InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Protective love ❯ Chapter 2

Shippou and Kirara woke up as soon as Miroku and Sango stepped into the hut and they quickly approached them without waking Inuyasha up.

 

“What did Kagome say?” Shippou asked in a whisper.

 

Miroku and Sango had almost angry expressions and it worried him. Could Kagome had said something so bad? Nono, not his Kagome! Kaede entered the hut as the last one to come in. This worried Shippou even more.

 

“Where is Kagome? Why isn't she here?”

 

The kitsunes voice was now raised with a high pitch that pierced Inuyashas keen ears and woke him from his beautiful dream into heartpiercing reality. He swiftly rolled on the floor, facing the group.

 

“What about Kagome?”

 

Kaede was the one to answer him.

 

“Kagome and Rin has gone to face Naraku alone.”

 

“WHAT????”

 

Inuyasha felt waves of shock hit his mind as his friends faces stated that that was the truth. He immediately began to try to squirm out of the ropes again.

 

“Are you fucking idiots? What kind of stupid thing did that wench say to convince you that was a good idea? Lemme go, I must get her back!”

 

“It's too late, Inuyasha. Kagome and Rin left several hours ago.” Sangos voice stated the truth yet again. ”We only waited to come in to make sure you wouldn't have a chanse to do anything foolish.”

 

Inuyasha cursed loudly and hissed as he hit his head in the floor in his efforts to break free. Shippou clinged onto Miroku, trembling.

 

“Why was Kagome and Rin going alone? They'll die!”

 

Seeing the upset kitsune, Miroku and Sango sat down. Kirara jumped up in Sangos leap as Miroku gently caressed Shippou. Kaede found a free spot byt the wall, sat down and spoke slowly.

 

“Kagome had a spiritual visit from Midoriko. She told Kagome how she'll be able to reach the Shikon jewel and purify it for good.”

 

Inuyasha stopped squirming and perked his ears up.

 

“However...” Kaede continued, “it can't be done by force. As long as we're fighting, Naraku has the upper hand of things. And that means that no one who would try to fight could come along.”

“KEH! How's Kagome going to stay alive if she's not fighting?”

 

Kaede gave Inuyasha a look that froze his heart for a moment, but continued her story on track.

 

“Inuyasha was of cause excluded. More surprising was that Sesshoumaru ruled himself and Jaken out, stating that since they are yokai, they naturally want to kill any yokai attacking them.”

 

“What? Sesshoumaru was there and I couldn't come?”

 

Kaede ignored Inuyashas outburst yet again. Miroku said in a low voice:

 

“My task is to kill Naraku. As long as he lives, my Kazaana will stay in my hand, each day threatening to be my death. To not fight Naraku is impossible for me.”

 

“And I want revenge. For my family, for Kohaku. It is my job to fight, it's what I do, and I burn with desire of killing Naraku despite the fact that he scares me”, Sango added.

 

Shippou turned to Kaede.

 

“But you and I could have gone with Kagome! We would make far better protectors than Rin!”

 

“Who's stupid idea was it to bring Rin anyway??” Inuyasha screamed.

 

Kaede lifted her hand to make them listen again. She turned to Shippou first.

 

“You and I are unfit to follow too. You because you're too young and I because I'm too old. Besides”, Kaede turned to Inuyasha, “Naraku has the ability to see weakness and blackness in peoples hearts. All of us would be easy prays for that ability. We are all scared, all full of hatred and sorrow. The only one who doesn't succumb to that close encouter with Narakus evil heart is Kagome.”

 

All the group was quiet for a while. Inuyasha suddenly got the feeling they knew something he didn't know. Kagome had told them, but not him, what had befelled when she was under the spell of the baby that was Narakus human heart. They, but not him, knew that Kagomes weak spot, her love for Inuyasha, was also the one that kept her safe from being tainted by darkness. Then Shippou said:

 

”I still can't see why Rin had to follow.”

 

“Because she wouldn't let Kagome-sama go alone.”

