Title: Angry battlefield and Timeless love
Author: Hairann
Prompt: Spectrum Challenge - Red
Genre: Friendship, Angst, Comfort
AU/CU: CU/Divergence
Rating: T for now
Warnings: Violence, character deaths, set in past tense.
Word Count: 4583
Summary: Kagome makes a wish that changes the course of history.
Full story summary: Sometimes in order to correct the mistakes of the past, you have to start over from the beginning. Sometimes in order to achieve what you wish for most in the world, you have to be willing to give up everything else. Join Kagome as her wish throws her further back in time, to the moment she is needed the most.
Part 1 of Rewriting History.
AN: As I am sure all of you know, colors can be used to represent both negative and positive things, for example: Red can refer to anger and blood or love, passion and romance. And that's what I am doing with this story, showing both sides of the spectrum. Each chapter will give examples for both the Yin and Yang of the color it represents. For the story itself, this has been sitting on my back burner since before Alpha, yes it's quite old, but I never really knew where to take it. I started reading up on the rules for this challenge, mostly cause I love Perphila's Faulty Fairytails and I am addicted to banners, and the colors reminded me of this story. I do not know how often I will update, as this is behind two stories (Mates and Voluntary), but it shouldn't be too long between updates.
***
It was official, hell was on earth. It was the end of the world, end of life as we knew it. The final curtain, the seven hells had frozen over. And any other saying there was to describe this moment in time, throw those in. Today was the day, right now the very moment. The battle we had been heading toward over the last three years was here. Correct, the battle with Naraku. But this was not a battle, it was so much more.
It was a bloodbath, plan and simple. The sun was blocked out by the thousands of lesser demons the half-demon had brought along with him. Naraku's incarnations littered the battlefield. His ever regenerating body was fueled by the almost complete Shikon jewel, in fact, the only shard he was missing was the one I was currently holding. He sent Kagura and Kanna to double team Kouga, stealing the two shards from his legs.
Personally ripped the shard out of Kohaku's back in front of Sango's eyes. The only shard he did not have in his possession was the one we retrieved from Inu no Taisho's tomb, which was living a solitary life in the vial around my neck. The battlefield around me was littered with the bodies of demons, as well as some of my friends and allies. Kouga was lying bleeding and battered off to the side. Miroku lay dead on the ground not far from him, having taken his own life when Naraku decided to control the Wind Tunnel and use it against us.
Sango lay dead resting on his chest, she had refused to leave his side. Jaken and the two-headed dragon were dead at my feet. They had died protecting Rin and, so far, it was not been in vain since she was currently hiding behind me. Scared to death, but untouched thus far. Shippo held his normal perch on my shoulder while Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru tried to fight all of the demons off together. And what was I doing, you wonder?
Why I am standing here with the children, unable to do anything to help out the two brothers. You see, Kagura's first job when she arrived on the battlefield was to relieve me of my bow and arrows. And of course, I had not had any time to start training with another weapon, so I was pretty much defenseless. I do not know about you, but I think if there ever was a time for me to just instantaneously become all powerful, or heck even turning into a demon for no reason whatsoever, this would be the time.
But no, no massive powers forming out of no where that I can control without any training whatsoever, no finding out I was really a demon and that it was just concealed by a spell. No such luck, I remained little miss untrained, weak miko. No demon blood suddenly coursing through my veins. Just little 'ole me. I felt as useless as Inuyasha always claimed I was. And so here I stood, while the brothers began to lose. It is not fair that they could defeat the half-demon at least a dozen times and yet they would end up losing because he regenerates.
I turned to check on how Shippo was doing, only to find he was no longer on my shoulder. Glancing around the field, I could find no sign of him. Perhaps he ran off scared, but some how I doubted that. As scared as he had to be, he would always run to me never away from me. And I doubted he would run and leave Rin and I here alone. I can feel it, the end is coming. Inuyasha glanced my way once more, locking eyes with me, as he fell to the ground.
