A Dying Ambition
Chapter 1
An Old Path Revisited
Kagome walks out of the house taking in the fresh air. 'Not much has changed.' Kagome thinks to herself. Kagome then spots the massive tree standing out of the corner of her eye. 'Goshinboku.' She walked up to the large tree. She stood in front of it for a moment studying the tree, and then she slowly ran her hand down the bark of the tree. Strangely enough, the roughness brought back many memories. She closed her eyes and welcomes the memories of her past. A small smile escapes Kagome's lips and she releases a light sigh. Within her own comfort she remember, how the times were back then, but how good they are now.
Her train of thought was broken by the sound of shuffling behind her. She turned to see her mother and her brother standing on the stairs that lead up to the court yard.
"Kagome." Her mother cries.
"Nee-chan" He younger brother squeals. Kagome smiles at her approaching family. 'They haven't changed at all either.'
"We weren't expecting you till tomorrow," exclaimed her mother, "How are you doing?"
"As good as I can be." Kagome answers cheerfully with a smile. Her mother looked into her eyes to make sure she was telling the truth. Satisfied, with what she saw, she turned and looked at the house, "Have you seen your grandfather yet?"
"Yeah, once he saw me he ran off to look for something back in the storage unit." Kagome nods in the direction of the storage hut.
"Some old relic I assume?" Said her mother. Kagome smiles lightly.
"So... Sota how is you soccer going?" Kagome asked.
"Good," He says with excitement that she had asked, "I'm a goalie this year." Kagome smiled as her little brother went into detail about their recent game, but her mind kept wondering off to other things.
Sota finished his over stressed story and headed into the house. Kagome lingered outside for awhile drawing in all that she had missed. 'Let's think, I've been gone for only a year and so much as changed..'
Kagome eyes wonder over to the old hut that had contained the well. Kagome hesitated for a moment and then she took a few steps towards the hut. She stood outside of the familiar hut staring at the sliding wood doors. Kagome grabbed the doors and slid them apart. The doors groaned with their age. The door were much harder to open then what she remembered.
Kagome took a few steps in side and stood above the stairs that led down to the well. She stared down at the well. The well hadn't been resealed, but it was showing its age. Many weeds had grown over the well due to its lack of use. Kagome knew that one day her grandfather would try to re-seal the well with a sacred scroll, and she knew that her excuses would soon run out. She hadn't known why she didn't wanted it sealed again. 'I haven't been in here for nearly four years.' Kagome thought, 'Ever since he stopped coming.' She took a deep breath and began to walk down the stairs. She stopped just before the well and bit down on her lower lip. She sneered lightly at the well, but then wiped away her expression with a sigh. She slowly leaned forward trying to peer down the well. She looked into the dark abyss, but the only thing that she saw was the abyss staring right back at her. She sighed once again and reached up to her breasts. Tucked tightly with in her shirt was an old necklace she has worn for the past four years.
Kagome pulled the small round pink jewel out of her shirt and stared at it for a moment. Slowly twisting in her hand, Kagome marveled the jewel one more time. It wasn't the jewel itself that Kagome was marveling, it was the history that followed
that jewel. Kagome then took the jewel into her hand and clasped it tightly. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.
"Who told you, you could go back?"
"Inuyasha?"
"Come on we have to go."
"Wait a minute."
"What?"
Kagome just smiled to her self. That's what he would always say, 'Come on we have to go.' He would always demand Kagome to return with him, even if she was only gone for a short while.
Kagome quickly shook of her daydream and turned and walked back up the stairs. Then Kagome froze, she turned back around and looked back down at the well. 'For a moment there.. I thought I heard...' Kagome thought. 'I could have sworn I heard something.' She listened intently to the silence, but nothing could be heard. Kagome turned back and began walking back up the stairs, but then she heard it again. This time Kagome was sure of herself, but before Kagome had a chance to react to the noise something grabbed her legs and whipped her up into the air. Kagome felt herself being drawn downwards into the well.
