InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ After the Storm ❯ The Shikon no Tama, Ressurected! ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

 

 

"Kagome!"

 

As Kagome stepped through the door to the hut, a certain kitsune demon leapt from the floor into her arms.

 

"Hi Shippou!" said Kagome happily. Shippou held on tightly and cried into her.

 

"I was so worried about you!" he said.

 

"I'm sorry," she said, smiling. "I didn't mean to worry you."

 

Sango, who had stood as soon as Shippou had shouted Kagome's name, smiled and walked over, hugging her friend. "How're you doing?" she asked.

 

"I'm just fine, Sango, thanks," replied Kagome. Miroku smiled at her as he stood as well.

 

"It's good to see you're well again, Kagome," he said. "It was really quiet without you, or Inuyasha, for that matter."

 

Inuyasha, who stood in the doorway behind Kagome (happy to be dressed in his haorihakama again), scowled good-naturedly at the monk.

 

"Kagome?"

 

She glanced over at Sango. "Yeah?"

 

"Kouga's waiting to talk to you," she said hesitantly. "He's been nearby since the incident, and when we asked him, he said he was waiting to see you when you came back."

 

Inuyasha straightened, and Kagome looked surprised. She nodded, and Shippou jumped from her arms. As she headed out, Inuyasha followed not too far behind. When she asked, he just said, "I want to discuss a few things with that mangy wolf." She smiled at him and walked toward the river, intending to cross the bridge, when out of nowhere Kouga appeared. Kagome jumped and Inuyasha growled slightly.

 

"Kagome?"

 

She nodded, placing a hand over her pounding heart as though it would slow down to its usual rate. The wolf looked depressed beyond belief. Usually he was over-confident and cocky, saying what he wanted, when he wanted. But today…

 

"Kagome, I'm sorry," he said, unable to meet her gaze. "I never meant to hurt you…"

 

She nodded. "I know, Kouga," she said. "What's done is done. Let's just forget about it, okay?"

 

As he nodded, Inuyasha spoke up. "Kouga, I want to talk to you," he said. For once, the youkai didn't have a snappy retort, and Kagome watched in surprise as the two men walked away together.

 

* * *

 

"Inuyasha, if you're going to yell at me, please don't, I've been pissed at myself and I don't need to hear you go on about it," said Kouga almost pleadingly.

 

Inuyasha shook his head. "Kouga, I know you fucked up, and you can sure as hell bet I'm pissed beyond belief at you, but I ain't gonna yell. I know how you feel…I've been beating myself up about the whole incident, too. We were both at fault, and we both know it."

 

Kouga shook his head and lowered his face into his hands. "I never should have said that to her," he whispered. If I hadn't, we wouldn't have gotten into that fight, and she never would have been hurt…I knew I would've given her the shards anyway…I didn't have to provoke you two…"

 

Inuyasha scowled and punched Kouga so abruptly he lost his breath and flew backward. He tried to stand, grunting, as Inuyasha walked toward him.

 

"Goddamn it, Kouga, would you stop?" snarled Inuyasha. "Are you a man or aren't you? You made one stupid mistake, and you realize it. And while it nearly did cost the life of the woman we both care about, she's better now. She's forgiven both of us, so stop acting like a wolf that's lost its prey!"

 

Kouga stared at Inuyasha, no contempt or malice in his expression. "Inuyasha…?"

 

"You're moping around, acting like a little kid! God, just grow up! Kagome's right, just forget what happened and be more careful next time. God knows I wanna beat the shit out of you for all the hell you put her through--"

 

Kouga winced.

 

"--but I ain't going to. I'm just relieved she's alright."

 

"You're…not gonna hurt me about this?" Kouga asked, astonished.

 

The hanyou glared at him, then looked away. "Sometimes it hurts more not to," he said quietly.

 

Kouga stood and watched the hanyou carefully. Just what had happened in Kagome's world, anyway?

 

"Inuyasha?"

 

He glanced at Kouga, his expression guarded.

 

"I think I'm going to stop trying to get Kagome to love me," he said quietly.

 

At this, Inuyasha's jaw nearly dropped. After all this time, he was just going to give up?

 

"I still love her, but after this, I don't think I could stand it if she did fall in love with me. And besides…this is one thing you always were going to beat me at. I know she loves you, and I know you love her. I don't have a chance. But I do have a fiancée anyway, so at least my pack won't go extinct."

