1/18/04
Konnichi-wa, minna-san! Miss Chang Po again! Before you ask, yes, I'm still working on 'Don't You Dare' with Nataku-chan, and while 'Heart of Space, Dove of Peace' is temporarily on the back-burner, I'm very appreciative of the reviews you guys keep sending. ::sniffles:: Don't give up on me yet! I'll get back to them, I promise!
Wufei and Nataku-chan - ::whispering behind her conspiratorially:: Suuure, she will. Liar. ::eeps as Miss Chang Po chases after them with her 'Pen of Justice'::
Erm, anyway, as I was saying, I will get back to work on my other fics soon. As I have already promised, I will finish every fic I have started (although I'm not too sure about 'Boys meet Girls'. I looked back at that one and realized how cliché and... for lack of a better word, whack it was. ) Just keep the reviews coming. You don't have to of course, but it would be nice.
In the meantime, I've been reading a lot of post-battle with Naraku fics and thought it would be nice to try one. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but of course, they all start out that way... Anyways, here ya go. I hope you enjoy.
~~~
Brightly colored lanterns hung in the trees, blowing gently in the cool, summer night's breeze. The sun had set but a few hours ago, leaving the moon and the stars overhead, twinkling brightly in amusement at the goings- on beneath them.
The people of the village just on the edge of Musashi's Domain, were celebrating. People were playing and carrying on, their songs and laughter carrying off into the night air as they danced joyfully around small bonfires scattered across the town's small square. If it appeared to any traveling stranger that some celebration-worthy event had occurred, they would have been correct. However, for them not to know that occasion or to not be somewhere rejoicing would be unlikely – almost everyone in every village across the land was celebrating in a similar fashion.
After all, Naraku, the evil and powerful youkai who had sought the sullied powers of the Shikon no Tama to gain dominion over the world had finally been defeated not but a fortnight ago. After killing and plundering, and destroying the souls of many, the people were finally free from his reign. What more reason did you need?
Kagome knew all of this, but yet she could not bring herself to celebrate. Instead, she sat on a log just a ways away from a ring of merrymakers. After turning down another one of their invitations, she closed her eyes and sighed heavily.
It was surreal. Four years had come and gone since she had stumbled into this feudal age. She'd accepted the task ahead of her without complaint; she was the reincarnation of an ancient priestess who had guarded the jewel. Having broken it, wasn't it her duty to see to it that it was returned to its rightful state? And yet, as she set about the task, she soon came to feel as though it would never end. So much had happened, so much had been gained, and lost. And now, it was over.
She should be happy, shouldn't she? The search had been completed. The fighting was done. Naraku was gone. He would never again stain the world with his evil. The people were safe.
Kagome stared out in the crowd in the distance. Ironically enough, the people of Kaede's small village had never really concerned themselves too much with the crusade against Naraku. True, they hadn't known all the details, but they had their own daily lives to concern themselves with. Plus, it was as though they were certain that 'Kagome-sama' and her loyal companions would triumph in the end.
They had been right, of course. But still....
'A 14-year old priestess-in-training, a surly-hanyou just released from a 50-year imprisonment, an orphaned kitsune-cub, a less than virtuous monk, and a lone youkai taijiya,' Kagome ticked off mentally. 'Oh yeah, we were really destined for success.'
You never heard of such mismatched characters in the fairytales, but despite their diverse backgrounds, their little rag-tag group had managed to do what they had sought to do for so long. Finally, they were all free.
Kagome found herself searching out her friends in the crowd. Having heard his young charge was free of his generational curse, the old lush—err, priest– Mushin had given Miroku a large cache of sake. Of course, rather than save it for his wedding – as Mushin had insinuatingly suggested – the young monk had set about the task of doling it out to anyone he could find.... helping himself to some of course. So naturally, he was easy to spot, weaving drunkenly through the crowd handing up cups of sake.
Naturally, Sango was close at his heels. Now that they had both achieved vengeance for their loved ones, they were now able to reveal to everyone the true nature of their relationship – they wished to get married in the spring. Of course, everyone had known about them being a couple long before then, but no one had the heart to burst their bubble. They were in love, after all.
Shippo was also easy to spot in the crowd. Not because he was a youkai – there were many other youkai mixed in with the crowd, believe it or not – but because he and Rin could be heard squealing and laughing as they weaved through the legs of adults in the crowd along with the other village children.
Kagome smiled. She was glad Rin was able to play with children her own age. She seemed to be enjoying herself – even though she seemed most content with her guardian. Looking around for the youkai in question – wow, had he actually stuck around this long? – Kagome spotted him at the far edge of the village with Kagura, of all people. The two appeared to be in the midst of a quiet conversation about something. She wasn't sure what, but she was certain it didn't matter. Sesshomaru exchanging more than three words that didn't consist of 'Tetsusaiga', 'die', or 'slowly' was a wonder in itself.