Kagome shifted at the bottom of the well. She rubbed her head and slowly picked herself up off of the floor of the well. She then realized that whatever had pulled her into the well was still gripping around her waist. It tightened it's grip on her thrust Kagome out of the well. Kagome shot out of the top of the well and was held in mid air. Below her she stared at her attacker. Staring back at Kagome was a massive snake that had a hold onto her waist. His up torso was built similar to a humans but was cover in scales. His piercing yellow eyes studied Kagome for a moment, moving its head to look her in straight in the eyes. He then began to shake her violently till he spotted what he was after. Kagome's jewel that was around her neck had fallen out of her shirt and in
plain sight to the demon. He quickly threw Kagome down to the ground and rapped it huge body around her. Kagome moaned in pain, but she didn't have time to worry about the pain, she realized the demons true motives. The demon lunged in for Kagome neck, she pushed herself back and has hard as she could. She let out a loud scream of pain.
Kagome then felt a surg of energy flow through her body, she took her aim and a burst of energy came from Kagome's hands. The demon threw his head back in pain. Screaming and shrilling about, the demon released Kagome. Kagome quickly crawled away from the demon. She laid on the ground for a moment trying to catch her breath. The demon behind her begins to regain some of its strength. Kagome looked over her shoulder and saw the demon staring back down at her. Its motives seemed different now. He seemed more enraged now. Kagome slowly picked herself up off of the ground, but not quick enough. The demon swung its tail at Kagome taking her clean off of her feet. Kagome hit the ground hard and painfully.
She shifted trying to moved but the pain was moving from her chest to her arms and then to her legs. She collapsed on the ground unable to move. Kagome pulled all of her strength together and looked over her shoulder. The demon had disappeared, but its jaki remained. Kagome then frantically noticed the absent of the jewel around her neck.
'When did it fall off? During the struggle the jewel must have broken off from around my neck.'
Kagome closed her eyes and tried to sense where the jewel was. Kagome then opened her eyes and stared into the forest. The jewel had disappeared into the forest. Kagome knew for certain she could sense its power, but it wasn't moving!
She sighed with relief, 'Maybe I hit him harder than I thought?' and began to pull herself up, but then she felt the jewel begin to move. It was moving quickly towards her.
'The demon has the jewel.'
Kagome quickly turned in the direction of the jewel and appearing before her was the snake appearing completely different than from before. He towered over standing up has high has he could.
"He told me you had the jewel, he told me where I could get it, but he never told me of your power. Not that it matters anymore. Your power is useless without the jewel." The snaked hissed at her. He quickly lunged from Kagome. She stumbled backwards in defense, but losing her footing she fell to the ground. Then from behind Kagome heard and a voice, and she hadn't heard and years. "SHIT!" And from the same direction and massive amount of energy came flying through the air and dissolved the snake.
Kagome slowly began to pick herself up, but was left behind of the demon fell on top of her. Kagome was soaked with the demon's remains and blood. Kagome stood up and shook off the blood, the smell was more than over powering, it was even numbing. Kagome did wait another moment she frantically looked around for the jewel. She sensed the energy coming above her. She looked up and saw the jewel falling quickly through the air.
'It was unharmed.'
Kagome stumbled to her feet and ran out underneath of the jewel and caught it. She breathes gently for a second...
"I don't know who you are, but I want to know where you got that jewel?" Kagome heard the voice once more behind her. She began to turn around and all of the sudden from her right the demon's remaining upper torso lunged at her. Kagome quickly reacts to the attack and blasts the demon once more with her own energy wave.
Kagome's hands are out in front of her and the jewel was lying at her feet. She bent down and picked up the jewel she had dropped in her final defense. She turned and faced the familiar voice.
"Does that answer your question?" And these two yellow beating eyes stared right back at her in amazement. There was a moment of silence between the now reunited friends, but it was quickly broken, "Kagome?"
Kagome tried to respond to him but she began to feel extremely dizzy and her head began to spin. Kagome turned and slowly began to walk back to the well. Tripping over her own feet she fell to the ground.
"Shit, Kagome!" He yelled and ran to her aide. He rolled her over and Kagome was breathing extremely heavily. her hands were gripping on to her chest. She was in so much pain. Kagome mumbles the name that was so familiar to her still, "Inuyasha." And she loses consciousness and passes out.
