Hello everyone! I am the Snarfburgalar and this is my first ever fanfic! Point being: be gentle. You don't know how many times I've cast this thing to the dogs and started all over again. I expect lovely reviews and I'll try to update as often as possible. Enjoy.
_______________________________________________________________________
Reflection
Chapter 1-Tortured
Kagome flopped over onto her side and admired the sunset with half-closed eyes. The long grass swayed comfortably about her in the light summer breeze. Yawning dramatically, she tossed a tired glance at an uncharacteristically thoughtful Inu-Yasha before restoring her gaze to the scorched sky.
It had been a day like any other in the feudal era. Chasing demons and being chased, adding another shikon shard to their collection, having a spat over the majority of said jewel being in Kikyo's, or even Naraku's hands and it being or not being Kagome's fault. Same old same old.
As if finally yielding to what had become a daily routine, Kagome and her reluctant companion of the past few months now took a moment to let themselves be caught in the ever flowing current of their life. In this instant, they could dryly accept and respect the fact that tomorrow would probably present much of the same, that there would be another fight, that there would be another shikon shard, and that each of them would be there to be a part of it once more, together.
Kagome was sprawled out like a murder victim herself, trying to savor some bliss of the laid back situation, but instead discovering that she just didn't care anymore. In spite of it all, she smiled at it too, and shut her eyes lazily, still smiling like an idiot as she welcomed the light of the sun as it bathed her warmly.
Inu-Yasha, meanwhile, was lost in his own thoughts for the moment. Noting his silence, rather than his typical sulky attitude about being an escort for safety when she ever felt like lying around in a meadow or something, as she desired frequently, Kagome could only assume he was thinking of Kikyo again; of the love they once shared. She felt no tinge of jealousy this time, however, and happily left him to wander about his empty little head as much as he wanted.
Inu-Yasha was actually thinking of no such thing, however. Joining the spell of lack of interest that had stolen them both away, noodles were actually on his mind at present. He sat there, per usual with his hands stuffed into his sleeves and his feet set square to each other. Just the same old Inu-Yasha.
Kagome's eyes remained closed. Perhaps she had fallen asleep, or maybe she was just resting, but no one cared which right now, including herself.
The sun took its time crawling down beneath the horizon, as if it had joined the fun and decided to be just as lazy as everyone else.
"Inu-Yasha," the girl muttered his name in a half whisper, and so the half-demon ignored it as her typical sleep mumbling.
"Inu-Yasha." It was louder this time, with more definition. But he continued to dismiss it ignorantly.
"Osuwari." A few birds fluttered from their perches in fear at the mighty tremor that shook the earth, accompanied by a loud slam and a few choice words muttered by Inu-Yasha amidst a mouthful of dirt.
"Dammit Kagome!" He sputtered as he pried himself from the ground. Wrenching fistfuls of grass and twigs from his mane, he focused on the half-conscious girl with boiling rage. "How often and how much do you dream of torturing me you stupid girl?!" Kagome rubbed her eyes sleepily and glared at him as he continued to rant. "Because as I recall," prickling with frustration, "This has happened before!"
Kagome sat up and stared him down, nearly licking her lips as the opportunity to "sit" him presented itself again. Anger contained for the most part, she shoved her nose in the air and prepared her own speech. "Yes I do remember. You snuck into my house and smashed my alarm clock. What a pleasant visit that was." Inu-Yasha then made an aghast face of one so wrongly accused of a crime it was mind boggling for that said person.
"Not another word doggy or you and your old friend the ground will be reunited again," she spat venomously. "And I wasn't sleeping either. I was just trying to talk to you and you so rudely ignored me. It was an act on your part that was just begging for a 'you-know-what'." Kagome folded her arms in superiority and sniffed a bit.
Inu-Yasha continued to stare at her in horror. Eventually, she succumbed to curiosity. "What?!" she shouted in frustration.
"That's it?" Inu-Yasha spluttered.
