InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Death and Peace ❯ Chapter 5: What He Said ( Chapter 5 )

A/n: Yes, yes I know, you were all eagerly awaiting an update. Well here it is.

NOTE: I’m well aware many of you don’t like to review. But please do so, I and many of the other fan fiction authors have noticed a lack of reviewers, but many views. Please it only takes a couple of seconds. *I will not update again until I get at least 7 reviews per chapter.* (Will vary between stories)

*Death and Peace*

By: Kage Otome (Shadow Maiden)

Chapter 5: What He Said

Dark eyes torn with pain, turned away from the vision of the reddish-pink skies of Makai. His violet eyes were subdued, but just beneath the surface his anger bubbled and boiled untamable. His red locks blew to the east with the wind as his eyes closed. How he wished, oh how he wished things had been different.

How he wished, she was still in his arms.

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Her long hair blew out behind her, with the wind, formed by her desire. In the realm of in between, anything the Guardians wanted, went. Simple as that. It was called the realm of in between because that was what it was, between the Makai and the Nigenkai, separating them. But every once in a while someone breaks through the carefully enforced and created barrier. Not many people realized the barrier was also in fact another realm. It’s only inhabitants being Sesshoumaru and Kagome. Tai had betrayed them, they did not know why. Therefore he was banned from the realm from the barrier, from crossing.

However it was also a harsh blow to Reikai. Both Kagome and Sesshoumaru were suspicious of Reikai, now they needed to redeem themselves in the guardians eyes, before they were allowed full access to the barrier again. Right now the souls were being delivered by only one ferry, thus slowing down the process and leaving more souls to wander. When someone passed through the barrier, they never saw the realm of in-between, simply because the Guardians could not allow that. For if they did, it would make many interested in what this ‘realm’ had to offer. What no one knew was that this ‘realm’ was created for the Guardians and those they invite only, anyone else who stumbled upon it would be killed, by traps, the guardians, or even the realm itself. The invite only lasted one session and the invitation is easily revoked.

Kagome let the icy fingers of wind caress her in it’s comforting embrace. This---this realm, Sesshoumaru---they would never betray her. The realm was always regarded by the Guardians as a comfort, otherwise know as the Guardian’s guardian. The realm could take a physical shape, to protect the Guardians, but that would thus result in a crack in the barrier. It had only taken form once, into that of a mighty dragon, protecting Sesshoumaru from an attack dealt by Tai, before he was banished.

As her eyes closed, the wind stilled, and rain poured from the heavens above, feeling their guardians sorrow. And as the rain fell, she let her tears mingle, finally releasing a heart breaking scream. Tilting her head down away from the sight of Sesshoumaru staring at her sadly, she wrapped her arms around her knees and closed her eyes. ‘Why...Why did things turn out so badly?’

“Where did we go wrong?”

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< br> “How could you accuse her of that?” Goku’s normally warm voice, cold with fury.

“How can we trust her?” Sanzo asked bitterly.

“She’s Kagome! How can you not trust her?” Goku asked.

“Because who’s to say she won’t betray again! She’s done it before!”

“It is the Reikai under suspicion, due to Tai’s action. She is not our only source.” Koenma broke in.

“But she’s a traitor!” Yusuke burst.

“Before you accuse her of something, perhaps you should hear the full story...” Koenma added in, his voice oddly soft.

“Why?” Sanzo asked unable to hide the sting of betrayal he felt.

“Because then you may understand, why she did what she did.” Koenma said in his teenage form, a furrow drawing his eyebrows downward.

Bringing up a screen he clicked on a key on a keyboard, that simply appeared.

“This is a picture of Kagome and Kougaiji, two years ago.”

A slightly younger Kagome grinned. A slightly older male with red hair, violet eyes and a wicked grin, with striking features grinned down at the pretty girl, arms around her petite body. Kagome’s hands rested on the arms around her. Both were quite the picture, it was obvious in the body language they cared very deeply for each other.

“They were the ideal team of Reikai Tantei. Especially considering the fact that Kagome was one of the Guardians of the barrier.”

