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More than Just Friends
Kagura's Passing
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or the song "Even Angels Fall" by Jessica Riddle, so don't go tryin' to sue me!
Light started to drift through the cracks in the doorway and the curtain covering it. Shippo opened his eyes from where he lay in a spare hut. He yawned, showing his little fangs.
He looked around to see that he was the first one to wake up. He was partly expecting to see Kagome sleeping beside him, but knew that she wouldn't be there. He sat up and stared at the floor where she would usually be lying and had to keep himself from crying.
'I want 'kaa-san back.' He started slightly at his train of thought. 'When did she become my okaa-san? I don't know, but I don't want to lose another parent!' With that thought, he left the hut to sneak a glance at Kagome.
Running across the village, he smelled Kikyo coming and sped up. He didn't want to get caught by the clay pot. The kitsune ran to the door and lifted the curtain only to freeze in shock at the sight.
Kagome was sitting up, sleeping against the wall. Inuyasha was half in her lap, his face buried in her skirt and his hands were clutching her shirt as if she would disappear if he let go. Shippo remembered Inuyasha leaving but this had to be the LAST place he had expected him to be.
Shippo was so caught up in staring, that he didn't notice the other coming up behind him. Sango had a good mind to scold the kit, but her mind went blank when she was what the kit was staring at. Miroku's face showed his shock, but broke into a perverted grin a moment later. Kouga was in shock, which only doubled when he noticed Kagome unconsciously stroking Inuyasha's hair. His shock quickly turned into rage, however, once he realized where the hanyou's head was.
While everyone was standing by the door, Kikyo came up behind them, a little annoyed. "Did I not tell everyone to stay away from her?" She saw them all tense, but didn't entirely understand why, until they turned to face her, unconsciously making a path to the door.
Kikyo froze. There was HER Inuyasha lying on her reincarnation. For the second time in her life, the miko felt betrayed by her love. Showing absolutely no emotion, Kikyo turned away to make another dose of antidote. She was going to get him back.
The others blinked as they watched her turn away. Sango turned to glance at Kagome and Inuyasha before beginning to drag two male youkai and one lecherous monk away. She wanted her friends to have a quiet moment for as long as they could without Naraku messing it up.
Inuyasha let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding. He did want to move yet, even if Kikyo was hurt. When he used to run from Kagome to Kikyo, now he wanted to stay beside her no matter what. Maybe it was because there was the chance that he would lose her, or it could be that his inner youkai had claimed her. Somehow, he doubted that. He had though he had claimed Kiyo, but Sesshomaru had set him straight on that.
'But… If I haven't claimed her, why did I lose control last night? And why do I remember everything?' He sighed and nuzzled her skirt a little, taking in her scent again. He heard her mumble something as she woke up. He gently lifted his head only to put it back down so he could look up at her face. She smiled faintly down at him when she remembered where she was.
Ohayo gozaimasu, Inuyasha." She winced slightly as she moved. "I think the pain is back." The hanyou furrowed his eyebrows slightly in worry.
"I think Kikyo is making another antidote; the pain will go away soon." Kagome smiled more at him. He didn't have to try to make her feel better, but he was. He close his eyes as she started to pet him again. "You can keep doing that until you need to lie down though; I'm very comfortable." Kagome pinched his ear, getting her point across that she wasn't a slave. "Keh! Wench."
Kagome laughed at his childishness. He smiled up at her, happy hear her laugh again.
Kagura shook her head in a sense of despair. "I used to believe that you or Inuyasha would kill Naraku and I would finally be as free as the wind I command…" Tears started to fall, the salt water being soaked up by the dirt. "But Naraku figured out that I have been helping the inu-no-baka, and will now either use my heart to hurt me into submission, or kill me with it. I don't want to work for him anymore, and I will do anything to make sure that he doesn't get the pleasure of killing me himself." Her face turned into a scowl as she though of Naraku.
