August 17th
Yuuta regarded the young man standing across from him, his eyes staring incredulously upon his words. Since that morning, as soon as he awoke, he prepared to pack his things before setting out, but he was interrupted when Kosuke arrived outside his barn, apparently only just now finding out about the trip. "Lady Kaede asked that I accompany Kagome," He replied, crossing his arms indifferently.
Hearing this, Kosuke couldn't help but frown. Despite his own injuries, he knew he was unable to accompany Kagome himself, but still, the mere fact spurred jealous thoughts within him. "And you say she asked for her to bring Shippo along?"
Yuuta nodded. "As strange as it is, she did say that. Apparently, bringing the child will benefit Kagome, since the Demon Slayers are quite knowledgeable. I don't know anything more about them."
Still, even after everything Kagome had dealt with in the past few days, he wondered if this was a bit too much. Without even having to look hard, he noticed her exhaustion, and he only wanted for her to sit down and relax with certain peace of mind. "The journey will be hard on her, for sure…"
"Even so, it's what the High Priestess wants. Delivering this letter is of utmost importance to the village. We'll likely not return until two weeks' time, if not sooner," He replied, stepping back inside the structure to pack his things, or what little he had.
Kosuke followed him inside. "Two weeks?" The thought was ridiculous and without a horse? "I could certainly escort Kagome there on a wagon. The terrain North is not easy."
Yuuta only sighed. "No, I need for you to remain here, Kosuke. Besides, with me gone, who will aid the men in constructing the huts? We prepared everything the night before and it would be a waste of your skills if you didn't participate," He replied, placing one of his daggers into his pockets before reaching over for his quiver of arrows and bow leaning against the furthest side of the hut.
"Listen—"
Yuuta only interrupted, turning on Kosuke with an arched brow. "Besides, you're still a bit beaten up after that scuffle with Satouru. Let's say I brought you with me, could you protect Kagome and Shippo?"
"Of course!" He replied without hesitation.
"I've had more training than you ever had, Kosuke. If you couldn't defeat me, even without injuries, what makes you think you can protect them? Especially if a demon were near?" Noticing the young man's silence, Yuuta only sighed. "That's enough. You'll only get in the way as you are now. If you want to be of use, stay here and help the villagers."
"Kagome, do you really have to go?" Ume asked from within the hut, her large brown eyes watching curiously as the raven-haired woman folded an extra kimono for her travels, packing it neatly within the hiking bag sitting off to the side. "Can't someone else go? It's dangerous outside the barrier. What if you get hurt?"
While knelt on the opposite end of the room, preparing a small collection of nuts, berries, fish and mushrooms for Kagome's and Yuuta's travels, Aiko smiled fondly at the child, who was curiously gazing into the foreign bag. "Lady Kaede is sending Kagome on a special errand. She is going to deliver a message so our village can receive help. Since they are also knowledgeable about demons, they might help Kagome with Shippo."
Despite her words, Ume sighed. "I guess. How long will you be gone for?"
Kagome smiled, ruffling the child's hair softly from beside her. "Lady Kaede says the trip on foot will take five days. Within two weeks we'll return."
"Two weeks? You're going to be gone for two whole weeks?" The child gasped, not entirely pleased by this news. "That's too long! Can't you take a horse?"
Kagome shook her head, taking the child into her arms before hugging her closely. "I'm afraid not. The villagers need them, and besides, it won't be that long. Me, Shippo and Yuuta will return before you know it," She explained, hoping to comfort the child on her lap.
"But … what if you like their village more than ours? What if you decide not to come back? You'll disappear again…" She sniffled, her large brown eyes gleaming with fresh tears.
Disappear again? Was Ume referring to the time she briefly returned back to her own era? Musing for a moment, she recalled meeting Ume shortly before it happened, and being her first friend in the village, she understood the little girl's worry.
"Never come back? Of course, I'm going to come back. You, Aiko, Naomi and Kosuke, not to mention Lady Kaede will all be here waiting. This village has become like home to me," She replied, hugging the child close against her chest. "I won't disappear, and I'll be back before you know it, Ume," She replied, combing her fingers through the child's hair before kissing her forehead gently.
Relieved by her words, Ume's face alit with joy, and she returned the hug before pulling away from Kagome to entertain Shippo in the basket beside them.
