InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Metamorphosis ❯ Arrivals and Departures ( Chapter 61 )
[ 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: 11.10.2010 | Updated On: 03.03.2011 | Pages: 5 | Words: 8.2K | Visits: 3.8K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 11.10.2010 | Updated On: 03.03.2011 | Pages: 5 | Words: 8.2K | Visits: 3.8K | 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.
Arrivals and Departures
“What?!” Inuyasha exclaimed. “Now? You can’t have the baby now!”
“Try telling that to your kid!”
Inuyasha grimaced. This was bad; even at a full sprint, the well was more than a day away. Their options at this point were quite limited. They could try to find a midwife somewhere, but he didn’t know of any human villages in the area. This vast wilderness was a stark reminder of how spread out human settlement was in this time period. Even if they could find a village, it was a real crapshoot as to what kind of reception they would receive. The people could want to help them, be indifferent to their plight, or drive them out of town with weapons and torches. He didn’t need to explain any of this to Kagome; he was sure she understood the situation as well as he. But she was the one giving birth, so he would let her make the decision.
“So what do you want to do?” he asked as calmly as he could.
Kagome took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she weighed the possible options in her mind. “I’m fine for now, so let’s get moving. I feel like I want to walk now; I definitely don’t want to lie down already. So let’s look for a village, and if we can’t find one…then I think I’ve learned enough from Dr. Hayashi, the pregnancy book, and watching Sango’s birth to get us through this.”
Inuyasha nodded, signaling his acceptance. He would prefer to carry her so they could move quicker, but if she wanted to walk, then she was going to walk. He hoped they could find a village, but wasn’t kidding himself about the chances of that happening. It was highly likely that he was going to end up delivering this baby.
*Gulp*
But he had been there for everything Dr. Hayashi had told them, which included how youkai blood worked to prevent childbirth complications in the first place. Kagome had read the birth-related passages of the pregnancy book aloud for him, at his request actually—he had wanted a better idea of what she would go through. And he had listened carefully to everything Kaede had said during Sango’s delivery. He probably knew almost as much as his wife did about childbirth, which was by no means an encyclopedic knowledge. But Kagome had not been bullshitting just now, and if she had faith that they could handle this, then he would too. A large part of his confidence stemmed from the fact that she was a hanyou. If he could survive a gaping hole in his chest, then she could certainly survive any complication that could possibly arise from childbirth. No matter what happened, Kagome would survive. At least, that was the theory.
They started out at a normal walking pace, Kagome setting the tempo. She would grunt softly every so often but would not slow down at all. At first, her contractions didn’t appear to be very painful or hindering. But as dawn arrived and the morning progressed, that began to change. Little by little, her contractions came closer together, and lasted slightly longer each time. She would have to slow her pace, hisses of discomfort escaping her. Her water broke shortly before noon, and Inuyasha helped her change into a dry set of underwear and hakama. Eventually, it became difficult for Kagome to walk at all during her contractions; she had to stop and lean against something, grimacing and sometimes moaning softly at the pain. Still she insisted on walking during the breaks.
Thinking ahead, Inuyasha realized they were nowhere near a human settlement, and attempted to seek out a water source. Soon he led them to a small forest stream, which was only about a foot deep but would serve their purposes. They walked along the stream for a short distance before a particularly nasty contraction nearly forced Kagome to her knees, at which point Inuyasha decided enough was enough.
“Alright, Kagome, no more walking. We’ll stop here.”
She nodded exhaustedly, too tired to argue. Being on the move had helped her get through the early stages of labor, but now it was becoming too difficult. She stood by while Inuyasha hastily piled some blankets against a tree, creating a makeshift padded recliner for her. It was relatively comfortable, but unfortunately lying down didn’t agree with her either. She started to experience throbbing lower back pain, even between contractions. After trying several positions to alleviate the discomfort, she settled on standing and leaning forward with both hands on the tree trunk. Inuyasha stood behind her, massaging her back with steady, firm strokes as she directed him. It was therapeutic for both of them, physically for her and psychologically for him in that it made him feel useful. He also prepared a fire and set some water on to boil, understanding that it made the water cleaner, if not quite grasping the concept of killing bacteria.
Eventually the back pain subsided, to be replaced by even more intense and frequent contractions. Kagome was finally forced to lie down, though it remained difficult to keep still; she found herself writhing helplessly as agony wracked her form. For a few minutes, she questioned her ability to deal with the pain. This was transition, she recalled, when her body switched from dilating her cervix to delivering the baby. She kept repeating over and over in her head that it would be over soon, and somehow that helped her cope. And Inuyasha…he would never know how much the little things he did meant to her in those desperate moments. Even hearing his voice gave her additional strength when she felt weak, determination when she was losing resolve. He was the only constant in her ever-changing world.
For Inuyasha, this was one of the most miserable times of his life. Kagome had been in labor for almost half a day, and the baby showed no sign of imminent arrival. He was utterly powerless to save her from the pain, or aid her in any substantial way. He let her squeeze his hand until he thought the bones might shatter, never uttering a sound of complaint. When she felt nauseas, he placed a cold compress on her forehead and made sure she was well hydrated. He cleaned her up when her body discharged blood and other fluids. Throughout, he tried to provide steady words of encouragement, which was surprisingly difficult. He had never been a man of many words or skill at reassurances, but he did his best to periodically tell Kagome how well she was doing, or how it was almost over. Despite how awkward he felt at times, she never told him to shut up or did anything to suggest that she didn’t appreciate the effort. Perhaps it really was helping in some small way.
After an hour or so, her body moved out of transition, and the worst of the pain subsided. The contractions still hurt, for sure, but at least now she could feel the end approaching. Her uterus began pushing the baby down the birth canal, seemingly fractions of an inch at a time. It was the classic two steps forward, one step back approach, though sometimes it felt like two steps forward, three steps back. Kagome felt a strong urge to push, but remembered what Kaede had told Sango. Save your energy; let your body do the work. Patience is a virtue. So she did, doing her best to relax and take a much-needed breather.
The baby took its sweet time moving down the birth canal; the sun had nearly set on the eastern horizon before Kagome finally decided it was time to push. It was nice to be able to do something proactive, but she didn’t count on the tremendous pressure her actions would create, or how tiring it was. Hanyou stamina didn’t seem to count for much; she slumped back exhausted as each contraction ended. Each time took her to the edge of her endurance, and only the breaks in between allowed her to recover enough energy to do it again a few minutes later. The worst part was that the baby was still moving incredibly slowly; she likened the process to trying to push the cork out of a wine bottle from the inside.
Several times, seeing her unusually heavy breathing, Inuyasha had to tell her to rest through a contraction and not push. Her instinctive urge was to put everything she had into delivering the baby, but Inuyasha helped her curb those impulses enough to avoid total exhaustion or blacking out. With his senses so finely attuned to her, he almost knew her better than she knew herself.
After what seemed like hours of grueling monotony, Kagome finally felt the pressure move down toward her entrance. She swallowed hard, gearing up for the finale. Oh, boy…this is it. Now she felt a new sensation: the slow, inexorable stretching of her most tender flesh. It was excruciating, every contraction now increasing the pressure on her sensitive tissue, forcing it to widen. She was just contemplating how much more she could possibly stretch when Inuyasha uttered the five most beautiful words she had ever heard.
“Kagome…I see the head.”
His tone was completely awestruck, and Kagome suddenly had the desire to share in his wonderment. Shakily she reached down between her legs, feeling something that was part of her, but was most definitely not her. Wow…that’s our child. She was touching their child for the first time. The thought made her smile, an expression quickly wiped away by the next contraction.
Now she knew why Sango, so strong, so tough, had cried out in those final moments. She did her best to stifle herself, but anguished moans escaped her as the baby’s head inched further and further out of her opening, finally crowning. She barely heard Inuyasha’s voice over the roaring in her ears, the stinging and burning as her body stretched in ways she never thought possible. Then abruptly the pain subsided, and she realized the worst was over.
“Come on, Kagome. One more push!”
Pulling on her deepest reserves of strength, Kagome managed one final effort, squinting her eyes shut and pushing until nothing remained within her. She lay there, for a few moments on the verge of losing consciousness, trying to catch her breath. Then a small weight was placed on her chest, a warm, slightly squirmy weight. She opened her eyes.
Kagome’s breath caught. There, covered by a soft blanket, was the most beautiful sight she had ever beheld. From her vantage point, she could only see a tuft of black hair and two tiny hands curled into fists against her bosom, but she was already enchanted. Movement to the side drew her attention to her husband, who settled down beside her grinning so widely that his dry lips cracked.
