InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Within ❯ To Discover ( Chapter 12 )

Quote of the Day (courtesy of Kitsune_Magic_1): “Appearance catches the eyes, but personality captures the heart.”

 

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The Soul Within

Chapter Twelve

 

It was starting to become a nightly ritual. Kagome would sit by the boarded window and watch the sun set. As she glanced over her shoulder at her sleeping friends, she again realized how different she was from them.

 

The curse separates us in more ways than I originally thought…

 

While her friends were very different from her…they still kept a hopeful attitude, still smiled, still lived life in the only way that they could…

 

Kagome wished that she could think the same of Inuyasha. Much as it hurt her to admit it, he had clearly given up. He didn't seem to care about his fate.

 

Tears pricked Kagome's eyes as she thought about her conversation with him the night that he had killed the villagers. It had only been a few days since the incident. Ever since Kagome had met him, he had been distant…but now? Now he seemed utterly unreachable.

 

Dragging the knuckle of her index finger across her eyes, Kagome dabbed her tears before they could completely descend from her chocolate-brown orbs. She turned back to the dimming sunset and thought of Kaede.

 

The sunset reminded her of her mentor in so many ways. It was soft, yet it cloaked authority. It had colours and moods…the strength of red, the power of purple, the love of pink, the restlessness of orange, the calm of turquoise…though the miko was old, she always tried her best and never gave up on anything. Kagome hoped that some day, she would become at least half the woman Kaede was.

 

Kami-sama…I miss her…she thought miserably. I hope that she knows that I'm okay.

 

Kagome kept watching the colourful sunset until it disappeared for the night. As if on a timer, her friends began to stir.

 

Miroku sat up. “Hello there, Kagome.”

 

Kagome smiled at him. “Hi Miroku, are you and Sango planning on hunting tonight?”

 

“No,” Sango said sleeply.

 

Miroku nodded in agreement. “Our food supply is fine, though I am planning on going to the river to collect some water. Would you like to accompany me Sango? Kagome?”

 

“Sure,” said Sango as she sat up lazily.

 

Kagome smiled but shook her head. “No thanks. I was thinking about just spending the night with Amaya. I need to think,” she said, her eyes drifting toward the window.

 

Sango looked at the younger girl sympathetically. “I recognize that look; I've worn it before. You miss somebody don't you?”

 

Kagome blushed. “…My teacher…she's the only family I have now.” Her eyes turned cold. “Not my father…never him.”

 

Sango looked surprised but she chose not to pry.

 

“Kagome…there is more than your wrist that is keeping you from going home isn't there?” It was a question, but Sango sounded like she already knew the answer.

 

“Of course not! I want to see Kaede! And I need to take care of my village and -”

 

Not looking convinced, Sango interrupted. “Are you sure you don't want to come with us?”

 

Kagome nodded. “Positive.”

 

“Can I come and visit Amaya with you, Kagome?” Shippo's little voice piped up out of nowhere.

 

Kagome's expression softened. “You can if you want to Shippo, I just don't think that I'll be very good company.”

 

“I don't mind!” Shippo exclaimed.

 

“All right then. Let's go…time is ticking.”

 

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“What is troubling you, Sango?” Miroku asked casually as he filled the large bucket with water.

 

Sango snapped out of her little daze. “Huh? Nothing's wrong,” she said casually. To anybody that didn't know her, she would have sounded flawlessly convincing.

 

But Miroku knew her better than that. He regarded her seriously. “Kagome's a big girl, she can handle herself.”

 

“I know that,” Sango said sighing. “I just wish that she would tell me what is so bad in her own village! It can't be any worse than here!” she said in an irritated voice.

 

“You don't know that for sure,” said Miroku as he lifted the heavy bucket with practiced ease.

 

“The way she closes herself off…doesn't it remind you of someone?” Sango asked with a light smirk.

 

“You mean Inuyasha?”

 

“No, I mean Shippo,” she said sarcastically.

 

Miroku shrugged. “I think that Kagome is a little more open than that. She has answered any questions that we have asked unless they were village-related. Inuyasha…it's like pulling teeth to get him to make conversation.”

 

“Kagome has talked to him with few problems.”

 

Miroku nodded. “Well, we both know that Kagome is different.”

 

“I hope that she can be the one to heal Inuyasha's heart,” Sango said softly. “And I hope that Inuyasha can save her from whatever she is running from. Those two need each other…”

 

“The problem is, even if they were to get together…the spell would tear them apart,” Miroku said matter-of-factly.

 

“The purest act…” Sango sighed to herself. “We'll all be dead before we figure out what it is.”

 

“Sooner than you think,” Miroku said darkly. Much as Sango loved his honesty, she was afraid to hear it now.

 

“…How long?” she asked, biting her lip.

 

Miroku pulled out a notebook and flipped it open. Charts and diagrams were scribbled all over it. “Based on these calculations of the lunar cycles…” he trailed off.

 

Sango narrowed her eyes. “How. Long,” she repeated slowly and deliberately.

 

Miroku closed the book, bowed his head, and rubbed his temples in a rare display of weakness. He said something in a voice so low that Sango couldn't hear him.

 

“What was that?” she asked, trying to calm her racing heart.

 

Miroku looked up at her. In a clear voice that was devoid of all fear, he said, “We have 12 days.”

 

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“Kagome?”

 

Kagome blinked and turned her head so that she could view Shippo, who was sitting on her shoulder. “Shippo?”

 

“I'm going to go see what Sango and Miroku are doing, okay?” he asked uncertainly.

 

Kagome smiled warmly. “Of course. I'm sorry that I'm out of it tonight.”

 

“That's fine!” Shippo said cheerfully. “Do you want to come with me?” he asked hopefully.

 

Kagome looked into Shippo's eager eyes and felt bad. “I think I will Shippo…a little later okay?”

 

“Yea!” he exclaimed, bounding outside.

 

Kagome watched him go with a small smile. She was so pleased that he had not been traumatized by his less-than-normal life.

 

“Sango and Miroku have taken really good care of him,” she told Amaya softly, while running her hand over the horse's head. “I think that they'd make great parents if they ever decided to get married. It's clear that they care about each other, don't you think?”

 

Amaya snorted.

 

“Don't be so negative,” Kagome scolded. All she received was another snort. “Whatever,” she said.

 

Letting her eyes wander around the stable, she noticed a few blocks of wood just lying around. She shook her head. “What is wood doing in here? It's just wasting space.” She carelessly kicked one of the pieces and sent it flying.

 

“Oops.” She retrieved the light piece of wood and easily stacked it neatly on top of another piece. And then another…

 

Suddenly, she was hit with an idea. Careful not to hurt her wrist, she stacked the pieces in a stair formation. Heart pounding and mind alert, she walked up the steps and eased herself onto Amaya's back. She gripped the reins tentatively and had her horse take a few experimental steps.

 

It stung her injured wrist at first, but with a little thinking, she figured out a way to ride one-handed.

 

I can ride…

 

Kagome was amazed. She could control the horse! She could ride her! She could go home -!

 

No, not home. To her new village. She could go to the new village and begin her life there. Maybe find someone to settle down with…

 

So why was she hesitating?

 

“Go home.”

 

“You heard me. Go home.”

 

“You should go home.”

 

“Why are you still here! I told you at least twice to go home!”

 

“Get out of here! I told you to leave this place and never come back! Leave!”

 

Kagome's eyes narrowed. He clearly didn't want her around.

 

She steered Amaya toward the open doors of the stable.