A God's Game
Author's Note: Hello, Reincarnation! I realize what you're saying in the last review, and I totally agree! However… I have a feeling this story is going to turn out huge, and right now, you're barely grazing the surface of it. I suppose, even though this is going to be the fourth chapter of this story, you're still in the set up. I'm still setting the stage for the main plot, which is why Kagome and Inuyasha are kind of weird right now. I'm trying to steer them in a certain direction so that what will happen will be believable. So please bear with me a little more, okay?
And Spectrum… Actually, Kagome's friend that I had in mind wasn't the curly haired one. I wasn't sure if the three really had names, and in the anime, Kagome just keeps calling all three names at the same time, so I assigned names for each face. And I figured that Ayumi was the girl with short hair and the yellow hair band. I don't know why… Must be an influence from the Ayumi in Detective Conan. But then I just saw the episode where Kagome's friends call the curly haired girl "Ayumi," which was not the person I had in mind. So please, if you know the name of the girl with the yellow hair band, would you mind telling me? Is it "Eri" or "Yuka?"
Chapter IV: To Search, To Hide
She sat in a chair, overlooking the pale landscape of the moon. Tonight would be a new moon, and her powers would soon fade away with the coming of night. She sighed, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Four hundred years and she hadn't changed one bit. She had neither grown younger, nor become older. Her imprisonment had left her to rot in this land that was once her home, and the infinite calmness that she was known to possess was starting to wear thin. She could not stand it anymore. She could not understand how she was ever able to bear with this kind of prison before.
She looked at the smooth surface of the mirror and wondered what had become of her son. Surely he was still alive? It had only been four hundred years, so surely he would not have died yet? But would he still remember her, the mother who had promised to watch over him, the mother who even now was still searching for him?
She wondered how he looked now. Did he grow to look like her, or did he grow to look like his father? He would look in his mid-twenties now, depending on the speed of his aging, and she wondered if her son had gotten married. She wondered what kind of person he had become. Had he become someone cruel, bitter about his past? Or had he become nicer for it, stronger for the past that had been forced upon him?
There were so many questions that she wanted answered, that she could never have answered until she met him. She had to meet her son, face to face, even if it meant breaking out of this eternal prison.
"Hime-sama," Ichiro said, walking quickly to her side. "I've got the mirror from Kintaro. You should be able to find him now."
"Thank you, Ichiro," she said, taking the small, golden mirror from his hands. "How do you work it?" she asked, fingering the delicate mirror.
"Just say the name of what it is you're looking for, and give some sort of description so that the mirror can pinpoint who it is," he said, looking unsure of himself. "I think that's what Kintaro said."
"Let us try it, shall we?" she asked, hope starting to appear in this dismal plane. Ichiro nodded, looking nervous as he always was. "Inuyasha. Hanyou. Human. Black hair. Lavender eyes. Mmm… Red fire rat coat," she said, trying to imagine what other characteristics were needed for the mirror to operate. Suddenly the surface of the mirror swirled, showing brief scenes of forests, fields and mountains, and finally stopped at a forest with the sun setting behind an especially large tree.
She peered eagerly into the mirror as the view started to change, getting closer to some sort of brown protrusion in a small clearing. It looked like some sort of well, and there were two people standing next to it. One was a girl with shoulder length hair, wearing a very strange kimono, and the other… The other was…
"Inuyasha," she whispered, her eyes watering with tears as she saw her son for the first time in four hundred years. He still had the same dark, long hair, and he was still wearing the red fire rat coat that his father had given him. Suddenly, the girl jumped into the well, and he followed her.
"What is he doing?" asked Ichiro in surprise, looking at the mirror. That was what she wanted to know. Why would two sane people jump into a well for no reason? It couldn't be that they wanted to suicide, could it?
The mirror swirled and followed the two into the dark well. She almost caught a glimpse of her son's face, but it was soon gone, replaced by a blinding bluish-violet light, and soon, all images were lost.
"What just happened?" Ichiro asked, for once forgetting to be respectful to the princess.
"Return this mirror to Kintaro-san," she said, handing the mirror to Ichiro. "I do not need it anymore."
"You know where they are, Hime-sama?" he asked, surprised. For a moment, she did not answer.
"Goshinboku…" she said mostly to herself. "I never imagined that I would one day return to that place."
The princess closed her eyes, facing the dark sky of the austere moon, remembering the place where her true life began, and where she had sealed the pact to her fate.
Ichiro watched her without understanding, but did as the princess commanded, excusing himself inconspicuously and slipping out of the princess' prison to return the borrowed mirror. He did not know what the princess was planning, but he had a feeling that the tapestry of fate was beginning to weave a tale that would soon fall out of the control of any divine force, rendering the established system to be nothing but a shadow of the past. Ichiro shivered, unsure if it was because of the cold and indifferent landscape of the moon, or if it was because of the anxiety he felt for the events that were to come.
"What is it, Raijin?" he asked, slightly annoyed that the god of thunder had arrived late.
"I've found someone that may be suitable for your purposes," the god said in a rumbling voice.
"Fuujin has already claimed to have found someone," he said, carefully polishing his sword.
"Fuujin, eh?" he laughed. "I'm sure mine is better than his."
"Is that so?" he asked, his voice uncaring.
"Of course, Ryuten-sama," he said, starting to get concerned that his master was not listening to him. "He is a youkai."
"A youkai?" asked Ryuten disdainfully. "That may be worse than a hanyou."
"Hanyou?" asked Raijin, unsure of what his master was speaking of. "Well, this man may be considered a hanyou."