Kagome blushed as if embarrassed. Had she missed something? "Well, um, yeah." She stared at her lap like the bashful little school girl that she was.
"Those aren't good reasons at all! Of course I ignored you!" And a totally unfitting comment from Inu-Yasha is once again thrown out onto the field.
"OSUWARI!!!"
"#%[email protected]!!!"
A positively fuming Kagome stomped off towards the village, leaving a cross-eyed Inu-Yasha lying in the dirt shouting obscenities. Before making her grand departure, however, the girl spun around to face the half-demon with another bout of yelling. "AND JUST IN CASE YOU"RE WONDERING, I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT ON HOW WEIRDLY CALM EVERYTHING WAS!!! BUT IT'S NOT LIKE YOU TO CARE ABOUT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, IS IT?!"
"LIKE HELL BITCH!!!" Inu-Yasha screamed vainly at her, "YOU HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD!!!"
"JERK!" Came an echoing response from beyond a hill.
"WENCH!!!" With that, Inu-Yasha dropped his head in exhaustion panting more curses at Kagome as he struggled to catch his breath.
_______________________________________________________________________
"And then you know what he did?" Kagome sipped her stew with thin lips, pausing every now and then to spill her agonies to Sango. She found little comfort in Keade's cozy little hut this night, and thus far, not much in Sango either.
"What did he do Kagome?" She asked dryly as she tucked her bowl under Kirara's nose, watching with delight as the small cat lapped at its contents happily.
Kagome joined her gaze for a moment before staring at Sango again. "Well, he, that jerk, had the nerve to call me a wench!" She slammed her dish down and waited for a response. Receiving none she turned to see Sango cuddling Kirara and showing no sign of interest in any way. "Sango?" Kagome waved her hand inches from her friend's face. "Sango-chan? Are you listening to me?"
Sango sat up suddenly, "Oh, what? Yes Kagome that, um, is awful." She flashed a fake grin at Kagome and eventually looked back down at Kirara at the sight of Kagome with half-closed eyes glaring at her.
"This is what I'm talking about!" she said throwing her hands up in the air. "Everyone's ignoring me! Plus things are actually calm around here! What's the deal, do I have something in my teeth? Did I say something? Did I forget to put on deodorant? What? What? What?"
"Well Kagome-chan," Sango mumbled as she scratched Kirara's belly playfully, "Maybe you should just appreciate it. I mean, things will be back to normal tomorrow, won't they?"
"Yes but-" Kagome was cut off by Sango as she took Kagome's hand surprisingly and placed it on the soft bundle of fuzz Sango had just been so occupied with.
"I know it feels strange, but enjoy this peace while it lasts. Here, scratch, it'll relax you." Kagome's fingers began to move leisurely through Kirara's warm fur, seemingly of their own will.
'Sango's right,' She thought as she lifted the cat into her arms. 'But, I just, I can't explain it to her, but I feel like time has stopped for everyone but me. Something's going to happen, I know it. There's something important about what's going on, it can't be so average.'
"There now Kagome-chan, do you feel better?" Kagome dangled her fingers over Kirara's swatting paws and smiled in spite of herself. She did feel better. Surely what she felt wasn't anything too important that it couldn't be ignored for now.
"Yes I do Sango-chan." Releasing a heavy sigh, she placed Kirara on her feet and stood up. Brushing dust from her uniform, she turned and made for the door. "I'm just going to go take a walk and clear my head. I'll be back soon."
"Oh, alright." Sango muttered as she scooped up the cat once more. She was a bit surprised at her friend's sudden urge to get away, suspecting that she wasn't as happy as she would like her to be. "Hurry back then Kagome-chan." Kagome nodded and brushed past the door gracefully, disappearing into the night.
_______________________________________________________________________
Kagome tread the path softly, her surroundings illuminated only by moonlight. Overhead, the moon itself was full, and bright, glistening in its radiant beauty. She intended to stay near the village, but she had no clear idea besides that of where she was going. The trees rolled by before her, massive guards to the little village.
