InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Encroaching Darkness ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Kagome squinted her eyes toward the forest. Hours ago, her friends departed without her when she had been asleep. Deep down it hurt that they could not have been truthful about their plans, but she understood. She knew that if they would have told her that they were leaving without her, she would have stubbornly joined them.

‘But I can’t even see well, and even that is slowly becoming nothingness.’

She shivered as she remembered the dream last night. She dreamt that she had been long blind and sitting with Kaede in her home. A man had rushed in and announced that Inu Yasha and her friends had been killed. She imagined the heartbreak and the most disturbing thing along with not being able to see, was that she had shed no tears. She had never had any problems in the past with her emotions, and never imagined losing her friends, but she knew that if they had ever been killed, she would have shed tears for them. Each of them were like family to her. Inu Yasha and Miroku were her brothers, while Sango was the sister she would have always wanted in her life.

‘Still, I wish I could have gone with them,’ she sighed to herself.

“Come help this old woman out, child,” Kaede beckoned to her.

“Yes, Kaede- baa- chan,” Kagome replied, rising to help the old village priestess.

“Here is a basket. Ye are to collect some of the herbs. Since ye cannot distinguish one from another, but know where they are, do not worry. Just pick and I shall sort it upon ye return,” Kaede said, and then handed Kagome a basket.

Kagome grasped the basket and made her way to the meadow. She also brought a sword, as well as her bow and arrows. If she would run into a problem demon, and could not shoot, as least she could focus her power into the arrow or swords. Although she could use her hands, they usually were more reluctant of a conductor. It was not much, but she had some protection.

Kagome wandered through the rice patty fields and across the bridge that led into the village, before entering the forest. She reminisced about all the adventures over the past few years with a wistful smile on her face, occasionally marred with a frown. Ahead was the Goshinboku, the tree that meant a lot to her, and to many for centuries. This was the tree that started her journey with Inu Yasha. It stood witness to everything she had experienced in her life. If the tree had been a person, she would have imagined it would have been like a second grandparent to her.

After catching herself in front of the tree for far longer than she had intended, she veered to the left and deeper into the forest. This was the same path she had once taken when ambushed by the bandits and the crow demon who had possessed one of the men. She remembered that she still was in the haze, trying to believe that she was in feudal Japan. She had not taken anything seriously, despite already have been bitten deeply by Mistress Centipede and wounded to boot.

“Ah ha!" She exclaimed out loud, mostly to herself when she had found the place to pick the herbs that Kaede wanted her to retrieve.

She laid the basket down, and then kneeled before grabbing what she could. If she would have been able to see more clearly, she would have noticed that she had grabbed grass with the herbs. Then again, it did not matter. Kaede would sort them out.

The basket was large and deep. Kagome had picked many times in the past, so she steadily moved from one place to another to collect all what she could.

‘Kaede is getting way too old to make her trips out here and since I will not be able to see, I might as well collect a lot.’

After a while, Kagome was satisfied and took up the basket. She ventured back and decided to sit under the Goshinboku. She just wanted some time to herself before returning.

‘It won’t be long before everyone in the village will know about my curse. They will surely talk about it and I don’t want to hear their pity,’ she frowned.

She looked up into the thick and lushly adorned branches of the ancient tree. The sky was clear, which was as much as Kagome could tell. Soon her thoughts drifted and she fell asleep.

<i>
“Daddy! Daddy! Watch me slide on the slide,” a young Kagome called out.

A tall dark haired man smiled, but his blue gray eyes were unfocused and glazed as he listened to his daughter slide down the playground slide.

“Wheeeeee!” Kagome laughed as her body zoomed down the metal slide, but as she landed at the bottom, her footing did not catch firmly on the ground “Ouch!”

The man panicked and ran toward the sound of his daughter.

“Kagome, are you okay?” her father asked, kneeling to try to help his daughter.

“My foot hurts! Why didn’t you catch me, daddy?” Kagome sobbed, large tears running from her face.

“I’m sorry, honey. Daddy is just useless when it comes to his sight. Oh my daughter, if I could have seen you,” he replied sadly.

