It will also explain my prolonged update. So don't abandon now!
Menolly
From Bad to WorseDay One- Continued
Kagome grasped her hand onto the ledge of the well, climbing out of the now vine-less covered wood. She slung her backpack over the side of the ancient well and onto the dirt floor of the well house. Pushing herself up with her hands and arms and swinging her legs over the ledge, Kagome straightened her skirt and dusted her self off before doing the same to her backpack.
Adjusting the worn straps on her shoulders, Kagome quietly made her way up the old creaking wooden stairs with ease.
Sliding the rice paper lined door open, stepping through and then sliding it shut; Kagome made her way to the main house.
Lost in her thoughts, Kagome did not notice a short figure race up to her and tackle her; unbalanced, they both came crashing down on the pavement.
"NEE-CHAN!" Souta, Kagome's little brother shouted joyfully as he tackled her.
"Souta!" She started, then gave her brother a bone-crushing hug.
"NE! Kagome! I-can't-b-BREATHE!" The boy gasped out, trying to wriggle out of his sister's clutches.
"That's what you get for tackling me you little punk." She said as she proceeded to give her brother a noogie. "I missed you too kid. But I'll be leaving again in two days."
Souta brightened at hearing this and asked excitedly, "Does that mean that InuYasha-no-nii-chan is coming?"
Kagome released her brother and rose to her feet, dusting off her skirt, "No Souta, InuYasha isn't coming." She regretted that Souta would miss InuYasha, because she herself did not know if he would ever come back here.
Then an idea struck her.
"But Souta, if you are good, I mean no going through my stuff or anything and bombarding me with questions; Then maybe- just MAYBE, you'll get to meet another friend of mine from the Feudal Era." Kagome held her fingers up as she counted off things for him not to do, smiling at the notion of her brother meeting Kouga.
If he were anything like her and her mother, Souta would be grabbing onto Kouga's tail the moment he saw him. Kagome sweat-dropped. Then again, her mother would probably latch onto Kouga's tail as well…she had better warn him. That is IF he could get through the well.
Souta started bouncing around asking her, "Who is it? Is it a youkai? Is it Shippo, or Sango? OR that perverted monk Miroku?" he sped through his questions a mile a minute.
Kagome raised her index finger, "Souta, what did I say you had to do if you wanted to meet them?" she said, giving her brother a pointed look.
Souta shut up immediately with his questions. He then grabbed his sister's hand and dragged her into the main house, where her mother and grandfather were setting up lunch.
"Kagome-chan!" Her mother exclaimed, setting down a dish at the table to go over to her daughter and embrace her.
"It's good to see you too Mama." Kagome hugged her mother back and set down her backpack to go wash up before lunch was served.
"Ah! Kagome-chan, I have come up with a new medical journal! Now we have at least another year's worth of excuses for you!" Her grandfather chirped out happily.
She sighed; her grandfather really did seem to enjoy deceiving her school a little too much.
Kagome took her seat at the table. "Oh how I miss this cooking…" her stomach grumbled in protest that she was not shoveling said food into her mouth at the very moment.
Chopsticks in hand, Kagome took her stomach's advice and had at it. Her family watched her in amazement for a few moments, and then dug in as well. If they hadn't, there would be no food left for them…
Sitting on the ledge, legs slung over and feet sunk in the shallow bed of the river; Kouga gazed into the running water.
Deep thought over his situation plagued him constantly; he didn't know what to do.
He just had to wait.
And that was the hardest part of all.
Waiting.
He didn't even know if she would accept him after all when he came to see her in two and a half days.
I mean…it's not like he was counting the hours. Only 61 hours and 58 minutes left till he next saw her…
Boy was this little wolf one very sad wolf.
Resting his chin on his fist, Kouga stared out into the water yet again, listening to the sounds of Ginta and Hakkaku playing with the wolves…
Gloved hands reached out and ran their fingers over the soft lush green grass of the field.
Almost chestnut strands fell into her eyes as Sango leaned over one particular plant, her head bent downward.
She grasped the weed, bringing it up to eye-level, idly twirling it between her fingers.
There was just nothing to do on days like these without the bubbly black-haired girl to brighten the day with her mind-boggling instruments from the future.
