InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Needing It ❯ Ripples in a Pond ( Prologue )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I sure wish I did… Anyway, enjoy!

Prologue: Ripples in a Pond

Who knows what the consequences of our actions can be? Who can say what one little gesture, a kicking of a pebble or a smile, can do that will change the course of one's entire life? The volatile nature of life, where one act dictates another and another until it has become a domino effect, a snowball rolling down the side of a mountain, doomed to destruction, can never be silenced, never be stopped. It is an unstoppable force that drives a human being's existence, giving it meaning, joy, and pain. But this knowledge, this sagely wisdom, has yet to appear in the minds of the travelers as they make their way through the forest in search of home. No, they simply walked along the dirt path in silence. No one had anything to say and therefore silence reigned, as if the world were sharing in the hush of the group. The quiet of the surroundings was broken with a sudden stinging slap.

"Hentai," came the loud and angry voice of Sango as she held Hiraikotsu over her head, ready to slam it down on the skull of the monk beneath her. There was a familiar redness on her face as she beheld the man below her. How is it he could smile after doing that? Could it be he knows about what she saw? Could he be abusing the place she held for him already, after what she had caught sight of? Damn him to the seven hells! The holy man laid on the floor as one of the other companions, a tall teenage boy with long white hair and amber eyes smirked at the scene. His fire-rat fur rustled in the breeze as he stood with his arms crossed, waiting for the inevitable conclusion of this mini-comedy. Sure enough, the large boomerang met its mark and Miroku slumped on the floor.

"Serves you right, lecher," the boy said, the white triangle ears on top of his hair twitching slightly. The girl next to him sighed in exasperation at them all. She was getting tired of having to revive the monk every time his hand decided to rub up against the taijiya's backside. Still, it was a welcome change after the somberness that had pervaded the group before then. It had been just yesterday that they had met up with a demon that seemed bent on taking the shards of the Shikon no Tama from them. 'It's getting more and more dangerous traveling with these,' Kagome thought as she fiddled the vial that held the eight tiny shards of the mighty jewel.

"Come on Inuyasha," she told the hanyou, "Help me pick him up." With a growl of annoyance the white-haired boy grabbed the monk by the waist and easily hoisted him on his shoulders and they continued walking. The young girl from the future pondered her fears and the impending crisis (college entrance exams to be exact) in the silence until they reached Kaede's hut. Inuyasha unceremoniously dumped his charge on the ground outside the door. The monk responded with a pained 'oomph!' before sitting up and rubbing his head. The rest of the group ignored him and entered the hut. A ball of fur with a tail collided with Kagome and a squeaky voice could be heard beneath the folds of hair.

"KAGOME! What took you so long? Did you get the jewel shards? Was the demon scary?" The questions were fired off in rapid succession, leaving the girl dizzy as she tried to process them. Before she could respond however, she felt the tiny kitsune unlatch from her and hang suspended in the air eye to eye with a growling hanyou.

"Oi runt, slow down with the questions! They're giving me a headache," he said gruffly before tossing him across the room, careful to make sure he landed on that 'futon' Kagome slept in. He did this mostly to make sure she wouldn't say the 'word,' but evidently his gesture went unnoticed.

"Inuyasha, osuwari," she said with a sigh as the boy fell to the floor with a loud thud. Curses could be heard from the ground, but Kagome was already moving on. "Konnitchiwa Lady Kaede," she said before plopping down on the mattress. As much as she hated to admit it, Inuyasha had done her a favor by quieting the kitsune.

"Konnitchiwa, Kagome-chan. How did thy hunt fare?" As a response the girl showed her the increased number of shards before putting it in her backpack. Now that they were in what for all intents and purposes could be called home, they all relaxed. Sango went over to the nearby hot spring to bathe, Kagome following behind with all her bath supplies, Miroku went inside to converse with Kaede before meditating, and Inuyasha ventured into the forest of his name. Shippou and Kirara went off into the meadow to play before suppertime.

