Chapter 5 - Interlude
She was running through the forest, twigs and branches snagging her clothing, scratching her skin. She paid them no mind. If she could just get back there, back to the village, she just knew everything would be fine.
'It will be!' She told herself. Her lungs burned from exertion, but she kept going, pulling up energy from reserves deep inside of herself. 'I'll get there and I'll find them there waiting for me! It'll be all right; I won't be alone.'
The trees spread apart and a familiar clearing came into view. Dappled sunlight filtering down on the deep green graze, the old well looking like a long-forgotten friend.
Kagome let out a laugh of relief, pushing her body to cover the distance between her and her salvation. "I'm almost there!" she called out. "Guys! I'm comin--!" Her steps faltered, her eyes going wide as they took in the scene.
Sango came into view first, her trusty Hirakotsu at her side. However, the boomerang was in pieces, one imbedded in her heart. Miroku was there, too; his expression one of permanent horror – perhaps at the sight of his beloved forever out of his reach... or maybe at the thought of the six arrows lodged in his back.
Kagome wanted to scream, but no sound came out. Perversely, her gaze wandered over the rest of the scene, her eyes coming upon old Kaede – Kami only knew what had happened to her… it was too far to tell from this distance - and Shippo… he looked like he was sleeping, but she knew it wasn't so.
Kouga was there, and Ayame was there. Ginta and Hakkaku…. But where, where was Inu Yasha?
She staggered forward, her head whipping back and forth wildly, unkempt black hair falling in her face, impairing her vision.
"Inu Yasha….? Inu Yasha!" She was gasping now, her white hands clenching at her hair in desperation. "I don't understand… I can't understand! How could this happen? Who did this!"
"I did." Slate gray eyes widened; similar eyes smiled back in kind. Kagome stared in revulsion at the figure standing before her.
The school uniform crisp and pristine as the day it was purchased, handle bars of her bicycle firmly in hand, the girl stared back at her, her eyes still smiling.
"I did it." She said. "They're gone because of me."
"That's not true!" Kagome screamed. "You can't have done this!"
"Not by my hand, of course," the girl explained, tilting her head as she studied her, much like a bird. "But I abandoned them. So that makes it my fault." Her own face smiled back at her again. "See?"
The clearing was filled with Kagome's screams
00
Kagome woke up dazed, confused, and disoriented, her nightmare already long gone from her mind. Staring at her surroundings, she found herself lying in the grass underneath a small cluster of trees in the middle of a large forest. Judging by the position of the sun it looked as though to be about midday.
'How long have I been asleep?' she wondered to herself. Sitting up, she took note of the fact that her limbs were stiff and a large amount of grass and leaves had settled in her hair. Sighing to herself, she decided it was safe to assume she had been in such a position for quite a while.
As she rose to her feet, brushing the debris from her robes. At the sight of the miko robes still adorning her person, the incident in Naraku's castle came back to at full force, nearly sending her stumbling backwards. She remembered the anger she had felt at his words, the nearly all-consuming desire to punish him, and the power she had used to silence him.
It had felt so natural that Kagome could barely believe it was her own doing. "I guess I had the power in me all along." She nodded lightly to reassure herself. "After all, it wouldn't have been the first time I've put him in his place." Kagome paused, remembering how he had come back with a vengeance afterwards. It seemed every time they had defeated the evil demon, he came back almost 10 times as strong. Naraku was evil and cunning and would be sure to hunt her down as soon as he recovered from his injuries.
It wouldn't be a good idea for her to linger in the forest. As she began her slow trek out of the forest, Kagome realized that if she intended to put a stop to his evil, she would need help.
'But who can I turn to?' she thought to herself. The demon had said anyone who had tried to stand against him had been defeated. Weaving her way through the trees and the underbrush, she remembered his exact words…
"You are the only one who remains. If you'd like to know how they died…"
She shuddered, trying to shake such thoughts out of her head. There had to be someone who could help her - someone who could help her stand up against Naraku. There just had to be!
After several days travel, Kagome came to the harsh conclusion that there was no one, sadly, who had the courage to fight against Naraku's oppression. The bright, thriving world she had once known was but a mere shell of its former self. How far did his reach go, she wondered. To the mainland? There was no way to tell and Kagome was almost certain that there was no way for her to ever get there if that wasn't the case.
In any case, Kagome found her thoughts going elsewhere. She had found that as she walked the countryside, most villagers who caught sight of her fled at the mere sight of her. What's more, she had yet to come across a single demon in days. While this didn't really upset her, she did find it a bit odd. Here she was, a defenseless girl wandering alone aimlessly; wasn't that usually a sure fire way to attract demons?
Eventually, the young priestess happened upon a small village that was kind enough to grant her asylum. Once they had assured she was not a demon - which Kagome again found odd - they offered her food and water to replenish her strength. She stayed with them for a few days, getting to learn more about the many customs of the Feudal era she had yet to familiarize herself with. She was alone now, she knew, she had to find a way to blend in and not draw attention to herself.
