Here's chapter two, where we find out about this person that Kagome shot and what will happen to him.
NOTE: Some people were confused on why the story didn't start out with the plot right away. Let me just tell you that next chapter will the beginning of the plot really show. Just so you know.
Chapter Two: Kane's Story
Where were we? Oh yeah. "You're in a healer's hut. You were shot with my arrow." I looked at the man carefully and he looked back. Those eyes creeped me out.
Surprisingly, he smirked! I had just told him that I shot him with my arrow, and he's smirking! What is with him? My eyebrows furrowed a little bit and InuYasha sat down against the wall. The others seemed to get comfortable, but I wouldn't allow myself to. I was standing in front of the person I just shot with an arrow!
"Did you fix my wound?" he asked, looking at me. I nodded.
"The healer gave you some herbs to help," I said, being modest.
"You fixed my wounds, though?" I nodded once more. "Thank you very much, miss..."
"My name is Kagome," I answered him, nodding once more, amazed that he is thanking me after I shot him. Yeah, I know you all get that I shot him... But would you be prancing around happily after you shot a guy in the gut with a sacred arrow? OK, maybe some of you would, but not me! I felt horrible. If he was a horrible person and I had meant to hit him, maybe I wouldn't have felt as bad, but this was just awful.
"I am Kane, a traveling demon slayer," said the man laying on the bed, looking around at all of us as best he could.
"A demon slayer!" Sango said, startled. She got up and walked over next to me, gripping onto my arm. You could tell she was curious and slightly afraid about what he would say next. "Did you live in the demon slayers village?" Sango asked. If he lived in her village, wouldn't you think that Sango would find him slightly familiar? Her father was pretty much the leader, from what I know.
"I lived in the demon slayer village in the west before I left to help other people. I can see you lived in one of them also. Your weapon is from the village that was destroyed, wasn't it?" Kane asked. Sango looked at the ground and nodded. I felt bad for her and her loss. She lost her village and her family. I didn't know what that felt like. The only hardship I've ever had to face was going through the well. "I feel bad for your village." Sango nodded once more.
"Why don't you all sit down?" Kane suggested, breathing in deeply. I sat with Sango sitting next to me. I looked at the ground, not being able to take those green eyes anymore.
"As I said, I lived in a demon slayer village to the west. As I became stronger the demons became scarce. Soon there were none trying to attack our area and village. I remained undefeated by any demon and I traveled around the lands to help other people and villages, destroying any demons in my way.
"I soon came upon a small village with a very powerful priestess. Though she was old, she knew many things and was very talented. She told me I must go defeat a demon in the east, for most of the sacred jewel was held by him. I followed the priestess's advice and started traveling to the east, stopping by towns along the way to help with any demon problems.
"That's when I came near this town. Isn't it ironic that I was untouchable by demons, but the arrow of a human is the thing that has brought me to death?" Kane said, smirking a little bit. I was crying, the tears not stopping for anything. I couldn't take it. I harmed him, and now he was going to die because of me.
"Kagome... I do not blame you for these circumstances. It's not your fault that I am here. Fate has brought me to this place..." I was shaking from the tears. I couldn't stand it anymore! Why was he being so kind to me? I shot him! I am going to be the cause of his death! "Kagome... Don't be so hard on yourself. You couldn't see me... But..."
I looked up, and through teary eyes I could see him looking at the ceiling.
"You must make sure to defeat the demon. I'm sure you've heard of him... Naraku," Kane said, looking back at everyone.
"Y-yes... We're... l-looking for him also..." I said, having trouble talking with the tears still coming down my face.
"Good. You must be more familiar with him... I can see that all of your expressions changed when I said his name... You must all be certain to kill him, or doom will fall upon this land for years to come," Kane explained, his voice slowly growing weaker. Everyone gasped, and my tears slowed slightly as I thought of my home changing because Naraku was still alive.
The demon slayer breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. His breathing became slower. He opened an eye and looked at me, smirking slightly. "I actually... couldn't handle... being everyone's hero anymore... Thank you, Kagome, for being my hero," Kane said, before closing his eyes and leaning back greatly. The tears down my face stopped, leaving red eyes behind. I saw a small wince of pain in Kane's face before his breathing stopped altogether.
"The smell of death has completely overpowered his normal scent," InuYasha said simply. Thanks for sugarcoating it, InuYasha. Note the sarcasm.
I bit my lip. "He's dead," Shippo said. That's why I love him. He never misses a thing. Of course, I wasn't thinking that at the time. No sound escaped my mouth, but I shook violently and tears started to fall down my face. I had killed this man, and he wasn't even angry with me! He had learned how to be forgiving, even at the brink of death. I could never be like that. I am not like him. He is a great person, but how can I be his hero? I just killed him. It would be easier to handle if he hated me, if he wanted to hurt me for killing him. But he didn't. He didn't want to hurt me; he wanted to thank me.
I was his hero.
And now he's dead.
I killed him.
And I am his hero.
I'm sorry, but how can you get over killing a person who thanked you?
I didn't even realize when InuYasha lifted me up and brought me over to a cot as Miroku covered Kane's body and said a prayer. I didn't realize until the next day that I cried into InuYasha's haori until I fell asleep and InuYasha put me down on the cot and covered me with a blanket from by backpack. He was being very kind... Did he understand what I was going through?
I wish I could thank him properly... But... Oh, crap, I can feel my face turning red!
I woke up during the middle of the night, comfortably warm with the blanket tucked up to my chin. I saw InuYasha asleep a few feet away from me, sitting up with his arms inside his sleeves. I smiled slightly, just so slightly, and a tear fell down my cheek.
That is the chapter. I hope you liked it. What will Kagome do? Will the guilt of killing Kane weigh down on her too much, or will she feel better after a while?
Next Chapter: Kagome's mind is stuck on Kane, and this is effecting the whole group. But how much will it effect the group, and in what ways?