InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ What Hurts The Most ❯ The Night Of The New Moon ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Koga stared at Ian in disbelief. Sango and Miroku exchanged looks of shock. Kagome dropped the parchment on the ground.
"So does that mean...?" Ian trailed off.
"I.. I don't know," Miroku stuttered. "Tonight's the new moon. Guess we'll have to see."
"But, what if I don't want to.." he started. Then he looked at Kagome who was still staring at the parchment on the ground. Maybe it would be a good thing if he did, just for a night. Kagome could get the answers he couldn't give her at least. Then he could go home and not worry about any of this. He didn't understand why Kagome felt such a need to help these people and put her life in danger for them. Although, it was kind of cool that they traveled back in time, and that she and the rest of the group had fought demons off before. The adventure was sort of exciting. Mabye he'd stay after all. Only what would he tell his parents.
"Then, you don't have to," Kagome said quietly with sadness in her voice. "It's your choice. The poem said that Tetsaiga needed to be with you to transform so, keep it away."
"But Kagome," Sango exclaimed. "Don't you want answers?"
"Of course, but it is Ian's choice to make not mine."
"Kagome's right," Miroku agreed. They all stared at Ian now, wondering what he was going to do.
"There's a chance that it wont work right?" he asked.
"Nobody knows. It's not like this sort of thing has happened to us before," Miroku replied.
"Oh fine. I'll try it," he sighed. Koga glowered. This was not what he had expected. The hanyou was going to return and toy with his Kagome's emotions even more. He couldn't let it happen.
"I don't think it's a good idea," Koga muttered, voicing his dissent.
"Why not," Ian implored.
"Kagome, how will it feel to witness the face of the one who betrayed you? Do you really want to deal with that pain again? I don't think it's a good idea," he reiterated. Kagome wished that all eyes were not on her at this moment. She had never wanted to break down sobbing more in her life. Koga was right, but she needed answers. It would kill her to get them though. She picked up the piece of parchment and stuffed it in her sleeve.
"I can handle it," she remarked with stoicism. Koga shrugged, clearly dissatisfied with her reply.
"Ok Hachi, time to go back," Miroku announced. The five friends and their cat climbed onto the back of the giant cloud-like thing that Hachi had become. When they returned, they dined on a stew Lady Kaede had prepared for them with the help of Shippo.
"Mmm..," Hachi mumbled, his mouth full of stew. "This dinner was worth helping you. Well I hate to eat and run, but I need to get going." He set an empty bowl down and disappeared into the forest.
"Odd fellow that one," Ian remarked, playing with the hilt of the sword now fastened at his waist, the dark sheath almost impossible to see due to his black school uniform. He looked up at the quickly darkening sky somewhat nervously. Suddenly, he felt the Tetsaiga pulse.
"WHAT THE HELL!" a loud shout rang out. The whole group looked up to see Inuyasha where Ian was sitting.
"Inu.. Inuyasha?" Kagome half-whispered. "Is it really you?"
"Are you dense or something you stupid girl, of course it's me," he retorted. "Question is, why am I back here?"
"Why don't we take a walk," Kagome suggested softly. "I'll explain everything. We need to talk anyway."
The two rose and began to wander into the the forest. Koga rose and started to follow until he was stopped by both Sango and Miroku.
"Sit," Sango ordered. "They need to talk, and they need to do it alone."
"Hmph," was Koga's annoyed reply as he sat on the ground cross-legged, watching the two walk away. "I don't think this is a good idea."
"You've made that transparently clear," Miroku stated matter-of-factly.
Kagome and Inuyasha finally stopped to rest at the foot of the God Tree, where the pair had first met. The surrounding forest was dark and seemingly silent. Kagome looked up into Inuyasha's golden eyes. They were full of confusion. She had never missed anyone as much as she had him. Tears started to fill her eyes as she looked him over, from his cute little dog ears to his silvery locks.
"Don't you cry you stupid girl," he said softly. He wiped a tear from her eye.
"I.. I can't believe it's actually you," she sobbed.
"Neither can I," he replied. "Exactly how am I here?"
She pulled the piece of parchment out of her sleeve and handed it to Inuyasha. He read it and looked at her even more confused.
