InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love, Interrupted ❯ Chapter 39 ( Chapter 39 )

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

Kagome tended the fire inside the house. They had been back in the village for over a week now, after returning home from Takakiko's mountain. Hours after they had returned, Kagome visited the medicine woman's hut for supplies. Word had spread quickly about their return and villagers visited bringing food and necessary household supplies. The visits gave the villagers a chance to find out any news about Master Mushin. He may have been a drunkard, but he was extremely good to the villagers and they held him in high regard.
Inuyasha had been badly hurt in the fall from the mountain, suffering from broken bones and many cuts and abrasions. His half-demon body was healing nicely, but he still walked slowly around the house and did very little, if any, hunting for his family. The food and supplies from the villagers was a welcomed sight to him, although he wouldn't admit it. His pride kept him grumbling about feeling useless to his family.
Kagome's aches and pains from her attacks faded but the memories did not. Nighttime was the worse. Inuyasha was considerate enough to not try to make love to her (besides the fact that even he hurt to much for that kind of exertion). Instead, he would cuddle her in his arms at night, stroking her hair and whispering to her softly. His actions comforted her and she always felt completely safe. As long as she was awake. Once she fell asleep, the attacks reoccured in her dreams, forcing her awake in fits of sobs. Inuyasha would grab her and hold her tight, shushing her softly as he resumed stroking her hair and kissing her gently, trying to reassure her.
After two nights of this, Kagome tried to stay awake throughout the night, attempting to stop the nightmares. Inuyasha gently scolded her for this and after another two days of taking care of her family with very little sleep, she gave up and stopped fighting sleep. But the nightmares continued.
For Inuyasha's part, the nightmares destroyed him. It only served as a reminder of his inability to protect the woman he loved from harm. To try and stop her nightmares, he rarely slept himself and when he did, he returned to his very light sleeping like he used to do when he slept in the wilds. When Kagome started to fuss in her sleep, he would pull her closer and whisper in her ear that he was there for her and that he loved her, all the while gently caressing her body. In her half-awake, half-asleep state, she seemed to understand this and would relax again in his arms.
On this day, Inuyasha sat against the wall, Tessaiga on the floor beside him. The three babies lay on the floor in front of him, cooing and smiling at each other as they grabbed each other's fingers and toes. Inuyasha smiled at their antics but would then turn his attention back to the thing in his hands. The Amythyst Sphere,
"DAMMIT! I wish I could figure out this stupid orb's magic. The Tessaiga does no damage to it and neither does the Tenseiga. How do you break this damn thing?" he said aloud, mainly to himself.
"Takakiko told you that Reiki and Demon had to fuse ... isn't that right, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome.
"Yea, but what the hell does that mean?" Inuyasha said, as he rolled the orb in his hand.
"Hmmm. I don't know." mused Kagome.
Her eyes fell to the babies and she noticed how they were staring intently at the entrance to the house. Inuyasha was fully absorbed in looking at the orb and paid no attention to the three. Kagome commented,
"Dinner is probably on its way."
"Why's that?" Inuyasha mumbled.
"The threesome are watching the door. They must hear someone coming."
This broke Inuyasha out of his thoughts as he raised his eyes to look at the door. His ears twitched and his eyes opened wide. Breathing in the air deeper, he jumped to his feet suddenly, and headed to the door,
"What the hell?" he said.
Before he reached the door, it slid open. Kagome dropped the cup of tea she was holding as she stared at the person at the door,
"Sesshoumaru!" said Inuyasha, "You're supposed to be dead."
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, "I am pleased to see you as well, little brother."
"So you're not dead. I guess that bitch Anzu was lying. Didn't your mother ever teach you to knock before entering someone's house? Soo, why has the great Sesshoumaru graced us with his presence for this time?" Inuyasha's cockiness returned.
"My death was not a fabrication. However, as you can see, I have returned. I see you have Ah-Un here. Where are Jaken, Rin and Kohaku?"
Kagome stood up, "Sesshoumaru, if you would like, please come in. We will explain what we can."
Sesshoumaru's eyes scanned the house with its meager contents. Entering slowly, he walked past Inuyasha. His eyes fell to the three babies on the ground. Three pairs of eyes followed him intently ... one little one released a small, almost inaudible, growl.
'They track well. And one is already protective.' Sesshoumaru thought to himself.
Inuyasha resumed his position at the wall and stared at his brother. Their eyes met for a moment, before Sesshoumaru's eyes fell to the chain around Inuyasha's neck,
"You have father's protection charm around your neck. Where did you get it from?" his voice was monotone.
