Disclaimer: I wish I owned Inuyasha (or at least his ears!) but, sadly, I
don't. T.T
"words" talking
^words^ thoughts
Chapter 17: Protected
Kagome bolted into a sitting position, gasping for breath.
She gazed around at her surroundings, immediately recognizing
Kaede's small hut. "I'm at the hut?" She questioned. "Kagome,
child, are ye alright?" Kaede asked, getting up from her chair.
She made her way over to where Kagome was sitting on the floor,
placing her hand on the girl's forehead. "Where's Inuyasha?"
Kagome asked back, ignoring the woman's question completely.
Kaede looked grimly to the space next to Kagome, pointing a
single finger. Kagome looked to the side. Inuyasha's body
remained on the floor, his breathing was slowing and she could
see his skin paling. "Inuyasha!" She gasped. She immediately
moved closer to him, beginning to shake him violently back and
forth. "Inuyasha! Wake up! Please!" She begged. Tears began
filling her eyes, and were soon spilling over to run down her
cheeks. "Don't leave me." She whispered, laying her head on his
chest. She could hear the steady beat of his heart. "Kagome!?"
Someone called from across the room. Kagome lifted her head to
see Sango. The older girl had just walked in the door. She
rushed across the room to wrap Kagome in a hug. "You're back! I
was so worried that you and Inuyasha wouldn't make it." Sango
exclaimed. When she saw that Kagome didn't share her same
excitement, she gazed down behind her, immediately seeing the
hanyou's prone form. "Oh no." She muttered. "Did. . .
Kikyo. . .?" "I don't know." Kagome whimpered. "I don't know
what happened." It was then Miroku and Shippo came bursting in
the door, carrying bundles of different kinds of herbs. "Lady
Kaede, I think I found. . ." Miroku trailed off when he saw
Kagome standing in the middle of the room. "Lady Kagome, you've
returned." He observed. "Kagome!" Shippo cried, running and
jumping into the teen's outstretched arms. "Shippo!" Kagome
responded, returning his hug. "But what has become of Inuyasha?
He has still not returned from his trance-like state." Miroku
questioned. "We don't know, Miroku." Sango answered for Kagome.
Meanwhile, Kaede had been setting her table for tea. "Come, all
of you, and sit. Kagome, ye can relate to us all that has
happened while ye were away over tea." She said. The group
nodded and each found a spot at Kaede's small table.
Shortly after, Kagome had told the story to the entire
group, and everyone was trying to make some sense out of it. "I
see. So ye and my sister had quite the argument." Kaede
observed. Kagome nodded. "But it's the end that makes no
sense." Miroku pointed out. Sango nodded in agreement. "That's
right. What on Earth could have caused Kagome's powers to surge
like that? And another question would be how Kagome got out of
there before her time ran out, when she was unconscious." She
threw in. "The only thing I can't think of is the power of the
jewel." Kaede finally concluded. "The Shikon Jewel?" Kagome
questioned. "Aye. Kagome, ye are now the protector of the
jewel. And as such, if the circumstances are serious enough, the
jewel will protect ye as well." The older miko confirmed. "So,
because Kagome was in danger, the jewel activated her miko powers
so that she could defend herself?" Sango asked. Kaede nodded
her head. "Aye. And when Kagome's time was running short in my
sister's world, it saved her and brought her back here." "That
makes a lot more sense than anything else we could think up."
Miroku told the group. ^^^ "Hold on a minute." Kagome said,
reaching into her skirt pocket. When her hand came back out, the
Shikon Jewel was in it. "But. . .Inuyasha had the jewel,
remember? I gave it to him before I went back to my own time.
How did I get it back?" She wondered aloud. Kaede nodded her
head, remembering Kagome's valid point. "Child, the jewel's
power is beyond anything that any of us could imagine. Somehow,
it must have recognized ye as its own protector, and transferred
itself when it knew it was needed." She concluded. Kagome
seemed satisfied with this answer. "But. . .what about Inuyasha?
