Inuyasha-fan91: Sorry about Rin! I felt really bad while writing it.
KitsuneKimme: I'm glad you liked it.
Freestyle: Sorry! And you're about to learn what happens next… Kukuku…
Cyndi1: Thanks. I'll won't stop writing this story… until it's finished.
Beta read by Kalliel/ Banana Rum
Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, I wouldn't write it here. So therefore, I don't own Inuyasha.
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Chapter 3: Tainted Grounds
"Kagome! It's time for dinner! Wash up and come downstairs!"
"Be there in a minute!" Kagome called, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear in an effort to concentrate on the last math equation. She narrowed her eyes, focused solely on the problem.
One minute passed, then two, and Kagome had nearly solved the conundrum when Souta burst in and yelled, "Kagome, we're all waiting for you! We-"
She rounded on him, eyes flashing. "How DARE you! I had almost finished! Now go away! I'll be down as soon as possible!"
Souta fled in terror, sprinting down the stairs. Kagome sighed, and went back to her math. 'I hate this. I wish I didn't have to do it. Why should I anyway? I've missed so much school that I'll never catch up!' Repeating the familiar litany over in her head, she finished the problem and quickly went downstairs for dinner.
She found her mom, grandpa, and Souta in a heated argument. While she snuck quietly into the kitchen to get some rice, she was able to hear bits and snatches of the discussion. Apparently Souta was failing English, and needed tutoring to bolster his grade. 'Hmm, maybe he won't ever be in the same grade as me, if he fails some classes. At least I have an excuse for that.'
Kagome heard a door slam shut, and her mom cry out, "Souta!" She hurried over to the table, where her mother was shaking her head and Gramps was muttering to himself. Feigning innocence, Kagome asked, "What happened?"
Mrs. Higurashi groaned, placing her head in her hands. "Now I have TWO children failing school. What am I going to do?" Guiltily, Kagome pretended to be fascinated with the floor. When she looked up, everyone had left.
'I guess I'll be eating alone tonight,' she thought gloomily, setting the rice down in front of her. She picked at it halfheartedly, checking the clock to see how much time had passed. Only five minutes had gone by. She decided that she wasn't hungry, and left the plate on the table. Walking slowly upstairs, she mentally moaned, thinking of all the homework she had to do. She had struggled through the math, and now had history and art homework.
Once inside her room, she flopped on her bed and stared moodily at the ceiling. 'I want to go back to the Sengoku Jidai. I want to be with Inuyasha.'
She vividly remembered the night of unbridled passions, the night of the first real step in their relationship. 'But nothing really changed. It's almost like… it never happened.'
He had told her he loved her, wanted to be with her forever. 'Did he mean that? Or was it all a lie?' She flipped over onto her stomach, hugging her pillow tightly. 'I love him so much. I want to be with him. Without Kikyo…'
The image of the undead priestess swam before her. 'If only Kikyo would die and go away forever!' Realizing what she had just thought, Kagome sat bolt upright, shocked. 'Am I… that horrendous?' She stared at her hands, as if they held all of her secrets inside. 'I shouldn't think this way! I shouldn't want her to die! But I do!' Falling back onto her pillow, Kagome began to cry softly, her sobs muffled by the cushion.
The house was silent, as if no one lived there. The wind rattled the windows, filling some of the silence, but not all of it. Enough so that, when Kagome stopped her tears, she could hear no one else, not even Gramps making his nightly rounds of the house.
'I guess I should do my homework. At least to do something to stop these horrendous thoughts.' Kagome got out her sketchbook, and looked at the assignment. 'Draw your idea of a perfect date. Remember to add you and your loved one too!'
Kagome began to draw, her hands moving the pencil of their own accord, as if they didn't belong to her. She watched as they drew her and Inuyasha, kissing, on a moonlit beach. 'It only it would be true…'
--
Kagome woke up suddenly, her sleep jarred by some indescribable nightmare. Only one thing was on her mind as she fumbled to pull the tangled sheets off her: School.
It was after she started putting on her socks that she realized it was Saturday. She fell back on her bad, falling once again into her nightmare.
"I love you, Inuyasha," Kagome purred, leaning in seductively to gently stroke his face. Her pulled back, disgusted. "I hate you, Kagome. You're a fool. I'm going back to Kikyo."
"Wh-what?" Kagome stammered. "You said you loved me!"
