Chapter 2:
Inuyasha climbed down the boulders and approached her, hesitantly. Keeping his distance, he looked down at the youkai and then back at her. "What did you do?" Kagome felt a flicker of hope. Perhaps he hadn't seen what had happened. But the look in his eyes told her he had seen it all.
"I killed it." She said calmly, although her body was trembling.
"That's impossible. It was more powerful than even Sesshomaru." Inuyasha's voice quivered slightly.
"I dunno. It's dead, isn't it? That's all that matters." She said, trying to brush off what had just happened as if it had been nothing. Inuyasha, however, didn't find it as nothing.
"No, that's not all that matters. Kagome, you just sucked that youkai's soul out of his body. That's something no Miko has ever done." Kagome winced. His voice was icy and fearful.
"I wouldn't know." She said quietly.
"How did you do that." He demanded, approaching her cautiously.
"I don't know. I said some words that came to mind and created a ball of flames. I just did it. Ok? No big." Kagome hoped that would convince him that she wasn't dangerous. That it was just by chance that she had spoken some words and created something powerful enough to kill any youkai. It didn't convince him at all.
"Kagome.I don't know what to say. I've never seen anything so.dangerous." He sighed, head hanging as he stared at the ground in deep thought. Kagome suddenly felt a pang of fear. What if he decided to kill her so she couldn't do anything like that again?
"Inuyasha, it's me!" Kagome pleaded.
"Are you sure? I mean, yesterday I would have agreed with you, but now.you're sixteen now." Kagome frowned, not understanding what he was trying to say with that comment. Of course she was herself. Who else would she be? Kagome had seen the Exorcist. She knew for a fact she wasn't being possessed. So what was he trying to imply?
"What does this have anything to do with my age?" When he didn't answer, she went over to the boulders and climbed up carefully to retrieve her pack to give Inuyasha a few moments to think. Inuyasha stared at her coldly, not making any attempt to help her. She dragged her pack down the boulders, sliding down them on her feet. At the bottom, Inuyasha began to explain, carefully choosing his words.
"Mikos gain their full powers in the first five days after their sixteenth birthday. Normally they can do small spells at first. Heal wounds, block swords, that kinda stuff. Maybe they can even fight some of the more powerful youkai, like Kikyou could.but she didn't learn that until the fifth day. Never have I seen anything so powerful and deadly.especially not on the first day." Kagome blanched at this information. His eyes wandered over her, examining her like she was a specimen in a lab.
"You mean I'll get more powerful throughout the five days?" Inuyasha nodded.
"I don't even want to think about what you'll do on the fifth day." Inuyasha shook his head in disbelief. He seemed to be thinking for a moment. Suddenly he smiled. "But no matter what happens, I'll be here for you. We'll get through this. You'll see. Cheer up. It's your birthday!" Kagome frowned. Inuyasha had suddenly went from terrified to downright carefree. And he had said 'WE'LL get through this' meaning he would help willingly. Trying to get Inuyasha to help her with anything was normally like pulling teeth.
She made a little mental note to try to figure out what had happened in that brief moment to convince him to change his mood around so drastically. Currently, however, she didn't want to ponder this. Instead, she wanted nothing more than to hug him. He was finally acting like the Inuyasha she knew and loved. His egotistical self had vanished to be replaced with nothing but kindness. It was in these rare moments that Kagome found herself completely bewildered by the hanyou she had spent the last year with.
She leapt into his arms and he hugged her tightly. "Don't worry, Kagome. Everything will be okay." He whispered. Kagome knew he wasn't exactly sure what to do, but he was trying hard to sooth her. Kagome cried in his arms, scared of herself. "Happy birthday," he whispered. She hiccuped.
"What happened here?" Sango asked and Kagome looked up from Inuyasha to see her peering over the edge. Sango's eyes landed on the dead youkai, then traveled over to Kagome clinging to Inuyasha. Miroku appeared beside Sango and then Shippou, still stuffing his face with food.
"If you wanted to be alone with Kagome, you had only to ask. Honestly, going ahead and killing a youkai just to make out." Miroku stated, stuffing more food into his mouth. Inuyasha shoved Kagome away and turned his back to everyone. Embarrassment creeping up her cheeks, Kagome threw her hands over her face.
"Actually, Kagome had a little scare. The youkai was waiting for her and she didn't sense him. He surprised her and attacked. I killed him quickly before he hurt her, but she's still getting over the shock of nearly being cat food." Inuyasha stated calmly. Kagome gasped in surprise. Inuyasha had hidden the truth from them.
"Yeah, right. As if you two weren't making out." Miroku mumbled. Kagome's face turned a lighter shade of pink. Inuyasha turned to face him. Kagome noticed that unlike her, Inuyasha wasn't the least bit flushed.
"Only you would think something like that, Miroku." Inuyasha stared down at Kagome's bag with the broken strap. "Don't you even think of having me carry that now that you broke it." Kagome tried her best puppy eyes, but knew it was useless. Only Inuyasha could pull off the puppy-dog pout like a pro. Hauling the bag onto her shoulder, she staggered after Inuyasha as he took the lead on their hike.
********
Hours after Kagome encountered the youkai, she still found herself restless and nervous. In five days, anything could happen. And anything was exactly what Inuyasha seemed to be expecting. He hadn't let her out of his sight since she had killed the youkai. Kagome knew she wouldn't be getting a moment of privacy, which wasn't a good thing considering the fact that she was needing to relieve her bladder very badly but couldn't get Inuyasha to turn away from her for a moment.
"The nearest village can't be too much further. We'll be there by tomorrow night at the latest." Inuyasha explained, scanning the forest. The sun was just beginning to drop from the sky, vanishing into the deep green forest. Kagome was getting concerned. She knew her mother would never forgive her for not coming home on her birthday.
"Inuyasha, can I talk to you for a moment." Kagome had one chance to get back to her own time now. She had to take that chance and pray. Inuyasha looked at her in confusion, but followed her as she started into the forest to get away from the others.
"What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked, concerned about her. Kagome fidgeted, hoping her plan would work. She would definitely be calling it a miracle if it did.
"Well, I've been thinking. You said that every Miko goes through this phase, right?" He nodded. "Well, I was thinking.what if I talked to Kaede about it? She would be able to alert me on what to expect."
"She never killed a youkai with balls of flames." Inuyasha crossed his chest, looking at her suspiciously. Kagome's head dropped in shame.
"I know, but still.it couldn't hurt, could it? We could get there in an hour if you carry me on your back." He considered it for a moment.
