InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fate will find a way... ❯ Destiny ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: SplendentGoddess 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Angst / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.06.2006 | Updated On: 06.13.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 3.9K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Angst / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.06.2006 | Updated On: 06.13.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 3.9K | Status: Completed
Blanket Disclaimer:
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
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Chapter 7 – Destiny
Three days in on the camping trip, and everyone was having a relatively good time. Hojo and Kagome seemed the most happy, which brought a smile to Yuka and Ayumi’s lips as well. Eri was starting to miss civilization, but was finding enough things with which to keep her mind occupied. Kagome had brought her playing cards, so they could play various games. She would also keep the others entertained with some of her stories, grossly edited, over her previous “camping trips” with her ex-boyfriend and his other friends. She told them of Sango and Miroku, and though she mentioned he was supposed to be a monk, ‘cause it made the stories of his lecherous behavior that much funnier, she couldn’t bring herself to think of a modern equivalent for Sango’s profession, so she just said that she hadn’t yet had a job, since in her time girls around Sango’s age may not have a job yet anyway. She told them of Shippo, but had to side step when she realized, you don’t just start taking care of an orphaned child this day and age, what with all the ‘human resources’ people and junk, so she quickly said Shippo was Sango’s nephew. She hated lying, but they were small lies, and everyone smiled all the same at the antics of her stories over Inuyasha bullying the young ‘brat’ whom he obviously thought of as a younger brother, if not a son, as well as Miroku’s continual, and unwelcome affections upon Sango’s backside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyone was preparing to settle in for the night when an eerie howl in the distance raised the hairs on everyone’s necks.
“What…what as that?” Eri asked hesitantly.
“Sounded like a wolf.” Hojo answered rather matter-of-factly, not seeming the least bit phased.
“Guess it is a good thing you brought your arrows.” Ayumi commented in Kagome’s direction, while she, in turn, dumped more of those foul smelling herbs into the fire.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, I don’t like killing…” was the beginning of her reply before she had to shut her mouth, but it was too late, everyone was staring at her.... “I mean…the idea of killing….” She tried to counter, and while Ayumi nodded her deeper understanding and let it drop, Eri pressed on with…
“Have you ever had to kill anything?”
Kagome’s hesitation only answered for her, as she tried to form words, but succeeded with nothing but “Uhh….” before Hojo saved her by interjecting with…
“You must be a really good shot!”
Kagome smiled lightly in his direction, a smile that increased when Ayumi piped up behind her “Yeah she is!” but everyone lost their smiling faces when they heard Yuka scream.... “WOLF!”
In that instant Kagome forgot all about pretending to be a normal girl, as she quickly stood and instructed everyone to gather themselves closer to the fire, and to stay behind her, while she, in turn, notched an arrow in her bow.
“Stand tall.” She ordered, adding “Don’t project your fear.”
“How exactly do we not do that?” Eri asked while trying not to cry, while Hojo held Yuka close to him, his own pocket knife held out in his hand, ready to strike at whatever he had to.
As a couple more wolves made their presence known, attempting to circle themselves around the humans, yet keeping their distance because of the fire, Kagome held her ground, showing no fear. After all, she’s faced a lot worse in her day.
“Don’t worry….” Kagome assured her friends, “They’re just regular wolves.”
“Regular wolves?” Yuka repeated in utter bewilderment, “As opposed to what?” She asked sarcastically…. “Demon wolves?”
“You mean like that one!” Eri shouted, as she pointed to one of the animals, the one that currently had glowing red eyes.
Kagome tightened her grip on weapon, bundling her friends even closer behind her, as said creature made its slow approach.
“Get out of here!” She yelled at the youkai, while wishing to herself she’d sensed its presence sooner. The fear of her friends over the other wolves had jumbled her senses, and she’d been distracted.
“Hojo what’s going on?” Yuka quietly asked him, while still bundled in his arms. He honestly didn’t have a response for her at the moment, but tightened his grip on the knife, all the same.
Eri had long since pinched her eyes shut, praying for it all to end, so it was really only Ayumi who noticed at first, when Kagome’s arrow started to glow.
“Kagome?” Ayumi voiced aloud, which caused the others to pay more attention, and in turn, also notice her glowing arrows.
“Don’t make me purify your sorry ass!” Kagome shouted at the youkai.
Everyone was astonished, for one over the fact that she’d just cussed, and two, that she apparently had spiritual powers of purification, stuff they’d read about in history class, but always believed it to be more mythology than actual history.
