Phoenix Ash
Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha and co.
In Exchange
"You know, they're hiring maids at the capital," Sango brought up. She and Kagome were washing dishes in the restaurant kitchen. "Father said there aren't enough maids there at the palace to do all the work, so they need more. I wonder what it's like being a palace maid."
Kagome thought for a moment, then replied, "They're probably lucky. They get fed, clothed, and housed. And they live in a beautiful palace with many extravagant courtyards."
"Yeah………" Sango agreed. "What more can you want?"
"But you don't get paid," Kagome pointed out, wiping some soapsuds off her face.
"Still, it's a good life living at the palace, don't you think? No worries………except if you do something wrong, that is. It's better than our lives here."
"True. But once you become a palace maid, you stay one forever."
"I know. But that's not so bad. It's pretty luxurious, living in the Palace. Say, Kagome, do you think we can register to become palace maids?" Sango rinsed a bowl free of suds and placed it on top of other clean bowls.
"Nah, we probably won't get in. You know how hard it is to become a palace maid? You have to meet all their requirements and a lot goes on before you actually become an official maid. And besides, I can't go." Kagome picked up a dish and started to scrub it. "Kaede ba-chan needs me. Her coughing is getting worse day by day. Every day, she is paler than the day before. Sango, I don't know what to do."
"Is she drinking her remedies regularly?"
"Yeah. But………it's as if it doesn't help." Handing the washed dish to Sango, she grabbed another one. "I asked the daifu, but he keeps telling me the same thing and it's doing no good."
"Oh………" Sango looked down and studied the platter she was watching. She couldn't help but feel a little bad. 'If only I could help her…'
Having washed all the dirty dishes, Kagome and Sango dried their hands on their aprons. Exchanging short farewells, Sango left for the dining room as Kagome made her way home to check up on her grandmother.
Kagome could hear Kaede coughing fitfully from outside the cramped dwelling she shared with her grandmother. Forgetting everything, she darted inside and was by Kaede's side in a second, helping her sit up and patting her back in hopes of easing the coughing.
"Ka—Kagome—" Kaede got out in between coughs.
"Wait here while I get a towel." Running out of the room, Kagome retrieved one and hastened back. She handed the towel to Kaede, who took it and covered her mouth with it, coughing into it. A few moments later, when Kaede removed the towel, Kagome saw a speck of crimson. Taking a closer look, Kagome gasped. It was………blood………Kaede had coughed out blood………
"Ba-cha!" Kagome yelled, terrified.
Kaede looked down and saw what Kagome had seen. "Kagome, I" :cough: "need to" :cough: "tell you" :cough: "something…" :cough: "about your" :cough: "identity…"
Kagome stiffened at Kaede's words. Tell her………about her identity?
Kagome knew Kaede wasn't her real grandmother. It was something she had found out as she grew up. She had known this for a while now…
When she thought about it, it made sense. It made sense why Kaede never openly talked about her parents, why her parents had never came for her. Why they never sent her anything, why she didn't have a last name. Kagome doubted her ba-chan knew she knew this information. But despite it all, she had been happy living with Kaede, faking oblivion. Kaede had never brought the subject of her identity up, and so Kagome never said a thing regarding the fact.
But now that Kaede would mention her identity………something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Not wanting to think any further, Kagome draped the blanket over Kaede's fragile form and abruptly stood up. As she did, she half-whispered, "I'm going to get the daifu, okay? I promise I'll be right back."
Before Kaede could protest, Kagome was already out the door.
Kagome dashed down the street, her heart racing.' This can't be happening! I got to get to the daifu quickly or else………' Kagome closed her eyes, shutting out all thoughts of horrible possibilities. 'Hold on, Kaede ba-chan………' Running, she bumped into someone and hastily muttered a "Sorry," running straight ahead.
Miroku felt a pang as someone bashed into his chest. He heard a faint "Sorry" and saw a familiar girl running ahead with top speed. 'Wait………wasn't that the girl who was 'playing' with Inuyasha a few days ago? Her name was………Wait………Kagome! Yeah, that's her name! Wonder why she's running so fast? Must be something important.' Shrugging it off, Miroku walked on. Tapping on an old man's shoulders, he asked politely, "Sir, in what direction is the brothel located?"
The old man gave a dignified "Humph" and distanced himself from Miroku.