On the other hand, it wasn't as if anyone else seemed to care either. It had taken some major convincing on her part to even let the two of them stick around long enough for the festivities. While Inu Yasha had grudgingly accepted his brother's help during the battle with Naraku, neither he nor Sango were about to trust Kagura. The same could be said of Kouga and his wolf pack – oh dear, they'd just gotten into Miroku's cache of sake – who were nowhere near about to forgive the wind demon's transgressions upon them.
However, Kagome had insisted and in the end, won out. After all, the woman wasn't all bad. She'd had a brief talk with the wind demon during the battle about the reasons for her past actions. All Kagura had wanted was the freedom to ride the winds as she pleased. Yet, she had been a pawn, much like many others in Naraku's sick little game. She and her sister Kanna had not asked to be spawned by Naraku, but because they were once a part of him, they were also victim to his will.
Unfortunately, Naraku eventually saw no more need of her once the final confrontation had begun. Weakened from joint attacks by Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru, the evil hanyou had begun calling back his incarnations to be absorbed back into his body. Having no real will of her own, Kanna had submitted without question. Kagura, however, refused to go quietly. With all the strength she could muster, she lashed out at Naraku with her cutting winds, breaking down his barriers long enough for him to be pierced with a barrage of spiritual arrows.
Kagome could not begrudge her this. In fact, she was thankful. After all, she believed – as did Sesshomaru on some level, for he had commended her after the battle – that Naraku could not have been defeated had it not been for Kagura's intervention at that last moment. Kagura had only wanted to be free to live her own life. And because of her actions, everyone else could do the same.
Kagome would always be grateful to her. And Kagura, though she would never admit it openly, would always hold respect for the young miko for sparing her life.
In the long run, Kagome was glad things had finally come to a resolution. There was finally peace. Naraku was gone, the Shikon no Tama was whole once again, and the people were safe. That left only one question....
Kagome stared up into the sky. 'What do I do now?'
Snapped out of her thoughts by a stinging at her cheek, Kagome slapped a hand to her face, pulling it back to reveal a flattened flea youkai looking up at her balefully.
"Myouga-jiichan," she greeted.
"Ah, Kagome-sama," he intoned. "Are you not enjoying the festivities?"
"I can see you are," she remarked with a giggle, noting the old flea's slightly flushed features. "How much have you had to drink?"
"I must say the houshi has been gifted with a good brew of sake," he replied. "Though I daresay Inu Yasha-sama has had much more than I." His expression turned to that of a gossipy old washwoman. "I believe the wolf- prince has challenged him to a drinking match."
"Oh no..." Kagome rolled her eyes. She knew Kouga had long since given up any claims of taking her as a mate – he and Ayame would too be holding a ceremony in the Spring – but apparently that didn't stop him from challenging and competing with Inu Yasha every chance he got. And Inu Yasha – simply being Inu Yasha – would never turn him down, let alone anyone else.
"They're worse than little kids." She turned to a nodding Myouga with a look of apprehension on her face. In all the time she had known him, she had never heard Inu Yasha talk of or consume any alcohol. Surely he could hold his liquor, right? "Do I even wanna know who's gonna win?"
Myouga rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I must say, human wine is a lot different from that of youkai brews." He explained. "Your sake would take much longer to have any affect on a demon than it would a human."
Kagome paled in something akin to horror. How many jugs could they have gone through in such a short time? Knowing Kouga, the possibilities were not that good. Thoughts of alcohol poisoning ran briefly through her mind. "Inu Yasha's half-human, though!" she exclaimed.
Plucking the parasite from his non-alcohol-saturated feast courtesy of her thigh, she looked down at him. "Please tell me Inu Yasha's no light- weight?"
Myouga wiped his face, chuckling nervously. "Worry not, Kagome-sama," he replied. "I'm sure he'll be fine within a few days."
"A few days?!"
A rowdy cheer went up from a nearby crow – most likely the wolf-pack as howls were heard – Kagome rose from her spot with a huff, setting Myouga down as she trudged out of the village.
~~~
Kagome was on a warpath. She trudged through the trees and underbrush, kicking away twigs and stones that were unfortunate enough to lie in her path, muttering as she went along.
'That idiot....' She growled to herself. 'Of course he would go and get drunk. Arrrghh! That is so like a guy! At the rate he and Kouga are going, that moron'll probably have a hangover for a month! I'd sit him 'til his head explodes – though with the headache he's gonna get I shouldn't even bother! Gahh, Inu Yasha, you're such a jerk!'
The young miko continued on like this for quite sometime. Eventually, her angry tirade led her down to the river where the Shikon no Tama had first been shattered. Quite out of steam, she let out a frustrated sigh, setting herself down heavily on a large stone sitting at the river's edge.
Resting her chin in her hands, she stared down into the water. Reaching into the pocket of her light jacket, she pulled out the fully restored Shikon no Tama. Twinkling in the moonlight, its crystalline surface reflected her somber expression back at her. She'd spent 4 years of her life searching after its pieces, all the while forming a strong but complicated bond with her friend/guardian/protector/enemy/ally, Inu Yasha.