"Kagome-chan..."
"Hang on Kagome!"
"Kagome-sama!"
The voices of her friends were running in her mind, but for some reason she couldn't put their faces with there voices, until...
"KAGOME..."
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screams.
Kagome lightly stirs awake.
"Welcome back."
"What happened," Kagome sits up from a floor matt, "where am I?" An elderly women walks over and puts a small cup of water in front of Kagome's face.
"Well, the blood that you were covered in, paralyzes humans if they come in contact with it. I had to change you clothes as well. I hung them outside, but I couldn't get all of the smell out of them." Said the elderly women. Kagome pushes herself up off of the floor. Kagome looked down and noticed that she was dressed in the same attire at the elderly women. Suddenly Kagome grips her forehead and begins to fall backwards. Kagome regains her balance, but the room was still spinning and her breathing was still very heavy.
"Home," She stutters, "I got to make it home."
"I don't suggest it Kagome. I think you should wait until the effects of the blood wear off." replies the elderly women.
'It's not the blood.' Kagome thought. She stagers to the straw door and pushes it open. The blinding light of the sun stuns Kagome but she continues to force her self through the door way. She stumbles once more, but doesn't fall.
"Home, I have to make it back to the well." Kagome pushes away from the door way and she stumbles even further. Kagome could still hear the elderly women following her.
"Kagome please, I advice you to rest before you head home."
Kagome pulled all of her strength together to make it sound convincing that she was alright.
"I'm sure I'll be fine. I'll go home and take a decent bath to wash more of this smell off, and I will get some decent rest." The elderly lady backed off and Kagome continued into the forest towards the well she came from.
With the well insight, Kagome started to struggle even more.
'I'm not going to make it.' Kagome could feel the last of her strength being used.
Finally she reaches the well and rests on it leaning over it.
"You just don't know when to quit." She heard someone speak. His remark was more of statement than a question, but Kagome could barely hear it none the less. with her last bit of strength she mumbles "Inu..." she tries to turn, but with no prevail. She falls head first into the well.
"KAGOME!"
"Kagome... Kagome... are you alright?"
"Mama" Kagome stirs in her own bed, "How did I get here?"
"Carried.. Of course." She said smiling. Kagome slowly opens her eyes a bit more to see her mother and brother leaning over the side of the bed, "Gave us a bit of a scare there." Kagome rolled back...
"It's all your fault...I JUST HATE YOU!" Kagome screamed. Kagome had been
through so much and she still didn't know where she stood with Inuyasha. Kagome had just saved Kikyo's life, once more.
She was poisoned from Naraku and was dying. Kagome purified the
poison and saved Kikyo, but Kikyo gave Kagome no gratitude and even warned Kagome to watch herself. Kikyo wasn't going to let Naraku take Inuyasha to the next life. Kikyo reassured Kagome the it would be her that took Inuyasha's life,
"Inuyasha's life belongs to me!" Kikyo said.
Inuyasha didn't see Kikyo for who she really was, and Kagome didn't have it in her heart to tell Inuyasha what Kikyo's plans were. Kagome knew that it would make little difference anyway. The fact just made her even more angry and confused.
"I hate you... I want you to leave me alone." Kagome stood up and walked away from Inuyasha. He couldn't answer, how could he answer her.
Kikyo had once given her life for a great cause, and Inuyasha felt that because he had gotten involved with Kikyo, it was his fault she died to save the Shikon no Tama.
Kagome stirred again out of her sleep.
'That's right, that's how it started.' She thought about the past. Kagome opened her eyes and saw the familiar yellow eyes staring at her. She pushed herself
back to see Inuyasha staring her in the face.
"Welcome back to the land of the living."
"Hm... indeed." Kagome looked around the room, then back to Inuyasha, "Why are you here?"
"Keh," Inuyasha looked away from Kagome, "I had to carry you here. You fell I into the well. You didn't wait long enough for that blood aroma to wear off."
"It wasn't the blood." Kagome mumbled. Inuyasha turned and looked at Kagome. 'Ah, his ears. He heard.'