"No, I guess it couldn't hurt. Ok, let's go." Kagome smiled up at him, breathing out a sigh of relief through smiling teeth. First step of operation 'Run Home' complete. She hopped on his back.
"Should we tell the others?" Kagome scanned the woods, but they seemed to respect Kagome's wishes of talking to Inuyasha alone.
"Nah, we'll only be gone a few hours." Inuyasha lifted her higher onto his back so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Suddenly Shippou came tearing through the forest, arms outstretched towards them.
"No, no. You can't leave!" He cried. Inuyasha looked down at the kitsune smugly.
"Well, well. A little spy." Inuyasha's tone sounded mocking. Kagome knew he was about to wake up the whole forest with his shouting. "How much did you hear?" Inuyasha growled. Kagome prayed silently that Shippou hadn't heard a lot. Not only for Shippou's health, but also for Kagome's sanity. She couldn't bear to think that Shippou might consider her a danger if he found out.
"I heard you tell Kagome you were going to visit Kaede." Shippou said defiantly, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest. Kagome exhaled, grateful that was all he had heard.
Inuyasha smiled, no longer in a bad mood. "Ok, kid. Tell you what. You go back to Sango and Miroku and tell them we'll be back in two hours. If we're not back by then, you can eat all my ramen." Inuyasha bargained.
"Hey, that's my ramen!" Kagome complained. One glare from Inuyasha stopped her. 'Note to self: After going home for the night, make sure to bring a lot of ramen!' Visions of Inuyasha's fury as he saw all the ramen gone because she had run off played across Kagome's mind. Shippou considered this before speaking, drawing Kagome out of her nightmarish thoughts.
"Ramen and chocolate." He demanded. Inuyasha nodded. "Ok, come back soon." Shippou beamed up at them before bouncing back the way he had come.
Seconds later they were flying above the tree tops, landing on branches for a split second, and then once more sailing over the forests. In less than an hour Kagome found herself in the familiar forest, Inuyasha's forest. She inhaled the pine smell. 'So close. A litter further and well be in the village. Then the hard part.' She scowled a little and focused on the next stage of her plan.
Inuyasha finally came to a stop outside Kaede's hut. Kagome's legs protested her weight as she slid off his back. She fell to the ground. Inuyasha paid her no heed. He strode into the hut, leaving her outside. Kagome glanced anxiously toward the forest and stood, preparing to make a daring run.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha called from inside. Kagome stopped dead, knowing she would never make it if she ran now. She sullenly entered the hut, hoping the meeting with Kaede wouldn't take too long. She needed to get home. Kagome knew she would have to keep her eyes open for chances to get away as soon as possible. Time was running out.
"Hello dear." Kaede greeted as Kagome entered. The old woman was stirring a mixture of herbs over her tiny fire. Kagome could identify the mint and basil pouches beside the fire, but the other herb pouches were foreign to her. Kagome wondered what Kaede was mixing. Perhaps a solution to rid the patient of a nasty headache, or a mixture to rid the rice fields of bugs. Kagome wanted to ask, but knew it wasn't the time to be making small talk.
Inuyasha was sitting patiently on a mat near Kaede. Kagome sank onto the grass mats. Inuyasha's eyes never left her. "What seems to be the matter?" Kaede inquired, concerned by Kagome's expression.
"She's now sixteen. Her birthday was today." Inuyasha interrupted, speaking for Kagome. Kaede pursed her lips. Kagome fidgeted with her fingers, staring at her lap.
"I knew this day would come." Kaede said after a long moment of silence. She left the fire and went to sit beside Kagome. "Are you feeling alright, dear?" Kagome nodded, eyes tracing the pattern of the stitches of her skirt.
"A little weird.kind of like I am full of energy but weary at the same time. But besides that I'm alright." Kaede cupped Kagome's cheek, lifting her head to stare into her eyes.
"You feel the energy?" She asked, skeptical. Kagome nodded, feeling she had answered the question wrong. "That's very unusual. Especially on the first day. I didn't feel anything until the fourth day. Have you been able to.do anything yet?" Inuyasha snorted at the question.
"She created a ball of white fire that sucked out a youkai's soul." He interrupted again, voice urgent as if Kagome might do something terrible any second unless he told the old woman. Kaede's eye went wide.
"A.ball of.fire? I've heard of but one Miko ever capable of such skills." Kaede's eye looked distant, as if seeing something from another time.
"Who?" Inuyasha asked, sitting a litter straighter and very intentive. Kagome dreaded what she would hear.
"Midoriko." Kaede stated, trance-like. Kagome let out the breath she had been holding. She had been so sure Kaede would have said Kikyou. But instead she had said Midoriko, maker of the shikon jewel. The most powerful and famous of all Mikos.
"But she only gained that skill on the last day. Never has any Miko showed such power." Kaede looked deeply troubled. Kagome shifted her weight, uncomfortable by the looks in Inuyasha's and Kaede's eyes. They regarded her with fear and awe.
The moment passed and died. "Well, no matter. There are things we can do about this." Kaede stood and walked to a small shelf, removing several flasks. She poured the contents into a large bowl, mixing it well. Kagome didn't recognize any of the ingredients. The mixture over the fire was forgotten and the fire went out, leaving only the moonlight being cast through the window and door to light up the room. Kaede blew into the ashes, creating several sparks and eventually a flame once more as she added some herbs to the pit.
"We knew this day would come. It's just that none of us thought you would be so.powerful." Kaede tipped the last ingredient into the bowl and stirred once again. The concoction looked a sickening green. Kagome hoped she only had to hold the stuff for it to worked, but knew that was wishful thinking.
"Take a sip of this once every day for the next four days." She poured the mixture into an empty flask. It hissed and bubbled angrily. Kagome felt sick just looking at it. She didn't want to think what it would do in her stomach.let alone how she was going to manage to drink the stuff. She took the flask from Kaede's hand. Inuyasha and Kaede shared a look and Kagome guessed it was a 'you'd better get her to chug this every day' look.
"Go outside now, dear. Inuyasha and I need to talk about what to do about you. He will be out in a few minutes. I suggest you two return to the others as soon as possible and you should lay low for the next four days. No fighting, no hunting, no action. Anything that will boost your emotion should not be allowed. The concoction will make you feel sleepy and drained. Don't worry, the feeling will be natural. Now wait outside for a few minutes." Kagome looked from Kaede to Inuyasha. Neither showed any sign of emotion.
Muttering a goodbye, Kagome stood. As she left, she saw Kaede hand something to Inuyasha. It was a small statue of some figure Kagome couldn't make out without turning her head and making it obvious she had noticed it. Kagome sighed impatiently and left.