Sighing, the lonely Taijiya let her gaze wander onto the dozing kitsune by her in the grass by her companion neko youkai: Kirara.
The sun was starting to droop in the sky, the moon now visible from its daylight cover.
Just as Sango was about to scoop Shippo and Kirara up in her arms and take them back to Kaede's hut; the sound of rustling cloth reached her ears.
"Sango…" Warm breath tickled her ear as she realized that it was the lecherous monk.
Her lecherousmonk now.
She tilted her head up and to the left side, eyes craned up at the smiling man. He lowered himself to the ground beside her, guiding his arms around her shoulders, leaning her into him.
First tense at the action, Sango soon melted into his warm and rarely non-perverted embrace. She even burrowed herself further against him, trying to shield herself from the coldness, the loneliness.
Miroku rested his head on her shoulder, cheek to cheek with her. He scanned the field around them, a twinkle sprouting in his eye as he caught the young kitsune and neko sleeping side by side, innocence in itself.
Ignorant of the world before them.
He sighed contently; bringing his gaze back to the woman he had admired and cared for, for so long…
Unpacking her things from her backpack in her bedroom, Kagome started when her mother came to her room to announce that her friends Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi were here.
Kagome was almost to the point of being excited when she groaned in distress.
She would have to deal with their discussion of Hojo and InuYasha probably…
Forcing herself to keep moving her legs to and down the stairs, Kagome greeted her long time friends.
"Konnichiwa Kagome-chan!" Eri replied to her friend, giving Kagome a hug as the other two girls had.
"It's been a while, ne? Will you be coming to school tomorrow?" Yuka asked, a hopeful look on her face, as she wished that one of her best friends wasn't still ill.
"Eh?" Kagome hadn't even given school a second thought when she arrived out of the well. But since she would be at home for the next two days, she might as well try to learn as much as possible at school and take some of her numerous stacks of make-up tests.
"Aa, I will be coming to school tomorrow, I'm feeling a little better…" Her friends nodded in pity as she acted for them, "…for now." She added, just for fun.
Her friends' pitying looks became wide-eyed open-mouthed looks.
"Kagome-chan! If there were something we could do…" Ayumi started, but was cut off when Kagome waved her hand in dismissal.
"No need to worry…I'll be better…eventually." She ended with an optimistic smile at her friends. She was getting way too good at this.
Funny thing was, she rather enjoyed it.
"Why we're here Kagome-chan, we were wondering if you felt up enough to going to the carnival with us this afternoon?" Eri prodded her friend a bit, considering Kagome seemed to be lost in her thoughts.
Of course, every one of her friends thought this was just one of the side effects of their friends' ever growing list of illness.
"Eh? Oh! Sure, I'd love to go, hold on, I need to go ask my mother real quick…" And with that, Kagome rushed into the kitchen where her mother resided.
"Mama?"
"Hai Kagome-chan?" Her mother smiled.
"Could I go to the carnival with Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi?"
"Alright Kagome, that's fine. Here, have a little fun. With what you have to do all the time, you deserve a little break now and then." Her mother said softly, reached for her daughter's hand and deposited a rather nice sum of money in it.
Kagome grinned and thanked her mother profusely, backing out of the kitchen, but her mother's voice stopped her.
"Kagome, is something wrong?"
Kagome's foot halted mid-air, and her eyes softened a bit.
"No Mama…everything's…right for a change, we'll talk about it tomorrow?"
Her mother voiced her consent and her daughter continued out of the door and beyond the shrine with her friends…
Eyes darting back and forth; the frustration evident. Searching through the forest the smell was constant, almost suffocating.
He could smell her. He could practically taste her scent. Even though it was not even hers anymore, it was claimed.
Claimed by dirt and death.
Claimed by the hatred for him, the hatred for hanyou and youkai alike.
His once and still beloved.
Kikyo.
Amber eyes narrowing through the setting sun, he could not get enough of what was his and what shall remain his.
Not even Kagome could measure up to Kikyo.
She would never hold the same place in his heart as his true love.
Even though his love's body was dead, and only stress and hatred remained, she was still Kikyo.
He was her protector, her first and only love; he was InuYasha, and he would never give her up…
Kagome's cries of joy and laughter joined many others during the rides and shows throughout the carnival.
