White clouds dotted the sky of blue, orange and red. You could see the sparkling stars fighting their way through the fluffy forms. The warm sun was descending behind tall trees and mountains. The glowing moon was slowly rising to take its place.
The warm summer breeze lightly picked up making the tall grass tickle against her bare arms. Her ink black hair escaping from its binding to dance around her sitting form.
A sigh escaped her red lips as she grabbed the wavy strands and pulled it back into a loose pony tail at the base of her neck.
She leaned backyards against the rough tree trunk, legs stretched out in front of her as she stared at the beautiful scene.
So calm and quiet.
Village life barely gave her a moment to herself. So times like these she cherished the most.
I could sit here all day, she thought.
She could hear the crickets chime their song and saw the fireflies start their enchanting waltz in the field before her.
She barely heard the soft sound of footsteps make their way towards her as her thoughts wondered off.
"Kagome." Her name was huffed threw heavy breathing.
Her friend Sango was making her way up the hill to where she sat. She placed her hand on the tree trunk and leaned against it for support as she regained her breathe, chocolate eyes met hazel ones.
"Is it me or does this hill keep getting higher and higher." She joked.
Kagome chuckled. "I thought the same thing earlier when I hiked up here. But I think it is from the intense training you gave today that made it harder to walk up."
Sango smiled and sat down next to her friend. "Ahh yes." She said with a gleam in her warm eyes. "You are improving so much Kagome. You should be proud."
"The girls are stronger." Kagome pouts. "Airi managed to knock me down and Seia snuck in that punch."
"It was two against one." Sango pointed out. Her friend was so hard on herself sometimes. "And they've been training a lot longer than you have."
"Their seven, Sango" Kagome side glanced at her friend. "And Hisui is about to start his training soon. I can only imagine how its going to be going up against him."
"He just turned five."
"Five and full of never ending energy. I chased him around the fields today for an hour with Kirara. He was constantly waving his wooden sword around swinging at anyone that came close to him."
Sango chuckled. Her son was a mischievous one.
Ever since he over heard her and Miroku discussing his upcoming demon slayer training, the boy hasn't let go of his practice sword since.
"Well tomorrow you will be going up against me. And I expect you to not hold back."
Kagome groaned.
"And then we will work on your swordsmanship as well."
"I don't know if I will have the time tomorrow for all of that." Kagome looked up at the sky, brows furrowed, thinking of everything that needed to be done.
"A farmer broke his leg last week and I have to check on him to make sure the bones are healing correctly. One woman from the village is with child, and is constantly nauseated. I have to deliver a tonic to her to help her with that. I have to go into woods to collect herbs as well... I seem be running low on a lot of them. And Kaede also wants me to meditate and work on bringing my spiritual energy into a shield.."
"Kohaku told me you used a shield against that water demon on your last outing." Sango interrupted.
"Mmm yes" chewing on her bottom lip she remembered her last adventure to a neighboring village with Kohaku and Miroku.
The village was under attack by a water demon who would create puddles of water in the village. By a glance you would think that it was just your basic ankle deep puddle that simply gathered from excessive rain.
But, when you would get close to it the demon would reach out from inside the puddle and pull you into the water immediately transporting you to the nearby lake. Whoever he would grab would drown and get eaten.
She distinctly remembered seeing the bones from the devoured villagers scattered in the village lake.
During the battle she some how managed to bring up a barrier just in time to protect herself when the demon tried to pull her into his trap.
She held up her one hand out of fear waiting for him to grab and drag her into the watery depths. And then out of no where a purple light erupted from her finger tips creating a iridescent shell to form around her shaken body. She didn't even know how she managed to do such a thing.
But in all honesty it was a weak barrier, she thought bitterly.
"It was with luck that I managed to manifest my spiritual power into a barrier." She said with a frown.
It wasn't strong and it cracked from the attack and shattered immediately causing the demon to back away for just a moment.
And during that lucky moment her survival senses kicked in. She quickly grabbed her fallen short bow from next to her and a arrow, sheathing it and releasing the slim wooden form engulfed in purple light - immediately purifying the surprised demon as soon as it made contact with his chest.
"After telling Kaede about what happened, she thought it was best that I continue to try and strengthen it." Apparently Kikyo once did something very similar when she was still alive...
Sango looked at her best friend with amazement. It was hard to believe that she was that same young girl from years ago who could barely shoot a arrow or manifest any spiritual energy.
Now she excessively trains nonstop trying to be the best - pushing her spiritual powers to new heights all to try and help everyone around her.
Does she ever even rest?
"You're always so busy Kagome. Maybe you should take a day off and just relax. You're always training, pruifying demons, traveling to nearby villages and constantly helping everyone. And I know Lady Kaede overworks you..."
Kagome started plucking at the grass near her hip. "I'm relaxing right now."
"I mean for the whole day."
