InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Three-Part Concerto ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

Notes: Welcome to this story, I hope you find it to your liking. This story was written by an author high on almost anything she could get her hands on, including glue, sawdust, and a pair of moldy erasers. Yes, quite strangely, even erasers can mold over in time. They were quite an interesting shade of purple, indeed.

'Three-Part Concerto' was written for a fanfiction contest that was quite nicely enough, lenient enough to allow extremely-long-fics-that-bore-every-one-to-death. I was afraid no one was going to take this fic.

The only rules of the contest were that it had to show the relationship between Kikyo and Inuyasha, needed NOT to be a romance fic (up to the author's own decision) and could NOT VILIFY KIKYO.

Given the above requirements, what else to do but a romance fic? ^-^

Disclaimer: If you think I will allow myself to be sued for forgetting the disclaimer, I'll gladly give you my free visit-to-the-asylum pass. A nice man dressed all in white holding a funny-looking jacket handed it to me the last time I visited there, as he said, 'just in case'.

Maybe I shouldn't have brought my purple erasers along for the visit back then.

R&R: Warning: This IS a Inu/Kik romance fic. If these things disturb you, or anger you, or all in all turn you into the green Hulk himself, please switch stories now. I have many more stories that are much less idiotic then this one. If you flame me, I will post it up for the world to see and practice my dart-throwing skills with it. Otherwise, I take constructive criticism quite nicely.

So here it is. In all it's glory and stupidity. For better or for worse. In good times and bad. Through sickness and health. I present to you…

Three-Part Concerto

By Elementsofmine/elementalspirit125

Prologue

This story is rated R. The ratings vary from chapter to chapter. This chapter is rated PG for minor suggestive comments.

1536 Early Spring, Japan

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Kagome drank in the delicious sights of the world beyond the well. The trees had their foliage raised, as though purposely showing off their beautiful leaves. The flowers were in the midst of their growing season, at their height. Feeling a falling leaf tickle her nose, she couldn't help but sneeze.

"A-Achoo!"

A chuckle, then a light thump beside her quickly reminded her of the quickly-growing bored hanyou companion that had recently ago confined himself to the top branches of a tree. Scratching himself in a dog-like fashion he whined,

"Kagome, did you bring anything good to eat? I'm starved!"

Kagome only snorted. The day Inuyasha died of hunger would be the day Sesshomaru hung his head in shame and vowed to serve forevermore as Shippo's pet puppy.

Instead, she reached into her backpack, rummaging about for something else. "Mama, Souta and I went shopping yesterday," she told the curious dog demon. "I bought some flowers because…" She pulled out the delicate bouquet of roses, carefully smoothing down the edges of the paper wrapping. Looking up at Inuyasha nervously, she turned away to stare at the ground while her voice came out in a whisper. "I…I wanted to visit Kikyo's grave."

The hanyou's face softened considerably, thinking also of how the miko had saved their lives by intercepting one of Naraku's miasma blasts in the last battle. Maybe now she would finally rest in peace, although whether or not that was happening was still a guess.

Nodding quickly, the hanyou kept his face shaded as they both walked silently to the little plot of land where Kikyo's remains where buried. Brushing away a low tree branch, Kagome was surprised to see that up ahead where Sango and Miroku, seemingly having the same strange temptation to visit Kikyo's grave.

"Sango! Miroku!" she cried happily, running up to meet them, almost tripping over a mushroom she had not noticed lying on the ground.

"Ha!" cried the mushroom, with a poof transforming back into the devious kitsune. "Didja miss me Kagome? Didja really not see me! Ha! I'm getting better!"

Giggling, the fox demon was scooped up into his surrogate mother's arms as she nuzzled him. Inuyasha walked up, carefully avoiding the nuzzling Kagome and Shippo (he still appeared to be allergic to all outright signs of affection) and stared at the sheepish Miroku and Sango.

"Oy!" he called. "What are you two doing here?"

"Well, ah…"

"You see…"

"-thought we might…"

"-so then…"

"-and before we knew it…"

"-yeah…"

Miroku looked around nervously for anything that would take the unconvinced hanyou's mind off the current events. Not wanting to reveal that he too, had suddenly felt like visiting the former miko's grave, he grabbed God's gift to men and prayed it would all be over before long.

::SLAM::

Muttering life-threatening curses not suitable to be coming out of her gender's mouth, Sango huddled behind a confused Kagome and Shippo as means for protection. "You hentai," her voice muffled as she spoke with her teeth grit, "I told you; no more groping! Haven't you learned yet, baka? You should be appreciating the fact that Naraku's been killed and you still have a hand!"

Miroku flexed the fingers on his bare hand remorsefully. Ever since Naraku's defeat, the hellhole had grown smaller and smaller until no more of it was left. "But Sango-chan," he bleated, "I'd appreciate them a lot more with you…" The remark was punctuated with the raising of his eyebrows all too invitingly.

Shippo waved his tail eagerly. These spats between the houshi and the exterminator always proved to be a sport for him. Scampering up onto Kagome's shoulders, he balanced precariously, waiting for the fight to begin.

He didn't have to wait long. In the space of a second, Miroku found his way to the side of Sango and pinched her backside cheekily before running away at top speed to her furious rants.

