Well here is chapter 10. To JediK1 I would like to say…wow. I thought I got em all that time. Thanks for pointing that out. Truth be told I take everything the spellchecker says with a grain of salt but I still mess up a few times. And to everyone in general who reviewed I give a big thank you. Now on with the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha. I wish I did but I never will.
Kagome opened her eyes and promptly shut them again. She groaned rubbing her face. "Bright" she murmured. The sun had nearly blinded her.
"Kagome?" asked somebody.
Kagome looked up and peed through one eye to see the outline of Inu-Yasha's face hovering over her. "Hi Inu-Yasha" she muttered closing her eyes.
"Is Kagome awake?" asked Sango.
Kagome winced at the sound of his voice. "Don't yell Sango" she said quietly sitting up and scratching her head.
"I didn't yell," said Sango just as loudly as before.
Kagome peeked out again and looked at the other girl. "Right" she said slowly.
Kagome heard Sango get up and walk over. Wait thought Kagome ever her footsteps are louder then they should be. Kagome opened her eyes all the way and looked at the other girl who stopped cold. Kagome's eyes had adjusted by now but it was still pretty bright.
"Kagome" gasped Sango, "your eyes".
"What…?" began Kagome before remembering her dream. She jumped up causing Inu-Yasha to loose his grip on her and fell over backwards.
"Hey" grunted Inu-Yasha indignantly but Kagome was busy rummaging through her backpack. "Ah here it is" she said pulling out a mirror. When she looked in it, it wasn't her that stared back. Well it was but… she was different. Her ears came to a point now and the pupils in her eyes were slitted. Kagome dropped the mirror and felt at the sides of her head to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She wasn't. Her ears where pointed.
Kagome stumbled back and Inu-Yasha caught her before she fell. "It wasn't a dream" she said weakly.
"What's going on…?" said Miroku sitting up and scratching his head but he froze when he saw Kagome. "Kagome" he stuttered.
Shippo noticed to and was just staring gape jawed. Kagome was feeling very self-conscious by now and backed away from Inu-Yasha. "What? She snapped at everyone making them flinch.
Realising how she must of looked just then Kagome hung her head. "I'm sorry" she whispered.
Inu-Yasha moved to comfort her but she flinched away again. "I'm sorry" said Kagome again before turning and running off way faster then she should have been able to.
"Kagome" shouted Inu-Yasha taking off after her, "wait!"
888
Kagome shoved the branches scratching at her away as she ran. It was harder to control now. The demon growing inside her was becoming stronger and she was more scared then ever. She knew Inu-Yasha was following her but she ignored him. She didn't want to think of any of her friends right now. She just wanted to find somewhere to be alone.
Kagome burst from the forest into a clearing with a small river running through it. She walked up to a pool of calm water that had formed next to the river and looked at her reflection. The face of a demon stared back at her. She swatted the water destroying her reflection and looked down at the bandages around her midsection. The wound didn't hurt any more and she tore the bandages off showing several pink scars that were already fading.
"How do you do it Inu-Yasha?" she asked.
Upon hearing his name Inu-Yasha came out of the forest to stand next to Kagome.
"Do what?" he asked, though he had a pretty good idea of what she meant.
"What you are" she said, "How do you handle it?"
Inu-Yasha smiled sadly. "For most of my life I didn't" he admitted. "I held a hatred for what I was. To some extent I still do".
"Then what did you do?" asked Kagome, tears beginning to run down her face.
"I don't know," said Inu-Yasha, "for the longest time I merely survived. I didn't have anyone to help me". As he was saying this Inu-Yasha took hold of Kagomes shoulders and turned her to face him. She looked away but Inu-Yasha took her chin in his hand and turned her face toward his. "Your different" he said to her, "you have people that care about you". He used his other hand to wipe away her tears. "You aren't alone Kagome," he said.
Kagome looked into Inu-Yasha's eyes and knew he was telling the truth. None of her friends would ever abandon her. She threw herself into Inu-Yasha's arms and hugged his as hard as she could.
Inu-Yasha didn't say anything more. He just wrapped his arms around Kagome doing his best to comfort her.
888
Kouga skidded to a halt in the ruins of the shrine. He sniffed the air and growled. "The mutts brother was here" he said when Ginta and Hakkaku ran up beside him.
"You sure Kouga?" said Ginta sniffing the air himself.
