InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Takes Two ❯ The Second Arrival ( Chapter 13 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Xagzan 
Disclaimer: InuYasha and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi, so I make no money from this
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Fantasy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.13.2008 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: InuYasha and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi, so I make no money from this
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Fantasy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.13.2008 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Completed
Update time people. Sorry for the wait. Had major writer's block about halfway through, but I think I managed to make it flow in the end after all. I mean, after the last chapter's porno flowed so easily, I guess it's not a surprise that the next chapter seemed much harder. But anyway, I hope you enjoy this one. No lemon, but more story advancement and, I hope, comic relief. Here you go.
The Second Arrival
“Kagome's mother wants to meet me…?”
Both women had inclined their heads upwards to look into InuYasha's eyes, his news coming as a bit of a surprise.
“That's what she said,” he answered. “I told her, though, it was probably impossible for it to happen.”
But Kagome and Sango hadn't heard that last bit. They had already started talking across a hanyou's bare chest.
“Kagome, did you have any idea your mother had this in mind?”
“Nope,” she gently shook her head, “It's news to me.”
“So, what do you think we should do?”
“Well, I think it would be great for you to meet mom, but, how can we manage that?”
“You're right… I wonder if it's even possible.”
InuYasha cleared his throat. “I'm still here, you two,” he growled. The girls chuckled and patted his chest affectionately.
“Yes, we're aware,” Kagome assured him. “Then tell us what you think, InuYasha.”
“Think…about what?”
“About any way I could get through that well to meet Kagome's family,” Sango repeated.
The hanyou thought…and thought…and thought… for about ten seconds. Nothing came to mind.
“If there's any way it can be done,” he told them, “I can't see it.” Seeing disappointment spread on Kagome and Sango's faces, he quickly added, “B-But, don't listen to me, you know! I don't know that much about the well myself.” He patted their heads, not wanting to see his mates upset. They slowly sat up, stretching and yawning in the new morning. “Just that until now, me and Kagome have been the only ones who could go through it. But, if there's a way Sango could get through, too, that'd be great.”
The slayer rolled her head, stretching her neck out, and smiled at her lover's words. She was glad that both Kagome and InuYasha wanted to bring her to that future time. But, what to do?
“Let's worry about it when we get back to the village,” InuYasha said, rising and taking Kagome's hand, hoisting her onto her feet. “I brought back that stuff you guys asked for. Oh, but never ever ask me to do it again.”
The girls laughed, got dressed along with him, and each grabbed one of his arms.
“Sorry, InuYasha,” Kagome said, “But you're gonna have to be getting us lots of stuff until we deliver.” The hanyou groaned in exasperation, and the two women just dragged him along, onto the path back towards the village. “At least make sure your mom goes with me next time,” he said, pleadingly.
“She didn't go with you?” Kagome was surprised. “Well, I'll make sure that doesn't happen again.”
It was still early morning when they arrived back, so most of the peasants were still inside, getting out of bed. The trio walked down the road towards their hut, but suddenly heard a voice from indoors as they passed by Kaede's place. They paused and walked over to the door to listen. They heard the old woman's voice, and it appeared she was talking with a young village girl.
“And ye are all by yourself?” They heard Kaede ask curiously.
“Yes ma'am!”
“How did ye know how to get here, child?”
“Oh, I didn't really know where I was going.”
“Ye didn't? But then, how did ye find your way?”
Outside, InuYasha and the others were listening to this conversation when they heard a low snort coming from behind them; they turned around to see what made the noise.
“What?” InuYasha growled, sniffing, his nose leading him to the source of the sound. “What the hell is that thing doing here?”
“Isn't that…?” Sango said.
“Yeah,” InuYasha answered, “but why the hell is it right in the village like this?”
“Oh!” Kagome said, putting a hand to her mouth. “It must be—“
“Kagome! Is that you?” The voice from inside called out. The trio turned around at the call, and out of the hut came running a small, young girl. She jumped up to Kagome, about to grab onto her, but InuYasha quickly caught the child in midair, holding her up by the waist.”
“InuYasha!” The girl squealed excitedly.
“Rin!” Kagome exclaimed, reaching forward to pat Sesshomaru's young ward on the head. “InuYasha, put her down,” she said. He obeyed, setting Rin down on her feet. “Rin,” she said sweetly, smiling, “it's been a long time since we've seen you. You've gotten so big!”
“Feh, she looks the same to me,” InuYasha muttered. Kagome turned her head to him, still smiling brightly.
“InuYasha, Sit.”
SLAM
“Dammit,” he growled. Kagome had stopped using that damn sit command, but ever since she got pregnant, that was just one of the way her hormones tortured him.
