Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stay Gone ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, Inuyasha, the song "Stay Gone", or any other thing related to those mentioned previously.

Stay Gone

Prologue: Maps

~*~

Kagome was sitting on a small hill outside the village. On her lap were pencils, paper, a textbook, a ruler, and a protractor. Beside her was her faithful yellow backpack, bugling to the seams with miscellaneous items.

Kagome sighed. It was really peaceful out here. No cars, no pollution, no screaming people…

"Yo, Kagome! What are you doing up here?"

Kagome spun around. "Oh Inuyasha, it's just you."

Inuyasha plopped down on the grass next to her. "Who else would it be?

Kagome looked down at her lap with a light pink on her cheeks. "I don't know, but you can never be to sure out here can you?" She faced Inuyasha, "Am I right?"

"Keh, it seems like you are learning something."

"And what is that supposed to mean, Inuyasha?!"

"Nothing!" yelled Inuyasha, as he realized his mistake.

"Oh really?" she said sarcastically. "Hm, why I don't believe you?"

"Uh… no comment?"

"Yeah, well I have a comment…" Kagome took a deep breath and yelled, "Osuwari!"

Pulled by the magical necklace around his collar, Inuyasha's face painfully met the dirt. Mumbled words were heard from the ground, and Kagome could just translate it as, "Wench! What was that for?"

"That was for implying that I was stupid."

"What the hell does 'Implying' mean?"

Kagome sighed. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

Inuyasha had managed to wrench himself out of the ground by then. "Keh."

Kagome sighed and returned her attention to her lap. Why couldn't Inuyasha not be rude for once?

"Hey Kagome, what is that?"

Kagome glanced up at Inuyasha and then to the piece of paper laying on her legs. "Oh this? This is homework for my class."

"Keh, whatever."

Kagome took that as a sign of curiosity. "Well, you see, I have to do most of my make up work in History and Geography. Since they both gave out projects, I decided to combine them. That way I do less work and I don't waste the time we could be using to find the Shikon shards. Get it?"

"You still haven't told me what you're doing."

"I'm making a map, see?" Kagome held up a half-finished map of the village and it surrounding area. "I'm going to put on the names of the forests and landmarks. Along with a brief description of them for history class."

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Keh, whatever."

Kagome smiled. "I'm glad you like it!"

"I didn't say that!" Inuyasha yelled as Kagome stood up.

"I know, but I could tell since I know you too well."

"What is that supposed to mean?" yelled Inuyasha.

~*~

"I'm impressed, Ms. Kagome. This must've taken some time and effort!" exclaimed Kagome's Geography teacher while peering at Kagome's map.

Kagome bowed. "I'm glad you like it."

"How did you do it?" questioned her History teacher.

"I used some old books from my grandfather's collection. We live on a shrine, so it was pretty easy to get your hands on."

"Ah, I see. Well, I think this map deserves an A. What do you think Mr. Kawasaki?"

Mr. Kawasaki studied the paper. "I think an A would suffice. After all, this isn't some random drawing."

Kagome bowed again. "Thank you, sir."

"Well, since you've been absent so much, I'm going to count this as a major grade. I hope it helps you pass."

"Thank you Mrs. Yukihiro!"

"Quite welcome, now go on to your next class."

"Thanks again," yelled Kagome as she raced out of the room. It looks like I will survive until next year!

~*~

Weeks later, the group had been setting up camp when Miroku and Kagome sensed an evil presence coming towards them.

Inuyasha, being the head male of the group, stood up and declared that it was Naraku.

Everyone got ready, and waited.

Suddenly, Inuyasha swiped at a bush, and out dodged Naraku, coated in his baboon skin.

"So… the little puppy wants to play," he sneered. Thousands of youkais came out of the woods, effectively distracting the dog hanyou.

"Inuyasha watch out!" cried Kagome.

Naraku's tentacle shot out and pierced Inuyasha through the stomach. Inuyasha was thrown on his back.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed.

Inuyasha staggered up using Tetsusaiga as a crutch. Another of Naraku's tentacles found its way to a major organ.

"No!" Kagome fell down on her knees.

Inuyasha was breathing heavily now. "Naraku," he panted. "I will make you pay."

"Kuku, and how are you going to do that?" laughed Naraku as he observed the slouched hanyou.

"Like this!" Inuyasha gathered up his remaining strength and heaved Tetsusaiga up to perform a blow that would kill everything in his path.

Unfortunately, for Naraku, he seemed to be in that path.

At least, Naraku thought as he disintegrated, I will not be the only one going to my death today.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome rushed to him. He was bleeding profoundly. Dark brown stains were seen on his bright red haori. Tetsusaiga had disappeared along with Naraku.

Kagome scooped his head up in her arms. "Inuyasha? Please speak to me." No reply.

"Inuyasha?" she pleaded.

Inuyasha turned his slightly glazed eyes to her. "Kagome?" he whispered.

"Yes, Inuyasha? Is there anything you need?"

"No." he coughed. "Good… bye." He exhaled and the movement from his chest ceased.

Kagome sat hunched over the corpse.

"Kagome? Are you alright?" questioned Sango.

Kagome wearily raised her head. She appeared dead. Inuyasha, her love, was now gone.

"Come on; let's get you to Kaede's village."

Kagome allowed herself to be lifted up. Sango put her arm around her shoulders and whispered words of encouragement.

She started to leave the battle scene when Kagome straightened up and walked up to a pile of bones. Kagome reached inside and unearthed half of the Shikon jewel. Turning back to Sango, she smiled wearily and limped toward the village.

Sango stood to the side. She heard groaning to her left. It was Miroku. He had managed to get himself under a particularly large pile of youkai bones.

"What am I going to do with you?" she sighed.

