InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ Horai Island ( Chapter 57 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 57: Horai Island

It took a good half hour before Kagome finally calmed down, because the sight of Sesshoumaru's offended dignity was just as hilarious as the original mental picture of him chasing his tail, but after a while, she laughed herself out, and it was easy to see that her mate was quite happy that she'd finally quit all the laughing at his expense.

Oh, dear... he's going to be upset with me for a while - I'd better never mention this little episode to anyone else, or he might not talk to me for a few centuries.

With one last giggle, she shook her head and wiped the tears from her face, then said, "Why don't we go find some of the others and see what's been going on."

He eyed her narrowly, wondering if he should allow her in public - after all, this rather unseemly habit of hers of breaking into laughter at inappropriate times was... disturbing.

She rolled her eyes, knowing what he was thinking just from the look on his face.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru, I'm done with laughing at you."

"Hn." He lifted his head to the sky and sniffed, obviously looking for a particular scent, then said, "Come."

Turning on his heel, he walked from the clearing, and Kagome followed, amusement still running rife through her, though she didn't say a word.

Sometimes he's so much fun to rile up...

'You do not want to know how I will rile you up, miko. It would not be appropriate to speak of in mixed company, which we are about to be in,' came across the bond, and she immediately blushed.

"Pervert," she grumbled.

His amusement came through their bond clearly, and she scowled at that - apparently, it was his turn to laugh, at least inwardly, at her. 'It's not so much fun when you're laughing at me.'

'No, it is more amusing when I am laughing at you,' he responded back, and she folded her arms across her chest and looked away, mumbling to herself the whole time.

With one last inward chuckle, Sesshoumaru turned his mind to the upcoming battle. At most, they only had another three days before it would start, and with that looming over their heads, it was time to get down to serious business - especially if he ever wanted to bury himself inside his mate again.

After getting that taste of her, he didn't know how he was supposed to keep his hands to himself. The pleasure he'd found in being bonded to her in body and soul was immaculate, and he definitely wanted to spend quite a lot of his endless amounts of time reliving that pleasure.

Unfortunately, until the three fools, Ungai, Sou'unga, and Sosa, were dealt with, that would not be possible.

He did not like to be denied...

As they came out above the village, they both stopped, watching the newly created hive of activity in what was once a peaceful, sleepy little village. It was so strange to see humans and demons openly working together in close quarters, but it made something in Kagome warm - obviously, it was possible for the two races to coexist.

Of course, it wouldn't really matter for too much longer, because she was supposed to be figuring out how to put things back to the way they had been created. Which meant that the two races would have to once again become one race.

Neither reacted at all when Inuyasha's youki preceded him and he landed behind them... until he sniffed quite audibly, and then moved around to look at Kagome, an expression of finality in his eyes as his nose told him that she was permanently and forever out of his reach.

Not that he hadn't already known that, and indeed, was moving on himself, but for so long, Kagome had been a part of him, and one half of his torment, that the final ending of all that did strike him painfully.

Kagome understood that look immediately, meeting his gaze solemnly for one long moment. It was a last goodbye, sort of, to a future together that both had, at one point or another, hoped for, and dreamed of.

And then Kagome pushed it away, and smiled welcomingly at her best friend. "So... what's been going on since we left?"

-wWw-

It wasn't long into Inuyasha's explanations that the rest of the group showed up, Sango and Miroku, Kikyou and Kisho, and even Kaede and Jaken bringing Rin and Shippo.

Of course, the moment Kisho showed up, he had to bring up the newly mated status of Sesshoumaru and Kagome, which brought out rounds of congratulations. That led to a discussion of he and Kikyou's own status as promised, bringing on another round, though Inuyasha's expression showed the same melancholy he had had when taking note of she and Sesshoumaru just a little earlier.

That all changed, however, and his expression eased, when Nyoko showed up, and promptly plopped down on his lap, silently giving him the support he really needed at that point.

