Chapter 7- The Difference
Kagome walked silently to the Goshinboku that night. Kenshin was, thankfully, asleep next to Inuyasha, and Shippou had decided to sleep with Kirara for once. They were leaving out in the morning to head towards their last clue: Mount Hakurei. It would be a long journey, and she just had to come to the Goshinboku one last time before she left.
Her hand pressed softly over the scar that would mark the Tree of Ages for all eternity, the place against which a certain haninu's heart had once rested. She remembered back to when they first met, or rather, when she first saw him, and she let a half-hearted smile slide over her features at her first reaction to him. She had gone up and petted his ears. Kagome had practically been unable to control herself; he had looked so adorable and sweet while his features were lax with sleep! Then the villagers had come, but they could have killed her on the spot instead of taking her to Kaede, so that could've gone worse. Even here, her memories drifted back to Inuyasha.
I wish things were back to the way they were, she thought, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. Before Naraku, before Kikyou, before all of this mess! Before… when things were simple. When it was Inuyasha and I. Wait, no. I can't say that's completely true. I like having Sango and Miroku and Shippou around. And Kenshin especially. But… I wish that, at least, Uresue had never resurrected Kikyou. Then again… for Inuyasha's sake…
Another sigh, but this one was of frustration. Why did her life have to be so blamed complicated? She pressed herself against the Tree, drawing comfort from it. She would always return here, return to the place they first met.
"Why?"
Kagome spun around in surprise at the voice. She had sensed no one approaching! But her shock only intensified when the voice and silhouetted figure registered an identity. Kikyou. Speak of the devil…
"'Why' what, Kikyou?" she asked, controlling her voice. It wasn't the greatest thing in the world when the two of them talked. There was only one time that one or the other of them had not been hurt, and that was when they had been in the priestess-sealer. The woman's features contorted in displeasure at the reply.
"Why are you so warm? Why could I feel the life flowing through you the last time we met? The last time… when you saved me from the priestess-sealer, despite my telling you to leave me to die?" she asked heatedly, angrily. Kagome stared at her, surprised at the question before an angry retort surfaced, not even allowing her the time to analyze what it was she said.
"How would I know? I'm Kagome, the schoolgirl from the modern era who fell through the well on her family shrine and ended up in the feudal era! Before this, I didn't know anything about archery, anything about magic, had no powers for all knew and I was HAPPY with it that way! I didn't ask for this, Kikyou, and sometimes I wish I'd never fallen through the well! Times like when Inuyasha runs off with you, and times like…" she trailed of and turned away, the anger that had marred her features abating and leaving a stony façade. "Never mind."
"You should have some idea, though, Kagome." The girl's anger returned, and she spun around, fire blazing in her eyes.
"That's my point Kikyou! I should know, but I don't! I have no clue! None! Nada! How many ways do I have to say it for you to understand that, even if I do have powers, I don't know how to use them?!"
Kagome was practically yelling at the top of her lungs. But by the time she finished, the final spurt of anger had left her, and she turned away, her feet treading heavily over to the Goshinboku, where she dropped down beside it and pressed her head against the rough bark. Kikyou stared at her, pitying her for a moment. A sob escaped Kagome's lips, much to the surprise of the undead priestess.
"I don't know why I even try. He doesn't trust me anymore. It is final that you are his only love because whatever chance I had, I myself have destroyed," she murmured, hidden tears falling from beneath her heavy lashes. "I'll tell you my only guess Kikyou. So many times people talk about getting the warm fuzzies when they fall in love, and they describe hatred as a cold feeling. Your half of our soul in fueled by hatred, whereas my half is fueled by love. So… do me a favor, would you? Take it back."
"Take what back?" the woman asked, confusion capturing her features. Kagome turned her head to glance back at her, a doleful expression on her face.
"My half of our soul," she stated simply, a sad, half-hearted smile escaping to play across her countenance. "Under one condition, I will allow you to completely take it back."
"And that would be?"
"Take… take care of Kenshin for me, ok? Will you promise to love him? Protect him? Comfort him, when others scorn him? Never leave him?" she asked, her head turning and pressing into the bark once again. Because of this, she did not see when Kikyou's face contorted in rage. But someone else did.
Kikyou…
"I will, Kagome."
You didn't promise, Kikyou.
"Alright, then," the younger of the two replied, standing. She walked softly to stand in front of her predecessor, and then knelt down upon the grass before her, bowing her head in submission.
You don't care about Kenshin, Kikyou. He would be able to sense it as easily as I do. Your only goal is to drag me down with you, but that doesn't mean I'll let you take Kagome as well.
"Don't you even dare."
The two mikos allowed their shocked glances to dart up. There before them stood Inuyasha, a hurt and angry visage laying firm claim to his features. Kikyou's rage fled, and she looked up at him innocently.
"Dare what, Inuyasha? Kagome has come to me of her own free will," she stated, smiling at him. "We can finally be together! Isn't that what you wanted?"
He looked at her, looked into her eyes, shining so brightly. Anyone who did not know Kikyou would think that they were shining with happiness, but he could see the truth. It was malice and rage that shone in her darkened depths, yet even that was hollow. Her eyes were shallow and cold, lifeless and dimensionless alike. Her body was as cold as her eyes. Kagome had been right about the two of them. Kikyou's life force was fueled by cold hatred, but hers was fueled by the love she felt; the two halves of her soul had split in such a way because… she had been trying to keep Kikyou from killing him when she had called it back. It was her love for him… that allowed her to even walk this earth. But… did she still love him?
"Kikyou, you aren't alive. I knew you when you felt love, Kikyou, but the only thing you feel now is malice and hatred, and that's what your soul feeds off of. Your hatred destroys whatever I may have owed you beyond avenging your death," he told her calmly. "Maybe I could see this a long time ago, when you tried to take me with you the first time; the moment I saw Kagome, I went to her. I didn't know why, I just did. It felt right, like every time I go to her does. It runs deeper… the bond is deeper, stronger, more powerful than anything we ever had. Kikyou, it's not Kagome that doesn't belong here, it's you."
Kagome stared at him from her kneeling position, unable to move. He had… just told Kikyou that she didn't belong here… that he wasn't going with her. She stared at him, trying to catch his gaze to see if he was truly sincere about what he had said. Her hope began to rise…
Suddenly, Kikyou let out a fierce shriek and backed away from Kagome quickly, holding herself. Her soul was quickly flying from her body, the bright orbs of light moving quickly to the one in which they belonged. Kagome gasped as they melted into her, her body pulsing with each part of her as it returned, becoming whole once again. With a last shriek of pain, Kikyou's clay body disintegrated into the night, and the ashes and graveside soil blew away in the light zephyrs of wind, leaving only her clothing behind. She turned to Inuyasha in shock.
"Why?"
"Because. At the beginning, I kept feeling like the two of you were one and the same. Now I can see all the differences."
AN: See? (points) I was a good girl. I killed the claypot, gave Kagome back the last half of her soul, AND began to mend the InuKag relations. XP You should be happy with this chapter. Review!
