InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Living a Lie ❯ Travels Pt 2 ( Chapter 15 )

Inuyasha awoke the next morning and took a glance at the campsite from his treetop perch. Fear shot through his veins as he saw that Kagome's bedroll was empty and missing. Leaping down from the tree he immediately began sniffing the air for her scent. Upon sensing it he immediately recoiled, Sesshomaru's was close by.

 

Sneaking off to follow the scent, he found the two standing beside the nearby stream. Kagome stood on the banks while Sesshomaru had waded into the river, capturing fish for breakfast. A scream issued into the air as Sesshomaru quickly lashed at the water and launched the fish at Kagome. Giggling as she caught the fish and placed it with the others the two settled back into silence and merely looked at one another.

 

She is happy. Maybe Miroku was right. Inuyasha thought as he sneaked off once again back to the campsite. Deciding to prepare a fire for them when they arrived back, he set to work gathering the branches to busy himself.

 

“He has gone.” Sesshomaru stated to Kagome

 

“I know, I could feel him”

 

Wading over to the shore, Sesshomaru stepped onto land and extended a hand to Kagome to help her to her feet.

 

“We should head back, we have enough fish now.”

 

“Sesshomaru, wait.” Kagome called as he turned to leave.

 

“Yes Lady Kagome?”

 

“I just wanted. I wanted to.” Kagome faltered in her words, failing to find the right way to express her feelings.

 

Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow at her insecurity and took a step towards her.

 

“Kagome?”

 

Steeling her will, Kagome closed the gap before them and reached up to kiss Sesshomaru. As they pulled apart, she smiled as she looked up at him.

 

“You said we need to make better time today right?” she asked as she looked away.

 

“Yes. I feel the monk and exterminator could ride on the neko, and you and your sister will travel with me and Inuyasha.”

 

“Please understand, but I need to travel with Inuyasha today.”

 

Slightly confused, Sesshomaru allowed the confusion to seep into his expression, a change Kagome did not overlook.

 

“There is something I must speak with him about, and it just seems like the right time.”

 

“I understand.” Leaning down, Sesshomaru placed a light kiss on Kagome's cheek as he pulled back and reached down to pick up their morning catch.

 

Upon arriving back at camp, Sesshomaru and Kagome found a fire prepared and that everyone else had woken up. Gazing around the campfire, Kagome saw Kikyo was the last to wake up and that her hair had fallen out of her normal pony tail in her sleep. The sunlight drifted over the tops of the trees and hit Kikyo across the right side of her face. Kagome gasped as an image she had seen years ago flashed into her head. Reaching to her side, she lightly touched the pouch that held her family keepsakes. As understanding came to her, she shook it off and returned to what she was doing before.

 

The group cleaned up and prepared breakfast as Sesshomaru informed them of the new travel plans. Finding an excuse, Sesshomaru and Kagome convinced Kikyo and Inuyasha that Kikyo should travel with Sesshomaru and Kagome with Inuyasha.

 

As they finished up breakfast, Kikyo lowered the barrier and the group set out. Miroku and Sango flew up into the air on Kirara's back, a loud slap reverberating through the air as Miroku rubbed his injured cheek. Kagome chuckled at their antics as she crawled onto Inuyasha's back. Kikyo stood beside Sesshomaru as his cloud formed and they set off as well.

 

“Lady Sango, you must understand. My actions are meant with utmost respect and admiration” Miroku attempted to apologize as Sango rolled her eyes from in front of him.

 

“Yes Houshi-sama, utmost respect. That is why your hand constantly attempts to grope my rear end.”

 

“Only the most perfect buttocks Lady Sango.”

 

Sighing in frustration, Sango resigned herself to silence for awhile.

 

“So what exactly was the real reason behind this arrangement?” Kikyo asked as the three couples moved out of earshot from one another.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Somehow I feel you would prefer to have my sister balanced by your arm than my person.”

 

“She requested it be this way.”

 

Kikyo stiffened hearing Sesshomaru's declaration, fear seeping into her heart.

