InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Shikon no Tama ❯ Chapter Five ( Chapter 5 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Disclaimer: I do not now, nor have I ever, owned any part of Inuyasha or his world. This is a work of fanfiction made entirely for the fans of Inuyasha to enjoy. This story is based off of Inuyasha characters that I do not own.
This is also a work of fiction. Any simularities to any real person, dead or alive, is completely coincidental.
Chapter Five:
Inuyasha followed the soul catchers through the forest. He found Kikyo sitting near a small, felled tree and stopped his running. He wached her as she gathered souls into her body.
"You've come, Inuyasha," she stated.
The hanyou stared. "We need to talk," he told her.
She did not glance up, but called off her soul catchers. He stepped forward. "Kikyo, something has happened," he began.
This time, she did look at him. She slowly lifted her eyes until they met his. "What is that, Inuyasha?" she asked.
"I've decided... it's time," he whispered. It was so hard for him to say what he needed to say.
She looked at him curiously. "Time for what?"
He sighed, "It's time for me to move on."
"Move on?" she asked, looking up for the first time.
The hanyou sighed, but did not look away. "Kikyo, you and I... You will always be a part of me. You'll always be in my heart and in my mind, but... One day, you and I will be together again. In the afterlife. We'll have eternity to spend together. But first, I need to live."
"Live, Inuyasha?" the priestess repeated sarcastically. "And how is it that you get to live and I don't? Why should you be given special treatment?"
He could feel the heat rising from his anger. "You're right. It's not fair. It's not fair that I get to live and you don't. It's not fair that Naraku took us away from one another before we could have a chance at happiness together. It's not fair that he killed you, pinned us against one another, and then caused you to seal me to a tree for fifty years. It's not fair that I didn't get to attend your funeral and say my goodbyes like everyone else. It's not fair that some ogre thought it would be funny to bring you back from the dead.
"But, Kikyo, you know I didn't do any of this. None of this is my fault and I'm tired of taking the blame for things Naraku did. You wish to bring someone to Hell, bring Naraku. For the first time since your death, I have a chance at happiness. I have a chance to see what it's like to live and love and be loved in return."
"You made a promise to me, Inuyasha," Kikyo scowled.
The hanyou nodded. "Yes, I did. I promised to protect you and I broke that promise when Naraku killed you. I promised to go with you into the afterlife, but, Kikyo, I'm not dead yet. When I die, I will gladly join you in the afterlife. I will cross that bridge with you. But first, there are things I need to do."
She sneered as she stood up. "This is about that girl, isn't it? The one they say is my reincarnate? Face it, Inuyasha, if you aren't chasing me, you are chasing my reincarnation."
This time, Inuyasha smiled. He hadn't thought about it like that before. 'You're right," he told her. "The two of you are so alike and, yet, so different. You wanted me to become a human. Kagome likes me just the way I am. You are both beautiful. You were caring at one point. And you both had loved me at some time. Kagome, for whatever reason, still loves me. And I love her, too. I want to be with her and nothing and nobody is going to keep me from doing that."
Before Inuyasha could react, Kikyo fell into his arms and hugged him. "You belong to me, Inuyasha," she whispered. She looked up into his golden eyes.
He looked down at her and already she could see it. He truly had moved on. He kissed her on the forehead and gently pushed her away from him. "Not anymore," he whispered. He walked to the edge of the clearing and looked back at her one final time. "Goodbye, Kikyo. I'll see you in the afterlife."
The woman's eyes narrowed. "Goodbye, Inuyasha."
~~~
When the hanyou returned, it was already late in the afternoon. He hadn't realized how far he had gone nor how long he had been with Kikyo. Thankfully, Kagome was still asleep.
Not letting anyone say anything, Inuyasha walked up to the young miko and gently lifted her into his arms. Without a word, he jumped into the nearest tree and climbed to the top. Once there, he found a sturdy branch and gently settled onto it, Kagome secure in his arms.
He watched as the sun went down until he heard a soft sigh.
Kagome felt like she had been floating on a cloud. The last thing she could remember was passing out on the ground. Now, it seemed she was in heaven. She opened her eyes and saw the beautiful sunset. She could feel herself wrapped up and looked down. The arms of a hanyou were wrapped protectively around her. That's when she felt his chest and his heartbeat. That's when she heard his breathing and realized she was up in a tree.
