InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Bearers of the Shards ❯ Homebound ( Chapter 14 )

The Bearers of the Shards

Chapter 14: Homebound

Inuyasha's sullen mood lasted for the next four days. The four of them stayed at their room in the palace thanks to Asano's good graces, but after two nights of rest it became clear that Inuyasha was growing antsy.

"All this damn SLEEPING," he grumbled, "is NOT going to find us more shards."

He was short-tempered and irritable for the next two days as they journeyed through the mountains and beyond the valley. This, of course, might have been related to Shippou's endless recounting of how Kagome had been revived. The story made Kagome blush furiously, and finally she took a leaf from Inuyasha's book and threatened the Kitsune with bodily harm if he refused to shut up. Inuyasha's mood improved considerably after this; Miroku's was dampened somewhat. The monk had apparently been quite proud of his little mouth-to-mouth demonstration and had not objected to hearing about it over and over again.

Kagome walked alongside Inuyasha now that he was in better spirits.

"Hey," she said, smiling. "My cold's gone!"

"Huh," was all he said in reply.

Kagome's expression softened. She could see that he was deep in thought, and she could take a pretty good guess what he was thinking about.

"It must have been hard for you, staying in Reiyama," she told him sympathetically. "I know it must've hurt being around the people who were once so cruel to you."

Inuyasha shrugged.

"Well, yeah," he admitted. "But it wasn't ALL bad. That room we were staying in at the palace. . .I didn't tell you before, but those were the quarters I shared with my mother."

Kagome, surprised by this revelation, lapsed into thoughtful silence. She tried to imagine Inuyasha and his mother sitting on those marble walkways, watching the sun set over the lake. She tried to picture him as a baby, asleep in the princess' arms in the bedchamber. But for some reason, she kept remembering waking up to find Inuyasha holding her in his arms very tightly, while Shippou or Miroku asked something on the order of, "Are you done yet?" Her face burned, and to banish THAT particular incident she began thinking about what would happen to the Tatesei now.

"You're okay with leaving the Tatesei in Sesshoumaru's control, aren't you?" she asked him, peering up at him to see his face because he was trying to conceal his expression beneath his long white bangs.

"I don't know," Inuyasha muttered. "I guess." He gave up and raised his head, looking pensive. "Y'know, I think whatever it was the kirin said to him, it changed his mind about things. Not just the first time, when he chose to be ordained, but there was another time, too. I think the second time it convinced him to spare Asano and make him king."

Kagome laid a thoughtful finger on the side of her mouth.

"You know," she mused, "I think you may be right." There was a bit of innocent surprise in her tone that raised Inuyasha's hackles.

"Hey!" Inuyasha protested, folding his arms and looking cross. "Don't say that like I'm hardly ever right!"

Kagome was slightly taken aback.

"I'm sorry," she told him. "Anyway, do you really trust Sesshoumaru not to change his mind and finish the massacre he started?"

Inuyasha pondered this for a while. Birds twittered in the trees overhead; the rains, it seemed, were over.

"It's fucking weird, but I DO," he finally answered, staring up through the interlacing branches. "You know, he's an asshole, but never in my life have I known him to lie."

Recalling her few past experiences with Sesshoumaru, Kagome nodded slowly. As they walked, she painstakingly withdrew her map from her backpack. She had a hunch, and she wanted to see if it was correct. Studying the map, she saw that it was.

"Wow," she said, holding it up to the light and squinting at it. "The city of Reiyama has appeared on my historical map. This means that the Tatesei still existed in the late feudal era, because the map-maker marked them as a city. There's even a road going toward it through the mountains. I guess this means Reiyama WILL be okay in Sesshoumaru's hands---at least for a while. . ."

"Oy," Inuyasha said, speaking out of the side of his mouth.

"What?" Kagome re-rolled the map and tucked it away again.

"That day, I thought you were going to die," he muttered.

Bracing herself, Kagome thought, `He's going to chew me out, or worse: he'll tell me to stay in my time again. . .'

"I'm sorry I let that happen," Inuyasha said quietly.

Kagome glanced off to the side, blushing.

"If I hadn't gotten you into this, none of that crap would've happened," he continued, making her blush deepen. "I'm sorry. It just makes me so MAD. . ."

"Th-thank you," Kagome stammered. "But you don't have to be mad at yourself for---"

Inuyasha slammed his left fist into his right palm.

"When you were by the lake, the damn monk's lips were fucking ALL OVER your face!" he growled.

"WHAT?!" Kagome exploded. "THAT'S what you're mad about?!"

"Yeah," he replied, looking sullen.

Kagome sighed heavily, getting her exasperation under control. After a while, she said, "I'm sorry I made you worry. I'll try not to do it again."

Inuyasha didn't answer, but Kagome was almost positive she saw him smile in relief.

# # # Epilogue # # #

More days passed, until finally they reached the village near the Well. Throughout the return journey, Kagome had tried valiantly to avoid complaining, but the pain in her arm was very bad. She had run out of aspirin by the fourth day out of Reiyama. By the time they reached Kaede's she was dead set on going home, with no further adventures until she was completely recovered.

She stole away to the Bone-Eaters' Well by herself, not wanting ANYONE to delay her, because enough was enough.

