InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ DarkWorld ❯ Purifying The Jewel ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. However, I have a friend who owns 1/124 of it. As for me - nope, nothing, nada. I only write fanfiction, draw fanart, and lay awake at night imagining what could happen if I controlled the wonderful manga or anime. . . Ah, dreams.

Chapter 3: Purifying The Jewel

Kagome's job in the purification was relatively simple. The night before she was not to be disturbed starting at sundown, then bathe in the morning. All six priestesses aided her in dressing in particular robes, which - as it turned out - she couldn't put on herself or she'd get tainted by the fabric or some such thing. It sounded ridiculous to her, but this timeline was different from hers and one thing she had to do was follow their rules. Not that she always did, but this was more important than the others.

She was escorted through the village flanked on all sides by the priests, priestesses, Kaede and Miroku. The villagers were allowed to look but ordered to avoid her eyes, and she herself had to look down to prevent accidental eye contact. Inuyasha had been ordered to stay in the village, as did Kirara and Shippo. In fact, they were forbidden to be present to see her leave the village and head for Midoriko's cave.

Kagome knew better. As she left and started the trail she tossed a glance into the forest, high up in the trees, and saw just who she expected. Inuyasha sat on a high branch with Shippo on his shoulder. She smiled at him and he threw a grin back, but obeyed enough to not follow her.

She walked in the center of what she began calling the 'Human Target Practice Circle', Kaede and Miroku in front of her, three priests behind her, and three priestesses on either side of her. All weapons were ordered to stay within the village - although Kagome was really the only one who had a weapon. Miroku's staff was a holy staff, and so he took it, and Kaede wasn't really a fighter despite her skill with arrows.

It would take two days of walking day and night to reach their destination and apparently nobody planned on sleeping in that time. Several times Kagome was sure that a demon was about to attack, but it must be her imagination because they all made it to the Cave without incident.

The first to enter the Cave was Kaede and Miroku, both of whom scouted out the area for demons, spirits, and purified the area as best they could. Once that was done the three priests entered and took their places, immediately praying. Several minutes passed and then Kagome entered with all six priestesses, the barrier flicking as she passed through it.

I know, she thought to Midoriko. I brought it back. You've been waiting for this, haven't you? I know I'm a little scared, but thats okay because this is your chance to finally rest. Rest well, she finished her thought as she was directed where to kneel. Yet again she was within a circle, only this time it was organized a bit differently.

She faced the statue of Midoriko and the demon that killed her. Kaede and Miroku knelt facing her, their backs to the statue. The priests all faced Midoriko but remained circling Kagome. Finally the priestesses circled around the priests, all facing Kagome.

Almost immediately disaster struck.

---

Inuyasha watched Kagome walk by with a smile. It was mostly false, but she needed encouragement. Maybe those idiots escorting her didn't see it, but he did. She looked truly elegant and graceful - and pure - but she was flexing her left hand and curling her toes when she stepped. She was worried and found this whole thing stupid.

He didn't blame her. At dusk yesterday she was 'confined' to an empty hut - alone. Nothing was given to her, not even a roll to sleep on. He knew she hadn't been allowed to eat anything, and she probably was stiff from sleeping on the floor - if she slept at all. This morning she was forbidden to be seen as the priestesses escorted her to a hot spring and bathed her, then dressed her, then returned again. Nobody ate breakfast, but went straight to talking a walk through the village. He, Shippo and Kirara were told they weren't allowed to even look at her, and more or less banned to the edge of the village until she'd left.

So he picked up Shippo, jumped into a tree and waited for her to get within sight. He knew she'd know he was there, which proved itself when she rather slyly looked up and smiled at him. He grinned for her, thinking that those clothes really didn't suit her and she must be starving but at least they didn't make her wear any face paint. When she was out of sight he sighed.

"She isn't going to make it there without a demon attacking," he said, mostly to himself.

"So let's go!" Shippo said back, jumping. "She needs us and you know it!"