“No, I don't think I look too different,” Rin said thoughtfully, twisting her body side to side, looking herself over before turning back up to Kagome and Sango. “”But you two have gotten REAL big!” She said happily, leaning in to look at Kagome and Sango's large stomachs. “Can I touch them?”
“Sure you can, Rin,” Sango answered. Rin put out her palm to gently touch the two bellies, her eyes opening wide with wonder.
“Ooh, I felt something move,” she told them as if she had made an important new discovery. “You guys are gonna have babies, I can tell!” She was swelling with pride at her intelligence. Kaede slowly exited the hut to join the group.
“That's right, Rin,” Kagome said affectionately. “Sango and I are both pregnant.”
“If you two are gonna be moms,” Rin said, putting her hands behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet, “Who are the fathers?”
Kagome, Sango, and InuYasha (rising off the ground) turned pink, slowly cranking their heads over to Kaede, motioning with their eyes. The old miko nodded and put her hands on Rin's shoulders.
“Rin, child,” she said, “I'm sure that the others are curious as to how ye got here.” The trio nodded enthusiastically. “Why is not Sesshomaru with ye?”
“Welll, yesterday evening, Lord Sesshomaru suddenly said that there was some sort of `spike' in the air that he could smell. I don't know what he was talking about, but he said that it came from the two females with InuYasha. I asked what it was, and he said that the scent also told him that they were `pregnant'. And after that, I told Lord Sesshomaru I wanted to come visit here to see Kagome and Sango. But he was so busy, and he couldn't take me… So he gave me Ah-Un and told me that he'd know where to take me. I bet he'll come around shortly to check on me, though.” She fidgeted around on her feet. “So, is it ok if I stay with you for a few days?” She asked hopefully.
The trio glanced at each other, nervous about Rin's curiosity and how they might have to hide the little `one father, two mothers' factor. Kagome quickly put on a kind face, though.
“Of course you can, Rin, you can stay with Sango and me in our place, ok?”
Rin stiffened up, put her hands to her sides and feet together. “Yes ma'am,” she said straightly.
“Rin,” Sango asked, “how is Kohaku doing?”
“Oh, he's doing just fine!” She said. It was true. The boy had been traveling with her, Jaken, and Sesshomaru ever since that final battle. Even though Rin suggested to him that he might want to stay with his older sister, he had insisted that he join with them. Rin wasn't really sure why he chose that. Just like she wasn't sure why he seemed to always be concerned with what she was doing, why he would ask if she was ok if she fell down and got a minor bruise, or why, when she went off exploring somewhere, he always remained stubborn about going with her. Boys were probably just funny that way, Rin guessed.
“That's good to hear,” Sango sighed with relief, feeling more worried about her brother than usual because of her increased hormones. Speaking of which, she was getting hungry, and she could tell Kagome was, too.
Kagome put a hand on Rin's shoulder. “Rin, how about you go find Shippo and play together. I know he's been pretty bored around here lately.” She wondered why Kaede snorted at that comment. “And then we can talk more later.”
“Ok, Kagome, we'll come back when Shippo smells food,” Rin said. “Come on, Ah-Un!” She grabbed the youkai by it reins and led him away, then tied the reins to a nearby tree. She started off down the road, calling out Shippo's name.
The others watched her go, and then Kagome turned to the older miko. “Kaede, we have something we'd like to ask you about, if that's ok.”
InuYasha raised an eyebrow. She was gonna tell Kaede about that?
“Of course, let us go inside,” the old woman motioned into the hut, following the trio into the room. In one corner were the bags of food that InuYasha had brought back from Kagome's time. Kaede took a seat on one of the futons, and the hanyou also helped his mates slowly lower themselves down to sit. “Now, what is it ye want, Kagome?”
“You see, we want to try to get Sango through the well so she can meet my family, but we don't know what to do. InuYasha and I are the only ones who've ever been able to use it, right?”
“I think `tis safe to say that,” Kaede replied. “I must confess that the mystery of the well mostly eludes me, as well. I have always been under the impression that the reason Kagome could travel through the well was because of the power of the Shikon no Tama, as well as her own spiritual powers. Those unique qualities made it possible for her to journey to this time. Now, if that alone were the case, it would probably prove impossible for Sango to use the well…” She trailed off, pondering.
The trio leaned in, waiting for her to continue. “….Buuuuttt?” Kagome asked.
“But,” she continued, “that alone is not the case, for InuYasha was also able to travel through the well, and he had neither the Jewel nor any miko abilities to speak of.”
“That's true,” Sango piped in. “But then…how do you think he was able to do it, Kaede?”