"Okay………I wasn't as if I was gonna go. I just………wondering………"
Yeah right………
"Daifu! Daifu! You have to come and see my grandmother!" Kagome shouted at the top of her lungs as she approached a small shop.
"What is all this ruckus?" A fairly old man in a scholarly outfit stepped out, stroking his long beard.
Kagome stepped up and grabbed his arm. "Daifu, ba-chan coughed out blood! You have to see her!" She began dragging him to out of his shop, ignoring all the stares she was receiving. "Her life is on the line! She needs you now!"
The doctor yanked his arm back. "Wait! I must get my supplies! Have you not heard? Patience is a virtue!"
"There's no time for patience!" Kagome argued as the daifu hurriedly grabbed his handbag lying on the counter.
"Kei! Watch the shop!" the daifu ordered his apprentice.
Wasting no words, Kagome and the daifu rushed home.
Kagome and the daifu burst into the hut to find Kaede in a violent coughing fit. "Kaede ba-chan, I'm back," Kagome softly whispered as she pulled out a stool and placed it adjacent to Kaede's bed.
The daifu seated himself on the prepared stool and slid Kaede's hand out from under the blanket. Pressing three fingers down on a certain point on Kaede's wrist, he felt her pulse.
Kagome impatiently stood behind the daifu, nervously glancing from Kaede's wrist to the daifu's face. Suddenly, the daifu's brows furrowed slightly.
Kagome jumped at once. "How is she doing?"
The daifu stood up and shook his head, hands behind his back. "Her pulse is very weak. She's running out of time, out of life. I'm sorry, but there's not much I can do to help."
"No!" Kagome shouted, hearing his negative response. "There has to be a way! There has to be something that can help her!"
The daifu gathered his handbag. "I'll prescribe her something. I won't guarantee it will make her better, but we can only hope." Digging in his bag, he produced a small box of ink, a paintbrush, and a piece of paper. Opening the ink box, he dabbed the paintbrush with ink and swiftly scribbled something onto the sheet. "Are you sure you want this, Kagome? What I'm prescribing her is extremely expensive."
Kagome didn't even have to think. "Of course! I'll do anything if it's going to help ba-chan!"
"Very well." The daifu handed Kagome the prescription and prepared to leave. "You can pay me later. Right now, you have a very important job to do."
Kagome nodded. "Thank you………"
Kagome waited impatiently before the counter as the aged pharmacist looked over the prescription. "Hmmmm………" Behind him were drawers and drawers of medicines and herbs. Turning around, he headed for them and pulled some of them out. Grabbing a pinch of each substance, he dropped the herbs on to a piece of brown paper. When he was done, he wrapped the paper into a package and placed it on the counter. "A stick, please."
(A/N: When I say 'stick,' I don't mean the kind you tear off a tree. Just imagine a flat rectangular piece of gold about .5 in by 5 inch. The money value is this: 20 silver nuggets are equivalent to 1 gold nugget. 20 gold nuggets are equal to 1 stick. Just wanted to clear that up………in case you're wondering………)
Kagome's eyes widened in total revelation. She was shocked out of her mind. "A stick?" She had expected a high price, but never this high.
The pharmacist nodded. "The ingredients I've used to prepare this remedy are very rare. It is found in only the highest mountains."
A stick of gold………It was something that only the rich could afford, and she was nowhere near wealthy………she only had four gold nuggets………sixteen more to reach a stick………
"I don't have that much money………" Kagome gloomily lowered her gaze down to the package sitting before her.
"So you're not going to take this?" The pharmacist pointed to the package.
Kagome lurched forward. "Yes! I-I'm taking it!" she quickly answered. No matter what, she had to get it for Kaede. It was a must. Pushing herself forward, she looked pleading at the pharmacist. "Please wait for me. I'll come back shortly after I gather the money."
He nodded.
"Thank you." Kagome looked appreciatively him and left prepared to leave.
Running out of the shop, Kagome let her tears fall freely. She ran on and on, not caring who she bumped into. When she couldn't run anymore, she leaned on a nearby wall for support. Positioning so that her back was to the wall, Kagome rested against it for a moment, then sled down to the ground. Bringing her knees together and hugging them, she closed her eyes and laid her head down upon her knees.