Inuyasha looked down at the chain, "This? Totousai gave it to me. To protect Kagome and the pups."
Sesshoumaru's expression never wavered. He turned to face Kagome,
"Tell me, do you know where Jaken, Rin and Kohaku are?"
"Not exactly." said Kagome, "But, we feel they are somewhere in the Western Lands behind one of Ryouya's illusions. They've been poisoned again."
She went on to explain what she knew. Sesshoumaru listened all the while eyeing the pups and Inuyasha. Kagome finished by handing Sesshoumaru his Tenseiga,
"Sesshoumaru." said Inuyasha, "Maybe you can help me out. Can you tell me how Kagome and I can fuse her Reiki with my Demon?" he said, then told Sesshoumaru about Takakiko and the Amethyst Sphere, "If I can break that stupid orb, I'll be able to see through Ryouya's illusions and I'll get everybody back."
"You need to figure that out. I need nothing more from you. I will leave with Ah-Un." said Sesshoumaru, as he headed to the door.
Inuyasha jumped up, "Dammit! You can't see through the illusions either, you bastard!"
Sesshoumaru paid no mind to Inuyasha's outburst as he walked out the door. As he pulled Ah-Un's reins, Sesshoumaru's mind wandered,
'Father. You have bestowed everything on Inuyasha. Why, Father? Why do you insist on forsaking me?'
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Two Months Later ...
Kagome sat on the porch of the home and watched the pups in the play area Inuyasha had built. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her eyes were puffy from crying. Inuyasha appeared out of the forest, carrying two good sized bucks, a boar, fish and plenty of fruits. As he approached her, he became alarmed when he saw she had been crying. He dropped everything and ran to her,
"Kagome ... by the gods ... no one hurt you again, did they?"
She hugged her knees as he knelt beside her, "No." she said, shaking her head.
"Then what happened? Are the pups ok?" he said, checking on the three.
"Yes. They're fine."
"Then what ... why were you crying?"
"I haven't bled for two months. I thought it was from the stress ... but ..." she hung her head, "I checked with the village medicine woman ... Inuyasha ... I'm pregnant!" her body shook as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Inuyasha just looked at her, "And this is a bad thing, Kagome? Why are you crying? Is it because it's too soon after you had the other pups ... or ..." he hung his head, "Don't you want anymore pups?"
Kagome lifted her head from her knees and looked at him, "Inuyasha ... I don't know who the father is! I was attacked by numerous men ... and one of them did this to me! I don't want a child from one of those ... those beasts!" her tears started again.
Inuyasha sat beside her and held her tight, his heart breaking, "But, I made love to you the night before the attack. How do you know it isn't my pup?"
"I don't. But, what if it isn't? How can I bring a child into this world ... into your world ... that may be another man's child? How can I ask you to raise it?"
Inuyasha rocked her in his arms, "Could you raise the child if it turns out it was conceived in the attack?" he asked softly.
"It's not the child's fault. It didn't ask to be conceived." she answered, softly.
"You're right. And that child will need a father as well as a mother."
She looked at him, her eyes shining with tears, "You would ... do that?"
He cupped her face in his hands, "Kagome, you're my mate. You have been by my side through everything imaginable and plenty unimaginable. What kind of a man would I be if I didn't stand by your side through this. Most half-demons are created because of rape and are killed because of it. I wouldn't deserve to be half-human if I did the same thing."
Kagome's tears fell again, freaking Inuyasha out, "Kagome, please, no more tears. I said I would raise the child no matter what."
She hugged him tightly, "I'm crying because I'm happy. I was so afraid of what you'd say ... I was afraid you would want me to kill it because it might not be yours."
He laid his head on top of hers and squeezed her, "It's still your child, too, Kagome. No matter what, its a part of you. I could never kill a part of you ... no matter how it was created."
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Another two months later ...
"Inuyashaaaa ..." came a voice.
"Hachi, it's you. What are you doing here?" asked Inuyasha, putting down his plow and walking over to the raccoon dog.
"Any sign of Master Miroku or the others yet?" asked Hachi.
"No. I take time to search the Western Lands looking for signs of Ryouya with no luck. It's frustrating!" he slammed his fist into his hand, "But, I also have to think of Kagome and the pups. It's not easy to search when I bring them with me and I refuse to leave Kagome alone. Unless I figure out the secret to that damned orb, I'm at a standstill and its fucking frustrating!"
