Chapter 28 Lonely Trial
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A/N: Hey everyone! I know the last chapter was short…. Sorry about that. But I was so happy to hear from all of you that took the time to review! Thanks guys!
!IMPORTANT! MUST READ OR ELSE!
Okay. Last chapter I forgot the mention that Koga gave Kagome his shards before he left with Ayame. Sesshomaru healed Kohaku with Tensaiga after Kags got his shard. I have fixed it but you don't really need to go back and look at it to read this chapter. I just wanted to let you know. I made a mistake and needed to correct it… SO SORRY! Everyone makes mistakes sometimes… I just do more than others.
heavens lil cherry- Hey! I'm really glad you like it!
Taeniaea- Thank you. Smiles
ryoko at 13- Yes… What you think may be right…. Just maybe… and that is all I will say.
VampireAlexanderluver- Thank you! I'm glad you like.
Nomadgirl66- Well I have been thinking a lot about it and I'm pretty sure their will be a sequel. I have some ideas for it so there is a very good chance I very well will make a sequel. You just be patient and wait.
Inuyasha's-evil-twin-Krissy- Sorry. Lol. I had to stop there! Well maybe I didn't have to, but I wanted to. But here is this chapter for you to enjoy. I got it up as soon as I could just for you.
kyasarinyume07- Smarty pants…. A chapter can be as short or as long as someone wants it. I have seen shorter chapters than that…. lol.
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After this chapter I shall use those lovely reviewer reply thingys! Yay!
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Kagome awoke suddenly in the middle of the night. She thought she heard something outside the hut and did her best to exit without waking anyone. Outside she found Kaede standing a few feet from her just gazing at the stars, her hands behind her back.
It was a beautiful night. The moon seemed double its original size and there seemed to be ten times as much stars as their normally was.
"Come child." The old woman's voice called, startling Kagome from her thoughts.
Silently she came forward until she was now standing beside the old woman.
"Beautiful night." Kaede said, star gazing.
"Yes it is." Kagome agreed. "You can never see the sky like this in my time."
Kaede nodded but did not comment. "Kagome, ye may have defeated Naraku but the hardest is yet to come."
"What? What could be harder than defeating Naraku?" Fighting Naraku and killing him had been the hardest thing Kagome and the rest of the group had ever done. In Kagome's eyes if they could kill him they could do anything.
Kaede looked at Kagome as if to say, 'Ye know what I mean.'
"The jewel?" Kagome looked down at the now whole gem around her neck. "What could possibly be worse than defeating Naraku?" She asked again.
"Freeing the woman trapped inside the Shikon no Tama. It will take great strength and sacrifice."
"How do you know all this?"
"That is not important. What is important is whether or not you are ready. Do you think you can do it?" Kaede turned to face Kagome. Pure emotion was reflected in her old eyes. More emotion Kagome had ever seen in her life.
"Yes. I know I can and will do it!" Kagome said with determination.
"Good child. Ye get some rest now." Kagome nodded and reentered the hut leaving Kaede to her own thoughts.
"I hope she can do it." The old woman sighed.
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When Kagome awoke again it was mid morning and everyone else was already awake. The memory of her meeting last night with Kaede seemed like a far away dream. Kagome began to question if it ever happened or not.
She left the hut and stepped out into the morning sun. What a beautiful day today promised to be! Kagome stretched her arms above her head. No one but Inuyasha was anywhere to be seen. He sat alone in the clearing not far from the hut. When he saw Kagome his eyes lit up. She walked towards him and he pulled her onto his lap.
"We're alone." He whispered into her ear.
"Is that all you think about?" She chuckled. "Where is everyone anyway?"
Inuyasha sighed dramraticaly. "Sango and Miroku went off with Kohaku. I think to tell him what happened to the village and discuss what should be done. Tessa took Takashi to the well to see if he could pass through it. Kaede if off tending to villagers and Shippo went with her until you awoke. Now," Inuyasha brought her face to his and kissed her tenderly. He reveled in her sweetness. The last time he had been able to kiss her was before the battle with Naraku. Too long ago, according to Inuyasha. Her kisses were just so addicting. He wondered if she felt the same way about his.
