InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One Last Chance ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Kawa-Misuterii 
Perhaps there is a reason to move on...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.10.2008 | Pages: 5 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 640 | Status: Work In Progress
Perhaps there is a reason to move on...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.10.2008 | Pages: 5 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 640 | Status: Work In Progress
One Last Chance: Chapter One
Five years. Five years it had been since the shattering of their group. Miroku smiled a little at his daughters, running and wearing themselves out as they continued their journey back to the village that had been such a big part of their lives.
After nearly four months of begging, Sango had finally agreed to return to Kaede to have their fourth child, the one who the monk had pleaded with the Kami to be a boy. Miroku had to smirk at the irony. Never before had he begged to have interruption of the presence of so many women.
“Izumi, stop beating up your sisters.” called Miroku, snapping out of his daydream as he noticed his eldest pushing her siblings out of the way, almost crushing tiny Kirara. They took after their mother, choosing to fight with each other instead of playing, and sometimes the bickering drove him absolutely crazy!.
Sango, glowing with pride at the strength and youthfulness of her children, turned around to give her husband a small smile. She was now rather large around, and positively disgusted with herself. She knew that she should have started the journey back to Kaede’s earlier, but the nostalgia that her demon slayer village held was too much to leave behind on a stupid whim, like giving birth.
“Do you think we’ll be able to reach the village by nightfall?” Sango asked conversationally, not wanting to have to sleep on the hard ground.
“I suppose, if your daughters don’t accidentally kill each other, that is.” was her sarcastic reply. “Mai, stop that right now!” yelled the monk at the second oldest, no longer able to hold his irritation.
“What happened to that famous monk patience?” smirked Sango, who was about ready to keel over at the pain in her feet, but suddenly stopped, holding her arms out to her children protectively.
“Do you feel that, Miroku?” she whispered over her shoulder, finding herself suddenly frozen to the spot.
“Yes, my dear Sango, there is no need for alarm.” said the monk, releasing his death grip on the staff that he still carried with him.
The group heard a loud rustling in the distance. A smile replaced Sango’s worried face as a familiar red and white blur bounced from tree to tree. Only her husband saw the sadness behind it, but her children began pulling on her clothes frantically, causing the hanyou’s entrance to be somewhat subdued, despite his already disturbingly quite nature. It never ceased to cause them grief whenever they saw their friend, who had changed in nature so much, they wouldn’t have recognized him were it not for his sarcasm.
“Mama, Daddy, is that him? Is that InuYasha?” screeched Mai, who had been too young on their last trip to remember the half demon. In the five years that had passed, InuYasha had only made an appearance each time they made the journey for Sango to have another baby. Although he would rather be dragged to hell than admit it, the hanyou still felt the need to protect the pack when it was at it’s most vulnerable.
“Yes, Mai, that’s him. InuYasha, how good to see you.” smiled the monk weakly, feeling his own happiness wear away at the look on his former companions face.
Although the monk felt as if he had achieved nirvana the moment he had settled down with Sango, he admitted (only to himself of corse) that he sometimes missed the half-demons’ company. Miroku was completely convinced that InuYasha would never return to his pack after the death of the little miko. But he was proven wrong the day that they began their journey for the birth of their first child. Sure, Miroku had been surprised when the red clad figure jumped down from the trees in front of them, and without saying a word, walked protectively in front of them. But his relief at seeing his old friend overtook his shock. And so they repeated this ritual again the second and third time Sango was with child, InuYasha never saying more then a handful of words.
Miroku knew for a fact that InuYasha had asked Kaede to seal him to the tree again not too long after his second daughter was born. The monk could only imagine the self hatred, remorse, and depression the poor boy was going through. Kaede, of corse, had profusely refused, giving simple excuses such as her powers were beginning to fade, she was too old. But they all knew that the woman still possessed a great amount of vitality. It was her reluctance to do the deed that stopped her.
___________________________
“Another girl, Miroku!” Kaede called out to the sweating monk standing beside the hut. She chuckled as she heard a loud moan escape his lips as the screaming child writhed in her hands. “Ye will have your hands full with this one!” Kaede smiled, handing the infant over to her mother.
“Payback’s a bitch, huh monk?” said InuYasha with a trace of a smile. The minuscule grin on his face disappeared as he looked at the hut, memories threatening to overtake him once again.
Running wild all over Japan had managed to num the pain that throbbed in his heart, but not make it go away. Lately, InuYasha had taken to transforming into a full demon, leaving the Tessaiga in a safe place and going on a rampage of destruction whenever the memories and pain got to be too much. Since he had finally managed to control his youkai side enough so that he only killed demons and managed to stay away from innocents, he spent entire days in bloodlust, followed by weeks of wandering around aimlessly.
But that seemed to be his life, now. No true point to it. Other than the village that was too nostalgic for him to be around anymore, everyone he met hated and feared him. He found himself in the same situation before he had met Kikyou. He had been chased out of every village he had come close to, the same for every youkai territory (at least the ones he didn’t feel like killing).
What he wouldn’t give to be in that grey purgatory of enchanted sleep, InuYasha thought miserably.
___________________
“Did anyone else feel a rather large demonic aura to the north a few weeks ago?” asked Miroku, jumping on his chance. This was the first time in years they’re almost completed group was gathered around him. Kaede had fixed them a congratulatory stew, and was busy ladling into bowls for everyone, her eye narrowed in anticipation.