"Of course I know it," Inuyasha snarled back and punched the kit. "And quit jumping! And you're staying here, got it?!"

"What?!" Shippo yelled back, holding his head. "She'll want me there; I know it!"

"Stay put and do as you're told," Inuyasha told him, picking him up by his tail. He jumped down and quickly deposited Shippo into Sango's care.

"And where are you going off to?" Sango asked, restraining a struggling Shippo.

"Isn't it obvious?" Inuyasha said back, sarcastically. "I'm gonna go protect Kagome."

"And you think she cannot protect herself, or that Miroku could not protect her just the same?"

"That ain't the point," Inuyasha snarled at her. He didn't wait for another question or response, but leapt off and caught up with Kagome just in time to intercept a cat after the Sacred Jewel.

He killed five more demons, two humans and a spirit within the next two days, all of whom were after the Jewel. He hadn't slept or eaten because Kagome's group hadn't stopped once, and he knew that as soon as this quest was over, she was going to either eat or sleep the first chance she got. He stayed out of sight and watched them enter Midoriko's Cave in three groups, frowning when he caught the barrier flicker on Kagome.

"This can't end good," he muttered to himself. "Kagome's scared and I think the spirit of the demons are going to rise up before Midoriko's can. She's going to end up in danger," he said and realized at once. He jumped and landed directly at the barrier.

"You have to let me in," he said. "Kagome might need me." He saw the barrier shimmer for several seconds before it stopped and he walked inside. He tried to stay in the shadows and didn't make a sound. Kagome knelt before the stone statue of Midoriko and the demons, Kaede and Miroku in front of her and facing her. The priests and priestesses each took seperate places and then they all began praying.

Better not attack, he warned the demons. I'm here for Kagome. If you make one move towards hurting her I'll banish each of you to hell, you hear me? Apparently they hadn't.

The Sacred Jewel glowed red, their only warning before the demon spirits rose up and encompassed the humans. Kagome was up before anyone else, even him. He tried to rush forward but felt himself caught somehow, unable to move. He could only watch, even as he struggled for mobility.

Kagome clutched the Jewel to her chest and screamed for Midoriko to appear and win her battle, just as Miroku got up and lifted his staff above his head. Kaede remained praying and the priests all yelled and scattered. None of them could get out of the red glow that surrounded them, which Inuyasha realized was holding him back. The glow was around his chest, pinning him against the wall he had been leaning against.

The Jewel glowed brightly, red shining above all else, and then the head of the demon could be made out - aiming for Kagome. Inuyasha yelled and struggled harder against the energy that held him, not seeing anybody else but Kagome.

"Kagome!!"

She looked up and saw the demon spirit. Immediately a white light began gathering at her forehead, growing quickly. Within it seconds it spread outwards and the spirit backed off, then came at her again.

"Inuyasha!!" she yelled, backing up.

He leapt. The restrainging energy around him broke away and he drew Tetsusaiga, swinging and hoping that the blasts from the fang could throw off the spirit. He landed beside Kagome and raised the sword above his head, just as the spirit noticed his earlier blast and faded out enough to avoid it. It became more real this time and bared fangs at Inuyasha.

"Kaze no Kizu!" he yelled and swung downwards. The spirit was too close; it couldn't fade out fast enough and got sent spiraling back. The statue cracked under the blast and one of the demon's arms fell off. It smashed as released a transparent red arm in its place, which went straight for Kagome.

Miroku knocked it aside and yelled for Inuyasha to get Kagome out of the cave.

But Kagome had lifted the Sacred Jewel above her head and was praying loudly for Midoriko to win at long last. Inuyasha sent a second wave of blasts at the demon while Miroku continued to deflect what he could. One of the priests was struck down and a priestess was cut through at the waist.

The statue shattered.

---

Kagome prayed with all her heart that Midoriko could win this before she realized that Midoriko hadn't won yet because that's not what the old priestess wanted. She changed her prayers that Midoriko could lay this demon to rest and recieve paradise for her efforts. At that same moment Inuyasha sent a Wind Scar at the demon spirit and a second priestess fell, a litter of teeth holes along her torso and neck. Focused as she was on her prayers, Kagome failed to notice the statue begin to crack until it had exploded.