She'd long ago realized her feelings for him went much deeper than friendship, and had promised to stay by his side. But now that their journey was completed, she wasn't sure what to do. Ever since everyone had recuperated from their injuries, Kagome had been trying to seek out Inu Yasha's company for herself. However, every time she had tried to get his attention, something would come up that would draw either one of them away.
She just couldn't catch any breaks, could she?
'Now with this party, I'll be lucky I get to talk to him ever!' she thought woefully. 'When am I ever going to get the chance to get him alone?' She blushed at her own mental outburst. In all honesty, she had planned on doing much more than talk to him. She had decided long ago that when all the fighting was said and done, she would finally take Inu Yasha aside and tell him how she felt about him.
'So much for my romantic notions,' She sighed heavily once again. 'I'm never gonna get a chance to admit my feelings to him.'
Though she knew where her affections for the silver haired hanyou lay, Kagome had to admit she still felt confusion in her heart. Kikyo was gone; she had relinquished Kagome's soul back to her so that she could have the power needed to fire the arrows that were needed to beat Naraku once Kagura had lowered his defenses. As she breathed her last breaths, the elder miko had let go of any bitterness she had held towards them, allowing herself to transcend into the next world in peace.
And yet, while the undead miko had finally allowed herself to be put to rest, Kagome's own doubts still remained.
'Inu Yasha depended on me to find the shards so that he could beat Naraku and avenge Kikyo,' Kagome stared down at the Shikon no Tama. 'So, where does that leave me now? Does he even need me now that everything's over...?'
"Oi, Kagomeeee...!"
Kagome blinked, looking up at the sounds of footsteps in the distance. Stuffing the jewel back into her jacket pocket, she was startled to see Inu Yasha literally stumbling out of a nearby bush with a sake jug clutched loosely in his hand.
It was quite obvious he was drunk.
The young miko regarded him quietly, shaking her head slowly. Rising from her seat to meet him, she replied softly, "Inu Yasha..."
"There y'are, Kago-me,' he slurred, making his way towards her in slow, unsure steps. Man, he was really plastered, wasn't he? "Was lookin' fer ya..."
Crossing her arms, she gave him a skeptical look. "Really?" she quipped. "I have sources who say differently."
Inu Yasha sniffed lightly. "S'not my fault..." he replied sulkily. "I was lookin' and lookin' and couldn't find ya and then that wimpy wolf started talkin' some shit so I had to beat him..." He hiccupped. "Stupid wolf... um... what wuzziz name again... oh yeah, Cougar!" He grinned, pleased with his achievement.
Kagome sighed heavily. "His name is Kouga," she corrected. "And Myouga- jiichan told me you were the one that lost." She couldn't help but grin at his puzzled 'how did you know' expression. "Kouga probably drank you clear under the table, didn't he?"
Inu Yasha slumped down into the grass, taking a long swig from the jug in his hand. Kagome gave him a disapproving frown. She wasn't much of a prude, but hadn't he had enough already? He practically reeked of sake! "S'not my fault I never drank before..." he pouted. "Damn flea talks too much..."
"Yeah well..." Kagome rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to hold onto her patience. "You should know better anyway."
Inu Yasha only blinked, staring at the many Kagome's that now filled his vision. While they were all pretty to look at, it was kind of hard to concentrate on the real one. Oh well, he supposed he'd have to rely on Old Faithful. Getting down on all fours, he crawled forward sniffing at the Kagome closest to him. The shampoo scent in her hair caused him to sneeze lightly. Yup, she was the real one.
Though she had jumped a little, she made no move to look at him. He leaned forward, poking her face lightly to gauge her reaction. "You mad at me, 'Gome?" he asked quietly.
Blinking at the nickname and the tone of his voice, she turned to look at him. The open and honest expression on his face reminded her of a small puppy looking for affection. She blushed lightly at this, looking away again.
Having missed her blush, Inu Yasha poked again at her worriedly, catching her hand as she moved to brush him away. "'Gome..." he whimpered. "You mad at me?"
"No, I'm not mad at you, Inu Yasha." As he brightened at this, she turned to look at him only to find he was studying her hand as if it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. She blinked for a few moments; he hadn't let go yet? "Can I have my hand back now?"
"No! It's mine now!" Inu Yasha clutched her hand close to his body like a jealous child, nuzzling his cheek against it. Kagome's face went bright red. "I like your hand... it's real soft..."
"Eh?" Kagome was totally flustered.
"It's okay if yer mad at me, 'Gome," Inu Yasha replied. "I kinda like it when yer mad sometimes... you get all worked up and it makes me feel all funny inside." He paused briefly, a heavy-lidded expression on his face. "It's a good kinda funny though... I like it."
Kagome found that she couldn't move.
Inu Yasha turned towards her, his bleary gaze focused solely on her face. "But I don't want you to be mad if yer not gonna talk to me." He pouted again. "I like it when you talk to me."
"Really?" Kagome squeaked. She glanced from him to the sake jug forgotten at his side. What the heck was in that stuff?
