Chapter 16: Reading into the future
"Damn it Kagome, your bills are even higher this month than they were last month! What in the world could be costing so much?" Hojo cried in frustration as he sat at his desk and mulled over the bills in front of him.
"Well, you've expanded my practice with very little staff, I'm still doing most of this on my own and my new asthma program is costly." Kagome said from the couch in their living room.
"You're new what? I thought I told you that program would have to wait! The grant money is largely tied up in my cancer research right now." Hojo grumbled.
"Yea, and your new Ferrari." Kagome retorted with a sigh.
Hojo's head snapped up at that comment and started rubbing his temples. "The car is just a perk, if I'm going to cure cancer, I need a good image too." Hojo put down the bills and picked up the framed picture of his new car.
Hojo's action hadn't gone unnoticed by Kagome who huffed in frustration and slouched down on the couch even more. "I swear, you look at that car more than you do me. I think it's stupid that the guys at the car lot took that picture and even framed it for you! It's a stupid car!" Kagome growled out.
"I'll have you know that Ferrari's are not something that are bought every day! They're not Honda's, they're high class cars." Hojo retorted.
"Yea, but Honda's are cuter. Your car looks like Godzilla stepped on it!" Kagome argued.
She didn't know that much about cars, but she did know that she'd rather pay 20,000 dollars for a car that got her all over town on a tank of gas and was more than efficient as far as space went as oppose to Hojo's Ferrari which cost 160,000 dollars with the extras he ordered and not to mention he couldn't go nearly as far as her on a tank of gas and he was paying an arm and a leg in insurance alone, plus he couldn't go grocery shopping in that clown car.
She had to wonder how much of that grant money was really going towards his cancer research. It had been three months already and the money was being spent like it was water. He was already running out of money and if the grant board only knew about his 'spending', they would not only loose everything they've worked so hard for, Hojo would also be thrown in jail.
"Kagome, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to cut some budgets and you have to pass your asthma program off to another clinic because I need new equipment for my lab." Hojo said in an even voice.
"Fine." Kagome said. She stared at her left hand for a bit, playing with the diamond ring that sat on her ring finger and sighed. Hojo sure wasn't the same guy she remembered. He definitely wasn't the same guy she promised to marry. Her heart ached as she remembered when Hojo was soft spoken and very giving. He would have never squabble over money the way he does now and Kagome wasn't liking the man he had become over the past three months. He was more possessive as well. He didn't like Kagome going out with her friends as much, said that he didn't like how other guys looked at her when she went out and preferred that she be seen mostly with him. Half the time, poor Kagome didn't know what was going through Hojo's head.
Kagome sighed heavily, and turned to look back at Hojo. He was again going over paper work and writing checks and organizing them with the proper bills. Kagome was bored. This was how their days went, if they weren't working, they were arguing about money. Kagome was sick of it. oming from a family with very little money, it was never really a big deal to her and it was that way even now.
Hmm, family. Kagome smiled when she remembered she still had a family she could visit. It had been a while since she had even pulled out the box of Shippo's drawings and writings. She figured she'd bring the box to her mother's and go through it in privacy.
Last month, she was board at home and pulled out the old box and read a few letters. The one that caught her attention was a picture that Shippo had drawn of the old god tree and in front of the tree was what looked to be a grave marker. It was a neatly carved wooden marker, but instead of putting a defined name, Shippo had just scribbled on the marker. Kagome couldn't have helped wonder if Shippo did that on purpose, not wanting her to know who's name it was on that marker, or if it was just unimportant. Either way, Kagome worried, she had even gone home after that to check out the old tree, but found nothing like what Shippo drew and figured the old wooden marker just faded with time.
"Hojo, I've decided I miss my family, I'm going home for a visit, you mind?" Kagome asked in the sweetest voice she could muster.
Hojo looked up from his desk and looked at her, as if he was wondering if she was telling the truth or not. "Fine with me. Tell your grandfather and your mother I send my love." Hojo smiled lightly and systematically went back to work.
Kagome went to her room, grabbed the box and left with a simple "goodbye" to Hojo. She got behind the wheel and started driving to her mothers house. She felt like her heart was racing, as if she was afraid, but why would she be afraid? She figured Hojo might call her a liar and accuse her of cheating on him or maybe she was afraid he'd tell her that she couldn't go visit her family.