A few minutes passed by, and after preparing a small amount of food for the trip, Aiko wrapped it in a large cloth before settling it carefully inside the backpack. "Kagome, are you sure you want to take this with you? It might draw unnecessary attention…" She asked.
Despite Aiko's worry, Kagome nodded. "It should be fine; besides, it will be a lot easier carrying that, especially since I'll be having Shippo with me." Besides that, she never really put the backpack to good use besides carrying her supplies back to the past. "I hope you don't mind that I leave my stuff in this chest here until I return."
"It's no trouble," She replied before turning her gaze towards Shippo briefly. "The villagers are likely waiting to say their goodbyes. We shouldn't keep them waiting."
"You're right," Came Kagome's reply before zipping up the hiking bag and crawling over to the basket. Reaching over for the wrap she began using to carry Shippo with, she slowly attempted to wrap it around herself, following the instructions Mayoko gave her yesterday. Despite Aiko's offer to assist, Kagome waved it away, finding the task much easier than she first thought.
The flap to the hut opened suddenly, and curious of the guest, they noticed it was a Naomi, peering within with a timid smile. "Hello. Don't mind me," She replied before shifting her gaze towards the little girl seated beside Kagome. "There you are, Ume. Your father was looking for you. Even though I don't know why, I should have known you were here to begin with," She laughed.
"Papa?" Ume asked and at her nod, the child stood up. "Okay," She replied, turning towards Kagome and Aiko. "I'll properly say goodbye at the gate when you leave." With that said, she quickly hugged Kagome and hurriedly exited the hut, leaving the three girls smiling fondly at her retreat.
Settling herself beside them, Naomi only grinned. "That little girl is so attached you, Kagome. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were mother and daughter."
Aiko agreed. "Well, she does possess a motherly charm about her. There's no denying that."
Satisfied she had Shippo securely snug against her chest and certain he wouldn't fall, Kagome smiled, her hiking bag entirely packed. "It wasn't much, but I think I should be good to go from here."
There was a soft knock outside the hut, their heads turning curiously at the flap. "Kagome, do you have a moment?" Kosuke's voice called out suddenly.
At this, she quickly got to her feet, and approached the flap before stepping outside, her two friends within peeping out curiously at the quiet exchange. "Oh, Kosuke. What's up?"
"I tried to get Clover for you, but she wouldn't follow me," He replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, a strained smile upon his face. "I was hoping you might be able to help me?"
Understanding, Kagome pushed back the flap, smiling at the sight of Aiko and Naomi standing right there eavesdropping. "I'll be stepping out with Kosuke. I'll meet you guys at the gate." After which, she left down the path with him, their feet carrying them towards the meadow.
"That guy is hopeless…" Naomi sighed, closing the flap behind her.
"Give him time. After all, Kagome hasn't been here that long, remember?" Aiko replied.
"Well if he waits any longer, someone else might steal her away…" Naomi exclaimed, hinting entirely at a particular bandit with whom Kagome would be making the trip with.
Upon hearing this, Aiko couldn't help but slightly frown. Did Yuuta truly have feelings for Kagome? Somehow, the thought displeased the young woman, but she otherwise kept it to herself.
Walking side by side, Kosuke couldn't help but smile softly at the woman next to him, her small child nestled gently against her chest, touching her long wavy locks excitedly. "Are you excited to leave the village?" He asked, receiving a short nod from Kagome. "I was informed you and Yuuta would be visiting a clan of Demon Slayers."
"Kosuke, have you ever met them?"
He shook his head. "I haven't. I've heard rumors about their kind, but I've never seen them before. Actually, I was a bit surprised when Lady Kaede said she was sending you there to ask for help. I had no idea she was friends with them…" He laughed. "I'm certainly hoping for some good news out of all this."
She smiled. "Hopefully they're as kind as Lady Kaede made them out to be. We might be supplied with enough food to get us past our troubles."
"Have you ever traveled around before?" He found himself asking, though, she only shook her head. "If you don't mind me asking, I'm curious about your village. What's it like?"
"Well … it's pretty difficult to explain. It's kind of big, I suppose, lots of huts," Kagome replied, imagining the large city structures surrounding her small home settled on top of a large hill.
"That explains a lot. You grew up on a shrine of a well to do family. I suppose you must have been sheltered from the outside world, right?" He asked, side glancing her curiously.
She blinked. "Sheltered? What do you mean?"
