InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Metamorphosis ❯ Sangeki ( Chapter 37 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: King Baka 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.26.2009 | Updated On: 02.02.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 3.2K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.26.2009 | Updated On: 02.02.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 3.2K | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.
Sangeki
Kagome held her hand over her mouth, trying valiantly to keep from losing her lunch. How Inuyasha could so nonchalantly wade through dismembered youkai guts she would never know. It had been four days since the conception of their child, and each had been marked by one or two youkai attacks. She stayed back on strict orders from her mate, and was content to obey when he had everything under control. The safety of their child was not worth risking unless Inuyasha was in mortal danger, and so far none of the youkai had posed much of a challenge. They had already collected a quarter of the jewel; it seemed every shard that had not been launched miles and miles into the distance was returning to them in the form of power-hungry youkai seeking more of the Shikon no Tama. This time Inuyasha wiped the shard off on his robes before handing it to her, and for that she was grateful. She had become nauseous more easily these past few days, but had not experienced any morning sickness as of yet.
Her pregnancy had dominated her thoughts recently. She almost couldn’t believe she was having a child at sixteen. Well, actually she would be seventeen when the baby was born, but that was still very young by the standards of her time. Of course, it was perfectly normal age in the feudal era, and she did plan to live here with Inuyasha permanently. But what would her mother think? And for that matter, her highly traditional grandfather? Those were just a couple of the things she hadn’t considered in that exceptional moment when starting a family now seemed like such a good idea. School was another; she would have to drop out for sure. It would be one thing if she couldn’t hear the inevitable gossip, but her hanyou ears would make her privy to many hurtful comments behind her back. Not that she truly cared what people who didn’t know about her and Inuyasha said, but it would be stressful. And why did she need school anyway? Since Inuyasha made his feelings known, her goal had been to graduate simply to make her family happy. But with the baby on the way, that wasn’t going to happen. She hoped her family would understand.
Perhaps of greater concern was the small matter of their continuing quest to reform and purify the Shikon no Tama. Neither of them had considered how a baby would hinder that pursuit. Also, were she and Inuyasha truly ready to become parents? It was an enormous responsibility, one not to be taken lightly. They had only been officially together for a few short weeks, after all, though their prior history certainly meant something. She drew encouragement from Miroku and Sango; they were to be married soon and Kagome had no doubt Sango would be with child within a month. She also knew that they were fully ready to be mother and father to that child. And if Miroku and Sango could do it, why not her and Inuyasha?
So she didn’t regret their decision, per se, but she could admit that in light of all the extenuating circumstances it would probably have been a better idea to wait until after their journey was over before starting a family. They hadn’t discussed it, but she could tell Inuyasha had reached a similar conclusion. He too realized the complications a child threw into their lives. But that was fine; they had dealt with complications before. They had plenty of time before the birth to collect the shards. Even if she slowed them down and didn’t fight, Inuyasha was strong. And even pregnant she was no longer nearly as helpless as she used to be, especially once she got a new bow. She was confident that working together, they could handle anything.
“Houshi,” Kohaku warned severely, “attempt to touch my sister in such a manner again, and I shall remove your wandering hand for you.”
“I-it’s okay, Kohaku,” Sango soothed, attempting to defuse the situation.
“No, he’s right Sango,” Miroku conceded. “Now that we are about to be married, I should confine those attentions to a more private setting.”
Sango blushed, but Kohaku seemed somewhat satisfied and released him. The small group resumed their journey, the monk following behind and rubbing his abused wrist. That boy has quite a grip! But he saw this occurrence as a positive sign. Kohaku was doing what any good brother would do—protecting his sister from what he perceived as inappropriate advances by a strange man. His threat constituted the first words he had spoken all day. Whenever someone addressed him or asked him a question, he would respond with a nod or shake of the head. It was good to hear his voice and see some real fire in his eyes, even in these circumstances. That said, Miroku knew they couldn’t go on like this. He and Sango were going to marry, a fact Kohaku would have to accept. It appeared the two of them needed to have a little talk. The perfect opportunity presented itself when they stopped at a village that afternoon to con—or rather, to perform exorcism services in exchange for food and lodging. For once, no one objected to his ruse, starving as they were.
“Kohaku, may I have a word with you,” he asked politely after they were done eating. The boy glared at him crossly but rose and strode out of the room. Sango gazed at him worriedly, but he shot her a reassuring grin as he departed. His face fell immediately upon leaving the room; he wasn’t nearly as confident as he pretended to be. He found Kohaku waiting for him at the edge of the village, standing with arms folded impatiently.
“What is it you want, houshi?”
“Please, have a seat,” Miroku requested, plopping down on the grass. Kohaku reluctantly followed suit. “I fear we may have had a misunderstanding before.”
“What is there to misunderstand about trying to grab my sister’s ass?”
The monk grimaced, knowing Kohaku had a point. “I admit I was in the wrong, but you do not know the whole story. I realize how you must feel. You don’t really know me, and I’m just some strange man who moved in on your sister while you weren’t around. Am I right?”
Kohaku didn’t reply, but his frown let Miroku know he’d hit the nail on the head.
“Look, Kohaku. I have known Sango for the better part of a year and a half. We have laughed, argued, fought, and very nearly died together on several occasions. I trust her completely, and if it weren’t for my own stupidity I’m sure her trust in me would be absolute as well. My groping is a bad habit, one which I have worked to curb. It has been a long time since my hands last touched another woman. Rest assured; I will be a faithful and honorable husband to Sango. You have my word.”
“I hope so,” Kohaku answered after a short pause, still glowering at the ground.
“You don’t look like you believe me,” the monk observed. The young taijiya remained silent. “I merely ask for a chance to prove the truth of my words, Kohaku.”
“I am giving you a chance. One chance.”
“Fair enough,” Miroku replied. “But I think you will discover that your concerns are unfounded.”