"Priestess Midoriko!" she yelled, both because that was who she was praying to, and because she could see Midoriko's spirit now - attacking the demon spirit.

An arm went around her waist and she felt herself being pulled back. Looking she saw Inuyasha pulling her back. He pressed her against a cavern wall and told her to stay there.

The Jewel, still clutched in her hands, pulsed. It had never done that before and caused Kagome to look down. It pulsed again, then again, in the rythm of a heartbeat. She brought it closer to her chest and shut her eyes. "I wish for you to rest, Midoriko. I wish for peace. I wish for love. I wish for unity and life. I wish for purity. Please, Midoriko - I give you my own power to grant these wishes. Rest. Peace. Love. Unity. Life. Purity. I wish."

She felt something tear from her own soul as she finished, knowing it was powers, and watched the stream of white energy reach Midoriko and empower her.

Kagome fell to her knees but kept watching. Midoriko lifted her hands and said something Kagome couldn't catch, and that white stream gathered there. It became a sphere of pure energy, and Midoriko sent it towards the demon. The red demon screamed and threw its head back as the energy hit and began getting pulled into the ball.

"Rest, peace, love, unity, life, purity," Kagome chanted. "Rest, peace, love, unity, life, purity. . ." She could see Kaede's lips moving and knew the old woman was praying the same words. "Rest, peace, love, unity, life, purity!" she yelled. "Rest! Peace! Love! Unity! Life! Purity! Rest! Peace! Love! Unity! Life! Purity!"

She heard Inuyasha begin to chant with her, as it seemed to be weakening the demon spirit. Miroku's voice joined in. Kaede began speaking aloud. The priests and priestesses all fell to their knees, clasped their hands and chanted along with them.

"Rest! Peace! Love! Unity! Life! Purity!! Rest!! Peace!! Love!! Unity!! Life!! Purity!!"

The demon spirit yelled in outrage one last time before it was swallowed by the power. The sphere grew brighter, larger, flicked and flowed, near exploded and then faded completely, all within ten seconds. Midoriko's feet touched the ground and she smiled over at Kagome.

"Midoriko. . ." she whispered.

Miroku bowed in respect. "Lady priestess Midoriko," he said.

Midoriko reached over and touched Miroku's bowed head. "Monk Miroku," she returned.

He looked up sharply. "You know me?"

"I know all of my subjects," Midoriko replied and looked again at Kagome.

In front of Kagome, Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga and did what was possibly the most shocking thing he'd done yet. He knelt on one knee and bowed his head at Midoriko.

Midoriko made the rounds, speaking briefly with everyone present and blessing the three who had died for the afterlife. Kagome was the last person Midoriko came up to, just after she spoke with Inuyasha.

"Priestess Kagome," Midoriko said. "You made the right wishes."

Kagome blushed. "I only said what was right," she began. "There's nothing special about that."

"But you believed what you wished for. You believe in rest for the dead, in peace. You believe in love as well as you love. You believe in unity of all things."

"Do I?" Kagome asked, surprised. She had thought that she said it because it was the right thing to wish for.

Midoriko nodded. "You do believe in unity. You see it before you, taken shape in Inuyasha." Kagome gasped but Midoriko was going on. "It is why you love him like you do. He is neither demon nor human, but both, and therefore a glimpse of what unity truly is."

Kagome looked at him. He was still knelt and now stared at the ground, frowning slightly in thought. "Inuyasha. . ."

"You called for him when the demon attacked," Midoriko went on. "And you believe in life, life after death, and that all things deserve to live their life fully. You believe in purity as well. This is evident in you own powers, which today you gave willingly to me so I would lay to rest the demon and take my own. You gave everything to me when you did this, priestess Kagome.

