InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Mystic Miko ❯ To Be Forgiven ( Chapter 2 )

Revision 08/10/2004 - Edited for grammar and spelling. Not plot changes.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and co.

AN: To all reviewers and readers. I believe that I am accomplishing the effect that I was going for. Many of your questions will be address with in the story. I wouldn't want to ruin any surprises that are in store for you. With that said, I hope you enjoy this latest installment.

The Mystic Miko

Chapter Two: To Be Forgiven

Kagome woke feeling the rays of the morning sun shining on her face. She moved her head, sinking deeper into her red pillow. `Wait, what red pillow? I didn't bring a pillow with me.' The sent of forest trees came to her senses. `Inuyasha? How can I smell him? I have to be in his arms too. Wait a minute.'

She felt a hand pressed into her back and another smaller one holding her right hand. Lifting her head slowly she opened her eyes and saw Inuyasha's haori. Lifting her head fully off his arm, she saw Kikyo's dark brown hair and porcelain face across his chest. `What in the world happened last night?'

The gentle breathing of Inuyasha told her he was still sleeping. `Since I am awake I might as well remove myself.' But as she tried to roll away the arm holding her to his side tightened.

"Where do you think your going?" Inuyasha whispered to her. He didn't want to wake Kikyo so his face was pressed into her head. He smelled her morning dew scent strongly and let himself enjoy the feeling of peace that washed over him. "Go back to sleep. It's still early yet. And we plan on staying here another day."

"I have to get up, my side is starting to get sore."

"So roll over, but your not going anywhere until Kikyo wakes."

"Why?"

"Because I said so." He loosened his hold, but didn't release her. Shifting quietly she rolled onto her back and then onto her side. His arm angled across her chest and his hand rested on her side. He pulled her up close to him. This caused her to gasp in surprise.

`Since when did he want to hold me. Is it because Kikyo was here with him? Does he really care for me?' Suddenly she felt a small hand grip her left arm, and remain resting there.

"Even she doesn't want you to leave." Inuyasha said into her hair. Kagome turned her head and saw Kikyo was lying across Inuyasha's chest. `Still sleeping, how can someone sleep with all this light?' The sun had moved even more into their eyes.

"I have to move, Inuyasha. I can't sleep anymore."

"Tell that to her. Earlier you rolled away from us and she started whimpering in her sleep. The minute I pulled you back she quieted down."

Kagome took hold of Kikyo's hand and pulled it with her as she sat up. She looked around the camp and found Miroku gone. Sango was looking away from them, polishing her weapon. Shippo was wrapped up in Sango's blanket, still sleeping; she saw his cute paws twitching, evidence of a dream. She turned back to look at Kikyo and Inuyasha.

Her stormy eyes met with beast yellow eyes. Inuyasha's face was relaxed and she caught lots of emotions pouring at her through those beautiful eyes. There was gratitude, kindness, and could that really be love. That look was what he showed after a meeting with Kikyo. `Is that look for me or just because she is here?'

"Are you ok, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hai, I'm fine, just thinking."

"About what?"

`Oh boy, I can't say I was wonder if he really means the looks that he had before.' "Nothing in particular. Just aimless thoughts." She answered him.

"Feh, ya right, I'll believe that when cows fly." That brought a giggle from Kagome. "What's funny?"

"It's `when pigs fly' not cows." Kagome said.

"Ah, Kagome-sama. Your awake." Miroku said as he walked back into camp. His black hair damp from the apparent bath he just had. "Are you feeling fine? That was quite the spell last night."

"Hai, I am fine. Though I am not sure about Kikyo. Shouldn't she be waking up about now?"

"I imagine that transforming her body took a lot of her energy and she was already weak when she came here."

"But she didn't cast the spell to change her."

"What do you mean she didn't? Well who did?" Inuyasha began to worry. If Kikyo didn't, then was this a trap to catch the team while they allowed him, Kikyo and Kagome to adjust to each other. Not to mention all the emotions they all were going though.