How was she to gather 16 gold nuggets in such a short amount of time? It was truly impossible. Kagome wiped her tears away with the back of her hand in hopes to cease the flowing stream, but they kept on coming. She needed the money now, but how could she get it? What other way was there besides selling herself? Kagome didn't want to become like the prostitutes she had seen in front of the brothel she sometimes passed, waving in customers and sucking up to them for money. It was dishonorable and even if Kagome did sell herself, she still wouldn't have made the amount of money she needed.
She couldn't ask Sango. Although they were best friends and her family was a little better than Kagome's, she couldn't ask them. It wasn't………right. Kohaku, Sango's brother, had seriously sprained his ankle. They needed the money to buy medication for Kohaku. No, she couldn't. She wouldn't. But other way was there?
Glancing up, Kagome noticed for the first time where she was. She was sitting right across from the pawnshop that was located on the other side of town. Without thinking, she wiped her tears on her sleeve and entered the shop.
The shop had a musty smell to it. Wrinkling her nose, Kagome glanced around at the displayed items on the shelves. Most of the items were jewelry, hairpins, bracelets, and the likes.
"Welcome, Miss. In what way can I be of assistance?"
Kagome turned her gaze to the voice and noticed that she was already at the counter, from which a lady stood from behind. "I………" Kagome couldn't get the words out. What was there to say? She didn't know why she was even here in the first place. It wasn't as if she came for a reason. She just………sort of wandered in.
"Hmmm?" The lady waited patiently for Kagome's answer. Studying the young girl before her, she could tell the girl had been crying. Her eyes were blotchy and red. However, she made no comment. Upon further inspection, she noticed a sparkle behind the collar of the girl's dusty kimono. "What is that?" The lady asked curiously, extending her long fingers towards the base of Kagome's neck. "May I—may I see it?"
"Huh?" Kagome glanced down and saw that the lady was talking about her chain. Hesitantly, she pulled it out from where it was hiding behind her kimono. Though he had worn this necklace since forever, she had always kept it hidden behind her clothes. It was precious to her in a way she didn't understand. As if someone special had given this to her and she had to keep for the sake of a forgotten promise. It was why she had always concealed it. Besides from that, she knew her chain had some value in the world of money. Kagome didn't want it to catch the eye of some crook and find it missing.
"Ah!" gasped the lady, her eyes wide. Never had she seen such a magnificent necklace. "May I see it?"
After a few seconds of contemplation, Kagome nodded. She unlatched the ends that held the chain together and handed the chain to the lady, who had her hands waiting.
When she received the chain, the lady brought it up in front of her face, inspecting it closely. This was definitely a rare ornament. Fingering the smooth pink pearl hanging on the chain, she marveled at its beauty. Then her gaze shifted to the silver chain attached to it. It was just marvelous, both the jewel and the chain. Not only was it beyond beautiful, but it was also made of the best, the most rare metals and gems. Only the demons possessed such an item as this. Glancing at the girl before her, she wondered how this girl had come to own such an artifact.
Kagome watched silently as the lady inspected her chain. Abruptly, the lady lifted her gaze from the necklace and placed it on Kagome.
"How much will you take for this?" the lady asked, examining Kagome closely.
"Its not for sale," Kagome quickly replied. No way in hell was she going to sell it.
"No?" The lady looked amused. "You could get an awfully a lot amount for this little trinket here. About a few hundred gold."
Kagome's thoughts suddenly snapped back to Kaede and the scene in the pharmacy. While in the shop, she had totally forgotten about the miseries of her life. "How………how much would you give me for it?" Kagome found herself saying a second later.
"How much do you want for it?"
"Would a stick be too much?" Kagome whispered, her eyes hidden behind her bangs. It was the only way left………no matter how precious………
The lady chuckled. "A stick?" Only a stick? She had expected the girl to call out 1,000 or more, for the chain was worth way more than just 500. 'But I guess I was wrong…'
"It's settled."
Kagome was happily on her way home to Kaede, the package of Kaede's remedy clutched closely to her chest. Nothing could make her more joyful at the moment. Kaede was going to live. Kaede was going to live! Smiling broadly, she sped into a run.
"STOP!" a voice boomed.
"Who the hell………" Kagome trailed off as the figure of a white-haired boy came into her vision. Squinting her eyes, she saw that it was the same guy who had bumped into her and had caused such a commotion at the restaurant a few days ago. "Pssss," Kagome hissed, rolling her eyes. She kept on running.