The wolf youkai cocked its head to the side in a questioning manner, and lost the snarl from its face. It approached her slowly, but with a light of recognition in its eyes, which had faded from the glowing red they were earlier.
It sniffed at Kagome, and suddenly, it spoke….
“Sister?” The wolf asked.
Hey I know that voice… Kagome thought to herself, while lowering her weapon.
SISTER??? Everyone else thought in bewilderment, before realization sunk in that the wolf had actually said….anything. And why did Kagome just disarm herself?????
“Gi…Ginta?” Kagome asked hesitantly.
Suddenly, the wolf howled, and began morphing its body into the shape of a human.
“Ginta!” Kagome shouted
“Sister!” Ginta shouted back, as the two ran towards each other and locked in an embrace.
Ginta pulled away quickly, saying “Hold on a sec….” as he turned his face to meet another approaching wolf, who was running towards them rather fast, also morphing its body into humanoid shape as it ran.
“Hakkaku!” Kagome squealed gleefully, when the fully transformed wolf demon stood besides his life-long friend and pack mate.
“Sis….sister?” He asked.
Kagome and Ginta both nodded in the affirmative, and then it was Hakkaku’s turn to embrace the girl he’d thought long sense dead.
By this point in time, Kagome’s human friends, had all but convinced themselves they were hallucinating, as they each took turns rubbing their eyes, and lightly pounding the sides of their heads. What on earth? Being everyone’s universal thought at the moment.
“What are you guys doing here?” Kagome asked next.
“What are we doing here? What are you doing here????” Ginta said with an air of utter amazement behind his voice. “It’s been like 500 years!” He continued….
“I didn’t think humans lived that long…” Hakkaku commented.
“They don’t!” Ginta replied, still astonished.
“Um, yeah, about that….” Kagome began, hesitant to reveal her secrets to the wolves, yet completely forgetting about her other friends for the moment. “I’m actually from this time, and on my 15th birthday, I….discovered a time portal…”
There, she’d keep the actual well itself a secret, for fear of it being discovered. Though it was sealed now, she hated the idea that, should anyone else ever find a way to the past, they could potentially do damage to the time line, or at the very least, damage to themselves, as the feudal era was never a…forgiving…time.
The friends gathered behind her all stopped cowering at this point, as the other normal wolves had ceased in their aggression, and were simply wandering about and playing with one another, like a bunch of happy dogs.
Eri was the first to break the trance Kagome was apparently in, reliving a totally different memory lane than anything she’d ever heard before, as she tapped Kagome on the shoulder and asked “What on earth is going on?”
“Oh!” Kagome near shouted in surprise, how could she have forgotten her friends were all standing right behind her?
“Kagome….” Ayumi said calmly, with a smile on her face. “Are you ready to let us in on the details of your life now?” A wink was followed by Ayumi taking Kagome’s hand, and gently squeezing it, assuring her they were all her friends, no matter what.
Sitting down with a hard plop and feeling a little exhausted mentally, Kagome fought back the tears while she proceeded to dive head first into the true story behind her and Inuyasha. How she’d fallen down the well, (so much for keeping that part a secret) broken the sealing spell, shattered the jewel, met up with their friends (human and youkai alike), hunted Naraku and fought youkai of all shapes and sizes. The truth about Kikyo, and the exact nature of the love triangle, and how Inuyasha had become lost to her, to live happily ever after with his first love, and why she could never, never, see him again.
At this point the tears were falling, but Ginta felt he had to interrupt her.
“Sister, that’s not true!”
“Huh?” She asked bewildered, with barely the strength to lift her head in her sorrow.
“That other priestess Kikyo….” He paused, but Hakkaku patted him on the back and continued for him. “Kikyo shot him.”
“What?” Was everyone’s general response, having believed, as Kagome had, at least from her telling of things, that he’d apparently gone on to live a full life with that woman.
“She….” Kagome spat hatefully, even through her tears… “She killed him?”
“Yes and no…” Was Hakkaku’s confusing answer, except Kagome understood what he meant.
“He was sealed again?” Her hands balling into fists of rage at this point. She couldn’t blame Inuyasha, he was only following his heart, and his duty, something she respected and loved him for. But Kikyo, had she ever truly loved him?
“Not was…..is.” Ginta finally spoke again.
“Is?” Kagome asked, not wanting to accept what it could possibly mean. “You mean, as in, he’s still alive, yet, sealed, somewhere in this world?”
“Not just somewhere.” Hakkaku answered with a smile, “He’s back in our cave.”
“WHAT?” Kagome shouted happily while bouncing up to her feet.
Even her other human friends were all sporting smiles at this news, trying desperately to keep up with everything that was going on.
