InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Trapped In Between ❯ Contemplating Tears ( Chapter 2 )

HOLY MOTHER OF CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM, (don't ask me where I got that saying) I ACTUALLY CHANGED THE FREAKING TITLE! (score!)

Okay folks, this is chapter two of my makeshift Inuyasha fic, and it is SERIOUSLY EDITED. I probably didn't keep a paragraph worth of the original dialogue in it. I read over it yesterday and it was shit. I decided that in order to actually want to continue this fic, I would have to be at least slightly satisfied with the writing. Which is why the original writing went into the trash bin. It's so much better, now… though I'm still a bit unsatisfied. Oh, and the part where Kagura was Kikyou… nope. I changed it to Naraku for reasons you will understand if you re-read it. Sorry about all this.

And also, I am not a Kikyou hater, as I said in chapter one. There are occasional times when she acts like a bitch… but I would, too, if I was betrayed by the only person I cared for and then died trying to protect humanity from a jewel, and was then forced back to life to have to wander aimlessly because my soul cannot rest in peace without the death of my betrayer… jeez, give her a break, people. If you're still under the delusion that she's still out to kill Kagome, you haven't gotten very far in the series, have you? And watch episode 91.

Disclaimer: All characters in the story belong to Megami no Takahashi-sama, the wonderful creator of Inuyasha. *preschool children chorus in* "Yeah, so don't sue her because all she has is her computer!" *sighs*

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Trapped In Between

Chapter 2: Contemplating Tears

By: Kaji-chan

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It was Naraku's.

Inuyasha spun around, hatred burning in his eyes. "You…" he growled, his fangs bared in a snarl of revulsion and contempt. "You… YOU KILLED HER!"

Naraku's smirk was visible through his white baboon pelt. "What a pity..." Naraku laughed, the mockery of it ringing in the hanyou's ears. "Yes, how terrible…"

Inuyasha bared his fangs, a low growl rising up in his chest. "Why?! She wasn't a threat to you!"

Naraku shook his head. "Yes, that might be the case... but you were never powerful enough to kill me, to penetrate my shield without being burned by my miasma." Inuyasha held back the low growl that reverberated through his chest. "But that girl... yes... she was something different… Her arrows could purify even my miasma." Naraku enjoyed the sweet silence and watched the anger and hatred burn and flare in Inuyasha's eyes. "Yes... she was the one who brought me to near death a while back. Don't you remember?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he recalled the events. Naraku had taken her away from his protection and tried to kill her by cursing her, but it backfired, nearly killing him. Naraku ran, but she shot him with one of the most powerful purification arrows Inuyasha had ever seen. "That was almost a year ago…" he growled, his brows drawing down into a darkened frown.

"She had gotten too strong since then for my liking." he said, his face stark. "It looks like that won't be happening anymore, because she's already taken care of her." Naraku laughed again. "I no longer have to worry about a threat."

Inuyasha could feel the anger flowing ravenously though his veins, his eyes flashing a frightening blood red before receding to the normal amber coloring. "I'm the threat!" he growled, he hand clasping over the hilt of his sword. "I'm the one who is about to KILL YOU!!"

Inuyasha leapt forward, his father's steel cleaving fang Tetsusaiga drawn and gleaming threateningly in the light. "YOU'VE SEALED YOUR DEATH, NARAKU!" he roared, slashing madly at him as his eyes continued to glow red with fury.

Naraku calmly dodged his attempts to attack, a smirk playing on his lips. "You are a fool." He said, dodging more of Inuyasha's assaults. "How could you have not noticed, Inuyasha? I pretended to be Kikyou, because I knew that you would just watch her kill the girl."

Inuyasha snarled and swung powerfully at Naraku, his anger growing with every word Inuyasha spoke to him. Naraku smirked, the fang coming into forceful contact with his barrier, halting Inuyasha in mid-swing, his smirk growing. "The arrows weren't enchanted. I thought that even you would have noticed, then…" He chuckled, a terrible grin spreading across his features. "I missed her twice, too, guess I'm not a very good marksman…"

Naraku was now in front of the old well, smirking down at Inuyasha's infuriated face as the hanyou's sword crackled against his powerful barrier. "She isn't anything to you, anyway. She was never anything more to you than Kikyou was."

Inuyasha's face faltered, Naraku's smirk growing. "Fool." Naraku's barrier expanded, knocking Inuyasha's sword back and forcing the hanyou to go flying backwards to skid on the ground a ways off.

