"Higurashi" by Jezunya
Chapter 2
Wow…so many reviews… o.O I'm so pleased!!
Jeez, why does everyone like this one so much? Do you all hate Kagome's family or something?? You mean, horrible people!! Just kidding. ^^; Thank you all for your encouragement. That, plus my li'l sister Cho-chan whining to me about finishing this fic, has gotten me to start working on it again.
(Calendar-chan, if you kill me, I won't be able to write any more, and then where will we be??)
(Don't worry, Lady Priestess, there will definitely be romance!)
(Sorry, all you Kikyou fans, she's dead [again]. And, sorry to all you Kikyou haters, since she's already been put to rest, there will be no horrible, bloody deaths in store for her.)
I don't own Inuyasha!!! Really, where would anyone get such a crazy idea?!
Well, here's the second chapter! I hope you all like it!!
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Inuyasha sulked on his favorite branch. Kagome'd barely been gone five minutes, and he already missed her.
He scowled. He missed the girl? Yes, he always missed her when she left. He'd admitted that fact to himself some time ago. It was admitting it to other people that was the problem, though. He sighed, letting his tough-guy facade slip for just a moment. How could he ask her to stay with him? She was from a future that could not even be dreamed of in this time. It was a future full of "modern" conveniences like in-door plumbing, central heating, and many other luxuries.. luxuries that Kagome deserved. Not to mention all her family and friends were in that time. He couldn't ask her to leave all that behind just to marry some screw-up half-breed.
You could always go live there, a little voice in his head reminded him. He shrugged, frowning thoughtfully. Actually, a life without having to fight a frothing youkai every other day didn't sound all that bad. And he would eventually learn to be accustomed to all the strange things of Kagome's world. He reached inside his kimono and pulled out the tiny black box. He opened it almost reverently, secretly a little afraid to even touch the glittering gem with his clumsy, clawed hands. It would make sense for him to go live in her time, he mused. After all, he'd gone to all the trouble of getting the ring for her. He wanted to show her that he could do things the way they were done in her time.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees, carrying with it a soft, familiar scent. Inuyasha felt his heart skip a beat and he sat up, watching the well eagerly.
He'd try again. Now, he decided.
Several moments passed and the girl still did not appear. He frowned, and leapt off his branch to land only feet away from the well.
Inuyasha peered over the edge, spotted the girl curled up at the bottom, then hopped down into it. "Oi! Kagome! What's the… matter…?" He trailed off, realizing that, in landing on the bottom, the well had done its duty and transported him several hundred years into the future, whereas Kagome, however, had remained back in the Sengoku Jidai. He climbed out, then jumped back in, grumbling and growling as only a grouchy dog-demon could do.
The little ball that was Kagome didn't even look up when the hanyou appeared beside her. For just an instant, the thought that she might be dead passed through his mind, but he quickly dismissed it, as he could hear her breathing and heartbeat perfectly. He gently lifted her in his arms, turning her over so he could see her face.
Her eyes were squeezed shut, but tears still poured down her dirt-smeared cheeks. Her hands were balled into little fists and she seemed to trembling uncontrollably.
"Kagome..?" Inuyasha asked, the sight of her crying making his voice thick and husky. The girl shuddered, a sob escaping her, and tried to curl up even more. On a split second decision, he climbed out of the well, his precious cargo cradled protectively against his chest, and started off for the village.
***
Inuyasha tried once again to set the girl down on the futon that had been laid out for her. He set her down, removed his arms from around her, and tried to pry her hands off the front of his kimono. However, the girl's hands, though small and delicate, seemed to contain some kind of awesome strength, and absolutely refused to let go. After several fruitless attempts, he sighed long-sufferingly, and picked her up again. "The things I do for you.." he grumbled as he seated himself on the futon. Kagome sniffled and snuggled closer to him.
He gazed at her face. She had cried herself to sleep as he had carried her, occasional whimpers replacing the sobs that had only minutes before racked her entire body.
And those sobs replaced the smile she had worn only minutes before that, he thought. What had happened in her time? His brow creased as he leaned back on the wall, his mind running through several possibilities.
