InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ His Heart & The Only One Who Can Save Him ❯ Chapter Thirteen ( Chapter 13 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

After Artemis’ near silent comment the group was drawn into their own thoughts. Minutes passed as Kane finally spoke, slicing through the tension of the small group.
“The question is, will we have enough soldiers when the time comes?” Kane inquired.
“I don’t see why not.” Koji stated, “We’ve got the West’s aid, my troops from the North and yours from the East”
“We’ve also got InuYasha’s group as well.” Artemis said, she seemed spooked and panicked.
“Are you all right Artemis?” Koji asked concerned, raising his hand up to feel hers for a fever.
“huh?” She asked, looking into Koji’s face, his deep azure eyes full of concern. “Yes I’m just fine”
“Who’s this InuYasha you spoke of?” Kane said.
“You don’t get out much do you?” Koji asked sarcastically as he looked over to his friend.
“I live in a GOD DAMED VALLEY!” Kane roared, being tired of traveling and a little short tempered by nature not helping the situation, “I hear what’s going on in my other territories once in a while and if there’s any important rumors but no names have been mentioned until now”
“Calm down.” Koji stated calmly, “I was just fooling around with you”
Artemis decided to prevent the Northern and Eastern lands from waging war against each other after they fought Naraku and started her explanation. “InuYasha is a half-demon, half Inu youkai and half Human. He travels with a small group of six, consisting of three humans, two demons and himself. Sango, a highly skilled demon exterminator; Miroku, a powerful monk with a cursed wind tunnel in his right hand; Shippo, a small Kitsune. Personally in my opinion with the guy being no more than about two feet high and not having much demonic powers, only relying on his tricks is really no help nor a match for Naraku’s power. Kirara, a small two tailed neko-youkai and Sango’s companion, can change her form and transform into a giant saber-toothed cat. Last, the Miko Kagome, rumored to be the priestess Kikyou’s reincarnation. They are all together a powerful force, have all six put there strengths together and there isn’t anything they can’t do, however when separated them their odds of winning become nearly 50 to 1”
“You talk as if you know them.” Kane said, he’d had his suspicions about this strange demon, she acted like there was something she wasn’t telling them, “And you also spoke as if you knew this Naraku fellow”
Artemis gulped hard then her features became that of complete seriousness, “I’ve have my share of run-ins with them both in the short time I’ve retreated from my home in the North.” Koji looked from Kane to Artemis, wanting to stop this conversation before it got to violent. “So Artemis, why did you come down from the far Northern mountains”
Artemis decided then and there that she wanted no part in what Naraku had planed. ‘Once I leave here I’m going to find him and tell him I will no longer go through with his plans, I want no part in aiding to destroy the world.’ Artemis thought and then answered her companion, “Same reason you came down from the mountains and Kane here left his solitude”
“To fight Naraku?” Koji asked, in all the time he’d known Artemis, right up unil the time she left the den to go out on her own, she had never seemed like the type to go fight voluntarily. This was probably one of the reasons the elders had passed the responsibility of leader onto Ayame instead of her.
“Naraku, well…”Artemis said, choosing her words wisely, “Lets just say that past actions, events, and my regrets have led me to do battle against him. I know that if we can keep those six alive and aid them, we can bring tip the balance in our favor and defeat Naraku once and for all”
“But how do you…” Koji started but was interrupted by Artemis.
“I’d rather not talk about it.” Artemis stated, a hint of coldness in her tone.Agreeing to her request Koji said, “Well I think we should call it a night, we have a long way to go”
“I have business to take care of.” Said Artemis as she stood up and started to walk North, knowing that is where she would find Naraku.
A strong hand was placed on her shoulder as a comforting sent wafted into her nose as she looked up to meet the azure gaze of her love. “Where are you going”
“I have some loose ends to tie up.” Artemis stated simply.