“Climb on, we’ll take you to him…” Hakkaku said, while morphing his body back into the shape of a wolf.
“Since when could you guys take on the shape of a wolf anyway.....?” Kagome asked in a friendly voice, while climbing up onto Hakkaku’s back. Ginta was the one who replied, explaining that it was an ability they acquired with age, like Ayame’s grandfather. The wolf is their true form, now, since they spend so much time in that appearance.
Ayumi climbed onto the back of Ginta’s wolf form, not afraid in the least, thinking the whole thing so magical, mystical, and romantic. She couldn’t help but smile back at Kagome with a look that said told ya so. Because she was right, they were meant to be. Hojo, Yuka, and Eri all hesitantly, but not too hesitantly, climbed upon the backs of some of the other wolves, and after everyone was settled, leaning forward and clinching tightly, like riding a Ninja motorcycle, the wolves took off in a fast run, heading back towards their den.
Hojo shouted out in joy at the rush of the sensation, while Yuka and Eri both concentrated on not falling off. Ayumi was enjoying the ride, though showing a little more restraint that Hojo, while Kagome, used to traveling at top speeds upon the backs of youkai, had a content smile upon her face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When they reached the cave everyone (minus Kagome) was breathless at the beauty of the site. They’d never before seen such a place in person, a gorgeous waterfall, with a large cave no doubted hidden behind it. All around were wolves, some with cubs, running and playing, splashing in the river, and catching fish. When Ginta and Hakkaku howled, and morphed back into their human shapes, everyone (minus Kagome again) had a drop jaw expression as nearly 80% of the wolves they saw before them, began morphing into humans.
“Kagome!” a female wolf-youkai shouted, and as she made her approach, Kagome recognized her, and shouted back “Ayame!” as the two women embraced.
“Koga!” Ayame called back in the direction from which she’d came. “Koga come quick!”
Everyone stared as from deep within the entrance of the cave, a long figure slowly made his approach. He was dressed in furs, just like everyone else, with his long black hair tied back in a ponytail, with bangs so wild, they nearly hid his piercing blue eyes.
“Koga…” Everyone heard escape Kagome’s lips in a soft whimper. Within seconds he was by her side, as the two embraced in the longest hug Kagome’d had so far.
“I knew you’d come….” He mumbled in her ear. When she pulled back, a few tears, though happy ones, present in her eyes, and asked...
“How-” she was cut off by his reply of...
“That monk, he said he knew you’d find us one day.”
Kagome’s smile brightened at the memory of her friends, the mortal ones, whom she knew she’d never see again, but yet, whose memories apparently lived on in others, besides herself.
“Come on…” he said next, taking her hand. Ayame didn’t mind in the least and had a large smile plastered across her face, as she (and she alone) had eventually become privy to the secret behind Inuyasha and Kagome. Everyone else was quick to follow, as the group was lead deep into the main cave.
Then it happened, the look five centuries in the making. Kagome’s eyes did in deed light up as she saw the love of her life, lying quite peacefully, atop a soft pile of furs. A few gasps could be heard from her friends, as they saw the arrow protruding from his chest, but the rise and fall of it indicated his breathing. Kagome approached him slowly, and it was déjà vu all over again, as she thought He really does look like a boy…
Her friends remembered meeting this guy once, in her room, but now that they were privy to the ears upon his head, they all couldn’t help but smile. Kagome was right, they were cute.
They watched in peaceful silence as Kagome continued her approach, and attentively reached up to playfully rub his ears while he still slept.
“How did you wake him last time?” Koga suddenly asked, breaking the silence.
“I….I don’t know…” She mumbled “I…I was in danger, and screamed, afraid for my life, and he just…he just woke up, to save me.”
“How sweet!” Was the chorus coming from the human girls, while Hojo suggested they try something similar this time.
“Inuyasha!” She suddenly shouted. “Inuyasha I need you, please come back to me!”
What was at first only a test, quickly became the simple truth, as she began to cry, rather hysterically, and pound lightly on his chest.
“You promised you’d protect me!” She cried. “Well I need you now! Save me from my broken heart!” Throwing herself upon his body she said in a lower, pleading tone… “I love you as a half-demon Inuyasha…..”
A sudden movement caused her to flinch, as a hand snaked around her body. Gasps and squeals could be heard from the other humans in the cave, while the wolves all stood by with knowing smiles on their faces. Kagome pulled back in time to see an opening pair of amber eyes, as her velvet brown ones refilled themselves with new tears.
“Ka…Kagome?” Inuyasha questioned, while trying to sit up. “What happened, what are you doing here?”