“Well, a simple explanation could be that InuYasha was able to use the well because his and Kagome's souls were intertwined, bound together by love. Even though they did not know each other at the time, it is perhaps possible that the well recognized InuYasha as the most important person in Kagome's heart, whether she knew it or not, and thus allowed him to pass. And, if that is the case—“
“Then I could get through the same way as InuYasha!” Sango interrupted, excitement in her voice.
“That's right!” Kagome was just as eager. “If that's how it worked for InuYasha, it should work that way for Sango, too, right, Kaede? I mean, I love Sango and InuYasha with all my heart now, equally. There's no one more important to me than them.”
The old miko closed her eyes and gave a small nod. “Hmm, there is a chance that the solution could be that simple, and I think perhaps it might be worth an attempt, if it is what ye three truly desire. After all, there can be no harm in trying, do ye not agree?”
“Well, InuYasha?” Kagome said. She and Sango turned their heads eagerly towards him. “What do you say we give it a shot?”
“Yeah, you don't have to ask me, Kagome.” He noticed that both women were starting to tear up. “H-Hey! What the hell're you two cryin' for?”
“Sorry, I-InuYasha,” Sango sniffed, “I'm just…so glad that I might get a chance to see Kagome's family.”
“Y-Yeah,” Kagome hiccupped, “It's such good news. I'm so happy!” Tears started streaming down their faces. InuYasha groaned and put his hand on his head.
Stupid. Damn. Hormones.
“Ah, perhaps you girls would like to get some rest, and try to get Sango through the well later?” Kaede suggested, seeing their anxieties increase.
“N-No, we're ok,” Kagome sniffed. “But, I'm kind of hungry now. What about you, Sango?”
The slayer wiped away the tears on her cheeks. “Mmhm, I think I need something to eat, too.”
InuYasha got to his feet and walked to the corner, picking up the grocery bags and setting them in front of his mates. “Here's the stuff I got from the list you gave me. The chips and strawberries and stuff. And remember, I went through a lot to get that stuff, so eat and enjoy!”
Kagome and Sango glanced at each other, then stared blankly at him.
“What is it?” He growled.
“InuYasha,” Kagome said, “I think I'd rather have a whole bushel of apples.”
“Ooh, that does sound good!” Sango agreed, licking her lips.
InuYasha's eye twitched. Silence for a few moments, and then—
“GODDAMMITTTT!!!”
--------------- ------------------
A few hours later…
InuYasha, Kagome, and Sango (sans apples—the craving had gone away the second InuYasha had gone to search for them, so they called him back) stood at the rim of the old well, staring into the hole intently, preparing themselves to see if their plan would work.
“Ready to meet my mom, Sango?” Kagome was excited. Sango nodded happily.
“Remember,” InuYasha said, his head unclouded by any pregnancy emotions, “Kaede only said this as a possibility. It might not work that easy.”
“InuYasha,” Kagome hushed him, “Let's hope for the best and see what happens, ok?”
“Well, anyway,” InuYasha began, “I'm gonna have to lower you two down, so you don't get hurt.”
“That…is so thoughtful,” Sango said, her voice quivering. Thankfully, the urge to cry quickly passed.
“Wait, InuYasha,” Kagome stopped him as he took Sango's arm. “I thought Kaede said that the well responds to my feelings and emotions, so shouldn't I be the one to be with Sango in the well for the first try? You can help us in one a time.”
“Um, ok. Who first?”
“Well, I guess you do have to take Sango first. Otherwise, I'll just end up in my own time. Let her down, and then me, and we can see what happens afterwards.”
They agreed on this plan, but InuYasha thought it would be better if he didn't carry them, but found an easier way to lower them down. Ripping a vine off a nearby tree, he tied it to a splint of wood on the well's lip. He gently lifted Sango onto the edge and, making sure the vine was steady, lowered it down with Sango holding on, watching her the whole time in case she slipped. Luckily, despite her pregnancy, she was still pretty agile, thanks to her training as a youkai slayer. Once she was safely down, he turned his attention to Kagome, handing her the rope.
“Ready, Kagome?”
“Yep, let's do it.”
InuYasha made sure his mate had a firm grim on the vine, then slowly lowered her down to the bottom, just like he had with Sango. This was it. He let the vine slide through his hands until he felt it stop as Kagome's feet touched down inside the well. He waited a few seconds in silence, wondering if anything had happened.
Had it worked? Was Sango through the well?
………
After a few more moments, he called out to them, “Kagome! Sango! You guys down there? Did it work?”
“No, it didn't work,” Sango's disappointed voice echoed up to his ears.
“We're still here,” Kagome grumbled. “Grr, why didn't it work?!”
“But, how come you didn't go through, at least, Kagome?” Sango asked.
“Probably because, as of now, it would only let me through alone or with InuYasha… Don't worry, though, Sango.”