Her eyes remained fixed on the ground before her, though, never bothering to look up or study the path. She didn't even notice as she wandered towards a grave site. That is, until she noticed the small shrine she just about ran into.
"What? A grave?" She mumbled. It was a solitary, formal place, designed for a high and holy member of society. But for the most part, it looked like a decent little burial site, perhaps one rebuilt after its predecessor had been destroyed in a war or a storm. For there were signs of destruction, a bit of upturned soil, some shattered wood. Kagome focused on it in the darkness, sensing some familiarity. Who's could this be?" She wondered. Finding nothing that would present her with useful information, she reached out to touch it. 'Please forgive me for disturbing this grave, curiosity killed the cat.' She prayed quickly.
Gently, her finger met with the cold stone, and she gasped suddenly. "I know whose this is!" Kagome exclaimed. Her hand shook, "This, this is Kikyo's grave!" Flickering memories of the day that part of her soul had been taken from her, the day that Urasue had raised Kikyo from the dead, the day that she had stood helpless as Inu-Yasha had been embraced so tenderly by the shattered priestess before her very eyes.
"Oh..." she moaned as she put a hand to her forehead. Kagome felt the beginnings of a headache threatening her, and she struggled to rise, suddenly feeling cornered in this desolate place.
She hadn't known that the villagers had restored Kikyo's resting place. She hadn't thought that they would bother now that their treasured priestess walked again.
She stumbled, and slowly teetered away, heading off into the forest. Tears tickled the corners of her eyes and soon began to spill down her cheeks as she broke into a run.
Sobbing and crashing through the trees, Kagome bore no knowledge of where she was going, nor did she care. She barely noticed as her foot caught on a branch suddenly, causing her to tumble to the ground in a tattered, broken mess.
There, she curled into a ball, hugging a nearby tree for support. Wrapped in self hatred, faced with the terrible knowledge of her purpose in life, she found herself alone then, totally, and utterly alone. "Inu-Yasha," she whimpered.
Why wasn't he here for her now? Why wasn't he here to snap at her, bring her up, even if he provoked her with that sour attitude of his? Even considering it brought forth another wave of negativity. "Stupid girl," she chastised. "Of course he isn't here. He really doesn't care about you. You're just a reflection."
Kagome wanted to hit herself, abuse herself, end it all finally. For how could she live this way? Even as Kikyo's reincarnation, Kikyo had become a terrible tortured soul now. Want spared her from the same fate? Kikyo was stronger, more powerful, and it was her who deserved the second chance to live.
"I should kill myself now." Kagome realized, "I shouldn't be here at all. No one wants me, no one searches for me. No one cares." She stared at her hands in desperation. "I'm not Kikyo, I'm not even Kagome, I'm just a lost little girl in the back round."
She clawed at the ground, fists balled up in the leaves of the forest floor. "Someone please!" She shouted, "someone explain to me why I'm here at all! I don't understand...Please..." Her voice fading to a whisper, she relinquished all of the strength she had left, suddenly aware of how much she had exhausted herself in her dash, and her intense weeping.
Hugging herself for warmth, Kagome leaned against the tree and stared up at the moon longingly. "Please..." The forest was still, and Kagome herself remained as a statue, a monument devoted to a girl who was fed up with it all.
Stars flickered into the sky, time crawled past slowly. She couldn't be sure how long she had drowned in the beauty of that lovely image. The moon, in all its perfection, it captured her in its spell, and she was compelled simply to gaze at it. It was as if Kagome was cut off from the world, only she existed then. For the longest time she could believe that, and contentedly sat in a bed of leaves, ready to except it if this was the path that fate had chosen for her. She felt then that if she had been chosen to stay in that place forever, with the moon hanging majestically above her, well, that would be just fine.
Her surroundings slowly faded away, into the darkness, and the heavens closed quietly before her, yet the moon remained. After a time, Kagome stifled up the courage to speak, though she felt as one who had been drugged. "Where am I?" she said mindlessly in a daze. "Am I dreaming, or have I finally made it to where I belong?" She was smiling, with eyes that stared but did not see. Her limbs opened and she sat loosely, "I don't care, this feels great..." She muttered.