"In my youth I believed in very little. Demons were to be banished to where they belonged, and I was the one to do so. In my death I learned many things and rethought my old beliefs, and realized that demons were not all evil, but overpowerful. We could have named them after the Gods as well as the evil spirits we are taught as children. In your power came a greater yet understanding of these lessons. An understanding I believe you do not yet know, and are not ready to know.

"I give you the purified Shikon no Tama now, priestess Kagome. You may make one wish with my blessings. Do not fear of it being tainted any longer. There is, in truth, nothing left to fear from my Heart." She lifted one hand to her forehead, two fingers extended in a position Kagome recognized as something Miroku had done many times. "My love goes with you."

That was the end of the conversation, as Midoriko's spirit faded from their plane and shimmered white-blue, and then swirled and returned to the Sacred Jewel Kagome only now realized she still held.

It was over.

---

Shippo was more than anxious; he was downright panicking. "Shouldn't they have gotten back yet?!"

"Shippo, hush," Sango said. "It's late and we're all tired. You need to sleep as much as we do. You want to be refreshed and looking healthy for when Kagome returns, don't you?"

"It's been five days!" Shippo went on. "They said it would take them two days of constant traveling to get there -"

"Two days," Sango agreed, nodding. "Two days of not stopping. Which means that, on the way back, if they were to stop once a night to sleep, it would take a minimum of three days. That makes it five days."

"And it's been five days!"

"So they will be here tomorrow. Calm down, Shippo, and go to sleep. You're making a ruckus."

Shippo muttered something rude, undoubtedly something he got from Inuyasha, but settled down. Sleep came slowly to the kit but eventually did come, making him briefly forget that he was scared of Kagome never coming back or Inuyasha getting struck down. . . The two he'd come to see as parental figures as well as friends and siblings. They were a little of everything to him and he could never stop thinking about what might have happened if he'd never met them or if they died.

The morning greeted him with the sunlight and birds chirping. On mornings like these he got right up and sang "hello" to the morning before setting off to find Kagome. It always took a few minutes of panick before he remembered that she was gone this morning and a few more minutes to recall why she was gone in the first place.

As always he bugged everybody about Kagome's whereabouts every five minutes, but stopped at noon when he scented her. He ran off immeidately without even telling anyone to meet her.

---

Kagome was still smiling.

Every now and again Inuyasha glanced at Kagome, Midoriko's words to her still in his head. She wore the Sacred Jewel around her neck now, and its aura is as different as its color. Midoriko had left it white, pure, and no demons, humans, spirits or animals had attacked. He and Kagome started back with Kaede as Miroku escorted the priestesses back to their village, since the priest who had died had been from theirs and one of their own had fallen. The village he and Kagome went to had lost their priestess and so the men had started off on their own.

She was still smiling.

He looked down as Kaede looked over at him and tried to hide the fact that Midoriko's words had disturbed him so greatly. Kagome loved him and believed in unity because he was a half-demon. . . It was hard to comprehend, that someone as pure and beautiful and graceful and good as Kagome would love him because he wasn't wholly human or full demon.

She was still smiling.

He remembered a conversation they had long ago, after leaving Jinenji and returning to a poisoned Sango and Kirara with herbs to heal them. He then had found himself prattling on, not even thinking about what he was saying. And he said he'd looked for some place to fit in before realizing that he had a place all along - but he was the only one there. What he hadn't realized then was that he had never been alone there.

His mother was there. Every time he thought about how he'd lived alone, a vision of his mother would come up, and he'd remember that she loved him completely. She watched him and raised him as any mother would do, not thinking less of him and fighting off harsh words thrown his way because of what he was.

She was still smiling.

He knew now that someone else had come into his world without his ever noticing. Kagome was always smiling there, too. She always waved and said hello and reached over to rub his ears. She sat beside him and leaned against him and sat him when he said or did something wrong. She laughed when he made a joke and accepted him in her life as no one else had.