Sesshomaru watched silently, contemplating what to do with the woman. "If you live, you would be an exceptional spy for us." The stoic youkai allowed himself to give one complement to someone other than Kagome. "Do you still wish to die so soon?" His voice was as indifferent as always and his eyes were colder than ever.
"If I try to go back, he will merely absorb me to power himself again; this is the best thing I can do for all of you." Her voice was filled with defeat, but there was also the same resolve that Sesshomaru admired in Kagome.
He nodded his head curtly. "I will do as you wish, but you will need to leave something behind for Kagome." Kagura's eyes widened as she raised her face to the inu youkai. She nodded dumbly and pulled her fan from her obi. Holding it a moment, she felt the smooth texture of the worn black wood. She began to think of what Kagome had done for her so far.
Smiling weakly, she concentrated all her essence into the fan. There was always the chance that the miko would purify it the moment it met her fingers, but it was worth a try.
Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow at her actions, but took the fan, now filled with her youki, from her slightly trembling hands anyway. "Now, if she doesn't purify it, I'll always be able to help you; it's the least I can do for you now." She gave a small smile before looking at the ground.
Sesshomaru gazed at her, noting how alike Kagome and she really were. Nodding at her slowly, he tucked the fan in his obi before raising his hand and allowing his claws to glow green. "I will take your body to Kagome so they will know you are truly gone. Any last words?" A drop of poison fell from his extended claws.
"Yeah… I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused, and…" Kagura looked up with defeat, pleading, and determination in her eyes. "Defeat Naraku."
Sesshomaru nodded before driving his hand through her chest. Kagura gasped at the pain as her vision started to darken. She smiled at him as her senses dulled to nothing. "Arigatou…"
The pain had finally started coming back and Inuyasha had made her lie down again, but made no move to leave or to remove his haori from around her shoulders. He had watched over her as she napped, but went to get Sango when she woke, so they could have some time alone.
Kagome was actually surprised to hear that houshi-no-hentai had lessened his usual antics after she had fallen ill, but once there was a sign that she was going to recover he had picked up the pace a little.
Kagome smiled at Sango who was ranting about Miroku again. She had spoken of nothing but their perverted companion for the last ten minutes. When she pointed this out, Sango blushed and hurriedly changed the subject to Shippo.
Apparently her kit had taken her illness the hardest except for maybe a certain hanyou. He had drawn all sorts of pictures for her to give her when got better. His crayons were becoming quite short and he would look at them sullenly before quickly starting to draw again.
Kouga could be found patrolling the village grounds or trying to start a fight with Inuyasha, who was never farther than ten yards of her hut. Apparently after what they had seen that morning, Kouga had gone into a fit, claiming that he should in there, not 'some stupid dog-crap of a hanyou!'
Sesshomaru had left the night before, and Inuyasha wouldn't tell them what passed between them, for which Kagome was slightly thankful. It wouldn't be fitting of a taiyoukai to be civil to his 'disrespectful, shameful half-brother.'
Inuyasha came in without even knocking. His face held a grave look as he signaled Sango to leave. Hesitantly, she did, leaving Kagome looking confused.
Inuyasha came over and sat beside her again. "Sesshomaru is here." Kagome was surprised by his bluntness, but confused about why this seemed to be a bad thing.
Inuyasha fidgeted for a moment, before sighing. "He brought back Kagura's body. She asked him to kill her."
Kagome stared up at him, stunned. There had been a few times when she had gotten to talk civilly with the wind sorceress and had come to think of her as a distant sister.
Shakily, Kagome managed to keep the tears from spilling out of her eyes. "Why?" It was short, but with the pain in her body and chock in her mind, Kagome didn't trust her voice with saying anything else.
"Naraku apparently go very angry and started ranting about all this and let slip some information that is useful to us. He caught Kagura trying to sneak away to tell us." Even Inuyasha, who had hated Kagura with a passion, was upset with this occurrence.
At that moment, Kikyo came in with a bowl in her hands. "Inuyasha, please leave; I need to give Kagome some of the antidote."
