InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tears of Blood ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Tears of Blood

Chapter Eight

-xXx

"Damn, kitsune," Shippou received a kick in the stomach. "Tell me where the snakes are!"

"I told you, I don't know," he gasped. If there was one thing he learned from Inuyasha and Kagome was their stubbornness.

"You lie," another kick. "We spent years looking for you and the other one."

"Talk about persistence," Shippou said with a weary smile.

"You do know where the snakes are and you will tell us!"

"I … I will not," Shippou told him with blood dripping from his mouth. The bear continued to smirk.

"Oh you will," the bear picked him up and threw him. "You will soon enough."

-xXx

"How long is it going to take," asked the impatient Kagome. She had her arms crossed, a striking resemblance to Inuyasha.

"About another half a day," replied the kitsune.

"What?!"

"Perhaps we stop for a while," said Miroku looking at Sango worriedly.

"No," both Inuyasha and Kagome yelled. Before the monk could say another word, Sango collapsed. He caught her before she hit the flour.

"We all want Shippou-chan back, but Sango has fallen ill and needs rest," he said at sat against a tree with Sango in his lap. Kagome snapped out of it and went to Sango.

"Oh Sango, I'm sorry," Kagome apologized.

"I'm just tired and need a little sleep," Sango barely whispered, then fell asleep against Miroku’s chest.

-xXx

"Inuyasha," said Kagome, sitting in the tree above the two humans were sleeping. She knew why Inuyasha liked trees so much. It was so beautiful to look at the surroundings around them.

"Hum?" he replied not looking at her. Kagome didn't know where or how to start.

"How," she faltered. "How do you deal with you emotions?" she asked. He looked at the horizon so she looked in the same direction, hopping to see what he was looking at. After a while, Kagome didn't know if he was going to answer or not.

"Think of something else," he finally said in a tone she had never heard him use. She felt nothing but emotions coming from him.

"What?"

"Something I was told long ago," he told her, Kagome starred at him. "You think of a different emotion. When you are upset think of something happy." Not once did he look from the sky. For some reason, Kagome wanted to know who told him that.

"Who told you that," she asked boldly. He didn't speak, just closed his eyes in guilt. Kagome had on last question for him. "Do you still love her," she asked, her ears fell flat against her head, as did his. Inuyasha finally looked at her. What she saw in his beautiful sad eyes scared her. There was so much emotion and pain, she almost wished she hadn't ask.

"I don't know, Kagome," he finally said. "I don’t know who I love or don't love. I just don’t know anymore.” Kagome stared at him, finally she understood. He was just confused.

"I think I understand now. If you would have told me this when I was human I would have yelled at you and went home," she smiled and closed her eyes. She was about to say something that would decide both their fates. Kagome opened he eyes. "Go Inuyasha," she continued smiling.

"What?!"

"Go and find your purpose," she said. "I have already found mine, you must find yours." She looked into his pained eyes. Kagome took a deep breath and reached for the necklace around his neck. Not losing eye contact, she took it off.

"Kagome?!"

"Quiet," she put her clawed finger over his mouth. "Take this," she handed him the necklace.

"I can't break a promise," said the hanyou.

"You're not," Kagome smirked and lifted his clawed hand.

"Kagome, I …" I drifted off.

"Go, you have other promises to keep," she was finding it so hard to keep her smile. Inuyasha just continued to stare at her.

"Go now," her smile finally faded. "You must go," she broke eye contact. Inuyasha used that moment to embrace her.

"Thank you Kagome. Thank you for understanding." They let go of each other for a while longer, then in one swift motion Inuyasha was gone. He barely heard what Kagome said.

"Please come back to me Inuyasha," she still continued her sadden smiled. "I'll be waiting for you my love," she jumped from tree where the two waiting humans and the kitsune were.

-
xXx

"You just let him go," said Miroku.

"I didn't ‘let’ him go. I told him to go," Kagome defended herself.

"How do you know he will come back?" Sango asked.

"I don't know."

"What about Naraku?" Miroku asked.

"We have to hope Inuyasha comes back," Kagome said emotionless.

"What about powerful youkai?" Sango asked.

"We'll manage," Kagome answered getting very irritated. "Now stop with the questions!" she snapped.

"She really does act like Inuyasha," whispered Miroku to Sango. Kagome's eye twitched.

"I heard that," the humans laughed to themselves.

"We still have a little while to go," said the kitsune, interrupting in fear of the human's safety.

"What!" she growled.