And Midoriko said she loves him? That was the topper. Either Kagome was entirely too perfect, too blind, or too cruel, because this just didn't seem possible. She must either love him in spite of everything, love him without seeing exactly who and what he was, or she pretended to love him and one day soon she was going to yell "fooled you!!" and break his heart.

But she was still smiling.

"Kagome!!"

Inuyasha looked up and saw Shippo running towards Kagome. Oh, he hated the pup sometimes. Not only did the child have horrible timing, but he was allowed to curl up in Kagome's lap, sleep in her bed, get away with anything, and he could hug her at any moment.

Kagome's smile grew into a grin. "Shippo!" she greeted, opening her arms and catching the pup.

He wished he could snuggle into her chest like that. It looked warm and soft and comforting.

"Kagome I missed you!" Shippo was saying. "You took a long time! It's been six days!"

"I know," Kagome laughed and petted Shippo's hair. "I'm sorry it took so long. After leaving the cave we all kind of passed out." After discussing what we should and shouldn't say first, of course, Inuyasha thought.

He wished Kagome would rub his ears. He liked it when she did that. Not just because it was good feeling, but because it was Kagome and he liked anything that involved Kagome. Plus, his mother used to rub his ears to put him to sleep when he was younger and restless. It always put his mind at ease and comforted him. The only real difference between how Kagome did it and his mother was that he always looked up into his mother's eyes until he fell asleep.

Rotten pup; he had no idea how badly he was teasing Inuyasha.

---

Kagome sat with Shippo in her lap, glad to be back in her sailor uniform. Wearing priestess clothes was one thing; wearing them for six days straight with an extra layer for rank was another. She found herself rubbing the thin layer of cloth of her sleeves several times. And oh, she missed her socks, too. What they had her wearing weren't socks as she knew them - they were almost socks, but had been sewed so she could wear sandles and not bunch the fabric between her toes. And they weren't any type of fabric she was used to, either; they were horribly rough and she wanted to try and sand them down.

She absently rubbed Shippo's head as he ate yet another of her suckers and glanced at Inuyasha. She knew what Midoriko had said had affected him, at least on his view of how she felt. He showed that on the return trip by being frustratingly nice to her and Kaede. She was starting to miss their arguements, in all truth. She actually liked the way one eye would twitch when he was mad, how he would growl and bare his teeth and swear and then pout when she sat him.

He was looking at her.

Kagome smiled and reached up to rub his ears. As usual he shivered at the first touch and then relaxed, letting her stroke his ears all she liked. Well, it was either that he was letting her, or he liked it. Either way she found herself enjoying the softness of his ears.

"So, what do you think?" she asked later as she withdrew her hand.

His ears flicked. "About what?"

Impressed that I asked your opinion, Inuyasha? "About the Jewel. Midoriko said that she would grant a wish now, but I don't know what to wish for."

He shrugged. "Wish to pass those tests of yours."

She jerked at his words. "Would you have wished for that if it was your choice?" He looked at her in question. "Would you have wished for me to pass my tests?" she clarified.

He shrugged again. "If there was nothing better to wish for, I guess."

She looked down at Shippo, now blushing. He wanted the Sacred Jewel before so he could change into a full demon, but now he was willing to give that up to let her pass her tests?! My god, what a man I've fallen for, she thought. Not only is he smart, strong, protective and honorable, but he learns faster than anyone I know and even though he has nothing but the clothes on his back, he'd give that up for someone who needs it, she realized. In fact, he had done so many times before, letting someone else - usually her - wear his haori so they would be protected.

She glanced at him again. What a man, all right, she thought again, smiling now in adoration. How could anyone have wanted to kill or harm him? He was perfect. Unified, she thought with a giggle. Perfectly unified.

"What are you starin' at?" his voice broke into her thoughts.

She grinned. "Just a young and handsome hanyou who's better than anybody else I know." Her grin faded as she realized what she just said and quickly looked down, trying to hide her blush. Shippo was staring up at her from her lap, shocked, his sucker forgotten in his mouth. "Not a word," she muttered to the kit.