Yep. Kagome was in heaven. She snuggled closer to him and just watched as the sun tucked itself in for the night. Her hands laid gently over the hanyou's. "Inuyasha?" she whispered.
He could barely breathe as he croaked, "Yes?"
She smiled as she closed her eyes and leaned her head into his chest. "Have you ever been with a woman?"
The question made him blush majorly and he didn't quite know how to respond. It seemed as if his answer was caught in his throat... as well as his heart, his breath, and everything else. "Wha.. What do you mean?" he managed to cough.
She giggled as she sat upright and turned to look at him. She could tell he was struggling with the answer. Softly, she touched his face with the palm of her hand. She was amazed at how soft his skin was. Where there should have been a beard... would have been at least stubble were he a normal human, his skin was as soft as a baby's. She apologized, "I didn't mean to make you uneasy. If you don't want to talk about it..."
Her hand was all the reassurance he needed. Still holding onto her with one arm, he lifted his other hand to touch hers. He took her hand into his and concentrated on it. "The first woman I'd ever loved was Kikyo," he told her, honestly. "Most women wouldn't go anywhere near me. Demonesses didn't want anything to do with me because I was half human. Humans didn't want me because I was half demon. Even girls growing up were frightened of me. Not that I cared. Them being afraid meant they didn't tease me, but left me alone."
Kagome's eyes turned into a darker blue as she felt the sorrow he must have felt all those years ago. The sorrow she could tell he was reliving. Sure, he said he hadn't cared, but was that really an honest answer? She knew him well enough to know if he could have, he would've gladly been around those young girls.
She thought about Rin, the little girl who travelled with Inuyasha's older half brother. Rin had never judged anyone because of their race or species. Then again, no one had really taught her to fear. What little fears she had, Sesshomaru was teaching out of her. Most parents are quite the opposite.
The human parents were especially notorious for this. In the villages Kagome had visited, she had witnessed it. Mothers and fathers herding their children away from Inuyasha and other demons. They didn't really like their kids playing with Shippo and many times Kagome had to reassure them that he wouldn't harm their children. Course, parents weren't as worried over a baby kitsune as they were a full grown inu hanyou. She shivered at the injustice of it.
"Have I been with a woman?" Inuyasha repeated, jolting Kagome out of her thoughts. "I guess it depends on what you mean. Kikyo was the first woman I had loved who had loved me in return. We never got any further than a kiss, but we did love each other very much. I wanted to be with her. To marry her. One day, even have children with her."
It was Kagome's turned to feel saddened. She bowed her head. "And now, you want to go into the afterlife with her," she finished for him, drawing her own conclusions. "Since the two of you cannot have the life you dreamed of, you'd rather not have a life at all. I understand."
"But... That's not it," Inuyasha stuttered, correcting her.
Surprised, Kagome looked up. Inuyasha continued before Kagome could say anything, "I found a new life now. One filled with more hope than I could imagine. For the first time since I was pinned to the tree, I feel as if I have a chance to be happy."
Without thought, Inuyasha pulled Kagome closer to him, putting her head against his chest. Startled and unsure, but unable to do anything, Kagome's eyes went up as her head was pressed against his chest.
"Do you hear that, Kagome?" he whispered. "That's my heart. Since you've come into my life, it has changed. I have changed. It beats stronger now. It's more lively."
"Inuyasha," she stammered, pushing herself off of him, or at least, trying to. It wasn't working to well. "What are you saying?"
He froze. What was he saying? He hadn't meant to tell her all of this so soon. He should be wallowing in sorrow for turning down Kikyo and breaking his promise to her. He should be heartbroken for ending his ties to the dead priestess. But, he wasn't. He felt... elated.
He wanted to shout out to the world and rejoice because he had Kagome. Before he could think anymore, he grabbed her close and decended to the ground. Once he got there, he placed Kagome gently on her feet and walked to his sleeping companions. He kicked Miroku and Sango awake and then picked Shippo up by the tail.
"Hey, Inuyasha!" the kitsune protested. "What gives? You're hurting me! Put me down!"
The hanyou dropped the kitsune. Miroku and Sango looked at him in a sleepy daze. They were both surprised at the huge, goofy grin on Inuyasha's face. He'd never smiled like that before.
He walked up to Kagome and took her hand into his. "Kagome, I have a confession to make," he told her. "And I want everyone to know."