Kagome took note of their ease with each other with a huge, beaming smile. "So... looks like someone else has some news, too, doesn't it?" she asked slyly, and Nyoko grinned.

"Oh, just that my puppy has been collared, that's all," the sorceress said smugly.

Inuyasha growled at that. "Bitch, I ain't no damn puppy," he grumbled petulantly.

Sesshoumaru merely shook his head, one brow cocked. "It is disturbing to this one that these two will make a match of it. One of them by themselves is bad enough - but both of them?"

The group burst out laughing at that.

"Well, Sesshoumaru, it's only fair I get one of you dogs out of the deal," Nyoko replied, "since Kagome has taken over harassing you, that left me without a victim."

He eyed her with annoyance. "Hn." Turning his mind to other matters deliberately, he ignored his still muttering brother, and moved the topic to more important things.

"Inuyasha was telling me of what has been happening here. Perhaps Kagome should explain some of what we found while we were gone," he finished.

"Yeah, as long as she doesn't include an explanation of what she found beneath your hakama," Inuyasha grouched, and Kagome turned a bright red with temper.

Her mate merely glanced at his brother calmly, however. "I assure you, Inuyasha, she has no need to share such... remembrances with the likes of you. If you would like an explanation of what goes where, I suggest you ask the monk for advice - I am sure he can help you. Now," he emphasized, glaring at his brother, "listen to what my miko has to say."

Kagome glared at Inuyasha for one last moment, then turned to the rest of the group and started speaking. Her words were so shocking, that not one person interrupted, almost all of them staring at her disbelievingly.

It was quiet for some time after she finished, as everyone absorbed what she'd said.

Miroku was the first to speak. "This brings to mind the island of Horai... and what we found there," he said thoughtfully. "Inuyasha, did you not tell me that the spirit of that priestess, Kanade, spoke to you of the synergy of those half-demon childrens powers? The human and the demon?"

Inuyasha nodded slowly. "Yeah... she said that normally, the spiritual powers of a human fight against the power of a demon, but in those half-demons, the two powers combined, and it was that energy that those stupid so-called 'war gods' were feeding off of." His eyes narrowed. "You know... something just struck me as kinda weird. Those guys were full demons, ne?" He watched as everyone nodded.

"Then how come they were feeding off the energies of half-demons?"

Kagome blinked as she heard that, surprised. "You know, that's a good question. Since full-demons-" she cast a narrow glance at her mate, who eyed her innocently, "-are always saying how half-demons are so much weaker than they are... it seems odd that just one itty-bitty half-demon child could keep the four of them in plenty of power for fifty years at a time."

Sesshoumaru huffed irritably. "They were weak," he said icily. "No true demon would lower himself to steal energy from a half-demon. There would be no point."

Kagome glared at him through narrow eyes, her mouth going straight with annoyance. "Sesshoumaru," she growled warningly, and he blinked at her.

After a moment, she looked back at everyone else, turning her nose up at her mate. "So, anyway," she said, "when I was watching those... beings... for lack of a better word, I could feel the power within them, and it was... different from anything I've ever encountered - it was a complete power." She frowned thoughtfully.

Kaede, who'd been silent until now, asked, "Complete, Kagome?"

She nodded distractedly. "Hai, complete. I'd never really noticed it before, but it was... balanced." She rolled her eyes with irritation at that word. "Hmph. Anyway, the world is made up of dark, and light. Those beings contained both, in a true balance, within them - both the dark and the light. In us, demons are the dark power, and humans, those that contain the power, are light. We're like the halved pieces of one being."

Everyone fell silent as they all considered that - and Kagome's probable part in fixing things.

Finally, Inuyasha spoke, a peculiar intensity in his voice. "So, what your saying, is that in order to fix the balance, which you are the - goddess - of-" he coughed, eyes alight with amusement, "-all of us will eventually return to the way that things used to be - both demon and human?"