Once outside, however, her mood changed. Her plan had worked perfectly. Kaede was delaying Inuyasha. He would never know she was gone until he left the hut. Kaede's magic was too strong for him to sense her through it. She was safe. She could run to the well before he found her. Hushed voices drifted through the air. She smiled. Time for stage two of the plan.
Kagome turned heel and fled, running as quickly as she could as the flask's contents shook in her hand. Down through the rice fields she raced, passing various late-night watchmen keeping a lookout for thieves daring to steal some valuable rice. She reached the edge of the forest a few minutes later, panting heavily. Dashing between trees, she continued at her frantic pace, knowing time was precious. She had to get back to her own time before Kaede was done talking with Inuyasha.
Her lungs ached for much-needed breath, but couldn't seem to get it. She rasped, but continued to run, her heart pounding quickly. She was almost there. The well came into view. Without a look back, she vaulted into it, flying down the dark shaft.
Kagome landed with a soft thud. The flask tumbled to the ground. Kagome grimaced at the shrill sound of glass hitting rocks. The flask rolled, but didn't break. Kagome sighed in relief and picked it up again. The concoction was rumbling. For a second she considered pounding it against the rock to break it, but knew Inuyasha would have a cow. She gulped, knowing it would be a nightmare to have to swallow even a sip of it. Inuyasha would force her to down the drink every day. She shuddered.
Light shone on her. She glanced up, blinded. "Who's there?" She called up. Kagome raised her hand to cover her eyes. Sota's voice echoed down the well.
"She's back! She made it!" Kagome smiled, pleased with herself. She had successfully escaped Inuyasha.
"Hey, Sota. Catch this for me, will you?" She tossed up the flask and saw a little hand move across the light to grab it. She climbed the cold stone wall and was in her warm house a few minutes later. The lights shone brightly as she was greeted by her mother and grandfather, hugging each in turn. Her mother looked down at her thoughtfully.
"Happy birthday, Kagome." She said and handed her a black package tied with ribbon. Kagome grinned. The scene reminded her of her last birthday. Except then she didn't have to worry about a hanyou stalking her, or an evil youkai killing her friends in the feudal era, or even think about youkai. Now she tried to forget it all and celebrate her birthday in peace, alone with her family.
"Please tell me this is a science experiment you're doing." Sota wrinkled his nose, holding out the flask as far from him as possible. She took the flask and set it aside on the table, not wanting to think about it.
"Some medicine from feudal Japan. And you think the cough syrup's bad." He giggled. Kagome knew she would have giggled too, except she knew she was going to have to drink that stuff some time soon. That was no laughing matter.
Suddenly the lights turned off. Kagome jumped. Tiny flames emerged from the doorway and voices began to sing. The flames illuminated a gorgeous birthday cake her mother had slaved away on. Kagome giggled, embarrassed at being startled by the lights merely being turned off. She stared into the flames. They were mesmerizing.
The room vanished in front of her eyes. She found herself looking across the yard outside. A figure was climbing out of the well. Two ears slid out from under a mane of silver hair. Kagome grimaced. It was Inuyasha. Judging by his murderous look, Kagome doubted he was very happy with her. Kagome shook her head and instantly found herself back in the house, staring at the candles. As impossible as it seemed, Kagome knew what she had just seen.
She had scried with fire and had seen Inuyasha. He would be kicking down the door in a minute or two. Kagome quickly blew out the candles after making her wish: that she would live through Inuyasha's wrath. Sota cheered and her grandfather blew a noisemaker. The lights turned back on. Her mother went back into the kitchen to start serving the massive cake. Kagome walked to the door.
Three. Two. One. Kagome opened the door to find herself face to face with a fuming hanyou. "Care to come in?" Kagome asked him cheerfully, ignoring his expression. Inuyasha didn't move. "Fine, have it your way. We're just serving up some chocolate cake. Feel free to have some if you like." She began to shut the door, but he put out an arm to stop her. Without a word he entered her house. Kagome walked back to the kitchen as if everything was normal.
"INUYASHA!" Sota cried out and raced to greet his idol. Kagome cringed, not knowing what Inuyasha would do. Normally Inuyasha tolerated Sota, but judging by the way he was standing in the entryway, stiff and furious, Kagome doubted Inuyasha would do anything less that decapitate him.
"Sota, come help Mama in the kitchen." Kagome called to him. He stopped and moaned.
"Awww. I wanted to hang out with Inuyasha."
"Another time. Inuyasha and I have to talk for a bit." She took Sota by the shoulders and steered him toward the kitchen. He sauntered down the hall, looking not the least bit happy at the missed opportunity. Kagome knew she would be upset too. Hanging out with a hanyou was a lot more fun than helping to cut cake. Well, normally it was. Right now Kagome would have given anything to be Sota on his way to the kitchen.
With a last longing look at her brother, she turned to face the hanyou. Inuyasha's expression hadn't changed. She waited until he found his voice in all of his fury. "Why did you take off? I told you to stay put." He demanded, his voice a thunderous growl. Kagome knew even her grandfather, who was half deaf, had easily heard Inuyasha.
"Actually, it was Kaede who told me to wait. And I am waiting. She never said where I had to wait." Kagome said snidely, a lot more quietly than Inuyasha.
"You knew exactly what she meant." Inuyasha had brought his voice down a few pitches, but it was still a rumbling growl.
"So? I wanted to visit my family." Kagome spat, defiantly.
"Kagome, that was the stupidest thing I've ever seen you do. Who knows what kind of things could have happened to you." His voice was no longer a growl, but a hiss of disgust and disapproval. Kagome's cheeks flushed slightly, but she held her ground.
"You mean what kinds of things could have happened BECAUSE of me."
"Same thing." He slouched, the murderous expression fading slightly. He looked more relieved that nothing had happened than he looked ready to kill her, as had been his expression when he had first entered the house. She thought of letting the conversation end on a good note, but knew there was still the matter of getting Inuyasha to let her stay.
"No, it isn't the same thing. Listen, I'm fine. If you want to celebrate my birthday with my family and me, feel free. But if you are here to reprimand me and take me back, then you are wasting your time. I will go back when I'm ready and not a moment sooner." Kagome glared a challenge at Inuyasha. The expression of relief was replaced once more with the murderous glare as he returned the challenge.
"You will do as I say." He told her and in a split second she found herself slung over his back for the second time that day.
