InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Drifting ❯ Ashes ( Chapter 11 )

Ashes

 

Kagome's stomach reeled as she stared at the scene before her. This… can't be happening. InuYasha… InuYasha should have been here to protect them… Her thoughts trailed off, unable to find something safe to focus on.

 

The town, previously composed of small wooden huts filled with hard working humans, was in shambles. Everything was destroyed, and the remains of humans and demons alike littered the ground. Kagome stood, watching fires consume the remains of the huts slowly, leisurely, with nothing to stop them and no one left to have cause to stop them. Her entire body started shaking uncontrollably with the horror of the sight.

 

The people… there has to be someone left. Sango, Miroku, tell me you are alright. Tell me that you protected Kaede and Shippou. Tell me this isn't happening,

 

She had first found Kaede's hut, right on the outskirts of town. Seeing the destruction, she had run right into the smoke and ash, but was forced to leave as it choked her. As far as she could tell, there had been nobody in it when the fire was started.

 

But where are they now? She had found herself frozen to the spot, terrified to see what had become of her friends. Can't even go to see for yourself, Kagome? the inner voice taunted her, Afraid of dealing with this without him?

 

She shook her head. Kagome… you can't rely on anyone else any longer. She steeled herself, and broke into a run to see if there was nothing she could do to alleviate the situation. She carefully stopped herself from thinking that there may not be anyone left to help.

 

She ran into the first hut, refusing to be blocked by the smoke this time. As she gained desperate confidence in herself, she began to glow in a pinkish aura. Though she didn't notice the weak barrier around her, she was less affected by the smoke and was able to get through the debris. The first hut was empty, so she quickly hurried on to the next, and the next, searching for a sign of life. By the time she reached the last hut on the path, her desperation had grown so fierce that she threw herself through the door, even though she could hear the building collapsing. The roof fell, but Kagome remained untouched as her intensified barrier blocked all of the rubble. Seeing the last chance of any survivors crumble beneath her, Kagome let out a cry of anguished rage. She stormed onto the path, noting the dead youkai-hawk youkai-and prepared to take her revenge. A soft hand on her shoulder stopped her.

 

“Kagome,” Sango said, looking at the girl with tears in her eyes. Kagome freely let her own tears fall as she fiercely hugged the slayer, but she pulled back when Sango flinched.

 

“You're hurt,” she gasped.

 

Sango gave her a wan smile. “I'm fine. Just a few scratches. Miroku already bandaged me up.”

 

“Miroku? He's okay? And the others? Where are they?” She lowered her voice and said, “InuYasha?”

 

Sango didn't answer right away. “The survivors of the town are not far away,” she said slowly, “Come on, I'll show you.” She shot Kagome a worried glance, and Kagome didn't fail to catch the glimmer of sorrow in Sango's eyes. Kagome could feel fear wrapping around her as Sango dodged her questions.

 

Sango led her to a tired looking group of people. Kagome looked to see if she could help them, but they were all already taken care of.

 

“Where is Miroku?” Kagome asked, noting his obvious workmanship on the wounded.

 

Sango flinched and shook her head. “He… I don't know where he is. He left… earlier today. He was just… gone.”

 

Kagome touched Sango's arm, trying to comfort her friend in some small way. “But he was okay, wasn't he Sango?” she asked. Sango nodded with downcast eyes. Kagome almost broke down completely. “Oh, Sango, I'm so glad you are all right!” Her voice dropped to a whisper, “I was so… scared…”

 

Sango gave Kagome a pleading look, and took her to a few burial mounds.

 

“We haven't had the time or energy to… bury everyone yet, though Miroku… Miroku went through all of the proper rites,” she said quietly. A tear fell as she gestured to one of the graves. “Kirara…”

 

Horror filled Kagome's heart as she realized what Sango was saying. “No, Sango, oh no…” Kirara was the one person left from Sango's life in the demon-slaying village, her only family. “Oh, Kirara…” she said, offering up a silent prayer to the cat.

 

“She was… protecting them… Kaede and Shippou… and she couldn't…”

 

Kagome embraced her friend, letting their tears mingle in the dust. Sango closed her eyes, straining herself to be able to tell Kagome the rest of it.

 

“No, Kagome, you… you don't understand. She died protecting them… but when she died…” Sango's voice cracked. Tears were falling freely now as she pushed to continue. “When she died there was no one left to protect them… Oh, Kagome, they died. Kaede and Shippou…”

 

Kagome started violently shaking. “What?” she asked, her voice deathly low. Sango couldn't look at her. A strangled cry escaped Kagome's lips. “Shippou,” she called out, “Shippou! Shippou!” She was screaming his name, a scream that came from the depths of her soul.