"Yes Kagome-sama," she said calmly. "May I make a suggestion?"

"What?"

"Why don't the two humans ride on the neko, and you and I run? That will cut the time almost in half."

"Fine," Kagome agreed. "How long will it take?"

"About two more hours…"

-xXx

"Here's your food," a bowl of slop was thrown at Shippou. Being too proud, also something he learned from the inu-hanyou, he threw it back.

"Why you," the bear yelled. "Just you wait," he started near him.

"You wait," Shippou smirked. "Very soon you are going to die."

"You talk too much when you're not allowed to, yet when you have to you don't."

"Soon someone very powerful is going to be here," Shippou continued to smirk. "and you will die."

"I should kill you now!" the bear went to attack him, but the sounds outside made him stop.

"You’ll see," Shippou sneered.

-
xXx

"Where, is my kitsune!?" Kagome had a bear by the throat.

"What … kitsune?" the bear youkai smirked.

"Don't play dumb with me!" her grip became tighter.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Useless," she threw him in frustration. Kagome walked further into the den. Her aura was glowing pink and purple. The only thing keeping her from tearing the place apart was her suppression ring.

"Stop where you are," a guard told her. Kagome looked at him.

"It would be best if you moved," she said flatly. Wisely and cowardly, he moved. Kagome opened the door the bear was just guarding. She almost cried at what she saw, Shippou was bloodied and bruised. Shippou lost his brave act when he saw Kagome. He was so happy that she was there, he cried. She was the mother he never had.

"Kaasan!" he attached himself to her.

"It's alright. I'm here now," she held the kit tight. Kagome turned around and walked away, leaving the youkai astounded.

"Is he alright?" asked Sango when Kagome was outside.

"He's sleeping," she said.

"Where to now?" Miroku asked.

"We find a place to set up camp. We all need to rest," she told them, only looking at the kitsune in her arms.

-xXx

Inuyasha blindly ran with no destination in mind. Kagome's words churned through his mind like a continuous broken record. He knew she loved him, her actions proved that to him over the years. Inuyasha also cared deeply for her, but he was bound to Kikyou, the miko who vowed to drag him to Hell with her. At one time, he was more than willing to go with the miko. However, he couldn't leave Kagome. Now he had to choose death and misery with the woman he was bound to, or a lifetime of happiness with a woman who freed him from himself. Inuyasha would find the undead miko to make his decision.

Inuyasha stopped running, surveying the area to gain his bearings. This place was familiar to him, bringing peace and comfort to his soul. This was the pond where his mother would bring him to bathe, hidden away from both humans and youkai. He recalled a conversation he and his mother shared.

-
xXx
<i>

"Inuyasha darling?" said the human to the Inu-hanyou splashing in the water with the fish.

"Yes, Kaasan?" he asked.

"Come here, I have to talk to you," she said with a gentle smile. Inuyasha ran over to his mother.

"Yes," he asked with his hair in tangles his ears hidden in the snarls. His mother laughed quietly to her self.

"Get dressed, then I'll groom your hair."

"But Kaasan, I can to it myself," he whined.

"Inuyasha," she scolded.

"Alright," he pouted. He dressed, plopped down in a huff in front of his mother.

"You have such beautiful hair, Inuyasha," she said sadly, beginning to form in her eyes.

"Kaasan, why are you crying?" he asked, smelling the salty tears.

"I love you very much," she cried.

"Kaasan, what's the matter?!" Inuyasha was now worried.

"Inuyasha," she turned him around so he was facing her.

"Yes," he was shaking, he knew that something bad was going to happen.

"I'm…" she didn't know how to say it. "Inuyasha, my darling, I am dying," tears streaming from her eyes. Inuyasha froze. His mother's words echoed in his head he was having a hard time processing what they meant. Finally, it clicked; his mother was dying.

"But Kaasan, you can't die! I need you!"

"My darling, I'm sorry, so very sorry I have to leave you," tears were streaming down her face.

"No," he said embracing his mother tightly. "I need you, I need you so much. You can't leave, Kaasan please!"

"You don't need me any longer," she comforted him. True, he didn't need her to live but he was a hanyou and he needed her emotionally. She damned her curse for all it was worth, even if it was helpful to others. "When you get older you will find someone else, someone better then me. You will find someone to need and love."

"But-"

"Listen, they will also need and love you. They will show you happiness, and give you a sense of life. They will help you forget all the evil's in your life," she cried.

"Kaasan," he clenched her beautiful kimono.

