InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stolen Soul ❯ The Gathering Storm ( Chapter 10 )

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

Author's Note: I wrote most of this chapter, decided I hated it, threw out almost the entire thing, and wrote it almost entirely from scratch. I'm still not entirely happy with it, but I'm ready to move on and stop futzing with this. Time to start writing the next chapter, instead of trying to get this one absolutely perfect.

I estimate that there are about 3 more chapters after this one, but I'm notoriously bad at guessing how long it will take me to finish a story, so it could be more. I tend to underestimate how much detail I write, especially in thoughts and conversations, and so what looks quick on my plot outline sometimes ends up not so quick in the actual writing.

One last note: I know many of you expect Inu-Yasha to immediately go racing after Kagome within moments of regaining consciousness, but in my mind his realization about Kikyo being evil has shaken him up enough that he needs a bit of time to process it first, at least a few hours. I mean, he's spent an awfully long time denying it to himself, so finally accepting the truth has got to mess him up a bit.

Japanese Terms: the same clothing terms as before, plus...
bouzu -- insulting slang for a Buddhist monk (I've used this one before, but it was way back in Chapter 2, so I thought I'd give a reminder)

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me. This fic, however, is mine. Please don't take it without my permission.

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* * *
Chapter 10
The Gathering Storm

* * *


When Inu-Yasha next woke, the hut was quiet. He opened his eyes and saw that it was mid-day, the sun shining bright. Outside, birds twittered and sang. How many days has it been? That fucking hag keeps drugging me! Struggling to a sitting position, Inu-Yasha looked around him. He was bare-chested but heavily bandaged, with various bowls of medicines and bandages lying close to the straw mat where he had been sleeping.

Miroku sat against the far wall, his staff leaning against his chest and shoulder, his eyes closed either in meditation or sleep. Sometimes it was difficult to tell. But then Miroku calmly opened his eyes and spoke. "It is good to see you awake, Inu-Yasha. Lady Kaede was at times quite concerned for your safety, but I am told your wounds have been healing well."

Inu-Yasha stretched experimentally and was pleased to feel no significant pain. His ribs no longer ached as if they'd been broken, and his left arm now moved easily. Even his throat felt considerably better, and so he decided to try speaking again.

"Fucking bouzu," he grumbled. His throat barely hurt at all when he spoke. He could still feel that the wound on the outside of his neck had not fully healed, but at least he no longer had to whisper. It had been humiliating.

But Miroku only chuckled lightly at Inu-Yasha's insult. "You seem quite yourself again. That is good news." The monk paused briefly before adding seriously, "We have missed your strength and friendship during these confusing times."

Though he did not touch the dressing on the wound on his neck, Inu-Yasha tore off the rest of his bandages with impatient hands and tossed them aside, ignoring the visible signs of recent gashes only barely healed. He looked around for his kimono and haori and found them washed, mended, and neatly folded nearby.

Pulling on his white kimono, Inu-Yasha finally reacted to Miroku's words. "'Confusing times'? Fucking ' confusing times '? Is that what you call it when Kagome's body gets stolen, Koga accuses me of rape, my demon blood transforms me, Kagome shows up in Kikyo's body then runs off with Koga, and Kikyo ends up being fucking evil ? 'Confusing times'? That's a fucking understatement , you moron!"

Miroku was silent for a long moment, contemplating Inu-Yasha's rash words, waiting for the hanyou to realize what he had said.

When Inu-Yasha had finished righting his clothing and was once again dressed in his red haori and everything was tucked and tied properly, he sat cross-legged and stared into space, seeming lost in thought.

"Evil?" prompted Miroku curiously.

Inu-Yasha sighed, rubbing his hands over his face, still brushing away the cobwebs that lingered from such a long, drugged sleep. His voice was tired when he glanced briefly at the monk and explained reluctantly, "Kikyo tried to kill Kagome. And she's the one who cast this spell ... to steal Kagome's body."

Miroku's expression remained calm. "I see."

"You don't sound surprised," muttered Inu-Yasha sullenly.