Inuyasha made to stand but Sesshomaru came in behind her. "We will stay; we have to talk to Kagome immediately, ningen." Kikyo jumped, having not sensed the arrival of the taiyoukai.
When what he said became clear, a slight scowl formed on her face. First Inuyasha spends more time with her than me, and now the Lord of the West shows her the respect that I deserve. I'll show them, but first, I have to make sure they trust me with her. Kikyo gave a curt nod before kneeling by Kagome's side to give her the antidote.
When she finished, she sat back, trying to show that she would be staying for their conversation, but Sesshomaru would have none of it. They waited for her to leave, but when she didn't the taiyoukai became impatient. "Corspe. This conversation has nothing to do with you. Leave."
To say that the others were shocked was an understatement, but they made no sound of protest to his words. Even Inuyasha has turned on me. I will get him back.
Fuming, but not showing any of it, Kikyo left the hut to take her frustration out by practicing her archery, something she believed that she would always be superior to Kagome in.
"Now that the clay pot is out the way, we may begin." Inuyasha, to Kagome's surprise nodded, but made no comment on the disrespect to Kikyo.
Sesshomaru briefly recounted the events that happened in the clearing, then went into detail about what Naraku had let slip to Kagura. "The Sun God's Lily is self explanatory. There is a mountain to the North said to rise into the heavens. Few mortals have climbed it and lived to tell of it. Each has claimed to see a field of lilies, golden as the sun with nectar more pure than an ice maiden's tears."
Inuyasha nodded, showing that he had heard of the legend. "The field is said to be guarded by a golden kitsune who was gifted with wings by the gods." He laughed a little then answered the silent question of the other two. "We're going to have trouble getting past him if he's anything like Shippo; too stubborn for their own good."
Sesshomaru smirked and Kagome laughed. The inu brother's took this chance to check her condition. Her voice was clear again, and the color had come back o her cheeks.
"That explains that, but what about the Cobra's Fang?" Kagome asked once she had settled down. "Can it be any cobra or is it a certain one?"
Sesshomaru furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "There is a rumor of a double-bladed staff by that name. It is said to be coated in a powerful poison, and only the one who would be able to drink the venom would be able to wield it, otherwise they would be killed instantly." Sesshomaru glanced worriedly at Kagome, who was sitting up thoughtfully.
"So… In order for me to be healed, I have to drink some of this venom, and I would be able to use this weapon as a bonus?" She looked at Sesshomaru to see if he nodded; he did. "Do you- do you know how many people have tried to drink it?" Her voice shook slightly, afraid of the answer to her hesitant question.
Sesshomaru too hesitated, not wanting to apply more stress to his imouto. When he didn't answer immediately, Inuyasha turned to look at him worriedly, wanting to hear this even less than Kagome did. Sighing, the taiyoukai finally answered.
"Several hundred, humans and demons alike; all died."
"It's not fair!" He cried as he looked at her lifeless form. "She was a victim just like us…"
Sango and Miroku stood a little ways off, watching the kit while mourning the loss of an ally.
"She died to help Kagome…" Sango muttered, trying to think of some reason for her to give up her life, unless she truly thought that Kagome would be the one to kill Naraku.
Miroku sadly gazed at Kagura, but when he saw how distraught Sango was, he couldn't help but think about how adorable she was.
He had his hand resting on her back to comfort her, but it "mysteriously" slipped to rub a place much more private to said taijiya.
Sango's face took on an expression of shock then it became flushed with anger. "Houshi…" She brought her hand across the monk's face with a loud smack. "HENTAI!"
"Seems like the perverted monk is back to his antics." Inuyasha was chuckling and watching Kagome try to settle down.
Her hair was ruffled and framed her still slightly pale face. Her eyes were bright with life and determination again, and she smiled. She smiled just as she had the night before, full of hope and optimism.
