InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Time Goes By; Life Goes On ❯ Fates Unknown ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter Six: Fates Unknown

Inuyasha watched with a careful eye as Kagura flew above the treetops. Her white feather contrasted with the darkening sky of twilight. He marveled at her gracefulness and eagerness to return to Naraku’s castle. Her ruby eyes squinted with rebellion and determination. Her once cold face was contorted into that of revenge. He had never seen her so full of hatred, that she would go head first into a battle for her life.
Inuyasha soon took to the trees to make haste, while Miroku and Sango followed on Kirara. They stayed just behind the wind sorceress to keep her in their sites. With the darkening sky, it was more difficult to see the dangers that lay ahead, and keeping her in front allowed them the element of surprise. However, the forest was an eerily quiet. Nothing made a sound, the birds never nested here and the bugs took over. Naraku’s barrier had made sure nothing survived in his bubble.
Inuyasha leapt from branch to branch careful not to make a sound. His heart pounding and lungs begging for release, but he dared not stop. Even his legs began to protest as they covered a day’s traveling in a mere few hours. He had never felt so fatigued before and knew it was because of Kagome. She had always been his strength, his motivation to push forward. However, in the beginning, it was rocky and more troublesome then either of them wanted to admit. He was always chasing after Kikyo and berating her in front of anyone and everyone.
‘Maybe if I didn’t call her names she would still be here.’
Inuyasha scolded himself everyday for the past since she has been gone, and it has never changed a thing. His amber eyes had lost their sparkle and his hair was full of twigs and leaves. ‘Kagome never let me look like this.’ The more time went on the more Inuyasha sank into depression. His heart hurt more everyday and his body reciprocated. For the first time since his mother’s death, he felt hopeless. Even tonight, as he chased Kagura into the unknown his heart still longed for Kagome. Her touch, her smile, her everything became more of a memory of a dream every day. It was time to kill Naraku and move on if he could muster the strength to even fight. However, he was too close to the truth too close to find out what really happened to Kagome.
That fiery need to see her fueled him once again. His legs quit their protesting and his lungs opened to ease his labored breathing. It was time to lay all this to rest.