A voice drifted to her, as if calling from afar, it was beautiful, familiar, "Be still child," it said comfortingly, "Be still, watch, and listen. Your questions shall be answered."
It fluttered away like a breeze, and Kagome smiled even wider. 'I am dreaming,' she thought. She restored her gaze to the moon, and watched as it began to crumble like so many grains of sand. "Oh no," she whispered, "Don't go..."
The sight was replaced then by a terrible, cruel scene, that inspired the like in Kagome, as she resisted the urge to put a hand to her mouth in terror, trying to keep in mind the words that had been spoken to her with such sincerity just moments ago.
A man clung to a young woman in his arms desperately, his long hair falling in disarray across his shoulders like a solemn drape. A once lush forest was littered with fallen trees, burnt black, hardly even reminiscent of their mighty former images. The scene was that of immense and horrific destruction, bleak, yielding little hope, a sight that would melt the strongest heart, and lay a blanket of tragic despair over the soul.
In her beauty, the woman, who now lay dying, was very much akin to the shattered forest. Kagome stifled the desire to run to her, wrap her arms about her. The woman had been cut down, in all her splendor and perfection, and now it had come to this, she was defeated, ultimately.
The figure who was hunched over her now, the man who held her, pleading against fate that she might find the strength to fight through the darkness.
All things dimmed to a deaf quiet, and the woman reached up to a tear stained face, still shadowed by a mask of hair, touched it lightly, and mumbled a few inaudible words. Then, struck suddenly by a spasm of pain, her hand hesitated, and fell limp at her side.
The figure went still, the tears stopped abruptly, and his shoulders went slack as he let the lifeless body slide from his powerless hands to the charred ground. Kagome screamed in fear and desperation, totally unconscious of the strange will that forced her to shout what she did, "No!!! I don't want to die! Beloved!" her hand reached out to the two before her.
Kagome's immediate thought was that she had been possessed, but in no way did she feel as such. She had said that as her self. No one but she had caused her to do that. Her eyes widened in shock and confusion. "What on Earth?" She whispered.
A light breeze swept through the image, and in a moment the vision faded into white, save only for gentle cherry blossoms drifting downward in the wind.
In the very faintest sound, a song could be heard, as if in the distance, sweet, melodic, no words to strangle the perfect rhythm, and truly beautiful in its own simplicity; just as beautiful, as the voice that sang it, the same one that had spoken to Kagome, though the gentle tone seemed to be that of one who suffered greatly. It brought forth a pang of familiarity and remembrance, and it steadily began to grow louder, but just as its origin could be deciphered, a sudden jolt hurled everything out of grasp...
It was a noise, persistent and troubled, a voice, distressed. Someone was calling her name... "KAGOME!"
_______________________________________________________________________
She awoke with a start, and found herself staring into Inu-Yasha's eyes, filled with concern and desperation. "Oh Inu-Yasha..." Kagome said softly, thankful to be able to see someone she knew, finally. He was clutching her shoulders, as if in fear, fear for her safety. She wanted to fall into his embrace, cry to him about everything that had happened and how stupid she had been, to which, he would probably agree, as was typical of him.
But before she could mumble a word, Inu-Yasha was beating questions into her still hazy mind. "Where is he Kagome? Is he here? Did he hurt you? "
Surprised, Kagome could only gawk at him. "What? Who are you talking about Inu-Yasha?"
"Sesshomaru, stupid!" In a brief moment, Kagome could see the figure hunched over the woman again, hear her own echoing call, beloved! She shook it out of her mind and tried to focus. Her vision settled again on Inu-Yasha.
"What about him?" The quavering tone of her voice could barely be contained. She wasn't quite certain if she wanted to hear Inu-Yasha's response.
"You tell me! You're the one who's been shouting his name!"