Sesshomaru also watched the miko, seeing the recovery in her already. He didn't want to add more stress to her, because he knew that when she drank the venom, if she survived, she would be bedridden with an extremely high fever for at least a week. Sesshomaru decided to let the topic drop. As if just remembering, the taiyoukai pulled Kagura's fan from his obi and held it out to Kagome. She could feel the youki radiating from it and hesitated when reaching out to take it.
"What if I purify it?" She glanced at her aniki for answers, only to see that he had none.
Inuyasha sat silently watching, but he was ready to destroy that fan in an instant if it lashed out at Kagome. He noticed Sesshomaru was in a similarly tense position.
Kagome took a deep breath before gently taking the wood from Sesshomaru fingers. There was a faint pink glow around it before her miko energy seemed to decide that it wasn't a threat.
Inuyasha let out a breath that he hadn't known that he was holding. He glanced at Sesshomaru who caught his gaze then turned back to Kagome with a small smile.
"Kagura's body is outside; we'll need to dispose of it before Naraku comes to claim it." Kagome and Inuyasha nodded then watched Sesshomaru stand and walk out of the door.
Giving her a smile, Inuyasha helped Kagome stand then put his arm around her waist to support her. They hadn't even reached the door when they heard shouting. Inuyasha began muttering darkly about stupid wolves as he pulled the curtain aside for Kagome.
"What is that witch's body doing here? And who killed her? She was mine to kill!" As they walked through the door, they could see Kouga ranting at Sesshomaru, who was standing indifferently in his way.
"Oi! Show at least a little respect for someone who gave her life for Kagome, ya wimpy wolf!" Inuyasha yelled at Kouga while throwing a smirk to Kagome who was laughing at their antics.
At the sound of the miko's laughter, everyone but Sesshomaru jerked their heads toward the sound so hard that their necks cracked, some more painfully than others.
Shippo wasted no time in throwing himself at his mother-figure. Kagome caught him, but the hanyou beside her had to catch them both.
Kagome patted her kit's head while smiling thankfully at Inuyasha. He smiled down at her and set her on her feet again. Even though she had her balance again, he didn't remove his hold on her waist.
Their audience watched the exchange in shock, amusement, and fury. Sesshomaru was amused with his siblings and was grateful that Kagome wasn't really related to him by blood. Shippo, Miroku, and Sango were shocked that their friends were getting along so well and were showing their feelings, and Kouga was furious at the hanyou for touching HIS woman and shocked that she was letting him!
Before he could say something vulgar, he felt claws pressed lightly to his back. "Do anything to give her more stress, and this Sesshomaru will insure that you have no need for the jewel shards." Sesshomaru's indifferent sounding threat carried as much weight, if not more, than if he had filled it with mistrust and hatred.
Rin came running across the field. "Kagome-onee-san!" Kagome immediately put Shippo on her shoulder and kneeled to intercept the girl. She barreled into the miko, the impact strong enough to knock her over if Inuyasha hadn't been standing behind her.
"Rin is so happy to see you!" Rin cried from Kagome's lap. She smiled up at the miko, her eyes shining brightly. Kagome found herself leaning against her hanyou friend's legs with Rin sitting in her lap, shooting question after question at her.
Said hanyou was smiling down at the miko, but hearing a soft growl from the wolf, he threw a triumphant smirk at him before taking the girl off Kagome's lap. Rin obeyed and stood aside, still smiling. Inuyasha lifted Kagome to her feet, and again didn't release her, all the while wondering how someone who traveled with Sesshomaru could smile so much, and apparently not get on his nerves.
Kouga growled louder, but Sesshomaru's claws kept him from doing anything. Now more than ever, he wanted to rid himself of the mutt.
Kagome stopped mid-sentence in her conversation with Rin and seeming looked shocked at Kouga, whose heart skipped at her gaze. He soon realized that she wasn't looking at him, but at Kagura.
The miko choked at the sight of the wind sorceress's condition. It hurt to think that Kagura had given up her life without knowing freedom to try to let Kagome live to kill Naraku. She tugged slightly at Inuyasha's hand and he obediently helped her walk over, knowing that this would be hard for her.
