InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Battle of Heart and Land ❯ Good-bye ( Chapter 11 )

A/N: O_O” 45+ reviews already?! You guys are killing me! But I LOVE it >.<! As promised, this chapter is longer :) Let's see as I'm writing this we're at 49, so once we hit 59 reviews, there will be a longer chapter!

Also, a long paragraph/page in Italics means “flashback”!

You guys are amazing! Thank you again so much for the support :3

-MissKatt

DISCLAIMER: All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

The Battle of Heart and Land

By MissKatt

Chapter Eleven: Explanations

He did not quite understand what happened next. She had taken a step towards him and pressed her face to his chest, her hands gripping his haori. Her power disappeared as quickly as it came and she began to sob into his chest, her shoulders shaking as she did.

As he had stated before, a very pestering human indeed. Yet, he made no move to remove her.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kagome lay on her provided bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling with unfocused blue eyes. She had stained the silk comforter under her with her muddy clothes. Dried mud caked her soft skin, cracking and flaking off with every slight movement she made. She had been back from the battle for several hours, but she refused to leave her room. She vaguely recalled getting back there, but she didn't care. She was too busy with her inner turmoil. Her mind was flooded with questions and emotions, the pressure building up in her head and trying to stab its way out. The most prominent question screamed at her repeatedly:

Why?

Why was Kikyou back?

Why did Inuyasha insist on choosing her?

Why was she simply not good enough for Inuyasha?

She needed answers.

She was drawn out of her thoughts when she heard soft knocks at her door once again. This would be knock number five. The first one was Rin, then Yune, then Rin again, and Yune once more to offer her food; so the miko assumed this was the teenager once again.

“Hai?” She called, her voice void of emotion. She didn't want to keep showing weakness around here but, most of all; she wanted to stop feeling weak and broken because of Inuyasha. How many times has he crushed her already? Too many.

Rin slid the doors shut behind her after she padded into the room. She looked at the woman she respected most and frowned. Mud was all over the bed and her clothes. Not to mention her hair was disarrayed and in clumps from the mud. “Kagome-sama?” She spoke up. When her friend looked at her she furrowed her brows and quickly walked over to the bed, drawing her into her arms.

Kagome felt the shallow bond of her restraint burst when she was hugged by the younger girl. She put her arms around the girl's waist and cried into her shoulder, her tears seeping into the Rin's yellow and orange kimono. She felt the girl brush her hand along the top her head, trying to smooth her. And surprisingly, it did help. Just to have someone there to comfort her made her feel much better. She remembered when Sango would always lend her shoulder to her when she was upset.

“Shh, shh, Kagome-chan, it will be alright.” Her best friend cooed, smoothing the hair on the priestess' head as she cried into her shoulder.

“It's not…it's not fair!” She choked out between sobs. “Why is he s-so…cruel?”

“I know, I know. He is upset, but he will calm down, then everything will be okay.” Sango replied. Kagome pulled away from her friend and rubbed at her eyes.

“No, Sango, it won't be okay. This had gone on for six years! Six years has gone by since I crossed over the well and released him. Three years since Kikyou died. You and Miroku have moved on with your lives! You have three beautiful children, a lovely home, and are happy. Why are Inuyasha and I reeling back towards the beginning?”

The former demon slayer sighed and looked down at her lap. “I do not know, Kagome-chan. But yes, we have all noticed it. Perhaps it is a sign that you should not be with Inuyasha. Maybe there is someone else meant for you in this time.”

Kagome scoffed at the memory. Someone else meant for her? There was no one else for her. She had firmly believed that she was meant to be with Inuyasha; was born to meet him. She believed it was so when the well had reopened after three years. She thought, at the time, that the well opened due to her burning desire to be with the man she loved. But apparently, that wasn't the case.

The miko took a deep breath to calm herself before she pulled away from Rin. “Ah, gomen, Rin-chan.” She wiped the back of her hand against her eyes, but only succeeded in smearing the mud on her face.

The girl shook her head, her side ponytail bobbing as she did. “No, no it is alright, Kagome-sama. Sometimes it is good to cry.”

“Yes, sometimes, but with him it seems to be all the time.” The blue eyed beauty said with a soft sigh.

“Him?” Rin questioned, tilting her head slightly to the side. “Inuyasha-sama?”

