InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Silver Winds ❯ Hero ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/nIt's been a looong time. I don't know why, but for the author, it feels like there's less pressure to continue a story because you feel like the story can keep going just when you whim it too. But I would hate it if all authors had that point of view, because that would lead to stories never getting updates, and I don't want that for you guys either. So the continuation continues. Are you Ready? I sure hope so...As a secondary note, albeit it's summer, my schedule is looking incredibly busy and I haven't even scheduled anything! It's all my family, my mother mostly, and then relatives coming to visit. My time is just being gobbled up by other people. "You have to do this tuesday" "Don't forget, we're going there on the weekend" "You aunt blah blah ah is coming, so you've got to come with us to so and so." I don't know how this counts as summer, or how much time that leaves for writing. Let's see.
The silence rained all around him.

A drizzle fell outside, and the house stood quiet amidst the pain. Souta had nothing left to cry. Grandfather had falled breathless into his chair. And Kagomes' mom, she just sat there with that broken expression. It was the smile of a worried mother, a defeated woman. It was a smile that said nothing but anguish. Anguish for all them.

A silent grief sank in all of them. There were no more words, no more tears. There was no negotiating. The girl was gone. Little voices of memories reverberated through the walls, times he had spent in this house with her. Times he slept under this roof, with her. Echoes of those nights throbbed in his head. She had taken her suitcase, her passport, and found herself outside, and in the rain. Into the world. Vanished in all but the blink of his eyes. He could remember, those caring, brown eyes. How they would glimmer whenever she smiled at him. She had always spoken softly when she rubbed his ears, when she cradled his cheek as he lay half-asleep. She would whisper to him as she closed her eyes. Those eyes that sparkled only for him.

And now they were gone.

He couldn't look away from his hands, as he shook, and shook. Control was gone. Words wouldn't come. He felt only the tears, and the way his mouth couldn't close. There was a heat in his neck, as the beads burned into his skin. A wetness filled his palms, as he stared down at the hands that contiued to shake. His guard shattered around him. Yet he couldn't look away from his hands.

"How...could I do this?"

The silent utterance was followed by nothing. There was a void. No one was blaming him. No one was giving him the blame he deserved. Kagome should have been here. He wanted nothing more then to be torn apart.

"Someone SAY something!"

A vase flew across the room and shattered against the wall. No one answered him, his breathing ragged, his face stiff with those angry tears. He screamed.

"It's 'cause of me! The reason Kagome's gone is because of me!" He couldn't stop himself. He broke something else.

"I broke her. I broke her and sent her away." Glasses shattered.

"I abused her trust." Smashed.

"I lied!" Crushed.

"I turned my back when she needed me most." A painting went flying.

There was a part of his voice that snapped underneath the words. It was purely and utterly desperate. "And even when she put those pieces together..."

He picked up Kagome's paper to rip it, but looked at it. Recognition flew through his eyes, and suddenly, tears came. "...I couldn't even stop myself from breaking her."

He fell to his knees. The realization of loss came crashing over his head like water. And he didn't even want to find the strength to breath.

"Please do something!" He faced Kagome's mother, pleadingly. He faced her, kneeling on the broken table that he himself had destroyed. "I can't...I can't go unpunished for this."

He punched the ground, while the hiss of tears fell down his face.
He whispered. "I can't..."

There was silence in the air as the rain spoke in hushed tones outside. The night smelled of cool black clouds, and summer drizzle, yet the house was untouched of it's calm.

The woman on the couch came alive, as she moved towards him at a cautious pace. Menacing footsteps made their way to his ears, yet he didn't know if he'd even mind. His eyes were shut. Suddenly his head was tipped upward, and his eyes met with the mother above him. Those same motherly eyes swept over him, and in a second, he knew what he wished wasn't true. She wasn't going to hurt him. "Come on now Inuyasha," she said soothingly guiding him to his feet. He stared confused, as she glanced over him, and then the living room. "I'll lead you up to Kagomes' room."