Kagome nodded, suddenly understanding several things she'd been worried about. "Yeah..."

The half-demon jumped to his feet after setting Nyoko aside and pointed at his brother, his face red as he laughed his ass off. "Y-you're telling me, the fluffy bastard, Mr. I hate half-demons himself, will someday be much the same as a half-demon?!" he shouted. "This day is awesome! Take that, you iceberg!"

Sesshoumaru glowered, and stood to his feet, suddenly hovering over his brother menacingly. "This one will never be a half-human - have you forgotten that my mate is a goddess? Her power flows through me, as well. If that makes me half of anything, it makes me half of a god," he rumbled.

At that, the last voice anyone expected to speak piped up, as Rin, an adorable furrow of confusion between her brows, said, “Wouldn't that make you half of a goddess, Sesshoumaru-sama?”

The entire group burst out in hysterical laughter as Inuyasha promptly hit the ground so hard he knocked himself out, a huge grin still on his face.

Kagome could barely stand it, wanting nothing more than to fall over laughing herself – but she was still too sore from earlier.

Hand over her mouth at the look on her mate's face, she thought, From the mouths of babes...

-wWw-

Later that evening, Kagome stared up into the darkening sky, the look in her eyes proving that she was miles away from that simple hillside above the village in her thoughts. She could feel her mate off somewhere to the south, but didn't bother trying to listen into his mind – she had too much other stuff to think about.

Ever since earlier, when Horai Island had been brought up, she couldn't keep it out of her mind. At the time that had all happened, she was too new at everything, and still not completely comfortable with her miko powers to be able to truly sense too much about the half-demon children there – but she had noted at the time, that they didn't seem to be susceptible to their demon blood in the same way that Inuyasha was.

She could feel the two powers within them, but hadn't really focused on it, or understood the meaning behind what she was sensing – perhaps she should go back through time, and visit Horai Island before the four war gods took over and massacred everyone?

It would certainly be of interest to do so, because she had the funny feeling that there was something there that she needed to see...

With a deep inhale, she let out all her tension, and nodded to herself. “Yeah... I think I need to see that place in all its glory. Something is drawing me that way, for some reason, and I'm not going to start doubting myself now,” she finished decisively.

“What place, miko?” came the emotionless voice of her mate.

She glanced around at him, a slight smile on her face. “Horai Island.”

He frowned down at her. “Was it not destroyed?”

“Yes, but what does that matter? I intend to go back far enough to see it before the four jerks took over. For some reason,” she sighed, “I have the feeling I need to go there. Something's just drawing me there.” She shrugged. “I'm going to go, no matter what... are you going to come with me?”

He tilted his head to the sky, and stared at the stars lining the blue with pale glory for a few moments, then glanced back down at her. “I will not be apart from you willingly ever, miko. Yes, I will go with you. But I suggest we leave in the morning.”

She flashed him a half smile. 'Such sweet words from the cold Lord, Sesshoumaru. People would never believe it of you,' she teased.

'I am not cold, Kagome – merely controlled – and what is more, you know it. Who cares for the opinions of others?'

“You're right, of course. I don't really care what others think of you.” She chuckled then. “But that 'control' of yours does resemble an ice field, you know.”

“Perhaps.” He reached down and held out a hand for her to grasp. “Come, then, miko. It is time for us to retire.”

Taking his hand, she allowed him to pull her to her feet, and with an almost poignant sigh, let him lead her off, back towards the well, and his favored camping spot.

So much has happened since I was brought to this time, she thought wistfully. And even more has happened since I died and was brought back. It would be nice to have some down time to take it all in... but that's not going to happen for a while, anyway.

'Tell me, mate... do you regret what has come to pass?' Sesshoumaru's voice inside her mind was cool, but there was an unhappy lilt to it, and Kagome looked over at him, wide-eyed.

'Why would you even think that, Sesshoumaru?' She was horrified that he would think like that.

