InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Bliss of Nights Forgotten ❯ To Save a Friend ( Chapter 11 )

By: EvilNekoEatsYourSoul

Last time: "Forget it, don't tell me. I don't want to know what kind of sick things you've been doing with my brother" the last word was a sneer, making Kagome wince at his tone.

The other's just looked at her, confusion apparent on each face as Inuyasha ran rapidly back towards the forest from which they had just come.

"Inuyasha, wait!" yelled Kagome desperately, tears of despair falling from her eyes.

Chapter 11: To Save a Friend

~*~

Watching Inuyasha leave, a sickening feeling echoed in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to fall to her knees and sob; to wretch the contents of her belly and to jump from the nearest cliff all at once. But knowing none of these options would save her friends she steeled her will against all the agony. She put out of her mind everything she had given up only to fail because of her own stupidity, she tried not to think of Sesshoumaru and the lost time, the days of agony and longing, and perhaps even worse, the lonely nights ahead of her. Instead she turned her mind to the departing hanyou and how to save him along with the rest of her friends.

"Kagome?" two pairs of innocent, questioning eyes peered up at her. How similar they were despite the differences in their race and upbringing. Both children, youkai and human, were confused and startled by the hanyou's outburst and both had turned to her for an answer. There was no nice way of explaining it and so she chose not to explain, not now anyways. Luckily, Miroku and Sango approached Kagome before they asked again.

"Perhaps Sango and I should go after Inuyasha. He seemed truly grieved by. . ." Miroku glanced at the two children who were listening intently to the adult conversation. Choosing his words carefully, he continued. "by the recent developments that have now come to light."

Panic gripped Kagome, and in her worry she shouted at them. "No!"

Looking worried, Sango approached her friend.

"Kagome? I agree with the monk in this. Inuyasha is angry and upset. . . Seeing you may make it worse, he needs time to calm down and think. If we go, then maybe we can talk him into coming back and discussing this rationally."

Everything they said made sense, but knowing what fate would bring if they were to venture into the forest after the hanyou, Kagome had to convince them to stay.

"No, Miroku, Sango and you Shippou and Rin all of you, stay here. I'll need Kirara to help me catch up to him. But please, if you care at all for me you have to promise me you'll stay here. I'll explain later, so don't question me now, just do as I say!"

As her friends were about to argue, to tell her of the dangers of Inuyasha's anger, the desperate, pleading look on her face stopped them. Something was tearing at her very heart and that fact was apparent on her face. Although their heads told them it wasn't the best choice, they nodded, agreeing to the request. Somewhere in the background the other girl, Yukiko, fell into another coughing fit.

Rin gasped. "Is Yukiko alright?" the young woman had fallen, and was now kneeling, hunched over on the ground.

Just as Kagome was about to tell the other's to bring the girl indoors, Yukiko stood. Her demeanor seemed changed as she looked up at Kagome. She stood tall, her chin lifted proudly, and her eyes flashed an icy blue. Even her tone of voice had changed; it was deeper, full of command.

"Kagome, I'm going with you."

As Kagome studied her, she could sense a change in the girl's usually placid aura. With time running short and Inuyasha getting further away with every second, she decided not to argue and let the girl come if she wanted. Both girls climbed onto the back of Kirara in her larger demon form and rode off after the upset hanyou.

Watching over the events from one of the castle's many balconies, Sesshoumaru stood, his eyes wandering over the forest.

~*~

Kirara was able to pick up Inuyasha's scent almost immediately and with the fire cat's speed they didn't fall anymore behind. But they didn't gain on the hanyou either. All Kagome could do was hope he would stop soon and allow them to catch up.

For the next two hours they traveled in silence, traces of the hanyou were easily found. Evidence of his anger, thick tree branches and the huge trunks of ancient oaks formed the path Inuyasha had taken. Claw marks were evident on the bark but they heard no sounds meaning he was well ahead of them.

Knowing that time was of the essence and seeing that they were not getting any closer to their target, Kagome had to get Inuyasha to come to them. She decided to call out to him in hopes that he would come for her if he thought she was in trouble.

Before his name could leave her lips a clearing came to view. At the clearings edge, Tetsusaiga pierced the remaining stump of a tree. As Kirara landed near the demon fang, Inuyasha's form could be seen in the center of the clearing, his back facing towards the three.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome ran towards the hanyou, but stopped when he failed to turn around and face her. Instead he spoke, his voice hinting at barely concealed anger.

"Don't come any closer Kagome. . . I can't stand his scent on you."

"You don't understand, Inuyasha. Please, you have to come back with me. We need to get out of here it's dangerous. I can explain everything."

"I don't want to wait, I want to know right now damnit!" To him, nothing existed outside of his anger. Rage, betrayal and jealousy filled him, taking over his senses.

"Listen you stupid jerk-"

"Kagome! Look out!" Yukiko called, but it was too late. An intense blast of fire surrounded the miko and hanyou talking in the clearing's center and smoke filled the air.

Somewhere in the thick surrounding smoke, the sound of a demons growl echoed. Anger filling her, Yukiko ran into the smoke, listening to the sounds the demon made. Nearing the center, she saw a pulsing dome of energy. Within it lay and unconscious Inuyasha, beside him stood Kagome. They were safe for now. But forming around the miko's barrier was a ring of fire, the source could not be seen.

Within the dome, Kagome could see through the smoke. The fire that sprung around the dome worried her she could not find its source. Beyond the fire stood Yukiko, her usually brown eyes now a misty gray color. Although the girl's changing eye color confused her, she could not fall into such thoughts now. She felt her energy quickly ebbing, all she could do was defend herself and the hanyou.

