Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho.
Fire's Awakening
Chapter Four
The next morning Kagome woke up. It was still dark, and she looked around blearily. Then she realized that she had managed to wake up before Sesshoumaru could do that service for her, and she jumped up triumphantly.
"Breakfast!" Kagome shouted and quickly gathered a few leftovers from last night. A grin was still on her face as she waited for Sesshoumaru to show up. Then she remembered what Kikyo had distracted her from last night.
"Sesshoumaru's been leading me into attacks deliberately! What am I, his personal demon exterminator?" Kagome asked. Suddenly an image of her dressed in a one piece baggy white suit that bug exterminators were normally dressed in appeared in her mind, in front of a white van that had a picture of her grandfather leaping at a small demon, ofuda in hand. The name above the picture was Higurashi's Exterminating Service, with the logo, "No demons will live to see another sunset!"
Kagome groaned and slapped her head. How lame! The sad thing was, she could imagine her grandfather trying to start something like that. Now that she had that information, though, what was she going to do? She could confront him, but she didn't think he would really care. She could continue traveling after he left, but that meant that the demons would go on and try and kill someone else. She sighed. She'll let it continue, but only because she didn't want anyone else getting hurt!
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Kagome looked behind her. The training today was particularly intense, and she was growing nervous. She looked back to the front and suddenly saw a large tree with large bushes on both sides, and a slash from the whip aimed for her middle. Kagome blacked out, and the next thing she knew she was way too high in the air, clinging to the tree as she stood on a broad branch. She looked down, saw the ground far away, and clung tighter.
"I'm gonna die," she whimpered, closing her eyes. Kagome felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see Sesshoumaru. Even though that comforting gesture was the last thing she expected from him, her eyes started to fill with relief at deliverance just before he pushed her off the branch.
Kagome fell with a scream. The next major branch on the tree was coming closer and closer. Kagome gave up any hope to live through this, and once more closed her eyes. Her last thought before she hit was that she was going to haunt Sesshoumaru for the rest of his life.
Kagome hit the branch feet first, and instead of her legs crumpling into a broken mash, she fell into a crouch and rebounded. Kagome opened her eyes.
"What on earth?" Kagome muttered. She was traveling slanted through the air like Inuyasha. If she wasn't so terrified that she was about to die, she might be enjoying this. However, another branch, this time on a different tree, was coming closer and the only thing she could do was put her feet down towards the branch and hope.
This continued until Kagome gradually made it lower and lower, and her speed decreased, and she was able to fall to the earth, rolling to lessen the impact. She lay on her stomach, and praised the earth in her mind. It was so solid, so reliable. She would never take its presence for granted again.
"Get up," said Sesshoumaru's voice.
"I am going to stay here, thank you," was Kagome's muffled reply.
"Unacceptable," was Sesshoumaru's reply.
"I am going to stay right here where it is safe," Kagome muttered, knowing that Sesshoumaru would be able to catch her voice.
Kagome waited for Sesshoumaru to say something, but all that could be heard was silence. Then, a cutting sound made its way through the air and Kagome yelped as Tensaiga sliced her in half.
"Stand," Sesshoumaru said. It went unsaid that the next attack would not come from the sword which could not cut flesh. Kagome grumbled and stood gingerly. Her legs shook, and she grabbed the nearest tree for comfort.
"I don't know how you and Inuyasha do that all the time! It's terrifying!" Kagome said. Sesshoumaru looked up and down her trembling figure and said nothing.
"Don't tell me I am going to have to do that again!" Kagome protested.
"It isn't needed. You know. Demons and humans use their particular type of energy not only for attacks and defense measures but to support the body so that it can do things it normally can't and to reinforce attacks. You have been using this ability to a small degree, but now you have finally accessed that ability. Now you will continue to practice it," Sesshoumaru stated.
"You mean jumping higher and giving my attacks more force?" Kagome asked. Her trembling was decreasing as her interest and mind was diverted from the rather startling experience she had had just minutes ago.
"Exactly. Try jumping once more," Sesshoumaru commanded.
"Okay," Kagome commented, and thinking of what Kikyo had been teaching her at night, concentrated on drawing her energy throughout her body. The way Kagome pictured it was that the power flew through her veins, strengthening her body as it went. Kagome closed her eyes and jumped. She soon landed, as she had only jumped about three feet in the air.
"Again," Sesshoumaru said.
Kagome thought hard about what she needed her powers to do for her and concentrated as hard as she could on strengthening each and every muscle, increasing its elasticity. Then she jumped straight up into the air.
Kagome flew into the air. The sights she could see were amazing. She made it about twenty feet in the air, and as she relished the flight, soon she was falling. Kagome managed to stop her natural reaction to flail in the air and tried to position her body as she had seen Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and even Sango. She managed to land safely, though the force was great enough to push her back onto her backside.