“Make me a promise,” Koji said, then adding a hint of sarcasm to the last part, “and keep it this time”
Knowing he was teasing her she inquired, “What”
“Promise me that when we defeat Naraku, once this is all said and done that you’ll come back with me and stay with me in the lower Northern territories…” He trailed off, leaning down to whisper the last part into her ear, “As my mate”
Looking up into his eyes, her eyes full of love and happiness at being accepted back, but the tone in her voice as she responded him seemed to make him nervous, “Yes Koji, I promise”
Koji leaned down and gave her a quick kiss and raised his head from her lips and said, “There’s a but isn’t there”
Giggling, for the first time since the day they had shared in that heavenly field, she looked up and said, “Two conditions”
“Which are?” Koji asked, humor at her attitude, she always played hard-to-get with him.
“One,” She said, “I have to finish my current business first, which I hope to go and settle as soon as I leave”Seeing the questioning look she got from the man next to her and seeing him open his mouth to say something she said, “I can’t tell you what it is, but you have to believe me that I will come back with you”
The look she had in her eyes was all Koji needed to reassure him as he said, “And condition number two”Artemis smiled, “You have to promise to come with me to the lower Northern territories as my mate”
“Well those are fair enough conditions, I accept.” Koji leaned down and gave her another quick kiss before saying, “Go then, and hurry back. I’ll send word to you when the battle starts”
Smiling at the young man who held her heart she nodded and then took of at high speeds to the North, determined to sever her bonds with Naraku once and for all.

“So she thinks she can fight against me does she?” came the cold voice of Naraku as he watched her travel through Kanna’s mirror.
“I believe she does.” came the near silent, emotionless voice of the small incarnation. Her form dressed in all white with her pure white hair falling to the middle of her back, her black eyes looking at the evil man who controlled her, no emotion showing in them at all.
“Master Naraku.” A small boy around the age of thirteen bowed, then walked toward the sitting form of Naraku. His black hair tied up, he wore an outfit much like that of what Sango wears in battle only his armor was a yellow-tan with blue-green outlining as apposed to Sango’s light and dark pink armor. His emotionless eyes landed on the form of his ‘master’ as he awaited for the right to continue.
“Yes Kohaku?’ Naraku questioned.
“Yokoro has returned.” Kohaku replied, bowing again and leaving the room.
A moment later the tall form of Yokoro walked into the room, shutting the door behind him, his ice blue gaze landing on that of his ‘creator’
“You failed to complete your orders.” Naraku said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
“I thought I had successfully done away with the hanyou sir.” Yokoro said, bowing low, “I saw him fall strait into the river, I had covered it in at least a foot layer of solid ice”
“You made the mistake of not accounting for his demon strength and healing.” Naraku continued, “I know he was human that night but as I saw you dawn was nearing and he would have easily survived”
“A mistake I will not make again my lord.” Yokoro replied.
“Certainly not.” Naraku agreed, “Now I want you to go and bring me the young maiden Artemis, it seems she has turned against me and I wish for my powers be returned to me. We had a deal and I hate being crossed”With a bow, Yokoro stood and made his way to the door, then left the castle on a dark black cloud.
“Lets just see how well she fairs against him shall we.” came the cold voice of Naraku, followed by a sires of evil laughter.

“Oh NO!” Kagome shouted as she through what she held in her hand to the ground and stared at it.
Everyone looked up from their freshly cooked Ramen and at Kagome, InuYasha at her side in an instant. They had decided to stop and eat lunch, seeing as how InuYasha had started to rummage through Kagome’s pack as they walked. It was a nice day and they stopped by a river which was about an hour from Kaede’s village, it’s current running fairly slowly. This would serve two purposes. One, it would be a nice place to stop and eat. And two, they could fill up on water while they were there. Kagome had finished her noodles and were packing her bag back up when all of a sudden she screamed, scaring the wits out of everyone.