“Our daughter,” he said simply, joining Kagome in marveling at the tiny miracle they had created together. Finally, Kagome’s stupor receded, and she beamed as she tenderly repositioned their child in her arms so they could get a better look at her.
“Our little Izayoi,” she declared, recalling the agreement they made several weeks ago. A boy would have been named after Kagome’s father; their first-born son still would be, in fact. Inuyasha choked then swallowed, his emotions momentarily too much for him. Kagome knew the feeling. She leaned her head contentedly against his shoulder, reaching up to stroke the child’s hair. As if in reaction, Izayoi gradually blinked her eyes open for the first time. Kagome gasped.
Amber. A shade darker than her father’s, but still close enough so anyone who looked at them would know that she was his daughter. Kagome laughed joyously; was it possible to love this child any more than she already did?
Izayoi took a moment to stare at each of them, her gaze slightly unfocused. Small movements soon drew their attention to the top of her head, where two black, fuzzy lumps were twitching. Izayoi let out a frustrated whine, her lower lip quivering in what both parents recognized as the precursor to tears. Chuckling and guessing that he knew what the problem was—namely, something similar to hat-ears—Inuyasha gingerly unfolded the tiny appendages so they no longer lay squished against her head. Now they stood, still slightly ruffled, turning in random directions as Izayoi explored her new sense.
“I guess she’s not gonna like it when we have to cover her ears,” Kagome joked. At the sound of her voice, Izayoi’s eyes and ears shifted in her general direction, as closely as her new nervous system could manage. Her lips curled up slightly in what her parents thought was a smile, and Kagome felt her heart melt all over again. She and Inuyasha spent the next ten or fifteen minutes simply talking about and to their new baby, forming bonds that would last a lifetime. Kagome barely noticed as her body contracted a few more times and expelled the placenta. Finally, Inuyasha rose to a knee, deciding that they still needed to take care of a few things.
“Alright, let me clean her up,” he said, holding out his arms. Kagome placed Izayoi in his hold, and he very carefully carried her toward the fire. It was nerve-racking, holding something so small and fragile, and he put all of his concentration into making sure her body and head were properly and securely supported. He located the pot of water boiled earlier, the contrasting brightness of the nearby flames making him realize how dark it had become. Dusk was rapidly fading into night, and neither of them had noticed.
He dipped his hand in the water and, satisfied with the warm temperature, immersed a clean washcloth. Then he sat down cross-legged and placed Izayoi in his lap. Unwrapping the blanket, he began to tenderly wash her. He had dried her off at the same time he cut and tied the umbilical cord with a string, but he could still smell birth fluids on her. She fussed a little but did not cry, probably because Inuyasha completed his task quickly before covering her up again to keep her warm. He sniffed her and was satisfied with his work; she smelled clean and fresh, as he imagined a newborn should. Tucking Izayoi into his arm, he turned back to wife…only to find her sound asleep. Inuyasha sighed; he hated to wake her, but he couldn’t let her go to bed like that. She needed a bath even more than Izayoi had.
“Wake up, Kagome,” he said softly, gently shaking her.
“Huh? Wha—oh, sorry.”
“Keh, don’t apologize. Let’s get you cleaned up. Can you stand?”
“I think so,” she replied, holding out her hand. Inuyasha grasped it and slowly pulled Kagome to her feet, supporting her around the waist until he was sure she could stand on her own. Then he carefully led her to the stream, sitting her down on a flat rock jutting out of the water. He helped her slip off the soiled kosode, then gave her Izayoi and went back to camp to retrieve her soap and shampoo, their last clean towel, and the flannel pajamas she sometimes wore to bed. As Kagome held their daughter, he washed her back and hair for her, eliciting contented sighs from his wife. He grinned, overjoyed to hear those sounds as opposed to the ones she had been making for most of the day. Then he took Izayoi so Kagome could wash her front and legs.
Ten minutes later, Inuyasha carried her and the baby back to camp and placed them both in the sleeping bag. The new double-wide bag Mrs. Higurashi had gotten them for Kagome’s birthday was big enough for the three of them to share comfortably. She and Inuyasha would spoon as they normally did, with Izayoi occupying her own little space on the other side of the bag. Being hanyou, they were generally light sleepers and usually didn’t roll around at all, so they weren’t worried about accidentally hurting Izayoi. Besides, they had nowhere else to put her. They would just be careful not to let her get too warm from their body heat. (1)
But for now, Inuyasha didn’t plan to join them. Instead, he put out the fire, slung her huge backpack over his shoulder, and scooped up the sleeping bag with Kagome inside holding Izayoi, who was already slumbering peacefully.
“What are you doing, Inuyasha?”
“The smells will attract wild animals and maybe youkai,” he said, referring to the lingering scents of blood and birthing fluids in the clearing. “I’ll feel better if we move away.”
“M’kay,” Kagome replied drowsily, leaning her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. Inuyasha had just started on his way when he felt her hand cup his cheek, drawing his face down to look at her.
“Thank you, Inuyasha,” was all she said, but those expressive brown eyes shined up at him, her message clear. I couldn’t have done it without you. Grinning, Inuyasha leaned down and kissed her, chastely but passionately. Then he pulled away and resumed his trek. Kagome was snoozing before he’d taken ten more steps. Eventually, Inuyasha decided they’d moved far enough away, and set his family down on a soft patch of grass. After checking the area, he slipped in behind his wife, who sighed and subconsciously nestled up close to him. Inuyasha yawned, feeling the fatigue of a long, stressful day catching up to him. With his wife and daughter safe and in good health, he knew he would have no trouble finding sleep.
He awoke after what seemed like a very short time, to see his daughter squirming and whining. The night was still young, judging by the position of the moon; it had probably only been an hour or two since he settled down. He leaned over Kagome to get a closer look at the baby.
“Hey, what’s the matter, Izayoi?” he cooed, surprising himself with the gentleness of his voice. As far as he knew, he had never used anything like that tone before. It was shocking how easy it was to talk like that to Izayoi, and how he didn’t care if Kagome heard him. As for anyone else…well, he would play it by ear.
“What’s wrong, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked, her eyes still closed.
“I think she’s hungry.”
As if on cue, Izayoi cut loose with a sharp, demanding wail. Kagome responded immediately.
“Shhh, baby,” she said, propping herself up on her elbow and pulling Izayoi close. “Mama knows what you want.” Izayoi’s cries quieted to whimpers as she partially accepted her mother’s loving comfort; she certainly didn’t understand the significance of Kagome unbuttoning her pajama top. Izayoi was ready and waiting when her mother’s breast came to her lips, eliciting a slight hiss from Kagome as she latched on.
Inuyasha observed, awestruck by the sight of his wife nursing his daughter. Kagome wore an expression he had never seen before, smiling warmly down at their baby. It took him a little while to realize that he was…jealous was too strong a word. At the very least, he was curious.
“What’s it like?” he wondered.
“It’s…strange,” Kagome told him. “And a little uncomfortable. It’s like a tugging sensation, but it’s also a relief from the pressure. It’s amazing,” she declared, adoringly stroking Izayoi’s cheek. Inuyasha couldn’t agree more. When Izayoi was finished feeding, Kagome lay back down and glanced over at him.
“Do you wanna burp her?” she asked.
“Uh, sure! How…”
“Hold her against your shoulder and gently pat her back.”
“Like this?” Inuyasha queried, doing as she instructed.
“Exactly,” Kagome said, watching him for a few moments before turning over and going back to sleep. Izayoi was in good hands.
Nothing happened for a couple minutes, and Inuyasha began to wonder if he was doing it right. But then Izayoi burped a few times, including one that left a bit of a mess on his shoulder. Heh, next time I’ll use a towel. Somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to care. He wiped Izayoi’s mouth with his sleeve, then settled her in his arms. She gazed up at him, now quite awake after her meal. She seemed to have no trouble seeing in the dark, thanks to her hanyou heritage. Her arms flailed randomly, testing muscles and coordination. Inuyasha chuckled softly at her utter lack of the latter. Fortunately, his daughter didn’t take offense. He took her hand, and was amazed when her tiny digits closed around his finger. She burbled happily, and he could only manage one thought. Wow…
So their journey back to the village was taking longer than it normally would, but they had no reason to rush. In fact, both were grateful for this extended period of time alone with their new baby. Once they got back, little Izayoi would be the center of attention, on both sides of the well. In the meantime, he would take care of her while Kagome napped in the shade of a tree.