"I'm going to be incorporating that into my fighting now, won't I?" Kagome asked in a half-wistful, half-nervous voice. Sesshoumaru simply nodded, and now that Kagome had discovered what Sesshoumaru wished for her to learn, more of the day was spent simply practicing fighting using increased strength, flexibility, and whatever being able to jump yards into the air was called. By the end of the training session Kagome was sore and exhausted, and Sesshoumaru left her telling her she needed to walk for a little over two and a half hours to the northwest.
"In other words, so that I will be in position for whatever local riffraff is hanging around," Kagome said bleakly. Sesshoumaru didn't comment, and Kagome trudged off, hoping to find dinner along the way.
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That night Kagome told Kikyo of what had happened. Kikyo hadn't known that it was possible for priestesses to manipulate their powers so, but recognized what an aid to fighting demons it would be.
"Are you going to try and learn how to do so?" Kagome asked, smiling mischievously.
Kikyo just stared at her blankly.
"I guess that's a no," Kagome said, a bit more subdued. Kikyo was rather good at unnervingly blank stares.
"As you have had a strenuous day, we shall concentrate on shielding today. While you will have to concentrate, it will not involve a great deal of movement," Kikyo declared, and so it was. By the end of that training session Kagome had managed a faint flicker of light around her that Kikyo declared was quite incapable of even keeping out flies. Kagome muttered under her breath at that comment to prevent a louder, cruder response.
Soon Kikyo left, and Kagome was left on the forest floor, staring into the fire. What were Inuyasha and the others doing right now? Her heart gave a twinge. In a way, she had promised Miroku she would be there for him when they had further defined their relationship into one of brother and sister. She had promised Inuyasha she would stay with him. Sango was still angry with her, and Shippo? Shippo was probably missing her terribly. And that didn't even cover what her modern day family was feeling. The darkness closed in on her, and Kagome wiped away a couple of tears.
"I'm doing this for them," she whispered. For some reason, though, the darkness in her heart only grew, and she slowly fell asleep as feeling of loneliness and self-blame assaulted her.
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The next few days passed quickly as Kagome finally started to get a hang of aerial battle and finally managed to create a shield that could do the incredible task of shielding a pebble from certain death. As Kagome walked along the river that afternoon, heading for her next campsite, she basked in her feelings of accomplishment as she wondered what her family and what Inuyasha and the others were doing. It was weird to be away for this long, and Kagome hoped that everyone was doing all right.
Kagome was disturbed about how the time away from the others was changing her. She was returning to her mentality before her father died, in which she was self-sufficient and while she still cared for the others, she wasn't sure to how they would react once they were reunited. Previously, a great deal of her attraction to Inuyasha came from how he was always willing to protect her. Previously, even with her weapons, she would have accomplished little. Now, however, as she gained experience under Sesshoumaru's whatever it was, she would be able to protect herself. When she returned, would her feelings for Inuyasha be the same? Would Sango be able to adjust to a friend that before had provided innocence to one that provided more comradeship? Kagome trusted that Miroku would able to adjust to the new her, as he had encouraged her to take a stand once more, but would he forgive her for leaving like that? And poor Shippo, she had left him abandoned, and at the mercy of Inuyasha. Kagome had to again remind herself of why she left.
"If I had stayed there, they wouldn't have been able to devote the time I need to just training. It also gives them a break from demon attacks, and a chance for some peace," Kagome told herself sternly, "I would only have made them larger targets."
Kagome would have continued, but her thoughts were interrupted as she tripped over something lying on the ground by the river.
"Ouch!" Kagome muttered as she rolled back onto her back, "tha," and Kagome paused, horrified. A woman was lying on the ground, bleeding sluggishly from different wounds on her body and looking quite close to death.
"Oh my god!" Kagome said, and scrambled forward, putting her hand on the forehead of the woman whose unblinking eye stared up at the sky, for her other was a bloody mess.
"Leave me be," came a voice, one that might have been pleasant if its owner was not so close to death.
"You're conscious?" Kagome asked, her eyes worried.
"It doesn't matter. Leave me," the woman commanded.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that," Kagome said, "You can still be saved!" Kagome rummaged around in her pack, which was actually her blanket wrapped around her few possessions, including some herbs and bandages that Kikyo had brought her.
"I don't want salvation," the woman said. She sounded close to unconsciousness.
Kagome stopped her frantic searching, and looked at her. "You wish to give up? It seems pretty pointless, when you have evidently struggled to stay alive until now," Kagome said as she knelt by the woman's side, staring down into her remaining eye. Kagome was referring to the fact that she was still conscious even though she had fallen off a rather high cliff, but she didn't realize how true that statement was in regards to this woman.
The woman closed her eye as she shuddered in pain. "Do as you wish," the woman relented, "but why do you wish to aid me?" the woman asked. Kagome smiled then started bandaging the woman's wounds.
"I'm not sure," Kagome said as she finished bandaging the woman's head, "if I see someone hurt, I help. You have as much right to salvation as anyone."
A hoarse chuckle came out of her mouth, "I do, do I? What an odd concept, salvation. What is it, anyways?"
Kagome smiled a bit, "I guess I haven't thought about it much, but I think I would define it as being at peace with who you are. I haven't quite made it there myself, but I try."