"Inuyasha don't get upset. You'll only disturb her. And I said it wasn't her. It was…" `Hmm. Who was that? She came from my body. In fact she is still there.'

"Kagome, why don't you start at when you two when into that trans. Maybe you'll remember something that will tell us who it was." Miroku said.

"Sure, me and Kikyo were talking about my training. She was growing weaker by the minute. Once the transfer of knowledge finished. Someone, or something starts to scan it. I felt no other presence, but Kikyo's and mine. Well this spell was put together and then I or I mean this being, I guess, read it."

"You felt no other presence, you're sure?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome nodded her head.

"I think I might know what it was." Miroku then proceeded to tell Kagome what they saw happening.

"So you think that the being was a part of my soul. A past incarnation?" Kagome interrupted Miroku.

"Hai, it seems the spell split all the individual entities to allow for you and Kikyo to have an equal share. Though they seemed to wait until someone said a name. But Inuyasha didn't say a name. He said `Sakura' instead."

"Sakura? Why?" Kagome asked Inuyasha.

"It's the scent that you and Kikyo share."

"You mean we smell the same? No wonder you had thought I was her."

"No you don't smell the same. You are Sakura blossoms and morning dew, Kikyo is the blossom and rainfall." Inuyasha said as he rubbed Kikyo's back and lightly ran his other hand over Kagome's arm that was still being held by Kikyo. Sango saw the movement and wondered what was going through his mind.

"Once Inuyasha said that, the orbs flowed into the two of you. All but one, it seemed that one needed the choice of which of you it was to join."

"How did it choose me?" Kagome asked, know for certain that it was the cause of the spell.

"All thanks go to Shippo." Miroku then told the rest of the events from last night. Kagome's and Inuyasha's' faces got beat red when it came to how they were sleeping. Everyone became quiet, lost in his or her own thoughts.

"Well, I suggest that we have something to eat. Have you guys eaten." Kagome asked Sango and Miroku.

"No, not yet." Sango said. She put aside her weapon and went to Kagome's bag. "Since we didn't hunt last night, do you have any more ramen?"

"I think so," Kagome said. She wasn't going to be able to help with breakfast. Kikyo had a grip on her hand and still seemed to be not waking. "Inuyasha can you tell by her scent if she is ok?"

"Ya, I can tell when you get sick. But Kikyo seems to be healthy. All I get from her scent is calm slumber, until you or I let go of her."

"Well, this isn't going to work. I can't sit here until she wakes. Lets see if we can wake her up. She will need to eat now. Maybe that's why. She didn't really have to eat before, except for the souls she gathered, right?"

"Ya, what are you getting at?"

"Sango, hurry with the ramen. Kikyo is going to be extremely hungry when we wake her. And I think it would be prudent for someone to hunt some real meat. We could all use something with more substance."

"Ramen is substance, wench." Inuyasha said. Feeling hurt about how his favorite food was being shot down."

"Not for what Kikyo needs. Besides I know you like real food just like the rest of us. Even you will go hunting when I have an over abundance of ramen with me."

"I just do that so it doesn't run out so fast." Inuyasha said. He wasn't going to admit that Kagome was right. He did like the meals that Sango and her make from the hunts. It's just that he really liked `his' ramen. If he said any thing to the contrary Kagome might not bring anymore. `No she wouldn't do that. The ramen had saved them many times in the past.' He thought.

When after battling youkai for the jewel shards everyone was too exhausted to hunt for any food. Even berry hunting was too tiring at that point. So out came the ramen and a small fire to heat the water.

"Ok, the ramen is almost done." Sango said. She watched Kagome stand and stepped over Inuyasha and Kikyo. She gathered the girl into her arms and gently shook her.

"Come on, Kikyo. Wake up. There's food ready." Hm, this doesn't seem to be working.

"Here." Inuyasha gently slapped Kikyo's face. She scrunched her eyes and a moan came from her. "Come on girl, wake up. We have things to do." Inuyasha said gruffly.

"No, leave me be. I don't want to see them."

"See who?" Kagome said.

"Their looks will never change. I have done so many wrongs." She pushed into Kagome's arms more.