"Wait a minute. Why do I have to worry about getting his permission to go out? He isn't my parent and I'm faithful, he has nothing to worry about." Kagome said aloud to herself. She slammed her hands on the steering wheel in frustration. She knew fully well she was in control of her life and it made her mad to know that the past couple of months, she acted as if Hojo had complete control of her life, what she did, where she went and who she was with. She decided she'd have a talk with Hojo when she got back, but for now, she was just looking forward to seeing her family.
Kagome pulled up to the shrine with a big smile on her face. She saw Souta's car outside and knew that Etsu would be with him. She was now in her seventh month and showing big time. Kagome stepped out of the car and walked up the long driveway when someone's voice caught her off guard.
"Kagome! Hey, long time no see, sis!" Kagome turned to Souta and waved.
"Hey little brother. Whatcha' up to?" She asked as she approached him.
"Helping grandad with the shed. God knows that stubborn old geezer would break his back if he didn't have help forced on him." Souta said with a slight huff.
Kagome followed Souta around back to where the shed was being resurrected. It had transformed quite a bit. It still had it's rustic look, but newer.
"Shed's looking real good. Find anything interesting?" Kagome asked as she stepped in and saw her grandfather fidgeting with some items.
"Funny you should ask that. I have no recollection on how long this shed has been here, and I suspect it's been here for a while and we've been finding very old scrolls and artifacts, but this one in particular caught my eye. Here, take a look." Kagome's grandfather said and pulled out the artifact he spoke of.
Kagome took it with a wide-eyed expression. She knew this 'artifact' very well and there was no mistaking it for anything else than...
... "Shippo" Kagome sighed as she examined the battle-scared wooden toy top and ancient firecrackers. Kagome took the bundle of seemingly innocent toys and smiled.
"It was in the dirt. Looks like it's been sitting there for a while." Souta said as he brushed some more dirt off of the toy top for Kagome to inspect.
"How old did you say this shed was?" Kagome asked.
"Old, don't know exactly how old, but old nonetheless." Kagome's grandfather explained as he took a step back to examine the work that had been done to the shed already.
"I told gramps that maybe you'd know what it was." Souta commented.
"This was Shippo's. It's passed down through generations of fox demons. They're actually tools for fox magic and used mostly to distract enemies for a safe retreat but come in handy should a fox demon find himself in a fight." Kagome stated.
"Ahhh." Her brother and gramps said in unison.
Kagome smiled at the old toys. Just holding them brought back so many memories. She sighed, wishing she could jump down the well and see all her old friends.
Then a twinkle on her hand caught her attention. She examined the engagement ring on her left hand and sighed. Things sure turned out a lot different then she ever had planned.
She wondered if things were changing for the better and hoped that her life would soon become less hectic and stressful and yet a little voice in the back of her mind told her to prepare for the worst shall it arise. But how bad could things get? Isn't that a question we hate asking, because no matter how bad things get, they can always get worse.
"You miss your friends, don't you sis?" Souta asked, breaking Kagome from her trance.
"Yea, I do. I have to admit watching you and Etsu makes me feel a little better. It gives me hope that fate has chosen the right path for me as it has you two." Kagome said with a cheerful voice.
"That's nice Kagome. You're brother has learned a lot from you as well, I see some of your maturity rub off on him." Kagome' grandfather commented.
"Thanks Gramps." Kagome smiled.
"I would have thought that you knew what these were, seeing how you're suppose to know everything about the feudal era." Kagome said holding the items up to her grandfather's face for closer examination.
Kagome's grandfather vividly became flustered at her accusation. He rubbed the back of his head and laughed, nervously. "Yea, well I knew what they were, I thought perhaps you knew a little more and I was right." He defended.
"Ha, looks like you're losing your touch, old man." Kagome teased.
"Yea, well, it's easier knowing about a place you've actually studied AND visited." He snorted and crossed his arms while sticking his nose into the air.
"Well, I'll let you boys go back to work. I want to go inside and have some private time." Kagome said and exited the shed to leave her grandfather and brother to bicker about what part of the shed to work on next.