"I," but the woman shuddered and finally succumbed to the pain and fainted.
Kagome felt that it was kinder for her to be unconscious, considering the pain that must be raking her body. Kagome continued to bandage the woman, her thoughts engrossed in the task. She knelt, looking at the wounds. She seemed to be missing flesh from different areas of her body; though mainly on the right side of her head and arm, but the rest of that side, and her entire body from the fall, seemed to be in bad shape.
"Inuyasha would yell at me if he knew what I was about to do," Kagome said to the woman, "that almost would be a recommendation to do so, in some cases. Oh well, here I go." Kagome knew that the woman would mostly likely die if she didn't somehow speed up the healing process, but she was not a natural healer like some were, including Kikyo. She had been disappointed to know this, but there was something else she could do.
Kagome readied herself. Kikyo had mentioned this, but had said only to use this method if the patient was going to die and there was no other way to save the person. Considering this woman's condition, it was. Kagome put her hands on the woman's chest, closed her eyes, and started to feed the woman some of her life force. The energy was sluggish at first, but started to pour more and more quickly into the broken body beneath her. The body eagerly accepted it, for while one was a demon and one was a human, life energies did not depend on things like species, but rather the compatibility of the souls. Kagome's was compatible with many, along with being strong, so the energy was quickly taken in and used to encourage the growth of different cells that had been destroyed. Kagome barely managed to stop the process before it all drained away, and Kagome fell over the woman's chest, joining her in the bliss that is unconsciousness.
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Kagome stirred as she woke up. There was a strange surface beneath her and as she sat up she was surprised to see a woman. What was she doing on a woman? She blushed slightly and scrambled off, kneeling at the woman's side. Her memories returned as she stared at the bandaged woman, and she shuddered for a moment as she remembered the way that the woman's soul had sucked desperately at her life energy. Kagome knew the woman had been unconscious, but while the woman's will to stay alive had been weak, her soul's determination to stay alive was quite strong.
Kagome stood up and stretched, scrubbing her eyes and trying to rid herself of her stiffness. She looked around her, noting that she was alone even though it was at the least late morning. She shrugged off the fact that not only had Kikyo failed to appear last night (she would not have left Kagome in such an awkward position) but Sesshoumaru was not here either. She wasn't sure, but she thought that he would at least kick her awake or something.
"I guess I'll never understand those two," Kagome said as she knelt down and felt the woman's forehead. She didn't have a fever, which was good. Now, it was time to check the rest of the woman's wounds.
Kagome was surprised to find that all of the wounds had become lesser versions of themselves. She would still scar, Kagome suspected, but most likely her left side would look okay with only a few faint scars. Her right, on the other hand, had a high possibility of being a mass of scars, though now, instead of being a twisted and misshapen mass, it was simply a major patchwork system. Now that Kagome thought about it, she wondered why most of her wounds were on one side. If someone fell down a cliff, shouldn't both sides be equally damaged? Kagome didn't want the left side to look like the right, but it would have made more sense if both sides looked the same.
Kagome shook her head. It really wasn't any of her business, though she would always be ready to offer a willing ear.
"I guess I need to start breakfast," Kagome said, as her stomach complained. It had been bad enough getting used to only two meals a day, with little to no carbohydrates unless Kikyo brought a bit of bread for her, but having missed dinner yesterday her stomach was complaining. Loudly. Kagome looked around, caught up her bow and arrows, and started to walk away. She hesitated, turning around for one last look. She thought for a moment, shrugged, and concentrated for a moment. A shield sprang up around the woman, one that wobbled a little but would at least give a bit of protection, along with a warning if it was breached. Kagome wavered to the side for a moment, her weakness being compounded by hunger and a dangerously low amount of life energy, but she managed to stand moderately straight again and left.
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The woman fought for awareness. She dreaded awakening, but she was ready to do whatever necessary. She was Mukuro, and she yielded to no one. She would fight whoever threatened her and would die on her own terms, nobody else's! She held back a wince as she opened her eye, disorientated from missing the other.
Mukuro opened her senses. She felt better then she had thought she would, and then she remembered the voice of a woman, and a blurry image. Strands from their short conversation twined their way back into her memory. Who was that woman? She tried to sit up, but fell back, biting her lip.
"You're awake!" said the voice. Mukuro recognized the voice.
"Yes," Mukuro answered. She wasn't sure what was happening. What did this woman want from her? Everyone wanted something, but what did she want? Mukuro was free now, and wished that she had a state of health that meshed with that freedom so she could leave and just be alone.
"Do you need to sit up? There is a rock I can prop you on," and before Mukuro could say a word gentle hands helped her lean against what Mukuro was clearly able to identify as a rock, with the odd outcropping digging into her wounds. Mukuro had a hard time concealing her wince as she glanced around at her surroundings. They were by a river and along the beach rocks filled the sand. Here and there boulders seemed to have sprouted out of the sand, and Mukuro was suddenly grateful that she had landed on a relatively sandy spot. She looked up at the cliff a few meters from her and shuddered.