“You never told me you felt anything!”shouted Sango indignantly, startling InuYasha out of his lull.
“Felt what?” he muttered sleepily, still locked in his daydream state.
“My dear Sango, please calm down. I didn’t want to worry you in your fragile condition. It was very far away, and I couldn’t tell if it was real or imaginary.” replied Miroku soothingly.
“Humph.” pouted Sango, refusing to look at her husband, choosing to tickle the infant in her arms. “I didn’t feel it.” she muttered.
“That’s because your senses are dulled when your pregnant.” The snide comment had come from the hanyou sitting cross-legged in the corner, who was beginning to feel uncomfortable in the closed surroundings of the miko’s hut.
There was a small silence, then-
“Wait, I did feel an evil presence a little while ago!” remarked Kaede excitedly. “I remember wanting to send a messenger to go get you two, but the winter was harsh on the roads. By the time the roads cleared, the evil had disappeared, and I didn’t want to waste any man power that could be plowing the fields.”
Another silence-
“You don’t think-“ said Sango worriedly before being abruptly cut off.
“It’s not Naraku.” stated an obviously irritated hanyou, now twitching his leg unconsciously.
“Forgive me, InuYasha, but you did send him away with the jewel. It wouldn’t be the first time someone escaped from hell, and in my opinion-“
”Your opinion, my ass. He didn’t have the jewel.” said InuYasha. Although everyone was too tired to notice, his voice lacked the bark it used to, despite the demon’s frustration. It would seem that his anger at the world had melted into an annoyance beneath his notice.
“What do ye mean he didn’t have the jewel, boy?” said Kaede, her good eye narrowed in suspicion.
“Enough of this ‘boy’ crap. I’m way older than you.” stated InuYasha simply, unsure as to why he was avoiding the question.
“InuYasha, what do you know?!?” shouted Kaede and Sango at the same time, while Miroku mumbled something under his breath. The tension in the room began to mount.
“Just what I said. The jewel wasn’t with him when I opened the portal.” he replied, turning his nose away.
“How on earth did you get it away from him?”
“I didn’t.”
...
“INUYASHA!” yelled the group.
“Alright, alright, Sesshomaru took it off of him before I sent him to hell, okay?” he said, still not sure of his words for some reason.
“Why have ye not told us this?” asked Kaede.
InuYasha had to think for a moment. It had been so long since he allowed his memory to stray to that day, he had honestly forgotten what Sesshomaru had said to him. He felt a familiar throb in his temple as he recalled the events as quickly as he could, as if that would ease the hurt.
“Sesshomaru thought Naraku might be able to escape hell with the jewel, so he got it away from him somehow before I opened the portal. He said he’d protect it until....until...” InuYasha trailed off as their conversation came leaking back into his head. He tried to open his mouth again, but Kaede finished for him, to his surprise.
“Until there is another who can finish the job that was given to my sister.” the old miko said solemnly. “InuYasha, I wish that ye had told me this sooner. I doubt ye understand what complications this arises.”
InuYasha’s first instinct was to act as if he didn’t know what the old hag was talking about. But something told him that now was not the time to pretend to be the unthinking, unfeeling creature he had strived to become in the past few years.
“Why?” he stated quickly, demanding an answer.
“Because there could very well be a third reincarnation, waiting to resume her duty to purify the Shikon no Tama.”
The silence after that statement was pregnant with disbelief. As everyone digested the concept of yet another reincarnated priestess with Kikyou’s likeness on her face, their hearts ached at the idea. But InuYasha was the most effective.
‘She’s still out there!’
‘No. It’s too good to be true.’
‘But you heard her! She’s not really dead!’
‘Even if she didn’t move on, and by some impossible force I managed to find her, it still wouldn’t be Kagome, or Kikyou for that matter.’
‘Hmm...’
‘Really, other than they looked alike, Kagome and Kikyou were completely different people.’
‘They were different people, but they were the same soul. You know you loved them both for the same reason in the end...’
‘Stop, I...I can’t think about this right now.’
‘If that soul is still out there, you owe it to yourself to try and find her...’
“NO!” InuYasha yelled out loud, startling the others out of their silence. He jumped up and left the room, wanting to leap off again. ‘Gotta take the monk and his wench back home first.’ he sighed mentally, cursing his weakness.
“Oh....AH! They’ll be fine.” he said before taking off, flying over the trees. He had gone no further than Goshinboku when he noticed Kirara flying beside him, glancing at him worriedly. The hanyou sighed again in defeat, and jumped up to his favorite spot, Kirara surprising him by taking a seat on a branch beneath him.
“You know, even if she was reborn, there would be no way for me to know when she was born, or where. Who’s to say that she wasn’t born 500 years after Kagome’s time? How the heck am I supposed to find her then, huh?” he said arguably. Kirara growled as if in mock agreement.
‘I swear if she could talk, I’d never get away with anything.’
“And it wouldn’t be my responsibility, anyway. I was going to use the jewel to become a full demon, remember?” he said, glad to be talking to someone other than his inner voice. “I was the bad guy.”
And with that, another wave of remorse washed over him as he realized that he had never told Kagome that he wouldn’t use the jewel for his own needs. He knew that she knew he wouldn’t, but still. He should have said it to her face, on one of those nights where it was just the two of them, looking up at the sky. He couldn’t help but smile at the memory of her wonderment at something so simple as the stars. Again, the crushing weight of his grief began to rain down on him.