He did not get back up and I do not expect him to ever again. All that remained was Sesshoumaru now and he did not look like he would live long. Something seemed different than it was a moment before. Naraku seemed to be scanning the field around him with a scowl marring his face. Just as I am wondering what he was searching for, Shippo returned to my shoulder and handed me something. I could not believe it, it was the almost complete Shikon jewel.
I wondered how little Shippo could have possibly taken the jewel away from Naraku, but decided it would be better to dwell on it later. I wasted no time as I ripped the jar from around my neck and dropped the last shard into my hand. I could see Naraku charging toward me, Sesshoumaru trying to fight him off to give me more time. Quickly I fused the last shard to the jewel, the whole thing becoming purified with my touch.
For the first time in three years, I held within my hands the completed Shikon no Tama. Naraku was close now, I did not have much time to make my wish. I knew it much be selfless and it needed to change history. I decided long ago, that I would not allow things to turn out the way they did, if I could help it. I knew of only one wish that would work. Naraku tackled me to the ground, the moment I opened my mouth to make my wish, his eyes glowing red with anger.
However, I could not let him stop me. I held the jewel away from him and quickly made my wish. “I wish Inuyasha had a positive influence when he was going up.” Naraku sneered at me as he began to attack me with one of his tentacles, but it was already too late. The jewel disappeared back into my body as a bright, pink light flashed through the clearing, throwing him away from me. As I stood back up, time began to rewind on itself, as though I were watching a movie of our lives.
I watched as Inuyasha was unkilled, followed by Sango and then Miroku. Jaken and the dragon rose from where they had fallen. Next Kohaku's shard is replaced as well as the two within Kouga's legs. The demons, along with Naraku, faded off into the distance and Kouga was gone as well. Sesshoumaru's group walked backwards away from the field. But it did not stop there. Time continued to rewind as I stood there unable to do anything but watch.
I saw the fight where we killed Hakudoshi, when Kikyou was killed by Naraku again. I watched as Sango and Miroku got married, as Kaede passed away. I saw Inuyasha and myself, sitting in the tree near the village, my feet bandaged, covering the wounds inflicted by stomach acid. I watched as Inuyasha placed a shard within his sword and we fought our way out of the demon's belly. Saw us in Inu no Taisho's tomb.
I rewitnessed our battles with the Band of Seven, countless demons until we met up with Sango, Miroku joining us. I saw Kikyou being brought back to life, Shippo joining us and fighting with the Thunder Brothers, Yura of the hair. Finally I saw Inuyasha, once again, pinned to the God Tree as I reached up to rub his dog ears. It did not stop there, time kept rewinding on itself, and I wondered just how much of history was changed by my wish.
I watched as Inuyasha and Kikyou were tricked by Naraku, when they first met and still it continued, showing me places and times I had never seen before. Showed me the life Inuyasha led long before I met him and our story began. Finally, after what seemed like forever, time stopped. I glanced around the clearing where the battle with Naraku had taken place mere minutes ago for me, though it had yet to happen for the rest of the world. “When exactly am I?”
***
I decided that just standing there would get me no where and began walking in the direction I was pulled it. I could not explain why I was pulled that way, I just knew that I was and so I walked. By the cool air around me and the few darkened leaves still on the trees overhead, I guessed that I had arrived in the late autumn. I hoped I could find where I was supposed to be before winter set in, and that where ever that was, there would be some kind of shelter from the incoming snow.
I did not understand why I was here, why I was brought back further in time. I had figured with my wish the wrongs would have been erased and I would be returned to my time, never having come here in the first place. I did not want to lose the memories of my friends, but if it saved them from all the pain I knew they would go through, it would be worth it. Sighing, I glanced around to get my barrings and once again could feel a tug on my soul, pulling me in another direction.
