InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Within ❯ To Find ( Chapter 15 )

Quote of the Day (courtesy of whitenymph): Not all who wander are lost.

 

Super-Duper-Important: For the month of August, I will have no access to any computer. I will be in Europe and thus, there will be no new chapters. Since this will be the longest that I have ever gone without updating, I wanted to warn you all. I hope that everyone understands and enjoy the rest of their summer. I will be back with new chapters in September.

 

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The Soul Within

Chapter Fifteen

 

Kaede sat in a small wooden hut with her eyes closed as she meditated. The hut was smaller than her home and it was completely boarded up. Why was she in there instead of with Kagome?

 

Kikyo.

 

The strange miko had insisted that they could not approach Kagome's current residence until “the darkness of night has fallen.”

 

“Why?” Kaede had asked.

 

Kikyo had not answered right away. She seemed to think about Kaede's simple question. “It will be safer for both you and her,” she finally said. “Kagome will explain the rest.”

 

The two mikos hadn't talked at all since that brief conversation. Kikyo was sitting there silently and Kaede, of course, was meditating. She tried to relax and focus her powers in case she needed them.

 

At long last, Kikyo finally spoke again. “Follow me,” she said. “It is time to go.”

 

**********

“It's time to go!” Kagome said excitedly. Without another word, she disappeared from the room.

 

“What's her hurry?” Miroku asked slyly, as if he already knew the answer.

 

Sango frowned. “It's not like that, Miroku. They fight a hell of a lot more than they get along. Kagome told me she had another argument with him last night.”

 

“And yet, here she is rushing out of the room with a big smile on her face.” Miroku grinned lecherously.

 

Sango hit him. “You're a moron.”

 

Shippo watched the exchange with mild amusement.

 

**********

“Hi Inuyasha!” Kagome greeted cheerfully.

 

The human looked up to see her hurrying toward him with a smile on her face. How was she always so happy?

 

Simple. Black shards are not counting the remainder of her life.

 

And yet…she has said that she was also tied to a terrible fate.

 

That had intrigued him more than he was willing to admit. Being the person that he was though, he'd never ask her about it.

 

“Hi.”

 

Kagome smiled. “Let's go for a walk. You are not going to spend your nights sulking anymore.”

 

“I do not sulk!” he said indignantly.

 

Kagome rolled her eyes. “What do you call it then?”

 

Inuyasha thought for a second but came up with nothing. “Keh,” he said.

 

Kagome smirked. “That's what I thought.” She tugged on his sleeve. “Come on! Show me something around here! So far I've seen the stable and the river.”

 

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. “You're unusually chipper,” he said.

 

Kagome put her hands on her hips. “I'm always chipper,” she said in a very un-chipper-like-voice.

Inuyasha smirked. “That's better. You were starting to freak me out.”

 

Kagome pouted.

 

Still smirking, Inuyasha said, “Let's walk.”

 

So they did. The duo was silent but for once, the silence felt comfortable and not awkward or forced. It was peaceful, companionable and relaxing.

 

After several minutes, Kagome asked, “Where are we going?”

 

Inuyasha shrugged. “What makes you thing that we're going anywhere?” he asked minimally.

 

Kagome rolled her eyes and muttered about people that couldn't answer simple questions. “You seem to have a specific destination in mind. Besides, we had better not be walking though trees for no reason,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

 

Inuyasha smirked. “What if we are?”

 

“You are so dead - wow…” Kagome said in amazement.

 

They had just stepped into a small clearing surrounded by hundreds upon hundreds of trees. The leaves and grass blades danced in the night air while a small waterfall dripped into the river with light splashes. A fallen tree was nearby, perfect for sitting on. It was like an outdoor room.

“This place is beautiful,” Kagome breathed. “A clearing like this in the middle of the forest…”

 

Inuyasha shrugged. “I used to train a lot here. My sword made this place.”

 

Kagome blinked. “What do you mean?”

