Ch 3: Awakened Dreams
Kagome slowly opened her yes. She felt somewhat refreshed, but her body was still wracked with intense pain. She struggled to turn her head to see the clock. It was 10:30...Wednesday. Her eyes shot open. She had a fight today at 11:00! She swung her body and tried to walk out, the cast on her leg banging against the hardwood floor. She propped herself against the door, and spotted Inuyasha asleep in a chair. She tried to sneak past, but he awoke.
"What are you doing, stupid girl?" he yelled as he shot to his feet. He quickly went to restrain Kagome as Shina burst into the room.
"Shina! Tell him! I have to go!" she yelled as she weakly thrashed in Inuyasha's strong arms.
Shina ran to try and calm Kagome and Inuyasha let her go. "Kagome, calm down! I already talked to Sesshoumaru! He's given you time off to recuperate. So just relax.
Kagome stopped struggling, and fell exhausted into Inuyasha arms. He carried her back into her room and laid her on her bed. He began to walk off as Shina walked to bedside. "I have to go. I'll bring back some food, but just try to relax and get better. Besides, with a hunk like that in the house, why would you want to leave?"
Kagome chuckled and bid Shina goodbye. She called out to Inuyasha.
"Please, I don't want to be alone," she said grabbing his arm. Inuyasha hesitated for a minute, and then looked into her eyes. They were softer now, not the determined glare of a strong, independent woman, but the stare of a person who had been alone all her life, and didn't want to be anymore. He nodded, and pulled up a chair. Kagome frowned and shook her head, then pulled on Inuyasha, making him sit on her bed. She rose, and placed her head in his lap. She smiled for the first time in years.
"Back there, your friend mentioned someone named 'Sesshoumaru'..."
"He's the Chief Administrator of the Pit Fights."
"What does he look like?"
"Like you, except taller, and he has markings on his face." Kagome breathed heavily, and groaned.
"I'll go get the aspirin..." Inuyasha said, but Kagome stopped him.
"No, I can handle it. Just stay here...at least until I fall asleep. Please?"
Inuyasha sighed, and Kagome shut her eyes. Inuyasha stayed there, even after she had fallen asleep, just gently stroking her long, black hair. "You're so beautiful, even for a human," he whispered. "Just like someone I used to know..." He closed his eyes.
***
Five hundred years ago. But he remembered it like it was mere seconds removed. He had grabbed the Shikon jewel and was making good his escape when an arrow pierced his chest. Kikyo, the woman had betrayed him. As he lost consciousness, he saw a man walk over and tear the Shikon from Kikyo's grasp.
"You played you parts well, my puppets," he said and vanished. Inuyasha tried to reach out, to stop him, but he was too far gone.
***
Now he was here, with this woman, who looked strikingly like Kikyo. A man with the Shikon ruled the world, and his brother was running a government- sanctioned coliseum. Was it fate that they meet? Jus then, he thought he saw a young girl looking at them in the window, wearing a black dress. He shook his, and looked again. She was gone, if she was ever really there.
The opening of a door interrupted Inuyasha's thoughts. Shina walked in, spotting Inuyasha with Kagome. She smiled, then walked over and sat in the chair he had pulled up.
"A real fighter, isn't she? All those injuries, and she'd still willing to fight," she said. "Yeah, she got banged up pretty bad. It would be enough to kill a normal person, but not Kagome. I remember the first day she arrived at the Pits, she was barely a teen, yet walked in there and won her first match with barely a scratch."
"That's some spirit. By why fighting?"
"Because that's about the only way to make money around here. Plus, it's a surefire way to get to Naraku."
"The Emperor she was talking about?"
"Yeah, Emperor Naraku. The most vile being on the planet."
"Can you tell me more about him?" Inuyasha asked.
"They say he took power 500 years ago, using the power of..."
"A jewel called the Shikon, right?"
"Yeah, how did...?"
"It doesn't matter. Why would Kagome want to...?" She began to stir, and then slowly opened her eyes. She looked up at Inuyasha, with the same adoring eyes as before. They hardened, though, as soon as she saw Shina. Sezaku walked in.
"How's my tough girl?" he asked in a voice like that of an older brother.
