InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Transformations ❯ Going Home Again ( Chapter 58 )

Sango looked up sharply at Kagome, apparently coming to a decision. "Sesshomaru," she said, the name shuddered out between her sobs.

Kagome glanced silently at Inuyasha, who nodded and came forward to pick up the boy. Now all Kagome had to do was get Sesshomaru to help.

~*~Rare~*~

He also had to pray that his memory didn't change. He wouldn't know if it did. Now now, after so many years into the future. So he sat there, uneasy, and hoped.

~*~Clearing~*~

"You'll be buried, as everyone should be. Goodbye, Onigumo." She stood up and her power lifted the bones, still covering them. They held the form of a man, not a single bone out of place, and they trailed behind her as she scouted out a place to bury them.

~*~ Kaede ~*~

"This way," Kaede said, leading the way to Kikyo's shrine. With proper prayers she and Inuyasha buried Kikyo again and declared that she could be prayed to again.

All in all, everything seemed to be going alright.

~*~ Sesshomaru ~*~

Sango sniffed and nodded, heading for Kirara. The ride back to Kaede's was silence if not for her tears and Kohaku's whimpers. It was so sad to think that he had been through so much and would only blame himself, when none of it was. She hoped that some day she could prove that to him.

Fifty Eight. Geez, last chapter was 46 kb. Normally they're between 35 and 40. Nifty, eh? And kbs are measured by words, not length.

** Fifty Eight**

Everyone regrouped in their hut. They all sat down in the largest room and filled each other in, the pups resting and relaxed. The entire air above them seemed to have lightened greatly. And Gar had gone with Inuyasha to spread the word that Naraku had died, and who killed him. Mistress Kagome, the Miko hanyou of the Blue Pack. Inuyasha, the hanyou second heir to the West Lands. The Gold, Blue and Brown wolf packs. Hime, the Spider-Demon Weaver. Kagura the Wind Sorceress and her younger sister, Kanna, made of void. Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands. Miroku the Cursed Monk (and conveniently nobody bothered to mention that his wind tunnel was gone now) and Sango the Demon Exterminator. Kirara the Fire-Cat demon. Even Hojo was included: Hojo the unknown demon.

The title fit him, seeing as how no one - not even he himself - knew his demon heritage.

They were all here now, excepting those that had returned home. Jinenji sat outside the door, too big to fit the small doorway. He seemed to be waiting to be told to leave. When asked why he came, he replied that he felt something and ran into Ashira along the way. When he expressed concern for kagome, Ashira brought him along. He looked a little shocked, though, at her appearance. Which was understandable.

In the end everyone relaxed completely and parted ways after a long stretch of good-bye's. Afterwards Kagome checked on her pups to make sure they would sleep theough the night, not seeing the look she got from Inuyasha but feeling his gaze anyway. And then she went to check on Hojo, who was standing outside, looking around at everyone.

"Stunning, isn't it?" she asked, and he jumped.

"Oh, Kagome," he said. Then he faltered. "Should. . .I call you 'Mistress'?"

Kagome laughed and shook her head. "No. No, only my pack call me that. Well, and Sesshomaru, but he's all for titles."

"Your pack," Hojo mouthed and turned away.

Kagome laughed again and stood beside him. "Yes, it's all a bit complicated, isn't it? This isn't even my time and I inherited a pack."

"How many peo - demons were in your pack?" Hojo asked, although somewhat reluctantly.

"Oh, geez," Kagome sighed, tilting her head back. She stared up at the cloud above her head and tried to count in her head. "You know, I wasn't with them long enough to really know them," she said absently, looking over at him again. "At an offhand guess, I'd have to say that there were about three hundred before."

That sparked Hojo's interest. "Three hundred? Before? What happened?"

"My uncle started a civil war," Kagome replied with an exasperated air. "Something about my being half demon making me unworthy and a weak leader and all that. Most of the pack were on his side, but the best warriors were loyal to me."

"Did you. . .have to fight them?"

"No, I wasn't there. I took - well, it's a long story," Kagome cut herself off. "It's all very complicated."

"You should write a book," Hojo observed.

Kagome laughed. "No, there's too much. It'd end up being an incredibly long series."

"Oh. Well, write a series."

Kagome laughed. Wetting her lips, she turned to face Hojo and took a step back. "So spill," she said, nearly ordering him.

Confused expression in place, it was obvious he wasn't going to give in too easily. "Spill?" he repeated.

"Both you and Ahira came with us when we went to Naraku's castle," she began, "but neither of you made it there. Do I need to draw it out?"

"Ah," Hojo said, his face reddening. "W-well. . .She said something about. . .It was just. . .We weren't really. . ." His voice trailed off and he nervously scratched the back of his neck.

