Chapter 6
Kagome quickly made her way back to Kaede's hut, stopping short of the door.
Creeping ever so slowly along the wall, she craned her head to listen in on the
conversation going on inside. At first there was silence; fearing she was too far
away, Kagome craned her head closer, straining to hear any voices coming from
within.
"So, you're sure this is what it is?" came Inu Yasha's voice.
"Positive. Because it is so rare, there is no name for it. Still…" Kaeruishi
paused. Kagome held her breath. "Some like to call it the 'Dirty Blood' curse.
You see, once someone contracts the disease, the body weakens to the point
where it can no longer sustain life."
"'No longer sustain life'?" Inu Yasha repeated. "What do you mean by that?"
Much to his frustration, the healer did not answer. "Where did you get your
injury?" she queried.
"In the mountains," Inu Yasha replied. "We came across a youkai in the
Mogura Clan's pass."
"What kind of demon?"
"A giant worm. It had three Shikon no Kakeru."
Kaeruishi didn't seem to impressed with that fact. "You said you went through
the tunnel pass belonging to the Mogura clan?"
"Yeah," Inu Yasha frowned, remembering. "They were all dead; men, women,
and children alike were corpses."
"Describe them."
The hanyou's frown deepened. "What's to describe, they were dead?" Kaeruishi
would not be deterred. "They were in all sorts of different positions… like they
were in pain or somethin'."
Kaeruishi nodded. "A fate you will soon share." she murmured. A soft gasp could
be heard from outside, but only she noticed. "Luckily the Mogura clan was a very
isolated group, it isn't likely that they managed to spread the disease to anyone
besides you."
"But Kagome was with me, and so was Shippo."
"It's called the 'Dirty Blood' curse because it can only be contracted through the
blood." the healer explained. "It causes the blood to change, attacking the body
in which it flows, causing incredible, excruciating pain until the point where the
youkai can no longer stand it."
Inu Yasha took all this in, staring down at his injured side. 'So that's why it hurt
so much… why it wouldn't heal…'
"As of now, the disease is centralized around the area of your wound," Kaeruishi
replied solemnly. "But soon it would spread throughout your entire body.
Normally, your chances of survival would be much greater if you were a
full-blooded youkai. Your inherent strength would allow you to survive, even if only
possessing as life as a normal human, but…" She trailed off, rising to her feet.
"I must speak with the miko no ningen…" she risked a glance at the hut entrance.
"The real one. If you would excuse me."
Kagome flinched as Kaeruishi exited the hut, sparing her a sharp glance. The
last part had been aimed at her, and she knew it. Nonetheless, she kept her
demeanor calm and collected.
"I suppose you'll be needing some form of payment?" she questioned.
"We must all do what we can," Kaeruishi replied. "To get by in this world. Perhaps
you will understand that when you are older." With that, she drew her hood over her
head and walked off in search of Kaede.
When she was out of sight, Kagome sighed, turning her attention towards the hut.
Inu Yasha sat quietly in the corner of the room, looking just as he had when she
found him pinned against the Goshinboku. His face was calm and serene, as
though he had accepted his fate; yet Kagome knew deep down that his thoughts
were turbulent.
"Inu Yasha?" she whispered. His ear twitched slightly indicating that he had heard
her.
"You were there the whole time."
It wasn't a question, but Kagome nodded. "I heard what she said…" she replied,
walking towards him slowly. He seemed so defeated; what could she possibly do
for him at a time like this? "Inu Yasha, I…"
One golden eye flashed at her in warning. "Don't, Kagome. Don't."
Kagome stood there, disbelieving. "So, that's that? You're just gonna take this?"
she exclaimed. "I mean… what if she's wrong?"
"And what if she isn't?" Inu Yasha snapped at her, his eyes alight with anger.
She couldn't respond. 'She has to be wrong…' she kept telling herself. 'She just
has to be!'
When she offered no response, Inu Yasha looked away, sighing in frustration.
"There's nothing else left to do right now," he replied quietly. "Go home, Kagome."
'What?' "What?"
Inu Yasha turned back towards her, glaring. "I said, go home, Kagome!" he
repeated. "Go back to your time!"
She'd heard him the first time, but she still couldn't believe her ears. "You…" she
stammered, enraged. "You can't tell me what to do!" She felt childish, but what
else was she to do? Never had she found herself in a situation like this.
It seemed Inu Yasha hadn't either, for he countered her in the same manner. "Oh,
I can't?" he retorted. "I will drag you back to that well and throw you in myself if I
have to."
Kagome was indignant. "I'd like to see you try!" Much to her surprise, Inu Yasha
stood up, giving her a level glare as he took a step towards her. Instinctively she
took a step backwards, shoving down the fear welling inside her. She refused to
back down. "Don't you dare."
"Kagome," Inu Yasha replied in a threatening tone. "I'm not gonna tell you again…"
"Good, because I'm tired of hearing it!" she exclaimed. "I refuse to let you bully me
around, Inu Yasha; you can't just throw me in the well at the slightest sight of
danger!"