Suddenly a familiar scent drifted to his nose, and he hopped to his feet, tucking Izayoi in his left arm, freeing his right to reach for Tetsusaiga if he needed to. Kouga and Kagome had parted on relatively good terms all those months ago when she’d finally told him that she wasn’t interested, but he didn’t trust the wolf completely. Not after Kouga had nearly killed him in a fit of rage during their last encounter. Well, at least this will save us the trouble of looking for him. (2)
A few seconds later, he spotted Kouga’s whirlwind on the horizon, and soon the wolf skidded to a stop in front of him. The two men stood facing each other silently for a long time, Kouga alternately staring at Inuyasha, the baby in his arms, and his sleeping mate behind him. Finally, Inuyasha spoke, trying to keep his tone civil; he did need the wolf to give up his jewel shards, preferably peaceably.
“What do you want, wolf?”
Kouga shook his head, glaring down at the ground, his fist tightly clenched. Inuyasha tensed, not getting a violent vibe from his former rival in love, but unwilling to relax either. Abruptly, Kouga heaved a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping as all the energy seemed to flow out of him. All that remained was defeat.
“I smelled you guys moving through my lands. I guess…I needed to see for myself,” he said, glancing at Izayoi.
“Your lands?” Inuyasha repeated, puzzled. “We’ve passed through this area before and you never said anything.”
“I—uh…”
Inuyasha’s eyes widened as he heard what the wolf didn’t say. Kouga had sensed them before, but hadn’t been able to bring himself to face Kagome, or the reminder of his loss. Inuyasha felt a small wave of sympathy for the man; even now, Kouga had not fully moved on. His feelings for Kagome had been flawed, but had run deep. Inuyasha tried to come up with something to say, but drew a blank. Fortunately, his wife bailed him out.
“Hello, Kouga-kun,” she said, sitting up in the sleeping bag.
“Hey, Kagome,” the wolf replied, a hint of a smile reaching his features. “How are you?”
“Good. Please, come sit down,” she told him, patting a spot on the ground next to her. Kouga glanced at Inuyasha, and upon seeing that the hanyou had no objections—or none that he was going to voice—he accepted Kagome’s invitation.
“Are you sure you’re alright,” Kouga inquired with genuine concern. “I mean, you just…”
“I’m fine, Kouga-kun, really. I’m recovering, and Inuyasha is taking good care of me.”
“Keh.”
“I see,” Kouga said, sincere curiosity bleeding into his features. “What’s her name?”
“Izayoi,” Kagome answered brightly. “After Inuyasha’s mother.”
“She was human?” the wolf queried, glancing up at Inuyasha, who nodded curtly. “Hm, it’s…nice.”
Kagome smiled softly at Kouga. She understood how difficult this was for him, and she appreciated that he was willing to put forth the effort anyway. She was overjoyed that Kouga apparently wished to remain friends.
“So what have you been up to, Kouga-kun?” she asked to break the ensuing awkward silence.
“Oh, I’ve been busy,” Kouga replied confidently, seemingly much more comfortable talking about himself. “I searched for Naraku for awhile, then found out that you two killed him. Nice going, by the way. After that, I reunited with my pack and started looking for a new home…”
While Kouga was speaking, Kagome locked eyes with Inuyasha, then looked at Izayoi before meaningfully shifting her gaze to the wolf. Her husband’s eyes widened in understanding, and he shook his head emphatically. Kagome nodded, and Inuyasha repeated his previous shake. This continued for several seconds until Kagome finally glared at him, letting him know just what she thought of his ‘unreasonable’ behavior. He scoffed silently, but this was one argument he wasn’t going to win. The problem was that he didn’t honestly believe Kouga would hurt Izayoi; he was just refusing out of old mistrust. And Kagome was having none of that.
“…so for all those reasons, we finally settled in this area. It was a great decision; we’ll probably be here for a long time.”
“I’m glad you found a new home, Kouga-kun,” Kagome declared when the wolf was finished.
“Yeah, it’s pretty nice. No giant birds around,” he joked.
Kagome giggled at the reminder of the circumstances under which they met. “Would you like to hold Izayoi?” she asked out of the blue.
“Huh? You…no, no, that’s not necessary.”
“Aw, come on,” Kagome insisted, easily seeing Kouga’s true desires. “Maybe she’d like you.”
“Fat chance of that,” Inuyasha grumbled, but Kagome ignored him.
“I don’t know…”
“Nonsense. Hand her to me, Inuyasha.”
“But…I’ve never held a baby before.”
“It’s easy. Just hold your arms like this…good. And make sure you support her head.”
Kagome handed Kouga the baby, making sure he was holding her correctly before moving her hands away. The wolf-youkai and the little hanyou stared at each other, amazement swirling in the eyes of the former, calm indifference in those of the latter.
“She’s so tiny,” Kouga breathed. But Izayoi’s small form had some kick to it, as she suddenly sneezed violently. Inuyasha smirked.
“See, wolf-boy, she doesn’t like your rotten stench any more than I do.”
“Shut up, mutt face!” Kouga replied, some of his old playfulness returning. “She probably just got some pollen in her nose.”
“No daughter of mine would like your smell!”
“Oh, yeah? She doesn’t seem to mind,” Kouga sneered, referring to the blissfully quiet baby in his arms. Inuyasha growled, but could only glare at Izayoi as if she was a traitor. Kagome shook her head with a smile; this exchange reminded her of old times.
Soon, one possible reason for Izayoi’s silence became apparent. Her face scrunched up in a look of intense concentration, and if they didn’t already know what she was doing, their noses left absolutely no doubt a few moments later.
“That’s my girl!” Inuyasha exclaimed, laughing his ass off. Kouga flushed hotly and tried to hand the stinky baby back to Kagome.
“Give her to Inuyasha,” the miko said slyly. “He’s on diaper duty right now.”
Now it was Kouga’s turn to smirk, as Inuyasha’s mirth abruptly vanished. He stood and held out the baby to the hanyou.
“Here you go, Oyaji.”
Grumbling about the name, Inuyasha nevertheless reclaimed his daughter, noticeably keeping his head turned away from her. Kouga chuckled, enjoying the hanyou’s discomfort as he went to change the diaper.
“Well, I’d better run,” he said, still grinning.
“Wait, Kouga-kun. There’s one more thing I need to ask you. Can we…have your jewel shards?”
Kouga sighed, plopping down in front of Kagome again. “I always knew you’d ask me eventually. Do you have the rest of it?”
Kagome nodded, pulling the necklace from around her neck, revealing the nearly-complete Shikon no Tama. (3)
“It’s hard to believe so much blood was spilled because of that little thing,” Kouga observed somberly.
“Yes, that’s why we need to complete it so we can purify it and banish it from this world. Please, Kouga-kun?”
“No need to beg. Like I said, I knew I would have to give them to you at some point. I guess it’s time for me to lead with my own strength.” That said, he used his claws to cut into his legs and draw out the shards, handing them to Kagome.
“Oooh, let me bandage those for you.”
“Heh, don’t worry. They’ll be gone before nightfall. I’m heading out. See ya, Kagome.”
“Bye, Kouga-kun. And thank you. Don’t let us go so long before seeing you again.”
“Okay. Hey, mutt face! Come find me if you ever feel like getting your ass kicked!”
“Any time, any place, fleabag!”
Then, with a final wave, the wolf was gone. He sped across the plain, his impressive speed only diminished slightly by the loss of the shards. Kagome was glad to see that; Kouga would be fine without them.
“Tell me those were the last two shards we needed,” Inuyasha implored, returning from his malodorous task.
“Let’s find out,” Kagome declared, barely containing her own excitement. Upon fusing the separate pieces of the jewel together, both hanyou felt a strong pulse of energy ripple through the area. Kagome held up the Shikon no Tama, smooth, round, and complete. Their long mission was over. Or was it? The jewel was whole now, but it was still here. They still needed to get rid of it, which explained why neither of them felt like celebrating just yet.
“What do we do now?” Kagome wondered aloud, staring contemplatively at the tiny pink bauble between her thumb and forefinger.
“You could try shooting it with an arrow again,” Inuyasha teased. “That worked so well the first two times.”
Kagome smacked him on the arm. “I’m surprised you didn’t suggest whacking it with Tetsusaiga.”
“I think we’d get the same result.”
“Yeah. Dammit, Inuyasha. How do we get rid of this stupid thing?”
“I wish I knew.”
“A wish…that’s what we’ve always heard. That the right wish will cause the Shikon no Tama to disappear. The problem is that a wrong one always seems to end with multiple people suffering and dying. So we need to be really sure before we wish on this thing, or do anything else. I think we should talk to Kaede-babaa.”
“Fine with me. At least we don’t have to go hunting for shards anymore.”
“That is something,” she replied, smiling at him. She cuddled up next to him, his arm falling easily around her shoulders. They were so close to being able to settle down and raise a family in peace. As they had conquered every other obstacle placed in their path, they were confident they would overcome this final obstruction as well.