Nodding, Miroku explained, "It has been apparent for some time that Lady Kikyo's heart was irreparably corrupted by Naraku's deception. She is no longer the gentle priestess who purified and protected the Shikon jewel, but rather a dark creature born of hatred and vengeance."

This is my fault. If I had only trusted Kikyo, she wouldn't have died in so much pain, filled with so much rage. Kikyo, I would do anything to save you, but ... the Kikyo I knew would never have harmed an innocent girl like Kagome. I'm sorry I hurt you, Kikyo. Can you never forgive me? Can you never find peace?

A brooding frown on his face, Inu-Yasha rose to his feet and strode from the hut without another word, Miroku gazing after him in sympathetic concern.

* * *

As Inu-Yasha left the hut, he nearly knocked Kaede over as she was coming in. He offered no apology, but simply walked away and leapt into a nearby tree, staring off into the distance with a faraway expression, once again lost in thought.

With a shrewd glance at the hanyou to quickly gauge his recovered health, Kaede nodded approvingly and then entered the hut, seeming pleased to find Miroku still there. "Lord monk, I have much to discuss with you regarding this situation, if you are willing." Her tone and expression betrayed her obvious worries.

Miroku replied immediately, "Of course, Lady Kaede. I will help in any way that I can."

"I fear that if my sister and Kagome meet again, Kagome's remaining soul shall be drawn from her body, causing her mind and heart to disperse to the heavens. This must be prevented, or the Kagome we know shall cease to exist on this earth."

Miroku frowned slightly before replying, "I take it you wish to use the kokoro magics to save Kagome? I have no experience with these magics, but I am willing to use my spiritual power to help Kagome if it is possible."

Kaede nodded seriously, her face grave. "I do believe that it is possible, with your assistance, for I myself am capable of guiding the magics, though it requires great power. Let us discuss how this might be accomplished..."

* * *

From his perch on a branch high above the ground, Inu-Yasha could see Kikyo in the distance, her white kimono and red hibakama bright against the green grass. It reminded him of the times, so long ago, when he spent his days watching her from afar, waiting to steal the Shikon jewel but never able to bring himself to attack her. That was how everything started.

Fifty years. And you still hate me so much.

That day, we were both betrayed. Why did your heart became black with hatred, and mine didn't? I have never tried to kill you. I have only ever tried to save you and protect you. Why? So that you could attack those I lo-- ... those I care about? Is that why I was protecting you? So that you could betray innocent women by stealing their souls and their bodies?

Have I been protecting a woman who no longer exists?

I did love you once, Kikyo. But I no longer see the woman I loved when I look at you. Now I see Kagome's eyes, Kagome's lips ... but Kagome's smile is gone. Because you've stolen it. And you had no right.

Why do you do these things? Why do you hurt innocent people, and not seem to care? I don't understand the creature you've become.

And I don't understand ... why do you still hate me, even when you know that it was Naraku who betrayed us both? Why is your heart still so black with hate?

Why did you embrace hatred so eagerly and so completely? Was it already there, beneath the surface? Did you ever truly love me? Or did you always hate the part of me that is demon?


* * *

Some little distance from the village and Kaede's hut, Kikyo sat upon a hillside which overlooked the river. She was dressed once more in the traditional miko garb of white kimono and red hibakama, her expression upon Kagome's face again smooth and sad.

I can no longer bear to be in his presence, after observing the demon which lives within him, the demon which is him. I did once think that he and I were the same, both fighting our humanity, but I never dreamed that he could be a beast such as this. No wish on the Shikon jewel could ever make that creature truly human.

I was a naive fool to dream of a human life with you, Inu-Yasha. I did love you once, but I see now that I did not know your true self and loved only my own imaginings. And yet it was my foolish feelings for you which weakened my power to protect the Shikon jewel. If I had never met you, Naraku would never have been born.

I no longer wish for you to fight Naraku by my side, no longer wish to live any human life with you when this is done. Your very nature is disgusting to me ... and yet I cannot leave your side before all is complete, for you shall unknowingly bring to me that which I need.

The girl will return. She is a fool, just as I once was, and her love for you will draw her back to this place. And when she returns, I will at last complete this soul, and my power will then be great enough to crush Naraku.