Kagome crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes and straightened her back. Taking up the full pose of the Mistress, she conjured up her power to draw out a wind to blow against her back, giving her more of a dramatic air. Oh yes, she had this 'Leader' stuff down. "Start talking now and you save yourself the trouble of getting it beat out of you later."

Hojo looked shocked and quickly - albeit clumsily - took a step back. "You wouldn't!"

"The old Kagome wouldn't have bothered," she replied, only half agreeing. "But the new improved Kagome -"

"Wouldn't hesitate to claw, hit, kick or burn your ass," Inuyasha finished for her. He'd heard the basic direction of the conversation and came to stand behind Hojo, helping to block any possible escape routes. Partially because he was nearly always on Kagome's side (when she arguing with someone other than him), but mainly to see Hojo squirm.

Hojo jumped at Inuyasha's voice. His head whipped back and forth between Kagome to Inuyasha and back again, the wind still giving Kagome a dramatic pose. He swallowed. "Alright, look!" he snapped. "We didn't really do anything! She said you could handle yourselves and I believed her, and she wanted to talk to me! That's it; we talked, I swear! I'm no pervert!"

"All men are perverts," Kagome replied, unfolding her arms. Still behind Hojo, Inuyasha chuckled and set a pair of devilish eyes on her. Kagome, however, ignored that. "And believe me, you couldn't have done anything, anyway. I've seen Ashira in action. If you tried one thing on her, you wouldn't be here now. So I believe you."

There was that shocked face again. "You can't be serious!"

"You don't know Ashira like I do," Kagome went on, starting a trek back to the hut with both men. "Even if you'd have simply asked her outright to - I don't know - bear your child or something, she'd have shredded you."

"But -" Hojo tried and broke off.

Inuyasha chuckled again and sat down on the porch, pulling Kagome into his lap as though they'd down it a thousand times before. (DL: Which they very well might have, mha ha ha!) "You're trying to say," Inuyasha said, looking up at Hojo, "that women - at least from this time - don't act like that?"

Mutely, Hojo nodded and sat down as well, a well-hidden look of jealousy in his eyes at Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship.

"Ashira's much different," Kagome explained. "She believes that there's someone out there for her, but he's either not looking or after someone else. She's been saving herself for him, which could very well result in her dying without ever finding a mate. Not only that, but she's fiercely protective of herself. I'd hate to see what would happen to the man who gropes her."

Inuyasha smirked. "He'd be dead, tenderized, shredded and boiled meat."

Kagome gave a laugh. "Nice visualization," she commented, rolling her eyes.

Hojo swallowed at the thought and leaned back. "Damn good thing I'm a decent man, isn't it?"

Kagome, who was leaning comfortably into Inuyasha with her head down, looked over at Hojo without lifting her chin. "What's that? I've never heard you swear before, Hojo. Is your art of acting that perfected?" she teased.

Hojo's jaw tensed as he looked away. "Well, i can safely say that I wish I didn't have to perfect acting."

Kagome's gaze softened considerably and she inhaled deeply, empathizing with his wish. Only she had to be as careful with the thought as possible; the jewel was still around her neck. Eventually she shook her head and straightened up, more or less shaking herself out of her languorous pose. "Do you have a set time of when you want to go home, Hojo?"

Hojo glanced up sharply. "Well - how does the time work?"

"You mean, on either side of the well?" Kagome asked. Hojo nodded and she continued. "It's completely parallel. Every second that passes here passes there, and vice versa. If I spent a day here, a day would pass there, and so on."

Hojo looked like he was about to panic. "Then I've really been gone for - for three hours?!" he asked sharply.

"Check your watch, Hojo," Kagome replied, standing. "It's been four and half." Absently she slapped at Inuyasha's hand, which had lifted, trailing his claws along her thigh.

Hojo stood up sharply and swore somewhat harshly. "Then I have to get back," he said, urgency in his voice, eye pleading.

"Did you have plans?" Kagome asked, somewhat at a loss but already leading the way back to the well, Inuyasha left unhappy but staying put.

"Yes and no," Hojo replied, his pace picking up even as he walked as fast as he could without running. "I told mother I would get back to her as soon as I finished talking with you. She's got to be worried sick!"

Kagome couldn't help but smirk. "Worried that her adoptive son, who is a full-blooded demon, might be in trouble because he'd been gone for four hours with a hanyou miko mistress?" she teased, still amazed that she wasn't panting by now at this pace.

"Go ahead and laugh, but she always fears for me," he half-snapped, half-panted. "Plus she doesn't know exactly what you are."

"Every mother does," Kagome replied. "Even surrogate ones," she added, thinking of Shippo. With the eight orphans of her pack he wasn't lonely anymore, but he still preferred staying with Kagome over being with anyone else. She loved it when he snuggled into her shoulder or stomach. It made her feel warm and calm all at once.

