And here's another chapter. I sincerely hope you like it. People wondering about the mysterious 'him', you might get a few more clues about him in this chapter, and this Arc overall. Let's see what you come up with, ne :3
Happy reading and thank you very much for all the wonderful reviews. Hope you keep them coming :]
ANONYMOUS REVIEWERS:
hello-anime: Who ever said the boy in the flashback back at the hot spring (congrats on remembering that, anyway) was little? It could be a, adult man for all you know. You shouldn't jump to conclusions LOL As for whether he has something to do with the 'not for taking' part… you'll just have to wait and see, ne :3
happyface2107: I think I should be the one apologizing. I didn't mean to make you feel like you were pushing me, I was merely joking around. Sorry *smiles sheepishly* Oh, and it's written 'gomennasai', actually. On another note, I'm glad to hear you enjoy it. And again, sorry for making you feel like you were pressuring or pushing me. You weren't. I was only kidding. I should have worded it a bit differently though *sigh*
InuGome: You're absolutely right, though there was one thing you forgot: not only is trust something you cannot give if you don't have it (or the other way around), you can't force yourself to give it, either. Inuyasha has yet to notice that, though *sigh* Dumbass. On another note, many people seem to link the 'not for taking' and 'him' together… but whether they're right remains a mystery for a short while longer… a really short while. This chapter should reveal some truth about 'him' LOL As for the 'lack of a negative was taken for an affirmative', that could almost be a saying on its own, since it's ALWAYS the case, don't you agree? Anyway, thank you for the awesome review and I hope to hear from you again. I sure hope I won't be disappointing you in future chapters, either.
CatchySayo: Yeah, well, Miroku was bound to drop the question sooner or later, and let's face it: it's always sooner, rather than later LOL You're wrong though, I don't think the fuzzy feeling Inuyasha got was 'love' yet. It was more likely mere attraction, lust, maybe a crush. Scratch that, he's most likely crushing on Kagome. But love? Nah, not yet. Too soon. Plus, there can be no love without trust first, and Inuyasha just noticed he didn't really trust her. So how could he love her? Really, he can't. Not yet. He can crush on her and be attracted to her, though, and that's a start, isn't it? *winks* Thank you for the review, I hope to hear from you again and that you will enjoy this chapter, as you enjoyed the others. I wish you happy reading :D
Misty Blue: Somewhat is the key word here, I'm afraid. I mean, sure, Inuyasha now realized he didn't truly trust Kagome. He has yet to take care of that problem, though, and that will take time. Trust is not something you can force, after all. So yeah, what happened will help them get closer in the long run, but it is also a setback for their relationship in a way. I'm sure you'll realize what I mean when you'll rad this chapter, and those that will follow, too.
Tracks for this chapter:
Final Fantasy X OST: To Zanarkand
Memoirs of a Geisha OST: Sayuri's Theme – End Credits (link: www. aimini view/?fid=gDzbm3dNMoHhY0saeoKv)
SID: Namida no Ondo
Breakers:
XxX: change of scene
~ξ~: time-skip
乗: Beginning/Change/End of Flashback
Ю: Beginning/End of a story told by one of the character (the parts in bold between the stars are what the present them are saying as a small narrative)
Ж: Change of POV (mostly used within a story told by several characters)
[T] and [/T]: Beginning/End of soundtrack
Reminder: 'Inuyasha' written normally refers to Inuyasha, while written in cursive (cursive and bold in thoughts) refers to Kagome, the "Gentle Dog Demon". 'Hanyō' written normally means "half-demon", while written in cursive (cursive and bold in thoughts) it means "half-breed".
Many thanks to Kanna37 for edits on this chapter :3
Chapter 24 – Gekkou no Mizūmi(1)
The sun was shining brightly on a grassy field, making a journey hard for anyone to stand because of the heat, had it not been for the refreshing breeze that moved the small, green blades. The wind, however, was not the only thing that passed through the landscape, though it was the only thing that could be heard passing, for the group of two people, one hanyō and one kitsune hardly gave any sounds that could alert anyone to their presence. It had been that way ever since the day before, when Kagome decided to hit the road again.
Inuyasha had tried to protest at first, but not because of his own injury. One flat look from the half-demon was enough to remind him, however, that Kagome wasn't human and recovered much faster than he thought. She wasn't at her full strength yet, as the poison was quite potent, but it wouldn't be long before the last remains of it were taken care of. In fact, she was quite sure that come evening, it'd be like she was never hurt in the first place.
The same couldn't be said for Inuyasha's arm, however, no matter how much the priest tried to deny it. Though Kagome's blood efficiently sped up the healing process, it would still take time for the gashes to close.
Kagome sighed inwardly as she walked at the head of the group, her mind going in circles like it had been since she found out about Miroku's curse and the one behind it… who just so happened to also be seemingly the one who killed Kikyo fifty years ago and tried to kill her. 'I'm positive the one who killed Kikyo and who tried to kill Inuyasha and I through that sword was the same person. There were too many parallels for it to be someone else. That means that the one who killed Kikyo is not only still alive, but still seeking the Jewel…'
If Naraku truly desired the Jewel, then there was no doubt he'd try to get his hands on it again. However, it was also very apparent he wouldn't do so by facing them in a fair fight. He was too much of a coward for that, it would seem, so unless they ran into him (which was bound to happen sooner or later, of that Kagome was sure), finding him could be a really big problem.
Question was: did the hanyō-girl really want to find the yōkai? If anyone asked her the question, she most likely would have said no. And really, it wasn't far from the truth, as surprising as that may seem. 'I'm not an avenger. I'm a protector,' she told herself, knowing that was correct, but still feeling guilty about it. 'Kikyo deserves to be avenged, though. But would she want me to avenge her death?'
The answer to that was surprisingly easy, and not one she liked. 'Yes… yes, she would.'
Kikyo might not have been very happy with her life. She might have wished it had turned out differently, she might have wished she could have been a normal woman, but she definitely didn't wish for her life to end so soon, even if it was not the kind of life she desired. She had had hope back then, too – hope that her dreams of becoming a normal woman, or at least a normal miko like any other, could still be granted should she find out how to destroy the Jewel forever. She had been thinking about it, about a way to make the gem disappear. Kagome was also certain that if only she had had enough time, she most likely would have figured it out. But she had been denied that luxury. She had died. She had been killed because of the Jewel. Her life had been cut short. Kikyo might have never admitted to it when they talked before she ascended again, but Kagome knew her well enough to know that the late miko would want to be avenged. There was only Kagome who could carry out that revenge, though, and that was the problem.