"OSUWARI!" She screamed. He fell to the ground. Kagome laid on top of him, triumphantly staring down at him. "I said 'I'm staying here'." She got up and went into the kitchen to get a piece of cake. As she entered, she noticed her family scurrying in different directions, trying to resume positions casually. She knew they had been watching Inuyasha and her from the doorway.
Kagome took the piece of cake and sat down at the table with her family. She played with her fork, leaving her cake untouched. Sota took the opportunity to give her his present. She smiled and put it beside the black one, thanking him. Her eyes wandered to the flask she had placed next to the presents. Her stomach churned and her appetite died.
"So.what do you have to do with that feudal poison?" Sota asked. Kagome groaned.
"I have to drink it for the next four days."
"Five. You need to take a sip of it tonight." Inuyasha argued as he entered the kitchen. He looked a little calmer. Kagome knew it was like the eye of a hurricane and wondered how long it would last. Her mother looked pleased to see him and served him a piece of cake. Her grandfather regarded him coldly, still remembering how he had gotten past all the holy seals he had put on the well.
Kagome took a bite of cake, trying not to think about what the concoction would taste like. She swallowed the bite of rich chocolate pastry. "If you think I'm actually going to drink that," she pointed to the flask with her fork, "You're crazy. There's no way I could even touch that flask to my lips." Inuyasha's eyes flared. Kagome took another piece of the cake and raised it to her mouth.
"You better drink that or else I'll shove it down your throat." Her family went silent, watching the argument as they ate their cake. Kagome lowered her fork, leaving the bite untouched.
"Oh yeah, and what's so important about it? Does it stop the incidents? Does it stop my power from coming? What is it supposed to do, besides poison me?" She stood, facing him eye to eye.
"It keeps your powers mellow." Inuyasha explained. It was his turn to act calmly. He sniffed the piece of cake her mother had handed him and dug in. "Shippou would love this! What do you call it?" He asked, mouth bulging. The argument was over. Inuyasha had made sure of that. His quick change of topics left Kagome with nothing to do but answer his question.
"Chocolate cake." Kagome sat down with one last huff. Her family seemed to let out their held breaths as one. Kagome picked up her fork once more.
"Well, drink up. The sooner you take a sip the better." Inuyasha chided. Kagome threw him a glare, dropping her fork. How dare he change the subject and then revisit the argument.
"NO! I'm fine. I haven't had anything happen since the incident this morning. Honestly, I think it was a one time thing." Kagome tried to convince Inuyasha, praying it would work.
Suddenly she felt warmth in her hand. Looking down at her plate, she found it floating a foot off the ground. Shrieking, Kagome fell backwards out of her chair. The plate fell onto the table, shattering. Chocolate cake crumbled on top of the shattered ceramic. Inuyasha dropped his plate, cake suddenly forgotten. Her mother screamed as a drawer flung open and shot across the room. Sota ducked as silverware flew at him. Her grandfather threw out a useless prayer paper to stop the chaos. Kagome watched in terror as al the faucets turned on abruptly, water spraying all over the counters from some unknown pressure behind it.
"Stop! Oh please stop!" Kagome pleaded in fear. Inuyasha came to her side, shaking her gently. Kagome began to rock back and forth, tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched the kitchen turn violent as her family tried uselessly to escape the utter chaos. "Stop. Stop. Stop." She begged.
"Kagome, stop this at once. You're doing this. You can stop this. Focus!" Inuyasha shouted at her. She cried harder, eyes shut tightly. This was too much for her to handle. She was making this scene straight out of the Exorcist. It was because of her. Her and her untamed power. She was going to end up killing one of her family members if this didn't stop immediately. The knife drawer opened and knives shot across the room. Kagome shook harder. A voice suddenly came to her.
"Relax. Hold out your hand. You need to retrieve your power. Call it to you."
Kagome listened to the voice and held out her trembling hand. China shattered over her as Inuyasha's claws whipped out to keep the plates from falling on her head. "COME BACK!" Energy snapped into her palm, causing her hair to rise on end for a second before falling neatly back in place. The noise stopped. All was silent except for her mother's soft sobs and Sota's panting breath. Inuyasha's hands had fallen back to his sides. He stared at her in a way that made Kagome feel incredibly remorseful.
"Now you see why you have to drink that stuff. Your power is too strong for you, wench." She cringed at the way he addressed her. Seeing this, Inuyasha tried to soften his voice. "Do you need help standing?" He took her arm gently and helped her to her feet. She leaned against him as he lead her back to the table. The table was overturned, cake smashed into the tile. Presents lay on the ground, their wrapping paper shredded. The entire kitchen had been destroyed. It was like a tornado had ripped the room apart. Her family looked at her in fear. Kagome felt tears well in her eyes. She was a menace, a disgrace. She couldn't control her own magic.
"This is just the first day." Inuyasha muttered to himself as if dreading what would happen the next day. Kagome couldn't blame him. She regarded the flask in a new light. Inuyasha pushed away a chair the flask had rolled under and knelt, picking it up for her. She grasped the flask and unstopped it before glancing around the room. Her family watched, trying to edge into the corners of the room to be as far away from her as possible. Curiosity furrowed into their pale faces as they watched her hold the flask. She closed her eyes, unable to look into their panicked eyes.
They feared her. She raised the flask to her lips, hands shaking slightly. Quickly, to not have any second thoughts, she let the green potion slide down her throat. It burned and stung and made Kagome want nothing more than to throw it up again before it reached her stomach. Instead, she lowered the flask and restopped it before opening her eyes once more. She looked at Inuyasha, who looked pleased she hadn't spit it back up. Kagome knew she wouldn't though. She knew now what would happen if she didn't drink the potion. More incidents like this would occur. This time she had gotten lucky. No one had gotten hurt. She didn't know if she would be so lucky next time.
She tried to stand, but found herself falling to the ground. Kagome felt weak. Weak and drained. Just as Kaede had said she would feel. Inuyasha reached down and helped her stand, holding her up with one hand as he took a piece of cake in the other. He slid the cake into his pocket. "We better get back. I think I owe Shippou some chocolate. Hold the flask. We're leaving." Kagome didn't question his authority this time. Kagome's arm shook as she held the flask tightly in one hand. Kagome found herself being lifted into Inuyasha's arms. This time, however, Inuyasha didn't sling her over his shoulder. Instead, he cradled her in his arms.
Kagome buried her head into the fabric covering his muscular chest. She liked this new carrying way a lot better than Inuyasha's usual way. She was too tired to say goodbye to her family. A few seconds later she was asleep, drifting into the land of unconsciousness.