He sweat dropped. "Well, I mean with regards to demons. When we first met, you seemed confused of the very idea of their existence. I can only assume your family hid the harsh reality in order to protect you, or am I wrong?" Otherwise, it didn't make sense.
"Oh yeah," She replied, feigning ignorance. "My grandfather was always using his sutras to ward off demons and evil spirits, so I normally remained inside our village most days. Grandfather was pretty strict when it came to my safety…" She lied, but it seemed Kosuke was buying it.
"I see. It makes sense now," He laughed. "I was a little curious at first. I hope I'm not prying, but can I ask a personal question?"
She nodded. "I guess."
How would he begin? From his understanding, when Kagome first arrived, she was often harassed and scorned, and yet, there came a time when she returned to her village, disappearing for an entire month. Although he never asked her, he was curious. "Why did you come back?"
"Huh?" She merely blinked curiously at him. "What do you mean?"
"You briefly returned home once before and you were away for at least one month, but why did you return? Especially with regards to how the people treated you before?" He asked.
As the two arrived upon the meadow, the cattle grazing just ahead, the two paused beside an old fence, and as Kagome mused quietly, Kosuke found her silence baffling and somewhat suspicious. She was absentmindedly brushing back a lock of Shippo's auburn hair which was sticking up from his forehead.
"Kagome?"
"Kosuke, I can't answer that without…" She trailed off, unsure whether or not to tell him the truth, the truth that she came from a different era. From her understanding, only Kaede and Aiko knew the truth, and it probably wouldn't do any good for anyone else to know. After all, Kaede specifically told her to reveal the truth.
"Without what?"
Sighing, she turned towards him. "Without telling you a secret."
Surprised by her words, and somewhat hurt she couldn't reveal the truth to him, despite their friendship, he reached out for her hands, taking them into his own gently. "Whatever secret you have, you can trust them with me."
Looking softly into his sincere gaze, Kagome sighed once more. What could it hurt to tell him part of the truth? "I didn't think I'd be able to return home. I wasn't sure how, especially since I arrived to Lady Kaede's village by accident that day. I became separated from my family and my little brother," She replied.
He remained silent, listening to her words closely. Judging by her expression, it seemed she truly missed her family, but there was something more to her story she wasn't revealing. How did she become separated from her loved ones? "How did it happen?"
Kagome shook her head. "It might sound unbelievable, and even to this day, I still can't understand it. I was playing with my younger brother when I was suddenly forced away from everything around me. The next thing I knew, I awoke in an entirely different environment, my family nowhere to be seen," She explained. "After experiencing a rough time in Kaede's village, somehow, I returned home, by the same mysterious means. I remember how worried my mother was, and I felt her embrace after so long…" She replied, trying to keep the Goshinboku Tree and her era a secret.
"What forced you away from your family?" He asked.
"My grandfather believed it was the work of a demon," Kagome replied, and at this, Kosuke nodded in understanding. "Perhaps his sutras failed to stop it from first happening, but after praying for days, I managed to return home for a short while. The reason I returned was because I had a dream…"
He blinked. "A dream?"
She nodded. "I dreamt the village was in the midst of ruin, the huts set to embers in the night…"
"Kagome, do you perhaps have the gift of sight?" He asked incredulously. "If so, then you see things before it actually happens." Somehow, he wondered if this was normal for those who had spiritual powers flowing through their veins.
She shrugged. "I'm not sure. It could have been mere coincidence, but it was the first dream I had which really startled me. I saw familiar people hurt in the dream, I saw many on the verge of death, including you…" She mumbled, trying to erase the image from her mind.
Realizing he had caused her discomfort, and feeling entirely troubled, he placed a hand to her face, moving a strand of hair from her eyes and behind her ear. "Forgive me for asking, but, it was thanks to you, everyone survived. Me, Lady Kaede and everyone else," He replied softly and with a smile.
Kagome smiled, blushing at his words. That was true. In the end, everyone survived the horrid fire, and for that, she was thankful. "You're right…"
"Kagome…"
At the sound of her name breathed from his lips, she looked up, his face drawing slightly closer to hers, though he maintained a level of comfortable distance between them. "Yes?"
"There's something I need to…" He trailed off, mesmerized by her beautiful eyes. "No, I have to tell you … the thing is, Kagome … I wanted to tell you how much I—"
An unexpected animal noise resounded from behind him, and startled from his focused conversation with Kagome, Kosuke fell back in surprise. Falling onto his arse, he glowered at a goat which had coincidently snuck up from behind.
