InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ She's Like The Wind / The Power of Love ❯ After the Battle ( Chapter 14 )

Disclaimer: yada, yada, yada…InuYasha still belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

 

 

Chapter 14: After the Battle (warning: contains a very small lemon)

 

 

Kagome released a sigh of relief as she felt the time slip wash over them. After they jumped out of the well house on the other side and InuYasha had set her gently on her feet, she broke into tears. He wrapped his arms around her and just held her, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. He could tell these were tears of joy and relief, and would let her cry herself out before they went in to see her family. He knew she had been worried she would never be able to see them again.

 

“Maybe…maybe it was real,” Kagome said brokenly through her tears.

 

“Kagome, what to you mean? What was real?” InuYasha asked very gently.

 

“I..I..I had a dream that a warrior priestess came to me after the battle. She thanked me for purifying the jewel and setting her soul at rest. S…Sh…She said that since I had not made a wish to purify the jewel, the well would remain open as long as I lived, and had family on the other side,” Kagome had stopped crying, but was still sniffling.

 

“Midoriko?” InuYasha asked.

 

“It had to be,” Kagome replied.

 

“Huh,” InuYasha stated rather matter-of-factly.

 

“What do you mean, Huh?” Kagome almost sounded angry.

 

“I thought I was just exhausted from everything we had been through. She came to me when we were asleep in Kaede's hut and thanked me for helping you. She said she knew I originally wanted the jewel for myself to become a full demon, but had given up any selfish desires because of my love for you. Midoriko said that I would be able to continue traveling through the well, along with our pups when they come, for as long as we needed. I wasn't sure exactly what she meant by that.” InuYasha's responded quietly.

 

“Maybe it was something as simple as I need to see my family on both sides of the well, but I can't survive without you. I never want to be separated from you. I love you too much,” was Kagome's reply.

 

“Keh. Our souls are bonded - I'm not going anywhere.” InuYasha leaned over and kissed her. When he pulled away he asked, “Are you ready to go in?”

 

Kagome took his hand as she whispered, “Let's go.”

 

  

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On the other side of the well, Sesshomaru finally pulled away from Sajjanneba - even they needed oxygen at some point. He was amazed at the feelings that had been flowing through him. He had never experienced anything like them in his rather long life. For hundreds of years he thought that taking a mate was a weakness - surely his father would not have died if he had not taken InuYasha's mother as his mate. He wasn't sure when his thoughts on the matter had started to change, but he knew it was after Kagome had come into InuYasha's life. There was no doubt - she was no weakness. If anything Kagome had given his younger sibling strength and speed he should never have possessed as a hanyou. He had started to reconsider those parting words from his father. As much as he wanted to deny it, he did have someone to protect. Even as they cast Sounga into hell and he was denying it, visions of Rin and Jaken flashed before his eyes. Now, a new one had been added - this beautiful Inu who had her arms wrapped around him, her head tucked under his chin.

 

When he first saw her he was surprised. He knew there were not many remaining pure Inu-youkai, her clan must have been one of those isolated up in the mountains. Even Sesshomaru was struck by her beauty, and she then amazed him with her strength when they came across youkai who were foolish enough to attack them on their patrols. Once she had recovered from her wounds and blood loss, she was deadly with a blade.

 

Sesshomaru started thinking it might be time to take a mate and produce an heir; however he had never found another who was suitable. As many males, for years he thought that a mate meant someone who was totally submissive, never putting up a fight, always agreeable. That was something else that InuYasha's relationship with Kagome had taught him. She was strong, she was willful - however it was obvious she loved his brother with all her heart. She would never dishonor him nor abandon him. It was that same strength and willfulness that caused her to stand up to Sesshomaru when most others, human and demon alike, would have fled.

 

Sesshomaru had little hope of finding another Inu like himself, and yet here was one that was practically dropped in his lap. When they first started their patrols together, he started to think that she might be a suitable mate. She could produce heirs and he would treat her well. She would lack for nothing in his home. He didn't know when these other feelings started to surface - was this the love that InuYasha and Kagome spoke of? He did not think it was possible to feel this way. He never wanted Sajjanneba to leave his side.

 

“Sajjanneba?” Sesshomaru asked softly.

 

“Yes, Sesshomaru?” she responded, her head still tucked under his chin and resting against his chest.

