-sniff sniff- I finished reading chapter 374 of the manga last week… so sad…
I nearly cried. Kagura's story is so tragic… in a not-quite-so-tragic way…
Yeah; if you decide to read any of the manga, definitely read chapter 374.
So yeah... I'm not dead! Lol. I am slowly losing interest in this story, though. I'll try and finish it before that happens, okay? I hope you guys have enjoyed it. I know it isn't the best story in the world, but it's served well as a little escape from reality for me.
Exams are next week... joy of all joys... -sigh-
The exams coming up will be my first exams EVER, so yeah; I'm nervous. Okay, scratch that... I'M FREAKING OUT! But just a little lol. I already know which ones I'm going to fail: Music (definitely), Sose (DEFINITELY!!), Science and Maths. So yay for failure!
Oh yeah, and I'm thinking of changing my name. Just coz Wolfii doesn't sound that great anymore. I just wanted to let you guys know in case anyone gets confused... :)
Kagome sighed contentedly as she flopped onto her bed, her thoughts filled with Inuyasha.
She'd just come home from having dinner with him. It was everything fancy and overly romantic; all scented candles, crystal chandeliers and food she'd never eaten before with names she couldn't pronounce. At first she was uncomfortable, but not for long. How could she be when Inuyasha was smiling at her from across the table, his hand clasping hers?
They'd talked, joked and laughed all night. It almost made her feel bad when Kagome realised she had barely touched her food. Inuyasha didn't seem to mind, though.
Inuyasha… Kagome stared at her ceiling, smiling to herself. She liked the sound of his name.
It was with these thoughts that Kagome fell asleep; her dreams filled with golden eyes and locks of silver hair.
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The sun was yet to rise when Kagome woke the following morning. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she groped around for the lamp on her bedside table and turned it on. Today was Sunday. That meant a day of rest. It also meant that everyone would be asleep for the next few hours.
She stepped over to her bookshelf and ran her hands over the many volumes she had collected throughout the years. She hadn't read much since she'd moved. She never had the time. In fact; she couldn't pinpoint a time she'd so much as glanced at this shelf since the day she'd unpacked. It was a shame, really. She'd always loved reading. She'd loved getting lost in other peoples' stories, their adventures, so unlike the torment of her life.
But Kagome didn't have to do that anymore. Now she had her own fairytale, taking the shape of an extraordinarily handsome hanyou.
Her hand rested on a book she hadn't looked at in a long time. It was small compared to the other volumes; black in colour with a red ribbon telling which page she was up to.
With a smile she pulled out her diary, staring at it for a long time. How could she have forgotten? This book that had served as her best friend for so many years. Now she had other friends; human friends that had kept her from retreating into the diary's neatly lined pages.
Now she sat down on her bed and flipped to her last diary entry. She could remember it clearly; the day she first moved here. She'd been lying on this same bed, with the chewed-up pen she always used and a plate of warm cookies supplied by her mother.
Dear diary-
I met my mom today. And a half-brother I knew nothing about. It's so strange… like a dream. I'm expecting to wake up at any moment to find myself back at America.
But I don't want to go back. Not just yet, anyway. I want to stick around with these people. I want to find out about this other side to my family. Sure, I miss dad, but I know that I'll see him again in the not-so-distant future. Just for now, I want to learn about this other side to me.
Maybe I'll make some new friends. It's a small hope I know and it might end in despair, but… it's worth a go. I don't want to be a geek anymore. I want to be Kagome Higarashi and now is the chance to prove it. At least I know you're there for me.
-Kagome
Kagome read and reread the passage over and over, a smile growing on her lips. Then she picked up the closest writing instrument she could find – a blue pen, clean with no teeth marks to be seen – and began to write:
Dear diary-
Well… long time no see. Looking back, I'm not sure how I did it. Containing every thought and wish inside a little book like this? I must have been pretty lonely back then.
Not anymore, though. Now I have the greatest friends in the world. Sango, Ayame, Rin… they are the best friends I could ever hope to have. They're beautiful, smart, talented and funny. I love them so much.
