Chapter Twenty
The Strange Similarity between Friendship, Love, Hate and Enemies
Kagome stood on a high cliff over looking a vast forest, her black hair was softly floating in the breeze and for a moment she looked peaceful, that was until the malicious anger made her eyes glow. She kept thinking about the past and future, her thoughts plagued her and began to consume her soon mid day turned to night and Kurayami/Kagome still stood on the cliff.
"Why do you meditate so laboriously my dear sister, you can have the world at your feet in a day and you still contemplate these issues as if nothing else matters? Why?" A dark, cold voice vibrated in her head.
"Because they are why I am here, the few simple reasons why and how I came to be what I am or frankly what we are, that is why." Kagome answered back earning a slight jolt of energy up her spine.
"Ouch! Kurayami what was that for?" Kagome watched as a thin black smoke came from her mouth and in front of her eyes formed a face identical to her own.
"Because you have to keep your mind on the matters at hand, forget the past! All that matters now is our revenge on Inuyasha and maybe Sesshoumaru as well." There was a slight eerie enjoyment in Kurayami's voice that set Kagome at unease.
"Sesshoumaru! Why? We have no reason to attack him, if it weren't for him I would be dead and you right along with me. I will not attack him" Kagome waved her hand to beat away the smoky image but it simply recollected on her left side.
"Alright I apologize for that but what of your other friends Kagome? What about Sango? She knows what happened, that you are alive and undoubtedly she will tell Miroku and Shippo. They are surely on their way here to see you. What will you do about them?" The face gave her a soft questionable gaze.
"What are you talking about Kurayami?" Kagome was starting to become annoyed with her newfound 'dark side' as she sneered at the image.
"I mean that once they find out your plans to kill Inuyasha they are going to try and stop you. What are you going to do when that time comes? And trust me it will come" the face drew closer as if pressing the point into Kagome's brain
"They can't stop me" Kagome scoffed at the cloud of her likeness.
"What if they decide to attack you instead" Kagome's eyes widened in shock then narrowed in anger.
"THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT!" She screamed at the face
"Are you sure Kagome, you thought Inuyasha would never betray you and look what happened. How sure are you that they won't turn against you as well?" The cloud stared out over the horizon.
"Because they are genuine and loyal to me! They love me more than Inuyasha ever did and they were there for me through thick and thin and they never did anything to hurt me as much as that Inu did. That's why!" Kagome's voice had lowered but only slightly.
"Well at least Inuyasha showed you his true feelings long ago you were just too blind to love to see it, but as far as you're other friends are concerned they could be harboring malcontent for you." The cloud image turned and gave her a wicked smirk.
"SHUT UP" Kagome whipped her hand through the smoky face causing it to swirl about; it didn't return to a facial form but instead floated near her ears whispering its last comment.
"I'm just noting the possibilities. I'm just looking out for our best interest, that's all"
"SHUT THE HELL UP! Not another word Kurayami not a word…DO YOU HEAR ME?" with that the smoke slowly disappeared then there was silence.
Kagome stared into the night with her black eyes and ghostly white irises. She was frustrated from what Kurayami had said, her friends would never betray her that way especially Shippo, he loved her like a mother and she saw him as her adopted son. Kagome was seething at the idea that her dear friend and adopted sister, Sango, would deceive her. Kagome remembered the look on Sango's face in the dream; she could feel the joy and heartache radiating from Sango even though she was miles away. Plus Miroku could never betray a friend he was to honest, loyal and compassionate.
However Kurayami did have a point about Inuyasha, he had shown his true feelings over and over but Kagome refused to realize the truth, she had always 'hoped' he would love her. At the thought of Inuyasha, Kagome's black aura swirled around her like a tempest and in a flash of black light she was running down the cliff side and into the wilderness to find something to rake her claws through.
Yet at the bottom of the mountain Inuyasha was soaking his wounds in a waterfall pool, he was completely submerged, holding his breath he opened his eyes and saw many tiny fishes cleaning or eating away the dead skin on his wounds.
"Why do you help me? Of all people why a horrid beast like me?" Inuyasha thought as one by one the small fish swam away signaling the completion of their task. He slowing came up to the bank of the pool and pulled himself ashore lying on the grassy bank he stared into the sky. The heavens were bright blue and free of clouds and the starlight did not sting his eyes like the sun had.
"Why did I allow this to happen?" Inuyasha spoke out loud as a figure floated above him high in the sky.
"Look Sango what is that down there" Miroku pointed with his staff from atop of Kirara.
"That isn't who I think it is…Is it!" Sango looked back at Miroku as Shippo gazed down at the blurred figure.
"It is him Sango…It's Inuyasha and he looks really hurt" Shippo's voice did not sound full of concern like it once had been, Sango knew that Shippo was wise enough to put the pieces of Kagome's absence together, that is why he now cared less for the hanyou.