"You have a reincarnation. His name is Ian and apparently that's what the Tetsaiga allows him to do," she explained, wiping her eyes.
"So that means I return from the dead once a month?" Kagome nodded.
"Inuyasha, why?"
"Why what?" he implored.
"What reasons did you have for going with her?"
"What do you mean what reasons? Kagome, I love her. I couldn't stand to see Naraku toy with her anymore, and she wouldn't go without me. I had to. It was the only way to prevent her from getting hurt, the only way to save her."
"Oh, I see," she sobbed, tears pouring from her eyes.
"Kagome, quit that. Please. I don't like to see you cry."
"Well what do you expect me to do Inuyasha? Should I be happy you're gone?" she demanded.
"Why should it matter?" he snarled.
"Inuyasha, don't you see? You've, you've left them in danger. Naraku is still breathing and he's not going to stop toying with them. And then there's me. They need me here still to finish putting the shikon jewel together. It's not like I can go home and forget about this all. Inuyasha, those are my friends and I'm not going to just stand by and watch as their lives are torn apart by Naraku!"
"You've got that mangy wolf demon to protect you," he spat jealously.
"Koga? Inuyasha," she sighed, the tears in her eyes gone, "Koga can't protect me nearly as well as you can, and you know it. Plus, I'd rather have you around."
"Me?" Inuyasha was taken aback. She had always flirted with that wolf when he was around. Stuck up for him when Inuyasha started picking on him. She threw her arms around his waist and pulled herself close to him. He looked down at her in shock, then carefully wrapped his arms around her.
"Inuyasha, you're such a selfish jerk. But, I..," she hesitated a moment. "I love you."
"You what?" This was too much for Inuyasha to take. What had he done? She loved him. She had accepted him for who he was, and never treated him different because he was a hanyou, unlike Kikyo, who wanted him to be human. And the Kikyo he left with, wasn't the Kikyo he loved anyway. It was just a clay image, one who had hated him. He was a selfish jerk. Now, he could never be with her. He pulled away from her.
"Kagome, why didn't you ever say anything?"
"You were too busy chasing after Kikyo. There was no way you were ever going to get over her, it seemed pointless."
He pulled her back into an embrace. "Kagome... I.. I love you too, but.."
Kagome beamed at him, but her face soon fell. Inuyasha was dead. He had already made his choice. Why was he doing this to her? It was her turn to pull out of the embrace.
"Kagome, what's wrong?"
"Koga was right, this is too much. I shouldn't have let Ian try. Inuyasha, you chose her, not me."
She was right. He shouldn't be doing this to her. It was too cruel and selfish. "So, what's my reincarnation like?"
"He's the complete opposite of you. He's unselfish, nice, and nowhere near as emotionless as you," she replied angrily before she could stop herself.
"What's that supposed to mean," Inuyasha growled jealously. It almost sounded as if she cared for this guy. But he had no reason to be jealous. He did the same thing to her. If he made her happy then, so be it.
"Tonight for example, he was slightly nervous about this whole transformation thing, but he did it anyway so I could see you, and I've only known him for two days. Although, when I first met him he was as rude as you were, well without the trying to kill me part."
"So, do you care for him?" he inquired, try to mask the jealousy in his voice.
"I.. I guess. I haven't spent much time with him. I'm surprised he hasn't run screaming from me yet."
Inuyasha looked down into her coffee colored eyes that were red and puffy from crying and smiled warmly. She was beautiful. "Now why would he want to go and do a thing like that?" He cupped his hand under her chin and kissed her softly. She looked up at him in surprise. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I.. I had to, in case I never get to see you again."
'I wish he would stop that. This is hard enough as it is. Why couldn't he have been like that before he left?' she thought to herself. Her thoughts were interrupted by an oncoming yawn.
"You must be tired," Inuyasha said. "You've stayed up half the night."
"No, I'm not," she lied defiantly. But soon, sleep got the better of her. Inuyasha carried her back to Kaede's hut and sat inside watching her sleep peacefully. Everyone save Koga was asleep when he arrived. Koga had glared at him furiously, but said nothing. He knew as well as Inuyasha that morning would be there soon, and it would be another month before the hanyou would be able to bother him again.