Looking around the cave he realized he was in the wolf den, and as the stink came to his nose, he wasn’t very happy, until he was distracted from that thought upon realizing there was an arrow sticking out of his chest. Reaching up to touch it on instinct, his hand was deflected by the barrier of purity that still surrounded it.
Kikyo’s arrow?? He questioned himself.
The last thing he remembered was fighting a dragon-youkai that was totally kicking his ass. As he thought about it, he remembered getting Tetsusaiga knocked from his hand. Putting two and two together, he could only assume he must have transformed, and at some point, Kikyo had shot him. But why he had apparently been sealed again, instead of simply purified, he did not know. Looking down at the crying figure of Kagome hugging herself to him almost violently, he reached up and began stroking her hair.
His whisper of “Shhh don’t cry” could be heard by the other youkai in the cave, but was too quiet for the humans to pick it up, except for the human whose ear it had been whispered into.
As she backed herself up a little more in an attempt to regain her composure, he again tried to sit up, but found he could hardly move his body at all. Looking down at the arrow again, he said “Hey girl…” in a mock air of frustration, which Kagome picked up on instantly. “Think you can pull this thing out?” He asked, a gleam of pure happiness present in his eyes at the moment.
Wordlessly, Kagome reached for the arrow, and effortlessly began to pull it from his chest. As she separated it from his being, the arrow disappeared into sparkles of blue light, and his wound was instantly healed, with not one drop of blood.
Sitting up unhindered now, Inuyasha pulled her back into him in another fierce embrace, and asked again, softly… “What happened?”
Koga stepped in at that point, and relayed the story that had been told to him, over how he’d transformed and Kikyo was going to purify him, until apparently
at the last minute, with some persuasion from his friends, she didn’t kill him, but as a surprise to them all at the time, did fire her arrow anyway, sealing him instead. Koga went on to explain that the miko had apparently disappeared after that, not that they choose to seek her out, so the details of her existence after that point became a mystery to them all. He told Inuyasha how Sango and Miroku had cared for him for several years, until in their fraying old age, had finally relented their claim, and brought him to stay safe in his den, until the day they believed would happen with all their heart, that Kagome would some how find her way to him.
Inuyasha then looked at Kagome again, and asked quietly “Did you know any of this?”
She shook her head while answering... “I was never able to get back, the well was sealed, and I never knew a thing about any of this. Hojo and Yuka had brought us all camping….” She turned to point out her modern day friends that Inuyasha only truly noticed at that moment, when she pointed them out, they all waved studpidly... “…and we were settling down for the night when these wolves started to attack us…” She paused again when Ginta rose his hand to speak.
“Uh…that was my fault, sorry….” He humbly apologized.
Koga shot him a look and said “I told you to never hunt humans…” but at the same time he cooled his blazing eyes, with a knowing smile that acknowledged Ginta had only played out the hand that fate had dealt him.
“How long as it been?” Inuyasha asked next. “For you I mean…”
“About 8 months…” was her quiet answer, though she couldn’t hide the pain behind it.
“I see….” And looking back up at the humans across the cave, he saw the three girls whom he’d recalled meeting once, as well as the other male, the male he recalled Kagome talking about from time to time. “And you’re with Hojo now?” he asked with almost an air of depression.
“No!” Everyone piped up at once, then started laughing nervously. Yuka was finally the one who took Hojo’s hand, and said “Hojo is with me now….though…” She wanted to add for clarification… “He was never with Kagome, she only ever had eyes for you.” She finished with a blush when she saw Kagome and Inuyasha’s matching blush as well, at her words.
“I think we should go…” Ayumi said in a hushed command, as she shooed not only her other human friends out of the cave, but the wolf-youkai that were in there as well.
Looking back at Inuyasha now that they were alone, she asked him quietly… “How long had it been for you?”
“About 7 months…” was his answer, which made Kagome realize exactly what that weird feeling she’d had obviously had to have been. She was pulled from her musings when he spoke again, elaborating with “The worst 7 months of my life.”
Kagome shot him eyes of hurt, yet sympathetic hurt, for him, mixed with confusion, so he went on to explain unprovoked…
“Kikyo tricked me, she never loved me, at least, not since her resurrection….”
“Oh Inuyasha…” Kagome whispered, almost at tears again, as she unconsciously pulled a stray hair from his face, as she looked at him lovingly, longingly.
“Can you ever forgive me?” He asked, and in that moment, she saw all of the emotions he normally tried to hard so hide, shining freely in his amber gaze.
