InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Within ❯ To Feel ( Chapter 13 )

Quote of the Day: Multitasking means screwing up several things at once.

 

A/N: Did any of you see the World Cup? Italia won!!!!!! I am so happy!!!!! Viva Italia!

 

I've discovered uTorrent! I've been downloading anime non-stop!

 

Sorry for being a little late. I've been busy with a million and one different things. I'm not going to list them because that is just wasting space. In apology, I have made this chapter a page longer than usual.

 

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The Soul Within

Chapter Thirteen

 

Kagome hesitated.

 

She could ride her horse…but she was still hesitating. Uneasily, she glanced at her surroundings. There was nobody around…but for some reason, she was having a difficult time moving.

 

Kagome exhaled sharply in annoyance. I don't belong here, I have to go. I'm too different from them.

 

She craned her neck toward the night sky that was hosting numerous twinkling stars. Kagome thought about Kaede. Was she viewing the night sky at the moment as well?

 

“…Ye are getting a chance to run your own life.”

 

“You make it sound so easy, Kaede…” Kagome muttered. Tugging sharply on the reins, she nudged Amaya into motion. The horse broke into a trot.

 

At the border of the land, Kagome turned slightly. “Goodbye,” she whispered.

 

“Goodbye?” an amused voice echoed.

 

Kagome nearly fell off her horse. She swiftly turned Amaya around and gasped when she saw whom it was. “You! What are you doing here again? Don't you have better things to do than haunt me?”

 

Kikyo smirked. “Haunting you, am I?”

 

“Well, what would you call it?” Kagome demanded.

 

Kikyo looked thoughtful. “I suppose I would simply call it…advising you.”

 

“Go advise somebody else!”

 

Kikyo pretended to look around. “I don't see anybody else about to make the biggest mistake of their life.”

 

That made Kagome pause. “…What do you mean?” she asked, trying to sound like she didn't care.

 

“Why are you leaving, Kagome?”

 

Kagome gave the undead miko a look of pure and utter exaggeration. “Hmm, as fun as living with a guy that hates my guts sounds, I'd rather go to a place where I can help people and live a normal life…” she said, glaring at the other woman.

 

Kikyo's expression didn't change. “All I see is you dawdling. You can't want to leave that badly.”

 

Kagome huffed. “You're really annoying,” she stated.

 

Kikyo seemed to find that comment amusing. “All I'm doing is pointing out the obvious.”

 

Kagome turned away from Kikyo. “I'm leaving right this second,” she said.

 

“And yet, here you are, still talking to me.”

 

Kagome whipped her head to the side. “No, I'm - !”

 

Nobody was there.

 

Oh no! She is not disappearing on me again!

 

Kagome turned the horse and took off at a fast pace. Kikyo couldn't be far.

 

“Kikyo!” Kagome yelled. “Get back here now! Don't you know that it's rude to leave in the middle of a conversation!”

 

Unsurprisingly, she didn't get any response.

 

“What is your problem anyway? Why can't you just go and- !”

 

“ - Be quiet so that you don't wake the dead?”

 

“She's already dea - ! Oh…Inuyasha….” Kagome blushed.

 

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. “Do you often scream out random things in the middle of the night?” he asked rhetorically.

 

Kagome blushed deeper. “I was just…um…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“…Exercising my voice?”

 

“Exercising your voice?” he repeated in disbelief. “Do you really expect me to believe that…” he trailed off. His eyes fixed on her horse, and then back on her. “…You can ride.” It was a statement, not a question.

 

For some reason, the new expression in his eyes scared her. Without knowing why, she felt guilty for sitting on Amaya. She slid off slowly and stood there for a second, looking into Inuyasha's violet eyes. “I can ride,” she confirmed quietly.

 

Inuyasha eyes darkened considerably. “Then why the hell are you still here!” he thundered.

 

Kagome narrowed her eyes. Very deliberately, she kept her voice low. “I thought that I had already discussed this with you,” she said quietly.

 

“I don't care what you said! Go home!”

 

Kagome walked up to him until their noses nearly touched. “What are you going to do if I don't?” she whispered.

 

Kagome honestly hadn't had time to think about what she was saying…thus, she had no idea what to expect from Inuyasha. At that second, he was silent, though he was staring into her chocolate orbs with a fiery intensity. She could feel his warm breath against her lips. He was leaning toward her…

 

Is he…is he going to…kiss me?

 

Kagome's eyes were half-lidded when she felt strong arms embrace small frame tightly.

 

Kagome was a little disappointed. I guess I'll take what I get, she thought, returning the hug. She leaned against his strong chest and closed her eyes, feeling at peace.

 

“Don't you ever think about the fact that I might kill you one of these days?” he said in a painful voice.

 

Despite herself, Kagome felt like crying. Was that the reason that he kept telling her to go home? Was he that worried about her safety?

 

“Inuyasha…” she said softly. “I'm fine…and I want to stay.”

 

Inuyasha pulled away slightly. “You can't,” he said halfheartedly.

 

Kagome looked up at him but he wasn't meeting her gaze. “Give me one good reason why not?” she demanded. “And don't say `because it is dangerous,'” she added as an afterthought.

 

Inuyasha looked thoughtful. Kagome waited patiently in his loose embrace for an answer.

 

“Family…?” he asked.

 

“I only have one family member and she wants me to be free. Here, I'm freer than I could ever be in my village. Here, I'm like an arrow that has missed its target and keeps on flying…away from the board that would've trapped it.”

 

“Kagome-”

 

She interrupted him. “You're not the only one that is tied to a terrible fate!” Kagome yelled angrily.

 

Inuyasha was taken aback. “Can't be any worse than mine!” he shouted back.

 

“Oh please. Compared to the hell that I'd be forced to live, a cursed death would be a blessing!”

 

Inuyasha found that he didn't like the way that she was suddenly talking. For some reason, he couldn't accept the thought of Kagome dying.

 

“Stupid woman, wasn't it you that said wishing for death is a coward's way out?”

 

“I'm not wishing for death!”

 

“Yes you are!”

 

“No I'm not!

 

“Yes you are!”

 

“No I'm not! I just want to be happy for a change!”

 

“Then move on out because there is no happiness to be found here!”

 

Kagome started to yell something back, but then stopped. “What would you know anyway?” she said sighing. “You wouldn't know happiness if it kicked you in the head, knocked you unconscious, and drew on your face!”

 

Inuyasha looked blank. “That's happiness?”

 

Kagome rolled your eyes. “Stop being an idiot, you know what I mean!”

 

Inuyasha smirked. “The things that come out of your mouth…it's entertaining.”

 

Kagome huffed. “This conversation isn't going anywhere anymore, so I'm ending it. I'm happy here, get used to it, and you're infuriating.”

 

She turned on her heel and walked off, leaving Inuyasha, once again, shocked at her words. However, this time he wasn't entertained by them, only perplexed.

 

“She's happy?”

 

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A short distance away, a lone figure watched the exchange quietly. Based on the description that he had received, he mentally confirmed that this was the miko that he was looking for.

 

Kagome.

 

Having all the information that he needed, the dark form left the area swiftly. He hurried in the direction of the man that had hired him to check the area.

 

Lord Naraku…I've found her.