"What?" asked Ryuten, wondering why there were so many hanyou in the world all of a sudden. And supposedly these two hanyou were supposed to be better than either humans or youkai?
"His name is Naraku. He is a human that has willingly merged with many youkai," the god of thunder said, feeling proud. "He can change his form to suit his purposes, and he has a sharp mind. I've never really seen him fight, but his servants are powerful. He is currently searching for the Shikon no Tama, and it looks like he may actually complete it."
"He seems to be the leader of an organization," Ryuten said calmly, already knowing his answer.
"Well, yes, but…"
"You fool," he snarled. "If we get someone who is the leader, don't you think that he'll rebel against us? Why do you think I told you not to search for people who are the head of clans? If we wanted someone powerful, we could have taken any number of youkai already."
"You mean people like Sesshoumaru?" asked Raijin, who immediately shut his mouth when he saw his master's expression.
"Go help Fuujin in his quest and if he needs you to help capture Inuyasha, then do it," he finally said, tired of the bumbling idiot before him. The god of thunder immediately followed his instructions, afraid to get his lord angrier.
There was a soft knock on the door, and Ryuten gestured with his hand, causing the door to slowly open.
"Ryuten-sama, your sword is ready, as you ordered it to be," the metal smith said, presenting the lord with the sword.
"Another fine work, Kintaro," he said, looking at the shiny new blade before him. The blade almost seemed to flow like water beneath the surface of the hard, silver metal. "One of my servants has already paid you. You'll find your payment when you return to your home."
"Many thanks, Ryuten-sama," he said, exiting the door quietly. Finally he had a blade that was worthy of his soon-to-be stature.
"Inuyasha, I really think you should do as Kagome-sama asks you," Miroku said, sitting across the fire in Kaede's hut.
"Yeah, Inuyasha. You would be safer at Kagome's world," Sango said. Not to mention you'll get some quiet time with her.
"I've always lived in this world. Why should I go to Kagome's world all of a sudden?" asked Inuyasha, getting annoyed with their argument. They had started arguing since morning, and now the sun was already getting ready to set.
"Come on, Inuyasha. It won't be that bad," Kagome said, trying to force him to go with her.
"Keh," he said, facing away from her. He didn't want to leave. Why couldn't they understand that?
"Inuyasha, it's dangerous here, so you really should go with Kagome," Shippou said, tugging at his sleeve.
"It's not more dangerous than it always has been," he said, making a strong point. Miroku sighed.
"Inuyasha, are you afraid of staying at Kagome's world?" Shippou asked tauntingly.
"Shut up, you stupid brat," he said, bonking Shippou away. So what if he was afraid? Who wasn't? Kagome's world was filled with the strangest of things, not to mention that it smelled terrible. About the only place he could stand was Kagome's room, and he didn't want to deprive Kagome of her bed like last time he had accidentally fallen asleep there. And what about Kagome's family? If he went to that world, Kagome would make him be "polite" and "civil," which was something he couldn't do well when he started to get afraid or nervous.
"Inuyasha," Kagome said in that warning tone of hers. Shippou was hiding behind Kagome, away from Inuyasha's fists. He felt his senses go dull and his ears shrink away as he slowly transformed into a human. His long claws soon disappeared to be replaced by soft fingernails. But none of it was noticed by Kagome, who was trying to get Shippou to stop crying. "Osuwari."
The weight of his rosary felt heavier than usual as it forced his body down, nearly breaking his neck. His entire body felt as if it was going to be crushed by some invisible weight as he felt the air squeezed out of his lungs. It was several more times painful to be sat as a human than as a hanyou. At least his hanyou body had been strong enough to withstand this pressure, but now it felt as if it was crushing him to death. Suddenly, the weight disappeared, and he was left breathing hard, trying to get back his lost wind.
"Inuyasha, I'm so sorry!" Kagome said, as she realized what she had done. She never thought that the rosary would work when he was human; after all, wasn't it only supposed to suppress his demon side? But seeing him sprawled on the ground, unable to move had definitely enlightened her. She quickly helped him up, and felt guilty as she saw him trying to regain his breath.
"I thought the rosary only works to suppress his youkai side," Miroku said, voicing Kagome's question.
"Idiot," Inuyasha said between gasps. "Just because I'm human right now doesn't mean I've lost my youkai blood."
"That's right," Sango said. "No matter what happens, he'll always have both human and youkai blood in him."
"Who would have thought that the rosary works better on him when he's human?" Miroku wondered out loud, getting a growl from Inuyasha, which sounded less menacing than usual.
"Kagome, you can make Inuyasha go to your world by threatening to 'sit' him," Shippou said eagerly, making Inuyasha angry. Kagome knew that she could never bring herself to do such a thing, even if she really wanted Inuyasha to go with her.
"I'm outta here," Inuyasha said, grabbing Tessaiga and walking out of the door.
"But Inuyasha!" Kagome called out, grabbing her backpack and running after him.
"Houshi-sama, we should go after him, just in case," Sango said, afraid that a youkai might attack Inuyasha while he was in his weakened state.
"No," he said, still calmly sitting in his place. "If we don't distract them, Inuyasha will definitely do as Kagome wants him to. But if we're there, he might be more stubborn than usual, especially when he feels weak."
"Inuyasha is always being more reckless when he's a human than when he's a hanyou," Shippou said, sounding wise. "It must be that his human side has suffered some sort of brain damage," he said, his words sounding intelligent, but really not intelligent at all.
"Or maybe he only has half of his usual judgment with him," Miroku joked.