And then there's Inuyasha. My boyfriend; the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life. Even if we break up, I'll always remember him as the foundation of this happiness. I love him more than anything and would give the world without a second thought just to see his smile. I still don't know what he saw in me. I don't think I'll ever know. But I'm glad he's with me.
I don't have to worry about my dad, either. He's going to propose to my mom in the near future. I hope it's soon. You can tell they love each other by the looks and the comments (or flirting, I guess) and all the little things they do. Souta loves dad like his own father, which is good. He never knew his biological father. I think he likes having another man in the house.
So yeah; life isn't nearly as bad as I thought it was. Sometimes you've just got to get a better perspective… even if that means travelling thousands of miles to a totally different country to find it. I'm glad I did. I'll always be glad.
-Kagome
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"See that tapestry, Kagome? That was a token given by your great-great-great-great-great grandfather! And those bolts of silk were the left over bits of fabric, just look at them! The same silk that was used to make an empress's kimono, that was!"
Kagome simply smiled and nodded as she shifted box after box of ancient artefacts. They were cleaning out the shed; a task that obviously hadn't been attempted in a long time. Her grandfather was babbling on about a mummified foot, clearly in his element. Kagome had no doubt that Korari, Souta and Ryousuke had all heard these stories many times in the past. It was only mandatory that she, as the only member of the family who hadn't heard, would have to listen to the lengthy explanations of every object in the never-ending pile of boxes.
"…And yes, that crystallised youki is very real, I assure you. Ancient demons, the lot of them. Very powerful, too. But none were as powerful as the demon Midoriko defeated."
Now this got Kagome's interest. "Midoriko?" she asked.
Her grandfather blinked and suddenly became very excited. His eyes shone and a smile lit his face. His granddaughter was interested in Midoriko! "Oh, yes; did you know she was an ancestor of ours? Now there was a powerful priestess. Hasn't been one like her since. You didn't mess with her, not unless you wanted to die."
"What happened to her?" Kagome asked.
"That, my dear, is an amazing story indeed. Being so powerful, as Midoriko was, many demons felt threatened by her. She had many enemies. A large amount of demons, all small and otherwise harmless, bonded together to destroy her. Oh, what a battle took place! For seven days and nights they fought. Can you imagine? Midoriko was powerful, but so many demons at once!"
"Did she win?" Kagome asked curiously.
"Well… I suppose you could say that. She defeated it, by taking its soul, but sacrificed her own soul in order to do so."
"Oh…" Kagome mumbled. She continued to shift the boxes, her mind still reeling with this new information.
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Your grandfather compliments me too much, Midoriko said later as Kagome changed into some flannel pyjamas.
You were awfully quiet during grandpa's explanation, Kagome commented.
It was a long time ago, Kagome. Hearing it told like that… well, it brought back memories.
Midoriko?
Yes, Kagome?
Was it painful dying?
Whoever said I died?
But grandpa said you died when you defeated the demon…
If I recall correctly, he said I lost my soul.
But isn't that dying?
Not necessarily. I placed my soul in my daughter. That is how I was passed down through the generations; my soul shifts from descendant to descendant.
But… why didn't you choose Kikyo?
Because your heart was purer. It is one of the requirements for my soul; it needs a place of purity in the heart to conjoin to. Kikyo's heart… it is not pure, to say the least. Greed, hatred and jealousy have tainted it.
But it would have been pure before, right?
True, but I could tell just by looking at her soul that it would later become impure. She is weak at heart, and I do not say that foolishly.
So I'm… purer than Kikyo?
Yes.
There was a rap on the door (A/N: not Kagome's door, the front door) and Kagome frowned. Who would be knocking at 9 o'clock at night?
Korari and Ryousuke were busy doing the dishes and Souta was deeply involved with his latest video game. Grandpa had decided to have an early night, so Kagome took the liberty of answering the door.
What she found made her gasp, her hand immediately flying to cover her mouth. She stared with eyes as wide as dinner plates at the unexpected guest.
"Kagura?" she whispered.
The demon was crouching on the ground, her arms clutching her side in pain, her eyes squeezed shut with pain. She opened them when she heard Kagome's voice and managed the slightest of smiles. Dark patches of scarlet drenched her clothes.
