Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 14 Time Well Spent


Kagome had decided to walk down to the river that ran along side Kaede's village to clear her mind. She had to think of what to say to Inuyasha, but first she needed to figure out just what his wish was.

Inuyasha's voice taunted her thoughts . . . "You really don't get it do you? I hoped you would understand, but I guess I was wrong." But what was once a broken statement of despair had now turned into a mocking, spiteful voice in her head.

'What did he do?' She desperately wanted to understand. He was a full blooded demon now, but he couldn't hold his greatest weapon. Why?'

Then Kikyou's voice echoed inside her head. "I must go with him, for I hold his human soul now . . . He did not wish for what you think."

'Kikyou holds his human soul? That means she's alive again, but he's still alive. That means he did not give up his life for hers. He's a full blooded demon.' Then it hit her like a tons of bricks.

'He brought her back by giving her his humanity. Oh, Kami! What have I done? I told him his wish was selfish, but it wasn't. He gave up a part of himself to allow her to live again, and I called him selfish. He can't even use his greatest weapon and only inheritance anymore, and I accused him of only greed. What do I do now? How can I possibly make it better?'

Kagome dropped to her knees on the river bank.

"What can I say to him to regain his trust?" Kagome's mind traveled to all the times Inuyasha had made her mad and she'd gone home for a few days. Maybe she should just stand beside him and give a 'Feh!' and everything would be fixed. She giggled at her own stupid thoughts as she pictured Inuyasha sitting with his knees folded underneath him and his hands lying in his lap, while she stood next to him with arms crossed in front of her and a scowl on her face.

'Yeah, like that would ever happen!' She tried, but the giggles would not stop coming. They came full force when the picture was modified as her standing, arms crossed, dressed in Inuyasha's robes with Inuyasha sitting beside her...IN HER SKIRT!?!

"Wow..." Giggles ceased and Kagome grabbed her sides laughing so hard no noise came from her mouth and throat. After a few minutes she finally calmed down.

"My imagination really can run away with me sometimes."

Kagome wiped the tear from her eye (A/N: yes, she laughed that hard...wouldn't you if you saw Inu in Kagome's skirt?)

She sighed heavily and looked to the setting sun. There was only about two hours until darkness would settle. "I guess I better go set things straight. Well, that is if I can."

She rose to her feet. She closed her eyes and extended her aura; she reached into her senses and scouted for the familiar hanyou presence. 'He's not too far from here.' With that thought Kagome started in his direction.


Kikyou looked up and saw Kagome walking towards them. She sat across from Inuyasha; he had been very quiet all afternoon. Kikyou was worried for him, but she knew he was upset.

The two mikos met each other's gaze. "I'll just be leaving. I will not be far" Kikyou glanced at Inuyasha, who refused to look at either of them. Then she turned and walked away.

Kagome seated herself where Kikyou had been and began.

"Inuyasha..."she took a deep breath. He had still yet to look at her. "I am sorry. I never realized how much you would give up becoming a full demon. I ... I, it was one of my biggest fears that would be your wish and you would lose yourself to your blood. When that happened, I just got so angry. I didn't think it through. I..." Tears were streaming down her face by now, but she forced her voice to stay steady.

"I know that I betrayed your trust and friendship, and I wish there was something I could do to take it back; but I can't. I ask for your forgiveness; that's all a can do." She waited in silence with her head lowered.

Inuyasha kept his silence. He could smell her tears; he knew this was causing her a great deal of pain, this only made him feel better. She had hurt him with her accusations, and he would not fold so easily.

"Inuyasha, its getting late. I must go. I only have a week to spend with my family, then I am to go with Sesshoumaru. He has never said how long I am to be will him, so the more time I can be there, the better. I can't stay here and wait for you to decide what our fate will be. I am sorry." When she had spoken her piece, she rose to leave him.

'Damn. She leaves it in my hands again.' Inuyasha's thoughts speed through his head. 'Every time we had an argument, well, every time she got upset with me, I had to go get her. This time its my turn to be mad, and I still have to go get her. No! Not this time.'

"Kagome." His voice stopped her from leaving, but she did not turn to face him. She was trying to clear her face of any evidence that she had been crying.

