Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. This story is a joint effort between Touch_of_Pixie_Dust and Popy16.
Robes of Miko: Kagome
Kagome gasped as Kikyo stared back at her.
She thought that Kikyo was out of her life for good. She thought that finally she would have her happy ending with Inuyasha. She thought that Kikyo was out of THEIR lives... It would figure that Kikyo would find a way back from death, again, to cause heartache for Inuyasha again.
Kagome frowned as she reached out and touched the mirror. She never really saw it before, how much like Kikyo she looked, until she wore the robes of a miko. Every time Inuyasha would see her wearing these clothes, he would be reminded of Kikyo, of the woman he loved. The woman he lost.
Why didn't she think about how much this would affect him... affect THEM... before she let Kaede convince her to become a miko.
"Aye," said Kaede, startling her, "Now you look the part of a miko."
She didn't have to say it, Kagome could see it in her eye. Kagome looked like Kikyo. She narrowed her eyes as she glared at her reflection then patted her cheeks, they were fuller than Kikyo's were. So (sadly) was her waist. Well, so what? Kikyo hadn't had to work off the calories of a double cheeseburger, now did she?
Kagome had watched Kaede pull the clothes out of a chest. Funny how it hadn't occurred to her before that she was probably wearing clothes that actually belonged to Kikyo. Would they retain her scent? Would Inuyasha smell Kikyo on her? Or would so many years have washed it away? Then again... she sniffed her arm... the fabric didn't smell like it was over fifty years old. Still, she was reluctant to actually ask.
She had let Kaede teach her how to dress herself in the robes. It was probably something her mother had tried to teach her when she was younger, when her grandfather thought that she would be taking over the family shrine when he passed away. But she must not have paid attention, because it all felt so strange. She missed her pleated skirts.
The hakui came first. It was a white robe that almost reached her knees. In fact, it was about the same length of the skirts that she favored. She learned that the ties that kept her sleeves from falling down were called muna-himo. White tabi socks came next before she slipped on the red hakama. Kaede had explained that this one was not split like trousers since it was being worn over the robe. Underneath it all she was wearing a thin cotton shirt called a hadagi that was just a hair shorter than the hakui. However, Kagome wasn't comfortable with that being the extent of her undergarments, so she kept those on as well.
Before she had looked in the mirror all she could think about was how hot it was going to be traveling around wearing so much clothing! And would she ever remember how it all went back on? Couldn't she just wearing the hakui with an obi or something instead? It would look similar to what she used to wear.
You were fifteen then, she scolded herself. She was an adult. She was a miko. She had made the decision to make her life here, and she would conform to the dress code. Well, except the undergarments... there were limits for a modern girl after all.
"Are you ready, Kagome?"
No. Absolutely not. Not ready to face Inuyasha and see his face when he sees these robes. What were the options? Hide? Refuse to become a miko because she didn't like the uniform? Ask if they have it in blue?
No.
No no no.
She was not leaving this hut as Kagome Higurashi, school girl. She was leaving this hut as the miko Kagome. Soon to be mate of Inuyasha.
Being a miko mated to a half demon was going to be tough. She was aware of the names she would be called, after all, she had heard them enough times when she was here three years ago. But leaving this room looking like... like her. It was like a nightmare. She was scared. For three years she had been separated from Inuyasha. Three years. Did they really need to start out their new lives together by instantly having to throw Kikyo in front of him? Not literally, of course.
"Come now, child."
Kagome took a deep breath as she slipped on the zori sandals. She could do this. She couldn't make Inuyasha wait for her any longer. Not after he waited so long for her. How unfair to him. Her memory of him and her trips to the past had been clouded when she was sent back to the future when the well stopped working. Without those memories, she didn't have to live through three years of missing him. Poor Inuyasha. Every three days he had jumped down that well to see if it had let her through. Every. Three. Days.
How could she go out there dressed like this knowing that it would hurt him? Wearing her normal clothes was out of the question now that this was to be her permanent home, but she could wear what the other villagers wore. Did she really HAVE to be a miko?
Her hands went to the bow that tied her hakama.
But didn't she have a duty to this village, to Kaede, to everyone whose live was touched by the Shikon jewel? After all, she had the powers of a miko. If Kaede was to be believed, she had the powers of a powerful miko. Didn't that mean she had a responsibility?
Her hands stilled. Then dropped to her sides.
She is a miko. She would do her best to protect her village, to protect her loved ones, and to keep as many safe as possible. However, she smiled to herself, unlike other mikos, SHE would do it with Inuyasha at her side.
"Hurry it up, wench!" yelled the half demon from outside. "We ain't got all day, you know."
Taking a deep breath she made a decision. Holding her head high she stepped out of the hut and into the sunshine. She heard the gasp of her friends as they saw her, but she only had eyes for Inuyasha.
She heard the hushed whispers, but she held her head high. She was Kagome Higurashi. Girl from the future. Mate to and insanely in love with Inuyasha. Mother to Shippo. High school graduate. Kagome, the totally non-traditional miko.
The robes of a miko may have once been Kikyo's robes, but they were her robes now.
ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOO ooOOooOOoo
Touch_of_Pixie_Dust Author Notes:
This is a joint project (which I've never done before). We are each writing separate chapters from different the point of view of different characters. The fun thing about this project is that my partner and I don't speak the same language. We will each translate the others chapters (I'll be using an online translating site) and fix it up just a little bit.
Popy16 Author Notes:
Hi all, there really is not much more to say about this crazy project, I'm just so excited for him. For me it is important to where I am because it is a way to see how small the world really is (with a computer with internet connection, of course). I'm from Uruguay, Montevideo. It would be nice to know where you are, so if they will not forget comment put where they are!
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