'He is a demon, and I am a hanyō. If I were to decide to avenge Kikyo and to hunt him down, it may take me centuries before I actually succeed, considering how much of a coward he is. He wouldn't just show himself for a fight. I'd have to find him myself,' she thought with a frown. 'But devoting my life to revenge… I don't think I can do that. That wouldn't be me. I'm not a hunter thirsty for revenge. I don't hunt just for the fun of killing. I protect. I'm not an avenger but a protector!' she yelled in her mind in frustration that did not show on her face. She knew she was right – she wouldn't be able to live a life centered on a hunt for someone she wanted to kill in revenge for someone else. It just wasn't her.
And yet the fact that she refused Kikyo the right to be avenged made her feel guilty. The miko had been like her sister, after all. She deserved to get payback for her unfair fate and Kagome was the only one who could really see to it that the bastard who killed her paid the price for it, since Kaede was much too old already.
That had been Kagome's dilemma for the past twenty-four hours: to hunt Naraku down and avenge Kikyo or not to hunt him down. And try as she might, she just couldn't find out an answer that would satisfy both, Kikyo and her, except for one. 'If I ever meet him, and I'm sure I will, I will fight him and I will kill him. I can promise you that, Kikyo, I will avenge you should my path and his cross. But I will not hunt him down for that reason only… I'm sorry… I just can't.'
She always came to the same conclusion, the only one that made sense in her mind. And yet each time her thoughts wandered back to the dilemma, because deep down, something was telling her that it wasn't enough of a promise, which in turn made her feel guilty – and thus her thoughts turned and turned in a circle without end.
A sudden change in the air forced the half-demon out of her thoughts as she raised her head and sniffed before she looked at the still cloudless sky with a deepening frown.
"We should try to find some shelter. It's going to rain," she said, cutting the silence that hung between them all.
"Rain? What the Hell are you talking about, wench? There isn't even the slightest cloud in the sky, how could it rain?" Inuyasha asked incredulously, also directing his sight at the blue sky.
"I smell a storm in the air. That usually means rain," Kagome replied calmly, her voice betraying that her thoughts were far away at the moment.
"Then I believe it would be best to start looking for some sort of shelter now, before the clouds actually arrive," Miroku said wisely, while Shippō nodded vigorously from his spot on top of Inuyasha's head.
"I still think it's rather impossible. There's not one cloud in the sky, how do you expect it to rain without clouds?" the black haired priest asked, slowly getting annoyed, though he couldn't really pinpoint the reason behind it.
"There may be no clouds now, but I am quite certain they will come, if Kagome-sama says it will rain. An inu's nose is rarely wrong, after all, even us humans know that," the young monk said, earning himself an annoyed glare from the black haired priest. Kagome couldn't help but sigh inwardly again. For some reason, Inuyasha has been more irritable lately and it was starting to get on her nerves. She couldn't believe a mere ningen boy could be this exhausting.
"There should be a cave not too far from here. If we hurry, we should make it before the storm starts."
Inuyasha grumbled under his breath at her words, but obediently followed her and the monk, as there wasn't anything else he could really do.
~ξ~
"Well, you should be glad now, Inuyasha, here are your clouds," Miroku remarked wittingly as they made their way through the small bushes. Following Kagome, they had left the field behind and started climbing a small hill covered with low bushes and small trees. Said half-demon was now looking through the greenery with growing frustration as the first droplets of water started falling from the sky.
"Shut up, monk," Inuyasha replied grouchily, just as Kagome called for them to hurry the Hell up, unless they wanted to get rained on. Speeding up, the two spiritualists caught up with the girl and she pointed to a small cave at the side of the hill, its entrance protected by stones forming something akin to a miniature Shinto gate and hidden from view by all the bushes. It didn't look very big and even less comfy, but if he were to choose between being cramped in a small cave with Kagome, Miroku and Shippō and standing outside in the rain, Inuyasha definitely preferred the cave.
Lowering his head so that he didn't hit the mini-gate, the young priest walked into the cave after Kagome, followed by Miroku. It wasn't long until they all settled that the storm really started, making Inuyasha wonder just how it could rain so bad when not even thirty minutes before the weather was still nice – cloudy already, but nice.
"Looks like we'll be stuck here for a while," Shippō noted, observing the heavy rain with a frown. It was apparent he was right, too, if the strength of the downpour was anything to go by. It looked literally like some kind of waterfall starting to fall down from the clouds.
"I definitely preferred the inn yesterday," Inuyasha grumbled under his breath. "Even if there was some ominous cloud that had to be exorcised," he added, missing Miroku's and Kagome's baffled looks. 'He really thought Miroku-sama had actually seen some ominous cloud there?' Kagome couldn't help but wonder, though she refrained from commenting. 'I mean, it could be true, but I can't help having my doubts…'
[T]
"If you do not mind my asking, Kagome-sama," Miroku spoke after a longer moment of silence in the group. Kagome looked up when he spoke, the houshi's words bringing her out of her thoughts, which were once again beginning to spin in the same circle she was slowly getting tired of. She gave him a curt nod and he continued. "When I told you that Naraku killed the miko who protected the Shikon Jewel, you seemed quite upset. May I know what caused such a reaction out of you?" the monk asked calmly.
Truth be told, she had been expecting that question and was actually surprised it hadn't been asked sooner. Suppressing a sigh, she stared straight into Miroku's eyes, her eyes giving away nothing of her feelings concerning the past she was about to speak of, except for sheer sincerity. She wasn't about to lie to the monk, she didn't have the need nor the will to do so.
"Kikyo, the miko guarding the Jewel, was a good friend of mine," she responded calmly, never breaking eye-contact with the monk. "As astounding as you may think it is, I helped her protect the Jewel and I also tried to protect her. I was there when she died and I died along with her… quite literally."
Inuyasha couldn't help but notice that her voice was cool and detached as she spoke, a far cry from when she told him the entire story of Kikyo's early demise shortly after her resurrection. Back then he could hear the sadness in her voice as she talked and the regret that things went the way they did. But now, there wasn't any of that. Her voice was empty, like she was reciting words she had practiced and learned by heart. He frowned at that, for some reason not liking it in the least. It felt like she was hiding something, and for a reason he couldn't name, it was bothering him.