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"I'm still mad, but it'll pass."

She heard the rustle of his clothing as he stood. With a leap, he was in a tree, and Kagome knew the conversation was over.


"Is everything prepared and running smoothly?"

In a sparsely lit room hidden underground in the middle of the lands, five men sat at a low table. The man at the head of the table looked individually at the four sitting down the table from him. One by one, he locked eyes with them and they nodded.

"Nothing seems amiss? Are they getting suspicious?"

No one had to question who 'they' were. All knew their assignments, and all knew the price of failure. The closest three shook their head in a negative response, but one kept still. The last did not answer.

The man at the head of the table focused his attention on the last. "What of yours? Is the lord suspicious?"

The last spoke slowly, hesitantly. "I am not sure. Things have changed in the routine."

"Explain."

"Well, Lord Sess..."

"How many times have I told you NO NAMES!!" The head man was irate. Now the other three would know this one's assignment. 'Oh well, the time draws near.'

No, very little could change the plans he had carefully laid out. "Well what are you waiting for? Continue" He spat viciously.

"Apologies milord. The lord has changed his daily routine, which up until now was set in stone. It is hard to find him at any given point in time because he has become erratic in his movements. Its as if he is expecting something."

"Has he taken any action which would interfere with the plans?"

"No. He has in fact taken steps in aid."

"Explain your words."

"He has brought in human servants who are not loyal to him, and they are easily dispatched. He has also, frequently taken leaves of absence for several days. Its as if he wants this to happen."

The man at the head of the table said nothing in response for sometime. The men scattered down the table sat in awkward silence awaiting further orders and their dismissal. They waited.

Finally the lead man spoke. "I will think on his movements. Your lord is a cunning one; yes, he is planning something, but do not let that interfere with our plans. Be more discrete in your movements."

Then he turned his head to address all before him.

"Everything will progress at the afore mentioned time. Let nothing stand in your way. I need not remind you the price of your failure. You are dismissed."


"Hi, mom! I'm home!" Kagome came into her house with a big, false smile painted on her face.

"Hello, honey! I am so glad you're home." Kagome's mother rushed to her daughter and embraced the long absent teen.

"It's been so long. What has kept you from home?" The woman pulled away from her daughter so she could hear and see the response to her question.

Kagome's thoughts saddened just a bit. It had been at least a month since she had been home, and in a week she'd had to turn back around and leave for an undetermined span.

She saw her daughter's face fall a bit; she braced herself. She knew troubling news would come with the next words.

"I only have a week to stay, then I have to go back."

The motherly smile had faded, "What do you mean Kagome?" Normally Kagome would only come home for a short time, why was this time any different?

"I don't know how long I'll be gone; the jewel is completed. I don't need to be there anymore, but I made a promise to help someone. I don't know how long it'll take."

Kagome knew this wasn't the case. It was perhaps a half truth. She did give her word, but it wasn't to help him. Of course, even if it was to help, he would never admit to needed a human's aid, and she did not know how long her 'employment' would last.

"But the jewel is complete? That means you are not in danger any more?"

Kagome gasped. She had never told her mom how much danger she was in on the other side of the well. She was too afraid her mother wouldn't allow her to go back. But, of coarse, a mother always knows things such as that.

"No, I think the danger has passed. Plus..." Kagome brightened up instantly. "I can take better care of myself now. I think I have better control over my abilities." She beamed at her mother.

"Your grandfather will be so happy to hear that." Kagome frowned. She just now realized how empty the house was.

"Where is everybody?"

"They will be home shortly. Souta and your grandfather went into town, and should be back any time now."

"Ok, well I'm gonna go take a bath and unpack."

"Have you eaten? I can fix you something while you're bathing?"

"Food would be great, mom."


That night Kagome was again visited by Nara.

Kagome realized she was dreaming as she gazed out at the vast wasteland that surrounded her. Sparse plants that were very coarse in appearance sprouted every now and then. A thin layer of frost was braided into the near absent vegetation underfoot. The scene reminded her of the tundra she had once studied in a class a long time ago.

A chill was in the air; the wind blew harshly through the thin robes that she wore. The air in front of her shimmered for a moment, and then Nara was before her.