Inu Yasha only nodded, studying her as closely as his alcohol-befuddled brain would allow. Maybe she wasn't mad at him after all – she hadn't sat him yet, which was good. But on the other hand, maybe she was sad. No, that wasn't good, he decided. If she were sad, then she would cry. And there was nothing he hated more than seeing her cry. Except seeing her leave – but she wouldn't do that, right? She promised...
"So, yer not mad, 'Gome...?"
Kagome turned to him, smiling a little. "I'm not mad..."
At her smile, a warm feeling grew in Inu Yasha's chest, causing him to grin ear to ear. Pleased with this new information, he nuzzled against her happily. "She smiles! Finally!" He then leaned forward, resting his head in her lap with a contented sigh. "You look pretty like that."
Well, this was a change, Kagome thought. Could her face get any redder? That alcohol must have really loosened up that emotional constipation of his. Maybe, just maybe, she could finally get some truth out of him. After all, en vino veritas, right?
"Yer not smiling anymore, 'Gome...?" Inu Yasha pointed out.
"I was thinking," Kagome replied, surprised at how natural it felt to have him in her lap. While it had felt nice before when they were trapped in that temple with the Spider youkai, it was good to know he wasn't at the brink of death and was there of his own will. But then again, wasn't he the one who had asked to lay in her lap before..?
She looked away from him, a solemn expression passing over her face. "Now that everything is over," she replied carefully, looking to gauge his reaction. "I should probably go home."
"What for?" Inu Yasha frowned, puzzled. "The party's still goin' on – nobody knows we're gone." Heh, that sounded a bit naughty, Inu Yasha thought to himself. Was he becoming more like Miroku? Oh, what the hell... "Besides," he nuzzled further into the future girl's lap, causing her to 'eep' and blush further. "I like it here, can't we stay a little bit longer?"
"That's... not what I meant," she breathed out, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. She looked down at him pawing at the pull-strings on her jacket. Oh boy... this was not working. Did he even know what he was doing to her? "Inu Yasha...?"
"Hm?"
"Can you do something for me?"
He grinned. "I'd do anything for you, 'Gome,"
She gulped hesitantly. "I wanna ask you something," She pulled her drawstrings out of his reach. "It's important, so I need you to be honest, okay?"
The hanyou only grinned, eager to do something for his Kagome. After all she had done for him, he was glad he could return the favor. Watching the moonlight form a halo around her, he once again awed at her beauty. Hell, how could he refuse her anything?
"You know how the Shikon no Tama is complete now, right?"
Inu Yasha laughed, grinning from ear to ear like a little boy who had just found a frog. "Ha-ha, 'bout damn time! Took forever, didn' it, 'Gome?"
Kagome nodded, fingering the relic snuggled deeply in her pocket. "Yeah," she murmured. "And now that means we can make any wish you want." The hanyou blinked when she said 'you', but nodded sagely anyway. "So, what I want to know is, Inu Yasha," She gave him a clear and level gaze. "Do you still want to become a full youkai?"
Inu Yasha blinked, his expression turning guilty. "No..." he said with a moan. "Can't... Haven't wanted to for a long time. If I become a youkai... I might hurt 'Gome... and she'll go away and I'll be sad."
'What...?' Kagome blinked.
Inu Yasha held a clawed hand out in front of his face, a sad expression passing over him. "These ugly claws... they might just come after her... and then my 'Gome'll leave me forever."
She was still here, wasn't she? Kagome found herself frowning thoughtfully, grasping at one of his outstretched hands. "Inu Yasha..."
Inu Yasha blinked, staring up at her blearily. "'Gome... don't ever leave, 'kay?" he pleaded. "Just stay here with me."
Her heart clenched in pain. "What about my family and friends?" she asked. "My home is in the future!"
"No!" He bolted upwards then, nearly bumping heads with her as he snatched her into one of his fierce embraces. "Your home is with me, Kagome!"
'What?' Kagome felt her whole body heat up, her pulse quickening with every second he held her close to him. What was it about him that made her react this way?
'That's because you love him, you dolt!' a voice in her head reminded her. 'And sits the situation couldn't be any more appropriate, you may as well tell him so!'
'You've got a point,' Kagome told herself. Hesitantly, she lifted her arms, placing them around Inu Yasha. She was nervous at first, but when she heard his sigh of contentment, she steeled her resolve. "Inu Yasha... I want to you know... I love you."
'There! I finally said it! That wasn't so bad... right?' She paused and blinked. A few moments of silence passed. 'Why hasn't he said anything yet?' "I-Inu Yasha?"
No response.
Kagome froze in dread. What if he hadn't been expecting a declaration of love? What if he didn't feel the same way about her? Why hadn't he said anything yet?
She tilted her head up a little so that she could see him more closely. "Inu Yash---" A sweat drop rolled down the side of her face when she saw his face. Snoring lightly with a little bit of drool at the corner of his mouth, Inu Yasha was fast asleep.
Effectively trapped – even in his sleep, the drunken hanyou had not slackened his hold on her – Kagome sighed loudly. Would she ever catch a break?