“It's a long story, Rin-chan…” Kagome trailed off and then looked down at Rin's kimono. Kagome had succeeded in ruining it with the filth on her own clothes. The younger girl followed her gaze and offered her a smile.

“Perhaps we can talk about it in the bath?” She questioned, a smile sill adorned on her face. A bath did sound amazing; especially after fighting in the cold rain and being covered in mud.

“Yes, I'd like that.” She replied and stood up off the bed. She let her eyes fall on the brown mess on her bed and bit her lip. Rin waved her hand at the black haired female before her.

“Do not worry, it will be replaced.” When she saw the guilt in Kagome's face she let out a soft chuckle. “You are very kind, Kagome-sama. But I assure you, they do not mind.” By `they' she realized she was talking about the servants. Still, Kagome didn't like inconveniencing people.

“Shall we go?” Rin asked, smiling at the girl. Kagome walked over to her tossed yellow bag and began to rummage through it before pulling out two pink bottles.

“Yes, let's.”

*~~~BHL~~~*

The demon lord sat in his study at his desk, combing his claws through his clean damp white hair. He felt more relaxed after sitting in the hot spring for a while. He had witnessed the East's powers and could see why his mother may have been concerned, especially for their numbers. He, of course, found no threat for himself. He had no doubt in his mind that the West would triumph over the East.

However, he wondered what would happen with Inuyasha. Not that he cared for his brother's wellbeing, because he did not, but because of the dead miko. Why had she been with the nekoyoukai? Was this another one of Juto's plans? If so, what exactly was his goal? Either way, it would not be beneficial for the miko he was teaching to be depressed. His mind traveled back to a few hours prior.

It had seemed to Sesshoumaru that hours had passed with her standing there; face buried in his chest, her hot tears a great contrast to the cold rain that drenched him from head to toe. He wanted to push her away and punish her for doing such an action, but his body would not let him move. Something was telling him to comfort the pitiful creature and he greatly fought against it. He, the great Sesshoumaru, would not comfort a human, despite how fragile she seemed. He had already reached out and touched her face without his hand having permission to do so.

Yet, here he was, letting this filthy, mud-clad miko weep into his chest. Her hands gripped his haori, her shoulders bouncing as she released her sobs. His hand twitched at his side, once again urging him to touch her, hold her. Why? He had no desire to do such an action so why was his body now acting against his will?

Thankfully she pulled away before he could do something his would later regret. She looked up at him with her puffy red eyes, left over tears still present in her eyes. His hand clenched again at his side.

“Gomen. Sesshoumaru,” She breathed before looking down. Her embarrassed blush did not escape his sight. He glanced away and let his eyes fall on the hobbling Taku.

“We are leaving.” The demon lord said coldly before he whisked up his cloud once more and spread it out to the other two before taking off towards the overly large mansion.

Sesshoumaru raised his hand to his face to study his right hand. His golden eyes looked over it, as if suspecting to see it was being manipulated by some sort of string or possessed by a demon he was unaware of. He was disappointed to find nothing. That means he willingly touched the miko when he had seen her so distraught.

“Rin is making me soft,” he murmured to himself and then looked up at the entrance of his study when there was a soft knocking at the door. “Enter.” He watched as his General walked into the room, sliding the door shut behind him. Sesshoumaru noted that he looked better, the hobble in his step much better than earlier.

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” He said with a low bow. “I hope you can accept my apology for my clumsiness on the battle field. I will not be a further bother to my lord.”

“Taku, I understand that this is the first time you have faced Hekai in three centuries, am I correct?” He questioned. He could not be completely mad at the General. After all, he was protecting the miko from getting hurt. So if anyone was to blame, it would be her.

“Hai, m'lord.” He responded with another nod. “And before that, it had been almost two. But you already knew of such, my friend.” The western lord nodded. He had been with his father and Tskune in the South when the incident with his mother had happened. Sesshoumaru himself had only been seventeen springs old, but his father found it necessary to begin getting him familiar with the affairs of the state.

