InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Where Silence Meant Everything ❯ Tie Our Knot ( Chapter 11 )

~Chapter 11~

Tie Our Rope

 

 

Kagome had finally gathered her resolve. She loved him, and she wasn't going to let anything stop her from getting to him. She picked up her pace.

 

She could see the edge of light. That was where Kikyou was, the afterlife. She could almost see the dead miko.

 

She kept on running. Only InuYasha could keep Kagome going.

 

 

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Sesshoumaru lifted his nose. The scent was drawing nearer. It was always an odd sensation when he caught scent of his otouto.

 

It was entirely familiar youkai, but with that unfamiliar drag of humanity. He could feel the pull of jyaki, which was being subdued by his human side. Sesshoumaru almost smirked. Damn mutt was a walking contradiction.

 

Sesshoumaru was alone in the small clearing, save Kagome's rapidly thinning body. The scent of death was over-powering now and he nearly gagged.

 

InuYasha tore into the clearing and growled low. Sesshoumaru noticed that his otouto's eyes were slowly gaining crimson. “Without your nisou, do you fall apart so easily?”

 

The hanyou didn't answer. He only continued to growl. Sesshoumaru turned his back to his feral brother and looked at the dying girl.

 

Sesshoumaru finally let out a deep, demanding growl. InuYasha seemed to be shocked into silence. The hanyou's gaze flickered to Kagome, and his growling seemed to resume. His eyes were beginning to drain the red hue out, lending him a more tame appearance.

 

The older youkai watched in amusement as his otouto fell to his knees. Something was amiss, he realized. A marked frown changed his features. His eyes scanned InuYasha and Kagome. A youki unfamiliar (and yet the name of its owner was on the tip of his tongue) to the youkai's alert senses filtered throughout the clearing.

 

InuYasha's head shot up. “Naraku!”

 

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InuYasha's senses were tingling with the all too familiar sensation of the tainted youkai. It was an odd feeling, to have all the hair on the back of his neck standing up nearly straight.

 

Gooseflesh crawled up his arms. “Naraku!”

 

The one word had his older brother facing him, a curious glint to his eyes.

 

And in that awkward moment, Kagome groaned somewhere behind him.

 

He immediately turned back to her to see her face scrunched up tight. InuYasha was surprised once more to see her face relax, and her eyes slide open. A torrent of pure emotion surged over her, and he had to fight the harsh sting of salt behind his eyes.

 

“S-Sesshoumaru… Tensaiga…” InuYasha was slightly disappointed, until she locked eyes with him. Her lips were dry and cracked and she looked more fragile than ever, but she managed a small smile. A smile, he realized was left only for him. He smiled warmly in return.

 

Once more, though, he was hit with the impure force of the Shikon no Tama. It almost felt like the damn thing didn't warrant him worthy of her glance. He winced, and looked away. He didn't have to look over to see her struggling to sit up.

 

Despite the tug of the jewel, he went to her.

 

Her eyes were already closing again. “Naraku is alive…” She slipped again from Inuyasha's world.

 

Somewhere behind the hanyou Sesshoumaru made an impatient sort of snarl. InuYasha realized, with a start, that it wasn't directed at him.

 

Gently putting Kagome's lithe form into his arms, he stood again. “Draw your sword.” Sesshoumaru's cool voice reached his aniki's ears. InuYasha nodded roughly and swung the limp girl over his shoulder.

 

Tetsusaiga transformed immediately, as it always did. “Are you challenging me, Sesshoumaru?”

 

The older demon scoffed. “Narku is alive and well again, hanyou. Or did your incapable mind forget?”

 

“Fuck off. I can take care of him myself. Again.” InuYasha growled at his older brother before taking firmer hold of Kagome's legs and Tesusaiga. He leapt off in the direction the most miasma came from.

 

To InuYasha's ever-growing surprise, Sesshoumaru followed close behind.

 

“Bastard! I told you to beat it! Kagome's got to get back to Kaede, and you aren't going into that village, damnit!”

 

Sesshoumaru snorted. It was a very unfamiliar feeling to him, to express anything in his face, and yet here he was clearly showing his otouto his incredulity. InuYasha seemed to have been surprised at the Inu no Taisho's indignant sound.

 

“This Sesshoumaru has no wish to scent humans.” He stopped. “Jidaji.”

 

“What?!”

 

“Meet me there. The Jidaji. Before leaving the human town, meet me at that spot. I will wait to go after Naraku, but I can only wait so long. Three days time.”

 

InuYasha stared at his aniki. He was allowing InuYasha to take his revenge, once more, on his largest foe. He nodded once, and leapt of once more towards the village.

 

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Sango and Miroku, who had searched the better part of the day for Kaede, found themselves atop Kiara once more.

 

Kaede had filled them in on the information of Naraku according to rumors about the countries. It had seemed that he had found another way to become powerful. Even though Kagome had all the Shikon no Kakera, Naraku had been emitting a strange new jyaki entirely reminiscent of the jewel.

 

“Houshi-sama…” Her quiet inquiry made him smile despite his thoughts.

 

She didn't smile as he encouraged her to continue. “Do you think… Is there a chance, you think, that Kohaku may be returned to me?” She paused. “It's stupid, but I still haven't let go.”

 

He reached out and took her hand. “It's not stupid, Lady Sango.” He sighed. “We will try our hardest, which is the most we can do.”

 

Sango nodded, trying in vain to quell the tears prickling at the edge of her eyes.

 

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Kagome was once again in a separate place than reality. Her stomach lurched as she fell forward.

 

“You hold onto that memory like you held onto his hand that day.” Kikyou's mocking voice infiltrated the sick sense of serenity. “Yet he has forgotten. He cares not for you or your rogue group.”

 

Kagome closed her eyes tight when her incarnation's laughter filled the dense air. “He hasn't forgotten!” She felt her body tense up. Kikyou's laugh grew in volume.

 

“Stupid woman. You are nothing but a replacement of me. He looks at you and sees me.” Kagome brought her legs to her chest in an effort to look as small as possible.

 

Her tears were nearly inevitable, “N-No… He sees me. `Kikyou is Kikyou, Kagome is Kagome.' He…”

 

Kagome's body hit solid ground and the wind was knocked from her. She pulled her head up and met the dark gaze of Kikyou. She had an arrow tightened and ready on her bow. Kagome backed up as far as she could.

 

Behind her was Goshinboku. “How ironic, ne?” Kikyou pulled the arrow so tight, he bow creaked. “You will die where you met him!”

 

“Iie!” Kagome put her arms in front of her face and screwed her eyes shut.

 

There was no pain, just a loud crack.

 

Kagome opened her eyes.

 

“…InuYasha…” His clawed hand was straight through his former love's torso. His eyes were crimson. Her eyes gathered tears. “InuYasha!”

 

He growled and tossed Kikyou's limp body away from him. Slowly, as if his own body protested, InuYasha started towards her. Knowing not what to do, Kagome did the first thing that she could think of.

 

She pushed off Goshinboku and ran.

 

InuYasha gave chase.

 

~*~

 

Author's Notes: Well, this chapter was horribly trying. Took quite a while to finish it, but I must say I'm quite happy with the results.

So Kagome's “dreams” are becoming a tad bit more… frightening. But I'm almost done. The darker my stories get, the closer they are to the end. ^ ___ ^

Once again, sorry for the long wait.