The pair meandered acros the wrecked room, past the motionless boys, and up the stairs of the dimly litten house. The faint scent of candles trickled along the hallways. She stopped at the familiar, reminiscent door. His heart wrenched at the sight of it. "Stay here for the night." She gestured to the door, and politely smiled. He began to wave his hands no. "No, wait, I just--"

"You can help me fix up the living room tomorrow morning if you're feeling guilty. Now I've got to go down stairs in case--" she stopped herself, and paused looking down, "--in case some one calls." With an air of elegance he was used to, she slipped down the stairs and out of sight. The forgiving and kind smile, he saw where Kagome inherited it from. It was only once she had left, that he turned to face the door, bathed in the evening shadow. His eyes scanned over the knob, yet his lips wriggled with discomfort. His insides twisted with nervousness.

It was a small effort, as he pushed open the door, but his face kept the same look. Silence met him inside.

The light turned on, as his finger shifted upwards. The room appeared in a flash of light.

Pink. As usual. Thoughts wove around his head as he peered around. As he steered himself around the room, he reached for things he had remembered seeing, as if to make sure they were there. Nothing had changed. He saw a hurried pile and mess by the closet, yet he couldn't bear to look at it much. His red hakama drifted over the pink silk of the bed, until he finally fell down on it, in a calm and unbelieving sigh. His face showed his confusion. His eyes betrayed his tears. They were still there.

In all his life as a miserable hanyou, he had never messed up to the extent he had today. He couldn't even feel remorse for himself easily. He had just ruined six peoples lives today. Six people had been driven to tears, for a mistake he had made. He felt like too much of a coward to face them now.

And who else would be affected? Kikyo would live-- if that's what one would call her current state. Shippou didn't know... but if he ever came back, his small heart would break. He would never come back if he knew.

"I don't even have to be half-demon to feel like a monster."

He rolled to his side, impassive at the pain that ruptured near his chest. His guilt surged through him, unwilling to subside. His yearning for Kagome by his side was even more impressive. His hand gripped the bed, as if hers was there. "Could I have changed something...?" His breath felt cold even as it passed his lips, but the room was warm.

He felt over the edge of the bed, and felt his hand grip something. He pulled it into veiw, realizing it was a book. He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. He spread his arms wide and put it above him, looking at the front page. "They're pictures..." He whispered quietly. The book was full of photos of the team in the Sengoku Jidai, months before the pact that changed everything. Kaede's village, one sunny afternoon.

He flipped them, entertained. One was of Shippou dancing with Kirara. "You probably grew since the last time I've seen ya, Shippou. Runt." His eyes, fully violet now scanned over the page. Every ounce of demon power was gone now. Not even the dog ears remained atop his head. The next was of Sango, Miroku, and Shippou all together. Kirara frollicked in the backround, nestling in green grasses. Friends across Time was the label. Inuyasha chuckled. Throughout the whole book there were only two pictures of him in it. He wasn't very photo-friendly. One in particular was when he was yelling at someone, either Shippou or Koga it had looked like. Loudmouth-- Inuyasha's mouth twitched with a smile.

He closed the book, fiddling with the cover with a small smirk. "Only you'd dedicate time to something like this Kagome." He set the green thing aside on the bed, while stroking the pink blankets. His eyes filled with a somber light. "We should have looked back on this together... the whole group. Why'd you keep it here?"

He rummaged only once more on the side of the bed, knowing he needed the sleep. As he was about to quit, he felt something near the wall, as if it had fallen off in hurry. A leather feel against his soft finger tips. Carefully, he put a grasp on it. His muscles quivered. "I can't believe I'm actually going through her stuff--" his pushed his guilt aside, dragging the item from the side of the bed. He gasped.

It was Kagomes' diary.

He dropped it.

"I can't, I mean, it's her diary!" He shoved it neatly in his lap, sitting up, feeling completely more awake then before. He sneered. "The girl wouldn't have much to talk about anyway."

There was a pause as he considered something, and a thought that was adrift in his mind, suddenly pieced itself into motion. "But if she wrote something that might tell where she is, it would be wrong of me not to find out." He was quick to come up with explanations. "If she said where she's headed I could find her by the end of the night!"

He bit his lip, opening to a page near the center. The page was white and thick, more durable, yet softer then any paper he'd seen before. This journal was specially made. He picked a spot in the entry, and read quietly to himself. He felt like he'd do near anything to hear something Kagome had said or written.

