Chapter Two: Simplicity In its True Form
It was a sunny day, as she opened her eyes, coming into contact with the bright light of day. Taking a deep breath, Kagome slipped out of bed and stretched. Perhaps her whole out look on life would be different today. She had spent just over a week trying to convince herself that everything had been a dream. But no matter how hard she tried to forget the faces, incidents and emotions; Kagome couldn't possibly even begin to image life without those dreams that haunted her each night. She had begun to accept them. Even though they were dreams, she could still visit those friends while she slept.
Dressing quickly, Kagome raced down the stairs of her home and placed a fake grin on her face for her mother.
"Good morning, dear."
Kagome stretched again and nodded. "Is it alright if I go out today?"
"Where will you go?"
Kagome placed her finger to her chin for a moment before answering. "Maybe the park. It looks so wonderful outside that I think that the sunshine will do me some good."
Her mother nodded. "Would you like me to make you something to eat?"
Kagome shook her head. "It's okay mom, I'll grab something to eat while I'm out."
"Okay dear. Be home for dinner though." Her mother said gently.
"Thanks mom." Without another word, Kagome exited her shrine home and walked down the stairs reaching the street in due time. She was still lost in thought about her dreams, but she wasn't over come with so much sadness as she had been a week ago. Every night, she had those faces appear to her, especially his. Frowning, his face was slightly faded. Hazy was more the word. His golden eyes delved deep into her soul and caused her heart to flutter just thinking about him. What really made her ponder this strange memory or dream were the small white ears that sat on top of his head, surrounded by a mass of silver white hair? Shaking her head furiously, she dislodged those thoughts and entered the park silently.
Looking around she saw many young children playing on the various apparatuses that filled the park. Girls played on the swing, boys threw balls back and forth, and both sexes were playing in the sand boxes. They were all happy children, laughing and giggling without a care in the world except for this day that they had in the sunshine.
Smiling softly, Kagome sat down on one of the benches and sighed. Lately she did a lot of that, but she didn't care anymore. If sighing relieved her rattled brain then she would do it as often as she wished.
She was startled out of her thoughts when a ball bounced towards her. Getting up quickly, she grabbed the ball and held it out for the little boy and she smiled. "I think this belongs to you." Kagome stated.
The small boy nodded and took the ball; quickly running away in his excitement to continue whatever game he and his friends were playing. Seating herself back down, she looked around the park, still wishing that those faces would appear to her in this reality.
Shaking her head, she needed to forget those people, if she was going to get on with her life. Seriously, who would want to be friends with her constantly sighing, moody and smile less? At sixteen, she realized that having no friends would be dreadful. She had no one to hang out with, no one to shop with besides her mother, and no one to share her life with. She wasn't certain as to why Hojo had changed so much. Before all this happened, in her dreams also, he had been caring, sweet and always gentle hearted. He now shunned her like she was a crazed lunatic. Giggling softly to herself, she almost believed that she was too. Her first day back at school had been alright, but as soon as she had mentioned her coma dreams, everyone's face had dropped their concern, and became somewhat filled with ridicule.
She was now a target of constant gossip; an easy target and she knew she shouldn't let those things bother her. However, they did, and everyone knew it, that was why they constantly teased her, and pushed her buttons. Silently, she knew that if she just ignored all the whispers and constant bullying, they would stop. Sighing yet again, she slumped in her seat. When would she be happy again?
'If those faces would either vanish or prove to everyone that it wasn't a dream.' She silently chastised herself. The sacred jewel granted wishes. What would her wish have been? She wondered. 'I know I sure as hell wouldn't wish to forget them!' Pondering what her wish would have been, she let her eyes wander around the park. 'I would wish to always remember them, and for them to be happy.'
Sitting forward, she wondered if that was part of it. 'Did they maybe want to forget me?' Frowning, she placed her elbows on her knees and swallowed. 'Is that why I no longer have access to the feudal era?'
It wasn't possible. The demon slayer had become a great friend, never judging her for anything. Miroku the monk had always given superb advice in the worst situations, and had also become a good friend. Shippo was a sweet demon. He had always snuggled up to her and defended her no matter what. She loved the little fox. Then there was him. The silver haired one. Oh she remembered him, his temper, and constant refusal to accept anything that remotely resulted in emotion. She knew he cared, that much was certain, but would he want to forget her?
Smiling softly, she knew if he was still in love with Kikyou, then yes he maybe would want to forget her. 'No, he would never want that. He grew to trust me, depend on me, and possibly care for me even though it may not have been love.' Leaned back against the bench again, Kagome laid her head back and stared at the blue sky absently. She could still feel his arms around her, telling her he had been scared. He had been scared for her life, and didn't want anything bad to happen to her. She still remembered pressing her lips against his begging him not to change. There had been so many touching moments with that strange puppy dog-eared demon.