Kagome found her room as neat and clean as always. Still held that old school girl charm. Kagome giggled at the fact that her mother had even left discarded rough drafts on her desk, it even appeared that she had kept the desk, with papers and all, dusted and clean. She sat on her bed holding her bag to her chest with one hand while the other hand traced over the pillows on her bed. She wondered how many times she cried into those pillows over the feudal era.
"Ok Kagome, enough dwelling on the past." She told her self as she dove into her bag and pulled out the little box. She mentally smacked herself, talking about dwelling on the past, here she was about to open a five-hundred-year-old box to read about accounts that happened in that very era. Oh well.
'Kagome,
Last week Inuyasha and I were training (as we do a lot) and as we sparred by the river, something caught our attention. Inuyasha dove into the water and pulled out a young woman. She was water-logged and I could have sworn she was dead, but Inuyasha saved her. She was badly injured. She slept for a better part of three days and when she awoke, she had no memory of what had happened to her or even who she was. She's forgotten herself and has no way of getting home. What strikes me as funny is that she hasn't realized that Inuyasha and I are demons. Well, I'm the demon, Inuyasha half, well you know that!
In the mean time we have taken to calling her Takara. Inuyasha said it was fitting seeing how plucking her from the water was like finding treasure. She really is lucky to be alive.
But Takara has taken nicely to living in the village. Miroku has been helping her adapt to life here while trying to figure out where she came from and what events lead up to us finding her in the river.
Honestly, I think she's done Inuyasha some good in the week she's been with us. He's started smiling again and yesterday I heard him laugh. It scared the hell out of me, I thought something or someone was about to die, but then I realized it was her that had made him honestly laugh.
Should he decide to move on, I hope he'll have your blessings as he has long since given his blessings for your inevitable happiness. He says you're too special to be alone for good, that one day some lucky guy would get you and that only a stupid man would pass you up. I think he's right. Again, that aged wisdom showing through.
Kagome, I wish you well and I miss you like crazy as do we all. Especially Inuyasha.
Bye for now,
Shippo.'
Kagome sadly sighed. She had no right to feel upset about Inuyasha possibly finding a new love, seeing how she had already forced herself to move on, but it still hurt that fate hadn't allowed them to stay together.
Well, maybe the other letters would cheer her up. She didn't have to be home for a while and seeing how her mother was gone and Etsu was nowhere to be found, she figured they were out and probably wouldn't be back for a while and with Gramps and Souta outside working on the shed promised hours of peace and quite for Kagome.
'Well it's been a month since Inuyasha rescued Takara and we still haven't figured out where she came from. It's obvious that she really likes Inuyasha and I personally think she doesn't want to leave the village, but we know that there's a possibility that she has family out there that are worried sick or worse, presume she's dead and they don't deserve to suffer, so our search for her true identity continues.
I asked Inuyasha if he likes Takara as much as you and I swear he looked as if he was going to smack me. He told me that he could never like any woman as much as he does you and never will. I still think he likes her and just won't admit to it. Can't say I blame him, seems any woman he's ever loved has been permanently taken away from him.'
That struck a chord with Kagome that made her heart tug to her stomach.
'I just wish I could see you again though. I feel like fate's cheated me as well with every one I've had to say goodbye to. I find that I frequently ask myself who's next? I know that death is only a part of life, but the deaths I've experienced have left me empty handed. I wish I had more time to build memories with those who have died around me, granted the memories I do have are fond ones, I just wish there could have been more of them.
In hopes that you are building new fond memories of your own,
Shippo.'
That letter also left Kagome feeling emotionally empty. She felt sad for Shippo and Inuyasha but she was lonely for her friends as well. She had once promised herself to forget, but it seemed that the harder she tried to forget the pain, the more it hurt. So she continued to read the letters.
'Kagome,
Well, it's taken another month of investigating and we've finally pinpointed Takara's origin. She came from a remote village to the north and were attacked by bandits who claimed that Nuraku's demise had caused a rising in demon numbers and attacks on humans had become more common and demanded the village pay them a protector's fee, but when the village wasn't able to come up with their ransom, they pillaged the town and killed those who had no money to give and stole what people couldn't afford to give up. Takara was one of the few that stood up the these bandits when they demanded her mother's jewels and they proceeded to harm her and when they were done with her, threw her in the river to die.