"I feel like shit," Kagome replied flatly. "I need to get out of here."
"Heh, that-a girl." We'll be by tomorrow to check on you." He said as they walked out.
Inuyasha looked down at Kagome. "How can you trust me alone with you?" he asked.
"I don't know," she said, "I just do. I feel like...I don't know how."
Inuyasha smiled.
***
The weeks went on, and soon Kagome was back on her feet. She made frequent sparring sessions with Sezaku, Shina, and Inuyasha. She had to get back into fighting shape; her return to action was only a couple days away. Her strength of character was even more evident. But one question was still bugging Inuyasha.
"Kagome, can I ask you something?" he asked.
"Yeah, shoot."
"Shina told me that the Pit Fights were the quickest way to get to Naraku. Is there a way, for me to enter?" he asked.
"Sure, not a problem. Guess you want that maggot dead to, huh?"
"More than you can imaging."
Kagome looked away. Her voice softened to a sad tone. "I can imagine quite a bit."
Inuyasha sensed he had said something that upset her. "Sorry, I didn't..."
"It's okay. I'm over it, really. I'll talk to Sesshoumaru tomorrow."
Kagome walked away, wiping the sweat off her body with a towel. Her face had grown sullen; Inuyasha had inadvertently dragged up some painful memories. She sighed, and then spotted a young girl in a black dress standing in front of her. She carried a sword, and her hand was wrapped in a similar way to Sezaku's.
"It hurts, I know. The pain is all too real. You try to wipe away all your tears, and scream to fight away all your fears. You trust in few, and with good reason. Beware, Kagome. One of the company you keep is not all they seem, and your life and dreams will be in jeopardy," the apparition earned
"I keep trying to tell myself your gone, but then you show up again." Kagome kept walking. "I'll keep your advice in mind."
"Don't joke. I am real, Kagome. I will spare you the poetics. One of your friends will betray you."
Kagome spun back around. "Who...?" But the girl was gone. Kagome looked around frantically. The wind picked up, carrying a scent of death. "Who are you talking about" she screamed.
....................to be continued!
Kagome slowly opened her yes. She felt somewhat refreshed, but her body was still wracked with intense pain. She struggled to turn her head to see the clock. It was 10:30...Wednesday. Her eyes shot open. She had a fight today at 11:00! She swung her body and tried to walk out, the cast on her leg banging against the hardwood floor. She propped herself against the door, and spotted Inuyasha asleep in a chair. She tried to sneak past, but he awoke.
"What are you doing, stupid girl?" he yelled as he shot to his feet. He quickly went to restrain Kagome as Shina burst into the room.
"Shina! Tell him! I have to go!" she yelled as she weakly thrashed in Inuyasha's strong arms.
Shina ran to try and calm Kagome and Inuyasha let her go. "Kagome, calm down! I already talked to Sesshoumaru! He's given you time off to recuperate. So just relax.
Kagome stopped struggling, and fell exhausted into Inuyasha arms. He carried her back into her room and laid her on her bed. He began to walk off as Shina walked to bedside. "I have to go. I'll bring back some food, but just try to relax and get better. Besides, with a hunk like that in the house, why would you want to leave?"
Kagome chuckled and bid Shina goodbye. She called out to Inuyasha.
"Please, I don't want to be alone," she said grabbing his arm. Inuyasha hesitated for a minute, and then looked into her eyes. They were softer now, not the determined glare of a strong, independent woman, but the stare of a person who had been alone all her life, and didn't want to be anymore. He nodded, and pulled up a chair. Kagome frowned and shook her head, then pulled on Inuyasha, making him sit on her bed. She rose, and placed her head in his lap. She smiled for the first time in years.
"Back there, your friend mentioned someone named 'Sesshoumaru'..."
"He's the Chief Administrator of the Pit Fights."
"What does he look like?"
"Like you, except taller, and he has markings on his face." Kagome breathed heavily, and groaned.
"I'll go get the aspirin..." Inuyasha said, but Kagome stopped him.
"No, I can handle it. Just stay here...at least until I fall asleep. Please?"