Will it pain you, to watch the girl die, and know that it was you who brought her to her doom? Will the guilt and remorse in your heart grow stronger, sharper, deeper? Will you see that you did not protect her from me, just as you did not protect me from Naraku?

Will the girl's death pain you? I do hope that it will.

And when the girl is dead, when this soul is complete and Naraku has been destroyed, I shall return to take my final vengeance upon you as well, and you shall die as I died, with the pain of betrayal burning in your heart.

Inu-Yasha, I died hating you, and so I cannot rest as long as you remain alive. Your life is mine to take, and I will never release you.

Now, I need only wait until the girl returns, and brings with her the final piece of this soul.


* * *

When Sango and Shippo arrived at Koga's cave with Kirara, the wolf prince was ready for them. His sense of smell had detected their presence long before their actual arrival.

Standing with his arms crossed at the entrance to the cave, Koga said scathingly, "So ... some of Kagome's supposed 'friends' finally decided to show up, eh? I notice Inu-Yasha hasn't bothered to come."

Sango and Shippo glanced at each other in confusion before Shippo asked bluntly, "Why do you care what Inu-Yasha does?"

Koga's face fell and he looked away toward the inner part of the cave. When he turned back to face them again, his expression and voice had grown much less fierce. "When she does manage to sleep, she often says his name. But when she's awake, she never speaks of him. That mutt doesn't deserve her, but ... I know she wants to see him."

"May we see her?" asked Sango with obvious concern. "We've been looking for her for many days. We came here as soon as we learned where she was."

Shippo nodded eagerly from his perch on her shoulder. "Please let us see Kagome!"

Glancing again toward the inside of the cave, Koga hesitated briefly before telling them quietly, "She is very weak." But then they left Kirara curled up asleep near the entrance and Koga led the way to where Kagome lay upon layers of large furs that formed something resembling a shallow nest. Several large wolves lay around her, but at a word from Koga they stood and left. She still wore Kikyo's red-and-white miko clothing, and her eyes were closed.

"Kagome!" cried Shippo immediately, bursting into tears and leaping from Sango's shoulder into the nest, where he proceeded to hug Kagome with all his tiny strength. "We were so worried! We looked everywhere, but we couldn't find you!"

Kagome's eyes fluttered open, her expression confused but cautiously pleased. "Shippo?" she said softly, as if wondering if this were a dream. But her arms instinctively closed around the fox demon and hugged him. He noticed immediately that her hold had none of its usual gentle strength. And she still smelled wrong, but there was a very faint Kagome smell to her aura, and Shippo tried to find comfort in that.

Looking up, Kagome spied Sango and spoke her name, making an attempt to rise to standing, but it was clear that doing so would be difficult. Both Koga and Sango immediately urged her not to strain herself, and Sango instead sat by Kagome's side and took her hand, smiling encouragingly and trying not to let her true worried feelings show on her face.

"Sango, have you seen Inu-Yasha? How is he?" Kagome asked quietly. Koga abruptly walked away, back toward the entrance to the cave, where he stood looking out at the waterfall.

Sango squeezed Kagome's hand gently and assured her, "He is healing from his wounds. Kaede is using a tea to force him to sleep, so that he won't be so stubborn and tear his wounds open."

Kagome smiled weakly. "He can be so stupid."

Still curled up in the crook of Kagome's arm, Shippo asked worriedly, "Why are you so weak? Are you sick?"

"I think ... it's because I'm not absorbing souls," Kagome explained hesitantly. "I let all the souls go, and ... I just keep getting weaker. I think maybe ... maybe this body can't keep going without more souls."

Sango watched Kagome's face, growing increasingly concerned for her friend. "And you will not absorb souls, even to keep this body alive." It was not a question. Sango knew her friend better than that.

"No," Kagome said quietly.

"So what's gonna happen to you?" asked Shippo, his eyes wide with worry.

Kagome hesitated a long moment, faintly rubbing her fingers against the soft fur on top of Shippo's head. "Shippo ... may I talk to Sango alone for a minute?"