“We shall see, houshi. We shall see.”
“Some kind of beetle?” Kagome answered, backing slowly away from the giant insectoid form. The creature approached hesitantly, antennas waving and head moving side to side so the huge globular eyes could get a better view. The viciously curved mandibles, a full three feet long, hovered right at eye level, twitching and snapping in agitation. It was the type of equipment that seemed designed to cleave living things in half, and that included any hanyou unfortunate enough to find themselves between those gleaming blades. The legs were covered in fine white hairs, or perhaps they were spines; she couldn’t tell from this distance. But perhaps the most striking thing about the animal was its coloring, which Kagome got a full glimpse of when it fluttered its wings for a moment, as beetles are apt to do. The hard carapace shimmered with a stunning mix of pigments, large blue circles surrounded by thin rings of yellow and green, splashes of pinkish-red filling in the rest. In fact, the whole beetle glistened with all the colors of the rainbow. It was exceptionally beautiful, in a brutal, predatory sort of way.
“I’m guessing this thing has a jewel shard, wench,” Inuyasha stated dryly. Concentrating for a moment, Kagome nodded in confirmation.
“Yep, in its throat. It must have swallowed it.”
“Well that explains how it got so fuckin’ big,” he muttered, drawing Tetsusaiga. “Stay back, Kagome.”
“Be careful,” she replied, hating that she had to retreat instead of standing by his side. But it was necessary, the child in her belly being too important to endanger. Inuyasha could handle himself. The beast twittered at them, clicking its mandibles together in what might have been a meaningful manner. Probably telling us to surrender the sacred jewel. Or perhaps it was just a hungry killer bug searching for a meal. Either way, she and Inuyasha were on the menu. It froze, remaining perfectly still for several seconds. Then all hell broke loose.
The beetle shot forward, closing the fifty feet between them in a fraction of a second. Inuyasha dove to the side, barely avoiding the snapping jaws. Kagome was glad she had moved away, because she wasn’t sure her reflexes would have been quick enough to avoid it at that short range. It had come on so fast, its pure speed rivaling even Sesshoumaru. But there was no youkai power involved here; just pure muscle covered in shining armour. She didn’t know it at the time, but they were facing one of the fastest insects in the world, one with an equally voracious appetite. Its modern name—“tiger beetle”—was no misnomer.
It pursued Inuyasha in short bursts, its mandibles never missing the mark by more than a few feet. The hanyou ducked and rolled, dodged and juked, using every trick he knew to stay alive. But the creature was relentless, and showed no sign of fatigue whatsoever. Finally one of the front legs tripped on a well-placed log, giving Inuyasha the small opening he had been looking for.
“Kongousouha!” he cried, knowing that the diamond spears stood the best chance of penetrating the tough exoskeleton. In an instant the powerful wings deployed and the insect soared into the air, avoiding the attack. But it appeared to prefer fighting on the ground, and landed perhaps a hundred yards away. It eyed the hanyou suspiciously from that distance, clicking and chattering to itself, apparently unused to such dangerous prey. Inuyasha breathed heavily, his palms sweating into Tetsusaiga’s hilt. Shit! That’s one tough bastard! But one direct hit from Tetsusaiga and the battle would be over. The trick was making that happen without winding up dead himself.
The creature came on again, more cautiously this time, but still with murderous intent in its demeanor. It advanced to within fifty feet of Inuyasha, then paused. Recognizing the move now, the hanyou readied himself. At least the beetle didn’t seem to be particularly smart. It charged again, its churning legs a blur, bearing those chilling dark blue eyes ever closer. Inuyasha raised Tetsusaiga over his head, ready to decimate his enemy with the Kaze no Kizu. But the insect zigzagged unpredictably, prepared for such a strike. Perhaps it was more intelligent than it looked. When Inuyasha did finally launch the attack, the cutting waves of energy missed, and the creature closed in.
In desperation, Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga and dove forward under the beast’s head, its clamping jaws slicing his haori. Under the belly now, he drew his sword and swung it in a great arc all in one smooth motion…only to encounter air. With a great convulsion of its leg muscles, the creature had launched itself in the air and somersaulted to land twenty feet away. It attacked immediately, and this time Inuyasha had no time to dodge.
“Inuyasha!” Kagome called, her heart lodging in her throat as her worst fears came to pass. Then she realized the beetle was not moving from that spot; it appeared to be struggling with something. It was facing diagonally away from her, but she could still get a decent view of its head, and the sight made her gasp in dread. Inuyasha was stuck between the jaws, quite literally holding them apart with brute force. One hand held Tetsusaiga, the sword braced against his shoulder and warding off one of the mandibles. The other was kept at bay solely by Inuyasha’s left hand, which bled profusely. His face was scrunched up in a grimace, eyes tightly closed and body shaking with the effort of keeping his tormentor’s jaws from snapping shut. The creature applied steady, unmerciful pressure, the curved blades drawing inexorably closer despite the hanyou’s resistance. Inuyasha would be dead inside a minute.
Kagome didn’t hesitate before dashing across the field, desperately wishing for a bow and arrows. She would have to make due with her hands, which were more than capable of delivering her miko powers. But their enemy was no youkai, so would her miko powers have any effect? If not, her claws would have to suffice.
Inuyasha tried not to gag at the drool flowing from between the creature’s mandibles, the mouthparts chomping excitedly. The stench of death was nearly overwhelming, and he realized that he was very close to adding to that odor. Then suddenly the insect released him and turned away, and he collapsed onto his hands and knees. A feminine shriek told him why.
