~Ch.19 Sora~

After my sickness has been healed, quite a few months have passed. I noticed that Kagome's stomach has grown majorly, and I assumed that the baby would come any day now. Thankfully, winter has come and gone, and soon transformed into a beautiful springtime. But there was one thing missing in order for everything to feel and seem right. That one thing is Akuma hasn't appeared at all ever since he took the Sacred Jewel from Kagome.

I noticed that the others aren't worried about it, but I don't think they've noticed as much as I have. They've mostly paid attention to Kagome's pregnancy, which is what I'm worried about too. But while they're all preoccupied with the pregnancy, Akuma could be getting stronger and killing innocent lives. However, I should be worried like that in a time like this. The reason being is Kagome's in labor.

Kagome instructed everyone to leave except for me, Inuyasha, and Sakura. She also instructed for the others to get clean water and something to dry the baby off with. Everyone made haste and did as they were told to do. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand in a tight grip as she begun to push out her baby. Sakura warned Inuyasha not to look in her direction of getting the baby out. I was holding Kagome's other hand, for moral support.

"You're doing great, lady Kagome!" Sakura praised.

"Inuyasha…I swear…if you get me pregnant again…I'll kill you!" Kagome shouted at Inuyasha while still pushing.

"Inuyasha…I would do what the woman says. Don't get her pregnant again," I laughed nervously while Inuyasha looked scared to death.

"O-Okay…" Inuyasha said nervously.

"Besides, she can still say sit to you."

"Ouch! Yuki, why the hell did you tell me to sit again?" I heard Kei shout at me from outside.

"I'm sorry Kei, I was telling something to Inuyasha!"

I noticed Sakura laugh a little at our little argument, which I chuckled lightly too. Soon, the entire hut filled with Kagome's screams of pain of getting her baby out. I looked at Inuyasha and noticed his ears were flattened against his head from Kagome's screams. I also noticed Inuyasha already looked down and was starting to look paler by the second. I shoved him out of the way and I grabbed Kagome's other hand.

"Inuyasha looked, didn't he?" Sakura asked me.

"Yeah, the idiot did look," I answered her question bluntly.

"Is he passed out yet?"

"He's about to…ah, he just did."

"Damn you, Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled at the unconscious Inuyasha.

"I take it he didn't make it through the first time you were pregnant."

"I guess not, otherwise he would try to stay awake now," Sakura pointed out.

I nodded in agreement and Kagome screamed again, but I noticed with more anguish. I overheard Sakura saying that the head was finally out, and told Kagome to push more. I looked back over at Inuyasha and he was starting to wake up from his unconsciousness. I thought of how Sakura's able to withstand seeing Kagome's baby coming out. She must've done this before to other villagers, I bet.

After another few minutes, I soon heard a baby's cries filling the room. Not too long after, Ushio came in and gave Sakura a large bucket filled with water and a blanket to dry the baby off. Inuyasha shook whatever feeling he had off and started to clean the newborn baby off. I felt Kagome releasing her grip on my hands, which she gripped pretty damn hard! I rubbed my hands together, hoping to relieve some of the pain.

"Hey, Kagome, this time it's a girl," Inuyasha told an exhausted Kagome.

"Really…can I hold her?" Kagome panted.

"You bet, babe," Inuyasha said while handing the newborn over to Kagome.

"What're you gonna name her?" I asked them both.

"Why don't you name her, Kagome? I named the last one."

"Okay…um…what about Sora?" Kagome suggested.

"Anything you want."

I smiled at the two and I noticed the baby started to look at her mother and father. I left the three alone and I immediately saw Kei right by the curtain's entrance. Kei asked me if the baby was alright, and I had nodded in response. I motioned Kei to go in to see the baby girl, and without hesitation he did. I smiled at him and started walking up to Kikyo's shrine. Maybe everyone else has ignored Akuma's disappearance, but I haven't.

When I finally got through the treacherous steps, I soon walked up towards the small shrine dedicated to Kikyo. I start thinking of where Akuma might be: Mount Hakurei, in one of the forests, a cavern, or possibly my time. Before I could think of where else Akuma might be hiding, I noticed a spirit in front of me. That spirit is without a doubt Kikyo, the late priestess.

"Kikyo…do you have any idea where Akuma might be?" I asked her.

"I have a guess on where he might be, since I no longer can feel his presence in this world," Kikyo admitted.

"What do you mean by that? Is Akuma in my world?"

"Highly unlikely, Yuki…but there's a chance that he might be the afterlife."

"You mean he's dead?"

"No, he's very much alive. My guess would have to be…the underworld."

"The underworld…there's no way I could get to him now!"

"There is a way, but you might inquire Inuyasha or Sesshomaru's help."

"What do you mean by that?"

"They both share a technique called the Meido Zangetsuha, which is a pathway leading to the underworld. But when a person enters, they never return to the world of living. Somehow, Kagome was able to surpass this when making the wish of the Sacred Jewel to disappear from the world."

"…what should I do, Kikyo?"

"Others would suggest you not go, but if you want to rid of the jewel and Akuma, go to the underworld. But not alone, there's someone else that should go with you. Someone might have the power to grant the wish to the jewel."

"Who might that be?"

"She's just arrived in this village, but to unwise to speak a word to anyone as of yet. She will grow up to be a half demon, but yet look like a human until the full moon, where she'll be a full demon for a night."

"…are you talking about Sora?"

"Correct, but it may take time to get to Akuma in the underworld. I would suggest waiting until she knows the knowledge of Akuma's doings."

"How long should I wait for?"

"You should wait until she's ready. Promise me something, Yuki. Promise me you'll tell no one of our meeting or our discussion just now. Wait until you know Sora's ready."

"…I promise, Kikyo, not to tell anyone."

"…I like you, Yuki. I know you'll do what needs to be done. By the way, good luck with Kei in the future."

Soon enough, she disappeared from my vision. I blushed from the last comment she said to me, but it'll be hard not to tell anyone of our meeting just now. I gave my respects to Kikyo before I headed down to the village. When I headed down the stairs, people asked me where I've been. I just gave them a simple answer so that they'll leave me alone on the subject:

"I gave my respects to Kikyo."

As much as I think all of you will loathe me saying this, but this is the end of Under the Moon

BUT! There will be a sequel to this! I promise you all that!

I will have to wait on the sequel until I can finish up most of my stories. But please, check them out!

Until next time 3 please review!