"What do you mean it wasn't the blood?"
"I didn't mean anything by it." she rolled on her side.
"Kagome!" He demanded.
"Inuyasha.. Please get up! INUYASHA.."
"Kagome get out of here."
"No, if I move Naraku will attack and you don't stand and chance. I'm not going to lose you. I will not lose you." Kagome screamed she stood behind Inuyasha holding her ground, armed with her bow and arrow. Behind her standing on a mountain ridge was Kikyo pointing an arrow at Kagome. If Kagome moved she knew Kikyo would hit Inuyasha, and if she turned to Kikyo, Naraku would attack. Kagome was cornered. Inuyasha was wounded and he could barely move. Kagome breathed lightly, and smiled to herself.
'Hate you... how could I ever hate you... I love you!'
"Inuyasha." Kagome pulled her arrow back farther, "You make it impossible not love you." And she fired the arrow. It flew towards Naraku, and Kagome's heart skipped a beat.
'Kikyo I'm prepared to die for him, is that why you hate me.'
"Kagome!" Inuyasha managed to yell. 'I'm sorry' she thought, as a flash of light hit Kagome, and she lost her breath.
"I'm sick.."
"How did you become sick?"
"I'm human." She answered rolling back over in bed and sat up.
"Whatever. You're going to live now." he answered. Kagome smiled to herself, but her enjoyment of her thought left her quickly, she was struck with a gripping pain in her chest.
"Inuyasha... Mama..."
"You were prepared to die from him. I warned you about it and you still stood your ground."
"I wasn't going to let him get hurt."
"Your life is not something to risk. You don't understand the importance of your own life."
"What importance would my life have if I let him die? Kyrra I know how you feel, and I know you believe me to be some missing key when I come in contact with that jewel, my powers are nothing more than that, and I will never use the jewel for power!"
"That is what you don't understand. You don't need the jewel. It's just stepping stone for you. Your power and your heart will be what is needed to destroy it..
'Destroy it... but if it's destroyed... what about... Inuyasha... Will I not see him any more...what will happen..'
A cool breeze brushes Kagome hair and cools her skin. Kagome slowly forces her eyes open and sees her curtains blowing with the cool night air.
"Inuyasha." Kagome called into the darkness, there was no answer. She sat up and looked about her room, but he was not there.
'No he wouldn't be' Kagome rolled back onto her pillow and griped it. 'Inuyasha' Something had shifted in her room and Kagome shot up to see Inuyasha sitting over in the corner of her room. She couldn't believe it, he stayed.
"I thought you left."
"Why did you lie?"
"Lie?" Kagome looked at him puzzled through the dark. She couldn't see his facial features, but she knew that he could see hers.
"Your not sick."
'Not sick...no your right.'
"Your dying." Kagome smiled to herself...
'Sota... why did you tell him'
"No reason to trouble others with me." Kagome realized how pathetic she sounded, almost wishing for death.
'But it's not true, I don't want to leave. I want to stay.' Kagome thought. She looked over at Inuyasha starring down at her. 'I can't leave...'
"Kagome!" Inuyasha stood up, 'He's concerned'
"How?. .How" Inuyasha demanded. Kagome closed her eyes.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome pulled her arrow back farther, "You make it impossible not love you.." 'Kikyo I'm prepared to die for him, is that why you hate me.. I'm sorry.'
'Prepared to ... to die... to die for him.'
'Tell him the truth... the truth...I can't tell him.'
"It doesn't matter really." Kagome said. She opened her eyes and looked Inuyasha. He had never looked so hurt before.
"If it didn't matter then why don't you just tell me?" Inuyasha said. His tone of voice was different. Instead of his demanding tone it was subtle and quite.
"I told you why..I didn't want..."
"That's not good enough!" Inuyasha barked. Kagome shifted and tried to look into his eyes. He had turned away and looked off. Kagome couldn't believe it. He was here again and it was like nothing had ever changed.