She had missed having this.
Having the security of just being a normal high-school girl was wonderful. Even though she knew that she would never be that girl again, she could always pretend that her life was peaceful and normal for a little while.
"Ah, Higurashi!" A certain brown-haired practically stalker middle school boy called out to her.
And why was it that she missed this part of her life again?
She should really start getting some sleep more often…or take vitamins.
Maybe she got hit in the head too many times?
Hojo certainly had.
"Ah…Evening Hojo-kun…" Kagome greeted almost tiredly as her three friends started to whisper at each other excitedly.
"Higurashi," Hojo said, standing in front of her, "are you feeling better?"
"Aa, a little bit…" Kagome said nervously.
"Then would you go out with me on Saturday night? For a movie?" He pleaded.
"Of course she wou-" Yuka started, but Kagome put a hand over her mouth.
She was damn sick and tired of this game, this rouse.
"Hojo-kun, I'm sorry, I can't." Kagome stated firmly, but fairly.
"But…Higurashi? I thought that we were going study?" Hojo asked, bewildered at this new answer.
"No Hojo-kun, we aren't, we never have been. Gomen ne, but I'm just not interested in you like that. You are a great friend, but just a friend to me." Kagome continued, watching as her friends and Hojo alike, stared at her as if she had grown two extra heads.
"Higurashi…you like someone else don't you…?" Hojo asked, sounded rather defeated.
Yuka looked at her friend, disbelieving her ears. "Kagome-chan…?"
Kagome had her head bowed down, her hair covering her eyes.
"Hai, Hojo-kun, I do. I like someone else. Very much." Kagome finally relented.
Hojo looked at her with sad eyes, "Then I guess…I hope he makes you happy Higurashi." With that, the teenage boy turned away and walked off.
Her friends said nothing to her about what just happened, with the help of her glare.
Sighing, her friends and she started off back into the excitement of the carnival. Kagome felt a bit lighter then, as if one of the heavy weights had been lifted from her shoulders.
Soon enough she got home and practically dived into the bathroom and started her bath.
While soaking in the water she reflected on the past days event, feeling herself calm when she though about how everything seemed to be going well for her finally.
Even though Naraku and the jewel shards were still dangerous, she felt at ease at the prospect of seeming her friends…and Kouga.
She never thought something like this would ever happen to her…
But then again, who also got pulled into the well by a half-naked centipede that proceeded to lick her?
Point made.
Not but half an hour later, Kagome fell upon her soft mattress, reveling in the comfort, but for the first time, missing warmth beside her that was never there in the first place…
End of Day One888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Whoot! It's 2:01 a.m.!
You guys skivved 6 pages out of me! You lucky little devils. You should be glad I made a deal with Tori007otaku, that if I update chapter three of my story, she'll update chapter 4 of hers.
Thank you all for reviewing! And please keep it up! I really love it.
Tori007otaku- Arigato for your review! Don't worry I don't believe it was too long, I have seen far longer…--;; and let me tell you…they were practically a page long.
I don't find it fair that authors don't usually acknowledge you, I at least try to whenever I get reviews on my stories; to acknowledge all of my reviewers. I'm glad that this isn't rated stupidity-humor. I rather am sick of that type. I am rather fond of my unique dry humor as well. I'm glad you like my style too! I hope to see the fourth chapter of your story very quickly, ne?
LunarIceDragon- Thank you for liking my story so much! I hope three days was soon enough for you, trust me, I just did most of this chapter in one sitting. I hope you like it!
ttinuhpfanforever- Oh yes, I can't wait to write the chapter where Kouga comes back to Kagome either. In the chapters you will get little snippets of how everyone is doing during the day though, like in this chapter. I hope you like it!
Lyn- Glad you care! In a very blunt, not wordy kind of way…lol, thanks for the review!
Re-o-ko- I'm glad you thought it was funny, I was snickering and laughing while I was writing it. Thankfully my parents were asleep and didn't notice, or they would have asked me what the hell was so funny and what I was doing. .
Thanks for the review!
Alright, I hope to get the 4th chapter out in no more than a weeks time…less if someone could persuade me into a chapter bargain… .
Until next chapter!
Menolly
(P.S.- Reviews are my life force…please keep this story alive!)