The jeep barreled down the road toward the Higurashi shrine kicking up dirt and debris as they went. Not very quiet either, if there were any enemies in the area they knew Inuyasha’s group was coming. Inuyasha gripped the wheel of the jeep as it traversed the torn and destroyed road that lead deeper into Tokyo. They would have to go through the downtown area, which oddly enough, would take them past Kagome’s old high school. The jeep bounced as they drove over various rubble or debris. Cursing to himself Inuyasha worked harder on dodging the various objects on the road. Driving was something he was still somewhat getting used to. He had taken a crash course from Kagome years ago, but this was entirely different and at times Kagome insisted she drive. Thinking of Kagome driving the jeep made Inuyasha chuckle as they hit another bump eliciting a groan from their son. The back was not a pleasant place to be at times, especially on this road. “You’ll be fine, Inuken, we are almost to the shrine.”
“Whatever you say dad, maybe mom should drive,” Inuken’ichi suggested nonchalantly to his father.
“I have it under control…no worries,” Inuyasha gripped the wheel tighter and stole a glance at Kagome who looked saddened to see her home destroyed and in ruins as they drove past her school. The other jeeps in the caravan spread out to minimize their chances of being ambushed. Glancing back over Inuyasha spoke up out of concern for his mate, “Are you ok Kagome?”
“Yeah…I’m fine Inuyasha. It’s just…it’s always sad to see the city like this, not seeing mom, or my old friends. It’s hard Inuyasha.” Kagome continued to stare at the passing buildings as the convoy neared the shrine. “He’ll pay…”
“I know he will Kagome…we’ll make sure he does.” Since the attack, Kagome had become determined to not only free the people under Naraku’s curse, but to personally make him pay for every life he destroyed and twice over for her family. Inuyasha still remembered a time when Kagome would forgive her own kidnapper, attacker, or even that mutt Koug but that was before. This was now. Both of them knew this was beyond forgivable. Inuken stared in silent puzzlement over their exchange and thought it best not to ask any questions.
The caravan finally reached the shrine and slowly came to a stop at the base of the steps leading up to the shrine. Inuyasha turned off the jeep and placed the keys in his pocket. Looking back over at Kagome, he again asked her if she was ready and she told him to stop worrying about her and keep track of their son. Sighing in defeat Inuyasha climbed out of the jeep and picked up his son. “Stay close to me Inuken. You got that?”
“Yeah, whatever Dad…” Inuken replied in a bored and somewhat annoyed tone. He was after all part demon and had inherited some of his mother’s abilities. He could take care of himself.
“I mean it.” Setting his son down Inuyasha pointed to various members of the slayer group and told them to move up to the shrine in various directions. Kagome checked her weapons and nodded to Inuyasha signaling she was ready. Nodding back at Kagome Inuyasha picked up his son and leapt up the stairs with Kagome slightly behind him and the demon slayers working their way up by methods that are more conventional. Mainly walking.
Kagome had never truly understood what it was like to be soaring over the rooftops of Tokyo as Inuyasha did with such ease until she had done it herself. There was more than simple strength and dexterity involved. Balance, anticipation, and timing all came into play, but the requirements were greatly outweighed by the freedom it granted. At times, however, she still liked being carried on his back as it reminded her of far more peaceful times. It brought back pleasant and happy memories of times past. Before she knew it she stood next to Inuyasha, who still held their son, and the demon slayers had made their way to the top of the Shrine’s hill. The remnants of the shrine were hard for her to see. The leveled house, the charred ground, home destroyed, but the well house and Gishinboku (Inuyasha’s tree) still stood. The ground of the Tree and Well house had been consecrated centuries before and to this day no evil aura could approach either of them for fear of death. This had kept Naraku from gaining anything of importance. Once anything left the holy ground, however, it was vulnerable to Naraku and his evil hordes. Kagome knew that they had to ensure Naraku never obtained anything they removed. “Here we go…” Kagome said trailing off as she continued to take in the destruction.
“Let’s get this over with. I have a feeling we won’t be alone for long.” Kagome nodded in response to his statement and the demon slayers fanned out moving toward the well house that Inuyasha had identified earlier as their target. “Kagome we will watch your back ok? You get whatever you need and fast wench we don’t have much time.”
“Right. I’ll need some time to make sure I grab the right stuff Inuyasha.” Kagome sprinted for the well house and threw open the door entering the old structure that had once taken them to the past. Kagome froze as she saw the well, memories of Feudal Era Japan rushing at her. Warm, happy memories with friends she missed dearly. She shook her head and cleared her mind before the sadness could set in “I…I don’t have time for that…” She immediately began searching the shelves of the Well House looking for anything that could help them defeat Naraku. She wasn’t entirely sure what is was but she knew it was there.
