A/N At the time that I've begun this chapter, I have 9 reviews- KEEP IT UP!
But-now I have 20 people with me on their alerts. REVIEW!
Or no update.
I can keep this chapter away for ever and ever. Whatever I choose to do. So just remember that.
ON WARD!
Oh, by the way. Those who read the original, I'm straying off of the plot slightly. The same basic info, but it may come out in different order. And this chapter is the beginning of where the plot ORIGINALLY CAME IN, so no flaming. Cause without this part, there'd be no story!
Dedication: hm…The movie Accepted cause that's what got me to want to update again (AY OH! LET'S GO! Haha)
Disclaimer: Me no own. Nope. Nada. NOTHING
Chapter 7: The Letter…dun dun dunnn (haha)
"So, you guys wanna head to dinner?" Ron asked, making his three friends look up from their books. Harry and Kagome nodded, while Hermione sighed.
It had been a day since Shippou and Kagome's meeting, and the four were doing a transfiguration essay during their Free Period, before Dinner. "C'mon!" Ron called, already half way out the Common Room's door.
Harry chuckled, walking slightly faster so as to keep up with his friend. Kagome also laughed, "No matter how long I've been here, I'll never get over how much Ron enjoys food!" Hermione just shook her head with a smile and the two followed the guys.
As they walked in the halls, Hermione turned to Kagome, "I kind of forgot to ask, you're all caught up, correct?"
Kagome smiled and nodded, "Mhm, thanks for asking."
Hermione smiled back, and turned to see their other friends already in the Great Hall, "C'mon, let's catch up!" She called over her shoulder, already running ahead.
With a laugh, Kagome began to speed up her pace, running beside and then in front of Hermione before long – it seems the Feudal Era helped her to run faster.
The young miko ran up to where Ron and Harry were sitting, across from each other, taking a seat to Harry's left. Hermione came up a minute later, catching her breath slightly, and taking a seat to the right of Ron, across from Kagome. "How can you run so fast?" Hermione questioned.
Kagome just gave the questioning girl a look, but then remembered she never told them about her Feudal Era training, "Secret," She replied mysteriously, her eyes twinkling in amusement.
Ron was about to speak, mouth full of food, of course, but a black owl chose then to swoop into the Great Hall. Everyone in the room starred, never seeing mail being delivered during dinner before (1).
Not knowing about the oddity of the situation, Kagome just smiled at the owl as it landed next to her plate. She took the letter, letting the owl have a small bit of bread, and the dark creature flew away. "What're you all starring at?" She questioned her friends, seeing their starring gazes.
Harry shook his head, "It's nothing, sorry, but no one gets mail usually during dinner,"
Kagome nodded, understanding. Still, though, she looked at the envelope. The address was in deep red ink, written in English. Curious, she opened up the letter.
Seconds later she wished she hadn't.
"H-H-How…" She stammered out. Gasping for breath that seemed unwilling to come, she slumped against the table, hands gripping the paper for her dear life.
"Kagome?" Hermione asked softly, leaning across the table slightly. When no answer came, she asked again, "Kagome? What's wrong? What happened?"
Kagome still stayed muted. She was shaking slightly, re-reading the dark-red inked paper over and over.
While during this, Ron just starred on, as did Harry, and being the one next to her, Harry decided to move in closer so as to see what was on the paper. She seemed to not notice, for Harry was able to read directly over Kagome's shoulder.
Harry also gasped, as he read the strange letter:
Dear Kagome,
I'm so sorry to be sending you a letter with such sad news. I can see you guessing already what's wrong, and so I'll get straight to the point.
Miroku and Sango, as well as the village, were all attacked. Inuyasha came to me yesterday, bleeding profusely from his left shoulder and midsection. After awhile, I discovered that he also withheld three broken and two bruised ribs.
I asked him what happened, and he refused to tell me. When he first showed up, it was only for medicine, for it seems Shippou was critically injured. Fearing for his safety, Inuyasha didn't dare try to move the young kit, and thus came to me so as to ask for bandages and advice. Of course, I didn't let him leave 'til he himself was bandaged up, but he did get back in time to attend to Shippou.
You're probably wondering about Miroku and Sango, I suppose. You see, after Inuyasha had Shippou resting (4-5 hours after he showed up at the house) he came back to the Shrine, and told me all that happened.
And I mean ALL.
All that Inuyasha knows is that Miroku and Sango were out, on a stroll through the thicket of trees around sunrise. Miroku's wind-tunnel was gone, Sango without Kirara or her boomerang (2), leaving them unprotected. A 'dark force' came out and attacked and killed the two in less than 10 seconds after they screamed – catching Inuyasha's attention.
This creature then proceeded to head to the Village, and attacked the villagers there. A couple died, but only a few. Everyone else was either severely injured like Shippou, or leaving with just a few scraps, such as most of the children.
Shippou, as I said, was critically injured. Trying to prove his strength to Inuyasha and everyone, he leapt in to battle, using his own tricks and powers. Being of only a young age and skill, he didn't do that well and thus was beat quite quickly. And so, because he'd even tried to fight, the creature thought to give him 'extra care' and give a more brutal attack.
The way that Inuyasha described Shippou's injuries still sickens me at the thought, and I do not wish to bestow that sadness onto you.
I know this is a lot to take in, with Miroku and Sango dead, but I hope that you still continue to do good in your classes, and try not to focus too much on the past – we all know how you tend to.
