InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ An Intentional Solitude ❯ Flashback Part 2 ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

OMG!! I’m soooo sorry!! I’ve had the worst case of writers block EVER!!! But luckily it died for now, so here’s the next chapter, and hopefully I’ll have the next chapter up soon as well

DISCLAIMER: Nope

A slight jab in her side awoke Kagome,

“Miko! Are ye alright?” Kagome’s eyes fluttered and her vision slowly sharpened. Her eyes met the old miko’s, who was hovering above her with a stick. Kagome assumed that was what prodded her in the side. The old woman gasped as soon as she looked upon Kagome.

“Kikyo?!” The miko stepped back and put her hand to her mouth. Kagome rose into a sitting position and looked at her with confusion littering her eyes.

“Kaede? It’s me! It’s Kagome!” Kagome leapt up from her position on the ground and tried to approach the miko.

“Kagome?“ Kaede was just as confused as Kagome, she did not know the strange miko.

“Don’t you remember me? I traveled with Inuyasha and helped to defeat Naraku!” The hint of recognition still did not appear in Kaede’s eyes, “Oh, don’t you know?” Kagome pleaded, “I came from the well and I held the jewel in my body!” Kaede was still baffled,

“Child! You speak nonsense! You could not have known Inuyasha for he perished over 30 years ago! And who is Naraku? What jewel?!” Kaede shouted taking a step back from the strange miko that so much looked like Kikyo. Kagome couldn’t believe what she was hearing, ’How does she not know what I’m talking about?’ Realization at the older miko’s other words suddenly hit, ’Inuyasha? Perished?!’ Kagome needed answers and she knew they weren’t going to come if they all just stood around shouting at each other. ’Perhaps she’s got amnesia?’ Kagome mused to herself.

“I’m sorry” Kagome spoke up, “I didn’t mean to cause all this ruckus, I am Kagome.” Kagome bowed towards the still confused miko.

“Kagome…” She rolled the name over her tongue and repeated it, “So you are not Kikyo.”

“Exactly.” Kagome quickly spat out. Kaede pondered her thoughts for a moment and then addressed the strange girl.

“A miko ye be?” Her eyes scanned over Kagome’s outfit. Kagome looked down, she had forgotten that she was wearing miko garb. She brought her hand to the back of her head, and laughed nervously,

“Er…kinda?” She laughed a little more before getting back on course, “Um, Lady Kaede, could we possibly go back to the village and talk there? It is rather cold here, and uh...” She gazed wearily at the villagers behind Kaede, “I would like to speak with you alone.” The older priestess thought over this a moment and gave her answer,

“If ye be peaceful than perhaps it can be arranged that you stay with us a few nights?” Kagome was overjoyed at these words,

“I am I am! Peaceful I mean.” She laughed again ‘All these people staring at me has turned me into a blithering fool!’

“Good, then follow me child.” Kaede turned and Kagome grabbed her things and quickly followed.

Kagome soon found herself cozy and warm inside a hut, and chomping happily away at some food. Kaede sat across from her studying the strange person. The girl was dressed in miko clothing but she seemed so young, ‘She talks so strange!’ Kaede thought to herself.

“Just how old might ye be Kagome?” Kagome paused mid-bite and put down her food.

“15 years, 16 in a month or so.” Kaede nodded to herself, ’Just as I suspected.’

“Where are ye from?” Kagome looked doubtful for a moment, she wasn’t sure what she should tell the old woman,

“Er…I don’t think you’re going to believe me, but I’m from the future.” Kaede looked suspicious at first and then wanted to laugh, ’This girl is out of her wits!’

“Ah.” Kaede replied somewhat sarcastically, ’Then again….’ she thought, “Tell me, how do you know of Inuyasha?” ’Oh boy’ Kagome thought to herself, ’This is going to be interesting.’

“Well, as I said before, I’m from the future. On my 15th birthday, almost a year ago, I was pulled down the bone-eaters well made of wood from the Tree of Ages. It was a demon centipede that pulled me down, she was looking for the Jewel of Four Souls, which was imbedded in my body. When I climbed out of the well, I found that I wasn’t in my own time, but this one. I came across Inuyasha trying to find my way home, he had been pinned to the Tree of Ages by one of Kikyo‘s arrows..” Kaede interrupted Kagome with slight laughter.

“Child! Ye speak nonsense! Kikyo never shot Lord Inuyasha to a tree! This never happened!” Kagome looked puzzled, but continued her story none-the-less. She hadn’t quite figured out what happened yet and why nothing was the same, but she decided to go along with Kaede and try to think of reasons why she was where she was right now.

“Yes I know, I’m getting to that.” ‘Kinda’ Kagome thought to herself, “When I found Inuyasha, I released him. Long story short, we journeyed together and we defeated an evil called Naraku in the process. This was all started by the Jewel of Four Souls which I broke, and I wished upon it’s completion. During my journeys with Inuyasha there was much death and heartache, all because of this jewel, so I wished that the people who had been hurt by the jewel went back to their lives before the jewel affected them.” Kagome was quiet and mused to herself. ’Why am I still here then? The only reason I’m here is because of the jewel.’ Kaede broke Kagome out of her thoughts.

“That is quite a story young one, but ye speak not the truth. Inuyasha and Kikyo lived, wedded, and died years ago, ye would never have known, your years are too few.” Kagome wanted to collapse right then and there, ’Wedded? DIED?!’

“No…that can’t be right, no no NO!!” She started shouting hysterically and stood up, tears falling from her eyes. ’Without the jewel, Kikyo and Inuyasha would’ve been free to love and live together. Oh no…’ Kagome ran from the hut as realization hit her. She didn’t stop running until she came to the place where she met Inuyasha, the Tree of Ages. She collapsed in front of the tree and cried until she passed out from exhaustion.

The next few weeks went by in a blur. Kagome told more and more of her story with Inuyasha to Kaede in hopes that maybe she could figure out what happened. She helped out the villagers, learned more medicinal techniques and practiced her archery. She couldn’t seem to smile though.

One evening as she was eating her dinner in Kaede’s hut the old miko exclaimed loudly, shaking Kagome out of her thoughts.

“I have the answer! Lady Kagome, I know what happened!” Kagome, though her heart was still racing, put down her bowl and paid attention to the aged woman. “When ye made the wish, as ye know, it sent all of your friends back in time to before the jewel affected them. Inuyasha and Kikyo married, Miroku has no wind-tunnel in his hand, and Sango is still in her village with her brother. No one recalls you because they only knew of ye because of the jewel. If they know nothing of the jewel, they know nothing of ye, Lady Kagome.” Kaede finished her sentence with a solemn sigh. “I am so sorry for the troubles ye have been through. The only thing ye can do now is keep living your life here in this time.” Kagome nodded sadly but didn’t say anything. She still didn’t know why she was in this time, and not her own…