"Naraku!" Kagome screams as she raises her bow. Naraku lifts his head from the wounded Inuyasha and sees Kagome standing there. Kagome was still in so much pain, and was forcing herself to stand. Inuyasha looked up from the ground. He had been hit hard from Naraku and was having trouble moving. 'Kagome' Inuyasha thought, he couldn't believe it. Kagome was standing there. 'She's alive, but how? Kikyo's arrow should have killed her, it pierced her heart.'
Kagome released the arrow and it flew through the arrow. Hitting Naraku dead on in the stomach. Naraku threw Inuyasha across the courtyard as if he was a rag doll. Inuyasha's lifeless body laid there. Miroku stood there holding his hand in pain. Sango was help Miroku to stand. Her weapon was embedded into the wall behind Naraku, and she knew that there was no way she could get it. Their only defense was Kagome.
Naraku looked down at the arrow and rapped his hands around the arrow but he was unable to touch it. He lifted hit head and stared Kagome down.
"That one was for Sango and her brother!" Kagome screamed. Tears where flying down Kagome's face, but she didn't hesitate for a moment. She pulled out another arrow and she released it. The arrow whipped through the air and hit Naraku in the shoulder.
"That one was for Miroku and his family." She screamed. Naraku fell to one of his knees gripping the powerful purifying arrow. The arrow burnt the flesh off of his hands, but he tried to remove it with all of his strength. Kagome saw Naraku's attempt to free himself. She fired another arrow that hit him in the other shoulder. Kagome screamed out at Naraku, "That one... that one was for Inuyasha and Kikyo." Tears were now flowing down off of her face and on to hands that were stringing up her final arrow.
"This one is for me and everyone else that you hurt in the process of getting that DAMN jewel!" Kagome screamed and released the arrow. Naraku stood up and lunged at Kagome. The from the corner of the courtyard Inuyasha had pulled himself up quickly knowing that Kagome was in danger. He rushed behind Naraku. Inuyasha pulled the last of strength together and kicked Naraku in the oncoming arrow. There was a moment of silence as the arrow broke through his skin piecing his heart. Naraku stumbled back cursing Kagome and Inuyasha assuring them this would not be the last they see of him. Suddenly a burst of light came from Naraku, and they could hear thousands of demons scream in pain, as Kagome's arrow slowly burned away at them. Inuyasha went flying back and hit the ground hard, and Kagome disappeared into the light.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Kagome?"
"Yes Shippo?"
"Are these it?" Shippo said pointing to a small plant that rested at the base of a tree. Kagome walked up to the plant he had pointed out.
"Yes Shippo, that's it." Kagome said. She knelt down next to Shippo and began to pull the plant out by the roots. Kagome laid her bow and arrows alongside of them and they stuffed the plants into a small basket that Kagome held on to.
"These one's are good for wounds." Kagome explained to the young fox child.
"We will need a lot of them for Inuyasha." Shippo said. Kagome laughed.
They continued to collect plants, until Kagome heard something coming from the other side of the tree. Kagome looked around the tree and saw Inuyasha standing there. His back was to her and he had his arms cross.
"Inu..." Kagome said, but she was cut off.
"Inuyasha, how long are you going to treat Kagome like this?" Sango asked approaching Inuyasha. Inuyasha spun around and looked at her. Kagome hid herself behind the tree. Shippo looked at Kagome in confusion. Slowly Shippo looked around the tree and saw Miroku and Sango standing there looking at Inuyasha.
"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha snapped at her.
"How long are you going to string Kagome's emotions along like this?" Sango asked.
"Yes, Inuyasha, Kagome has to deal with a lot of stuff coming from you. I too wonder how long you plan on treating her like this?" Miroku demanded.
"I don't..." Inuyasha said.
"But you do!" demanded Sango, "Kagome feels a lot for you. Why can't you just tell her what you think?" Kagome began to blush. Shippo turned back and looked at Kagome. He started to smile. He knew it was about time Kagome heard something from Inuyasha. He hated seeing Kagome get hurt every time Kikyo showed up.
"Inuyasha, why can't you just be honest." Asked Miroku, "Every time Kikyo comes by, Kagome has to deal with you. She puts up with you leaving her behind, and hurting her each and every time." Miroku said in Kagome's defense.
Sango slammed her foot into the ground, "Well, how do you feel?" She demanded.
