages were busy at work. InuYasha was all ready to help, but Miroku had a 'special project' for him, demanding his attention away. The villagers really didn't miss him as InuYasha followed the monk into the forest. They were quite use to this type of labor.

"What the hell is this 'special project'?" InuYasha grumbled.

It was strange, but since his promise to Kagome, things began to get closer to normal. Sango wasn't threatening him at every turn. The monk was being guilty of a few unsavory acts. Shippou had made a great attempt to piss InuYasha off. Which Shippou succeeded quite well, reward with a lump on the head. InuYasha was acting like his normal moody self, most of the time.

And there were times when both InuYasha and Kagome forgot about what had happened. Kagome began to smile more. InuYasha had to admit that was the best part, when Kagome would smile like she use to. Things seemed to be looking up. So, it bugged InuYasha out when the monk decided to have this 'special project.' There was something solemn in Miroku's voice.

"Hey, you going to answer me?" he blurted when Miroku gave nothing more but a smile.

"You'll see."

"Feh."

Kagome was sitting by on a stump watching the villagers as they began to build. They were actually quite good at it, quite effective. Even without InuYasha, who had been lead away by Miroku. She wondered what they were doing, but didn't bother to ask. If it was something important, she would be told. She watched as his figure disappeared into the forest.

Sango sat beside her. She would have gone to help the villagers as they began to build, but Kaede suggested she sit with Kagome, to keep her company. Kaede was at the village, gathering supplies for their new home. Shippou was, of course, among the builders, trying to be helpful, but just being annoying. Sango knew this by the occasional 'Stop that,' 'Leave that alone,' and 'Go away' that came drifting from the site, followed by a whined 'I'm just trying to help.'

Shippou talked a lot about the baby. He was excited. Kagome guessed the whole situation didn't quite sink in to him. But that was fine. He didn't need to understand everything. Let him be excited. She found it very cute when he started talking about his 'little brother or sister.'

Things were getting better. She had to admit that. Life wasn't so strange and filled with tension. She even found herself smiling again. That didn't mean there wasn't tension. There was, especially when it was just her and InuYasha. But she figured that was to be expected. Sango pat gently on Kagome's leg to draw her from her thoughts.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Kagome had been having morning sickness the last few days. Sango concern was, for once, just a nice politeness, not a deep rooted fear for her well-being. She knew Kagome was alright. Kagome nodded her head.

"Yeah, although, they should change the name to middle of the night sickness."

Sango let out soft laugh.

"Kaede's said it should be over in a few weeks. So don't let your middle of the night sickness get you down."

"Oh, I won't. It's the boys I worry about. It can't be any fun to be woken up like that."

"Well, they'll just have to get over it. Kagome. Things aren't going to get any easier. Just they wait in till the mood swings hit."

"I know. Then they'll really have something to belly ache over."

Kagome looked back up at the outline of her house. She almost giggled. It sounded so funny to say her house. But that's what it was. Even if this was a very strange way to start a life, a very violent way, she was starting it. This was her home.

The forest ahead of them began to thin out, before turning into a wasteland of burnt wood. There had been a fire last summer in this part of the forest. Massive trees were reduced to nothing but piles of ash. The place had a strange smell to it, the smell of mass destruction.

"Hey, Miroku. What the hell are we doing way out here?" InuYasha asked, for the hundredth time.

"Be patient."

"Just tell me."

Miroku stopped, almost having the distracted InuYasha ran right into him. He looked out to where a pile of wood and other supplies sat. They were all neatly lined up, but they were no more than short scrap wood. Must have been rejects from the building materials.

"Here we are." Miroku said, sitting down on the remains of a once noble oak.

"What?"

"You see those supplies?"

"Yeah."

"Build a baby bed."

InuYasha, at first, didn't know what the command meant. Build a baby bed. InuYasha had no idea how to build something like that. Was he really serious? He shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't know how to do that."

"Well, you better learn, because you need one."

"I'm sure someone from the village could build a better one than I could."

"I bet they could too, but you need to build it. This isn't their baby. It's yours."

InuYasha glared at the wood. He had thought he had come to terms with this, with Kagome being pregnant. But feeling the strange tightness in his chest gave witness to the fact he hadn't. This was too hard. Not the building part, but the coming to terms.

"I can't."

Miroku let out a sign. He had expected this. This was an important step. InuYasha needed to understand and accept what it meant by the promise he made.

"InuYasha, why can't you?"

"What if it's not strong enough? What if I build it wrong? I can't be put in charge of something so important. Haven't I caused enough damage already?"

Miroku stood up.

"InuYasha look around you."

"Yeah, I know the fire from last summer."

"No, InuYasha. Look around at the destruction of this place, hundred year old trees gone, eaten by fire as if they were candy."

InuYasha did. The sky seemed awful big, since there was no tall trees blocking it. The smell of ash and burnt wood was still fresh in the air. Everything had a grey tint to it. It was one of the most depressing places in the entire forest.

"Now, InuYasha, look over there." Miroku instructed, pointing his staff over InuYasha's shoulder.

InuYasha turned around. At first he saw nothing but the same depressing destruction. But a flash of green caught his eye. The flash belongs to a sapling that at full height stood only to InuYasha's waist. Miroku went over to it, and InuYasha followed him, staying a few feet back.