 

“There is something you must know before we go back, before I take you as my mate,” He said seriously.

 

Sajjanneba pulled far enough back that she could look at his eyes and nodded.

 

Sesshomaru continued, “I have a human ward.”

 

“What?” She didn't sound angry or upset, just puzzled.

 

“I have a human ward, a little girl that I saved. She is almost always with me. Her name is Rin.”

 

“Where is she now?” Sajjanneba asked.

 

“I did not want her near the battle with Naraku, so she remained at home. The kitsune child that InuYasha and his mate care for is with her.”

 

That made Sajjanneba giggle, “An Inu-hanyou and a human girl taking care of a kitsune?”

 

“When they found him, his father had been murdered. He was trying to avenge his father's death all by himself. InuYasha and Kagome came across him and helped him, and he has traveled with them ever since,” Sesshomaru relayed what Kanti had actually found out and told him.

 

“So how did you end up with a human ward?” Sajjanneba had now taken his hand and pulled him so that he was sitting on the ground next to her.

 

Sesshomaru thought for a minute how much to reveal. He realized if Sajjanneba was to be his mate, he might as well give her the entire story.

 

Sesshomaru told her about his long harbored hatred of his brother, how he had blamed InuYasha for his father's death, how he had been envious of the fact Tetsusaiga was bequeathed to InuYasha and not himself, his fury at having received Tenseiga instead. Sesshomaru told her about his attacks on his brother and Kagome, up to the one where he once again tried to remove Tetsusaiga from InuYasha by destroying it if he couldn't possess it. That was when InuYasha discovered the secret of the Wind Scar and used it against him. That was also when Sesshomaru started to learn the value of Tenseiga - it saved him and transported him from the scene.

 

Sajjanneba was completely silent - she amazed at the story he was telling her. She had no idea there had been so much animosity between the two brothers.

 

Sesshomaru continued with the story of Rin, how she found him injured, how she tried to help him, how he tried to scare her away but she refused to leave. Even when the villagers had beaten her, she still brought food and water to him since he was too injured to move. Once he was able to travel again, he started to leave but had smelled her blood. He went back up the path to found that wolves had killed her.

 

“Killed - you mean she was dead?” Sajjanneba finally broke her silence.

 

“Yes, she was dead. But Tenseiga pulsed - it asked to be drawn,” Sesshomaru answered.

 

“Your sword asked to be drawn?” It was incredible, but Sajjanneba believed him.

 

“Yes. I pulled Tenseiga and realized I could see the messengers of the underworld that had come to claim Rin's soul. I sliced through them with Tenseiga, and her heart beat again. She has been with me ever since.”

 

Sajjanneba thought about what he said and finally asked, “So do you no longer want your brother's sword? I saw its power for myself in that battle.”

 

“No. InuYasha is the only one that can truly master the sword. Our father put a ward on it so that no demon can touch it. It can only be used effectively if protecting a human. It also has a dual purpose, which I was informed of later by one of our father's old friends. Tetsusaiga keeps InuYasha's demon blood in check.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Our father was an incredibly powerful demon. His blood that flows through InuYasha is too strong for his human half to control. When his life becomes in danger, if InuYasha does not have Tetsusaiga, his demon blood takes over in order to save his life. I've seen the results. InuYasha was separated from his sword by a moth demon. InuYasha transformed and slaughtered the moth demon and all of the bandits he was traveling with and laughed about it. I had gone to see for myself if what I had been told was true - it was. When he transforms, he becomes nothing but a murderous monster, with no knowledge of himself or his friends. He feels neither pain nor fear. He would simply keep killing until he died.”

 

Sajjanneba's eyes were wide as she asked, “How was he stopped?”

 

Sesshomaru continued, “I was able to bring him down, knocking him unconscious. Kagome thought I was going to kill him and threw herself over his body, yelling at me to get away. Even before he came after me, she was trying to approach him, trying to get him to take Tetsusaiga and calm him down while the others were shouting at her to stay away. That foolish girl has never been afraid of my brother, even when she should have been.”

 

“So she was able to turn him back?”

 

“She had brought Tetsusaiga with her, so when he came to, he was a hanyou again. After that incident I realized that Bokusenou was right - our father would not wish for such a horrible death for his son. I then went to Totosei for more answers.”