Just as she was about to pass him, his hand shot out and clutched her arm, roughly yanking her back. "Hey! I told you to stop!" he said, spinning her around so that she faced him.
Not even glancing at him once, Kagome tried to release her arm; but couldn't. His grip was just too strong.
"Would you at least show some attention? I'm talking to you here!"
"Who?" Kagome faked, trying to pry his fingers off of her in vain.
"You!"
Kagome made no response to that. "Get off! I got places to go! Stuff to do!"
"Not until you apologize first."
Kagome stood gawking. Here she was, trying to save her grandmother. And here he was, stopping her and for what, pray tell? A freakin' apology!
"I thought I told you you didn't deserve one!" Kagome screamed into his face. "Now bug off! Let go of my arm!"
"Like hell I'm gonna do that!" Inuyasha screeched back. "Not until you apologize for all the stuff you've done to me! Stuff I didn't deserve!"
"Off course you did!" Kagome countered, staring at him in the eye. "Now let go. I'd love to stay and chat, but as I've said, there are certain important things I have to do. If you don't release me, then I have no choice! I'm gonna do it!" Kagome gave him a threatening glare.
"Do what?" Inuyasha cocked his head to the side. "What will you do? No wait, what can you do? Not kick me again, are you? That was so lame."
"No," Kagome replied, irritated. "This." Turning around, Kagome hollered at the top of her lungs, "HELP! HELP! THIS GUY IS—IS—"
"Shhhhh!" Abruptly, Inuyasha spun her around and clamped his other hand over her mouth, silencing the screaming woman. "Shut up!"
"Mmmmm! Mmmmmm!" Kagome protested. "Mmmmm! Mmmmm!"
Inuyasha quickly glanced around and noticed people starting to stop and look his way. "Uh………hi………" he nervously greeted. What to do? What to do? People were staring. And by the looks of it, they'd probably think he was trying to molest HER in plain daylight. He had to come up with a story. "This is my, uh………sister………" he improvised on the spot.
The people had that 'Really?' expression on their face.
"Please excuse her," Inuyasha continued. "She has………uh………mental issues………kind of crazy…She was…uh…supposed to come home…uh…a while ago but…um…but she didn't, you see—cause she was insane………uh………so………um………I was flying kites with my friend and………um………" His mind was racing. Inuyasha was just randomly making up the story. He knew kites had nothing to do with it but………It just………came to his mind. "………and so our mother called me home………and er………told me to go bring…uh…my sister home………and so here I am………yeah," he confirmed. "So, um, you can all go home now." Inuyasha released Kagome's mouth and waved them off.
The speculators, convinced, tore their eyes away from the pair and continued on.
"Phew," Inuyasha let out, wiping his forehead. It worked! It actually worked, lame as it was!
"Hey!" Kagome yelled at the backs of the retreating people. "He's lying! We're not related! In any way! Come back! I'm not crazy! I swear!"
Inuyasha just casually gazed at her. "You know they think you're crazy, right?"
"Hush!" She turned on Inuyasha. "I can't believe they actually believed you! It was so lame! The lamest excuse I've ever heard of!"
Inuyasha 'keh'ed. "Just shows how simpleminded people are. So you gonna apologize now?"
"Never!" Kagome spat. "Look! A dog!" She suddenly shouted, pointing to nothing behind Inuyasha, who only snorted.
"You expect me to look? Just how dim do you think I am?"
Kagome made no attempt to respond. Well, that certainly didn't work. Briefly glancing around the crowded street one more time in hopes of finding some way of escape, Kagome spotted an old man waving his hands in the air. "Father!" Kagome waved back, smiling all too sweetly. "Father, I'm over here!"
"What!" Upon hearing her call 'Father,' Inuyasha had roughly dropped his hold on her arm and had spun around, seeing an old man supposedly waving to the girl next to him. 'What? Her old man's here?'
Taking this chance of his inattentiveness, Kagome bruised his other shin and sprinted out of his reach, muttering, "Sucker!"
"Ow!" Feeling a sharp pain overcome his right leg, Inuyasha grabbed it just in time to see HER whipping pass him, grinning madly. Following her figure, Inuyasha noticed she wasn't running to her 'father.' More or less the opposite way. Looking back to the old man who she was waving to, Inuyasha saw another girl approach the man and embrace him. Which only meant………
"SHIT!"