Inuyasha climbed down the boulders and approached her, hesitantly. Keeping his distance, he looked down at the youkai and then back at her. "What did you do?" Kagome felt a flicker of hope. Perhaps he hadn't seen what had happened. But the look in his eyes told her he had seen it all.
"I killed it." She said calmly, although her body was trembling.
"That's impossible. It was more powerful than even Sesshomaru." Inuyasha's voice quivered slightly.
"I dunno. It's dead, isn't it? That's all that matters." She said, trying to brush off what had just happened as if it had been nothing. Inuyasha, however, didn't find it as nothing.
"No, that's not all that matters. Kagome, you just sucked that youkai's soul out of his body. That's something no Miko has ever done." Kagome winced. His voice was icy and fearful.
"I wouldn't know." She said quietly.
"How did you do that." He demanded, approaching her cautiously.
"I don't know. I said some words that came to mind and created a ball of flames. I just did it. Ok? No big." Kagome hoped that would convince him that she wasn't dangerous. That it was just by chance that she had spoken some words and created something powerful enough to kill any youkai. It didn't convince him at all.
"Kagome.I don't know what to say. I've never seen anything so.dangerous." He sighed, head hanging as he stared at the ground in deep thought. Kagome suddenly felt a pang of fear. What if he decided to kill her so she couldn't do anything like that again?
"Inuyasha, it's me!" Kagome pleaded.
"Are you sure? I mean, yesterday I would have agreed with you, but now.you're sixteen now." Kagome frowned, not understanding what he was trying to say with that comment. Of course she was herself. Who else would she be? Kagome had seen the Exorcist. She knew for a fact she wasn't being possessed. So what was he trying to imply?
"What does this have anything to do with my age?" When he didn't answer, she went over to the boulders and climbed up carefully to retrieve her pack to give Inuyasha a few moments to think. Inuyasha stared at her coldly, not making any attempt to help her. She dragged her pack down the boulders, sliding down them on her feet. At the bottom, Inuyasha began to explain, carefully choosing his words.
"Mikos gain their full powers in the first five days after their sixteenth birthday. Normally they can do small spells at first. Heal wounds, block swords, that kinda stuff. Maybe they can even fight some of the more powerful youkai, like Kikyou could.but she didn't learn that until the fifth day. Never have I seen anything so powerful and deadly.especially not on the first day." Kagome blanched at this information. His eyes wandered over her, examining her like she was a specimen in a lab.
"You mean I'll get more powerful throughout the five days?" Inuyasha nodded.
"I don't even want to think about what you'll do on the fifth day." Inuyasha shook his head in disbelief. He seemed to be thinking for a moment. Suddenly he smiled. "But no matter what happens, I'll be here for you. We'll get through this. You'll see. Cheer up. It's your birthday!" Kagome frowned. Inuyasha had suddenly went from terrified to downright carefree. And he had said 'WE'LL get through this' meaning he would help willingly. Trying to get Inuyasha to help her with anything was normally like pulling teeth.
She made a little mental note to try to figure out what had happened in that brief moment to convince him to change his mood around so drastically. Currently, however, she didn't want to ponder this. Instead, she wanted nothing more than to hug him. He was finally acting like the Inuyasha she knew and loved. His egotistical self had vanished to be replaced with nothing but kindness. It was in these rare moments that Kagome found herself completely bewildered by the hanyou she had spent the last year with.
She leapt into his arms and he hugged her tightly. "Don't worry, Kagome. Everything will be okay." He whispered. Kagome knew he wasn't exactly sure what to do, but he was trying hard to sooth her. Kagome cried in his arms, scared of herself. "Happy birthday," he whispered. She hiccuped.
"What happened here?" Sango asked and Kagome looked up from Inuyasha to see her peering over the edge. Sango's eyes landed on the dead youkai, then traveled over to Kagome clinging to Inuyasha. Miroku appeared beside Sango and then Shippou, still stuffing his face with food.
"If you wanted to be alone with Kagome, you had only to ask. Honestly, going ahead and killing a youkai just to make out." Miroku stated, stuffing more food into his mouth. Inuyasha shoved Kagome away and turned his back to everyone. Embarrassment creeping up her cheeks, Kagome threw her hands over her face.
"Actually, Kagome had a little scare. The youkai was waiting for her and she didn't sense him. He surprised her and attacked. I killed him quickly before he hurt her, but she's still getting over the shock of nearly being cat food." Inuyasha stated calmly. Kagome gasped in surprise. Inuyasha had hidden the truth from them.
"Yeah, right. As if you two weren't making out." Miroku mumbled. Kagome's face turned a lighter shade of pink. Inuyasha turned to face him. Kagome noticed that unlike her, Inuyasha wasn't the least bit flushed.
"Only you would think something like that, Miroku." Inuyasha stared down at Kagome's bag with the broken strap. "Don't you even think of having me carry that now that you broke it." Kagome tried her best puppy eyes, but knew it was useless. Only Inuyasha could pull off the puppy-dog pout like a pro. Hauling the bag onto her shoulder, she staggered after Inuyasha as he took the lead on their hike.
********
Hours after Kagome encountered the youkai, she still found herself restless and nervous. In five days, anything could happen. And anything was exactly what Inuyasha seemed to be expecting. He hadn't let her out of his sight since she had killed the youkai. Kagome knew she wouldn't be getting a moment of privacy, which wasn't a good thing considering the fact that she was needing to relieve her bladder very badly but couldn't get Inuyasha to turn away from her for a moment.
"The nearest village can't be too much further. We'll be there by tomorrow night at the latest." Inuyasha explained, scanning the forest. The sun was just beginning to drop from the sky, vanishing into the deep green forest. Kagome was getting concerned. She knew her mother would never forgive her for not coming home on her birthday.
"Inuyasha, can I talk to you for a moment." Kagome had one chance to get back to her own time now. She had to take that chance and pray. Inuyasha looked at her in confusion, but followed her as she started into the forest to get away from the others.
"What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked, concerned about her. Kagome fidgeted, hoping her plan would work. She would definitely be calling it a miracle if it did.
"Well, I've been thinking. You said that every Miko goes through this phase, right?" He nodded. "Well, I was thinking.what if I talked to Kaede about it? She would be able to alert me on what to expect."
"She never killed a youkai with balls of flames." Inuyasha crossed his chest, looking at her suspiciously. Kagome's head dropped in shame.
"I know, but still.it couldn't hurt, could it? We could get there in an hour if you carry me on your back." He considered it for a moment.
