If Only...
"Let's at least see what she's got to say," Kagome suggested. She took Inu-Yasha by the hand and dragged him in the wagon.
"Good afternoon, child," a woman greeted. She was an oriental woman, about her late 30's, dressed in Chinese robes. Her wagon was decorated with Chinese and Japanese crafts and objects. "Welcome! What bring you here?"
"We want our reflections read," Kagome said. "A local villager told us you were here so we--."
"Ahem," Inu-Yasha interrupted. "We?"
"I decided to come," Kagome corrected. "Are you Lin, the reflection reader?"
"Yes," Lin pulled out a large, long shallow, wooden bowl. From a small cupboard, she pulled out a kettle with a dragon spout. She set both on the table. "Sit," she said to them, pointing to two stools in front of the table.
Inu-Yasha had a frown on his face. "Sorry, no thanks, I'm out of here." He stepped out of the cart and sped off.
"Inu-!" she called. Kagome gave Lin an awkward smile. "Sorry, um..." she ran after Inu-Yasha. "Wait Inu-Yasha!" He continued walking. "Inu-Yasha!" He continued. "SIT!" she hollered. Inu-Yasha ate dirt and Kagome caught up with him. "What was that about?"
"What? You're the one that said 'sit'!" Inu-Yasha hollered. "You tell me!"
"No, why did you just leave like that?" Kagome asked irritated. "That was rude."
"You believe that a woman could look at my reflection in a bowl of water and tell my future? That's stupid!"
"It's just for fun, what are you afraid of?" Kagome asked.
"We don't have time for this."
"Oh no," Kagome sighed. "Let me guess..."
"We have to look for the shards," Inu-Yasha and Kagome said in unison.
"You have to relax and have fun," Kagome suggested.
"Uh-huh..." Inu-Yasha snorted. "Like how you go on dates and always run away to home."
He's bringing Hojo into this...why? He's not my "boyfriend". "Don't bring my time into this..." Kagome warned.
"You're wasting time there too!" Inu-Yasha bellowed. "You always leave and I always have to fetch you for Shippo and the others when I don't wanna pass that well! It's not like I care whether you stay there or not. You can be a tag-a-long sometimes, anyway..." Why did I say that..?
Kagome was boiling mad. "Sit!" Tears welled in her eyes. "Sit! SIT!" she stomped away filled with anger.
Inu-Yasha lay facedown on the ground. "Dammit...she's mad again."
She's walking away...like she will eventually. After the jewel is complete, she'll jump through that well, seal up her side and never come back. He didn't need to see that in water; it's bad enough he saw it in his mind. However...Inu-Yasha was still curious...
Sunset was breaking and Inu-Yasha knocked on the wagon's door. "Come in," said a voice. He slowly walked in the wagon. "You come back, sir? I knew you would."
Inu-Yasha frowned. "I'll tell you right now, I don't believe in this."
"If you didn't, you won't come back," Lin said. She held her hand out to the stool.
As he sat down, he said, "I just want to see if what you say is real...if you can really see the future in water."
"I not here to prove you. I here to help you see...only if you willing to see."
He looked at the bowl, then up at her. "Show me," he said.
She picked up the kettle and poured the water into the bowl. Then, from a pouch around her neck, she added a pinch of red powder. A large burst of red smoke was released in the air. "Dip your hand in it and mix 'til I say stop."
Inu-Yasha sniffed it. It had no smell. I guess it's safe... He dipped his hand in the lukewarm water and spun his hand in a circle.
"Stop." A red light immerged from the bowl. "Quick! Ask a time period you want to see."
He bent over to look in the bowl. "How will my life be in 10 years?"
The red light dimmed. The water became foggy and slowly, images and incoherent sounds sharpened...
A young boy, about 5 years old, with dark black hair, ran up to his father. The man was in his mid 20's, with long jet-black hair and clothed in the traditional Higurashi Sunset Shrine attire. "Daddy, Daddy!" the boy called. He ran to his father's arms.
"Whoa! Tama, slow down," his father said. He gave his son a hug. "So, what happened today at school?"
Tama chuckled. "I think I did bad in my math quiz."
"Well, your mom was like that too..."
"Where is she?"
"With your great-grandpa," he put his son on his lap as they sat down on a bench.
"Can you
tell me the rest of the story?"
"Ok...where did I leave off?"
"The girl from the modern world and the half-demon from the Sengoku Jidai found the last piece of the Shikon no Tama. Then what?" Tama's eyes were intense and full of attention.
His father smiled. "Well...after the jewel was complete, the girl held onto it for a while. She hoped and prayed not to return home because that meant never seeing the half-demon again. She didn't know whether she should admit her love for him, and she thought he loved that priestess, so she gave him the jewel and left to go back to her time. A few months passed and one day, the half-demon jumped in the well and headed to her time. When he found her, he gave back the jewel."