 

The voice came from the door and a not so beautiful toad face was seen as Jaken lifted the doormat to allow himself and his Lord to enter. Inuyasha frowned as he saw his elder brother enter the hut as if it was his kingdom. Only an almost undetectebal tension on his face gave away that Sesshoumaru was not as cool and gathered as usual. The odd pair sat down by the inner wall. Inuyasha pushed himself to sit up leaning against another wall, unwilling to be put in the middle of the group.

 

“Why are you here, jerk? I thought you had a mansion of your own.”

 

Sesshoumaru looked at his hanyou brother. His nose told him that Inuyasha was still bleeding and furthermore, that he was angry and scared almost out of his wits. Sesshoumaru did not blame him. He was not at all content with letting Rin go either. Only his pride had withheld him from forbidding her to go. Now Sesshoumaru decided to answer his runt of a brother.

 

“Your wench will do something that will endanger every yokai within this land's boarders. This hut will be the only safe place.”

 

“Nani?”

 

Inuyasha understood nothing, but Sesshoumaru had nothing more to say. Kaede put her hands in her lap making a sad face.

 

“Midoriko told Kagome the key to defeat Naraku is love. The Shikon Jewel was created by the soul of a terrible yokai and Midorikos soul. The yokai was cradled in misled love but the miko was only loveless pureness. That's why the Shikon Jewel would have vanished if Inuyasha had wished to become a full blood human that time. Not because of the wish, but because of the love in Kikyos heart.”

 

Kaede shifted position, almost unaware of the group of people listening to her. Inuyasha felt a familiar pain burn in his chest as he remebered. Kaede continued.

 

”A miko is not allowed to be caught by emotions, it would be a hindrance in her destinated duty. Kikyo knew this but couldn't help but falling in love with Inuyasha, and she saw a solution as he fell in love with her. But misled love cradled yet another yokai and Kikyo was killed. The Shikon Jewel disappeared but then reappeared inside Kagomes body 500 years from now.”

 

Kaede looked up to face Inuyasha, who listened and struggled to understand what he couldn't fully grasp. Emotions were too strong.

 

“This was a sign. Kagome is the one Midoriko chose to be her fighter, just as Naraku was the one to be chosen of the yokai.”

 

“Are you telling me Kagome is supposed to clean Naraku by love?”

 

Shippous question forced Inuyasha into an immediate raging fit. Miroku and Sango held him while Sesshoumaru looked at him as he was looking at something disgusting.

 

“There's NO WAY Kagome'll love that bastard! NO WAY!”

 

Kaede looked staring at Inuyasha, her sorrow obvious this time.

 

“Kagome does not need to love Naraku. She must simply love someone. In order to defeat the evil yokai inside the Shikon jewel, she must be a miko in love.”

 

“Who the hell does Kagome love?”

 

Kaede ignored Inuyashas question as the group all mentally slapped their forheads. Was it possible for someone to be so blind... so thick-headed?

 

“Midoriko warned Kagome there was a danger in all this. Midoriko herself fought the evil yokai alone, and she died alone, feeling lonely. This was what ultimately made her loose. She didn't love - and she was alone. When Rin-chan heard this, she immediately offered to go with Kagome. She will not fight and she won't be scared, and there's nothing in her heart that can be stained with evil.”

 

“Nothing at all?” Shippou wondered.

 

“Rin is a being of pure happines and love. She does not know hatred or revenge.”

 

“But she's weak! How could you let her go, you jerk?” Inuyasha barked at Sesshoumaru.

 

Sesshoumaru frowned and was just about to answer when he suddenly snapped his head to the right and listened to something only his keen ears could hear.

 

“It has begun”, Sesshoumaru said.

 

Inuyasha saw how everyone tesioned at this remark. What? What had begun? What was going on? But before he had a chance to ask, Miroku and Kaede quickly took position at the door and kneeled. Strange words ran from their lips and the hut was suddenly surronded by one of the strongest barriers Inuyasha had ever felt. He tried to see what was going on but was nailed to the ground by a clawcrowned hand.

 

“Do not move. It will make it harder for them to keep the barrier up if you move and without it, we'll all be purified.”

 

“Wha- what are you talking about, bastard?” Inuyasha said, but kept still.