Inuyasha glanced over at the pair, tempted to teasingly tell Kagome to watch where she was walking so she wouldn’t step in a hole or something. But he remained quiet, not wanting to ruin the moment. Tomorrow they would arrive at the village, so they would probably not get much private time with Izayoi then. He missed their friends and family, but he would enjoy it being just the three of them while it lasted.
Then Inuyasha noticed something which caused him some alarm: the Shikon no Tama hanging free of Kagome’s robes, swinging perilously close to Izayoi’s reach.
“Oi, Kagome, maybe you shouldn’t let—”
Too late.
A cacophonous explosion of power blasted Inuyasha, blinding him and knocking him from his feet. The aftershocks lingered for several moments, rolling over him in waves of pure energy. Finally, he was able to gather enough of his wits to rise to his knees. Blearily blinking his eyes, he spied Kagome in a similar situation a few feet away. Izayoi was nowhere to be seen.
“Kagome, where is she?!”
The miko’s gazed locked with him, her chocolate orbs churning with terror. Both of them scrambled to their feet, frantically scanning their surroundings in every direction.
“There she is!” Kagome called, pointing to where Izayoi hung suspended four feet in the air, apparently by some invisible force. Neither hanyou cared what was responsible; they both rushed to grab her.
“HOLD!!!” an authoritative female voice boomed, halting them in their tracks. Behind Izayoi, a figure materialized, a woman with a pale complexion, hazel eyes, and black hair. She wore red hakama, with much of her white kosode covered by battle armor. In her right hand she held a long sword. Her body remained somewhat opaque, indicating that she was not of the living, a spirit. Inuyasha got the distinct impression that he had seen this woman before, but he didn’t particularly care at the moment, especially not when the bitch dared to take his daughter and cradle her in her left arm.
“Who the hell are you?!” he demanded, hand grasping Tetsusaiga’s hilt but not drawing it yet. “What did you do to her?!”
“Wait, Inuyasha,” Kagome spoke softly, her tone one of astonishment. “It’s Midoriko.”
The blocked memories came back to Inuyasha in a rush, and he realized Kagome was right. This woman was Midoriko, the miko who hundreds of years ago fought a horde of youkai for seven days and seven nights, from whose body sprung the Shikon no Tama. It was said that her soul still existed inside the jewel, doing battle with the souls of the youkai for all eternity. So what was she doing here?
“Indeed I am,” Midoriko confirmed, smiling kindly. “Please do not worry for your babe; she is merely sleeping.”
Both hanyou breathed sighs of relief at that; their senses told them as much now that they were calm enough to use them.
“But how are you here?” Kagome asked. “I thought you were trapped inside the Shikon no Tama.”
“I was. Until your daughter purified it, that is.”
“WHAT?!!!” both hanyou screamed at once. Midoriko remained unfazed, and at least Kagome quickly regained her composure.
“Wait a minute. Did you just say Izayoi purified the jewel?”
“Indeed.”
“How on earth did she do that? I thought someone had to make the right wish…”
“In a way, your daughter did just that. Think about newborns for a moment. In one sense, an infant is a completely selfish creature, concerned only for itself. But in another sense, it is the purest, most innocent being in the world. Basically, it simply wants to live. It desires to be cared for, to be fed, and kept warm. Just as an infant will cry when it senses that those around it are upset, it wishes happiness on those people so it can share in that joy. Perhaps most of all, it subconsciously desires the love of its parents. It longs not for wealth or power, nor is it driven by greed or any other human vice. In other words, your daughter wished for things she already had, things which not even the dark power of the Shikon no Tama could warp. Without even realizing it, she made the purest wish imaginable.
“And in doing so, she tipped the balance of power within the jewel in my favor, allowing me to purify it once and for all. The Shikon no Tama is no more, and soon I will journey to the afterlife, where my loved ones have been waiting for me for over five hundred years. I thank you, Inuyasha and Kagome, for your strength of heart and devotion to your mission.”
As the two hanyou looked on stunned, Midoriko executed a formal bow. Rising, she closed her eyes and placed some sort of blessing on Izayoi, similar to one Miroku might employ for good luck. Then she held the baby out to Kagome, who gladly reclaimed her. Midoriko then took a moment to study each of them in turn, seemingly coming to a decision.
“Indeed, the power of the Shikon no Tama will no longer have any effect on this world. Things once made possible by the jewel will now cease to function,” she declared meaningfully. Inuyasha gasped at the realization, then swore under his breath. The moisture he saw in Kagome’s eyes, and the way she bit her lip to avoid crying, told him she too comprehended the significance of Midoriko’s statement. He put his arm around her, but knew his comfort would be useless. The well was sealed; Kagome would never see her family again. Her mother would never even get to meet her granddaughter.
“However,” Midoriko continued, drawing each hanyou’s hopeful gaze. “In light of all you have done for me and for this world, I shall use the last of my power to help you. I shall grant your wish. The ability to travel through time is a great privilege; do not take it for granted.”
“Th-thank you,” Kagome breathed, a few relieved tears slipping down her cheeks.
Midoriko nodded, smiling compassionately as she began to fade. “Farewell, Inuyasha and Kagome. The world may never appreciate what you and your friends have done, but do not let that take away from your accomplishments. Live well.”
A moment later, she was gone, and the three hanyou were alone. Izayoi slept soundly in Kagome’s arms, appearing no worse for her dramatic experience. Kagome focused her mind and scanned the surrounding area for the Shikon no Tama. Nothing; not a single trace of the jewel remained. Ever so slowly, her lips curled until she was beaming, matching Inuyasha’s expression perfectly.
They came together, Kagome laughing as Inuyasha swung her around in a circle. He felt like he could leap into the sky and pull down the sun. The jewel was finally gone; the pall which had hung over them for three years was now a thing of the past. They could finally move on with their lives, without fear of an unnatural stone endangering their family. Their family… Setting Kagome back on her feet, he grabbed her chin and kissed her passionately. She responded in kind, clutching his haori with her free hand as their tongues danced with the euphoria of their victory.
The lip lock was brought to an abrupt end by their daughter, who screeched indignantly at being so rudely woken up. Neither of her parents could stop smiling as they began the task of calming her down. A whole new world awaited them.
“Have they returned?” Sueosoroshii Taichimaru snapped, not even giving Yori a chance to greet him.
“I’m afraid not, sir.”
Snarling, Taichimaru furiously swept all the papers from his desk; they fluttered harmlessly to the floor. Yori knelt and began collecting them, organizing them as he knew his master liked them be organized before placing them back on the desk. Through all of this, Taichimaru sat brooding silently.
“Dammit, Yori, those fucking hanyou need to come back soon. Our supporters are starting to get anxious. Some of them are threatening to back out.”
“The Council suspects nothing. Our allies are in no danger of exposure.”
“We know that, but you can’t tell them anything. Bunch of chickenshits.”
“Don’t worry, sir. I’m sure the hanyou will return shortly.”
“They’d better. Ah, Yori, we’re so close, do you realize that? I am so tired of hiding in the shadows like rats, concealing ourselves from creatures who are no more than ants under our feet. All because a bunch of useless old codgers want to live peacefully with the humans. Bah! The time of the High Youkai Council has passed. And when they are all dead and rotting, along with anyone else who stands against me, I will take their place and lead our race in overthrowing human oppression once and for all! Perhaps then we youkai may finally reach our full potential.”
Yori smiled, his master’s vision reminding him of why he was utterly devoted to this man. Soon the rest of Japan would be faced with a decision: share in that devotion, or die. And after that…well, the possibilities were endless.
(1) Co-sleeping is controversial in the United States, but is widely practiced in non-Western cultures. If you’re uncomfortable with it, just keep in mind that Inuyasha and Kagome are hanyou, and would therefore wake up if their baby was in any kind of distress
(2) See chapter 30; I’m realizing now that it’s been half the story since Kouga’s last appearance
(3) You can assume that Kagome made a necklace out of the Shikon no Tama, like Kikyou did 50+ years earlier. While fusing shards in she added a string. That’s just the kind of detail an anal person like me would notice. :)
A/N – I must thank yet another website for baby-related information: my.clevelandclinic.org (newborn behavior). So…has anyone ever read another story where Inuyasha and Kagome’s baby purified the Shikon no Tama? I’m hoping I came up with something completely original.
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Arrivals and Departures
“What?!” Inuyasha exclaimed. “Now? You can’t have the baby now!”
“Try telling that to your kid!”