"I can and I will if and when I have to," Inu Yasha growled back. When he realized
she was serious, he grabbed her shoulders, shaking her gently. "Damnit,
Kagome…!" He calmed down at the surprised look on her face. "Can't you
understand…? Don't you get it? I can't protect you anymore… not like this…"
"I'm a big girl, Inu Yasha, I can look after myself." Inu Yasha started to protest, but
she cut him off. "Besides, you can't protect me from a disease… it's not even
contagious to humans!"
"Like you know that for sure." Inu Yasha retorted. He then sighed, releasing her
from his hold. "Kagome, if other youkai catch word of this, I won't be a match for
them… Hell, I won't be able to protect myself, let alone someone else."
"Which is why you shouldn't push me away!" Kagome exclaimed. The hanyou
looked confused. "Look, I know I'm way below the standards when it comes to
being a real miko… but I won't back down, you know that." She gazed up at him
pleadingly. "After all the times you've been there for me, won't you let me do the
same for you?"
"Kagome…" Inu Yasha stumbled for words. "If something happens to you, I
won't…"
'Oh, Kami… please don't say it…' Kagome lowered her head, her bangs hiding
her eyes. 'Please don't mention the Shikon no Tama! I don't think I'd be able to
handle…'
Inu Yasha paused, unable to get the words out of his mouth. For Kami's sake, why
was it so freaking difficult? He let out a frustrated sound, and rather than find a more
positive way of venting his frustration (like counting down from 10…), his anger was
misdirected towards Kagome.
"Arrghhh… why do you have to make everything so frickin' difficult?! Just go home
already!"
Kagome kept her head down low. "I'm not leaving…!"
Inu Yasha flinched at the catch in her voice. He had expecting an Osuwari or two,
certainly not this. He sniffed at her tentatively, watching her body language. "Oi,
Kagome,"
There was no response save for a small whimper. Inu Yasha felt himself stiffen
involuntary. "Hey, stop crying!"
Kagome lifted her head towards him with an angry but wounded look on her face.
"I'm not crying!" she exclaimed, giving him a hard glare. She shoved past him and
out the door before he could make any sort of protest.
Once outside the hut she took off running until she reached the edge of the forest.
When her legs finally gave out on her, she dropped down at the foot of a tree.
Angry, exhausted, and most of all scared, Higurashi Kagome broke down and cried.
~End of Chapter 6
Kagome quickly made her way back to Kaede's hut, stopping short of the door.
Creeping ever so slowly along the wall, she craned her head to listen in on the
conversation going on inside. At first there was silence; fearing she was too far
away, Kagome craned her head closer, straining to hear any voices coming from
within.
"So, you're sure this is what it is?" came Inu Yasha's voice.
"Positive. Because it is so rare, there is no name for it. Still…" Kaeruishi
paused. Kagome held her breath. "Some like to call it the 'Dirty Blood' curse.
You see, once someone contracts the disease, the body weakens to the point
where it can no longer sustain life."
"'No longer sustain life'?" Inu Yasha repeated. "What do you mean by that?"
Much to his frustration, the healer did not answer. "Where did you get your
injury?" she queried.
"In the mountains," Inu Yasha replied. "We came across a youkai in the
Mogura Clan's pass."
"What kind of demon?"
"A giant worm. It had three Shikon no Kakeru."
Kaeruishi didn't seem to impressed with that fact. "You said you went through
the tunnel pass belonging to the Mogura clan?"
"Yeah," Inu Yasha frowned, remembering. "They were all dead; men, women,
and children alike were corpses."
"Describe them."
The hanyou's frown deepened. "What's to describe, they were dead?" Kaeruishi
would not be deterred. "They were in all sorts of different positions… like they
were in pain or somethin'."
Kaeruishi nodded. "A fate you will soon share." she murmured. A soft gasp could
be heard from outside, but only she noticed. "Luckily the Mogura clan was a very
isolated group, it isn't likely that they managed to spread the disease to anyone
besides you."
"But Kagome was with me, and so was Shippo."
"It's called the 'Dirty Blood' curse because it can only be contracted through the
blood." the healer explained. "It causes the blood to change, attacking the body
in which it flows, causing incredible, excruciating pain until the point where the
youkai can no longer stand it."
Inu Yasha took all this in, staring down at his injured side. 'So that's why it hurt
so much… why it wouldn't heal…'
"As of now, the disease is centralized around the area of your wound," Kaeruishi
replied solemnly. "But soon it would spread throughout your entire body.
Normally, your chances of survival would be much greater if you were a
full-blooded youkai. Your inherent strength would allow you to survive, even if only
possessing as life as a normal human, but…" She trailed off, rising to her feet.
"I must speak with the miko no ningen…" she risked a glance at the hut entrance.
"The real one. If you would excuse me."