As soon as Kagome got home, she headed straight for the kitchen. Emptying the contents of the package into a pot, she added a bowl of water and set it on the stove. 'The pharmacist said it should be ready in half an hour…'
"Kagome?" came Kaede's raspy whisper. She had heard the door slam.
"I'll be there," Kagome confirmed. A while later, she was at Kaede's side.
"Kagome………"
Kaede had stopped coughing, Kagome noticed; though now she was breathing heavily. Kagome watched as her chest heaved each time a breath was taken.
Neither spoke for a moment, unsure of what to say as an uncomfortable silence suffused the room. Gradually, the silence became unbearable.
"Every breath I take………pains me………" Kaede rasped out.
"Then don't speak." Kagome reached out brushed away a strand of hair out of Kaede's face. "I've already prepared the remedy. It should boil in about…30 minutes."
Kaede shook her head. "It won't help………"
"Yes it will," Kagome argued. "Why won't it? You haven't tried it yet, so how can you know?"
Kaede smiled. "I know because………I just do. Life is running out of me………"
Kagome said nothing.
"I feel as…as if I'm in a dark room. In that room, there are no windows, no sound, nothing. Nothing except a door. And with each minute, that door is closing."
"Then struggle to get out." Kagome was studying her intently, taking in every word that was said.
Kaede only sighed. "You can't be greedy, Kagome. Everyone dies, sooner or later. And my time is…approaching………" Bringing one hand up, she placed it on one side of Kagome's face. "You always try so hard………to make everything alright………"
Kagome had been biting back her tears, but now she released them. Everything would be alright………or so she thought. But now, it wasn't alright. And maybe, it would never be.
"………but not this time," Kaede continued. "With my………last words, I………want to tell you………"
"Don't," Kagome said between sobs. She held Kaede's hand close to her face. "I already know."
Kaede's eyes widened in surprise. "When did you………?"
"When I waited and waited forever and they never came. When you always avoided talking about my parents. When they never sent me anything. I came to believe they ceased to exist."
Kaede gazed down, away from Kagome's face. "I………I'm sorry………"
"Don't be. It's no big deal," Kagome replied. "Nothing would change………it………it doesn't matter ………"
"I'm sorry………" Kaede apologized again. "I should have told you………but I………didn't want to hurt you………didn't want you to live with that feeling………please………forgive me………"
Kagome shook her head and faked a smile. "It's alright. You're already forgiven."
Kaede blinked a couple of times and fixed her gaze once more on Kagome, smiling. "………really………?"
Kagome nodded. "Now get some sleep to preserve your strength. When the remedy's done, I'll wake you up."
Kaede nodded in agreement. Closing her eyes, she whispered, "I'll always love you, Kagome."
Kagome quickly poured the boiling remedy into a bowl. Blowing it in vain attempts to cool it down, she quietly squeaked open Kaede's bedroom door. Strolling over to Kaede, she whispered, "Kaede ba-chan, the remedy's done. Wake up."
A moment passed and no response was returned. It was no surprise to Kagome. After all, Kaede was ill. Approaching the frail woman, she gently shook her shoulder with her free hand. "Kaede ba-chan………"
No response.
Kagome held a finger under Kaede's nose to check her breathing just as she had seen the daifu do sometimes.
A moment later, a clunk was heard as the bowl of remedy dropped and shattered to the ground.
Inuyasha was walking along a street, pissed. He couldn't believe it. He actually fell for it! It was a stupid trick, and he fell for it. Dammit!
She had gotten him again! Not once had she gotten away, but twice! Counting the scene at the restaurant, thrice! Now he had two bruised legs!
Fuming, he inattentively stomped into a shop.
"May I help you?" a voice radiated from within the shop.
"What!" Inuyasha snapped as he turned his angry gaze on the owner of the voice, a woman standing behind a counter.
"Well, excuse me," the woman responded, offended.
"Keh!" Inuyasha stood, arms over his chest, unmoving as the woman ignored him and returned to her work. Peering around the shop, he saw a variety of artifacts. Hair accessories, sculptures, jewelry, paintings, the sort. He realized he was in a pawnshop.
Shifting his gaze to the woman, he noticed she was handling with a silver chain, about to store it away somewhere. It looked…somewhat familiar…
"Hey, lemme see it," Inuyasha called out to the woman, forgetting the previous event which involved a very annoying girl.
"What?" the woman questioned, looking up.