"That can't be comfortable, here, let's try my blanket," the woman suggested. She was bustling around Mukuro in a manner that was rather hard to follow with her still partly-dazed mind and one eye, especially as she wasn't quite used having only one eye yet. Soon she felt a bit of padding come between her and the rock, and the relief provided Mukuro with a chance to get her bearings.
The woman finally stopped moving as she grabbed something off of a nearby rock. She held it out to her, and Mukuro looked down at the piece of cooked meat with surprise. She looked up at the woman, finally able to get a good look at her.
It was a human woman, which surprised her slightly. Was the woman insane, to be treating a demon? Granted, she was injured, but she would heal. Was not the woman afraid of her? Her appearance suggested that she had once had a delicate beauty, but her hair was pulled back tightly from her face, refusing to soften the lines except for a few strands that escaped from the tie's grasp. Her eyes were a surprising blue, but her skin was tanned and seemed a bit rough from overexposure to sun. Her face had a gentle bone structure, but it seemed lean, as if the extra flesh had left, leaving only muscles and barely any fat to cover it. Her body seemed to follow that pattern, from what she could see from her outfit of red pants and white shirt. Mukuro was sure that there was something that it should remind her off, something she had heard, but she shook it off mentally and returned to her scrutiny. The clothing itself looked worn, as if it had been mended multiple times. She did not look like a prosperous woman, but then she did not look like a peasant either. She looked almost like someone who could fight, but women, human women, were either kept tightly in the home or worked out in the fields along with the men.
The woman's smile had been faltering slightly, and Mukuro stopped. This woman was curious indeed. She looked lean and hardened by the elements, but even nature's harsh treatment had failed to completely mask the woman's beauty, indeed, it had almost given her a rougher one instead. Mukuro almost felt sorry for her. If her old master could see her, he would attempt to gain possession of her instantly.
"Who are you?" Mukuro asked finally.
"Oh, was that the problem?" the woman asked, brightening up slightly as if she had been worried about something, "I thought you didn't want the meat. It might not be the most flavorful thing in the world to eat, but it will fill your stomach. I'm sorry I don't have much else to offer you, but I've been pretty much living off of the land for the past few weeks."
Mukuro thought that was obvious, but the woman seemed concerned that she eat, so Mukuro reached out her left hand and took the meat. It didn't taste horrible, but then it didn't taste very good either. Mukuro brushed it off since the woman was human and probably liked things over-cooked. The meat wasn't too tough and Mukuro continued to chew thoughtfully. If the person that had aided her had been a demon, or a male, she would have tried to get away immediately, but a human female, even one that had apparently been living on her own, did not feel like a threat to Mukuro. Mukuro shot a questioning glance at the woman, trying to prompt the woman to answer her previous question.
The woman seemed oblivious, but she answered Mukuro anyways. "I'm Kagome. I'm glad you're awake, I've been wondering when you would wake up."
Mukuro chewed for a moment, swallowed, and then said, "Why did you help me?"
"I told you earlier, but I guess that is probably a bit foggy. I wanted to," the woman, who Mukuro now knew was Kagome, said, shrugging. Mukuro raised her eyebrows, inwardly wincing at the pain that small action caused.
"You voluntarily wished to aid a demon woman?" she asked.
"Yes," Kagome answered.
"But why?" Mukuro persisted. She didn't understand.
"You aren't going to accept a simple answer, are you? I guess the better question would be, 'Why did I want to?'" Kagome said.
Mukuro nodded, her neck sending twinges of pain along with the rest of her body, but she concentrated on chewing the meat, and listening for the woman's, Kagome's, response.
"I don't know. I like it when I help people. It makes me feel good inside. You know," Kagome said, staring at the river they camped beside, "that is what life is about. It sounds selfish, but it's true. People, demons, animals, everyone does what makes them feel happy. It sounds like a selfish way of life, and it is. Ideals like truth, love, a willingness to sacrifice yourself for those you love, they don't truly exist. If someone lies, it is because it suits their purposes. But if someone tells the truth, even if they don't wish to, it is because even though the possible consequences might be unpleasant, they get a feeling of satisfaction for telling the truth. Love is when someone makes you happy. You love someone because of how they make you feel. You hate because they bring out your unhappier emotions. You die for someone because you love someone so much that you cannot live without the feeling of happiness they give you. You know that if you die, the remainder of your life is going to be filled with self-recriminations and mourning for the one or ones you lost."
Mukuro was entranced, and Kagome seemed to be talking to herself now, voicing ideas that had taken her a long time to develop and accept.
"It is same for the people who do bad things. Murder, stealing, rape, torture, they are all done because they are what makes that person happy at the time. Some people do it and discover that they hate the feelings the acts generate, and they hate themselves for the rest of the rest of their lives. Others, though, get some kind of high off of it. They love the feelings given to them. I'm not sure if it makes them feel powerful, safe, or just general happiness, but they grow addicted to those feelings. Good people, as considered by the ideas of the society, are those who get good feelings when they do what are termed good things by that society. Bad people are the people who get good feelings when they do what are considered bad things by society," Kagome seemed to drift off.
