Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha... That's it. Were you expecting something funny?
Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been busy, and I mean really busy. Plus, this chapter was hard to write. After all, I couldn't think of what to put in.
Thank you to the reviewers (you know who you are). You made my day.
Turn around and Count to Four
by Usagi Kurari
Chapter 2: The memorial service.
Kagome was told how beautiful the service was. The guests told her that her mother had gone up to speak, and even her uncle, who she had not seen since her father's death, had gone up. She took their word for it, but didn't care much. Throughout the entire service, she had been lost in thought. She prayed silently to herself, and directed it up to heaven, where her father was now presumably residing.
However, she did remember one thing that happened. During the service, somebody came down and sat beside her. The person placed a hand on her shoulder, which was kept there for comfort. Kagome looked, and saw Hojo. She didn't know what to say to him.
"Hojo. What are you doing here?" she said, a little surprised.
"I just came to pay my respects," he said. "After all, my dad and your dad were friends."
Kagome had nearly forgotten that.
"I'm sorry Kagome," he continued. "I know what it's like to lose somebody you love."
Kagome nodded, understanding completely. His mother had walked out on him and his dad when he was younger, and he hadn't heard from her since.
"I have to go. Bye Kagome. Hopefully I'll see you in school," and Hojo got up and walked out of the church. That was the only part of the service Kagome really remembered.
After the service, she asked her mom if she could leave. Kagome didn't want to stay for the after-party. Her mom agreed, and Kagome left the church as soon as the service was over, and she had gotten past all of her relatives.
She walked out into the parking lot, and to her mother's car. With keys in hand, she unlocked the door, stepped inside, and stuck them into the ignition. (She had gotten her driver's licence the summer before.) Kagome fixed the rearview mirror, and slowly pulled out of the church parking lot, and into the streets of Tokyo.
Tokyo was always busy, and there was traffic most of the time. However, luckily, it was a Wednesday morning, and most people were either in work, or in school. After stopping at a traffic light on every corner and getting stuck in a couple of traffic jams, she made it home. Kagome made sure she locked the car, and went inside.
As soon as she stepped inside, a familiar purring reached her ears. Kagome looked down, and spotted Buyo, the family cat. The fat feline was walking in and out of Kagome's legs, and rubbing against her ankles. His owner bent down to pet him, but immediately got up and continued on.
Kagome walked into the kitchen, where she left her backpack, and picked it up. She slung it over her shoulder, and with much effort, hauled it up the stairs and into her room. After unpacking, she flopped down on her bed, and fell asleep.
Inuyasha sat uneasily by the well, his head resting on the edge. There was something bothering Kagome, and he knew it. She wouldn't have gone home if there wasn't. He knew that Kagome didn't have a test, so what was it?
Inuyasha was feeling inpatient and restless. He needed to know. So, without hesitation, he stood up and jumped into the well, where he was met by a familiar blue light surrounding him. He floated in its ecstacy for a little, before hitting solid ground again. Inuyasha looked up to see not the night sky, but a wooden ceiling. He kneeled down, and with a powerful leap, landed out of the well, and into the well house. He quickly rushed outside and up to the main house. He looked up to Kagome's room, and saw the light on. Taking that as a sign that Kagome was home, he jumped to her window sill.
To his disappointment, Kagome was laying on her bed fast asleep. "Dammit," he muttered softly to himself. He turned around, and was about to leave, when he heard a rustling coming from Kagome's room. He jerked around, expecting danger, but was only met by Kagome's sleeping form. He turned around again, but something else stopped him this time.
"Don't go Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. Inuyasha turned around, expecting Kagome to be awake, but found out she was still sleeping. She's talking in her sleep, he thought. About me.
Inuyasha jumped gently down from the windowsill onto Kagome's carpeted floor, and walked over to her bed. She was obviously dreaming. Sweat dripped down from her temples and her eyes were clenched closed as tight as they could. Her teeth were gritted together and her hands were together.
