InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ To Bind a Soul ❯ A Test of Dreams ( Chapter 38 )

Chapter 38- A Test of Dreams

It was dark. That's the only way Kagome could think of describing the . . . place she was in. The ground was dark the sky was dark, everything was dark.

Complete darkness.

"Inuyasha?" she called out. Inuyasha had to be around somewhere.

When no one answered Kagome began walking, holding her arm in front of her in the off chance she would run into something. Growling halted her footsteps.

"Inuyasha, is that you?" she called out.

The growling only gained in volume. "Inuyasha, where are you?"

The growling was getting closer. "Inuyasha!" she screamed.

Just as the words let her mouth a clawed hand swept out towards her, creating three very clean slashes in her shoulder. Ignoring the pain she felt, Kagome looked up to face her attacker.

"I-Inuyasha . . ."

^_^

Inuyasha was in his forest, walking aimlessly. "Kagome," he called out.

She had to be close by, her scent was everywhere. And with the spell, he knew she couldn't go far from him. Inuyasha turned to survey his surroundings when he reached the God tree.

Ears twitching, he took a step back as an arrow flew past his head and embedded itself into the God tree.

"K-Kagome . . ."

^_^

Miroku sitting alone by a waterfall, meditating. He wasn't sure how he got there, or why he was there. All he knew was that he should finish his meditation and find his friends.

Standing up, Miroku turned to head back for camp. A strange feeling coming from his hand stopped him. "It can't be," Miroku whispered to himself.

A sharp stab coming from his hand shot up his arm. "No . . ."

He curse had finally come to claim him.

^_^

"Sango!"

The demon exterminator turned to see her little brother, Kohaku, calling her. "Kohaku," Sango whispered in confusion.

"Sango! Father wants to see us. There are some youkai he wishes us to dispose of."

Sango didn't protest when Kohaku took her arm and proceeded to pull her towards a village.

"Sango," said a deep voice. She looked up to see her father. "Come with me. There are some youkai we must exterminate."

Sango followed him in a daze, not sure what was going on. Where were the others? She had to be dreaming, but it felt . . . real. "Sango are you feeling alright," Kohaku asked.

Sango shook her head to dispel her thoughts and turned to her brother. "Oh, hai, I'm fine, it's just- Father, what are you doing?"

Sango turned from her brother to find her father attacking the youkai he had mentioned, but those were her friends.

Inuyasha stood in front of Kagome who was holding Shippou. Blood ran down his cheek from her father's attack. "Inuyasha, what are you doing?" Sango asked in a strained whisper.

The hanyou shook his head and only moved so that Kagome was completely hidden.

"I'll let you kill them, Sango," her father said, turning to the young exterminator.

^_^

"Kagome? Inuyasha? Where are you guys?" Shippou yelled as he walked through the forest.

He didn't know where he was or where anyone else was, and it was starting to worry the kitsune. Suddenly, Shippou eye caught something up ahead.

"Kagome!" Shippou squealed happily. He didn't notice that something was different with the miko. The fact that her belly betrayed that she was far along in her pregnancy was completely lost on the baby youkai. "Kagome, I didn't know where you were! I was so scared."

"Oh?" she replied; not sounding at all concerned.

"Are you okay Kagome?" Shippou asked, looking up.

"Shippou, I think it's about time you and I had a talk."

"A talk?"

"Hai, a talk." Her tone reminded Shippou of Kikyou.

"What about?"

"I think you're old enough to be on your own now. You don't need us. Go away."

^_^

"Inuyasha! What are you doing?" Kagome screamed as he attacked again. This time she barely dodged him. The wound on her shoulder didn't hurt at all, but she was sure it was just from the shock of being attacked.

"I thought it was obvious. Trying to kill you of course," Inuyasha replied callously.

"Why? You don't want to kill me," Kagome replied. She couldn't believe her ears.

"Sure I do. I kill you and I can be with Kikyou," he replied.

"I don't believe you," Kagome whispered, her voice pained.

"What's not to believe? The wound on your shoulder is enough to prove it's real."

Kagome shook her head and closed her eyes. "You're not Inuyasha."

"What are you talking about? Of course I am," the figure replied.

"No you're not. You're not Inuyasha," she said more heatedly, raising her head to meet her attacker's eyes. She felt a calm wave wash over her, giving her the strength to stand up to this creature claiming to be Inuyasha.

"YOU'RE NOT INUYASHA!"

^_^

"Kagome, what the hell is this?" Inuyasha said as he dodged another arrow.

