Chapter Two-The Locket

The next morning, Inuyasha woke Saraku up early. He was going into the village for the day,and he wanted to take her to see Sango and Miroku, like he promised. "Come on. We have to be there early. I promised Kaede I'd be there early."

"Okay okay, I'm u p." Saraku scowled. This was supposed to be her vacation, and o n her other vacations, she had slept in. "Can I at least eat breakfast, Uncle Inuyasha?"

"No time. Grab a bag of dried potatoes from Kagome, and let's go." Inuyasha left her at the bedroll, and went to prepare their daily pack. "Besides, I'm sure Sango and Miroku already have breakfast made for us."

"Right..." Sara took a bag from Kagome, and followed Inuyasha. She called over her shoulder. "I'll see you later, Kagome."

"Alright.." Kagome sighed, watching the two disappear. Then it hit her. She should be with them. "Wait! I'm coming too!" She raced after them to catch up, careful not to go too fast, lest it upset her sto mach. She hated morning sickness enough already.

"Well, then come on!" Inuyasha shook his head. She shouldn't be running her condition! I have to get this palace built, and soon! He let his mate catch up, as they saw Shippou ahead.

"Shippou!" Saraku ran to greet her best friend. "It's been far too many moons!"

"You said it!" Shippou grabbed her hand, and the two friends raced into the village ahead of Kagome and Inuyasha. "How is everything with Sesshoumaru?"

"It's fair. Rin left to become a wise woman of some village,so now it's just me, Jakken and Lord Sesshoumaru. I miss her."

"Why don't you start studying medicine and magic too?" Shippou suggested. "It wouldn't be a ba d idea. Kaede's in need of an apprentice."

"An apprentice of Lady Kaede? Me? I don't know....." Saraku frowned in thought. "I'd have to stay indefinitely."

"Would that be such a bad thing, Small One?" It was Miroku who spoke up as the friends approached the hut the monk shared with his wife and daughter.

"Miroku!" Saraku hugged him tightly. She immediately ran inside to see Sango. "Sango! Oh, you're expecting another one! And look at little Chibi- ibi !" She picked the baby up. "You're so big!"

"Raku!" Chibi hugged her elder friend gently,giggling. " 'taying ?"

"For a while, yes." Saraku smiled, looking to Sango. "Are you well?"

"I'm fine. Thanks. There's fish over there on the pit. You can help yourself." And she did. Saraku sat down beside the ex-exterminator. "Everyone thinks I should become an apprenti ce to Kaede."

"What do you think?" Sango asked her, studying her with a mother's eyes. "You're old enough to choose your life's meaning now."

"I don't know....I'd have to stay indefinitely, and I don't think Lord Sesshoumaru would like that too much. He's already lost Rin."

"Losing people is a part of life even for a demon." Miroku responded as he settled down beside Saraku. "We know eventually Chibi and our forthcoming child will each choose their own paths. It's the hardest part of being a parent,and it's not meant to be easy. However, what Sesshoumaru wants should not matter to you anymore. You need to take a look at what you want."

"Miroku's right." Kagome poked her head into the hut. "Hey guys."

"Come on in, Kagome. How are you feeling?" Sango asked, reaching for a te a cup. "Inuyasha told us the morning sickness is just awful for you."

"It is." Kagome sat down opposite the trio, and accepted the herbal tea Sango offered. "But it should be almost over. I hope anyway."

Saraku was playing with Chibi, when she noticed the locket dangling from Kagome's neck. "What's that, Kagome?"

Kagome took it off, and held it gently. "It was a gift from my mother when I turned eighteen." She sighed. Shippou,who was sitting beside her put a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe in time she'll decide that your happiness is all that matters again..." The young fox demon sighed , just as sad as Kagome. "I know I would want my mother to, if she was still alive."

"Did you talk to y our brother Souta about it?" Sango asked now, remembering a recent conversation with the girl.

"I tried. But Souta's got his own problems. He's just discovered a whole different side of girls, and he's not liking it too much." Kagome smiled a little. "I told him he'd find a girl he'll be happy with, but he kinda raspberried me.

"Boys at tha t age have always been a mystery to me." Sango admitted with a slight chuckle.

"My mother had a locket like that..." Saraku returned to the topic they'd been previously discussing.

"Oh!" Kagome took something out of her pocket now, and passed it to Saraku. "Is that it?"

"Yes...." Saraku ran her fingers over the locket, as tears sprung into her eyes. "I.......Sometimes,I miss her so much. But I can barely remember her at all. Does that make me a bad person, Kagome?"

"No! Of course not. You were young when she died, and so much has happened to you since then..." Kagome moved slowly to sit beside Saraku now. "Why don't you open it?" Kagome herself had yet to open the locket. She'd never felt right about doing it without Saraku.

"Okay..." Saraku opened the locket, and gasped. Inside it was an inscription in gold. (The locket was made of black stone.) "What does it say, Kagome?" Despite the fact she could read, it was only ancient texts and Japanese she could read.

"It says,"To yourself, be true, for the magick lies within your soul."I wonder what that's supposed to mean..." Kagome looked at Miroku. "Well? You're the mystics expert. Any insight?"

"It could be a family motto for protection. Maybe like a spell?" Miroku shrugged. "I'd have to know more about her background to be sure."

Kagome sighed, and helped Saraku put the locket on. "I wouldn't take that off if I were you. That type of silver is nonexistent, not to mention worth a lot of money. "

"Okay, Kagome." Saraku then followed Shippou out to go and see his hut.