I've always heard that when you fall to your "death," you see your life flash before your eyes. Well, I never believed it was true until now.
Everything happens in slow motion. Before or maybe when I realize I'm falling, memories of my past fill my vision.
Growing up with three older brothers, Kaede, my mom and dad tell I am seven. A group of demons come to our village. My brothers and dad go with other men to fight off the demons while my mom protects the rest of the villagers for she is the only priestess there. Even though the villagers try their best they cannot stop the demons for there are too many and they are too strong. So I watch holding baby Kaede in my arms making sure that she could not see what was going on. I watch with the rest, seeing the men fall one by one. Once they were all gone the demons try to get past my mother's barrier. I can see the barrier start to fade; I know it won't be long tell they get through. My mother whispers to me what I must tell the rest of the villagers.
I get up and stand shaking with fright of what I have just seen. Everyone is quiet. Many people have tears streaming down their face. "My m-mother's b-barrier will not l-l-last long. My mom says g-g-get ready and w-when she s-says go we must run and try to s-save ourselves. S-she will distract them as long as she can," I tell everyone through tears. I know that my mother will not survive and that I will be lucky I do.
At the last second my mother gives me her bow and arrows and then she says the word and everyone scatters. That was the last time I saw her. I hold Kaede and run as fast as I can. I know there is a village to the north. Everywhere around me demons would get the people I know and love but I kept running holding my sister close to my chest. Only once am I confronted by a demon but somehow I am able to shoot an arrow while holding my sister. I finally make it out of the demon infested area and from that day on I swore to save people from demons.
The life of Kikyou… my old self unfolds right before me. I get to when she is killed by Nuraku. Although I am surprised by the pain and suffering of Kikyou's past, I can't really think about it for long because half of a second is almost over and the ground is just below me. A scream escapes me. One second I'm closing my eyes waiting for impact and the next second I'm in Inuyasha's arms.
"I promised," he says half smiling, "although next time it would half if you weren't so clumsy."
I'm furious. I just had a near death experience and he is joking.
"Put me down."
"Ok, ok. There's no need to freak out," Inuyasha says angrily.
That was it. I turn away from him and take a few steps away.
"Sit Boy!"
I hear Inuyasha smash to the ground. I smile slips on my lips when I hear him whine, "Kagome, why?"
Miroku and Sango walk over to the trees looking as if they have been searching for me for awhile. I feel bad if they were.
"What's going on?" Miroku says putting his arm around Sango's waist. They seem to be comfortable in each other's arms. I'm surprised to see how strong their relationship has grown since I've last seen them.
Although, I think to myself, it has been six months.
"Nothing," I hear Inuyasha say answering Miroku's question. I can tell by his voice he is angry. Good. "I just saved Kagome and she thanks me by slamming me into the ground."
Anger boils up in me again. He did not just say that. I walk straight up to him and ignore the smiles that appear on Sango and Miroku. "Save me! As if! I wouldn't have fallen from the tree if you hadn't put me up there in the first place and what happened to catching me before I fall."
Inuyasha took a step closer. We were so close that if we weren't yelling at each other we would probably be making out. "I also said that I would catch you before you fell you can't expect me to be everywhere at once. It's your fault for not wanting to go inside in the first place."
"My fault," I sigh angrily, "I can't stand you sometimes!" I turn away knowing that I have to separate myself from him. I can never get past his temper. I walk over to Miroku and Sango anger still bubbling in me. I stand crossing my arms waiting for one of them to talk.
"Um, did we miss something here?" Sango asks looking between Inuyasha and me.
"Oh nothing, nothing at all except that he," I say gesturing to Inuyasha, "made me sleep on a tree."
"Only because she wouldn't sleep inside," Inuyasha interjects.
Sango and Miroku start laughing. "So Kagome even though Inuyasha saved you your angry at him and Inuyasha, you have her sleep in a tree of all places."
Inuyasha and I look at each other. "I don't see what's so funny about it?" We both say at the same time.
"It's not funny it's just nice to have things a little normal now," Miroku says, "come on lets go back and tell the others we found you guys."
Miroku and Sango walk in front as Inuyasha and I drag our feet in the back.
"Miroku, Sango, I thought you guys were going to leave and, well, live somewhere other than here?" I could have sworn before I had that accident with the Jewel that they said they were leaving.
"We had a change of plans when we heard of your condition. While we waited for you to come around we also decided that we should all stay together. All five of us of course that is if Shippo isn't too busy training," Sango says quietly.
I smile. It's nice to hear, the five of us. It seems like forever ago since we thought of ourselves as that.
As we got near Kaede's Inuyasha tenses up. I look up at him questioningly. But he just looks straight ahead clenching his fists.
I can't understand why he is so mad until I hear, "Kagome!"
Koga runs over to me. He grabs my hands and looks into my eyes.
"I've been so worried about you! When I heard what this," Koga takes a second to glare at Inuyasha, "mutt did to you I was so angry! But I'm so happy your alright and alive. I've been looking after you almost every day, waiting for my Kagome to get better unlike some people."
Inuyasha jumps in between the two of us. He's pretty much shaking with anger. I smile to myself maybe he's actually jealous.
"Who you calling mutt? I'm stronger than you'll ever be," Inuyasha says pulling out his tetsaiga to prove it.
I sigh. Or he could just be angry about being called a mutt.
Koga acts as if Inuyasha hadn't said a word. Stepping around Inuyasha Koga picks me up bride stile. "Come on Kagome. I want you to come with me so I know you're safe."
"Put her down," Inuyasha growls.
"Oh so you're going to try to stop me now."
Sometimes when Koga and Inuyasha argue about me I feel like a candy bar some little kids are fighting over. As if I have no personal say of which has me.
"I said put her down," Inuyasha says again in his 'I'm going to kill you' tone. Can't he at least say my name? I guess I should be happy Inuyasha cares but his first comment still has me ticked off.
"Ok, mutt. Now that your first girl is dead and gone you're just going to move on to the next. I can't let you do that to Kagome," Koga says finally letting me down but staying close to me.
Inuyasha stands still, a mixture of fury and disbelief plastered on his face.
"What are you talking about?" I ask Koga. This change in the conversation suddenly interests me.
"Nothing," Inuyasha says quietly, quickly. His anger has lost its flame and his eyes look at me warily. It makes me feel as if he did something bad, as if he regrets doing it. Well that's just great.
"Nothing!" Koga cries angrily, "so you haven't told her the story yet. Well my Kagome needs to know."
Koga turns to me holding my hand. "I'll be back once that mutt tells you everything that happened between him and that Kiky—"
…Koga went on but I stop listening because I remember that vision I saw when I fell. What was up with me and forgetting all the time?
"Bye for now Kagome." Koga runs away. I snap back into reality. I realize that during this scene Miroku and Sango must have slipped away.
Inuyasha stands before me not quiet looking in my eyes.
"I'll tell you," he whispers.
"No," I say my voice sounding stronger than I feel. I hate when things get like this. I just want to have fun with everyone and maybe see my family again but first I need to work everything out.
Inuyasha looks up in surprise. "But—"
"No, I need to talk to Kaede, then… then you will tell me."
I walk away from Inuyasha to Kaede's little house. I don't know why but I feel that I need to know as much as I can about Kikyou's past. At least before I lose all my respect for her when Inuyasha tells me what happened.
This is going to be interesting, I think as I walk inside.