She pressed her fingers against her lips and remembered the kiss. He had kissed her back once he had regained his mind. Sitting forward suddenly, she remembered much more then she had only moments ago. Kagome had promised to never forget them, no matter what. A promise that over ruled anything, even a desperate wish. 'No wonder I can't forget anyone.' She gasped softly. It was almost when someone forgot the name of a song and sat for hours trying to think of the name, but having it on the tip of your tongue. Then the song would appear at the strangest times, and it would be uttered possibly days later.
Standing up and shouting into the sky, his name flew from her mouth even though it had eluded her for weeks. "Inuyasha! You Baka!" She shouted. Stopping stunned for a moment, his name fluttered around on the breeze for a moment before her mind registered that she indeed had remembered correctly. "Inuyasha!" She whispered. Her eyes lifted and she realized that her sudden outburst had stopped all movement in the park and she grinned sheepishly, waving apologetically.
Sitting back down on the bench once the park began to move again, and the stares on her ceased, Kagome fought with her brain to remember more of that demon named Inuyasha. "He was a hanyou." She muttered to herself. "Only a half demon. His name was Inuyasha, and he loved Kikyou and then grew to care about me. Stupid Inuyasha." She grumbled. Oh she remembered sitting him on several occasions when he had angered her, but the name had just come to her. "Stupid Inuyasha!" She cried out again, making some of the kids playing ball to move away from where she was seated. Shrugging, not really caring, she snorted. How crazy she must sound to those poor kids. His golden eyes bored into her mind, piercing her thoughts and she smiled wanting to remember them.
Her dreams filtered again and she gasped as her memory allowed her to remember holding the jewel. She had held it to her heart once it had been completed and purified. She then had handed it to him, to Inuyasha. She knew he had desired to become a full-fledged demon and passing him the jewel she had wondered if that was what he wished for. Kagome had seen Inuyasha hold the jewel in one hand, and stare down at her. Were those tears in his eyes?
Kagome remembered reaching around his neck and taking off the sit beads. The beads of subjugation. She had also handed those to him, and then the light had surrounded her, and she had opened her eyes staring at her mother's tearful face. It couldn't have been a dream. There was no way, but why couldn't she return to them? Unless Inuyasha wished for her to leave forever. Clenching her fist, she wondered if part of his wish was to erase everyone's memory of him and the others.
Was she going nuts again? Shaking her head, she still remembered she would have some proof if it had not been a dream. Still it felt so real to her. Was she ever going to forget those faces? Kagome knew she must have been acting all crazy again, because she got up angrily from her bench and stalked out of the park, lost in thought.
As she walked, she realized that it was getting late, and she quickened her pace. A noise from behind her made her spin around startled. There was nothing there. Feeling her heart pick up pace, she commanded her feet to move. Walking even quicker, she heard the distinct sound of a bottle falling to the cement, and she sucked in her breath sharply. Was she being followed? She was still several blocks from home and she decided the faster she moved, the quicker she got there. So breaking into a run she heard sounds of following footsteps and she spun around to face the intruder who was following her.
Still her eyes met an empty street, showered in orange as the sun was falling behind the buildings. She was terrified, and whoever was out there knew this. Uncertainly, she whispered. "Wh…who's there?" Her eyes darted to every shadow, and found nothing. Turning around she took a few hesitant steps and spun around again, maybe to catch her pursuer by surprise.
Suddenly, something shot out of the alley, which was too dark to see in, and jumped at her. Screaming in terror she held up her hands. Blinking nothing was there. "Oh god, I'm loosing my mind." She whispered. Spinning around she ran as hard as she could, turning a corner and tripping over her feet. The sounds of feet still followed her and she felt tears fill her eyes.
A flash of red filled her vision, and she gasped, spinning around again. Still nothing there. "What do you want?" She shouted. The street was empty, there was no one around, no houses with people in them to hear her crying out for help, but she cried out anyway. "Someone please help me!" She screamed. Something grabbed her and she felt a hand cover her mouth and she stared into a pair of green eyes, and she struggled with everything she had.
"Come on now. That's enough of that." The voice said in contempt. "I hear you are filled with surprises and love to pleasure everyone."
Kagome felt her eyes widen at the man who help her. His eyes were filled with hate, want and lust, and she struggled even harder, trying desperately to get away from his foul breath that reeked of alcohol. His face was familiar, one of the seniors at her school.
The guys name didn't come to her, but he jerked her against him and he lowered his hand from her mouth, which was a mistake, because Kagome let out a blood-curdling scream. A hand struck her face and she felt him drop her to the ground forcefully. She glanced around and wondered how he had managed to drag her into a dark alley without her realizing it.
The guy pressed himself against her, and his breath filled her face making her gag. "Somebody!" She screamed. "Somebody please help me!"
She received another heavy blow to her face and she felt her head snap back from the force of it. Suddenly the guy was off her and thrown into the alley. Blinking confused and terrified, she heard his cries of terror, and loud bangs and thumps as some force threw him around. Kagome seriously thought she was nuts now. There was a flash of red, and then a face hovered over hers before her mind could comprehend what it was. Golden eyes peered at her anxiously, and she sighed as her mind decided that shutting down was the best thing to do.