InuYasha heard the pain in their voices and couldn't help but feel upset for them. He wanted Sango to join him, Kagome and her family back in that time through the well, but what could he do? He wasn't the best at coming up with new ideas.
“You might as well pull us up, InuYasha,” Sango called. He nodded, gripped the vine, and pulled them out of the well one after the other. He could see the sadness written across their faces, and it wounded him. He remembered Mrs. Higurashi telling him how she'd love to meet the girl her daughter was in love with. And now, it seemed that he couldn't even do that for her, or for his two women.
“So, where do we go from here?” Sango asked.
“We can't give up yet,” Kagome insisted. “We just have to think of another way for it to work.”
“Maybe we should go talk to Kaede again,” the hanyou suggested. The girls agreed, and they each took one of his arms to head back to the village. But, as they started to leave the clearing—
“AAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEE!!!”
Their heads jerked up, to see where the scream had come from. When they saw who it was, InuYasha gripped the hilt of Tessaiga.
“Ah! Rin!” Kagome cried out as they came into the grove—Rin and the group of humanoid snake youkai, one of who—probably the leader—had the young girl clutched tightly between his claws. The youkai hissed fiercely, their long, forked tongues darting in and out of their thin mouths. Rin let out a gasp of pain as that one particular snake tightened his sharp grip, his tongue extending down and brushing against her face.
“Bastard!” InuYasha shouted. “What do you want with her?!”
“Hssss hsss hss…” The hanyou understood that this was their sound for laughing. “Humanssss make ssuch tasty treatssss. Especially young, pretty female onessss…” The sound of their voices and their plans for Rin disgusted InuYasha.
“Kagome, Sango, get back. I'll handle this.” The two women backed up to the edge of the well, and InuYasha flexed his claws.
“Don't make any movesss!” The one carrying Rin warned, emphasizing his point by grasping her tighter with his scaly hands, “Or we'll kill the girl right here!”
InuYasha swore, realizing that he wasn't fast enough to dispatch all the youkai before any harm came to Rin. And he couldn't take them all out with the Kaze no Kizu, because that would hurt the girl, too. Was he helpless? He wondered. What should he do now? Even if Kagome and Sango weren't pregnant, they hadn't brought their weapons with them, so they wouldn't have been much use either way. Dammit, what to do?
“InuYasha, help me!” Rin called out, flailing around in the snake youkai's hand. The hanyou swore again in his mind. He couldn't think of what to do to save Rin from getting eaten. Kagome and Sango were still against the well, their hormones making them filled with a rare fear. They were starting to assume the worst for the girl. But suddenly, a quick, thin flash of light lashed out from behind the trees, swiftly wrapped itself around the leader's neck, and drew off its head in an instant. The body collapsed to its knees, and Rin rolled out of its grip, onto the ground. The remaining youkai, not the most intelligent beings, lunged in after her, only to have that whip of light reappear and arc across the area, sweeping off their heads in one smooth motion. Rin quickly crawled away from the falling, headless corpses towards InuYasha, who was staring out at the forest.
“That whip,” he said. And no sooner had he said it than Sesshomaru walked into the clearing. He walked over to the leader's corpse, standing over it. Rin turned around and opened her mouth happily.
“Lord Sesshomaru!” She stood up and ran over to the daiyoukai's leg, clutching onto him.
“Let me guess,” InuYasha said, “You were coming to check on Rin, heard her scream, and rushed faster. Did I get it right?”
“Where is their leader?” Sesshomaru asked him, ignoring him. This new question made InuYasha feel uneasy.
“What do you mean? He's right there!”
Sesshomaru stooped down and pointed at the headless youkai's body. “This is not the leader,” he said calmly. “This one does not have the mark of rank on his neck that is common among leaders of snake youkai.”
“Wait, that means…”
“Yes, the leader is still here somewhere.”
“But, where…” InuYasha wondered. Then it came to him, and he froze, a lump forming in his stomach. He quickly whirled around. “Kagome! Sango! Watch out!”
But it was too late for them to move, as a large snake broke free from under the ground and threw itself towards the two pregnant girls, its mouth wide open, fangs bared. Kagome quickly stood with Sango and just as the snake drew near, she raised her fist and brought it down hard on its head. The girls were saved from its poisonous fangs, but the snake's body still slammed into Kagome's shoulder. Before InuYasha could reach them, the force of its body knocked the two girls back towards the edge of the well. And as InuYasha reached out his hand, they lost their balance and fell backwards, disappearing into the hole. InuYasha got there just as they were out of sight, and he peered into the darkness.
“Kagome! Sango!”
To be continued…
--------------------------
Next time:
Kagome and Sango, both pregnant, have fallen down the long shaft of the Bone Eater's Well. What will be their fate? Stay tuned.