Sango and Miroku glanced at each other before following the two over to their unexpected ally's fallen form. Rin ran after Kagome and took her hand, hoping to make her feel better, even if she didn't know what exactly was wrong.
Inuyasha stood behind her when she reached Kagura. Kagome had tears in her eyes and her knees became weak. Seeing her about to fall, Inuyasha wrapped one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders. She leaned back into his embrace and closed her eyes as the tears started to fall.
Sesshomaru came beside Rin and waited for Kagome to speak. He honestly had no idea of what to do with the body; he had always left the bodies of those he'd slain where they fell, not bothering to move them. Now, due to his inexperience and lack of knowledge, his imouto was going through emotional pain, and he berated himself for allowing her to go through pain at all.
"We should cremate her." Kagome voice was soft, but commanding at the same time. "Gather wood and pile it away from the village. Make the top as flat as possible and lay her body on it. When night falls, we'll start." Silently, everyone but Kouga, who was still glaring at Inuyasha, nodded.
Sesshomaru stood in front of his younger brother. Neither spoke, but the younger inu understood the silent command and handed the young woman to the taiyoukai. She still had tears falling down her face, though she tried to hide it and make it appear that she was as strong as ever, but everyone could tell that she was too tired to stand on her own.
Sesshomaru gave her a discreet one-armed hug, and began to lead her back to the hut. "Kit, Rin. Collect flowers for tonight." Shippo jumped off Kagome's shoulder and ran after Rin who had bolted back to the fields.
Inuyasha watched his brother lead his… best friend away before running off to the forest. Why did I hesitate to label Kagome as my best friend? He scowled and began slicing down trees to drag back. I was practically calling her my mate last night, so what is wrong with me? Confused and irritated, he took out his frustration on the trees.
She sighed and buried her head a little deeper into the white fur of Sesshomaru boa. Nothing was simple anymore. She used to only have to worry about school and what prank her little brother was about to pull on her. Now she had to make sure that she purified to the Shikon no Tama, keep Inuyasha from going to Hell with Kikyo, keep her friends from dying, and kill Naraku. She just wanted a break for a short while, just to catch her breathe and to think through what was happening in her life.
She was about to fall asleep when Shippo and Rin ran in, bundles of flowers in their arms.
"Onee-san! Look at out pretty flowers!" Rin came up to Kagome and Sesshomaru and tried to show them the delicate blossoms without dropping even a single petal.
Kagome smiled down at her and began congratulating her and Shippo on their accomplishment. Sesshomaru just had a shadow of a smile on his face as he gazed down at his ward. Shippo was a little more hesitant to approach the taiyoukai, much to said youkai's amusement, but he couldn't let Rin take all the credit.
"Come over here, and I'll show you how to make something pretty, 'kay?" Rin squealed and jumped onto Sesshomaru's lap, and Shippo tentatively climbed onto Kagome's. For the rest of the morning, Kagome taught the children how to make flower chains, necklaces, and she herself made a crown.
Around noon, Kagome asked Shippo to run to the stream to get water. The young kitsune enthusiastically obliged, running all the way with the pot clanging behind him.
Kagome smiled after him then asked Rin to get the ramen from her over-stuffed bag. Rin rummaged through it, almost falling in once or twice, as Sesshomaru looked on in amusement, fondness shining in his eyes.
Shippo's return and five minutes later, the hut was filled with the aroma of the food from the future. Kagome instructed Rin and Shippo to fill some bowls and begin distributing them to their friends around the village. The children ran out of the hut to deliver the food, leaving Kagome alone with her aniki again.
"Can we clean up Kagura before we cremate her?" Kagome look up at Sesshomaru pleadingly, truly wanting to do whatever she could for the wind sorceress. She could tell that Sesshomaru didn't want to distress her any further than she already was, and knew that he would give in to her demands while still appearing regal, he had done it several times before.
"I'll see to it that it is done."