"The chain. Lemme see it."
The woman hesitantly complied.
Inuyasha felt the silky texture of the chain as it was slipped into this hand. For some inexplicable reason, he felt familiar with the object. As if he's seen this necklace somewhere before………as if he'd given it to someone………This silver chain carrying a single pink jewel…
"How much?" Inuyasha found himself asking.
"Hmm………" The woman gazed at the necklace. It was indeed a valuable item…should she sell it? Or should she keep it? Who knows when another article like this would pass her again? Deciding to keep it, she turned to Inuyasha. "It's not for sale."
"What?" Inuyasha responded, stunned. Not for sale? Well, he was gonna buy it anyways. "How much do you want?" Inuyasha tried again. "Four, five sticks?"
"Nope," the woman replied, keeping her ground. "It's not for sale."
"Really?" Inuyasha raised a brow. Roughly inserting a hand into his haori, he extracted 7 gold sticks and waved it in front of the woman's face. "How about this?"
'Damn, what should I do?' the woman mused to herself, resisting to drool in front of the boy. 7 sticks………that's a lot………
She looked up at Inuyasha. 'It seems as if he really wants it…and I don't really need it anyway………' she found contradicting herself. 'Something as special as this'll come around again………7 whole sticks! If things are how they are………'
"Eight sticks," the woman demanded, raising the offered price by 20 gold nuggets.
Inuyasha knew it. Money was too much to resist. Money talks, everybody else walks. "Fine." Extracting one more stick, he handed all eight to the woman.
"Thank you very much." She had on a wide smile, closely clutching the eight sticks.
"Whatever." Inuyasha tucked the necklace into his haori.
"Hey, is that you, Inuyasha?" Miroku called from outside.
A few days later, Kagome and Sango watched quietly as the townspeople who knew her grandmother one by one approached Kaede's grave to offer flowers.
After offering her flowers, an aged woman, one of Kaede's friends, made her way to Kagome and held her hand. "She was a good woman."
Kagome nodded. "She was………thank you for visiting………"
The woman smiled. "Of course. She was my best friend, when we were young. Don't mourn for her," she advised. "She wouldn't want you to."
Kagome squeezed the woman's hand. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."
Glancing once at Kaede's grave, the woman left.
A few hours later, all of Kaede's visitors had gone, leaving only Sango and Kagome, who sat opposite each other by the trunk of a tree across from Kaede's grave.
"So………what are you going to do now?" Sango quietly asked.
"I dunno………" Kagome replied, intently gazing at the moon. "What is there to do? There's nothing left."
"That's not true," Sango countered. "It's not the end of the world. Yet."
"Go on."
"You can move in with me if you want. And you could continue your job, you know, as chef of the restaurant. Just carry on like normal and soon, you'll be happy."
"Is that it?" Kagome inquired. "Live the rest of my life like that?"
"Yeah, I guess." Sango didn't know what else to say. She wanted to cheer up her friend, but what was there to say? What was there that could make Kagome happy again? Nothing.
"But I don't want to live the rest of my life like that." Kagome shifted her gaze to the stars that seemed to forever suffuse the sky. "I can't be happy living here. There's nothing for me………"
Sango sighed. She was right. In a little town as Goshinboku, there was nothing. "So what do you want to do?"
"Nothing………"
"Where do you want to go?"
"Nowhere………"
"Come on, Kagome!" Sango shouted. "Be serious!"
"I am. I don't know what I want. I don't want to know………not right now. I just…………want time to think."
Sango scooted over to Kagome until their shoulders touched. "I'm sorry………"
"It's alright," Kagome confirmed, letting her gaze fall down to Sango.
"Hey, let's think together. It's better, you know, with two people."
Kagome smiled, draping an arm over Sango's shoulders. "Yeah, lets."
"I think," Sango started again, "it'll be better if you move. Go somewhere away from Goshinboku. Somewhere away from it all."
"Yeah," Kagome agreed. "Maybe the Capital? I've always wanted to know city life."
"I dunno." Sango shrugged her shoulders. "You really wanna go there?"
"I can try living there. If it suits me, they I'll stay. If it doesn't, then I'll go to somewhere else."
"It's your choice," Sango reminded. "But wherever you go, I'll come with you."
"What?" Kagome, surprised, turned to her friend.