Inuyasha winced and forced himself up, dirt smudged on his face and small tears in his clothes. His expression was hidden by his bangs as he leaned against Tessaiga for support. "How dare you…" he snarled, looking up to glare at Naraku with cold yellow eyes. "You know shit about Kagome and I!" he yelled, bringing his sword above his head. "Don't assume anything you fucking bastard!"

Naraku's smirk only widened.

"Kaze no KIZU!!" he roared, bringing the Tetsusaiga powerfully down to the ground and unleashing the mighty blades of wind.

Naraku's barrier held strong, the blades of wind blowing over his barrier and continuing on to rip through the well, a clouding haze overcoming the two. As the dust gradually disappeared, Inuyasha realized that he had not just ripped through the well, but the door to a castle. It was an illusion the whole time. They were at Naraku's castle.

An evil, crooked smile crossed Naraku's lips, and he said, "You even lie to yourself."

Inuyasha only narrowed his eyes at the accusation.

Naraku's smirk twisted into a crooked smile when the hanyou remained silent. "You know, if I wasn't bent on killing you and your pathetic little friends, I might actually feel sorry for the bitch. A very sad story, how you keep telling her that you will protect her when all you do is run to her dead self."

Inuyasha looked back at Kagome, his face holding a pained expression. He wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't even sure if there was anything to say. Though it pained him immensely to admit it, Naraku was right. "But… Kagome and I knew that-"

"You would eventually leave her anyway? For a dead corpse?" Naraku chuckled. "Who would have guessed that I would have the chance to kill Kikyou and her reincarnation all in the sum of about fifty years, along with my possession of the Shikon no tama…?" His smirk widened. "And it all happens to be your fault, doesn't it?"

Inuyasha bared his fangs, his hands gripping the hilt of his sword so hard that his knuckles were white. "Naraku! I won't forgive you for killing Kagome!"

Naraku laughed at the irony. "Maybe you can get another witch to bring back the girl, so you'll have two dead women to run to."

"What?!" Inuyasha hissed through bared fangs. "YOU BETTER TAKE THAT BACK!"

"Heh. Inuyasha… You're a fool. Could you not sense that you were walking right into my trap? You would guess that even a stupid hanyou like you would recognize a trap when you see one."

Inuyasha gripped his sword even tighter. "You bastard."

"Well, since I killed the bitch, it's only fitting that I should kill you as well, isn't it?" Kagura and Kanna stepped forward from behind Naraku. "It'll be like killing two birds with one stone."

Kagura stepped forward, flipping open her fan with an almost inaudible swish and pulled back, wearing a confident smirk on her face. "Fuujin no mai!" she yelled, whipping her fan around in a fluid motion, throwing the wind blades forward at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha jumped out of the way with ease, his feet landing deftly on the ground not too far from where the wind blades tore up the ground, kicking up dust as his sideways momentum caused his feet to slide. Smirking, he instantly changed his direction and shot towards Kagura. The wind user whirled her fan around in a graceful motion, throwing another barrage of windblades at Inuyasha, who had to quickly jump out of the way.

He ran to the left at full speed, the blades chasing him, tearing up earth at his heels. He was quickly feeling an ache in his legs at the constant running and dodging. Kouga had a hard time dodging Kagura's wind, and he was much faster than Inuyasha. "Shit…" he hissed, pausing briefly to wipe sweat and dirt from his forehead as Kagura prepared for another attack.

His chest heaved in exertion. He couldn't continue this much longer, and he needed to move Kagome out of harms way before Kagura got her in the barrage of wind blades.

Kagura held up her fan up to shield all but her crimson eyes, which she dropped to a half-lidded position. Inuyasha didn't have to see her face to tell that she was smirking confidently behind the red and white coloring of her fan. "Time to die," Kagura said in a flat, uncaring tone, snapping her fan shut and holding it out to her side, preparing for the dragon-snakes attack.

Suddenly, an arrow flew out of no where, zipping right by her ear and taking a lock of hair with it as it passed by with a small hum of purification. Kagura was too stunned to move, a hand reaching up to touch the part where her hair had been severed, touching the broken cluster of black strands gingerly. Her head whipped around to face the attacker, a scowl lighting her feminine features.

Inuyasha didn't have to turn to know who had shot that arrow. He knew her presence all too well. He adverted his gaze to the side to where the arrow's source was standing, her long, dark hair blowing lightly about in the breeze, her bow taut as she held another arrow firmly in place. His eyes conveyed surprise none-the-less, the grip on his sword slackening.