“Kagome, what’s the matter?” InuYasha said worriedly, he’d at the moment of her scream, finished his noodles and had almost choked in his surprise. Putting both his hands on either of her shoulders, shaking her slightly back in forth when he got no answer he said, “Are you all right”
“I need to go home tomorrow.” Kagome said, panicked.
“Why?” InuYasha asked, confused at her sudden need to return to the future.
“There’s something important tomorrow that I need to go home for.” Kagome replied.
“Another test?” InuYasha questioned annoyed.
“No!” Kagome exclaimed.
“THEN WHAT!” InuYasha yelled, his temper running short.
Picking up the object she had thrown, it seemed no thicker than ½ an inch, it was the size of a dinner plate only square in shape and it seemed to be compiled of thin, large square shaped pieces of paper with pictures on one side, little squares in rows and columns on the other.
“I completely forgot what tomorrow is! Look at my calendar…I should have gone home sooner!” Kagome exclaimed as she soon began talking to her self.
Taking the odd object she had called a ‘calendar,’ he looked at a little square which was encircled with a thick red circle. Inside the red marking read, “Sota’s B-day”
“Hey wench, what does this mean?” InuYasha asked, looking back over to the panicking girl.
She looked up at him then said, “Tomorrow’s my brother’s birthday”
InuYasha stood there for a moment. He knew how important a birthday was, even in the Feudal Era they always held a big celebration when you turned a year older. InuYasha had enjoyed five such events in his life.
He had told no one but Kikyou when he was born, not really caring if he celebrated or not, I mean, he was well over two-hundred in demon years and well, it seemed a little much to throw a party every year for two-hundred years. Looking back down at the strange object he finally understood what the little symbols meant and figured out what month it was. ‘Hey, the kid’s birthday’s a day before mine.’ InuYasha thought as he then looked back over to the frantic Kagome.
“We’ll go tonight okay.” InuYasha said, bringing Kagome to her senses.
“You mean you’ll come with me?” Kagome asked.
“Sure why not, could use a change of scenery.” InuYasha said, he was really hoping that he wouldn’t be around the village day after tomorrow, he didn’t want to Kaede, if she even remembered, to tell everyone.
Kagome launched herself at the unsuspecting hanyou and gave him a big hug.
“Oh thank you InuYasha!” Kagome cried as she released him from her embrace, earning some rather curious looks from Shippo and Sango, where as some rather perverted looks from Miroku.
Standing up she walked over towards their favorite monk and looked him dead in the eye before smacking the perverted grin right off his face.
“I told you one of these days she was going knock you silly.” Sango said as she gathered up her things and stood up with InuYasha and Kagome.
“Come on monk,” InuYasha called from over his shoulder, “Let’s move out.”

They made it to Kaede’s hut around two in the afternoon and sat around for quite a while with nothing to do. Kaede out making her rounds of the village wouldn’t be back for sometime. “Why don’t we go swimming.” Kagome suggested, “I know a good spot down river that makes sort of a little lake type thing, through the middle is about a two foot tall wall of rocks with gaps at each end. We can go there and play volley ball”
“Vollie-Ball?” InuYasha asked, giving her a completely lost expression.
“It’s a game you play in the water with a ball, I’ll show you guy how to play.” Kagome said, digging through her pack for the inflatable ball and extra swim suits she had gotten for the group.
“Okay first, here are you guy’s suits.” Kagome said, handing Miroku a pair of deep violet swim trunks, InuYasha a crimson pair and Shippo an emerald pair, a small whole had been cut in the back to accommodate for his little tail to stick out.
“What do we do with these?” InuYasha asked, eyeing the strange things in his hands.
“Their swim trunks, you wear them while you swim, just put those on like you would pants.” Kagome said, turning back to them handing them each a towel as well. “Now go to the back room over there and change while Sango and I change in the other room there.” Kagome said, pointing to the rooms they were going to be in and the one the boys were to use.