He remembered Miroku speaking with him the night after the birth of his first daughter.
“InuYasha, how have you been faring these past few months?”
“Keh, none of your business.”
“I’m worried about you, my friend.”
“Ain’t no reason to be...” he had said, his voice a little softer.
“On the contrary, there is plenty of reason. I know your life has been difficult, my friend, and maybe you need more time.” the monk stopped, gripping his shakujou. “Perhaps you should consider moving on...you are still so young, you could claim the greatness that should’ve been your birthright!” Miroku said enthusiastically, almost managing a smile. “You know, I bet you could even claim a territory, like your brother, or-“
”No way. I don’t want anything he has.”
*sigh*
InuYasha closed his eyes.
‘Why am I so quick to think she’s even been reborn? It’s practically impossible!’
‘You want her to come back. It’s only natural, you know. You did lo-‘
’No, not this again. She’s not coming back. Dammit! How often does this have to come back to haunt me! I thought I was over this!’ InuYasha shouted at himself, humiliated as he felt actual tears well up in his eyes.
‘You know that. And I know that. But it seems that our heart is a little deaf at the moment.’
“ARRGH!” InuYasha wanted to pull his hair out! How was it that he could make himself so angry? Kirara yowled in disagreement beneath him, her teeth showing in a menacing grin.
“What?”
‘Grrrr.....’
InuYasha sat back against the tree, reflecting that that yell was probably the loudest noise to have come out of his mouth in years, despite his constant battle with demons. He felt a small amount of pride at how much better he was at hiding his emotions in battle. He had even begun to strive for the stoic expression that always graced Sesshomaru’s face, although he would never admit that to anyone.
Despite being a hanyou, he was becoming known amongst other demons as a fierce fighter, especially if they could get him in his youkai form. Some had actually sought him out to prove their worth against him in battle, but so far he was undefeated. He tried to get his mind off of Kagome by remembering his last battle, with a particularly smelly ogre with a club twice InuYasha’s size. He had spent the good part of two hours fighting the stubborn thing until he managed to catch it off guard, slicing it to pieces with the Adamant Barrage. Sure, he spent the last two days recovering from a particularly nasty concussion before going to meet Miroku and Sango, but it was worth it to see the look on that lumpy face right before a million little diamond spears sliced it to pieces.
“Keh.” Feeling it was time to move, InuYasha leapt down from the tree, and headed back to Kaedes’, followed by the transformed Kirara, who then jumped up to ride on his shoulder.
_________________________________
“I’m glad ye decided not to leave us just yet, InuYasha.” said the old miko without turning to look when InuYasha stepped into the hut, his hands uncharacteristically at his sides. “Perhaps ye wish to talk?” she said tentatively.
“If there is another...reincarnation...would she just find her way here by accident, like...you know...” he said, trailing off, unable to say her name out loud.
“That, I do not know, InuYasha. I suppose we will just have to wait and see. Although I suggest that perhaps you should stay near the area.” she said.
“Can you still go through the well?” piped up Sango, accidentally startling the baby. InuYasha’s brow wrinkled in thought. True, he never felt the need to go back to the future after Kagome’s mother tried to kill him, but did that mean it had been sealed? He still had the beads around his neck, assuming that was what let him through to the future.
“I guess so...”
“Perhaps you should go through and see if-“ started Miroku
“No.”
“But-“
”No. I’m not going there. Besides, there isn’t any chance...there won’t be...anything there.”
“I believe there is a way to be sure of that, if ye are willing to help.” said Kaede wryly.
“I’m not sure I know what your talking about, Lady Kaede-“ said Miroku stupidly, trying to think of an indication spell of that particular situation, and coming up dumb.
“There is a ritual I learned from a strange looking traveler a rather long time ago, not long after I took my priestess vows. He had fiery hair and spots on his face, but he wasn’t sick. And old man eyes, despite the fact that he was very young. I believe he was trying to court me despite my injured eye...” Kaede trailed off, a smile playing at her lips and a glazed look in her eye. Everyone else in the room seemed to be slightly disturbed at the idea..
“Sumimasen, Kaede, you were saying?”said Sango.
“Yes. I’m going to need some materials. Houshi-sama, would you perhaps have any more sacred sutras? I need a large blank one, and some ink...” she said, beginning to bustle around. InuYasha expected the monk to sigh and have to go make a trip in order to find what she wanted, but to his surprise, Miroku smiled and pulled out a roll of paper.
“Hai, I have one, Kaede, as luck would have it.” Miroku smiled, feeling more useful than usual. He unrolled the paper and raised his hand to his lip in prayer. “Okay, that ought to do it. Would you tell us what you want to do, Kaede?”
“Luck is exactly what we need right now. I don’t remember the exact details on how to do this, but these western rituals are far less exact. Let me see that.” Kaede reached for the paper, pulling out a paintbrush and a small pan of ink. She preceded to paint Kanji symbols on it. InuYasha peeked over her shoulder, to see her writing Kikyou’s name and the dates she was born and died. Then a series of numbers and all of the seasons. InuYasha felt his eyes began to ache at seeing all of the symbols when Kaede stopped finally, having filled up the entire sutra. She then reached into her miko robes and pulled out a clear, disc shaped stone.