Inuyasha set his son down next to him and took position near the door as the demon slayers also took various positions around the house. Inuken’ichi stood behind his father taking in the shrine around him. The old home and shrine lay in ruins. The tree and well house were all that remained of the shrine. The consecrated ground had protected the structures, but not the home. Inuken looked up at his father. He stood with his shoulders squared, his ears swiveling around, and Tetsaiga drawn in front of him. “Hey Dad,” Inkuen asked breaking the silence.
Inuyasha turned his head at the sound of his sons voice, “What is it?” Inuyasha glanced back ahead then back at his son his shoulders slightly relaxing.
“Dad, why were you and mom so quiet on the way over?” Inuken asked looking up at his father.
Inuyasha sighed not sure how to answer the question. Inuyasha sheathed Tetsaiga and kneeled down next to his son. Placing his hands on both his shoulders, Inuyasha took a deep breath, “Inuken, before you were born Kagome’s mother, brother, and grandpa lived here. When all this started,” Inuyasha paused searching for the right words, “when all this started Kagome’s mom and grandpa were taken away from her by Naraku. We aren’t going to see them again.” Inuyasha felt a pang in his heart. He missed Kagome’s mother who had become his surrogate mother and he even missed the old coot. “It’s hard on both your mom and I to think about it.” Inuyasha looked down at the ground unsure of what to say and instead embraced his son and pulled away at arms length. “Inuken, don’t bring it up with your mom. Got it?”
“OK, I won’t mention it to her Dad.” Inuken said quietly understanding what his dad meant by being taken away. Inuken lowered his head in respect toward his father.
Sighing Inuyasha ruffled his son’s hair and looked over his shoulder at the shrine. Seeing the well house reminded him of the day the well closed.
Eleven Years Ago
After learning the fate of the user of the Jewel, the group found themselves unable to use it and with Kohaku alive, there was no need for a sacrifice to be made in his name. Inuyasha and Kagome had decided that the best thing to do was for the Jewel to disappear completely, not shattered, not destroyed, it needed to be gone and there was only one way to ensure it. With two words the jewel was gone and Inuyasha and Kagome were finally together…
“Bye guys! We’ll be back soon!” Kagome shouted across of the field near the bone eaters well. Little did she know it would far longer than she anticipated before she could return... Inuyasha stood near the well with his arms folded across his chest in annoyance. Rarely did he like her going home, but this return home was…different. Kagome had decided to tell her mother about her and Inuyasha. They had both decided to wait before they did…anything…before the defeat of Naraku. The definition of anything was very loose in their terms. Regardless, they both knew having pups during their quest against Naraku was not safe in any respect. Inuyasha was shook from his musing as his nose twitched as Kagome’s scent neared him and within that moment she stood at his side, waving goodbye to their friends.
“Ready?” Inuyasha huffed as he waited for Kagome to finish.
“Come on Inu, let’s go,” Kagome grabbed Inuyasha’s hand and led him to the edge of the well. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha waiting for him to take her down into the well and he did with a simple look into her eyes, a small smile on his face. Inuyasha leaped into the well still holding Kagome’s hand as he did. They were greeted by the familiar swirl of colors and lights as passed from the feudal era into Kagome’s time. Emerging from the well Inuyasha immediately sniffed the air for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing seemed odd, just as it usually was dirty and polluted. In some way, it comforted him, reminding him of Kagome, but he never let that on.
“Keh, you sure you ready to tell her? What if she doesn’t accept me or want us to be together?” Inuyasha lowered his head in shame and rung his hands thinking about all the rejection he had experienced as a child and adult. He was Hanyou and it was something he had grown to accept, but for some reason the idea of not being accepted by Kagome’s mother seemed far worse than anything he had imagined.
Kagome sighed and pulled herself up to her full height, which wasn’t much of an improvement and stood toe to toe with Inuyasha, “Inuyasha look at me.” Inuyasha slightly raised his head to make eye contact with Kagome. There was sadness in his eyes, something he had continually hidden with anger most of his life. She wasn’t mad at him just frustrated. “Inuyasha, my mother will accept you. She loves you like a son. Don’t think because your hanyou she won’t accept you. You are amazing as you are now Inuyasha. I fell in love with you Inuyasha. All of you, hanyou, human, and even,” she paused and lowered her voice, “your demon side.” Inuyasha made full eye contact with her. His golden orbs staring back at her spoke volumes to her.
“You mean all that Kagome?…please…don’t stay with me out of pity. I love you more than anyone I have ever known Kagome and I-” Inuyasha was interrupted by Kagome kissing him, silencing his doubts and ramblings.