Inuyasha has since dealt with those bandits and returned Takara to a grateful family and an over joyous fiancé. When we escorted her home, she seemed to have regained a little memory from the time we entered the village. She recognized where she was and even some villagers we came across. She even remembered her real name which is Sachi. I was happy to see her back where she belongs, her family obviously missed her terribly. Inuyasha says he's happy that she's back home, although I can tell he's a little sad but he won't say anything. He just continues on, acting as though he doesn't feel each hard blow life has dealt him. I honestly wonder how much longer he can keep himself bottled up.
Sorry if I haven't had the most uplifting news, but times seem pretty bleak without you here. Inuyasha comments constantly that we all took for granted the void that you filled in our lives. We had all suffered a tragedy and it was our weakness that brought us together, but it was your strength that was the glue. Kaede once said that the riff of time is a fragile paper door and that perhaps it was not in fate's best interest to allow that door to remain permanently open for you. If that's true, I hope that one day the gods will realize what a mistake it was to lock that door and will reopen it.
Hope you find the key.
Love,
Shippo.'
Kagome smiled. She wondered when Shippo grew up. He sounded so adult, wise beyond his years and at the same time she could sense the sadness in his writing. He sure had a way with words. "Shippo, you should have no problem wooing girls when you're ready." Kagome laughed out loud.
She dug through the piles of papers, scanning over them, she didn't know what she was looking for, but something in Shippo's writing seemed off. He sure didn't talk a lot outside of business with Inuyasha and rarely mentioned Miroku and never really spoke of Sango. She came across a few entries that mentioned Sango but Kagome wondered how her friends were doing. It wasn't until Kagome's attention was drawn to a smaller piece of paper, it was dirty but the writing was far different than Shippo's.
Kagome began to read and as she did tears sprung up in her eyes when she realized it was a love letter from Inuyasha. Her heart fluttered as she read his writing, she could practically hear his voice in her head with every word and it read...
'Dear Kagome,
As I sit and watch the evening sky, I remember happier times we spent together. It tears me apart that we can not be together, but I still feel you with me day by day and I guess that's what keeps me going. Although we didn't get the chance to marry, I still feel just as devoted to you and I don't think I'll ever be able to give my heart away again. I dream of the day we'd reunite and I can hold you in my arms without fear of losing you again. I pray for your safety and that you're happy in your life's decisions. And further more, I hope that these words reach you beyond the door of time.
You're always,
Inuyasha.'
"Inuyasha, thank you." Kagome whispered. She had resolved to placing the letters back when something caught her eye. A smaller piece of paper, about the size of the love letter in her hand, had fallen onto her bed. She picked it up and eyed it carefully. It was Shippo's writing, but there was something a bit off. She couldn't tell at first, because it was old and faded, but upon closer inspection she saw it was splattered with dry blood. Something about that discovery unnerved Kagome and she read the letters contents. A lot of the letter was unreadable due to the blood on the paper, but she tried her best to make it out.
'I can't believe this is happening. Inuyasha insists I write this for you. I think it might be to late. Just please be okay, I only hope I'll be alive in your time to explain and save you from this, but if I'm not there already then I'm sorry. Watch out for yourself.'
'What in the world could he be talking about? Is it about Inuyasha? Oh god, I don't even want to know.' Kagome's mind cried. She felt dizzy. Shippo's words sounded desperate and grim, what could have happened? Kagome read it again and realized that this letter had a sense of urgency to it. She went could as her mind went through every horrible scenario that would cause Shippo to write this way.
Kagome felt time slow as she came to the possible conclusion that Shippo had just confirmed Inuyasha's death. She took his love letter and stuck it in her jacket pocket as she piled the rest of the letters back in her bag and decided she would go through them again for further clues to confirm or deny her suspicions once she got home.
'Shippo, please don't leave me hanging. What happened?' Kagome prayed as she got in her car and sped off home.
Little did Kagome know, she was being warned.
..:End of Chappy:..
A/N: Wow! Sorry that took SOOOOOO long to put out. Real life has dampened my ability to use my computer to it's fullest. But I'm pumping my brain as I'm readying this story for it's big finish. I think we're getting closer to the end. Hope you liked this chapter, let me know what you think. I'm hoping to have the next chapter out ASAP. Thank you again for being so patient.