“Now, Houshi-sama, if you will loan some of you spiritual power, perhaps this might work.” smiled Kaede.
Miroku nodded and began to pray, only to have his wrist jerked down onto the stone, Kaede placing his fingers along the edge. Kaede bowed her head, but instead of chanting, she merely closed her eyes. InuYasha snorted his disbelief and leaned back on the wall to watch the old hag make a fool of herself. The hanyou almost choked on his tongue when he saw the stone glow a pale green and begin to move of it’s own accord, despite both Kaede’s and Miroku’s fingers placed around it’s edges.
“Quick, InuYasha, remember the symbols that it stops on!” rasped Kaede, feeling her energy being manipulated by a strange force. InuYasha picked up the brush Kaede used, and having nothing else to write on, shook his sleeve back and wrote on his arm. They continued like that in silence for about ten minutes, The stone pausing every now and then, InuYasha carefully writing on his arm. The eerie glow jumped up from the stone, gave a small spark, almost as if saying goodbye, and blinked itself out of existence.
“Well that was defiantly foreign.” said a puzzled InuYasha, his eyebrow cocked as he finished the last Kanji tattoo on his arm.
“InuYasha! That was permanent ink!” said Kaede indignantly, creasing her brows in annoyance.
“So what?” InuYasha peered at his arm curiously, having not really paid attention at what he was writing.
“What does it say?” asked Miroku, trying to see over Kaede’s shoulder.
“It’s a date.” said InuYasha, his nose scrunched up at the smell of ink on his skin. He looked at it, trying to remember if he had ever seen an exact date in Kagome’s time, to no avail.
‘How the heck should I know what year it even was when I went through?’ he asked himself angrily. ‘Okay, I know it was roughly 500 years in the future, what else do I know...it was spring the last time I went.....oh god, that day...focus! dog-boy.....it was the beginning of spring, there was still snow on the ground to the north...so it was about March or so....’ InuYasha wrinkled his nose at the thought of using western calendars. From all he had heard about westerners from Kagome, they were a stupid bunch. The friendliness of the spirit that just helped them proved that much. No spirit in it’s right mind would say good bye.
“I don’t think this is too long after my last visit, actually...” said the hanyou, still looking at the date.
“There is only one way to find out.” said Miroku, a small smile playing at his lips. ‘Perhaps InuYasha will find something meaningful to live for, if this does not prove to be a ruse...’ he thought, feeling a little treacherous. ‘I know what will make him go. “Although perhaps you are not the person for this job, it really seems to be a complicated thread which fate weaves...” he said coyly, trying to hide his evil smile.
“What do you mean I can’t do it?” InuYasha felt a familiar anger flare in his stomach, one he hadn’t felt in quite a long time. He stood to his full height. “I’ll find her, but just so we can get this business with the jewel over with!” said InuYasha, making his resolution without even thinking. “And it won’t be Kagome! It’ll be someone else, so don’t bother getting your hopes up!”
*complete silence...
InuYasha seemed to have realized the impact of his words a moment too late, his mouth hanging open at what had just come out of it. He snapped it shut, and stormed out of the hut again, walking purposely to the Bone Eater’s Well, but losing faith with each step. He came to a stop at the well, and slouched against it, peering into the darkness.
‘It’ll let you through.’
‘I know.’
‘It had nothing to do with the shards.’
‘Yeah.’
‘What if she’s exactly like Kikyou?’
‘That’s a strange question to ask...’
‘Or maybe your wrong, and it will be Kagome. Just a little younger...Maybe-‘
’Maybe I need to stop talking to myself.’
‘You can’t help it. You need someone to talk to. I understand.’
‘Shut up. I’m not funny.’
‘You sure could make Kagome laugh, sometimes.’
‘Usually at my own expense.’
‘Wasn’t it worth it?’
*sigh* ‘Yes. I need to stop remembering her now, before the damn waterworks start.’
‘Alright. Let’s ponder what this date means...’
*...*
‘Well?’
‘You’re the brain. I’m just the soul.’
‘Cocky bastard.’
‘Our sense of humor seems to be returning, at least.’
‘What if it’s a date of birth?’
‘Sounds probable.’
‘Why do you sound like Miroku?’
‘Because he is a word of reason against our erratic emotions.’
‘Since when do I know such big words?’
‘Hmm hmm hmm, we are beginning to heal already, and we haven’t even met the girl.’
‘Shut up.’
‘Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.’
*...*
‘You are going to go find her, aren’t you?’
‘Whose to say it’s even a her? It’s reincarnation, it could be a guy.’
‘Maybe.’
InuYasha didn’t like that idea.
‘Perhaps we should use this time to formulate a plan in order to find her.’
‘Yeah. I should. But what the heck am I supposed to do? I could barely blend in there with Kagome to help me. What am I supposed to do by myself?’
‘The fates that be, will let it be.’
*...*
‘What kind of crappy response is that?’
‘One that’ll make you understand.’
‘What? I don’t understand anything your trying to tell me. Does that mean she’s just gonna come tumbling through the well?’
‘Common on now, we know that just won’t happen twice. It would appear that it is your responsibility after all. You’re the only one who can tell her what her duty is, her true purpose on this planet, seeing as you’re the only one who can get to her that knows.’
‘What if she doesn’t want to come? I know I wouldn’t.’