Nara, though once again beautiful in her platinum hair and white attire, looked much different than the last time Kagome had seen her.

Nara was no longer the smiling and free creature she had known her as. This time, the dreamscape reflected what Kagome saw in the woman before her.

Nara was cold and serene, distant and solemn. They met each other in gaze.

"You have questions that need to be answered." Nara began.

Kagome was very intimidated by her. "Y-yes." She squeaked out.

Nara smiled gently somewhat easing the girl's fears. "Then ask."

Kagome was caught off guard. She thought Nara knew the questions and would just answer them. She wasn't expecting to actually be forced to voice them. 'Oh well, here goes.'

"A few weeks ago something attacked me mentally. Was it the power you gave me that did this?"

"Yes, but you don't have a proper grasp of what you possess. I gave you an access to your own power, not the power itself. Listen well, child. What runs through your veins is yours, I did not bestow upon you the actual abilities. Those lay dormant in you the entire time. I only gave you the ability to reach within yourself and control it."

Kagome stood in a shocked silence for several moments, but then realized that she still didn't know what happened that night.

"Why did it attack me?"

Nara looked off into the distance before she replied. "Kagome, do you remember how you felt before that happened."

She thought for a moment. She remembered seeing Inuyasha with Kikyou, and she remembered running away.

"I was upset." Was all she could come up with upon searching her memories.

"No, you weren't. Remember?" Nara focused once again on Kagome.

As if she were experiencing it all again, Kagome at once stood in front of Inuyasha embracing her incarnate. Shocked, she felt all feeling fall away as if water doused her body.

With no emotion in her voice, Kagome responded, "I felt numb, as if I didn't exist at all."

"Yes. Kagome come back." Nara called to her softly.

Almost instantly Kagome felt again. She could hear the voices of those she loved wrap around her and pull her away from the precipice she hadn't known was there.

"Kagome, your power centers on what is you, what you are. Everything you feel, you experience, everything you desire, all contributes to the reservoir of your energy. When you let go of those things that night, that reservoir had nothing to dam it. Your energy had no where to go, no where to release itself, so it overflowed into your subconscious and pulled you with it. That is why I warned you of how dangerous your feelings for Inuyasha were."

"I see." Kagome became silent for a moment. "Then, what brought me back?"

"That, I cannot tell you. You will find out soon. Kagome, I must warn you about your stay with Sesshoumaru."

Kagome had slightly entered her own thoughts, but with the name of her soon to be lord, she was brought back to reality. She looked to Nara to show her attention.

"What he has for you to do, you will not like." A small smile graced her features as she said this. "Know this, though, it is important for you to at least try to cooperate. His fate rests with you. It is a very dangerous task, and you need to be very careful when you are not with him."

"What does he want me to do?"

Nara smiled once again. "It is not my place to tell you."

"So I can use the power now without fear of it attacking me again?"

"Yes, just make sure you use your inner self to fuel your concentration and abilities."

Kagome nodded in understanding.

"I must go now, but one more thing before I leave. The chain I gave you..."

Kagome subconsciously reached to her hair where the chain had been. Her face showed shock to feel it wasn't there anymore.

Nara laughed when she saw Kagome's expression. "Don't worry, it is not supposed to be there."

A bewildered face and eyes full of confusion met Nara's statement, and she laughed again.

"Kagome, the chain has been absorbed into your body. No one is to know of its existence unless there is no other choice. It is for your protection."

"What does it do?" Kagome asked, a little unnerved that a metal chain was now running around inside her. 'First the jewel was inside me, I finally get rid of that one, now a magic chain' she thought a bit sarcastically.

"It will give you a transport if need be. If a situation arises that you need to get away from, and there is no other way. The chain will take you to wherever you want to go."

"But how will I know how to use it?"

"You will know when the time is right. I must go. Until next we meet, take care of yourself."


The week was passing by quickly. Inuyasha had come to see her after the normal three days time span, and everything was... less tense than their last meeting. He had given her his forgiveness, but he still acted rigid in her presence. She had given him a huge hug as he was about to leave, but he only half heartedly returned it.