"And with the amount of judgment Inuyasha usually has, that doesn't amount to much," Shippou said, laughing.
"Stop being so mean," Sango said, unbelieving of how immature the two boys in front of her were. "Can't you tell? He's afraid to go to Kagome's world."
"Inuyasha, afraid of a little thing like that?" asked Miroku.
"He's gone to Kagome's world lots of times," Shippou said. "Why should he be afraid now?"
"Think about it," Sango said. "He's never really had a family until now. How do you think he'll feel when he's forced to stay with Kagome's family? Wouldn't he feel awkward? And he'll be staying with people he won't really know, other than the fact that they're related to Kagome.
"He's been alone for quite some time, if my guesses are right," Sango continued in a softer voice. "And didn't you say that he was shy, Houshi-sama? So for Inuyasha to put away his years of distrust and go with Kagome is more than just difficult for him. Because he's probably afraid… Afraid of what Kagome's family will say if they should decide that they don't want him staying there." Kind of like Kohaku afraid to face his memories because of his fear of what everyone will say to him… In a way, Inuyasha is running away from whatever happened to him in the past. That's why he doesn't want to go. Perhaps he doesn't want to hear people reject him for being a hanyou anymore, that's why… That's why he is how he is.
"That was very insightful, Sango," Miroku said, his voice sounding serious. Even Shippou had fallen silent. Sango laughed.
"Of course I'm just guessing," she said, trying to lighten the mood.
"You may be right, though," Miroku said.
Could I be right? I was only seeing Inuyasha's reasoning as how I would see Kohaku's reasoning, she thought. She smiled gently. Inuyasha would get angry if he knew that I was treating him like my younger brother, but I guess I really do treat him that way now, don't I? Sometimes he acts so naïve that it scares me, and I wonder what exactly he's learned in his life.
She looked at Miroku and Shippou, sitting across from her, trying to cook their dinner. Shippou-chan's become a little brother to me, and I can't believe that I have also come to think of Inuyasha that way. They are both nothing like Kohaku, especially Inuyasha and his foul words, but somehow, they've become a part of me now. I wonder if I would be so willing to lay my life down for any of them as I would for Kohaku?
"What is it, Sango?" asked Miroku, concerned about her.
"Nothing at all, Houshi-sama," she said, not wanting him to worry. She didn't have to worry about anything. As long as Inuyasha was there, they would all be safe, and maybe, just maybe, one day she would finally be able to get Kohaku back, just as Inuyasha had said they would.
She stared at the flames dancing in the center of the room and smiled. Inuyasha, no matter how tough you try to act, you always give yourself away…
"Come on, Inuyasha, Please?" asked Kagome. She had tried bribing him, making empty promises at him, but nothing was working. Even ramen wasn't working, and she was starting to get tired from trying to convince Inuyasha. But this was a perfect chance for her to get her grandfather to know him. If he looked like a hanyou, her grandfather might be a bit prejudiced in his judgment, but maybe if Inuyasha looked like this, he would be a little more open-minded. Besides, she absolutely had to get him to her world. She had promised Eri that Inuyasha was coming tonight, and she wouldn't break her promise, no matter what.
"Inuyasha, what are you afraid of?" she asked, just pouring out questions at this point. She didn't expect him to react, since he hadn't reacted to her other questions, so she was surprised when he stopped suddenly.
"Nothing," he said, starting to walk again. She was about to open her mouth and ask him to tell the truth, but decided against it. Who gave her the right to pry in other people's business, anyway? If Inuyasha wanted to tell her, he would tell her when he was ready, however reluctant he would be. But Kagome had a guess that maybe Inuyasha was afraid to stay in her world? Maybe he was afraid to be there with her family? Perhaps that was why he never bothered to seek them out. He always seemed to avoid her mother and grandfather, and Kagome wondered…
"Inuyasha," she said in a soft voice, causing Inuyasha to stop and look at her. "How about this? We go to my world, and I show you around. If you don't like it, we come directly back here? Is that all right with you? That way, you won't have to stay in my world if you don't feel comfortable there."
He looked at the ground, seeming to consider his options. She walked closer to him and held his hand.
"I promise, okay?" she asked. Finally Inuyasha nodded, and she led Inuyasha to the well, happy that he had finally agreed. She wouldn't let anyone try and hurt him, even if that meant glaring down her grandfather.
They arrived at the well, and Kagome felt a strange feeling arise in her. She felt as if she was being watched. She quickly jumped into the well, followed by Inuyasha, and as soon as the strange light of the well engulfed them both, the feeling was gone. She had probably just imagined it.
They appeared on the other side of the well, Kagome almost jumping with glee. Maybe she should warn Inuyasha about Eri, but decided not to. Inuyasha showed more of his true feelings when he was surprised.
"You go first," Kagome said, pointing to the ladder. "That way, you can help me carry the backpack up when you're up there."
"Fine," he said, climbing the ladder quickly. "Throw me your bag," he said once he was up there.
"You think I'm that strong?" asked Kagome. "Don't you know how many books are in my bag?"
"Feh!" he said, reaching down and hoisting her backpack up with one arm as she held it up to him. She hadn't really expected him to be able to lift it up as a human, but Inuyasha had surprised her again.
"Okay," she said, climbing up the ladder, and reaching out for the bag.
"I'll carry it," he said, surprising her yet again. "It's the least I can do since you're inviting me to your house to stay." She had to stare at Inuyasha for a moment before she could force herself back to her senses. Inuyasha was being…polite? Maybe that Yuki-hime hadn't been so wrong about Inuyasha.