“Then your rage is understandable. However, do not let it interfere with your job as our General. Otherwise, you will be removed of your position.” He commented and then studied the inuyoukai in front of him once more. This fellow inu had been the closest thing to a `friend' he had. He had met Taku and Tekkan when they were first born, he himself only eleven. It was Inutaisho and Inukimi's job to welcome the heirs of their dear friend and comrade Tskune and his mate Sayano. From there on, he had several encounters with them, but only became somewhat friends with them after the tragedy of their parents happened. Inutaisho took them under his wing, trained them like he had Sesshoumaru. It was obvious from the beginning that Tekkan was not meant for fighting, his father gave him other purposes, but Taku had great potential as Sesshoumaru's second in command. The two fought many battles together after Inutaisho passed.

“I understand, Sesshoumaru-sama. Thank you.” Taku responded with a nod of his head. Sesshoumaru nodded back and then lifted his brow when Taku did not immediately leave. “Also, there is something you must know, my friend. It is regarding you mother.”

“Oh?”

*~~~BHL~~~*

“Ah! It feels so nice!” Kagome sighed in content as she slipped further into the hot water with Rin. After being in the cold rain for so long, not to mention covered in mud, it felt amazing to be submerged in the natural bath.

“Hai!” Rin agreed enthusiastically and smiled at her friend. Her face suddenly fell into a curious expression as she watched Kagome open the strange device and pour out a sweet smelling, thick liquid into her palm.

The miko noticed Rin watching her and smiled. “Would you like some shampoo?”

“Sham…poo?” Rin repeated the foreign word and then shrugged her shoulders. “What is it, Kagome-sama?”

“It's for your hair! It cleans it and leaving it smelling beautiful; oh and this one makes it really soft! Here, try some!” She scooted over towards the girl and used her free hand to empty some of the contents onto the girl's palm. She set the bottle down and then began to apply the shampoo to her hair, lathering it in until it bubbled in her hair. Rin watched her for a moment before doing the same.

“Ah, it smells so good!” She exclaimed as the shampoo turned into suds in her hair. Kagome nodded in agreement before disappearing into the water to rinse the soap from her hair. She surfaced again only to find that Rin had also disappeared under the water to mimic what she had done. When she came back out from the water, she was all smiles. She held out her hand as Kagome offered her the conditioner.

“This is what makes it soft and silky. It's a girl's best friend!” The girls sat in silence for a moment as they massaged their scalps. “Now we let it sit for a moment.” She said with a smile before tilting her head back against the rocks. Rin watched her carefully before she decided to speak up.

“Kagome-sama, do you want to talk about what happened?” Kagome let the question ring in her head for a moment. She closed her eyes and chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment.

“Rin-chan, how did you feel when Sesshoumaru came to get you from Kaede's village after he had left you there for so long?”

“When Sesshoumaru-sama..? Oh! I was extremely happy, Kagome-sama. I knew that it was different from the other times he had come to drop off a parcel for me. As soon as he came to get me, I knew I was going to stay with him from now on.” She replied, smiling at the memory.

Kagome nodded, but it was a different situation. Sesshoumaru was pretty much her father, so it was an unfair comparison with her and Inuyasha.

“What is this about?” Rin asked, tilting her head to the side. Kagome sighed and began to tell the girl her issues.

“Inuyasha and I have known each other for six years, Rin-chan. It's fair to say that I had feelings for him since the beginning. I thought he had started to develop some for me as well, but then his first love came back. So, he started to lean more towards her once again. Then, even though she was around, he started to act like he had the same feelings for me. But, whenever she was in trouble, he would rush off to help her or be with her.” She started and opened her eyes, tilting her head forward once more to look at the girl who was staring at her.

“When she died he was very upset, which I can understand. I'm not heartless; I couldn't have been mad at him for being sad. After she died things started to get a lot better with us. He followed me into the Shikon no Tama and found me in the darkness. I was forced to go home for three years and was unable to come back. One day I had a sudden burning desire to see him, and then it happened. It's been two years since that and it seems things have gotten much worse than ever. Plus, his first love is back.”

“Kikyou-sama is back?” Rin questioned and watched as Kagome ran her fingers through her black locks.

“Yes,” She replied, voice barely above a whisper. “Although I don't know why. But, the worst part is that she was with the nekoyoukai.”

“Nekoyoukai? Our enemy?” Rin asked, furrowing her brows. When she saw the miko nod, she continued. “How is he going to deal with that? If he associates with her, Inukimi can order him to be killed.”

“Eh?!” Kagome asked, sitting up straight. “But why?”

