Chapter 54
The Path
Sitting up quickly Kagome's head swam painfully, her vision turned everything in to fours, feeling nauseous she lay back down slowly. Taking in a deep breath she coughed harshly as her lungs demanded fresh air, the fit passed swiftly and she found it easier to breathe once more. 'Note to self:' Kagome thought as she continued to lay there. 'Don't venture into hell without a mask.' Taking another deep breath she sat up, slower this time preventing her head from swimming and keeping her vision stayed as one. "Good head." Kagome mumbled as she slowly go to her feet, only stumbling slightly before she caught herself and was able to walk straight. Grabbing her bag she tried to pull it into her shoulder but found that it had been filled with what seemed to be bricks and she just didn't have the strength to lift it.
Slinging her bow and quiver over her shoulder Kagome began to drag her bag out of the room but as she looked up to find the door she found that it wasn't anywhere to be seen. Letting go of her bag Kagome placed her hands against the wall and began to search, she knew it was there, it was just hidden. Finally coming to the end of the wall she found the door as she fell through for it was only a wall scroll and it couldn't possible support as much weight as she had placed on it. Landing in the other room, bright sunlight filled in through the shoji screen window illuminating the small clouds of dust that had erupted around her as she lay on the floor of the store room. Coughing slightly she rolled onto her back so as to avoid as much dust as possible.
Having closed her eyes due to the unexpected bombardment of sunlight Kagome hesitantly peered out from behind her sore eyelids to find Kuri looking down at her with a goofy smile on her face. With her words dying in the back of her throat Kagome only managed to groan slightly then close her eyes once more, clearly not in the mood for such happiness.
"It is really too soon for you to be moving around." Kuri informed her, the grin still on her lips. In reply Kagome moaned again and gave her a weak smile. "Well since you're up you might as well come along, and don't worry about your things. You are still far too weak to be able to lift them." she informed her as she lifted Kagome on one said and the little cat girl lifted her on the other. "I'm actually surprised you found the strength to lift yourself." Kuri added as they passed into the main room and seated Kagome in a small chair that sat on the floor, like a western chair with the lets cut off. Taking the seat Kagome rubbed at her temple slightly for she could feel the beginnings of a headache forming. "Chiyu, cover the windows." Kuri ordered in a hush voice so as not to make Kagome's headache any worse.
"Yes My lady." the little cat girl replied with a bow and hurried off to do as she was told.
"If you will excuse me I will ask Kyouhei to make you something to eat." Kuri informed her as she headed towards the kitchen. "Just sit there and rest." and that was exactly what Kagome did. Still rubbing her temples Kagome kept her eyes closed even as the room fell into darkness once more; the scent of food drifted towards her nose making her stomach growl in appreciation. Behind her closed eyes she could still see Inuyasha, standing there before her, wearing his fire rat haori and hakama, still looking as cocky and arrogant as ever. In the deep recesses of her mind she could hear him calling out her name, she could hear him laughing; silently unnoticed tears began to run down her cheeks which had become hot making her headache turn sharp.
"I told you not to do anything you'd regret." Kuri commented as she set the small tray of food before her, all it contained was a small bowl of soup a meager serving of rice and a tea cup filled with something that didn't look like any tea Kagome had ever seen before.
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked as she looked up from her 'breakfast'.
"These." Kuri indicated as she wiped the tears from Kagome's cheek.
"Hu?" Kagome asked, surprised as she placed her hand to her cheeks and found them damp. "I don't know I just can't help but cry it seems." Kagome mumbled in explanation as she hurriedly wiped the tears away on her haori sleeve.
"What did you see while in hell?" Kuri asked as she went back to her seat across from Kagome.
"Nothing I hadn't seen before." Kagome admitted with a small smile as she grabbed the soup and began to drink it, not feeling like her stomach could handle anything stronger than that.
"You have seen many things Kagome, to say you have seen nothing you haven't seen before leaves much open for questioning." Kuri replied with a sly smile.
"You have lived a long time have you not?" Kagome asked as she set her empty bowl back on the table.
"For as long as there has been death." Kuri answered.
"Then you should have learned disappointment by now." Kagome noted and Kuri erupted into laughter.
"You are witty." she complimented. "No, drink, it's the Shojo wine you gave me, it will make you feel better and banish your sadness back into the depths of hell for you." Kuri instructed as her laughter subsided. 'If only it were really that easy.' Kagome thought to herself as she began to drink the wine and after finishing her cup she did indeed feel ten times better, her head had stopped pounding and her eyes finally dried up.
"Now that you're feeling better, it's time to give you your prize." Kuri exclaimed with a wink.