"You died along with her? How could that be, Kagome-sama, if you stand breathing before my eyes?" Miroku inquired, his eyes narrowing in what could only be curiosity. He didn't take her words only in the figurative sense (that it had simply hurt her very much to see Kikyo die) and Kagome couldn't help but notice that though he didn't question it, the way he spoke was more than enough to reveal what he did and what he did not understand. He was truly observant.
"Naraku, if it had been indeed him, made her believe I tried to kill her. Thus, deadly wounded and knowing she could not be saved, Kikyo used the last remains of her strength to stop me. She was not strong enough to really kill me by that point, so she did the next best thing," Kagome replied calmly, still hiding her emotions with practiced ease… though it wasn't as easy as it once was, anymore. When Miroku only raised an eyebrow questioningly, she elaborated. "She used an Arrow of Sealing."
Her story had only been partially true, however. Kagome was well aware that even on the verge of death, Kikyo had been plenty strong enough to kill a half-demon like her, no matter how strong Kagome herself was. The hanyō-girl believed she hadn't for the simple reason that deep down, the miko had still cared. She couldn't bring herself to kill the hanyō, but she thought it was necessary to make sure she did not roam free, so she sealed her away, trapping her in an eternal slumber somewhere between life and death. Thinking back on it, Kagome had to agree with herself, however, that without knowing it, Kikyo had actually cursed her with a fate worse than death for those fifty years, because her slumber was not peaceful at all. But the miko hadn't known that. She had thought sealing the hanyō would be less cruel than killing her, for one reason or another, and Kagome appreciated that, no matter how much worse than death it actually turned out to be.
Still, the young hanyō had no idea how the monk would react to such information. Since she was unwilling to tarnish Kikyo's image in anyone's eyes, as it certainly would if anyone were to ever find out that the miko had been soft when it came to one half-demon, Kagome blamed it on lack of strength, as no one would antagonize the miko for that – she was dying, so it was natural she was weakened. If anything, she'd be put on even more of a pedestal for being strong enough to seal away a half-breed even on her death bed.
Inuyasha didn't know that, however, and though he didn't speak up on it, that didn't mean he didn't want to. The thought that Kikyo might have killed Kagome over a misunderstanding, no matter how grave it was, angered him and in his eyes, there was nothing that could explain the miko's reasoning. He had been put in the same situation not long ago, after all, believing Kagome had tried to kill him – a fact he wasn't very proud of – but the idea to kill Kagome hadn't even crossed his mind. He merely tried to get away from the half-demon, instead of confronting her and trying to kill her. Inuyasha huffed under his breath, irritated. 'How could Kagome ever forgive her for that? If it wasn't for the fact she was weakened, Kikyo would have killed her! Sure, she regretted it afterward, but that doesn't change the fact that she wanted to kill Kagome. How can she act like it's no big deal?!' the black haired priest couldn't help but wonder furiously, conveniently forgetting that in actuality, he himself had thought of killing Kagome, should the half-demon attack him again once he was healed. And while Kagome had no way of knowing this for certain, she had suspected such thoughts to have crossed his mind and had also forgiven him easily.
Miroku blinked at Kagome's explanation, most likely stunned to hear that a hanyō, of all possible creatures, helped the miko to protect the Jewel. He had heard a lot of rumors concerning the priestess' death, but none of them ever mentioned a hanyō helping the priestess. Rather, they mentioned one trying to get the Jewel for himself, but never succeeding, as Naraku had almost managed the feat before the half-demon. The houshi didn't question her story, however, as it was quite apparent she couldn't be lying, for if she indeed desired the Jewel for herself, she would have already taken it from the priest currently protecting it. Instead, she was protecting him along with the gem, as Miroku had already noticed during the few demon attacks since he joined them.
There was still one thing the monk didn't truly understand, however, and he was not one to let loopholes pass him by unnoticed.
"If miko-sama used the Arrow of Sealing," he started calmly, his eyes observing the silver haired hanyō and taking note of every little movement she made. "Then how did you break free, Kagome-sama? No demon should be able to break the seal of such an arrow to my knowledge."
"I freed her," Inuyasha replied proudly before Kagome could open her mouth, a smug look crossing his face.
"You did?" The surprise was evident in the houshi's words as he questioned the priest, his eyes widening just a little bit. Inuyasha merely nodded and leaned back against the wall of the cave they sat in, raising his arms behind his head to rest on them, but quickly deciding it was a bad idea. A wince replaced his smug expression as he leaned forward again, his injured forearm still stinging from the unpleasant contact with the hard stone, no matter how light it had been.
"Yeah, I still marvel at that myself," Kagome's voice entered his ears and he couldn't help but glance at her. Her voice and face still didn't reveal anything. He still couldn't help but think there was some meaning in her words, however – some meaning he was supposed to understand without pointing it out, but which eluded him, adding to his irritation.
"What do you mean, you marvel at it? You were already awake, anyway, you think I would have just left you dangling there knowing I could help you?" he asked her angrily, deciding to ignore the fact that at first, he had indeed had second thoughts about actually freeing her. Desperate times called for desperate measures, however, and seeing as all the villagers that had been there had seemed to trust her, he had decided he should as well, instead of allowing an overgrown half-human centipede demon crush him. She didn't need to know that, though.
Kagome couldn't help but smile slightly as his outburst. 'He makes it sound like freeing a hanyō from a spell that keeps her in a half-dead state, and thus makes sure she's not a danger to anyone, is the most obvious thing in the world,' she thought ruefully, though she didn't let her sadness show. She wasn't sad because he thought that way, though – rather because it was so rare to meet people who thought that way. Truthfully, she knew that if instead of Inuyasha there had been some other spiritualist, she'd either still be stuck to the tree or, even more likely, already dead.
"I wouldn't have been surprised, really," she whispered before she could stop herself, making Inuyasha stare at her in disbelief. She didn't say anything else and after a while, he looked down at the ground with a sad look in his eyes. 'Alright, I might have ended up freeing her just because I noticed everyone else had been certain she'd help… but I'd have freed her anyway had the situation been different. I wouldn't just have left her there. Why would she ever believe I would?' he thought, wanting to get angry at her, but not really finding the strength to. Instead, he only felt oddly disappointed. 'Does she really think so little of me? Doesn't she trust me even that much?'