Kagome cried out in surprise, feeling the whoosh of the wind produced by the snapping mandibles on the fine hairs of her ears. She took off away from her mate, satisfied when the beetle gave chase. That of course presented a whole new set of problems, not the least of which was what to do now. It had spun to face her so quickly; if it had allowed her to get a few feet closer, she would be a goner right now. And that was still a distinct possibility; she couldn’t run forever. Spying a large rock up ahead, about a foot in length, she decided it was time for an experiment. Snatching up the object on the way by, she quickly charged it with miko energy and hurled it backward toward the insect. As hot on her tail as it was, the beetle had no chance to avoid it, taking the projectile right between the eyes. An inhuman screech sounded, deafeningly loud to the two hanyou, and the beetle backed away, shaking its head vigorously and pawing at the blackened burn mark on its exoskeleton. Kagome grinned victoriously. Good, it doesn’t like miko energy! Now I just have to get close enough to purify it. The insect retreated to a distance of about seventy yards, appearing more agitated than ever. It studied the hanyou as they rejoined one another, trying to decide which was more of a threat—the male with the huge sword or the female with the strange, dangerous-feeling powers.
“Wench!” Inuyasha yelled, having mostly recovered from his latest brush with death. “I thought I told you to stay back!”
Kagome glared at him sternly, hands planted firmly on her hips. “I refuse to watch you die, Inuyasha!”
“Keh,” he muttered, not even bothering to deny that he had been in mortal danger. They both knew the likely outcome of the creature’s bite had Kagome not intervened. “Just be car—oh, shit!” he swore when movement out of the corner of his eye alerted him to their enemy’s approach. Shoving Kagome behind him, he leapt to meet the oncoming threat, unleashing the Kongousouha once more at point-blank range. A blindingly quick swerve saved the beetle, but several diamond shards sliced through the rear of its abdomen and neatly severed one of the back legs. It screeched in anger but kept coming, forcing Inuyasha to dive to the side and come up sprinting. The loss of a limb seemed to barely slow the beast; if anything, its injuries had only encouraged it to abandon all caution in favor of relentless ferocity. Inuyasha zigged and zagged across the plain, desperately trying to put enough space between him and his pursuer to allow him to turn and launch another attack before it was upon him. But his efforts were in vain; it appeared the chase would continue until one of them slipped. And unfortunately for the hanyou, he chose the wrong moment to glance back over his shoulder.
An unseen rock, one that perhaps Kagome would recognize, caught his toe and sent him stumbling. He regained his balance before falling, but his ears told him it was too late to accelerate and escape. He dropped to the deck, the insect’s massive head impacting the earth exactly where he would have been had he kept running. He rolled over only to see the great jaws rearing back for another strike, and continued rolling as they churned up the earth right next to him. Left and right he rolled, the creature doggedly following his every move with savage bites that were entirely too close for comfort. Finally one mandible managed to slice a shallow cut in Inuyasha’s shoulder, the stinging pain giving the hanyou an idea.
“Hijin Ketsusou!”
The crimson blades tore through the tough exoskeleton, and suddenly Inuyasha could see sunlight again. The insect lurched back, screeching and bleeding from several deep gashes on its head, including one on its eye. One of the vicious mandibles had been sliced in half, its end hanging by a thin tendril of flesh. Snatching up Tetsusaiga from where it had fallen, Inuyasha popped to his feet and spun to deliver the killing blow while his enemy was still somewhat incapacitated. His blade stilled, his eyes widening as he beheld Kagome’s descent toward the still-thrashing insect. Her eyes were hard as steel, and then they too flew fully open in shock as she caught sight of him. She appeared shocked to see him unharmed, having probably thought he was in mortal peril again. Not an unreasonable assumption under the circumstances. But it was the twitch of the creature’s antenna and the way the whole body suddenly stilled that frightened Inuyasha the most. He raised his arm, opened his mouth to shout, but it was far too late to do anything. All he could do was watch in slow-motion as Kagome continued along the trajectory predetermined for her at the moment of her leap, straight at a creature that was ready and waiting for her.
Disoriented as the beetle was, it was unable to bring its jaws to bear on the new threat. But it still spun quickly, too rapidly for a human eye to follow, and threw its whole bulk into smashing its attacker before it could be cut down. The impact occurred on the side of the head, close to the mouth. Kagome’s limbs and neck whiplashed forward, briefly wrapping around the insect as she came to an instantaneous stop. Her lungs compressed completely, the rush of air carrying a pitiful yelp from her throat. Then time returned to normal for Inuyasha, and the sheer power and momentum of the beast’s swing hurled his mate through the air. She landed hard a hundred feet away, bouncing limply several times before finally skidding to a stop. She lay unmoving in the grass.
“KAGOME!!!”
Even an invertebrate with no trace of humanity whatsoever could feel the anguish in that frantic cry. It could also react to the rage humming below the surface, but not fast enough. It turned back toward the male hanyou just in time to receive the massive sword through its head. Mouthparts and feelers flailed helplessly around the invader. Then the hanyou wrenched out the sword, stepped to the side, and deftly severed the head from the thorax. The head rolled along the ground, and a second later the body collapsed in a heap, twitching periodically.
Inuyasha rushed over to his fallen mate, barely taking a breath until he saw the gentle rise and fall of her chest which signified her breathing. She was lying awkwardly with her hips twisted to one side, and he gently moved her to lie flat on her back. He spent several anxious minutes painstakingly going over her body, checking for broken bones. Miraculously, he found none; she appeared to be simply unconscious, with no major physical damage. Satisfied, he set about searching for the faint source of the blood which had been tickling his nose. His relief vanished as soon as he noticed the crimson stain on her hakama. Hastily drawing apart her kosode, he winced at the massive bruise adorning her stomach, the shades of black and blue seeming to shift like storm clouds as she breathed. With shaking hands he lifted the waist of her hakama, his own stomach nearly evacuating at what he saw. Leaning down, he sniffed as deeply as he could while tears sprung to his eyes. The scent told the whole story. She had been struck by a blow that would have instantly killed a normal human, pulverizing bones and liquefying internal organs. Her hanyou body was strong enough to survive the impact, but the tiny child inside her was not.
