"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. "– Benjamin Franklin
The warm water was soothing as it played against her skin. A nimble hand reached forward and shut the faucet off. The flow of water was cut short and the body in the bath leaned back. Cerulean eyes fell to the fogging mirror; the mix of hot and cold in the room creating condensation on the smooth reflecting glass. While the prospect of a warm bath seemed relaxing, Kagome remained unnerved.
Earlier Kagome had been unable to look more at the contents of the letter. She had taken too long a pause at thought of the date on the letter. Her mother had caught her standing in the rain and demanded that she come inside immediately. Kagome had complained that it was absolutely important that she be given a chance to study the letter as she was being dragged inside the shrine, but her mother refused and insisted she take a bath else she might catch a cold.
Needless to say Kagome lost the battle of what was more important when it came between the letter and her health. Once inside her home, Kagome had been stripped of her soaking clothes and forced into the bathroom. Her mother had been nice enough to allow a few seconds to set the letter and journal safely on her bed.
Kagome unplugged the drain of the bath. She slowly stepped out and grabbed a towel off the rack. She wrapped the towel around herself and walked over to the mirror. She took her hand and began to rub it against the glass to make a small circle. Kagome bent her head to look at herself in the mirror. Ebony hair stuck flat on her face and her cheeks were still a bit flushed from just getting out of the bath. Kagome picked up a brush from the counter and started to brush it through her hair as she exited the bathroom.
Kagome headed into her room and straight to her closet. She quickly sifted through her choice of clothing and picked something comfortable to wear. She really didn't care too much about fashion at the moment. The thought of the letter was far more important at the moment. Kagome slipped into some gray sweatpants and a baggy light blue t-shirt. She tossed her towel in the hamper inside her closet. When that was all done, Kagome practically dove towards her bed.
Curiosity had been itching at her since the letter and journal's discovery. What could it possibly mean? Kagome had put a pillow in the corner where her bed and the wall connected. She propped her back up on the pillow and brought her knees to her chest. Kagome now held the letter gently in her hand. The journal still sat at the end of Kagome's bed.
This was the moment of truth. Kagome's finger inched at the edge of the envelope and tried to open it as gently as she could. When dealing with such an old object, it was best to be delicate. She pulled the letter out and un-creased it. Kagome's eyes fell to paper. There was something familiar about the handwriting, but at the same time it was slightly off.
Dear Kagome,
If you have just received this letter then harder times are just ahead. I'm sorry to have to tell you this news, but it must be said. The important thing to remember as you journey ahead is to not give up. It might sound clichéd or worn out, but it still holds true.
Kagome frowned as she read this. She knew already that the worse had yet to come, but to hear it from someone else was a smack of reality. The paper crinkled in her hand as she moved it closer to her face. The writing looked to have been written quickly, so it was somewhat hard to decipher at points.
Your fight with Naraku draws near. I have given you this journal to help. The key lies in a red envelope that is sticking out in the back of the journal. You must not open it until the right time. You will know when that time is, but until then do not give into temptation. You will feel the urge to look ahead, but I again beg of you not to do so. The Sesshomaru of this era was right to tell you there is no path or cheat code to get you to the end.
A breath caught in Kagome's throat. For this person the conversation between her and Sesshomaru had long passed, but the events of today were still fresh in Kagome's mind. The cruel reality shoved in her face. The hopes of finding some clue to the end…crushed. A tear escaped her eye, but it was quickly wiped away.
You may seem put off by his words, but he told you those things for a reason. He knows what is to come and he strongly believes in you. All you need to do is believe in him as well. Let your story take its course.
A curiosity was growing inside Kagome. Who was this person that knew her so intimately? Why were they trying to help her? Who were they that they requested that she take faith in Sesshomaru? And herself…
Another thing I request of you is that no-one else must know of the journal. It would be troublesome and could possibly alter the course of history. That is all I have for you now. Remember not to open the journal until it is time!
Sincerely,
Me.
Kagome folded the letter and gently nudged it back into the envelope. She placed it beside her and then she sat up on her knees. She flopped onto her stomach and brushed her hands forward along the sheets of her bed till her fingers found the edges of the journal. Kagome pulled the journal to her.