Kagome laughed at the sight, unable to contain her giggles. The expression marred across Kosuke's face was hysterical, as if he'd seen a ghost, and she leaned back on the fence to steady herself. "Clover! That wasn't very nice," She lightly scolded the animal.
"I swear that goat has it out for me…" Kosuke replied, picking himself off the ground before warily stepping away from it.
"Why do you say that?"
"It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it," He replied, turning his head away, his face darkening in embarrassment. Out of all the things to happen, why did he have to fall in front of her and to a goat?
She looked between him and the goat, arching a brow curiously. "Kosuke, what happened between you and Clover?" She asked, grasping his sleeve from beside her.
"Where is she?" Yuuta muttered aloud, his eyes searching his surroundings near the gate. Half an hour had already passed and still she had yet to arrive, and he was beginning to wonder if she'd forgotten.
Aiko only giggled at his frustration. "She is with Kosuke. They went to get Clover."
"Who is Clover?" He asked, arching a delicate brow.
"It's the goat which gives milk to feed Shippo," She answered, as if it were obvious, but it was certainly news to him.
He almost rolled his eyes. "She went all the way out into the fields to fetch one particular goat? There's a couple more in the barn I could have roped with us easily enough…"
"Yes, but Kagome is quite fond of Clover."
What a strange name, but before he could utter his disapproval, he heard Kagome's familiar giggling in the distance, and turning, he caught sight of her and Kosuke walking alongside each other, a familiar gray coated goat trudging closely behind, a rope tied around its neck. Pleased he didn't have to go after her himself and throw her over his shoulders, he watched them with curious interest.
"It's not that funny Kagome…" Kosuke replied, his face red with embarrassment.
Despite his uneasiness, Kagome only clung to his arm, her face reddened by her own nonstop laughter. "I'm sorry, but it really is. Poor Clover…"
"Poor Clover?" He replied, slightly hurt she was siding with the goat. "What about me?"
"I don't know Kosuke, it seems like Clover is more of the victim than you are," She laughed. Managing to calm herself and her breathing, she took a deep breath and exhaled, though she couldn't remove the wide smile from her face. Noticing Yuuta up ahead, she waved, quickening her steps with Clover close behind her. "Sorry about that. I got a little caught up."
He only nodded, eyeing the small creature before looking back the young girl beside him. "I've seen a packed mule before, but never a packed goat…" He replied, noticing the large bags tied upon the animal's back.
"Well," Kagome began, smiling at her handiwork before patting the goat gently atop the head. "We wouldn't be able to carry just the milk with us because it would spoil. So, I figured this was a good idea. I've packed our blankets within one of the bags, along with some containers to feed Shippo, and a few other necessities."
"I see," Came his reply. "What's that on your back?"
Turning slightly, Kagome displayed the hiking bag to him, flashing a peace sign, but he only looked at her fingers confusedly. "It's my brother's hiking bag. I've packed my clothes and some of our food within. If you need me to carry anything of yours, just ask and I will," She offered, noticing his bow and quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder, a small cloth carrier wrapped over his shoulders and back, most likely containing his little belongings.
"We won't be back for a while, so you should say your farewells," Yuuta replied nonchalantly, taking the rope from Kagome's hand before approaching the gate.
Despite his disinterest to remain beside her, she turned towards the crowd behind her, her two friends Aiko and Naomi enveloping her in warm embraces before saying their goodbyes to Shippo.
Feeling two arms wrapped tightly around her leg, Kagome smiled and knelt down, hugging the small child close to her. "I'll miss you Ume. You be good while I'm away, alright?"
"I will! I'll miss you too, Kagome. Come back soon, okay?" The little girl asked, her smile wide and her eyes sparkling.
"I promise," She replied, kissing her forehead before waving her off, watching lovingly as the child ran back to her father's side before waving back at her.
"I'm leaving now. I shouldn't be gone for too long," She replied, offering a respective bow to the entire village, to which they returned, wishing her a safe trip.
"Good luck boss!"
"Be safe!"
"We'll miss you, boss! Watch out for other bandits!"
"Boss, be safe!"
Smiling at the bandits who were crowded behind Lady Kaede, waving their hands in her direction, Kagome couldn't help but notice a few with obvious disappointment and sadness in their faces, a couple of the men balling into their hands. Seeing this, Kagome laughed. "Goodbye boys! Behave while I'm gone!"