‘The fates that be, will let it be.’
‘Right.’
And with that, InuYasha jumped down the well, engulfed in a flash of blue light a second later.
Five years. Five years it had been since the shattering of their group. Miroku smiled a little at his daughters, running and wearing themselves out as they continued their journey back to the village that had been such a big part of their lives.
After nearly four months of begging, Sango had finally agreed to return to Kaede to have their fourth child, the one who the monk had pleaded with the Kami to be a boy. Miroku had to smirk at the irony. Never before had he begged to have interruption of the presence of so many women.
“Izumi, stop beating up your sisters.” called Miroku, snapping out of his daydream as he noticed his eldest pushing her siblings out of the way, almost crushing tiny Kirara. They took after their mother, choosing to fight with each other instead of playing, and sometimes the bickering drove him absolutely crazy!.
Sango, glowing with pride at the strength and youthfulness of her children, turned around to give her husband a small smile. She was now rather large around, and positively disgusted with herself. She knew that she should have started the journey back to Kaede’s earlier, but the nostalgia that her demon slayer village held was too much to leave behind on a stupid whim, like giving birth.
“Do you think we’ll be able to reach the village by nightfall?” Sango asked conversationally, not wanting to have to sleep on the hard ground.
“I suppose, if your daughters don’t accidentally kill each other, that is.” was her sarcastic reply. “Mai, stop that right now!” yelled the monk at the second oldest, no longer able to hold his irritation.
“What happened to that famous monk patience?” smirked Sango, who was about ready to keel over at the pain in her feet, but suddenly stopped, holding her arms out to her children protectively.
“Do you feel that, Miroku?” she whispered over her shoulder, finding herself suddenly frozen to the spot.
“Yes, my dear Sango, there is no need for alarm.” said the monk, releasing his death grip on the staff that he still carried with him.
The group heard a loud rustling in the distance. A smile replaced Sango’s worried face as a familiar red and white blur bounced from tree to tree. Only her husband saw the sadness behind it, but her children began pulling on her clothes frantically, causing the hanyou’s entrance to be somewhat subdued, despite his already disturbingly quite nature. It never ceased to cause them grief whenever they saw their friend, who had changed in nature so much, they wouldn’t have recognized him were it not for his sarcasm.
“Mama, Daddy, is that him? Is that InuYasha?” screeched Mai, who had been too young on their last trip to remember the half demon. In the five years that had passed, InuYasha had only made an appearance each time they made the journey for Sango to have another baby. Although he would rather be dragged to hell than admit it, the hanyou still felt the need to protect the pack when it was at it’s most vulnerable.
“Yes, Mai, that’s him. InuYasha, how good to see you.” smiled the monk weakly, feeling his own happiness wear away at the look on his former companions face.
Although the monk felt as if he had achieved nirvana the moment he had settled down with Sango, he admitted (only to himself of corse) that he sometimes missed the half-demons’ company. Miroku was completely convinced that InuYasha would never return to his pack after the death of the little miko. But he was proven wrong the day that they began their journey for the birth of their first child. Sure, Miroku had been surprised when the red clad figure jumped down from the trees in front of them, and without saying a word, walked protectively in front of them. But his relief at seeing his old friend overtook his shock. And so they repeated this ritual again the second and third time Sango was with child, InuYasha never saying more then a handful of words.
Miroku knew for a fact that InuYasha had asked Kaede to seal him to the tree again not too long after his second daughter was born. The monk could only imagine the self hatred, remorse, and depression the poor boy was going through. Kaede, of corse, had profusely refused, giving simple excuses such as her powers were beginning to fade, she was too old. But they all knew that the woman still possessed a great amount of vitality. It was her reluctance to do the deed that stopped her.
___________________________
“Another girl, Miroku!” Kaede called out to the sweating monk standing beside the hut. She chuckled as she heard a loud moan escape his lips as the screaming child writhed in her hands. “Ye will have your hands full with this one!” Kaede smiled, handing the infant over to her mother.
“Payback’s a bitch, huh monk?” said InuYasha with a trace of a smile. The minuscule grin on his face disappeared as he looked at the hut, memories threatening to overtake him once again.
Running wild all over Japan had managed to num the pain that throbbed in his heart, but not make it go away. Lately, InuYasha had taken to transforming into a full demon, leaving the Tessaiga in a safe place and going on a rampage of destruction whenever the memories and pain got to be too much. Since he had finally managed to control his youkai side enough so that he only killed demons and managed to stay away from innocents, he spent entire days in bloodlust, followed by weeks of wandering around aimlessly.
But that seemed to be his life, now. No true point to it. Other than the village that was too nostalgic for him to be around anymore, everyone he met hated and feared him. He found himself in the same situation before he had met Kikyou. He had been chased out of every village he had come close to, the same for every youkai territory (at least the ones he didn’t feel like killing).
What he wouldn’t give to be in that grey purgatory of enchanted sleep, InuYasha thought miserably.
___________________
“Did anyone else feel a rather large demonic aura to the north a few weeks ago?” asked Miroku, jumping on his chance. This was the first time in years they’re almost completed group was gathered around him. Kaede had fixed them a congratulatory stew, and was busy ladling into bowls for everyone, her eye narrowed in anticipation.
“You never told me you felt anything!”shouted Sango indignantly, startling InuYasha out of his lull.