"I love you my son, my wonderful, beautiful son." She rocked him and hummed a song.

Soon his eyes drifted closed and he slept.
</i>
-xXx

He lay there in the still clearing, hidden by the tall grass, thinking about his past. The sudden urge to cry hit him hard. He wanted to cry for his mother, the father he never knew, Kikyou, Kagome, Shippou, Sango, Miroku, even his cold hearted half brother. He wanted to cry, to let go of the sorrow, but his iron grip on his emotions wouldn't let him.

Inuyasha spent hours upon hours thinking. His thoughts drifted between his mother, Kagome and Kikyou. Three of the women in his life. His mother was gone, now he had to chose between the other two He contemplated the time he spent with Kikyou, then Kagome.

-xXx
<i>
"The sky is unusually blue today, it will be an interesting day," Kikyou said looking at the cloudless sky. She glanced at the hanyou next to her.

"Kikyou," said Inuyasha.

"Yes?"

"Why…" he started. "Why do you stay with me?" Kikyou gazed at him. With a look, Inuyasha had a feeling that she didn't know herself.

"I…I don't really know," she confessed. "I think it's just because of companionship."

"Oh," he sighed. "Is that all?" he asked hopefully.

"Inuyasha," she continued to looked at him. "I love you," she said softly. Inuyasha was shocked.

"I love you too," he smiled. Kikyou went over to Inuyasha and embraced him.
</i>
-xXx

The thought of him first telling Kikyou how he felt made him more confused. He never explained to Kagome his feelings towards her. As Inuyasha stared into the crystal clear waters, an early memory of Kagome flashed through his mind.

-xXx
<i>
"How many times do I have to tell you?!" said the angry hanyou. "I can do this on my own!" he was walking with Kagome next to him.

"Well, I broke it so it's only right that I help fix it." Kagome smiled. "You need me to see the shards." Inuyasha was livid.

"Listen, I don't need anyone. I will do this myself, and I will become a full youkai. Understand?!" he was only inches from her face. To her credit, Kagome didn't flinch.

"No, I don't understand," she said, and stared walking again along with Inuyasha. "I don't understand why you feel like you have to do everything yourself. I'm here to help you and that is what I'm going to do," she refused to look at him. "As far as you becoming a full youkai, that's non of my concern. If that'll purify the jewel, then so be it." Kagome snapped and walked away.

"You-"

"Kagome," she didn't look at him. "My name is Kagome. You said it once, you can say it again."

"Keh," he folded his arms. "You are definitely not Kikyou," he mumbled under his breath.

"What did you sa-" Kagome stopped in mid sentence and caught her breath.

"What is it?" asked Inuyasha.

"…A jewel shard," she turned sharply, twisting her ankle and falling to the ground. She peered over her shoulder to see a giant cat youkai.

"Where is it?! Where’s the shard," Inuyasha yelled.

"In its head … between the eyes," she yelled back, futilely attempting to get to her feet. Inuyasha knocked the cat to the ground, digging his claws in the cat's skull and ripping the head into pieces and retrieving the shard.

"Some times I just can't stand cats," Inuyasha smirked. He gave the shard to Kagome, who was still trying to stand.

"Why are you giving it to me?" she asked.

"You would do better holding it," he said in his own defense. She took it while trying to stand, but lost her balance. Inuyasha caught her by the elbows.

"Thanks," she said when she was finally standing. Kagome tried to smile, but it faltered when she stepped on her ankle.

"Keh," Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Get on my back."

"Wha-"

"You are even more slow and useless trying to walk in that condition," he explained to her. Kagome smiled and positioning herself on his back. It seemed she figured something out about him.

"Don't get too comfortable," he said sarcastically and began walking down the road.

"Inuyasha," said Kagome who was now very content.

"What,"

"You have such beautiful hair," she said, combing her fingers threw his hair. Inuyasha was aware of it however. She started brushing his hand with her fingers. Surprising, to both of them, he was letting her do it. Kagome started humming. Instantly, Inuyasha was reminded of his mother. For the first time in a long while, he felt completely at ease. He made a small sound in the back of his throat, which Kagome mistakenly took for annoyance.

"No," he said.

"What?"

"Kagome, don't stop. Please," he pleaded, for a moment he sounded like a small child. Kagome smiled continuing to hum and stroke his hair.
</i>
xXx
-

"Kagome," he said to himself, staring at the clear sky. She had given him so much, more than words can even begin to explain. He believed that all he ever did for her was save her life many times. Though to him, that was nothing compared to what she has done for him.