InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Staring You Right In The Face ❯ Chapter One: The War Is Over ( Chapter 1 )

Staring You Right in the Face

Chapter One: The War is Over

By Taylor Bissett

 

 

 

Sometimes you don't see what's staring you right in the face. Everyone else seems to know what's going on in your life, yet you always seem to be the last one to realize it. Our own personal insecurities appear to always keep us from seeing the truth. This is how it was before InuYasha and I admitted our love for one another.

 

It was a day unlike any other day. Dust was settling over the battlefield, like snow. The war was finally over.

 

I crouched down next to the decomposing remains of the once all-powerful Naraku, and reached into the gore to retrieve the tainted form of the completed Shikon No Tama. I held the Jewel of Four Souls close to my breast and cleared my mind in order to purify it. The jewel had been so defiled by the evil encompassed in the soul of Naraku, that it took almost every ounce of strength I had to purge the stone. Halfway through, I had to stop, my concentration waning. My vision was blurring and I needed a moment to regain my focus.

 

I looked down at the jewel in my hands, still crawling with darkness, but still much less soiled than before. My vision then wandered to the people that had become like a second family to me over the past four years. My eyes first fell upon Miroku, the lecherous monk. His Kazaana had almost destroyed him and everyone else this day, but it had also provided us with enough time to deliver the final blow. He stood, staring at his hand, now healed of the curse that had laid on his family for three generations. Standing companionably close to him was Sango, the Taijiya, her Hiraikotsu slung carelessly across her back and her pet Fire Cat Kirara sitting primly on her shoulder. She looked from Miroku's hand to catch my eyes. A gentle smile graced her lips as she reached down to take the hand of her resurrected brother Kohaku.

Kohaku stared in disbelief at the stoic white form of the Inu-Yokai lord, Sesshomaru. He still had his Tensaiga drawn. He had used the healing sword on the demon slayers brother in retribution for Kohaku's selfless display of courage.

 

In the heat of battle, Kohaku, with his recently re-acquired memories, had thrown himself in front of one of Naraku's blasts of energy. Thus, saving the Inu-Yokai's ward, Rin from being brutally killed. A smirk twitched on my lips as Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, took Sango's lead and reached down to grasp Rin's tiny hand in his. Jaken, vassal of the White Lord, gaped at his magnate's display of affection for the Ninjen child; then looked around him for the Staff of Two Heads that he had carried since he had come under the service of his Lord. Timidly, Shippou, the orphaned kitsune, bowed his head in an unexpected form of respect and presented Jaken with his staff.

 

Shippou had actually surprised everyone this day. His Fox-Fire attack coupled with his Multiply spell provided just the distraction InuYasha needed to unleash his Kaze-No-Kizu. A little ways away from Shippou, stood the Wind Sorceress, Kagura. In the end she had betrayed Naraku and let us know of his whereabouts. This betrayal for the good and the just allowed her to regain the heart that Naraku held from her since her creation. She had stood strong and fought valiantly alongside us. I smiled at her and gave a slight bow of my weary head to express my gratitude and friendship. She seemed confused by my gesture at first, but quickly realized the meaning and flashed a slight smirk back at me.

 

Finally my sweeping gaze fell on my InuYasha. His eyes locked on mine, and I felt a gush of emotion. His body was covered in the blood of the thousands of Yokai he had slain, and his own as well. He was scathed and bruised, and had a rather large gaping wound just below the left side of his ribcage. But his eyes...his molten gold eyes...they shone with triumph! And something else...was it...love? No…it couldn't be. In that moment he was utterly beautiful to me. My breath hitched in my throat at the sight of him. I fell in love with him all over again in that one perfect moment. In his right hand he gripped the hilt of the Tetsusaiga. The legendary fanged sword had reverted to its untransformed state, looking like nothing more than a worn and rusted Katana. In his left hand he clutched a white silk ribbon that had been stained with blood.

 

Before the battle, Kikyo had shown up at our camp, just outside of the miasma surrounding Naraku's palace. To my dismay, she wished to speak to InuYasha...alone. It was times like this that I wished that I possessed InuYasha's extraordinary hearing. When he came back, I was surprised to see him alone, grasping the white ribbon in his clawed hand.

 

"Kagome, we need to talk," he said to me gruffly.

 

He took me out a little ways from camp to avoid curious ears. He told me that Kikyo was tired of living this imitation of existence, and she finally realized that things could never be the same for them. And frankly, she yearned for the calm dim and absolving calm of the afterlife. But the main reason she came was to return the portion of my soul that kept her chained to this life. She said I would need my complete soul intact before we attempted to take on Naraku or all would be lost.

 

She reached out her cold dry hand for his and he tentatively grasped hers.

 

"Tell Kagome that she is a worthy reincarnation, if things had been different I could have called her friend." She removed the ribbon from her hair. "Take this, InuYasha and promise to never forget me."

 

"Kikyo," he whispered.

 

She leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on his lips, but as soon as they touched, her body crumbled and she floated away like ash into the night.

 

After he told me this I was speechless. But the look of loss on my Hanyou's features tore at my heart like nothing ever had before, and I took his hand in mine. Then he did something I had never expected him to do. He moved close to me and just laid his head on my shoulder. After a quick moment of shock, I reciprocated by putting my arm around his back and resting my chin on his head between his ears. We stayed that way for almost two hours, not saying a word.

 

Now, one night later, I focused my eyes directly upon the glorious man in front of me, and slow as seasons, I blinked at him, sending the love I felt for him and for all of them right back to them. They were my friends, my comrades, my kindred spirits and my family. That's what they had become to me. And it was a gift. I focused all of that feeling up and out of my body and tried to fill the jewel with its pure essence. At once I was surrounded with warmth and light. The Shikon-No-Tama burned with an intensity that seemed to shame the setting sun. The radiance softened and spread out and over us all, absorbing the pure feeling of love, companionship and Triumph.

 

Then all of a sudden it got dark...

 

Or was it my eyes closing...

 

And why do I feel like...

 

I'm falling down...

 

Down, down...

 

Into chaos.

 

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