The Scent of Despair
Written by Catrina Winner
Author's Notes: NEW CONTEST! Whoever hits the next review in the power of ten {120, 130, 140, etc…} will get to ask ANY question they want about the story, and I will answer it. Anyone.
I'm back from Florida. I'm tired, I have jetlag, yet, because I love my fans so much, I'm putting the final touches on these fanfics so they will all have something to review. Because I know how much you all love to review.
Anyway, read and enjoy! {And review!! : )}
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Chapter Ten
Inuyasha stared balefully in Kagome's direction. The girl was already up and awake in these early hours, even with the lack of sleep that she attained, wishing rather to stay up on that blasted roof until long after the civil people had gone to their beds, realizing that if they couldn't see anything, it would be pointless to work. Kagome, however, apparently harbored a different opinion, deciding blindness in the dark at a very high height wasn't important. So she stayed, hammering away, until well after the moonrise came and went. Inuyasha had remained awake as long as she did, watching her, made wary with visions of her tumbling from the roof. He stayed with her, though she did not know it, the entire time she worked, watching her work silently from afar.
Even with the lack of sleep, Kagome was already assisting in kitchen duties Inuyasha repeatedly deemed unfit for a young Miko. She dutifully ignored him and scrubbed floors, washed dishes, and helped the young girls cook the entire village's breakfast meal. With the other women, Kagome even went so far as to wander around with a basket under one arm, and a pitcher held in her hand, serving the working men. Inuyasha had sprung down to the ground next to her and, with his usual subtle manners, demanded to know what the hell she was doing. It had erupted into another early morning battle, one the townspeople steered away from. Only the hungriest ventured near Kagome and the quarreling dog hanyou, pausing only long enough to snatch food from the basket before racing away. Inuyasha was unable to understand why a Miko of such high standing would wish to lower herself to hauling large amounts of food around for lower humans.
"Because I want to help!" she had replied, angrily. "You don't care anyway! Leave me alone, I have work to do!!" Kagome snapped. Not one to be easily pushed away, Inuyasha followed after her, looking like a kicked puppy.
"But I do care, Kagome!" he had whined, freezing Kagome in her place. It took Inuyasha a moment to realize what he had said, and not wanting to appear out of the ordinary, he added an extra sentence to his declaration. "If you get hurt, what will happen to the Jewel?"
Kagome turned frowning eyes upon Inuyasha, eyes that had not filled with tears, luckily, and she shook her head. "The Jewel will be fine. I'm not going to get hurt bringing these people their food, Inuyasha," she said, coolly, trying to avoid the curious stares from the passerbyers and left, noting proudly that the people had gathered their courage and were approaching her for their well-earned breakfast.
The hanyou frowned again as he recalled the exchange. It was not unlike him to destroy the perfect bonding moments. But so many people were watching! he pointed out to himself. There was nothing he could have done. It was just a natural reaction to shake off any kind comments he would give to Kagome when others were around. There was no help for it, and was a habit that could only be broken by time and patience. A lot of patience.
She had returned when the morning was still young, and the sun was just pulling itself over the trees, and, smiling brightly {though this smile was not directed at Inuyasha, much to his disappointment}, joined her friends for breakfast. It was quite like every other breakfast she had ever eaten with these comrades. Inuyasha stared into the distance, eating, though making no motions to show he even noticed what was going into his mouth. It was a normal sulking position for him. Miroku was sneaking glances towards Sango, and, whenever he thought she didn't notice him, his hand would leave the comfort of the food and wander towards her. Seconds later, however, the monk would discover that Sango did, indeed, see him, and oversized boomerangs certainly hurt when they smashed into one's skull repeatedly. Shippo alternated from leaping up and down in Kagome's lap to cramming food in his mouth. All the servants and Kagome thought these actions were absolutely adorable, much to Inuyasha's disgust. Kirara sat between Sango and Kaede, looking dignified and dangerous as only a tiny cat demon could.
The meal over, and the table cleared away, everyone began the heavy after meal silence, in which many things were pondered. Kagome would be leaving soon, though only two people there knew when it was to take place. The dismay that her leaving in three days would have shocked the others, so Kagome and Kaede opted for silence and sad surprise. Shippo was mulling over the dark reasons of why he never got as much of the food that everyone else did. Miroku and Sango were both wondering why they just didn't get together, though Sango's thoughts were slightly altered and more in a PG state of mind. Inuyasha was just brooding, wondering why Kagome was mean to him. Kirara was thinking about Sango and flying in the air. She liked flying.