She answered him by leaning forward, and meeting his lips with her own. He was only shocked for about two seconds, before he returned the kiss tenderly, while once again wrapping his arms around her.
~End~
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
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Chapter 7 – Destiny
Three days in on the camping trip, and everyone was having a relatively good time. Hojo and Kagome seemed the most happy, which brought a smile to Yuka and Ayumi’s lips as well. Eri was starting to miss civilization, but was finding enough things with which to keep her mind occupied. Kagome had brought her playing cards, so they could play various games. She would also keep the others entertained with some of her stories, grossly edited, over her previous “camping trips” with her ex-boyfriend and his other friends. She told them of Sango and Miroku, and though she mentioned he was supposed to be a monk, ‘cause it made the stories of his lecherous behavior that much funnier, she couldn’t bring herself to think of a modern equivalent for Sango’s profession, so she just said that she hadn’t yet had a job, since in her time girls around Sango’s age may not have a job yet anyway. She told them of Shippo, but had to side step when she realized, you don’t just start taking care of an orphaned child this day and age, what with all the ‘human resources’ people and junk, so she quickly said Shippo was Sango’s nephew. She hated lying, but they were small lies, and everyone smiled all the same at the antics of her stories over Inuyasha bullying the young ‘brat’ whom he obviously thought of as a younger brother, if not a son, as well as Miroku’s continual, and unwelcome affections upon Sango’s backside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyone was preparing to settle in for the night when an eerie howl in the distance raised the hairs on everyone’s necks.
“What…what as that?” Eri asked hesitantly.
“Sounded like a wolf.” Hojo answered rather matter-of-factly, not seeming the least bit phased.
“Guess it is a good thing you brought your arrows.” Ayumi commented in Kagome’s direction, while she, in turn, dumped more of those foul smelling herbs into the fire.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, I don’t like killing…” was the beginning of her reply before she had to shut her mouth, but it was too late, everyone was staring at her.... “I mean…the idea of killing….” She tried to counter, and while Ayumi nodded her deeper understanding and let it drop, Eri pressed on with…
“Have you ever had to kill anything?”
Kagome’s hesitation only answered for her, as she tried to form words, but succeeded with nothing but “Uhh….” before Hojo saved her by interjecting with…
“You must be a really good shot!”
Kagome smiled lightly in his direction, a smile that increased when Ayumi piped up behind her “Yeah she is!” but everyone lost their smiling faces when they heard Yuka scream.... “WOLF!”
In that instant Kagome forgot all about pretending to be a normal girl, as she quickly stood and instructed everyone to gather themselves closer to the fire, and to stay behind her, while she, in turn, notched an arrow in her bow.
“Stand tall.” She ordered, adding “Don’t project your fear.”
“How exactly do we not do that?” Eri asked while trying not to cry, while Hojo held Yuka close to him, his own pocket knife held out in his hand, ready to strike at whatever he had to.
As a couple more wolves made their presence known, attempting to circle themselves around the humans, yet keeping their distance because of the fire, Kagome held her ground, showing no fear. After all, she’s faced a lot worse in her day.
“Don’t worry….” Kagome assured her friends, “They’re just regular wolves.”
“Regular wolves?” Yuka repeated in utter bewilderment, “As opposed to what?” She asked sarcastically…. “Demon wolves?”
“You mean like that one!” Eri shouted, as she pointed to one of the animals, the one that currently had glowing red eyes.
Kagome tightened her grip on weapon, bundling her friends even closer behind her, as said creature made its slow approach.
“Get out of here!” She yelled at the youkai, while wishing to herself she’d sensed its presence sooner. The fear of her friends over the other wolves had jumbled her senses, and she’d been distracted.
“Hojo what’s going on?” Yuka quietly asked him, while still bundled in his arms. He honestly didn’t have a response for her at the moment, but tightened his grip on the knife, all the same.
Eri had long since pinched her eyes shut, praying for it all to end, so it was really only Ayumi who noticed at first, when Kagome’s arrow started to glow.
“Kagome?” Ayumi voiced aloud, which caused the others to pay more attention, and in turn, also notice her glowing arrows.
“Don’t make me purify your sorry ass!” Kagome shouted at the youkai.
Everyone was astonished, for one over the fact that she’d just cussed, and two, that she apparently had spiritual powers of purification, stuff they’d read about in history class, but always believed it to be more mythology than actual history.
The wolf youkai cocked its head to the side in a questioning manner, and lost the snarl from its face. It approached her slowly, but with a light of recognition in its eyes, which had faded from the glowing red they were earlier.
It sniffed at Kagome, and suddenly, it spoke….