Inuyasha sighed, and Kagome shut her eyes. Inuyasha stayed there, even after she had fallen asleep, just gently stroking her long, black hair. "You're so beautiful, even for a human," he whispered. "Just like someone I used to know..." He closed his eyes.
***
Five hundred years ago. But he remembered it like it was mere seconds removed. He had grabbed the Shikon jewel and was making good his escape when an arrow pierced his chest. Kikyo, the woman had betrayed him. As he lost consciousness, he saw a man walk over and tear the Shikon from Kikyo's grasp.
"You played you parts well, my puppets," he said and vanished. Inuyasha tried to reach out, to stop him, but he was too far gone.
***
Now he was here, with this woman, who looked strikingly like Kikyo. A man with the Shikon ruled the world, and his brother was running a government- sanctioned coliseum. Was it fate that they meet? Jus then, he thought he saw a young girl looking at them in the window, wearing a black dress. He shook his, and looked again. She was gone, if she was ever really there.
The opening of a door interrupted Inuyasha's thoughts. Shina walked in, spotting Inuyasha with Kagome. She smiled, then walked over and sat in the chair he had pulled up.
"A real fighter, isn't she? All those injuries, and she'd still willing to fight," she said. "Yeah, she got banged up pretty bad. It would be enough to kill a normal person, but not Kagome. I remember the first day she arrived at the Pits, she was barely a teen, yet walked in there and won her first match with barely a scratch."
"That's some spirit. By why fighting?"
"Because that's about the only way to make money around here. Plus, it's a surefire way to get to Naraku."
"The Emperor she was talking about?"
"Yeah, Emperor Naraku. The most vile being on the planet."
"Can you tell me more about him?" Inuyasha asked.
"They say he took power 500 years ago, using the power of..."
"A jewel called the Shikon, right?"
"Yeah, how did...?"
"It doesn't matter. Why would Kagome want to...?" She began to stir, and then slowly opened her eyes. She looked up at Inuyasha, with the same adoring eyes as before. They hardened, though, as soon as she saw Shina. Sezaku walked in.
"How's my tough girl?" he asked in a voice like that of an older brother.
"I feel like shit," Kagome replied flatly. "I need to get out of here."
"Heh, that-a girl." We'll be by tomorrow to check on you." He said as they walked out.
Inuyasha looked down at Kagome. "How can you trust me alone with you?" he asked.
"I don't know," she said, "I just do. I feel like...I don't know how."
Inuyasha smiled.
***
The weeks went on, and soon Kagome was back on her feet. She made frequent sparring sessions with Sezaku, Shina, and Inuyasha. She had to get back into fighting shape; her return to action was only a couple days away. Her strength of character was even more evident. But one question was still bugging Inuyasha.
"Kagome, can I ask you something?" he asked.
"Yeah, shoot."
"Shina told me that the Pit Fights were the quickest way to get to Naraku. Is there a way, for me to enter?" he asked.
"Sure, not a problem. Guess you want that maggot dead to, huh?"
"More than you can imaging."
Kagome looked away. Her voice softened to a sad tone. "I can imagine quite a bit."
Inuyasha sensed he had said something that upset her. "Sorry, I didn't..."
"It's okay. I'm over it, really. I'll talk to Sesshoumaru tomorrow."
Kagome walked away, wiping the sweat off her body with a towel. Her face had grown sullen; Inuyasha had inadvertently dragged up some painful memories. She sighed, and then spotted a young girl in a black dress standing in front of her. She carried a sword, and her hand was wrapped in a similar way to Sezaku's.
"It hurts, I know. The pain is all too real. You try to wipe away all your tears, and scream to fight away all your fears. You trust in few, and with good reason. Beware, Kagome. One of the company you keep is not all they seem, and your life and dreams will be in jeopardy," the apparition earned
"I keep trying to tell myself your gone, but then you show up again." Kagome kept walking. "I'll keep your advice in mind."
"Don't joke. I am real, Kagome. I will spare you the poetics. One of your friends will betray you."
Kagome spun back around. "Who...?" But the girl was gone. Kagome looked around frantically. The wind picked up, carrying a scent of death. "Who are you talking about" she screamed.
....................to be continued!