***
She laughed happily, her face shining. They were all here. Her family. Celebrating her birthday together in the kitchen of their house. Her mother was pulling the cake out of the oven. Grampa was trying to tell her about some ancient artifact or legend. Souta was tugging on her sleeve, telling her to open his gift first.
It had all been a dream. A nightmare. Nothing had happened to them, they were all here, all fine.
"Kagome."
She spun around, but no one was there. Shrugging, she turned back to her family. The kitchen was empty. A slight breeze came in through the window, rustling the curtains and making the streamers overhead sway slightly.
"I suppose you haven't heard." There was Mr. Jikkou, standing stock-still and staring straight forward like a statue.
"What..?" Kagome asked, peering up at him.
"They're gone." His voice seemed to echo and resound off the walls, although his mouth did not move.
Kagome's eyes widened. Everything shattered around her.
***
Kagome's eyes snapped open. For a moment, she just lay there, breathing hard and looking around, frantically taking in her surroundings.
Her eyes widened and she blushed furiously as she realized that she was sitting in Inuyasha's lap, his arms protectively around her, her head resting against his chest. His arms tightened as she tensed, and his nose and ears seemed to twitch almost spasmodically.
She chewed her lip, looking up at his tense face. On an impulse, she carefully reached up and massaged his ears. They were amazingly soft and silky under her fingers. She smiled as he seemed to relax under he gentle ministrations. Still blushing slightly, but smiling nonetheless, Kagome let her hands drop and leaned against his chest once more.
What… what was that? she thought. A nightmare..? She stared at the ceiling of the hut, thinking back on the dream.
Wait, hut?
With a little gasp, she realized she was in Kaede's tiny house, in the Sengoku Jidai. Yes, that's all it was, she realized, relieved. A nightmare. And a stupid one at that. Bullet trains colliding? Yeah right. What are the chances of that?
She paused, looking up at Inuyasha's sleeping face. It was just a dream… right..? Kagome knit her brows, her mind made up. She had to be sure. She carefully disentangled herself from Inuyasha's grasp, and slipped out of the hut.
She ran through the forest, not even needing to see the path she had tread so many times. At last she found what she was searching for: the Bone-Eater's Well. Without a moment's hesitation, she leapt over the edge. She scrambled up the rope ladder, hurrying out of the mini-shrine and out into the shrine compound.
She skidded to a halt when she saw the house. All the lights were out, but it was in the middle of the night, so no surprise there. She began walking toward the house, when her foot brushed something on the ground. She knelt down, picking up the two items: a newspaper, and…
The world seemed to freeze. It was the letter from her mom. She must have dropped it in her hurried departure. She looked more closely at the newspaper, and was able to just make out the headline in the faint moonlight: "Bullet Trains Collide"
She dropped the papers on the ground, falling back in shock. It was real. It had really happened. They were really dead. Fresh tears streaked down her face.
"Kagome..?" She looked behind her. Inuyasha had just emerged from the well-house, his face worried. "Are you alright?" She shook her head, turning back to stare at the letter. Inuyasha silently came to crouch next to her. "What is it?" he asked softly. Kagome didn't reply. "Come on, talk to me!" he commanded, his voice still quiet, and put an arm around her shaking shoulders.
Something snapped inside her and she suddenly threw herself into his arms, sobbing into his shirt. "They're gone! All gone!" she sobbed.
"What? Who's gone?" Inuyasha asked, confused.
"My family. They're dead..!" she wailed.
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Well, I was planning on putting more into this chapter, but it's taken me so long to write this that I decided to just end it here. ^-^
Something snapped inside her and she suddenly threw herself into his arms, sobbing into his shirt. "They're gone! All gone!" she sobbed.
"What? Who's gone?" Inuyasha asked, confused.
"The chocolate-chip cookies! Shippou ate the last one!!" she wailed.
"WHY THAT LITTLE beep!!! HE'LL PAY FOR THIS!!!"
Ehehe.. sorry, couldn't resist ^^;
Review please!! Or email me at jezbez223@excite.com I love email!!