Then again, why should she trust him? He had proven himself truly untrustworthy not so long ago, hadn't he? He should be glad she was still traveling with him.
Inuyasha sighed as he leaned his chin on his arms, which rested on his knees, his whole posture slumping as his mind wandered into a rather depressing territory.
"Ne, Kagome," Shippō suddenly spoke up, once again breaking the silence and making everyone look up at him, even though he only addressed the half-demon. "Now that you know the truth about you and Kikyo and Naraku, you'll probably want to hunt him down, won't you? For revenge?"
She knew he spoke of experience. Had the Hōnō no Kyoudai not been defeated already when his father died, the young kit would have most likely wanted revenge on them, too. Thirst for revenge was a natural feeling when someone ripped something or someone dear to you away. And yet she didn't feel the need. She never had. Not with Kikyo and not with anyone else before, either. Not even with her mother…
Shaking her head before her thoughts could wander into that particular, unpleasant domain, Kagome turned to Shippō with a small smile on her lips – one that betrayed her guilt at what she was about to say, had someone been able to see it.
"Actually, I'm not," she said, surprising everyone in the cave, Inuyasha being the most surprised, as he knew best just how close Kagome and Kikyo had been. Her devastated howl resonated in his head again and he had to shake his head to get the unpleasant sound out of his mind. "Make no mistake; I'll kill him when our paths cross. He cut Kikyo's life short and for that he will pay. But I won't hunt him down."
[/T]
"And how come you're so certain your paths will cross?" Inuyasha asked, forcing a frown on his face to hide what was going through his mind right now and hoping he sounded irritated, rather than depressed.
"You have the Jewel, Inuyasha, and the Jewel is something Naraku wants. Running into him eventually, one way or another, is an inevitability," Miroku replied in the hanyō's stead.
"Yeah, but when he tried to get the Jewel fifty years ago, he didn't really show himself. Nor did he this time. What makes you so certain we'll eventually meet him?" Inuyasha shot back. He made a good point if one stopped to think about it, actually, but Kagome wasn't about to be impressed.
"When you face the puppets, sooner or later their strings will lead you to the puppeteer, whether he likes it or not," Kagome said calmly as she slid her arms into her sleeves and leaned her back against the wall of the cave, her golden eyes moving calmly as she glanced outside. The rain wasn't letting up and if anything, it only got progressively worse, making darkness fall sooner. This, in turn, made the half-demon assume it was nighttime already, or almost. At any rate, it wouldn't be long before the air turned cold and unlike the other nights, this one would most likely not be a warm one due to the rain. She wouldn't be bothered, of course, but the little kit next to her, not to mention the two humans, were a different story altogether.
As if to prove her right, a cool breeze flew into the cave and caressed her ears. Inuyasha definitely didn't enjoy it, however, and though he didn't say anything, she saw him shivering slightly from the corner or her eye. Of course, since no one else was complaining, he was too stubborn to admit that he was cold. She sighed. 'Is pride really that much more important to him than his health?' she couldn't help but wonder as she slowly stood up, arms full of kitsune as the small kit decided just then to jump at her chest and refused to let go.
"I'm cold," he complained as he tried to snuggle deeper into her embrace as she reflexively raised her arms to hold the kit steady. Her eyes widened slightly at his actions, for she recognized them as something she herself had done many years ago as a little pup – he was snuggling up to her for warmth like he would to a mother.
"Give me a moment and I'll take care of that," she answered, her voice filled with motherly concern without her even realizing it and despite her own words, she held the kit closer to her to share her warmth with his small body. Looking from his spot on the ground and shivering again as another cool breeze swept past him, Inuyasha couldn't help but feel angry for some reason.
"How do you plan on doing that? It's not like we can start a fire or anything, unless you are able to conjure wood from thin air," the black haired priest couldn't help but bite out, his irritation showing in his voice. He was surprised, however, when suddenly a pile of wood landed in front of him.
"Well, maybe not conjure, but there's quite the bit of wood a bit further in the cave," Kagome replied easily as she took two small stones in her hands and started striking them against one another, trying to get a fire going. Shaking off his surprise at the sudden appearance of wood, Inuyasha gently reached out a hand and laid her on her arm.
"Let me," he said calmly when she looked up at him. Knowing what he had in mind, Kagome shrugged and leaned away from the wood, well aware of the fact that the kannushi with his 'match box' would definitely get the fire started much quicker than her.
And indeed, one match and a very short while later, a fire was merrily cracking in front of them, much to Inuyasha's pleasure as the heat of the flames chased away the chill of the approaching night. He wasn't any less annoyed than a moment ago, though, when he noticed that Shippō had yet to detach himself from Kagome, but decided not to comment on it. 'Why does it even bug me? She's only hugging him, what's the big deal?' he couldn't help but think, failing to realize the simple fact that he actually envied the kit a little bit.
"Hey, what's that light?" the young fox suddenly asked. He was looking over Kagome's shoulder towards the deeper end of the cave they were in, where a small point of sliver light shone brightly. Inuyasha blinked as he stared at it, wondering how none of them had noticed it before. It was rather hard to miss, considering how bright it was.
"It's probably the Gekkou no Mizūmi," Kagome replied easily as she looked over her shoulder, a small smile on her lips. Inuyasha blinked, while Miroku cast her a curious look.
"The Moonlight Lake?" the monk questioned, intrigued.
"It's what we called it," the young half-demon replied absentmindedly, her thoughts wandering off elsewhere, though she wasn't allowed the luxury of spacing out for long.
"We?" Inuyasha probed, making the half-demon blink as she was rapidly brought back to the here and now. She nodded at his question, a sad smile on her face.
"A good friend of mine and I. We used to meet here quite often before Kikyo sealed me, seeing as it is about midway from Kikyo's village to where he lived," she said calmly, before she slowly stood up and placed Shippō on the ground gently. "I think I'll go take a swim there," she added as she prepared to leap off, but stopped suddenly and glared over her shoulder at a suddenly grinning Miroku.
"I would think twice of peeping if I were you, or you might find yourself missing a certain piece of your body that I think you'd rather prefer to keep," she growled warningly, her meaning not lost on the monk who gulped and hastily nodded. Satisfied that the lecher would most likely not follow her, Kagome leapt off in the direction of the lake.
