Hey I'm back! Anyways, I realized that reviews really do make my day, so feel free to review all you want! And there are POV shifts, but I think I showed them easily enough. Anyways, hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!
Disclaimers: I do not own Inuyasha…only the dolls, posters, and manga!
Ch. 2: A New Kagome
Kagome awoke with a start when the sparkling rays of sun filtered in through her blinds. It must have been almost noon with how light it was out, which meant that she had slept for over ten hours. She rubbed her eyes and let out a wide yawn, arching her back to pop some of the vertebrae.
As she slowly rolled her body back down, she propped her upper torso up with her elbows. Already, she had realized that today was different than the last few since Inuyasha had betrayed her. She felt alive. She took a deep breath and actually felt the air in her lungs being transferred to the rest of her body and was glad that she could breath. It was like being awake after a long and terrible nightmare when you're thankful that it wasn't real.
Except, it was. She hung her head as she realized once again that her first love was lost to her for forever. Instead of the sinking feeling she normally got when she even thought of his name, nothing came. She simply kept breathing, her heart kept beating, and she knew that she must move on for herself.
With renewed determination, Kagome stood from her bed and looked around her room that had barely changed since childhood. Everything was just so bright, so lively. It was truly magnificent.
She could even smell the coffee her mother makes every single morning, and she'd been making it especially inviting since Kagome had been home to try to tempt her out of her room. Man, this coffee smells too good to resist!
But before she helped herself to some delicious caffeine, she went into the bathroom and held her breath. She faced the mirror with her eyes closed, she didn't need to see where the mirror was, she already knew. Letting out a deep sigh, she slowly lowered her hand and opened her eyes. Yes, she still looked disheveled and too skinny, but something had definitely changed. Her eyes finally had an inner fire in them and appeared to almost have a burnt red look around her pupil. She gave herself a bright smile and decided that she'd just keep on her favorite bunny pajama bottoms and a tank top.
Satisfied with her new-found fire, she bounded down the stairs filled with what seemed like endless energy from a source she could not even start to describe. The stairs flew past in a blur and she could have sworn that she had jumped down the last few.
As she came down through the living room to the door of the kitchen, she spotted her mother standing near the coffee pot, sighing solemnly as she stared out the glass window. Please, let Kagome move on from this, she's still so young and has so much to learn. I just want my loving daughter back…
When Kagome saw the expression on her mother's face, it just about broke her heart. She knew that she was causing her to worry when she didn't need it. Her mom had to deal with their crazy senile grandfather and a soon to be teenage boy. The poor woman did not also need an angst-filled daughter moping around day and night.
Determined to finally make her mom smile again, Kagome rushed up to her and took her by surprise with a bone-crushing hug. Her mom's eyes widened slightly in surprise of the stark contrast of this Kagome to the depressed one, but did not dare question it and hugged her back with just as much force as her beloved daughter.
"Well good morning darling, seems as if someone finally slept on the right side of the bed."
"Ya." Kagome chuckled slightly at her mom's silly expression. She never said the wrong side of the bed; she always used it in a positive manner that expressed her unique and upbeat outlook on life.
"Well I'll go and fix you some breakfast right away! What would you like- eggs, bacon, oatmeal, cereal, toast, pancakes,-"
"No mom, it's ok. I'll just have some coffee and a piece of toast." Her mom was always so caring; she'd do anything to make someone smile.
"Ok Kagome, one coffee and toast coming right up!"
A few minutes later as Kagome was sipping her coffee, she caught herself staring out the window, missing her friends of the past more than ever now. It was wrong of me to leave without a word…they probably think I'm dead by now. Her eyes shifted toward the noticeably old wooden building housing the ancient well that had started it all. Could she face the past again?
But Kagome knew that she could not leave her dear friends Sango and Miroku without answers, and even poor Shippou, who she had practically adopted. Ok, I'll go back and tell them that I can't stay anymore. I just have to see them one last time.
With this, Kagome made a quick march up to the building but stopped right before the door. Her hand went up to the frame and her head bowed slightly so it rested on the frame also. This would be the last trip to the past she would ever make. And not seeing Inuyasha sitting there impatiently waiting for her at the edge of the well will definitely hurt. Her friends were more important than him though, so she pulled open the door and rushed to the edge of the well.
Taking in a relaxing breath to try to calm her jittering nerves, she threw herself into the well.
"What the…Hey! Well! What the fuck?" The well did not glow, it did not take her to the past, and it especially did not let her see her friends a final time.
"No! This just can't happen!" Kagome frustration rose exponentially as she stomped the ground trying to physically force the well to transport her. After minutes of cursing, stomping, and jumping, she gave up and dropped to her knees and held her face with her now dirty hands. All she could think of were her lost friends and family that she had made…and now she wasn't even allowed to see them.
Someone really must have hade it out for her.
"Damn! Fine! I give up, ok? You win!" Kagome yelled to the sky. Of course, nothing happened. The well was just an ancient well now. Her friends were lost to her. They'd all be dead…demons didn't exist in modern times, and not like she knew any she really wanted to meet up with.