"What is it?"

"It the sapling from one of these trees." he said indication the empty skeletons around them. "It was probably in the ground for centuries. But the larger trees around it took the nutrition from beneath it and blocked the sun above it. Not in till the fire was it even given a chance. Do you understand, InuYasha?"

"No. What the hell does this have to do with me?"

"Out of destruction comes creation."

There was a silence while InuYasha took in this information. Miroku was trying to tell him something. He just wasn't sure what. All this talk about fire and destruction seemed pointless. What did this have to do with him?

"InuYasha. You must learn to trust yourself again. You must forgive yourself for what happened."

That came out of nowhere. InuYasha felt his angry rise. Miroku was playing mind games on him, damn it. What did this have to do with the forest? He should stick to one freaking subject at a time. InuYasha curled his hand into a fist.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"InuYasha, you must forgive yourself for what you did to Kagome."

"Why? Why do I have to forgive myself?"

"Because you can't build this life if you still harbor that guilt."

"Feh. You're talking non-sense."

"InuYasha."

"No, I don't have to do anything."

"You need to, for Kagome."

"How is it going to help Kagome?" InuYasha practically screamed.

"Well, it would make her forgiveness not in vain."

The blood that had been boiling inside of him because of this conversation suddenly went cold. Her forgiveness? InuYasha didn't think Kagome had forgiven him. Didn't think she ever could. She couldn't forgive him for what he did.

"What the hell makes you think she's forgiven me?"

"Well, maybe it was the plea she made moments after you brutal raped her. Or maybe the fact she felt guilt for not being able to stop you. Or maybe the way she still worries about your well-being and happiness. If that's not forgiveness, if that's her way of holding a grudge, I don't want to see how she forgives."

InuYasha just looked blankly at the monk. Then his eyes soften. Miroku smiled. If finally sunk it. InuYasha finally understood what the monk had been trying to saying. Destruction breeds creation. InuYasha let out a heavy sign.

"I still don't know how to build a stupid bed."

The sun was setting, a new structure stood against the golden yellows and blazing reds. Kagome didn't think they would finish in one day. But there is was. InuYasha had come back with Miroku, a small box like structure in his arms. He was still mumbling under his breath about not being a carpenter. It now hung inside, dangling from the ceiling.

"What is it?" Kagome asked softly.

"Feh. It's a baby bed." InuYasha answered hastily.

"Oh."

"Well, it's supposed to be."

"It very nice, InuYasha."

InuYasha watched for some negative reaction from Kagome as she surveyed her new surroundings. He was expecting her to get upset. To move from a multi-roomed modern home to this one room shack was quite a switch. Maybe she wouldn't be happy with it. Yet, she seemed excited about the new house, paying great affection to the hanging box in the back of the hut. Suddenly, Shippou bounced up and into the bed.

"Hey, that ain't for you." InuYasha barked.

"I know. I'm just making sure it's sturdy. I don't want the bottom to fall out on my little brother or sister." Shippou chirped, jumping up a little to test the structural integrity.

InuYasha let out a growl, "The bottom ain't going to fall out, you little brat."

"Well, you did build it." Miroku added, "It wouldn't be a bad idea to test it out."

"Hey, do you want me to hit you."

Shippou had begun to jump up and down pretty rapidly, causing the little box to swing wildly.

"Hey, stop that."

"Huh," Shippou said, "Did Miroku help you? It's pretty stable."

"That's it." and with that InuYasha went after Shippou, who dodged him and went running around the hut avoiding blows.

Shippou jumped up into Kagome's arms, effectively ending the fight. He twisted in her arms to stick his tongue at the enraged hanyou. But InuYasha only fumed from a distance. Shippou was safe in Kagome's arm. Kagome smiled, enjoying the normal moment.

"Maybe, we should leave." Miroku interrupted.

"Yeah, let you get use to your new home." Sango said, smiling.

"Alright, see you later." answered Kagome, followed by a "Bye, guys." from the fox in her arm.

"Later." InuYasha offered.

They left the small hut; darkness had covered the land in a cool blanket. Their walk was a quiet one as they listen to the night makes its noises. Sango had become much calmer, with her friend's well-being no longer in such jeopardy. Miroku smiled as he watched her out of the corner of his eye, thinking just a few unsavory thoughts.

"Kagome seems happier." she said, breaking the moment.

"Yes, she does."

"Do you think she'll be OK?"

"Of course she will. Sango, Kagome is not a weak person. She'll be fine."

There was a moment of silent, where it seemed Sango had some emotions stealing her voice.

"Sango, is something wrong?"

"I was so scared, Miroku, scared that he had really hurt her."

"I know, Sango."

"No, you don't. I had to help her. She was my friend. I had to protect her, I have to protect my . . ."

Miroku wrapped his arms around Sango's shaking shoulders. She was thinking about her brother. How painful that memory was for her. How much she wanted to keep her friends safe. This was too complicated to her heart, one friend hurting another like that. Miroku let her lay her head on his shoulder, forgetting who she was with and just getting lost in his comfort. But for once, Miroku wasn't tempted. What was there to be tempted about? He had a beautiful girl in his arms.