"Help Inuyasha," she whispered. "Help me."
Inuyasha stared wide-eyed at the girl on the bed. What was she dreaming about? Without thinking, Inuyasha grabbed one of Kagome's hands and held it in between both of his. He stroked the back with one of his thumbs, hoping to calm her.
Kagome shifted a little, but still remained asleep. Sweat was still pouring down from her face, but in larger quantities. Inuyasha didn't know what to do. He just sat by her bedside, and whispered in her ear.
"I'm right here Kagome," he said. "You're safe."
As if Kagome heard him, she became less tense. She sighed–in relief supposedly– and relaxed. He even swore he saw her eyes flicker open for a brief moment. Inuyasha was relieved. He let go of her hand, and sat down on the floor. He leaned his elbows on the mattress, and rested his head in his hands. I hope she's okay he thought to himself. What was she dreaming about anyway?
Kagome glanced around her room, whimpering softly to herself as she did so. In each corner, there were hunched figures, pools of a dark liquid spread about their bodies. She did not want to see who they were, but wanted to at the same time.
A smoky, dense fog surrounded her, erasing her room, but leaving the figures in their exact places.
Kagome was scared. She had to get out of this purgatory, and get back to Inuyasha. She knew that he would protect her. She ran to every corner of the space, looking for an exit, but finding none. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a bright light. Kagome turned around and faced it. As seconds passed, the light became brighter, and a golden form started to take shape. Suddenly, the light died, and in its place stood a familiar young girl. A small girl with long raven-colored hair, hugging a stuffed cat.
Oh my god, It's me! Kagome gasped. She stood still, watching what the younger version of herself would do, but she just stood there.
"What do you want?" Kagome asked, terrified.
The younger Kagome turned around and pointed to the first figure. Obeying, the older Kagome walked over to it. She then realized it was a hump covered in a blue blanket. What's the hump? Kagome thought to herself.
"Take it off," the younger her said. Kagome couldn't help but obey. With a shaky hand, she reached out and yanked the blanket off.
A bloody Miroku lay in a slumped position. His covered hand was uncovered, and where the wind tunnel usually was, was a large bloody hole. Two bloody hand prints were printed on each cheek, and his hair was in tangles, and his clothes in shreds.
"No," Kagome whispered. Soon, the other figures uncovered themselves. A bloody Sango lay in one corner, and a bloody Shippo lay in another, nestled with a dead Kirara.
"No no no," Kagome repeated, backing up slowly away. "This isn't supposed to happen. Inuyasha, help!" She took a deep breath and shouted, "They're dead, they're all dead! Inuyasha!"
But as we all can figure out, Inuyasha didn't come. Nightmares don't work that way.
Kagome turned towards the little her, and walked up to her. "Why does this happen?" she cried.
Suddenly, the girl's eyes started to glow a bright and eerie shade of red. Kagome backed away as she saw her younger self transform before her very eyes. In an instant, she was no longer a little girl, but the person that Kagome most feared and hated; a "man" in white baboon garb.
Naraku.
"You're dead," she said, backing up slowly. "You can't be alive. We defeated you."
"No, no, no my dear Kagome," Naraku replied in a cold and dead-like voice. His voice sent chills up Kagome's spine. "This is only the beginning." An arm stretched out from underneath the costume, and soared to Kagome's neck.
"Inuyasha, help me."
Suddenly, Kagome felt the grip on her neck loosen, and all the commotion gone. She opened her eyes, and glanced around. She was floating, surrounded by blue and purple splendor. She was inside the well?
"I'm right here Kagome," she heard a voice say. It was Inuyasha! "You're safe."
"Where are you?"
Kagome's eyes flickered open, looking up into deep golden orbs staring back at her.
I think I'm going to stop it there. I could really go on, but I've already procrastinated too much already. R&R pleez!
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Usagi Kurari