~*~

Kaede found Kagome sitting outside her hut with a blank look on her face.

"Child, what ails thee?" Kagome didn't even acknowledge her.

"Kagome?" Still, no reply. "Would ye like to come inside, then?"

Kagome stood up and went inside the hut. She looked like her fire had been burned out. She looked like Kikyou.

~*~

Kagome kept this attitude up for weeks. She would eat rarely and sleep even less. Only Shippo would be able to break that routine, and that was only with excessive coaxing.

Everyday she withdrew deeper into herself. All her friends could do was watch. Every time they tried to approach her, she would look scared and afraid. It was as if she didn't want to remember that day… or them.

Sango confronted Kaede one day while she was out picking herbs.

"Why is she doing this Kaede? Why? We are just trying to help her!"

"It seems as if Kagome is in denial," observed Kaede while motioning for Sango to help her.

"Denial? What good would that do?" inquired the ever-practical Sango.

"I know not, Child. All I know is that she is in excessive, emotional pain and needs to have a period of time to sort things out." Kaede was still waving her hand.

Sango sighed and bent her back to look for plants. "How long, Kaede? And how can I help?"

"It depends on how deep her love was for Inuyasha."

"You still haven't told me how to help."

Kaede plucked an herb and placed it in her basket. "It seems as if she wants to block out that day. Ye seem to be reminders since ye were at the battle. The only help I can see is if ye left her."

"Left her?!" Sango shouted while standing up tall. "How could I do that?"

"Aye, leave her. Kagome is your only tie to this group. Ye have no other reason to stay. Your revenge is complete, why waste the rest of your life doing nothing?"

"I would be doing something! I'd be here with Kagome!"

"But Kagome doesn't need thee right now. She has her emotions to go through and she has her life in the future."

Sango hunched her shoulders. "So you think Miroku and I should leave?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Kaede stated while standing up tall.

"Fine. I'll try to convince Miroku to join me." She thought about the other statements and sighed. "You're right; we have no other reason to be here now that Naraku is dead."

Kaede gave her an encouraging smile as she whispered, "I will miss both of ye."

~*~

Kagome was walking through the forest. Sango and Miroku left the day before to help fight against the increasing number of youkai attacks in other villages. Now she was alone.

Kaede, noticing her demeanor, suggested that she take a walk.

So here she was, tramping through the undergrowth unguarded.

She heard leaves crunching somewhere to her left…

~*~

The youkai was getting away!

While on her walk, a youkai had snuck up on her and grabbed the Shikon Jewel! It was her only tie to Inuyasha! She was desperate to get it back.

The youkai was a 50 meters ahead of her. Running at her pace, taunting her with her human limitations, knowing that she couldn't go any faster while he could leave her in the dust. Oh how she hated that!

She couldn't catch up. She knew it, but that didn't stop her from trying.

And then… a tremor hit.

Japan is known for its earthquakes. Located at the edges of three tectonic plates, the Japanese islands are the direct result of the meeting place. Once a week, there is at least one tremor strong enough for humans to feel. Most of the time they are so small, that the population has learned to ignore them. Other times, they can't be pushed aside so easily.

This was one of those times.

The earth started shaking. The trees surrounding Kagome were becoming uprooted and falling over. She had to get out of here and into a clearing!

She started to run. Until she remembered the Shikon. This was the perfect time to get it back. The youkai was clearly occupied with dodging trees.

She made her way towards him.

The youkai was moving at a dizzying pace. Jumping left and then right. Trying vainly to avoid the trees. An oak came up from behind him and knocked the Shikon from his grasp.

Scrambling for it, he didn't see a crack in the ground behind him. He didn't realize that he was about to fall in.

Grabbing the Shikon, he grinned triumphantly, and then plunged into the earth.

~*~

Kagome wasn't watching her surrounding area. She was too focused on her goal. A tree came down and hit her with its branches, burying her underneath the foliage.

She remained there, on the ground, until sunset.

Shippo found her and alerted the farmers. They managed to get her out with out too much damage to her body. She was freezing and wounded with several cuts and gashes that would scar later.

~*~

After several days of rest, she came back to the place were she was hurt. There was a large line of dirt where the crack used to be.

Getting on her hands and knees, she crawled around following the line. She stopped in one place.

"Its still here. The Shikon is still here!" She opened her senses a bit more. She muttered, "It's faint. It must be pretty far down."

Kagome sat back on her heels. She would need modern equipment to get it out of the ground. Expensive, gigantic, modern equipment.

It was hopeless, but she wouldn't give up. She was its protector, and she would do her best to live up to her responsibility… and to protect her from her guilt.

~*~

Kagome packed her and Shippo's belongings and was ready to depart for the modern world. She couldn't fulfill her duties here in the Feudal Era.

"Kagome, are ye sure about this?" questioned Kaede as she approached the pair.

Kagome nodded her head. "I'm positive Kaede. I can't get the jewel here, and there is that small chance of finding it there. I'm going to have to finish my education in order to launch a dig for the jewel, though."

Kaede smiled at that. It seemed as if Kagome might actually heal. She was logically thinking! That was something that had been absent during her mourning.

"If ye think its best."

"Thanks Kaede," Kagome started to tear up. "I'll miss you like crazy. Will you please tell that to Sango and Miroku when they come to visits?"

"Aye."

"Thanks so much!" she cried as she flung her arms around the aging Miko.

"Ye are welcome," Kaede said while she returned the hug.

"I can't say that I will return permanently. But once I find the jewel I know I will visit."

"That is all I ask."

Kagome sniffed. "I got to get going."

"Go on then, and remember your promise."

"I will. Bye Kaede!"

"Bye Kagome!"

In the distance, Kaede saw Kagome scoop up Shippo and carry him in the forest.

It was the last time she ever saw them.