My note: Sorry this took so long. Feeling dreary this week. Hopefully my next update will be sooner. I have a very good idea of where I want to go from here, but this was a difficult chapter. I know I left this chapter with a cliffie, how evil am I? Hm, well, look forward to the next chapter. See you soon.
The Second Arrival
“Kagome's mother wants to meet me…?”
Both women had inclined their heads upwards to look into InuYasha's eyes, his news coming as a bit of a surprise.
“That's what she said,” he answered. “I told her, though, it was probably impossible for it to happen.”
But Kagome and Sango hadn't heard that last bit. They had already started talking across a hanyou's bare chest.
“Kagome, did you have any idea your mother had this in mind?”
“Nope,” she gently shook her head, “It's news to me.”
“So, what do you think we should do?”
“Well, I think it would be great for you to meet mom, but, how can we manage that?”
“You're right… I wonder if it's even possible.”
InuYasha cleared his throat. “I'm still here, you two,” he growled. The girls chuckled and patted his chest affectionately.
“Yes, we're aware,” Kagome assured him. “Then tell us what you think, InuYasha.”
“Think…about what?”
“About any way I could get through that well to meet Kagome's family,” Sango repeated.
The hanyou thought…and thought…and thought… for about ten seconds. Nothing came to mind.
“If there's any way it can be done,” he told them, “I can't see it.” Seeing disappointment spread on Kagome and Sango's faces, he quickly added, “B-But, don't listen to me, you know! I don't know that much about the well myself.” He patted their heads, not wanting to see his mates upset. They slowly sat up, stretching and yawning in the new morning. “Just that until now, me and Kagome have been the only ones who could go through it. But, if there's a way Sango could get through, too, that'd be great.”
The slayer rolled her head, stretching her neck out, and smiled at her lover's words. She was glad that both Kagome and InuYasha wanted to bring her to that future time. But, what to do?
“Let's worry about it when we get back to the village,” InuYasha said, rising and taking Kagome's hand, hoisting her onto her feet. “I brought back that stuff you guys asked for. Oh, but never ever ask me to do it again.”
The girls laughed, got dressed along with him, and each grabbed one of his arms.
“Sorry, InuYasha,” Kagome said, “But you're gonna have to be getting us lots of stuff until we deliver.” The hanyou groaned in exasperation, and the two women just dragged him along, onto the path back towards the village. “At least make sure your mom goes with me next time,” he said, pleadingly.
“She didn't go with you?” Kagome was surprised. “Well, I'll make sure that doesn't happen again.”
It was still early morning when they arrived back, so most of the peasants were still inside, getting out of bed. The trio walked down the road towards their hut, but suddenly heard a voice from indoors as they passed by Kaede's place. They paused and walked over to the door to listen. They heard the old woman's voice, and it appeared she was talking with a young village girl.
“And ye are all by yourself?” They heard Kaede ask curiously.
“Yes ma'am!”
“How did ye know how to get here, child?”
“Oh, I didn't really know where I was going.”
“Ye didn't? But then, how did ye find your way?”
Outside, InuYasha and the others were listening to this conversation when they heard a low snort coming from behind them; they turned around to see what made the noise.
“What?” InuYasha growled, sniffing, his nose leading him to the source of the sound. “What the hell is that thing doing here?”
“Isn't that…?” Sango said.
“Yeah,” InuYasha answered, “but why the hell is it right in the village like this?”
“Oh!” Kagome said, putting a hand to her mouth. “It must be—“
“Kagome! Is that you?” The voice from inside called out. The trio turned around at the call, and out of the hut came running a small, young girl. She jumped up to Kagome, about to grab onto her, but InuYasha quickly caught the child in midair, holding her up by the waist.”
“InuYasha!” The girl squealed excitedly.
“Rin!” Kagome exclaimed, reaching forward to pat Sesshomaru's young ward on the head. “InuYasha, put her down,” she said. He obeyed, setting Rin down on her feet. “Rin,” she said sweetly, smiling, “it's been a long time since we've seen you. You've gotten so big!”
“Feh, she looks the same to me,” InuYasha muttered. Kagome turned her head to him, still smiling brightly.
“InuYasha, Sit.”
SLAM
“Dammit,” he growled. Kagome had stopped using that damn sit command, but ever since she got pregnant, that was just one of the way her hormones tortured him.
“No, I don't think I look too different,” Rin said thoughtfully, twisting her body side to side, looking herself over before turning back up to Kagome and Sango. “”But you two have gotten REAL big!” She said happily, leaning in to look at Kagome and Sango's large stomachs. “Can I touch them?”
