InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Changing Heart ❯ Trials and Failures ( Chapter 6 )

Changing Heart

Chapter 6 - Trials and Failures

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It took three weeks for Higurashi-san to gather enough strength to get out of bed. At first, she'd refused food and even tea, not wanting to speak to anyone. Finally, after two days, her son Souta had convinced her to overcome her grief and eat, in fear that she would become even more ill than she already was. The normally bubbly woman was becoming paler and paler in the absence of her daughter. Even her thick autumn kimono could not disguise how her body was becoming dangerously thin.

The boy cursed himself for leaving all the household chores on his older sister, before she had been taken away. Cleaning and shrine tasks were tedious and tiring; even an energetic thirteen year old like Souta would fall on his futon almost immediately after clearing up supper dishes, exhausted. `How she did it, with a smile, I'll never know…' He would think, as Oji-san ordered him about the country side to collect the tithes from nearby farms.

Word had gotten around the small rural community, of Kagome's disappearance and her mother's worsening condition. Tithes all of a sudden included double the rice and vegetables as usual, all of which Souta had to accept with a bowed head. And the harvests hadn't been very plentiful that year either…

Souta was carefully drying off supper dishes one night when a knock on the front door caught his attention. He slid open the shoji to find a young man, about twenty, with dark hair and incredibly unusual blue eyes. The boy recognized him immediately as Kagome's childhood friend.

"Good evening, Hojo-san. Can I do something for you?"

Hojo bowed nervously, wringing his hands.

"Yes, thank you. I was wondering if I could speak to your grandfather or your mother."

Souta hesitated. His grandfather rarely left the shrine building, with the exception of meals. He was not to be disturbed. And his mother… It was getting late in the day and she was very weak… "Please, Souta-san. It is a matter of very great importance." Souta saw the determination in the young man's eyes and stepped to the side, allowing him inside the small home.

Hojo quietly took off his wooden sandals and followed the teenager to Higurashi-san's bedchamber. Before Souta opened the shoji, however, he turned to Hojo.

"My mother is very weak, Hojo-san. Please do not tire her. If she becomes excessively weak, I will have to ask you to leave."

Hojo nodded and was allowed access into the dark room, keeping the shoji door open, as was the proper custom. Rice paper-thin walls allowed but a dim moonlight into the chamber. He approached the tidy futon in the centre of the room and knelt by it.

"Ah, good evening Hojo-kun. I have not seen you for a long time." Higurashi-san's voice was wispy and tired.

"Good evening, Higurashi-san. I am sorry not to have come to visit sooner, but I did not wish to be a burden."

"Don't be silly, boy. Your visits are never a burden."

"Thank you, Higurashi-san. I do not deserve such compliments."

"You came to us on a mission, Hojo-kun. I can sense it."

"Yes," Hojo's voice had dropped to a whisper as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. He could make out the woman's sunken cheeks and dark eyes, and also a pathetic smile which showed anything but happiness. "I wish to go and save Kagome from her captors. Over the years, she has become very precious to me and-" His voice broke with emotion. To hide his shame, he turned his black-haired head away.

"'And?' Hojo-kun?"

"And if I am successful, I wish to ask for her hand in marriage." The young man gulped, as he knew that he was asking for a very high price. "I know that I am but a farmer's son- Kagome has refused me before on that context- but I care for her very much and would make sure that she is very happy."

There was silence in the dark room for a long time as Kagome's mother thought over Hojo's proposition. True, the young man had eyes only for her daughter… But did Kagome love him? Not too content with the thought of losing her only daughter for a second time, Higurashi-san sighed.

"I would do anything to have my daughter back with us, but I would not wish a miserable life upon her due to my selfishness. Let her make the decision if and when you find her, Hojo-kun. In the meantime, go speak to the shrine keeper. He may be able to help you. Good luck, boy."

"Thank you, Higurashi-san." Hojo left the room with his heart high and hopeful, but not before bowing deeply to the woman he hoped would one day become his mother in law.

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Hojo felt bad to disturb the old man's prayers, but he had to do it. With the old man's blessing, directions, and (several) protective ofudas, Hojo set off down the road to the cursed castle.

"Just wait, Kagome-san. I am coming for you…"

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"Ninety-eight! Ninety-nine! One hundred! Here I come!" Kagome uncovered her eyes and turned around to begin looking for the children. After only two weeks, the kids (both youkai and human) had gotten very, very good at finding spots in which to hide. One child, a little cat demon, had even fallen asleep behind the potted plant in the throne room, much to Inuyasha's annoyance. Her snoring had disrupted the council's meeting and had gotten Kagome yelled at by an irritated hanyou prince.

Since several of the children were sick that day, it only took the miko a few minutes to find the handful of kids. They were younger, never went far, and sometimes even jumped out at her when she came near. (Obviously not really grasping the concept of the game, but having fun nonetheless.)

"Kagome-chan!" A little voice cried as a pair of wee arms grabbed her right leg. The young woman laughed.

"You got me, Suisen-chan! You're the last one!" She patted the girl's black-haired head and turned to the rest of the gang. "Okay, guys. I think it's time for bed soon, so let's go bring everyone home."

Noticing that Suisen's eyelids were drooping and the girl was teetering, Kagome gathered the three year old in her arms and led the troupe to their respective parents. Suisen was the child of one of the kitchen staff, whose quarters were not far from Kagome's, thus the little kitten-child was the last one to drop off and the one Kagome had gotten closest to.

On her way back toward their wing, Kagome (with Suisen sound asleep in her arms) was deep in thought when -

"Hey, wench. Watch where you're going!"

She blinked and found herself seeing only red. She'd nearly walked straight into Inuyasha's chest in her preoccupation.

