InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Between the Wasteland and Sky ❯ Village Outcast ( Chapter 2 )

Between the Wasteland and Sky

Chapter 2: Village Outcast

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"Kagome when are you going to pay for the dishes you broke yesterday?"

Kagome sighed at the angry elder. "As soon as you get some evidence that it was me. I told you it wasn't me who broke them. Perhaps try your grandson!" Kagome spun on her heel and walked towards the edge of the village.

Growing up in this village had been hard for Kagome. Never knowing her father and having a crazy shaman as a grandfather had not helped her popularity level. Her mother's calm voice and magical way of making everything seem ok was what had kept her going. Now at age 15 she liked to think that she could take care of herself.

At the edge of the town was a tiny elm tree, the only tree in the town since trees were so scarce. Kagome loved to just sit beneath its small shade and watch the desert. Something about the desert out there had always appealed to her. The towering dunes and shimmering mirages seemed to promise something to her. Not knowing what was out there also made her curious. She hoped that someday she could finally leave this insignificant town and do something more interesting than farm.

Lying on her stomach she stared out at the horizon. `Wouldn't it be something if there was really an ocean out there like in those stories,' she thought. `A place where people's hearts weren't so dry and the air was moist and the trees grew in forests.' She shook her head and laughed. Only in her dreams.

A movement on the horizon caught her eye. At first she thought it was just another mirage, but the small red dot grew slowly. Someone was out there coming to her village! Maybe it was the Desert Demon himself! She chuckled at her imagination. Inuyasha would never come to a village like hers. He'd go to major cities.

In all her life only a few people had ever visited this village, since it was so insignificant. There were only a few major cities in the world and Kagome knew them all by heart.

Ignoring the dangers of a stranger, Kagome ran out to greet the traveler. Dust and sand kicked up behind her feet. She had never gone far from the village because of its location and how far away the other towns were, but leaving, even just a little, felt good.

As she reached the man she saw things about him she couldn't of noticed from yards away. His white hair flowed past his shoulders and he wore a red haori. She had never seen anyone dressed like him which intensified her curiosity. She also saw that he was only a boy, around the age of 16 or 17. His face looked solemn as if he carried a huge burden that no one else could share. She immediately took a liking to him.

"Excuse me traveler, are you coming to my village?" Kagome tried to be as polite as possible, but arguing with villagers so long had worn down her polite skills.

He looked up at her, opened his mouth as if to say something, but collapsed on the sand before making a sound.

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The boy woke inside what looked like a shaded hut made of rock and sand blocks. Disoriented, he stumbled to his feet and walked to the opening, one hand against the wall for support.

He shielded his eyes from the blinding sunlight and clutched the wall. He could make out a girl coming closer to him. She looked like the one who had been there in the desert earlier.

"Hi are you ok? You were completely dehydrated when I found you! Why don't we go back inside?" The girl seemed friendly enough, so he followed her inside.

"What village are you from? What's your name? Why did you come here?" The girl covered her mouth with a hand, feeling a bit ashamed. "I'm sorry I don't mean to badger you with questions when you've just woken up."

When he spoke his throat felt dry. "I'm not really from anywhere in particular………Just a wanderer." A flash of sadness crossed his face.

Kagome could see this was a touchy subject for him, and asked, "How are you feeling? Are you still thirsty?"

The boy shook his head. Kagome was dying to find out his name! He really did resemble the rumors she had heard of the great outlaw Inuyasha. But his sadness told her he couldn't be the Demon.

"What's your name, if you don't mind me asking?"

He turned to face her, staring directly into her eyes. His golden eyes seemed rimmed with remembrance. "You don't want to know my name."

Kagome's smile disappeared and she looked away from those beautiful golden orbs. There was definitely more to this boy than meets the eye. He looked to be holding a secret that he didn't wish to share with anyone but someone he trusted, but he didn't seem like the trusting sort. "I do. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to though. My name's Kagome."

The boy took both her hands in his and used his piercing gaze on her again. "I'm glad to meet you Kagome."

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Any out of character-ness on Inuyasha and Kagome's part is due to the fact that this is an AU and both of them grew up differently. ^-^ I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Any questions in reviews will be answered in the next chapter.

Isuki-chan