Just about nothing could spoil the good mood Kagome was in when she reached the small town. Though she was out of breath and just about reacdy to pass out, she wandered into the inviting street. It was a place she had visioned herself living in when she got older, had gotten married and settled down. A cumfy, secluded place where worries melted away with each passing day. Some villagers were selling their profits, others were happily gossiping with their friends. Children were chasing eachother and playing, not minding their mothers who were busy with their shopping.
A little boy with scrubby brown hair and freckly cheeks was running around the town square, his sister toddling after him, yelling something about a doll. Kagome spotted a small rag doll grasped tightly in his hand, and shook her head. Not looking where he was going, the boy dashed towards Kagome, who didn't have enough time to move. He crashed into her, and was sent reeling forward. Landing with a painful thump, he yelped, not quite registering what had happened. His sister caught up to him, panting and wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I think this is yours," Kagome said, prying the doll from the boy's hand and handing it back to the whide eyed girl. She nodded, gently taking the doll back. Continuing to gaze at the older girl as Kagome lifted the boy to his feet, she didn't speak. "Why don't you go and play with the other kids instead of teasing your sister?"
Teary eyed and sniffling, the boy nodded, glaring weakly. Without so much as a word, he took of into the street, clearly unperturbed about the whole scene. When Kagome turned to smile at the little girl, she was gone. A few people were staring, stopping to point and whisper behind their hands to their neighboors. Deciding to find an inn or at least an indoor spring, Kagome continued down the street, smiling cheerfully at the people she passed, not really noticing the way they were shunning her.
"Kagome, would you wait up?!"
She looked back, and saw Shippo darting after her. Oops, guess she had forgotten.
"Sorry," Kagome apologized, grinning nervously as Inu-Yasha came into view, now holding her pack. "It's just--"
"Never mind that, see if we can find any rumors about the Shikon Jewel." the dog demon cut her off, tossing the pack to her. Jumping out of the way before it crushed her, Kagome glared.
"I'm not going anywhere or doing anything until I've had a good, hot bath, and some decent food. I'm startving, and happen to be a mortal. Therefore, I need food!"
Unfortunaly, no one was listening. Inu-Yasha had his back turned to her, asking an elderly man if he had heard anything suspicious latly. Shippo was busy admiring the fish hanging in the butcher shop, his little mouth watering as he stared. Letting out a noise of exaspiration, Kagome decided she'd do what she wanted without reference to anyone else.
Locating the indoor spring, Kagome walked into the building. A man with a kind face looked up from the desk, and smiled broadly.
"Why, hello there!" he called, and Kagome returned the smile with one of her own. "What can I do for you?"
"I'd like to use your spring, I haven't had a decent bath in awhile..."
"Ah, I see. Well, you've come to the right place, m'lady, you've come to the right place."
'Finally' Kagome thought, as the man grabbed a towl for her. 'Finally, someone with manners.'
Thanking the owner and going into the room behind him where the spring was located, Kagome noticed how the man was staring at her curiously.
"What? What's wrong?"
"Yes? Oh, nothing. You're clothes...they're different from those that the rest of the towns folk wear, that's all."
Nodding self conciously, Kagome sighed. "I'm...I'm not from around here..."
"Oh?"
"No...you could say it would take you years to get to where I live..." Having said that, Kagome pushed through the door leading to the water.
This room was several degress warmer, and a thick steam hung in the air. Stripping down and climbing into the calm water, Kagome closed her eyes and laid back. What was the use of rushing? She deserved this, after hiking through the muck and underbrush. Plus, she stank like demon blood, which was a smell she was determined to rid herself of.
The bath was just about as large as a small swimming pool, but twice as deep. It almost seemed as though there was a current, tiny waves were lapping at the rim of the spring. Deciding to do a few laps, Kagome dove under the warm water, trying to reach the bottom. As she swam deeper and deeper, the water grew cooler, and darker. Instead of a gentle blue, it was a deep cerulean. Feeling her palm brush against something, Kagome squinted to see something shining back at her. She was running out of oxygen, so she pulled back up to the surface. When she had reached the top, she dove back under, determined to see what it had been. Reaching the bottom much sooner this time, as though something were pulling her down, Kagome located the tiled surface. She skimmed her hand over it, trying to find what had glinted at her. But instead, she found herself staring at her reflection. She blinked, and so did the Kagome looking back. Bubbles emitted from her mouth, and the reflection changed smoothly into the face of...Inu-Yasha.
He smiled pleasantly at her, his eyes looking gently into hers. Kagome swallowed a great amount of water in surprise before swimming back upwards. As her head broke the surface, she shook the water from her face. Gasping and coughing, she paddled over to the edge, clining to it and trying to catch her breath.
"Wha--what WAS that?" she choked, her breath finally returning to normal. That was no ordinary mirror...was it a mirror? Having to know the answer, she went back down for one more look. Inu's face was still there, the smile on his face still present. Blinking curiously at it, Kagome brought a hand to the glass. It WAS glass. The surface felt smooth and warm, comforting.