"S-so sorry, Inuyasha-sama. Please excuse me." She said automatically, stepping out of his way. Then her mind suddenly became sharp again. "Wait a second. What are you doing in this wing?"

"Keh. None of your business, wench." Inuyasha was not fast enough to hide the bowl of steaming noodles and broth out of the young woman's view. `Damn! Why does she have to be so observant?'

`Ah… The kitchens, neh?' Kagome only shot him a dubious look and began to continue on her way when she wobbled slightly, her legs having gotten caught in the constricted space of her kimono.

She didn't even have the time to stabilize herself before a strong arm stopped her from falling and set her back on her feet.

"Damn clumsy wench. Can't you even walk? Can't trust you to have a pup in your arms!" He took Suisen out of her arms with surprising gentleness and began to march huffily down the wing corridor with Kagome following closely. Actually, Kagome with a pup in her arms seemed like quite a natural thing… The hanyou prince shook his head, hoping to rid his mind of his thoughts.

"I am NOT clumsy! She was more than safe with me! It's this kimono. I can't walk properly in them."

"Keh." He knew she was probably right. The outrageous clothes she wore when she first arrived, however indecent, were definitely more suited for movement.

They handed the tiny girl back to her mother, with much bowing on the cook's part, and when the door shut, they were alone in the corridor, very silent. Uncomfortable and not knowing what to say, Kagome bowed goodnight and made to return to her room when Inuyasha grabbed her arm and began to drag her to the East wing. Kagome protested.

"Hey! What are you - Where are you taking me? Hey? Let me go!"

All to no avail. No amount of hitting or slapping the young man made any difference. When she lunged and tugged at one of his little white ears with her spare hand, however, he growled ferociously and stopped his flight.

"No one touches my ears, got it, wench?" The glare he gave her bore into her head, and she immediately let go and looked down at the flagstone floor.

He dragged her to the forbidden tower where he had raged only a few weeks before. Kagome looked uncomfortable.

"I won't lose transform and lose control this time. Don't worry."

The miko's tension lessened only slightly. She was watching the bright purple jewel, glowing in the dimming light.

It was only after the sun had disappeared below the horizon and he'd transformed into his human form that Inuyasha spoke. He had his hands pressed against the table that held the glass dome and the floating jewel, watching it carefully.

"So, do you know how to, uh, purify this thing?"

`Purify?' Kagome took a moment to think. Her miko training with Miroku had covered purification of evil last week, but all they'd done was purify ink into water and things like that. `What does the purifying the jewel have to do with anything?' Even so, she felt dark youki emanating and radiating from the glowing sphere, making her feel uneasy.

Tentatively, she put her hands up to the glass dome, lightly resting her fingers on it, clearing her mind of any thoughts like she had done with the inkwell… A few minutes passed. Nothing happened, and Inuyasha was getting impatient.

"Well? You're a miko, aren't you? Mikos do this kind of stuff. Kikyou could do this in her sleep! What are you waiting for? The sooner that thing is purified, the sooner everyone will turn back to normal, got it?"

Kagome tried again, for several minutes this time, but fell back, exhausted. Nothing had happened.

"I'm sorry. I can't… It's not working…"

"Try again! Kikyou was able to do it, so you should too. You're a pretty pathetic miko if you can't, wench!"

Kagome doubled, no, tripled her efforts. Closing her eyes, she concentrated as hard as she could; focusing every bit of energy she had left into purifying the contaminated jewel. `The sooner I purify this thing, the sooner I can go home…'

After a good fifteen minutes, Inuyasha began to get impatient again when nothing changed in the jewel.

"Worthless girl! You're not a miko! You can't even purify a jewel, you wench!"

His insults, thankfully, had fallen on deaf ears. The girl had used her remaining energy on her last attempt to purify the purple glass marble and had fallen unconscious. Just like on the second night she'd been at the castle… Suddenly, he felt regret pull at the back of his thoughts. `So she really WAS trying hard…' His heart and eyes sank to the floor. Ah, crap.

A voice from behind startled him.

"Trying to purify the jewel that way… It won't work, you know, Inuyasha-sama."

The prince bristled and turned to face his advisor.

"Didn't I say no one was allowed up here?"

Miroku stopped leaning against the doorway and took a step into the circular stone room.

"I saw you bring Kagome up here."

"Keh."

"I was speaking seriously, though. It won't work, and it completely exhausts her."

Inuyasha was looking out the window at the stars, into the depths of the navy sky.

"I know, monk. I just wanted to try… Since Kikyou did it back then…"

The black-robed monk joined the prince by the window then looked at the girl who was fast asleep, leaning on the table.

"No. There's only one way." He sighed as a few moments of silence passed between them. "Well, I'll go bring her back to her room…" His hands were making strange grasping motions as he approached the young woman, grasping motions which did not go unnoticed by a certain prince. For some reason, instant rage sprang up through his abdomen and into his head and arms until he was practically buzzing.

"Back off, monk! I'll carry her, you lecher." He pushed Miroku out of the way and delicately picked up Kagome, very similarly to how he'd carried Suisen earlier, and began to head toward the stairs. As soon as he held her, his senses were bombarded with her scent and he became… calm… All the buzzing from a few moments ago long gone.

Miroku only chuckled as he watched them leave then turned to look at the jewel. Maybe it was his imagination, but he could have sworn the jewel had lightened a shade or two.

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A/N: I couldn't help it! I had to get this chapter out. I read the reviews from the previous chapters and got really inspired… So here it is. Chapter 6. Don't expect chapter 7 for a little while, though. I managed to get a bit of writing time today, but my next week and a half is PACKED.

Thank you again to everyone who reviewed. Your reviews keep me going like you'd never believe. Thank you! Gracias! Arigato gozaimasu! Merci! Danke! Keep them coming!