"Yukiko, get out of here before you get hurt!" The girl didn't seem to hear her cries. Instead, the girl seemed to be concentrating on something, her eyes closed and she turned in almost a complete circle before stopping to face the area left of Kagome's dome. The pale girl held up her right hand, fingers spread and palm facing up. Dark energy gathered in the upturned palm, it grew taking on the semblance of a flame.

In the dome, Kagome gasped. Wondering if the energy were meant to shatter the defensive barrier. She watched the other girl carefully, trying to form a plan if the girl had indeed turned out to be evil. The energy was released, Kagome's jaw clenched, it was headed her way. But in the last second, the dark flame swerved, hitting the ground a few feet away from Kagome. An unknown youkai in human form jumped away from the girl's attack.

"Hah, nice try. But you, pathetic human are just too slow." He now stood behind the exhausted form of Yukiko. In his left hand he held a flaming whip, in his right was a dagger against the girl's throat.

Even as she watched these events with shock and a bit of awe, her defense was falling away. A wave of dizziness swept over her and she fell to her knees. Dots formed in her vision and the flames drew closer. The demons right hand began to move, the hand with the dagger. There was nothing she could do to save her friend's life. Nothing she could do to save her own life. She blinked, and her eye-lids were fighting to stay closed. With much effort she was able to open them, to see the fire wielding youkai's head roll onto the grass. The area around him was stained red, behind him stood Sesshoumaru with poison and blood dripping from his claws. Then, everything went black.

~*~

`You've accomplished your task; He's safe now, the hanyou. Now he can fulfill his destiny and the girl is here also. This will make it much easier for him. He must obtain it from her.' The voice in her mind was pure and clear, the voice of the shikon no tama. She spoke to it, not knowing what it was telling her.

`Girl? Who? And what. . . what is it he has to get from her?'

There was nothing but darkness surrounding her. It was a void in her mind where nothing existed. But light approached and she felt that her time in this place was drawing to an end.

`A jewel, the girl has it. . . like you. . .' the dream ended and light invaded her senses.

~*~

"Kagome? Kagome, wake up!" she opened her eyes to find a worried Shippou hovering over her. Next to him stood Rin, Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha. Slowly, she began to sit up and take in her surroundings. She was in her room at Sesshoumaru's castle, candles illuminated the room and outside the stars twinkled through the open doors of her balcony.

"Inuyasha. . . are you. . . okay?" Looking away, the hanyou nodded.

"Feh, it takes more then a little bonfire to hurt me." The hanyou's familiar way of speaking brought a smile to her face, and soon she was laughing. It was a slow chuckling at first and grew until it was an uncontrollable holler of merriment that soon brought tears. Soon, sobs consumed her and she buried her hands into her face, barely noticing the departure of her friends. The only one left in the room was Inuyasha.

Apprehensively, he put his arms around the sobbing Kagome and drew her into a hug. Her arms went around his waist and she buried her head in his chest.

". . .Kagome? Are you alright?"

Hearing the nervousness in Inuyasha's voice, she was able to rein her emotions in. Tears made him feel uncomfortable, she had forgotten. Wiping the remaining tears from her eyes, she pulled away from him.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha, I thought it had all been for nothing. When you ran away and the youkai. . . I had hurt him so much and it was so hard to stay away from him. . . But I couldn't let you and the others. . . "

"Kagome. . . what are you talking about?"

He didn't remember. `Of course he doesn't remember,' she thought, `he died there wasn't much for him to remember.'

"I-" she was about to explain, but he cut her off.

"Listen Kagome, I need to know. Do you. . .do you love Sesshoumaru?"

It hurt just to think about it. She studied the hanyou, looking for something in his eyes. He let her, for once letting his guards down so she could read what was in those golden orbs. They were so similar, the two brothers, yet very different. She didn't find what she was looking for, what she had both hoped and dreaded to find. She didn't find love for her in those eyes. Nothing of the love that had shone in Sesshoumaru's eyes could be found. She wasn't sure if she wanted to smile or cry again, so she did neither.

"You don't love me," she stated, he looked away guiltily. "Inuyasha, it's alright. I think. . . I think I knew before."

"But do you-" She put a silencing finger to his lips and shook her head.

"It doesn't matter anymore Inuyasha. Whatever lay between Sess. . . your brother and I is over now." She sounded sad. Even the usually oblivious hanyou could sense the agony and regret in her. Not knowing how to face it he changed the subject.

"So, who exactly is that friend of yours? She has a weird scent." Looking a bit startled at the question, she frowned and looked away.

"I'm not even sure I know anymore. . ."

~*~

Morning brought new problems and more questions, not yet willing to relinquish the story Kagome put everyone off. She decided to spend the morning with her surrogate son and pupil, who were the only two that seemed genuinely happy amidst all this drama. They walked down the halls headed towards the garden for lessons and a small breakfast outdoors.

She listened half-heartedly to the children's chatter as they each tugged on her hands, making her jog down the deserted halls. Rounding a corner, they spotted a couple against the wall. Kagome stopped in her tracks. The two seemed to be too distracted by each other to notice them. The man's hands rested on the thin shoulders of the girl. Their faces were mere centimeters apart and delicate female hands stroked long silver hair. Kagome felt her heart-beat quicken and her breaths were quick and uneven.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin ran towards her guardian and the woman disengaged herself from the youkai.

Feeling weak and betrayed, Kagome could do little but stand there. Yukiko's eyes, now a deep shade of green, watched her intently. Biting her lip to hold back the tears, Kagome ran past them. As soon as they were out of sight the first of many tears fell.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~