'You are broadcasting your thoughts far and wide, miko. In them, you do not sound happy.'

She shook her head, and looked at him sorrowfully. “No, Sesshoumaru, you're misunderstanding what you're seeing. I'm not unhappy – just a bit overwhelmed. After all, look at what's happened to me in the last few months. I've died, traveled with you on the other side, learned your heart, learned my own, been brought back to life and yanked away from you, been attacked by Koga, let go of Inuyasha, become a goddess, learned that the fate of pretty much everything is on my shoulders – which I hate,” she said in an aside, before continuing, “and, the best of all, finally gotten my mitts on you permanently. It's just a lot to take in, that's all.”

He blinked at her, as his eyes slid to half-mast, and she was slightly unnerved by the sudden predatory gleam in them. She stepped back away from him slightly, though she couldn't really go anywhere, as he was still holding on to her hand, and eyed him suspiciously.

“What?” she asked slowly.

“I think the truth of the matter is that this one got his hands on you, little miko,” he said silkily. “After all, it is I that did the pursuing, is that not so?”

She flushed, heat pouring through her body at his tone, and the look in his eye. She was startled, however, when he abruptly let her go and stepped before her protectively, growling; stepping into him, she clutched at his back and peeked around his shoulder.

“Oh... it's just your mother.” Her expression grew sour, then. “And Kagura.” That was said with considerable less politesse, and his brow rose into his bangs.

'Jealous, miko?' he purred into her mind.

'Ha! Why would I be jealous? Do I have reason to be?'

'Do I need to answer that, itoshii?' he asked inwardly, his tone soft, and she shook her head sheepishly.

“No,” she whispered, though she knew he heard her. “I know better.”

'Good.' “Mother,” he said aloud, “to what do we owe this... dubious pleasure?”

Satori flicked an appraising glance at Kagome, but said nothing to her, simply answering her son's question. “Do we not go into battle within a few days, Sesshoumaru? You know me well enough to know that I would not miss out on such.”

He watched her for several moments, then glanced with a marked lack of interest in Kagura's direction. “And that one? She is fully under your control?”

“Why do you ask such a question, my son?”

“If she tries anything, I will destroy her, I warn you now,” he said coldly.

Kagura huffed even as Satori glanced at her with amusement. “You see I was right, Kagura – he cares nothing for you, and never will.” She turned back to look at him, once more glancing at Kagome for a moment. “She will not bother you or your new mate, Sesshoumaru.”

At that, Sesshoumaru relaxed his stance just slightly, and turned, dismissing the two females casually without another thought. Looking down at the raven head that was so dear to him, he said calmly, “We shall go to Horai tonight, miko. The air here has become... unpalatable.”

Kagome's brows shot up into her bangs, and she could almost feel the other two women stiffen in anger, but she didn't say a word, merely shrugging. She allowed him to once more grasp her hand, and she followed along obediently behind him as they left his mother and her slave standing alone in the clearing.

'Wow... you're not very nice to your mom.'

'In case you had not noticed, she is not a very 'nice' person. Why should I afford her that which she does not give anyone else?'

I guess he's got a point, she thought to herself.

“Okay, well anyway,” she tugged on his hand, causing him to stop and look back at her, “If we're going to Horai, we don't need to waste time walking around here. Let's just go.”

He nodded agreeably, and with that, they stepped onto the paths of the other world, and disappeared from sight.

A cold wind blew in behind them as they vanished, and had anyone been still standing there, they would have shivered at the icy edge to it.

-wWw-

Kagome's eyes widened when they stepped onto that legendary piece of land known as Horai, her surprise clear. Despite the legend they'd been told about the island being a place for demons and humans to coexist in peace, and, in fact, for demon-human couples and their progeny to be free of fear, she hadn't really taken in what it would have been like.

What she was seeing was nothing short of astonishing, and she looked up at Sesshoumaru, seeing his own surprise in his eyes.