It seemed that whatever I was being led to was moving around, what seemed to be a who. I thought I perhaps had it figured out, that the fates had decided that I would be the positive influence in Inuyasha's life and that was where I was being led to. If so, I wondered how old he was at that moment. Between there being little to no points in time that I knew of before he met Kikyou, and with not knowing how half-demons aged, I could not begin to take a guess.
If my guess was correct, then I do not know what the fates had been thinking. I am merely a human and would die long before I could make any difference in his life. But why would they send me back for my wish, only to not be able to fulfill it? I knew the fates could be tricky at times, my life if anything had proven that, but they always made more sense than that to me. Not waiting for an answer, I continued walking in the direction I was pulled, doing a quick, mental inventory of everything I had with me.
Thankfully, I had just gone back to restock a few days before so I still had plenty of supplies, though I was of course missing my bow and arrows. I knew I would need to stop by the nearest village to see if I could borrow some from their priestess. I glanced toward the horizon to see the beginning stages of dusk as the sun began to sink behind the mountain range. I needed to find a village quickly as I had no desire to walk around unarmed at night.
I made my way over the next ridge, unable to stop myself from smiling as I spotted a small village nestled at the bottom of the hill, only a few minutes walk from where I was. I picked up my pace, as I headed into the village, quickly meeting an elderly man that, by the looks of it, was the village head. “Good evening, does this village happen to have a priestess?” I questioned as I shot him a bright smile, hoping he would not ask any questions about the way I was dressed.
“Yes, miko-sama lives in that hut,” he answered, pointing toward a small, one room hut off in the corner of the village. I gave him a quick bow, turned and headed for the hut, not wanting to give him time to say anything else. I ignored the strange looks the villagers gave me as I passed, quickly making my way to the hut and knocked on the door. After a moment, it opened to reveal an elderly woman, probably around Kaede's age before she died, decked out in priestess garments.
“Can I help you child?” she inquired, a pleasant smile lighting her wrinkled face as she stepped aside so I could enter her home. Not giving me the chance to speak, she pointed toward a cushion on the floor as she sat upon the one across from it and began preparing tea over the small fire. I smiled at her hospitality, taking the seat across from her, and explained how I was in need of a new bow and arrows, that I was willing to help out around the village to trade for them as I did not have any money.
By the time we were sipping on the hot, steamy tea she had prepared, she was agreeing to give me both them and a set of garments if I helped her out in the sick hut that night. Of course, I quickly agreed and once the cups were empty, we made our way there. A few hours later found us back at her hut, her offerring to put me up for the night and me accepting as I did not wish to sleep outside alone. Another cup of tea later, we bedded down for the night.
***
The next morning, mere minutes after dawn, I headed out of the village, decked out in my new priestess garments, with my bag and bow thrown over my shoulders. I had eaten an early breakfast with the older priestess before she bid me goodbye and went to check on the sick hut again. Already I could feel the pull on my soul, telling me which direction I should head in and so I followed it. For hours I walked, only taking a small break for lunch, before I continued on.
It was near dinner time that night when I finally reached my destination and learned I was indeed correct. I had been sent back to be the one to help Inuyasha, who looked like he was about three by human standards, perhaps a little older. He had not been hard to spot, his long, white hair and cute, little doggy ears kind of stood out. He was sitting underneath a large tree, watching other children playing with a ball.
As I stood there and watched, the children were all called in for supper by their mothers, except for him. Already I felt sorry for my long time friend and made my way over to where he was seated. “Hello Inuyasha,” I greeted him with a smile as I sat down nearby, careful not to get too close that he would have seen me as a threat. He returned the greeting by sniffing me a few times, probably trying to figure out if I was friend or foe.
Something told me that right then, much like the rest of his life, he had few of the former and too many of the latter. “Who are ya and what'cha want?” he demanded after giving me a slight huff and jamming his hands into the sleeves of his fire rat haori. I just stared at him for a few moments, not really sure how to answer him. It was not like I could just say that I came from the future after making a wish on the Shikon to Tama to give him a better life.