"What of the good people who kill? And do you believe it is right to punish those who have generated bad feelings, hate, in other people?" Mukuro asked. Her soul was soaking up the words eagerly, but she remembered the man that had tortured her for most of her life. For him she felt hate. She wanted to destroy him. She wanted justification; to know what someone else understood and knew what she was doing was deserved.
"That's the question, isn't it? It sounds selfish, to kill someone because they hurt other people or threatened you; made you or someone else feel sad. The bad people are only doing what makes them feel happy, right?" Kagome asked, "I struggled with that question for a long time. If people are only acting because of how they feel, then is it right to punish them?"
Mukuro was listening avidly, though her face didn't show it.
"One day, I realized something. If the bad people can be excused for what they do because it feels right to them, then it is okay for good people to be excused for the same reason. We each live by what our emotions dictate. There isn't really good or evil in this world. There are only beings doing what feels right to them, and that is what makes us who we are. I have a set of beliefs that are dictated by my feelings, and I will stick by them. I saw you and I wanted to help you. I helped you. It makes me feel good to help people. There are people who do bad things to other people, other beings. It makes me feel good to protect the people who can't fight against the people who enjoy hurting others, and so I do so. You will live, learn, and be dictated to by your emotions. So will I. It is life," Kagome fell into silence as she continued to stare out into the distance over the river.
Mukuro was silent. Her life had been filled with survival, hate, a desire to gain her freedom. She had thought that freedom might come when she fell over the cliff. Then this woman had come along and she had strengthened that small part of her that still wanted life, a life beyond her slavery. Now she felt that urge grow even more, and expand. She wanted to live life, to be able to learn about it. Now, she had the chance. A smile crept onto her face, a strange thing that she had never really felt before. The closest thing had been a smirk of triumph when she had managed to escape her master's clutches. This new thing, a smile, came without her bidding. But the strange feeling that came from it, happiness, she thought, that feeling she could become used to.
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The next day, Kagome wondered where in Feudal Japan Sesshoumaru and Kikyo could have got to while Mukuro and she walked along the bank. They were moving ahead, hoping to leave the cliff behind, and made find a better place to wash other then the freezing water that ran besides them.
Mukuro was limping, but her wounds had continued to heal overnight, and already faint scars were beginning to show along the edges of the wounds. Kagome had kept herself from asking where they had come from, but only just. Her curiosity continued to grow, but she had the feeling that the wounds were a personal matter.
"When I fell down the cliff, I had thought that my wounds were bad enough to kill me, let alone the fall," Mukuro commented next to her. Kagome had been embarrassed that she had told an almost complete stranger her beliefs in life, especially when she hadn't even told her friends, but she had seemed to appreciate them and didn't comment on their oddity. Most of yesterday had been spent in silence, though the girls had occasionally had quiet, brief conversations. The friendship that was developing between then was different compared to Kagome's relationship with Sango, but Kagome thought that it might be as strong, with time. Kagome wondered what had made the demon woman, who last night she had discovered was named Mukuro, so reserved, but she had let the issue go. It was almost peaceful, in a way, to sit there in silence with someone else, and not feel uncomfortable. In her old group she had felt like she had to talk, to contribute something other than her ability with weapons even if it was just a cheerful face and bright conversation. Of course, Kagome liked to talk with people, but sometimes it was nice to appreciate silence with someone else and not have to worry about being asked if something was wrong.
Kagome had been nervous that Mukuro might ask her how she had healed so quickly, and so Kagome had been relieved that Mukuro hadn't asked about it. Kagome didn't know how, but a strange sense of friendship had been built yesterday. Kagome didn't ask where Mukuro was going after she healed, or if she was going to leave, and Mukuro didn't ask her what she was doing alone in the wilderness, surviving off her bow and arrows and any vegetation that could be used as a healthy supplement to meat. Of course, apparently she would touch on another issue that made Kagome rather uncomfortable.
"I helped your wounds along. Otherwise, even if you did live you would have lost your arm and part of your head. Your eye was already lost, but I did manage to salvage some of the flesh that been missing," Kagome said. Maybe that would satisfy her, but Kagome had the feeling…
"How did you accomplish that? I am not sure if most healers could do so. Do you have any abilities to heal?" Mukuro asked.
Kagome winced. "Not exactly. My abilities lay in, um, other directions."
"Then how?" Mukuro asked.
"I gave your life force some of mine," Kagome said.
"How? Why?" Mukuro asked sharply, pausing and turning to stare at her, "you can die doing that!"
"Oh. Kikyo didn't mention that, but I suppose I sort of guessed," Kagome said, turning thoughtful to Mukuro's complete astonishment as Kagome tilted her head slightly to the side in thought.
"You weren't sure?" Mukuro asked, then shook her head. She was beginning to think that she would never truly understand Kagome.
"You were going to die. I didn't want you to, and since my powers don't really include healing I used the only technique I knew of. I think your life force knew what to do, and managed to use the energy I gave it to regenerate cells," Kagome said, shrugging. It had worked, so everything was okay.
