A/N: Roku here, everyone's favorite foxy wolf! Well, here is Chapter Two. Sorry for the delay, but I carefully think out a chapter for writing. I usually write from the inside out, starting from the middle and working my way. I usually write as an idea comes to me. So please, I know this chapter may not be that great, despite the work I put into it, but I have to get through all of the introductions and pre-story to get to the best parts. Please, bear with me and read. I guarantee you, you will NOT be disappointed as the story goes on. It become much more deep, intense, and I hope you loyal readers have faith in me, because you will be rewarded in Chapters 3 and 4, where I unleash the first pieces of work I am proud of. From there, things get interesting. Please read and enjoy the fruit of my labors. Please review, constructive comments please. I am working very hard on this. I hope it goes in the right direction.
CHAPTER 2 - True Colors
"She seems to be okay now." said Kaede, who had cleaned up the creature's wound, as Kagome bandaged it.
"Do you think she'll wake up soon?" Kagome asked
"Certainly. Speak of the demon, she's coming to now."
Kagome watched the creature's eyes flutter open. She moaned a little, drowsiness in her eyes. She looked at Kagome, shocked and confused. She tried to get up, tried to struggle away. But she fell weakly. Kagome and Kaede restrained her.
"No, it's okay! We're not going to hurt you! We're friends!" Kagome shouted, but the creature took to no avail.
"The shards...get them away from me! Humans get away!" she shouted, and Kagome backed away from her, and as she did, the creature calmed down, breathing heavily. She looked at them through squinted eyes.
"Please..." Kagome begged, "We mean you no harm. These shards are okay now that I have them, see?" Kagome held up the shard capsule, and as she did so, they began to glow. The creature's eyes softened a little.
"Those shards...you have purified them. You are right, I believe you." said the creature.
"See? We're not you enemies. But... who are you?"
"I...my name is...Roku." she replied
"Roku, hmm? Well, pleased to meet you, then." Kagome replied
"I'm...sorry if I scared you back there. I wasn't really going to hurt you. I was just acting. I just wanted the shards." Roku said
"The shards?" Kagome asked, "Why did you want them?"
"Well..." Roku began "It's kind of a long story. When I saw you through the forest I sensed the shards right away. I thought you might have been a demon, since they can disguise in human form. You saw the shard in my side, keeping me from collapsing. But it was also driving me crazy, the power within engulfed me, and I had to struggle to not be overcome. I have seen what the jewel can do, and if it's in the wrong hands, I don't even want to think about what'll happen."
"We're on a journey..." Kagome said, "To gather up all the shards. In fact, I was the one who shattered it accidentally. Inuyasha, Shippo, Kirara, Miroku, Sango and I have been traveling together to obtain them, fighting demons along the way."
Kagome told Roku the story of how she was the reincarnation of Kikyou, and how it was she that could sense the shards and purify them. She also told Roku about Naraku, and why they were after him on the journey. Roku nodded in approval.
Shortly after, the others came into the house to check on things. To their surprise, everything was going smoothly. A strange silence hung in the room, as the companions didn't really know what to say around the new stranger. However, it did not last long, as Roku even stood up and walked outside (With a bit of stumbling, of course!) The others followed her out once more after Kagome explained to them what had happened. Kagome however was still in deep thought about all that had happened that day, and what was happening now.
Kagome was amazed at how gentle Roku was. The creature that she conversed with was nothing like the monster that had attacked her. Roku seemed trustworthy, and Kagome felt it strongly. Inside the house, Inuyasha walked up to her, and his eyes looked as if they were remembering a distance voice.
"Kagome... I know her name..." he said mysteriously, as if he himself did not believe it.
"Yeah, she told me. It's Roku."
"No..." said Inuyasha "She didn't tell me. I just knew."
"Why?" asked Kagome "Do you know her or something?"
"I...don't know. I can't remember, but I kind of do. Confusing, feh."