Inuyasha grimaced. This was bad; even at a full sprint, the well was more than a day away. Their options at this point were quite limited. They could try to find a midwife somewhere, but he didn’t know of any human villages in the area. This vast wilderness was a stark reminder of how spread out human settlement was in this time period. Even if they could find a village, it was a real crapshoot as to what kind of reception they would receive. The people could want to help them, be indifferent to their plight, or drive them out of town with weapons and torches. He didn’t need to explain any of this to Kagome; he was sure she understood the situation as well as he. But she was the one giving birth, so he would let her make the decision.
“So what do you want to do?” he asked as calmly as he could.
Kagome took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she weighed the possible options in her mind. “I’m fine for now, so let’s get moving. I feel like I want to walk now; I definitely don’t want to lie down already. So let’s look for a village, and if we can’t find one…then I think I’ve learned enough from Dr. Hayashi, the pregnancy book, and watching Sango’s birth to get us through this.”
Inuyasha nodded, signaling his acceptance. He would prefer to carry her so they could move quicker, but if she wanted to walk, then she was going to walk. He hoped they could find a village, but wasn’t kidding himself about the chances of that happening. It was highly likely that he was going to end up delivering this baby.
*Gulp*
But he had been there for everything Dr. Hayashi had told them, which included how youkai blood worked to prevent childbirth complications in the first place. Kagome had read the birth-related passages of the pregnancy book aloud for him, at his request actually—he had wanted a better idea of what she would go through. And he had listened carefully to everything Kaede had said during Sango’s delivery. He probably knew almost as much as his wife did about childbirth, which was by no means an encyclopedic knowledge. But Kagome had not been bullshitting just now, and if she had faith that they could handle this, then he would too. A large part of his confidence stemmed from the fact that she was a hanyou. If he could survive a gaping hole in his chest, then she could certainly survive any complication that could possibly arise from childbirth. No matter what happened, Kagome would survive. At least, that was the theory.
They started out at a normal walking pace, Kagome setting the tempo. She would grunt softly every so often but would not slow down at all. At first, her contractions didn’t appear to be very painful or hindering. But as dawn arrived and the morning progressed, that began to change. Little by little, her contractions came closer together, and lasted slightly longer each time. She would have to slow her pace, hisses of discomfort escaping her. Her water broke shortly before noon, and Inuyasha helped her change into a dry set of underwear and hakama. Eventually, it became difficult for Kagome to walk at all during her contractions; she had to stop and lean against something, grimacing and sometimes moaning softly at the pain. Still she insisted on walking during the breaks.
Thinking ahead, Inuyasha realized they were nowhere near a human settlement, and attempted to seek out a water source. Soon he led them to a small forest stream, which was only about a foot deep but would serve their purposes. They walked along the stream for a short distance before a particularly nasty contraction nearly forced Kagome to her knees, at which point Inuyasha decided enough was enough.
“Alright, Kagome, no more walking. We’ll stop here.”
She nodded exhaustedly, too tired to argue. Being on the move had helped her get through the early stages of labor, but now it was becoming too difficult. She stood by while Inuyasha hastily piled some blankets against a tree, creating a makeshift padded recliner for her. It was relatively comfortable, but unfortunately lying down didn’t agree with her either. She started to experience throbbing lower back pain, even between contractions. After trying several positions to alleviate the discomfort, she settled on standing and leaning forward with both hands on the tree trunk. Inuyasha stood behind her, massaging her back with steady, firm strokes as she directed him. It was therapeutic for both of them, physically for her and psychologically for him in that it made him feel useful. He also prepared a fire and set some water on to boil, understanding that it made the water cleaner, if not quite grasping the concept of killing bacteria.
Eventually the back pain subsided, to be replaced by even more intense and frequent contractions. Kagome was finally forced to lie down, though it remained difficult to keep still; she found herself writhing helplessly as agony wracked her form. For a few minutes, she questioned her ability to deal with the pain. This was transition, she recalled, when her body switched from dilating her cervix to delivering the baby. She kept repeating over and over in her head that it would be over soon, and somehow that helped her cope. And Inuyasha…he would never know how much the little things he did meant to her in those desperate moments. Even hearing his voice gave her additional strength when she felt weak, determination when she was losing resolve. He was the only constant in her ever-changing world.
For Inuyasha, this was one of the most miserable times of his life. Kagome had been in labor for almost half a day, and the baby showed no sign of imminent arrival. He was utterly powerless to save her from the pain, or aid her in any substantial way. He let her squeeze his hand until he thought the bones might shatter, never uttering a sound of complaint. When she felt nauseas, he placed a cold compress on her forehead and made sure she was well hydrated. He cleaned her up when her body discharged blood and other fluids. Throughout, he tried to provide steady words of encouragement, which was surprisingly difficult. He had never been a man of many words or skill at reassurances, but he did his best to periodically tell Kagome how well she was doing, or how it was almost over. Despite how awkward he felt at times, she never told him to shut up or did anything to suggest that she didn’t appreciate the effort. Perhaps it really was helping in some small way.
After an hour or so, her body moved out of transition, and the worst of the pain subsided. The contractions still hurt, for sure, but at least now she could feel the end approaching. Her uterus began pushing the baby down the birth canal, seemingly fractions of an inch at a time. It was the classic two steps forward, one step back approach, though sometimes it felt like two steps forward, three steps back. Kagome felt a strong urge to push, but remembered what Kaede had told Sango. Save your energy; let your body do the work. Patience is a virtue. So she did, doing her best to relax and take a much-needed breather.
The baby took its sweet time moving down the birth canal; the sun had nearly set on the eastern horizon before Kagome finally decided it was time to push. It was nice to be able to do something proactive, but she didn’t count on the tremendous pressure her actions would create, or how tiring it was. Hanyou stamina didn’t seem to count for much; she slumped back exhausted as each contraction ended. Each time took her to the edge of her endurance, and only the breaks in between allowed her to recover enough energy to do it again a few minutes later. The worst part was that the baby was still moving incredibly slowly; she likened the process to trying to push the cork out of a wine bottle from the inside.
Several times, seeing her unusually heavy breathing, Inuyasha had to tell her to rest through a contraction and not push. Her instinctive urge was to put everything she had into delivering the baby, but Inuyasha helped her curb those impulses enough to avoid total exhaustion or blacking out. With his senses so finely attuned to her, he almost knew her better than she knew herself.
After what seemed like hours of grueling monotony, Kagome finally felt the pressure move down toward her entrance. She swallowed hard, gearing up for the finale. Oh, boy…this is it. Now she felt a new sensation: the slow, inexorable stretching of her most tender flesh. It was excruciating, every contraction now increasing the pressure on her sensitive tissue, forcing it to widen. She was just contemplating how much more she could possibly stretch when Inuyasha uttered the five most beautiful words she had ever heard.
“Kagome…I see the head.”
His tone was completely awestruck, and Kagome suddenly had the desire to share in his wonderment. Shakily she reached down between her legs, feeling something that was part of her, but was most definitely not her. Wow…that’s our child. She was touching their child for the first time. The thought made her smile, an expression quickly wiped away by the next contraction.
Now she knew why Sango, so strong, so tough, had cried out in those final moments. She did her best to stifle herself, but anguished moans escaped her as the baby’s head inched further and further out of her opening, finally crowning. She barely heard Inuyasha’s voice over the roaring in her ears, the stinging and burning as her body stretched in ways she never thought possible. Then abruptly the pain subsided, and she realized the worst was over.
“Come on, Kagome. One more push!”
Pulling on her deepest reserves of strength, Kagome managed one final effort, squinting her eyes shut and pushing until nothing remained within her. She lay there, for a few moments on the verge of losing consciousness, trying to catch her breath. Then a small weight was placed on her chest, a warm, slightly squirmy weight. She opened her eyes.
Kagome’s breath caught. There, covered by a soft blanket, was the most beautiful sight she had ever beheld. From her vantage point, she could only see a tuft of black hair and two tiny hands curled into fists against her bosom, but she was already enchanted. Movement to the side drew her attention to her husband, who settled down beside her grinning so widely that his dry lips cracked.
“Our daughter,” he said simply, joining Kagome in marveling at the tiny miracle they had created together. Finally, Kagome’s stupor receded, and she beamed as she tenderly repositioned their child in her arms so they could get a better look at her.
“Our little Izayoi,” she declared, recalling the agreement they made several weeks ago. A boy would have been named after Kagome’s father; their first-born son still would be, in fact. Inuyasha choked then swallowed, his emotions momentarily too much for him. Kagome knew the feeling. She leaned her head contentedly against his shoulder, reaching up to stroke the child’s hair. As if in reaction, Izayoi gradually blinked her eyes open for the first time. Kagome gasped.
Amber. A shade darker than her father’s, but still close enough so anyone who looked at them would know that she was his daughter. Kagome laughed joyously; was it possible to love this child any more than she already did?