“My name is Kagome and I am a friend,” I finally replied, giving him my brightest smile, figuring since it had always worked on the older Inuyasha, why not the younger. Though judging by the look he gave me, it did not work quite as well as I would have liked. “I am a friend, how else would I know your name, Inuyasha? And I was sent here to help you.”
“You don't smell familiar, how can you be a friend if I don't know your scent? And you could have just asked someone what my name was,” he told me with another huff and I was surprised to find the chibi Inuyasha was acting smarter than the adult version. That led me to my next problem, how to convince him that I was an ally when he was using his head, other than as some hard object to hit someone with as he usually did.
“Well that would be because you had not met me yet. Tell me Inuyasha, why have you not been called in by your mother for dinner yet?” I wondered, wanting to get his mind off of how I could be a friend if we had not met yet, but after a moment, I realized that she had probably already passed away. He glanced back toward the village sadly, remaining silent for a minute before he finally responded to me. The look in his golden eyes, almost brought tears to mine.
“Momma died last month and none of the villagers see any reason to feed a filthy hanyou,” he replied with disgust and I wondered if it was directed toward the villagers or himself. Had he perhaps believed what people said about half-demons, when he was young? It was then that I realized he said she died a month ago, had he not been fed in that long?
I pushed the thoughts of screaming at the villagers out of my mind, for the moment, as I pulled my bag off of my shoulder and began going through it as I gathered what I would need for dinner. Once my portable stove, that my mother gave me for my birthday the year before, was set up, I began preparing a meal for us. “I don't want any of ya food,” he insisted as he turned away from food and glared silently at the village.
“That is fine, but it seems awfully wrong to waste good food like that,” I replied off handedly, so he would not think it matted to me if he ate or not. When the food was ready, I filled two bowls, sitting one down near him in case he changed his mind. It had only taken him about five seconds to do so and he was wolfing it down. I tried not to laugh at how much he seemed like my best friend at that moment as I began eating from my own bowl.
“This is good, what's this stuff anyways?” he questioned as he kept his eyes trained on the pot and held out his bowl for more. I quickly refilled it, watching as it disappeared as fast as the first had and he was soon asking for more. I gave him the last helping, thankful once again that I had just gone back for supplies and we would not run out soon. His food vanished in a flash and once he saw there was no more in the pan, he lost interest in me.
“It is called ramen and is from my village,” I explained, as I gave him a smile. Having finished off my dinner, I collected the bowls and started packing up my cooking supplies. “I have more if you are still hungry later, but you should not eat anymore right now, it will just make you sick,” I told him, the smile still present on my face, as I gestured toward my backpack that was at least half full of many different flavors of ramen, per his older self's request.
“So what'cha want for me anyways?” he questioned after a moment as I watched his ears twitch, picking up small sounds that my human ears could never dream of hearing. While I thought of the best way to explain things to him, I reached into my bag and brought out two bottles of water and handed him one after removing the cap. I took a couple of sips from my bottle and watched as he mimicked my actions.
“I want to help you. With your mom passing away and the other villagers leaving you to fend for yourself, I do not think it would be a good idea for you to stay near this village. I would like you to come with me. I would really enjoy having a friend to travel with,” I told him with a smile, which again he did not seem to fall for. I realized then that, much like his future self, it would be difficult to gain his trust and friendship.
“Why would ya want to help me? I'm nothing but a half-breed and I don't need any friends,” he huffed in reply as he stood and jumped into the branches of the tree he had been leaning against. I glanced over at the village wondering how, in the name of Kami, anyone could treat a child as they had treated him since his mother had died, and perhaps even since the day he was born. Though I was sure she had protected him from the brunt of it, I doubted he had escaped all of their hatred.
“I have no reason for wanting to help you other than that I just do. You may not need any friends, Inuyasha, but I could sure use one. It does not matter if you are a half-demon, titles such as this mean nothing to me. I make friends based on who they are not what they are. I realize you have no reason to trust me, I simply ask that you give me a chance to show you can,” I told him as I glanced up into the tree to where I could barely make out his form in the darkening dusk.