~End part 1
Konnichi-wa, minna-san! Miss Chang Po again! Before you ask, yes, I'm still working on 'Don't You Dare' with Nataku-chan, and while 'Heart of Space, Dove of Peace' is temporarily on the back-burner, I'm very appreciative of the reviews you guys keep sending. ::sniffles:: Don't give up on me yet! I'll get back to them, I promise!
Wufei and Nataku-chan - ::whispering behind her conspiratorially:: Suuure, she will. Liar. ::eeps as Miss Chang Po chases after them with her 'Pen of Justice'::
Erm, anyway, as I was saying, I will get back to work on my other fics soon. As I have already promised, I will finish every fic I have started (although I'm not too sure about 'Boys meet Girls'. I looked back at that one and realized how cliché and... for lack of a better word, whack it was. ) Just keep the reviews coming. You don't have to of course, but it would be nice.
In the meantime, I've been reading a lot of post-battle with Naraku fics and thought it would be nice to try one. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but of course, they all start out that way... Anyways, here ya go. I hope you enjoy.
~~~
Brightly colored lanterns hung in the trees, blowing gently in the cool, summer night's breeze. The sun had set but a few hours ago, leaving the moon and the stars overhead, twinkling brightly in amusement at the goings- on beneath them.
The people of the village just on the edge of Musashi's Domain, were celebrating. People were playing and carrying on, their songs and laughter carrying off into the night air as they danced joyfully around small bonfires scattered across the town's small square. If it appeared to any traveling stranger that some celebration-worthy event had occurred, they would have been correct. However, for them not to know that occasion or to not be somewhere rejoicing would be unlikely – almost everyone in every village across the land was celebrating in a similar fashion.
After all, Naraku, the evil and powerful youkai who had sought the sullied powers of the Shikon no Tama to gain dominion over the world had finally been defeated not but a fortnight ago. After killing and plundering, and destroying the souls of many, the people were finally free from his reign. What more reason did you need?
Kagome knew all of this, but yet she could not bring herself to celebrate. Instead, she sat on a log just a ways away from a ring of merrymakers. After turning down another one of their invitations, she closed her eyes and sighed heavily.
It was surreal. Four years had come and gone since she had stumbled into this feudal age. She'd accepted the task ahead of her without complaint; she was the reincarnation of an ancient priestess who had guarded the jewel. Having broken it, wasn't it her duty to see to it that it was returned to its rightful state? And yet, as she set about the task, she soon came to feel as though it would never end. So much had happened, so much had been gained, and lost. And now, it was over.
She should be happy, shouldn't she? The search had been completed. The fighting was done. Naraku was gone. He would never again stain the world with his evil. The people were safe.
Kagome stared out in the crowd in the distance. Ironically enough, the people of Kaede's small village had never really concerned themselves too much with the crusade against Naraku. True, they hadn't known all the details, but they had their own daily lives to concern themselves with. Plus, it was as though they were certain that 'Kagome-sama' and her loyal companions would triumph in the end.
They had been right, of course. But still....
'A 14-year old priestess-in-training, a surly-hanyou just released from a 50-year imprisonment, an orphaned kitsune-cub, a less than virtuous monk, and a lone youkai taijiya,' Kagome ticked off mentally. 'Oh yeah, we were really destined for success.'
You never heard of such mismatched characters in the fairytales, but despite their diverse backgrounds, their little rag-tag group had managed to do what they had sought to do for so long. Finally, they were all free.
Kagome found herself searching out her friends in the crowd. Having heard his young charge was free of his generational curse, the old lush—err, priest– Mushin had given Miroku a large cache of sake. Of course, rather than save it for his wedding – as Mushin had insinuatingly suggested – the young monk had set about the task of doling it out to anyone he could find.... helping himself to some of course. So naturally, he was easy to spot, weaving drunkenly through the crowd handing up cups of sake.
Naturally, Sango was close at his heels. Now that they had both achieved vengeance for their loved ones, they were now able to reveal to everyone the true nature of their relationship – they wished to get married in the spring. Of course, everyone had known about them being a couple long before then, but no one had the heart to burst their bubble. They were in love, after all.
Shippo was also easy to spot in the crowd. Not because he was a youkai – there were many other youkai mixed in with the crowd, believe it or not – but because he and Rin could be heard squealing and laughing as they weaved through the legs of adults in the crowd along with the other village children.
Kagome smiled. She was glad Rin was able to play with children her own age. She seemed to be enjoying herself – even though she seemed most content with her guardian. Looking around for the youkai in question – wow, had he actually stuck around this long? – Kagome spotted him at the far edge of the village with Kagura, of all people. The two appeared to be in the midst of a quiet conversation about something. She wasn't sure what, but she was certain it didn't matter. Sesshomaru exchanging more than three words that didn't consist of 'Tetsusaiga', 'die', or 'slowly' was a wonder in itself.
