Migawari Prologue: Nearing the End
By kagome-hime
Rated R
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha or any of its characters or settings. I actually do not own any of it, Takahashi does. I am not making any money off of this; it is done purely for fan enjoyment. Thank you.
Kagome shielded her eyes from the shimmering sun as she carefully crawled out of the well. Smiling to herself she swung her legs over the edge of the well and gingerly leaned over, heaving her oversized backpack onto her aching shoulders. Sighing she leisurely made her way to Kaede's village, for once allowing herself the privilege of losing herself in her mystic surroundings. Her face softened as she gazed up at the old Goshinboku and suddenly became absorbed in reminiscence.
Without warning she was rudely jolted out of her reverie as a hanyou plunged silently from the tree to land in front of her. However, Kagome found herself far more taken back by the concerned look that graced this demon's face than she did at his sudden appearance.
"Kagome, what's the matter? Did you hurt one of your legs or something?" Inuyasha asked slowly reaching over to grip her shoulders softly in case she should lose her balance.
"Nothing's wrong! I guess I'm just being really spacey today is all!" Kagome replied with a nervous laugh her hand waving away his concern as she quickly plastered a large smile across her face.
"You mean you were going this slow on purpose," came Inuyasha, all traces of concern were now gone to be replaced with a growing look of frustration and embarrassment.
"It's just I had a long week. I didn't get any rest at all: I had to spend the whole time I was gone attempting to catch up with school, and I still don't think that I understand my math at all, and then I tried to get help from my friends; but all I ever hear from them is Houjou this, and Houjou that—"
"Hobo? Who is this Hobo?"
"So, do we have any new rumors about the shikon no tama or Naraku?"
"Who the hell is this Hobo?!"
By now Kagome had run far ahead of Inuyasha, no longer concerned with taking her time to enjoy the scenery.
"I'll meet you at Kaede's hut, Inuyasha!"
"You bitch! Answer me!"
Kagome sighed as she approached the small village, Inuyasha nipping at her heels. A sad smile crossed her face as she saw the rest of her small group sitting outside the hut, preparing for tomorrow's journey. Somehow Kagome knew that their dark, heartrending story was drawing to an end. She felt it, deep down in her heart: soon the end would come. Kagome was well aware that she was not yet ready for it to reach its conclusion, in the short time since she had fallen through the well this time had become a significant portion of her life. She had grown more in the past few months than she had in the past entire fifteen years of her life. The completion of her task would only complicate her life and ultimately leave her disheartened. Kagome wanted nothing more than to put their quest's conclusion on hold and continue to live this double life she had grown so accustomed to. Still, it was her duty: she had to seek out all of the shards of the shikon no tama; she had to help to defeat Naraku. She did all these things not only for her friends and for herself, but also for the safety of all; she did it to protect the people in this time and her own. Still, it made her heart break to know that she could never have both her future life and her life with Inuyasha. Soon, the day would come when she would have to choose her path.