Kagome only sighed, and plopped down on the grassy hill with the kitsune in her arms. Watching Sango chase Miroku around the hill was making her dizzy, so instead she unveiled the flowers from her other hand to place at the foot of Kikyo's gravestone.

Letting Shippo run curiously up to inspect the flowers, Kagome leaned over to delicately touch the engraved letters.

Kikyo

No last name was provided, no date nor year. Just a single insignia with fanciful waves and curves dotting the letters.

"She wanted this."

Kagome looked up to see her hanyou looking away into the forest with his arms crossed curtly.

"She wanted life and received a half-life," he replied, still not turning to face Kagome. "Maybe now she has what she wanted. Another life in another place. Kaede's coming."

The last comment took a while to sink in, and it was only until Kagome saw the top of the old woman head did she fully comprehend. "Kaede," she called, waving her arm to signal the group's locality.

With a low nod in acknowledgement, the old women carefully made her way up the hill, and with a deep sigh of relief, took her seat next to Kagome.

"Ah, Kagome, you decided to visit Kikyo-onee-sama's grave today. What are your reasons behind this visit, child?"

Kagome played idly with a blade of grass, tickling the giggling Shippo on the nose with it. "I don't know," she replied slowly, carefully thinking out her words. "But I think it has to do with the fact that I had a strange dream last night…In fact, I've had it for the past few days."

"What kind of dreams?" asked Kaede, curious. Sango, also curious about the affairs of Kagome's dreams, stopped her chasing of Miroku and sat down near the two. Miroku trudged over also, a little slower, however, speed burdened by the large lumps on his head.

"Well," Kagome replied nervously, wringing out her hands. "They're mostly sorta strange, so don't laugh, okay?

All three nodded, determined to make her reveal what was bothering her so.

"Well," Kagome began, wistfully. "In my dreams, I'm always in the middle of the forest in front of the village. It's probably deep into it, because no one else is ever there. Sometimes, I'm just standing there, other times, I'm lying on the ground, crying. I never really know what I'm doing, and every time I just start to think over things. I get all these…strange memories, ones I don't remember when I wake up. Then, I feel someone's hand on my shoulders, and an arrow is placed in my hand. I try to see the person behind me, but I never seem to be able to. When I place the arrow down on the ground, it spins and points off into deeper forest. And then…"

All of the company, even the reluctantly curious Inuyasha, leaned closer for the dream's finale.

"I wake up."

Inuyasha crashed to the ground, over-balancing in his attempt to hear better. Miroku sighed and Sango rubbed her palms together uncertainly. Kaede, however, looked thoughtful.

"Tell me child," she pronounced slowly. "You say you have memories that are strange to you. Try to remember some of them."

Kagome wrinkled her nose in deep thought. "Umm…" she replied, "I think I can remember a picture…and two boxes. And also a headband. But that's it."

Kaede pursed her lips meditatively. "I seem to recall a portrait a long time ago that held a matter of importance in my sister's life," she stated after a while. "Does my sister's grave have anything to do with your dreams?"

Kagome shrugged. "I guess. It just sorta reminds me of my dreams."

Inuyasha spoke, his voice startling Kagome into realizing he was now seated beside her, completing the circle the group formed in front of the grave. "Tell her the story," he said, gruffly. "Tell her of Kikyo's life, Kaede. It might help her remember something."

Kaede moved to a more comfortable position for her, sighing as her old limbs found a better way to sit. "I've been waiting for that request, Inuyasha. My old mind has aged; I no longer remember what happened when the world was younger. You must also join me in the telling."

Taking his silence as a yes, Kaede sighed and moved the bag on her shoulder onto the grass. "This here," she motioned, "contains four shovels. I too, have had your dream countless times."

Seeing the group's surprised faces, she nodded. "I believe the arrow is telling us the direction in where we must dig to find whatever it is the hand wants revealed. Maybe with the telling of Kikyo's life, we will reveal more about these strange dreams."

Letting Shippo snuggle deeper into her arms, Kagome nodded. "I think Kaede's right," she affirmed. "Besides," she said, smiling coyly. "I'd like to know a little about Inu-chan's past girlfriend."

Laughing at his friend's angry blush, Miroku beckoned to Sango. "See?" he whispered. "Kagome is no longer hurt by these past lovers of Inuyasha. Maybe they finally see through each other, hmm?"

Sango smiled fondly at her friend Kagome, eyes not missing the way Inuyasha reserved his special glance for only her. In other ways, her heart ached, also wanting the sweet emotion of a first love.

Maybe one day…

Kaede cleared her throat, preparing to begin. "Now, do not correct an old woman's musings," she warned, seemingly directly to an adamant Inuyasha (Feh! Like I give a crap about some old woman's tale). "My mind is old and can no longer focus correctly. Just stop me if I start drifting off."

"Let's see now…Ah yes…

"The last summer before Frost of Dragonflies…the Spring of New Beginnings…suddenly, my mind is clearer then it has ever been…I remember now…"

TBC

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Rondo (from elementalspirit125):

I am nobody. Nobody is perfect. Therefore, I am perfect.