"No, I guess it couldn't hurt. Ok, let's go." Kagome smiled up at him, breathing out a sigh of relief through smiling teeth. First step of operation 'Run Home' complete. She hopped on his back.
"Should we tell the others?" Kagome scanned the woods, but they seemed to respect Kagome's wishes of talking to Inuyasha alone.
"Nah, we'll only be gone a few hours." Inuyasha lifted her higher onto his back so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Suddenly Shippou came tearing through the forest, arms outstretched towards them.
"No, no. You can't leave!" He cried. Inuyasha looked down at the kitsune smugly.
"Well, well. A little spy." Inuyasha's tone sounded mocking. Kagome knew he was about to wake up the whole forest with his shouting. "How much did you hear?" Inuyasha growled. Kagome prayed silently that Shippou hadn't heard a lot. Not only for Shippou's health, but also for Kagome's sanity. She couldn't bear to think that Shippou might consider her a danger if he found out.
"I heard you tell Kagome you were going to visit Kaede." Shippou said defiantly, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest. Kagome exhaled, grateful that was all he had heard.
Inuyasha smiled, no longer in a bad mood. "Ok, kid. Tell you what. You go back to Sango and Miroku and tell them we'll be back in two hours. If we're not back by then, you can eat all my ramen." Inuyasha bargained.
"Hey, that's my ramen!" Kagome complained. One glare from Inuyasha stopped her. 'Note to self: After going home for the night, make sure to bring a lot of ramen!' Visions of Inuyasha's fury as he saw all the ramen gone because she had run off played across Kagome's mind. Shippou considered this before speaking, drawing Kagome out of her nightmarish thoughts.
"Ramen and chocolate." He demanded. Inuyasha nodded. "Ok, come back soon." Shippou beamed up at them before bouncing back the way he had come.
Seconds later they were flying above the tree tops, landing on branches for a split second, and then once more sailing over the forests. In less than an hour Kagome found herself in the familiar forest, Inuyasha's forest. She inhaled the pine smell. 'So close. A litter further and well be in the village. Then the hard part.' She scowled a little and focused on the next stage of her plan.
Inuyasha finally came to a stop outside Kaede's hut. Kagome's legs protested her weight as she slid off his back. She fell to the ground. Inuyasha paid her no heed. He strode into the hut, leaving her outside. Kagome glanced anxiously toward the forest and stood, preparing to make a daring run.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha called from inside. Kagome stopped dead, knowing she would never make it if she ran now. She sullenly entered the hut, hoping the meeting with Kaede wouldn't take too long. She needed to get home. Kagome knew she would have to keep her eyes open for chances to get away as soon as possible. Time was running out.
"Hello dear." Kaede greeted as Kagome entered. The old woman was stirring a mixture of herbs over her tiny fire. Kagome could identify the mint and basil pouches beside the fire, but the other herb pouches were foreign to her. Kagome wondered what Kaede was mixing. Perhaps a solution to rid the patient of a nasty headache, or a mixture to rid the rice fields of bugs. Kagome wanted to ask, but knew it wasn't the time to be making small talk.
Inuyasha was sitting patiently on a mat near Kaede. Kagome sank onto the grass mats. Inuyasha's eyes never left her. "What seems to be the matter?" Kaede inquired, concerned by Kagome's expression.
"She's now sixteen. Her birthday was today." Inuyasha interrupted, speaking for Kagome. Kaede pursed her lips. Kagome fidgeted with her fingers, staring at her lap.
"I knew this day would come." Kaede said after a long moment of silence. She left the fire and went to sit beside Kagome. "Are you feeling alright, dear?" Kagome nodded, eyes tracing the pattern of the stitches of her skirt.
"A little weird.kind of like I am full of energy but weary at the same time. But besides that I'm alright." Kaede cupped Kagome's cheek, lifting her head to stare into her eyes.
"You feel the energy?" She asked, skeptical. Kagome nodded, feeling she had answered the question wrong. "That's very unusual. Especially on the first day. I didn't feel anything until the fourth day. Have you been able to.do anything yet?" Inuyasha snorted at the question.
"She created a ball of white fire that sucked out a youkai's soul." He interrupted again, voice urgent as if Kagome might do something terrible any second unless he told the old woman. Kaede's eye went wide.
"A.ball of.fire? I've heard of but one Miko ever capable of such skills." Kaede's eye looked distant, as if seeing something from another time.
"Who?" Inuyasha asked, sitting a litter straighter and very intentive. Kagome dreaded what she would hear.
"Midoriko." Kaede stated, trance-like. Kagome let out the breath she had been holding. She had been so sure Kaede would have said Kikyou. But instead she had said Midoriko, maker of the shikon jewel. The most powerful and famous of all Mikos.
"But she only gained that skill on the last day. Never has any Miko showed such power." Kaede looked deeply troubled. Kagome shifted her weight, uncomfortable by the looks in Inuyasha's and Kaede's eyes. They regarded her with fear and awe.
The moment passed and died. "Well, no matter. There are things we can do about this." Kaede stood and walked to a small shelf, removing several flasks. She poured the contents into a large bowl, mixing it well. Kagome didn't recognize any of the ingredients. The mixture over the fire was forgotten and the fire went out, leaving only the moonlight being cast through the window and door to light up the room. Kaede blew into the ashes, creating several sparks and eventually a flame once more as she added some herbs to the pit.
"We knew this day would come. It's just that none of us thought you would be so.powerful." Kaede tipped the last ingredient into the bowl and stirred once again. The concoction looked a sickening green. Kagome hoped she only had to hold the stuff for it to worked, but knew that was wishful thinking.
"Take a sip of this once every day for the next four days." She poured the mixture into an empty flask. It hissed and bubbled angrily. Kagome felt sick just looking at it. She didn't want to think what it would do in her stomach.let alone how she was going to manage to drink the stuff. She took the flask from Kaede's hand. Inuyasha and Kaede shared a look and Kagome guessed it was a 'you'd better get her to chug this every day' look.
"Go outside now, dear. Inuyasha and I need to talk about what to do about you. He will be out in a few minutes. I suggest you two return to the others as soon as possible and you should lay low for the next four days. No fighting, no hunting, no action. Anything that will boost your emotion should not be allowed. The concoction will make you feel sleepy and drained. Don't worry, the feeling will be natural. Now wait outside for a few minutes." Kagome looked from Kaede to Inuyasha. Neither showed any sign of emotion.
Muttering a goodbye, Kagome stood. As she left, she saw Kaede hand something to Inuyasha. It was a small statue of some figure Kagome couldn't make out without turning her head and making it obvious she had noticed it. Kagome sighed impatiently and left.
