A/N: I own InuYasha! Eeeep! ::Running:: I didn't know they'd find me so quickly! ::Pinned down by police:: Onegai! I was just kidding! ::hehe:: Don't sue! Okay! Okay! I don't own InuYasha! Ya happy! ::pouting, bottom lip protruding at least a mile::
Chapter 4: Discovery
Time after time, Miroku and Sango slipped off into the woods to where they would find Kagome. Slipping into the woods a couple hours before the sun would set, they hid behind the ruse that they were a couple going out for a moonlight tryst. Inuyasha was depressed and out of it most of the time. He continued to follow leads for the jewel, but with dwindling enthusiasm. On certain days, he was found to be sitting by the well, staring pensively into it. When asked, he would reply, "Feh! I'm not waiting for that wench! I'm deciding whether or not to go though and retrieve the shards."
A month after the beginning of Kagome's training with Miroku and Sango, Kagome graduated. They could no longer teach her anything more. Her powers were held in a firm grasp and her hand-to-hand combat was close to perfection. Kagome decided to go to a nearby village to inquire about the jewel shards. The weather was beautiful, bright clear skies, gentle breeze. As night fell, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippou spread out the sleeping gear and prepared for a long sleep after the battle with the dragon demon with three shards that morning. The dragon youkai had left Miroku with a sprained wrist, Sango a big gash on the abdomen, Shippou a twisted ankle, and Kirara poisoned and unable to transform. Night of new moon. Inuyasha himself sported big bandages wound around his leg and back. His youkai blood had no time to heal him before the sun sunk below the horizon. Inuyasha sat at the trunk of a tree, keeping a careful eye on his companions. They were all wounded, but they had three more shards. Inuyasha groaned to himself. Tonight they would all be vulnerable to an attack.
As if hearing his thought, a huge snake youkai appeared from the dense forest. Inuyasha leapt to his feet and winced. He shouted to his companions and they too jumped up. Sango had one arm wound around her abdomen and grimaced when she stood. Shippou hopped gingerly on one foot to stand by Kirara who could not do a thing. Miroku held his staff with his unhurt hand. Inuyasha drew out his sword in an attempt to protect his friends, but even that motion jarred the wounds on his back and legs.
"Inuyasha, step back. I'll use the air rip." Miroku handed his staff to Sango. Inuyasha noticed just then that Miroku had no hole in his hand when he unwrapped the beads. However, the air rip opened suddenly. The demon began to be pulled forth, but luck was not on their side. A hissing was heard, and soon, a horde of Naraku's insects (What are these called? I think they start with an S and have a couple a's, an i, a y…) appeared. Miroku had no choice but to close the void. The youkai seemed to grin evilly at the group and prepared to strike. Shippou leapt forward in a last attempt, seeing that he still had some means to protect the group, even if he couldn't very well walk right then. When he landed at the front of the group, he trembled in fear and fury. He cringed in pain as his injured foot touched the ground.
"Shippou, no!" Sango called in an attempt to stop the young but determined kitsune. She couldn't lift her boomerang to assist.
"Phantom fire!" Shippou's attempt didn't faze the youkai one bit. The kit then produced a big spinning top on the youkai's head, but that didn't work either. (Gomen, but I'm a little unfamiliar with Shippou's attacks.) The youkai drew back and raised its head to devour the little kit. Shippou screamed in fear. "Kagome Okaa-san!" Shippou wailed at the top of his voice, remembering Kagome's parting words. 'If you ever are in trouble Shippou, just call, and I'll be there.' "Okaa-san!" Inuyasha looked stunned when Shippou called out for Kagome. He shook his head a little thinking: Kagome isn't here kit. Then, a glowing arrow appeared from the darkness and hit the serpent dead on. The youkai was purified instantly. Another arrow flew from the trees and exploded into hundreds of little arrows (little, but just as powerful) that hit the flying insects as they tried to flee.
Inuyasha looked into the forest and murmured, "Kikyou". He didn't even think that Kagome would have harnessed her power so easily or that she even had that much. Kagome, as well as the rest of the group, heard his whispered word and glared. Inuyasha looked confused and then shocked when he saw Kagome emerge from the trees. Kagome looked into his eyes for a second and then looked away. Walking calmly over to Shippou, she gathered him in her arms and snuggled him tight.