Sincerely,
Mama
"Kagome," Harry touched the girls shoulder gently, trying to get a reaction. Like he hoped, Kagome made movement and lifted her head up to look at Harry. Her eyes were already red, holding back tears.
Kagome just shook her head, stood up, and ran out of the Great Hall. Unbeknownst to her, the letter was left behind on the table, as well. The three and some surrounding students looked on as she left, and as soon as she was out the doors, Professor S. ran after her.
Hermione's gaze turned to the letter, picking it up and read it. A couple seconds into it, her hand flew to her mouth, and a small gasp let out. "Hermione?" Ron questioned. Hermione waved him off, and continued.
A moment later, she set the paper down, taking everything in rather slowly. Once her thoughts were sorted through she passed the letter to Ron, and turned to look at Harry, "Do you think she'll be okay?"
Harry nodded slightly, "We do not know much about her, but I have a feeling she will learn to cope with this news, not quickly, but in time."
Hermione nodded, but then sent a questioning look, "Why'd Professor S. ran after her?"
Harry's face also contorted to one of confusion, "You're right, why DID he run after Kagome?"
Ron looked up from the letter, having just finished it, as white as a ghost. His eyes shifted between Harry and Hermione's confused faces, then spoke suddenly, "Why are we just sitting here? Shouldn't we be seeing if Kagome's alright?!"
Harry shook his head, and Hermione replied, "Professor S. ran after her, and we don't know why, so we may end up knowing something we shouldn't. I'd hate to do that to Kagome after all this," At 'all this' she gestured to the letter next to Ron's plate.
Understanding, Ron nodded and went back to his meal, and all three barely spoke during the last few minutes of dinner.
Kagome ran down the hall, tears springing forth from her eyes. Roughly, she wiped the tears away. Just as she was about to enter the Gryffindor Common Room, someone or thing grabbed her by the shoulders. "W-What the," Kagome gasped out.
The person swung her around to face them. "Mama, what's wrong?" Shippou asked, still holding tightly on her shoulders.
Just starring at Shippou made tears spring to her eyes, but before Kagome could reach up and wipe them away, Shippou so for her, while still talking. "Mama, answer me,"
Kagome shook her head, eyes still producing tears. "If you're gonna be like that, then I guess I have to keep you with me 'til you tell me," He smirked playfully, trying to get Kagome to laugh. Kagome only let out a small murmur of laughter, and within seconds Shippou had picked her up and sped to the Defense Against The Dark Arts classroom, and then through a door she never knew was there. This door lead to her son's quarters.
Shippou set Kagome down on one side of his bed, and sat across from her, legs pulled up in a crossed position. Five minutes passed before Kagome said anything, "W-why didn't you tell me?"
Shippou just gave a confused expression, "Tell you what?"
Kagome glared at her son, "About how you almost died!"
Still confused, Shippou replied, "What are you talking about? You need to be more specific, you have to remember that being a demon in Modern Times means that I almost die more than once in my lifetime,"
Realizing what Shippou said, the tears came harder now. Seeing this, Shippou freaked out slightly, and quickly grabbed a box of tissues and placed it in front of his mother. "C'mon mom, you should have known that. Remember Inuyasha – he almost died at least once a week!"
Kagome thought about what he said, realizing it was true, and that produced a small laugh from her. Wiping the last of her tears away, she starred at Shippou. "Five-hundred years ago, when Miroku and Sango died – how come you never told me?"
To say Shippou was taken aback by this information is only lightly stated. He was completely flabbergasted (2). "So that's what the letter was about…" He mumbled softly, if only to himself.
Kagome nodded, "How come you never told me?" she questioned again.
Shippou looked up to meet gazes with his mother, "Because if I did you would want to head straight back to the Feudal Era. You'd feel guilty quickly, knowing that Kirara was staying with you and not with Sango as protection."
Kagome sighed, and Shippou pulled her into a hug, "I miss them so much – from being here, and now for never being able to see them again," she mumbled softly.
Kagome could feel Shippou nod, even though she couldn't see it from their hug position, "Same here, Mama. Same here,"
Shippou sighed, his mother was heart-broken, and he wasn't going to let her go out of his watch for that time being. He knew Hogwarts was a safe place, but didn't want his mother alone when she was distracted like this. Shippou decided in that moment, while still holding Kagome in a hug, she'd stay the night with him and once he was sure she was alright the next morning, he would allow for she to resume her normal class schedule.
A/N GOD DAMNIT! I wanted this chapter to be like, at least 2,614 words long!! (the first part, when they're at dinner is 1,307 so yeah)
WHY MUST THE CHAPTERS BE SO STUBBORN AND EVIL!! GAHHH!
Well, anyways, my computer's internet is being a butt again, so I'm writing Also, we (mom and me) will be shipping my laptop (sometimes soon) to DELL to get it all fixed and crap there, cause there's a bunch of things wrong with it: it won't print squat, no matter what printer it's hooked up to, nor will it read CDS/DVDS AND when I restart it I have to do a bunch of crap cause the hard-drive 'cant be found'. So yeah. It's a load of crap.
I'm gonna try and update again before we ship the computer away, but I can only do that if you're all nice readers and reviewers and review my story : ) it'd mean a lot to me, seriously.
(1): Am I right, that mail IS never delivered dinner? 'Cause I wanted that letter to be sent at a 'strange' time and all.
(2): Holy crap…I know big words…o.O
Word Count excluding Author Notes: 1,849
AHHHHHH! IT'S SHRINKING! NOOOO! : (