Mukuro didn't comment. She didn't know much, except that giving someone else your personal life force was really dangerous because it would be hard to stop the procedure, and that if you didn't do soon enough before the wounds had started to heal to a certain point, nothing could be done for the lost bone and flesh. It seemed she owed this Kagome a great debt.
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They managed to make it to the area where Kagome thought she had been supposed to head to last time, as most of the time they were near hot springs. Kagome didn't know why Sesshoumaru was so considerate about that, but then maybe it was just lucky that the demons who continued to attack her liked the areas with hot springs in them. It was still early in the afternoon, and Mukuro looked around curiously.
"Why are we stopping so early?" she asked.
"I was supposed to meet someone, and I think this is the place," Kagome said as she picked up wood, "I'll be able to confirm this spot later."
"How?" Mukuro asked. Kagome turned a bit. She was crouched on the ground, in the process of gathering together sticks to start a fire. A weird grin took over her face, and Mukuro shivered a bit.
"Oh, you'll see," Kagome said, and turned back to the fire.
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The women were staring into the fire when noises could be heard. Mukuro was instantly on the alert and tried to stand up, but her muscles were stiff and the wounds cried in pain. Mukuro bit her lip and continued to struggle up until Kagome told her to stay down.
"Don't worry about it," she said, the strange smile back, "this was the confirmation I was talking about." Mukuro stayed down, expecting to see whomever Kagome was waiting for come into the light. Instead, four huge demons crashed out of the bushes, yelling something about jewel shards. Why would they want jewel shards? A memory stirred and she remembered her master and another of his friends talking around a fire, something about a jewel that had been broken, and whose shards gave power. She didn't have any, though, and why would Kagome?
"Hello! I suppose you wouldn't just leave us two poor girls be and leave, would you?" Kagome asked.
Mukuro stared in surprise. Kagome was gripping the hilt of the sword Mukuro had thought was purely for intimidation, and that was exactly was Kagome appeared to be doing. Personally, she didn't think it would work. She was just a human woman, after all.
"Give us the jewels!" one of the demons yelled, and the others added their agreements as they charged. Mukuro stood up, very sore but determined to fight, and then stopped.
Kagome launched into the air, her sword flaming a strange pink. She leapt over the demons' heads, something that Mukuro had believed that no human could do, twisted in midair, and sliced through the demon's back. Mukuro didn't think a sword that could be a toothpick to the demon the sword struck would hurt the demon, but it disappeared in a small cloud of dust. Kagome made a clutching motion midair as she fell to the ground then leapt back up, engaging the other demons. Mukuro sat shocked on the ground as all the facts she had came together.
Kagome was a miko. The red and white clothing, the bow and arrows, and most importantly, the ability of purification. It made sense now. But miko were the natural enemies of demons. Would Kagome try and kill her too? She watched in horror as the woman purified the other demons, seemingly catching one other something in midair. Kagome turned to face Mukuro then, and Mukuro froze.
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Kagome turned around, smiling. She had gotten two more jewel shards, and she had found the right place to meet Sesshoumaru, even if she was a bit late. She stopped as she caught sight of Mukuro's face. It drawn in lines of stunned horror, and Kagome felt her heart skip a beat.
"Mukuro, I thought, I thought you knew," she said, "that is why I wear this clothing."
"You're a miko! Why haven't you purified me?" Mukuro asked sharply. She was in no shape to fight a miko, especially one that seemed that strong. Mukuro felt threatened, everyone else with power had abused it, so why shouldn't Kagome? Miko killed demons, she would too.
Kagome sat down suddenly. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm friends with a half-demon, a cat demon, and a fox demon, and am being trained by a dog demon. I only purify people who attack me or others who deserve it. If I had wanted to kill you, I would have let you die earlier."
Mukuro's instinct to run started to fade as she remembered who she was talking to. Kagome had seemed friendly so far, and had even risked her life to save Mukuro's. "Sorry. A demon does not naturally just trust someone she just discovered could easily turn her into dust, even if she knows better."
Kagome gave a sigh of relief. "You worried me for a second. Look at it like this, my way of fighting means there isn't a stench afterwards."
Mukuro gave a startled chuckle. "That's true, I suppose. Do you really have shards of that jewel?"
"Yes, and I really hope you aren't going to try and jump me for them," Kagome said.
"Are they dangerous?" Mukuro asked.
Kagome sighed. "Yes, they are. Even if you use them to increase your power, they attract others who desire them. Your life would be filled with fighting."
"I don't mind fighting," Mukuro said. Kagome stood up, her face sad, and started to walk away.
"However," Mukuro continued, "I don't think I would trust a power source that could so easily be taken from me. Whatever strength I have, I want to know that it is my own."
Kagome turned around, her relief so obvious that Mukuro smiled again. She didn't know why it came so easily to her around this woman, a miko none the less, but it did.
"I" and she stuttered, "I wasn't worried. I was just going to go find dinner!" she chuckled nervously.
"Maybe you should get your bow and arrows first," Mukuro said, nodding in their direction.