At the hot spring, the two young women sat in the water, letting the heat loosen the tension from their bodies. The shock of the recent battle was still fresh in their minds. The demon itself had been a horrible thing to behold. It was of gigantic size and resembled a zombie. Its flesh had been rotting off the bone, the decaying tissue oozing sickly-green pus down its face. The skull itself appeared like that of a canine but had a split down the middle almost as if an axe had been wedged into its cranium. There were no brains to speak off, but a dank darkness that misted through the mouth and nostrils. As for the eyes, they glowed a deep red. In its left hand had been a sword that was caked in dry blood. However, it was not its appearance that had been so harrowing, but its ability to invade a person's mind and intensify the deep-rooted fears within that person, bringing them to the surface. Sango had been forced to relive the tragedy of her families' deaths, seeing each of their faces as they fell to the floor until only Kohaku remained standing, the bloody shears falling from his trembling hands as he finally realized what he had done. Sango felt her knees grow weak as the image of Kohaku was replaced with that of Miroku. He was clutching his cursed hand, a look of resigned fear in his eyes as the beads pulsed with power. He looked at her; her eyes were locked to his, the sorrow on his face making him so beautifully heartrending that all she wanted to do was run to him and hold his head in her arms, stroke his hair between her fingers and kiss his fears away. Where such strong feelings came from, she did not really want to know, all she could think involved helping the monk. Just as she felt her body move toward him, the beads disappeared and the Kazaana broke free. It sucked in the clouds as the monk pointed it upwards, his mouth opened in a pained scream. Dust gathered around him, creating a vortex that swallowed him whole, stretching his body until he appeared to be nothing more than a curled sliver of purple and peach before claiming its prize. Sango fell to her knees, her eyes never looking away until with a sharp expulsion of air the vortex was gone, taking Miroku with it. She could still hear his faint scream as he tumbled deeper and deeper into the void, never to return again. She remembered so vividly the tears she had shed for her family, but most of all for Miroku. Off all the friends she had made on her journey to avenge her village, he had been the one which always seemed to have the right answer, the phrase that always made her feel better, and the wisdom he was capable of giving proved how dedicated he was to his faith. She had learned to latch on to him whenever Kohaku visited her dreams or the group. He was her rock and she loved him for it, even if he had such wandering hands for a rock. He would not be there for her ever again. He had left and she was alone, always alone.

"No, don't leave me," she barely whispered as the cloud of illusion pressed in around her.

Kagome watched the emotions run across her friend's face on the other side of the hot spring. It prompted her to recall her own experience with the demon. She had seen the jewel shards imbedded above its left eye and on its right arm. It was with this arm that it was reaching out to the group, raiding their subconscious. She felt an icy shiver run all the way down her spine as she beheld a figure walking toward her. It was a woman wearing billowing red pants and a white haori. Slung over her shoulders was a quiver of arrows with a longbow in her hands. It was she, the one who shared her soul with Kagome. It was Kikyou, the resurrected miko of Inuyasha's past. She was smiling that serene smile of death that never left her face, but her eyes betrayed the hatred she felt towards her reincarnation. Then another figure appeared. Kagome craned her head to see who it was and realized with relief and horror that it was Inuyasha. Wait, he was walking towards Kikyou! There was a smile on his face as well; full of happiness and love and the young girl could feel her heart shatter under that countenance. The two embraced, Kikyou resting her cheek on the crook of his neck, the smile now aimed at Kagome. It twisted into a malevolent grin as the portal to Hell opened behind her and began to suck them in. As the never-ending flames consumed them, Kagome willed herself to run, to save Inuyasha. She was catching up to the two, feeling the hellfire trying to push her back but she pushed on to save the man she loved. It was then that she saw his face. He seemed happy, so happy that it made running to pull him away selfish and cruel. So she simply stood there, her heart fracturing into smaller and smaller bits with every passing second, as the love of her life was sucked into Hell. 'No, stay with me Inuyasha! I love you, not her! She can't love you, why can't you see that?' Even now in the hot spring she could feel the horrible ache in her heart and the tears threatening to overwhelm her. Her breathing was shallow as she struggled to hold them in. The battle was doomed from the start. She left the hot spring and hurriedly dressed. Once everything was in place she walked away, letting the droplets fall as her feet led her into the woods. Sango did not notice her departure, still lost in her private Hell.

