Inuyasha awoke from his dream and sat up. His eyes scanned the room he and Kagome had been sleeping in. He wasn’t sure what awoke him, but he hadn’t slept easy since the new war with Naraku had been started. He never slept the same as he had after he told Kagome how he felt. It had been 15 years since that day and he longed for it. Kagome slept silently next to him in a peaceful sleep that he longed for. The new war with Naraku had destroyed most of Japan and decimated Tokyo. The new jewel shards that had been uncovered or set loose, however the hell it happened, caused not only Naraku to become more powerful, but created an army of half-demon servants that battled the survivors of Japan at every turn. Kagome still tried to find a way to free the people, but nothing successful yet. “Damn it,” Inuyasha softly cursed and leaned forward and put his head in his hands. He had been getting headaches the past few weeks. He didn’t tell Kagome because he knew she would start to worry about him and the last thing he wanted was for her to worry they only made them worse.
He was very worried about her and their son though. Their son. The only reason they fought as hard as they did. InuKen’ichi was born 9 years ago before the war had started and before their futures were torn away from them. “Why did this have to happen to them…?”
Kagome stirred next to him and slowly opened her eyes. Her dark chocolate eyes met his amber ones in the darkness of the home they had taken refuge in. “Who are you talking to Inu?” Kagome slowly sat up and scooted next to him. “What’s wrong?” Kagome asked him, concern easily heard in her voice.
“I just wish none of this had to happen. Why does our son have to grow up in this world?” Inuyasha balled his fists, frustration building inside him, “We kill him and he comes back and ruins the lives we wanted to have.” Inuyasha rested on arm on his knees and looked across the darkness of the room almost searching for an answer. Looking back at Kagome, he could see the same thoughts crossing her mind. Reaching out am arm, he pulled her close and stroked her hair. “I’m sorry Kagome…”
Kagome looked up at him and shook her head, “Inuyasha…there isn’t anything you could have done…what matters is that we our son,” Kagome paused-a smile creeping onto her face, “and each other Inuyasha…all that matters is that I love you…” Kagome stared into his eyes, her love boring into him and eroding his fears.
“I love you to Kagome. We’ll make it. We have to.” Looking down in her eyes Inuyasha pushed a lose strand of hair out of her face. Lifting her chin, he gave her reassuring kiss. Breaking the kiss Inuyasha looked over at their son and saw that the light was coming through the broken window. “He’ll be up soon.” He said gesturing to their son. “I’ll go get the others ready.” Inuyasha moved to the doorway and stepped outside into the cool morning air while Kagome tended to their son.
Kagome stared at the doorway for a moment reminiscing about the future they once had. Shaking her head Kagome cleared her mind of their once promising future in Japan. She knew that one day they may have that future, but to have their son grow up in war sent a pang through her heart. Not her son…their son. Kagome smiled inwardly thinking of that day he was born and looked at their son. He had his father’s ears and hair, but he also had her eyes. “Inuken’ichi…it’s time to get up,” Kagome whispered to her son. She smiled down at him as his eyes shot open. “Just like his father…never slow to wake,” Kagome mused to herself.
“Where is dad?” Inuken’ichi asked seriously with a hint of worry in his tone.
“He went to get everyone ready. We are going to the shrine to see if we can get some information from your great grandfather’s collection.” Kagome got a stern look on her face as she began to talk about the rules. “Remember the rules. Stay close to your father or me. Don’t go wandering off. You got that young man?”
“Yes mom. I will stay close to you and Dad,” rolling his eyes at his mother’s over protectiveness Inuken sat up and gathered his belongings. Kagome did the same while she did every possible catastrophe went through her mind as they did every morning since the attack. Wondering if he would be safe, protected, captured, hurt, or worse…Kagome shook her head and finished gathering everything up. “Alright, you ready?” Inuken nodded and joined his mom by her side as she opened the door to the bright morning outside where Inuyasha had rallied the others.
“Alright we have a lot of ground to cover,” Inuyasha leaned over an upended crate as the demon slayers of the present gathered around him. The dubbed demon slayers were more of a rag tag group of freedom fighters who were banded together to fight off Naraku. Some of the fighters had been given formal training in the martial arts before the “war” but most were learning as they went. All of them had some skill in hand held weaponry. Early on it had been determined that Naraku’s army was either too fast or too well armored for guns to be of much use other than a distraction. The demon slayers expertise in hand held weaponry was the deciding factor in many of their battles against the army of Naraku. “We have to head north,” Inuyasha looked down at the map below him and traced the path as he spoke, “and get to the Higurashi shrine. Kagome thinks there might be something for us to use against Naraku and to help us finding away to free the people of this curse. So let’s pack up and get in the jeeps.” The slayers gave their various replies of yes and battle cries. One slayer pulled away from the group and approached Kagome who had stood in the doorway.
