InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Within ❯ To Decide ( Chapter 5 )

VERY IMPORTANT STORY CHANGING A/N: I was reading over my chapter outlines and I realized how evil I was making Koga. Since that is completely out of character for him, I am changing Kagome's fiancé to Naraku. Then I can make him evil to my heart's content and even kill him off if I want to! Thank you for your cooperation (lol).

 

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The Soul Within

Chapter Five

 

Kagome suddenly couldn't breathe. “That's…her,” she choked out.

 

Sango looked alarmed. “Kagome, are you okay?” she asked in a panic. “You're pale! You're eyes are bulging! You-”

 

Miroku turned to Sango. “Relax, my beautiful Sango. Kagome just appears to be suffering from shock, she'll be okay.” Despite his words, Miroku also looked concerned. “What has you so distressed, Kagome?”

 

“Yeah Kagome, are you sick?” Shippo piped up.

 

Kagome was honestly about to tell them everything. She was going to blurt out that the miko's name was Kikyo and that she was only there because of the undead miko…but something stopped her.

 

Her subconscious.

 

It was telling her that she would sound crazy and she might even unintentionally cause them to distrust her. When Kagome thought about it, she realized that her subconscious was right.

 

At least now she knew why Inuyasha had attacked her. It was probably because she was a miko, but also because she looked so much like the miko that had cursed him.

 

Kagome inhaled silently and gave her three new friends a reassuring gaze. “She just looks like someone I've met before…” she said vaguely.

 

Miroku shook his head. “That's impossible, she died before any of us were born… perhaps Shippo was around because he ages differently, but…”

 

Shippo looked up at him and shrugged his tiny shoulders. “I was just a baby, I don't remember anything.”

 

Kagome nodded. “You're right. It's probably just my imagination.”

 

Miroku nodded and gently lifted her arm into a sling. “All done. Sorry, but this is the best I can do with the materials around. One of us can get some herbs later to dull the pain.”

 

Kagome smiled at him. “You did fine, Miroku. Don't worry, I've felt pain much worse than this.”

 

The knowledge that I was betrothed to Naraku…

 

Miroku and Sango exchanged glances.

 

“Are you staying here, Kagome?” Shippo asked suddenly.

 

Miroku's gaze immediately hardened. “I don't think that's a very good idea, Shippo.”

 

Sango nodded in agreement. “We've all noticed it, even Inuyasha. You look very similar to the miko that cursed Inuyasha. If you stay here…it is very likely that he will kill you.”

 

Kagome swallowed hard. It seemed that Inuyasha wasn't the only one that was cursed. All she wanted was to be away from her village. Then a creepy miko had to lead her here where she had nearly been killed. Just when she began to make friends, she was told that she had to leave if she wanted to live.

 

Kagome sighed. “I guess I have no choice then,” she said.

 

“Be happy, Kagome!” Miroku said cheerfully. “At least you are not doomed to be stuck in a house…with no children of your own,” he said, looking at Sango. “Speaking of which, Sango, would you bear my children?”

 

Without batting an eye, Sango promptly slapped him in the face as hard as she could. “Ninety-eight,” she muttered, as Miroku fell to the floor.

 

“Ninety-eight?” Kagome questioned.

 

Sango nodded. “Yes, it's the ninety-eighth time that he's asked me that. Give it a rest, Lecherous Monk!” she yelled.

 

Shippo looked mildly amused.

 

Miroku sat up, rubbing his face. “My precious Sango. You wound my heart,” he said dramatically.

 

“Well, we all suffer life's little tragedies, don't we?” Sango said dryly. She looked at Kagome. “He's right though, you should leave as soon as possible.”

 

Kagome resisted the urge to sigh again. Instead, she simply nodded. “Okay…I'll leave at dusk.”

 

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Dusk had come and gone and now it was pitch-black outside. Kagome was saying her goodbyes to Sango, Miroku and Shippo.

 

Shippo looked sad as he hugged her. “Bye Kagome, I wish that you could stay.”

 

Kagome said nothing but hugged him back tightly with her good arm. Strangely enough, a part of her wished that she could stay too.

 

She gave him a smile. “I'll miss you, Shippo. Take care of Sango and Miroku, okay?” Shippo nodded firmly.

 

Kagome gave Sango and Miroku one last look. She felt absolutely awful for leaving them and not being able to do anything about their predicament.

 

Sango could feel Kagome's hesitation and she gave the young miko a reassuring smile. “Get going!” she shooed playfully. Miroku grinned and nodded.