"Well, I have some news ... I don't know if it will help." said Hachi.
"Any news will help. What is it, Hachi?"
"I've seen some demons from the Western Lands. They say that conditions are terrible there. They are fleeing into the eastern lands because Ryouya has destroyed everything. Food sources are gone, water is drying up, villages are being decimated ..."
Inuyasha perked up, "Do they know where I can find Ryouya?"
"No. I asked. They only know that demons from the continent are destroying everything in sight."
"The continent? I haven't smelled any new demons when I'm there. Nor have I seen anything out of the ordinary. He must have the whole western side of Japan under an illusion! DAMMIT!"
Inuyasha fumed inside. He wanted, needed, to find his friends but Kagome was having a difficult time with this pregnancy ... she was sick constantly. Plus, fall was ending and winter snows would soon be here and it would be impossible to take her and the pups in the cold. He didn't know how long his friends could hold out. Totousai said that the poison would eventually kill them. Sesshoumaru was searching as well, showing up every now and then for seemingly no good reason, but Kagome had figured out that it was Sesshoumaru's way of keeping them informed of his progress, or lack thereof.
Kagome walked out of the house to where Inuyasha stood with Hachi,
"Hi, Hachi. Any news?" she asked hopefully.
"None really, I'm afraid. AAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKK! A DOG!" Hachi screamed.
Inuyasha growled as a strange dog walked up to them and sat down,
"Rowl, worl, woof, wral." it said.
Hachi peered out from behind Kagome. Kagome just stared at the animal. The dog looked straight into Inuyasha's golden orbs and repeated its "words"
Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest and turned up his nose, "HMPH!"
The dog repeated its sounds.
"What's going on, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome.
"Do you know this dog?" asked Hachi.
"No, I don't." replied Inuyasha, as he looked at Hachi. Turning his head back to the dog, he said "And as for you, I know the language, I just chose not to use it! Don't call me stupid!"
"Uhhh, Inuyasha ... you just talked to the dog." said Kagome.
"Uhh, yea, he talked to me." said Inuyasha.
"He did? Those sounds meant something?" said Kagome.
"Uhh, hello, yea, you think we dogs bark for fun?" came a strange voice.
"Say what?" said Kagome, "Hachi, is it me or did that dog just talk?"
"He talked." replied Hachi.
"Huh uh. Never seen a talking dog before, eh?" the dog said.
"You can talk?" asked an astonished Kagome.
"You deaf or something ... or just stupid?" said the dog.
Inuyasha growled, "Watch your mouth. You don't call her stupid. So, you're strong enough to master language. Why didn't you talk to me like that at the start?"
"It's easier not to." the dog got up and walked over to the back of Inuyasha and began sniffing at his butt,
"WHAT THE HELL?" Inuyasha cried out, "Why the hell are you sniffing my ass?"
"I guess, then, that you are the stupid one." the dog said, as he started sniffing Kagome's butt. The move caused Inuyasha to attack but the dog nimbly jumped out of the way.
"Don't sniff Kagome's butt!" Inuyasha growled.
"You're a quick one. Didn't expect that from a half-breed." the dog said.
"Why you ...!" Inuyasha growled.
Kagome held him back, "Who are you?" she asked.
"My name is Yasunao. I am the prince of the dog pack of the eastern lands. My father sent me to look for Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, the sons of the dog general of the western lands." the dog drawled out.
Inuyasha resumed his stance, "Well, you found him, now whaddya want?"
"You know, you're really cocky for an Akita Inu. You should remember that Shiba Inus are far superior to Akitas." said the dog.
"Inuyasha is an Akita?" queried Kagome, though no one seem to hear her.
Inuyasha's pupils moved to the corners of his eyes as he studied his opponent, "HMPH! Big talker! You can't even transform into a human."
"Ooooo. Real mature, Akita! Are we gonna start a 'My father is better than your father.' routine?" replied the dog.
"Why youuuu...." Inuyasha's body shook as he got angry.
"Inuyasha." Kagome chided softly, patting his arm.
"He started it!" accused Inuyasha, pointing his finger at the sitting dog, "Yell at him."
"I don't answer to humans." said the dog, "Especially ones that mate with half-breeds."
"You are waaaay to cocky for your own damn good." Inuyasha muttered.
"Takes one to know one." replied the dog.
Kagome stamped her foot down and growled, "Will you two quit it already? Yasunao, what is it you want with us?"
"YASUNAO!" called a voice.
Yasunao stopped in his tracks and turned, then bowed, "Father." he said.