"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner Shippou. Here, let me see your leg." Kagome placed a gentle hand to his ankle and a faint light surrounded his foot. "There, now it's healed. Why didn't you call me earlier? These wounds are from this morning."
"I didn't want you to have to leave whatever you were doing mama."
"Don't hesitate to call next time Shippou. I couldn't stand it if any of you died." She kissed Shippou on his forehead and went to heal Miroku and Sango's injuries in the same way as she had Shippou's. When finished, she ambled over to where Inuyasha was sulking.
"Let me heal you." Inuyasha only nodded without looking up. Kagome went to work and soon he was back to normal. When she finished, she backed away.
"Why didn't you tell me you were back."
"I never left for home."
"Why didn't you come to me? Do you know how much time I've wasted gathering shards without you?"
Kagome swallowed and replied stiffly. "I am sorry that I am your savior and not Kikyou. I am not your tama detector. Do not tell me how much time I've wasted for I have not. I have nearly all of the shards still left about. I am no longer a weak human as you said I was. If you needed someone to see the shards, you should have just asked Kikyou. She'd be willing. I thought we were friends and maybe more. But I saw you wrap your arms around that dead bitch and tell her that you loved only her and that I was only a tool to get her revenge. I thought you were my friend, but it seems that I have been alone all along." Kagome's voice trembled with suppressed pain and rage. She turned away from Inuyasha and strolled over to Shippou.
"Come on Shippou, you need to get some rest." Inuyasha was left with a stunned expression, and then his pride got the better of him.
"Come back here wench. Those shards are mine…and Kikyou's. Kikyou wouldn't have just run away like a Weak. Pathetic. Coward."
Kagome turned around stiffly. Her head was bowed down. When she raised her gaze to meet his, he gasped. Her normally warm, chocolate-brown eyes shimmered luminous with tears. Pain reflected in the depths of her eyes and her soul. Anger burned within her like smoldering coals.
A/N: Okee dokee. Weeell? What didja think? Is this counted as a cliffie or no? Please review! Pwetty pwetty pweese? I just thought of something. I was watching Rurouni Kenshin last night and in the credits, it had Riko Takahashi. Is this person somehow related to the great Rumiko Takahashi? Hmmmm. I wonder. Oh well. Please review and gomen once again for the long delay in this chapter.
Chapter 4: Discovery
Time after time, Miroku and Sango slipped off into the woods to where they would find Kagome. Slipping into the woods a couple hours before the sun would set, they hid behind the ruse that they were a couple going out for a moonlight tryst. Inuyasha was depressed and out of it most of the time. He continued to follow leads for the jewel, but with dwindling enthusiasm. On certain days, he was found to be sitting by the well, staring pensively into it. When asked, he would reply, "Feh! I'm not waiting for that wench! I'm deciding whether or not to go though and retrieve the shards."
A month after the beginning of Kagome's training with Miroku and Sango, Kagome graduated. They could no longer teach her anything more. Her powers were held in a firm grasp and her hand-to-hand combat was close to perfection. Kagome decided to go to a nearby village to inquire about the jewel shards. The weather was beautiful, bright clear skies, gentle breeze. As night fell, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippou spread out the sleeping gear and prepared for a long sleep after the battle with the dragon demon with three shards that morning. The dragon youkai had left Miroku with a sprained wrist, Sango a big gash on the abdomen, Shippou a twisted ankle, and Kirara poisoned and unable to transform. Night of new moon. Inuyasha himself sported big bandages wound around his leg and back. His youkai blood had no time to heal him before the sun sunk below the horizon. Inuyasha sat at the trunk of a tree, keeping a careful eye on his companions. They were all wounded, but they had three more shards. Inuyasha groaned to himself. Tonight they would all be vulnerable to an attack.
As if hearing his thought, a huge snake youkai appeared from the dense forest. Inuyasha leapt to his feet and winced. He shouted to his companions and they too jumped up. Sango had one arm wound around her abdomen and grimaced when she stood. Shippou hopped gingerly on one foot to stand by Kirara who could not do a thing. Miroku held his staff with his unhurt hand. Inuyasha drew out his sword in an attempt to protect his friends, but even that motion jarred the wounds on his back and legs.
