InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Why? ❯ Chapter 5

[ A - All Readers ]

Hi all!

…{gulp}…I'm so sorry, guys. I didn't realize it had been a year since I had uploaded the last chapter…which was also pretty bad.... But anyway, I finally got the inspiration to finish it, so here's the last chapter ofWhy?.

Youkai

Disclaimer: I own no part of the series Inuyasha.

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Why?

Chapter 5

The night ended far too quickly for Inuyasha. It seemed to him that he had no later put his head on Kagome's pillow and fallen asleep than the sun had some through the window, as if yelling, `I'm up! Time to get up, lazy butt!'

He really didn't want to move.

Laying here, with Kagome curled up against him, his arms around her…it was great. It would have been perfect…if it wasn't for the scent of the air that still permeated Kagome's room, no matter how much she tried to rid the place of it. The Sunset Shrine was better than the city by far, but the scents of pollution and too many people in too small of a place still hung in the air here, making him long for the fresh air of home.

Kagome shifted in his arms, calling his attention back to her. She turned over to face him.

“Mmh, hey,” she said, her voice low from sleep. “Good morning.”

“Good morning, beautiful,” said Inuyasha, smiling. Kagome blushed.

“Okay…who are you and what have you done with Inuyasha?” she asked, staring at him. He raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean? Can't I complement my wife?”

“Well, no…” she said, smiling. “It's just that, well, you're…you. You don't just out-right complement people like that, much less smile first thing in the morning.” He smirked.

“Maybe I just feel like it, eh? Maybe you're not just `people' to me. In any case, we're one night closer to being official,” he said, the smirk still firmly in place. “So how can I not smile?”

Kagome blushed again and gave him a playful shove, knocking him onto his back. “Hentai,” she said, but smiled as she got up.

“I'm gonna grab a shower, then we can pack and go back, okay?”

Inuyasha just raised a hand lazily in acknowledgement; Kagome shook her head and walked out of the room, closing the door on her way.

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By the time Kagome took her shower and packed, making sure to place the rings for Miroku and Sango in a safe part of her bag, it was almost noon. Her mom insisted on having them stay a little bit longer for lunch, enticing Inuyasha with the promise of more ramen. It worked, needless to say, so the duo arrived back in the Feudal Era shortly after noon.

As soon as their feet hit the soil outside of the well, a reddish ball of fur bounded toward them, catching Kagome in the stomach.

“Oof,” she said, grateful for Inuyasha's supportive hand on her back. “Easy, Shippou. You're not so little anymore.”

“Sorry,” the kit said, looking up at her. “I'm just glad you two are back. I missed you two so much! Sango, Miroku, and Kaede have missed you, too. Oh, and Kirara!”

“Well then, we'd better not keep them waiting. Let's go!” said Kagome, giggling as Shippou scampered up onto her shoulder.

As Inuyasha reached down to pick up her bag with one hand, she reached back and grabbed his free hand, pulling him with her as she broke into a sprint along the path to the village.

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Sango and Miroku were visiting Kaede; Kirara sunning herself on patch of sunlight streaming in through the window. The sounds of running feet and laughter coming closer to Kaede's hut drew their attention to the door.

Before they could make a move to step outside and investigate, the heavy bamboo and wool mat was thrown aside, letting a laughing Kagome, Shippou, and Inuyasha fall through, landing in a heap.

Their faces were flushed and their breathing heavy. Miroku cleared his throat.

“Ah-hem.”

Inuyasha and Kagome froze.

Shippou hopped off of them, still as full of energy as a firecracker.

“Miroku! Sango! Inuyasha and Kagome are back!”

Miroku chuckled. “We can see that, Shippou.”

The young kit went over to the neko youkai, who was now awake, having had her sleep disturbed by their entrance moments earlier.

“Hey, Kirara - wanna go play outside?” Shippou asked.

The neko mewr'd her assent. Kit-sitting was getting a little old, she mused. She'd be glad when he could watch over himself. But for now, it gave her something to do. And besides, there was more sunoutside than in, so it was a pretty good trade-off.

After the energetic kit and guardian neko left the hut, three pairs of eyes turned to the two newcomers who had untangled themselves from each other and were sitting side-by-side, both with slight red tints to their faces.

“So,” said Kaede, breaking the silence. “How are ye?”

“We're fine, baabaa,” Inuyasha answered gruffly, earning him an elbow in the ribs.

“What?”

Kagome glared at him.

“I'd say we're better than fine, baka,” she said. “Or did you forget about last night?”

That caught everyone's attention and - as usual - brought perverted thoughts to Miroku's mind. But before he could give voice to those thoughts, a flash of sunlight caught Sango's attention more than what Kagome just said.

“Kagome,” she said. “What's that on your hand?”

“Huh?”

Kagome looked down at her hands. The only thing there was her grandmother's - well, now her own - wedding ring.

“Oh, this?” she asked, holding her hand out for Sango to look at. “It's a wedding ring.”