Once outside, however, her mood changed. Her plan had worked perfectly. Kaede was delaying Inuyasha. He would never know she was gone until he left the hut. Kaede's magic was too strong for him to sense her through it. She was safe. She could run to the well before he found her. Hushed voices drifted through the air. She smiled. Time for stage two of the plan.
Kagome turned heel and fled, running as quickly as she could as the flask's contents shook in her hand. Down through the rice fields she raced, passing various late-night watchmen keeping a lookout for thieves daring to steal some valuable rice. She reached the edge of the forest a few minutes later, panting heavily. Dashing between trees, she continued at her frantic pace, knowing time was precious. She had to get back to her own time before Kaede was done talking with Inuyasha.
Her lungs ached for much-needed breath, but couldn't seem to get it. She rasped, but continued to run, her heart pounding quickly. She was almost there. The well came into view. Without a look back, she vaulted into it, flying down the dark shaft.
Kagome landed with a soft thud. The flask tumbled to the ground. Kagome grimaced at the shrill sound of glass hitting rocks. The flask rolled, but didn't break. Kagome sighed in relief and picked it up again. The concoction was rumbling. For a second she considered pounding it against the rock to break it, but knew Inuyasha would have a cow. She gulped, knowing it would be a nightmare to have to swallow even a sip of it. Inuyasha would force her to down the drink every day. She shuddered.
Light shone on her. She glanced up, blinded. "Who's there?" She called up. Kagome raised her hand to cover her eyes. Sota's voice echoed down the well.
"She's back! She made it!" Kagome smiled, pleased with herself. She had successfully escaped Inuyasha.
"Hey, Sota. Catch this for me, will you?" She tossed up the flask and saw a little hand move across the light to grab it. She climbed the cold stone wall and was in her warm house a few minutes later. The lights shone brightly as she was greeted by her mother and grandfather, hugging each in turn. Her mother looked down at her thoughtfully.
"Happy birthday, Kagome." She said and handed her a black package tied with ribbon. Kagome grinned. The scene reminded her of her last birthday. Except then she didn't have to worry about a hanyou stalking her, or an evil youkai killing her friends in the feudal era, or even think about youkai. Now she tried to forget it all and celebrate her birthday in peace, alone with her family.
"Please tell me this is a science experiment you're doing." Sota wrinkled his nose, holding out the flask as far from him as possible. She took the flask and set it aside on the table, not wanting to think about it.
"Some medicine from feudal Japan. And you think the cough syrup's bad." He giggled. Kagome knew she would have giggled too, except she knew she was going to have to drink that stuff some time soon. That was no laughing matter.
Suddenly the lights turned off. Kagome jumped. Tiny flames emerged from the doorway and voices began to sing. The flames illuminated a gorgeous birthday cake her mother had slaved away on. Kagome giggled, embarrassed at being startled by the lights merely being turned off. She stared into the flames. They were mesmerizing.
The room vanished in front of her eyes. She found herself looking across the yard outside. A figure was climbing out of the well. Two ears slid out from under a mane of silver hair. Kagome grimaced. It was Inuyasha. Judging by his murderous look, Kagome doubted he was very happy with her. Kagome shook her head and instantly found herself back in the house, staring at the candles. As impossible as it seemed, Kagome knew what she had just seen.
She had scried with fire and had seen Inuyasha. He would be kicking down the door in a minute or two. Kagome quickly blew out the candles after making her wish: that she would live through Inuyasha's wrath. Sota cheered and her grandfather blew a noisemaker. The lights turned back on. Her mother went back into the kitchen to start serving the massive cake. Kagome walked to the door.
Three. Two. One. Kagome opened the door to find herself face to face with a fuming hanyou. "Care to come in?" Kagome asked him cheerfully, ignoring his expression. Inuyasha didn't move. "Fine, have it your way. We're just serving up some chocolate cake. Feel free to have some if you like." She began to shut the door, but he put out an arm to stop her. Without a word he entered her house. Kagome walked back to the kitchen as if everything was normal.
"INUYASHA!" Sota cried out and raced to greet his idol. Kagome cringed, not knowing what Inuyasha would do. Normally Inuyasha tolerated Sota, but judging by the way he was standing in the entryway, stiff and furious, Kagome doubted Inuyasha would do anything less that decapitate him.
"Sota, come help Mama in the kitchen." Kagome called to him. He stopped and moaned.
"Awww. I wanted to hang out with Inuyasha."
"Another time. Inuyasha and I have to talk for a bit." She took Sota by the shoulders and steered him toward the kitchen. He sauntered down the hall, looking not the least bit happy at the missed opportunity. Kagome knew she would be upset too. Hanging out with a hanyou was a lot more fun than helping to cut cake. Well, normally it was. Right now Kagome would have given anything to be Sota on his way to the kitchen.
With a last longing look at her brother, she turned to face the hanyou. Inuyasha's expression hadn't changed. She waited until he found his voice in all of his fury. "Why did you take off? I told you to stay put." He demanded, his voice a thunderous growl. Kagome knew even her grandfather, who was half deaf, had easily heard Inuyasha.
"Actually, it was Kaede who told me to wait. And I am waiting. She never said where I had to wait." Kagome said snidely, a lot more quietly than Inuyasha.
"You knew exactly what she meant." Inuyasha had brought his voice down a few pitches, but it was still a rumbling growl.
"So? I wanted to visit my family." Kagome spat, defiantly.
"Kagome, that was the stupidest thing I've ever seen you do. Who knows what kind of things could have happened to you." His voice was no longer a growl, but a hiss of disgust and disapproval. Kagome's cheeks flushed slightly, but she held her ground.
"You mean what kinds of things could have happened BECAUSE of me."
"Same thing." He slouched, the murderous expression fading slightly. He looked more relieved that nothing had happened than he looked ready to kill her, as had been his expression when he had first entered the house. She thought of letting the conversation end on a good note, but knew there was still the matter of getting Inuyasha to let her stay.
"No, it isn't the same thing. Listen, I'm fine. If you want to celebrate my birthday with my family and me, feel free. But if you are here to reprimand me and take me back, then you are wasting your time. I will go back when I'm ready and not a moment sooner." Kagome glared a challenge at Inuyasha. The expression of relief was replaced once more with the murderous glare as he returned the challenge.
"You will do as I say." He told her and in a split second she found herself slung over his back for the second time that day.