 

“Totosei?” Sajjanneba asked.

 

“He is the master sword smith that forged our two swords. Once I caught up with him, and he realized I wasn't going to kill him, he answered my question about InuYasha's use of the Wind Scar on me.”

 

“You mean how did Tenseiga save you?”

 

“Not just that - what was the reason that the Wind Scar wasn't used to its full effect. I doubt I would have survived if it had been, even with Tenseiga. Totosei's answer was a complete surprise. Even though he had let InuYasha's friends think he had not used the full potential because he had my poison in his eyes, he confronted InuYasha later for the truth. InuYasha admitted that I was his only brother, his only family, and he couldn't kill me. I had always tried to convince myself it was because he was weak, but I knew that wasn't really true.”

 

“So when did you come to terms with your brother?” Sajjanneba had been fascinated by this entire story.

 

“I realized what Totosei had relayed was true of me as well. InuYasha may be a half-breed, but he is my half-brother, and my only relative. I finally came to terms with the fact that it was not InuYasha's fault our father had died; it was not his fault that Father fell in love with his mother and he was born. I also started to realize that InuYasha would be a much better ally than enemy - he has proved his strength time and time again, all because of the miko, which I originally despised. Interestingly enough, it is because of her I was able to make my peace with him.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Our father died the day he was born, and his mother died when he was very young. He wanted to take the miko as his mate, and to make sure he did it properly, they came to me.”

 

“So you had to explain…” Sajjanneba couldn't finish her question; she was trying not to giggle at the thought of Lord Sesshomaru having to explain the mating ritual to his little brother.

 

“Yes. That very evening we, or rather Kagome, were blatantly attacked by tiger youkai after her jewel shards. The demon slayer was badly wounded and the monk's leg was slashed open, so I took them to my home for care. They completed the ritual while they were waiting for them to recover.”

 

“Five days - was it really five days?”

 

“Yes - five and a half if you want to be technical. I warned InuYasha it might take a while due to the combination of his Inu-stamina and human heart along with Kagome's big heart and miko powers, but even I didn't expect that. Once again I underestimated my little brother, plus who knew a human could have such stamina.”

 

Sesshomaru could smell Sajjanneba's arousal as she said, “I wonder what kind of record two full Inu-youkai can set.”

 

He pulled her into another kiss. They were heading home as soon as InuYasha and Kagome returned.

 

  

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As they walked through the door, InuYasha and Kagome were met by Mama Higurashi, who pulled them into a hug as tears streamed down her face, “You're both all right. You came back. What happened?”

 

InuYasha sat quietly holding Kagome in his lap as she told her mother everything that had happened the last few weeks.

 

At some point Gramps and Souta had come in, and were silently listening as Kagome talked. She told them everything she could remember - how the wolves, wolf demons and other demons had come to help, about the beautiful Inu-youkai that had come to kill InuYasha but then became an ally; Naraku's rage when InuYasha didn't become mortal, and his surprise when she purified the jewel and him along with it; how Kikyou had opened up the pits of hell and she along with Onigumo and the jewel had been swallowed.

 

Grandpa could contain his tongue no longer as he practically wailed, “The Shikon no Tama is gone! Gone for good? It can't be!!”

 

Kagome looked at him seriously as she replied, “As long as the jewel was in this world those who wish power would want it. As long as it existed, it would be possible for a monster like Naraku to gain power and control once again. Even though the jewel was supposed to be able to be used for either good or evil, only those that were evil seemed to search for it. It corrupted nearly every living being it came in contact with, and was ultimately responsible for the deaths of many innocent lives. The jewel locked the soul of the warrior miko Midoriko within it, and its purification has freed her soul. Would you wish to grant power to that evil that would still seek it, and deny Midoriko her chance to rest in peace?”

 

Grandpa had no response to that. He muttered that he was glad they were OK, and excused himself to retire for the night.

 

Souta hugged InuYasha and Kagome before he went upstairs - he still had homework to finish.

 

Mama Higurashi looked across at her daughter and son-in-law. She couldn't convey the words of how proud she was of them. She finally said out loud what she had been wondering since Kagome had told her of the upcoming battle with Naraku, what she was afraid she wouldn't see her daughter again to ask, “What are your plans now?”