Thus it came as a rather unpleasant surprise for her to see Inuyasha seated cross-legged on the well's rim.

"Oy," he greeted her. "Thought you'd fucking get away with it, did you?"

"Thought. . .I'd. . .get. . .away. . .with. . .WHAT?!" Kagome asked, clutching her backpack with her good arm and preparing to make a run for it. There were ten feet between her and the well, but if Inuyasha moved with his demon speed he'd intercept her for sure. . .

"Leaving without me," he said simply. "You see, Kaede told me that you're supposed to take care of sick people. I got too distracted during the trip to do that."

"But I'm not sick any more!" Kagome insisted, waving her good hand frantically in the air and trying to put on a cheerful face. "So it's no problem!"

Inuyasha unfolded his legs and got down from the rim of the well.

"Well, now you're INJURED," he told her. "Injuries are a lot less gross than spewing snot out your nose. So I'm gonna come to your house to take care of you."

"Ack!" Kagome sputtered. "You will NOT!"

She made a mad dash for the well, but Inuyasha caught her by the backpack straps and stopped her in her tracks.

"Yes, I AM," he informed her, glaring.

Before Kagome could utter another word, he scooped her up in his arms, backpack and all, and jumped into the well. As they descended, she briefly considered beating at him with her one good fist, but then thought better of it because he might drop her.

"Hey," Inuyasha said as the light of time passage enveloped them both. "At your house, do you have any more of the crunchy brown stuff?"

# # # Epilogue, Part Deux # # #

Sesshoumaru stood atop the mountain, staring down at the city below. The cold wind ruffled his hair and stung his eyes, but as always he did not care. The kirin's last words echoed in his memory.

(Honechi spoke truly. This is not over, for though I chose you, you are not the one chosen in prophecy. If you will not rule the city, then choose a king who will. But do not abandon the Tatesei. It is dangerous to do so---far more dangerous than you know.)

To the cold night, Sesshoumaru now asked the same questions he had asked then.

"Why does this prophecy the Wise spoke of mention Inuyasha? Why did they fear him so?"

(If you would know) the kirin had answered, (then take this Shikon shard and use it to find the Seer.)

But Sesshoumaru had cast the shard away, giving it to the girl who traveled with Inuyasha. His blood was pure and strong, and he neither needed nor desired the Shikon Jewel. His vengeance had been enough, he told himself. The only other thing he required was Tetsusaiga.

"The Seer? Why should I waste my time seeking another sorcerer?" he murmured. "The ONLY reason they call my weak little half-brother `chosen' is that sword. Once Tetsusaiga is mine, he will be nothing."

Yet small, nagging doubts tugged slyly at his thoughts. `Is that it?' they whispered. `Is that all? The sword is the ONLY answer to these riddles?'

"I am the lord of the West," Sesshoumaru said aloud, to silence them. "There is none other so worthy as I. Least of all Inuyasha. . ."

Having said this, he turned and descended down into the high valley that enclosed his home. He would go and make ready for another journey. It was time to go see a dragon about an arm. . .

# # # Epilogues Forever! # # #

Inuyasha: "Hey, the kirin's heading this way!"

Sesshoumaru: ". . ."

Inuyasha: "It chose YOU?! Is it on CRACK?!"

Sesshoumaru (to kirin): "Go away before I disembowel you."

Kirin: *ignore* *ignore* *nuzzles at Sesshoumaru*

Sesshoumaru: *sidesteps to avoid it*

Kirin: *sidesteps to intercept him*

Kagome: "Wow! It's so beautiful and cuddly!" *throws arms around its neck*

Kirin: *still pursuing Sesshoumaru, now dragging Kagome with it*

Inuyasha (addressing kirin): "Hey, where the fuck are you taking her, you horny beast?!" *draws Tetsusaiga*

Sesshoumaru: ". . ." *avoid* *avoid*

Kagome: "Kawaii!" *squeeze* *hug*

Inuyasha: *strikes kirin with Tetsusaiga*

Tetsusaiga: *BOUNCE* (bounces off kirin as if kirin were made of steel)

Inuyasha: "Damnit! How do we get this thing to go away?!"

Shippou: (watching with interest) "Hey, Sesshoumaru, I think it LIKES you. Huh! Who would've known?"

Sesshoumaru: ". . ." *worried now*

Miroku: "Fascinating! A kirin! *approaches it*

Kirin: *sweat drop*

Miroku: *reaches out hand toward it*

Kirin: *more sweat drops*

Miroku: *within inches of touching it*

Kirin: !!!!!!! *lashes out and kicks Miroku in the groin, then runs like hell*

Sesshoumaru: *very relieved*

Kagome (aghast): "MIROKU!"

Inuyasha: *sheathes Tetsusaiga* "Well, REALLY, it shouldn't be THAT much of a surprise. . ."

{END OF CHAPTER 13 AND END OF STORY}

___________________________________________________________ ___________

Yamisui: "The Bearers of the Shards" is over, but the STORY sure isn't. Look for its companion, coming very soon: "Lord of the West." Though the title may suggest otherwise, the story will NOT be completely Sesshoumaru-centric. But he will be in it, of course.

Because I like him.

Because I like to mess with readers' heads (kukuku).