"Um, right! Yeah, need those, I'll just go and get dinner!" Kagome repeated as she ran out of the clearing, but not before she heard Mukuro's laughter behind her. Kagome couldn't resist a smile of her own as she ran away, ready to find something to eat! Later, she would remember that they had already eaten, and they also had leftovers for the next morning. How embarrassing!
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The next morning Sesshoumaru arrived while Mukuro was still sleeping. Kagome was a bit away, so he didn't notice the demon as he approached Kagome. She turned around to face him and smiled.
"Hello, where have you been?" she asked.
"I was not the one who failed to be at the correct destination," he said.
"What if I fell into the river and got sick or was ambushed by Naraku or something?" Kagome asked.
"Then you would not be worthy of further training," he said.
"Jerk," was Kagome reply, and they commenced with their dueling.
Kagome was rather annoyed to know that Sesshoumaru was negligent of his students. Kagome had become fond of Sesshoumaru, since he was devoting a great deal of his "valuable" time to fighting with her, and he was interesting to try and decipher, but this was rather annoying, though pure Sesshoumaru. She decided to ignore it and concentrate on the fight. She had gotten to the point where she was only killed a dozen times a day, which was good for her.
Mukuro woke up to the sounds of the clashing of swords, her mind awakening quickly. She stood up; most of her wounds healed, though still showing scars, and looked for the source. She finally found it, and her brain ceased to function momentarily. Kagome was fighting Lord Sesshoumaru. The Lord of the Western Lands. Granted, he wasn't a lord like a human lord, for a demon lord's title was only gained if he or she were the strongest in the region, and did not include administrative duties, but that still meant that Kagome was fighting for her life against a demon that some said was the strongest in Japan.
"Leave Kagome alone!" Mukuro's voice rang out sharply in command as she braced herself to join the fight.
The two stopped fighting to look at her. Mukuro started to feel foolish. Something was wrong.
"Who are you?" Lord Sesshoumaru asked.
"Mukuro, my lord," she said, bowing deeply.
"I've heard rumors of an escaped slave with that name. Are you she?" Lord Sesshoumaru asked. Kagome looked at Mukuro sharply.
"And if I am," Mukuro asked, trying to be brave.
"It is of no consequence to me. If you are strong enough to escape from your master then you are no longer his slave," Sesshoumaru said.
Mukuro's heart skipped a bit. While Lord Sesshoumaru was not like a human lord, his opinion was still respected, and if he said she wasn't a slave, then she wasn't a slave. She saw Kagome give Lord Sesshoumaru a look of approval, and her attention returned to the situation at hand.
"Mukuro, Lord Sesshoumaru is training me," Kagome said, looking a bit embarrassed.
Mukuro's eyebrow rose. Her other eyebrow had not grown back yet, and Mukuro doubted it ever would. But why was Lord Sesshoumaru training a human, even if she was a strong miko?
"Sesshoumaru is aiding me in my quest to destroy Naraku," Kagome said, her tone slightly embarrassed.
"Lord Sesshoumaru could destroy Naraku by himself," Mukuro said, confused.
"He is beneath my notice," Lord Sesshoumaru said.
Kagome huffed. "He is a regenerative half-demon, and so tenacious that if someone left one speck of him in one piece he would probably manage to find a way back. If I purify him, then he won't come back."
Mukuro held back a gape of astonishment at Kagome boldness to correct the Lord, expecting him to slice her in half, but nothing happened.
"This is why your arrival was delayed?" Lord Sesshoumaru asked.
"Yes," Kagome answered.
"Very well. Next time arrive promptly even if you have to drag whatever wounded soul you take pity on to the meeting spot," he commanded.
"Only if you promise to use Tensaiga on them when the journey kills them," Kagome shot back.
Sesshoumaru ignored that comment and started attacking her again. Mukuro, after watching for a few moments, decided to sit down. Despite her earlier beliefs that Kagome was a weak woman, now that she saw her in action she was a gifted warrior. Add that with the fact it was Lord Sesshoumaru she was fighting, and Mukuro decided that she would be able to learn much about fighting if she continued to watch, now, and perhaps if she decided to continue with Kagome while she trained. It seemed that by her side would be a good place to hone her fighting skills, for apparently this miko had a knack of getting into the middle of things.
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After Sesshoumaru left, the two women walked to the next site. "If there is a hot spring, would you like to join me in a bath now that most of your wounds have healed?" Kagome asked.
"That would be fine," Mukuro said, "How did you meet Lord Sesshoumaru?"
"Oh, um, I know his half-brother," Kagome said, a slight blush on her face.
"And how did you meet him?" Mukuro asked.
"That's a bit complicated, but we ended up journeying together, along with a few other friends of mine," Kagome said. Her face looked a bit downcast as she spoke, which Mukuro didn't completely understand.
"Why are you sad?" she asked.
Kagome's face brightened so quickly that it was almost as if a mask had been placed over her features. "Oh, nothing! I'm not sad!"
"Yes, you were," Mukuro stated.
"I just miss them, that's all," Kagome said, giving in.
"Did they die?" Mukuro asked, slightly confused.