"I never did. Kikyo is much better than you will ever be." He smirked, showing his gleaming fangs. "You'll never be good enough for me." With that said, he strolled out, after throwing one last wicked smile in her direction.
Kagome sat, stunned. "Inuyasha? Inuyasha!"
Kagome awoke in a cold sweat, shaking. The dream had been so lifelike, so real. She could have sworn it was true. 'But it's not. He wouldn't do that.' Kagome tried to reassure herself. She pulled her knees up to her chest, rocking back and forth violently. 'He isn't like that. He loves me. I'm sure of it.' She still shook, frightened by it. She briefly considered going to her mom, but, remembering last night, she refrained from it.
'I'm fine. I can handle one little nightmare. I'm not a little girl who needs to be taken care of!' Kagome stood up resolutely, determined that she would not be swayed. She marched over to the door, and, flinging it open, screamed, "I will NOT be convinced by some stupid nightmare! I won't believe it! I can handle it!" She stood there, unmoving, until Souta cracked open his door. "Kagome?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
--
"Bye! I'll be home in a week or so!" Kagome called out, hefting her yellow backpack, dubbed "The Monster" by Souta, higher on her shoulders. She waved at the silent house, not expecting anyone to hear her. They were all still asleep, anyway.
She pushed her bag down the well, and hopped down after it, crossing through time and space until she felt herself land gently on the ground. Looking up, she saw two birds go flying by, twittering to themselves in high-pitched voices. She smiled. It was good to be back, even thought she was still doubtful about her relationship with Inuyasha.
Climbing unsteadily out of the well, she shaded her eyes and inspected the vicinity for anything out of the ordinary. Finding nothing, she sauntered down to the village, where most of the villagers were hard at work with the morning chores, even though it was barely dawn. She waved at a few of them, and they returned her greetings, before she made her way into Kaede's dimly lit hut.
She barely contained a giggle as she saw Sango and Miroku cuddled together, fast asleep, with Sango's head on Miroku's shoulder. Stepping carefully over a snoring Shippo, she set her bag down in a corner and made her way out again, determined to find Inuyasha.
She jogged to Inuyasha's Forest, hoping to spot him soon. By the time she got there, her heart was pounding against her chest, and her pants came out in white puffs in the cool morning air. She slowed to a walk, carefully checking each tree she passed for a tint of red or white. By the time she got to Goshinboku, her search had proved fruitless. She plopped down on the protruding roots and glanced up to the towering tree, its leafy boughs now covered with a thin layer of frost, a sure sign of winter.
The wind rushed pass, caressing her cheek with an icy touch before blowing past her, to swirl around the ancient Goshinboku behind her, causing the leaves to rustle and branches to creak. A few solitary leaves flittered past, surrounding Kagome in a multitude of dull, fading colors: red, orange, yellow, brow, and other, unnamed shades.
She rubbed her hands together, the flush in her face from running already vanishing, to be replaced with pale, cold flesh. She shivered, and fervently wished for a warmer jacket.
--
Inuyasha could feel the cold faintly, feel the leaves against his body. They weren't affecting him, not at all. He felt Kagome nearby, a presence that soothed his troubled mind, his tumulus thoughts disappearing for a moment, before returning- without as much clutter.
He perched in the tree he had chosen for the night, and listening to the normal sounds of the forest, the crackle of dry leaves, the occasional rodent scampering in front of him, intent on its prey, the trees that whispered comfort to him, that he ignored for the most part.
He was unsure about going to Kagome. He knew that she was uncomfortable around him, the way she stiffened when he came near, how she had avoided him since that night. He himself wasn't sure about their newfound love, preferring to love from afar.
Besides, he had a duty: to defeat Naraku and avenge Kikyo. He couldn't let anyone get in his way. He thumbed Tetsusaiga, pulling it slightly out of its sheath before replacing it again. His ultimate weapon, part of his method to defeat Naraku. Or, at least it would be part of his plan, when he thought of one.
For now, he would sit on this branch far above the ground where he could observe life undisturbed. He settled back, his back resting comfortably on the hard bark. He let his feet dangle, and crossed his arms, fully prepared to stay in that position for the rest of the morning.
But something disturbed him, made him sit up straight. That wench… Kagome. The one who he had promised to love and never let go. The one he was still hesitant about. He wondered if they were meant to be, fated to be together forever. A slight change in the earth's scent reminded him of the other woman. Kikyo. He had told himself that he didn't love her, but couldn't- refused- to let go of memories of sun-filled afternoons, when Kikyo was still alive. When he would secretly spy on her, watching as she taught young children the lore of herbs and performed her priestess duties.