"Let us go down to him" Miroku spoke to Sango.
"Why? He doesn't deserve our help!" Sango growled back.
"I know but he may have information about Kagome or this Kurayami as you have told us" Miroku was shocked when Sango told him about the dream she had, and for the first time in his life he had felt genuine hate.
"Alright Miroku but we are leaving him here, I don't want that traitor around us" Sango guided Kirara to the ground, making a soft landing they all dismounted as Kirara looked at the hanyou and growled.
"Do you wish to maul me as well Kirara" Inuyasha spoke without making eye contact he just stared up into the sky.
"If we didn't need you for information I would let her tear you limb from limb" Sango said as she approached Inuyasha tears ebbed on the edges of her eyes, her fury was being held by a thread for the hate that she had felt when she first encountered Inuyasha after the massacre of her family and village was a fraction of what she now felt boiling deep inside her gut.
"Kagome did this to you didn't she?" Sango looked at the many scars that were slowly healing.
"Yes and I deserve every ounce of pain she inflicts on me" Inuyasha's voice was plain and lifeless.
"I'm surprised she just didn't kill you" Sango growled out as she picked up the hanyou and sat him up against a nearby tree. Miroku stood next to Inuyasha and looked him in the eyes.
"Kagome didn't kill you because she wants you to regret, to feel guilt and depression. She wants you to feel like you have not a friend in the world and that everything you once loved is gone" Miroku spoke somberly as he placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder and shook him lightly. Inuyasha seem to come out of the trance as he looked Miroku deep in the eyes.
"You know what even though I betrayed Kagome in the worst possible way causing her to become a force to be reckoned with…" Inuyasha's eyes began to pour tears. "…She still let me keep the one thing I desired" At that moment Inuyasha held out his palm and in it he held the Shikon No Tama completely restored and pure no less.
Gasps were taken in as the pink light glowed in brilliance. Nwalme who had followed the group stood in the nearby brush quietly taking in all that he heard; he himself never desired the sacred jewel for what made him happy was the taste of blood and the pain of others and the jewel could not give him anymore of that which he could easily give himself. Inuyasha held the jewel as Sango and Miroku stared at it silently each in their own thoughts.
'WHY'
It was the single word that invading both of their minds.
"Why did Kagome let you keep the jewel? You don't deserve it" Sango said as she turned her back on the hanyou.
"Why indeed…after all you have done I thought she would have taken everything from you Inuyasha" Miroku looked at the young inuhanyou as he stared down at the precious stone with tears in his eyes.
Then a soft voice one of youth and wisdom was heard, the small kitsune stepped forward and spoke.
"Kagome let you keep the jewel because she still loves you Inuyasha" Shippo's voice was wavering on the edge of rage and sadness it quivered with emotion as he continued.
"Even though your malice and greed has turned our Kagome into a vengeful demon, deep down she still has concern for you…she wants to see you happy…to see that you have all that your heart desires and if she can give it to you she will….AND SHE HAS!" with his words Shippo broke his tail ruffled and his hair broke free of his bow, he looked like a cute but frightful red fireball.
"SHE HATES YOU AND WITH GOOD REASONS BUT KAGOME'S LOVING SOUL HASN'T DIED, IF SHE WANTS YOU TO HAVE THE JEWEL THEN FINE BUT YOU BETTER PROTECT IT…IF YOU LOSE IT INUYASHA I'LL KILL YOU!" Shippo spoke violently and then calmed down the two humans who stood watch viewed the rare spectacle in shock and awe. Sango had taken a step back when the little fox began his speech and the monk was proud at the fact that he was showing his maturity.
"Well" Sango said as she turned back to the hanyou. "You heard him Inuyasha"
"I won't be protecting it Shippo" Inuyasha replied blandly
"What!" Miroku said suddenly
"I'm giving you that responsibility" Inuyasha held out the jewel to Shippo. Miroku and Sango looked on awaiting the child's decision. Nwalme was enjoying the scene unfolding in front of him it was so very remarkable and exciting he loved a good drama. He watched closely as the young demon stepped forward and pushed the hanyou hands back onto his chest then backed away.
"That jewel in your hand whether you view it has a gift or a burden is now your responsibility you wanted it and now you have it. The Shikon no Tama isn't just a toy you can pawn off when you get feed up with it…you are it's keeper since you drove the previous one into madness." Shippo walked over to Kirara and sat down done for the day.
Nwalme smiled a bit as he thought of how wonderful this Kagome character sounded she was becoming more and more of an enigma he wanted to unravel.
"Alright Inuyasha let me get to the point…where is Kagome?" Sango spoke firmly and just as Inuyasha was about to speak a great wind was heard coming toward them a familiar wind and Inuyasha could smell an all too familiar scent lacing that coil.