Isn't there anything we can do?" She pleaded. Kaede sighed
and stood. "I will do everything in my power to find something,
child. But I can guarantee nothing." She responded. Kagome
nodded weakly. "I suggest ye make yourself comfortable in the
back room, there will be nothing we can do tonight." And with
that, the older woman removed herself from the room. "We should
all probably turn in for the night." Miroku suggested. Sango
nodded and both moved to the far side of the room, Miroku making
himself comfortable against a wall, and Sango curling up on a
spare futon with Kilala. Kagome slowly made her way to the back
room, pulling a futon out and laying it on the ground. Shippo
curled up next to her without much complaint; she could tell he
was exhausted from his wait for her return. She lay there for
awhile, concentrating on the pitch black surrounding her, but she
couldn't get her mind off the unexplainable emptiness in the hut.
She then realized what it was; Inuyasha wasn't there to protect
her anymore. She was always so used to opening her eyes and
seeing him sitting there in the corner, staring at her with his
intent golden eyes. Of course, once she caught him he would
always pretend that he wasn't looking at her, but she knew he
was. Now that he wasn't around, the entire hut felt empty and
foreign. Like she had never spent a day here in her life. Even
when Inuyasha was in the tree outside, she still knew he would be
watching over her all night. Slowly, so as not to disturb
Shippo, she stood up and walked back out to the main room.
Inuyasha still remained in the same position she had left him in.
She moved over to him and sat down, staring down at his face. He
looked so peaceful. She wondered what was happening to him right
now. ^Is he in Hell with Kikyo?^ She wondered in her head.
Brushing hair out of his face, she began to hum a song her mother
used to sing to her when she was little. She didn't know why,
but it seemed very fitting at this moment. Suddenly feeling very
tired, she leaned down and laid her head on Inuyasha's chest.
His steady heartbeat was still apparent. ^Please, Kami, if there
is any way at all. . .bring him back to me. I'll do anything.
Just please, bring him back." She prayed, before drifting into a
restless sleep.
~~~~~~~ Okay, you all better be grateful! I got you two chapters in one weekend! I think that's pretty good, don't you? Well, lemme know what you think. Next couple chapters will be the grand finale!
"words" talking
^words^ thoughts
Chapter 17: Protected
Kagome bolted into a sitting position, gasping for breath.
She gazed around at her surroundings, immediately recognizing
Kaede's small hut. "I'm at the hut?" She questioned. "Kagome,
child, are ye alright?" Kaede asked, getting up from her chair.
She made her way over to where Kagome was sitting on the floor,
placing her hand on the girl's forehead. "Where's Inuyasha?"
Kagome asked back, ignoring the woman's question completely.
Kaede looked grimly to the space next to Kagome, pointing a
single finger. Kagome looked to the side. Inuyasha's body
remained on the floor, his breathing was slowing and she could
see his skin paling. "Inuyasha!" She gasped. She immediately
moved closer to him, beginning to shake him violently back and
forth. "Inuyasha! Wake up! Please!" She begged. Tears began
filling her eyes, and were soon spilling over to run down her
cheeks. "Don't leave me." She whispered, laying her head on his
chest. She could hear the steady beat of his heart. "Kagome!?"
Someone called from across the room. Kagome lifted her head to
see Sango. The older girl had just walked in the door. She
rushed across the room to wrap Kagome in a hug. "You're back! I
was so worried that you and Inuyasha wouldn't make it." Sango
exclaimed. When she saw that Kagome didn't share her same
excitement, she gazed down behind her, immediately seeing the
hanyou's prone form. "Oh no." She muttered. "Did. . .
Kikyo. . .?" "I don't know." Kagome whimpered. "I don't know
what happened." It was then Miroku and Shippo came bursting in
the door, carrying bundles of different kinds of herbs. "Lady
Kaede, I think I found. . ." Miroku trailed off when he saw
Kagome standing in the middle of the room. "Lady Kagome, you've
returned." He observed. "Kagome!" Shippo cried, running and
jumping into the teen's outstretched arms. "Shippo!" Kagome
responded, returning his hug. "But what has become of Inuyasha?
