InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Drifting ❯ Mourning ( Chapter 13 )

AN: For some reason on Mmorg the first section is all in italics. I can't explain why, but it is not supposed to be. I will put ~ around the parts that are supposed to be italicized.

 

Mourning

 

Kagome closed her eyes and leaned her head on the doorframe of her house. She didn't feel like going in. Inside there would be questions, there would be sympathy, there would be advice. She wished that she had someone to be there with her when she went inside, but that wasn't an option. Sympathy was the last thing she wanted. If she could just forget it, it would be like nothing ever happened.

 

She wanted to do something, anything at this moment. If she could keep busy enough, maybe it would stop her from hurting so badly. She wanted to jump back through the well and get revenge. Revenge would fill her with anger instead of this pervading emptiness, though she knew she couldn't go back yet.

 

~“Kagome, you can't just go after the taka like this,” InuYasha said, “You don't even have any supplies! Your bag just has your school books in it.”

 

Kagome glanced at the bag that InuYasha was holding. “You know how to hunt, don't you?” He didn't respond to that. She sighed and took it out of his hands.

 

“We shouldn't leave right away, anyway,” he continued, steering her toward the well, “They need help. This wouldn't of happened if I… if I had been here. I have to help fix it.”

 

Kagome felt a wrenching in her stomach and nodded. What InuYasha was implying, that they didn't need her here, it hurt. She hadn't thought she could hurt anymore than she already did, but she was quickly being proved wrong. She threw her bag down the well and followed it.~

 

“Kagome?”

 

She turned her head at the familiar voice. “Hiroshi?” she said. She gave a halfhearted smile. “Why are you here?”

 

Hiroshi waved off her question. “What's wrong Kagome? You look… terrible.”

 

Kagome tried to choke out a laugh, but it ended up in a sob. Hiroshi looked completely panicked, but put his arm around the girl in an attempt to console her. “I'm sorry,” she sniffed, getting control over herself.

 

“Hey, it's alright,” he said looking straight into her eyes with a sympathetic smile, “Do you want to go inside? I could make you some tea,” Hiroshi paused seeing Kagome's shaking head, “or we could just go out and get some. Come on,” he said, taking her arm, “It'll make you feel better.”

 

She sniffed and nodded. She didn't really feel like going anywhere, but she knew that Hiroshi wouldn't pressure her to tell him what's wrong. She let him lead her to his car and got in the passenger door.

 

“I know this great little place,” Hiroshi said, starting the engine.

 

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“Who are you?” Sango asked, fear choking her voice.

 

“My name is Kuroaki, and I already know who you are. You are the one who slayed my son, Daichi.” The youkai was tall, with yellow flashing eyes, dark skin and black, feathery hair. His hands were more like talons, and he kept flexing them agitatedly. He was dressed in full body armor, which only accentuated his dark features. His mate let off a shriek of anger, coming to stand next to him. Her hair was even darker, almost bluish in hue, and she too was wearing armor.

 

“He was my son. He was going to be our next leader,” she said, her voice piercing. Sango flinched and noticed movement around her. More taka youkai were landing around the village. The villagers were scrambling to their houses in fear.

 

“I see that you have no children of your own, woman,” the Kuroaki said, “But many humans in this town do. Perhaps I shall kill them so you shall know the fear of having no future to follow you.”

 

“No, please no!” Sango cried out. Kirara leaped from her shoulder, transforming into her larger form. Sango looked at her, silently begging her to find Shippou and protect him. The cat understood what she wanted and took off to find the kitsune. She didn't see a few of the youkai detach and follow the cat.

 

“You can have children, can't you?” Sango asked, stalling for time, for a miracle, for anything.

 

The female shrieked again in her fury and the male said, “That one was her first, and as the daughter of our leader, her first would have been the most powerful. Any others that she has could be weaklings, as weak as the common takas.”

 

“Why not fight me? Why go after them” Sango shifted hiraikotsu, poised to strike at the leader.

 

He laughed. “I will not fight you, human. You will survive as your loved ones are torn to shreds.”

 

Sango cried out and threw hiraikotsu, aiming for the youkai's neck. He dodged the bone and on its return knocked it to the ground out of Sango's reach. As she reached to grab her sword, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Miroku was fighting off a taka that was trying to get into one of the huts. She hesitated, and as she did the female struck her across the chest with a claw hard enough for her to lose the use of her arm, but skilled enough so that she would keep consciousness. She turned to see a taka descend on Miroku and she screamed.

 

“Wake up, Sango, wake up!”

 

Sango gasped and sat straight up, knocking Miroku over. She stared at him with wild eyes before standing up and running outside. Miroku followed her with a dish of water. She splashed the water over her face, taking long, large breaths.

 

“Another nightmare?” he asked.

 

More like a flashback, she thought. She nodded.

 

“I could hear you from where I was sleeping.”

 

She nodded. It didn't surprise her. Every time she fell asleep she was struck with another nightmare. “I'm going back to bed,” she said. Miroku waited until she was back inside before stationing himself next to her door.