The kiss ended just as our favorite little Kitsune made his little presence known.
"Kagome!" He screeched jumping from Kaede's shoulder to Kagome's open arms. "I'm so glad to see you! It has been so long! You have no idea how worried I was while you guys were gone! But last night Kaede said I should let you rest and meanie Inuyasha wouldn't let me wake you!" Inuyasha scoffed at this. "I missed you so much!"
Kagome chuckled and hugged Shippo back. "I missed you too! Were you good to Kaede while I was gone?"
"Yep! I got to help her gather herbs and help sick villagers! I learned a lot!" He puffed his chest out proudly.
"I'm so glad you had fun!" Kagome looked to Kaede and winked.
The old woman smiled in return and proceeded to put down the heavy basket of herbs she carried. "Kagome," She began, "I need to speak with ye. Privately." She added looking at Inuyasha.
"Oh, alright." She shrugged following the old priestess out of the hearing range of both Inuyasha and Shippo.
"I want to talk to ye more about what I said last night."
"So that wasn't a dream?" Kagome asked not really expecting an answer.
"No, Kagome it wasn't." They both now stood facing each other, Kagome waiting for the older priestess to continue. "It was not a dream. Do ye remember what I asked ye?"
"Yes. You asked me if I thought I could free the woman trapped inside the jewel."
"Right. This task is not something that can be done by just anyone. It takes a special person. My sister…she was not able to do it. And it ultimately cost her her life."
"I'm sorry." Kagome whispered.
"There it nothing to be sorry for. She made the decision to take on this task. Please let me finish. She believed that to free Midoriko a pure wish must be made on the jewel. And I think that is where she made her mistake. She wanted Inuyasha to be human so she could be with him. As hanyou…she felt in her heart they could never be together. A part of her naturally did not like this side of Inuyasha. She thought if he was the one to wish it would be a pure wish and enough to free Midoriko. But really she wanted this more for herself. So she could have Inuyasha. And that made it no longer a pure wish. And because of that Naraku was able to trick both she and Inuyasha into believing the one had tricked the other."
Kagome nodded. "So what are you saying?"
"I don't think ye will be able to set Midoriko free simply by making a wish. I think its going to be much harder than that. Last night I had a dream. I can't really remember it, but I know Midoriko was in it and she was telling me something…My mind has gotten so old and forgetful…But when I woke I just had this feeling. And then you came to me last night and I spoke without really thinking."
Kagome nodded again. "Yes. I think I had a dream as well. But before that, after I had made the jewel whole again, something happened. It was really strange. I felt like I was almost being pulled into the Shikon. I saw this woman she was fighting these demons and then she looked right at me. I just had this strange feeling she was calling to me and I wanted to help her so bad." Kagome finished in one breath.
"It was her." Kaede said simply. "This must mean ye are destined to save her. Ye are the one chosen to set her free. But Kagome do ye know what this means?" Kaede took Kagome's hand gently in hers.
"I think so. I will have to do it by myself. No one but me can do this. This will be a battle I will have to face and conquer on my own."
"Yes. No one can help you even if they wanted to. And let me tell ye, it surely will not be easy."
"I know. But how will I do it?"
"That I can not tell ye. That ye will have to figure out on yer own."
"Great." Kagome muttered as she and Kaede made their way back to Inuyasha and Shippo.
As they returned Inuyasha looked at her questioningly. Kagome chose to avoid eye contact and went digging through her backpack for some ramen. She made the small meal and passed some out to everyone. As she ate her thoughts returned to the discussion she had with Kaede.
"I don't think ye will be able to set Midoriko free simply by making a wish. I think its going to be much harder than that"
"This must mean ye are destined to save her. Ye are the one chosen to set her free."
"No one can help you even if they wanted to. And let me tell ye, it surely will not be easy!"
"That ye will have to figure out on yer own."
