Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciated it since the river of reviews was running dry at the beginning. Well, here's your next chapter!
Oh, but first! I must answer one specific review from 'KazunaPikachu': First off, exuberance…well, it means enthusiasm or liveliness. I'm a little worried about why you'd think it was a sword… Anyways, on your question of "Where's Sesshomaru?" he's not appearing just yet. No he's not a huge dog, and since he's not a main character besides being the one to get the entire group into that mess, he won't be popping up for a while. I hope that answers your questions!
I don't own Inuyasha.
Chapter the Fifth
Phantoms of the Past
"I'm bored."
When no reply came, Kagome huffed and stood up. She'd been stuck in this room for hours, and she had nothing to do! Of course, she could go wandering the castle, but she didn't want to run into that jerk Inuyasha.
She looked around her nice little room. It was cozy, definitely a guest room. There was a large bed with soft, silky bed sheets and pillows. The sheets were maroon, the same colour as the walls. The window would have provided a great view from her place on the second story, but it had been boarded up viciously. There was a small mirror propped up on a wooden dresser, and a small pile of books that Kagome had already worked her way through.
Another picture hung on the wall. This one was of a girl and a boy who looked uncannily similar to Miroku and Sango. The girl was dressed in a beautiful pink and white spring kimono with a green skirt. She wore no sandals as she stood on the emerald green grass. She had smiling brown eyes and dark hair that was pulled back into a low ponytail. A few strands fell carelessly out of place of the ponytail, falling to frame her face.
The Miroku boy was dressed in purple monk's robes, just like Miroku wore now. A golden staff was held firmly in one of his hands. His hair was held in a low ponytail like Miroku's, except his eyes were a dark blue that almost made them purple. Miroku's eyes were yellow.
The only major difference between the two people and Miroku and Sango was that these look-alikes were human.
They were mortals, not demons.
Kagome sighed, pulling herself out of her musings to turn to a small table with a single drawer that she had not yet explored. Kagome cautiously walked over to it, pulling the drawer open slowly.
The wood gave way, and Kagome shrieked as the drawer fell out of its place and clattered onto the floor.
Kagome had fallen onto her backside, sitting in a dizzy mess on the ground in front of the drawer.
She shook the haze out of her mind and turned to her findings.
Out of the drawer had fallen a plain silver locket, a tattered old leather bound book, and a folded red cloth.
Kagome turned her attention first to the cloth. It was very smooth and soft to the touch. Kagome lifted it up, and it unfolded to reveal that it was, in fact, a red and gold kimono. Kagome gasped at its beauty. A small, yellowed paper slipped out from a sleeve.
Kagome blinked at the note. Why was there a note inside a kimono anyways?
To whomever it may concern,
If you are a man of strong power, give this to the woman you love. If you are a woman of elusive potency, please wear this to your heart's content. I give you my blessing, and I thank you for setting me free.
With Utmost Gratitude,
Sanaye
Kagome scanned over the letter once more, fingering the delicate tips of the old paper. Who was being set free? Why?
Kagome shook the thought out of her head. She couldn't take all of this…it was making her go crazy.
She laid the beautiful kimono onto the bed before going to sit down beside the locket and book once more. She held up the locket, tracing the lines on the heart-shaped pendant with her finger. It was a very pretty necklace.
Kagome put it around her neck, shrugging when nothing horrible or miraculous happened.
Only one thing remained…
The book.
Kagome opened it to the first page, delicately handling the cover. It wasn't very well kept. The leather was pulling off of the binding and the pages were frayed and ripped.
She settled down in a cross-legged position and began to read.
I settle in my bed for the first time in weeks, my beautiful daughter sleeping soundly at my bedside in her crib. My husband is still out with the hunters. They planned on bringing in a large load of boar from the forest and fish from the river this time. The King, bless his heart, was kind enough to offer them pay by the pound. Of course, this gave them even more reason to go out.
