Inuyasha ©Rumiko Takahashi

Beta-Reader: MissKatt

When the Future is Here

13

The Days Go By...

The afternoon was warm, but not hot. The sun shone, but countless clouds helped create a blissful shade to the unsuspecting, hardworking people on the plains below. It was, overall, a good day.

"What ails ye child?" asked Kaede patiently as she gathered herbs. She was a woman experienced with the moods of young girls and knew that tenacious patience was the key to success. Many a child had confided their secrets to her because she knew how to maintain respect, help, and keep the secret. It was not an easy feat.

The old woman carried a basket on her arm and scrutinized the small plants with a critical eye. After seeing one which was already grown enough to be used, she plucked it from the ground and stored it safely.

Behind her, and sitting over the wooden fence, Kagome sighed. "I don't even know where to start," confessed the depressed girl, "What's more…there's so much to think about that I am not even sure how to process anything. I feel..."

"Stuck?" offered the older woman knowingly. The girl was facing many difficulties. She was far from home in a world where magic was real, unlike the world she lived in. Not only that, but she had been attacked, possessed, and had unknowingly destroyed the most dangerous magical item in existence. She, indeed, had a lot of processing to do.

The young, ebony haired miko pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders, "I guess."

Kaede stopped gathering her herbs and turned to the young woman. Kagome was just as she remembered from fifty years ago…perhaps more immature, but it was no mystery. Stories said Kagome had been the guardian of the Shikon Jewel for centuries before the cursed item was given to her older sister. If so, the Kagome she met, as a child, years back was practically a demon. Or, her lifespan was and it gave her much experience. This Kagome was barely a child, thrown into an unsettling world to fend by herself. This time…she wasn't in the Lord of the West's company.

Inuyasha's attitude towards her, and his constant comparison of Kikyo, was not helping any. Kagome, unlike girls around here, was more outspoken and her temper was short and impulsive. There was no way this was going to turn out pretty. Either Inuyasha would kill Kagome or she would purify him by mistake. She hoped none happened…she didn't know how things stood with the Western Lord, but she doubted he would appreciate having his younger brother killed off in such a manner.

"Do not listen to Inuyasha, child," tried the older woman gently, knowing the gruff hanyou's words affected the teenager in front of her a great deal.

"He's right," cut in Kagome with her lips pressed together, "I broke the Jewel. Now, who knows what will happen. It's all my fault."

Kaede felt like telling the girl nothing would happen, but she didn't dare lie to her. Nothing would be fine. Kikyo lived with the fear of the Shikon being taken away. The Jewel could grant any wish to its holder, but perhaps the pieces wouldn't confer the same power. "How's your shoulder?"

The young miko blinked and turned to the elderly lady with a small smile, "It's fine now. I am sure I can use the bow again."

"You will fight?" asked Kaede, surprise evident in her big eye, "I thought ye would go back home."

Kagome tilted her head a little making the mane of black hair fall over her left shoulder, "I broke the Jewel," she gently reminded, "I should make things right again."

"How do ye plan to do so?" Honestly, the girl was as innocent as a child in this place. It would be a danger for her to travel around in search of the Shikon shards. "The hunt for the shards could take years."

Kagome's shoulders slumped and she took a single shard from her sleeve and raised it so it blinked back the sunlight, "If Inuyasha wants the Jewel then he better help me," she said simply and then fisted her hand around the pink shard, "As for the time…we'll see."

Kaede paled, "He's dangerous child," she said softly. She would never forget how Inuyasha turned and killed her sister. The hanyou had been nice before, but from one moment to the other…he betrayed them, "Are ye sure ye can…trust him? Maybe…there's someone else who could help ye?"

"I can sit him," offered Kagome, "Besides…I can feel the shards. He needs me."

xxoOoxx

"Hmn," said a female with long, silver hair as she played with the sole dark shard in her possession. She had placed the shard between the sun and her, but no light could break through the tainted shard. "So this is a piece of the Shikon no Tama. I don't know why, but its pull feels familiar…like a long lost song."