 

Inuyasha nodded as he remembered Ayame, the female wolf demon they had met a few times.

 

"Just…make sure you treat her right, okay, mutt?" said Kouga, suddenly getting some of his spunk back.

 

Inuyasha grinned at him. "That's the spirit, you mangy wolf," he said. They both laughed as Kouga jumped up and began to run. They waved to each other once, and Inuyasha walked back to Kaede's hut. Maybe now, even after everything that had happened, the two rivals could be friends.

 

* * *

 

That night, Kagome dressed in her Shinto hakama. She had decided that she would fuse together the last of the Shikon no Tama, and Kaede had said it would be best for her to awaken her spiritual powers as much as possible. Inuyasha didn't know what she was doing; only Kaede, Sango and Miroku knew. Before she left, Miroku said a small spell to purify Kagome as much as he could, and Kaede and Sango threw some spiritual powder on her. Then, without a word, she turned toward the forest.

 

She walked to it, planning the whole process in her head. This would take immense spiritual energy, for the jewel would not want to be reunited at first. She'd have to pray even harder than she and Kikyou had when they faced the miko destroyer that one time.

 

With each step, Kagome could feel her powers awakening, and her aura grew stronger. By the time she reached the Goshinboku, her aura was moving around her, dancing around her. Looking up at the tree, and at the full moon that was rising above her head, she knelt down, placed the Shikon no Tama pieces in her hands, bowed her head, and began to pray.

 

She could feel its immediate resistance, and its power crackled and stung her hands like tiny whips of lightning. She concentrated harder, praying for the jewel to fuse, to become whole once more.

 

Still it refused, and Kagome could almost feel the inner war going on inside the jewel, just as Sango had described to them so long ago in the cave of Midoriko. She could feel Midoriko relying on the powers Kagome was trying to send her, but the demon was fighting back hard. Kagome felt doubt growing in her heart…what if she couldn't do it?

 

No, she thought, concentrating even harder. She couldn't think of failure. She had to believe that she and Midoriko could defeat the youkai together. She couldn't afford doubt now.

 

* * *

 

Inuyasha watched from behind a nearby tree as a blue light engulfed Kagome, surrounding her, dancing around her and blowing around her as though the strongest of gales were attacking her. He wanted to help her, but he couldn't. This was a fight for the spiritual, for the holy powers of a miko.

 

Behind him, he heard the bushes rustling, and without a word, Kikyou walked right by the hanyou. His eyes widened as he watched the dead miko approach Kagome.

 

What was she going to do?

 

* * *

 

Kagome felt her strength waning, but held on anyway. She couldn't lose…the world wouldn't be able to afford it…

 

She felt a cold pair of hands cover hers, and she looked up in surprise to see Kikyou kneeling beside her. The two priestesses exchanged a brief look, then nodded simultaneously and closed their eyes. Kagome could feel Kikyou's energy combining with hers, and their auras became a swirling fire of purple and blue. Together they sent their powers through to the shards, and Kagome felt them begin to fuse together. She looked at Kikyou…then gasped. The woman was beginning to disintegrate. Her earthen body was beginning to crumble as she offered the more powerful of the two of them all of her powers.

 

"Kikyou!"

 

"Kagome, I already told you…I was planning to leave anyway. If I leave in this manner, my task will be finished. I can move on, at last. Take my power, Kagome…it's the most I have to offer."

 

"But--"

 

"This is no time for hesitations!" she said. "Take my powers, and fuse the Jewel together once more. You cannot save me now, my friend. No one can. Please, make use of me, and finish for me what I could not."

 

Kagome swallowed, blinking back tears, and nodded. She closed her eyes once more and focused on Kikyou's powers, absorbing them and mixing it in with her own. She knew that this was inevitable, but still…even though they had been rivals, they had also been, in a sense, friends. Kagome had always looked up to Kikyou, using her as an example, even when she was jealous of the love and attention Inuyasha usually bestowed upon her.