She couldn't just stand around in the well forever though. Still frustrated, she pulled herself out of the well, grabbed the bow hanging on the wall, and found some arrows in a corner. She'd just blow off some of her frustration shooting some targets. And just as a secret to herself, she had actually started to miss her old bow and the comfort it gave her.
Kagome slammed open the door but about fell backwards down the stairs when she found her brother right outside the door staring at her in awe.
"Jeez, Souta! Trying to kill me?"
"Sorry Sis! I just heard some noise and thought it might be Inuyasha looking for you again."
Even though she was just getting over her first love, a shooting burst of pain hit her heart and for a moment she lost the ability to breath. God, just mentioning his name out loud still hurts…
"No Souta. He's not."
"Oh." An awkwardness was almost palpable between them. This was one subject that would be handled later…much later.
"Umm, anyways…would you want to help me set up some targets? I'm going to practice my aim just a bit."
"Sure Sis, no problem." Souta gave Kagome the biggest smile he could muster. He just had to cheer her up somehow!
They both ran around collecting things to shoot as targets- bottles and cans mostly- and lined them all up along the top of the fence. There were five targets in all, and she was determined to hit each one in one shot.
Kagome strung her bow and notched the arrow. It was an antique arrow with a stone heard and feathers made up different shades of blue. She was quite a sight to be seen as she narrowed her eyes on her first target, her eyes glistening as the rays of sun beamed on her soft face.
"Ok Souta, now watch this. I'm going to hit all five targets…with one shot."
"Ha! Ya right! That's so impossible. Not even you can do that, I'm sure not even Inu-" His voice dropped off as he realized that he was doing it again. Mentioning his hero…who had somehow hurt his sister in some way.
Her lips slightly frowned with the almost slip, but she decided not the mention it. Just focus her energy. Focus. Focus. Focus. Her eyes closed and she let out a breath. In her mind she could see the lone bottle in the middle, the target that she had to hit or else she really wasn't even worth "him" in the first place.
Souta's eyes widened in complete awe as his sister took in a breath, opened her eyes, and started to glow a pink hue. He could feel raw energy coming off of her in silent crackles and had no clue that anyone could summon their energy in a physical form.
"DIEEEE!" Kagome yelled as she let her arrow fly out of the drawn bow, heading straight for the middle bottle. As the arrow picked up speed, it also started to glow a brilliant pink and Kagome smirked to herself, knowing that she was strong and could still harness her miko powers.
All of her pent up rage at her current life was packed into that one thought. Her friends flashed through her mind, her adopted son smiling brightly at her with his sharp little kitsune teeth, and even Inuyasha's face brought her to a new point of frustration. She couldn't stand dealing with this so she did the only thing she could- let out all of her pain in one arrow and one shot.
The arrow became enflamed in the pink energy and pierced the bottle in the middle as its energy flared and practically incinerated the other targets. As it made contact, the massive energy light up the sky as the arrow slowly disintegrated and sparkled into dust. The energy blast had been huge and now dogs and cats all around the neighborhood were all barking or meowing, but they weren't the only ones that had noticed…
Souta's jaw just about dropped to the ground as he realized that all of the five targets had actually been hit! Not directly with the arrow, but the energy surrounding it had lashed out and struck them all, vaporizing them in a fraction of a second.
"Oh my God Kagome, that was so…cool! I had no clue you could do that! How in the world did you?
As Souta droned on, Kagome's smile only got bigger. She really wasn't that bad was she. She was a powerful miko and deserved better than to be betrayed by someone who she had given almost everything to. But her thoughts were interrupted when her mother rushed out the door, a pan in hand apparently ready to smack an intruder.
"Kagome! What in the world was that?"
"Oh mom I'm sorry! I was just practicing my aim ya know. Don't want to get rusty…haha."
"Well you need to warn me next time Kagome! What in the world was that terrible blast then! I thought someone was out here shooting at something! Look at me- running out of the house in my apron and the closest weapon I could grab! A frying pan for God's sake!"
"Ok, Ok! I promise I'll warn you next time! I'm sorry for worrying you so much."
"But mom, you totally shoulda seen it! It was sooooo awesome! Kagome was all glowing pink and stuff and then shot her arrow and even the arrow was glowing pink! I swear the whole sky even went pink for a while!"
Finally, their mom gave a slight smile and decided to stop chastising them. "It's Ok darling, just try to warn me next time."
"Of course, mom." Kagome's radiant smile had finally made an appearance. She would always have her true family by her side. Her mom loved her, her little brother admired her, and her Jii-chan would always be his crazy self.
Kagome looked into that sky, it was so blue. Too blue to be underappreciated by heartbreak or anything for that matter. She would move on, she had to. From this point on…she would not be the silly teenage Kagome. She would not let anyone break her heart again. Today, she was a new and better Kagome, ready for whatever curve balls life chucked in her direction.
Sesshoumaru's head hurt. It always did when dealing with these ridiculous humans tried to interfere with his business. They just did not know how to work anything right. How frustrating.