She learned that the people whose village she was now a guest of were a hardy breed, determined to live life to the best of their ability. They were kind and intelligent, and Kagome felt as though she could trust them. Perhaps they could help her in her mission. Unfortunately, the moment she spoke of Naraku and her plight, they all but chased her from the village.
"Ye may as well be cursed, girl!" one of the elders had told her.
"No one who defies Naraku-sama lives long to tell the tale!" cried a woman, clutching her young children to her side. The children, who had grown fond of the future girl, looked on in confusion and distrust.
"Away with thee, lest you disfavor us as well!"
Kagome had no choice to do what they asked, retreating back into the forest, armed with a quiver of arrows and a few meager staples of food to survive on.
After another few days of traveling, Kagome finally succumbed to the tears. She was cold, tired, and hungry. Moreover, she was alone and nearly defenseless in a world that was not the one she had grown to love. People were cold and untrusting, not at all like the ones in whose homes had she spent many a night after expelling youkai. All of her friends and loved ones were dead and there was no doubt in her mind that she would soon be joining them.
"That monster was right all along," she sobbed bitterly, clutching her bow tightly in white, shaking fingers. "He really has won!"
And so because he claimed it so, exclaimed a voice out of the darkness. You automatically believe it to be so?
Kagome froze, looking around wildly. She couldn't sense any nearby presences - human or youkai. "Who said that?"
The disembodied voice ignored her, carrying on as if it had not been interrupted. For all your flowery speeches and bravado - the one moment you are forced to stand alone you turn into a simpering child. Pathetic!
Her pride effectively wounded, Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes, frowning in frustration as she stared out into the darkness. "Now wait just a minute!" she exclaimed. "Just how am I supposed to beat Naraku on my own? He's become a full demon!"
Are you not a miko? Kagome blinked, staring down at her attire. Is not your sacred duty to purify vile creatures such as he? Or perhaps it was another who struck him down not even a fortnight ago?
She paused, biting her lip thoughtfully. 'That's true,' she thought to herself. 'I know that power came from me.' She remembered the sensation of raw power running through her veins as she forced it out towards Naraku. 'But how can I get that power to come back when I need it?'
Another voice answered her, gentler this time than the first. It almost reminded her of her mother. It took all of Kagome's efforts to keep the tears from her eyes. You must be patient, little one, it said. Strength will come to you the more you seek it.
The young priestess-in-training blinked in confusion. What did that mean? And to whom did these mysterious voices belong?
The two voices spoke as one. Young miko, you entered this world with no knowledge of your destiny and yet when the path called to you, you answered it without question. Is this not true?
Kagome was surprised when images of her first excursion in the Feudal era entered her mind unbidden. She had jumped into a river to save a young boy from drowning when he was attacked by a youkai seeking the Shikon no Tama. She remembered knowing what to do with an arrow when the said youkai took off with the relic in its mouth. It was almost as if the knowledge had been second nature to her.
Being a miko is your destiny, replied the first voice. But this does not include only slaying youkai.
A priestess' first duty is to aid the people, for it is them who fall prey to the ire of youkai, replied the second. By doing thus, your power will grow.
Kagome's thoughts dwelled on this as the last voice faded into the darkness. Help the people - that's what a miko was to do, what she wanted and had been doing since she came to this time. Still, how could she continue to do so when the people she was trying to help didn't want her help?
'I guess the only way to do it is to do it without their really knowing,' Kagome stood up, brushing herself off. She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. "Never thought I'd say this, but what would Kikyo do?"
As if by magic, the answer came to her. Slinging her bow across her shoulder, she stared down at her attire with a thoughtful smile. Looking back up at the sky, her smile turned into a grin. "It's time for me to start acting like a miko."
And so, several weeks by of Kagome doing just that. She traveled out of the forest and along the river first, stopping at small villages offering her services to anyone who would accept them. It was cooking, cleaning, caring for small children at first, but Kagome silently thanked Kami for giving Kaede the foresight to teach her everything she knew about medicinal herbs. As she traveled along, people would take one look at her attire and fear the worst - she'd later learned that slaying and or purifying youkai had been outlawed and mikos and those of their ilk were all but extinct. However, assuring them she had no intention of inviting Naraku's wrath, she'd tell them that she was but a mere traveling healer who traveled the countryside trying to help people. Even after curing a few colds and fevers, there would still be a few skeptics. However, she would give them her patented 'Kagome-smile' and they would be sold.
As time wore on, Kagome grew to have more respect for her predecessor, Kikyo. She knew that the priestess had walked the countryside, helping those she could as she came across them all the while waiting and planning for the day she could finally strike down her enemies. Granted, Kagome had no desire to drag anyone down to Hell with her, nor did she feel she was anywhere near to matching Kikyo's spiritual prowess. Still, in between stops, she practiced honing her skills in whatever ways she could. Kagome was sure she was close to reaching the level she had been at that day, and as her strength grew so did her notoriety.
Kagome knew - even though she had been wise to never tell anyone her name - that it was only a matter of time before someone would put two and two together and discover her identity. Once they did so, she assumed, they would track her down and either spell her doom or their own.
However, the person who had eventually done so caught her completely by surprise.
End chapter 5