"Okay," she said again, starting to walk towards her house. "Uh… Remember to be polite, okay? And don't teach Souta any bad words," she added as an afterthought. Inuyasha snorted in reply. Okay, maybe not that polite.
"Remember your manners," she said as she slowly opened the door of the house. "Tadaima."
"Okaeri nasai, Kagome, Inuyasha," a voice called from within. Inuyasha was too surprised by what Mrs. Higurashi had said to notice that Kagome's mother had known he would be arriving before he arrived. Kagome looked at Inuyasha's surprised expression and wondered if he had figured out that she had told her family to get ready for his visit, but seeing as he wasn't angry with her yet, she figured that he probably hadn't figured it out yet. But why the surprise? she wondered. All Mama said was… She paused. All she said was "welcome home..." "Welcome home." She looked at Inuyasha, who was starting to frown again, and felt the sadness that she always felt when she found out a little more about him. Had his Okaa-san never told him? Of course, he was too young to have left her protection anyway…
"Inu-nii-chan," Souta said, bounding towards the door. He stopped suddenly as he saw that there seemed to be someone else there.
"Kagome, bring Inuyasha to the restroom so that you both can wash—" Mrs. Higurashi said, walking to the door to greet them. She stopped in shock as she took in the image of the person before her. "…your hands," she finished, still staring at Inuyasha. Kagome smiled at her mother's questioning eyes. It took a lot for her mother to be shocked speechless.
"What's going on? Why are you all standing out in the—" Kagome's grandfather said, walking out of the dining room. He was also shocked into silence when he saw the "youkai" standing before him. Inuyasha shifted nervously under the family's scrutiny.
"I'll take Inuyasha to the restroom now," Kagome said, trying not to smile, and pretending not to notice her family's shocked expressions. She took Inuyasha's hand. "Follow me," she said, pulling him towards the sink. She could feel the confused eyes of her family watching them both as she headed to the restroom.
She opened the faucet of the sink, and handed Inuyasha the bar of soap.
"What's this?" he asked, looking at the soap funny. He sniffed it. "It smells like you, Kagome," he said, still trying to puzzle out the use of the soap. Kagome blushed and quickly bent down to take a towel out from the cupboard below.
"It's soap," she said, rising when she was sure her face had returned to its normal color. "It's used with water to make your hands cleaner."
" 'Soo-puu?'" he asked, looking at the thing distrustfully. "What is it made of?"
"Err… I don't really know," said Kagome, starting to wash her hands, and using the soap to demonstrate for Inuyasha. "But it works. Here, try."
Inuyasha wetted his hands like Kagome did, and tried to take the soap, only to have it slip out of his hands.
"What the—!"
"Here, let me—" Kagome said, grabbing the soap in her hands. She took Inuyasha's hands, trying to keep her cheeks from heating up, and rubbed the soap on his hands. "Rub your hands together until you can see bubbles. Yeah, that's right," she said as Inuyasha slowly rubbed his hands together. But he was rubbing so slowly that it would take all night for him to just finish washing his hands.
"Here, let me help you," Kagome said, walking to Inuyasha's side and helping him rub his hands together. She put his hands under the faucet of the sink, and helped him wash the soap out. "All done," she said, handing him a towel. She tried not to smile as she saw that Inuyasha had a tiny hint of a blush on his cheeks.
"Kagome, Inuyasha, hurry up," her mother called out, obviously recovered from her initial shock. She led Inuyasha to the living room, taking a brief glance at the door and noticing an extra pair of girls' shoes by the door. So, Eri had arrived.
"Mama, what are we eating—" Kagome started.
"So this is Inuyasha!" Eri said, jumping up from her seat to take a closer look of Inuyasha. Inuyasha backed up a step at her sudden close proximity. She grinned foolishly at Kagome. "I'll talk to you later," she mouthed, returning to her seat, but not taking her eyes off Inuyasha.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Kagome said, looking at Inuyasha nervously. She hoped he wasn't angry with her yet, and was surprised to see that he had visibly become more nervous. Maybe she should have kept Eri away until Inuyasha was a little more used to her world?
"This is Eri, she's my friend," Kagome said. "Eri, like you guessed, this is Inuyasha."
"But Kagome, you said—" Eri started to say.
"Why is Inu-nii-chan look like a human now?" Souta said, beating Eri to it.
"It's the new moon tonight, and since Inuyasha is a hanyou, tonight is his night to become human," Kagome said, knowing that Inuyasha would never bother to explain it to them. She looked nervously at Inuyasha, who was starting to look pissed. I guess more people know his secret now, she thought, smiling nervously at him.
"Sit down, you two," Mrs. Higurashi said. "You can talk while you eat." Kagome noticed that her mother had taken the big table out, the one that they had used to use when her father was still there. She sat down on the mat next to her grandfather, gesturing for Inuyasha to sit next to her. He took his seat reluctantly, trying to ignore Eri, who was sitting directly across from him. Souta grinned as he realized he was the one who got to sit on Inuyasha's left side.
"We're having ramen tonight," Mrs. Higurashi said, taking six steaming bowls out from the kitchen. She placed the bowl in front of everyone carefully, and set the chopsticks next to them. "Kagome told me that you liked ramen, Inuyasha, so I decided to make some home cooked ones for you," she said, smiling at Inuyasha's apparent discomfort.
"Wow, it's so good," Eri said, already starting on her noodles. "I'll have to ask for the recipe."