"Whose look, Kikyo?"

"Yours." Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other. This was going to take a lot of time.

"Kikyo, look at me." Inuyasha said. She shook her head and Kagome felt tears wetting her blouse. Inuyasha placed a hand on her neck and pulled back. When she resisted he release her. Looking at Kagome again, his eyes pleaded for her to do something.

Kagome never dreamed of Kikyo becoming this unresponsive, emotional wreck. She had always been strong of will, both in her last life and in this one. Seeing the pleading that was in Inuyasha's eyes she understood the love that was there. They had found someone who understood them. If Naraku had not interfered when he did they may have found some happiness.

She grabbed Kikyo's arms and pulled her back. When Kikyo sat there with no contact to her, she watched her body tremble. `She is afraid?' Looking at Inuyasha confirmed it. He was as baffled as she was.

Gently placing her hands on Kikyo's face she wiped away the tears. She began to whisper kind and reassuring phrases that her mother always used. Slowly Kikyo opened her eyes and locked them with Kagome's.

Kikyo gasped. Never had she thought Kagome would look at her with such tenderness. After all the attacks and attempts at her life. This woman was willing to forgive and forget. Kikyo now saw the flaw that had been her life.

She had remained aloft from people. She never allowed herself to get close to others. She had thought it was the right thing to do, the only way to protect the Shikon no tame. But this young woman was so care free with her feelings. So willing to give her all.

Inuyasha saw the interaction of the two girls and saw the one heal the other with a simple look. That was Kagome's power. Not her miko powers, just her. A simple look from her and your whole world started to make sense again. Gently he placed a hand on Kikyo's shoulder. The tension had left her body and she looked over at him. Instantly she was buried in his arms. Her soft cries were muffled in his haori.

"Shh. It's ok now. You're with us. No need to cry." Still the tears fell. Kagome went to retrieve bowls of ramen, slightly cold now. "Please Kikyo, stop crying. Everything is fine."

"How is she able to forgive me?"

"Well. She has the ability to see right into who you really are. It's been growing fast these last few years. There have been times when she refused to allow me to kill some poor soul who had a shard. All because she knew that inside the person or youkai was not responsible for their actions. She knows you now, just as I did. I know the things you have done recently were not things you would have normally done. You were too free. Free to hate and love with you whole heart."

"Here, you should eat. Your body needs to replenish itself. Later we'll have some meat." Kagome said as she sat down next to them with three bowls of noodles. Slowly Kikyo sat up straight and looked at the food. Once Inuyasha had his hands free he began to gulp down the noodles.

"Inuyasha! Jeez can't you eat with a little less mess. You'd think the world was coming to an end with the way you eat." Kagome grumbled. She pushed a bowl over to Kikyo. "You better start on this. If it's sitting untouched in front of him, he'll eat it."

"No, I wouldn't eat hers." Inuyasha said around his mouthful of food.

Sango watched as things went on with the normal everyday events. Maybe Kikyo was not here to hurt them. Maybe if Kagome could somehow leave behind all the hurt that the woman had caused, she could too.

She sat silently eating her ramen. Watching the normal arguments start around her two friends. For some reason she saw a smile on both their faces. Though the words were there, they no longer held the power to cause hurt feelings. Kikyo slowly eat her food and watched with fascination written across her face.

"Never thought those three would be sitting around a camp fire like this. Huh?" Miroku asked.

"Hm." Sango replied.

"I think we all need to take a page from Kagome's book. Forgive those that need to be forgiven. And forget the wrongs that were done." Miroku stated.

"Perhaps, Houshi-sama, perhaps."

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.

Kagome watched Kikyo lay back after eating her bowl of noodles. `I guess she is still tired.'

"Hey, Kagome, do you want to visit that spring this afternoon." Inuyasha asked. Her eyes light up. "I'll take that as a yes. Gather you things, I'll drop you off, then go hunt."

Kagome jumped up and went rummaging through her pack. Grabbing the necessary things she stood waiting for Inuyasha. He looked at her load, then quirked an eyebrow. "What?"