"I'm going to pin you back to the tree," she replied serenely.

"Why? I didn't do anything."

"Didn't do anything?" Kagome laughed. "You broke my heart more than once. Now I'm going to shatter yours and then return to my time where I'll never be bothered by you again."

"I broke your- Kagome I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," Inuyasha whispered, almost to himself.

"Little late for apologies, don't you think?" the miko replied as Inuyasha dodged yet another arrow.

`This isn't right,' Inuyasha thought to himself. `Kagome wouldn't hurt me.'

"You're not Kagome," Inuyasha looked her straight in the eyes.

"What?"

"You heard me. You're not Kagome. Kagome would never do anything like this. She's a pure soul."

"You're obviously mistaken, hanyou," she spat out.

"No I'm not. You're not Kagome."

^_^

"So my time is up, is it?" Miroku said to himself as he dispelled the last thoughts of panic. He would face his death with honor.

"Houshi-sama? What's wrong," came Sango's voice from behind him. The wind had begun to pick up around him, centering on his hand.

"Sango, you must go," Miroku said fervently.

"Go? Why? Don't you want to spend time with me Houshi-sama," the girl replied, confused.

"My curse . . . you must go Sango. Please."

"I don't want to go anywhere," she replied, moving to stand by the priest.

"Sango, please. My soul would never be able to bear it if something happened to you."

"The other's aren't far," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him. "Maybe we should go join them."

"No. Sango please. Run, get the others out of here. I will not bring you down with me."

"But-"

"Sango, GO!"

^_^

"Father, I-"

"What are you waiting for daughter? Kill them. They are youkai, they must be exterminated," he father replied.

"Father, they're my friends, I can't kill them," Sango said, glancing at Inuyasha. She could see Kagome's fingers as the miko held onto the back of Inuyasha's haori, and they were shaking.

"If you can't kill them, than Kohaku can do it. Kohaku!"

"No!" shouted Sango.

"Yes, father?" her brother said at his father's voice.

"Kill those demons, no matter what."

"Yes, father," replied Kohaku.

"What are you doing?" shouted Sango. "These are my friends! I won't allow you to harm them." She stepped in front of Inuyasha, holding her arms out.

"Should I kill Sango too father?" asked Kohaku.

"Yes. That's obviously not my daughter. She's a youkai in disguise. Kill them all."

"No!" Sango shouted again, not moving an inch. If her brother attacked, she wouldn't move. If it was her fate to die protecting her friends, so be it.

She wouldn't trade her new family for anything, not even the old one.

^_^

"Go away?" Shippou repeated. "Why do you want me to go away?"

"I have my own children to look after now. I don't need to worry about you."

"But Kagome," Shippou whispered, on the brink of tears. "I'll be all alone."

"Not my problem."

Shippou stood up and backed away from the girl.

"You're not Kagome," he said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You're not Kagome. You're not my Ofukuro!"

^_^

Kagome closed her eyes and waited for death to come. The only thing she heard was her ragged breathing, the blood pounding in her ears. Cautiously, she opened her eyes.

She was back in the cave, sleeping in Inuyasha's lap. Kagome leaned back into Inuyasha's arms and tried to catch her breath.

A moment later Inuyasha woke with a start, his arms tightening around Kagome. "Inuyasha?" she said, bringing her hand to his cheek.

"Kagome?" he looked down to the confused miko. "It was a dream," he sighed in relief, hugging her close to him.

"Did you have a nightmare too?" she asked, looping her arms around his neck.

"You had a nightmare?" he asked as he buried his face into her hair.

"Hai. It was awful."

Inuyasha lifted his head when his three other sleeping companions jolted awake.

"Holy shit," he heard Shippou squeak.

"Nightmare?" asked Kagome, pulling the kitsune into her lap and stroking his hair.

"It was horrible Kagome," Shippou cried, rubbing his cheek against her hand. "Your stomach was all big and you were telling me to go away because you had children of your own and you didn't want me anymore and-"

"Shush," she calmed the little kitsune, her eyes confused as she hugged him to her. "I would never say that," she whispered into his ear.

"I know you wouldn't, that's how I knew that lady wasn't you and-"

"I think we all were having similar nightmares," Miroku said, interrupting the little kitsune.

Inuyasha and Kagome nodded in agreement.

"I think it was test," Inuyasha replied. "Where's Morio and his mother?"

^_^

"I didn't think it was possible," Morio muttered as they left Inuyasha and his Pack.

"You obviously need more faith in these things," his mother replied.

"You knew they would pass."

"I told you. I'm a seer."