“Felt what?” he muttered sleepily, still locked in his daydream state.
“My dear Sango, please calm down. I didn’t want to worry you in your fragile condition. It was very far away, and I couldn’t tell if it was real or imaginary.” replied Miroku soothingly.
“Humph.” pouted Sango, refusing to look at her husband, choosing to tickle the infant in her arms. “I didn’t feel it.” she muttered.
“That’s because your senses are dulled when your pregnant.” The snide comment had come from the hanyou sitting cross-legged in the corner, who was beginning to feel uncomfortable in the closed surroundings of the miko’s hut.
There was a small silence, then-
“Wait, I did feel an evil presence a little while ago!” remarked Kaede excitedly. “I remember wanting to send a messenger to go get you two, but the winter was harsh on the roads. By the time the roads cleared, the evil had disappeared, and I didn’t want to waste any man power that could be plowing the fields.”
Another silence-
“You don’t think-“ said Sango worriedly before being abruptly cut off.
“It’s not Naraku.” stated an obviously irritated hanyou, now twitching his leg unconsciously.
“Forgive me, InuYasha, but you did send him away with the jewel. It wouldn’t be the first time someone escaped from hell, and in my opinion-“
”Your opinion, my ass. He didn’t have the jewel.” said InuYasha. Although everyone was too tired to notice, his voice lacked the bark it used to, despite the demon’s frustration. It would seem that his anger at the world had melted into an annoyance beneath his notice.
“What do ye mean he didn’t have the jewel, boy?” said Kaede, her good eye narrowed in suspicion.
“Enough of this ‘boy’ crap. I’m way older than you.” stated InuYasha simply, unsure as to why he was avoiding the question.
“InuYasha, what do you know?!?” shouted Kaede and Sango at the same time, while Miroku mumbled something under his breath. The tension in the room began to mount.
“Just what I said. The jewel wasn’t with him when I opened the portal.” he replied, turning his nose away.
“How on earth did you get it away from him?”
“I didn’t.”
...
“INUYASHA!” yelled the group.
“Alright, alright, Sesshomaru took it off of him before I sent him to hell, okay?” he said, still not sure of his words for some reason.
“Why have ye not told us this?” asked Kaede.
InuYasha had to think for a moment. It had been so long since he allowed his memory to stray to that day, he had honestly forgotten what Sesshomaru had said to him. He felt a familiar throb in his temple as he recalled the events as quickly as he could, as if that would ease the hurt.
“Sesshomaru thought Naraku might be able to escape hell with the jewel, so he got it away from him somehow before I opened the portal. He said he’d protect it until....until...” InuYasha trailed off as their conversation came leaking back into his head. He tried to open his mouth again, but Kaede finished for him, to his surprise.
“Until there is another who can finish the job that was given to my sister.” the old miko said solemnly. “InuYasha, I wish that ye had told me this sooner. I doubt ye understand what complications this arises.”
InuYasha’s first instinct was to act as if he didn’t know what the old hag was talking about. But something told him that now was not the time to pretend to be the unthinking, unfeeling creature he had strived to become in the past few years.
“Why?” he stated quickly, demanding an answer.
“Because there could very well be a third reincarnation, waiting to resume her duty to purify the Shikon no Tama.”
The silence after that statement was pregnant with disbelief. As everyone digested the concept of yet another reincarnated priestess with Kikyou’s likeness on her face, their hearts ached at the idea. But InuYasha was the most effective.
‘She’s still out there!’
‘No. It’s too good to be true.’
‘But you heard her! She’s not really dead!’
‘Even if she didn’t move on, and by some impossible force I managed to find her, it still wouldn’t be Kagome, or Kikyou for that matter.’
‘Hmm...’
‘Really, other than they looked alike, Kagome and Kikyou were completely different people.’
‘They were different people, but they were the same soul. You know you loved them both for the same reason in the end...’
‘Stop, I...I can’t think about this right now.’
‘If that soul is still out there, you owe it to yourself to try and find her...’
“NO!” InuYasha yelled out loud, startling the others out of their silence. He jumped up and left the room, wanting to leap off again. ‘Gotta take the monk and his wench back home first.’ he sighed mentally, cursing his weakness.
“Oh....AH! They’ll be fine.” he said before taking off, flying over the trees. He had gone no further than Goshinboku when he noticed Kirara flying beside him, glancing at him worriedly. The hanyou sighed again in defeat, and jumped up to his favorite spot, Kirara surprising him by taking a seat on a branch beneath him.
“You know, even if she was reborn, there would be no way for me to know when she was born, or where. Who’s to say that she wasn’t born 500 years after Kagome’s time? How the heck am I supposed to find her then, huh?” he said arguably. Kirara growled as if in mock agreement.
‘I swear if she could talk, I’d never get away with anything.’
“And it wouldn’t be my responsibility, anyway. I was going to use the jewel to become a full demon, remember?” he said, glad to be talking to someone other than his inner voice. “I was the bad guy.”
And with that, another wave of remorse washed over him as he realized that he had never told Kagome that he wouldn’t use the jewel for his own needs. He knew that she knew he wouldn’t, but still. He should have said it to her face, on one of those nights where it was just the two of them, looking up at the sky. He couldn’t help but smile at the memory of her wonderment at something so simple as the stars. Again, the crushing weight of his grief began to rain down on him.