Kagome and Inuyasha both walked outside. Sango and Miroku sat a distance away, watching Roku. She sat with her back turned to them, in deep thought. She turned to Inuyasha as he emerged.
"You've grown well, Inuyasha. I am happy with what I see. But I'm not surprised you don't remember me."
"Roku. You know me, don't you?" Inuyasha asked
"Yes..." she said "More than you can know. Stories from the past you do not understand yet, but soon will."
"How?" he asked "What are you pulling? Spit it out!" he demanded
"Inuyasha!" Kagome stopped him
"No!" he said back "I have to know. Tell me. Tell me how you know me, and why you're here."
"I can't tell you..." said Roku "Not yet."
"What do you me..." but Inuyasha was cut off again.
"Inuyasha, she's really weak..." Kagome said "Just let her alone."
Inuyasha glared at Roku, and with a loud "Feh", went back into Kaede's house, but popped his head out again.
"We can't stay here long. If she had a shard, another demon around there probably will. Can't take any chances."
Although Kagome was a little mad at Inuyasha's impatience, she had to admit he was right. Nine times out of ten, when you found one jewel shard, another wasn't far off. Kagome asked them to try and make Inuyasha relax a little. They followed him, hopefully to calm his spirits with some food!
Kagome sighed a little. She turned to Roku. "I'm really sorry. Don't mind him..." she explained "He's like this sometimes. He really is a nice guy!"
Roku smiled softly, her eyes still distant and sad, and turned away. She almost seemed struggling to find the words she needed to say. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure..." said Kagome "Anything."
"Well...you see...the thing is...I don't really know how to explain this to you...but I want to join you all on your journey. I want to help Inuyasha, all of you, to get the shards back."
"Why?" Kagome asked
"I have my reasons." Roku stated in a final fact way. There was nothing more to be said.
Kagome walked back into the house, where the whole gang was conversing and sharing some tea that Kaede had made previously.
"Guys..." Kagome said a little nervous, as her companions looked up to her questioningly "Roku asked if she could join us."
"No!" came a shout from Inuyasha "NO way! Kagome, we don't even know her! We can't trust her!"
The group looked to each other with the same doubt as Kagome. How could they trust her if she wanted the jewel? That was enough reason to turn even the kindest soul away.
"He does have a point. Why does she want to come for the shards anyway? And how does she know Inuyasha?" asked Miroku
"I don't know. I can't figure it out, and Roku's not talking. But I sense there is good in her, and we can't just leave her all alone and wounded. She seems kind hearted deep down."
"Yeah, and then she'll turn on us and steal the shards!" Inuyasha barked "We can't trust anyone anymore, not during these times."
Kagome looked down, just as puzzled as the others "Well, she had good intentions for taking the jewel away. She thought I was a demon, you know? She obviously knows the power the jewel holds, and I think if she did have evil intentions, that shard she had with her would have been tainted. There was nothing impure about it at all."
"But we still can't tell what she's gonna do." Shippo piped in "Don't get me wrong, but wolves aren't exactly the most..."
"Trustworthy of demons..." Sango finished
"Ah yes..." Kaede said, as she entered the house with a basket of vegetables, and the floorboards squeaking as she walked. She sat down between Inuyasha and Miroku, and began to prepare some vegetables to be cooked into a stew "But then again, she is half fox demon. Young Shippo here is a fox demon, and you obviously trust him, do ye not? Perhaps Roku can be trusted, but then again, perhaps not. Ye all should figure out your own answers. Get to know her and see."
"Keh..." Inuyasha pouted "The last thing I need to know is how we'll get turned on by a mangy wolf. If you ask me, we should just leave without her. Even if she did have the right reasons for wanting the jewel, we have no proof that she's not cheating us. A trait that foxes seem to have mastered quite well..."
"Hey, since when have I cheated you?" Shippo demanded, a frown on his kitsune face "Foxes aren't the tricksters made out to be, you know! Illusion is just to make your enemy afraid!"