The totality of his failure set heavily upon Inuyasha. He heaved violently, flopping lifelessly onto his side when his body had nothing else to give. He stared at her profile with bleary eyes, amazed at how peaceful she looked in sleep. Would her face ever again appear so tranquil, he wondered. How could it, when his heart ached with such pervasive pain that he felt it would never recover? All vitality seemed to drain from his body, pooling on the ground with his tears. He lost track of how long he lay there, his mind fighting to remain blank rather than confront the incomprehensible bitterness that was reality. But no matter how much he wanted to simply waste away in that spot for all eternity, Kagome was alive. She needed him to take care of her now, regardless of how inept he was at that duty. Pulling himself drunkenly to his knees, he finally allowed some of his anger and self-hatred to escape. Over and over again he threw his fist into the earth, the pitiful display finally ending in another bout of heartrending sobs. Blood dripped from the tattered skin of his knuckles, and he loathed the throbbing pain. It assured him that this was real, and not a terrible dream.
Whispers of movement drew his attention across the field. An eerie glow emanated from the body of the fallen insect, shining brightly from every wound as the head slowly inched back toward the body. The creature was pulling itself back together, using the jewel shard that Inuyasha had forgotten about. The hanyou simply grabbed Kagome and took off, running from battle for the first time in many years. He just didn’t have a fight in him right now. Getting Kagome to safety was more important. He didn’t give a shit about the damn beetle or the Shikon no Tama. It was hard to care about anything except the woman in his arms.
It was after dusk by the time he reached well, and the clearing was deserted. So were the shrine grounds, and he stealthily crossed them and leapt up to Kagome’s bedroom window. He entered quietly and carefully closed the door, not wanting to alert any of the other occupants to his presence. He moved to lay Kagome down on her bed but hesitated, clutching her as tightly to his chest as he dared. In this way, he gave into his weakness, if only for a moment. The finality of his decision nearly crippled him, but his resolve remained firm. This would be the last time he would ever hold her in his arms.
He was a coward, a dirty, rotten scumbag, and completely unworthy of Kagome. More importantly, he was utterly incapable of taking care of her, protecting her. He couldn’t hope to keep her safe, plain and simple. His weakness had caused her harm for the last time. Even if she could forgive him, his failures were beyond atonement. At the very least, she would be safe here. Her family would support her, give her a future brighter than any he could provide. He loved her with every fiber of his being, but that wasn’t enough. If she would be safer away from him than by his side, then he would give her up. Better that she live five hundred years distant than die in his arms. With that in mind, he took the Shikon fragment and placed it in his robes, noticing that the vivid pink light dimmed as soon as it touched him. He knew he was not the ideal carrier of the jewel, but it was necessary. He absolutely could not leave it here in her time. The well needed to be permanently sealed, for her own good.
Still, letting her go was the single most difficult thing he had ever done. He nearly crumpled on the floor in a pathetic heap, but stopped himself. Settling for a tender, lingering caress on her cheek, he tore himself away from his one and only soul mate, leaving a large piece of his freshly shattered heart with her. Closing the door behind him, he took a deep breath in the foreboding darkness of the hallway. He couldn’t just leave Kagome here without telling her family what had happened. He had to face her mother.
Mrs. Higurashi was not in her bedroom. Inuyasha slipped down the stairs, finding her in the kitchen. She sipped tea in the gloom, the flickering light from the lone candle casting ominous shadows on her worried visage. Sensing his presence, she started and nearly dropped the teacup. She caught his eyes, and he glimpsed the full extent of her anxiety, clearly fueled by the haunted nature of his own expression.
“Inuyasha,” she breathed, “what’s wrong?”
“What are you doing up?” he rasped, spinelessly trying to delay the inevitable.
“I couldn’t sleep. It happens sometimes, where I get so worried for no apparent reason. I don’t feel right until I see Kagome again. Now please, tell me what has happened,” she demanded urgently.
“Kagome…was pregnant.”
For the briefest of moments, Mrs. Higurashi’s face lit up in joy, if not some apprehension as well. Then it fell as his words sunk in, one word in particular.
“Was?” she asked, her voice quivering.
“We were attacked. She…” Inuyasha stopped, knowing he didn’t need to say any more. Mrs. Higurashi covered her mouth with a hand, tears springing to her eyes. Oh, how he wanted to comfort her. But he could not be there for her daughter, nor did he have any tears left to shed with her. Turning, he slowly made his way toward the front door, only halting when a soft, broken voice reached his ears.
“You’re not coming back, are you?”
Inuyasha paused, making no response for several long moments. Then, he made his final request upon the Higurashi family.
“Take care of her.”
With that, he strode out into the night.
A/N – Remember back at the beginning of the first chapter I said this story “evolves into a serious story meant for mature audiences only?” Well, now you know what I meant.
This was in the outline from the very beginning. It wasn’t something I conjured up partway through the story. I think I actually tried to convince myself not to do it. But in the end I stuck with my guns and I’m glad I did. I don’t know what the rest of the story would’ve been like but for this fateful occurrence.
“Sangeki” is a Japanese word for “tragedy.” Using it was part of my effort to keep said tragedy a secret for as long as I could, while simultaneously foreshadowing that something bad was going to happen eventually.
I should also say that I have no idea what it’s like to lose a child at any age or stage of development, and my condolences go out to anyone who has. This chapter was not meant to dredge up painful memories, and I sincerely apologize if it did. Unfortunately, that consequence was unavoidable.
For pictures of Japanese tiger beetles, go to the following website: http://www.richard-seaman.com/Insects/Japan/Beetles/Tiger/index.html. I stumbled across it while trying to figure out what type of animal to use. They really are quite beautiful.
2011 Note – I made a slight change to the battle scene; Inuyasha now tries to use Kaze no Kizu on the insect’s second pass. It didn’t seem right that he would plan such a risky course of action as diving under the belly. Now he does it out of desperation only.