Miroku valued himself as a knowledgeable man, but even he'll admit that he more often than not went too far when it came to his quest for an heir. But why couldn't they understand the seriousness of his curse, his stolen innocence, and his mortality? How could they possibly comprehend? They had never seen their father or grandfather be sucked into the palm of his own hand and to know with every breath, every passing thought that that is your fate. Bound to the abyss, living just to prepare for death at any second. Because he did not know when the Kazaana would open and claim him, when the void would become tired with just his hand and decide to finally take the rest of him. That was why he lived as he did, a monk who sought the warmth of women and the ultimate joy and pride of fatherhood. All he had ever wanted was an heir to carry on his tradition and his quest, that is, until he met Sango. From the moment he had set eyes on her he had seen a strength that commanded respect, a dedication to her way of life that was almost equal to his own. Apart from that, there was a deep grief in those orbs, made more powerful whenever they were confronted with her past or Kohaku. He had wanted to comfort her so badly the first time they had met with her younger sibling, but she was already wrapped around Kagome. Well versed in the ways of suffering but unfamiliar with how to comfort that kind of pain, he decided that his help would be to refrain from asking his infamous question. After all, she was on a quest to avenge her entire village, her very childhood and honor. She did not need to have a child hindering her from that goal. Still, over the course of their travels he had grown quite fond of her, to the point that he would whisper the occasional remark about her beauty just to see her go that wonderful shade of red. But what about her? 'What does she feel for me? Can she love me after all the things I have done to her?' He fell deeper into his trance and was greeted with the image of the demon he had faced. When the fog appeared around him he immediately knew it was an illusion. Even as Sango appeared in her skin-tight slaying armor that showed everything, from her healthy bouncing bosom to her tantalizingly round and taut backside peeking from behind her hips, eyes pleading and full of desire, he shook his head in disbelief. It wasn't real, just a youkai trick. His Sango would never do these things! It was not her nature! The fog shifted, darkening his surroundings, leaving only him and the taijiya. She continued to walk toward him, her succulent hips swinging from side to side in a mesmerizing rhythm. The beads over his cursed hand were bothersome all of a sudden, rubbing against his skin and making him itch. With each step closer the itch grew until it was a raging throb of pain that spiked with each breath the wondrous goddess in front of him inhaled. Sango reached out, her hand cupping his cheek. Such affection he felt from her, such love. She was getting closer, her eyes closing as their lips were drawn together. At that moment, Miroku's certainty faded and he kissed her back. Longing he did not know he possessed made him mash her body against him as he deepened the kiss. It was electric the way her hands ran through his hair and he did the same with her back, making sure not to touch her backside. There was no way he was going to ruin the moment. When they each came up to breathe he was reminded painfully of the throbbing in his hand. Suddenly the beads exploded in different directions and the flap that was always over the sinister hole vanished from his hand. The Kazaana was free, and Sango was right in its path! The roar that was always present whenever the void was used was gone, destroyed by the mortified gasp that escaped Miroku's lips. Paralyzed with fear, he watched as with a scream another person he loved was claimed by the nothingness. He could hear her scream reverberate in his mind and he cried out his anguish along with it. At this point it no longer felt like a trick. It hurt too much to be a hoax. So immersed in his nightmare, the monk did not see the same taijiya fall to the ground beside him, her hands clutching her head as she bawled his name over and over, crystalline tears falling down her face.

Inuyasha growled and gripped the handle of Tetsusaiga with all his strength. 'How could I let a demon that ugly get the best of me? Ugh, I was so stupid! I let him get to me!' He continued to mentally rant and rave about every hateful feature of the demon with words so colorful it would humble any sailor in existence and make him blush. But as his raving calmed down he remembered what had caused the demon to get the better of him. He had been the first to see it, rotting and killing all the plants around him. He had had his sword poised, ready to slice it in half when it lifted its right hand, the one Kagome had said held a jewel shard. All around him a deep fog materialized out of thin air. He could just make out trees and what looked like a shrine in the distance. The youkai was nowhere to be seen. The hanyou took a few steps forward and found his path marred by a large tree that looked suspiciously like the Goshinboku. Before he could think about what was going on, he smelled a familiar scent behind him. He was turning around when his ears caught the unmistakable twinge of a bowstring being pulled back. 'INUYASHA,' came a female voice, the tone filled with such anger and hatred it froze the blood in his veins. The arrow flew with breakneck speed, lodging itself in his heart and pinning him to the tree at the same time. Nostalgia slammed into him with just as much force. It was happening again! Looking to the archer and expecting to see a bleeding Kikyou, he was stunned to see Kagome smiling sardonically at him. Around her neck was the complete Shikon no Tama, shining with a pink light. 'Foolish half-breed,' he heard her say, the words burning into his soul. 'Did you honestly think I would want to stay with you once the jewel was complete? You idiot, can't you see how much I hate the sight of you? You're caught between two races, neither one nor the other, weaker than both! What could I possibly want to do with you? But now, this little quest is over, and I can finally do something I've been wanting to do for a long time.' Suddenly the Bone-Eater's Well appeared next to her. A bone-jarring fear coursed through Inuyasha when he realized what she was doing. 'NO! Please Kagome, don't leave! Stay here with me, don't leave me alone!' He pushed against the arrow; ignoring the pain it caused him. She could not leave! He would not allow it! 'NO!' She did not respond, instead bringing her legs over the edge of the well. Just before she went down, she looked over at him with that same twisted smile as she notched another arrow on her bow before letting it fly. This one landed square in the middle of his chest, right where his windpipe split to his lungs. The pain caused bright lights to dance in his eyes. He couldn't breathe; the arrow blocked the passage of air. He looked at the woman he had grown to cherish, to love more than anyone else in his life. Her lips parted and he knew suddenly, horribly what she was going to say. The hanyou bowed his head in acceptance. If this is what she really wanted, then it was fine, more than fine. Sweet surrender. 'So be it,' was his last thought when he heard the dreaded word and felt the rosary tugging his body to the floor. Coupled with the arrows lodged in his body, that same annoying spell that always managed to have him eating dirt had successfully sliced his body in two. It was with that gruesome image of death that Inuyasha was broken from his trance. The fog was gone and there stood the youkai in the middle of the clearing, its hand still outstretched toward them. All around him his companions were on their knees, each of their faces wrought with anguish. He knew then what had happened. Gripping his sword tightly again he rushed forth and swung, triggering the Kaze no Kizu instantly and effortlessly. The demon evaporated in the wind, leaving the group shaking and shivering from the ordeal. Kagome got to her feet first, her cheeks stained with tears as she shuffled through the ground and picked up the shards, purifying and transporting them to the vial without a word. The other three met her at the center of the meadow and they headed back to Kaede's village. The deserted clearing stood, a testimony to their greatest defeat, for it was the youkai who had won in the end. It had unearthed a dark mass of doubt and fear that will change the companions forever.