On the other hand, it wasn't as if anyone else seemed to care either. It had taken some major convincing on her part to even let the two of them stick around long enough for the festivities. While Inu Yasha had grudgingly accepted his brother's help during the battle with Naraku, neither he nor Sango were about to trust Kagura. The same could be said of Kouga and his wolf pack – oh dear, they'd just gotten into Miroku's cache of sake – who were nowhere near about to forgive the wind demon's transgressions upon them.
However, Kagome had insisted and in the end, won out. After all, the woman wasn't all bad. She'd had a brief talk with the wind demon during the battle about the reasons for her past actions. All Kagura had wanted was the freedom to ride the winds as she pleased. Yet, she had been a pawn, much like many others in Naraku's sick little game. She and her sister Kanna had not asked to be spawned by Naraku, but because they were once a part of him, they were also victim to his will.
Unfortunately, Naraku eventually saw no more need of her once the final confrontation had begun. Weakened from joint attacks by Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru, the evil hanyou had begun calling back his incarnations to be absorbed back into his body. Having no real will of her own, Kanna had submitted without question. Kagura, however, refused to go quietly. With all the strength she could muster, she lashed out at Naraku with her cutting winds, breaking down his barriers long enough for him to be pierced with a barrage of spiritual arrows.
Kagome could not begrudge her this. In fact, she was thankful. After all, she believed – as did Sesshomaru on some level, for he had commended her after the battle – that Naraku could not have been defeated had it not been for Kagura's intervention at that last moment. Kagura had only wanted to be free to live her own life. And because of her actions, everyone else could do the same.
Kagome would always be grateful to her. And Kagura, though she would never admit it openly, would always hold respect for the young miko for sparing her life.
In the long run, Kagome was glad things had finally come to a resolution. There was finally peace. Naraku was gone, the Shikon no Tama was whole once again, and the people were safe. That left only one question....
Kagome stared up into the sky. 'What do I do now?'
Snapped out of her thoughts by a stinging at her cheek, Kagome slapped a hand to her face, pulling it back to reveal a flattened flea youkai looking up at her balefully.
"Myouga-jiichan," she greeted.
"Ah, Kagome-sama," he intoned. "Are you not enjoying the festivities?"
"I can see you are," she remarked with a giggle, noting the old flea's slightly flushed features. "How much have you had to drink?"
"I must say the houshi has been gifted with a good brew of sake," he replied. "Though I daresay Inu Yasha-sama has had much more than I." His expression turned to that of a gossipy old washwoman. "I believe the wolf- prince has challenged him to a drinking match."
"Oh no..." Kagome rolled her eyes. She knew Kouga had long since given up any claims of taking her as a mate – he and Ayame would too be holding a ceremony in the Spring – but apparently that didn't stop him from challenging and competing with Inu Yasha every chance he got. And Inu Yasha – simply being Inu Yasha – would never turn him down, let alone anyone else.
"They're worse than little kids." She turned to a nodding Myouga with a look of apprehension on her face. In all the time she had known him, she had never heard Inu Yasha talk of or consume any alcohol. Surely he could hold his liquor, right? "Do I even wanna know who's gonna win?"
Myouga rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I must say, human wine is a lot different from that of youkai brews." He explained. "Your sake would take much longer to have any affect on a demon than it would a human."
Kagome paled in something akin to horror. How many jugs could they have gone through in such a short time? Knowing Kouga, the possibilities were not that good. Thoughts of alcohol poisoning ran briefly through her mind. "Inu Yasha's half-human, though!" she exclaimed.
Plucking the parasite from his non-alcohol-saturated feast courtesy of her thigh, she looked down at him. "Please tell me Inu Yasha's no light- weight?"
Myouga wiped his face, chuckling nervously. "Worry not, Kagome-sama," he replied. "I'm sure he'll be fine within a few days."
"A few days?!"
A rowdy cheer went up from a nearby crow – most likely the wolf-pack as howls were heard – Kagome rose from her spot with a huff, setting Myouga down as she trudged out of the village.
~~~
Kagome was on a warpath. She trudged through the trees and underbrush, kicking away twigs and stones that were unfortunate enough to lie in her path, muttering as she went along.
'That idiot....' She growled to herself. 'Of course he would go and get drunk. Arrrghh! That is so like a guy! At the rate he and Kouga are going, that moron'll probably have a hangover for a month! I'd sit him 'til his head explodes – though with the headache he's gonna get I shouldn't even bother! Gahh, Inu Yasha, you're such a jerk!'
The young miko continued on like this for quite sometime. Eventually, her angry tirade led her down to the river where the Shikon no Tama had first been shattered. Quite out of steam, she let out a frustrated sigh, setting herself down heavily on a large stone sitting at the river's edge.
Resting her chin in her hands, she stared down into the water. Reaching into the pocket of her light jacket, she pulled out the fully restored Shikon no Tama. Twinkling in the moonlight, its crystalline surface reflected her somber expression back at her. She'd spent 4 years of her life searching after its pieces, all the while forming a strong but complicated bond with her friend/guardian/protector/enemy/ally, Inu Yasha.