"And Taisho Corp. has just bought out a small internet site in the business of sharing music of all things. Is the head of this business, Mr. Taisho, losing his edge in the business world? Find out more later on…" The droning of the television went on and on. Humans were so ignorant. He had hunch about this tiny business that had just learned to stand. It was new, but would be big. Its dealings with the record companies were very clever in that they allowed them to distribute any music they ever recorded for a monthly fee that could be easily covered.
Very clever business. And as Sesshomaru looked at his laptop screen, his hunch was already paying off. The company's stock had risen exponentially as the other demons of the business world caught on and bought up available stock. He had made a wise decision, as always.
He leaned back in his chair, sipping on his glass of perfectly aged whiskey out of his personal stock. Although there was barely enough alcohol in five bars to even get him buzzed, it did help his headaches that were becoming more frequent. He took the opportunity to look around his grand office.
The walls were beige with tints of red and darker brown within the paint, and on the wall to his left, a large picture nearly covered said wall with a hefty burgundy frame and autumn colors within the portrait. It was of the feudal era, a time that he had actually become to appreciate because of its simplicity. It depicted a single miko praying in front of the town where Inuyasha had actually spent lots of time that was now modern Tokyo. Although there was nothing especially interesting about the picture, the miko always drew his eye and he could tell that even though she was praying, she was kind and even not repulsing…for a human, that is.
His wall to the right held a large bookcase filled with scrolls and modern day books alike and file cabinets brimming with infinite stacks of papers that would be dealt with…eventually. Maybe this Sesshomaru shall just get that imp to deal with that mess.
Behind him was a gorgeous open window trimmed with a gold that complimented the beige room. It showed a view of modern Tokyo- the skyscrapers, the busy cars that were always late, and the humans that were always scurrying about, never realizing that they were not the only intelligent race.
In all actuality, most discoveries had come from demons. A demon, Louis Pasteur had come up with the pasteurizing process and even the vaccines for rabies and anthrax. He was a clever neko demon indeed, but a little bit on the odd side. Also, many major business tycoons were ruled by demon lords of the past.
Trying to stop the conversation in his head because it was beginning to hurt again, he looked forward at his desk. It was a dark cherry wood that he had collected over two centuries ago. He'd taken great care of it and it was in pristine condition, serving to intimidate everyone who came into his office. He knew how to work office design to play in his favor. The wide desk created a divide between himself and the intruder, and his much larger chair raised his intimidation factor; although he was already intimidating enough to almost give a few humans heart attacks.
But right as he was about to take another sip of his whiskey, he stopped midair. His eyes widened and he put down his glass before he about dropped it.
What in the world was that power…This Sesshomaru has not felt something like that in many, many years.
It felt like an energy blast had gone off through all of Tokyo. And at that moment, Jaken rushed in through the grand doors, nearly tripping on his own feet.
"L-lord Sesshoumaru! Did you feel that terrible blast! I nearly thought I was about to be purified by a miko like in the Demon Hunting years! Oh that was so horrible!"
"Silence." In truth, Sesshoumaru was actually quite unsettled. He knew that some mikos may still be roaming the world, but definitely none of that caliber. Why, he had not felt that level of power since…about 500 years ago.
"Leave, Jaken. Finish your tasks I have assigned you and do not dwindle here any longer." Jaken immediately bowed to his master and rushed back out of the doors. God only knows how Sesshoumaru put up with the annoying imp. It was probably only because he actually got sick pleasure out of bossing people around dealt with a majority of the paperwork.
His cell phone stared to ring and he sighed as he saw the caller ID.
"Yes." Sesshoumaru never cared for small talk.
"What in hell was that energy? I felt it from all the way in the West District and it felt like it came from yours. Do you have any idea?"
"No, I do not."
"Well damn. Anyways, are we still on for lunch tomorrow to discuss this little business you've picked up. I'm wondering what your plan is."
"Yes, we will meet tomorrow at the restaurant La Lune. One P.M. sharp. Do not be late."
"Ok. I'll be th-." Sesshoumaru had already hung up on one of the four business tycoons, including himself. This youngster can be such a pain.
As a sort of habit he had picked up over centuries, he started to play with the almost complete Shikon no Tama. It seemed like just a chipped jewel, but it was so much more. Unbeknownst to him, the jewel had lighted up when the blast came through but he had no time to mess with the ancient jewel now. This was going to be a long night wondering what and where that power came from, and his headache had only just begun.
That energy…it was so familiar. He knew it from a long ago era.
Its arm twitched. Movement. It hadn't moved in hundreds of years. Its eyes slowly opened, there were slits in a formless body. Glowing red eyes illuminated the cave it was in.
He had some planning to do.
A/N: So what'd ya guys think? Interesting at all? I hope the POV shifts came across as understandable. Anyways, it was fun writing Kagome but I looove writing Sesshoumaru, it's fun being arrogant haha. In other news, I have a program where I am shadowing doctors for ten days, so no computer *cries* which means no updates for at least two weeks. But please review and tell me what you think! I love critique or offers on plot.