_______________________________________________________________________
I expect some lovely reviews all of you. Hope you liked it. More to come. Did you notice how desolate it was? I certainly did. Sheesh, for my sake and yours I'll be sure to add some humor.
_______________________________________________________________________
Reflection
Chapter 1-Tortured
Kagome flopped over onto her side and admired the sunset with half-closed eyes. The long grass swayed comfortably about her in the light summer breeze. Yawning dramatically, she tossed a tired glance at an uncharacteristically thoughtful Inu-Yasha before restoring her gaze to the scorched sky.
It had been a day like any other in the feudal era. Chasing demons and being chased, adding another shikon shard to their collection, having a spat over the majority of said jewel being in Kikyo's, or even Naraku's hands and it being or not being Kagome's fault. Same old same old.
As if finally yielding to what had become a daily routine, Kagome and her reluctant companion of the past few months now took a moment to let themselves be caught in the ever flowing current of their life. In this instant, they could dryly accept and respect the fact that tomorrow would probably present much of the same, that there would be another fight, that there would be another shikon shard, and that each of them would be there to be a part of it once more, together.
Kagome was sprawled out like a murder victim herself, trying to savor some bliss of the laid back situation, but instead discovering that she just didn't care anymore. In spite of it all, she smiled at it too, and shut her eyes lazily, still smiling like an idiot as she welcomed the light of the sun as it bathed her warmly.
Inu-Yasha, meanwhile, was lost in his own thoughts for the moment. Noting his silence, rather than his typical sulky attitude about being an escort for safety when she ever felt like lying around in a meadow or something, as she desired frequently, Kagome could only assume he was thinking of Kikyo again; of the love they once shared. She felt no tinge of jealousy this time, however, and happily left him to wander about his empty little head as much as he wanted.
Inu-Yasha was actually thinking of no such thing, however. Joining the spell of lack of interest that had stolen them both away, noodles were actually on his mind at present. He sat there, per usual with his hands stuffed into his sleeves and his feet set square to each other. Just the same old Inu-Yasha.
Kagome's eyes remained closed. Perhaps she had fallen asleep, or maybe she was just resting, but no one cared which right now, including herself.
The sun took its time crawling down beneath the horizon, as if it had joined the fun and decided to be just as lazy as everyone else.
"Inu-Yasha," the girl muttered his name in a half whisper, and so the half-demon ignored it as her typical sleep mumbling.
"Inu-Yasha." It was louder this time, with more definition. But he continued to dismiss it ignorantly.
"Osuwari." A few birds fluttered from their perches in fear at the mighty tremor that shook the earth, accompanied by a loud slam and a few choice words muttered by Inu-Yasha amidst a mouthful of dirt.
"Dammit Kagome!" He sputtered as he pried himself from the ground. Wrenching fistfuls of grass and twigs from his mane, he focused on the half-conscious girl with boiling rage. "How often and how much do you dream of torturing me you stupid girl?!" Kagome rubbed her eyes sleepily and glared at him as he continued to rant. "Because as I recall," prickling with frustration, "This has happened before!"
Kagome sat up and stared him down, nearly licking her lips as the opportunity to "sit" him presented itself again. Anger contained for the most part, she shoved her nose in the air and prepared her own speech. "Yes I do remember. You snuck into my house and smashed my alarm clock. What a pleasant visit that was." Inu-Yasha then made an aghast face of one so wrongly accused of a crime it was mind boggling for that said person.
"Not another word doggy or you and your old friend the ground will be reunited again," she spat venomously. "And I wasn't sleeping either. I was just trying to talk to you and you so rudely ignored me. It was an act on your part that was just begging for a 'you-know-what'." Kagome folded her arms in superiority and sniffed a bit.
Inu-Yasha continued to stare at her in horror. Eventually, she succumbed to curiosity. "What?!" she shouted in frustration.
"That's it?" Inu-Yasha spluttered.
Kagome blushed as if embarrassed. Had she missed something? "Well, um, yeah." She stared at her lap like the bashful little school girl that she was.
