InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Condition of the Souls ❯ Returning Home? ( Chapter 6 )

Hey I'm back. My exams went well and now I'm working 8 hours a day at the GLC (GA Lottery Corporation). Anyway, here's the next little tidbit. I wanted it to be longer and start on the next chapter, but I wanted to go ahead and get this out. I need feedback and ideas, everyone!

 

AngelStars, thanks for telling me about the newer episodes. I finally saw the episodes you meant and I'm with you. … oh I also went back and added a small fight about the rings back in the last chapter. ^_^ You were right. Thanks!

 

Kagome-Inuyasha, Jupiter's Light and DreamScribbler- I'm so pleased that you're enjoying my fic! Thank you soooo much for reading!

 

 

Pt 6: Returning Home?

“If there were witchcraft, I'd make two wishes- a winding road that beckons me to roam… and then I'd wish for a blazing campfire to welcome me when I'm returning home.” - Witchcraft, a song from Camp Merri-Mac in Black Mountain, NC

(Go Choctaw!)

(break)

 

The mid-morning light shines through the green leaves of the Goshinboku as it has done for countless generations. If you look at the living landmark long enough, you can pretend that you are in any time. That is the unspoken spell of the time tree. As you gaze at the tree, you may wonder if every tree can have that same effect. No one knows… except the trees themselves… but it'd be amazing what we'd all learn if we just took the time to simply listen.

 

In front of the tree, all normal sounds stop. Each squirrel and bird holds its breath as the gentle breeze abruptly stops. Wind and energy swirl around in front of the tree. The warm light that fills each of the inhabitants of the forest with peace also blinds them. In the center of the brightness, a beautiful young woman and a silver-haired handsome hanyou appear. The creatures begin to breathe again as the light recedes into the tree and Kagome's chest.

 

A few moments later, Kagome opens her shining eyes to find herself gripping Inuyasha's hand with a vengeance. The hanyou, who just woke up to glare at Kagome, sends her a look that says that her grip hurts.

 

“Oh gomen, Inuyasha… I didn't mean to hurt your hand.” She immediately lets go.

 

Inuyasha turns away with a keh but mentally flinches.

 

The young miko turns to the tree and bows. “Goshinboku-jii-chan, thank you for taking care of us and also for bringing us back here safely.”

 

“Congratulations to you, my dear. Your own powers are one of the necessary ingredients for the spell. Besides, someday you will be able to do the spell on your own; you have the power.” She beams at him silently while the annoyed hanyou rolls his eyes. “Oh and don't feel left out, Inuyasha because you did well too. Your father seems very proud of you, as I knew he would be.”

 

“Keh, enough of that blabbing, tree. Unless you are going to tell us anything useful…” He looks around as he mutters to himself, “For example- can you tell us where everyone is? They were supposed to meet us here!”

 

Still preoccupied with praise, the young woman's cheeks turn slightly red and she puts her delicate hands to her face to disguise her embarrassment. “Oh, I still don't know if I'll be able to do something like that, but I guess you know about such things better than I do. Thank you for having confidence in my abilities.” She looks at her male friend. “You should be more polite to your elders.”

 

“That's no elder- he's not human!”

 

“You're not completely human either but you expect to be respected!”

 

“Being youkai is a completely different story, wench!” She gives him a look that says that he's impossible. Ignoring it completely, he looks around. “Hey tree- if you're so smart and powerful, where is everybody? They're late.”

 

Kagome sweatdrops. “They couldn't have known the exact minute that we would return after all. Maybe Inutaisho-sama has a point- you do need to practice your patience. After all,” she breaks off for a moment and taps her bottom lip with her index finger. “Sess-kun certainly did. You don't see him spazzing all the time.”

 

Furious about being compared to his brother, Inuyasha's face turns bright red. “Hey! Shut up! Besides, stop calling him that!”

 

The young woman taunts him with a playful smile. “What? Calling him Sess-kun? Does that bother you?”

 

“N… n… no, it's just that we are back in this time and he won't appreciate the nickname.”

 

“Are you telling me to change how I speak, Inuyasha?”

 

“I'm trying to protect you!”

 

“Protect me from whom? Myself? Oh that's original! Do you think that I lack common sense?”

 

“The way you're always getting into trouble… sheesh yeah!”

 

“Oh come on! You're the one who always says or does something that makes a bad situation worse!”

 

At this moment, the others finally arrive to see the very familiar sight of Kagome and Inuyasha having a heated argument. Their torsos leaning towards each other, they are practically spitting in each other's faces. As a vein begins to pop over Kagome's left eye, Shippo and Rin take the opportunity to run towards her. As the orange ball of fluff appears on her shoulder, a little human girl in an orange and yellow outfit starts pulling on the older girl's sleeve.

 

In unison they enthusiastically yell, “Kagomeeee!”

 

Rin grabs Kagome's hand and starts pulling her away from Inuyasha. “Kagome-nee-san, do you want to play with Rin? Come on!” Then her wide-open dark eyes focus on a couple of sparkling objects that Kagome's wearing. “Oh wow… very pretty and shiny! Where did Kagome-nee-san get those from?”

 

Sango and Miroku give in to their curiosity and move closer to marvel at their friend's new jewelry. Suddenly the center of attention, Kagome blushes scarlet and looks over at Inuyasha who's still giving her death glances.

 

“Oh Inuyasha got one too.” A picture of the hanyou with the feminine ring and bracelet appears in everyone's heads. They all look at him as if he was a crossdresser.