"I like staying busy. It keeps my mind off things."
"Things? What things?" Sango questioned, even though she already knew the answer. The thing was Inuyasha.
Kagome stayed silent and stared ahead.
Sango glared at the woman before her remembering the real reason why she ventured up this hill. "There was some village gossip today."
Oh no.
"Oh really? There's always something going on in the village..."
"It was about you."
Kagome could feel her friends eyes burn a hole into her.
Refusing to make eye contact Kagome insead stared at the ground. The pile of plucked grass quickly growing.
Pluck.
Pluck.
Pluck.
"About me?"
"Yes. Apparently a samurai from the south came here asking to court you."
Pluck.
Pluck.
Here we go again...
"Bringing silks, furs, gold, jewels... i even was told he was kind, young and handsome."
Pluck.
"He wasnt THAT handsome..."
Pluck.
"Kagome."
Kagome shuttered at the sternness in her friends voice as she said her name. Just like how her mother used to say her name when she would get into trouble as a child.
"Kagome" Sango took a deep breath "you told me you were trying to move on."
"I am."
Pluck.
"Immediately dismissing every man who tries to court you is not moving on. You don't give anyone a chance."
Pluck.
"He wasnt my type."
"Oh really?" Sango arched her eyebrows.
"What was wrong with this one?"
There was now a bald spot the size of Kagomes fist on the ground from her constantly pulling out the grass.
"I guess nothing was really wrong with him... he just wasn't my type."
The wind started to pick up making the tree branches crack above them. Leaves fluttered to the ground around the now two silent girls.
Sango was the first to break the silence. " I just want you to be happy Kagome. "
" I know" Kagome smiled softly. "I know what you're thinking and it's not because of Inuyasha. I'm not holding back because of him. "
It's been four years since Inuyasha has disappeared with out a trace.
They were supposed to get married in the upcoming month before he vanished.
Kagome sady remembered picking out colored silks for her wedding kimono and jeweled hair pins with Sango and Kaede. She remembered how happy she felt twirling around in a red silk fabric while everyone complemented on how beautiful she will look on her special day.
And then just like that.. he vanished.
She woke up the next morning and couldn't find him.
No one saw him leave.
No one noticed anything different about him that would cause him to want to leave.
Kirara and Shippou couldn't pick up his scent.
Sango and Kohaku wasn't able to track him.
Lord Sesshomaru had no idea where he would be at nor did she think he cared about his half brother's whereabouts either.
And she couldn't sense his aura anywhere.
It was almost as if he disappeared into thin air.
They traveled for over a year searching for him. Going to far away villages asking if they saw a silver haired hanyou wearing a red robe. And everyone had the same answer - no.
Kagome pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms securely around her legs. She rested her chin on the top of her knees.
It was like a festering wound was on her heart that never healed. And it hurt. A lot. But, she would never admit it to anyone if asked.
And her mind would often wonder to the unknown keeping her up most nights to the crack of dawn.
Did he leave because of her?
Was he not happy?
Did she remind him to much of kikyo?
Did he feel trapped and the only way to get out was to disappear?
Was village life suffocating him?
Why couldn't he just talk to her?
The questions overflowed in her mind and forever to remain unanswered.
And then there was always those dreadful what if questions.
What happens if he would return.. what would she do?
What happens if he's mated to someone else now?
What if she finally marries someone and Inuyasha returned?
...what if he is dead?
Thinking of these things mentally exhausted her. That's why she loved staying busy. When you're constantly busy you dont have time to worry about such things.
And then there was that horrible feeling of fear.
"Sango, I guess I'm just scared. I'm scared of loving someone again." Kagome turned her head to face her friend, cheek resting against her knees.
She was scared. That was the truth.
She gave up everything that she loved in her time to be here for one person. She adjusted to the feudal era and took on the traditions trying to make a life here.
And he left.
She watched as Sango tried to hide the sadness in her chocolate brown eyes as she looked upon her closest friend.
Sango sadly remembered.
She remembered how Kagome was when Inuyasha disappeared - broken.
She was no longer the happy carefree girl who was always smiling and laughing.
She was a walking empty shell.
Showing little to no emotion unless it was at night when she would go and cry alone.
She would never tell Kagome what she thought, but during that time she reminded her so much of Kikyo. Lifeless eyes and emotionless.
She didn"t start getting better till she started taking her miko training with Lady Kaede seriously. Studying herbs, medicine, spiritual cleansing, dancing and most importantly controlling her spiritual powers. Lady Kaede was relentless with her training making her friend train for hours everyday for months. And still does.
But Kagome needed that.
She needed a purpose.
And eventually with time Kagome asked her and Kohaku to train her when the twins started their own training to become demon slayers.
She then started traveling to other villages with Miroku and Kohaku. Learning other techniques from other priests and priestesses as well as purifying demons that were attacking villagers.