He remembered Miroku speaking with him the night after the birth of his first daughter.
“InuYasha, how have you been faring these past few months?”
“Keh, none of your business.”
“I’m worried about you, my friend.”
“Ain’t no reason to be...” he had said, his voice a little softer.
“On the contrary, there is plenty of reason. I know your life has been difficult, my friend, and maybe you need more time.” the monk stopped, gripping his shakujou. “Perhaps you should consider moving on...you are still so young, you could claim the greatness that should’ve been your birthright!” Miroku said enthusiastically, almost managing a smile. “You know, I bet you could even claim a territory, like your brother, or-“
”No way. I don’t want anything he has.”
*sigh*
InuYasha closed his eyes.
‘Why am I so quick to think she’s even been reborn? It’s practically impossible!’
‘You want her to come back. It’s only natural, you know. You did lo-‘
’No, not this again. She’s not coming back. Dammit! How often does this have to come back to haunt me! I thought I was over this!’ InuYasha shouted at himself, humiliated as he felt actual tears well up in his eyes.
‘You know that. And I know that. But it seems that our heart is a little deaf at the moment.’
“ARRGH!” InuYasha wanted to pull his hair out! How was it that he could make himself so angry? Kirara yowled in disagreement beneath him, her teeth showing in a menacing grin.
“What?”
‘Grrrr.....’
InuYasha sat back against the tree, reflecting that that yell was probably the loudest noise to have come out of his mouth in years, despite his constant battle with demons. He felt a small amount of pride at how much better he was at hiding his emotions in battle. He had even begun to strive for the stoic expression that always graced Sesshomaru’s face, although he would never admit that to anyone.
Despite being a hanyou, he was becoming known amongst other demons as a fierce fighter, especially if they could get him in his youkai form. Some had actually sought him out to prove their worth against him in battle, but so far he was undefeated. He tried to get his mind off of Kagome by remembering his last battle, with a particularly smelly ogre with a club twice InuYasha’s size. He had spent the good part of two hours fighting the stubborn thing until he managed to catch it off guard, slicing it to pieces with the Adamant Barrage. Sure, he spent the last two days recovering from a particularly nasty concussion before going to meet Miroku and Sango, but it was worth it to see the look on that lumpy face right before a million little diamond spears sliced it to pieces.
“Keh.” Feeling it was time to move, InuYasha leapt down from the tree, and headed back to Kaedes’, followed by the transformed Kirara, who then jumped up to ride on his shoulder.
_________________________________
“I’m glad ye decided not to leave us just yet, InuYasha.” said the old miko without turning to look when InuYasha stepped into the hut, his hands uncharacteristically at his sides. “Perhaps ye wish to talk?” she said tentatively.
“If there is another...reincarnation...would she just find her way here by accident, like...you know...” he said, trailing off, unable to say her name out loud.
“That, I do not know, InuYasha. I suppose we will just have to wait and see. Although I suggest that perhaps you should stay near the area.” she said.
“Can you still go through the well?” piped up Sango, accidentally startling the baby. InuYasha’s brow wrinkled in thought. True, he never felt the need to go back to the future after Kagome’s mother tried to kill him, but did that mean it had been sealed? He still had the beads around his neck, assuming that was what let him through to the future.
“I guess so...”
“Perhaps you should go through and see if-“ started Miroku
“No.”
“But-“
”No. I’m not going there. Besides, there isn’t any chance...there won’t be...anything there.”
“I believe there is a way to be sure of that, if ye are willing to help.” said Kaede wryly.
“I’m not sure I know what your talking about, Lady Kaede-“ said Miroku stupidly, trying to think of an indication spell of that particular situation, and coming up dumb.
“There is a ritual I learned from a strange looking traveler a rather long time ago, not long after I took my priestess vows. He had fiery hair and spots on his face, but he wasn’t sick. And old man eyes, despite the fact that he was very young. I believe he was trying to court me despite my injured eye...” Kaede trailed off, a smile playing at her lips and a glazed look in her eye. Everyone else in the room seemed to be slightly disturbed at the idea..
“Sumimasen, Kaede, you were saying?”said Sango.
“Yes. I’m going to need some materials. Houshi-sama, would you perhaps have any more sacred sutras? I need a large blank one, and some ink...” she said, beginning to bustle around. InuYasha expected the monk to sigh and have to go make a trip in order to find what she wanted, but to his surprise, Miroku smiled and pulled out a roll of paper.
“Hai, I have one, Kaede, as luck would have it.” Miroku smiled, feeling more useful than usual. He unrolled the paper and raised his hand to his lip in prayer. “Okay, that ought to do it. Would you tell us what you want to do, Kaede?”
“Luck is exactly what we need right now. I don’t remember the exact details on how to do this, but these western rituals are far less exact. Let me see that.” Kaede reached for the paper, pulling out a paintbrush and a small pan of ink. She preceded to paint Kanji symbols on it. InuYasha peeked over her shoulder, to see her writing Kikyou’s name and the dates she was born and died. Then a series of numbers and all of the seasons. InuYasha felt his eyes began to ache at seeing all of the symbols when Kaede stopped finally, having filled up the entire sutra. She then reached into her miko robes and pulled out a clear, disc shaped stone.
“Now, Houshi-sama, if you will loan some of you spiritual power, perhaps this might work.” smiled Kaede.