"Why?" the boy asked. "I thought he wanted to become a full youkai."
"He did, but he gave it to her so she could pray and purify it. When she did, he used it to become human. Then, they got married, had a child and lived a happy life..."
"Are you sure?" Tama asked in disbelief. "I would want to be a demon instead of getting married to a girl."
His father laughed. "When you're older, you'll understand."
"Do adults always say that? What would you do, Daddy?"
The man looked up and saw a woman approach them. She was wearing a pale pink skirt that ended a few inches above her knees, a white shirt and her hair was pulled back with two clips. She was carrying a small box in her arms. "Hi Tama. How was your day?"
Tama looked up to see his mother. "Fine, except for the math test..."
"Are you done with your homework?"
"Uh-huh. Uncle Sota helped me. Can I help you guys now?"
His father put him to his feet. "Sure, why not?" He took the box off the woman's hands. Tama held his father and mother's hand...
The voices started to fade and the images did as well.
"Wait!" Inu-Yasha called. The water fogged and he was once again staring at his reflection in the water. Inu-Yasha sat back, reflecting. A beautiful wife...a loving son...he wanted that. He wanted it all...he hoped...
"Hey! Pay!" the fortune-teller ordered.
Inu-Yasha looked up. "Huh? What?"
"You think I do for free?!" Lin exclaimed.
Whoops, almost forgot.
A few hours passed. Kagome wasn't where they set up camp so Inu-Yasha searched for her. He could smell her. He knew she was close. Just then, a rock came flying in his direction. "YEE!!" came Kagome's scream. "SIT!"
Inu-Yasha met dirt again.
"Pervert! What do you think you're doing?!" She was in a hot spring, completely naked under the pool of water.
Inu-Yasha closed his eyes and turned around. As much as a vision she was, he was respectful...sometimes. Especially now because he felt like talking. He sat down, legs crossed, his back to her. "Sorry. I didn't know you were bathing." They were silent; the ripples of the water, the crickets and their breath decorated the air of the forest. "After we assemble the shards, what's gonna happen?" he asked reluctantly.
"I dunno..."
"Will you purify it?" he asked immediately.
She was shocked. In his voice, she could hear it strain, as if it was hiding something. "I don't know the first thing about that...I thought you wanted it as a demonic jewel. Why would--." Her words faded as she saw Inu-Yasha's head lower. His shoulders sunk as well. His body language called out pain. "Inu-."
"It's getting late," Inu-Yasha warned, standing up. "Don't stay too long or you'll get overheated. I'll wait for you over at our camp."
He sped a few feet away from the spring until he was out of sight. Inu-Yasha tucked his hands in his sleeves and leaned back against the tree. He stared at the campfire he made earlier.
Inu-Yasha was cursed. Not because he was a half-breed; he thought that was his curse. No...he allowed himself to feel. Love for his mother, infatuation for Kikyo...now they're dead. Affection for Kagome...she's probably going back to her home time. When the quest was over, he would be alone...all alone.
Pain welled in his hear; so bad, it turned to physical angst. "Kagome..." he called softly. He closed his eyes, feeling the suffering increase. He felt his heart shatter as he could see his future disappear from his grasp.
His thoughts were interrupted by a pair of arms hugging him. Kagome's towel-wrapped body pressed against his. Her act was silent. The moonlight hid his blush at her loving gesture.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she smiled softly. "It's said that hugs make the world a better place."
"Kagome..."
"I don't' know what's going to happen in the future but let's live it the best way we can, ok?"
A breeze ran across the forest. Kagome shivered intensely but she remained embracing Inu-Yasha. His clawed hands ran down her wet hair to the curves of her waist and grasped her in his arms. "You're cold because of me. You could get sick."
"It's ok," Kagome sighed. Her head rested against his upper chest. "I want you to feel better."
He rested his chin against her head. Perfect fit...He inhaled her scent; so soothing... He pulled away, seeing her surprised and hurt expression.
"Inu-Yasha, what-?"
He took off his robe and wrapped it around her. "Is that better?"
She could still feel his body heat in it. "Yes."
"Let's sleep, ok?" Inu-Yasha suggested.
"Inu-Yasha..." her voice was wavering. "Can you hold me again?" Her eyes held a feeling of yearning and want. Inu-Yasha couldn't help but smile.
He sat on a flat rock and patted his lap. She awkwardly sat down and he gathered her in his arms. She leaned her head against his head. The moment felt so right as the stars sparkled above them...
End...
(Notes!: Ok, after reading this 3 times, typing it, spell check and grammar...why do I have the habit of writing out of character? Ok...Inu-Yasha is originally created by Rumiko Takahashi.)