...and it's beginning really to bug me. It's like every time I turn around I can just sense it. Like it's not even there. But I've seen it! This silvery lock of wind that follows me wherever I go. I talked to Grandpa about it, and he said that old stories talk about...

He stopped reading and thought to himself. This wasn't what he was looking for. The hum of a memory went on in his head but he couldn't identify it. Maybe he could later.

He flipped a few more pages, until something stood out. On a bright page near the back, there was a page folded down so it would be easy to find. His bright, violet eyes took it in, and emotion pushed at the back of his mind.

It was a picture of him. Lovingly taped at the sides, it had probably been brought from the photo album and stuck in here by itself. Taken while he was sleeping, it looked like, his face was devoid of all emotion. An innocent, dog eared boy, wrapped for warmth in his blood red Hakama. He glanced down a bit to the bottom. Purple Ink. My Hero.

Inuyasha choked on any words that rose up. He ran his fingers, slowly over the photo, the innocent hanyou. The sleeping boy. "This, is your hero?"

He dropped the diary to his chest and looked away. His eyes were closed. "The guy who ruined you...?" They shut tighter. Kagome wouldn't blame him if she were here. She wouldn't scream. She would sit down next to him, stroke his shoulders, tell him she was in the wrong also, in some way. She would defend his side even when he would not.

He clenched his fist without opening his eyes. "I will protect you Kagome."

He fell asleep with the lights on, and the diary open, brimming with the scent of Kagome.

"I will protect you, even from me."

Mrs. Higurashi had turned off the light at some point. Near midnight she had come inside, drew the covers over him, and put the diary gently aside on the table, leaving only when Inuyasha turned in his sleep.

The night didn't come with much sleep, and the day after was filled with remorse. Sorrow was pungent throughout the house as he woke up, all his demon senses restored and intact. He helped clean up his mess from the night before, and went about repairing anything that he was capable of. His tantrum had ruined most of the living room, but the family seemed to put this as a secondary worry. All they could think about was Kagome.

As they day wore on, the room was nice enough to be seen by the public eye, but he felt like he'd only brought catastrophe upon this family. They stood in a line, looking over the living room. Mrs. Higurashi, clad in a yellow shirt had bags under her eyes, and glanced down every few seconds. Grandfather stared at the door, and Souta held his hands in front of him, and couldn't hold a smile. Every eye was filled with worry, and doubt. And he knew he had done this to them.

He offered any more help he could give, but he left shortly after, saying he'd return the next day. The Feudal Era greeted him almost the same; Miroku and Sango spoke not a word, holed up the entire day in Kaede's hut. Kikyo sat underneath a blossom tree, sketching. Shippou was still gone.

Two missing teammates. There would be no shard hunting for a while.

As he walked down the giant green hill to the village, he knew he had to approach them all with the truth: Kagome had run away. No matter how much they would hate him, he owed it to Kagome to tell the truth about what had happened to her.

So, with a solemn voice, he had told them.

They couldn't react. As soon as the truth hit them, their emotions were kept buried for a little while. In the end it was Sango who cried first. She called him 'Bastard' and struck him with Hiraikotsu with the force to level a city, and still she would not stop crying. Miroku only shook his head and said apologies under his breath. They wished she was ok.

But she wasn't. She had left at a time of extreme fragility. How could anyone think logically, leaving on a note like that? Yet her family kept hope she would return. Her friends prayed, and wished for her to be safe.

Inuyasha was a mask, as days passed to the next.

And so the days passed.

Inuyasha would come visit every day or so, give the family company or consolation. He would help out where he could, or even to get away from the Feudal Era, and all his downcast teammates. Kikyo would trek out alone for Jewel shards, and had already come back with two. Sango and Miroku would go hunting for Shippou, but with less results. And Inuyasha, on some days, would scour Kagome's city at night, roof top to roof top, all in hopes of finding a scent. The nights were cool and dimly lit, and he grew familiar to the smell of the city. He would lay on the roofs and watch the sunset in the present. She was somewhere out there.

It was one day, Inuyasha stopped by for an afternoon to help with the final remodeling of the living room. The family prepared Kagome's usual gift basket for them, but Mrs. Higurashi stopped him on the way out.

"Inuyasha!" she caught him by the hand. Her hands were soft and exerted all her inner strength. She had a small smile today.