She'd long ago realized her feelings for him went much deeper than friendship, and had promised to stay by his side. But now that their journey was completed, she wasn't sure what to do. Ever since everyone had recuperated from their injuries, Kagome had been trying to seek out Inu Yasha's company for herself. However, every time she had tried to get his attention, something would come up that would draw either one of them away.
She just couldn't catch any breaks, could she?
'Now with this party, I'll be lucky I get to talk to him ever!' she thought woefully. 'When am I ever going to get the chance to get him alone?' She blushed at her own mental outburst. In all honesty, she had planned on doing much more than talk to him. She had decided long ago that when all the fighting was said and done, she would finally take Inu Yasha aside and tell him how she felt about him.
'So much for my romantic notions,' She sighed heavily once again. 'I'm never gonna get a chance to admit my feelings to him.'
Though she knew where her affections for the silver haired hanyou lay, Kagome had to admit she still felt confusion in her heart. Kikyo was gone; she had relinquished Kagome's soul back to her so that she could have the power needed to fire the arrows that were needed to beat Naraku once Kagura had lowered his defenses. As she breathed her last breaths, the elder miko had let go of any bitterness she had held towards them, allowing herself to transcend into the next world in peace.
And yet, while the undead miko had finally allowed herself to be put to rest, Kagome's own doubts still remained.
'Inu Yasha depended on me to find the shards so that he could beat Naraku and avenge Kikyo,' Kagome stared down at the Shikon no Tama. 'So, where does that leave me now? Does he even need me now that everything's over...?'
"Oi, Kagomeeee...!"
Kagome blinked, looking up at the sounds of footsteps in the distance. Stuffing the jewel back into her jacket pocket, she was startled to see Inu Yasha literally stumbling out of a nearby bush with a sake jug clutched loosely in his hand.
It was quite obvious he was drunk.
The young miko regarded him quietly, shaking her head slowly. Rising from her seat to meet him, she replied softly, "Inu Yasha..."
"There y'are, Kago-me,' he slurred, making his way towards her in slow, unsure steps. Man, he was really plastered, wasn't he? "Was lookin' fer ya..."
Crossing her arms, she gave him a skeptical look. "Really?" she quipped. "I have sources who say differently."
Inu Yasha sniffed lightly. "S'not my fault..." he replied sulkily. "I was lookin' and lookin' and couldn't find ya and then that wimpy wolf started talkin' some shit so I had to beat him..." He hiccupped. "Stupid wolf... um... what wuzziz name again... oh yeah, Cougar!" He grinned, pleased with his achievement.
Kagome sighed heavily. "His name is Kouga," she corrected. "And Myouga- jiichan told me you were the one that lost." She couldn't help but grin at his puzzled 'how did you know' expression. "Kouga probably drank you clear under the table, didn't he?"
Inu Yasha slumped down into the grass, taking a long swig from the jug in his hand. Kagome gave him a disapproving frown. She wasn't much of a prude, but hadn't he had enough already? He practically reeked of sake! "S'not my fault I never drank before..." he pouted. "Damn flea talks too much..."
"Yeah well..." Kagome rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to hold onto her patience. "You should know better anyway."
Inu Yasha only blinked, staring at the many Kagome's that now filled his vision. While they were all pretty to look at, it was kind of hard to concentrate on the real one. Oh well, he supposed he'd have to rely on Old Faithful. Getting down on all fours, he crawled forward sniffing at the Kagome closest to him. The shampoo scent in her hair caused him to sneeze lightly. Yup, she was the real one.
Though she had jumped a little, she made no move to look at him. He leaned forward, poking her face lightly to gauge her reaction. "You mad at me, 'Gome?" he asked quietly.
Blinking at the nickname and the tone of his voice, she turned to look at him. The open and honest expression on his face reminded her of a small puppy looking for affection. She blushed lightly at this, looking away again.
Having missed her blush, Inu Yasha poked again at her worriedly, catching her hand as she moved to brush him away. "'Gome..." he whimpered. "You mad at me?"
"No, I'm not mad at you, Inu Yasha." As he brightened at this, she turned to look at him only to find he was studying her hand as if it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. She blinked for a few moments; he hadn't let go yet? "Can I have my hand back now?"
"No! It's mine now!" Inu Yasha clutched her hand close to his body like a jealous child, nuzzling his cheek against it. Kagome's face went bright red. "I like your hand... it's real soft..."
"Eh?" Kagome was totally flustered.
"It's okay if yer mad at me, 'Gome," Inu Yasha replied. "I kinda like it when yer mad sometimes... you get all worked up and it makes me feel all funny inside." He paused briefly, a heavy-lidded expression on his face. "It's a good kinda funny though... I like it."
Kagome found that she couldn't move.
Inu Yasha turned towards her, his bleary gaze focused solely on her face. "But I don't want you to be mad if yer not gonna talk to me." He pouted again. "I like it when you talk to me."
"Really?" Kagome squeaked. She glanced from him to the sake jug forgotten at his side. What the heck was in that stuff?