"What's wrong, Kagome?"
Her eyes snapped back to his reflection, thinking she had heard someone speak...Mirrors couldn't talk...She narrowed her eyes, leaning close to Inu's face. Smiling and shaking her head at her stupidity, she went back to observing the glass.
"You know, you're cute when you smile."
It HAD been the mirror. Kagome brought her attention back to the reflection.
"Don't you have anything to say?"
Gaping at the mirror, Kagome tried to speak, and found that she COULD.
"I...I...how--?"
"Don't look so worried." he said. It even sounded like Inu-Yasha, but his voice was filled with feeling, quite unlike the real demon.
"Who ARE you?"
"You know who I am, Kagome." the reflection held up a hand, and pressed it against the glass. Kagome did the same. It almost felt...like he was REAL...
"See?"
"But..."
Then she realized that breathing was no longer necessary. "But HOW is this possible...?"
"YOU made it possible, Kagome. YOU'RE the one who determins what shape I take."
"What? That makes no sense..."
"I'm the object of your desire."
Again, she blinked, then gaped. "...INU-YASHA is my DESIRE?" (A/n: Yes, gaped. Not gasped, gaped.)
"You know that."
"But..."
Suddenly, there was a slpash, and the mirror Inu-Yasha dissapeared.
"Wait!" Kagome called after it, pressing her face to the glass. "I...I...where--?"
Finding her lungs empty now, she despiratly swam for the surface. When she came up, she found Shippo tugging his robes over his head.
"WHAT do you think you're you DOING?!" Kagome screeched, going back under so he could see only her head. "You can't just--"
"Why not? I did this with my Ma and Pa when--"
"But I'm NOT your parents! Out!"
"But--"
"OUT!! Where's Inu-Yasha?"
Shippo pointed behind her, and Kagome spun around in the water to find Inu-Yasha immersed also, a look of relaxation on his face. His hands were linked behind his head, and his eyes were closed, he looked utterly peacful. He opened one eye, looking over at Kagome. She didn't speak, though she wasn't very pleased, but gazed at him. He stared back at her, not smiling, but not glaring. Shippo looked from one to the other, confused. The real Inu-Yasha wouldn't look too bad with a smile...and that gentle look in his eyes...Shaking the thought sharply from her head, Kagome sighed.
"Fine...it doesn't matter, I'm done anyway."
Swimming to the edge and grabbing the towel, she wrapped it around herself as Shippo jumped in. Deciding not to tell the two about the mirror, she gathered her clothes and went into the sauna, hoping to dry off quickly.
A little boy with scrubby brown hair and freckly cheeks was running around the town square, his sister toddling after him, yelling something about a doll. Kagome spotted a small rag doll grasped tightly in his hand, and shook her head. Not looking where he was going, the boy dashed towards Kagome, who didn't have enough time to move. He crashed into her, and was sent reeling forward. Landing with a painful thump, he yelped, not quite registering what had happened. His sister caught up to him, panting and wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I think this is yours," Kagome said, prying the doll from the boy's hand and handing it back to the whide eyed girl. She nodded, gently taking the doll back. Continuing to gaze at the older girl as Kagome lifted the boy to his feet, she didn't speak. "Why don't you go and play with the other kids instead of teasing your sister?"
Teary eyed and sniffling, the boy nodded, glaring weakly. Without so much as a word, he took of into the street, clearly unperturbed about the whole scene. When Kagome turned to smile at the little girl, she was gone. A few people were staring, stopping to point and whisper behind their hands to their neighboors. Deciding to find an inn or at least an indoor spring, Kagome continued down the street, smiling cheerfully at the people she passed, not really noticing the way they were shunning her.
"Kagome, would you wait up?!"
She looked back, and saw Shippo darting after her. Oops, guess she had forgotten.
"Sorry," Kagome apologized, grinning nervously as Inu-Yasha came into view, now holding her pack. "It's just--"
"Never mind that, see if we can find any rumors about the Shikon Jewel." the dog demon cut her off, tossing the pack to her. Jumping out of the way before it crushed her, Kagome glared.
"I'm not going anywhere or doing anything until I've had a good, hot bath, and some decent food. I'm startving, and happen to be a mortal. Therefore, I need food!"
Unfortunaly, no one was listening. Inu-Yasha had his back turned to her, asking an elderly man if he had heard anything suspicious latly. Shippo was busy admiring the fish hanging in the butcher shop, his little mouth watering as he stared. Letting out a noise of exaspiration, Kagome decided she'd do what she wanted without reference to anyone else.
Locating the indoor spring, Kagome walked into the building. A man with a kind face looked up from the desk, and smiled broadly.
"Why, hello there!" he called, and Kagome returned the smile with one of her own. "What can I do for you?"
"I'd like to use your spring, I haven't had a decent bath in awhile..."