The elder dog shook his head, "You have much to learn, Yasunao. I sent you here as an ambassador for the pack. And here you engage in childish games."
The younger dog lowered his head, "My apologies, father."
"Leave us." ordered the elder dog.
Yasunao looked at Inuyasha, then back to his father, before scampering away. His father watched his go, "Forgive my son. He was not trained to be a diplomat. Until recently, he had no reason to even worry about the welfare of the pack."
"What happened recently, old man?" asked Kagome.
"My eldest son was murdered by a pack of demons in the western lands. Now Yasunao is faced with leading the pack after my death ... which he knows must be by his hands should he be allowed to reign as my heir. It doesn't sit well with him." the older dog sat down. Kagome thought he looked like the world was on his shoulders.
"Who cares?" exclaimed Inuyasha, "That's just the way it is in dog packs. The one who wants to lead must defeat the leader. Been that way forever."
"Old man ..." Kagome started.
"Call me Daisuke."
"Ok, Daisuke, what is going on?" finished Kagome.
"You do not know what is happening in the west?"
"Yea, we got an idea." muttered Inuyasha, "And we're trying to find the culprit. We know who he is, but we can't find him because his illusions are so powerful that he hides himself and the countryside behind them."
"Is Sesshoumaru truly dead? Is that why this Ryouya has taken over the lands?" asked Daisuke.
"He was." admitted Inuyasha, "But, he was revived. He's also trying to find Ryouya. See, Ryouya holds our friends behind that illusion and they're poisoned." Inuyasha lowered his head, "I'm afraid it may already be too late for them, though."
"I have heard that the western lands are decimated. Food is gone, water is low. It seems that Ryouya has ordered his minions to attack the Northern and Eastern Lands in order to conquer them for him as well. We have joined forces with the Eastern Wolf Tribe ..." said the dog.
Kagome looked at him, "Do you mean Kouga?"
"Yes. Strange demons from the continent recently attacked his tribe, killing many." said Daisuke.
"So Kouga is hell bent on revenge." said Inuyasha, "Don't blame him. But, I hate to tell ya, old man, ya ain't getting no place until I figure out the Amythyst Sphere."
"The Amythyst Sphere?" asked the old dog, "Do you have it in your possession?"
"You've heard of it, Daisuke?" asked Kagome.
"Yes, but it has been a long time. I thought it was gone from this world."
"Do you know how to obtain it's powers?" asked Inuyasha, excitedly.
"No. Unfortunately, I do not. My anscestors did have the knowledge, but when it was assumed lost, the elders stopped passing the knowledge down."
"DAMN!" muttered Inuyasha, "That old witch, Takakiko, only mentioned about the fusion of Reiki and Demon, but she refused to give me anymore information."
The elder dog looked at Inuyasha, "You saw Takakiko ... and survived?" he asked, surprised.
Inuyasha's smile turned cocky, "Amazed old man? Even though I'm a half-demon, I visited Takakiko and lived to tell about it."
"You lived to tell about it, but yet you received no information that can assist you. You put your life in jeopardy for no reason." claimed Daisuke.
Inuyasha growled at the dog, "I must take my leave of you. Just be careful, I merely came to warn you that these lands were Ryouya's next target."
Inuyasha and Kagome watched the old dog disappear,
"Damn!" muttered Inuyasha, "What a waste of a morning. I need to finish plowing under these fields before dark. There's snow in the air."
Kagome looked up into the sky and pulled her cape tighter around her. The chill was now starting to get to her,
"Kagome." Inuyasha spoke to her,
"Yes?" she answered.
"You should be inside. You're not well. That pup's taxing your body."
"Hmmm. Yes, ok." she said, as she left to go in.
"Hachi."
"Yes, Inuyasha?" answered the raccoon dog.
"You should go inside to. This storm that's moving in ... the weather soon won't be fit for man or beast. You're safer staying here. I've stocked plenty of food and supplies to handle three northern winters." said Inuyasha.
Hachi agreed and left Inuyasha. Inuyasha took his plow and finished working on the fields. By spring, he would have viable fields to plant crops. He was glad now that he had paid attention to the village men when they cared for their fields in Kikyou's village. He looked towards the approaching snow clouds,
'I hope you guys are still alive.' he thought, almost helplessly, 'Northern winters are nothing to mess with and with Kagome in her condition ... I won't be able to continue my search.'
Inuyasha put his plow away and headed inside when he smelled the aroma of dinner wafting through the air. Snowflakes began falling from the sky.