"Oh, no, as far as I know they are doing fine!" Kagome said.
"Then what is the problem?" Mukuro had never missed anyone, and had never really had anyone she cared for so this concept was challenging for her to comprehend.
"I miss them. I miss being with them. I wish I could be traveling with them right now, helping them fight, but I have to train. If I am to be of any assistance in beating Naraku, then I need to be as skilled as they are in their own rights," Kagome said.
"They could not train you?" Mukuro asked.
Kagome's face fell. "I'd rather not talk about it," she said. She started walking a little faster, so that she was ahead of Mukuro.
'Does she really care for them so much?' Mukuro wondered, 'then why is she not with them?'
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That night as Mukuro slept after helping Kagome dispatch demons for the first time, Kikyo appeared. Before Kagome could ask where Kikyo had been, Kikyo asked her a question.
"What happened to you? I couldn't sense your presence, your life energy. Were you wounded?" she asked.
"Oh, no! Mukuro, there," and Kagome motioned towards the sleeping demon, "was really wounded, and I had to help her recover."
"And you risked your life for some demon you have never met?" Kikyo asked disapprovingly, guessing what the naïve girl had done.
"Yes! It was the right thing to do!" Kagome said. She wondered absently why they had not awakened Mukuro, unless she was just pretending to be asleep. She winced a bit, and apologized in her head.
"Do not be so careless, next time. Your life energy has only last night recovered enough so that I could sense it, and that is unacceptable. Leave healing to those with the power to do so," Kikyo said.
"If I can save someone's life, it's worth it!" Kagome said back.
"If you die, and I am not able to defeat Naraku by myself, who shall? If Naraku reigns supreme, many more lives will be taken then just one little demon girl's!" Kikyo said harshly back.
"If I don't do what I believe in, then I am betraying myself!" Kagome shouted back.
"Very well. If you are not willing to let some people die to save everyone, you are not worthy of my teachings!" Kikyo said stiffly, and turned to leave. Kagome caught her shoulder and turned her back around.
"That isn't true! You told me that a miko's power comes from how true they stay to their soul, what they believe in! If I betrayed my beliefs like that, I would lose a part of myself that I refuse to loose! I want to defeat Naraku as badly as you do, Kikyo, but I am not going to let my morals fall by the wayside!" Kagome said.
Kikyo slapped her and Kagome fell to the ground, holding her cheek and looking up at her with burning eyes. "Do you? Does your heart burn with the desire to see his ashes spread across the world? Do you spend every single moment wishing for his death? You don't truly understand what I lost, the day he attacked! I want to see his death with every particle of my being! I will do anything, anything to see his destruction! If you are not willing to do so, I am leaving!"
"Fine!" Kagome said, standing up, "if that is what you believe, then do it! The only life I am willing to sacrifice is mine! No one else!"
"You say so," Kikyo sneered, "but what of the villages you have buried? They have been sacrificed because of the jewel, and yet you didn't manage to save them. You might not be aware of it, but people are still dieing because of the jewel while you train! You may believe you are noble, girl, but you are aiding no one by following your current beliefs!"
"I am sorry, Kikyo, but I cannot accept that," Kagome said, her face held high while tears threatened to fall down her face.
"You are not worthy of my powers," Kikyo said, then turned and walked away into the darkness.
Kagome fell to the ground, crying silently, while Mukuro tried to understand the conversation she had just heard. It would be a long time before she would.
End of Chapter Four
Hi folks! THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE. IF YOU DON'T READ THIS, YOU WILL BE VERY CONFUSED AND DISAPPOINTED!
All right. I've had this chapter written for ages now, but have not been able to make changes to make it right. Anyways, something came up today and I WILL BE TAKING A SABBATICAL FROM WRITING FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS OR SO, FOR PERSONAL REASONS. Once everything is taken care of, I will return with a nice, long Chapter Five, and a great deal of apologies. You have been some of the best readers and reviewers anyone could ask for (I mean, really, I wrote the story that wasn't that great in the first version, tried writing a prequel and a new version at the same time, and now am writing my last and final version, and I still have some very sweet reviewers still reviewing and reading my stuff. Who could ask for anyone sweeter?) and I feel really bad to be doing this, but I have had some things I've needed to work on for awhile, and they've come to a head. I really hope to be hearing from you in a few months, and that you won't be cursing me and feeling very resentful about this because I already am feeling guilty about it and I will probably bore you with apologies when I come back.
Anyways, I wanted to get this posted before I stopped, and thus it didn't have the benefit of having my lovely editor Andrasteia Wen edit it, and I kind of feel sorry for you for having to read that. All grammatical errors must be blamed on me, and not my poor editor. My apologies again, and I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me and possibly return to reading when I get back (though I wouldn't blame you if you gave up.)
One last important annoucment. I AM NOT GIVING UP ON THIS FANFICTION! I WILL FINISH IT! I WILL FINISH THE NEXT TWO THAT COME AFTER IT AND THE ONE SHOTS THAT GO WITH IT (for further information please look at my profile!) Thanks again!