InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ An Encounter With Fate ❯ One Year ( Chapter 8 )

A/N: Ok. Here goes chapter 8. oh, and don't worry. The inu-gang will find out that Kiyoshi is actually Kagome, and he is actually a she. Its probably gonna happen in one of the next few chapters.

Disclaimer: *tear**sigh* the Inu-gang escaped. Damn! I knew I should've gotten double steel doors and put more locks and seals on it. Now I have a gaping hole in the wall in my house. ~_~

An Encounter With Fate

Chapter 8 - One Year

The Inu-gang walked down the path contentedly, soaking up the beautiful spring weather and beautiful spring sunshine. It felt good on their faces, even though the guys felt a bit sore after Sango had taken out her rage on the three. She now stomped up at the front, with the guys trailing at the back, keeping their distance for their own safety.

Shippo seemed acted like he hadn't witnessed any of the events that had occurred with the rest of the group. He was so caught up in the blissful ecstasy of his having a "family", he hadn't even noticed how irked Sango had become, or what she had done to his fellow males in the group, or how that the there was a 10 foot gap in between Sango and the rest of the group. No, he didn't notice any of it. He was running from Sango to the rest of the group, then from the guys back to Sango, over and over and over again. All the while he was animatedly rambling on and on about some random subject that no one really seemed to pick up on, much less pay attention (or care) about what he was saying. And still Shippo didn't notice it. He was running, jumping, leaping and climbing. If you saw him, you would've thought that he had been incarcerated for his seven years of life. (Which in a way he was, being despised by everyone for so long) The rest of the group would just nod dumbly and agree with whatever he was saying.

And so they traveled like this till night came. They found a nice clearing with a stream not too far away, so they decided to set up camp there. They committed themselves to their usual tasks that they had been doing every night, prior to the harvesting and winter months in the village. Inuyasha went out hunting, Miroku went out to gather firewood and Kiyoshi and Sango gathered herbs and water. The new member seemed to have taken a liking to Miroku at the moment, and would not simply leave him. So Miroku took Shippo along with him to gather firewood, all the while still talking animatedly.

At the moment, Kiyoshi was a bit wary of Sango; she was still in a very aggravated state. He kept silent, only speaking when necessary. Usually only to say things like, "Did you find any Rosemary?" or "Could you pass the basket to me, please?" Sango would respond coldly and only said what was needed to be said was said. She didn't try to strike up a conversation, so he didn't. They silently moved among the brush, gathering this herb and that, that plant and this one. When they came to the stream, they silently filled their water skins, which the villagers had given them, still not speaking. Downstream, they could see a bright patch of red and silver that was Inuyasha, silently crouching near the river, once in a while darting his hand into the water, and then quickly coming out with a something silver and slippery.

They didn't stick around to watch Inuyasha catch their dinner, so they made their way back to camp with a basket full of herbs and skins full of water. As they approached the camp, they could hear where it was much sooner then when they saw where it was. Shippo was still talking as Miroku started setting up the campfire as he continued to ignore the young kitsune's endless babble. When Sango and Kiyoshi entered the clearing, Shippo ran up to them and started babbling to them. Kiyoshi flashed a small smile at the young boy before continuing on to the campfire that was being made.

They continued with their regular routine, removing miscellaneous objects from various bags, setting up the pot, preparing tea and getting ready for when Inuyasha returned with their nightly meal were among the list of their preparations for the night.

Night was coming soon. They had stopped in the clearing at what would be about five o'clock at night if any of them had an instrument for time measurement. The sun was quickly setting and would soon be replaced by its darker counterpart the moon. The sky was once again a myriad of crimsons, azures and gold, all melting into one beautiful painting in the sky. Kiyoshi tilted his head back while leaning back on the trunk of a tree and looked heavenwards. He silently sipped the tea the Sango had prepared them while appreciating the simplistic and majestic beauty of the sunset. He didn't have much time to enjoy it though, because Inuyasha had returned with fistfuls of fish.

They all helped prepare the nights meal, except for Inuyasha and Shippo. Inuyasha was silently sitting in the tree, while Shippo started driveling on and on to him. He took it stoically enough and ignored it, although a vein or two popped. He silently prayed to himself, `Cook faster! Cook faster damn it! COOK FASTER!' it didn't help the fish to cook any faster, though.

When the fish was finished, much to Inuyasha's relief, it turned out to be a tasty stew. Chunks of the fish that Inuyasha caught simmered quietly in the pot, along with several chunks of vegetables (once again, provided by the villagers) and the herbs they had gathered, all stewing together in one pot. When they began to eat, it was the only time that Shippo actually fell silent. But the silence didn't last very long for he quickly devoured the food that he was given and began to rant on and on and on again. This time, it sounded like he was talking about fish, or something of the like.