“Sis, are you sure about this? They know all about gramps collection and they’d give anything to get their hands on it. You know that.” Souta looked older now, much older, but in the sense that he was someone who had seen it all but not in the good way. Her brother had learned from Daich Watanabe. Daich had taught her brother in the ancient arts of demon slaying and had been training many of the fighters as well. Daich was currently scouting Kyoto for any more possible fighters and left the fighters under Souta’s leadership. Their mother would be proud and Kagome knew whatever plane of existence she was on she would be.
“I know brother, but this may be an answer we need. Just make sure everyone is ready alright.” Kagome gave her brother a reassuring smile and motioned him to go to his people. Her brother moved off to his people and began to organize them in Daich’s absence.
Kagome felt a tug on her jacket and looking down she saw Inuken looking up at her. “What is it Inuken’ichi?”
“Mom, why is it so important we go to that shrine anyway?” Inuken paused and looked over at his father than back at his mother, “What if you or dad can’t find what we need? Then what, Mom?”
Kagome looked toward Inuyasha who at that moment looked up from his map and met her eyes. Their stare spoke volumes to each of them. Untold promises, fears, and hopes were immediately shared between the two and even their love was communicated through their eyes. Kagome felt a tug on her jacket again looked down towards Inuken’ichi breaking the stare with Inuyasha. Kagome knelt down next to Inuken and looked him in the eyes to reassure him, “We’ll get what we need,” Kagome paused and a small smile crept onto her face, “And don’t worry about Dad he will be fine. He always has been.” Kagome pulled her son for an embrace and she felt him return the embrace as well. “We’ll all be ok Inuken don’t worry.” Kagome pulled back and stood looking back over at Inuyasha.
Inuyasha had looked over to see Kagome and their son in a hug. He felt a small smile creep onto his face. Kagome pulled away from their son and looked back over at him. ‘Heh, it’s that same look she used to give me years ago…love and endless concern…’ Inuyasha smiled at her and looking back towards the map he rolled it up and put it in the jeep. “Kagome we have to go.” Inuyasha walked over to her and their son.
“Alright, we both have our stuff together.” Kagome hefted her bag and Inuken did the same indicating he too was ready.
“Let’s go then. Inuken you get in the jeep.” Inuken nodded and walked over to the jeep glancing over his shoulder at his parents who were standing closer to each other. Inuyasha stepped closer to Kagome standing within inches of her and lowered his voice so only she could hear. “You ready Kags?”
“Yeah I’m ready. We’ll be alright don’t worry about me.” Kagome glanced down and smiled looking back up into his golden eyes, “I’m not that defenseless little girl anymore,” Kagome brought a hand up to his face and traced a claw along his jaw line sending a shiver down his spine, “We can thank Naraku for that…” Inuyasha smirked at the irony and at other things…
“Heh, guess it’s the only thing we can thank him for. You still be careful ok. We both have to keep an eye on him.” Inuyasha tilted his head in the direction of their son sitting in the jeep waiting impatiently with his arms crossed. Inuyasha pulled Kagome into one final embrace and scratched at the dog-ears on her head. Inuyasha thought back to the day the new jewel emerged. With this new jewel shattered throughout Japan, they had encountered quite a few and when Kagome moved to purify one. Instead of doing what they had predicted it transformed her into a half demon of the dog type just like Inuyasha. Ears, claws, and even similar amounts of dexterity and strength had gone to her as well, though not as potent as Inuyasha’s. The only main difference was the time at which she became a human, which like her son, was during the full moon unlike Inuyasha who turned into a human during a new moon. Pulling back, Inuyasha brought her chin up and gave her a quick kiss before breaking the embrace. “Let’s go Kags.” He said softly. The pair came over to the jeep and saw their child rolling his eyes at what they had been doing before.
“You guys done being gross yet?” He asked impatiently.
“Yeah we are, kid,” Inuyasha ruffled his boy’s hair and jumped into their jeep. Their jeep was one of the ways they got around Japan. The jeep was pretty beaten up, green, and had a tire bolted onto the hood as a spare. Starting the engine the jeep roared to life as did many of the other cars around them, all in varying degrees of damage or decay. The troop of slayers and demons set out for the Higurashi shrine hoping to find answers to their questions.
Chapter End Notes:
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