Author's Note: Over the last few months I have been striving to be accepted into a private high school. I spent hours suffering over my appilcation, went to their school play and other school functions, talked to teachers about courses while visiting the school, and did anything else I could think of to make a good impression. Unfortunatly it seems like my efforts weren't good enough because I was put on the waiting list.
This story is my hope. Just as there's hope for Kagome, there's still hope that I will get into my high school. Therefore that is why this story is called A Story of Hope.
Wish me luck because from here on all I can do is pray and hope that I get accepted into the school.
I GOT INTO MY HIGH SCHOOL! I'm so happy! And if anyone's wondering, no this won't mean that I will stop writing this story.
Once again I'll have to appologize for being so slow with chapters. As soon as summer starts I should be much faster in updating. Right now I have a few projects and such so there's things that come before my writing.
A few hours later, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Kaede, and Shippo sat around the fire in Kaede's hut. Kagome was using the quiet time to her advantage and taking a nap. Her illness might have gone away, but she was still suffereing from it. Strength and energy were at a minimum.
"What happened to Kagome?" Kaede asked, "I see that she has become blind, but how did it happen?"
"Kagome's mom said it was the medicine that she took." Inuyasha replied.
"It's strange to think of medicine that can hurt and heal at the same time." Shippo commented.
"But it's not unheard of." Miroku pointed out, "Leeches are one such medicine. They can help, but they can also hurt some people."
Sango nodded in agreement as did Kaede.
"Ye will have to be careful with her." the old miko pointed out, "Ye'll have to protect her more that ever."
"And we will." Sango put in, "Besides the fact that we can't do anything without her, she's a good friend. It's our duty to protect her."
Early the next morning while everyone else was asleep in the hut, Inuyasha was awake. He didn't sleep often, but this definitely wasn't a night to be one of the acceptions. The hanyou was still a bit confused about what had happened in the past few days. Kagome had gone blind. Yes. He understood that. What he didn't understand was why it had to happen. Why Kagome had to get sick. Sure, he had been annoyed to find out that they'd have to pause their hunt for shards, but once he figured out it was serious that feeling was quickly forgotten and replaced with fear. Yes. Fear. He, the great Inuyasha had been scared for his friend's life.
Aquiet sigh from the futon directly in front of Inuyasha pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Kagome sit up carefully. "Inuyasha?" she whispered, "You there?"
"Right here." he assured her, "What's up? Do you need something?"
Kagome put out her arms towards Inuyasha's voice as if she was reaching out to him. Inuyasha got up and took her hands. "What is it?"
"I'd like to go out for a walk." she said, "I know it makes no difference sight wise anymore, but it's still nicer out there."
He nodded. Remembering that Kagome could not see this silent form of agreement he added a "Yes."
Kagome smiled and let go of Inuyasha's hands. She stood up and Inuyasha helped her out of the hut, holding her hand. "Do you want me to carry you?" he asked as they began to walk towards the forest, "So you don't get hurt."
"I'll be fine." she told him frowning a bit, "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean that I can't walk like a normal person! I'll ask if I need help."
Taken a back, Inuyasha pulled his hand away. Almost as soon as he did this, Kagome's hand grabbed it back. "I'm sorry." she said sighing, "Did I offend you? I didn't mean it. I just don't want people treating me like a baby. But I do want to hold your hand. That helps me. It makes me feel... less alone."
Inuyasha gave asmall smile, but it quickly turned to a frown when Kagome finished her statement. "Do you feel alone Kagome?" he asked.
"Not now." she replied, "You're holding my hand and talking to me, so I know you're there, but now feeling is like my eyes. If I can't feel you next to me and you're quiet like you are now, how can I know you're there? I suppose I'll get used to it in time, but right now this blindness makes me feel alone."
"You're not alone." Inuyasha told her squeezing her hand, "You've got me and the rest of the group to watch out for you, okay?"
Kagome grinned and nodded. "Alright."
They walked for a while in silence, holding hands, but it wasn't long until Inuyasha noticed that Kagome was beginning to breath heavily. He spotted a log and sat her down on it, still holding her hand. Suddenly a scent washed over his nose. He sniffed to make sure it was true. Turning, Inuyasha saw a delicious sight. Raspberries. Kagome loved raspberries. He let go of her hand to get her some.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome whimpered, holding out her hands, "Where are you going?"
The hanyou glanced over his shoulder to see a very distressed Kagome. He frowned. She was going over board now. She knew he wouldn't just leave her. "There's a raspberry bush just a few steps away." he explained, "I was going to get you some."
Kagome blushed. "Sorry." she said, "I thought you were leaving me."
"Didn't I tell you that I wouldn't?"
"Yes."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and started walking towards the bush again.
"Wait!"
"What!"
"I can still see the shards." she said, pulling the bottle of shards out from under her shirt, "Maybe you should take them. That way I know where you are and they'd probably be safer."
"You want me to take the shards?" Inuyasha said in amazement.
Kagome nodded.
At one time he would have taken the shards and run. But since then he had grown to be a better person. Inuyasha knew that it was Kagome's job to hold the jewel shards, not his. "I can't." he finally said.
"Yes you can!" she insisted, "You're not taking them, I'm giving them to you!"
"I can't."
Kagome sighed. "Then how about taking just one?" she asked, "If you have one I'll be able to see the glow of the jewel and in the process know where you are."
Inuyasha thought this over. "Alright, but just one." he finally grumbled.
Grinning, Kagome pulled a shard of the jewel out of its bottle and held it out in front of her. But Inuyasha was already on to the next thing. Seconds went by and Inuyasha did not take the shard.
"Inuyasha?"she called.
"God, how impatient are you!" Inuyasha exclaimed. He took the jewel out of her hand and she smiled, seeing where Inuyasha was for the first time since she had gotten sick.
"Put out your hands." Inuyasha instructed. Kagome did so. The hanyou poured all the sticky red berries he had collected into her hands.
"You'd better eat them after all the trouble I went through to pick them."