Now, night had fully and officially set. The moon hung lazily in the sky, keeping watch on all the little creatures that lay before it. They group's day was wearing down, and all were starting to nod off to sleep, all in their customary positions (Kiyoshi against the tree that Inuyasha was in, Sango on the left side of the fire and Miroku across from her) with Shippo taking up residence in the space between Sango and Kiyoshi. Luckily enough for the rest of the group, he had already reached the shores of sleep and was now sprawled spread eagle on the ground, snoring softly and slightly drooling.

The entire group was sitting silently, Sango sipping on the brewed tea, Miroku closing his eyes, Inuyasha lounging in the tree and Kiyoshi staring into the flames. Kiyoshi was thinking, `Why does today feel like its important? Like I should be remembering something.' He tapped his chin thoughtfully. `I know I should be remembering something, but what is it? What could it be?' He placed his elbow on his knee and propped up his chin onto his upturned palm. `Hmm… let's see. Today's June 16, I know today's not a holiday, and its not anyone's birthday. I think. Um… mom's birthday isn't till December, and dad's birthday isn't till September either. Grandpa's birthday isn't till next month, and Souta's isn't until August. Grandma's birthday was in February, and me and Kikyo's birthday was last month in May.' Looking at his companions he thought, `Maybe it's a special day that someone told me about. Its none of their birthdays, they all passed too. Sango didn't tell me anything neither did Miroku nor Shippo. And definitely not Inuyasha. Or maybe he did. I'm not so sure anymore ' thinking about her friends, the group he had been traveling with, realization dawned on him.

"That's it!" he exclaimed.

"What's it?" Miroku asked, lazily opening one eye to look at him. The rest of the group looked at him curiously as well, all except for Shippo who was still knocked out on the ground.

"I've been having this weird feeling all day," he explained with strange gestations. "Like I was forgetting something really important. Something I should really know. I was thinking of what in the seven hells it could be. It's not a holiday, and its not someone's birthday. That's when it hit me," he turned his gaze toward the stars. The group followed suit, all excluding Shippo, once again. Jabbing his forefinger down into his knee repeatedly, he said, "Today is the day I met you guys." Pausing to let that sink in, he stopped his hand movements and continued. "One year ago to the date, I joined with you guys on this journey."

He let that sink in. the group all thought about it. "Now that you mention it, it has been a year hasn't it?" Miroku said.

"Yes, yes. It's been one year." Sango said.

"Geeze. I've traveled with the same people for a year." Inuyasha said.

"Yup. Amazing isn't it? I've known you guys for one year, and it feels like I've known you forever." Kiyoshi said. The rest grunted in agreement.

The rest of the night passed silently. Miroku fell asleep first, then Sango dozed off next to Shippo, and again Kiyoshi and Inuyasha were the only ones left awake.

They were thinking again. Still looking at the constellations, Inuyasha thought, `Wow. One year. It's been one year. I've been away from home for one year, and I haven't died and no one has come to get me. And still I haven't let anyone learn of my secrets. That my father is the Lord of the Western Lands, and I'm a prince, and no one's figured out that I turn human once a month. Except for Sango and the monk, they already knew.' He sighed. `I wonder how long I can keep this up.' Those were his last thoughts before he left Kiyoshi for the shores of sleep.

Kiyoshi was also admiring the silvery white dots in the sky while thinking, `One year' looking around at his sleeping group of friends, ` I've known these guys for one year, and I feel like they're my family. I guess I've been through a lot with these guys. We all celebrated our birthdays, we traveled, we've fought demon after demon. And also one year ago, I ran away, became a boy, and met you guys all in one day.' He sighed as well. `It's a miracle that no one has learned of my secret yet. That I'm still Kagome Higurashi.' Glancing around, he made sure that everyone was asleep. When he was sure, he reached into his shirt. Under the layers he had on, tucked in the folds of her chest wrap, there lay the Shikon no Tama. The Jewel of Four Souls. Bringing it out, he admired it in his palm. The way the light played on it, the pinks, the blues, and the lavenders that sparkled in it. Clutching the cool iridescent stone in his palm, he closed his eyes and whispered to the air, "Shikon no Tama, please keep my secret safe, if only for awhile. Just until I can find a way to explain this to my friends." Opening his eyes again and tucking the jewel back into the folds of her chest wrap, he leant back on the tree trunk and traveled to the shores of sleep, where his friends already were.

A/N: Ok. It took me awhile to get going on this one. I sorta just rambled on about something random and freewrote until I got an idea. So this is what happened. Hoped you liked it! Review until next time!

-Boredomstrikes ^_~

oh, and if I don't get at least 5 reviews, I might not update… come on! Whats so hard about clicking a freakin' link and rating and writing something down! Come on, I know you guys can't be that lazy.