 

Kagome looked at InuYasha as she answered her mother, “I don't really know. We just wanted to get through the battle with Naraku, and haven't really talked about the future. I think I would like to come back and finish school, but we haven't discussed it yet. The only thing we are pretty certain of is that we will have to travel to Sesshomaru's castle with him since Shippou is there, plus Sesshomaru told InuYasha he plans to take Sajjanneba as his mate, so InuYasha will have to stay there as witness.

 

“Witness - he doesn't have to watch does he?” Mama was thinking about Kagome and InuYasha's mating ritual.

 

“No, Mama. As Sesshomaru's only family he has to be there so he can record their marks when the ritual is complete, like Sesshomaru did ours.”

 

“Oh,” Mama replied with relief. She was horrified at the thought of someone observing her daughter and InuYasha when they mated.

 

“InuYasha and I will discuss it, I promise. Just give us a chance to rest and think about it. Hopefully, we can tell you something when we get back from Sesshomaru's castle. It will probably be a few weeks before we come home.”

 

Kagome kissed InuYasha on the cheek and said, “I don't know about you, but I'm bushed. You ready for bed?”

 

InuYasha answered by picking her up and carrying her up the stairs.

 

Both exhausted, but needing a bath, they rinsed off in the shower before settling into the nice warm water. For once, they were content to just hold each other. They were physically and mentally exhausted, and were looking forward to a good night's sleep. They gently scrubbed each other's bodies and washed their hair. Kagome was still trying to break InuYasha of just shaking to dry his hair when they got out of the bath. She finally told him that if he felt like he just had to, at least get in the shower so the walls would catch the spraying water. That was a compromise he could live with, so he obliged her and when he came to her, he was almost completely dry. He leaned over and kissed her cheek as she finished drying her own hair.

 

Too tired to even pull on pajamas, they climbed under the covers. InuYasha pulled Kagome into his body, wrapped his arms around her, and they both drifted off asleep.

 

 

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Kagome giggled when she awoke the next morning. They had slept through the night, but as usual she woke up to something hard pressed in her back. Not wanting to disappoint, she reached over, stroked him, then threw off the covers and reached up to grab the headboard. InuYasha was astonished at her quickness, and was still lying on his side. He surprised her by snaking his head up between her legs and attacking her with his tongue and fingers. He continued the assault with his tongue as his hands found their way up to her breasts and started massaging them while flicking her nipples with his clawed thumbs. She was disappointed when she lost contact with him, but it was only for a moment. He pulled himself out from under her and entered her from behind. Massaging a breast with one hand, flicking her clit with the other, he had her gasping in delight.

 

“Oh Kami, I…nu…Ya…sha…don't…stop, please don't stop!”

 

How he loved to hear those words. He overloaded her body with the pleasurable sensations until she climaxed, her body drawing him in even further with it's' spasms.

 

“Ka…go…me…Kami…Kami…Kagomeee! ” he panted as he released into her. He wrapped his arms around her waist as they collapsed on their sides on the bed, him still inside her and nuzzling and kissing her back and neck from behind.

 

They would like to have stayed like that, but they knew that Sesshomaru and Sajjanneba were waiting. Rinsing off in the shower first, they got dressed and went downstairs. Mama had prepared breakfast for them before they went back through the well.

 

 

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They walked down the path to find Sesshomaru and Sajjanneba waiting for them near Kaede's hut. Sesshomaru informed InuYasha and Kagome that while the demon slayer and monk had been invited to the castle with them, they had bowed out to work on their wedding plans. Kagome just grinned as she took InuYasha by the hand and they went in to say good-bye, as well as get her backpack of supplies for their trip. She still had plenty since she had brought so much back with her after the new moon.

 

Kagome told Sango, Miroku, and Kaede they should be back in a few weeks - it depended on how long the journey took each way and how long they needed to stay at Sesshomaru's castle. Kagome saw the passion in that kiss - she wondered how long Sesshomaru and Sajjanneba might take if theirs was five days.

 

When they came back out into the sunlight, Sesshomaru was waiting with Sajjanneba, Jaken and Ah-Uhn, who was bridled once again. InuYasha put Kagome up on Ah-Uhn's back along with her backpack, and then jumped up behind her. Jaken had disappeared into Sesshomaru's fur, and it appeared that Sajjanneba had the same capability of flight as Sesshomaru. Without a sound, they rose in the air and headed west.