Kagome continued walking through the multitude of trees, her mind lost in thought. 'It had felt so real. I actually felt the heat from the flames of Hell scorching my skin. But it was just a trick… wasn't it? No, it could happen. After all, he does love her, and he did promise to go with her after the quest was over….' A cry of frustration could be heard throughout the canopy, catching the attention of a dog-eared teen seated on one of the higher branches of the trees. The tears were on her face again and he could smell them, prompting him to wonder what it could have been that had caused the pain he had seen on her face in the clearing. He used all the speed he had to jump from branch to branch and land in front of her. She let out a weak gasp before turning from him, trying desperately to dry her tears. She had to calm down! After all, he doesn't deserve to be burdened with her pain, not after what he had seen on his face. It had looked like he had been savagely betrayed; his eyes shone with unshed tears. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and comfort him, but he had been looking at her the whole time, effectively freezing her in her place. 'Why do you look at me Inuyasha? Is it because of whom you see in my face? Who you wish you saw,' she thought bitterly as he unleashed the Kaze no Kizu on the demon. Now he stood no more than a foot from her, no doubt having heard her cry, and she didn't know what to say to him. It was great surprise that she heard him speak first.

"Kagome," he said softly, his voice full of concern, "Are you okay? The demon didn't hurt you did it?" She smiled inwardly at his words. 'He might not love me, but at least he worries. I guess that'll have to be enough.' Composing herself with a deep breath, she turned and flashed him one of her brightest smiles.

"No Inuyasha, I'm just fine." The hanyou was a little startled by her sudden change in mood, but happy that she was smiling again. He would never tell her that though, how her smile always made him forget where he was, even who he was. In that brief moment when he basked in the light she exuded, he was complete. He knew he loved her then, not Kikyou. That woman had never made him feel this way. She was a friend, always would be no matter what. But Kagome, she was the one he loved. But did she feel the same way? As much as his heart wished it were true, he knew the cold reality. She did not belong in his time, she should be where there were those strange houses that reached higher than any of the trees, where she could go to that 'skool' thing without hindrance, and where she could be happy with someone who was human. He had grown up knowing he was an outcast, neither human nor demon, completely alone. She could never love him, the only reason she came back was because of her obligation. She had broken the jewel, and now she had to fix it. Once that was done she would leave, back to her own time, never to return. "Inuyasha?" Her voice broke him from his reverie and he looked at her with a scowl.

"What, wench?" The mask was back on his face, hiding the emotions she had seen, but his eyes swam with them, too many to identify. After a moment of glaring at him, he relented. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course Inuyasha." This was it; all he had to ask was simple. Do you love me? That was all! You can do it!

"Um, uh, I was wondering- " Dammit, already it was too many words! Her eyes were looking at him, all her attention focused on him. He wanted to ask, but he knew the answer, so instead he said, "I was wondering if you had any ramen. I'm kind of hungry." Stupid Inuyasha, just a spineless coward in the end! The young girl just chuckled, oblivious to his inner struggle, and nodded. They headed back to the village, the incident pushed aside for now. None of them could know that it would come back to spite them, that something as simple and complex as a kiss could change everything.

Well… what do you think? I personally enjoyed writing. Sorry if I left you hanging or anything, but I had to make sure you would read the next chapter! Ja ne!