“I love you. Never doubt that. My mom will accept you.” Kagome stayed on her tiptoes to get closer to his eye level. She suddenly felt his arms wrap around her in a warm embrace and she knew he was ready. “Let’s go Inuyasha. We have a future ahead of us and a past to live in.” Inuyasha nodded and even gave a small smile as he picked up Kagome bridal style and leapt out of the well starting their new future, but leaving the past behind.
End Flashback
Inuyasha shook his head as he cleared his mind of his flashback…he could not afford to think of that now and he chastised himself for being distracted while in Naraku’s territory. The memories of that last day in Feudal Japan always make him wonder if he had stayed could he have stopped all of this from happening, he would berate himself, hound Kagome over it constantly asking her if there was something he could have done. Every time she would get a pained expression on her face, never wanting to see him so angry with himself, and simply tell him there was nothing he could have done, no way he could have known. Every time he grappled with the issue he would lay awake that night looking at their son, imaging every possibly future for him with or without Naraku. That started his headaches, the headaches put him on edge, make him short tempered and occasionally express his frustration on others. The pulse pounding, near blinding headaches that throbbed at his temples and at the back of his head…he never told Kagome. Her worrying about anything would make them worse and so whenever possible he would take any painkillers the troop would stumble upon if they found them in a cache of medical supplies. The pills would help dull the pain but it was always there pulling at him, distracting him, putting him on edge.
The Hanyou shook his head, starting to feel one come on, looking back down at his son he gave him a small smile, the brilliant golden eyes of his son looking back at his, “Inuken’ichi, stand behind me don’t move from behind me unless your mother or I tells you to.”
Inuken’ichi nodded at his father, moved behind him, and looked around at the former Higurashi property, destroyed and ruined all except for the well house. He knew his father meant well but he always felt he could take care of himself being partially dog demon and having the power of a priestess mother did have its advantages. He had only been told what it used to look like before Naraku destroyed Tokyo and even then, it always pained his mother to speak about it. One time Inuken gathered the courage to ask his mom about Grandma and Great Father against the wishes of his father. His mother immediately saddened and tried her best to remain cheerful as she told him about them and from what she was able to tell him they sounded like kind loving people. She eventually began to cry as she recalled more and more about them and Inuyasha comforted her and calmed her down. His father told him never to ask his mother about it again and Inuken never did.
Inuken’ichi sighed and looked at the Well House behind him. The boy slowly inched over the well house door, confident that his father would not sense his movement. As he neared the door, he glanced quickly at his father who was looking the opposite direction. Deciding it was safe, Inuken peeked his head around the corner and saw his mother. Her white hair matched his father’s exactly as well as her dog-ears. He only barely remembered what his looked like before that happened, when her hair was black like a raven, her ears like a human, and her eyes brown like the chocolate he and his father cannot eat.
Kagome knew she was getting close with the scroll she was reading. She had found it behind some old pots and other scrolls, lucky thing she did she almost called it quits. The scroll she was currently reading contained on the purification of demons and half demons. So far it looked like it might have the answer. “So if the jewel influences them like possessive magic all we need to do is find a cleansing agent…” Kagome grabbed another scroll, opened it next to the other, and read back and forth between the two. “Palace of the Gods…” Kagome repeated the name a few times and pulled out another scroll that had referenced this palace before. “Where would I be if I were the Palace of the Gods…?” Kagome’s head lit up like a Christmas tree as soon as she saw the location, “Mt. Fuji! How could I not have guessed that?” Kagome rolled up the scrolls, shoved them into a travel tube, and burst out of the Well House, causing her eavesdropping son to tumble onto the ground and yelp in surprise like a puppy.
Inuyasha’s head snapped over as he heard his son yelp in surprise and found himself in surprise as well that he had gotten over there without his knowledge, “Either I am getting old or he’s damn silent…” Inuyasha said to himself in puzzlement. The hanyou sheathed his sword and walked over to his mate, who busy helping their son up and checking him for any injury, and their son, who was trying to prove to his mother he was fine. “He’s fine Kagome just a little startled that’s all, though he did earn it walking over there without telling me about it.” Inuyasha looked his son in the eyes and folded his arms across his chest.
“Not my fault you couldn’t sense me walking over here Dad” Inuken’ichi said smugly as he got to his feet and stood by his mother who snickered at the comment.
“He did sneak past you Inu you have to give him that…” Kagome approached her mate, scroll case in hand.
“Yeah well he was downwind of me that’s all” Inuyasha ruffled the hair on top of his sons head before turning back to Kagome and looking her in the eyes, “Did you-” Before he could even finished she answered excitedly
“Yes I did! There apparently is a cleansing agent, I think, on Mt. Fuji. I can’t tell what is it specifically but-”
Before Kagome could even finish a deafening explosion shook the ground and the next thing Inuyasha knew he thrown to the ground and felt darkness over take him.
Chapter End Notes:
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