My husband promises to take me into the village down the path in two days time. He says that with his pay he will buy our daughter beautiful dresses for when she grows up. I was so overjoyed to see him so excited…
The entry ended there. Kagome blinked. It was a diary of someone's life. She flipped to the next page.
My daughter will never get the joy of seeing this castle. I fear that this is the end of our days with the King and Queen. My husband found work in a village down by the river's mouth and plans to move us there tonight. The King understood, and kindly thanked us for our work thus far and offered us his blessings for a safe journey.
Our baby girl…I had hoped for her to grow up to be a beautiful maid of this castle, but it appears that she never will. My husband was given a great offer from a Lord to be a knight for his castle. It's an ugly, small, cold castle. Still, we will be able to build ourselves a cozy hut near it.
I protested and protested, demanding that we stay, but being his wife I was put in my place. I must follow my husband, for I love him with all of my heart.
Still, this bodes for a horrible new life we will start…
Kagome frowned. This woman…she seemed interesting. Who could she be?
Puzzling over her thoughts, Kagome went and lay on the bed, staring at the tattered cover of the book, cradling it delicately. She sighed, wondering why a human's diary could possibly be in the midst of a demon's castle.
"Okay, so I'm seeing pictures of Sango and Miroku look-alikes, human diaries in demon palaces, and everyone except that jerk Inuyasha probably acts more human than I do. What the heck is going on?" Kagome cried, her wild thoughts finally getting the better of her.
When no reply came, Kagome sighed again, turning over onto her stomach, the book still in her arms.
After a few minutes, Kagome set the book down on the bedside table and stood up. She was going to explore now. She was sick of this musty, dark, candle-lit room. It made her dizzy.
Kagome trotted out the door and towards a flight of stairs. It was leading up to a third floor. Kagome hadn't seen a third floor yet.
Of course, curiosity overwhelmed the poor girl, causing her to decide her path.
Kagome stepped cautiously up the steps, careful not to make any noise.
Tip-toe…
Tip-toe…
Kagome crept up to the top of the stairs, surveying her findings.
It was a whole new hallway, a whole new area.
The corridor was light, for windows dotted the walls instead of paintings, letting day's sun stream in. A few doors stood on broken hinges along the hallway, making the cozy hallway turn sickeningly foreboding.
Kagome huffed. Why did no one keep this place nice?
Oh well, Kagome mused, maybe I can fix a bit of this place up while I'm here…
Kagome shook her head, ignoring her own hopeful thoughts, No! I will have to time to decorate! I will escape as soon as I can! Just…at night…sometime at night…it's too obvious for me to escape during the day.
"What are you doing up here?"
Kagome whirled around to see Sango standing at the top of the stairs, watching Kagome curiously with a cocked head.
"Oh, uh, exploring I guess." Kagome replied awkwardly, unsure as to whether that was going to get her murdered by bloodthirsty demons or not.
Sango sighed and approached Kagome, who flinched away slightly, "You know, I understand why you'd be scared of us. It's not like I'm not used to it, but…"
Guilt consumed Kagome, and she reached out and put a gentle hand on Sango's shoulder, "Sorry. I really shouldn't act this way. You…you act so human, probably way more human than half of the people in my village."
Sango laughed a quiet laugh, a laugh that was laden down with sorrow. This poor woman…what had she been through?
"By no means do I advise you against exploring," Sango told Kagome, "But just…well…" She sighed again, "Keep away from the West Wing and you'll be fine."
"Then why am I being stopped in this hall?" Kagome persisted, half-joking, half-serious.
"Because this is a direct link to the West Wing, so you should stay out of this hallway too. You need to keep out of that area okay? I know that saying this to you makes you twice as curious now…but just…well, stay away from it."
She is so hiding something…I wonder what's in that West Wing? Kagome thought to herself, but she is right, she just made me twice as curious.
Kagome shrugged and walked towards the stairs, "I'll stay away okay? Does that make you feel a little less worried?"
"It sure does." Sango admitted, laughing slightly.