"OSUWARI!" She screamed. He fell to the ground. Kagome laid on top of him, triumphantly staring down at him. "I said 'I'm staying here'." She got up and went into the kitchen to get a piece of cake. As she entered, she noticed her family scurrying in different directions, trying to resume positions casually. She knew they had been watching Inuyasha and her from the doorway.
Kagome took the piece of cake and sat down at the table with her family. She played with her fork, leaving her cake untouched. Sota took the opportunity to give her his present. She smiled and put it beside the black one, thanking him. Her eyes wandered to the flask she had placed next to the presents. Her stomach churned and her appetite died.
"So.what do you have to do with that feudal poison?" Sota asked. Kagome groaned.
"I have to drink it for the next four days."
"Five. You need to take a sip of it tonight." Inuyasha argued as he entered the kitchen. He looked a little calmer. Kagome knew it was like the eye of a hurricane and wondered how long it would last. Her mother looked pleased to see him and served him a piece of cake. Her grandfather regarded him coldly, still remembering how he had gotten past all the holy seals he had put on the well.
Kagome took a bite of cake, trying not to think about what the concoction would taste like. She swallowed the bite of rich chocolate pastry. "If you think I'm actually going to drink that," she pointed to the flask with her fork, "You're crazy. There's no way I could even touch that flask to my lips." Inuyasha's eyes flared. Kagome took another piece of the cake and raised it to her mouth.
"You better drink that or else I'll shove it down your throat." Her family went silent, watching the argument as they ate their cake. Kagome lowered her fork, leaving the bite untouched.
"Oh yeah, and what's so important about it? Does it stop the incidents? Does it stop my power from coming? What is it supposed to do, besides poison me?" She stood, facing him eye to eye.
"It keeps your powers mellow." Inuyasha explained. It was his turn to act calmly. He sniffed the piece of cake her mother had handed him and dug in. "Shippou would love this! What do you call it?" He asked, mouth bulging. The argument was over. Inuyasha had made sure of that. His quick change of topics left Kagome with nothing to do but answer his question.
"Chocolate cake." Kagome sat down with one last huff. Her family seemed to let out their held breaths as one. Kagome picked up her fork once more.
"Well, drink up. The sooner you take a sip the better." Inuyasha chided. Kagome threw him a glare, dropping her fork. How dare he change the subject and then revisit the argument.
"NO! I'm fine. I haven't had anything happen since the incident this morning. Honestly, I think it was a one time thing." Kagome tried to convince Inuyasha, praying it would work.
Suddenly she felt warmth in her hand. Looking down at her plate, she found it floating a foot off the ground. Shrieking, Kagome fell backwards out of her chair. The plate fell onto the table, shattering. Chocolate cake crumbled on top of the shattered ceramic. Inuyasha dropped his plate, cake suddenly forgotten. Her mother screamed as a drawer flung open and shot across the room. Sota ducked as silverware flew at him. Her grandfather threw out a useless prayer paper to stop the chaos. Kagome watched in terror as al the faucets turned on abruptly, water spraying all over the counters from some unknown pressure behind it.
"Stop! Oh please stop!" Kagome pleaded in fear. Inuyasha came to her side, shaking her gently. Kagome began to rock back and forth, tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched the kitchen turn violent as her family tried uselessly to escape the utter chaos. "Stop. Stop. Stop." She begged.
"Kagome, stop this at once. You're doing this. You can stop this. Focus!" Inuyasha shouted at her. She cried harder, eyes shut tightly. This was too much for her to handle. She was making this scene straight out of the Exorcist. It was because of her. Her and her untamed power. She was going to end up killing one of her family members if this didn't stop immediately. The knife drawer opened and knives shot across the room. Kagome shook harder. A voice suddenly came to her.
"Relax. Hold out your hand. You need to retrieve your power. Call it to you."
Kagome listened to the voice and held out her trembling hand. China shattered over her as Inuyasha's claws whipped out to keep the plates from falling on her head. "COME BACK!" Energy snapped into her palm, causing her hair to rise on end for a second before falling neatly back in place. The noise stopped. All was silent except for her mother's soft sobs and Sota's panting breath. Inuyasha's hands had fallen back to his sides. He stared at her in a way that made Kagome feel incredibly remorseful.
"Now you see why you have to drink that stuff. Your power is too strong for you, wench." She cringed at the way he addressed her. Seeing this, Inuyasha tried to soften his voice. "Do you need help standing?" He took her arm gently and helped her to her feet. She leaned against him as he lead her back to the table. The table was overturned, cake smashed into the tile. Presents lay on the ground, their wrapping paper shredded. The entire kitchen had been destroyed. It was like a tornado had ripped the room apart. Her family looked at her in fear. Kagome felt tears well in her eyes. She was a menace, a disgrace. She couldn't control her own magic.
"This is just the first day." Inuyasha muttered to himself as if dreading what would happen the next day. Kagome couldn't blame him. She regarded the flask in a new light. Inuyasha pushed away a chair the flask had rolled under and knelt, picking it up for her. She grasped the flask and unstopped it before glancing around the room. Her family watched, trying to edge into the corners of the room to be as far away from her as possible. Curiosity furrowed into their pale faces as they watched her hold the flask. She closed her eyes, unable to look into their panicked eyes.
They feared her. She raised the flask to her lips, hands shaking slightly. Quickly, to not have any second thoughts, she let the green potion slide down her throat. It burned and stung and made Kagome want nothing more than to throw it up again before it reached her stomach. Instead, she lowered the flask and restopped it before opening her eyes once more. She looked at Inuyasha, who looked pleased she hadn't spit it back up. Kagome knew she wouldn't though. She knew now what would happen if she didn't drink the potion. More incidents like this would occur. This time she had gotten lucky. No one had gotten hurt. She didn't know if she would be so lucky next time.
She tried to stand, but found herself falling to the ground. Kagome felt weak. Weak and drained. Just as Kaede had said she would feel. Inuyasha reached down and helped her stand, holding her up with one hand as he took a piece of cake in the other. He slid the cake into his pocket. "We better get back. I think I owe Shippou some chocolate. Hold the flask. We're leaving." Kagome didn't question his authority this time. Kagome's arm shook as she held the flask tightly in one hand. Kagome found herself being lifted into Inuyasha's arms. This time, however, Inuyasha didn't sling her over his shoulder. Instead, he cradled her in his arms.
Kagome buried her head into the fabric covering his muscular chest. She liked this new carrying way a lot better than Inuyasha's usual way. She was too tired to say goodbye to her family. A few seconds later she was asleep, drifting into the land of unconsciousness.