“Oh, daddy, I forgive you. I’ll be your eyes for now on,” Kagome smiled and took her father by the hand. “Look, mommy is back from the grocery store. Let’s go home.”

Her father smiled and ruffled her hair.

“What would I do without you, my sweet little girl?” her father said and let himself be led by Kagome “Kagome- chan?”

“Kagome- chan?” </i>


“Kagome- chan?” a child asked, gently shaking the futuristic miko awake.

Kagome slowly blinked her blue gray eyes open and found herself faced with yellow and orange blocks. For a moment, Kagome was more hazy from her awakening, than her eyesight. As she tried to focus, two big brown eyes, black hair, and a big smile invaded her vision.

“Rin- chan?” Kagome replied groggily.

“Of course it is Rin, you impudent wench,” Jaken screeched.

Kagome lazily glared at the youkai retainer and bopped him on the head with the hilt of her sword.

“Ah, Lord Sesshoumaru, this irksome onna has assaulted his most trusted retainer!” Jaken continued, waving around his hands dramatically.

“Jaken,” Sesshoumaru replied coldly.

“Yes, my lord?” Jaken cowered.

“Silence or this Sesshoumaru will tear your voice from your throat,” the inu taiyoukai warned, his face immovable like marble.

“Of course,” Jaken replied and then backed away, half bowed to his lord.

“Rin wanted to see Kagome- chan and asked Sesshoumaru- sama if it was okay. And now we are here. Rin is so happy,” Rin spouted out happily and grabbed Kagome’s hands. “Let’s play!”

“Okay, Rin- chan!” Kagome smiled and let the girl lead her into the nearby meadow, the same that once had the well.

“There are many pretty flowers here. Oh, remember last time we picked flowers? Kagome- chan taught Rin some of the names of the flowers,” Rin beamed and picked up a white flower. “What is the name of this flower? It reminds Rin of Sesshoumaru- sama.”

Kagome tried to focus on the detail of the flower, but it was so blurry that she could only make out the general form of the flower. If she could see the number of petals and if the flower had anything in particular that made it unique, she would have been able to identify it in a heartbeat. Since learning herbs through Kaede, Kagome took it into her own responsibility to try to learn more about plants in general, including various plants and flowers.

Kagome sighed, and then tried to look at Rin better, before sinking to the ground. Her bangs fell over her eyes and her shoulders shook slightly with a sob.

'This is not how I wanted to reveal my weakness, especially in front of Sesshoumaru.'

“Kagome- chan?” Rin asked worriedly. “What is wrong?”

“I’m cursed, Rin- chan. I cannot see very well right now, and in another day and a half I will no longer be able to see,” Kagome replied softly, and strangely devoid of emotion.

Rin’s happy face quickly turned into tears before she stepped back and called out, “Sesshoumaru- sama, Kagome- chan is cursed. Please, my lord, can we not help her. Rin wants Kagome- chan to see. Rin loves Kagome- chan.”

Rin embraced the older woman, and sobbed into Kagome's clothing. Kagome could hear the soft crunch of the grass near her, signaling the approach of the silver- haired demon lord.

“Is this true, onna?” Sesshoumaru asked as his eyes looked down on the head of the bluish- black haired priestess.

“Hai, and Inu Yasha has left me to rot in my curse,” Kagome replied bitterly, the tears barely beading out of her eyes as another sob escaped her.

“Hn,” Sesshoumaru replied, and Kagome could hear the soft swish of hair and silk, and the soft clank of his two swords.

“Perhaps the half- breed has become daft. The rest of your group would not be enough to confront Naraku and his vile cohorts. You are needed, miko,” Sesshoumaru concluded, oddly shocking Kagome.

She had never really heard him compliment anyone, let alone find the time to divulge anything other than two or three worded phrases that involved killing something.

“What can I do? I can’t blindly search for my group and join them. They are more likely to leave me again as they did this morning,” Kagome retorted, half snorted.

“Must this Sesshoumaru explain things? You will accompany this Sesshoumaru and learn how to deal with your handicap. It is possible once Naraku is defeated that your curse will go away. It is heard that the houshi in your group was curse with the kazanaa by Naraku, and it will disappear on his demise,” Sesshoumaru almost gritted out.

