Wow, thanks for the reviews. I didn't expect so many people to read my crappy writing! ^_^ I have to hurry up a do a million things today (never trust a mechanic!) with family visiting and all that rot. So I'll try and answer questions next update. I figure you'd rather have a decent chapter! Hope I'm right. Enjoy!
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"But... how?" Kagome's voice held more than a hint of disbelief. She swallowed thickly as the implication behind her mother's words settled in.
"I was born in the Feudal Era, Kagome. The same era you travel to and have your adventures in," Mama said, taking a seat on the edge of Kagome's bed. Kagome was startled by the sorrow in her mother's eyes.
"Tell me," Kagome said softly, pleadingly.
Mama took a deep breath and and reached forward to gently push an errant lock of hair from her daughter's face. She smiled slightly.
"I grew up in a very small village, where life was peaceful and predictable. My parents loved me and I was happy. But when I came of age, I could find no man to be my husband; there were more girls than boys my age at the time, and I had been too busy helping with the family farm to take the time for a courtship. So I stayed with my parents and continued to help them with their farm as best I could." Mama smiled again, her eyes distant, her soul basking in the warmth of fond memories. Kagome didn't interrupt; she listened intently to each word.
"One day I was out walking on the forest paths, collecting herbs. I wandered a bit too far..."
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"Oh, I can't believe I've gotten myself lost! I hope there aren't any demons," the raven haired girl muttered to herself. She held her basket close and stopped to carefully examine her surroundings.
Everything looked the same. From the towering trees to the mossy forest floor, it all seemed to blend together. With a sigh, the girl sat down for a rest. She leaned back against the trunk of an ancient oak tree, enjoying the soft cushion of the moss below. A dragonfly flew lazily by on the slight breeze. The girl yawned as the breeze played in her hair. Heavy eyelids began to droop. The warmth of the afternoon and the steady buzz of forest insects helped her into a comfortable sleep.
The forest gaze way before the long, steady strides of the powerful tiger demon. He was enjoying the pleasant day patrolling his territories. He moved with a fluid grace, and an ease of movement which betrayed his familiarity with his surroundings. All was quiet today. The demon paused to listen, his acute hearing taking in the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. A squirrel chattered in the distance, and an eagle cried out. Water droplets made a soft slap as they slipped from one leaf to another among the branches above. A single sniff brought a variety of familiar smells to his nose. He blinked in surprise at one smell he did not expect. The smell of a human.
With a frown, the demon tracked down the source of the smell, and quickly discovered a sight that took his breath away. It was a human girl, deep in slumber. She was wearing a plain kimono and her long dark hair fell down past her slim waist. A few sunbeams made their way through the tree's branches to rest on her delicate face. The breeze gently tugged at her hair, bringing it across her face.
A long moment passed in which all the demon did was study the girl before him. She was beautiful.
"Mmm..." The girl shifted a bit in her sleep, and her eyes fluttered open. Intense green eyes met soft brown ones. The demon and the girl stared at each other.
"That was how we met... I was so scared he was going to attack me, until I really looked into those eyes of his. They had a habit of changing color with his moods, but they were still the same eyes to me. Full oflife life and caring, not what I was taught about demons at all... We kept the spot we had first met as out permanent meeting place. Eventually our friendship became love, and he told me he wanted me to go away with him, to his home. But before that could happen, I..." Mama's eyes began to blur, but she still continued. "I was attacked. I didn't know it at the time, but I was pregnant with you, Kagome. When I was attacked, a blue light surrounded me and transported me here, to this time. I was confused and alone, but an older couple took me in. They taught me about living in the future, and eventually I married their son. He helped me to raise you as his own daughter, and later on we had Souta. And then, we lost him in a car accident. He loved you so very much Kagome, and I just didn't want to have to burden you with the truth of your heritage... I am so sorry, Kagome." Tears poured freely down Mama's cheeks as the painful memories filled her.
Kagome was conflicted by the many emotions she felt. A part of her was angry that her mother had kept this from her, and lied to her for so long, but another part seemed to understand why, and quickly forgave her. Mostly she felt her mother's sorrow and wished she could help her. She had not seen her mother this sad since Dad had passed away. Kagome lunged forward and mother and daughter hugged each other tightly.
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Later that night...
Kagome stood beneath the God Tree, enjoying the feel of the cool night breeze. She brushed her hand over the spot on the trunk where Inuyasha had slept for fifty years. So much had happened to turn her life upside down in the past year, it was mind-boggling to contemplate it. She wondered if her miko powers would keep the demon ones locked forever. Perhaps she would end up like Inuyasha, and they would break free when she was in danger and didn't have Inuyasha and Tetsusaiga to protect her. She shuddered at the thought, remembering the brutal killer Inuyasha had become, at how red his eyes had turned.
"Are you cold?," a familiar gruff voice asked. Kagome turned and smiled softly at Inuyasha. He blinked in surprise.
"What? You're not mad at me anymore?," he asked, arms crossed.
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. Sometimes my temper gets the better of me," Kagome said, much to Inuyasha's surprise. He eyed her suspiciously.
"You're not sick, are you?," he asked. Kagome shook her head slowly.
"My father really is that demon," she said softly, as if ashamed to say it. Inuyasha watched her, noticing how tired she seemed.
"I guess I won't attack him again, since-" Inuyasha froze when Kagome rushed into his arms, eyes sparkling with unshed tears. He looked down at her dark hair, where her head rested against his chest. He relaxed and wrapped his arms about her.
They stood there like that without speaking, Kagome drawing strength from Inuyasha. He gently brushed his clawed hands over her soft hair, and she snuggled deeper into his arms.