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Sangeki
Kagome held her hand over her mouth, trying valiantly to keep from losing her lunch. How Inuyasha could so nonchalantly wade through dismembered youkai guts she would never know. It had been four days since the conception of their child, and each had been marked by one or two youkai attacks. She stayed back on strict orders from her mate, and was content to obey when he had everything under control. The safety of their child was not worth risking unless Inuyasha was in mortal danger, and so far none of the youkai had posed much of a challenge. They had already collected a quarter of the jewel; it seemed every shard that had not been launched miles and miles into the distance was returning to them in the form of power-hungry youkai seeking more of the Shikon no Tama. This time Inuyasha wiped the shard off on his robes before handing it to her, and for that she was grateful. She had become nauseous more easily these past few days, but had not experienced any morning sickness as of yet.
Her pregnancy had dominated her thoughts recently. She almost couldn’t believe she was having a child at sixteen. Well, actually she would be seventeen when the baby was born, but that was still very young by the standards of her time. Of course, it was perfectly normal age in the feudal era, and she did plan to live here with Inuyasha permanently. But what would her mother think? And for that matter, her highly traditional grandfather? Those were just a couple of the things she hadn’t considered in that exceptional moment when starting a family now seemed like such a good idea. School was another; she would have to drop out for sure. It would be one thing if she couldn’t hear the inevitable gossip, but her hanyou ears would make her privy to many hurtful comments behind her back. Not that she truly cared what people who didn’t know about her and Inuyasha said, but it would be stressful. And why did she need school anyway? Since Inuyasha made his feelings known, her goal had been to graduate simply to make her family happy. But with the baby on the way, that wasn’t going to happen. She hoped her family would understand.
Perhaps of greater concern was the small matter of their continuing quest to reform and purify the Shikon no Tama. Neither of them had considered how a baby would hinder that pursuit. Also, were she and Inuyasha truly ready to become parents? It was an enormous responsibility, one not to be taken lightly. They had only been officially together for a few short weeks, after all, though their prior history certainly meant something. She drew encouragement from Miroku and Sango; they were to be married soon and Kagome had no doubt Sango would be with child within a month. She also knew that they were fully ready to be mother and father to that child. And if Miroku and Sango could do it, why not her and Inuyasha?
So she didn’t regret their decision, per se, but she could admit that in light of all the extenuating circumstances it would probably have been a better idea to wait until after their journey was over before starting a family. They hadn’t discussed it, but she could tell Inuyasha had reached a similar conclusion. He too realized the complications a child threw into their lives. But that was fine; they had dealt with complications before. They had plenty of time before the birth to collect the shards. Even if she slowed them down and didn’t fight, Inuyasha was strong. And even pregnant she was no longer nearly as helpless as she used to be, especially once she got a new bow. She was confident that working together, they could handle anything.
* * *
Miroku stared at the small but powerful hand grabbing his wrist. Sango’s voluptuous backside was mere inches from his fingers, but that vice grip on his arm meant that it wasn’t getting any closer. “Houshi,” Kohaku warned severely, “attempt to touch my sister in such a manner again, and I shall remove your wandering hand for you.”
“I-it’s okay, Kohaku,” Sango soothed, attempting to defuse the situation.
“No, he’s right Sango,” Miroku conceded. “Now that we are about to be married, I should confine those attentions to a more private setting.”
Sango blushed, but Kohaku seemed somewhat satisfied and released him. The small group resumed their journey, the monk following behind and rubbing his abused wrist. That boy has quite a grip! But he saw this occurrence as a positive sign. Kohaku was doing what any good brother would do—protecting his sister from what he perceived as inappropriate advances by a strange man. His threat constituted the first words he had spoken all day. Whenever someone addressed him or asked him a question, he would respond with a nod or shake of the head. It was good to hear his voice and see some real fire in his eyes, even in these circumstances. That said, Miroku knew they couldn’t go on like this. He and Sango were going to marry, a fact Kohaku would have to accept. It appeared the two of them needed to have a little talk. The perfect opportunity presented itself when they stopped at a village that afternoon to con—or rather, to perform exorcism services in exchange for food and lodging. For once, no one objected to his ruse, starving as they were.
“Kohaku, may I have a word with you,” he asked politely after they were done eating. The boy glared at him crossly but rose and strode out of the room. Sango gazed at him worriedly, but he shot her a reassuring grin as he departed. His face fell immediately upon leaving the room; he wasn’t nearly as confident as he pretended to be. He found Kohaku waiting for him at the edge of the village, standing with arms folded impatiently.
“What is it you want, houshi?”
“Please, have a seat,” Miroku requested, plopping down on the grass. Kohaku reluctantly followed suit. “I fear we may have had a misunderstanding before.”
“What is there to misunderstand about trying to grab my sister’s ass?”
The monk grimaced, knowing Kohaku had a point. “I admit I was in the wrong, but you do not know the whole story. I realize how you must feel. You don’t really know me, and I’m just some strange man who moved in on your sister while you weren’t around. Am I right?”
Kohaku didn’t reply, but his frown let Miroku know he’d hit the nail on the head.
“Look, Kohaku. I have known Sango for the better part of a year and a half. We have laughed, argued, fought, and very nearly died together on several occasions. I trust her completely, and if it weren’t for my own stupidity I’m sure her trust in me would be absolute as well. My groping is a bad habit, one which I have worked to curb. It has been a long time since my hands last touched another woman. Rest assured; I will be a faithful and honorable husband to Sango. You have my word.”
“I hope so,” Kohaku answered after a short pause, still glowering at the ground.
“You don’t look like you believe me,” the monk observed. The young taijiya remained silent. “I merely ask for a chance to prove the truth of my words, Kohaku.”
“I am giving you a chance. One chance.”
“Fair enough,” Miroku replied. “But I think you will discover that your concerns are unfounded.”
“We shall see, houshi. We shall see.”