"Kagome…" she replied almost inaudibly before crashing to the ground.
Kagome managed to catch her just before she hit the ground and held her tight, her horror intensifying at the amount of blood pouring from Kagura's body. She shook her, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"Kagura? Can you hear me? Please Kagura, please don't die!" she cried. Korari and Ryousuke rushed from the kitchen after hearing their daughter's raised voice, fear evident on their faces.
"Whats wrong, Kago- oh my…" Korari paled considerably and Kagome could tell she was shaking when she reached out to touch Kagura's arm.
Ryousuke was much quicker to act. "Souta!" he barked, "Get the first aid kit from the kitchen! Korari, go and ring the ambulance! Go! Kagome, help me get her to the lounge room."
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Hours passed agonisingly slow as Kagome stood in the waiting room at the hospital. No one wanted to be here; bad memories swarmed as thick as the smell of antiseptic. Kagome spent her time pacing, counting the bricks on the opposite wall and asking the nurses if they knew of Kagura's condition. None did.
Eventually one nervously asked if Kagome would like a drink. She hadn't stopped or even slowed down for an hour at the least. Kagome said she didn't. Even though her throat was dry and her voice croaky, all she could think about was Kagura and how helpless she had looked lying in their doorway.
Ryousuke was driving Souta and Grandpa home. Both had fallen asleep in the waiting room and they had all agreed that taking them back to the shrine would be for the best.
So that left Korari and Kagome. Korari had watched silently as her daughter paced back and forth, but now she grabbed Kagome's hand and dragged her to her side.
"Stop, Kagome."
Kagome blinked. "Huh?"
"Just calm down. Everything's going to be okay. We did all we could do and now we have to put our faith in the nurses."
Kagome was crying now. "I can't, mom. I just… every time I stop to think I see her face. What if she dies?"
She won't die.
"Oh, Kagome." was all Korari said before pulling the teen into a tight hug. Kagome let all the tears flow freely as she was rocked back and forth, her mother's voice whispering soft, comforting words in her ear.
Everything's going to be okay.
But what if it isn't, Kagome asked.
Trust me. Kagura will be fine.
And with that, Kagome relaxed. She took a deep, shuddering breath and buried her face in Korari's neck. Everything was going to work out. Midoriko had said so, after all.
And at that moment Kagome trusted Midoriko more than she trusted anyone, including herself.
Hm... not entirely happy with it, but OH WELL.
...Reviews...
Morning's Child: Tsk tsk you should know that brekky is the most important meal of the day... D: But I'm glad you're enjoying this story!
SabelLvr: Lol it's always good to have people siding with my Kikyo notion. And I'm sorry this was a slow update... I'm lazy lol. I'm kind of doing this to put off doing my Sose assignment... who cares about Gallipoli anyways? xD
fluffyluver666: Aww your final exams?? Did they let you take it later on?? We have our first exams next week -shaking with nervousness-
Diamond369: Thank you lol
MysteriousPanther: And the boys can attack each other with the pokka sticks while we eat the cupcakes and wait to treat their injuries! ;D
Lululuvsanime13: Yeah, I wish for someone like her too! As if Kagome would blow her off while, 'wanting to be independant'! I'd jump on Midoriko and threaten her with knives and pointy sticks until she gave me the answers... xD
Fray Ray: Lol I know! I love reviews so much... nothing beats that warm, squishy feeling...
Yashie-and-Kags-Forever: Hahaha your review made me laugh. Now... I'm gonna ask what fate should befall on Kikyo. I need suggestions, coz I'm seriously stuck D:
Angelblaze2006: Lol thanks for the review!
Inuyasha4ever255: Lol sorry this took so long. I am far too lazy for my own good...
andrea: Thanks! :)
ChristinaAngel: Aww thank you :D
Inuyasha0wiped0Kouga: Heheheheh... sorry about not updating sooner...
elevategirl: Lol actually I really need some suggestions about what should happen to Kikyo. You have any?
Thank you for all your reviews, guys! I love you all so much! -tears of joy and love and everything mushy-