Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.
Chapter Ten: The Sword
Inuyasha couldn't erase Kagome's anguished face from his mind. Reminding her that it wasn't really her mother didn't seem to make anything better. The haunted look in her eyes made him quit trying. So they walked in silence back to Kaede's village. Silence was better than hearing her sniffling though.
"My love holds the key." Inuyasha's head whipped around. It was the most words she had strung together at once since watching her mother die. The character of her mother, he reminded himself. Bad enough Kagome was thinking of the wom… CHARACTER as her mother.
Finally she looks him in the eyes. "What do you suppose it means?"
"Dunno." He shrugs while trying to think of something to say to keep the conversation going. "Something to do with your heart? Would hate to have to cut it out of you to check though."
Kagome laughed and hit him on the arm, making him grin.
"Idiot." Her voice held no heat as she insulted him.
The next hour of walking had a much lighter mood. They continued their question game, sticking to unimportant and lighthearted topics. She found out his favorite song, actress, and anime. She also found out that he never read a western or went ice skating. He found out her favorite comic book, sport, and ice cream flavor. He also learned that she preferred crunchy peanut butter,
But there was a question that had been bothering the young man since they left Kagome's village, and he decided to go ahead and ask it on his next turn.
"Why did it bother you so much?" He didn't have to clarify. He knew she would know.
Kagome stopped walking and looked at the ground, biting her lip. If he could have turned back time to take the question back, he might have done it. When she looked back up at him her eyes were watery and sad.
"My dad died in a fire."
Inuyasha inhaled sharply and swore under his breath. He hadn't expected that.
"In fact, he died almost exactly like my mother… well, my computer simulated mother just did. And the house on fire looked exactly the way my house looked that night. Funny huh?" Neither one laughed. "When I first left the village, the place I left was little more than a large hut. That place we just saw… it was my house… the same house that burned down when I was a child." Kagome looked at Inuyasha. "How could he have known? How could they have possibly known?"
As much as he wished he did, Inuyasha didn't have an answer for her. But it creep him out a bit.
"Was there an article in the paper or something about his death? Maybe there was a picture published and he found it."
Kagome thought about it as they started walking again. "Hmmm… I don't know. It's possible. Though I would have to ask my mom," her voice broke, but she tried to cover it up by clearing her throat, "…or my grandpa."
"Even if there was, and he found it… why would he do something so… cruel?" Inuyasha wondered aloud, not fooled for an instant.
"Do you miss having black hair and brown eyes, or do you prefer your new silver and gold look?" Kagome asked.
Blink blink.
"What?"
Kagome watched the path ahead of them as they walked. "My turn, remember? Do you miss having black hair and brown eyes, or do you prefer your new silver and gold look?"
Inuyasha smiled as he realized she was playing their question game again. Nice subject change, Kagome. Very smooth.
"I kind of like the silver and gold look myself. Makes me look more exotic." He ignored the snort coming from Kagome. "What is the cheesiest pick up line a guy ever said to you?"
His heart fluttered a bit as she laughed. He had missed that sound and was proud of himself for being able to bring it back.
"Hmmm… let see…. Oh! I know. He asked: Did it hurt? Then I asked: What? Then he said: When you fell from Heaven?"
They both laughed this time.
The game continued until they reached the next village. Unfortunately, all of the villagers replied that they don't talk to demons. Eventually they decided that Inuyasha would stay behind while Kagome went alone to ask questions instead of beating the computer simulated villagers into computer simulated pulp. Much to their annoyance, the villagers spoke their lines (now civilized and polite) to the girl once she was alone.
Miko Kagome: Hello
Male villager in blue: The potions shop sells herbs that hurt and heal.
Ok, so it's a good idea to stock up on healing potions and some that can be used against the enemy in combat. Got it. She walks a little farther and speaks to the next villager.
Miko Kagome: Hello, rude villager.
Male villager in green: Demons are roaming in the woods, be careful!
Miko Kagome: No kidding.
No helpful information there. She rolls her eyes and speaks to the person beside him.
Miko Kagome: Hey.
Female villager in red: There is a legend of a sword than only a half-demon can wield.
Miko Kagome: Yes! Where is the sword?
Female villager in red: There is a legend of a sword than only a half-demon can wield.
Miko Kagome: Where is it?
Female villager in red: There is a legend of a sword than only a half-demon can wield.
Kagome sighs as she tries REALLY hard not to shake the villager till her teeth rattled. Stupid one line speaking computer villager. The young woman continues through the village, speaking to everyone she saw. Including the dog. Hey, you never know unless you try.
"Now what?" Inuyasha asks as she plops down beside him on the grass, letting herself fall backwards.
She blew her bangs out of her face and turned towards him. "I guess we go into all the houses and loot the place." Evil chuckling and grinning. "Never felt more like stealing than from these people."
Inuyasha laughs, suddenly filled with humor, as he stands up and helps his friend back up to her feet. "Are you sure your character is the Priestess and not the Thief?"
She gives him a brilliant smile walks back to the first villager. Pushing past the male villager in blue, she enters his hut. The poke around and find an arrow and a treasure chest with a healing potion.
"I wonder if I'm allowed to change my character part way through the game. Think I would get better stuff if I was a Thief?" She put the items into her bag. "You know, like some sort of bonus thing?"
"Doubt it."
"Killjoy."
They loot the next two huts and find a couple more useful items and another funny little leaf. The next place they entered looked a little different than the one and two room huts that they had been in.
"Yay!" Kagome jumps up and down as she recognizes the place as the potions shop. "A store, we found the store!"
Inuyasha rolls his eyes. "What is it with women and shopping?"
His smart aleck remark gets him a punch in the shoulder and a scowl. It was a small price to pay for annoying her though.