"She wanted Inuyasha to be human so she could be with him. As hanyou…she felt in her heart they could never be together. A part of her naturally did not like this side of Inuyasha. She thought if he was the one to wish it would be a pure wish and enough to free Midoriko. But really she wanted this more for herself."
"And that made it no longer a pure wish. And because of that Naraku was able to trick both her and Inuyasha into believing the one had tricked the other."
This was all just so much for her to take it! Why was she the one chosen to take something so important on? Why not someone more qualified? Someone that probably knew what they should be doing? Why her? Why Kagome Higurashi? What made Midoriko or the gods or whoever was in charge of making decisions like these, chose her? Of all those billions of other people they could have chose what made them chose her? Why was she so special? What made her so much different from anybody else? What did she have that Kikyou didn't have? If Kikyou wasn't able to do it what makes them think she can?
Because they believe in you
And with that thought or voice or whatever it was she was fine. Her self doubt was gone, at least for the time being.
They finished eating just a Takashi and Tessa made their grand appearance.
"That was to cool!" Takashi exclaimed. "I have never been to a place like that before! I want to live there! That world… it's just so amazing!"
Tessa smiled.
"I see Takashi was able to pass through the well?" Kagome asked although she already knew the answer.
"Yes! It let me! At first I didn't think it would but then we jumped in and the next thing I knew I was in yours and Tessa's world!" He sat down beside Kagome. "It was the coolest place ever!" He turned to face the group and began to retell all he saw in the best description he could give. It was really quite comical every time he turned to Tessa for clarification to see if he pronounced an unfamiliar word right.
Tessa would smile and nod urging him to continue. He was like a little boy exclaiming over a new toy he just received. Soon after Takashi finished his telling Miroku, Sango, and Kohaku returned, Kirara was not far behind them.
The rest of the afternoon passed by smoothly without and unwanted disruptions. Naraku was dead and it was nice not having to worry about when he would appear next. For the moment Kagome had forgotten the unfinished business she still had to do.
But it wasn't long before she was reminded of what she still had to do.
"So Kagome, what wish are you going to make on the jewel now that it is whole? Who is going to wish on the jewel for that matter?" Sango asked.
Silence elapsed over the group as they waited for Kagome to reply. It was a few seconds before she was able to speak. She looked to Kaede for reassurance. The aged priestess nodded as if giving her silent permission to tell them.
"Well, no one is going to wish on the jewel." She answered uncertainly. "I have talked to Kaede and she and I have decided that that is not the way to go. We think that's what caused Kikyou to fail in cleansing the jewel." Kagome glanced at Inuyasha for a fleeting second. "Instead I'm going to free Midoriko from inside jewel and end her suffering that way."
"But how are you going to do that?" Tessa asked.
"I don't know yet. I just know that I have to do it myself. That none of you can help me. This is one thing I have to do myself." Kagome said no looking either one of her friends in the eyes.
"But why do you have to do this alone? We've been through so much together! There has to be some way we can help you!" Takashi said rising to his feet.
"No. Ye cannot." Kaede said sternly. "Kagome has to do this herself. This is her battle."
"How can you say that? Why can't we help her! How do you know we can't help her? What makes you think we can't?" Inuyasha said glaring at Kaede. "What gives you the right to decide this?"
"I was not the one to decide Kagome had to do this alone. It was the fates decision. You cannot go against them. For whatever reason they feel this is Kagome's battle and Kagome's battle alone. She must face it alone." Kaede looked deep into Inuyasha's eyes daring him to contradict her. When he did not Miroku spoke up.
"Can we do anything to help her?"
"Support her. Be there when she needs comfort and support. For her trial is coming soon and she will need you all to stand by her."
All heads nodded and looked to Kagome. She looked back at them and for a moment uncertainty flashed in her eyes. But it was gone before anyone realized it was even there.
Shippo looked slightly frightened at the prospect of his surrogate mother facing some challenge on her own. He immediately took refuge in her lap. He did no know that that small gesture comforted Kagome more than he would ever know.