He hated explaining himself, especially to beings below himself.

‘However, given the situation, such small acts of compassion can be tolerated.’

Kagome mulled over Sesshoumaru’s plan and it did appeal greatly to her. She hated the thought of being cooped up in the village with nothing to do but possibly run into every hazard in her walking path.

“You make it seem so easy. However, I don't wish to remain idle in the village. If I go with you, I need to go to the village and tell Kaede, and gather what supplies I need,” Kagome replied.

Sesshoumaru nodded and called out, “Ah- Uh, escort the miko to the village.”

The dragon bayed softly in response and plodded to Kagome’s side, nudging her. Kagome giggled and carefully climbed onto the two- headed daragon youkai. The trip to the village was a lot faster than Kagome had expected. Ah- Uh even stopped right outside Kaede’s home to let Kagome off of him.

“I’ll be back,” Kagome said, and patted each nose of the dragon before opening the flap to the old miko’s home. “Kaede- baa- chan?”

“Hai, Kagome?” Kaede asked, looking up from her little table.

Kagome set the basket of herbs down, and then sat by Kaede.

“I saw Sesshoumaru in the forest,” Kagome started.

“And what the youkai lord say to ye?” the old woman looked at Kagome with her one eye.

“He suggested that I join his group. He believes that if Naraku is killed, then the curse will go away, just as Miroku’s had. I agree with Sesshoumaru. I don’t want to stick around the village with nothing to do. I know people would take pity on me and I would inevitably feel like a burden. Please understand, Kaede- baa- chan, no matter my ailment, it is my duty to complete the Shikon no Tama. It is my duty to make sure Naraku no longer plagues this land with his presence. I could care less if I stayed blind for the rest of my life. I care more to complete the jewel, purify it, and make sure no one can take it for granted with their selfish desires. I grew up not knowing that it was inside me. I only knew of its legend and never really respected it. I have changed greatly and this is my sole mission. If I die from this, then it is my destiny. I know Kikyo always wanted to be an ordinary woman and never wanted the burden of the Shikon no Tama. I understand her feelings and have often thought the same, but I accept it fully. I have to do this,” Kagome explained passionately.

“I understand ye, Kagome child. Ye have been the daughter that I never bared. I am proud of ye and send my blessings,” Kaede simply replied, her eyes moist.

Although Kagome did not know that the old miko before her had been moved by her words, Kagome hugged Kaede and then quickly moved to gather her things.

For the first time, Kagome’s heart was devoid of the heaviness it had held.

‘I now know what I need to do, and without anymore hindrance. I won’t endanger my friends or worry as much in their presence. This curse will not keep me down. I will overcome it by any means possible,’ she thought with determination and for once, strong pride and confidence in herself. ‘I am Kagome, the Shikon no Miko.’

When the well had been destroyed, Kaede had provided Kagome with a suitable attire, filled with simple kimono of her clan and some priestess attire. Instead of red and white, Kagome wore green and white as she loathed to remind herself of Kikyo in front of Inu Yasha.

As soon as she had all of her materials in her dilapidated yellow satchel, she exited the old miko’s home. Ah- Un loyally awaited her. She attached her bag to the dragon’s side and mounted. The passing villagers hesitantly passed, but as Kagome waved, they smiled and waved back.

‘I will make sure you are safe to live another day. You are the people that will one day make this village the thriving metropolis that I once called home,’ she thought with conviction.

Ah- Uh took off in the direction of his master. When the dragon came upon Sesshoumaru, the taiyoukai was already in the air with Jaken clutching his mokomoko-sama and Rin held snugly in his arm.

Sesshoumaru knew the miko and his dragon servant were now traveling by air not far from him. He briefly glanced back at the young woman and almost smiled at what he saw.

‘She should have been born a demoness. She exudes a fierce determination and confidence. Perhaps there is much more to the miko known as Kagome.’

The group sailed fast through the air, each in their own thoughts, but enjoying the air upon their faces. The only thing oblivious to the group's obvious content was the sun above.