“Sure you can, Rin,” Sango answered. Rin put out her palm to gently touch the two bellies, her eyes opening wide with wonder.
“Ooh, I felt something move,” she told them as if she had made an important new discovery. “You guys are gonna have babies, I can tell!” She was swelling with pride at her intelligence. Kaede slowly exited the hut to join the group.
“That's right, Rin,” Kagome said affectionately. “Sango and I are both pregnant.”
“If you two are gonna be moms,” Rin said, putting her hands behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet, “Who are the fathers?”
Kagome, Sango, and InuYasha (rising off the ground) turned pink, slowly cranking their heads over to Kaede, motioning with their eyes. The old miko nodded and put her hands on Rin's shoulders.
“Rin, child,” she said, “I'm sure that the others are curious as to how ye got here.” The trio nodded enthusiastically. “Why is not Sesshomaru with ye?”
“Welll, yesterday evening, Lord Sesshomaru suddenly said that there was some sort of `spike' in the air that he could smell. I don't know what he was talking about, but he said that it came from the two females with InuYasha. I asked what it was, and he said that the scent also told him that they were `pregnant'. And after that, I told Lord Sesshomaru I wanted to come visit here to see Kagome and Sango. But he was so busy, and he couldn't take me… So he gave me Ah-Un and told me that he'd know where to take me. I bet he'll come around shortly to check on me, though.” She fidgeted around on her feet. “So, is it ok if I stay with you for a few days?” She asked hopefully.
The trio glanced at each other, nervous about Rin's curiosity and how they might have to hide the little `one father, two mothers' factor. Kagome quickly put on a kind face, though.
“Of course you can, Rin, you can stay with Sango and me in our place, ok?”
Rin stiffened up, put her hands to her sides and feet together. “Yes ma'am,” she said straightly.
“Rin,” Sango asked, “how is Kohaku doing?”
“Oh, he's doing just fine!” She said. It was true. The boy had been traveling with her, Jaken, and Sesshomaru ever since that final battle. Even though Rin suggested to him that he might want to stay with his older sister, he had insisted that he join with them. Rin wasn't really sure why he chose that. Just like she wasn't sure why he seemed to always be concerned with what she was doing, why he would ask if she was ok if she fell down and got a minor bruise, or why, when she went off exploring somewhere, he always remained stubborn about going with her. Boys were probably just funny that way, Rin guessed.
“That's good to hear,” Sango sighed with relief, feeling more worried about her brother than usual because of her increased hormones. Speaking of which, she was getting hungry, and she could tell Kagome was, too.
Kagome put a hand on Rin's shoulder. “Rin, how about you go find Shippo and play together. I know he's been pretty bored around here lately.” She wondered why Kaede snorted at that comment. “And then we can talk more later.”
“Ok, Kagome, we'll come back when Shippo smells food,” Rin said. “Come on, Ah-Un!” She grabbed the youkai by it reins and led him away, then tied the reins to a nearby tree. She started off down the road, calling out Shippo's name.
The others watched her go, and then Kagome turned to the older miko. “Kaede, we have something we'd like to ask you about, if that's ok.”
InuYasha raised an eyebrow. She was gonna tell Kaede about that?
“Of course, let us go inside,” the old woman motioned into the hut, following the trio into the room. In one corner were the bags of food that InuYasha had brought back from Kagome's time. Kaede took a seat on one of the futons, and the hanyou also helped his mates slowly lower themselves down to sit. “Now, what is it ye want, Kagome?”
“You see, we want to try to get Sango through the well so she can meet my family, but we don't know what to do. InuYasha and I are the only ones who've ever been able to use it, right?”
“I think `tis safe to say that,” Kaede replied. “I must confess that the mystery of the well mostly eludes me, as well. I have always been under the impression that the reason Kagome could travel through the well was because of the power of the Shikon no Tama, as well as her own spiritual powers. Those unique qualities made it possible for her to journey to this time. Now, if that alone were the case, it would probably prove impossible for Sango to use the well…” She trailed off, pondering.
The trio leaned in, waiting for her to continue. “….Buuuuttt?” Kagome asked.
“But,” she continued, “that alone is not the case, for InuYasha was also able to travel through the well, and he had neither the Jewel nor any miko abilities to speak of.”
“That's true,” Sango piped in. “But then…how do you think he was able to do it, Kaede?”
“Well, a simple explanation could be that InuYasha was able to use the well because his and Kagome's souls were intertwined, bound together by love. Even though they did not know each other at the time, it is perhaps possible that the well recognized InuYasha as the most important person in Kagome's heart, whether she knew it or not, and thus allowed him to pass. And, if that is the case—“
“Then I could get through the same way as InuYasha!” Sango interrupted, excitement in her voice.