“Sister?” The wolf asked.
Hey I know that voice… Kagome thought to herself, while lowering her weapon.
SISTER??? Everyone else thought in bewilderment, before realization sunk in that the wolf had actually said….anything. And why did Kagome just disarm herself?????
“Gi…Ginta?” Kagome asked hesitantly.
Suddenly, the wolf howled, and began morphing its body into the shape of a human.
“Ginta!” Kagome shouted
“Sister!” Ginta shouted back, as the two ran towards each other and locked in an embrace.
Ginta pulled away quickly, saying “Hold on a sec….” as he turned his face to meet another approaching wolf, who was running towards them rather fast, also morphing its body into humanoid shape as it ran.
“Hakkaku!” Kagome squealed gleefully, when the fully transformed wolf demon stood besides his life-long friend and pack mate.
“Sis….sister?” He asked.
Kagome and Ginta both nodded in the affirmative, and then it was Hakkaku’s turn to embrace the girl he’d thought long sense dead.
By this point in time, Kagome’s human friends, had all but convinced themselves they were hallucinating, as they each took turns rubbing their eyes, and lightly pounding the sides of their heads. What on earth? Being everyone’s universal thought at the moment.
“What are you guys doing here?” Kagome asked next.
“What are we doing here? What are you doing here????” Ginta said with an air of utter amazement behind his voice. “It’s been like 500 years!” He continued….
“I didn’t think humans lived that long…” Hakkaku commented.
“They don’t!” Ginta replied, still astonished.
“Um, yeah, about that….” Kagome began, hesitant to reveal her secrets to the wolves, yet completely forgetting about her other friends for the moment. “I’m actually from this time, and on my 15th birthday, I….discovered a time portal…”
There, she’d keep the actual well itself a secret, for fear of it being discovered. Though it was sealed now, she hated the idea that, should anyone else ever find a way to the past, they could potentially do damage to the time line, or at the very least, damage to themselves, as the feudal era was never a…forgiving…time.
The friends gathered behind her all stopped cowering at this point, as the other normal wolves had ceased in their aggression, and were simply wandering about and playing with one another, like a bunch of happy dogs.
Eri was the first to break the trance Kagome was apparently in, reliving a totally different memory lane than anything she’d ever heard before, as she tapped Kagome on the shoulder and asked “What on earth is going on?”
“Oh!” Kagome near shouted in surprise, how could she have forgotten her friends were all standing right behind her?
“Kagome….” Ayumi said calmly, with a smile on her face. “Are you ready to let us in on the details of your life now?” A wink was followed by Ayumi taking Kagome’s hand, and gently squeezing it, assuring her they were all her friends, no matter what.
Sitting down with a hard plop and feeling a little exhausted mentally, Kagome fought back the tears while she proceeded to dive head first into the true story behind her and Inuyasha. How she’d fallen down the well, (so much for keeping that part a secret) broken the sealing spell, shattered the jewel, met up with their friends (human and youkai alike), hunted Naraku and fought youkai of all shapes and sizes. The truth about Kikyo, and the exact nature of the love triangle, and how Inuyasha had become lost to her, to live happily ever after with his first love, and why she could never, never, see him again.
At this point the tears were falling, but Ginta felt he had to interrupt her.
“Sister, that’s not true!”
“Huh?” She asked bewildered, with barely the strength to lift her head in her sorrow.
“That other priestess Kikyo….” He paused, but Hakkaku patted him on the back and continued for him. “Kikyo shot him.”
“What?” Was everyone’s general response, having believed, as Kagome had, at least from her telling of things, that he’d apparently gone on to live a full life with that woman.
“She….” Kagome spat hatefully, even through her tears… “She killed him?”
“Yes and no…” Was Hakkaku’s confusing answer, except Kagome understood what he meant.
“He was sealed again?” Her hands balling into fists of rage at this point. She couldn’t blame Inuyasha, he was only following his heart, and his duty, something she respected and loved him for. But Kikyo, had she ever truly loved him?
“Not was…..is.” Ginta finally spoke again.
“Is?” Kagome asked, not wanting to accept what it could possibly mean. “You mean, as in, he’s still alive, yet, sealed, somewhere in this world?”
“Not just somewhere.” Hakkaku answered with a smile, “He’s back in our cave.”
“WHAT?” Kagome shouted happily while bouncing up to her feet.
Even her other human friends were all sporting smiles at this news, trying desperately to keep up with everything that was going on.
“Climb on, we’ll take you to him…” Hakkaku said, while morphing his body back into the shape of a wolf.
