InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ InuYasha's Strength ❯ A Miko's Spirit ( Chapter 18 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

InuYasha's Strength

A Miko's Spirit

Chapter 18

He was sick. As if though something had taken out his stomach and rinsed it acid.

Something was wrong. And it had to do with Kagome.

InuYasha looked up and met his own gaze through his mirror.

`Something is wrong. I can feel it.' He looked toward the window with a pained expression. He then left his bathroom and headed for the balcony of their room. He stopped briefly to pick up Mieko and to cover his son as he slept.

`I'm alone.'

-*-*-*-*-*-

She felt it from the moment she had awakened that morning. This was the day. The day it would all happen. She had waited for this day to come for nearly a month, and now her very soul was telling her that this was it-what she had been waiting for.

Her story was complete.

Her time was out.

The world had no use for her anymore.

Instinctively, her mind went to her two children but then it faded just as quickly.

`He'll never get them. InuYasha will see to it.' She thought as she prayed a silent prayer that he would protect her children regardless of their differences.

She watched as the door opened, and the young woman who had caused her pain and whom she had caused pain was thrown in. She too was a mother, whether or not that would sustain her life, it was anyone's guess.

“Well now. Isn't this nice.” Naraku cooed from the doorway. Kikyo looked down at Kagome who held her stomach tightly.

“You bastard! What have you done to her?” Kikyo wheezed as she went to Kagome's side.

“All I tried to do was what I have been trying to do for the last several years. Last night however, was payback for the past five years. And for you, Kikyo.”

“I never wanted this!”

“Kikyo, why do you lie to yourself?”

“I don't!”

“Wasn't it you that wanted Kagome to die that night you heard her father had beaten her?”

“I was young and foolish. I made a man my world which was my first mistake!”

“No, your mistake was allowing yourself to fall for the wrong man.”

“InuYasha was the only one I could love!”

“But I clearly remember you making love to me.”

“NO! YOU RAPED ME!”

“Did I?”

“…”

“I clearly remember you telling me to go harder and faster...” he replied mockingly.

“I thought you were InuYasha!”

“So, you do remember.”

“Stop it! I don't want to hear anymore.”

“Well then, shall we get down to business?”

Kikyo watched as he began to remove his clothes.

“Bastard!” She screamed. “Stay away!” With that, she erected a barrier around herself and the unconscious Kagome that lay next to her.

“Bitch, you are weak. You are only prolonging the inevitable.”

“I know that death is eminent. But it will be my own, not Kagome.”

“Perhaps.”

Kagome began to stir as Naraku pulled something from his jacket and sat down.

“Are you all right Kagome?” Kikyo asked worriedly.

“Kikyo.” She whimpered.

“It's ok Kagome. It will all be all right.”

“Kikyo, he-.” Kagome said no more, she just burst into tears.

“You fucking bastard.” Kikyo hissed.

“I did no more to her than I did to you.”

“You vile-,”

“Now, now. Let's not start the name calling.” He then lit his cigarette and pulled another item from his pocket. This item was discernable to Kikyo.

It was a gun.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

`A fucking month. A whole fucking month and not one single good lead.'

InuYasha leaned heavily on the toilet bowl, praying that his innards would somehow calm down.

But No.

With what he thought was all his strength, he wretched emptying his already empty stomach.

`I don't remember eating that.'

He sighed and stood, but quickly came down as the sudden movement made him queasy all over again.

And he was back where he started.

“Dad?”

`Not now.'

“What Keitaro?”

“You aren't going to die are you?”

InuYasha looked up at his son who stood in the door way. At that moment, InuYasha saw how the last month had affected his son. He hadn't noticed it, but Keitaro had become pale and thin. His voice was cracked and sad. His eyes, his golden eyes were a faded brown.

“Keitaro? Have you eaten anything?”

“Yeah, Sango made me some eggs.”

“When Keitaro?”

“I dunno. I think it was for breakfast.”

InuYasha forgot all about his nausea and picked himself up.

“Come on Keitaro.” He picked up the little boy, not failing to notice his weight loss in the process and headed down stairs. “You are going to eat something even if I have to force you to.”

The little boy remained silent as if though he hadn't heard his father.

“InuYasha, Keitaro hasn't-.” Sango started as she came from the kitchen.