During this time, the most one can get out of another is a lot of staring. Kagome was usually the first to give up her battle with the mind, and would stand, excuse herself as any polite Miko would, and leave the room, mumbling to herself. This time was no different, save for the fact there were no mumblings, just a dark look of sadness etched across her features.
On her way out, no one looked up, and she took her normal route to the only door. Inuyasha had switched his normal seating with Miroku, and Kagome absentmindedly tweaked one of his ears when she wandered by. It startled him, but no one seemed to notice, not even the Miko herself. Inuyasha leapt up and managed to knock over the table in his surprise, but just turned and clumped out; annoyed with the sudden stirring of feelings and the rush of a blush to his cheeks that Kagome had created.
She was outside, staring at the burning sun like a lost soul when he passed by the door. Pausing, Inuyasha swallowed and looked at the young girl. A gentle breeze carried her scent to him.
Despair.
Her despair was back, and it bogged down her lovely smell heavier than before. Quietly, he stepped out next to her, his ears twitching. She didn't notice him there until he rested a heavy, clawed hand on her shoulder, looking in the same direction she was, trying to see whatever it was she was seeing. There was nothing there but a few washed-out fields and hardworking villagers.
He swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke, "What do you see Kagome?"
She looked at him, and he immediately noticed the change in her scent. It had become richer, more carefree; as if she were trying to hide the sadness from him and block him out, keep him from recognizing her emotions.
"People… working…" she said, slowly, testing to see how much he had noticed.
"Of course," he dropped his hand and chanced a look at her. She was staring at him, and met his eyes when they were turned.
"Inuyasha… would you…" Kagome paused, and broke the eye contact, favoring the view of the tired men toiling away under the early morning sun to the confusion in the golden pools.
"Would I what?" he asked, trying not to sound too callous. It had been a long time since he had tried to understand, with his mind racing for answers at the same moment. He had to figure out what was causing her so much pain… Her scent was desperate, but he didn't know what it called out for. With a deep breath, Kagome again chanced a look at the hanyou.
"Tomorrow, Inuyasha, would you meet me behind the shrine? I…" she paused again, and Inuyasha could sense her uncertainty.
"Fine," he said, and turned back towards the house. It took all the willpower he had not to turn around and look back at Kagome, whose eyes were staring at his retreating back in surprise. She had never thought he would agree to meet her so easily. Somehow, Inuyasha was surprised too, but he sensed something was bothering her, and, perhaps she would reveal the reasons behind it if he agreed to visit with her. Perhaps.
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A few hours shy of noon found Kagome cautiously approaching Miroku with a japamala* clutched in her hands. He turned and smiled when she stopped by him.
"Miroku," she began with a smile, "these are for you. They're made of sandalwood!" Trying to be bright and cheerful, Kagome dropped the beads in Miroku's good hand and watched as he sniffed them, then broke into a large smile of his own.
"They're real! They must have cost quite a lot! Thank you dearly, Lady Kagome!" The monk opened him arms and enveloped Kagome in a large hug, something she was not prepared for. Miroku took the gift as a sign that heaven was smiling upon him. He snatched Kagome's hands and studied her face.
"My Lady, would you bear my child?" he asked, trying to appear innocent, even as the boomerang smacked against his skull from behind him. Rubbing his head, he turned to a distraught Sango.
"Miroku! What in the world do you think you're doing?!" she demanded. Both the monk and the Miko looked confused. "Why are you asking her twice? You know she will never answer "yes" because, as even you can see, I'm sure, she belongs to Inu–" She paused "I mean… You… uh… You never even asked me once!" she quickly recovered, leaving Kagome a bright red and Miroku hopeful.
"Dear Sango!" he said and jumped up to take her hands. "Would you please bear my child?"
Sango blinked. She looked over at Kagome, who was trying desperately to rub the blush off her cheeks. Then she leveled her gaze on Miroku, realizing this may be the only chance she got to admit what she felt.
"Miroku, is that a marriage preposition?" she said, keeping her voice cool as her mind screamed.
"Well, uh… If you want it to be," answered the ever-hopeful monk.
"Would you swear off all other women?" Sango asked, still looking him squarely in the eye.
"To marry you? I… well…" the ever steady priest began to blush ever so slightly. "I… guess…" he said haltingly. Sango broke into a radiant grin and leapt up, twining her arms around Miroku's neck.
"Then, yes! I will bear your child!"
"YA-"
"AFTER we're married."
"y..."
Kagome looked up to see the two of them giggling and jumping up and down. She had heard everything, but had kept rubbing at the long-gone blush as an excuse not to look up. Her cheeks hurt and were slightly reddened, but Kagome had more important things to think about.