"This will stop, now," she said firmly, her calm, smooth tone emanating from her pale lips, a soft purifying glow surrounding her figure. Her miko robes billowed gently as her aura pulsed, her expression deadly serious.

Naraku's eyes narrowed at her unexpected arrival. "Kikyou…" he hissed, his eyes narrowing.

"Kikyou…" whispered Inuyasha. He gazed at her, but did not move towards her.

Kagura, however, glared down the miko, gripping her fan. "Bitch. How dare you interfere in matters that don't concern you."

Kikyou's eyebrows lowered over her darkened eyes. "Anything concerning Inuyasha… and Kagome… are my business."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. `Mine… and Kagome's…?' He wasn't sure how to take in her words, how to process them. The miko turned her eyes to him, locking him with a pointed gaze. Inuyasha found himself frozen under her stare, not able to understand what she could mean by her words.

The wind-user's eyes hardened, her red lips curling up into a snarl as she snapped open her fan with a powerful vengeance burning in her eyes. "Do not ignore me!" she exclaimed, throwing a volley of wind blades towards the priestess.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. `No!' "KIKYOU!" he cried, dashing towards the miko.

Her eyes snapped from Inuyasha's form to focus on the oncoming attack, her features remaining surprisingly calm and composed. "Do not joke with me," she said monotonously, her grip on her bow tightening as she aimed the arrow at the wind. Her brows creased in concentration as she let the arrow fly, shooting through the blades of wind only feet away from her form, Inuyasha's running slowing to a halt as he watched the wind disappear.

Kagura gasped as the arrow sliced through the wind, purifying her youki into a cloud of nothingness, leaving behind a glowing trail. She leaned her head slightly to the side, the projectile flying past her head to embedded itself in the wood behind her, next to its predecessor. The woman snorted in contempt. "Hmph. Don't be so-" Her speech was cut short when she noticed a blade flying towards her. "Eh?!"

The Tetsusaiga flew by her form, slamming into the castle wall next to Kikyou's arrows and receding to its original rusted state. Inuyasha's arm was extended, a frown on his features. "Keh. Don't ignore me so easily!" he yelled, drawing back his fist as he raced up towards a stunned Kagura. "This is for Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, throwing his body weight forward to land a powerful punch to her face.

She released a strangled cry of pain as she was sent flying backwards, skidding on the uneven ground. Kagura's body slid backwards and crashed into the steps, grunting as the wood slammed into her back.

Realizing that her chances of winning this battle were quickly slimming, she swiveled her head to look behind her just as Inuyasha pulled his sword from out of the wall. "Now!" she cried.

Inuyasha ignored her shout, raising his transformed fang above his head. He took a last fleeting glance towards where Kikyou stood, only to find that she was no longer there. He bowed his head slightly in silent thanks, turning his hardened gaze back to the wind-user. "It ends here, Kagura!" he yelled, swinging the Tetsusaiga down onto her crumpled form.

A blade flew from behind him and knocked the Tetsusaiga out of his hands. Inuyasha turned as the clanging of chains caught the attention of his ears. Kohaku stood there, holding his blade up high. Inuyasha frowned. His muscles were to tired for him to dodge without getting hit. The boy reeled back and threw the Karigama at him, Inuyasha's muscles bunching in preparation for a last ditch attempt to get out of the way.

The blade of the Karigama was knocked out of the way as another weapon flew through, jolting the blade's course enough to throw it off to the side of Inuyasha. Kohaku's soulless eyes narrowed at the interruption, yanking on the chain a pulling the Karigama out of the ground and back to his hand. He paused briefly to turn and look at the interruption.

The humongous boomerang soared back around and was caught by a woman's outstretched hand, her form taut and prepared for battle.

Inuyasha stood to look to the other end of the battlefield. Sango, Miroku, and Kirara were positioned there calmly, Sango gripping Hiraikotsu and Miroku holding out his staff defensively in front of her. They were all ready for combat.

"Kohaku! Your fight is with me!" Sango cried, grasping her boomerang tightly.

Miroku's face was solemn as he heard Sango's voice tremble slightly. She was not ready to fight her brother, even though she knew she had to. Miroku nodded towards Shippo. "You don't have to stay here, Shippo. Go find somewhere safe to hide."

Shippo shook his head. "No! I'm going to fight with you!" he said, trying his best to be brave.