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Kagome sat alone in the field her eyes transfixed on the jewel. The billowing wind swept her hair around her shoulders. She twirled the pink orb across her fingers admiringly. Her mind was blank. No thoughts crossed her mind the first hour she sat alone in that field, just staring at the Shikon no Tama. But by the second hour he mind was soaring.
This one round ball had caused so much pain, so much suffering, and so much despair. It was stupid how people and demons alike killed over this small gem. Why? Why would they risk so much just to get their hands on this… this worthless junk?
The answer was so stupid, so meaningless. And yet anyone would risk all they had just to steal the Shikon no Tama.
And they risked it all just for one thing, power.
People were after this worthless ball solely for power! They want strength to rule the world or defeat their enemies! They weren't satisfied with what they had! They had to have more and what better way to get what they wanted than to steal the Shikon no Tama?
It was just plain stupid if you asked Kagome. But no one asked her. Ha!
And to top it all off she had to find some way to free the woman who gave her life to create this jewel. Kagome had no clue how she was going to do this. No way at all. She was scared. What if she failed? What if the fates were wrong? What if—
"Kagome?"
The sudden calling of her name caused her to scream, startling her from her reverie. She looked behind her to see Inuyasha standing there a worried grin on his face.
"Oh, it's just you Inuyasha."
"Yeah. Just me. I didn't mean to scare you. Sorry." He scratched the back of his head uncertainly.
"It's okay. I was just thinking."
"About what?" He asked coming to sit beside her.
"About what I have to do. If I am the right person to do this. What if 'They' are wrong to believe in me? I mean Kikyou and I are sort of like one in the same. We share the same soul after all." Kagome said looking straight ahead.
"Kagome you can't think like that." And suddenly Kagome found his strong arms surrounding her. "You and Kikyou are two different people. The only thing that is the same is your soul. And really even that's not the same. You were chosen to do this job because someone out there feels you are the right one for it. I don't agree with the fact that you have to do it alone but there is nothing I can do. I know from experience that once the Big Guys up there decide something there is no going against it."
Kagome nodded and leaned against him. "I guess your right. Maybe I can do it."
"Not maybe, CAN do it." Inuyasha whispered into her ear.
"Okay. I CAN do this." Kagome smiled and sighed deeply.
The moment ended as our favorite little Kitsune bounded into the picture. "Kagome!" He said as he jumped into her lap. Inuyasha moved so he was now sitting next to Kagome once again. He glared at Shippo angrily. "What were you doing out here all alone for so long? Are you okay? We sent Inuyasha to check on you but he was taking to long! I got tired of waiting and decided to see how you were for myself!"
"I'm fine Shippo. Kagome chuckled. "I was just thinking."
"Okay. You were here a long time and everyone was just worried is all. But now that we know you are fine why don't we all go back to Kaede's now?"
"Alright Shippo. Let's go!"
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She fought ruthlessly keeping her enemies at bay. She had the advantage for now but just how long things would stay that way she did not know. For a long time she had been fighting this battle and a long time back it had begun to take a toll on her body. But she would keep fighting. She knew she had to if she was to succeed.
Still she was getting tired though. Her body was weakening. And after so long of this nonstop fighting…
Pain seared up and down her arm as a demon's attack hit home. Fighting back the urge to cry and check her wound she thrust forth her weapon and stabbed the demon in its chest. She knew the wound would not kill him, they never did. But at least it would drive him back, for a time.
How long had she been waging this war alone? Her mind could not fathom the years and years, possibly even decades or…more, that she had been fighting. Possibly the only thing that kept her going was the hope that one day this would all be over. All she had to do was hold on until then.
With slightly renewed strength the thrust forth her sword and stabbed another demon in the stomach. He stumbled but came back at her again. Easily she dodged his attack.
She would keep fighting. For she knew someday, hopefully soon she would be free. Free to rise into the heavens and live there for eternity with no more fighting.
That was all she really wanted. To live in peace.
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Sorry for the like way beyond late update… I kinda got really really stuck… I know where I want to go for this story. It's just getting there that's the problem. But anyway I updated! It just took me some time…. Heheh…. Please R and R! Thank you!
Clouds of the Sky