“Since when could you guys take on the shape of a wolf anyway.....?” Kagome asked in a friendly voice, while climbing up onto Hakkaku’s back. Ginta was the one who replied, explaining that it was an ability they acquired with age, like Ayame’s grandfather. The wolf is their true form, now, since they spend so much time in that appearance.
Ayumi climbed onto the back of Ginta’s wolf form, not afraid in the least, thinking the whole thing so magical, mystical, and romantic. She couldn’t help but smile back at Kagome with a look that said told ya so. Because she was right, they were meant to be. Hojo, Yuka, and Eri all hesitantly, but not too hesitantly, climbed upon the backs of some of the other wolves, and after everyone was settled, leaning forward and clinching tightly, like riding a Ninja motorcycle, the wolves took off in a fast run, heading back towards their den.
Hojo shouted out in joy at the rush of the sensation, while Yuka and Eri both concentrated on not falling off. Ayumi was enjoying the ride, though showing a little more restraint that Hojo, while Kagome, used to traveling at top speeds upon the backs of youkai, had a content smile upon her face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When they reached the cave everyone (minus Kagome) was breathless at the beauty of the site. They’d never before seen such a place in person, a gorgeous waterfall, with a large cave no doubted hidden behind it. All around were wolves, some with cubs, running and playing, splashing in the river, and catching fish. When Ginta and Hakkaku howled, and morphed back into their human shapes, everyone (minus Kagome again) had a drop jaw expression as nearly 80% of the wolves they saw before them, began morphing into humans.
“Kagome!” a female wolf-youkai shouted, and as she made her approach, Kagome recognized her, and shouted back “Ayame!” as the two women embraced.
“Koga!” Ayame called back in the direction from which she’d came. “Koga come quick!”
Everyone stared as from deep within the entrance of the cave, a long figure slowly made his approach. He was dressed in furs, just like everyone else, with his long black hair tied back in a ponytail, with bangs so wild, they nearly hid his piercing blue eyes.
“Koga…” Everyone heard escape Kagome’s lips in a soft whimper. Within seconds he was by her side, as the two embraced in the longest hug Kagome’d had so far.
“I knew you’d come….” He mumbled in her ear. When she pulled back, a few tears, though happy ones, present in her eyes, and asked...
“How-” she was cut off by his reply of...
“That monk, he said he knew you’d find us one day.”
Kagome’s smile brightened at the memory of her friends, the mortal ones, whom she knew she’d never see again, but yet, whose memories apparently lived on in others, besides herself.
“Come on…” he said next, taking her hand. Ayame didn’t mind in the least and had a large smile plastered across her face, as she (and she alone) had eventually become privy to the secret behind Inuyasha and Kagome. Everyone else was quick to follow, as the group was lead deep into the main cave.
Then it happened, the look five centuries in the making. Kagome’s eyes did in deed light up as she saw the love of her life, lying quite peacefully, atop a soft pile of furs. A few gasps could be heard from her friends, as they saw the arrow protruding from his chest, but the rise and fall of it indicated his breathing. Kagome approached him slowly, and it was déjà vu all over again, as she thought He really does look like a boy…
Her friends remembered meeting this guy once, in her room, but now that they were privy to the ears upon his head, they all couldn’t help but smile. Kagome was right, they were cute.
They watched in peaceful silence as Kagome continued her approach, and attentively reached up to playfully rub his ears while he still slept.
“How did you wake him last time?” Koga suddenly asked, breaking the silence.
“I….I don’t know…” She mumbled “I…I was in danger, and screamed, afraid for my life, and he just…he just woke up, to save me.”
“How sweet!” Was the chorus coming from the human girls, while Hojo suggested they try something similar this time.
“Inuyasha!” She suddenly shouted. “Inuyasha I need you, please come back to me!”
What was at first only a test, quickly became the simple truth, as she began to cry, rather hysterically, and pound lightly on his chest.
“You promised you’d protect me!” She cried. “Well I need you now! Save me from my broken heart!” Throwing herself upon his body she said in a lower, pleading tone… “I love you as a half-demon Inuyasha…..”
A sudden movement caused her to flinch, as a hand snaked around her body. Gasps and squeals could be heard from the other humans in the cave, while the wolves all stood by with knowing smiles on their faces. Kagome pulled back in time to see an opening pair of amber eyes, as her velvet brown ones refilled themselves with new tears.
“Ka…Kagome?” Inuyasha questioned, while trying to sit up. “What happened, what are you doing here?”