While the islanders couldn't see them, they could see the islanders, and it was best that way – Kagome had no desire to cause ripples in the space-time continuum. Looking around, she took in the atmosphere of happiness and calm that lay over the whole island like a mantle, and sighed.

If only the whole world could have been this way.

'It was somewhat like this, Kagome – this should give you a very good idea of how things might look again someday.'

“Yeah, maybe... though it won't be quite the same. What I'm most curious about, though, are the children. I need to see what they are like, inside. How their different genetics have become one.” She squeezed his hand, and then began to move, looking for a place where the children had gathered. It didn't take long – there were a lot of them, after all.

She came to a halt in a small meadow filled with children of all ages, half-blood kids of all different types mingling and playing happily together, and sat down, charmed, as she watched them play.

Sesshoumaru caught the tender smile on her face, and immediately, he thought of someday seeing that same smile while she was watching their own pups at play. The thought sent a shiver of longing down his spine.

Kagome brought her mind back to her task, and smile fading, she used her new goddess sight to study the genetic makeup of the children, and how their powers managed to exist side by side without ill effect. She looked into their souls, probed their minds, and the answers that came back to her made her want to smack herself for her stupidity – as well as everyone else in existence.

Humans and demons alike knew of the concept of Yin and Yang, the Chinese term for the necessary balance between dark and light – and yet, never had either race figured out the simple fact that, by themselves, neither race could ever be complete, because singly, each only embodied one-half of the necessary power needed to be truly as they were meant to be.

No, instead, both races had been bent on each others destruction – and suddenly, she understood Sosa's plan.

He was the embodiment of chaos – and that was where this world, the one he'd managed to corrupt, was heading. Back then, in the past, when the world was still in its perfect state, there was no real, true chaos – it was controlled. And chaos couldn't be true to itself if it was controlled. So he'd needed to create a world where his nature could reign supreme... because as sure as he corrupted the physical world...

“Oh, hell. Now I get it.” Sesshoumaru was pulled from his reverie by Kagome's voice – she sounded annoyed.

“You get what?” he asked, brow furrowed at the look on her face.

“Sosa's plan. We never really think of how all the worlds, from hell to the earth, to the other realms, and even the heavens, are interconnected. If Sosa can make the earth fall to his chaotic nature, eventually, the other worlds will fall... and the heavens will, as well, and then he will be able to once again walk where he has been forbidden. It would destroy everything we know if that were to happen.”

Eyes narrowing, he stared at her, struck by her words.

“And how do we stop him, miko?” he asked.

She looked at him helplessly. “I'm... not exactly sure yet, Sesshoumaru... though I'm starting to get some ideas, all I can do is think about them, going over everything until I find the right way.” She wrinkled her nose in annoyance. “I have the feeling, though, that the answer, once I find it, is going to be almost too simple. And that's going to piss me off, I just know it.”

Sighing, she stood back up, and looked around once more, her eyes almost tired.

“Sosa's got a lot to answer for – and I'm feeling in the mood to judge very harshly right about now,” she said, a cold, almost foreign note in her voice that had him shooting her a sharp look.

Perhaps that is the answer, Kagome. Maybe you are merely supposed to judge Sosa... as the goddess of balance, your judgment would be permanent and irreversible – even for one such as he.

-wWw-

A/N: It's been a while since I've posted on this, so there's a bit of a longer chapter for that. I've been trying to write and post on all my stories in the last few days, but my daughter found a week and a half old kitten dumped on the side of the road and we've taken her in and are caring for her. Let me tell you, it's really hard to do anything when you're taking care of a baby like that – they are even more needy at this age than a newborn human. She's adorable, though, and I'd love to meet the person who dumped her out there in a dark alley somewhere...

I really hate people like that.

Anyway, the battle's coming soon, and next chapter is going to throw a bit of a wrench in the good guys plans...

Amber