Chapter Seven

Mirror in the Water

Kagome put her plan into motion immediately. Putting as much weight on her walking stick as possible, she pretended to drag herself down the thin paths between the rice patties.

"Alright, Kagome. Here's the plan. I'll keep limping and then I'll stop and turn around. If Kikyo's there, then I fall into the water. If Kikyo's not, then I keep going to do it again. Right! I can do this!'

Half panting now, Kagome continued to half drag herself down the path. Pretending to be tired seemed harder than actually being tired.

Hearing a stirring behind her, Kagome stopped and slowly turned attempting to smear on a mercy pleading face, but Kikyo wasn't there yet. Quickly turning her head back, Kagome went back to scraping along down the path.

'Man, that girl walks slow...'

No sooner than having thought that, footsteps broke the gentle silence behind her. They hesitated not a moment, but continued walking down the hill. Only when they scraped the stones upon the dirt path did Kagome hear them stop.

'All right. I need her to feel pity for me, the weary traveler. Here I go.'

Knowing that once she turned around her plan would begin and there would be no turning back, Kagome rotated slowly. As she turned, she poured all her doubts, all her grief, all her loss and all her pain into her face. Kagome's feet twisted around themselves as she continued to rotate and when Kikyo was in full view, Kagome began to lean.

The dusk's light cast Kikyo in a deep read light that accented her nicely.

"Look at her standing there.... She looks so beautiful. Inu-yasha's lucky to have her....'

Kagome hit the water with a sub decent splash. It was maybe knee to thigh deep, but it consumed her completely, dragging her feet in with her. She was under for a few seconds.

"COLD!" Sitting up in the water, Kagome starts coughing sporadically.

A soft voice came from in front of her. "Are you alright?"

Kagome whipped the water from her eyes and looked up at Kikyo looking down at her. Kagome felt incredibly small and slightly nervous to be under Kikyo's shadow. Kagome quickly recomposed herself as she shifted her feet from the banks and tried to sit up. Extending a glance upward, Kagome went back to the weary traveler look. "Please, lend me a hand, miss."

Kikyo merely stood there, her eyes locked on Kagomes'. "Who are you?"

Kagome felt herself shudder. 'No wonder demons fear her. Kikyo can be really intimidating.' Thinking fast, Kagome was having trouble remembering the answer she had planned to say. "I bare you no ill will. I am merely a traveler on a journey to-" Kagome thought hard to find the right words to say, "right a wrong."

Kikyo looked Kagome up and down, half submerged in water. She glanced down at her own bow and then to Kagome's walking stick that was still half on the path. Her pale hand picked it up from the ground. After a moment of holding it in her fist, she extended the wet end to Kagome. Kagome took it was both hands, hoping desperately that she didn't slip. Kagome was in awe for a moment as Kagome pulled Kagome up onto dry land with just her right arm, but then again, it was her bow arm.

Kagome felt incredibly awkward standing upon the path directly opposite of Kikyo, dripping wet. A cold wind rustled her wet skirt and Kagome suddenly remembered that she was going for pity. 'Think Kagome. Wet.... Cold..... Sick.... Pneumonia..... SNEEZE!' Inhaling deeply, Kagome fake sneezed as best as she could. Kikyo smirked at her and Kagome wondered if trying to fake a sneeze was a good idea. Kagome looked up at Kikyo desperately. 'You have to accept me. I don't a second chance. I'm trying to help you, Kikyo. Please!'

Kikyo looked Kagome over again now that she was standing. You could tell by the slight rise in her eyebrows that Kikyo noticed the slight resemblance like her sister would have fifty years from now. Both trusting and not trusting Kagome for their resemblance, Kikyo met Kagome's eyes, no longer trying to be intimidating. 'This girl does so desire something from me. Be it company or something else, I will learn no more from her lingering here.' Kikyo thought to herself.

"Well, traveler, the night is cold. Come. I shall find you some cloths and you shall stay as my guest this night." Kikyo handed Kagome her walking stick and started walking slowly. Kikyo stopped after a few moments and turned back to Kagome, wishing her to follow her.

Kagome stood there in shock for a moment that her plan had started. Looking up and smiling, Kagome put her weight back on her walking stick, not nearly as much now, and caught up with Kikyo. "Thank you...."