His attitude toward her saddened her, but she had plans with her friends the next day. She was looking forward to seeing Hojou. As funny as that sounded, she was actually really ready to change his feelings towards her. Because of this, she had accepted his offer to another date.

It didn't take too long into the dinner with Hojou for Kagome to realize she REALLY didn't want to be there.

It seems that Kagome can only control her own emotions, not others. Which really makes sense, you can't force someone to love or not to love.

Which means: a two hour dinner with Hojou pining after her talking about all the new medical breakthroughs science has accomplished while she was 'sick in bed.' Then there was the movie that he tried to kiss her during. Yeah, that was bad, but, never fear, she conveniently had to bend down and scratch her ankle when he started to lean over towards her.

Oh, and then there was the conversations with her friends about how badly she was treating Hojou for accepting his invitation on a date and then rejecting his further affections.

And Eri's strange theory about only wanting Hojou to be a 'pet.' Really, a boy would never make a good pet, but they did find it funny that Kagome once had a crush on a guy with 'dog' in his name. (Inuyasha) This only added proof to their theory, in their minds. Kagome disagreed.

Kagome was mortified at this theory, but it did make her think relationships. She decided that, for the time being, she didn't need a boy. Its not like she could do much, otherwise. She would be in Feudal Japan. She couldn't just bring a boy home five hundred years in the future. Yes, she decided that it was best to leave romance in modern times and pick up the pursuit when things had a semblance of the norm. (A/N: not in the cards, honey)

Things with her family were about normal. She and Souta picked at each other as brothers and sisters do, but when it came down to it, they both knew how much they loved their sibling.

Her grandfather was amazed at the healing abilities Kagome displayed when Souta tripped down the last of the shrine steps and had cuts all up and down his legs.

Kagome treasured her mother's home cooked meals for a week, then it was time to go back. She was all packed, but she was really nervous. She didn't want Sesshoumaru to know the well was a portal to her realm, so she decided to head back a bit early. She hoped he would find her at the village and not wonder about her scent around the well.


At dawn on her last day in her time, Kagome emerged on the other side of the well, brining two bags with her.

She groaned slightly while trowing the heavier of her bags over the rim of the well. Then she casually tossed the second over onto the first.

When she traveled with Inuyasha, she always only carried her yellow pack, but if she was going to stay for a while with the taiyoukai, she wanted some of her personal items with her to keep her memories fresh. Plus, while traveling, she packed as little as possible to make the pack lighter, but if she would be staying in one place, she might as well pack what she wanted.

She climbed out, brushed herself off, and picked up both bags. When she turned around, pack over both shoulder and a black bag looped over only one, Sesshoumaru was standing there staring at her, emotionless as always.

She almost jumped out of her skin. She was NOT expecting him to be there this early; in fact, she was praying he wouldn't be, but here he was.


Sesshoumaru tracked her scent until he reached the village she normally spent time in, but the trail didn't end here. It was faint, a week old, but his nose was extremely sensitive.

He followed the trail to an old well. The sun had yet to rise, but he could see clearly. When she spoke of magic protecting her village, he was curious. He wanted to know if the barrier around her home was strong enough to keep him out.

'Highly unlikely.' But, with the abilities this girl possessed, he thought he needed to investigate things thoroughly.

'This girl's power is immense compared to most, and she was only a female child. What capabilities might the adult males of her village have? And how many inhabited the village? Better yet, how many of these villages might there be? If there were several that slipped under the notice of demons, with very powerful humans thriving there, something needed to be done. These people could become a major threat if allowed to continue their activities unnoticed.'

Because of this line of thinking, he arrived very early to see where this village lay, but there was no barrier that he could sense or smell. The only thing that marked where her scent disappeared was a decrepit well, but the well was infused with magic and her scent.

'Is this village underground?' He looked over the rim of the well, but he saw earth which blocked passage.

'That could easily be an illusion.' So he jumped into the well. He landed on solid ground. He had discovered nothing unusual about this well, but he had discerned for certain that this was where her scent disappeared. He decided to watch the well to find out what he could.

He waited for about half an hour until he felt a rush of magic and saw a bluish light peering over the rim of the well.