 

“Do not worry priestess, she does not intend to steal my idiot brother away from you.”

 

“And how do you know that?”

 

“Because she cannot give what belongs to me to him.”

 

“And what would that be?”

 

“Her heart.”

 

Gasping at his openness, Kikyo turned slightly to regard him.

 

“Do you mean to say that my sister has fallen in love with you?”

 

“I believe she has.”

 

“And you?”

 

“Much to my father's happiness, I believe I have as well.”

 

“Well well, after all these years. How ironic isn't it?”

 

“What's that?”

 

“You were meant for my sister before the two of you were even born. After all these years many believed you would never find the demoness that could break through your shields.”

 

“I began to believe that as well. I had begun to believe that no demoness possessed the proper attributes to gain my affection.”

 

“And here, the lost child of the Western Lands has stolen it away.”

 

“And what of yours priestess? The cold-hearted bitch from Goshinboku forest.” Sensing her flinch at his words he corrected himself “Or so you are called. Two birds of a feather we are priestess - the cold -hearted bitch and the ice lord.”

 

“And yet our frigid exteriors were melted by the other's sibling.”

 

“So you do still care for him?”

 

“Of course, I always have. I am ashamed of what I did all those years ago, and if I were given the chance, I would go back and change it in a heartbeat.”

 

“You cannot change the past, but perhaps your sister can improve your future.”

 

Looking down at the younger siblings in question, the two allowed a smile to grace their lips as the witnessed a sibling rivalry below.

 

 

“INUYASHA NO BAKA!!!! Stop doing that!” Kagome bellowed, smacking Inuyasha on the back of the head as he merely chuckled to himself. “Put me down! I'll just run!”

 

“No way, it's safer for you to be with me than on your own.”

 

“Safer?! You just leaped down from the top of a 40ft tree! How is that safer!?”

 

“Kags, we're half-demons. Get used to it. That's safe for us.”

 

“I don't care. Logic still tells me that it is not safe, so stop doing it!”

 

“Alright, alright. I'll stop.” Pausing to allow the woman on his back to calm down, Inuyasha took a deep breath before he began again. “So where did you and Sess wander off to this morning?”

 

“You know very well where we were. You followed us.”

 

“I-I”

 

“Yeah, my senses are getting better Inu.”

 

Blushing at the concept that he was caught by Kagome, which clearly means Sesshomaru knew as well, he decided to keep his mouth shut from then on.

 

“You still owe me an answer.”

 

“An answer? To what?”

 

“Who Kikyo is. I know who she is to me and to a lot of people, but I still don't know the woman you do.”

 

“It's complicated.”

 

“Clearly. Considering you two wandered off last night and returned with solemn expressions and then my sister cried herself to sleep. I just ASSUME IT IS COMPLICATED!” Kagome replied, getting more irate with each word.

 

Flinching at her tone of voice, Inuyasha resigned to the fact that he needs to spill it now.

 

“So this is why you insisted on traveling with me?”

 

“That and, we have been apart so much lately that I felt like I needed to spend some time with you again. It felt strange not being around you.”

 

A curse from above and slap were heard again, as the two gazed up to see Miroku laying on his back on Kirara, clearly Sango had given him one good hit this time. Shaking their heads, the two returned their attention to their previous conversation.

 

“Alright, but you have to promise not to interrupt me until I finish.”

 

“I won't, I swear.”

 

“Look, it all happened summers ago. When you went off to camp and I supposedly went abroad to study art. I came through the well and father met me in the local village. We stayed in the forest training for the most part, we weren't supposed to be seen by the demon community. You and I were supposed to be missing or dead, remember. Well there was a demon attack in the village and father and I rushed to help them. That is when I met Kikyo. Father explained who she was and immediately I saw the similarities between the two of you.” By this time, Kagome had allowed her head to rest upon Inuyasha's shoulder to rest as he continued.