"Thank you, Eri," Mrs. Higurashi said, also starting on her noodles. Inuyasha started eating his more slowly than he usually would have done. He felt so out of place, and awkward, as if everyone was watching him. He hated eating before strangers that he had to be nice to. He should have just not come in the first place. Just eating was making him nervous. And how dare Kagome tell people that he liked ramen?! Sure, his friends knew, but why did she have to go and tell the whole world? And this Eri person… How did she know about him? Was Kagome talking behind his back? He wondered what other things that Kagome had said about him when he wasn't there, but decided that it was pointless to guess anyway. After all, he really wasn't important enough to be the topic of a conversation.
"How do you like it?" asked Mrs. Higurashi, surprising him. He thought for a moment. This ramen that Kagome's mother cooked really did taste better.
"It's good," he said, not quite sure if such a response was adequate.
"You haven't cooked this since he died," Kagome's grandfather said. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him.
"I just thought that no one wanted to eat it," Mrs. Higurashi said, unfazed. "But since you like it so much, I'll cook it more often," she said, smiling. "And if you want, Inuyasha, I can cook it every time you come to visit us," she said, openly inviting him to stay. Kagome looked at Inuyasha, who couldn't suppress a small smile creeping over his face, and she smiled in response. Her mother always knew what to say to make people feel better.
"Mama, do you have any more?" asked Kagome, done with her bowl and wanting more. Inuyasha probably wanted to eat more too.
"Yes, it's in the kitchen," Mrs. Higurashi said.
"Inuyasha, do you want me to get you some more?" asked Kagome.
"Uh… Sure," he said, as Kagome took his bowl without waiting for a response. "Thank you." Kagome smiled. Inuyasha was certainly behaving himself tonight. As she walked out towards the kitchen, she could see Eri wink at her. She hoped that girl wasn't getting any ideas into her head.
"So, you're from the Sengoku Jidai," Eri said, looking at Inuyasha.
"So what?" he asked without malice.
"How's life over there?" asked Eri, not quite sure how to get him into a conversation.
"Bloody," he replied. She sighed. This was harder than talking to a rock. How was she supposed to find out if Inuyasha was worthy of Kagome, if this was all the response that he would give? She figured that there had to be some secret part of him that Kagome liked, otherwise there was no reason for Kagome to like someone who was two-timing her.
"Inu-nii-chan, have you found more Shikon shards?" asked Souta, wanting to know more about what Inuyasha did in the other world.
"Yeah, we have," Inuyasha replied, remembering the recent shard that Kagome had found. Was the Shikon no Tama near complete now? What would happen once all the pieces were collected? Would Kagome no longer come to the Sengoku Jidai? Would that mean…that he would no longer be able to see Kagome?
Eri saw Inuyasha frown as he answered Souta's question, and she wondered why. Wasn't he happy that this jewel that they had been trying to fix for a year was finally going to be completed? Then everything would be able to return to normal, and Kagome would…
Eri paused in her thoughts and realized what Inuyasha was thinking. When the jewel is completed, would Kagome still go back to that time period? She wouldn't have any more reason to stay there, Eri thought, but she knew better. She would have no reason other than the fact that Inuyasha and the rest of her friends are there. As long as they are still alive, as long as she is able to, Kagome will definitely go back to the Sengoku Jidai, Eri thought to herself. She knew for a fact that Kagome would never willingly leave Inuyasha behind. But it seemed to her that Inuyasha was unsure of Kagome, unsure of how Kagome would react once their mission was complete.
"Inuyasha, you should find those shards quickly so that Kagome can have a peaceful world to travel to," Eri said, smiling, and surprising Inuyasha.
"What the h—What are you talking about?" Inuyasha said gruffly, omitting the little vulgarity that he was about to use.
"Oh, nothing," Eri said, not wanting to place all the pieces of the puzzle in front of Inuyasha. If he really loved Kagome, then he should be able to figure out for himself what she had meant.
"Here you go!" Kagome said cheerfully, entering the room with two steaming bowls of ramen. She placed one bowl in front of Inuyasha and the other in front of her own seat.
"Hey, Kagome," Eri said slyly, "Why don't you learn how to cook ramen? Then you can cook for Inuyasha whenever he's hungry."
"Eh, heh heh," Kagome laughed nervously. She was going to kill Eri when she had the chance.
"That's a great idea, Eri," Mrs. Higurashi said. "Kagome, whenever you want to learn, you can just ask me."
"Thanks," Kagome said, trying not to look at Inuyasha's face. He would probably scorn her cooking. Besides, Kikyo probably cooked much better than me anyway, Kagome thought to herself, downing the bowl of ramen.
"Kagome, you shouldn't eat so fast," her grandfather said. "Do you remember the time you choked on that bowl of rice?" She smiled in acknowledgement as she continued eating at the same pace. She had thought that this little dinner was going to be embarrassing for Inuyasha, but she had never thought that her own family and friends were going to embarrass her in front of Inuyasha. And Jii-chan… Why did he have to bring that up? she thought, trying to tune everything out. Then she started choking.
"Kagome, are you all right?" asked Eri in concern as Kagome started coughing. Kagome shook her head, trying to reassure that she was fine, but Eri could see tears start to form at her eyes. Suddenly Inuyasha patted Kagome's back with more than a little force, and Kagome started to suck in breaths of air, her throat clear again.
"Stupid girl," Inuyasha said in what sounded like annoyance, but what Eri thought was concern. "You should take your grandfather's advice."
"What? Even you're teasing me?" Kagome asked, embarrassed and irritated. Great. Just great. Choke in front of Inuyasha, why don't you? What's next? Slip on a bar of soap and fall in the mud? she thought.
"Inu-nii-chan isn't teasing you," Souta said, grinning at his sister's tomato-like face. "He's just concerned about you."