 

“Before I found this place, this whole clearing was covered with trees. I thought that it would be a good idea to train by the river. Using the Tetsusaiga, my sword, I cut down some trees and here is the result.”

 

Kagome smiled. “Is this where you go every night?”

 

“Most nights.”

 

“How do you keep the grass so short?”

 

“I cut it with a sword.”

 

“Tetsusaiga?” Kagome asked.

 

Inuyasha snorted. “That thing is a piece of junk when I'm human. Back when I was hanyou all of the time, it would transform into a powerful fang. Now it is just a wall decorator. I use other swords.”

 

Kagome noticed that a few large trees had giant slashes on them. She presumed that Inuyasha used them as targets. She also saw that there were litters of wildflowers by the river. The place had a cozy and homey feeling. Kagome wondered if Inuyasha had really left the castle after his mother's death. Maybe he had been closer than the castle inhabitants had thought…

 

“This place is beautiful,” she said softly. “Thank you for bringing me here.” She smiled at him and her eyes sparkled, while the gentle night breeze danced with her raven tresses.

 

Inuyasha's breath caught. She truly had no idea how beautiful she was. Not only that but she was warm, gentle, forgiving…and, for reasons that Inuyasha couldn't understand, she kept insisting on staying.

 

“Kagome…” he began before he abruptly stiffened.

 

Kagome had tensed up as well. “Do you feel that aura?” she asked uneasily.

 

Inuyasha nodded. “It feels weird though…kind of empty.”

 

“Let's go find out what it is,” Kagome said determinedly.

 

**********

Kaede fought the urge to sigh. The two mikos were still walking toward Kagome's current residence. Kaede had tried several times to start a conversation but the other woman wasn't very friendly.

 

After what seemed like an eternity, Kikyo stopped and Kaede's eyes rested upon a castle. It was majestic and impressive, but it wasn't homey at all. This was where Kagome was staying?

 

Kaede took a step forward and took in the surroundings.

 

“Kagome will be here momentarily,” Kikyo said simply.

 

Kaede nodded. “Where is she now?”

 

Silence.

 

Kaede looked behind her and saw…air. Kikyo was gone. “Where did she -?”

 

“KAEDE!!!” yelled a voice.

 

Kaede turned her head to see her apprentice running toward her. Kagome threw her arms around the older miko and hugged her tightly, nearly knocking her backward. When Kaede had regained her balance, she smiled and returned the embrace. “I am glad to see that ye are well, child.”

 

“How did you find me?” Kagome questioned at the same time that Kaede asked, “What are ye doing here?”

 

Kagome laughed. “You answer first.”

 

Kaede smiled and nodded. “Well, a woman by the name of Kikyo-”

 

“Say no more,” Kagome said quickly, glancing nervously at Inuyasha. “I got here the same way.”

 

It was then that Kaede noticed Kagome's company. Kaede looked at Inuyasha and said, “Kagome? Would ye care to introduce us?”

 

Kagome blushed. “Oh, I'm so sorry! Kaede, this is Inuyasha, my new friend. And Inuyasha, this is Kaede, my teacher.”

 

“It's a pleasure,” Kaede said politely.

 

“Keh,” said Inuyasha. “What are you doing here, old woman?”

 

Kaede looked at him with a scolding expression before she continued. “I have come to warn Kagome that Naraku is coming with the intention of bringing Kagome back to the village. He has told the village men lies about your well-being and they are attacking this place by force. He knows where you are.”

 

Kagome gasped and Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. “The hell she's leaving,” Inuyasha said shortly.

 

Kagome couldn't help giving Inuyasha a grateful smile. It was nice to hear something different than, “Go home.”

 

She turned back to Kaede with a serious expression. “When is he coming?”

 

Kaede massaged her left temple. “He is coming in two days.”

 

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A/N: Well, that's not really a cliffhanger. I'm telling you things you already know. :P

 

Please Review! And enjoy the rest of August. I'm leaving in a couple of hours.