 

He realizes what they are thinking and so he begins fuming yet again. With his fangs showing, he spits back at them, “Not like that, you guys!”

 

They all look relieved. Miroku comes over. Inuyasha, who refuses to stick out his hand, takes the ring off his ring finger and hands it to the houshi for inspection. Holding it up to the late-morning light, he nods. “It's a silver moon that is shaded to show all the possible phases. The craftsmanship- I've never seen anything like it. What is the meaning of the symbolism?”

 

Inuyasha looks back at his friend and blinks.

 

Before he could open his mouth to respond in any way, Kagome shakes her head. “Weren't you paying attention last night to what your father said?”

 

“Yes, I was, wench, so stop nagging me and shut up!”

 

“Don't call me that!” Kagome fumes. “Osuwari!” As Inuyasha heads towards the ground with a curse spewing forth from his lips, Kagome mockingly asks, “So if you were listening, why don't you know the answer?”

 

Slowly lifting his head, he mumbles through a mouthful of dirt, “I wasn't listening to what Miroku was saying. You didn't have to say the word, Kagome.” He sits up, rubbing the grass off himself.

 

Kagome sighs before taking a moment to explain. “Inutaisho-sama gave us a couple of very valuable gifts. To Inuyasha, he gave this ring; their family symbol is the many different phases of the moon. The ring will give him more power, once he learns how to control it. Not only will it increase his strength, but it will also help him to control his demon rage.”

 

A split-second before everyone can react to this news, Inuyasha growls at Kagome's presents from his place on the ground. “She got two; she didn't deserve that much. Those should belong to my family, not some random girl from the future.”

 

Kagome turns red. “Hey, we already dealt with this; I can't believe that you brought it back up again! Does it really bother you?” She yanks his hair and looks into his eyes. He looks away. “You're just acting that way because I said the word. Whatever, Inuyasha.” She throws his face back down into the grass.

 

All of a sudden, Sesshoumaru comes out of the shadows where he has been watching everyone since the beginning. Examining the sapphire jewelry, his cool eyes spark with recognition. “That ring seems very familiar; it almost looks like the one that was meant for…” Kagome gives him a look and surprisingly, he nods and doesn't finish his revealing comment.

 

Wishing to distract everyone else, Kagome searches her mind for another conversational topic and quickly remembers her promise to Inutaisho. “Oh that's right! I almost forgot.” She searches through her bag for a little blue box. Grimacing that she can't immediately find it, she pushes the contents around slightly more roughly. A few moments later, she sighs in relief and removes the object. Because she knows better than to expect him to walk to her, she heads in the youkai's direction.

 

Sesshoumaru watches her with his traditional deadpan expression, but somewhere in his eyes, she can see a tiny spark of curiosity- part of his childhood demeanor showing through. Kagome smiles to herself but wonders if that perception is only in her mind since she wants to see something of Sess-kun in the grown-up Sesshoumaru-sama, the tall and stately Lord of the Western Lands.

 

Shaking her head to dispel the idle thoughts, Kagome holds out the box wrapped in blue paper. “Sesshoumaru, this is a gift from your father. He made me promise to give it to you in the future, aka in this time period.”

 

The inuyoukai examines the package before he takes it from the human girl and secures it into the folds of his outfit. He gently nods his head to show his thanks. Everyone stares at him for a few seconds and disappointedly frowns as they realize that he's not going to open the gift in front of them. Inuyasha, who has finally gotten off the ground from his seated position, looks particularly annoyed with his brother's secretive behavior.

 

“Why don't you just open it? It won't bite!”

 

Sesshoumaru simply looks at his brother with contempt. “I have my reasons.” Gracefully, he turns on his heel and walks into the forest. Rin begins to follow him, but without turning around, he forbids her. “Rin, stay. Jaken, watch her.”

 

Rin nods and salutes him. “Hai!” She turns 180 degrees and dashes back to chase Shippo.

 

Jaken, who had also begun to trudge after his master, stutters, “B…but, Sesshoumaru-sama, she will be safe with the humans. I can be of use…”

 

“Jaken, you can be use of me to stay and watch Rin.”

 

“But when will you be back Sesshoumaru-sama?”

 

“I will be back when I am back, Jaken. Do not question my decisions.”

 

The toad youkai nods solemnly. “Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama.” He grasps his two-headed staff closer to himself as he reverses his direction to return back towards the humans and the Goshinboku. No one pays much attention as he grumbles sadly to himself.

 

Shaking her head at Jaken, Kagome watches Sesshoumaru leave the area and makes a small mental note of the direction that he's taking, although she does not know why. A picture of Sess-kun holding up flowers flies effortlessly into her head and a wistful smile appears on her face. She finds herself amazed that he was so different and for the hundredth time wonders what happened.

 

After that impromptu thought, a funny feeling comes over her- perhaps she will be able to help him, somehow. Although even his shadow has left the vicinity, the miko does not allow her doubts or fear to change the solid feeling in her heart. Later, a voice in her head whispers, later. Closing her eyes, she takes deep breaths to keep herself from running after him. After a moment, a wry smile appears because she is, like the members of Inutaisho's family, practicing patience. From a well of tranquility inside of her, she draws the ability to wait.

(break)

 

That's it for this one. The next one will focus on Sesshoumaru and the ring… hence the next chapter will be named The Lord and the Rings. Hehe I need ideas about what else to happen after this Sesshoumaru bit- or just ideas in general. Anyway thank you all for reading and please leave a little contribution in the review box! ^_^