Inuyasha felt his confidence grow as his comrades stepped forward, all taking battle stance next to him. He couldn't win by himself.

Kagura frowned, forcing herself to her feet. She glanced down at her kimono, annoyed to see it's expensive stitching and elaborate designs torn and dirty. Kagura opened her fan with a small flick of her wrist. She'd be damned if they beat her. "All too easy! Ryuuja no mai!" she cried, tornadoes flying towards the small group.

Miroku stepped forward. "Everyone stay back!" He pulled on the prayer beads wrapped around his cursed hand, tugging them off and stretching out his hand towards the attack. "Kaazana!"

The wind picked up, sucking the tornadoes into his extended hand, harmlessly disappearing into his void. Kagura cursed, the monk sealing the void with his string of prayer beads. Her attacks were becoming less and less effective against their ridiculous little group every time she fought them. She wasn't going to be able to win this time, now that reinforcements had unexpectedly arrived.

Kagura pulled a feather out of her hair and tossed it to the ground, the small feather disappearing in a cloud of magic to enlarge itself into her transportation. "Damn you…" she hissed, Kohaku jumping on with her, sending a final glare at them before speeding off.

Inuyasha cursed, knowing that they wouldn't be able to catch up to them. Sango and Miroku both breathed a sigh of relief at the end of the battle, relaxing a bit.

"Kukuku… I have done what I needed to." Chuckled an icy voice.

Sango's eyebrows twitched as she whirled around to face him, Miroku also becoming aware of the demon's presence. The taijiya wasted no time with small talk, winding back and throwing her boomerang as hard as she could. "Hiraikotsu!" she shouted, the enormous weapon flinging through the air at its target.

The boomerang zipped through the air and sliced through the baboon pelt, the torn pieces falling to the ground. Inuyasha frowned slightly in surprise. How was it so easy for them to defeat Naraku?

The youkai taijiya caught her huge weapon as it returned to her, and the group glared at the head as it chuckled. "I have done what I needed… she is dead…" before Sango stepped on it with a snarl, watching the fake Naraku turn to dust.

"Kugutsu, huh?" said Miroku as he crossed his arms in thought.

Sango stopped as she realized what he had just said before she killed him. "Wait… who's dead?"

Shippou popped up behind Kirara, blinking and looking around rapidly. "Where's Inuyasha?" he asked.

Sango and Miroku both turned to see the hanyou behind them, kneeling over something. "What is it, Inuya-" Sango asked, before realizing that what he was holding was a body. `What…?'

Inuyasha held Kagome tighter to his chest as he felt eyes watching his back, hunching over her crumpled form. "How… what… Inuyasha?" Inuyasha picked her up and stood, holding her close to him and ignoring their inquisitions.

Sango reached out and touched his shoulder, but he batted it away with a vicious snarl. She stepped backwards in shock, clutching her hand as if he had burned it, too stiff to move. "Inuyasha…?" Inuyasha continued to ignore her, just holding Kagome as close as possible, his bangs hanging low over his eyes.

Miroku stepped forward and gripped his staff. "Inuyasha! What happened to Kagome-sama?"

Inuyasha's shoulders began to shake and he dropped to his knees, still silent. `Inuyasha… he's crying?' Miroku thought, kneeling down with Inuyasha and looking towards Kagome.

Miroku's eyes caught the sight of the dark crimson streaking her clothes, and immediately his breath hitched in his throat. His eyes travel up her torso, seeing bloodstains from her stomach, shoulder, chest, and near her heart. `No… Kagome-sama…' His eyes rested on her closed eyes, and pale face, realizing that her chest wasn't rising and falling like it would normally.

Inuyasha looked up, his bangs sliding away to reveal his angrily glowing eyes, Miroku's muscles jumping as he shrunk back slightly. A small growl rumbled through the hanyou's chest in warning, his claws curling protectively around Kagome's limp form.

"Houshi-sama, what's wrong with Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, noticing Miroku's face go pale.

Miroku stood shakily, seeing Sango's inquisitive expression. "Sango… I think you should come with me…" he whispered quietly, leading Sango off to the side. Sango hesitantly followed him, curious as to what he wanted to talk to her about, looking hesitantly back.

Shippou hopped up towards Inuyasha, and noticed a tiny sparkle running down his cheek, but he had once again ducked underneath his bangs and hidden his eyes. Was Inuyasha…? Shippou hopped into his lap, staring up at Inuyasha's trembling face. "Inuyasha? What happened?"