Inu Yasha only nodded, studying her as closely as his alcohol-befuddled brain would allow. Maybe she wasn't mad at him after all – she hadn't sat him yet, which was good. But on the other hand, maybe she was sad. No, that wasn't good, he decided. If she were sad, then she would cry. And there was nothing he hated more than seeing her cry. Except seeing her leave – but she wouldn't do that, right? She promised...
"So, yer not mad, 'Gome...?"
Kagome turned to him, smiling a little. "I'm not mad..."
At her smile, a warm feeling grew in Inu Yasha's chest, causing him to grin ear to ear. Pleased with this new information, he nuzzled against her happily. "She smiles! Finally!" He then leaned forward, resting his head in her lap with a contented sigh. "You look pretty like that."
Well, this was a change, Kagome thought. Could her face get any redder? That alcohol must have really loosened up that emotional constipation of his. Maybe, just maybe, she could finally get some truth out of him. After all, en vino veritas, right?
"Yer not smiling anymore, 'Gome...?" Inu Yasha pointed out.
"I was thinking," Kagome replied, surprised at how natural it felt to have him in her lap. While it had felt nice before when they were trapped in that temple with the Spider youkai, it was good to know he wasn't at the brink of death and was there of his own will. But then again, wasn't he the one who had asked to lay in her lap before..?
She looked away from him, a solemn expression passing over her face. "Now that everything is over," she replied carefully, looking to gauge his reaction. "I should probably go home."
"What for?" Inu Yasha frowned, puzzled. "The party's still goin' on – nobody knows we're gone." Heh, that sounded a bit naughty, Inu Yasha thought to himself. Was he becoming more like Miroku? Oh, what the hell... "Besides," he nuzzled further into the future girl's lap, causing her to 'eep' and blush further. "I like it here, can't we stay a little bit longer?"
"That's... not what I meant," she breathed out, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. She looked down at him pawing at the pull-strings on her jacket. Oh boy... this was not working. Did he even know what he was doing to her? "Inu Yasha...?"
"Hm?"
"Can you do something for me?"
He grinned. "I'd do anything for you, 'Gome,"
She gulped hesitantly. "I wanna ask you something," She pulled her drawstrings out of his reach. "It's important, so I need you to be honest, okay?"
The hanyou only grinned, eager to do something for his Kagome. After all she had done for him, he was glad he could return the favor. Watching the moonlight form a halo around her, he once again awed at her beauty. Hell, how could he refuse her anything?
"You know how the Shikon no Tama is complete now, right?"
Inu Yasha laughed, grinning from ear to ear like a little boy who had just found a frog. "Ha-ha, 'bout damn time! Took forever, didn' it, 'Gome?"
Kagome nodded, fingering the relic snuggled deeply in her pocket. "Yeah," she murmured. "And now that means we can make any wish you want." The hanyou blinked when she said 'you', but nodded sagely anyway. "So, what I want to know is, Inu Yasha," She gave him a clear and level gaze. "Do you still want to become a full youkai?"
Inu Yasha blinked, his expression turning guilty. "No..." he said with a moan. "Can't... Haven't wanted to for a long time. If I become a youkai... I might hurt 'Gome... and she'll go away and I'll be sad."
'What...?' Kagome blinked.
Inu Yasha held a clawed hand out in front of his face, a sad expression passing over him. "These ugly claws... they might just come after her... and then my 'Gome'll leave me forever."
She was still here, wasn't she? Kagome found herself frowning thoughtfully, grasping at one of his outstretched hands. "Inu Yasha..."
Inu Yasha blinked, staring up at her blearily. "'Gome... don't ever leave, 'kay?" he pleaded. "Just stay here with me."
Her heart clenched in pain. "What about my family and friends?" she asked. "My home is in the future!"
"No!" He bolted upwards then, nearly bumping heads with her as he snatched her into one of his fierce embraces. "Your home is with me, Kagome!"
'What?' Kagome felt her whole body heat up, her pulse quickening with every second he held her close to him. What was it about him that made her react this way?
'That's because you love him, you dolt!' a voice in her head reminded her. 'And sits the situation couldn't be any more appropriate, you may as well tell him so!'
'You've got a point,' Kagome told herself. Hesitantly, she lifted her arms, placing them around Inu Yasha. She was nervous at first, but when she heard his sigh of contentment, she steeled her resolve. "Inu Yasha... I want to you know... I love you."
'There! I finally said it! That wasn't so bad... right?' She paused and blinked. A few moments of silence passed. 'Why hasn't he said anything yet?' "I-Inu Yasha?"
No response.
Kagome froze in dread. What if he hadn't been expecting a declaration of love? What if he didn't feel the same way about her? Why hadn't he said anything yet?
She tilted her head up a little so that she could see him more closely. "Inu Yash---" A sweat drop rolled down the side of her face when she saw his face. Snoring lightly with a little bit of drool at the corner of his mouth, Inu Yasha was fast asleep.
Effectively trapped – even in his sleep, the drunken hanyou had not slackened his hold on her – Kagome sighed loudly. Would she ever catch a break?
~End part 1