'I was ready to become human for her. I was ready to live my life with her. What went wrong?' Naraku. Somehow he was always at the beginning of each misfortune. 'Kikyo…. There was a time when I would go to hell with you. Would I still go?' After an agonizing moment of deliberation, he said aloud, "Yes. I would. Nothing will change that."
But what about Kagome? 'I guess… I probably should go tell her.' Jumping off the tree he had been residing in, he ran over to her.
He saw her quivering with cold the moment he was in sight of her. Pretending he didn't noticed, he slouched over to her, where she immediately threw her arms around him
"Oh, Inuyasha, where were you? I was looking all over…" she continued to rant, hugging him closer and crying. She stayed like that for a few minutes, until she noticed Inuyasha. He wasn't hugging her back, or comforting her. No, all he was doing was standing there letting himself be hugged.
"Inuyasha? Is something wrong?" Kagome asked innocently. He shrugged, arms crossed. Kagome became suspicious, and, taking a step back, pointed a finger accusingly at him. "This doesn't have to do with Kikyo, does it?"
Inuyasha looked her straight in the eye, and decided that it would be better to tell her straight out. "Kagome, I realized… still do love Kikyo. I've made my decision." There. He had said it. Now he would wait to see what her reaction would be.
Kagome balled up her fists. "So… where does that leave us? What did you mean, then, by that night we spent together?"
"What the hell? It didn't mean anything. I was crazy to do something like that with you."
"You mean… you regret it?" Kagome asked, her heart clenching painfully. 'After all we went through… he didn't mean it…'
"Yes. Kagome, I'm going to go with Kikyo," Inuyasha said, almost regretfully.
"So you're going to throw your life away?! How can you do that?! We need you here!" Kagome now screamed, her voice high-pitched from fear and anger.
"No. You need me, Kagome. You're just a selfish brat, too naïve to understand anything that happened between me and Kikyo." Inuyasha counter-attacked, throwing her words back at her.
Kagome reeled back, as if she'd been hit. "How can you say that? I know what-"
"No, you don't! You just what me for yourself, and Kikyo to die! Admit it!"
Kagome subdued voice cut through his. "Yes, Inuyasha. I don't want you to throw your life away in this manner. I want to be with you."
Inuyasha's eyes flashed menacingly. "So, you expect me to follow your orders? Am I your puppy dog now, to obey your every command?"
"No, that's not it! I… just… love you," Kagome whispered. She had always imagined a romantic moment when she said those words, like that wonderful nighttime dream, but now the circumstances were much different. She hoped and prayed that he would see her reasoning.
"Well, I hate you, Kagome."
She gasped, looking up to meet those blazing golden eyes filled with hatred. Didn't he understand?
He matched over to her, and threw angry retorts at her, getting within striking range.
"I despise you. You will never be good enough for me. Go away, and never come back," he growled, pushing her in the general direction of the well. She stumbled back, frightened and fuming. 'I will not let him push me around like this!'
Defiantly, she strode back to him and pushed him back, snarling in his face, "I don't need you. You're an imbecile. You don't deserve to live. Go back to your dead love Kikyo."
He was livid with anger, ready to strike at the slightest insult. Kagome dimly realized this, in the far corner of her mind, but was too enraged to give it much thought.
"I hate you, you half-breed. That's all you are, a worthless hanyou who is only loved by someone who's dead."
Those words struck him like an anvil, crushing him at his weakest point. He jumped towards her, using his claws to tear defenseless flesh in a gaping wound to her stomach.
She looked down, watching the crimson blood flow sluggishly out and pool around her on the ground. The forest was silent as she fell over, hand pressed to her wound to staunch the stream of blood. Even though she was surprised, in a dazed kind of way, she somehow sensed that this would happen eventually.
Inuyasha turned around. "Crap. I shouldn't have done that." Guiltily taking one last look, he sped away, leaving Kagome to wait for death.
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A/N: Grr. Inuyasha is being annoying. Not for hurting Kagome. No, for being WAY too OOC. Actually, Kagome is too. I think she got hit on the head one too many times. Heh. I liked writing the beginning. That was fun.
Oh, I'm thinking of getting yet another new summary. So if you think of any ideas, please tell me!
Please remember to review!