"Those aren't good reasons at all! Of course I ignored you!" And a totally unfitting comment from Inu-Yasha is once again thrown out onto the field.
"OSUWARI!!!"
"#%[email protected]!!!"
A positively fuming Kagome stomped off towards the village, leaving a cross-eyed Inu-Yasha lying in the dirt shouting obscenities. Before making her grand departure, however, the girl spun around to face the half-demon with another bout of yelling. "AND JUST IN CASE YOU"RE WONDERING, I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT ON HOW WEIRDLY CALM EVERYTHING WAS!!! BUT IT'S NOT LIKE YOU TO CARE ABOUT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, IS IT?!"
"LIKE HELL BITCH!!!" Inu-Yasha screamed vainly at her, "YOU HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD!!!"
"JERK!" Came an echoing response from beyond a hill.
"WENCH!!!" With that, Inu-Yasha dropped his head in exhaustion panting more curses at Kagome as he struggled to catch his breath.
_______________________________________________________________________
"And then you know what he did?" Kagome sipped her stew with thin lips, pausing every now and then to spill her agonies to Sango. She found little comfort in Keade's cozy little hut this night, and thus far, not much in Sango either.
"What did he do Kagome?" She asked dryly as she tucked her bowl under Kirara's nose, watching with delight as the small cat lapped at its contents happily.
Kagome joined her gaze for a moment before staring at Sango again. "Well, he, that jerk, had the nerve to call me a wench!" She slammed her dish down and waited for a response. Receiving none she turned to see Sango cuddling Kirara and showing no sign of interest in any way. "Sango?" Kagome waved her hand inches from her friend's face. "Sango-chan? Are you listening to me?"
Sango sat up suddenly, "Oh, what? Yes Kagome that, um, is awful." She flashed a fake grin at Kagome and eventually looked back down at Kirara at the sight of Kagome with half-closed eyes glaring at her.
"This is what I'm talking about!" she said throwing her hands up in the air. "Everyone's ignoring me! Plus things are actually calm around here! What's the deal, do I have something in my teeth? Did I say something? Did I forget to put on deodorant? What? What? What?"
"Well Kagome-chan," Sango mumbled as she scratched Kirara's belly playfully, "Maybe you should just appreciate it. I mean, things will be back to normal tomorrow, won't they?"
"Yes but-" Kagome was cut off by Sango as she took Kagome's hand surprisingly and placed it on the soft bundle of fuzz Sango had just been so occupied with.
"I know it feels strange, but enjoy this peace while it lasts. Here, scratch, it'll relax you." Kagome's fingers began to move leisurely through Kirara's warm fur, seemingly of their own will.
'Sango's right,' She thought as she lifted the cat into her arms. 'But, I just, I can't explain it to her, but I feel like time has stopped for everyone but me. Something's going to happen, I know it. There's something important about what's going on, it can't be so average.'
"There now Kagome-chan, do you feel better?" Kagome dangled her fingers over Kirara's swatting paws and smiled in spite of herself. She did feel better. Surely what she felt wasn't anything too important that it couldn't be ignored for now.
"Yes I do Sango-chan." Releasing a heavy sigh, she placed Kirara on her feet and stood up. Brushing dust from her uniform, she turned and made for the door. "I'm just going to go take a walk and clear my head. I'll be back soon."
"Oh, alright." Sango muttered as she scooped up the cat once more. She was a bit surprised at her friend's sudden urge to get away, suspecting that she wasn't as happy as she would like her to be. "Hurry back then Kagome-chan." Kagome nodded and brushed past the door gracefully, disappearing into the night.
_______________________________________________________________________
Kagome tread the path softly, her surroundings illuminated only by moonlight. Overhead, the moon itself was full, and bright, glistening in its radiant beauty. She intended to stay near the village, but she had no clear idea besides that of where she was going. The trees rolled by before her, massive guards to the little village.
Her eyes remained fixed on the ground before her, though, never bothering to look up or study the path. She didn't even notice as she wandered towards a grave site. That is, until she noticed the small shrine she just about ran into.