"Prize?" Kagome asked, clearly confused.
"Yes, Sounga." Kuri clarified rising from her seat she went to the side of the room and pulled a dusty black kimono revealing a small chest underneath, setting the kimono to the side she lifted open the lid and there, inside sat Sounga. Grabbing the black kimono once more Kuri quickly wrapped it around the sword intricately then tied a small sinew cord around it. "Here you are." she said as she offered it to Kagome. "Just leave it in the kimono. It nullifies the possessive powers of Sounga and no other will be able to answer its call, it's safer this way." Kuri explained as Kagome took it.
"I see, thank you." Kagome replied with a bow.
"No need to thank me, you earned it." Kuri said with a smile as she took her seat once more. "But, tell me… is this the only task you were sent to perform to gain the Demon Lords approval?" she asked, curiously.
"No." Kagome answered.
"What else have you been sent to do?" Kuri urged.
"I was also sent to retrieve the tear jewels from Samebito which I had already accomplished." Kagome divulged, reluctant to tell her.
"And that was all?" she asked, knowing Kagome was holding back.
"No." Kagome replied honestly, not wanting to gain the ire of Death.
"Then tell me what other tasks you must accomplish, I may be of some assistance." Death offered.
"Next I am to go to the northern mountains and slay a fire dragon and retrieve its fangs." Kagome answered.
"These are some pretty tough tasks set for you." Kuri commented then stopped to ponder
something and Kagome didn't feel like talking so she simply sat there. "Chiyu." Kuri called and the small cat girl appeared along with Kagome's backpack and bow and quiver.
"Yes My Lady." Chiyu answered as she placed Kagome's things by her side and bowed.
"Bring me those boots the Wolf was wearing when he came through." Kuri ordered.
"Yes My Lady." Chiyu replied with another bow then she disappeared into the side room, after a moment of silence she came back in and offered them to Kuri.
"Wonderful, give them to the Miko." Kuri ordered with a wave of her hand in Kagome's direction, with another bow Chiyu offered the boots to her.
"Oh, no I couldn't take these." Kagome refused.
"When someone offers you a gift, it is best to take it." Kuri advised. "It is still frigid atop those snow peaked mountains, you will want something better then what you have on." she assured her.
"If you insist." Kagome allowed, feeling trapped into it.
"I do." Kuri assured her with a smile.
"Very well." Kagome agreed as she took the boots from Chiyu, then took off her own shoes (which where her sneakers from the future) and slipped on her new boots.
"Such strange footwear." Kuri commented as she looked at Kagome's shoes.
"Want them?" Kagome offered.
"Very much so." Kuri answered with a smile.
"Here." Kagome offered as she handed them to Chiyu to take to Kuri.
"Interesting." Kuri mumbled as she inspected them closer.
"If there is nothing more," Kagome began as she rose from her seat, feeling a thousand times better. "Then I should be heading into the mountains before it becomes too late."
"Ah yes of course." Kuri agreed as she stood from her seat as well. Affixing Sounga across her back Kagome picked up her backpack and put that on as well as throwing her bow and quiver over her shoulder. "Good luck Miko Kagome." Kuri bid as she walked her towards the exit.
"Thank you Lady Kuri." Kagome replied with a deep bow which only made Kuri laugh.
"Now, now, none of that." Kuri dismissed with a wave of her hand as she exited the hut with her. "Now, to get to the layer of the Fire dragons you must head that way." Kuri pointed off into the distance towards ragged mountains in the distance.
"I see thank you." said Kagome with a small bow as she began her journey once more, following the path of the tall mountain grass which had led her to the home of death.
"Do you think she'll make it Chiyu?" Kuri asked as they watched her go.
"Maybe." Chiyu replied.
"Psh, she'll die even before she finds that dragon! Those mountains are unforgiving to humans, even the Miko kind." Kyouhei opined as he poked his head out the door, with that comment Kuri turned to him and looked him blank in the face, then she sniffed at the air slightly; the smell of cooking food filled the air.
"Is it done?" Kuri asked.
"No." Kyouhei replied.
"Well." Kuri urged.
"Well." Kyouhei replied then turned back into the hut.
"She has received Sounga and is now heading into the mountains to face the fire dragon
My Lady." Sakura informed Taree as she prostrated herself before her.
"How does a human mortal make it through hell and back unscathed?" Taree demanded; her voice a scathing whisper.
"Maybe she had help." Miho answered simply.
"Help?" Taree fumed as she turned her eyes to the Leopard cat, behind Taree Kaida, Nami and Riko giggled to themselves.
"Yes My Lady." Miho replied.
"Help from whom?" she snapped.
"Inuyasha, who else?" Miho informed.