As soon as she knew human eyes wouldn't be able to see her, she slowed down to a walk and looked around as she neared the water. It wasn't long before the walls of the cave suddenly grew apart and she walked into a natural chamber of the cave. Her smile grew when she saw the big lake in front of her, glowing ethereal silver as it reflected the light of the moon, which shone into the cave through a rather large hole in the ceiling – or ground, if one was walking up the hill above. Through that same hole, a tiny waterfall fell into the lake below, formed by the rainwater that had already accumulated on the hill above as well as the raindrops still falling from the sky. The moonlight must have been shining through some small hole in the clouds, which was by then covered again as the silver light dimmed, making the small cave plunge into shadows, though the lake still seemed to have a silver, ethereal glow of its own, almost as if it had gathered some moonlight and kept it for itself. That provided more than enough light for even human eyes to see clearly, much less for the superior eyes of a hanyō. Kagome smiled as she observed her surroundings.
[T]
It really hadn't changed much since the last time she was here, though she wasn't sure whether to be glad or sad about it. On one hand, it made her feel like all this time that had passed since she was sealed away never happened – like she had just been there mere two moon cycles before. On the other hand, since she knew that time has passed, she couldn't help but let the memories of their last meeting surround her and wonder if that had been their final one.
'I wouldn't be surprised. Fifty years may not be that long for us, but…' she didn't finish the thought as she slowly walked forward. Instead of walking straight into the water, however, she walked over to a small rock formation that went over the water and lay down at its end, staring straight into the clear waters. It didn't take much imagination to see him there right beside her. They had lain here together, staring into the water just like she was doing now, shortly before they parted. 'Are you looking for me even now? Will you come here, hoping to find me on our night?' she couldn't help but wonder, but a quick glance at the full moon through the hole in the stone answered her question. 'Probably not, or you'd be here now,' she thought sadly as her head sank to her arms again and her gaze fell on the water, his image having already dissolved and leaving hers alone.
"I miss you, you know. I wish we could meet here again, like we used to," she whispered to herself wistfully. "I wasn't actually planning on coming here… but now that I am and you're not, I can't help wondering… are you still looking for me? Or for a way to free me? Have you already given up?" That he'd be looking for her in the beginning she didn't doubt. Question was, had he found her pinned to the tree, seemingly dead? And if he did, had he decided to simply say goodbye and move on? Or did he try to find a way to free her, maybe? Or maybe he never found her and was still looking… or gave up?
That, she didn't know. She didn't know what to expect, either. In case he hadn't found her, she could hope he was still looking, but after fifty years, she wouldn't blame him for moving on. In case he had found her, there was a slight chance he'd try to find a way to wake her up or wait until she somehow woke up on her own. But again, after fifty years, could she really expect him to do that? It might not have been that long for her, but it definitely was for him. Then again, fifty years wasn't that long… except they didn't even know each other for half that time. Kagome sighed, staring into her reflection and letting the sound of water hitting water calm her.
'I really shouldn't expect anything. He has most likely forgotten me by now, anyway,' she thought sadly, her ears drooping slightly. A small part of her yelled at her that it wasn't possible. He couldn't have possibly forgotten her, and she found herself clinging to that hope like a child clung to a beloved toy. Shaking her head, the young half-demon snorted at herself, trying to push the thoughts and memories away, though to no avail. When it was obvious she wouldn't be able to clear her head, she sighed inwardly and quickly stood up before jumping head-first into the lake below, not bothering to take off her clothes. It wasn't like this was the first time, anyway.
It was almost like the feeling she got those few times she jumped into the well to get to Inuyasha's time. Only this time, it was the past she was visiting, not the future.
The water caressed her body as she slowly swam downward, barely moving by herself, opting instead to let the lake's water play with her as it pleased. Her brain knew the massage she was getting was only water, but to her, it felt as if she were there with him again, like so many other times. Fooling around like they could barely allow themselves to anywhere else, just swimming together and relaxing, tending to each other's wounds after a fight at the edge of the lake… this had been not only their meeting point, it was like a safe sanctuary where they could act like they wanted to. Here, they had never been disturbed even once, not once had anyone found them. It was their special place… or had been.
Shaking her head, Kagome forced the thought out of her mind as she opened her eyes and observed the stone walls hidden under the waters. Still moving rather sluggishly, once again letting the charm of the water relax her like only water could, she floated aimlessly for a while, allowing herself to imagine he was there with her, guiding her almost as if they were dancing.
That dream was soon pushed aside again, however, as the young hanyō slowly turned and swam towards the surface in need of oxygen. Arching her back as she broke the surface, Kagome took in a deep breath much like that one time at the hot spring with Inuyasha, before she easily fell back into the water up to the neck, since she had nothing to stand on. Without even realizing it, she had swum out to the very middle of the lake.
Lying flat on her back and floating on the surface, Kagome tried to clear her mind, though with little success. This place just held too many memories of him to not think of him when she was here without him.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, the young hanyō-girl took a deep breath and leaned backwards to dive once again, but before she could, her eyes fell on the temporary mini-waterfall that fell into the lake, which right now seemed like liquid silver, as more moonlight found its way into the cave, once again transforming the water into a terrestrial moon, though amazingly, the light didn't irritate her sight like sunlight would have done. It was something she never understood, but never really dwelled on, either.
Smiling to herself, Kagome took a deep breath one more time and dove. This time, however, her moves were precise and instead of floating, she easily swam down almost to the bottom of the lake. Her eyes soon fell on all the rock formations and she easily found some space between them, not even as much as brushing against the stone as she gracefully swam around it. 'He was chasing me last time I did that,' she thought with an internal laugh. 'Though he definitely had more trouble staying clear of the rocks.'
She remembered that. She also remembered how he tried to make sure she understood he didn't appreciate her 'running away' from him. Smiling once again, the silver haired half-demon leaned her back against one of the stones and practically lay down on it like on a futon, her silver hair floating around her in an enchanting mess, had a male been there to appreciate it. She could almost feel him floating above her as he tried to make his point, though again, it was in reality only water playing with her senses as she rarely allowed it to.