"Yes Inuyasha," Asked Miroku.
Inuyasha hesitated for a moment stuttering over his words. Kagome set the basket down, picked up her bow and arrows, and stood up. She decided this was enough. 'I'm not going to get an answer out of him like this.' Kagome said to herself.
"Kagome is a friend, she's a great friend." Inuyasha said, he turned away from his to interrogators, "Kagome will always be a friend. I wish I wouldn't have to say that, but..." Inuyasha paused for a moment, "Kagome knows that I can't just leave Kikyo. Kikyo gave so much and I feel that some how it's my fault. Kagome..." Inuyasha paused once more. Kagome standing on the other side of the tree was frozen. 'always be friends.' Kagome repeats over in her head.
"I feel nothing more than a great friendship with Kagome." Inuyasha said. He turned back to Miroku and Sango, hoping that his explanation was good enough for them. Sango looked hurt. Miroku just stood there with his eyes closed and shaking his head.
"And when are you planning on telling Kagome this?" Miroku said.
Kagome began to shake her head, 'No...no I can't listen to this anymore.' Kagome took off running.
"Kagome!" Shippo yelled.
Miroku and Sango lifted there heads in the direction they heard Shippo's voice. Inuyasha walked over to where he heard Shippo, and sure enough standing behind one of the trees Shippo was kneeling there with plants in his hands.
"Shippo?" Sango said. She then got a twisting feeling in her stomach, that she was almost afraid to ask.
"Shippo was Kagome here with you?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha looked down and saw a basket lying on the ground next to Shippo. The basket was way to big for Shippo to ever be able to carry. Inuyasha looked up into the woods, "Kagome."
"Well Inuyasha are you going to go after her?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha turned away slowly. 'Kagome, you know this, why should it come as a shock now.'
"You would if it was Kikyo!" Sango snapped. Inuyasha looked at Sango.
Kagome ran as hard as she could through the forest. 'Inuyasha...Inuyasha' She cried to herself. 'I know that you can never leave Kikyo, but ...why...why am I taking this so hard?'
Kagome had no idea which direction she was running. Kagome ran straight into a small clearing. She stood there for a moment and paused. Kagome's eyes burned with tears that she was holding back. 'Baka...Baka...Baka' Kagome screamed in her head. Kagome pulled out the bottle that held onto the one shard that she had. It was the shard that they had obtained from Inuyasha's father's grave. She rolled the bottle with the single shard in it around in her hand. 'Really Inuyasha doesn't need me any further. He knows where the other shards are. Naraku, Kohaku, and Kouga. Then why am I still coming over here? Why does he still drag me back here? Why?'
"Kagome" Kagome snapped up as she heard Inuyasha voice behind her.
"Inuyasha I don't want to talk right now." I already know...I already knew...
"Kagome, I know what you are thinking. I can't help but still have feelings..."
"For Kikyo," Kagome finished for him., "I know Inuyasha, and I can't expect you to stop feeling for her." Kagome slowly began to turn, but something had just came to her attention. Kagome froze. 'Why hadn't I noticed it earlier.' She slowly turned the rest of the way pulling the bow off of her shoulder. 'Shikon no Tama.' Kagome knew she walked herself into a trap.
Kagome quickly reached for an arrow, but Naraku was at her side. He grabbed her hands squeezing them tightly. She dropped the bow. Naraku raised her other hand above her twisting it till she dropped the arrow at her side.
"With you power being the same as Kikyo's. I can't have the two of you running around. Plus you have something that I want. Naraku released her hand and grabbed the small bottle around her neck. Kagome pushed back away from, but only causing the necklace strap to break off in his hand. Naraku quickly let go of her other hand causing Kagome to fall to the ground in her struggle to get away. His voice went harsh and sounded like Naraku. Kagome reached for the bow once again, but Naraku bent down and picked her up off of the ground with just one hand. He held onto her right hand and twisted it behind her back. He pulled her against his chest. There Kagome stood helpless with her back against Naraku's chest. Kagome heard him snicker, "As I said you are just like Kikyo... It's time you die like her too."
End of Chapter 1