"What? A grave?" She mumbled. It was a solitary, formal place, designed for a high and holy member of society. But for the most part, it looked like a decent little burial site, perhaps one rebuilt after its predecessor had been destroyed in a war or a storm. For there were signs of destruction, a bit of upturned soil, some shattered wood. Kagome focused on it in the darkness, sensing some familiarity. Who's could this be?" She wondered. Finding nothing that would present her with useful information, she reached out to touch it. 'Please forgive me for disturbing this grave, curiosity killed the cat.' She prayed quickly.
Gently, her finger met with the cold stone, and she gasped suddenly. "I know whose this is!" Kagome exclaimed. Her hand shook, "This, this is Kikyo's grave!" Flickering memories of the day that part of her soul had been taken from her, the day that Urasue had raised Kikyo from the dead, the day that she had stood helpless as Inu-Yasha had been embraced so tenderly by the shattered priestess before her very eyes.
"Oh..." she moaned as she put a hand to her forehead. Kagome felt the beginnings of a headache threatening her, and she struggled to rise, suddenly feeling cornered in this desolate place.
She hadn't known that the villagers had restored Kikyo's resting place. She hadn't thought that they would bother now that their treasured priestess walked again.
She stumbled, and slowly teetered away, heading off into the forest. Tears tickled the corners of her eyes and soon began to spill down her cheeks as she broke into a run.
Sobbing and crashing through the trees, Kagome bore no knowledge of where she was going, nor did she care. She barely noticed as her foot caught on a branch suddenly, causing her to tumble to the ground in a tattered, broken mess.
There, she curled into a ball, hugging a nearby tree for support. Wrapped in self hatred, faced with the terrible knowledge of her purpose in life, she found herself alone then, totally, and utterly alone. "Inu-Yasha," she whimpered.
Why wasn't he here for her now? Why wasn't he here to snap at her, bring her up, even if he provoked her with that sour attitude of his? Even considering it brought forth another wave of negativity. "Stupid girl," she chastised. "Of course he isn't here. He really doesn't care about you. You're just a reflection."
Kagome wanted to hit herself, abuse herself, end it all finally. For how could she live this way? Even as Kikyo's reincarnation, Kikyo had become a terrible tortured soul now. Want spared her from the same fate? Kikyo was stronger, more powerful, and it was her who deserved the second chance to live.
"I should kill myself now." Kagome realized, "I shouldn't be here at all. No one wants me, no one searches for me. No one cares." She stared at her hands in desperation. "I'm not Kikyo, I'm not even Kagome, I'm just a lost little girl in the back round."
She clawed at the ground, fists balled up in the leaves of the forest floor. "Someone please!" She shouted, "someone explain to me why I'm here at all! I don't understand...Please..." Her voice fading to a whisper, she relinquished all of the strength she had left, suddenly aware of how much she had exhausted herself in her dash, and her intense weeping.
Hugging herself for warmth, Kagome leaned against the tree and stared up at the moon longingly. "Please..." The forest was still, and Kagome herself remained as a statue, a monument devoted to a girl who was fed up with it all.
Stars flickered into the sky, time crawled past slowly. She couldn't be sure how long she had drowned in the beauty of that lovely image. The moon, in all its perfection, it captured her in its spell, and she was compelled simply to gaze at it. It was as if Kagome was cut off from the world, only she existed then. For the longest time she could believe that, and contentedly sat in a bed of leaves, ready to except it if this was the path that fate had chosen for her. She felt then that if she had been chosen to stay in that place forever, with the moon hanging majestically above her, well, that would be just fine.
Her surroundings slowly faded away, into the darkness, and the heavens closed quietly before her, yet the moon remained. After a time, Kagome stifled up the courage to speak, though she felt as one who had been drugged. "Where am I?" she said mindlessly in a daze. "Am I dreaming, or have I finally made it to where I belong?" She was smiling, with eyes that stared but did not see. Her limbs opened and she sat loosely, "I don't care, this feels great..." She muttered.