Looking around the cave he realized he was in the wolf den, and as the stink came to his nose, he wasn’t very happy, until he was distracted from that thought upon realizing there was an arrow sticking out of his chest. Reaching up to touch it on instinct, his hand was deflected by the barrier of purity that still surrounded it.
Kikyo’s arrow?? He questioned himself.
The last thing he remembered was fighting a dragon-youkai that was totally kicking his ass. As he thought about it, he remembered getting Tetsusaiga knocked from his hand. Putting two and two together, he could only assume he must have transformed, and at some point, Kikyo had shot him. But why he had apparently been sealed again, instead of simply purified, he did not know. Looking down at the crying figure of Kagome hugging herself to him almost violently, he reached up and began stroking her hair.
His whisper of “Shhh don’t cry” could be heard by the other youkai in the cave, but was too quiet for the humans to pick it up, except for the human whose ear it had been whispered into.
As she backed herself up a little more in an attempt to regain her composure, he again tried to sit up, but found he could hardly move his body at all. Looking down at the arrow again, he said “Hey girl…” in a mock air of frustration, which Kagome picked up on instantly. “Think you can pull this thing out?” He asked, a gleam of pure happiness present in his eyes at the moment.
Wordlessly, Kagome reached for the arrow, and effortlessly began to pull it from his chest. As she separated it from his being, the arrow disappeared into sparkles of blue light, and his wound was instantly healed, with not one drop of blood.
Sitting up unhindered now, Inuyasha pulled her back into him in another fierce embrace, and asked again, softly… “What happened?”
Koga stepped in at that point, and relayed the story that had been told to him, over how he’d transformed and Kikyo was going to purify him, until apparently
at the last minute, with some persuasion from his friends, she didn’t kill him, but as a surprise to them all at the time, did fire her arrow anyway, sealing him instead. Koga went on to explain that the miko had apparently disappeared after that, not that they choose to seek her out, so the details of her existence after that point became a mystery to them all. He told Inuyasha how Sango and Miroku had cared for him for several years, until in their fraying old age, had finally relented their claim, and brought him to stay safe in his den, until the day they believed would happen with all their heart, that Kagome would some how find her way to him.
Inuyasha then looked at Kagome again, and asked quietly “Did you know any of this?”
She shook her head while answering... “I was never able to get back, the well was sealed, and I never knew a thing about any of this. Hojo and Yuka had brought us all camping….” She turned to point out her modern day friends that Inuyasha only truly noticed at that moment, when she pointed them out, they all waved studpidly... “…and we were settling down for the night when these wolves started to attack us…” She paused again when Ginta rose his hand to speak.
“Uh…that was my fault, sorry….” He humbly apologized.
Koga shot him a look and said “I told you to never hunt humans…” but at the same time he cooled his blazing eyes, with a knowing smile that acknowledged Ginta had only played out the hand that fate had dealt him.
“How long as it been?” Inuyasha asked next. “For you I mean…”
“About 8 months…” was her quiet answer, though she couldn’t hide the pain behind it.
“I see….” And looking back up at the humans across the cave, he saw the three girls whom he’d recalled meeting once, as well as the other male, the male he recalled Kagome talking about from time to time. “And you’re with Hojo now?” he asked with almost an air of depression.
“No!” Everyone piped up at once, then started laughing nervously. Yuka was finally the one who took Hojo’s hand, and said “Hojo is with me now….though…” She wanted to add for clarification… “He was never with Kagome, she only ever had eyes for you.” She finished with a blush when she saw Kagome and Inuyasha’s matching blush as well, at her words.
“I think we should go…” Ayumi said in a hushed command, as she shooed not only her other human friends out of the cave, but the wolf-youkai that were in there as well.
Looking back at Inuyasha now that they were alone, she asked him quietly… “How long had it been for you?”
“About 7 months…” was his answer, which made Kagome realize exactly what that weird feeling she’d had obviously had to have been. She was pulled from her musings when he spoke again, elaborating with “The worst 7 months of my life.”
Kagome shot him eyes of hurt, yet sympathetic hurt, for him, mixed with confusion, so he went on to explain unprovoked…
“Kikyo tricked me, she never loved me, at least, not since her resurrection….”
“Oh Inuyasha…” Kagome whispered, almost at tears again, as she unconsciously pulled a stray hair from his face, as she looked at him lovingly, longingly.
“Can you ever forgive me?” He asked, and in that moment, she saw all of the emotions he normally tried to hard so hide, shining freely in his amber gaze.
She answered him by leaning forward, and meeting his lips with her own. He was only shocked for about two seconds, before he returned the kiss tenderly, while once again wrapping his arms around her.
~End~