"Inuyasha?" Taree spat the name out like venom.
"Yes My Lady." Miho assured her.
"Damned Hanyou!" Taree screeched.
"It seems we have indeed underestimated her." an old craggily voice admitted.
"There are still two more tasks yet." A younger male voice pointed out.
"It does not help that she is receiving help from others, is that not prohibited." a violet eyed women asked.
"There are different kinds of help; if one had ventured into hell for her, well then, that would have been too much help. But guidance and maybe a powerful gift here and there are acceptable." the old demon explained.
"So you are siding with her as well?" she seethed, her violet eyes swirling.
"It is not a matter of siding, it is a matter of being practical." another women replied, her golden hair glittering.
"Precisely." the old one agreed.
"She is human!" the first women seethed.
"Only until she has finished all her tasks and wises upon the jewel." the second informed her which only earned her a poison dagger stare from the women with violet eyes.
"If you fear her completing all the tasks then why don't you simply find that jewel and make your own wish on it." the young male suggested with a toothy grin.
"That does sound good and all but, where is the jewel?" The first women asked as she turned her attention to the young male.
"Wouldn't the Miko have it with her?" asked the second women.
"No, she did not have it when she left." answered the elder Youkai.
"It has to be somewhere near." The first women insisted.
"Perhaps the Miko placed a seal on it, so that no other would go after it in her absence." the second suggested.
"If that were true, whom can she trust enough to leave it in their care?" the young male asked.
"Why, Lord Sesshomaru of course." The elder answered with a small chuckle.
"You," the violet eyed demon ordered as she pointed a clawed finger at the other women with golden hair. "You will retrieve the jewel from Sesshomaru."
"I will do no such thing." the second woman ruled.
"You would dare defy me?" she glowered.
"You are not my lady." the youkai retorted then turned and left the room, effectively bringing an ending to the small meeting.
Two days had already passed since Kagome had left the home of Death with Sounga strapped to her back and Tetsusaiga at her hip. It was late last night that Kagome had finally made it to the base of the mountain and now that it was high noon on the second day she had already ascended the mountain which she now regretted. For up on the mountain she was out of the sanctuary of the trees and the wind blew continuously turning snow into ice daggers and even though the sun shined down it was nothing against the frigid cold that engulfed her.
'And I was SO done with winter.' Kagome thought to herself, not want to open her lips in fear that they had been frozen shut. 'I don't see how those people could willingly climb Everest.' Kagome wined as she continued to drudge through the knee deep snow. 'At least I have these sweet boots, I'm so glad I took them.' she admitted happily for they had kept the cold and the snow off of her feet which was nice for her hakama had already been soaked through by the snow and the wind whipped about her body cruelly, turning her skin red even under her thermal pajama's. 'I'm so hungry.' Kagome groaned for she hadn't eaten since the previous night for upon awakening the next morning the fruit had frozen, leaving them clearly very unappealing and difficult to eat.
Relentlessly Kagome continued on her way climbing the mountain searching for any sign of the fire dragons but she really didn't even know what would denote the passing of a fire dragon since they flew everywhere. 'Ah this really sucks! Why do I have to be so reckless?' Kagome wondered as she continued on but then a very strong wind blew down at her making her stop in fear that if she took another step she would be blown back down the mountain which had turned into a fierce jagged slope. The wind continued to blow making Kagome sink deeper into the snow, trying desperately to get away from it. 'I am so done with this!' She growled, getting to her knee's Kagome began to crawl trying to continue on her way, figuring that if she just kept going she would make it out of the harsh wind but crawling only made it worse and soon she could no longer feel her fingers or anything except her toes. 'I'm going to get frostbite all over! Fuck! Why did I even have to start this ridiculous journey! I should have gone home! I want to go home; I want to go home so bad!' Giving up Kagome came to a stop, curling up into a small ball in the snow while she tried to rub the life back into her hands. 'Whatever! I don't care anymore; I am done, no more… I don't care. Maybe Sesshomaru will find me and bring me back to life… maybe… that would be nice… maybe, I don't know.' as she thought this the words Death had told her, which at the time Kagome hadn't given much thought to drifted back through her mind "Damn and I was hoping you'd come and pay back your debt, alas oh well." What had it meant? She really couldn't understand and as her body ached with the coldness and her brain became like its own little slushy she couldn't even begin to try and decipher its meaning. 'It doesn't matter, it all just doesn't matter… just whatever… fuck it.' Everything turned black.
Alright so its been a long time and this chapter is short and kinda meh but I guess it works TT I'm so sorry I've been neglecting this my brains is dead anyways it's a little something for you guys, enjoy!