“That's right!” Kagome was just as eager. “If that's how it worked for InuYasha, it should work that way for Sango, too, right, Kaede? I mean, I love Sango and InuYasha with all my heart now, equally. There's no one more important to me than them.”
The old miko closed her eyes and gave a small nod. “Hmm, there is a chance that the solution could be that simple, and I think perhaps it might be worth an attempt, if it is what ye three truly desire. After all, there can be no harm in trying, do ye not agree?”
“Well, InuYasha?” Kagome said. She and Sango turned their heads eagerly towards him. “What do you say we give it a shot?”
“Yeah, you don't have to ask me, Kagome.” He noticed that both women were starting to tear up. “H-Hey! What the hell're you two cryin' for?”
“Sorry, I-InuYasha,” Sango sniffed, “I'm just…so glad that I might get a chance to see Kagome's family.”
“Y-Yeah,” Kagome hiccupped, “It's such good news. I'm so happy!” Tears started streaming down their faces. InuYasha groaned and put his hand on his head.
Stupid. Damn. Hormones.
“Ah, perhaps you girls would like to get some rest, and try to get Sango through the well later?” Kaede suggested, seeing their anxieties increase.
“N-No, we're ok,” Kagome sniffed. “But, I'm kind of hungry now. What about you, Sango?”
The slayer wiped away the tears on her cheeks. “Mmhm, I think I need something to eat, too.”
InuYasha got to his feet and walked to the corner, picking up the grocery bags and setting them in front of his mates. “Here's the stuff I got from the list you gave me. The chips and strawberries and stuff. And remember, I went through a lot to get that stuff, so eat and enjoy!”
Kagome and Sango glanced at each other, then stared blankly at him.
“What is it?” He growled.
“InuYasha,” Kagome said, “I think I'd rather have a whole bushel of apples.”
“Ooh, that does sound good!” Sango agreed, licking her lips.
InuYasha's eye twitched. Silence for a few moments, and then—
“GODDAMMITTTT!!!”
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A few hours later…
InuYasha, Kagome, and Sango (sans apples—the craving had gone away the second InuYasha had gone to search for them, so they called him back) stood at the rim of the old well, staring into the hole intently, preparing themselves to see if their plan would work.
“Ready to meet my mom, Sango?” Kagome was excited. Sango nodded happily.
“Remember,” InuYasha said, his head unclouded by any pregnancy emotions, “Kaede only said this as a possibility. It might not work that easy.”
“InuYasha,” Kagome hushed him, “Let's hope for the best and see what happens, ok?”
“Well, anyway,” InuYasha began, “I'm gonna have to lower you two down, so you don't get hurt.”
“That…is so thoughtful,” Sango said, her voice quivering. Thankfully, the urge to cry quickly passed.
“Wait, InuYasha,” Kagome stopped him as he took Sango's arm. “I thought Kaede said that the well responds to my feelings and emotions, so shouldn't I be the one to be with Sango in the well for the first try? You can help us in one a time.”
“Um, ok. Who first?”
“Well, I guess you do have to take Sango first. Otherwise, I'll just end up in my own time. Let her down, and then me, and we can see what happens afterwards.”
They agreed on this plan, but InuYasha thought it would be better if he didn't carry them, but found an easier way to lower them down. Ripping a vine off a nearby tree, he tied it to a splint of wood on the well's lip. He gently lifted Sango onto the edge and, making sure the vine was steady, lowered it down with Sango holding on, watching her the whole time in case she slipped. Luckily, despite her pregnancy, she was still pretty agile, thanks to her training as a youkai slayer. Once she was safely down, he turned his attention to Kagome, handing her the rope.
“Ready, Kagome?”
“Yep, let's do it.”
InuYasha made sure his mate had a firm grim on the vine, then slowly lowered her down to the bottom, just like he had with Sango. This was it. He let the vine slide through his hands until he felt it stop as Kagome's feet touched down inside the well. He waited a few seconds in silence, wondering if anything had happened.
Had it worked? Was Sango through the well?
………
After a few more moments, he called out to them, “Kagome! Sango! You guys down there? Did it work?”
“No, it didn't work,” Sango's disappointed voice echoed up to his ears.
“We're still here,” Kagome grumbled. “Grr, why didn't it work?!”
“But, how come you didn't go through, at least, Kagome?” Sango asked.
“Probably because, as of now, it would only let me through alone or with InuYasha… Don't worry, though, Sango.”
InuYasha heard the pain in their voices and couldn't help but feel upset for them. He wanted Sango to join him, Kagome and her family back in that time through the well, but what could he do? He wasn't the best at coming up with new ideas.