Inuyasha laid the clean form of Kagura on the wood alter. She wore a crown of lilies that Kagome had made, and Rin and Shippo had placed a bracelet on each of her wrists, a necklace around her neck, and a thin belt of irises over her obi.
Sesshomaru steadied Kagome as she walked after the hanyou, the fan clutched in her fist. Everyone filed behind them, each wearing a mournful expression. The only ones absent were Kouga and Kikyo, which did not go unnoticed by the ever watchful taiyoukai.
Inuyasha came behind Kagome and wrapped his arms around her while giving a short nod to his brother. She leaned back against him and closed her eyes as he began to sing.
"You've found hope;
You've found faith,
Found how fast she could take it away.
Found true love,
Lost your heart,
Now you don't know who you are?"
Miroku and Sango bowed their heads as they respectfully acknowledged their ally's passing, while Shippo shed a few tears at the sight of the broken woman, reminding him of his own mother's death.
"She made it easy,
Made it free;
Made you hurt 'til you couldn't see.
Sometimes it stops,
Sometimes it flows,
Baby that is how love goes."
Rin took one of Shippo's paws and smiled down at him, also remembering her mother's death.
"You will fly
And you will crawl.
God know even angels fall.
No such thing as you've lost it all,
God knows even angels fall."
Sesshomaru emotionlessly brought a torch and began burning the once proud and determined demoness. His golden eyes showed only indifference, but he was felling a twinge of regret for the loss of an excellent spy and ally.
"It's a secret
No one tells.
One day it's heaven
One day it's hell.
It's no fairytale,
Take it was me,
That's the way it's supposed to be."
Reflections of the flames danced across Inuyasha's amber eyes as he listened to his Kagome sing. Mentally, he cringed. First he was hesitant to call her his best friend, as if she was something else, and now she was 'his!' What was wrong with him?
"You will fly,You will crawl,
God knows even angels fall.
No such thing as you've lost it all,
God knows even angels fall."
Kouga watched the growing fire from across the clearing with disdainful blue eyes. Why should they bother to give that witch a funeral? And why is MY Kagome singing? Although she does have a beautiful voice… Kouga clenched his fists at the sight of who was supporting the miko. The mutt will pay!
"You laugh, you cry,
No one knows why,
But, oh, the thrill of it all.
You're wrong, you're right,
You might as well,
Open your eyes."
Kikyo scowled in the general direction that the funeral was taking place. She knew that her old love had his arms around her reincarnation, and this knowledge made her burn with jealousy. 'Inuyasha was, is, and always will be mine! I will make sure of that.'
"You will fly,
You will crawl,
God knows even angels fall.
No such thing as you've lost it all,
God knows even angels fall."
Kagome opened her eyes to watch the flames rise high as the wind picked up. Tears slid down her face as her raven hair mixed with the silver of the hanyou behind her as it blew around them.
Kagura had been an angel, in a way. She was willing to sacrifice herself for the life of Kagome, and the death of Naraku, something that all of them wanted.
"Even angels fall…
Even angels fall…"
The wind rose again as Kagome's voice faded, carrying the beginning of Kagura's ashes with it.
Kagome held onto Inuyasha with one hand, and held onto the wind sorceress's fan with the other. She watched the blackened ash rise into the air and be carried away. A voice came to Kagome's ears, soft yet firm and familiar;
"I'm free now, and I will watch over you. Use the fan when you need it, and beware the clay pot. Arigatou, Kagome." Kagura's voice faded as the wind took it else where, but not before whirling around her in a gentle hug.
The miko smiled and turned her head to the sky. "Arigatou, yourself, Kagura." Her whisper went unheard by all except the hanyou supporting her. He looked at her questioningly, but settled for nuzzling her neck slightly than asking her what that was about.
His Kagome was kind, beautiful, and strong, all the things that he had denied that she was from the beginning, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Again, I'm going to start a INUXYYH xover fic, and could use some help one that if anyone wants to help. I apologize again.
