Chapter One
.:My Name is Kagome:.
"Ugh," Kagome bit out as she struggled to climb out of the well.
She pulled herself up and swung her right leg over the edge.
You'd think I'd be used to this by now...
Kagome felt a stab of pain in her finger. She brought it up close to her face and studdied it with marked concentration.
Another splinter...
She brought her other leg over and planted her feet firmly on the ground. She put her injured finger in her mouth in hopes of alleiviating some of the pain. Walking towards the village and straitening her skirt as she made her way through some brush.
Kagomesat downon the grassy hill overlooking Kaede's village. Her legs brought up to her chest with her arms wrapped around her knees. She picked at the splinter buried deep in her skin. The sky was reflected in the water covering the rice fields and the grass was blowing in the soft, comfortable breeze. The summer day had been hot and humid and she was glad it was almost over. The blue sky was darkening, indicating the sun would soon dip below the horizon and night would begin. She was comforted knowing that her friends were close by in the village below.
She had just finished school. Kagome was always struggling with her grades and balancing her time with Inuyasha for the past few years. Now she could spend a long time here, and not worry about what she missed in class that day. She doubted she would go to college; she still needed to take care of responsibilities here.
She held the large portion of the Shikon no Tama in her hand and looked into its depths. So much pain was caused by this tiny jewel. So many lives ruined and destroyed in its wake.
She had been coming here since she was fifteen; a little over three years. She came into this world by chance. Souta, her little brother was searching for their cat in the old well house on the shrine grounds. As she was standing in front of the Bone Eaters Well, Mistress Centipede carried her back down into the well with her. That was when Kagome first witnessed her spiritual powers.
She had been trying to protect herself, when a blast of pink energy surged through her and out of her slender fingertips. At the bottom of the well she cried for her brother to go and fetch their grandfather for a ladder. There was no answer. Kagome finally decided to climb out herself; when she emerged from the side of the ancient well the shrine had disappeared. The jewel had been ripped from her body in the battle with Mistress Centipede. Later, she found out that the jewel was the reason she had been able to go through the ancient well.
Kagome had been amazed at what she saw: no buildings, no people. Just wildlife; trees, flowers, shrubbery… nothing she was expecting. As she was wandering through the woods Kagome came across Inuyasha. At first, he wanted to kill Kagome for the jewel, but he was put under a subjugation spell by Kaede, rendering him harmless.
Later, anesting crow had swallowed the jewel, she knocked back an arrow and aimed for it. The arrow flew through the air, headed strait for the crow. It hit the crow with such force, the jewel shattered into many tiny shards that were spread all over Japan.
After traveling with Inuyasha up and down the countryside with their three other companions: Miroku, Sango, and Shippo, Kagome and Inuyasha had formed a strong bond. She had realized at fifteen, she was deeply in love with the hanyou. Other than the instances when Inuyasha got jealous of Koga and Hojo, she knew little of his feelings for her. A few times he had said he was afraid of losing her, she was dazed and confused in the days that followed. He never, flat out, expressed his feelings for her; they were always mixed messages.
Now, after three years of collecting jewel shards, the Shikon no Tama was almost whole once more. The only remaining piece was in the hands of Naraku.
Naraku…
He had once been a man. As a thieving bandit, he had been attacked by someone he'd betrayed and burned badly rendering him unable to move. The priestess, Kikyo had taken pity on the man and cared for him. Eventually he had begun to harbor fantasies for Kikyo and wished for her to be his. He then called forth the demons and became Naraku. However, he had not been planning for the demon side of him to lock away his heart and take control.
Naraku had henceforth begun a quest for the Shikon jewel shards, preying on the weak and manipulating others, slaying Kikyo in the process. He was one to never soil his hands with battles of his own. Inuyasha, who had once loved Kikyo, had vowed to kill Naraku and avenge her death; they had been after him these years.
Aha! Got You! she smiled as she triumphantly held up the tiny shard of wood that was earlier in her finger.
Stupid splinter... she threw the small peice of wood in the general direction of the woods.
Shaking the thoughts of uneasiness from her mind she stood and brushed off her behind. Kagome put one foot in front of the other and made her way towards Kaede's village. The past three years she had been doing this; putting one foot in front of the other in an effort to move on. Once the jewel was complete and purified, she was free to do what she wanted.
What will I do?
How can I stay with Inuyasha?
Will I be able to stay here?
I wantto be with Inuyasha... I love him...
"Kagome!" screamed Inuyasha from afar, jerking her from her thoughts. He was running to her with alarm on his face, along with Miroku, Sango, and Shippo following close behind.
"What's wrong?" asked Kagome.
"I can smell Naraku."
Kagome put on a serious face, "Then let's go. We need to get the last of the jewel from him so we can purify it."
"It's probably a trap," said Sango, looking extremely uneasy and on edge.
"I know, but we've got no choice but to go after him. Whatever happens happens," replied Inuyasha, bending down and looking at Kagome, "get on."
Kagome resumed her place on Inuyasha's back, and Miroku, Sango, and Shippo climbing on Kirara. As the sky erupted in brilliant oranges, reds, and yellows in the west, Kagome, Inuyasha, and their friends set off for Naraku's fortress in the east.