“We became fast friends. Father would have to come and go, return to the Western Lands every week or so to keep up appearances and all. When he was gone Kikyo and I would spend time together. We were young and we were stupid. Soon, we had fallen in love. Young love, very fragile and easily broken.” Inuyasha's voice seeped from nostalgic to angry as he continued. “We were, well dating. And it was the day I had to return home. I had made something for Kikyo and went to give it to her. As I got close though, I overheard a conversation she was having with one of the local village boys. He was asking her if she was really with that 'monster' or if she just felt sorry for me. I'll never know why she did it, but she denied being friends with me, let alone being in a relationship with me. When I returned to the forest, she had come to say goodbye and I confronted her about it. We got into a fight and being as immature as I was, leaped into the well and ran home.”

 

“And the gift you had for her?”

 

“I don't know. I lost it somewhere.”

 

“Would it be this?” Kagome asked as she reached around his neck to show him a crumpled piece of paper that she had pulled out of her pack.

 

“Where did you get this?”

 

“I found it on the ground by the well house that day I got back. I thought it was really good, but figured it was a picture you didn't think was good enough, so I kept it. I realized the girl you'd drawn was Kikyo this morning, when the sunlight hit her as she was waking up.”

 

“Kagome, I-”

 

“I know that was hard to tell me Inu, but look at the picture. She looks happy, she made you happy. Why can't you just give her the chance to explain to you why she did it?”

 

“I don't care why she did it. She did it, that's all I need to know.”

 

“You Baka! She cares about you. I can see it in her eyes, and I could feel her pain last night when she was crying.”

 

“Since when are the two of you close? I thought you hated her.”

 

“It's not that we're close, yes we're family, but she's hurting and I want to make it stop. Just think about it.”

 

The journey continued with very little conversation from any party member, a few slaps here and there were heard from above, accompanied with the occasional “hentai!”

 

As dusk began to settle in, the group saw their destination in the distance. As they got closer, the compound came into view. It was much smaller than the fortress and clearly not as well fortified. Around 10 or so smaller buildings were scattered about, all enclosed by a small wall. Landing just beyond the gate, the 6 members dismounted and stared at the compound before them. A few servants came out of the main building, lanterns in hand and bowed at the two brothers.

“Lord Sesshomaru, Lord Inuyasha if you would.” The servant said, motioning to the main building. “Your father sent instructions and such ahead of you.” Following the main servant inside, the two brothers left, leaving the other four standing outside with various other servants bustling about them, grabbing the sacks from Kirara and rushing them off to the housing quarters.

 

Walking over to her, Kagome stood beside her sister before gaining the determination to speak to her.

 

“Kikyo, could we talk?”

 

Nodding to her in response the two sisters walked off, leaving Sango and Miroku alone with Kirara. Sniffing the air, Kirara rushed off in the direction of food. Turning to speak to Miroku, Sango gasped.

 

“What? What is it?”

 

“Oh Miroku-sama, I'm so sorry.” Sango whined as she took a step toward him and reached her hand up to turn his chin to the side. Examining his right cheek, Sango found a slight bruise forming under his eye. “Come with me, I have some salve in my bag that'll help the bruise.”

 

Grabbing his hand, Sango dragged him off in the direction the servants went with her things. Shock was etched on Miroku's face as he got over Sango's gentle treatment just then and the fact that she was pulling him along my his had.

 

Settling down on a porch, the two sisters sat in silence before Kagome finally spoke.

 

“I know I don't understand what happened all those years ago, but all I know is that you hurt him.” raising her hand to stop Kikyo before she began, Kagome continued. “Even still,” reaching into her pack, she pulled out the paper and began to unfold it. “This tells me that you also made him very happy.” Extending her hand out, Kagome handed the drawing to Kikyo.

 

Tears welled in Kikyo's eyes as she stared down at the portrait of a younger her. Happiness and pain both rushed to her heart as she felt so happy that Inuyasha had loved her that much, but regret over what she'd done.

 

“So, I was wondering.” Kagome interrupted Kikyo's walk down memory lane. “I was wondering if you could tell me why you did what you did.”

 

There you have it, now you have some of your answers, and soon you'll have some more. Please be patient as I try to find the time to finish the story up. Thanks for the reviews and keep reviewing!