Miroku nodded and began to pray, only to have his wrist jerked down onto the stone, Kaede placing his fingers along the edge. Kaede bowed her head, but instead of chanting, she merely closed her eyes. InuYasha snorted his disbelief and leaned back on the wall to watch the old hag make a fool of herself. The hanyou almost choked on his tongue when he saw the stone glow a pale green and begin to move of it’s own accord, despite both Kaede’s and Miroku’s fingers placed around it’s edges.
“Quick, InuYasha, remember the symbols that it stops on!” rasped Kaede, feeling her energy being manipulated by a strange force. InuYasha picked up the brush Kaede used, and having nothing else to write on, shook his sleeve back and wrote on his arm. They continued like that in silence for about ten minutes, The stone pausing every now and then, InuYasha carefully writing on his arm. The eerie glow jumped up from the stone, gave a small spark, almost as if saying goodbye, and blinked itself out of existence.
“Well that was defiantly foreign.” said a puzzled InuYasha, his eyebrow cocked as he finished the last Kanji tattoo on his arm.
“InuYasha! That was permanent ink!” said Kaede indignantly, creasing her brows in annoyance.
“So what?” InuYasha peered at his arm curiously, having not really paid attention at what he was writing.
“What does it say?” asked Miroku, trying to see over Kaede’s shoulder.
“It’s a date.” said InuYasha, his nose scrunched up at the smell of ink on his skin. He looked at it, trying to remember if he had ever seen an exact date in Kagome’s time, to no avail.
‘How the heck should I know what year it even was when I went through?’ he asked himself angrily. ‘Okay, I know it was roughly 500 years in the future, what else do I know...it was spring the last time I went.....oh god, that day...focus! dog-boy.....it was the beginning of spring, there was still snow on the ground to the north...so it was about March or so....’ InuYasha wrinkled his nose at the thought of using western calendars. From all he had heard about westerners from Kagome, they were a stupid bunch. The friendliness of the spirit that just helped them proved that much. No spirit in it’s right mind would say good bye.
“I don’t think this is too long after my last visit, actually...” said the hanyou, still looking at the date.
“There is only one way to find out.” said Miroku, a small smile playing at his lips. ‘Perhaps InuYasha will find something meaningful to live for, if this does not prove to be a ruse...’ he thought, feeling a little treacherous. ‘I know what will make him go. “Although perhaps you are not the person for this job, it really seems to be a complicated thread which fate weaves...” he said coyly, trying to hide his evil smile.
“What do you mean I can’t do it?” InuYasha felt a familiar anger flare in his stomach, one he hadn’t felt in quite a long time. He stood to his full height. “I’ll find her, but just so we can get this business with the jewel over with!” said InuYasha, making his resolution without even thinking. “And it won’t be Kagome! It’ll be someone else, so don’t bother getting your hopes up!”
*complete silence...
InuYasha seemed to have realized the impact of his words a moment too late, his mouth hanging open at what had just come out of it. He snapped it shut, and stormed out of the hut again, walking purposely to the Bone Eater’s Well, but losing faith with each step. He came to a stop at the well, and slouched against it, peering into the darkness.
‘It’ll let you through.’
‘I know.’
‘It had nothing to do with the shards.’
‘Yeah.’
‘What if she’s exactly like Kikyou?’
‘That’s a strange question to ask...’
‘Or maybe your wrong, and it will be Kagome. Just a little younger...Maybe-‘
’Maybe I need to stop talking to myself.’
‘You can’t help it. You need someone to talk to. I understand.’
‘Shut up. I’m not funny.’
‘You sure could make Kagome laugh, sometimes.’
‘Usually at my own expense.’
‘Wasn’t it worth it?’
*sigh* ‘Yes. I need to stop remembering her now, before the damn waterworks start.’
‘Alright. Let’s ponder what this date means...’
*...*
‘Well?’
‘You’re the brain. I’m just the soul.’
‘Cocky bastard.’
‘Our sense of humor seems to be returning, at least.’
‘What if it’s a date of birth?’
‘Sounds probable.’
‘Why do you sound like Miroku?’
‘Because he is a word of reason against our erratic emotions.’
‘Since when do I know such big words?’
‘Hmm hmm hmm, we are beginning to heal already, and we haven’t even met the girl.’
‘Shut up.’
‘Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.’
*...*
‘You are going to go find her, aren’t you?’
‘Whose to say it’s even a her? It’s reincarnation, it could be a guy.’
‘Maybe.’
InuYasha didn’t like that idea.
‘Perhaps we should use this time to formulate a plan in order to find her.’
‘Yeah. I should. But what the heck am I supposed to do? I could barely blend in there with Kagome to help me. What am I supposed to do by myself?’
‘The fates that be, will let it be.’
*...*
‘What kind of crappy response is that?’
‘One that’ll make you understand.’
‘What? I don’t understand anything your trying to tell me. Does that mean she’s just gonna come tumbling through the well?’
‘Common on now, we know that just won’t happen twice. It would appear that it is your responsibility after all. You’re the only one who can tell her what her duty is, her true purpose on this planet, seeing as you’re the only one who can get to her that knows.’
‘What if she doesn’t want to come? I know I wouldn’t.’
‘The fates that be, will let it be.’
‘Right.’
And with that, InuYasha jumped down the well, engulfed in a flash of blue light a second later.