This picture showed, both of them fighting, and what a team they made. Kougaiji had just jumped up as Kagome’s chain sickle, swept across where he’d just been killing the youkai who were attempting to attack him from behind. It was clear they were skilled fighters, and a team. The fought with practiced ease, complete trust in the other person.

“They had been up against this particular enemy, who has for this entire time remained nameless, except for the name we’ve managed to discover, at least what he calls himself--”Naraku”. He’s taken a name of a villain, who has been dead for 500 years, killed by Sesshoumaru, and his younger half brother and his group.” Koenma paused his eyes narrowing in memory. “Kougaiji was offered an ultimatum. This ‘Naraku’ knew a way to hit both of them at once, Kougaiji with his sister, Lirin and Kagome by taking Kougaiji.” He drew a shaky breath as if in pain.

To this day he could remember the pain and understanding on Kagome’s face. And to this day he couldn’t forget.

“The ultimatum was, for Kougaiji to join him, or for Lirin to die. He was given exactly 60 seconds to choose. In the end it wasn’t he who chose. It was Kagome. She pushed him towards ‘Naraku’ with tears in her eyes, and she told him ‘I love you, no matter what. Go to her--she needs you more than I, I will hold off the Reikai as long as I can. Go to her...’ And that was the last thing she said to him. My father sent the SDF down to exterminate ‘the traitor’, Kagome destroyed many of them as ‘Naraku’ escaped taking Kougaiji and Lirin.”

“As soon as they were gone, Kagome stopped her assault. She couldn’t destroy him, or stop him. She loved him, with everything she was.” Koenma finished, his heart going out to her.

On the screen replayed what had happened those two years ago. And as Kougaiji disappeared they saw the whispered promise.

‘I love you---I promise, I’ll be back.’

And they saw her scream.

In that moment---They saw her pain, and just how deep it ran.

Straight to the core of her heart.

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Taking a deep breath, she opened a portal to the Reikai. Stepping through she, walked almost solemnly through the halls. The SDF and ogres were surprised by this turn of event, they had only seen her look so gloomy once and that was two years ago, when she was being brought through the halls--in cuffs. She stopped down a brightly light hall, in front of a large door, opening it she stepped through ignoring the startled gasps. She had to deal--it was after all her duty. She couldn’t, wouldn’t fail Sesshoumaru. He believed in her, now all she had to do was believe in herself.

“Koenma, I--”

“Kagome.”

She turned to face the voice, everything about her screamed ‘defense’. Her eyes and face were carefully void of emotion, and equally weary. She was obviously preparing herself for a verbal attack, making Sanzo wince.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry.” Kagome’s eyes widened. She’d never in all 12 months known Sanzo to apologize, at least, not sincerely. She must’ve replayed that phrase for a good 5 times before it really sunk in. Her head whipped around towards Koenma faster then the eye could blink, before anyone realized what happened she was already advancing on Koenma. He winced, just before she picked him up by the collar of his haori and slammed him into the wall. Still in his teenage form he was seriously twitching.

“What did you tell them?” She hissed dangerously.

“They needed to know the truth, about you and Kougaiji! They needed to know how much you loved each other! They needed to know why!” Koenma cried.

“No.” Kagome began. “No--they didn’t.”

“They did. They needed to know you couldn’t kill him. You can’t kill him, because of how much you still care. I know why you let him go--because you knew. Somewhere in your heart of hearts, you knew that he would come back to you, somehow--you knew eventually you’d be together again.” Koenma said.

Kagome froze.

“I--A part of me will always love him. It wasn’t your place to tell them Koenma. It was my choice, my decision not too...I’ll fight with you, against ‘Naraku’, but when it comes down to it, I don’t know if I can bring myself to hurt him, even now.”

“I’m not asking you too.” Koenma said touching her cheek gently, tracing the track of the tear that had fallen.

“Koenma--I won’t touch him, I won’t hurt him. You know I can’t.”

“I know. But if he threatens Hakkai, Sanzo, Gojyo--Goku, or it’s the other way around and they threaten him? What will you do, who will your heart choose to save?”

Tilting her darkened blue eyes to his she grimaced.

“I don’t know.”

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A/n: Okay that’s it. Remember at least 7 reviews for this chapter!