"I imagine they would," Hojo got out, pausing to catch his breath.

They siad nothing else as they finished their trek and leapt into the well. When they appeared on the other side, it was to another surprise. Ray, Rare and Maki were in the wellhouse, and all three grinned when Kagome leapt out again, holding Hojo since he couldn't control the strength of his jumps yet.

"What's this?" Maki asked, a teasing glint in her eyes.

"Getting comfortable with Hojo," Rare answered.

"Inuyasha wouldn't like this one bit," Ray went on, even as Kagome and turned scarlet and let go of one another.

"Mo-om!" they both whined.

The three adults laughed.

"Well, Kagome," Rare said, "it seems you were victorious. I see the Jewel."

Kagome's blush, which had let up, came flooding back and she touched the Jewel, missing the feel of her father's fang around her neck. It was tucked into her belt now, on her right side. She drew it out. "Inuyasha had to cut the hair. It -" she choked and swallowed. "It saved my life."

Ray gasped, but Rare was still smiling. He closed Kagome's hand on the fang and hugged her. "I knew it would," he whispered to her. "I'll fashion a new band for it, if you wish."

Kagome nodded and blinked back tears. She snuggled into his shoulder and smiled. In the back of her mind she could hear Hojo talking quickly to Maki, the two of them sending and recieving messages faster than she could have believed. Another set of arms went around her and she manuevered one arm to encircle her mother's waist.

This felt wonderful.

After a few moment she drew back and wiped her eyes. "Where's Souta?"

"Still at school, Kagome," Ray laughed. "It's wendesday, or have you forgotten?"

Kagome blushed again. "I forgot, I guess. It's been a while since I had to go to school so I. . .I forgot to count the days."

"Are you going to come in or return to Inuyasha?" Rare asked.

"I need to go back to Inuyasha," Kagome replied, leaning back onto the lip of the well. "He knows I only came back to let Hojo through the well. I have to get back before he comes for me."

"Too late," Inuyasha's voice called fromt he bottom of the well.

Kagome nearly fell in. "Inuyasha!" she snapped, turning around and grabbing the well with both hands. "Ten minutes! Just ten minutes!"

Inuyasha soared up in front of her and landed beside her, folding his arms. "Ten minutes too long."

Kagome scowled at him and heard her parents laugh. She glanced at them to see them smiling at one another, sharing thoughts most likely. Aren't you supposed to be paying attention to me? Inuyasha's voice came in her mind. She glared back at him but didn't reply. Glancing around once more she noticed Hojo and Maki were gone.

Well it's not like they could be expected to stay around, she thought, while we're all having intimate moments and arguing. It was funny how often those two found themselves next to one another. Intimate one second, angry the next. Heh.

"You comin' back or do I have to drag you back?" Inuyasha snapped.

Kagome's glare intensified. "I am staying here until you learn some patience!" she snapped. Folding her arms to mimic his pose, she dug her heels in.

Inuyasha cringed and she saw his eyes change. He looked dejected and turned his face away. "I can be patient. I just don't like being without you." He snuck a glance at her from under his bangs. "Is that so bad?"

She softened instantly. "No," she sighed. "I'm horrible, aren't I?"

Inuyasha chuckled. "A matched set."

She giggled. "I guess so. We did kind of make a pact."

"Who do you mean?"

"We both decided to drive each other nuts."

Both laughed at that comment, Kagome hearing her parents laugh along with them. It was a nice day.

"But we really should stay here a bit," Kagome went on, sobering. "Souta's going to get home soon and we can him the story."

"Oh no you're not!" Ray said. "You're not telling Souta anything that might give him nightmares!"

"Mama," Kagome whined.

"Kagome, I must agree," Rare said. "Would you like your child speaking to her younger sibling about her battles in another timeline?"

"Well, no, but I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon."

Inuyasha laughed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------

Chapter 58. Yayness. Sorry about the cruddy ending but really, I couldn't think of anything much better. ><

I say thankies to all my reviewers thus far. You all waited so patiently while I was pacing every day for this CD to get here. Oh yeah, daddy sent me a CD with the info from my computer to me. It clashes with this computer's programs so I had some fixing up to do. It was confusing. ><

I want to personally thank Inufreak831 for the wonderful review. It lifted my spirits considering I was having kind of a bad day. Rest assured, all of you, that I will indeed finsih this fic. While I have begun another fic of Inuyasha that I've been focusing on quite a bit lately, I will NOT forego my responsibilities on this fic. If I did, I'd be skinned alive and strung up by my toes. ^^;; Plus I have run over some ideas in my head for a sequel and thought of TWO endings for this fic. I will put up both endings, the second beginning as "AE chapter 1" for 'Alternate Ending'. I hope you all like both of them.

See ya!