HEY! THANKS FOR ALL OF THE REVIEWS! NOW IT'S QUESTION TIME!
1. WHO WERE THE PEOPLE THAT CAPTURED SESS, MIR, & INU IN THE FIRST PLACE?
answer: THEY WERE JUST BANDITS LOOKING FOR A QUICK BUCK. DON'T WORRY BOUT THEM. BUT...I JUST MIGHT PUT THEM IN LATER CHAPTERS...AND THEY MIGHT JUST BE SLAUGHTERED...HMMMM
Okay! Enjoy the fic!
Part 2
She eyed them warily. Each of them were silent. Probably waiting for my next move, she thought, Well...I won't disappoint.Slowly she stood and walked over to her bound captives, sitting casually in front of them. She didn't feel threatened in the least with Inuyasha's and Miroku's intense stares, but she felt a little bothered at Sesshomaru's cool one. He was too calm, too...collected about his present situation. Most would be a little less brave.
Kagome drew her dagger calmly and started to play with it, drawing strange symbols in the dirt. When she was finished, she looked up at them.
"Do you want to play a game with me," she whispered softly to them.
She watched as both of their expressions seemed to become worried, but Sesshomaru's stayed the same.
"I asked you a question," she continued after no answers came.
Inuyasha and Miroku shot out a "Yes," but Sesshomaru merely nodded.
A small smile graced her lips. "Well, at least we can start on some friendly terms."
Sesshomaru looked upon his captor calmly. He was not worried for his sake in the matter. He could care less, but he would not stand to be captured and bound like some lowly human. He chained his anger, keeping his calm facade on the surface. He'd be damned if he was going to let her toy with them.
He gazed at her as she moved with such grace that it almost rivaled his own. Almost. He nearly squinted his eyes as she sat so casually in front of them. He could feel that she was a little nervous about his attitude in this situation, which made him compose part of himself defiantly. The battle is not won yet, wench.
"Do you want to play a game with me?"
He was surprised by this simple question, but he didn't let it show. He could feel Inuyasha and Miroku tense a bit. She was too relaxed near him and it bothered him a little. He was not used to people being so...calm and fearless around him. They would usually cower before him. His pride seemed to ebb as he thought more and more about this.
"I asked you a question."
Sesshomaru nearly jolted out of his thoughts. Nearly. He had heard Inuyasha and Miroku blurt out "Yes." What is she playing at now?, he thought to himself. Usually if they were ever captured they would be held for ransom or be killed on the spot if their captor hated them so much. But...she wanted to play with them? What kind of twisted woman was this?
He merely nodded, suspicious about this "game." He did not like the fact that she had the upper hand, but he was a bit curious on what this was about.
"Well, at least we can start on some friendly terms."
The mere mention of being friendly fueled his suspicions even more. What kind of person would want to be friendly with the enemy? What is this woman's intentions? Why is she treating us so...kindly. Maybe I'll ask her before I kill her...
Kagome liked how things were going so far. She looked over at the sleeping bodies in the Tent and, some what, envied the fact that they could sleep so peacefully. She had forgotten when she had last slept peacefully without waking up with sweat-soaked sheets and a scream upon her lips.
Ever since her mother died, she had wandered the streets until someone had taken her in. She could remember her step-parents names like it was just yesterday. Well, it would be easiest to remember her step-brothers' and sister's name because at least they were still with her.
When she had been taken in, she had met Rei, Shiru, and Sango. They had a bit of a rough time getting through their nervous stares when Kagome had first told them about her...race, but, gradually, they began to become friendlier with her and soon acted like complete brothers and sisters. They would argue, fight, chase, and scream at each otherlike realbrothers and sisters. Kagome had enjoyed those years very much. Being seen as other humans were seen.
Matsuru was one of Kagome's best adult friend outside of her family, next to her parents of course. He was their village healer and she had visited him quite often because of some...mishaps she had in school. She still remembered that sweet smell of his hut and, I guess, it altered her scent a little. She soon smelled as if she were completely human, so no demon could really tell that she wasn't all human...well, except for her eyes. But, Mitsuru soon found out about her secret and, to Kagome's surprise, he took it pretty well.
"Not all of us are the same. This is the weakness that we humans must accept if we wish to become stronger. This is what we need to understand to surpass our own mortal abilities."
The bowl of herbs before him began to hover ever so slightly. It began to move towards her and she stepped back, uncertain. She looked up curiously and found that he was looking at her with those warm, all-knowing eyes. They gave her some sort of courage to...understand what was happening before her. She waved a hand under the bowl to find that their was nothing there! Nothing was holding it aloft. Her eyes widened as a littlesmile of amusement lit her lips.
Her childishness and innocence back then still kept her from completely being consumed by the darkness. It helped her remember that she had some humanity in her. Being able to remember humanity in a life like her's was nearly impossible for those who have not surpassed themselves first, before surpassing others. She had remembered the training that she had asked Matsuru to give her when she was a young girl. He trained her night and day, always reminding her to stop trying to do something and actually do it.
Kagome had learned that when anyone is born into this world our minds are complete. But, as we grow older, the "barrier" in each and ever mind grows also. This barrier is what we would call the "I can't" 's. The things that we believe are impossible.