Kagome flinched as Kaeruishi exited the hut, sparing her a sharp glance. The
last part had been aimed at her, and she knew it. Nonetheless, she kept her
demeanor calm and collected.
"I suppose you'll be needing some form of payment?" she questioned.
"We must all do what we can," Kaeruishi replied. "To get by in this world. Perhaps
you will understand that when you are older." With that, she drew her hood over her
head and walked off in search of Kaede.
When she was out of sight, Kagome sighed, turning her attention towards the hut.
Inu Yasha sat quietly in the corner of the room, looking just as he had when she
found him pinned against the Goshinboku. His face was calm and serene, as
though he had accepted his fate; yet Kagome knew deep down that his thoughts
were turbulent.
"Inu Yasha?" she whispered. His ear twitched slightly indicating that he had heard
her.
"You were there the whole time."
It wasn't a question, but Kagome nodded. "I heard what she said…" she replied,
walking towards him slowly. He seemed so defeated; what could she possibly do
for him at a time like this? "Inu Yasha, I…"
One golden eye flashed at her in warning. "Don't, Kagome. Don't."
Kagome stood there, disbelieving. "So, that's that? You're just gonna take this?"
she exclaimed. "I mean… what if she's wrong?"
"And what if she isn't?" Inu Yasha snapped at her, his eyes alight with anger.
She couldn't respond. 'She has to be wrong…' she kept telling herself. 'She just
has to be!'
When she offered no response, Inu Yasha looked away, sighing in frustration.
"There's nothing else left to do right now," he replied quietly. "Go home, Kagome."
'What?' "What?"
Inu Yasha turned back towards her, glaring. "I said, go home, Kagome!" he
repeated. "Go back to your time!"
She'd heard him the first time, but she still couldn't believe her ears. "You…" she
stammered, enraged. "You can't tell me what to do!" She felt childish, but what
else was she to do? Never had she found herself in a situation like this.
It seemed Inu Yasha hadn't either, for he countered her in the same manner. "Oh,
I can't?" he retorted. "I will drag you back to that well and throw you in myself if I
have to."
Kagome was indignant. "I'd like to see you try!" Much to her surprise, Inu Yasha
stood up, giving her a level glare as he took a step towards her. Instinctively she
took a step backwards, shoving down the fear welling inside her. She refused to
back down. "Don't you dare."
"Kagome," Inu Yasha replied in a threatening tone. "I'm not gonna tell you again…"
"Good, because I'm tired of hearing it!" she exclaimed. "I refuse to let you bully me
around, Inu Yasha; you can't just throw me in the well at the slightest sight of
danger!"
"I can and I will if and when I have to," Inu Yasha growled back. When he realized
she was serious, he grabbed her shoulders, shaking her gently. "Damnit,
Kagome…!" He calmed down at the surprised look on her face. "Can't you
understand…? Don't you get it? I can't protect you anymore… not like this…"
"I'm a big girl, Inu Yasha, I can look after myself." Inu Yasha started to protest, but
she cut him off. "Besides, you can't protect me from a disease… it's not even
contagious to humans!"
"Like you know that for sure." Inu Yasha retorted. He then sighed, releasing her
from his hold. "Kagome, if other youkai catch word of this, I won't be a match for
them… Hell, I won't be able to protect myself, let alone someone else."
"Which is why you shouldn't push me away!" Kagome exclaimed. The hanyou
looked confused. "Look, I know I'm way below the standards when it comes to
being a real miko… but I won't back down, you know that." She gazed up at him
pleadingly. "After all the times you've been there for me, won't you let me do the
same for you?"
"Kagome…" Inu Yasha stumbled for words. "If something happens to you, I
won't…"
'Oh, Kami… please don't say it…' Kagome lowered her head, her bangs hiding
her eyes. 'Please don't mention the Shikon no Tama! I don't think I'd be able to
handle…'
Inu Yasha paused, unable to get the words out of his mouth. For Kami's sake, why
was it so freaking difficult? He let out a frustrated sound, and rather than find a more
positive way of venting his frustration (like counting down from 10…), his anger was
misdirected towards Kagome.
"Arrghhh… why do you have to make everything so frickin' difficult?! Just go home
already!"
Kagome kept her head down low. "I'm not leaving…!"
Inu Yasha flinched at the catch in her voice. He had expecting an Osuwari or two,
certainly not this. He sniffed at her tentatively, watching her body language. "Oi,
Kagome,"
There was no response save for a small whimper. Inu Yasha felt himself stiffen
involuntary. "Hey, stop crying!"
Kagome lifted her head towards him with an angry but wounded look on her face.
"I'm not crying!" she exclaimed, giving him a hard glare. She shoved past him and
out the door before he could make any sort of protest.
Once outside the hut she took off running until she reached the edge of the forest.
When her legs finally gave out on her, she dropped down at the foot of a tree.
Angry, exhausted, and most of all scared, Higurashi Kagome broke down and cried.
~End of Chapter 6