“A wedding ring?” Sango repeated, holding Kagome's left hand to see the ring better.

“Yeah. It's kinda like the human version of a youkai's mate mark. It's one half of a set - a matched set - and the other person you're married holds the other half. Not only are they a physical representation of a marriage, but they also tell other humans without words that you're taken. Most will abide by it, but there are always exceptions to the rules.”

Sango let go of Kagome's hand with a quiet “Wow.”

Kagome glanced over at Kaede and Miroku. Kaede had her typical pleasant smile on her face - no need to worry there, but Miroku…he had one of his trademark smirks on his face.

“So,” said the monk. “If those rings are to symbolize marriage, and both you and Inuyasha are wearing one, does that mean you two…?”

His open-ended question was met with red-faces and a slayer's angry fist. Surprisingly, Miroku wasn't knocked out by the hit.

Either Sango's getting soft, or the lech is growing immune. Either way, it's just sad…very sad…mused Inuyasha.

“Yes, we are married,” said Kagome. Miroku's grin widened.

“In the future.”

Everyone's faces turned to confusion.

“Neither of us felt right doing anything until we were married here.”

She looked at Inuyasha, who met her gaze, then cast his own amber gaze on the eldest person in the hut.

“Kaede-obaa-chan,” he said, raising eyebrows across the room at his respectful tone. “Would you please perform the ceremony?”

Kaede held the hanyou's gaze for a mere moment before nodding.

“Aye. I would be honored.”

A gasp from Sango brought their attentions back to her and broke the solemn mood that had descended.

“Kaede, Kagome,” she said, eyes alight with excitement. “What if there was only one ceremony, instead of two?”

Kagome locked eyes with the slayer, understanding passing between them.

“Kaede,” said the younger miko, turning her eyes to the elder. “What do you think?”

Kaede simply smiled.

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A week later found Kagome and Sango inside Kaede's hut, helping each other dress in formal kimonos. Sango tightened the bow on Kagome's obi and stepped back.

“How's that?”

Kagome turned to face her friend, brushing out imagined wrinkles from the fabric of her dress.

“It's fine, Sango. I'm just glad you can tie these things…how you're supposed to do something that intricate with your hands behind your back, I'll never know.”

Sango laughed.

“I may have been a female taijya, but I was a girl once - my mom made sure that I was taught everything a wife would need to know.”

The elder girl looked at the younger.

“You look beautiful, Kagome.”

“So do you, Sango; though I still can't believe the women here made these for us....”

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The previous night had found Kagome and Sango waiting in Kaede's hut for the elder miko to return from a few late errands. The boys - Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou - were staying the night in a separate hut, as was proper for the night before the ceremony.

Kaede soon returned to the hut, but she wasn't alone. Following her was a group of half a dozen women from the village, two of whom carried packages.

“Kaede! You're back!”

Kagome and Sango got up to greet the miko and her guests. The two women holding packages stepped forward at Kaede's nod and handed the gifts to Kagome and Sango. The miko and taijya looked at the elder miko in confusion. Kaede nodded again to them.

“They are for ye - go ahead and open them.”

Kagome and Sango took the packages handed to each of them and gently opened them. Gasps issued from both girls when the contents were revealed. Both parcels contained a beautiful, handsewn, formal kimono.

Both were mostly white, but they differed in their edging and accent colors. Sango's was edged in a deep green that faded into the white; the obi was the same dark green as the edging. Delicate embroidery in white and dark pink drew patterns of falling leaves and blooming blossoms.

Kagome's had a similar pattern, only her color was a deep gray-blue instead of green. Her embroidery - in white and a brilliantly bright pink - depicted the Goshinboku in full blossom while her obi was the darkest blue of the hemming.

Both girls were stunned silent for a moment; Sango found her voice first.

“These are beautiful, Kaede-sama.”

“Yes, thank you, Kaede,” added Kagome.

Kaede shook her head.

“It is not I you should be thanking - rather the women of the village; they are the ones who put so much work into your kimonos for tomorrow.”

Kagome and Sango turned to the village women present in the hut and repeated their praises. The women merely said that the kimonos were a small gift of appreciation for all that the miko and taijya had done over the years. After that, the women left, leaving Kaede, Sango, and Kagome to themselves for the night.

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“So, are you ready for this?”

Kagome turned to Sango, waiting for her answer. The other girl took a deep breath and exhaled.

“No.”

Sango caught Kagome's eye and both burst into laughter.

“Neither am I, but I suppose we shouldn't leave the guys hanging.”

The bamboo curtain at the entrance was nudged aside to let in a kitten-sized Kirara. Sango looked down at her friend.

“Are they ready for us, Kirara?”

“Mewr.”

Sango looked back at Kagome.

“I guess that's a yes. Shall we?”

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Outside, Kaede stood with her back to the Goshinboku, Miroku to her right and Inuyasha to her left. Inuyasha shifted his weight, uncomfortable in front of the gathered well-wishers.