"I'm going with you," Sango confirmed, giving Kagome an isn't-it-obvious look. "I'm not gonna stay here while you travel by yourself."
"But your family………and Kohaku………" Kagome countered. "What about them?"
"What about them? It's not like they're gonna die without me. And besides, Kohaku is old enough. He can take care of Mother and Father."
"But stil…………"
"I'm coming with you, Kagome," Sango repeated. "You know how dangerous it is for a girl to travel by herself? They could get raped, killed, slaughtered, kid-"
"Sango!" Kagome tapped her friend's knee, stopping her trail of worries.
"And it's always better with a friend around!" Sango continued. "Then you won't become a loner!"
Kagome laughed the first time that day at Sango's unique usage of words. "Okay okay! I get the point!"
"Good," Sango responded, smiling. "So is it settled? We're going to Shikon Capital. We."
Kagome sighed, giving up. "Fine. We are going to the capital. First thing tomorrow morning."
"Why so sudden?" Sango nudged Kagome with her elbow.
"It'll take 10 days to walk there. Might as well," Kagome reasoned.
"I guess so………" Sango trailed off. Standing up, she brushed her bottom and offered a hand to Kagome. "Well, that's it for tonight. I think you should sleep at my house today. It'll be safer."
Kagome took her hand and pulled herself up. "Why not? But wait a little." Running over to Kaede's grave, she knelt down before the headstone and stroked the engravings of Kaede's name. "I love you," Kagome whispered in an almost inaudible tone. She rose and together with Sango, they headed for Sango's home.
Early the next morning, while Sango was saying her farewells to her family, Kagome raced to the pawnshop for a last look at her necklace. When she got there, Kagome was panting.
"You're back!" the woman greeted.
"The necklace I sold you………I want to see it before I leave," Kagome requested as she reached the counter.
The woman frowned. "I'm sorry, but I've already sold it. A young man purchased it about half an hour after you left."
"Oh………" Kagome looked glanced down glumly. "I'll be leaving then."
"Come back soon!" the woman yelled as Kagome dejectedly left the shop.
"Hey Miroku!"
Miroku turned around and spotted Inuyasha waving his hands. Pushing through the crowd, he made his way to his companion.
"Where were you?" Inuyasha questioned when Miroku had reached him.
"By Spring Blossom, the restaurant, you know?"
"Uh………no," Inuyasha bluntly replied. "What were you doing there?"
"You know that girl Sango?"
"No."
Miroku sighed. "It's useless talking to you. But anyways, you know how my hand accidentally slipped that day?"
Inuyasha raised a brow. "Accidentally? It looked pretty intentional to me."
"Will you just shut up and listen? Don't answer that question! So anyways, as I was saying, I stopped by to see if she was still there, to you know, say sorry, but the owner said she wasn't there."
At the mention of Miroku apologizing to any girl suddenly brought Inuyasha into a mysterious coughing fit. "Say sorry? Your version of sorry? Trust me, she'd do better without it."
Miroku calmly waited until Inuyasha had stopped 'coughing.'
"It turned out that she'd moved a day ago."
"Really?" Inuyasha asked, uninterested. "And that concerns me because………?"
"You're not gonna get your revenge on that other girl, Kagome," Miroku calmly replied.
"And why not?"
"'Cause she moved with Sango."
"WHAT!" Inuyasha screeched. "She moved! Why!"
"I dunno. And why should it concern you?" Miroku retaliated, using Inuyasha's previous statement.
"'Cause I'm not gonna get my revenge, that's why! Dammit!"
Inuyasha stomped his foot, realizing he was never going to get his revenge on her, that she'd gotten the better of him. "I can't believe it! Just when I was determined! She up and leaves!"
"So………what are we gonna do now?" Miroku asked a while later when the two were sitting at a ramen stand, waiting for their ramen to be served. "I mean, the whole point of staying here was to see her downfall, but I guess it's over. She won," Miroku said, as if it was a game of life and death.
"Stop rubbing it in!" Inuyasha glared at Miroku. "And we're leaving."
"Where we gonna go?"
"Dunno, don't' ask."
"Whatever. It's not like you have a plan………I suppose we're gonna do what we've always done, which is walk around aimlessly."
"Good job!" Inuyasha proudly congratulated, slapping Miroku's shoulder. "I knew you'd get through!"
Just then, a waiter came and set down two bowls of ramen, quieting the two boys.