A voice drifted to her, as if calling from afar, it was beautiful, familiar, "Be still child," it said comfortingly, "Be still, watch, and listen. Your questions shall be answered."
It fluttered away like a breeze, and Kagome smiled even wider. 'I am dreaming,' she thought. She restored her gaze to the moon, and watched as it began to crumble like so many grains of sand. "Oh no," she whispered, "Don't go..."
The sight was replaced then by a terrible, cruel scene, that inspired the like in Kagome, as she resisted the urge to put a hand to her mouth in terror, trying to keep in mind the words that had been spoken to her with such sincerity just moments ago.
A man clung to a young woman in his arms desperately, his long hair falling in disarray across his shoulders like a solemn drape. A once lush forest was littered with fallen trees, burnt black, hardly even reminiscent of their mighty former images. The scene was that of immense and horrific destruction, bleak, yielding little hope, a sight that would melt the strongest heart, and lay a blanket of tragic despair over the soul.
In her beauty, the woman, who now lay dying, was very much akin to the shattered forest. Kagome stifled the desire to run to her, wrap her arms about her. The woman had been cut down, in all her splendor and perfection, and now it had come to this, she was defeated, ultimately.
The figure who was hunched over her now, the man who held her, pleading against fate that she might find the strength to fight through the darkness.
All things dimmed to a deaf quiet, and the woman reached up to a tear stained face, still shadowed by a mask of hair, touched it lightly, and mumbled a few inaudible words. Then, struck suddenly by a spasm of pain, her hand hesitated, and fell limp at her side.
The figure went still, the tears stopped abruptly, and his shoulders went slack as he let the lifeless body slide from his powerless hands to the charred ground. Kagome screamed in fear and desperation, totally unconscious of the strange will that forced her to shout what she did, "No!!! I don't want to die! Beloved!" her hand reached out to the two before her.
Kagome's immediate thought was that she had been possessed, but in no way did she feel as such. She had said that as her self. No one but she had caused her to do that. Her eyes widened in shock and confusion. "What on Earth?" She whispered.
A light breeze swept through the image, and in a moment the vision faded into white, save only for gentle cherry blossoms drifting downward in the wind.
In the very faintest sound, a song could be heard, as if in the distance, sweet, melodic, no words to strangle the perfect rhythm, and truly beautiful in its own simplicity; just as beautiful, as the voice that sang it, the same one that had spoken to Kagome, though the gentle tone seemed to be that of one who suffered greatly. It brought forth a pang of familiarity and remembrance, and it steadily began to grow louder, but just as its origin could be deciphered, a sudden jolt hurled everything out of grasp...
It was a noise, persistent and troubled, a voice, distressed. Someone was calling her name... "KAGOME!"
_______________________________________________________________________
She awoke with a start, and found herself staring into Inu-Yasha's eyes, filled with concern and desperation. "Oh Inu-Yasha..." Kagome said softly, thankful to be able to see someone she knew, finally. He was clutching her shoulders, as if in fear, fear for her safety. She wanted to fall into his embrace, cry to him about everything that had happened and how stupid she had been, to which, he would probably agree, as was typical of him.
But before she could mumble a word, Inu-Yasha was beating questions into her still hazy mind. "Where is he Kagome? Is he here? Did he hurt you? "
Surprised, Kagome could only gawk at him. "What? Who are you talking about Inu-Yasha?"
"Sesshomaru, stupid!" In a brief moment, Kagome could see the figure hunched over the woman again, hear her own echoing call, beloved! She shook it out of her mind and tried to focus. Her vision settled again on Inu-Yasha.
"What about him?" The quavering tone of her voice could barely be contained. She wasn't quite certain if she wanted to hear Inu-Yasha's response.
"You tell me! You're the one who's been shouting his name!"
_______________________________________________________________________
I expect some lovely reviews all of you. Hope you liked it. More to come. Did you notice how desolate it was? I certainly did. Sheesh, for my sake and yours I'll be sure to add some humor.