"Now, don't embarrass your sister, Souta," Eri said, hiding a smile, and catching the glare that Kagome shot at her. Kagome expected Inuyasha to say that he wasn't concerned about her, but his retort never came.
"Ah, Inuyasha," Mrs. Higurashi said, picking up all of the empty bowls. "We've just bought a Western-style chess set. Perhaps you and Jii-chan would like to play a game?"
"S-Sure," Inuyasha replied, wondering what was a Western-style chess set.
"Great," Mrs. Higurashi said, heading towards the kitchen. "Kagome, Eri, would you mind very much if you helped me with the dishes?"
"No problem, Mama," Kagome said. Eri seemed more than happy to oblige, but Kagome knew that the reason Eri wanted to go to the kitchen was not to wash dishes, but to discuss things concerning a certain guest at her house.
The three entered the kitchen, and Mrs. Higurashi started washing the dishes while Eri dried them and Kagome put them back on the shelves. After a few moments of silence, Eri finally spoke.
"Kagome, he's so much cuter than I expected!" she all but squealed. "He almost makes me wish I were in your place!"
"Don't exaggerate, Eri," Kagome said, knowing that her position wasn't exactly the easiest in the world.
"Well, I should say the same of you," Eri said. "You said that he was rude, but he's been nice all evening, almost," she said, remembering certain times where he didn't seem very friendly. But not being friendly and being hostile were too very different things, especially when it concerned Inuyasha.
"I'm surprised myself that he's been polite all evening," Kagome said, remembering all the times in the Sengoku Jidai when Inuyasha couldn't go one second without cussing.
"He must be acting nice to impress your family," Eri joked. "Like I said, Kagome, first comes—"
"Eri!" Kagome shouted indignantly. Didn't the girl know that her mother was in the room? The last thing she needed was for Eri to be running around saying that she was going to marry Inuyasha. Kagome wasn't sure if her mother would mind, but she didn't want her family to get any ideas. After all, Inuyasha will go with Kikyo when this is all over anyway, she thought, her spirits dropping.
"Inuyasha is a very nice boy, isn't he, Kagome?" her mother asked suddenly. Kagome couldn't figure out the tone in her mother's voice.
"He's not nice all the time," Kagome said, not wanting to give her mother a false picture.
"But he has a good nature," her mother said gently. "Even Jii-chan knows it." Kagome nodded in agreement, even though she knew her mother wouldn't be able to see it. She wondered why her mother was saying this all of a sudden.
"I'm glad he's your companion in that world," her mother said, drying her hands on a towel. "I'm finished here. You two girls can go to the living room where Jii-chan is playing chess with Inuyasha."
"Let's go, Kagome," Eri said, exiting the kitchen before Kagome could say anything. Kagome followed her friend slowly, knowing now that her family trusted Inuyasha. She smiled to herself. At least one of her missions was complete.
She entered the living room, arriving at the moment when her grandfather defeated Inuyasha by destroying Inuyasha's king with his knight. Kagome saw that most of Inuyasha's pawns were scattered across the board, showing that no strategic planning had taken place. Her grandfather had defeated almost all of Inuyasha's pieces; the only ones remaining were a queen and a bishop, and the fallen king.
"Hah hah!" her grandfather laughed. "Eat that!"
"Humph! I was only being easy on you," Inuyasha said. "Let's play another game."
"We've already played several games," her grandfather said. "Just admit that you lost."
"No way," Inuyasha said stubbornly.
"Looks like you're no good at chess," Eri noted.
"The only thing Inu-nii-chan can do is keep his queen alive," Souta said. "He really knows how to plan his pieces so that the queen is always protected."
"But too bad he always leaves the king in danger," Kagome's grandfather chuckled.
"Who cares? I know how to play now, so I challenge you to another game," Inuyasha said determinedly. "And this time, it's your king that's going to be eliminated."
"All right, boy," her grandfather said, rubbing his hands eagerly. "I'll put you where you belong." Kagome was worried for a moment that the remark would offend Inuyasha, but he didn't seemed to have noticed.
"C'mon, Jiijii," Inuyasha taunted. "Let's see what you've got."
"I'll teach you to be disrespectful," her grandfather said in good humor. He moved a pawn out and the game started.
Ten minutes later, Inuyasha emerged victorious. Kagome had been watching him play, and she noticed that his moves weren't random: they were planned. Each move that he had used was to allow a certain move later on in the game, and her grandfather, she was sorry to say, had lost disgracefully.
"How can this be?" asked Kagome's grandfather, looking at his defeated pieces. About the only piece left standing that was part of his team was a pawn. Everything else had been removed by Inuyasha's pieces.
"Heh, told ya," Inuyasha grinned. Kagome couldn't help but smile at Inuyasha's victory.
"Don't get cocky, boy," her grandfather grumped.
"How did you do that?" asked Eri, mentally correcting her previous statement.
"Just watch how he plays and anyone can guess his next move," Inuyasha said. Kagome was surprised. She had always thought that Inuyasha relied on his gut instinct, never planning things, or taking consequences into consideration. With his victory, Kagome wondered if that was the case.
"Jii-chan, please move these boxes out of the closet and into the storage room, please," Mrs. Higurashi called out. Kagome's grandfather got up with a grunt and exited the room.
"I'll play you later," he promised Inuyasha, still in disbelief that he had lost.
"Inu-nii-chan, why don't we play this?" asked Souta, holding out what looked like pieces of paper.
"He doesn't want to play those stupid things," Kagome said, not wanting Souta to annoy Inuyasha.