"Inuyasha, step back. I'll use the air rip." Miroku handed his staff to Sango. Inuyasha noticed just then that Miroku had no hole in his hand when he unwrapped the beads. However, the air rip opened suddenly. The demon began to be pulled forth, but luck was not on their side. A hissing was heard, and soon, a horde of Naraku's insects (What are these called? I think they start with an S and have a couple a's, an i, a y…) appeared. Miroku had no choice but to close the void. The youkai seemed to grin evilly at the group and prepared to strike. Shippou leapt forward in a last attempt, seeing that he still had some means to protect the group, even if he couldn't very well walk right then. When he landed at the front of the group, he trembled in fear and fury. He cringed in pain as his injured foot touched the ground.
"Shippou, no!" Sango called in an attempt to stop the young but determined kitsune. She couldn't lift her boomerang to assist.
"Phantom fire!" Shippou's attempt didn't faze the youkai one bit. The kit then produced a big spinning top on the youkai's head, but that didn't work either. (Gomen, but I'm a little unfamiliar with Shippou's attacks.) The youkai drew back and raised its head to devour the little kit. Shippou screamed in fear. "Kagome Okaa-san!" Shippou wailed at the top of his voice, remembering Kagome's parting words. 'If you ever are in trouble Shippou, just call, and I'll be there.' "Okaa-san!" Inuyasha looked stunned when Shippou called out for Kagome. He shook his head a little thinking: Kagome isn't here kit. Then, a glowing arrow appeared from the darkness and hit the serpent dead on. The youkai was purified instantly. Another arrow flew from the trees and exploded into hundreds of little arrows (little, but just as powerful) that hit the flying insects as they tried to flee.
Inuyasha looked into the forest and murmured, "Kikyou". He didn't even think that Kagome would have harnessed her power so easily or that she even had that much. Kagome, as well as the rest of the group, heard his whispered word and glared. Inuyasha looked confused and then shocked when he saw Kagome emerge from the trees. Kagome looked into his eyes for a second and then looked away. Walking calmly over to Shippou, she gathered him in her arms and snuggled him tight.
"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner Shippou. Here, let me see your leg." Kagome placed a gentle hand to his ankle and a faint light surrounded his foot. "There, now it's healed. Why didn't you call me earlier? These wounds are from this morning."
"I didn't want you to have to leave whatever you were doing mama."
"Don't hesitate to call next time Shippou. I couldn't stand it if any of you died." She kissed Shippou on his forehead and went to heal Miroku and Sango's injuries in the same way as she had Shippou's. When finished, she ambled over to where Inuyasha was sulking.
"Let me heal you." Inuyasha only nodded without looking up. Kagome went to work and soon he was back to normal. When she finished, she backed away.
"Why didn't you tell me you were back."
"I never left for home."
"Why didn't you come to me? Do you know how much time I've wasted gathering shards without you?"
Kagome swallowed and replied stiffly. "I am sorry that I am your savior and not Kikyou. I am not your tama detector. Do not tell me how much time I've wasted for I have not. I have nearly all of the shards still left about. I am no longer a weak human as you said I was. If you needed someone to see the shards, you should have just asked Kikyou. She'd be willing. I thought we were friends and maybe more. But I saw you wrap your arms around that dead bitch and tell her that you loved only her and that I was only a tool to get her revenge. I thought you were my friend, but it seems that I have been alone all along." Kagome's voice trembled with suppressed pain and rage. She turned away from Inuyasha and strolled over to Shippou.
"Come on Shippou, you need to get some rest." Inuyasha was left with a stunned expression, and then his pride got the better of him.
"Come back here wench. Those shards are mine…and Kikyou's. Kikyou wouldn't have just run away like a Weak. Pathetic. Coward."
Kagome turned around stiffly. Her head was bowed down. When she raised her gaze to meet his, he gasped. Her normally warm, chocolate-brown eyes shimmered luminous with tears. Pain reflected in the depths of her eyes and her soul. Anger burned within her like smoldering coals.
A/N: Okee dokee. Weeell? What didja think? Is this counted as a cliffie or no? Please review! Pwetty pwetty pweese? I just thought of something. I was watching Rurouni Kenshin last night and in the credits, it had Riko Takahashi. Is this person somehow related to the great Rumiko Takahashi? Hmmmm. I wonder. Oh well. Please review and gomen once again for the long delay in this chapter.