“You might as well pull us up, InuYasha,” Sango called. He nodded, gripped the vine, and pulled them out of the well one after the other. He could see the sadness written across their faces, and it wounded him. He remembered Mrs. Higurashi telling him how she'd love to meet the girl her daughter was in love with. And now, it seemed that he couldn't even do that for her, or for his two women.
“So, where do we go from here?” Sango asked.
“We can't give up yet,” Kagome insisted. “We just have to think of another way for it to work.”
“Maybe we should go talk to Kaede again,” the hanyou suggested. The girls agreed, and they each took one of his arms to head back to the village. But, as they started to leave the clearing—
“AAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEE!!!”
Their heads jerked up, to see where the scream had come from. When they saw who it was, InuYasha gripped the hilt of Tessaiga.
“Ah! Rin!” Kagome cried out as they came into the grove—Rin and the group of humanoid snake youkai, one of who—probably the leader—had the young girl clutched tightly between his claws. The youkai hissed fiercely, their long, forked tongues darting in and out of their thin mouths. Rin let out a gasp of pain as that one particular snake tightened his sharp grip, his tongue extending down and brushing against her face.
“Bastard!” InuYasha shouted. “What do you want with her?!”
“Hssss hsss hss…” The hanyou understood that this was their sound for laughing. “Humanssss make ssuch tasty treatssss. Especially young, pretty female onessss…” The sound of their voices and their plans for Rin disgusted InuYasha.
“Kagome, Sango, get back. I'll handle this.” The two women backed up to the edge of the well, and InuYasha flexed his claws.
“Don't make any movesss!” The one carrying Rin warned, emphasizing his point by grasping her tighter with his scaly hands, “Or we'll kill the girl right here!”
InuYasha swore, realizing that he wasn't fast enough to dispatch all the youkai before any harm came to Rin. And he couldn't take them all out with the Kaze no Kizu, because that would hurt the girl, too. Was he helpless? He wondered. What should he do now? Even if Kagome and Sango weren't pregnant, they hadn't brought their weapons with them, so they wouldn't have been much use either way. Dammit, what to do?
“InuYasha, help me!” Rin called out, flailing around in the snake youkai's hand. The hanyou swore again in his mind. He couldn't think of what to do to save Rin from getting eaten. Kagome and Sango were still against the well, their hormones making them filled with a rare fear. They were starting to assume the worst for the girl. But suddenly, a quick, thin flash of light lashed out from behind the trees, swiftly wrapped itself around the leader's neck, and drew off its head in an instant. The body collapsed to its knees, and Rin rolled out of its grip, onto the ground. The remaining youkai, not the most intelligent beings, lunged in after her, only to have that whip of light reappear and arc across the area, sweeping off their heads in one smooth motion. Rin quickly crawled away from the falling, headless corpses towards InuYasha, who was staring out at the forest.
“That whip,” he said. And no sooner had he said it than Sesshomaru walked into the clearing. He walked over to the leader's corpse, standing over it. Rin turned around and opened her mouth happily.
“Lord Sesshomaru!” She stood up and ran over to the daiyoukai's leg, clutching onto him.
“Let me guess,” InuYasha said, “You were coming to check on Rin, heard her scream, and rushed faster. Did I get it right?”
“Where is their leader?” Sesshomaru asked him, ignoring him. This new question made InuYasha feel uneasy.
“What do you mean? He's right there!”
Sesshomaru stooped down and pointed at the headless youkai's body. “This is not the leader,” he said calmly. “This one does not have the mark of rank on his neck that is common among leaders of snake youkai.”
“Wait, that means…”
“Yes, the leader is still here somewhere.”
“But, where…” InuYasha wondered. Then it came to him, and he froze, a lump forming in his stomach. He quickly whirled around. “Kagome! Sango! Watch out!”
But it was too late for them to move, as a large snake broke free from under the ground and threw itself towards the two pregnant girls, its mouth wide open, fangs bared. Kagome quickly stood with Sango and just as the snake drew near, she raised her fist and brought it down hard on its head. The girls were saved from its poisonous fangs, but the snake's body still slammed into Kagome's shoulder. Before InuYasha could reach them, the force of its body knocked the two girls back towards the edge of the well. And as InuYasha reached out his hand, they lost their balance and fell backwards, disappearing into the hole. InuYasha got there just as they were out of sight, and he peered into the darkness.
“Kagome! Sango!”
To be continued…
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Next time:
Kagome and Sango, both pregnant, have fallen down the long shaft of the Bone Eater's Well. What will be their fate? Stay tuned.
My note: Sorry this took so long. Feeling dreary this week. Hopefully my next update will be sooner. I have a very good idea of where I want to go from here, but this was a difficult chapter. I know I left this chapter with a cliffie, how evil am I? Hm, well, look forward to the next chapter. See you soon.