"How do you know?" retorted Souta. He turned to Inuyasha. "C'mon. Let's play."
"What is this?" asked Inuyasha as Souta handed him half of the cards. " 'Yu-gi-oh?'"
"Yeah! They're really cool!" Souta said as he began explaining the complicated rules of the card game. Kagome decided to turn the TV on, gesturing for Eri to sit next to her. The sound from the TV drowned out the noise the Souta and Inuyasha were making.
"He's so cute, playing with your little brother like that," Eri whispered. "You're so lucky, Kagome."
"Sure," Kagome said sarcastically, sighing a bit.
"Kagome, no matter what happens, you shouldn't let him go," Eri said with conviction. Kagome was surprised by the amount of force behind Eri's words.
"Eh? What are you talking about?" asked Kagome. She was wondering if she really should have told Eri about everything.
"I'm still not absolutely sure, but I think that he really likes you," Eri said, ignoring the protests of her blushing friend. "I still have to observe him a bit more, but from what I see, I don't think he'll necessarily be happier with this Kikyo girl you keep talking about." She turned to Kagome. "Think about it this way, Kagome," she said. "Letting Inuyasha go with Kikyo may not be the kindest thing you can do for him."
"What do you mean?" asked Kagome. If Inuyasha loved Kikyo, who was she to stop him? He's already chosen Kikyo, she thought. What kind of person would I be if I tried to break them up so that he could be by my side? He's chosen Kikyo before me, so there's no point in trying to dissuade him and making him be by someone who is only second place in his heart.
"You know what I mean," said Eri, still whispering. "If Kikyo is fighting you for his affections, you should fight back!"
"I can't do that," Kagome said, knowing that she could never bring herself to be Kikyo's rival.
"Why not?" demanded Eri.
Because I love him. Because I don't want him to get hurt because of me. Because I know I'll lose. I know I can't compare with Kikyo. I don't want to see him sad because I, the one that he thought he could trust, ended up pushing away the woman that he loves. Because… Because… Because they were fated to be together, and it was only because of Naraku that they were broken apart. Because I'm just a third wheel. Lots of reasons… Many reasons… Kagome didn't say any of them.
"I don't know," was what she said.
"Don't you?" asked Eri, looking at her straight in the eye. "Kagome, you're going to have to sort out your own emotions before you do anything else. If you don't, something might happen that you'll regret. You might lose Inuyasha before you're ready," her friend said. "That's what always happens in cases like yours."
"What are you talking about?" asked Kagome, laughing nervously.
"Those that hold their silence usually regret it," Eri said. "Just remember that. I know you'll choose what you think is right, but you have to remember that what you think is right may not always be the right choice." Eri laughed. "Am I confusing you?"
"Kind of," said Kagome, knowing that was a special trait of her friend.
"Sorry. I was just in one of those inspiring moods, you know?" she said, grinning mischievously. "And I think I might just have a little plan to flush out Inuyasha's true feelings."
"Eh heh heh," Kagome laughed weakly, wondering what devious plan her friend had come up with.
"Okay, North, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5," Eri said, moving the paper fortuneteller. They were playing an improvised version of the game that Eri had invented herself. "Let's see… Oh, it's Souta's name. That means I get to ask you a question as Souta," Eri said. "When's the next time you're coming back, Inu-nii-chan?" she asked, trying to imitate Souta.
"I don't sound like that," Souta said.
"Go to bed," Kagome said to him, shooing him out of the room. Souta left reluctantly, knowing that his sister and her friend were planning something that didn't include his being there.
"Uh… When I come to pick up Kagome," Inuyasha answered awkwardly. He didn't really like this game, but seeing as it was Kagome's friend and he was supposed to be nice and polite, he really didn't have a choice. That girl, Eri, would ask him a compass direction, then a number between one and ten, and then she would start counting until she reached the number, opening the paper fortuneteller to reveal the name hidden inside, and then she would ask him a question as that person whose name appeared.
"That's an okay answer, I guess," Eri said. "Okay, next one. Direction? Number?"
"Um… South, seven," Inuyasha said randomly.
"Hey, Inuyasha, want a drink?" asked Kagome, distracting him from looking at the paper fortuneteller and guessing who the next name was.
"I don't really care," Inuyasha said.
"Okay then," Kagome said, feeling slightly guilty for helping Eri cheat. Her friend had everything planned out, and Kagome was supposed to distract Inuyasha when she gave the signal, so that she could switch the paper fortunetellers to ask a question from the person that she wanted to ask the question as. Kagome saw a small flower stamp on a corner of the paper, and knew that this particular sheet contained only her name.
"Hey, what do you know?" exclaimed Eri. "It's Kagome's name. Okay, here's the question," Eri said excitedly. Kagome hoped that Eri wasn't going to embarrass her. "Why do you insist on saving me at the risk of your own life?" Both Inuyasha and Kagome were surprised by the question. Kagome had thought that Eri was going to ask Inuyasha if he liked her or not, and was already getting ready to strangle the girl, but she had not expected a question like this. She turned to Inuyasha, wondering how he would respond.
"Are you stupid?" asked Inuyasha. "Kagome is my Tama detector. Without her, we can't find anymore pieces of the Shikon no Tama." And because I don't want Kagome to be hurt. I wouldn't be able to stand it if I knew that Kagome would no longer be able to be by my side, if Kagome were dead. At this point, the only reason I care about Shikon shards is because as long as the Shikon no Tama is broken, Kagome will always go back to the Sengoku Jidai…and be by my side.