"Perfect!! Sango, this is perfect!!" she chirped. Sango and Miroku stopped leaping up and down to look at her oddly. "Come with me? Just for a moment?" she added, when she saw the crestfallen look on Miroku's face at having his new bride-to-be taken away so quickly. "Miroku, why don't you tell Inuyasha your happy news? This will only take a moment…" she said, smiling brightly. Miroku raced off, not thinking how much the hanyou would care, glowing with happiness. Sango bounced over to Kagome, smiling enormously.
The two females rushed back to Kaede's home, where Kagome settled down by her large bag. "Listen, Sango. Don't ask me where I got this from, because it was more of a gift then anything… But I want you to have it. I was afraid that Miroku wouldn't ask you in time, and I would end up giving it to you with no reason behind it," Kagome finished, and with a large flourish she pulled a snowy white wedding kimono from her backpack, neatly wrapped in tissue paper, and dropped it into Sango's stunned hands.
"Kagome…" she said, but instead of struggling for words to express her gratitude, Sango simply threw her arms around the other girl and hugged her tightly. "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!" she said softly, smiling.
Kagome shrugged, wishing she wouldn't have to leave and could stay to see Sango in the kimono.
Sango was not one to be easily fooled. She took Kagome's chin in her hand and settled her gaze onto Kagome's eyes. "Why are you so sad? I've noticed you haven't been yourself lately, and so has Inuyasha, though he wouldn't admit it. I may not be your greatest confidant, but you know that I'm trustworthy."
Kagome smiled. "Sango, I would trust you with my life. It's nothing important… Just… I'm leaving soon," she said quietly. "And I don't think I'll be coming back." Sango looked shocked, but Kagome continued. "I'm going to purify the Shikon Jewel with my wish, set things in order, and… I thought about this for a long time Sango, so don't try and talk me out of it. Having me leave will hurt us all, but it's for the best in the end. I have to take care of my family and the shrine and I wasn't… I wasn't meant to live here, in your time, with these people. I do consider you to be like family to me… But, well… My real… my real family is in a different world, a different time…" she brushed away a tear, sniffling. Kagome refused to break down, already having promised herself that she would remain strong.
"What about Inuyasha?" Sango said, her voice so low Kagome almost didn't catch the sentence.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome winced and sighed. The tears rushed back at the thought of leaving the hanyou forever. "I don't know… I don't know… I'm giving him this!" she said suddenly, and flung a large, weighted charm into Sango's open palm. The other woman studied the strange kanji inscribed onto the rock, then glanced questioningly at Kagome, who was blushing and looking away.
"It means 'love'," she mumbled. Sango smiled and handed it back to her.
"I think he would like that. Are you going to tell him what it means?" she asked. Kagome shook her head. They both sat in the room for a long time before Miroku burst in. He noticed a tear slip from Kagome's eye and the pendent she clutched to her chest, but he then saw the wedding kimono lying in Sango's lap, which took precedence over what other thoughts he had. He lifted the woman up and swung her in a large circle, laughing. The two of them left, Sango casting only a single glance over her shoulder at Kagome, who was already smiling and gathering up gifts for the remainder of the group.
Trying to stay strong… Sango thought. Good girl, Kagome.
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The late afternoon sun streamed through the window. The entire group lounged around the room after a filling dinner Kagome and the other girls had prepared for them. Shippo was bouncing again, though this time it was much slower, as he studiously tried to capture the skill of the kendama** Kagome had given him. Kaede was out, arranging the vast amount of modern healing medicines from Kagome. Kirara stretched out at her mistress's feet, munching on kitty treats from the future, very content and quite pleased with herself. The room was warm and comforting, and Inuyasha was glaring again.
Feh. She gives everyone else a thing, but not me. Well,' he thought, the mood brightening slightly as he caught her watching him, 'maybe she'll give me mine tomorrow. He moved and sat next to her, not protesting when she dropped her head onto his shoulder and stared into the dying flames of the fire. Or more of this. Yeah… That would be just fine…
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Well, how'd you like it?! There should be another FUFFY chapter coming out VERY soon, so keep an eye out for it. Congratulations to whitewingeddragon1 for hitting the 100th review!! Whoever wins the next part of my contest, e-mail me with your question, because I probably won't have a chance to notify you and inform you of your winnings. So, before you review, go see if you won! I'll be looking out for those reviews, and e-mails!!
*A japamala is the earliest form of prayer beads; one a priest could attach a mantra {repeated prayer} to.
**A kendama is a toy to sharpen hand/eye coordination. It is a ball with a string attached, and one tries to get it in the cup. VERY hard to do, and can drive one insane.