"Forgetting something?"

Kagome thought for a moment, and then remembered her bow and arrows. "Oops, sorry." She grabbed those then climbed onto Inuyasha's back. "Be back soon."

Inuyasha took off to the spring. He leaped off the trees and felt the tension leave his body. He loved to move swift like this. There was a thrill of being able to rush through the air by his physical straight alone. He felt Kagome relax against him and it seemed like everything was as it had been. Just the two of them had started this adventure. Now they had friends. `Who would of thought a measly hanyou could find friends.'

"Inuyasha, you ok?" Kagome said as he stopped beside the spring. She always knows when he was bothered by something.

"No, just thinking about the past. Thanks for giving Kikyo a second chance."

"Well, I didn't realize that that's what would happen. As I said, that other entity made most of it happen."

"Thank you, Kagome."

"For what?" She looked up at him and saw his heart in his eyes. He was at peace with himself. The constant battle to insure both girls safety was gone. With the both of them here with his group the task would be much easier.

"For everything that you have given me. Without you I would still be stuck to that tree. I would not have met and made three good friends. And I would not have enjoyed my life." Inuyasha took her into his arms and held her fiercely.

After a few minutes he released her enough to allow her to look back up at him. Her wonderful stormy eyes were full of happiness. He looked at her glowing face. The rosy color of her cheeks were very beautiful. And the pink of her lips called out to him to taste.

He hesitated before lowering his head but allowing room for her to withdrawal. His heart skipped a beat when instead she leaned into him. Their lips met in a chase kiss.

Softly he pressed his lips to hers. She was so soft. Sakura blossoms filled his senses and he press harder into her lips. Slowly he released her lips to lick his own. She tasted much like the hard round red candy that she brings. It zapped his tongue and left a tingling behind.

Gently he kissed her again and his hands found their way to her face and neck. He tilled her head back and stroked her jaw, asking permission to enter her mouth. With a moan she complied. He dived his tongue in and enjoyed the sweet taste of her.

Her breath moved on his cheek and he could feel her heart beat become faster. He slowed his kiss down from the heated passion back to the gentle caressing of her lips. Slowly he parted from her and was glad that she had enjoyed that. "Thank you, Kagome, for being there for me."

"If that's how you say thank you. I need to do things for you more often." She said breathlessly.

He chuckled at her and smiled. "I suggest getting that bath taken care of. I'll pass here on my way to camp after I catch the food. If you're still here I will come back and get you."

With that he removed his arms and leaped away. Kagome shook her head from the fog that his kiss had created. It had been just like she had always thought it would be like. Slowly she dropped her things by the bank and then removed her clothes. She sank into the warm spring and thought back on all that has happened these last few days.

Kikyo was amongst the living and Inuyasha seems to have come to terms with himself. He had always hid his feelings from her before. Now he seems to have found a balance. Perhaps having two girls cling to him has opened or healed that heart of his. She hoped to see more of his love soon.

Kikyo, she worried about. She was at a fragile state right now. She is going to need their complete support and understanding to overcome her own self-doubt and self inflicted tortures.

That's when it hit her. Inuyasha loves both of them. `Can I share him? Do I want to share him? Would Kikyo?' She thought back to his kiss and remembered every zap that had occurred. There still was a tingling sensation on her lips and his taste was still on her tongue. Wild winds. That was the best description she could come up with.

"Kagome?" his whisper came to her.

"Yes?" She sank further into the water.

"You all done? I can come back in a bit."

"No, just give me couple of minutes." Kagome finished her bath and placed her baby blue pj's on. Grabbing her stuff she walking away from the spring.

"Inuyasha, I am ready."

"It's about time. I imagine the food is all ready done. Come on, let's go."

Kagome shook her head, one minute his sweet, the next arrogant. Oh, well, that is Inuyasha.

TBC

Translations

Hai = yes

haori = light coat worn over kimonos

AN: Well there you have the latest chapter. I hope to figure out what is I want to happen in the next one. I have had a hard time with it. I am in the process of rewriting it. But I should have an update soon.