She sat back on her knees again and simply stared at the journal a moment. There it was the red envelope. Within in the simple red paper laid a key that could open up time itself and give her all the answers she ever wanted. Another thought came to Kagome.
"Do not give into temptation…" Kagome said lighter than a whisper. She would have to wait. Would she? Would she be able to hold back her burning curiosity and longing desire to make it to that final finish line? Kagome decided she would put all her trust into an anonymous writer if that was what it took. She would trust in the letter and only open the journal when the right moment came.
A loud bang startled Kagome. Her eyes flew to her window. A furious Inuyasha stared back at her. Kagome flung a pillow onto the journal and slipped the letter into her pocket as she stood up from her bed. Another warning in the letter filtered through her mind like bold giant glaring red letters on a solid black billboard. No-one else must know of the journal's existence. Kagome walked to the window and opened it up.
"Where have you been?" Inuyasha growled angrily. Kagome stepped back as Inuyasha practically flew through the window. His feet landed with a thud against the floor and he dropped Kagome's yellow back-pack on the ground. She had left it behind when she went to look for Sesshomaru. Kagome breathed in deeply and then let a slow breath out. Inuyasha was growing impatient, "Well, explain yourself wench!"
"I went off by myself to find out the truth about the piece of cloth we found after we battled those soldiers," Kagome answered truthfully. Cerulean watched as Inuyasha's shoulders tensed and then started to shake uncontrollably. He seemed terribly angry.
"So that's why I can smell that bastard…" Inuyasha said darkly.
"What?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha eyed her down. The gold of his eyes appeared to darken with each passing second. Inuyasha approached Kagome and tugged on her wrist. Kagome stumbled forward till she fell into Inuyasha's chest. Inuyasha buried his face into her neck. A low growl rumbled down his chest.
"His scent is all over you," Inuyasha said in a tone that sounded as if he were spitting acid. Inuyasha's grip tightened around her. Kagome tensed as a million different thoughts and memories flashed through her mind. She had gotten rather intimately close with Sesshomaru in the past days.
The demon lord had saved her from a terrible new foe. He had buried his claws into her shoulder in a blind fury. He had caressed her gently as they…kissed. She had held him tightly as they flew against the night sky. She was held by his future self as she cried with lost hope in his arms. If Inuyasha could still smell him, apparently even the rain could not wash away his presence…
"That may be true, but at least I was able to learn something because I put forth the effort to try," Kagome said softly into Inuyasha's hair. She felt his cheek brush against her neck before he stepped back. Kagome got lost in gold once more and she felt as the tension in her body slowly dissipated. Inuyasha didn't seem completely satisfied with her answer, but he didn't seem say anything more about the matter.
"Everyone was worried sick about you. I swear to Kami if I have to listen to that brat whine one more time about his 'mommy', I might lose it. Sango wasn't too happy about your little disappearance either. So get your ass into gear and let's go…" Inuyasha said with the usual edge his voice always had.
A twinge of guilt took hold of Kagome's heart as she thought of Shippo and her dear friend. She hadn't wanted to abandon them, but she was so sure she could get the answers she had needed. What she had hoped to do was help them all. She wanted to be worth something. A sad smile came to Kagome's face. If the letter's words rang too, it would all end soon.
"Alright, I'll get ready. Go downstairs and ask my mom to go make some Ramen or something. It'll take me a minute to get ready," Kagome said. Inuyasha unconsciously licked his lips at the thought of Ramen. He headed to the bedroom door.
"Fine. Just don't take all damn day," Inuyasha muttered before slipping through the doorway. Kagome inched towards the door and then shut it close. She reached to her back pocket and took out the letter. She studied it for a moment before walking back to her bed. She removed the pillow covering the worn journal and took it gently in her hands.
"I wish you could tell me more of what's to come, oh mysterious me…"
A rather short chapter for me, and I apologize for that. I wish to grace you with a new chapter in the near future, but only time will tell when that will be. I hope you enjoyed this chapter no matter how long it may have turned out to be. Please review if you can. =3