InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lost in the Past ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

 

 

Lost in the Past, Chapter 3

 

 

Shippo arrived late the following night. He must have immediately hopped on a plane to get there that fast. Inuyasha and Kagome's flight didn't leave until the next morning. Shippo had had the foresight to rent a car, so they would be able to use his rental car to get back to the airport and not have to worry about parking their car.

 

“Junko's coming in a couple of days. She just had to finish a few things,” Shippo explained. “Yusuke's coming with her.” In the corner, Valynne's eyes brightened.

 

“I'm sorry you had to change your plans so suddenly,” said Kagome.

 

“It's fine, we would have come back in another few weeks anyway.” Shippo had returned to Japan in late June, when Kazuki started his summer vacation, to tie up loose ends and gather his family together. Inuyasha's graduate project had been a house for Shippo and his family further down the mountain. Inuyasha had `sold' it to him, in the human way, and had designed it to blend into the hillside sort of like a fox den. In actuality, Inuyasha had given Shippo the land and built the house in gratitude for Shippo's willingness to stay and teach his kids youkai ways. Shippo had eagerly agreed. He enjoyed teaching Youkai School, not only to Inuyasha's son, but also to the indigenous youkai who still greatly intrigued him. “They'll be ok, you know. Kazuki's a smart kid.”

 

Kagome nodded, but Inuyasha brushed by Shippo without replying and went to put their suitcases into the rental car. If he had his way, they'd leave for the airport right now. He didn't really believe that the well was going to work again, but at least in Japan he'd be closer. It was something as opposed to nothing at all.

 

Shippo agreed to stay at their house in case the kids came back. He headed towards his old room, but Inuyasha asked him to please stay in their room instead.

 

“Where will you sleep?” asked Shippo, puzzled.

 

“I'm going out for a run,” Inuyasha replied. “Kagome, you stay here with Shippo.”

 

She looked like she was about to argue, so Inuyasha jumped out the window. It was at times like these that he was glad the old restraining beads were safely in Kagome's top dresser drawer. He just had to get out for a while before he was cooped up on that airplane.

 

“You take the bed,” Shippo said. “I'll sleep on the floor.” He grabbed the quilt out of his old bedroom and settled down near the door. “He's just blowing off steam,” he commented.

 

“I know,” agreed Kagome. She settled down on the bed and pulled the covers up over her. “Shippo, I'm so scared. What if something happens to them over there? I can't tell Inuyasha how I feel. In some ways, he's handling this a lot worse than I am. He blames himself.”

 

Shippo propped himself up on his elbows and regarded Kagome. “Don't forget, your kids are hanyou, Kagome. They're a lot tougher than you think. Kazuki's older than Inuyasha was when he was left all alone, and Kazuki had the benefit of my training, which is more than Inuyasha had at that age. They'll be just fine. Inuyasha knows all that, too.”

 

“Even if the kids are safe over there, without Tetsusaiga we can't get to them. I admit the well is a long shot. What if we never see them again?”

 

Shippo got up and sat at the edge of Kagome's bed. He patted her back awkwardly. “They're hanyou. You would see them again.”

 

It took a moment for Shippo's words to sink in. Her children would still be alive even if they never returned through the time slip. The fact that she hadn't met them, when she'd met just about every other youkai or hanyou in this time, meant that in all probability they did return. It was just a matter of time. Kagome smiled grimly. It always was just a matter of time. “Thanks, Shippo. You can take the bed. I don't feel much like sleeping, so I'm just going to stay up and try to acclimate myself to Japan time.”

 

Kagome went down into the kitchen and prepared a hot meal, which she packed into a small thermal container. Inuyasha hadn't eaten anything since the day before. It was time they talked. “I'm going to find Inuyasha, don't wait up!” she called up the stairs, not waiting for Shippo's acknowledgement before she went out the front door.

 

 

 

He was running away, he admitted as much to himself. Inuyasha let himself transform into energy and took the path down the mountain and out, out towards the wild woods to the north. He didn't particularly want to see or deal with anyone or anything tonight. Tomorrow would be time enough to face his problems, while he sat on that damn airplane, and again later when he faced Kagome's mother, and Sesshomaru.

