InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tomaru's Story ❯ Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

Everyone, excluding Sesshoumaru, took a collective gasp in shock. Sesshoumaru simply looked slightly irritated. “And why would I do such a thing? Ningens mean nothing to me. Especially this weak miko.”

 

“Keh,” Inuyasha scoffed, and coughed again. “I know YOU can deal with her, what with all your boasting and gloating all the time. She won't listen to anyone.” He looked up at Sesshoumaru and glared. “So you had better do it or I'll come back to haunt you.”

 

Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome, who gazed back at him. The Inu no Taishou relayed no expression whatsoever, but his golden eyes regarded her with a tinge of… curiosity? She looked back down at Inuyasha, her eyes full of tears. “Baka,” she whispered.

 

“If you die, hanyou, then I suppose I could just kill the miko and be done with it,” Sesshoumaru replied, obviously irritated with the request.

 

Inuyasha growled. “You can't kill her, bastard. She defeated Naraku. You owe her.”

 

The Dog Lord sighed. “Very well, half-breed. I will guard your miko for you.”

 

Inuyasha smiled weakly, turning his gaze back to Kagome. “Oi… Kagome.”

 

She leaned down over him, holding his hand tightly. “Yes, Inuyasha?”

 

“Kagome,” he whispered, almost like a prayer. His face was becoming paler as he lost more blood and his vision was fading. “There is one last thing I have to tell you, that I never could before.” He reached up with a shaking hand to touch her face. “I love you, Kagome.”

 

Her heart stopped as she heard his words. Tears started flowing copiously down her cheeks as she fell gently onto his chest and hugged him softly as she could with his wounds. “Oh, Inuyasha,” she cried. Sango and Miroku sat nearby, tears in their eyes as well. “I love you too,” she sobbed into his chest. “I've always loved you.”

 

He smiled, which was a rarity with Inuyasha. “I know.” He closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. “Now I can die in peace.” His consciousness began to fade.

 

Kagome lifted her head, tears still falling onto his bloody robe. “No! Inuyasha, don't you die on me! You can't!” She placed the Shikon no Tama over his heart as she pulled him closer to her. “I won't go anywhere without you, Inuyasha!”

 

As Inuyasha's breath became shallower and more labored, she leaned over with one hand covering the Shikon no Tama resting over Inuyasha's heart. She kissed him as he took his last breaths.

 

As she held her lips to his, a pink glow began under her hand where the Shikon no Tama rested against Inuyasha's chest. The glow grew brighter quickly, enveloping Kagome and Inuyasha in its radiance. Sango and Miroku clung to each other as they stared and Kouga backed away swiftly. Sesshoumaru stood silently as he watched the events unfold.

 

As the glow faded, Kagome pulled away from Inuyasha. She lifted her hand from his chest, and the Shikon no Tama was gone.

 

“Kagome?” Miroku was the first to speak.

 

Kagome didn't reply, but looked down at Inuyasha as he lay there. He stirred and opened his golden eyes, his gaze clear. “Kagome?” He sat up, putting a hand to his head. He looked down at himself, wrapped in Miroku's kesa. He quickly pulled it off to reveal his tattered clothing clinging to his completely healed torso. His gaze shot over to Kagome's. “What happened? What did you do?”

 

Kagome sat back and looked at him, her heart in her throat. “I- I used the Shikon jewel to save your life,” she whispered, suddenly afraid. He had planned to use the jewel to become a full-fledged demon and now it was too late. The jewel was gone.

 

Sesshoumaru stared in mute wonder at his alive-again brother and then shook his head. Such was the love of a mortal, he supposed. He thought about his little Rin, and remembered how she had cared for him after he lost his left arm in that first battle against Inuyasha and his Tetsusaiga. He supposed the love of the miko was just as strong. He felt a twinge somewhere in his chest at the thought.

 

He turned to leave, then noticed Sango and the monk still crouched by the dead boy's side. He had vowed to kill Kohaku once, but something changed his mind. He saw how the miko had sacrificed everything to save his worthless brother. What would she say if he also did something for someone else?

 

He walked over to Sango and Miroku, who looked up at him in silent shock. He pulled out his Tenseiga and let it pulse over the body of the dead Demon Slayer. The minions of the underworld appeared to Sesshoumaru, and he used the sword to destroy them as they hovered around Kohaku's body. He then sheathed the Tenseiga and turned away, never having spoken a word.

 

Sango and Miroku watched him walk away, still holding each other. What was that all about? They turned as one back to Kohaku's body. As they watched, Kohaku drew breath and opened his eyes, crouching up to get on all fours. He sat back on his heels, then turned around and looked at Sango.

 

“Sango?” Kohaku said a little confused. “What happened? I was dead, wasn't I?”

 

Sango stared in shock at Kohaku, tears welling up in her eyes. “Oh, Kohaku!” she cried as she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly to her. Miroku watched as the siblings embraced and he wiped away a tear.

 

“Who would've thought Sesshoumaru would do something like this?” Miroku asked softly. He watched Inuyasha's brother walk away and he smiled. It seemed that something had happened to the normally cold-hearted Dog Demon.

 

Inuyasha watched Sesshoumaru for a second then turned back to Kagome, who was watching him with tears in her eyes. “Wait a minute! What the hell is going on around here?” he fairly shouted at Kagome. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her face to face with him, his nose mere centimeters from hers. “Why am I still alive? Where is the Shikon jewel?”

 

Kagome turned her face away. Miroku stood up and walked to Inuyasha's side, kneeling down and placing a hand on the hanyou's shoulder.

 

“Easy now, Inuyasha,” he said. “Yelling at Kagome isn't going to get you any answers.” He turned to Kagome as well. “Kagome, where is the jewel?” he asked again.

 

“It's gone,” she replied softly. “I don't know what happened to it. I just used its power to save Inuyasha's life and it disappeared.” She bowed her head. “I'm sorry.”

 

Inuyasha released Kagome's shoulders and sat back on his butt and crossed his legs, staring vacantly in Kagome's direction. “It's… gone?” he asked stupidly. “But…”

 

Miroku cut him off with a glance. “If you had died, you wouldn't have become a full-fledged youkai either, Inuyasha,” he said sharply. He looked over at Sango and Kohaku, who were watching them. “If it were me, I'd be infinitely grateful that I had been given a second chance at a life with the woman I loved, rather than be forced to leave her side in death.”

 

Kouga huffed. “Feh,” he said. “Death comes to all humans, and that includes mutts like him.” He stood up and looked down at Kagome, pointing at Inuyasha who was staring with a rather dumb look on his face at Kagome. “It was wrong of you to keep him from death when it was his time, Kagome.” He knelt down and clasped her hand, staring into her wide brown eyes. “Especially when you had a man like me to take care of you…”

 

Inuyasha jumped to his feet at that comment, standing like a monkey with a look of absolute disgust and irritation on his face. He shook a fist at Kouga. “Oi, mangy wolf! Shut your mouth or you'll know first-hand what death is like!”