[/T]
Her small fantasy was interrupted, however, as her half-lidded eyes noticed something weird. It was a hole in the wall, almost like an entrance to a second underwater cave. Narrowing her eyes, Kagome turned around and swam toward it. 'Weird… I don't remember a second cave here,' she thought as she arrived at the entrance. Quickly coming to a decision, she swam upwards and took a few deep breaths once she was at the surface before once again diving and quickly arriving at the same hole. Without thinking twice, she swam inside the tunnel. Looking at the narrow passage, Kagome noticed a few signs carved into the stone wall, obviously with the help of some claws. Closer inspection easily triggered a reaction from the hanyō, though. 'Wait, I remember…' she realized suddenly, inspecting one of the symbols in the stone, one she clearly remembered him craving with his own demonic nails. The kanji for 'beloved'. 'We swam in here a few times, though rarely… usually to goof off by scribbling into the wall… except that one time…' she thought as she resolutely swam ahead, the memory replaying vividly in her brain.
乗
[T]
"I really need to go now," Kagome said as she straightened out her drenched kimono after having wrung out her hair. "And I'm sure you need to go, too. Isn't your pack waiting for you?"
He didn't answer right away as he looked off to the side with an annoyed look on his face, his eyes sending the information that he wasn't happy even when he wasn't looking straight at her.
"There's just this weird feeling I'm getting, Kagome, and I' don't like it," she said finally and she couldn't help but smile slightly in response. He probably wouldn't admit it aloud, but it was obvious he was worried.
"I know. I have the same feeling…"
"That's all the more reason to wait," he interrupted her and turned his head to let their eyes meet. "Just wait until that feeling subsides and then go. We both know our instincts, Kagome, and we both know they're rarely wrong. They're warning us… warning you not to go. So listen to them."
"You don't get it," Kagome replied with a sigh. "Yes, my instincts are warning me, but at the same time I know it'll be even worse if I don't go. I don't care what the danger is, I don't care what awaits me. I'll face it head on. I always did and I always will, this time will be no exception," she said, her voice baring no place for argument. He seemed to be trying to glare at her, but the attempt was rather poor. When he didn't answer her verbally, the young half-demon figured she had gotten her point across and turned to leave, but was surprised when a clawed hand grabbed her wrist.
She turned around, a questioning look in her eyes, but didn't say anything. She didn't need to. The two of them didn't need words to communicate. At least, not always.
He didn't say anything either, using his demonic strength to leap away and dragging her behind him. It was clear what he was about to do and Kagome couldn't help but scowl. 'And I just managed to get all the excess water out of my hair,' she thought with an inward sigh as he jumped off the rock formation they've been laying on a moment before. She took a deep breath, just in time for him to drag her into the water. He didn't waste any time getting to the bottom of the lake, either, where he started circling her like a shark circles its prey, just barely touching her. Though he let go of her wrist, she didn't try to swim back up, knowing he wouldn't let her. Instead, she fought against the relaxing power they both knew water had on her and glared fiercely at her companion. He released a bit of air in a sigh when he noticed it wasn't going to work, then grabbed her hand again and motioned for her to follow him. Still scowling, Kagome did as he asked and they soon entered the narrow tunnel where they sometimes scribbled in the stone. This time, however, he didn't stop at the beginning of the tunnel, guiding her instead deeper and deeper, until the tunnel started to rise. Soon enough, they reached the surface of the water, which proved to be situated in a much smaller cave. There was a tiny shore there, barely enough space for two people to sit beside each other, not that the water was a better place to be – the two of them barely fit there together.
The low stone-ceiling was cracked in a few places, allowing a bit of sunlight and air inside, which was probably the only reason they were able to breathe right now. There was no exit except the way they had come. Kagome narrowed her eyes.
"Why did you insist we come here?" she asked suspiciously as he put his arms around her shoulders and rested his forehead against hers. She circled her arms around his chest on instinct, to have something to help her float despite the small weight on her shoulders pushing her down.
"To make sure you didn't leave," he admitted, earning himself an angry growl, but he didn't even flinch as her grip on him suddenly tightened. "I just... I feel like if I let you go, I won't find you again. Try to understand, Kagome. I just don't want something to happen to you."
"You know, Kikyo is there, too," the young half-demon remarked dryly. "All the more reason I should go," she said as she pushed him away lightly, then circled around him and moved to sit at the tiny beach. "I promised her I'd protect her and the Jewel. I can't go back on that promise. Besides, her being there should reassure you. She helps me out, too, sometimes."
"If you're so adamant about it, then I'll just go with you."
"You can't. Your pack needs you. I'll be fine. Can't you have a little faith in my strength for once?"
"I have faith in you," he replied with a sigh. "I'm just… worried. I don't want something to happen to you," he said as he sat down next to her, their legs still in the water. It was Kagome's turn to sigh.
"Sorry. I'm still not used to that. It'll take a while before I will."
"Well, you better get used to it," he said with a small smirk and laid a hand on hers, making her smile slightly, though she quickly sobered up again.
"I still need to go, though," she said calmly, not looking at him. Then, her eyes suddenly widened as an idea popped into her mind.
"Kagome…" he growled in aggravation, but was interrupted as suddenly a sheathed sword appeared in front of his nose. Blinking, he looked first at the dark-blue scabbard holding the weapon, then at Kagome.
"Take it," she said simply, her tone commanding as she handed Yougo over to him.
"Why would you give me your sword?" he asked perplexed, but obediently raised his clawed hands to accept the weapon and the deposited it gently in his palms.
"I'm not giving it to you, I'm lending it," she said calmly as she released the sheathed blade, her hand slowly rising to his cheek next to make him look up to her again. Their eyes met and a small fire seemed to erupt within her at that point, the heat quickly spreading through her whole body. She knew that feeling and she didn't resist it. Titling her head to the side, she closed her eyes and closed the small distance between them, effectively surprising him, although he was quick to respond to her advances. Smiling into the kiss, Kagome allowed it to last until she couldn't take more and leaned back to allow some air into her lungs, panting slightly along with him.
"I'll definitely be back for it," she whispered as she leaned her forehead against his, a smile dancing on her lips at his dazed expression. How she managed to get him into that state with just a kiss, even she herself didn't know, but then again, he had pretty much the same power over her. "It better be in good shape when I do," she warned finally, then jumped back into the water before he could respond and swimming back out the tiny cave to the larger part of the lake and the exit. Through her hearing was muffled by the water, she still heard someone jumping in after her and knew he was following, but by the time he left the waters of the Gekkou no Mizūmi, she was already out of the cave that held it.