Then he smelled her. Her scent was fresh, as if she had just appeared out of thin air in the bottom of the well. He would have thought his senses deceiving him, but he heard faint noises coming from the wooden structure in front of him.

Slight groans came as he saw a yellow bag thrown over the rim and onto the ground. A smaller black bag was tossed onto the first, and then he saw a hand on the rim. He watched, as the girl struggled to pull herself out of the well. Her back was to him as she picked up her bags, and when she turned to him, she saw her noticeably flinch.

"You are early, Sesshoumaru." Kagome stated once she regained her composure.

"I prefer to call it prompt." With that he turns and begins to walk towards the treeline. "Come, we must be on our way." He called back to her.


They walked all day, with only one stop when Kagome said she needed to eat.

Light was about to fade completely away for the evening, and Kagome was about to throw something at the taiyoukai in front of her.

Upset couldn't accurately describe how she felt, furious was more like it. She had tried on several occasions to speak to him, but every time she was met with silence. Once she even tried to get a rise out of him by berating him, but in response all he did was turn around to face her and glare viciously for a second before resuming his walk.

It had been an extremely long day. She was bored out of her mind, and she grew angrier with every failed attempt to speak with him.

By dusk, when they were to camp for the evening, she was ready to blow.

"We'll stay here for the night." His monotone voice cut through the silence that had hung over the pair for hours.

"Oh, so now you speak." Kagome answers as she walks to set her bags down by a tree. Her back and shoulders were screaming from the twelve hour day of carrying more than she's used to carrying, but she refused to complain, refused to show weakness.

'Not to that arrogant jerk.'

Her comment was met with slight narrowing of his eyes, but silence still tore at her.

Kagome sat down and made a fire. When the fire had been built, she went to the stream to gather water; when she returned she made herself some ramen.

The entire time she was doing these things, Sesshoumaru watched her. He had questions, and he wanted answers.

When she had finally settled down with her meal, and he was satisfied that she would be still long enough to get his answers, he spoke to her.

He had been staring at her since they had stopped traveling. She was doing anything and everything to keep from thinking about his intense gaze.

'Great, now I'm angry AND unnerved. Stupid, arrogant..." but she was cut off when he spoke to her again.

"At my father's grave, during the battle with Naraku, why did you do nothing?"

Kagome almost choked on her noodles. She was not expecting any noise, but his deep voice resonated through the clearing.

'Is that why he's been treating me so differently than meetings we had in the past?' Kagome wondered to herself.

She looked away from her meal to look at the youkai across from her. He was still staring her down, but his eyes were more narrow than usual.

'Not very patient is he?' Kagome almost smirked at the thought of irritating him as much as he had done to her throughout the day. 'But he tomorrow might be more pleasant if I cooperate with him tonight.'

Sesshoumaru was extremely upset by this point, though few would be able to tell. Finally he saw her draw a deep breath, and he assumed she was about to answer his question.

"I was scared..." Kagome paused. She saw him give a dignified sniff and turn away from her, and she realized what he was thinking.

"...not in the manner you are thinking, though. A short time before the final battle at your father's grave, the power within me overwhelmed me."

She stopped to try to put into words what happened.

"Something happened and I lost the hold I had over my energy. My own power attacked me. During to fight with Naraku, I had yet to figure out why this happened, because of that, I used my skills as little as possible. I reverted back to the bow and arrow as an outlet, and I only tapped into my power when it was direly needed. If you and Inuyasha had been in danger, I would have tried something, though I'm not sure what I could've done if Toukijin's and Tetsusaiga's attacks both failed to penetrate Naraku's barrier."

"Do you know why that happened now?" His voice did not betray his curiosity.

"It has been made clear to me now."

"You will be able to use your abilities?" He needed to know if she would be able to access her power, otherwise, her death at his fortress would be imminent.

"Yes."

By this time, Kagome had finished her meal, and she desperately wanted to go take a bath. She knew she was sweaty, and she needed to work out the knots in her neck and shoulders.

Sesshoumaru sensed her unrest and decided to ask his other questions later. He had gotten the information he needed for now. With her abilities, she might survive long enough to be useful to him.


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Hope you liked this chapter...Until Next Week! Syrinx