Miroku watched Inuyasha with worrisome eyes. He had been going non-stop since they left Kaede’s village and his body was beginning to wear out. Kagura still floated in front and slightly above the monk and demon slayer, and Miroku wanted nothing more than to yank the feather out from under her. He grinned evilly as the thought of her plummeting forty feet the ground, but shook the thought out of his head when Sango glanced his way.
“Miroku, are you okay?” Sango asked when she caught the menacing grin from the corner of her eyes. She had never seen such a wicked look on his face. His eyes were squinted and if he had fangs, they would be protruding from his lips. He looked absolutely evil and that frightened her. Cautiously she reached for his hand but was met in the middle when his covered hers and their fingers intertwined.
“Yes my dear Sango I am fine,” Miroku replied with a genuine smile. His eyes sparkled with his mischievous look and squeezed her hand reassuringly, “I was just thinking about what we could do to Kagura without her knowing.”
Sango's chestnut orbs widened with surprise. ‘Did he really just say that?’ “What do you mean?” Sango asked with a hint of jealously in her voice. She had finally accepted the fact that Miroku was always going to be a flirt, but to say what he said so blatantly and with that smile nonetheless she couldn’t believe it.
Miroku caught on to her stiffing body language and quickly restated his previous comment, “No, no Sango I did not mean anything like that. I was just thinking of yanking her feather out from under her and watching her fall to the ground.”
Before Sango could reply Naraku’s castle sprang into view.
*~
Kagome laid in bed, her head swimming with the feelings that kept washing over her. She had no idea what they meant but she knew it was not good.
It had happened twice that day and her body would shake down to the bones. Like a cold chill that could not be warmed. She hoped it was only because of the pregnancy and the fear of losing her baby that caused the extreme reactions, but she knew that would be too easy. Her life for one was never, never easy. In her short life, she had battled demons, fell in love, lost love, and possessed. For once, she just wanted something to go right for her. She wanted no more tears over Inuyasha, no more Naraku all she wanted was to live her life however she needed to without having to look over should to see if she was at risk of being attacked.
Her mom had left her home as she went to run errands and Kagome had no choice but to think about the future. She idly rubbed her swollen abdomen as she flicked through channels. She hardly glanced at the TV as she did. As if from irritation of the constant channel, surfing the baby kicked her bladder.
“Okay okay I will stop,” Kagome muttered under her breath and light pat the side of her belly, “You know kiddo it is just going to be me and you in this apartment. I have everything ready for your arrival…um… well almost everything; I still need to name you, huh?” Kagome reached for the well-used baby name book on her nightstand. She had been looking for names ever since she found out she was pregnant, but never could commit to one. She definitely wanted something strong like Inuyasha's, but without him, here she had a hard time choosing.
Her mom had mentioned something about naming him Inuyasha after his dad but Kagome could not bring herself to do so. Not without having to relive every moment I shared with him again and again. The book gave her little hope as she read page after page for the hundredth time. However, this time a name stood out. A name that mean courage, bravery and she knew this was the name of her son. A son with a father so brave he once agreed to go to hell with a woman he used to love, a father that stood at the front of every battle they ever had and fought with all his strength. Kagome chuckled when she thought of how brave Inuyasha really was, he never coward from a fight but you bring up the word love and he was running like a chicken from a fox.
“Kiddo this is the perfect name for you. Fore you will be courageous and brave and you will fight for what you believe in. You will be known as Higurashi Isamu, my little angel.” Kagome sighed back into her pillow she felt as if a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders and she could once again rest a bit easier.
*~
Naraku scowled as he walked through one of the many dark alleys in Tokyo. The night seemed to bring peace and quiet to the usually busy city. Leaving the confines of the park woods, he took to the streets in search of his treasure. He knew this would take time, because he did not have a nose like the hanyou and the strange sites of this time gained his interest more often than not.
He would stand on the sidewalk with a gaping mouth when a car would whiz by. He had never seen this before and even being the evil hanyou he was these strange contraptions captivated him, and when he finally had enough of the cars he continued with his search.
The dark alleys seemed to call him, has he moved effortlessly through the streets. He would duck into one here and there looking for something- anything- that gave him an idea on Kagome's whereabouts.
When he turned up empty handed, he would sulk back to the brightly lit sidewalk and continued until he reached a busy intersection. Most of the sidewalk was deserted and the roads he was previously on were as well, however, when he reached the intersection he could go no further. The cars whizzed by at access speeds and never slowed even with the flashing red light overhead. The smells coming from the cars were enough to make him gag involuntarily.
‘I have had enough tonight. She is not here, but I will find her.’
Naraku had his hopes up all the way back to the park, she was here somewhere- he could feel her, but where, was the question. Jumping back into the tree he left earlier that night Naraku thought about the days to come.
*~
Inuyasha stopped walking long enough for Kirara to catch up. There was definitely something amiss here, “Miroku do you feel anything,” Inuyasha asked never taking his eyes off the dark castle.
“No not a thing, I barely even feel Kagura. What’s going on Inuyasha?”
Inuyasha did not have an answer. His mind reeled with the possibilities of what is inside. His amber orbs darted from side to the other before landing on a smirking Kagura.
“What in the fuck is going on Kagura?” Inuyasha demanded with a low growl.
He sounded menacing even to Kagura. She knew she had to be careful with him, but she could not help but smirk at the worried face that masked his own. “Why don’t you go inside Inuyasha? I trust you won’t be disappointed.” Kagura laughed. She did not want to come right out and say it but she thought for sure he could feel the power of the portal. After all, he had traveled through that same power many times through the well.
“Fuck,” Inuyasha growled again. ‘This is definitely a trap and if we all go in together we will not come back alive.’ “Miroku, Sango I am going in first just in case it is indeed a trap. If it is not I will come back and get you.”
Miroku started to protest but Sango put a hand to his shoulder and stopped him. She could see the look of fear on Inuyasha's face and knew it would be better to let him go alone first.
“Okay Inuyasha, but please hurry.”
Inuyasha opened the shoji screen and cautiously stepped over the threshold with Kagura at his heels.
“This way,” Kagura directed stepping in front and leading him down the dark narrow hallway. After a few turns the two were soon facing another shoji screen that was left open, “It’s in there Inuyasha.”
Inuyasha glanced over the threshold, the moonlight shining through the cracks of the silk screens. His eyes darted around the room a third time before he saw the void gracing the back wall, “What the fuck…”
“That was my thoughts too. Apparently Naraku had harvested the power of the bone eater’s well, and opened it up here. That is why Kagome could not get back. He went through it hours ago though I have no idea where it leads to, but I did notice when he used it his hold over my heart disappeared.”
Inuyasha eyed Kagura incredulously, her words stung him, and he knew that for once she was telling the truth.
“Hmph, I bet I know where it goes. Kagura you stay here I am going to get Miroku and Sango,” Inuyasha ran out the way they had come to tell the others of Naraku’s mistake.

Sango and Miroku decided to make around through the castle grounds. They wanted to make sure this was not a set up and that Naraku’s other incarnations were gone as well.
As they rounded the east side of the castle, they saw, Inuyasha run through the entrance.
“What do you think is going on?” Sango asked turning her saddened chestnut orbs to Miroku's handsome face.
“I have no idea but it seems this is not a trap after all. Let’s see what is going on,” Miroku replied with a small smile of relief, “Oi, Inuyasha what’s going on?”
“That bastard used the powers of the well for his own demonic use. Kagura said she had no idea where it goes but that Naraku went through it about an hour ago.”
“Went through what Inuyasha? You are not making any sense.” Sango commented.
“Feh, just come with me and I will show you.”
Once again, Inuyasha was running blindly through the halls of the castle leading his pack into uncertainty.