But he didn't say any of this. There was a part of him, a large part of him that was still afraid to trust, to give all of his heart away. Even Kikyo had never fully held his heart; he was only going to do as she had said because he felt that he owed her at least that much, and because a part of him felt that maybe, just maybe, he would be able to mend the scars that had formed between them. And because he had to do just that, he couldn't tell Kagome anything. He couldn't give any more clues that he… That he…
"Oyasumi nasai, Inuyasha," Kagome said angrily, stomping out of the room. Eri watched her go in silence. Just as she had planned. Now she could really interrogate Inuyasha without any distractions.
"Okay, Inuyasha. Let's continue," she said pleasantly, secretly switching to another paper fortuneteller. "Direction and number, please."
"Uh… West, four," Inuyasha said, feeling guilty about what he had said. Eri narrowed her eyes as she began to count. She usually wasn't a superstitious person, but west and four? Those weren't good things in her book. Everyone knew that four symbolized death. But west… Though no book had ever said that the west symbolized some sort of ill omen, in Eri's mind, west meant the end of something. West was the direction that the sun disappeared, and with the sun, the light of life would vanish, leaving only something that was best not thought about.
"Hmm… Kikyo," Eri said, noticing that Inuyasha immediately stiffened up. "Why…do you insist on following me even though I've rejected you so many times?" Eri asked, not bothering with tact. Inuyasha was silent. Eri waited, not really expecting an answer.
"Listen to me, Inuyasha," Eri said, dropping the paper fortuneteller. "I'm not going to play this game anymore, but I want you to answer truthfully. Why are you going after Kikyo? She's already pushed you away so many times, if what Kagome says is true. If I were in your position, I would have left her long ago." She waited for a response from Inuyasha, any kind of response. Finally, after a few minutes, he started to talk.
"You aren't me, so don't bother trying to put yourself in my position," Inuyasha said. Eri noticed that he didn't say it with anger or irritation, but rather he had sounded tired.
"Why?" asked Eri in a soft voice, not wanting to give up. She was close to something here, and if Inuyasha would cooperate, then she would—
"I don't know why," Inuyasha said getting up. "Maybe because I feel guilty. Maybe I owe her. Maybe I think that I can still get her to calm her hatred, and become friends again, like we had been before. Then again, maybe I'm just a stubborn idiot who doesn't know when to quit." Eri was about to open her mouth to protest, but Inuyasha didn't let her. "Oyasumi, Eri. I'll see you in the morning." He walked out of the room, heading towards the room that Kagome had showed him before the little question game had started.
Eri waited until she heard the door to the guest room close before she collected the paper fortunetellers and threw them in the trash. She looked at the time. One o'clock in the morning. She smiled. It was usually late at night or early morning when people started to spill their emotions and worries, revealing what they normally would not. It seemed to her that Inuyasha had just done the same. She closed the light to the living room, her mission successful.
"Kagome?" she whispered, looking at the form in the sleeping bag. Kagome didn't respond. Eri looked closer at Kagome, and saw that her eyes were closed. Was she sleeping? She listened carefully to Kagome's breathing, and immediately knew that her friend was only pretending. Her breathing did not sound deep and slow as it should be if Kagome had really been sleeping.
"Well, Kagome, I've solved your little problem for you," Eri said, getting into Kagome's bed and pulling the covers over her. "Inuyasha is definitely in love with you. He's just not sure of it yet."
"Yeah, he loves me for being a Tama detector," Kagome said bitterly, finally responding. She knew that it wasn't true, but she was having a hard time keeping everything inside her. She had to keep hiding the majority of her emotions from Inuyasha so that he wouldn't be sad, and she was starting to get tired.
"I know you don't believe that, Kagome," her friend said. Kagome didn't say anything.
"Didn't you notice that Inuyasha said 'we can't find anymore pieces of the Shikon no Tama?' He said 'we,' not 'I,'" Eri said, remembering Inuyasha's exact words.
"You read too much into things," Kagome said, not wanting to get her hopes up. Inuyasha will go with Kikyo because he loves her… And I will be there to stop her from taking Inuyasha's soul to Hell, Kagome thought, pulling the covers closer around her. At that time, I wonder, Inuyasha… Will you hate me for stopping Kikyo? But even if Inuyasha would become mad at her, Kagome was sure of her decision. She would never allow Inuyasha to die, especially not by Kikyo's hand.
"Maybe I do read too much into things, but maybe you should do it, too," Eri said, frowning. "I think you already know that Inuyasha loves you, but you're just not sure how much, right?" her friend asked. Kagome didn't respond. She knew that Inuyasha loved her, otherwise why would he go through so much trouble to protect her all the time? It was just the fact that he would never choose her, Kagome, before Kikyo, a woman who was long dead, and should stay dead.
Kagome stopped her thoughts quickly. I truly have become a horrible person, she thought, sighing. Kikyo… Sometimes, you just make me so mad! she thought, clenching her fists in anger. And sometimes… Sometimes I envy you. To have Inuyasha run to you at every call you give him, leaving his friends behind… Kikyo, do you know how fortunate you are? Kagome closed her eyes, trying to sleep, but her mind wouldn't let her.
"Kagome?" asked Eri tentatively, wondering if her friend had fallen asleep.
"Don't worry about it, Eri," Kagome said. "Inuyasha and I… We are still a long ways from reaching a point where a decision is needed. So for now, let's leave it as it is, okay?" asked Kagome. Eri fell silent, knowing that Kagome was no longer opening that topic up for discussion. She could only hope that when the time came, her friend would choose the right path, and save both herself and Inuyasha from unnecessary grief.