Kagome handed Sango a bright pink bikini as they walked into the room to change. “I thought you were about my size so I told my mom to pick it up for you when she went out the other day”
“Thanks…but how do you put it on.” Sango asked eyeing the swim suit.
“Watch me.” Kagome said, demonstrating with her black bikini.
Once they were done they grabbed their towels and headed out to meet the boys. They had been waiting for them in the main part of Kaede’s hut and once the girls walked in, they all seemed to just stare at each other, checking them out.
“Let’s go then!” Shippo called heading out the door.
They made there way toward where Kagome had described, and after ten minutes of explanations they started the game.
After a while InuYasha and Miroku were ahead, twenty five to eighteen. Shippo had been floating around in his inner tube while the others played and when they decided to take a brake Kagome swam over to him and when InuYasha turned his back went to talk.
“Shippo.” Kagome whispered, trying not to let InuYasha’s keen hearing catch her words.
“Yeah.” He whispered back.
“I got a plan to fool InuYasha, you in?” Kagome asked.
“Sure what do you need me to do?” He asked, a mischievous gleam in his eye.
“When we go to restart the game, transform to look like me,” She began ,”then I’m going to sneak around from behind Sango under water and get him from behind”
“Okay.” Shippo agreed as they quickly swam over to where Sango was, Shippo hastily turning into the spitting image of Kagome as the real one swam under water to hide behind Sango. The plan was unknown to Sango so when she saw Shippo gone she looked around, seeing as how Kagome seemed to be acting strange.
“Play along Sango, and don’t turn around.” Kagome whispered from behind her.
Sango turned her gaze to the side as she saw a bushy tail just below the surface. Turning to the guys she said, “We going to start now”
Getting into position they all started, then when Sango served Kagome ducked under the water and swam to the other side, past InuYasha and carefully poked her head above the surface so she could breath but try not to give herself away.
It worked, then just as the ball was heading toward InuYasha he felt a pair of slender arms grab him from behind and a leg kick his legs so he fell. Looking in the semi-deep water behind him he saw the expression of the one who pulled him down. Kagome looked at him, eyes gleaming with silent laughter as she looked as if she’d burst.
Raising to the surface she started to laugh, the others laughter reached her ears as well as InuYasha came back to the surface.
“Well if that’s how you want to play.” InuYasha said in mock anger.
“Oh no.” Kagome said, regretting her actions.
InuYasha picked her out of the water and held her bridal style for a moment before hurling her about five feet into the air to come back into the water with a large splash. Coming to the surface she gave him a look that clearly said, ‘you’re on’
They all played and fought like that for about an hour before they got out and lied in the grass, the sun drying them as they recovered from their water fight.

The sun was nearly setting when Kaede entered the hut, looking at the members inside she turned to InuYasha and said, “Could you go out and fetch some meat for us”
“Feh.” was his response, not wanting to anger Kagome, sure they had confessed their feelings but at times it still seemed like her best friend was that rosary and that damn sit command.Then turning to Miroku she said, “Can you go and gather some wood”
“Yes Lady Kaede.” Miroku responded politely as he ventured out of the hut.
“I’ll help.” Sango said, making her way out after Miroku.
“No child, I need to speak with ye and young Kagome for a moment.” Kaede said, sitting down at her normal spot next to the fire.
“What about?” Kagome asked curiously.
“Do you know of what day after next is?” Kaede questioned.
“No why is it important?” Sango asked.
“It’s InuYasha’s birthday.” Kaede relied.
They both sat there in shock, why hadn’t InuYasha told them.
“Kaede, I have a plan, but I’m going to need your help, can you do a few things for me?” Kagome asked. She told Kaede that they were leaving later and that she would make sure that they’d be back before sundown, day after next. The time before the boys returned was filled with conversation about the small celebration they were going to hold for InuYasha. Kagome said she’d come back late tomorrow to give Kaede and Sango the decorations and take care of the cake. Sango was to brief Miroku on the plans once they had left for her era. InuYasha was in for the surprise of his life.