"Yes," said Kouga going to where Inu-Yasha and his friends had said the jewel shard had been. He sniffed around following Inu-Yasha's brother's scent to the wall with the relief of the lion on it. "Doesn't mean anything to me" he grunted circling around the wall.
That was when he spotted the writing on the wall. He bent over and examined it. It was jibberish to him. It was written in some strange dialect that he had never seen before so it probably had nothing to do with Kagome. "Did you find anything you two?" shouted Kouga.
Ginta shouted a negative but Hakkaku's head popped up from behind one of the wall's and he shouted "I think so".
Kouga and Ginta walked over to find Hakkaku examining some kind of stone slab. It was obviously some kind of tomb or crypt. "Good work Hakkaku" grunted Kouga, "lets have a look". The trio griped the edges of the slab and heaved. It slid aside revealing a staircase. The three went down to have a look.
At the bottom of the stairs there was a small room and on a raised pedestal there lay the remains of something. Kouga walked up and examined the remains. It had been a demon all right. Fangs protruded from the jaw and the ends of its fingers where tipped with claws. It was wearing a tattered black robe and in its right hand it clutched a tarnished silver staff tipped with a lions head. And inscription on the side of the pedestal read, 'I have died and only in death do I realize the error of my ways. I promise that one day I shall return and attempt to redeem myself so my soul can be free'.
Kouga considered this and at length signalled his companions. "Come" he said, "there isn't anything else here". The trio went back outside and replaced the stone before leaving.
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Sesshoumaru walked into the cave tensaiga had led him to. For whatever reason the sword had insisted he come here before tracking down his brother. In the cave he found and old man leaning on a gnarled old walking stick made out of a tree branch. The man's one good eye perpetually swivelled this way and that. "You have come at last" cackled the old man "I have been expecting you".
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "Then you should know why I am here," he said.
"Yes, yes, getting to that I was" babbled the old man. Sesshoumaru was sure the old coot was a bit senile because at that point he paused and got a blank look on his face. The strange look abruptly disappeared though and the man eyed Sesshoumaru again. "Sword led you here yes?" he said indicating the tensaiga.
Sesshoumaru nodded.
"I thought as much. Sword is very wise. Your father was very wise in leaving it to you. Only you can unleash its full potential. But not even the sword of the fang you carry can make a difference in the conflicts to come. Not even its full potential matters. You understand yes?"
"What are you saying old man?" asked Sesshoumaru.
The man's eyes twinkled showing an understanding that contradicted his insane nature. "Sword is only a guide this time. Can only show you the path. You must walk it. Or not walk it should it not be yours. Even if it is not yours though it will cross yours. What to do at the crossings is your decision despite the council that the sword offers. Know this though. Ultimately it is not your journey. Or yours depending on what it chooses to show".
Sesshoumaru nodded at the old man. "Anything else?" he asked before leaving.
"Only this" said the old man, "much blood will be spilt before this is over".
Sesshoumaru nodded again and left.
The old man muttered to himself as he headed back into the cave to take a nap. "Yes" he muttered to himself, "Much blood".
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Miroku looked up and smiled when he saw Inu-Yasha and Kagome come back walking hand in hand. "I trust you are feeling better?" he asked.
Kagome let go of Inu-Yasha and nodded.
"That's good to hear," said Sango. Kilala was still looking at Kagome suspiciously though.
Shippo ran up and hopped onto Kagome's shoulder. "I'm happy you're feeling better" he said, then giggled when he looked at her clothes.
"What?" asked Kagome blinking.
"You need some new cloths," he said holding back a laugh.
Kagome blushed furiously when she looked down at her shirt. If that demon's claws had been one inch higher it would have got embarrassing and her run through the bushes hadn't helped matters either.
"Here" said Inu-Yasha holding out his haori, "use this for now"
Kagome accepted it gratefully and put it on right away.
Shippo wrinkled his nose trying not to laugh. "What is it Shippo?" asked Kagome.
"You look like Inu-Yasha," said the kitsune finally giving in to fits of laughter.
Everyone stood there looking stunned before they burst out laughing to. For the first time in days it seemed the dreary mood had been lifted.
Author's notes
Well that's it. It's past midnight now so I'm going to get some sleep. The group should meet up with either Kagura or Sesshoumsaru in chapter 11 or 12