* * *
“What the hell is that thing?” “Some kind of beetle?” Kagome answered, backing slowly away from the giant insectoid form. The creature approached hesitantly, antennas waving and head moving side to side so the huge globular eyes could get a better view. The viciously curved mandibles, a full three feet long, hovered right at eye level, twitching and snapping in agitation. It was the type of equipment that seemed designed to cleave living things in half, and that included any hanyou unfortunate enough to find themselves between those gleaming blades. The legs were covered in fine white hairs, or perhaps they were spines; she couldn’t tell from this distance. But perhaps the most striking thing about the animal was its coloring, which Kagome got a full glimpse of when it fluttered its wings for a moment, as beetles are apt to do. The hard carapace shimmered with a stunning mix of pigments, large blue circles surrounded by thin rings of yellow and green, splashes of pinkish-red filling in the rest. In fact, the whole beetle glistened with all the colors of the rainbow. It was exceptionally beautiful, in a brutal, predatory sort of way.
“I’m guessing this thing has a jewel shard, wench,” Inuyasha stated dryly. Concentrating for a moment, Kagome nodded in confirmation.
“Yep, in its throat. It must have swallowed it.”
“Well that explains how it got so fuckin’ big,” he muttered, drawing Tetsusaiga. “Stay back, Kagome.”
“Be careful,” she replied, hating that she had to retreat instead of standing by his side. But it was necessary, the child in her belly being too important to endanger. Inuyasha could handle himself. The beast twittered at them, clicking its mandibles together in what might have been a meaningful manner. Probably telling us to surrender the sacred jewel. Or perhaps it was just a hungry killer bug searching for a meal. Either way, she and Inuyasha were on the menu. It froze, remaining perfectly still for several seconds. Then all hell broke loose.
The beetle shot forward, closing the fifty feet between them in a fraction of a second. Inuyasha dove to the side, barely avoiding the snapping jaws. Kagome was glad she had moved away, because she wasn’t sure her reflexes would have been quick enough to avoid it at that short range. It had come on so fast, its pure speed rivaling even Sesshoumaru. But there was no youkai power involved here; just pure muscle covered in shining armour. She didn’t know it at the time, but they were facing one of the fastest insects in the world, one with an equally voracious appetite. Its modern name—“tiger beetle”—was no misnomer.
It pursued Inuyasha in short bursts, its mandibles never missing the mark by more than a few feet. The hanyou ducked and rolled, dodged and juked, using every trick he knew to stay alive. But the creature was relentless, and showed no sign of fatigue whatsoever. Finally one of the front legs tripped on a well-placed log, giving Inuyasha the small opening he had been looking for.
“Kongousouha!” he cried, knowing that the diamond spears stood the best chance of penetrating the tough exoskeleton. In an instant the powerful wings deployed and the insect soared into the air, avoiding the attack. But it appeared to prefer fighting on the ground, and landed perhaps a hundred yards away. It eyed the hanyou suspiciously from that distance, clicking and chattering to itself, apparently unused to such dangerous prey. Inuyasha breathed heavily, his palms sweating into Tetsusaiga’s hilt. Shit! That’s one tough bastard! But one direct hit from Tetsusaiga and the battle would be over. The trick was making that happen without winding up dead himself.
The creature came on again, more cautiously this time, but still with murderous intent in its demeanor. It advanced to within fifty feet of Inuyasha, then paused. Recognizing the move now, the hanyou readied himself. At least the beetle didn’t seem to be particularly smart. It charged again, its churning legs a blur, bearing those chilling dark blue eyes ever closer. Inuyasha raised Tetsusaiga over his head, ready to decimate his enemy with the Kaze no Kizu. But the insect zigzagged unpredictably, prepared for such a strike. Perhaps it was more intelligent than it looked. When Inuyasha did finally launch the attack, the cutting waves of energy missed, and the creature closed in.
In desperation, Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga and dove forward under the beast’s head, its clamping jaws slicing his haori. Under the belly now, he drew his sword and swung it in a great arc all in one smooth motion…only to encounter air. With a great convulsion of its leg muscles, the creature had launched itself in the air and somersaulted to land twenty feet away. It attacked immediately, and this time Inuyasha had no time to dodge.
“Inuyasha!” Kagome called, her heart lodging in her throat as her worst fears came to pass. Then she realized the beetle was not moving from that spot; it appeared to be struggling with something. It was facing diagonally away from her, but she could still get a decent view of its head, and the sight made her gasp in dread. Inuyasha was stuck between the jaws, quite literally holding them apart with brute force. One hand held Tetsusaiga, the sword braced against his shoulder and warding off one of the mandibles. The other was kept at bay solely by Inuyasha’s left hand, which bled profusely. His face was scrunched up in a grimace, eyes tightly closed and body shaking with the effort of keeping his tormentor’s jaws from snapping shut. The creature applied steady, unmerciful pressure, the curved blades drawing inexorably closer despite the hanyou’s resistance. Inuyasha would be dead inside a minute.
Kagome didn’t hesitate before dashing across the field, desperately wishing for a bow and arrows. She would have to make due with her hands, which were more than capable of delivering her miko powers. But their enemy was no youkai, so would her miko powers have any effect? If not, her claws would have to suffice.
Inuyasha tried not to gag at the drool flowing from between the creature’s mandibles, the mouthparts chomping excitedly. The stench of death was nearly overwhelming, and he realized that he was very close to adding to that odor. Then suddenly the insect released him and turned away, and he collapsed onto his hands and knees. A feminine shriek told him why.