“We are at war, Kagome-sama. It would be as if he is going against the Lady and conspiring with the enemy.” She said softly, frowning at the older girl's reaction. “You must really love him.”

“Huh? Why do you say that, Rin-chan?” She asked, the blood rushing to her face. She did love Inuyasha. Or, she used to. After this whole ordeal, she felt like she was simply…done. Yes, it hurt; but it hurt more to know that it was actually over. She couldn't go on the way they were going.

“Nevermind. Shall we eat dinner together?” Rin asked with a smile. The miko was thankful for the sudden change of subject.

“Hai! Let's rinse real quick!” The girls shared a short laugh before submerging under the water.

*~~~BHL~~~*

“Ah, Kagome-sama, you are very right! My hair has never been so soft. You say they make this in your home village?” Rin asked as picked up her bowl of rice. Kagome smiled awkwardly.

“Uh…yeah, something like that.” She murmured as took a bite of her food. She then glanced at the door once when there was a heavy knock. The girls glanced at each other. “Hai?” She stiffened when she saw Inuyasha pop his head into the room, his brows furrowed.

“Uh, hey Kags, can we talk?” He murmured quietly, ears flat against his head.

“We're eating, Inuyasha.” She said sternly and turned away from the door to shove another scoop of rice into her mouth. Rin hesitated on what she should do. She made a movement to stand, but Kagome quickly pulled on her yukata, making her kneel back down.

Inuyasha sighed softly at her answer. Yes, knew she would be mad, just not this mad. He hoped she would at least talk to him. “Well, I just wanted to say goodbye.”

“Goodbye?” She echoed, turning her head over her shoulder again, her blue eyes focusing on him. “What do you mean, `goodbye'?” This time Rin stood up and bowed to the two before sneaking out of the door. He let her go before walking further into Kagome's bedroom, sliding the door shut.

“I am going to go visit Kikyou and take her away from all this.” He stated. She stood up from her the short table and walked over to the bed, sitting down on it.

“I see,” She breathed and steadily met his gaze, trying to fight the urge to beg him not to leave. “You better be careful, Inukimi may have your head for betraying us.”

“Us? No, Kagome, I'm telling you to go home. Since I'm leaving, you don't need to stay here anymore and get caught up in my brother's affairs.” He said, walking over to her. He went to grab her hand, but she wriggled out of his grip. No, she wouldn't let him play with her heart any further.

“Unlike you, Inuyasha, I have given my word to Inukimi. And, despite what you may think is going on with Sesshoumaru and I, I plan on staying on this side and fighting alongside them.” She said sternly, standing up once again to put her hands on her hips. She gripped her hips tightly, trying to hide her shaking hands.

“B-but Kagome, it's not safe for you here. I won't be here to protect you.” He replied softly, not meeting her eyes. She felt a slight twinge in her heart. He always wanted to protect and keep her safe from harm. She supposed Kikyou was the one exception. “You hate fighting.”

“It doesn't matter. I gave them my word. I will be fighting alongside your brother, Taku-san, and the others whether you're there to protect me or not.” She said and then sighed at the way he stared at her in aghast. This was for the best. He belonged with Kikyou. He always had. She needed the time apart from him to realize she was over him and their pathetic excuse for a relationship.

“But, Kagome! This isn't your battle! Go home!”

“Stop worrying about me, kay? Just go and be with Kikyou. I'll be fine. Maybe we'll run into each other sometime down the road.” She said and offered him a very small smile. She had to be firm.

“B-but,”

“Enjoy your lives together.” She said and then shooed him out of her room. “She's waiting; go get her. Besides, I'm tired from today's battle and need to rest before your brother kicks my ass tomorrow.” She offered him a large smile, but continued to stare at her with a shocked expression as she shoved him out of the room. He turned around to face her before she closed the door on him.

“I'll miss you, Kagome.” He offered, but she waved her hand at him.

“We'll see each other again, hopefully.” She replied, smiling at him. “Goodnight!” She then slid the door shut and leaned her back against the cool wood.

This was for the best.

Right?

She needed to be away from him to figure out herself.

Didn't she?

She would find out she didn't need him.

Wouldn't she?

She would realize she had been over him for a long while.

Wasn't she?

A/N: AHH :) another chapter. This was supposed to be a nice turning point for the story! Let me know what you think!

-MissKatt