Inuyasha did not reply, only clutched Kagome closer to his chest.

The kitsune looked at Kagome, who was clasped tightly in Inuyasha's arms, her head lolling slightly into Inuyasha's chest. With closer inspection, he realized that Kagome was covered in the stench of blood. `Oh no! Kagome is hurt' he thought desperately, hopping onto her chest and leaning down towards her heart, ignoring Inuyasha's growling.

It wasn't beating.

Shippou was batted off of Kagome with a snarl, and Inuyasha glared at the kitsune child with red eyes.

"SHUT UP!" he shouted, the kitsune shrinking back. Shippou gasped and backed away, tears starting to form in his eyes as he looked at Kagome's lifeless form. She… wasn't coming back? Kagome?

A scream erupted from the taijiya's lips as soon as Miroku's words reached her ears. Miroku laid a consoling hand on her shoulder, and Sango threw herself into Miroku's chest, the monk's eyebrows lowering in concern. "I can't believe she's gone, houshi-sama!" she cried, gripping his shirt.

Miroku wrapped his arms around her, pushing aside his usual eechi thoughts and consoling the woman. "It's all right, Sango. Nothing is over yet."

The small group stayed there, silently mourning the loss of their companion, wondering how they would battle without her. Without Kagome.

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They had decided to rest and wait for sunrise to bury her, but Inuyasha wouldn't let anyone near her. He growled and snarled at them, his eyes flashing red a few times. Scared of him turning youkai and being unable to control him without Kagome's ability to "sit" him, they calmly left him alone to his thoughts. They all fell asleep around the dim firelight, Inuyasha somewhat detached from the group as he held Kagome's body and leaned against a nearby tree.

His tears had stopped hours ago, but they would continually sting the back of his eyes every now and then. Inuyasha's thoughts were full of guilt and sorrow, still wishing, hoping, that somehow she would magically come back to life in his arms. That she would wake up and smile at him, bringing warmth back into his heart.

Now that she was gone, he had become detached and cold, not responding to anyone. His eyes lost their usual bright golden color, and had turned into a pale shade of yellow, colder and more closed than before.

Inuyasha's face was contorted into that of sadness and anger, sad for his loss and angry for his failure.

He had failed. Failed to save her, save Kagome. It was all his fault that Kagome was dead, and he should have saved her. He was so careless, and now the woman lying in his arms was proof of it.

His heart was wounded, so he sealed a barrier over it, closing himself off from the others and keeping his thoughts to himself. When Kagome was alive, he would find himself openly talking to her about his past, about his sadness. He would pour it all out to her without even realizing it. She had been so kind and understanding, always happy and content because he had shared that with her.

When she was alive.

But now she wasn't, and it was his fault. His fault. There was noting he could do about it.

He had always wanted strength. Power. That's why he had originally wanted the jewel. Ever since Kagome walked into his life, he began to doubt what he really wanted the Shikon no tama for. Not all the power in the world was going to bring her back.

Never.

He gazed down at her pale face and his expression began to sink once more. If only he could see her beautiful smiling face one more time. He'd give anything to see her smile at him. Even if it was only a glance.

With that thought left in his mind, Inuyasha drifted off from reality, leaving everything behind him.

In his arms, a soft pink glow began to pulsate and shine from the necklace on Kagome's neck, bathing the two in a soft glow as Inuyasha's eyes drifted closed in a soft slumber, his hands tightly entwined with Kagome's.

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Listen up! Kagome is NOT PERMANENTLY DEAD!!! Stop flaming me! Don't you trust me?! Mat taku! If you really want to know what's going on, email me (Kaji-chan@inu-yasha.zzn.com) or put your e-mail in the review box and I'll e-mail you, okay? If you specify, I'll send you updates when I update my fanfiction: Trapped In Between. Hey, tell me if you liked how I ended this chapter, k? R&R!

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Preview from Trapped In Between, Chapter 3:

"Inuyasha, you have to promise me that you will. I know you don't understand, but you have to do it," instructed her soft voice as she clasped her hands together in a pleading notion.

Inuyasha nodded thoughtfully. He wasn't sure what she meant, but he was willing to do anything at this point. "I promise."

Her eyes shined with happiness and desperation as she stepped forward. "I don't have much time left. Inuyasha, I-"

Strong arms wrapped around her petite form, and she gasped at his sudden show of affection. Inuyasha pulled her as close as he could, feeling his eyes sting again. "I'll never let you go again, Kagome."

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