"More like amused..." Inuyasha laughed
"Well you can just shove..."
Kagome clapped her hands quite loudly "Come on, you guys! We have to find out what we're going to do here, or we will waste time!"
The circle sat in silence once again, confused as much, if not more, than before. Inuyasha laid back on the ground.
"Well..." said Miroku "I think I agree with Lady Kaede. If we can trust her, she would be of valuable assistance on our journey. An extra fighter could give us an advantage, if she was on our side."
Sango nodded in approval "Let's see what we can learn about her. Watch her closely, make sure she doesn't do anything suspicious."
"Well, I just hope we don't waste time. We can't forget our objectives first. A mangy demon is not our first concern." Inuyasha said "The last thing we need is an extra burden on everything else."
"But Inuyasha, you can't deny Miroku's point. An extra companion would help us tons." Kagome replied "We need all the help we can get."
Inuyasha, finally realizing the vote was outnumbered, sighed heavily
"Well, tonight and tomorrow morning. But that's it. We can't lag behind, or we'll lose Naraku's trail." And all was silent as the group prepared to eat the steaming soup Kaede had been preparing as they conversed.
Finally, a treaty was made. Tonight and the morning, and then they would see if Roku would show her true colors.
As the sun set onto the horizon and darkness stretched its hands across the land, so did the suspicions upon Roku.
Her "trial" was beginning, and although Roku did not know it, she was being watched at all times by many eyes. Roku still did not trust these people. How could she? But deep down she sensed a goodness in them all she had not seen in any other for years...oh yes, years and years. They flew by so quickly, yet Roku looked unchanged in her appearance.
As the fires began outside and in, to cook late meals and serve hot tea, Roku curled up by a distant tree by Kaede's house. She did not wander far. Alone and wounded was not a position she desired. Besides, these people rescued her, so she owed them that, anyway.
The sun was almost set over the horizon, and Roku watched the last glimpse of light disappear below the horizon as the moon began to rise and stars dotted the sky. Her eyes followed the stars, recognizing familiar constellations from her past. Oh, how stars can bring back memories to you.
Kagome watched Roku through the door crack. She had been there for some time, observing Roku. She didn't seem suspicious. In fact, she seemed very kind and gentle, so unlike the creature had seen. Roku observed everything around her, always keen to every noise, every little sight of front of her. Kagome even thought her large ears were cute. So much like Inuyasha's, only quadrupled in size.
Kagome had been on watch duty long enough. She was about to turn in for the night when she heard a screeching sound, almost like an animal was dying. She flew her sight back to Roku, and saw an almost horrifying sight.
A tiny baby bird was collapsed on her forehead. It must have fell from the canopy above. After all, it was spring, and the time for all birds to lay eggs.
"Oh no..." was Kagome's first thought "I can't watch this...she's gonna kill it..." Kagome almost leaped out of the house to try and save the tiny infant bird, featherless and scrawny, but she never got the chance.
Roku noticed the tiny baby immediately. She rolled him down onto her muzzle, and then, stretching as far as she could, stood up on her hind legs, balancing the bird on her nose, and on the first branch up, set it back into the nest. Then, Roku lay back down, a smile on her face, and continued staring intensely at the fiery flames.
Kagome almost was in disbelief. Roku had fangs, claws, was bigger than a fox, yet she spared the life of a baby she could have easily done otherwise. Only a kind soul, like herself, or Sango, would ever do a thing such as that.
That was it. Kagome was sure of it now Roku was trustworthy. She just hoped her friends would believe it, too. But the time for thinking was cut short. Kagome felt the tired bags under her eyes, and knew she needed her rest. She walked back to her bed on the floor, next to Inuyasha, who was on the other side of the doorway, sitting up in his sleeping position. Kagome curled up near him. It felt so safe, so warm, to be by his side. His earthly scent filled her nostrils, and she felt content and at ease, and soon was fast asleep.