“When did you make eggs for him?”

“Eggs?”

“When did you last make eggs for him?”

“About a week ago. Why?”

“Has he eaten anything since then?”

“Of course! What do you think I'd let him starve?”

“Sango, he said he last ate when you made him eggs for breakfast.”

“What?”

“It's all right Sango.” Miroku said as he came in with his son and daughter. “It just means that Keitaro hasn't quite caught up with everything.”

“Meaning?” InuYasha demanded.

“Meaning, he is traumatized. He isn't even realizing the passing of time.”

“Oh God.” Sango said as she burst into tears.

InuYasha looked at Miroku then his son who stared out the window with a lost or far away look in his eyes. InuYasha suddenly realized.

Keitaro.

He was loosing his son.

The little boy that brought Kagome back to him.

The little boy that Kagome had given her life to save.

Keitaro Toshi. His mirror imaged blessing.

InuYasha said nothing as he turned from the kitchen and headed upstairs. He went into his room and shut and locked the door behind him. He then walked to the bed, and fell to his knees on Kagome's side and let his tears flow.

“Kags.” He whispered pleadingly. “Kags, please! I need your help.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

Kikyo knew that the barrier was a bad idea the moment she had erected it. It was draining her strength and she knew that it wouldn't be long before the barrier fell. She looked over at the girl who she had once know as her enemy, but had come to love as a sister.

`Kagome. It will be over soon. I will bring InuYasha here. Please forgive me for getting you into this.'

“Kikyo.” The girl whimpered.

“Kagome?”

“Kikyo, I don't know if I-.”

“Quit Kagome. I won't let that happen.”

Kagome opened her eyes to meet the tearful gaze of her near twin Miko.

“Kikyo, don't let him. Don't let him destroy you.”

“He'll have to Kagome. I won't give him what he wants willingly.”

“What does want that he hasn't already taken?”

“My power to remove the jewel that you protect with your soul.”

Kagome looked away.

“Kagome, I-.”

“I don't have it anymore Kikyo.”

“What?”

“I don't know why or how but. I shattered it.”

Kikyo's silence told her that she was confused.

“It happened about the time Keitaro was born. I think it split to save our lives but Naraku tried to corrupt it so it didn't work.”

“Kagome, what does this mean?”

“It means that I only have a shard that connects to my soul. It is the very center of the jewel, so. It means it is the life span of the other shards.”

“Kagome, how does it react to the demon blood in your veins?”

“I keep it pure somehow. I guess my love and my will to love others keeps my soul healthy. Thus, it keeps the shard pure.”

“Interesting.” A cold voice cooed from a dark corner. “So, you don't have the whole jewel, yet you posses the only part that can call to the shards. So, it will be easy for me to find them.”

“It's not that easy Naraku.” Kagome hissed. “In order for you to be able to remove it, I have to be willing-and I'm not- or you have to kill and find the center of my life. Which I will also not allow. I will curse myself to hell before I do that.”

“Well then, perhaps some persuasion is in order then.”

“What?” The two women asked as they tried to locate him.

They were met with a flash, a loud sound and Kagome's scream of pain.

“Perhaps with the threat of me killing Kagome, you Kikyo will remove the shard to keep her alive.”

“Why would I do that? It keeps her alive by staying within her!”

“Perhaps. If she were willing to live it would. But she seems ready to die to protect it.”

Kikyo looked at Kagome, who was struggling to get up while clutching shoulder. However she didn't get the chance. She cried out in pain as another shot was fired. The bullet entering her other shoulder.

Kikyo knew that it was now or never.

She was not going to let him kill her.

She was not going to give him the jewel.

There was only one way to say Kagome, and she was damn well going to do it.

`Please InuYasha, Kagome. Forgive me.'

“Enough Naraku.”

“Eh?”

“I will not remove it from her. You will have to that on your own.”

“Very well.”

Kikyo watched as he raised the gun and aimed it at the girl who lay helpless not two feet from her.

“Her blood is on your own hands Kikyo.”

“May God forgive me.” She said quietly.

Kagome opened her eyes just as the gun was raised. She watched as he smiled at her one last time and pulled the trigger. The shot rang out and Kagome screamed out the only thing that came to her at that moment.

“INUYASHA!”