 

Eventually he slowed down and solidified into the Great Dog shape so he could feel the earth beneath his paws. In this shape, he was more animal than human and he let his instincts take over. It stopped him from thinking so much. He took down a section of forest, slashing it with his over-elongated claws, and the release felt good. He was youkai, not subject to the same set of rules that governed humans. If he wanted to destroy something, he would.

 

A presence made itself felt in the shattered timber, and Inuyasha slowly halted his controlled rampage. Youkai? Did it want to fight? Inuyasha was in the mood for a good fight. He swung his great head around, trying to pinpoint the source. There. It was a youkai, in human form. Inuyasha growled threateningly.

 

“I thought it was you, Inuyasha,” the youkai spoke lightly.

 

Even in dog form, Inuyasha could understand. He didn't want to understand. Already the thoughts were coming back. Inuyasha let himself transform back into hanyou form, but he kept the long claws and teeth, and the markings that identified him as pure youkai. “What do you want, Fenn?” he growled.

 

“I want to know why you're destroying trees.”

 

Inuyasha knew damn well Fenn didn't care about the trees. “I could destroy you instead,” he suggested.

 

Fenn laughed. “No, thanks,” he replied. “Really, what's going on?”

 

Gradually Inuyasha's face and hands returned to normal and he sat down on a broken tree trunk facing Fenn. “I screwed up,” he said. “You don't happen to know any way of traveling back in time, do you?”

 

Fenn's eyebrows rose. He knew the story of Inuyasha and Kagome, and he also knew that the well had been destroyed. “What happened?” he asked.

 

Inuyasha explained about Tetsusaiga and how it had absorbed the time slip from the well which had allowed Inuyasha to return to Kagome the summer before Kazuki was born. He told him how they had used the sword to go back to the Feudal Era several times, how it was Kazuki, when he was only four, who had first accidentally invoked the power. How Inuyasha should have known, should have known better than to take chances with his sword after that, but he did. He'd thought he was teaching the boy to be responsible, when in the end it was his own irresponsibility which led to both his kids being taken away again by the time slip. It was cathartic in a way, to finally verbalize his guilt.

 

“Where is Tetsusaiga?” Fenn asked, looking around. Inuyasha was never without the sword, visible or invisible, somewhere on his person.

 

“Gone too,” said Inuyasha quietly. “I didn't deserve it.”

 

“That's nonsense,” said Fenn. “Do you mean the sword disappeared into the time slip along with Kazuki and Mayumi? Did it occur to you that it was because Kazuki was holding it at the time? How does that make you less deserving?”

 

“I left it out!” shouted Inuyasha. “I let this happen!”

 

Fenn shook his head. “And somehow Tetsusaiga knew this and took your kids away from you.”

 

“Yes!”

 

“No. Go home to your wife. She's looking for you.”

 

Inuyasha sighed, and let his mortal form slip away as he zipped back up over the mountains towards home. He felt Kagome's aura as he neared their mountain. She was wandering out in the dark, calling for him. He alighted on a tree branch and took form. “What are you doing out here by yourself?” he asked gruffly, hopping down.

 

Kagome handed him the thermal lunchbox. “You need to eat,” she said.

 

They shared the late supper in a clearing under the moonlight. Kagome laid her head on Inuyasha's shoulder and after a minute he put his arm around her and drew her closer. “Can I stay here with you tonight?” she asked him, eyes closed.

 

He was glad she had sought him out. She made him feel alive. With Kagome, he could see the road in front of him. With Kagome, he had hope. He gently tipped her face up to his and kissed her. Kagome kissed him back, pushing at him and demanding more. “Don't be gentle,” she told him, setting a cloudy barrier around them. “Tonight, I don't want gentle.”

 

When dawn broke over the hill, they snuck back to the house and turned on the hot tub for a quick soak before they got ready for their trip. Shippo cracked one eye open as he heard the rental car start down the driveway. “Good luck,” he wished them.