Inuyasha turned, half-confused as he was led back inside the house. A summer breeze tucked some of his hair behind him. Sunlight swept past his face. The day smelt like leaves. Mrs. Higurashi opened a drawer, and emerged with Kagome's signature green bag. Inuyasha's face cracked as he looked over it, the pack soaked with memories of earlier trips with his friends. He frowned. For a second.

"She didn't take it with her?" He furrowed his brows in thought. His nose twitched with anxiety. She had taken a pack of clothes, but had left the pack behind in a hurry. He almost felt empathetic for the bag, left behind. Just like the rest of them. Her mother pushed it into his hands. He tilted his head. "What's this for?"

Kagome's mother shrugged. "I guess she didn't unpack everything." She turned to leave, but Inuyasha stopped her. He turned her by the shoulder and reminded her, "You might wanna check her diary. It could say where she was headed." Mrs. Higurashi nodded after a second and smiled. She fled inside, and took Souta by the hand as if to get ready for grocery shopping. Inuyasha peeked down. Curiosity moved his hand.

Reaching his hand inside, he raised it up, having found whatever was still inside.

Cookies. Gingerbread cookies.

Each man had a different expression, and was layered with thick flourescent frosting. She must have meant to share these, the night she had come. His eyes wavered over the ginger bread man in his hand, guilt and appreciation conflicting inside him. He took a bite. It crumbled with flavor inside his mouth, while the leaves around him fell still. There was a single moment, where he tasted happiness in the dark time that was surrounding him. He savored it.

And then he was gone. He took the pack with him as he descended into the past, and purple light engulfed him once more.

When he arrived back, his friends ate all he had come to bring. Every cookie was eaten by the end of the day, except for one in a zip-lock bag, saved for Shippou. They had not given up hope.

It was just one day later where everything seemed to change.

Apparently Kagome had called.

When Kagome's mother finally got in contact with her, the news spread like wildfire. Kagome was safe, visiting Tokyo while living with a relative. There was no expressed date of when she coming back. But she was in safe hands; everything else seemed melted away. Relief was set in his sights at this news, yet fell away when he realized he couldn't succesfully navigate to another city, find Kagome, and then come back. Finding her himself was now an impossibility. Nights on the rooftops came to an end.

As the Feudal Era wound to a close one night, the group looked up at the stars and stared. Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha all lay and look at the sky. Kikyo was out of town on a hunt. The galaxy seemed to opent up before them, Sango rubbing inside her arms for warmth. She sighed. "Think she's doing ok, Miroku?" The brilliant blue of the night sky was lit with stars, the cold breeze echoing the vast glitter of space. He gave a hint of smile, his eyes a hue of lavender. "Kagome is a strong girl. She's got what it takes to survive in a world like that."

Inuyasha listened silently, as Miroku and Sango curled into each other, and the night sky shined back at him. The brilliance seemed alive tonight, and the radiant stars seemed to dance across the sky. Life pulsed all around him, in every square of his being. It was only then, he felt the gap at his side. A gap of life, a space where she should be. Where Kagome should be.

He looked once more at his friends next to him and gave a little breath. He moved a bit to the side, and felt a breeze pulling through his hair. It was only once he tucked in his beads that he dipped into slumber, the echo of the wind tugging at him through the constant night. A flicker of silver passed by his ear like a fairy, but was shortly gone.


"Don't you realize? The games are over! There's no more time to dawdle!"

A fist slammed into the metal, a cursing met with it in the same breath. There was a silent point of seething where no one spoke. The other cleared his throat. "What does that mean for us?"

There was sigh, and the two pairs of eyes met. There was a glimmer as they tried to understand one another. The older one spoke. "It means we're acting on borrowed time, and the white assistants haven't been able to track 'em at all!"

"Then just tell me what we have to do!" Green eyes spoke passionately with the words, and no time was wasted with a response.

The elder flashed his teeth with a predatory grin, and leaning back agianst the wall he answered quietly. "We have to tell them."


A/n: So as to let you all know, I won't take so long to update anymore, and I'm also beginning a new story! It's only meant to be a few chapters long, but I thought it was worth mentioning for anyone looking forward to that kinda thing. If you'd like to show love you can review, for everyone else I hope to see you all soon! Bye!!