Izayoi took a moment to stare at each of them, her gaze slightly unfocused. Small movements soon drew their attention to the top of her head, where two black, fuzzy lumps were twitching. Izayoi let out a frustrated whine, her lower lip quivering in what both parents recognized as the precursor to tears. Chuckling and guessing that he knew what the problem was—namely, something similar to hat-ears—Inuyasha gingerly unfolded the tiny appendages so they no longer lay squished against her head. Now they stood, still slightly ruffled, turning in random directions as Izayoi explored her new sense.
“I guess she’s not gonna like it when we have to cover her ears,” Kagome joked. At the sound of her voice, Izayoi’s eyes and ears shifted in her general direction, as closely as her new nervous system could manage. Her lips curled up slightly in what her parents thought was a smile, and Kagome felt her heart melt all over again. She and Inuyasha spent the next ten or fifteen minutes simply talking about and to their new baby, forming bonds that would last a lifetime. Kagome barely noticed as her body contracted a few more times and expelled the placenta. Finally, Inuyasha rose to a knee, deciding that they still needed to take care of a few things.
“Alright, let me clean her up,” he said, holding out his arms. Kagome placed Izayoi in his hold, and he very carefully carried her toward the fire. It was nerve-racking, holding something so small and fragile, and he put all of his concentration into making sure her body and head were properly and securely supported. He located the pot of water boiled earlier, the contrasting brightness of the nearby flames making him realize how dark it had become. Dusk was rapidly fading into night, and neither of them had noticed.
He dipped his hand in the water and, satisfied with the warm temperature, immersed a clean washcloth. Then he sat down cross-legged and placed Izayoi in his lap. Unwrapping the blanket, he began to tenderly wash her. He had dried her off at the same time he cut and tied the umbilical cord with a string, but he could still smell birth fluids on her. She fussed a little but did not cry, probably because Inuyasha completed his task quickly before covering her up again to keep her warm. He sniffed her and was satisfied with his work; she smelled clean and fresh, as he imagined a newborn should. Tucking Izayoi into his arm, he turned back to wife…only to find her sound asleep. Inuyasha sighed; he hated to wake her, but he couldn’t let her go to bed like that. She needed a bath even more than Izayoi had.
“Wake up, Kagome,” he said softly, gently shaking her.
“Huh? Wha—oh, sorry.”
“Keh, don’t apologize. Let’s get you cleaned up. Can you stand?”
“I think so,” she replied, holding out her hand. Inuyasha grasped it and slowly pulled Kagome to her feet, supporting her around the waist until he was sure she could stand on her own. Then he carefully led her to the stream, sitting her down on a flat rock jutting out of the water. He helped her slip off the soiled kosode, then gave her Izayoi and went back to camp to retrieve her soap and shampoo, their last clean towel, and the flannel pajamas she sometimes wore to bed. As Kagome held their daughter, he washed her back and hair for her, eliciting contented sighs from his wife. He grinned, overjoyed to hear those sounds as opposed to the ones she had been making for most of the day. Then he took Izayoi so Kagome could wash her front and legs.
Ten minutes later, Inuyasha carried her and the baby back to camp and placed them both in the sleeping bag. The new double-wide bag Mrs. Higurashi had gotten them for Kagome’s birthday was big enough for the three of them to share comfortably. She and Inuyasha would spoon as they normally did, with Izayoi occupying her own little space on the other side of the bag. Being hanyou, they were generally light sleepers and usually didn’t roll around at all, so they weren’t worried about accidentally hurting Izayoi. Besides, they had nowhere else to put her. They would just be careful not to let her get too warm from their body heat. (1)
But for now, Inuyasha didn’t plan to join them. Instead, he put out the fire, slung her huge backpack over his shoulder, and scooped up the sleeping bag with Kagome inside holding Izayoi, who was already slumbering peacefully.
“What are you doing, Inuyasha?”
“The smells will attract wild animals and maybe youkai,” he said, referring to the lingering scents of blood and birthing fluids in the clearing. “I’ll feel better if we move away.”
“M’kay,” Kagome replied drowsily, leaning her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. Inuyasha had just started on his way when he felt her hand cup his cheek, drawing his face down to look at her.
“Thank you, Inuyasha,” was all she said, but those expressive brown eyes shined up at him, her message clear. I couldn’t have done it without you. Grinning, Inuyasha leaned down and kissed her, chastely but passionately. Then he pulled away and resumed his trek. Kagome was snoozing before he’d taken ten more steps. Eventually, Inuyasha decided they’d moved far enough away, and set his family down on a soft patch of grass. After checking the area, he slipped in behind his wife, who sighed and subconsciously nestled up close to him. Inuyasha yawned, feeling the fatigue of a long, stressful day catching up to him. With his wife and daughter safe and in good health, he knew he would have no trouble finding sleep.
He awoke after what seemed like a very short time, to see his daughter squirming and whining. The night was still young, judging by the position of the moon; it had probably only been an hour or two since he settled down. He leaned over Kagome to get a closer look at the baby.
“Hey, what’s the matter, Izayoi?” he cooed, surprising himself with the gentleness of his voice. As far as he knew, he had never used anything like that tone before. It was shocking how easy it was to talk like that to Izayoi, and how he didn’t care if Kagome heard him. As for anyone else…well, he would play it by ear.
“What’s wrong, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked, her eyes still closed.
“I think she’s hungry.”
As if on cue, Izayoi cut loose with a sharp, demanding wail. Kagome responded immediately.
“Shhh, baby,” she said, propping herself up on her elbow and pulling Izayoi close. “Mama knows what you want.” Izayoi’s cries quieted to whimpers as she partially accepted her mother’s loving comfort; she certainly didn’t understand the significance of Kagome unbuttoning her pajama top. Izayoi was ready and waiting when her mother’s breast came to her lips, eliciting a slight hiss from Kagome as she latched on.
Inuyasha observed, awestruck by the sight of his wife nursing his daughter. Kagome wore an expression he had never seen before, smiling warmly down at their baby. It took him a little while to realize that he was…jealous was too strong a word. At the very least, he was curious.
“What’s it like?” he wondered.
“It’s…strange,” Kagome told him. “And a little uncomfortable. It’s like a tugging sensation, but it’s also a relief from the pressure. It’s amazing,” she declared, adoringly stroking Izayoi’s cheek. Inuyasha couldn’t agree more. When Izayoi was finished feeding, Kagome lay back down and glanced over at him.
“Do you wanna burp her?” she asked.
“Uh, sure! How…”
“Hold her against your shoulder and gently pat her back.”
“Like this?” Inuyasha queried, doing as she instructed.
“Exactly,” Kagome said, watching him for a few moments before turning over and going back to sleep. Izayoi was in good hands.
Nothing happened for a couple minutes, and Inuyasha began to wonder if he was doing it right. But then Izayoi burped a few times, including one that left a bit of a mess on his shoulder. Heh, next time I’ll use a towel. Somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to care. He wiped Izayoi’s mouth with his sleeve, then settled her in his arms. She gazed up at him, now quite awake after her meal. She seemed to have no trouble seeing in the dark, thanks to her hanyou heritage. Her arms flailed randomly, testing muscles and coordination. Inuyasha chuckled softly at her utter lack of the latter. Fortunately, his daughter didn’t take offense. He took her hand, and was amazed when her tiny digits closed around his finger. She burbled happily, and he could only manage one thought. Wow…
* * *
“Goodnight, Kagome,” Inuyasha teased, snickering as she mumbled something unintelligible, then rolled over to face away from him. In actuality, it was the middle of the afternoon, but he had been allowing—even encouraging—her to take naps whenever she felt tired. Her body was still recovering from the strain of childbirth, and having to wake up at least twice a night to feed Izayoi wasn’t helping. Izayoi…she was almost three days old now. She slept most of the time, but when she was awake, she was a relatively happy child. Except when she was hungry or needed changing. Speaking of which, he and Kagome had not possessed the foresight to bring diapers back with them, so he had crafted some makeshift cloth diapers out of an unfortunate blanket. They tried to stick close to water sources, for obvious reasons. So their journey back to the village was taking longer than it normally would, but they had no reason to rush. In fact, both were grateful for this extended period of time alone with their new baby. Once they got back, little Izayoi would be the center of attention, on both sides of the well. In the meantime, he would take care of her while Kagome napped in the shade of a tree.