Worried, the priestess stared at him. She didn't know what was going to come out of his mouth next. So far, the things he had said and done startled her because he had never acted this way before.
The others watched with growing interest as Inuyasha looked into Kagome's eyes. Then, without a word, he slipped her into an embrace and kissed her.
It wasn't like anything she had ever felt before. Sure he'd kiss her before this, but it hadn't been anything like this. It felt like their first kiss and she could feel her heart flutter as she moaned softly and deepened the kiss.
Miroku and Sango watched in shock. Shippo's face grew red in embarrassment.
Ever so softly, Inuyasha broke the kiss and gazed into the deep blue eyes of Kagome. "Higurashi Kagome, I love you," he whispered, but loud enough so the others could hear. "I am in love with you and I promise to make sure you know that everyday until the day I can no longer speak. And even then, the mountains will echo my love for you for all eternity. No one has ever made me feel the way I do when I am with you.
"For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong. You have never judged me for my parentage. You've always accepted me and always cared for me, no matter how mean I was to you. You have always been there, understanding, even if I didn't deserve it. When you should've walked away from me forever, you stayed by my side.
"I want you to be with me. Stand beside me for as long as we can. With you by my side, I know anything is possible. You've never doubted me, nor my strength, even when I have. For that, I could never repay you. But, I promise to spend the rest of my life trying."
Kagome lifted a finger to Inuyasha's lips to hush him, but he shook his head. "Let me finish," he told her.
"Shh," she whispered, "You had me at 'Hello.'"
Before he could protest, she drew him into another kiss. The companions watched as Inuyasha professed his love and Kagome accepted it with vigor.
Miroku looked at Sango. "Sango, come into my arms," he offered, holding his arms out for hopes of an embrace.
The demonslayer looked uneasy at the monk. "Perhaps later," she told him.
His eyebrows flew back in surprise. He had expected her to say many things, but not that. It was almost like a promise. Hopefull, the monk turned his attention back to the hanyou and priestess. But, they were gone.
Inuyasha settled back onto the tree branch and placed Kagome carefully in his lap. He held her close and whispered in her ear, "Thank you."
She leaned her head back and looked up at him. "For what?" she asked.
He kissed her nose. "For giving me a second chance. I know it's not going to be easy, but I promise I will try my hardest," he told her.
Together, they watched as the moon crept along the nightsky.
This is also a work of fiction. Any simularities to any real person, dead or alive, is completely coincidental.
Chapter Five:
Inuyasha followed the soul catchers through the forest. He found Kikyo sitting near a small, felled tree and stopped his running. He wached her as she gathered souls into her body.
"You've come, Inuyasha," she stated.
The hanyou stared. "We need to talk," he told her.
She did not glance up, but called off her soul catchers. He stepped forward. "Kikyo, something has happened," he began.
This time, she did look at him. She slowly lifted her eyes until they met his. "What is that, Inuyasha?" she asked.
"I've decided... it's time," he whispered. It was so hard for him to say what he needed to say.
She looked at him curiously. "Time for what?"
He sighed, "It's time for me to move on."
"Move on?" she asked, looking up for the first time.
The hanyou sighed, but did not look away. "Kikyo, you and I... You will always be a part of me. You'll always be in my heart and in my mind, but... One day, you and I will be together again. In the afterlife. We'll have eternity to spend together. But first, I need to live."
"Live, Inuyasha?" the priestess repeated sarcastically. "And how is it that you get to live and I don't? Why should you be given special treatment?"
He could feel the heat rising from his anger. "You're right. It's not fair. It's not fair that I get to live and you don't. It's not fair that Naraku took us away from one another before we could have a chance at happiness together. It's not fair that he killed you, pinned us against one another, and then caused you to seal me to a tree for fifty years. It's not fair that I didn't get to attend your funeral and say my goodbyes like everyone else. It's not fair that some ogre thought it would be funny to bring you back from the dead.
"But, Kikyo, you know I didn't do any of this. None of this is my fault and I'm tired of taking the blame for things Naraku did. You wish to bring someone to Hell, bring Naraku. For the first time since your death, I have a chance at happiness. I have a chance to see what it's like to live and love and be loved in return."
"You made a promise to me, Inuyasha," Kikyo scowled.