 

“Your wench has succeded in reaching the Shikon Jewel. If she wins this last battle, every yokai and hanyou in this land will be purified except for us in here.”

 

“Don't be stupid! No one's strong enough to do that!”

 

Sesshoumaru glared at his brother and curled his claws ever so slightly. In this state, Inuyasha would not survive the poison of his claws and they both knew that. By a small movement of his ears Inuyasha marked his surrender to his older brother, who moved his hand away altogether from his brother's wounded body.

 

“I am not surprised that you are completely unaware of that mikos powers. You are after all a simple hanyou.”

 

Inuyasha refused to respond to that and turned to Sango instead.

 

“What is this guy talking about?”

 

To his surprise, Sangos eyes was filled with tears. Inuyasha winced.

 

“What? What is it, tell me!”

 

Sango dried her eyes with the back of her hand.

 

“If Kagome can purify the Shikon Jewel, she will make it whole again and then use it to purify Naraku - and all the other evil yokai in Japan.”

 

“Impossible! Midoriko herself could only purifu twenty at a time!”

 

“She will not use her powers, Inuyasha. She will wish it.”

 

Inuyasha thought of that for a moment. No evil yokais? Fair enough. Guess that's why his jerk brother had said they would be the only ones left. However, Inyasha knew there were more of them that it seemed. And it also ment he would not be able to become a true yokai, but on the other hand, he didn't want that anymore. Assuming it would all work and not ending up with Naraku having the complete Shikon Jewel and Rin and Kagome being killed, it was a rather good plan.

 

“If that's what will happen, then why are you crying?”

 

“I'm crying... beacuse Midoriko told Kagome there was a price to pay.”

 

Inuyasha listened, suddenly aware that he was finally about to hear the reason to why he was still tied, even inside the barrier.

 

“When Kagome makes her wish, her love will be used as payment. But the one thing that keeps Kagome going is her love. It's her power, her strenght. The very moment that love is taken from her, her heart will stop and the Shikon Jewel will use her life force to grant her wish.”

 

Sango finally faced a horrified Inuyasha.

 

“In order to succeed... Kagome must die.”

 

“And it feels as if she's about to do so.” Sesshoumarus dark voice was heard.

 

Inuyasha could not breathe. He stared at Sango in disbelieve, trying to comprehend what she was saying and making it fit in his mind. He had know all along, since day one, that death was a possible outcome of every battle. Yet he had forced Kagome to come along. First because he needed her to see the Shikon shards, then because he needed her to fire arrows. He couldn't remember when, but soon enough he had simply brouth her along without thinking of wether she was needed or not - because he himself could fight better if she was there. Knowing Kagome was behind him, trustfully leaving her safety in his hands, was more enpowering than any cheers. Knowing that Kagome was in danger made him step up yet another level in order to protect her life. Yes, he had brought Kagome to danger and death so many times he couldn't count them - but he had never truly believed she would die! Inuyasha knew he would sacrifice himself before letting Kagome die, and so, she was more or less out of danger. Or so Inuyasha had been thinking. Now he suddenly realised his way of thinking hadn't been very realistic. Even so, to be facing danger and possible death was one thing, but throwing herself into deaths arms was another! Inuyasha was about to squirm and roll on the floor again, but Sesshoumarus hand flew out and held him down before he could start.

 

“Do not move! It's coming!”

 

Kaede and Miroku sat completely still, the strange words still running from their lips and sweat dropping from their faces. Jaken was shivering sitting half behind his Lord, Kirara and Shippou hugged each other in Sangos lap. Inuyasha felt a strange tickel in his skin as the world outside suddenly was filled with intense light. Miroku and Kaede held the barrier up through strong will alone as the light passed them by, almost overwhelmed by the pure goodness that passed them by. And then it was over.

 

Miroku sighed. Whit a tremble, he raised his right hand and unfolded the covering of his Kazaana. He pulled the pearls and the clothing away - and was met by skin and flesh. The Kazaana was gone.

 

“So Naraku is defeated.”

 

But no one in the hut felt like celebrating.