Kagome wordlessly trotted back down the stairs, a little grudging of her lack of progress in her explorations. She was sure that Sango was going to keep a closer eye on her now, especially since it was obvious that Kagome was interested in the 'ever-elusive West Wing' as Kagome had dubbed it.
That meant it was going to be even harder for her to escape eventually…
Oh man…
"Kagome?"
Sango's voice cut through Kagome's thoughts and the girl looked up pensively, "Yes?"
"Can you tell me something?" Sango asked; her face solemn, "Please, try not to hold anything against Inuyasha will you? He's been through so much…and as his friend…I just need you to be understanding."
Kagome blinked at the abrupt change of topic, "What brings that up?"
"Sorry, but…I know that your first impression of him was less than positive so…"
That's an understatement. He was a total jerk. Kagome reflected irritably. But when she looked at Sango's sad expression, Kagome knew that the only thing she could to was say 'yes'.
"Okay Sango, I'll try not to judge him." Kagome replied, holding out her pinky finger.
Sango smiled and took her clawed pinky and entwined it with Kagome's for their little 'pinky promise'. She let out a relieved smile, "And now you've pinky swore so you have to keep your promise."
Kagome was a little surprised that Sango knew what a pinky promise was. It was a little unnerving how normal she seemed to be…how un-demon-like.
"Surprised?"
"About what?" Kagome asked.
Sango sure had a knack for saying stuff out of the blue to start up conversation. Still, she seemed to cock her head in a sort of amused way and shrug, "That I know what a pinky promise is."
Okay, now Kagome was really freaked out. Was Sango a mind reader or something? That was like three times now that she'd said something directly related to what Kagome was thinking.
"It was all over your face," Sango admitted, "Your surprised expression."
"Oh. Sorry," Kagome's face was red with embarrassment. She felt guilty for acting so rude to Sango. All the woman had done was act nice and Kagome was proving to be even jerkier than Inuyasha.
"Hey Sango," Kagome began carefully, "Have you ever been outside?"
"Yes. I have."
"How about we go out with Shippo for a while? Maybe even force Miroku into the sunlight." Kagome explained, "Koga will obviously agree since I've already met him outdoors, and I'm sure Ayame will come."
Sango nodded thoughtfully, "I didn't think you'd know our names so well by now…" She pulled herself back on topic, "But I'm sure that will be fine. Inuyasha won't come of course. He hasn't been outdoors in fifty years…"
Something about Sango seemed to tense at that moment. Sango looked as if she'd just told a horrible secret.
Kagome, of course, didn't notice this body language, "Why hasn't he been out in fifty years?"
"N-Nothing. No reason…."
Kagome noticed this brush off though, and the wheels immediately started turning.
"Is it anything to do with that spell?" Kagome pestered, eyes alight with dawning comprehension, "Has it been fifty years since this 'spell' took effect?"
Sango nodded mutely, and even an idiot could see that she didn't want to talk about it.
Kagome was shame-faced by her own curiosity. She'd made Sango feel horrible, "I-I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Sango assured Kagome, "It's not a big deal. I just don't think anyone's ready to talk about it yet. Maybe another day,"
That's exactly what Miroku said, Kagome's eyebrow ticked in frustration. Why the heck was she being kept out of the loop?
Then again, she was just a guest in this place, only spending her first day there…and she was already getting onto touchy subjects…
She could wait. She would make sure that she'd find out about this spell eventually, but maybe later.
That brought back a touchy subject for Kagome. Later meant that she was going to be waiting for a portion of her one-year sentence just to find out what this spell was.
Kagome crossed her arms in thought.
If no one was willing to tell her this horrible secret then…
Then she was going to find out herself.
End of Chapter
Well, there's the fifth chapter after at least a week and a half of no updates (I think.) Sorry for taking a little longer than expected.
Also, I apologize for Inuyasha not having an appearance in this chapter…
Maybe he'll show up next chapter. ;)
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