"Ah, I see. Well, you've come to the right place, m'lady, you've come to the right place."
'Finally' Kagome thought, as the man grabbed a towl for her. 'Finally, someone with manners.'
Thanking the owner and going into the room behind him where the spring was located, Kagome noticed how the man was staring at her curiously.
"What? What's wrong?"
"Yes? Oh, nothing. You're clothes...they're different from those that the rest of the towns folk wear, that's all."
Nodding self conciously, Kagome sighed. "I'm...I'm not from around here..."
"Oh?"
"No...you could say it would take you years to get to where I live..." Having said that, Kagome pushed through the door leading to the water.
This room was several degress warmer, and a thick steam hung in the air. Stripping down and climbing into the calm water, Kagome closed her eyes and laid back. What was the use of rushing? She deserved this, after hiking through the muck and underbrush. Plus, she stank like demon blood, which was a smell she was determined to rid herself of.
The bath was just about as large as a small swimming pool, but twice as deep. It almost seemed as though there was a current, tiny waves were lapping at the rim of the spring. Deciding to do a few laps, Kagome dove under the warm water, trying to reach the bottom. As she swam deeper and deeper, the water grew cooler, and darker. Instead of a gentle blue, it was a deep cerulean. Feeling her palm brush against something, Kagome squinted to see something shining back at her. She was running out of oxygen, so she pulled back up to the surface. When she had reached the top, she dove back under, determined to see what it had been. Reaching the bottom much sooner this time, as though something were pulling her down, Kagome located the tiled surface. She skimmed her hand over it, trying to find what had glinted at her. But instead, she found herself staring at her reflection. She blinked, and so did the Kagome looking back. Bubbles emitted from her mouth, and the reflection changed smoothly into the face of...Inu-Yasha.
He smiled pleasantly at her, his eyes looking gently into hers. Kagome swallowed a great amount of water in surprise before swimming back upwards. As her head broke the surface, she shook the water from her face. Gasping and coughing, she paddled over to the edge, clining to it and trying to catch her breath.
"Wha--what WAS that?" she choked, her breath finally returning to normal. That was no ordinary mirror...was it a mirror? Having to know the answer, she went back down for one more look. Inu's face was still there, the smile on his face still present. Blinking curiously at it, Kagome brought a hand to the glass. It WAS glass. The surface felt smooth and warm, comforting.
"What's wrong, Kagome?"
Her eyes snapped back to his reflection, thinking she had heard someone speak...Mirrors couldn't talk...She narrowed her eyes, leaning close to Inu's face. Smiling and shaking her head at her stupidity, she went back to observing the glass.
"You know, you're cute when you smile."
It HAD been the mirror. Kagome brought her attention back to the reflection.
"Don't you have anything to say?"
Gaping at the mirror, Kagome tried to speak, and found that she COULD.
"I...I...how--?"
"Don't look so worried." he said. It even sounded like Inu-Yasha, but his voice was filled with feeling, quite unlike the real demon.
"Who ARE you?"
"You know who I am, Kagome." the reflection held up a hand, and pressed it against the glass. Kagome did the same. It almost felt...like he was REAL...
"See?"
"But..."
Then she realized that breathing was no longer necessary. "But HOW is this possible...?"
"YOU made it possible, Kagome. YOU'RE the one who determins what shape I take."
"What? That makes no sense..."
"I'm the object of your desire."
Again, she blinked, then gaped. "...INU-YASHA is my DESIRE?" (A/n: Yes, gaped. Not gasped, gaped.)
"You know that."
"But..."
Suddenly, there was a slpash, and the mirror Inu-Yasha dissapeared.
"Wait!" Kagome called after it, pressing her face to the glass. "I...I...where--?"
Finding her lungs empty now, she despiratly swam for the surface. When she came up, she found Shippo tugging his robes over his head.
"WHAT do you think you're you DOING?!" Kagome screeched, going back under so he could see only her head. "You can't just--"
"Why not? I did this with my Ma and Pa when--"
"But I'm NOT your parents! Out!"
"But--"
"OUT!! Where's Inu-Yasha?"
Shippo pointed behind her, and Kagome spun around in the water to find Inu-Yasha immersed also, a look of relaxation on his face. His hands were linked behind his head, and his eyes were closed, he looked utterly peacful. He opened one eye, looking over at Kagome. She didn't speak, though she wasn't very pleased, but gazed at him. He stared back at her, not smiling, but not glaring. Shippo looked from one to the other, confused. The real Inu-Yasha wouldn't look too bad with a smile...and that gentle look in his eyes...Shaking the thought sharply from her head, Kagome sighed.
"Fine...it doesn't matter, I'm done anyway."
Swimming to the edge and grabbing the towel, she wrapped it around herself as Shippo jumped in. Deciding not to tell the two about the mirror, she gathered her clothes and went into the sauna, hoping to dry off quickly.