Miko Kagome: Hello, shopkeeper.
Potions Shopkeeper: Hello traveler. Would you like to Buy or Sell?
Miko Kagome: Buy
To the right of the shopkeeper appears a list of items, including healing potions, phoenix feathers, antidotes, poison gases, and a rope.
"I wonder what the rope is for."
"Probably for escaping a battle," Inuyasha says. "I played an RPG once that used a rope for escaping. I never use them though. My motto is to fight every battle."
Kagome made a harumphing sound. "What if that isn't my motto?" He rolled his eyes at her, knowing that she was just as likely to fight every battle as he was.
Miko Kagome: We'll take ten potions, two phoenix feathers, and five antidotes please."
The shopkeeper kept smiling but didn't say anything in return or give her any items.
"Didn't work."
"Nice observation, Inuyasha. I can SEE that it didn't work."
"Kinda touchy there, Kags."
Grrrrrrr. "How about being a bit more helpful, INU."
"Try just saying the items instead of saying it as a sentence. Maybe that will work." He was amused with her growling, but hid his grin so he wouldn't get walloped.
Kagome nodded, trying to tamp down her frustrations. Why is this game being so stupid difficult? Give us a break!
Miko Kagome: Ten potions, two phoenix feathers, five antidotes.
Silence. Stupid shopkeepers. Stupid game creators. Stupid rules.
Miko Kagome: Ten potions.
Silence.
"Can't we just take the items?" Kagome asked innocently.
"You seriously are a thief. This game is corrupting you." Inuyasha snickered as he leaned his hip against the counter, no longer trying to hide his amusement.
Kagome pointed to the potions. "I. Just. Want. A. Potion!" With each word she spoke she jabbed at the word beside the shopkeeper.
Shopkeeper: Thank you. Would you like to purchase something else?
Suddenly on the counter were five potions. Inuyasha and Kagome looked at them. What the…? Curiously, Kagome poked at the word beside the shopkeeper again.
Shopkeeper: Thank you. Would you like to purchase something else?
Kagome burst out laughing, joined by her silver haired friend. Once her giggles subsided, she poked at the word a few more times, then poked at the word for phoenix feathers a couple of times, and five times for the antidote.
"How much gold do we have left?" asked Inuyasha as they left the shop.
Kagome looked in her bag. "I think around 300 pieces, more or less. Why?"
He gave her a grin and pointed across the street. "Because I see a weapon shop right over there!"
Unfortunately, just about everything was out of their price range. There were several items that simply weren't available to them yet. Still, it was fun looking. Kagome decided to buy a couple of special arrows. One was supposed to poison, and the other was supposed to turn the enemy to stone.
"That was a bust."
"Not for me!" Kagome looked at her new arrows happily before putting them in her quiver. "Should we stay at an inn?"
Inuyasha glared.
"Aren't you supposed to stay at inns whenever you can?"
Inuyasha continued to glare.
"Isn't it supposed to heal you too?"
"Are you sure they let DEMONS in the inn?" he asked angrily.
Kagome was silent for a moment. "Let's keep going, not much for us here. I bet if we keep following the path we'll hit a different town."
"…Kagome…"
Although he felt guilty for not letting her stay and rest at the inn, he was grateful that she wasn't making him stay. There was something angry about this village that made Inuyasha uncomfortable. He followed the humming girl down the path.
The next town was only a few hours away. By the time they got there, they had quite a few more gold coins. They decided to not buy any more potions, but to stock up on food items and arrows.
They decided to make camp when the first star twinkled.
"I can't believe we aren't any closer to finding the sword," Kagome complained as she fell back onto the soft grass.
"Your love sure ain't doing much to help us here, Kags."
Grumble grumble.
"You sure that's what she said?"
Kagome flopped onto her side in a huff. "Yes!" She closed her eyes, frustrated with herself for not being able to find the sword. Her mother's words played in her head. "Soul's window."
"What?"
She sat up and stared at him. "She also said something about a soul's window."
"Eyes. The eyes are the window to the soul."
Kagome squealed and launched herself at Inuyasha. "Yes! That must be it! But… whose eyes?"
They sat together and thought about it. Kagome even tried poking at her eyes a bit to see if anything happened. Really it just made her eye hurt. With a sigh she sat back and looked at her friend. He has such beautiful eyes.
She cocked her head to one side. There was something weird with his right eye.
"Hey… Inuyasha…"
"What?"
"Um… can I see your eye for a second?"
Quickly he covered his eyes with his hands and hid his head. "NO WAY! I saw you poke yourself in the eye. You're not doing that to me too!"
She grabbed his arm and tried to pry it away from his face. "I won't poke you. Probably. Just let me see it!"
"No!"
"INUYASHA!"
He stood up to run from her, but she tackled him to the ground before he could take his first step. She sat straddling his chest and pulling at his arms with all of her might. Finally the dog demon gave up and let her have her way.
"Baby," she accused.
"Yes, Sweetie?"
She snickered and batted his hands from his face. "Idiot. I was calling you a big sissy baby."
"Ohhhhhhh….."
Inuyasha's eyes opened wide as she leaned closer. And closer. He could feel her breath on his cheek. He wasn't quite sure what to do. So he waited for Kagome to make the move. And she did.
Reaching out slowly, Kagome brought her hand to Inuyasha's face. Her fingers barely touching him.
That's when he felt it. Blinding pain.
Inuyasha screamed out, knocking Kagome away from him. It felt as if she had stuck a hot poker in his eye. He was about to yell at her when he saw her sitting on the ground, holding a beat up looking sword.
"What the…?"
"It… it… your eye… Inuyasha… it came from your eye!"