"Hn," consented Sesshomaru and kept his eyes on her. When she said nothing else, he ventured, "What can we expect about this…mishap?"

Momo shrugged her shoulder and handed the small shard back to him. "I am not entirely sure, Onii-sama. Perhaps Inuyasha would know."

"Inuyasha?" asked Sesshomaru with a skeptical frown. When the pup had been born he had ignored it for as much as he could. Now though, his thoughts and paths kept going back to the hanyou. Wasn't it enough he had run into him but a few days ago?

Momo nodded her head, "Remember he was in love with the miko who protected the Shikon fifty years ago. He may know more about this Jewel."

Sesshomaru considered the two-thirds demoness in front of him for a moment before nodding his head. She was usually right. "I saw Inuyasha a while ago. He was with the miko who broke the Shikon."

Momo's pink eyes instantly became angry, "Then why are you here? Shouldn't you be asking Inuyasha instead? This was a complete loss of your time."

The Taiyoukai glared down at his younger sister, "On the contrary. I came here to ask for your help. It is important to gather these shards back. We don't know the extent of their powers, but it would be unwise to think they are not dangerous. I want you to send five teams of trustworthy youkai to comb the lands of the West."

At his words, the pretty demoness blushed, "You are right; forgive me, Onii-sama."

"Hn," he replied evasively and rose from the cushion. "The feline I took this one from looked…possessed. We must be weary. I will go back to Inuyasha and seek more information about this matter. I will also collect Tetsusaiga."

The demoness' lips parted and she stood as well, "Did you find its location?" she asked eagerly. She had no need for the sword, she was more a defensive type of youkai than offensive, but she had tried to solve the riddle her father left for the sake of some diversion from her daily life. She had failed miserably.

"Hn," affirmed Sesshomaru and a smirk grew into his lips when she shot him a curious glance. He only motioned to his right eye.

xxoOoxx

A few days passed with nothing worth mentioning. Kagome learned the ways of the village and the names of the people. She practiced some archery and helped Kaede gather herbs. Inuyasha had been strangely absent, but it seemed to make the villagers more at ease.

This morning, Kagome woke early to the whispers of a middle aged woman. The female, the wife of one of the farmers, had come with dawn in order to get Kaede to help with her daughter. The girl, Mina, had fallen down with a high fever overnight. Kaede hastened to the woman's house, her face hardened with worry.

Kagome watched in silence, but she understood the older miko's concerns. A fever usually was a symptom the body was fighting something, but to come this fast? It was odd…unless what had attacked the girl was something dangerous.

Brown eyes turned to the fire pit with a wary glance. She wanted tea, but she knew igniting the fire was a pain. How she wished to have matches!

"Kagome-sama?" a voice called from outside the house.

Kagome turned to the door, "Come in," she offered politely. The voice was very familiar.

A moment later, Ashitoki Hojo pushed the mat aside and peeked inside the hut. He gave her a respectful nod before informing, "Another girl is ill," he said cautiously, "Kaede wants you to go to her and help."

Kagome nodded distractedly and then bowed her head a little. Hojo took it as the dismissal it was and Kagome hurried to a corner to change into the white and red miko robes Kaede had lent her. First came the gi and then the hakama, but her mind was off.

Kaede needed help? The miko never asked for her… it had to be bad. It was not a welcome line of thought, but she preferred to be prepared…just in case.

As soon as she stepped out of the hut, a strange sensation curled on her back and up to the back part of her ears. Kagome's hand quickly came to her ears and squeezed them gently to get the feeling off her, but it stubbornly stayed. Confused, and a little afraid, she glanced all around the village, but she couldn't, for the life of her, see anything odd. Still, something inside of her screamed danger.

Unconsciously, one of her hands came down to her chest and pressed. The necklace with the shard was still there…

After a last glance, she walked towards Mina's hut with hurriedness to her steps that hadn't been there before.

xXx

To be continued…

xXx

JeniNeji's Note:

:)