 

But Kikyou was right. She didn't belong in this world, and Kagome needed her powers. She frowned in intense concentration and finally got her powers to mix properly with her, finally stripping the last of Kikyou's powers from her. She felt the hands around hers fall as though they were ashes, but she didn't let that distract her. Her aura grew bigger, mixing until her aura became a light indigo. She cried out with the power overload, screaming up to the heavens in pain. She couldn't do this alone, she just couldn't…

 

She felt a hand grip her shoulder lightly. Surprised, she looked up and saw Inuyasha kneeling beside her, his expression serious. He glanced at her and smiled slightly, then pulled her closer to him, helping her support the load of the power. She smiled gratefully and focused one more time.

 

She could see the battle clearly; Midoriko was growing stronger once more, shedding the weakness she had carried once, and blossoming into the same powerful woman she had once been. Her powers began to overpower the demon at last, allowing her to escape from the jaws of the demon, attacking it with every ounce of strength that she had. In her hands, Kagome felt the jewel become whole as the tables turned for the raging war within it, and Kagome felt her power draining from her. Midoriko appeared in her mind.

 

"Kagome, I thank you and Kikyou for the strength you two have given me. It is a short matter of time now before I can at least defeat the demon. At long last, the war shall be won, and the jewel purified.

 

"I warn you now; I shall borrow your powers until the end of the battle. You shall be without your spiritual powers for the next few days, and may experience fatigue unrelated to what you are doing. I apologize, but without your powers, I will not be able to defeat the demon. Do you accept this?"

 

Kagome murmured, "Midoriko, if it is for the purification of the jewel, than yes, I accept."

 

Inuyasha glanced down at her. She looked a million miles away, and he had heard her whispered words. What was going on? And wasn't Midoriko the name of that priestess who had forged the Shikon no Tama in the first place?

 

In her mind, Midoriko thanked the young miko once more and vanished. Kagome's powers vanished, and her aura died down. Inuyasha watched her as lines of exhaustion spread over her face, and she fell back against him. He held her up in his arms, watching her nervously. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and smiled up at him.

 

"Thanks…for the help…Inuyasha…" she said.

 

He nodded. She turned her head slightly and glimpsed a pile of ashes on the ground. Her eyes widened, and she sat up slowly, reaching out to touch them. Inuyasha watched, his expression unreadable. She stared at the ashes, trembling slightly. She scooped some of the ashes into her hands and looked at Inuyasha.

 

"Inuyasha…I'm so sorry…" she said tearfully.

 

He didn't say anything, just stared at the ashes with an unfathomable look on his face. Then he sighed and shook his head.

 

"It's alright, Kagome," he said. "I've known for a while that she'd be leaving anyway…and besides…it doesn't hurt that much. I don't love her anymore. I doubt I ever really did…I was just glad somebody finally accepted me, I guess."

 

She watched him, wondering if he was putting on an act or if he was being serious. His next words convinced her that he was telling the truth, though.

 

"Then you came along, Kagome. You didn't question me because you were disgusted with me, you were just curious because you wanted to be friends. Thanks to you, I've learned to trust people…" He looked straight at her. "You're always thanking me for things, Kagome. But I owe you more than I could ever say. I have a reason to get up every day now, a reason to be happy with who and what I am now. I never had that before."

 

She blinked. What was he…?

 

"I know you're wondering why I'm talking to you like this," he said softly. "I guess it's cause I realized a few days ago…I could lose you at anytime. Maybe I could lose you while we're arguing, not speaking to one another, and we'd never have the chance to make up or anything. I don't wanna lose you, Kagome…but if I do…"

 

"Shh," she said, leaning forward and placing a finger on his lips, just as she had the night before. "Enough, Inuyasha. Don't be afraid of losing me. I'll try not to go anywhere." She smiled, and he did too a little.

 

"C'mon," he said, helping her up. "Let's get back."

 

She nodded and allowed him to support her on the way back. When she got to Kaede's hut, Inuyasha immediately demanded that she sleep, in order to regain her strength.

 

When she slept, her dreams were full of visions of her own death, becoming ashes like Kikyou herself had become, and Inuyasha, sobbing over her body, repeating three words over and over again.

 

"I love you."

 

***************************************************************** ************

Author's note:

 

Okay yes I will probably have a note after every chapter now, so get used to them. Bwahahaha!

 

As you can see, I am over my writer's block! Hooray! I hope you guys aren't mad at me for killing off Kikyou…I never did like her much, but when I thought about it, she probably does feel what I put down here. So whatever.

 

Japanese vocab:

 

Kitsune: fox