Kagome cried out in surprise, feeling the whoosh of the wind produced by the snapping mandibles on the fine hairs of her ears. She took off away from her mate, satisfied when the beetle gave chase. That of course presented a whole new set of problems, not the least of which was what to do now. It had spun to face her so quickly; if it had allowed her to get a few feet closer, she would be a goner right now. And that was still a distinct possibility; she couldn’t run forever. Spying a large rock up ahead, about a foot in length, she decided it was time for an experiment. Snatching up the object on the way by, she quickly charged it with miko energy and hurled it backward toward the insect. As hot on her tail as it was, the beetle had no chance to avoid it, taking the projectile right between the eyes. An inhuman screech sounded, deafeningly loud to the two hanyou, and the beetle backed away, shaking its head vigorously and pawing at the blackened burn mark on its exoskeleton. Kagome grinned victoriously. Good, it doesn’t like miko energy! Now I just have to get close enough to purify it. The insect retreated to a distance of about seventy yards, appearing more agitated than ever. It studied the hanyou as they rejoined one another, trying to decide which was more of a threat—the male with the huge sword or the female with the strange, dangerous-feeling powers.
“Wench!” Inuyasha yelled, having mostly recovered from his latest brush with death. “I thought I told you to stay back!”
Kagome glared at him sternly, hands planted firmly on her hips. “I refuse to watch you die, Inuyasha!”
“Keh,” he muttered, not even bothering to deny that he had been in mortal danger. They both knew the likely outcome of the creature’s bite had Kagome not intervened. “Just be car—oh, shit!” he swore when movement out of the corner of his eye alerted him to their enemy’s approach. Shoving Kagome behind him, he leapt to meet the oncoming threat, unleashing the Kongousouha once more at point-blank range. A blindingly quick swerve saved the beetle, but several diamond shards sliced through the rear of its abdomen and neatly severed one of the back legs. It screeched in anger but kept coming, forcing Inuyasha to dive to the side and come up sprinting. The loss of a limb seemed to barely slow the beast; if anything, its injuries had only encouraged it to abandon all caution in favor of relentless ferocity. Inuyasha zigged and zagged across the plain, desperately trying to put enough space between him and his pursuer to allow him to turn and launch another attack before it was upon him. But his efforts were in vain; it appeared the chase would continue until one of them slipped. And unfortunately for the hanyou, he chose the wrong moment to glance back over his shoulder.
An unseen rock, one that perhaps Kagome would recognize, caught his toe and sent him stumbling. He regained his balance before falling, but his ears told him it was too late to accelerate and escape. He dropped to the deck, the insect’s massive head impacting the earth exactly where he would have been had he kept running. He rolled over only to see the great jaws rearing back for another strike, and continued rolling as they churned up the earth right next to him. Left and right he rolled, the creature doggedly following his every move with savage bites that were entirely too close for comfort. Finally one mandible managed to slice a shallow cut in Inuyasha’s shoulder, the stinging pain giving the hanyou an idea.
“Hijin Ketsusou!”
The crimson blades tore through the tough exoskeleton, and suddenly Inuyasha could see sunlight again. The insect lurched back, screeching and bleeding from several deep gashes on its head, including one on its eye. One of the vicious mandibles had been sliced in half, its end hanging by a thin tendril of flesh. Snatching up Tetsusaiga from where it had fallen, Inuyasha popped to his feet and spun to deliver the killing blow while his enemy was still somewhat incapacitated. His blade stilled, his eyes widening as he beheld Kagome’s descent toward the still-thrashing insect. Her eyes were hard as steel, and then they too flew fully open in shock as she caught sight of him. She appeared shocked to see him unharmed, having probably thought he was in mortal peril again. Not an unreasonable assumption under the circumstances. But it was the twitch of the creature’s antenna and the way the whole body suddenly stilled that frightened Inuyasha the most. He raised his arm, opened his mouth to shout, but it was far too late to do anything. All he could do was watch in slow-motion as Kagome continued along the trajectory predetermined for her at the moment of her leap, straight at a creature that was ready and waiting for her.
Disoriented as the beetle was, it was unable to bring its jaws to bear on the new threat. But it still spun quickly, too rapidly for a human eye to follow, and threw its whole bulk into smashing its attacker before it could be cut down. The impact occurred on the side of the head, close to the mouth. Kagome’s limbs and neck whiplashed forward, briefly wrapping around the insect as she came to an instantaneous stop. Her lungs compressed completely, the rush of air carrying a pitiful yelp from her throat. Then time returned to normal for Inuyasha, and the sheer power and momentum of the beast’s swing hurled his mate through the air. She landed hard a hundred feet away, bouncing limply several times before finally skidding to a stop. She lay unmoving in the grass.
“KAGOME!!!”
Even an invertebrate with no trace of humanity whatsoever could feel the anguish in that frantic cry. It could also react to the rage humming below the surface, but not fast enough. It turned back toward the male hanyou just in time to receive the massive sword through its head. Mouthparts and feelers flailed helplessly around the invader. Then the hanyou wrenched out the sword, stepped to the side, and deftly severed the head from the thorax. The head rolled along the ground, and a second later the body collapsed in a heap, twitching periodically.
Inuyasha rushed over to his fallen mate, barely taking a breath until he saw the gentle rise and fall of her chest which signified her breathing. She was lying awkwardly with her hips twisted to one side, and he gently moved her to lie flat on her back. He spent several anxious minutes painstakingly going over her body, checking for broken bones. Miraculously, he found none; she appeared to be simply unconscious, with no major physical damage. Satisfied, he set about searching for the faint source of the blood which had been tickling his nose. His relief vanished as soon as he noticed the crimson stain on her hakama. Hastily drawing apart her kosode, he winced at the massive bruise adorning her stomach, the shades of black and blue seeming to shift like storm clouds as she breathed. With shaking hands he lifted the waist of her hakama, his own stomach nearly evacuating at what he saw. Leaning down, he sniffed as deeply as he could while tears sprung to his eyes. The scent told the whole story. She had been struck by a blow that would have instantly killed a normal human, pulverizing bones and liquefying internal organs. Her hanyou body was strong enough to survive the impact, but the tiny child inside her was not.