Suddenly a familiar scent drifted to his nose, and he hopped to his feet, tucking Izayoi in his left arm, freeing his right to reach for Tetsusaiga if he needed to. Kouga and Kagome had parted on relatively good terms all those months ago when she’d finally told him that she wasn’t interested, but he didn’t trust the wolf completely. Not after Kouga had nearly killed him in a fit of rage during their last encounter. Well, at least this will save us the trouble of looking for him. (2)
A few seconds later, he spotted Kouga’s whirlwind on the horizon, and soon the wolf skidded to a stop in front of him. The two men stood facing each other silently for a long time, Kouga alternately staring at Inuyasha, the baby in his arms, and his sleeping mate behind him. Finally, Inuyasha spoke, trying to keep his tone civil; he did need the wolf to give up his jewel shards, preferably peaceably.
“What do you want, wolf?”
Kouga shook his head, glaring down at the ground, his fist tightly clenched. Inuyasha tensed, not getting a violent vibe from his former rival in love, but unwilling to relax either. Abruptly, Kouga heaved a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping as all the energy seemed to flow out of him. All that remained was defeat.
“I smelled you guys moving through my lands. I guess…I needed to see for myself,” he said, glancing at Izayoi.
“Your lands?” Inuyasha repeated, puzzled. “We’ve passed through this area before and you never said anything.”
“I—uh…”
Inuyasha’s eyes widened as he heard what the wolf didn’t say. Kouga had sensed them before, but hadn’t been able to bring himself to face Kagome, or the reminder of his loss. Inuyasha felt a small wave of sympathy for the man; even now, Kouga had not fully moved on. His feelings for Kagome had been flawed, but had run deep. Inuyasha tried to come up with something to say, but drew a blank. Fortunately, his wife bailed him out.
“Hello, Kouga-kun,” she said, sitting up in the sleeping bag.
“Hey, Kagome,” the wolf replied, a hint of a smile reaching his features. “How are you?”
“Good. Please, come sit down,” she told him, patting a spot on the ground next to her. Kouga glanced at Inuyasha, and upon seeing that the hanyou had no objections—or none that he was going to voice—he accepted Kagome’s invitation.
“Are you sure you’re alright,” Kouga inquired with genuine concern. “I mean, you just…”
“I’m fine, Kouga-kun, really. I’m recovering, and Inuyasha is taking good care of me.”
“Keh.”
“I see,” Kouga said, sincere curiosity bleeding into his features. “What’s her name?”
“Izayoi,” Kagome answered brightly. “After Inuyasha’s mother.”
“She was human?” the wolf queried, glancing up at Inuyasha, who nodded curtly. “Hm, it’s…nice.”
Kagome smiled softly at Kouga. She understood how difficult this was for him, and she appreciated that he was willing to put forth the effort anyway. She was overjoyed that Kouga apparently wished to remain friends.
“So what have you been up to, Kouga-kun?” she asked to break the ensuing awkward silence.
“Oh, I’ve been busy,” Kouga replied confidently, seemingly much more comfortable talking about himself. “I searched for Naraku for awhile, then found out that you two killed him. Nice going, by the way. After that, I reunited with my pack and started looking for a new home…”
While Kouga was speaking, Kagome locked eyes with Inuyasha, then looked at Izayoi before meaningfully shifting her gaze to the wolf. Her husband’s eyes widened in understanding, and he shook his head emphatically. Kagome nodded, and Inuyasha repeated his previous shake. This continued for several seconds until Kagome finally glared at him, letting him know just what she thought of his ‘unreasonable’ behavior. He scoffed silently, but this was one argument he wasn’t going to win. The problem was that he didn’t honestly believe Kouga would hurt Izayoi; he was just refusing out of old mistrust. And Kagome was having none of that.
“…so for all those reasons, we finally settled in this area. It was a great decision; we’ll probably be here for a long time.”
“I’m glad you found a new home, Kouga-kun,” Kagome declared when the wolf was finished.
“Yeah, it’s pretty nice. No giant birds around,” he joked.
Kagome giggled at the reminder of the circumstances under which they met. “Would you like to hold Izayoi?” she asked out of the blue.
“Huh? You…no, no, that’s not necessary.”
“Aw, come on,” Kagome insisted, easily seeing Kouga’s true desires. “Maybe she’d like you.”
“Fat chance of that,” Inuyasha grumbled, but Kagome ignored him.
“I don’t know…”
“Nonsense. Hand her to me, Inuyasha.”
“But…I’ve never held a baby before.”
“It’s easy. Just hold your arms like this…good. And make sure you support her head.”
Kagome handed Kouga the baby, making sure he was holding her correctly before moving her hands away. The wolf-youkai and the little hanyou stared at each other, amazement swirling in the eyes of the former, calm indifference in those of the latter.
“She’s so tiny,” Kouga breathed. But Izayoi’s small form had some kick to it, as she suddenly sneezed violently. Inuyasha smirked.
“See, wolf-boy, she doesn’t like your rotten stench any more than I do.”
“Shut up, mutt face!” Kouga replied, some of his old playfulness returning. “She probably just got some pollen in her nose.”
“No daughter of mine would like your smell!”
“Oh, yeah? She doesn’t seem to mind,” Kouga sneered, referring to the blissfully quiet baby in his arms. Inuyasha growled, but could only glare at Izayoi as if she was a traitor. Kagome shook her head with a smile; this exchange reminded her of old times.
Soon, one possible reason for Izayoi’s silence became apparent. Her face scrunched up in a look of intense concentration, and if they didn’t already know what she was doing, their noses left absolutely no doubt a few moments later.
“That’s my girl!” Inuyasha exclaimed, laughing his ass off. Kouga flushed hotly and tried to hand the stinky baby back to Kagome.
“Give her to Inuyasha,” the miko said slyly. “He’s on diaper duty right now.”
Now it was Kouga’s turn to smirk, as Inuyasha’s mirth abruptly vanished. He stood and held out the baby to the hanyou.
“Here you go, Oyaji.”
Grumbling about the name, Inuyasha nevertheless reclaimed his daughter, noticeably keeping his head turned away from her. Kouga chuckled, enjoying the hanyou’s discomfort as he went to change the diaper.
“Well, I’d better run,” he said, still grinning.
“Wait, Kouga-kun. There’s one more thing I need to ask you. Can we…have your jewel shards?”
Kouga sighed, plopping down in front of Kagome again. “I always knew you’d ask me eventually. Do you have the rest of it?”
Kagome nodded, pulling the necklace from around her neck, revealing the nearly-complete Shikon no Tama. (3)
“It’s hard to believe so much blood was spilled because of that little thing,” Kouga observed somberly.
“Yes, that’s why we need to complete it so we can purify it and banish it from this world. Please, Kouga-kun?”
“No need to beg. Like I said, I knew I would have to give them to you at some point. I guess it’s time for me to lead with my own strength.” That said, he used his claws to cut into his legs and draw out the shards, handing them to Kagome.
“Oooh, let me bandage those for you.”
“Heh, don’t worry. They’ll be gone before nightfall. I’m heading out. See ya, Kagome.”
“Bye, Kouga-kun. And thank you. Don’t let us go so long before seeing you again.”
“Okay. Hey, mutt face! Come find me if you ever feel like getting your ass kicked!”
“Any time, any place, fleabag!”
Then, with a final wave, the wolf was gone. He sped across the plain, his impressive speed only diminished slightly by the loss of the shards. Kagome was glad to see that; Kouga would be fine without them.
“Tell me those were the last two shards we needed,” Inuyasha implored, returning from his malodorous task.
“Let’s find out,” Kagome declared, barely containing her own excitement. Upon fusing the separate pieces of the jewel together, both hanyou felt a strong pulse of energy ripple through the area. Kagome held up the Shikon no Tama, smooth, round, and complete. Their long mission was over. Or was it? The jewel was whole now, but it was still here. They still needed to get rid of it, which explained why neither of them felt like celebrating just yet.
“What do we do now?” Kagome wondered aloud, staring contemplatively at the tiny pink bauble between her thumb and forefinger.
“You could try shooting it with an arrow again,” Inuyasha teased. “That worked so well the first two times.”
Kagome smacked him on the arm. “I’m surprised you didn’t suggest whacking it with Tetsusaiga.”
“I think we’d get the same result.”
“Yeah. Dammit, Inuyasha. How do we get rid of this stupid thing?”
“I wish I knew.”
“A wish…that’s what we’ve always heard. That the right wish will cause the Shikon no Tama to disappear. The problem is that a wrong one always seems to end with multiple people suffering and dying. So we need to be really sure before we wish on this thing, or do anything else. I think we should talk to Kaede-babaa.”
“Fine with me. At least we don’t have to go hunting for shards anymore.”
“That is something,” she replied, smiling at him. She cuddled up next to him, his arm falling easily around her shoulders. They were so close to being able to settle down and raise a family in peace. As they had conquered every other obstacle placed in their path, they were confident they would overcome this final obstruction as well.