The hanyou nodded. "Yes, I did. I promised to protect you and I broke that promise when Naraku killed you. I promised to go with you into the afterlife, but, Kikyo, I'm not dead yet. When I die, I will gladly join you in the afterlife. I will cross that bridge with you. But first, there are things I need to do."
She sneered as she stood up. "This is about that girl, isn't it? The one they say is my reincarnate? Face it, Inuyasha, if you aren't chasing me, you are chasing my reincarnation."
This time, Inuyasha smiled. He hadn't thought about it like that before. 'You're right," he told her. "The two of you are so alike and, yet, so different. You wanted me to become a human. Kagome likes me just the way I am. You are both beautiful. You were caring at one point. And you both had loved me at some time. Kagome, for whatever reason, still loves me. And I love her, too. I want to be with her and nothing and nobody is going to keep me from doing that."
Before Inuyasha could react, Kikyo fell into his arms and hugged him. "You belong to me, Inuyasha," she whispered. She looked up into his golden eyes.
He looked down at her and already she could see it. He truly had moved on. He kissed her on the forehead and gently pushed her away from him. "Not anymore," he whispered. He walked to the edge of the clearing and looked back at her one final time. "Goodbye, Kikyo. I'll see you in the afterlife."
The woman's eyes narrowed. "Goodbye, Inuyasha."
~~~
When the hanyou returned, it was already late in the afternoon. He hadn't realized how far he had gone nor how long he had been with Kikyo. Thankfully, Kagome was still asleep.
Not letting anyone say anything, Inuyasha walked up to the young miko and gently lifted her into his arms. Without a word, he jumped into the nearest tree and climbed to the top. Once there, he found a sturdy branch and gently settled onto it, Kagome secure in his arms.
He watched as the sun went down until he heard a soft sigh.
Kagome felt like she had been floating on a cloud. The last thing she could remember was passing out on the ground. Now, it seemed she was in heaven. She opened her eyes and saw the beautiful sunset. She could feel herself wrapped up and looked down. The arms of a hanyou were wrapped protectively around her. That's when she felt his chest and his heartbeat. That's when she heard his breathing and realized she was up in a tree.
Yep. Kagome was in heaven. She snuggled closer to him and just watched as the sun tucked itself in for the night. Her hands laid gently over the hanyou's. "Inuyasha?" she whispered.
He could barely breathe as he croaked, "Yes?"
She smiled as she closed her eyes and leaned her head into his chest. "Have you ever been with a woman?"
The question made him blush majorly and he didn't quite know how to respond. It seemed as if his answer was caught in his throat... as well as his heart, his breath, and everything else. "Wha.. What do you mean?" he managed to cough.
She giggled as she sat upright and turned to look at him. She could tell he was struggling with the answer. Softly, she touched his face with the palm of her hand. She was amazed at how soft his skin was. Where there should have been a beard... would have been at least stubble were he a normal human, his skin was as soft as a baby's. She apologized, "I didn't mean to make you uneasy. If you don't want to talk about it..."
Her hand was all the reassurance he needed. Still holding onto her with one arm, he lifted his other hand to touch hers. He took her hand into his and concentrated on it. "The first woman I'd ever loved was Kikyo," he told her, honestly. "Most women wouldn't go anywhere near me. Demonesses didn't want anything to do with me because I was half human. Humans didn't want me because I was half demon. Even girls growing up were frightened of me. Not that I cared. Them being afraid meant they didn't tease me, but left me alone."
Kagome's eyes turned into a darker blue as she felt the sorrow he must have felt all those years ago. The sorrow she could tell he was reliving. Sure, he said he hadn't cared, but was that really an honest answer? She knew him well enough to know if he could have, he would've gladly been around those young girls.
She thought about Rin, the little girl who travelled with Inuyasha's older half brother. Rin had never judged anyone because of their race or species. Then again, no one had really taught her to fear. What little fears she had, Sesshomaru was teaching out of her. Most parents are quite the opposite.
The human parents were especially notorious for this. In the villages Kagome had visited, she had witnessed it. Mothers and fathers herding their children away from Inuyasha and other demons. They didn't really like their kids playing with Shippo and many times Kagome had to reassure them that he wouldn't harm their children. Course, parents weren't as worried over a baby kitsune as they were a full grown inu hanyou. She shivered at the injustice of it.
"Have I been with a woman?" Inuyasha repeated, jolting Kagome out of her thoughts. "I guess it depends on what you mean. Kikyo was the first woman I had loved who had loved me in return. We never got any further than a kiss, but we did love each other very much. I wanted to be with her. To marry her. One day, even have children with her."