 

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InuYasha burst out of the burning hut when he heard the cry. So far they had all been empty, and the smoke and ash was burning his eyes and making him choke. He doubted that he would ever be able to use his nose again, but at that moment nothing mattered but Kagome.

 

He had recognized that cry. It was the truly primal cry of a mother who has lost her young. Shippou…InuYasha clenched his teeth. Not Shippou… He sprinted to Kagome.

 

Her body was thrown over a mound of freshly turned dirt. She was shuddering, and InuYasha could smell the tears that were falling, mingling with the dirt. One sniff at the mound and InuYasha could tell who was buried beneath it. The graves to either side held Kirara and Kaede. InuYasha bowed his head, clenching his fists and trying to keep control over his body. I wasn't there to protect them. I wasn't there to protect him.

 

“The youkai,” he growled, “the hawk youkai… why did they come?”

 

Kagome didn't respond to his voice. It was doubtful that she had even heard him. Sango looked at InuYasha and said, “The hawk youkai… the one that I killed… just before you left… this was its tribe, its… family. The youkai was younger than I had thought. Its parents were much more powerful, and they brought so many more with them… and I…” she choked on a sob, “I killed their young and they killed ours… Oh, kami, I brought them here…”

 

“Quiet,” InuYasha barked. Sango tried to get control over her breathing as sobs refused to be swallowed. Kagome lifted her head and turned her blood-shot eyes to InuYasha. He met her stare, silently fearing what her reaction might be, but unable to look away, unable to deny his responsibility. She stood up, covered with dirt, and approached him. Does she blame me? How can she not? He stood motionless, completely unsure of what Kagome was going to do but ready to accept it regardless.

 

Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath. In one quick motion she threw her arms around InuYasha and buried her head in his haori. He slowly wrapped his arms around her.

 

“I was so worried…” she whispered, “You weren't here and I… and he's… and they're…” InuYasha stroked her hair as the sobs consumed her body again. He shushed her and moved to wipe the dirt off of her face, as his own tears hit the earth below. He clung to her as his pain came out in short, stunted sobs.

 

“Shippou,” she murmured, “Kaede, Kirara. My family… my family”

 

Sango watched the couple sadly before turning away. She understood how Kagome felt. That day, Sango had lost a little brother, an aunt and a sister. But Kagome… Kagome had lost her son. Sango turned her head to face the soft breeze, the wind that was sweeping all the smoke and ash away from the town, and closed her eyes. I killed the child of two parents… How can I mourn for my own? How can I possibly atone?

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AN: I lied… this will probably be the last chapter until January. But then again, it seems I have a tendency to go back on my word…

 

Animebaby1686:

OMG! please tell me that Kag and Inu will be together! It is gonna drive me insane if they don't!...Please update soon!

 

Heh heh heh… you never know what could happen… so once again my only hint is that I like happy endings. Of course, then you have to ask yourself what would be a happy ending for this fic.

 

Sueric:

You wicked, wicked woman! LoL! Poor InuYasha . . . Poor Kagome . . . poor readers who just can't look away!!! What can I say that hasn't already been said? I think, though the dynamic seems wholly 'off' as far as a healthy relationship, I can see where the entire InuYasha/Kagome dynamic you display could have turned into something like this. I think that, in any really intense relationship, there is some certain kind of angst, some little bit of oneself that can be easily lost. I think that's what you touch upon here. It can turn so easily, something tender can become an obsession, something wholesome can become a little darker, a little more 'needy', and when Kagome entered that well and continued to do so, I think that she had to rely on InuYasha, and in so doing, it could have grown into something quite like this . . . . Awesome, as usual! Keep it up!! ~Sueric~

 

Wicked am I? How do you feel about me now? Mwahahahaha… *Radio goes on a power trip* Whew… Anyway, you wrote a really good description of what I hoped could be understood. Thanks for doing my work for me!

 

Kokoro no Yume:

Wow...I love your story! Wonderful, emotional, and dark. Love it. It's kind of hard for me to find a good angsty story these days...SO glad i found yours!
If Kagome goes down the well, what's she going to do when she finds that InuYasha ISN'T there? >< Hopefully, InuYasha will be jumping down the well soon...Ja! Update soon!

 

Our little inu wouldn't stay in the future without Kagome, and he definitely wouldn't let her be anywhere by herself if he thought she was in pain. And, of course, dogs do tend to follow their masters wherever they may lead.

 

Thanks to Naishin no Miko (can't log in dammit all to hell), DarklessVasion - not signed in, fallenangel7583, MyogaM34 (not logged in), crazyFORvampires, and Akashadair for your reviews! I hope you guys all enjoy your winter breaks! (and if you don't have one, my sincerest apologies. Everyone deserves a break in the dead of winter)

 

I do not own the rights to InuYasha.