Interlude 10- A Mother's Kindness II

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Kagome sat at her desk, penciling answer after answer on her test with almost lightning speed. She couldn't believe that she was happening. So far, she was getting every answer on her geometry test correct!

"I don't believe it," she whispered. "I'm actually acing this test!"

Soon, after she finished the very last answer, she flipped the paper over, prompting her teacher to come and collect it. Then, after a while, she got it back...and imagine her surprise! A perfect score!

"Well done, Higurashi!" exclaimed her teacher as he gently patted her head. "You got every answer right!"

"Thank you, sensei!" Kagome exclaimed, cheerfully as tears of joy formed in her eyes.

"Way to go, Kagome!" cheered Eri. "You've got your high school entrance exams in the bag!"

"You did it!" Yuka added.

"You're amazing, Kagome!" exclaimed Ayumi.

"Wow...thanks, guys!" Kagome replied.

Soon, Kagome found herself standing in a stadium, running across the field as she held up a huge flag with her perfect test score on it, waving it proudly in the air while the crowd chanted her name!

"KA-GO-ME! KA-GO-ME! KA-GO-ME!"

XXX

"Kagome? Kagome~! HEY, KAGOME!"

"AAH!" Kagome shrieked as she suddenly sat up and flailed her arms in a panic...her elbow accidentally smacking Inuyasha right in the nose, causing him to yowl in pain as he covered it.

"What the hell was that for?!" Inuyasha questioned. "I was just trying to wake you up!"

"Huh?" Kagome muttered before she turned around and gasped. "Oh, my gosh! Inuyasha, I'm sorry! I forgot you were here!"

"Ugh...damn, that hurts!" Inuyasha cursed as he pulled his hands away from his nose, and Kagome grimaced as she saw blood dripping out of his right nostril. "Oh, great, I'm bleeding! Thanks a lot!"

"I said I was sorry!" Kagome complained. "Jeez!"

"Kagome!" Atsuko called from downstairs. "Time for breakfast! You have to get ready for your geometry test, today!"

"...Wait...so I didn't take the test, already?" Kagome asked in slight heartbreak.

"What are you babbling about?" Inuyasha asked while he pinched his nose shut.

"Oh, never mind," Kagome deadpanned before she got up. "Hang on, I'll get you some tissue for your nostril."

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha spoke up, causing Kagome to glance back at him. "Don't forget, we're going back today. We still gotta find Naraku's castle and the rest of the jewel shards!"

"I know, Inuyasha," Kagome began as she got a tissue box, "but I have to take this test, today, okay?" She pulled a sheet of tissue, tore off a bit, then rolled it up, and held it out to the belligerent half-demon. "Here, put this in your nose, pinch it shut, and then tilt your head back."

Inuyasha promptly stuffed the tissue in his nose, pinched both nostrils closed, and then tilted his head back. As he was doing so, Kagome took the time to get dressed in her uniform. She figured that since he would be busy staring at the ceiling, he wouldn't notice her getting changed.

As Kagome got dressed, she thought back to what happened late last night when Inuyasha came into her bedroom through her window. Looking at him, now, it was almost hard to believe how he acted so small and lost. One minute, he was acting like a timid little child who was looking for a hand to hold, and then the next minute, he acted like a typical teenage boy with a temper issue.

Still...she couldn't help but think about what he had conveyed to her...his dream about his mother asking him not to forget her.

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha spoke up, still looking up at the ceiling.

"Yeah?" Kagome replied as she stood up straight, having gotten fully dressed in her uniform.

"...Thank you...for last night," Inuyasha said as he put his head down to look at her...and suddenly, she forgot about being all huffy and smiled at him as she tied up her scarf.

"You're welcome," Kagome answered. "You didn't have it again, did you?"

"...No, I'm okay, now," Inuyasha replied...although he seemed to avert his gaze from her, which caused her to blink in concern.

"Kagome!" Atsuko called again. "Your food's getting cold!"

"I'm coming, Mom!" Kagome answered. "Come on, Inuyasha, let's go eat. I know you're probably hungry."

"Yeah, breakfast sounds good," Inuyasha answered as he got up and followed her downstairs.

XXX

Breakfast was quiet, although Atsuko was a bit concerned when she saw Inuyasha with a clump of tissue stuck up his nose. Kagome told her mother not to worry about it, however, and that Inuyasha would be fine. Soon, Kagome and Sota had finished eating, grabbed their bookbags, and dashed out the door...well, Sota dashed out the door, anyway. Kagome stayed behind for just a moment to give Inuyasha quick goodbye hug.

"I'll be back later," she told him. "And then we'll go back through the well, okay?"

"Okay," Inuyasha replied as he hugged her back, and soon, she left...and soon after, the half-demon walked up to the window and watched her leave, just like before. Although, this time, he didn't stay at the window for very long, for he soon walked into the kitchen to help Atsuko with washing the dishes.

After that, though, Inuyasha found himself bored. What was he going to do while Kagome was gone?

"Ahem!"

Inuyasha turned to see Atsuko, who smiled at him while holding a basket of laundry...a whole lot of laundry.

"Could you help carry this downstairs for me?" asked Atsuko, causing him to blink in perplexity.