"Take care, Kagome," Kosuke voiced beside her.
Turning, she smiled, scratching her cheek shyly. "Thanks, Kosuke. It'd be nice if you could come along, but you're needed here in the village," She replied, slightly disappointed.
He nodded, as much as he didn't want to see her go. "By the time you've returned, we'll hopefully have new huts erected. It won't be much, but at least the people without homes won't have to sleep out in the barn for much longer."
Speaking of huts, she wondered if the bandits would be remaining in the village after the rebuilding, but she shrugged the thought away. "I should get going. Take care, Kosuke, and don't overwork yourself while I'm gone," She teased, touching his shoulder softly before turning away.
"Be safe," He replied, watching her walk away.
An hour into their travels, the two-sauntered side by side down a worn path in the road, the terrain which stood at a great distance before them stretching for miles. Silence fell between them, the latter drawing more so from Yuuta than Kagome, and for Kagome, she found curious interest and excitement of what laid ahead, her cerulean gaze glimpsing distant mountains and grassy meadows.
Snug as a bug within the wrap against her chest, Shippo found contentment watching his mother, his large emerald eyes glimpsing her bouncing raven locks and loving smile before curiously eyeing the large man walking beside her. For most of the walk, the child remained quiet, immersing himself in the passing trees and wildlife surrounding them.
"Wow, it's so beautiful…" Kagome commented, her straw sandaled feet crunching on the grass with each step. Kept so long in a small village, breathing in the constant smoke from their fires and busying herself with relentless chores, it felt nice escaping it, breathing in the fresh air and absorbing the sunlight.
Feeling a tug on the rope securing Clover behind her, Kagome paused and glanced back, noticing the animal's immediate distraction as it munched hungrily on a patch of weeds in the road. Deciding against interrupting it, Kagome waited what seemed like ten minutes, but when the goat failed to pull away from its excited feast, she sweat dropped. "Come alone, Clover. We don't have all day. You can eat all you want later when we take a rest," She chided.
It bleated something rude at her, and despite her futile attempts, the goat only ignored her, savoring the delicacies of the wild grass between its teeth.
"Why did you name it Clover?" Yuuta asked, not perturbed in the least with the distraction.
Looking away from the creature, she waved Yuuta closer, pointing to a white patch of fur upon the backside of the animal's back, the pattern outlined in the shape of a four-leaf clover. "See? I figured the name suited her."
Seeing this, an amused chuckle escaped him. Looking back at the goat munching away without a care in the world, he clicked his tongue, earning its attention in a heartbeat. "Come. We should keep going."
"Let's go Clover," Kagome replied, and without having to tug on the rope, the animal followed behind obediently, to which Kagome was thankful. Pleased it was listening, she sighed. "I feel like I'm walking a dog…"
Once more taking in her surroundings, the beautiful environment of the ancient past, Yuuta on the other hand remained entirely passive during their travels. Back home, Kagome only ever noticed such beauty in the countryside, which she rarely visited, but she was used to the incessant and bustling streets of Tokyo, with towering structures and buildings around every corner. Yet, despite the differences in the eras, Kagome felt a sense of peacefulness here.
Feeling an urge to take off into a sprint, Kagome held back. If she did that, the unexpected and rough movement would likely frighten Shippo and quite possibly draw an irritated look from Yuuta. "You know, you can relax a little bit, right?" She teased, pushing his shoulder lightly. "It's a beautiful day and the sun is shining!"
Yuuta rolled his eyes upon her exclamation. "Don't forget we're outside the barrier. There's danger all around us."
"It doesn't look like anything will jump out as us any time soon," She retorted, sticking her tongue out at him. Kagome half wondered if the butterfly fluttering past her would transform into a demon, but she found the thought rather comical and unbelieving. Yuuta was worrying a little too much, and although Kagome witnessed first hand the capabilities of demons, Mistress Centipede for instance, it felt peaceful at the moment, and she didn't want to spend such a moment worrying whether or not such a creature would appear.
A startled whine shifted Kagome away from her silent musings, the sight of her baby crying, and hoping to comfort him with a soothing lullaby, his temper slowly diminished. She supposed to constant movement bothered Shippo, especially since he was used to laying in his wooden basket at home.