It was Kagome's turned to feel saddened. She bowed her head. "And now, you want to go into the afterlife with her," she finished for him, drawing her own conclusions. "Since the two of you cannot have the life you dreamed of, you'd rather not have a life at all. I understand."
"But... That's not it," Inuyasha stuttered, correcting her.
Surprised, Kagome looked up. Inuyasha continued before Kagome could say anything, "I found a new life now. One filled with more hope than I could imagine. For the first time since I was pinned to the tree, I feel as if I have a chance to be happy."
Without thought, Inuyasha pulled Kagome closer to him, putting her head against his chest. Startled and unsure, but unable to do anything, Kagome's eyes went up as her head was pressed against his chest.
"Do you hear that, Kagome?" he whispered. "That's my heart. Since you've come into my life, it has changed. I have changed. It beats stronger now. It's more lively."
"Inuyasha," she stammered, pushing herself off of him, or at least, trying to. It wasn't working to well. "What are you saying?"
He froze. What was he saying? He hadn't meant to tell her all of this so soon. He should be wallowing in sorrow for turning down Kikyo and breaking his promise to her. He should be heartbroken for ending his ties to the dead priestess. But, he wasn't. He felt... elated.
He wanted to shout out to the world and rejoice because he had Kagome. Before he could think anymore, he grabbed her close and decended to the ground. Once he got there, he placed Kagome gently on her feet and walked to his sleeping companions. He kicked Miroku and Sango awake and then picked Shippo up by the tail.
"Hey, Inuyasha!" the kitsune protested. "What gives? You're hurting me! Put me down!"
The hanyou dropped the kitsune. Miroku and Sango looked at him in a sleepy daze. They were both surprised at the huge, goofy grin on Inuyasha's face. He'd never smiled like that before.
He walked up to Kagome and took her hand into his. "Kagome, I have a confession to make," he told her. "And I want everyone to know."
Worried, the priestess stared at him. She didn't know what was going to come out of his mouth next. So far, the things he had said and done startled her because he had never acted this way before.
The others watched with growing interest as Inuyasha looked into Kagome's eyes. Then, without a word, he slipped her into an embrace and kissed her.
It wasn't like anything she had ever felt before. Sure he'd kiss her before this, but it hadn't been anything like this. It felt like their first kiss and she could feel her heart flutter as she moaned softly and deepened the kiss.
Miroku and Sango watched in shock. Shippo's face grew red in embarrassment.
Ever so softly, Inuyasha broke the kiss and gazed into the deep blue eyes of Kagome. "Higurashi Kagome, I love you," he whispered, but loud enough so the others could hear. "I am in love with you and I promise to make sure you know that everyday until the day I can no longer speak. And even then, the mountains will echo my love for you for all eternity. No one has ever made me feel the way I do when I am with you.
"For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong. You have never judged me for my parentage. You've always accepted me and always cared for me, no matter how mean I was to you. You have always been there, understanding, even if I didn't deserve it. When you should've walked away from me forever, you stayed by my side.
"I want you to be with me. Stand beside me for as long as we can. With you by my side, I know anything is possible. You've never doubted me, nor my strength, even when I have. For that, I could never repay you. But, I promise to spend the rest of my life trying."
Kagome lifted a finger to Inuyasha's lips to hush him, but he shook his head. "Let me finish," he told her.
"Shh," she whispered, "You had me at 'Hello.'"
Before he could protest, she drew him into another kiss. The companions watched as Inuyasha professed his love and Kagome accepted it with vigor.
Miroku looked at Sango. "Sango, come into my arms," he offered, holding his arms out for hopes of an embrace.
The demonslayer looked uneasy at the monk. "Perhaps later," she told him.
His eyebrows flew back in surprise. He had expected her to say many things, but not that. It was almost like a promise. Hopefull, the monk turned his attention back to the hanyou and priestess. But, they were gone.
Inuyasha settled back onto the tree branch and placed Kagome carefully in his lap. He held her close and whispered in her ear, "Thank you."
She leaned her head back and looked up at him. "For what?" she asked.
He kissed her nose. "For giving me a second chance. I know it's not going to be easy, but I promise I will try my hardest," he told her.
Together, they watched as the moon crept along the nightsky.