"This is what disconnects us from the world around. What severs the bond between the Earth and humans. Saying that 'we can't' makes us believe that it is impossible to make objects move or create fire. But, if we remove this barrier we connect with the elements. So, by understanding what you can and can't do you understand where the barrier lies and can remove it. Of course, the only thing that keeps us from reaching our true potential is that one simple 'I can't.'"
"What is it, Matsuru-sensei? What can't we do?"
"We can't live forever."
Kagome tugged herself back to reality. Looking at each of her hostages, she pondered what grounds she can tread safely and which ones she could not.
She erased a few symbols in the ground and rewrote them. When she was satisfied, she looked up at them again and asked, "Do you know what these are?"
They looked down at the symbols and she watched as curiosity and confusion crossed Inuyasha's and Miroku's faces, but she noticed that Sesshomaru looked at them in complete understanding. She looked down upon the symbols again as their gazes reverted to her.
"Can you tell me what they are," she whispered softly to them.
The question seemed to be mostly diverted to Sesshomaru, she noticed. She couldn't help but be curious about how he could understand what these symbols meant. It was an ancient language that few could understand. Matsuru just so happened to know it and thought it in her best interest to learn it. She was very quick at catching on to it, so it only took a few months. Well, it was expected for her to learn the language so quickly. She was half-dragon after all. Most never bothered to learn the language since the dragons were becoming scarce.
"I guess you don't want to talk, do you," she said softly, hardly disappointed.
She sighed and wiped the writings away. The small, soft smile still could be seen on her lips and Sesshomaru began to become a little impressed as how she could learn such a language. He looked into her cerulean eyes and was a bit surprised at what he found. He could see a faint glow emanating from them. He was about to ask, but thought better not to speak a word. She wanted them to talk. He wouldn't give her that satisfaction.
"'sigh' I guess you didn't want to play my game after all. It's getting late. You should go to sleep. We're supposed to leave early and travel a long journey tomorrow," she said.
Kagome stood and went to get her bedroll, being careful not to wake Rin. Carrying it toward her hostages, she laid it out into three different makeshift pillows.
"Here. It's the most comfort I can give you at the moment."
She noticed that Inuyasha and Miroku took there offerings immediately and fell asleep. But, she noticed that Sesshomaru stayed in his defiant position. She sat in front of him, matching his rigged position.
He could not help but be a little curious upon her actions. Since they were now silently alone, he decided to ask.
"Why show so much kindness, woman," he asked coldly.
"Let's just say I'm not the slobbering, greedy bandit you think I am," she answered, a hint of gratitude in her voice for breaking the growing silence.
"Then what are you," he retorted.
She sighed. Kagome had known that one day she would face this question again. And on that day she would give the same answer.
"What I am doesn't matter until you can understand what you are."
Sesshomaru grew a little agitated. He knew this conversation was going to be going in circles for a while, but he wanted to get straight to the point now. Before he could reply she cut him off.
"Can you keep a secret?"
He abruptly stopped and considered her question. He became a little confused with the question and was wary about where this was leading to. His curiosity got the better of him and he answered, "Yes, I am able to keep a secret."
Kagome looked directly into his eyes. There was no hint of a lie. She did not know why she was about to tell such a secret to Sesshomaru, the heir to the Western Lands, but she just felt some sort of force compelling her to. She had remembered this force when she was faced with hard decisions and following them made her plans even more to her liking than she expected. In this situation she didn't think any differently.
"Do you promise not to tell anyone if I told you a secret?"
He had already gotten this far into the deal and this Sesshomaru was not backing out. He heard her emphasis on the word "I" even if it was only slight. He understood her meaning as referring personally to her. Would he? Would he keep this promise if she had made him? Sesshomaru concluded to leave it undecided, so he only nodded.
Kagome knew he had his uncertainties, but decided to trust him anyway.
"Do you understand what I am," she questioned.
"No," he answered cooly.
Not even curious, she thought to herself. She found it interesting when most would be jumping for her secret. Secrets are what people want because they are things that others can't have.
"Do you even have a clue," she asked.
He thought about this. Then, he remembered her writings a little while ago. But...no...It can't be. She smells...human. He decided to venture on his hypothesis, curious to how she might answer. He would be amused if he angered her.
"You cannot be a complete dragon, of course, so you must be half."
Kagome nodded mutely. He was a little taken aback as to how she accepted it so calmly. He voiced his thoughts, sifting out the confusion from his voice.
"But that's impossible. There is no such thing as half-bred dragons. It is only a mere fairytale. What is wrong with you, woman? Explain this foolishness."
"My name is Kagome. You will call me by that name."
"Do not order me around. Now answer me, woman."
"I can't explain it if you can't believe it."
Sesshomaru was caught on her answer. He had nothing more to say. He didn't know what to say. For the first time in his entire life he was speechless.
Kagome only smiled. "We will continue this conversation when you are more willing to accept this so called 'foolishness.' Right now, go to sleep."
"I will not take your orders, woman."
"Then, escape."
"I have my reasons for not escaping," he growled.
"Well, if my orders won't be obeyed, I'll have to make you go to sleep."
Before he could react, she hit his temple with the hilt of her blade. As he faded into darkness, the last thing he saw were those glowing, cerulean eyes...