While she smoothed away his auburn bangs from the child's face, it's emerald eyes closing in contentment, Yuuta's gaze drifted to her small wrist where a familiar blue and white beaded bracelet sat. "I'm curious," He began, earning her stare after a short pause. "I noticed you share the same bracelet as Shippo. I understand he needs it to freely leave and enter the barrier, but why do you have one as well?"
"You know how I supposedly have priestess blood running through my veins?" She asked, eyeing the small and painted stones briefly. "This bracelet acts as a means to nullify those powers, especially since it's brought nothing but harm to the village. Since I have no control over it, Kaede says I should never remove it."
"I see … but you do plan on becoming a priestess in the future, right?"
Kagome shrugged. Honestly, she wasn't entirely sure about that. If there was a way to remove those powers, then she was sure no one around her would suffer. "I haven't put much thought into it…"
He crossed his arms after a moment, his ears listening to Kagome's every word. "Regardless if you choose to become their priestess, it might benefit you to take up some training. The last thing you want to do is get caught up in a situation where that bracelet could cause more harm than good."
More harm than good? "What do you mean?"
Yuuta sighed. "Let me put it this way," He began, his gaze focused entirely on her beside him. "Let's say there comes a day you and Shippo are in danger and there's no one around to protect either of you. By some unfortunate accident, that bracelet of yours breaks, what will you do then?" He asked, noticing her eyes widen in understanding. "According to you, it keeps demons from sensing your powers. Within a matter of minutes, you could wind up swarmed by them, both of you overwhelmed. Like before, your powers would undoubtedly unleash, purifying anything within so much distance, even Shippo."
Kagome gasped, clutching her child close to her. "What?"
At her response, he arched a brow. "Do not forget, he isn't human. Like all demons, even he would suffer. The last you want on your conscious is the death of your child. Perhaps … you should keep that in mind…" Yuuta did not intend for his words to upset the young woman beside him, but he hoped it would bring understanding to the situation, regarding herself and her son.
A chill swept down her spine, and despite his advice scaring her, she realized he was right. What if such an instance occurred in the future? What if the bracelet broke, not only would she draw unnecessary attention to herself and others, but she might accidentally hurt Shippo. Somehow, she wondered if without even having the bracelet on, would her touch harm her child?
Although priestess blood coursed through her veins, she lived an ordinary life back in her era without so much of a hassle, but upon crossing five hundred years into the past, her bloodline supposedly awakened. No. That wasn't right. According to Lady Kaede, the Sacred Jewel, a creation which existed centuries back and housed incredible and terrible powers, must have manifested itself within her, but for whatever reason it was, Kagome wasn't sure. Could those powers have been the result of the jewel and not simply her bloodline? It was certainly possible, and the more Kagome thought about it, the more fearful she became.
'But why me? Why did the jewel decide to appear inside my body? It doesn't even make sense. Actually, none of this makes sense. Here I am, walking an empty road, five hundred years in the past, a child in my arms, with a terrifying jewel inside my body wanted by both humans and demons.' If anything, all of this felt like something straight out of a fairytale, a fictional book of ancient Japanese myths, only right now, it was real, too real to her liking.
A sudden thought struck her, enough which perked her head to look at Yuuta beside her, though his attention remained focused on his surroundings. Since they were embarking on a journey to meet with a clan of expert Demon Slayers, Kagome wondered if it was possible they could remove the jewel from her body. If those powers truly did stem from the object, then, maybe they could destroy it; at least then her worries would greatly diminish. Then again, if the tree did let her return home, she could quite possibly have it surgically removed by qualified doctors, without fearing infection or death. Thinking realistically, Kagome was sure she'd have a lot of explaining to give as to why such an object was within her body.
'Kaede says the jewel resides within my chest, but I'm not exactly sure about its precise location…' Kagome mused. Yet, she wondered, how terrible the extent of her injury would be once removed, if possible. 'What Yuuta said was right. I have no idea how to control these powers, nor do I feel comfortable taking up priestess training. Still, I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with my bloodline.'
With such troubling thoughts weighing heavily on her mind, Kagome sighed. She hated feeling like this. But, then again, if Yuuta hadn't said anything, she would have never realized how fragile the bracelet around her wrist was. One small inconvenience could easily result in a bad ending for her and Shippo, and as his adoptive mother, she didn't want to throw him into any danger.
'Alright. When I meet with the clan, I'll see if there is a way they can remove the Sacred Jewel, and from there, I guess I'll see what happens next…'