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That's all for now, folks! Looks like it's going to be Kagome and Inuyasha. See ya next time!
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"But... how?" Kagome's voice held more than a hint of disbelief. She swallowed thickly as the implication behind her mother's words settled in.
"I was born in the Feudal Era, Kagome. The same era you travel to and have your adventures in," Mama said, taking a seat on the edge of Kagome's bed. Kagome was startled by the sorrow in her mother's eyes.
"Tell me," Kagome said softly, pleadingly.
Mama took a deep breath and and reached forward to gently push an errant lock of hair from her daughter's face. She smiled slightly.
"I grew up in a very small village, where life was peaceful and predictable. My parents loved me and I was happy. But when I came of age, I could find no man to be my husband; there were more girls than boys my age at the time, and I had been too busy helping with the family farm to take the time for a courtship. So I stayed with my parents and continued to help them with their farm as best I could." Mama smiled again, her eyes distant, her soul basking in the warmth of fond memories. Kagome didn't interrupt; she listened intently to each word.
"One day I was out walking on the forest paths, collecting herbs. I wandered a bit too far..."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Oh, I can't believe I've gotten myself lost! I hope there aren't any demons," the raven haired girl muttered to herself. She held her basket close and stopped to carefully examine her surroundings.
Everything looked the same. From the towering trees to the mossy forest floor, it all seemed to blend together. With a sigh, the girl sat down for a rest. She leaned back against the trunk of an ancient oak tree, enjoying the soft cushion of the moss below. A dragonfly flew lazily by on the slight breeze. The girl yawned as the breeze played in her hair. Heavy eyelids began to droop. The warmth of the afternoon and the steady buzz of forest insects helped her into a comfortable sleep.
The forest gaze way before the long, steady strides of the powerful tiger demon. He was enjoying the pleasant day patrolling his territories. He moved with a fluid grace, and an ease of movement which betrayed his familiarity with his surroundings. All was quiet today. The demon paused to listen, his acute hearing taking in the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. A squirrel chattered in the distance, and an eagle cried out. Water droplets made a soft slap as they slipped from one leaf to another among the branches above. A single sniff brought a variety of familiar smells to his nose. He blinked in surprise at one smell he did not expect. The smell of a human.
With a frown, the demon tracked down the source of the smell, and quickly discovered a sight that took his breath away. It was a human girl, deep in slumber. She was wearing a plain kimono and her long dark hair fell down past her slim waist. A few sunbeams made their way through the tree's branches to rest on her delicate face. The breeze gently tugged at her hair, bringing it across her face.
A long moment passed in which all the demon did was study the girl before him. She was beautiful.
"Mmm..." The girl shifted a bit in her sleep, and her eyes fluttered open. Intense green eyes met soft brown ones. The demon and the girl stared at each other.
"That was how we met... I was so scared he was going to attack me, until I really looked into those eyes of his. They had a habit of changing color with his moods, but they were still the same eyes to me. Full oflife life and caring, not what I was taught about demons at all... We kept the spot we had first met as out permanent meeting place. Eventually our friendship became love, and he told me he wanted me to go away with him, to his home. But before that could happen, I..." Mama's eyes began to blur, but she still continued. "I was attacked. I didn't know it at the time, but I was pregnant with you, Kagome. When I was attacked, a blue light surrounded me and transported me here, to this time. I was confused and alone, but an older couple took me in. They taught me about living in the future, and eventually I married their son. He helped me to raise you as his own daughter, and later on we had Souta. And then, we lost him in a car accident. He loved you so very much Kagome, and I just didn't want to have to burden you with the truth of your heritage... I am so sorry, Kagome." Tears poured freely down Mama's cheeks as the painful memories filled her.
Kagome was conflicted by the many emotions she felt. A part of her was angry that her mother had kept this from her, and lied to her for so long, but another part seemed to understand why, and quickly forgave her. Mostly she felt her mother's sorrow and wished she could help her. She had not seen her mother this sad since Dad had passed away. Kagome lunged forward and mother and daughter hugged each other tightly.
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Later that night...
Kagome stood beneath the God Tree, enjoying the feel of the cool night breeze. She brushed her hand over the spot on the trunk where Inuyasha had slept for fifty years. So much had happened to turn her life upside down in the past year, it was mind-boggling to contemplate it. She wondered if her miko powers would keep the demon ones locked forever. Perhaps she would end up like Inuyasha, and they would break free when she was in danger and didn't have Inuyasha and Tetsusaiga to protect her. She shuddered at the thought, remembering the brutal killer Inuyasha had become, at how red his eyes had turned.
"Are you cold?," a familiar gruff voice asked. Kagome turned and smiled softly at Inuyasha. He blinked in surprise.
"What? You're not mad at me anymore?," he asked, arms crossed.
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. Sometimes my temper gets the better of me," Kagome said, much to Inuyasha's surprise. He eyed her suspiciously.
"You're not sick, are you?," he asked. Kagome shook her head slowly.
"My father really is that demon," she said softly, as if ashamed to say it. Inuyasha watched her, noticing how tired she seemed.
"I guess I won't attack him again, since-" Inuyasha froze when Kagome rushed into his arms, eyes sparkling with unshed tears. He looked down at her dark hair, where her head rested against his chest. He relaxed and wrapped his arms about her.
They stood there like that without speaking, Kagome drawing strength from Inuyasha. He gently brushed his clawed hands over her soft hair, and she snuggled deeper into his arms.
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That's all for now, folks! Looks like it's going to be Kagome and Inuyasha. See ya next time!