He has still not returned from his trance-like state." Miroku
questioned. "We don't know, Miroku." Sango answered for Kagome.
Meanwhile, Kaede had been setting her table for tea. "Come, all
of you, and sit. Kagome, ye can relate to us all that has
happened while ye were away over tea." She said. The group
nodded and each found a spot at Kaede's small table.
Shortly after, Kagome had told the story to the entire
group, and everyone was trying to make some sense out of it. "I
see. So ye and my sister had quite the argument." Kaede
observed. Kagome nodded. "But it's the end that makes no
sense." Miroku pointed out. Sango nodded in agreement. "That's
right. What on Earth could have caused Kagome's powers to surge
like that? And another question would be how Kagome got out of
there before her time ran out, when she was unconscious." She
threw in. "The only thing I can't think of is the power of the
jewel." Kaede finally concluded. "The Shikon Jewel?" Kagome
questioned. "Aye. Kagome, ye are now the protector of the
jewel. And as such, if the circumstances are serious enough, the
jewel will protect ye as well." The older miko confirmed. "So,
because Kagome was in danger, the jewel activated her miko powers
so that she could defend herself?" Sango asked. Kaede nodded
her head. "Aye. And when Kagome's time was running short in my
sister's world, it saved her and brought her back here." "That
makes a lot more sense than anything else we could think up."
Miroku told the group. ^^^ "Hold on a minute." Kagome said,
reaching into her skirt pocket. When her hand came back out, the
Shikon Jewel was in it. "But. . .Inuyasha had the jewel,
remember? I gave it to him before I went back to my own time.
How did I get it back?" She wondered aloud. Kaede nodded her
head, remembering Kagome's valid point. "Child, the jewel's
power is beyond anything that any of us could imagine. Somehow,
it must have recognized ye as its own protector, and transferred
itself when it knew it was needed." She concluded. Kagome
seemed satisfied with this answer. "But. . .what about Inuyasha?
Isn't there anything we can do?" She pleaded. Kaede sighed
and stood. "I will do everything in my power to find something,
child. But I can guarantee nothing." She responded. Kagome
nodded weakly. "I suggest ye make yourself comfortable in the
back room, there will be nothing we can do tonight." And with
that, the older woman removed herself from the room. "We should
all probably turn in for the night." Miroku suggested. Sango
nodded and both moved to the far side of the room, Miroku making
himself comfortable against a wall, and Sango curling up on a
spare futon with Kilala. Kagome slowly made her way to the back
room, pulling a futon out and laying it on the ground. Shippo
curled up next to her without much complaint; she could tell he
was exhausted from his wait for her return. She lay there for
awhile, concentrating on the pitch black surrounding her, but she
couldn't get her mind off the unexplainable emptiness in the hut.
She then realized what it was; Inuyasha wasn't there to protect
her anymore. She was always so used to opening her eyes and
seeing him sitting there in the corner, staring at her with his
intent golden eyes. Of course, once she caught him he would
always pretend that he wasn't looking at her, but she knew he
was. Now that he wasn't around, the entire hut felt empty and
foreign. Like she had never spent a day here in her life. Even
when Inuyasha was in the tree outside, she still knew he would be
watching over her all night. Slowly, so as not to disturb
Shippo, she stood up and walked back out to the main room.
Inuyasha still remained in the same position she had left him in.
She moved over to him and sat down, staring down at his face. He
looked so peaceful. She wondered what was happening to him right
now. ^Is he in Hell with Kikyo?^ She wondered in her head.
Brushing hair out of his face, she began to hum a song her mother
used to sing to her when she was little. She didn't know why,
but it seemed very fitting at this moment. Suddenly feeling very
tired, she leaned down and laid her head on Inuyasha's chest.
His steady heartbeat was still apparent. ^Please, Kami, if there
is any way at all. . .bring him back to me. I'll do anything.
Just please, bring him back." She prayed, before drifting into a
restless sleep.
~~~~~~~ Okay, you all better be grateful! I got you two chapters in one weekend! I think that's pretty good, don't you? Well, lemme know what you think. Next couple chapters will be the grand finale!