That's when she started returning to us - smiling and laughing again.
"Kagome, I-"
"Mommmm!"
"Aunt Kagomeeee!"
Both women looked down the hill at two giggling figures sprinting up towards them.
Kagome noticed that Kirara followed close behind them - always keeping a protective eye on the twin girls.
"Airi, Seia - what is wrong?" Sango asked with a warm smile on her face.
She noticed Airi's pink kimono was covered in dirt and Seia's green kimono had patches of grass clinging to it.
Both girls short chin length hair was disheveled. Aria was even missing her white ribbon that pulled the strands away from her eyes.
Knees were black from dirt and their faces were covered in mud.
Sango took in a long sigh, scooting over to where the girls stood before them. Grabbing the end of her kimono sleeve she started to scrub the dirt from Seia's face.
Kagome giggled. "What happened girls?"
Airi smile widened "Shippou is home!"
"Oh? He came for a visit?" Kagome hummed, sitting up from the ground she walked over to Airi and pulled a leaf from her hair.
Shippou stayed in the mountains more these last few years training with other fox demons. He always came to visit when he was able to, but this time it has been a few months since she last she seen of the little fox demon.
"Mmhhmmm" Airi smiled up at Kagome.
"That doesn't explain why the two of you are so dirty." Sango said, eyes shifting between the twins.
Seia's lips turned down into a frown, her skinny arms crossing over her chest. "We wanted to show Shippou how strong we've gotten and to test his skills as well since he's been away for such a long time." Seias frowned deepened. "But he always cheats and uses his sneaky tricks."
"He blew a blue powder in the air Mom" Airi pouted eyes darting between the two older women before her "and the next minute Seia wasnt standing next to me anymore. Instead it was Shippou!"
"And the same happened to me!" Seia shouted "Airi disappeared next to me and then Shippou was now standing there getting ready to attack."
"So he tricked the both of you?" Sango tried hard not to smile.
"Sneaky fox" Seia huffed.
"He was up in a tree laughing at us Mom!" Airi whined. "Watching us battle each other while we believed we were fighting him the whole time!"
"Aunt Kagome, you should purify him." Seia angrily said.
"Seia, that isn't nice." Kagome scolded.
"I don't mean to turn him into dust. Just you know.. a little zap to teach him a lesson."
Sango stared at both the girls in front of her. "What did both of you learn from this? You need to remember your training. You need to be aware of your surroundings at all times."
Both girls full attention was on their Mother kneeling before them.
"You train together all the time and know each others techniques, Shippou has never trained with the two of you. That should have been a give away right from the start that you weren't actually fighting your actual opponent."
Both girls remained silent.
"Both of you are so both dirty.." Sango poked her finger threw a hole of Airis kimono. "And your kimonos are ruined..."
Kagome clapped her hands together. "This means we need to go to the hot springs tonight!"
Both girls threw their hands up in the air and shouted "yay!" The twins enjoyed the hot springs just as much as their Aunt did.
"Yes, go back home and get ready for dinner then we will go to the hot springs afterwards. Tell your father that Kagome and I will be on our way shortly."
"Okay!" Both girls shouted in union and started to run down the hill at top speed. Kirara on their heels. You could hear them bickering amongst each other on who was faster.
Sango made a long sigh. "I'm going to have to buy the both of them a new kimono. Those two ruin all their clothes.." she started to rub her temples feeling a headache coming along.
"Dont worry. I have a few pieces of linen and silks you can have. We just have to take it to a seamstress to create a new kimono for the both of them. "
"How did you acquire so many pieces of cloth?" Sango couldnt recall when the last time Kagome made a trip to the merchant shops. She hardly ever bought herself anything these days.
"Hmmmm." Kagome hummed and quickly turned around from her friend making her way down the hill. "Sango come on! Let's go see Shippou and eat! And then we can go to the hot springs!"
"You didnt refuse the gifts from the samurai, did you?"
Kagome whipped her head around. "Of course I did! I refused him and everything he brought with him countless times! He wouldn't take anything back." Kagome rolled her eyes "He said they were gifts for the beautiful miko who stole his heart. And when I wear the silk garments and decorative hair pins that he gifted me, he hopes that it will remind me of him."
Sango sat up from the ground, dusting the dirt from her kimono. "You don't want to keep anything for the autumn festival?"
Kagome thought about it. "I have to perform a temple dance wearing the traditional robes. But I guess I could have a kimono created so I can wear something afterwards. But Sango, he gifted me so much. And I would never use any of it. I always wear my shrine maiden robes anyways."
Sango walked towards her friend.
"Thank you." a sly smile spread acrossed her pink lips as she continued,
"If the samurai were to return I'm sure he would be ecstatic if he saw you wearing the silks he had given you."
Kagome groaned. "Hopefully he doesn't return."
Sango laughed heartedly as they made their way down the hill to the bustling village.