The Race For Kagome
By: LadySol
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I think this goes without saying, I don't own Inuyasha and Co. although I do own the good ol' boyz Korii, Mael, and Kentai. You may borrow them if you so wish, I'll I require is recognition, so don't go stealin' and claimin' em as yerz! Got that!? Umm, okay point made. Anyway, enjoy the ficcy.
I can't believe we're back here. Kagome's thoughts were a quiet whisper in her mind. It was as if she didn't want to think too loud, like someone might overhear her. Kagome hide the small smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"With all the things I've seen I wouldn't be surprised." Kagome stared at the entrance to the cave, knowing full well what was inside, and yet still feeling that familiar tug of curiosity. Somewhere deep inside the shadowed corners was none other than Midoriko. If it hadn't been for her, Kagome would've never come here-to this place or time. Kagome's feelings about the Mother of the Sacred Jewel were very mixed indeed.
After all, Kagome was a teenager. Turning seventeen soon as a matter of fact. According to her watch it was 12:24 p.m. in her time. She should be at school right now, eating lunch with her friends and maybe sitting next to Hojo. Kagome was a smart girl, she had been easily acing all of her classes until her sophomore year when she was pulled into the well. Kagome gave a small huff. Now where was she? Five hundred years in the past with dirty clothes, shoes that looked like they were about to fall apart any minute, numerous scratches and cuts, filthy hair, failing marks in all her classes back home, and more people then she could count after her life. Every time she thought about it she wanted to cry. Home. The word hadn't seemed this beautiful until she needed it.
Kagome sighed, letting the small sound be carried away by the warm breeze. There was only one reason that kept her rooted to the spot. That reason was Inuyasha. Kagome let people, even Inuyasha himself, believe that she felt obligated to stay because essentially she was the one the destroyed the Jewel in the first place. Kagome was positive that that was probably the biggest lie she'd ever told in her life. Kagome could easily justify returning to her time and never coming back. She could say 'I'm from the future and the future is fine, so whatever was supposed to happen in the past happened. It's not my place to mess with anything.' Inuyasha was the tried and true reason she stayed. She stayed for his smiles. The secret little smiles he gave her after she'd done good in a battle, or when it was just the two of them, or even when he'd tease her in front of the group. It was those smiles that reminded Kagome of the reason she kept fighting, kept hoping, kept dreaming.
But, now those smiles were becoming fewer and farther in-between then ever before. The only smiles he gave her now were mocking and cruel. Miroku and Sango didn't notice. The relationship between the lecherous priest and the demon slayer was becoming increasingly more obvious. Shippo had been left with Kaede back at her village at soon as Miroku even hinted that the final battle might be arriving soon.
At first Kagome had blamed it on the lack of Jewel Shards on their hunts, but now she wasn't so sure. Kagome had looked forward to sleep every night because when she slept, all the barriers between herself and Inuyasha didn't exist. It was just him holding her. Him kissing her. It was so soft and gentle Kagome was sure it was an angel that held her in her dreams instead of the outspoken Hanyou. Then the smiles stopped. The dreams followed shortly after. Her drive to fight lost its hold over and it was reflected in her aim. That earned her her own personalized set of curses from Inuyasha more than once. Her hope began to died with her dreams.
Kagome looked around, mildly surprised at her surroundings. She had been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn't noticed that she'd walked right into Midoriko's cave. Speak of the devil-er- Priestess. Kagome's teary brown eyes roamed over Midoriko's stone features. The look on her face, Kagome just couldn't place it. It was as if the priestess was caught somewhere between torment and pure contentment.
"Oh, Midoriko, what a contradiction you are." Kagome found herself wading through the mass of the stone-frozen demons that surrounded the first of her destiny. Kagome sat herself at Midoriko's feet. Looking up as if she were a lost child, Kagome couldn't help the confessions that spilled from her lips.
"I was sure I was in love with Inuyasha. I was so sure of it. Now the only thing I'm sure of it that I'm unsure. I mean, how can someone you love make you feel this horrible? We came back to this place because so far we haven't found any new Jewel Shards and I don't think any of us are ready to admit that the only thing left is Naraku and the Shards he holds." Kagome choked back a sob as she felt the bridge of her nose begin to sting with warning of the tears that would surely follow.
"We came back here to see if we could find any Shards we'd missed. What if we loose? I know Inuyasha will be fighting him, but so will Kouga, and possibly Sesshomaru too. What if one of them dies? Sesshomaru's not such a bad guy, I mean if he takes care of Rin all the time there's some good in him, right?" Kagome looked up, half expecting a response, only feeling disappointed when she received nothing. So she continued talking.
"And Kouga, don't even get me started there! Kouga's sweet six ways from Sunday. He even brought me flowers once, you know? I've never had anyone give me flowers before, not even Hojo. I wished it was Inuyasha that was giving me them. Ever since then I've been seeing the men around me in a different light. It's like Inuyasha has faded into the background and is disappearing, no matter how badly I want him in the spotlight with me." That's when the tears began rolling.
"I feel like I've lost my best friend and I don't know what to do!" Kagome flung her arms around Midoriko's legs, burying her face from sight.
"I'm so scared. I don't know how to handle this! I'm only seventeen! Why am I so alone in this? Why?!" Kagome was so distracted by the torrent of emotions sweeping through her fragile body that she failed to notice the twinkling blue light that began to seep from the stone woman's eyes, which at some point had opened.
"Please...Help me." Kagome thought her cries lost and vain. She wasn't even sure she heard correctly.
"It will be done." Kagome looked up just in time to see the blue light erupt and engulf the entire cave. She did what any person in her position would do. She screamed.