[/T]
乗
Yup, that was that very same, tiny cave. The young half-demon smiled to herself as she looked around, half-expecting to see him still sitting there like he was in her memory, though she knew well he wouldn't be there. With a sigh, she swam closer to the small shore, but instead of sitting there like last time, she rested her back against it, half-lying there, half floating. Her eyes were trained on the cracked ceiling and she couldn't help but once again wonder whether he'd be happy to see her again – because it was a given they would eventually meet, if only because of her promise. She promised to go back for Yougo, and she'd do that even if he didn't remember her or moved on… though she sincerely hoped he hadn't forgotten. So, if there was nothing else, they'd meet simply because of the sword she left in his care. She couldn't help but laugh slightly as she remembered her own warning. 'Yes, it better be in good shape when we meet. You'll regret it if it isn't,' she thought, but her thoughts lacked any real menace.
XxX
Inuyasha let a sound akin to a growl escape his throat as he reached out a hand to grab the back of Miroku's robe for at least the hundredth time in the last hour. Sending an annoyed glare at the innocent look the houshi tried to fool him with, he tried to forcefully drag the monk back, though it was harder than he at first thought it would. Most likely because Miroku was resisting.
"I thought she warned you not to peep. Or do you really want her to cut off your manly parts?" he asked in an annoyed tone, though Miroku was hardly fazed by the thread. Inuyasha didn't know whether that was because he didn't fear castration or because he believed Kagome was bluffing, but he supposed it was the latter. The black haired priest knew better than to assume that, though – Kagome had been deadly serious.
"Oh, come now, Inuyasha, don't try to tell me you're not interested in the view yourself. Imagine, Kagome-sama in all of her glory with water running slowly down her perfect form as she bathes… how could you give up seeing something like this when it's one chance in a million?" Miroku replied with a perverted glint in his eyes, causing one of Inuyasha's eyes to twitch in annoyance.
"Shut up before I make you," he grunted out, his hold on the monk's robes tightening as he felt his anger rise. Forcing himself to control his temper, unwilling to show how Miroku's antics affected him, the future-born teen finally managed to scoff in a somewhat disinterested manner: "It's not like there's anything interesting to see, anyway. And definitely not for the price Kagome would expect."
Surprisingly, his only answer was silence and, what surprised him even more, Miroku stopped struggling to break free of Inuyasha's hold on his clothing. Eyeing him warily, the black haired teen slowly released the robe he was holding, though he still remained ready to stop Miroku again, should he try to sneak off. Although he was certain Kagome would make sure Miroku would regret it if he tried to peep, Inuyasha wasn't going to allow the perverted monk even the few-second pleasure of the view he tried to get. Hell would freeze over before he allowed him, or anyone else for that matter, to see Kagome naked.
The monk didn't try to sneak off again, however, opting instead to kneel in front of Inuyasha and observing him with pensive eyes, his proximity annoying the teen further. But before Inuyasha could show his once again rising anger, Miroku spoke.
"Could it be that you already saw what she has to offer and are unwilling to share the experience?" he asked, his tone serious and somewhat accusing at the same time. Inuyasha snorted, but Shippō was quicker to verbally answer the monk.
"Yeah, he's pretty much seen it all already," the little kit said off-handedly, obvious hardly caring about the subject but still wanting to be a part of the conversation. The result of his remark was a fist to the head thanks to an angry, blushing kannushi.
"I didn't see anything. When do you think I would have you stupid runt?" he asked as Shippō nursed his new bump, grumbling something under his breath.
"Shortly after I met up with you guys, at the hot springs. Don't tell me you forgot. You were staring at her like a hungry fox looks at his ready-to-be-devoured food. OW!" the little kit's snide remarks were rewarded with another hit, which he really should have expected.
"Shut up," Inuyasha warned, his blush deepening as Shippō reminded him of that particular evening. "It's not like I saw anything, anyway," he added under his breath and turned away from the kit to hide his reddened cheeks. That statement was a lie, however. Sure, he hadn't seen everything, but he definitely had seen something that evening.
The young priest blinked when he realized that Miroku had yet to respond to Shippō's words, and although he wasn't looking forward to the pervert's assumptions, he didn't like the silence either. Looking around, Inuyasha quickly noticed that the monk said nothing simply because he was no longer there. Cursing loudly, Inuyasha quickly got to his feet to try and get the monk away from Kagome before he saw anything and before she realized he was there.
He didn't catch up to the monk before reaching the lake, however, and from there he had to be stealthy, lest Kagome noticed him and assumed the wrong thing. Barely sparing any attention to his surroundings, Inuyasha quickly scanned the shore in an attempt to locate the monk. He saw him at the top of a rock formation above the lake, and had to admit the pervert had a least more or less a good idea where to hide, since Kagome wasn't very likely to look up to scan the area for perverts.
They had both forgotten, however, that they were not dealing with a human woman, but with a half-demon whose senses were much stronger than theirs. That, and the fact that the shore itself didn't have anything they could hide behind – or in this case, nothing Miroku could hide behind, since Inuyasha definitely wasn't interested in the view.
"So, you came to join me after all. Too bad, she must be taking a dive right now," Miroku said wistfully, lying flat on his stomach on the rocks. Inuyasha glared at him.
"You should be glad, that way I can haul your ass away from here without her finding out about your attempt, perverted monk," the black haired priest whispered furiously, in case Kagome chose that moment to surface. He definitely did not want to get caught.
"Oh, come Inuyasha, we both know you're interested in the view, too. It's only a natural reaction," Miroku replied casually, leaning a bit further over the edge of the rocks, as if hoping to see Kagome no matter how deep in she was if he only got a little closer. Inuyasha knelt beside him to grab his robe and haul him off like he said he would, muttering something under his breath. He stopped, however, when he suddenly noticed that Miroku's face paled considerably and he started sweating, though he was still staring at the water. Confused, the black haired priest glanced down as well and saw their reflection.
The only problem was, there were three people reflecting in the water instead of two, and the third was a very pissed off, female hanyō.
"I thought I was being clear what I said I would not. Accept. Any. Peeping," Kagome growled dangerously, accentuating every word towards the end of her sentence, as the two males turned to face her. To Miroku's chagrin, she was fully clothed and although her clothes were as drenched as the rest of her, they didn't cling to her in a manner that would reveal anything. Overall, the only proof she had been in the water was the liquid dripping down her hair and clothes and the hair plastered slightly to her forehead, right above her narrowed eyebrows and eyes narrowed into slits.