* * *
“Well, aren’t you energetic today,” Kagome cooed at her daughter, leaning down to nuzzle her nose. Izayoi was clearly pleased by the attention, letting out happy sounds as she interacted with her mother. Inuyasha glanced over at the pair, tempted to teasingly tell Kagome to watch where she was walking so she wouldn’t step in a hole or something. But he remained quiet, not wanting to ruin the moment. Tomorrow they would arrive at the village, so they would probably not get much private time with Izayoi then. He missed their friends and family, but he would enjoy it being just the three of them while it lasted.
Then Inuyasha noticed something which caused him some alarm: the Shikon no Tama hanging free of Kagome’s robes, swinging perilously close to Izayoi’s reach.
“Oi, Kagome, maybe you shouldn’t let—”
Too late.
A cacophonous explosion of power blasted Inuyasha, blinding him and knocking him from his feet. The aftershocks lingered for several moments, rolling over him in waves of pure energy. Finally, he was able to gather enough of his wits to rise to his knees. Blearily blinking his eyes, he spied Kagome in a similar situation a few feet away. Izayoi was nowhere to be seen.
“Kagome, where is she?!”
The miko’s gazed locked with him, her chocolate orbs churning with terror. Both of them scrambled to their feet, frantically scanning their surroundings in every direction.
“There she is!” Kagome called, pointing to where Izayoi hung suspended four feet in the air, apparently by some invisible force. Neither hanyou cared what was responsible; they both rushed to grab her.
“HOLD!!!” an authoritative female voice boomed, halting them in their tracks. Behind Izayoi, a figure materialized, a woman with a pale complexion, hazel eyes, and black hair. She wore red hakama, with much of her white kosode covered by battle armor. In her right hand she held a long sword. Her body remained somewhat opaque, indicating that she was not of the living, a spirit. Inuyasha got the distinct impression that he had seen this woman before, but he didn’t particularly care at the moment, especially not when the bitch dared to take his daughter and cradle her in her left arm.
“Who the hell are you?!” he demanded, hand grasping Tetsusaiga’s hilt but not drawing it yet. “What did you do to her?!”
“Wait, Inuyasha,” Kagome spoke softly, her tone one of astonishment. “It’s Midoriko.”
The blocked memories came back to Inuyasha in a rush, and he realized Kagome was right. This woman was Midoriko, the miko who hundreds of years ago fought a horde of youkai for seven days and seven nights, from whose body sprung the Shikon no Tama. It was said that her soul still existed inside the jewel, doing battle with the souls of the youkai for all eternity. So what was she doing here?
“Indeed I am,” Midoriko confirmed, smiling kindly. “Please do not worry for your babe; she is merely sleeping.”
Both hanyou breathed sighs of relief at that; their senses told them as much now that they were calm enough to use them.
“But how are you here?” Kagome asked. “I thought you were trapped inside the Shikon no Tama.”
“I was. Until your daughter purified it, that is.”
“WHAT?!!!” both hanyou screamed at once. Midoriko remained unfazed, and at least Kagome quickly regained her composure.
“Wait a minute. Did you just say Izayoi purified the jewel?”
“Indeed.”
“How on earth did she do that? I thought someone had to make the right wish…”
“In a way, your daughter did just that. Think about newborns for a moment. In one sense, an infant is a completely selfish creature, concerned only for itself. But in another sense, it is the purest, most innocent being in the world. Basically, it simply wants to live. It desires to be cared for, to be fed, and kept warm. Just as an infant will cry when it senses that those around it are upset, it wishes happiness on those people so it can share in that joy. Perhaps most of all, it subconsciously desires the love of its parents. It longs not for wealth or power, nor is it driven by greed or any other human vice. In other words, your daughter wished for things she already had, things which not even the dark power of the Shikon no Tama could warp. Without even realizing it, she made the purest wish imaginable.
“And in doing so, she tipped the balance of power within the jewel in my favor, allowing me to purify it once and for all. The Shikon no Tama is no more, and soon I will journey to the afterlife, where my loved ones have been waiting for me for over five hundred years. I thank you, Inuyasha and Kagome, for your strength of heart and devotion to your mission.”
As the two hanyou looked on stunned, Midoriko executed a formal bow. Rising, she closed her eyes and placed some sort of blessing on Izayoi, similar to one Miroku might employ for good luck. Then she held the baby out to Kagome, who gladly reclaimed her. Midoriko then took a moment to study each of them in turn, seemingly coming to a decision.
“Indeed, the power of the Shikon no Tama will no longer have any effect on this world. Things once made possible by the jewel will now cease to function,” she declared meaningfully. Inuyasha gasped at the realization, then swore under his breath. The moisture he saw in Kagome’s eyes, and the way she bit her lip to avoid crying, told him she too comprehended the significance of Midoriko’s statement. He put his arm around her, but knew his comfort would be useless. The well was sealed; Kagome would never see her family again. Her mother would never even get to meet her granddaughter.
“However,” Midoriko continued, drawing each hanyou’s hopeful gaze. “In light of all you have done for me and for this world, I shall use the last of my power to help you. I shall grant your wish. The ability to travel through time is a great privilege; do not take it for granted.”
“Th-thank you,” Kagome breathed, a few relieved tears slipping down her cheeks.
Midoriko nodded, smiling compassionately as she began to fade. “Farewell, Inuyasha and Kagome. The world may never appreciate what you and your friends have done, but do not let that take away from your accomplishments. Live well.”
A moment later, she was gone, and the three hanyou were alone. Izayoi slept soundly in Kagome’s arms, appearing no worse for her dramatic experience. Kagome focused her mind and scanned the surrounding area for the Shikon no Tama. Nothing; not a single trace of the jewel remained. Ever so slowly, her lips curled until she was beaming, matching Inuyasha’s expression perfectly.
They came together, Kagome laughing as Inuyasha swung her around in a circle. He felt like he could leap into the sky and pull down the sun. The jewel was finally gone; the pall which had hung over them for three years was now a thing of the past. They could finally move on with their lives, without fear of an unnatural stone endangering their family. Their family… Setting Kagome back on her feet, he grabbed her chin and kissed her passionately. She responded in kind, clutching his haori with her free hand as their tongues danced with the euphoria of their victory.
The lip lock was brought to an abrupt end by their daughter, who screeched indignantly at being so rudely woken up. Neither of her parents could stop smiling as they began the task of calming her down. A whole new world awaited them.
* * *
Yamashita Yori once again made his way down the long, gloomy corridor leading to his master’s chamber. As was the case yesterday, he had bad news. He hated to be the bearer of bad news. “Have they returned?” Sueosoroshii Taichimaru snapped, not even giving Yori a chance to greet him.
“I’m afraid not, sir.”
Snarling, Taichimaru furiously swept all the papers from his desk; they fluttered harmlessly to the floor. Yori knelt and began collecting them, organizing them as he knew his master liked them be organized before placing them back on the desk. Through all of this, Taichimaru sat brooding silently.
“Dammit, Yori, those fucking hanyou need to come back soon. Our supporters are starting to get anxious. Some of them are threatening to back out.”
“The Council suspects nothing. Our allies are in no danger of exposure.”
“We know that, but you can’t tell them anything. Bunch of chickenshits.”
“Don’t worry, sir. I’m sure the hanyou will return shortly.”
“They’d better. Ah, Yori, we’re so close, do you realize that? I am so tired of hiding in the shadows like rats, concealing ourselves from creatures who are no more than ants under our feet. All because a bunch of useless old codgers want to live peacefully with the humans. Bah! The time of the High Youkai Council has passed. And when they are all dead and rotting, along with anyone else who stands against me, I will take their place and lead our race in overthrowing human oppression once and for all! Perhaps then we youkai may finally reach our full potential.”
Yori smiled, his master’s vision reminding him of why he was utterly devoted to this man. Soon the rest of Japan would be faced with a decision: share in that devotion, or die. And after that…well, the possibilities were endless.
(1) Co-sleeping is controversial in the United States, but is widely practiced in non-Western cultures. If you’re uncomfortable with it, just keep in mind that Inuyasha and Kagome are hanyou, and would therefore wake up if their baby was in any kind of distress
(2) See chapter 30; I’m realizing now that it’s been half the story since Kouga’s last appearance
(3) You can assume that Kagome made a necklace out of the Shikon no Tama, like Kikyou did 50+ years earlier. While fusing shards in she added a string. That’s just the kind of detail an anal person like me would notice. :)
A/N – I must thank yet another website for baby-related information: my.clevelandclinic.org (newborn behavior). So…has anyone ever read another story where Inuyasha and Kagome’s baby purified the Shikon no Tama? I’m hoping I came up with something completely original.
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