“Ya gotta have a better reason than just cause ya want to. Why would ya want to be my friend? You're a priestess and priestesses hate all demons,” he huffed from somewhere in the tree above me and I found myself praying to the Kami that he had not already had to deal with prejudice priestesses as I balled my hands up into fists. I had always hoped, that with everything he had to go through with Kikyou, that she had been the only one to create a dark spot on his life.
“Because Inuyasha, I know how hard your life if going to be simply because you are a half-demon and I want to do all that I can to make it better. No one deserves to go through what you will simply because of who and what their parents were. I realize I am probably strange for a priestess, but I do not hate all demons, only those that try to hurt others without cause. Just as I hate humans who do the same.”
“Did you know my parents?” he questioned meekly from the tree and I knew that it was going to be fun to try and answer him. While I gave myself some time to figure out the best way, I patted the ground next to me and reached into my bag for a couple of lollipops. Once he jumped down and taken a seat, I unwrapped his and handed it over to him. Repeating the action with my own, I put it into my mouth and began lightly sucking on the sweet, cheery juices.
“I did have the honor of meeting your father once, but mostly I have just heard great things about them,” I explained as I watched him take a careful lick of his lollipop before putting it into his mouth as he had seen me do. He seemed to think over what I said silently, though judging by his dubious expression, he did not believe me even for a moment. Though I could not blame him, what were the chances of an unknown priestess meeting the great dog demon general?
“You're not old enough to have met my dad, he died at least a few years before you were born. And what's so great about them anyways? They left me all alone in a world where everyone hurts me just 'cause I'm a half-breed,” he spat back at me and again I found myself wanting to go strangle the villagers for their cruelty and stupidity. How anyone could harm a child, especially for something that was far outside of his control, was beyond me.
“I met him as a spirit, it is a long story that I will probably tell you one day, but it would not make any sense at the moment. I know that it might not seem like it right now, but your parents were really good people. Even with everything that was stacked against them, they managed to fall in love with each other. A love that was so deep, so pure, that most people can not even begin to imagine it, let alone experience it.
“Neither of them meant to leave you, Inuyasha, and I am sure they did everything they could not to. Your father, Inu no Taisho, was a great demon, feared and respected by all who knew him. On the day you were born, he had just fought a great demon named Ryukotsusei and was already injured when he came to your mother. He died protecting both of you so she could continue to live and so that you would be given the chance to live.
“Your mother, Izayoi, was a very beautiful woman who managed to catch the attention of a demon lord, not many humans would be able to do that, even less earning their love to such a degree that they would die for them. She continued to take care of you, even after she had lost her love and was no doubt heartbroken, so you would not be alone and because she loved you. I am sure if she could, she would still be with you now, your father too.
“I know it is not fair that you have already lost both of your parents or how the villagers treat you when you have no control over who you were born to, but that is why I want to take you away from here. With me, I will never let anyone treat you badly simply because you are a half-demon. There are so many beautiful things in this world and I want to show them to you, help you to experience the wonders that are out there just waiting to be discovered.”
“But why do ya want to help me so much? What's in it for ya? And how do ya know so much about my parents if ya never met them in life?” he questioned and I could see the unshed tears in the corner of his golden eyes. I reached my arms out, embracing him as I pulled him into my lap. He instantly tried to get up, but I just held him tighter. I knew if he truly wished to get away he could with little effort, the fact that he did not gave me hope that I might be able to reach my future friend.
“I know what it is like to lose a parent, I too lost my father when I was young. I truly believe, Inuyasha, that you should never have to go through the things you have, and more than likely will, simply because of what you are, especially at such a young age. I swear to you, the only thing I hope to get out of this is a friend, which I am sorely lacking at the moment. I know what I do about your parents, because their story has been whispered to me during my travels across the land.”