The totality of his failure set heavily upon Inuyasha. He heaved violently, flopping lifelessly onto his side when his body had nothing else to give. He stared at her profile with bleary eyes, amazed at how peaceful she looked in sleep. Would her face ever again appear so tranquil, he wondered. How could it, when his heart ached with such pervasive pain that he felt it would never recover? All vitality seemed to drain from his body, pooling on the ground with his tears. He lost track of how long he lay there, his mind fighting to remain blank rather than confront the incomprehensible bitterness that was reality. But no matter how much he wanted to simply waste away in that spot for all eternity, Kagome was alive. She needed him to take care of her now, regardless of how inept he was at that duty. Pulling himself drunkenly to his knees, he finally allowed some of his anger and self-hatred to escape. Over and over again he threw his fist into the earth, the pitiful display finally ending in another bout of heartrending sobs. Blood dripped from the tattered skin of his knuckles, and he loathed the throbbing pain. It assured him that this was real, and not a terrible dream.
Whispers of movement drew his attention across the field. An eerie glow emanated from the body of the fallen insect, shining brightly from every wound as the head slowly inched back toward the body. The creature was pulling itself back together, using the jewel shard that Inuyasha had forgotten about. The hanyou simply grabbed Kagome and took off, running from battle for the first time in many years. He just didn’t have a fight in him right now. Getting Kagome to safety was more important. He didn’t give a shit about the damn beetle or the Shikon no Tama. It was hard to care about anything except the woman in his arms.
It was after dusk by the time he reached well, and the clearing was deserted. So were the shrine grounds, and he stealthily crossed them and leapt up to Kagome’s bedroom window. He entered quietly and carefully closed the door, not wanting to alert any of the other occupants to his presence. He moved to lay Kagome down on her bed but hesitated, clutching her as tightly to his chest as he dared. In this way, he gave into his weakness, if only for a moment. The finality of his decision nearly crippled him, but his resolve remained firm. This would be the last time he would ever hold her in his arms.
He was a coward, a dirty, rotten scumbag, and completely unworthy of Kagome. More importantly, he was utterly incapable of taking care of her, protecting her. He couldn’t hope to keep her safe, plain and simple. His weakness had caused her harm for the last time. Even if she could forgive him, his failures were beyond atonement. At the very least, she would be safe here. Her family would support her, give her a future brighter than any he could provide. He loved her with every fiber of his being, but that wasn’t enough. If she would be safer away from him than by his side, then he would give her up. Better that she live five hundred years distant than die in his arms. With that in mind, he took the Shikon fragment and placed it in his robes, noticing that the vivid pink light dimmed as soon as it touched him. He knew he was not the ideal carrier of the jewel, but it was necessary. He absolutely could not leave it here in her time. The well needed to be permanently sealed, for her own good.
Still, letting her go was the single most difficult thing he had ever done. He nearly crumpled on the floor in a pathetic heap, but stopped himself. Settling for a tender, lingering caress on her cheek, he tore himself away from his one and only soul mate, leaving a large piece of his freshly shattered heart with her. Closing the door behind him, he took a deep breath in the foreboding darkness of the hallway. He couldn’t just leave Kagome here without telling her family what had happened. He had to face her mother.
Mrs. Higurashi was not in her bedroom. Inuyasha slipped down the stairs, finding her in the kitchen. She sipped tea in the gloom, the flickering light from the lone candle casting ominous shadows on her worried visage. Sensing his presence, she started and nearly dropped the teacup. She caught his eyes, and he glimpsed the full extent of her anxiety, clearly fueled by the haunted nature of his own expression.
“Inuyasha,” she breathed, “what’s wrong?”
“What are you doing up?” he rasped, spinelessly trying to delay the inevitable.
“I couldn’t sleep. It happens sometimes, where I get so worried for no apparent reason. I don’t feel right until I see Kagome again. Now please, tell me what has happened,” she demanded urgently.
“Kagome…was pregnant.”
For the briefest of moments, Mrs. Higurashi’s face lit up in joy, if not some apprehension as well. Then it fell as his words sunk in, one word in particular.
“Was?” she asked, her voice quivering.
“We were attacked. She…” Inuyasha stopped, knowing he didn’t need to say any more. Mrs. Higurashi covered her mouth with a hand, tears springing to her eyes. Oh, how he wanted to comfort her. But he could not be there for her daughter, nor did he have any tears left to shed with her. Turning, he slowly made his way toward the front door, only halting when a soft, broken voice reached his ears.
“You’re not coming back, are you?”
Inuyasha paused, making no response for several long moments. Then, he made his final request upon the Higurashi family.
“Take care of her.”
With that, he strode out into the night.
A/N – Remember back at the beginning of the first chapter I said this story “evolves into a serious story meant for mature audiences only?” Well, now you know what I meant.
This was in the outline from the very beginning. It wasn’t something I conjured up partway through the story. I think I actually tried to convince myself not to do it. But in the end I stuck with my guns and I’m glad I did. I don’t know what the rest of the story would’ve been like but for this fateful occurrence.
“Sangeki” is a Japanese word for “tragedy.” Using it was part of my effort to keep said tragedy a secret for as long as I could, while simultaneously foreshadowing that something bad was going to happen eventually.
I should also say that I have no idea what it’s like to lose a child at any age or stage of development, and my condolences go out to anyone who has. This chapter was not meant to dredge up painful memories, and I sincerely apologize if it did. Unfortunately, that consequence was unavoidable.
For pictures of Japanese tiger beetles, go to the following website: http://www.richard-seaman.com/Insects/Japan/Beetles/Tiger/index.html. I stumbled across it while trying to figure out what type of animal to use. They really are quite beautiful.
2011 Note – I made a slight change to the battle scene; Inuyasha now tries to use Kaze no Kizu on the insect’s second pass. It didn’t seem right that he would plan such a risky course of action as diving under the belly. Now he does it out of desperation only.
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