But Shippo shook his head vigorously. "No! You don't want me to know what's going on! Does that mean you're dying?" His eyes were rapidly filling with tears.

Kagome met Sango's sad eyes. The other woman had already lost so many people dear to her, she did not want to lose Kagome as well.

Sighing, Kagome explained weakly, "If it is a choice between stealing innocent souls ... and dying ... I would rather die. I don't want to become Kikyo. I'm me. I'm Kagome . And I would never do that. I would ... truly ... I would rather ... die."

Sango squeezed her hand tightly and said quietly, "I understand, Kagome. You are one of the kindest people I have ever met, and I know you would never wish to use others for your own gain. It is one of the things I admire most about you." Tears glistened in Sango's eyes, as well, though they did not fall.

"But I don't want you to die!" wailed Shippo, his own tears flowing freely. "Isn't there something else we can do? Isn't there some way to fix it?"

Still gently stroking his fur, Kagome explained apologetically, "I don't know what else to do, Shippo."

"Maybe Kaede knows!"

Kagome smiled gently and replied in a quiet voice, "Yes, perhaps. I would like it if you would take me back to her and Inu-Yasha."

"Hurray!" shouted Shippo. "I'm sure Kaede will know what to do!" He leapt up and ran to the front of the cave to wake Kirara to tell her the news that they would have another passenger on the return trip.

But Sango stayed, still holding Kagome's hand. "If you return and Lady Kikyo is still there," she said, watching Kagome's eyes, "she may draw out your soul."

Kagome only smiled faintly and said, "I know. But I need to see Inu-Yasha again before ... if I'm going to die, I have to see him first. I've never told him ... and I need to."

Sango nearly automatically asked, "Tell him what?" ... but she knew her friend too well, and instead remained silent a long moment, contemplating how many things had gone long unsaid in their traveling party. At length, she asked simply, "When would you like to leave?"

Squeezing her friend's hand weakly in thanks, Kagome replied, "As soon as possible."

Sango nodded and released Kagome's hand, rising to her feet and saying, "Let me tell Koga."

Kagome nearly argued that she should be the one to tell the wolf prince, but her weakness was such that she merely lay back upon the furs and nodded.

* * *

"No," insisted Koga, his arms crossed and his expression stubborn. "You aren't taking her. She's too weak. And if you take her back there Inu-Yasha's stupid miko bitch will suck her soul right out of her. You weren't there! You didn't see it!"

"I know, Koga, but ... if Kagome is truly dying ... does she herself not have the right to decide where ?"

Koga watched the water falling just outside the cave, listening to the roar as it hit the rocks below, feeling the spray against his face. He knew Sango was right -- he himself would want the same right if he were dying -- but it was difficult to accept.

"Fine," he spat out after several moments had passed in silence. "But I'm going with you."

"No, Koga." Kagome's voice came from surprisingly nearby, for she had risen to her feet and walked toward them, though she wobbled unsteadily. Koga moved forward to help support her, and she gratefully rested against his side. She looked up at him and said quietly, "I don't want you to come, Koga. This is something I need to do on my own."

When Koga immediately opened his mouth to object, Kagome said, "Please respect my wishes. This is what I want."

Looking away, Koga clenched his jaw so that a muscle twitched angrily in his cheek. "Fine," he ground out.

"Thank you," Kagome said softly, and then rested her weight against his side more fully so that she could rise up far enough to gently kiss his cheek. He swallowed visibly, keeping his face averted. "Thank you for everything , Koga."

When Kagome turned toward Sango, she saw that her friend had gotten ready to leave, with Kirara already transformed. Koga said nothing as Sango helped Kagome onto the firecat's back and they walked closer to the cave's entrance.

Glancing back at the wolf prince who still would not meet her eyes, who still kept his face averted, Kagome said apologetically, "Good-bye, Koga." And with a leap through the spray they were suddenly gone.

As Kirara carried them away from the cave, away toward Kaede's hut, away toward Inu-Yasha, none of them saw the lone figure standing on a ledge to the side of the waterfall. None of them saw the tears in his blue eyes, or heard the hoarse words, "Good-bye, Kagome."

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To Be Continued

Next Time: The Battle Begins

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