 

Kagome gave them an uncertain smile and hurried through the door before she changed her mind and decided to stay. She slowly shut the heavy door and looked around.

 

It was quiet…too quiet. Like it was when she had arrived. The silence made her feel uneasy. She rubbed her left arm with her right hand to fend off the sudden chill and headed toward the front doors, glancing around her before she opened them. Despite the fact that Inuyasha was now supposedly human, her wrist was a nasty reminder of her near-death incident.

 

Satisfied that nobody was around, she pulled open the door and stepped outside into the warm, summer, night air. Seeing her horse still tied to the post, she let out a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Inuyasha might've killed her horse while she was inside.

 

Her horse raised her head when she saw her; almost as if she were surprised that Kagome had actually come back. Kagome jogged over to her and hugged her neck.

 

“I'm glad that you're okay, girl,” she whispered. The horse looked antsy, like she didn't want to be there either.

 

“It's okay, girl. We'll leave in a few moments,” Kagome said, glancing around. As she checked to make sure she had everything, Kagome muttered, “You know, I can't just keep calling you girl…how about a name? Let's see…” Kagome thought for a moment. “I know! I'll call you Amaya. It means night rain. That is what we were traveling in when we met.”

 

When she was sure that she had everything, she turned to get onto Amaya's back-

 

“Who are you?” a voice demanded.

 

Kagome almost fell over. The unfamiliar, aggressive voice had startled her. She turned to look at her company.

 

He had long, black hair and unfriendly, violet eyes. He was wearing a red haori and baggy red pants…and he had a rosary around his neck. It had purple beads and white fangs on it. One glance at the infamous rosary and Kagome instantly knew who this was.

 

“Inuyasha…” she said in a stunned voice.

 

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. “How do you know who I am? What are you doing here?” he asked roughly. Then he stepped into the light and his eyes darkened as if he were seeing her for the first time. “It's you…” he snarled. “What are you doing here you bitch! How are you still alive?”

 

Kagome was confused for a second before she realized that he thought she was Kikyo. She sighed. “I'm Kagome, but I'm surprised that you don't know me Inuyasha.”

 

Inuyasha sneered at her. “I knew it was you…the miko that cursed me nearly 50 years ago…that is the only way that you could know my name, Kagome.” He spat her name as if it was a curse. Suddenly, a slow smile spread across his face. “If I kill you…then the curse will be lifted,” he said with a wild look on his face.

 

What! But I'm not Kikyo!

 

“Now wait just a minute!” Kagome exclaimed in a panic. “I'm not Kikyo, I'm Kagome! Kagome! I didn't put a stupid curse on you!”

 

“Who the hell is Kikyo!”

 

“The crazy miko that brought me here!”

 

“…What?” he asked. He sounded confused, despite himself.

 

Satisfied that he wasn't going to jump her, Kagome let out a breath. “Last night, I was traveling to a new village for a job. It started raining and then I saw a miko at the side of the road. She said that she worked here and asked me to give her a lift. Since I'm a nice person that doesn't curse people, I brought her here. Then she disappeared. I met you, Sango, Miroku and Shippo and - ”

 

“Back up,” he said. “How could you have met me? I've never-”

 

“Oh, you've seen me before. Several hours ago you tried to kill me,” she informed him, looking at her wrist.

 

He looked at her arm, cradled in its sling. “I…did that?” he asked faintly.

 

Kagome instantly felt bad. “It's no big deal, Inuyasha. I've had worse-”

 

“Go home.”

 

The statement was said so bluntly that Kagome blinked. “What?”

 

“You heard me. Go home,” he said sharply. “Next time, you might not escape my claws.”

 

“Is that a warning or a threat?” Kagome asked, raising her eyebrows.

 

“It's a warning,” he said simply, as he turned and walked away.

 

Okay…what just happened?

 

Shaking her head, Kagome moved to mount her horse…only to realize that she couldn't. She needed both hands to mount and ride her horse and one hand was currently unusable. She sighed in exasperation and rubbed Amaya's head.

 

Kagome weighed her options. Stay…or walk back to her village. She couldn't go to the new village that Kaede had told her about because the cursed rain had soaked her map and it was now unreadable.

 

She thought for a minute. Even if she could get back to her village, did she really want to? Going back to her village equaled a marriage to Naraku, plain and simple.

 

On the other hand…here she had Sango, Miroku and Shippo. Sure she would have to stay inside during the day and sure Inuyasha was a bit…unfriendly. However, in the end, she knew that she would be happier if she stayed.

 

Her choice was clear.