She felt Inuyasha get up and leave, and let out a sigh. Well, at least this way she didn't have to try and make up for what she said. She wasn't too good at correcting herself when her tongue slipped, anyway. She just hoped he wouldn't take it as a declaration of love. She wasn't quite ready to admit to him how much she truly loved him. Not yet.

"Kagome. . ." Shippo said. He got up, hopped off her lap and turned to look at her. "You called him handsome."

"Well. . .he is," Kagome tried.

"But you said it," Shippo shot back. "You don't like him, do you?"

"Shippo, I think it's time you stopped asking questions."

"But Kagome -"

"And I told you not to say a word."

"I thought you meant while Inuyasha could hear!"

"I'm sure he heard that."

"Come on, Kagome!" Shippo tried again. "How am I ever going to learn if nobody explains this stuff to me?!"

"Lower your voice," Kagome told him. "Nobody likes a yeller. And you're too young to be told exactly how this works."

"Then don't tell me 'exactly'!"

"No, Shippo," she said, firmly.

"Kagome -"

"Oy! She said no!" Inuyasha's voice called.

Shippo cringed and curled in Kagome's lap. "He just had to interrupt, didn't he?"

"That's enough, Shippo," she told him. "But think of it this way. If Inuyasha agrees that this isn't something you should know yet, then it isn't. You know he's too blunt to not tell you unless it's something you aren't supposed to know."

Shippo mumbled.

---

The nest morning Kagome got up and took out her list of wishes again. She wrote down the ones that might work on another sheet of paper as she flipped through it, deciding that without the demon's spirit in the Jewel, some of them could really work. She'd just finished it and was sorting through them, deep in thought, when Inuyasha came inside the hut and sat down.

"Good morning," she said distractedly.

"What are you doing?"

"Remember my list of wishes that I crossed out?"

"Yeah."

"I'm looking through them again, in case some of them might work this time."

"I don't see why you can't wish for what you wished for in the cave."

"What's that?"

When he didn't answer she glanced up and saw that he was deep in thought. "Rest. . .peace, love. . .unity. . .um. . .life and purity," he finished. He looked at her expectantly, either asking her to make the wish that instant or to simply reply.

"I'll put it on the list," she said with a laugh. "Thank you."

"For what? What'd I do?"

"You made the suggestion. I almost forgot about it," she admitted. She grinned at him. "Your memory must be better than mine because I can't remember quotes. I can't remember what mama told me the last time I visited."

"Feh, you humans are weak, stupid and defected," Inuyasha muttered, looking away with his nose in the air in an all-too-snobbish way.

Kagome giggled. "Yeah, I guess we are." She looked down at her list and added what Inuyasha had suggested.

"So when are you going to make the wish?"

She frowned. "I was thinking of making it in a week, so by then I'd have decided on something to wish for. Hopefully it will work out how I envisioned." She tried not to look scared, but if Inuyasha knew her gestures as well as she thought he did, then he already knew.

"You're scared," he whispered.

She looked up and saw a solemn expression on his face. She didn't see that expression often but knew it, anyway. He was letting her know he was concerned about her.

Tears stung her eyes. "It's only done bad things."

"Midoriko purified it."

"Something could still happen."

"You purified it."

"I don't want anything bad to happen."

"Unity and love. There's nothing more pure than that, and you wished for it. What's that tell you?"

She looked down sharply, trying not to cry and losing the battle. "I don't know."

She felt his arms go around her and that action made her tears begin to fall. He nuzzled the top of her head. "You're perfect, Kagome," he said. She'd never heard his voice so soft before. "I'm sure of it. Nobody's ever taken in an orphaned demon pup and accepted a hanyou into their life. No matter what you wish for, it can't backfire as long as you're making the wish."

She grabbed his haori and found herself clinging as she cried. "Inuyasha," she whispered. "You're wrong. I'm not perfect; you are."

"Then I guess we both are."

-- 0 -- 0 -- 0 --

End chapter three. To be continued.