XXX

Some time later, Inuyasha was sitting in the basement with Atsuko, watching her put clothes in washing machine after she poured some strange blue liquid inside. It smelled a bit funny, but it didn't bother him too much, mostly because he still had tissue up his nostril, so his sense of smell wasn't as keen. Soon, Atsuko closed the washing machine door and turned the dial all the way to the right.

"So, lemme get this straight," Inuyasha said as he watched the clothes spinning around in the machine, splashing around in water as the suds formed. "This washes your clothes for you?"

"Surprised, huh?" Atsuko asked. "Back in your time, people washed their clothes in the river, didn't they?"

"Sometimes," said Inuyasha. "Other times, they soak them in tubs of water and then put them out to dry in the sun."

Atsuko chuckled as she gently pat Inuyasha on the head, which he allowed.

"I guess everything about our time fascinates you, doesn't it?" she asked.

"Well...a little," Inuyasha said. "Although...I do feel a little bit at home, here."

"Well, that's good," Atsuko said. "It's good that you feel welcome here."

Inuyasha smiled a bit, but then that smile quickly disappeared as he looked down at the floor.

"Umm...listen," he said. "I...I'm sorry for coming in, late last night. I know Kagome was sleeping and all and I didn't want to disturb her or you or anybody, but-"

"Sweetie," Atsuko said in a stern yet gentle tone, causing him to look at him. "I told you, you're always welcome here...even you come in late during the night, it's fine." She then squat down so that she could meet his eyes. "Although I am curious...why did you come here at such a late hour?"

Inuyasha's ears drooped and his eyes cast to the floor, once again...and almost instantly, Atsuko knew what was on his mind.

"Couch?" she asked.

"Yes, please," Inuyasha answered, and soon, they headed back upstairs, entered the living room, and sat on the couch together. Inuyasha was quiet for a few minutes, but Atsuko waited for him to talk when he was ready. After a while, he began to explain what had been going on recently: the group's encounter with the Peach Man in the Feudal Era, Inuyasha turning human on the night of the new moon, his desire to become a full-fledged demon...and of course, his dream about his mother, Izayoi. Atsuko couldn't help but feel like he might have left out a few details, but she decided not to pry.

"So that's why you came to visit Kagome, last night?" asked Atsuko. "Because of this dream you've been having and because of what your friends have said?"

"...I don't like being weak," Inuyasha began, "but...I also don't like the thought of Kagome getting hurt...or killed by me...and when I see my Mother's sad and disappointed expression, I can't help but feel like I'm doing something wrong." He then gripped at his head. "Why would my Mother tell me not to forget her when she knows I could never do something like that?"

Atsuko felt her heart sink at the half-demon's frustration. She smiled at him, her face free of pity of any kind as she put her hand on his back, causing him to look at her...and suddenly, he didn't feel so frustrated, anymore.

"I think I know why you've been having this dream," she said.

"You do?" Inuyasha asked.

"Maybe you feel like being a full-fledged demon isn't what you wanted, after all," said Atsuko. "And, maybe...your mother might be trying to warn you about something."

"...Warn me?" Inuyasha repeated. "About what?"

"Well...your mother was human, wasn't she?" Atsuko inquired, prompting Inuyasha to nod his head. "And you want to become a full-fledged demon, don't you?" Inuyasha nodded, again. "Inuyasha...it could be your mother's spirit...or it could be your subconsciousness...but something's telling you not to do this, am I wrong?"

"...I guess," Inuyasha replied. "But...I thought my Mother would be proud of me. She told me, right before she died...that she wanted me to be strong for her. I thought that by becoming a full-fledged demon and becoming stronger, that would make her happy."

Atsuko shook her head. "I don't think that's what she meant. When your mother said she wanted you to be strong for her...I think she really meant she wants you to be strong for her in here." She then placed her hand on Inuyasha's chest, causing him to blink.

"...In my heart?" he asked.

"Exactly," Atsuko smiled. "Becoming a fully-fledged demon might make you strong...but it might cost you the human heart you have...the one that you got from your mother. I think that's what she's trying to tell you in your dream."

"...Maybe," Inuyasha muttered...and suddenly, Atsuko wrapped both arms around him and hugged him tightly. He didn't return her hug...but he didn't pull away, either. Instead, he smiled at her, the heaviness in his chest suddenly lifting away.

"...Thank you, Kagome's mother," he said.

"You don't have to call me that," Atsuko said. "You can call me Atsuko...or 'Mom', if you want."

"Okay...Kagome's mother," Inuyasha said, causing Atsuko to chuckle.

"We'll work on it," she said.

XXX

"Bye, Mom! Bye, Grandpa! Bye, Sota! See you in a few days!"

"Bye, Sis!"

"Be careful out there!"

Kagome was just about ready to go through the well with Inuyasha, once again. She had finished taking her test at school and now that she was done, she packed up her supplies and got ready to continue her journey in the Feudal Era.

"Kagome!" Atsuko called, causing her daughter to look back at her. "Try and be patient with Inuyasha, okay? And make sure he knows he's not alone."

Kagome blinked at her mother before she smiled and nodded her head.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called in his usual impatient tone. "Sometime today would be nice!"

"I'm coming, Inuyasha," Kagome answered as she walked after him...placing her hand inside his and squeezed it, and even though he didn't look at her...he gently squeezed back.

My Grammarly isn't working, so any mistakes I might have made, I'll fix them later. And don't worry, next chapter is the Fake Water God Arc for certain!

Review, please!