“Damn, how long does it take to throw on some new clothes?”

Miroku merely smiled at his friend.

“Be patient, Inuyasha. The girls simply wish to look their best for us, as we have done for them. They will be here soon.”

“Feh.”

Inuyasha folded his arms into his sleeves and looked out over the crowd. Once the idea of a single ceremony had gotten into the girls' heads, there was no stopping them. Courtesy of Hachi, invitations had been sent to nearly everyone they had met on their travels - and most of them were in attendance.

Jinenji and his mother were there, right next to Shiori and her mother. The sister shinobi sat near Botan and Momiji. Off to the other side was Nazuna from the temple, Souten from the thunder-demon tribe…and that annoying pest of a dragon that followed her around.

Even his imperial, high-and-mighty brother, Sesshoumaru, had deigned to show his face with Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un by his side. Inuyasha had a feeling that the small group being there had more to do with Rin wanting to come than his brother wanting to come. He smirked. The older that girl got, the more control she had over the taiyoukai.

The people in the back of the crowd began to rise from their seats as Inuyasha and Miroku came to attention and faced the aisle-way between the two seating sections.

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Kirara was the first thing to be seen; she had transformed into her tiger-cat form and her coat had been beautifully brushed until it gleamed. However, the fire-cat was quickly forgotten once the two figures she was escorted were seen.

Kagome stood on Kirara's right, her left hand on the neko's mane while the right held a simple bouquet of early blooming flowers. Sango mirrored Kagome's position on Kirara's left.

As they walked up the aisle, Miroku and Inuyasha couldn't take their eyes off the women. Stopping in front of Kaede (and the still staring men), Kirara gave a short, soft growl and shook her shoulders. Kagome and Sango stepped forward and took the hands of their grooms - Inuyasha's right and Miroku's left, respectively. Her job done, Kirara turned and walked back over to Shippou, sitting down beside the kit.

As the couples stepped forward and knelt with their hands still joined, facing Kaede, the elder miko smiled at them.

“Ye have been through many trials and troubling times to reach this point. The mere fact that ye have survived together until now is proof of your longevity and your care for one another. Please raise your hands.”

Kaede motioned to either side of her, calling forward two young girls. One girl stepped in front of each couple and pulled out a deep crimson ribbon. As the girls bound the clasped hands of each couple together with the ribbons, Kaede explained.

“These ribbons symbolize both the blood that ye have shed for one another and the love that ye share. They are a physical representation of the bonds that have already been forged in the harshest fires and refined in the sweetest moments.”

Kaede smiled again as the two girls stepped back.

“Rise, my friends. With myself and the rest of your friends as witnesses, ye are now husband and wife.”

The two couples seemed to be stuck - they just stood there, staring at one another.

“Well? What are ye men waiting for? Go on - kiss your brides!”

Kaede's words broke whatever spell had cast itself on the two couples and they sealed their marriages with a kiss.

As the tentative `first' kisses deepened, the air was filled with shouts, cheers, catcalls, and even a wolf-whistle or two.

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Later that night, the two couples were seated to the outside edge of the large crowd of partygoers - formally known as wedding guests. Kagome and Sango had changed out of their formal silk kimonos and into more suitable cloth ones. Inuyasha and Miroku had changed as well, back into their normal attire.

Inuyasha leaned back against a tree, Kagome comfortably seated in his lap. Miroku sat nearby with Sango tucked in next to him, her head on his shoulder and his unbound right hand around her waist.

Kagome held one of Inuyasha's hands in both of hers, playing with his claws.

“Ya know,” she said, dropping his hand back down in her lap, where his other hand was around her waist.

“If someone had told me four years ago that I'd be living five hundred years in the past, married to a half-demon, and have two of the best friends a girl could ask for - who happened to get married the same day…I'd have told them they were crazier than my jii-chan.”

“Agreed, Kagome,” said Miroku. Kagome had forced him to drop the `-sama' via Sango. “I wouldn't have thought I'd be free of my family's curse four years ago, much less married to such a beautiful woman.”

The last was said with a look to Sango, causing her to blush. Sango turned her mind away from the look she was getting…she would deal with that later.

“Four years ago, the slayer's village was full of life, laughter…people.”

Sango bowed her head; Miroku put his other arm around her.

“Now we have the chance to start an entire new generation of slayers - am I right, my dear?”

Sango just rolled her eyes at Miroku's words and laid her head back down on his shoulder as all eyes turned to Inuyasha.

“Keh. You all know where I was four years ago - still stuck to that damn tree.”

“And now you're stuck with me.”

Inuyasha smirked as he looked down at Kagome and tightened his grip around her waist.

“Damn right - that's one spell that isn't gonna be broken.”

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Well, I think that's it. I know - it's about daggone time, eh? I'm not entire happy with the ending, but lemme know what you guys think. And stay tuned for more new chaps on my other fics!

Youkai