Kagome was livid.
She had just gotten out of the water after her dive to the tiny cave where she remembered her last meeting with him, right before going back to Kikyo's village where she had then been pinned to the tree. She had been in a good mood, too. It hadn't lasted long, however, since her ears had immediately picked up the sound of whispering voices. Finding the source from there was easy, since they chose the highest place in the cave – and thus the one which was the easiest to spot from anywhere except below their own vantage point, not that anywhere else would have been any better. There was just no place to hide.
A growl rose in her throat as she regarded the two spiritualists in front of her, her claws flexing slightly in warning. Miroku chuckled nervously and tried to placate the hanyō-girl.
"Now now, Kagome-sama, there's no need for violence, is there. After all, we wouldn't have been able to see anything, anyway."
That was a bad thing to say, a thing Miroku found out easily as Kagome pounded him into the rocks with a strong fist. He lay twitching on the rocks before she picked him up to her eye-level, hardly caring whether he was conscious or not, but knowing he wasn't dead – mad as she was, she hadn't used her full strength. She wanted to punish, not to kill. Next thing the monk knew, he was falling head first into the water below, being effectively woken up by the suddenly cold and wet environment. Yelling a warning after him that the next time she caught him peeping she wouldn't go this easy on him, Kagome picked up a few middle sized rocks and threw them in the monks general direction. None of them hit, of course, but she achieved her goal, namely scaring him as he tried to avoid the projectiles. Then, she rounded on Inuyasha, since the poor teen didn't have the chance to escape her wrath while she took care of Miroku.
Taking a note of her absolutely murderous stare, Inuyasha gulped and tried to scramble away from the livid female – certainly, livid with good reason where it concerned the monk, but he didn't come here to peep on her!
"W-w-wait, Kagome! It's not what it looks like!" he tried explaining, as he edged away from her. Kagome raised a questioning eyebrow as she, in turn, edged towards him, but didn't ask anything. Panicking slightly, Inuyasha tried to take one more step back before trying to explain himself, but unfortunately, he forgot that he was on a rock formation above the lake, and not solid ground. Said solid rock formation didn't go on forever, either.
With a startled yelp, Inuyasha fell backwards as his foot encountered only air instead of the stone he was expecting. His arms flailed wildly as he fruitlessly tried to regain his balance without falling down.
He didn't fall down, however, as suddenly, Kagome reached out a hand just as he lost his footing completely and easily grabbed his wrist, mindful not to grab him too tightly as she happened to grab his still-recovering arm, before easily yanking him back onto the rocks before he could meet the waters. He landed on his knees in front of her and Kagome stared at him for a while. When he didn't say anything for a while, she growled.
"Well?" she questioned, her voice dangerously low. At Inuyasha's questioning gaze, she narrowed her eyes angrily. "I'm waiting for an explanation," she growled. "If it's not what it looks like, then what is it, do tell."
Allowing himself a small smile of relief that she was at least willing to listen to him, Inuyasha sincerely hoped she would believed him, even though he had to admit that what he was going to say was probably hard to buy from an angered girl's point of view.
"I came here after Miroku. He wanted to get a glimpse. I wanted to make sure he didn't see anything. I was planning to drag him away before you surfaced… though I agree I didn't even notice when you did. Anyway, ask the runt! I didn't want to see anything, I only came after the bouzu(2)," he defended himself, standing up and dusting himself off while he talked.
Kagome stared at him some more, her nose and ears effectively picking up his quickened heartbeat and the slight perspiration. She narrowed her eyes. 'He's either lying, or that's still his reaction to being found out, even though he's not guilty,' she concluded, knowing that the signs that spelled 'lie' were the same as those that spelled 'slight fear', which was logical, anyway. Question was, which was the right answer? 'Well, he said Shippō could vouch for him,' she thought doubtfully, her gaze falling on the bandage on his arm and she sighed. 'Whatever the case, the cold water wouldn't do that arm much good. And I don't think pounding on him would be a good idea, either.'
"I hope for you that I won't find you in such a situation again," she warned, a slight growl still present in her throat. Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. He definitely hadn't been looking forward to the potential swimming exercise and was glad to have escaped the unfair punishment, as he himself hadn't been planning on peeping.
"Oi, what about him?" he asked when Kagome started to head off towards the entrance of the cave and the fire, pointing at the monk who had by then almost reached the shore. The young half-demon glared in his direction and snorted.
"Leave him be, he'll join us in a bit. I believe he's used to that kind of treatment," she said and started walking again without looking back. Inuyasha shrugged and followed her the few steps she took before stopping again, her whole body freezing up. She blinked as she took another tentative smell of the air, ignoring Inuyasha's questioning look as she spoke.
"I smell… a wolf…" she stuttered out, but didn't elaborate, leaving Inuyasha to wonder why she reacted in such a way to the mere scent of a wolf.
(1) Gekkou no Mezūmi – Moonlight Lake
(2) Bouzu – 'Buddhist priest' in Japanese, though I assume this is a more rude form of address than 'houshi'. Note: I assume, I am not certain.
OK, I know there are no kids reading this (at least I hope so), but I still feel the need to say it, so I'll say it: WHAT KAGOME DID IN THIS CHAPTER IS DANGEROUS (and I mean the repeated diving). DO NOT ATTEMPT IT IN A SWIMMING POOL. If you do, you'll be asking to drown. I mean it. Repeated diving like that makes you lose your CO2 reserves, and while it's true that we need oxygen to breathe, our organism realizes that we need more oxygen when we have too much CO2 in our system. Lack of CO2 will lead to lack of knowing you need air, even if you lack O2 as well, thus you drown (or you suffocate if you try to do that outside of the water). So, I repeat, DO NOT ATTEMPT AT HOME OR AT A SWIMMING POOL!
With that out of my system (sorry, but I felt the need to say that… maybe because I also speak of experience *sigh* yes, I was stupid, but I learned my lesson!), I sincerely hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you'll continue reading despite the obvious obstacle between Inuyasha and Kagome, should they ever meet him again – and as Kagome thought, they most likely will at some point. Please, just don't rip off my head over it, OK? Thank you and see you in the next chapter :D
Next issue: a run in with a wolf-demon that obviously leads to more trouble…