 

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“Where are we?” Kagome asked Hiroshi, looking at the unfamiliar buildings around her. “I don't think I've ever been to this part of town before.”

 

Hiroshi shrugged and poked his head into the little café. Kagome waited patiently while scanned the costumers. “All right, it's all clear. Let's go in.”

 

The inside was dimly lighted, but it was clean and lent a sense of privacy to the costumers. Hiroshi led Kagome to a table, but instead of sitting down with her, he went up to the man at the bar and spoke to him for a second. He turned back to Kagome and smiled, heading for their table. Kagome tried to manage a smile but failed entirely.

 

“Thanks for bringing me here, Hiroshi,” she said quietly, “I needed to get away.”

 

He smiled and said, “Oh, I was just looking for an excuse to come here.”

 

Kagome looked up in surprise, but relaxed when she realized he was joking. “It means a lot to me,” she said, her voice breaking. “I…”

 

The waiter set their tea on the table. “Drink,” Hiroshi said, “It will make you feel better.”

 

Kagome nodded as tears slipped down her cheeks. She took a sip of her tea and gasped. “This… is really good tea,” she said before breaking into sobs.

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A hawk circled around Sango's head. Kuroaki called to it, and it flew lower, letting out a triumphant cry. Kuroaki smiled coldly. “It seems that my men have done more than what was required of them. Not only have you lost your future, slayer, but you have lost your present and your past.”

 

The hawk above her dropped three corpses from its talons. Sango looked in horror at Shippou, Kirara and Kaede. She pulled out her sword, ignoring the searing pain going across her chest. Kuroaki laughed at her. His wife let out a cry to the taka, and the youkai all took off. Sango let off a wail as she dropped her sword and collapsed.

 

Sango woke up just as Miroku bent down to check on her. She grabbed him, throwing her arms around him and sobbing, “I killed them, I killed them.” Miroku shushed her, and sat down, pulling her into his lap. He stayed there until her breathing calmed and then slowed. Sango had no more nightmares throughout the night.

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“Feel better?” Hiroshi asked as Kagome finished her third cup of tea.

 

She nodded, genuinely smiling at him. After letting her sobs out, the tea had helped her calm down. She glanced around at the other costumers, saying, “There is something strange about this place.” Hiroshi didn't say anything, but he had an amused smile on his face. “What were you looking for when we first came in?” Kagome asked.

 

“Oh, I just wanted to make sure that my favorite table was empty. No use coming if you can't have the best seat in the house.”

 

Kagome nodded absently. She just couldn't place her finger on what was bothering her about this place, and her thoughts dropped back to Sengoku Jidai. “I should probably go home,” she said at last, “They might be wondering where I am.”

 

Hiroshi nodded and stood up, leaving some money on the table. They waved goodbye to the manager and stepped back onto the street. “Can we come here again sometime?” Kagome asked.

 

Hiroshi smiled and said, “Count on it.”

 

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Daichi: Grand First Son

Kuroaki: Black Forest

 

Nella:

WHAT DAY EXACTLY WILL YOU UPDATE?

PLEASE LET IT BE SOON. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE.

 

That would be today.

 

Vampire-Elf:

Lovely... The darkness surrounds me and takes me in, making me remember with every word how positively wonderful this story is. They're not too out of character, if you go with what you said happened, and besides, people change. You can't always write them exactly the same, fitting the cliches we've set for them, and say that after all is said and done they'll still be fitting that mold, not changed at all. XD But yeah, I'm writing all fancily right now... I think it has something to do with the advil and IB prophin I took earlier... but yeah.. that came out wrong, I'm not absuing medications, so yeah... I'm just tired, weary, rambling, and nursing the remains of a headache. Love your story... I think that was the point of my review at some point way back when. It's definately going on my favorites list. Please update sometime soon. Whenever's convient. And I understand the studying for finals thing; I'm guilty of that as well... Ain't procrastonation lovely? XD Anyways... yeah... update as soon as possible.
~Rachel

 

Hmm? I just liked this review.

 

Zorioko:

this story is so sad. i hope it all turns out well.

 

Well… I am a fan of happy endings… However, it would seem that I am not a fan of happy beginnings or middles.

 

DarklessVasion:

I wonder if the taka-youkai are satisfied with the revenge they have already taken on the human village? I have no clue if they are a violent race or more like Kouga's pack. Sure, they're powerful, but what kind of 'society' are they? And as kind as Kagome is, with the devestation of the village and her friends, especially Shippo's death, I can see her wanting revenge herself. Her misplaced guilt that InuYasha was protecting her and not the village, ultimately putting them in jeapordy at this crucial time, is also driving her. Well..we will see.

The taka are quite satisfied with their revenge I would say… as for what their society is like, I'm sure we'll get to see more of them. Kagome is definitely feeling like going after revenge at this moment.

 

AN: Formatting is the most frustrating thing on earth.