InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Existence ❯ Knowing ( Chapter 2 )

Knowing

She did not know why she had let the youkai live. But something in his eyes made her arms

lower their aim. His eyes haunted her and sprouted whole new emotions. Emotions of desire.

When she was doing her rounds of the village she could feel him in the back of her mind. He

was following her, calculating every move she made. But he didn't attack again. His everyday

presence was at first unnerving but it grew normal after a week. The villagers had reported

seeing a silver haired youkai prowling around the village but Kikyo reassured them that he

intended to do no harm. With a strong trust in their miko, the villagers paid no more

attention to the youkai after that. Finally, he confronted her at the meadow. She sat down at

the small roll of the meadow and waited. She felt his quiet presence behind her.

"Why don't you sit down?"

"Why?"

"It's a beautiful day and it is easier to enjoy sitting down."

Grufffly, he sat down a few feet away from her.

"Why are you afraid of me?"

"Keh! Me? Afraid of a puny human like you?"

"You don't deny it."

"I am not afraid of you."

"Yes, you are. I can sense it."

"You can sense my fear?"

"I sense a lot of things."

He didn't say anything and just looked around the sunny, cheerful meadow.

"What is your name?"

"Inuyasha."

"I am Kikyo."

Kikyo got up, her rounds of the village not finished. He didn't say anything but Kikyo could

feel his eyes on her as she walked away and something in her belly rolled.

Kagome shaded her eyes from the sun, relaxing against the tree. She had just finished

planting seeds for the new crops and her back ached from the hard physical labor. A few

more years and she would be hunched like her mother. This life was not for her. She enjoyed

working with her family, but she always felt like it was not what she was suppose to be doing.

At times, she felt like there was a great destiny out there for her. But she always brushed it

aside as silly hopes. Something red flashed in the branches of a tree in front of her.

"Who's there?"

"Can't you sense me?"

"No, who are you? Are you a youkai?"

He gave a laugh and Kagome shivered.

"Kikyo, your senses must not be working today."

"I'm not Kikyo, I'm Kagome."

"Kagome?"

The man jumped off the branches and landed in front of Kagome. He was almost beautiful, if it

weren't for the ferocious look in his eyes. His silver hair swayed with the trees and he had

stunning gold eyes that reflected the sun. She jumped when he bent close and sniffed her.

Something on his head caught her attention and she grabbed a thing that was soft and furry.

"Itei! That hurts!"

He jumped out of her reach.

"Are those....ears?"

"Yes, don't touch them human."

"Kagome."

"What?"

"My name is Kagome, not human. Please address me in the correct way."

"You are not Kikyo."

"Of course not, what made you think so?"

"You look exactly like her."

Kagome hopped to her feet and got closer to his face.

"Kikyo and I are completely different! Don't compare me to her, please."

"Are you sisters then?"

"No, we aren't related at all."

"Are you sure? You look alike and you smell alike too."

"I'm sure we are not related, we were born into different families."

Kagome realized how close she was to his face and blushed. She took a few steps back and sat

down again.

"What are you doing out here alone? Youkai like me could eat you in a second."

"No, because you haven't harmed me yet."

"I could kill you with a swipe of my claws."

"Go ahead, I dare you."

"Don't tempt me human."

"You are pretty hot tempered."

"No, I am not."

"What are you getting so angry for then?"

"Never mind."

"Sit down."

He didn't sit but leaned against the tree.

"Why are you here? I've heard some of the villagers talk about you."

"The Shikon."

"Shikon? What is that?"

"The most powerful object in the world is in your village and you don't even know about it?!"

"Calm down, and tell me what it is."

"It's a jewel that grants the holder great power and wishes."

"Why do you need that? You are already powerful since you are a youkai."

"I am hanyou."

"Hanyou......so you wish to make yourself more powerful?"

"Yes, I want to be a full blooded youkai. But Kikyo won't give it to me. Can you go and get it

for me?"

"Kikyo and I aren't really friends. And I don't think she would give anything to me."

"Steal it for me then."

"You want it, you steal it. Besides, stealing is amoral."

"I can't touch Kikyo or else she will kill me."

"She is that strong?"

"You really can't sense anything, can you?"

"I'm not a miko."

"Kikyo has a purifying power, and that is dangerous to youkai like me."

"Ah. Maybe you should try being friends with her."

"That would be stupid."

Kagome gave a sigh and started to get up.

"Where are you going?"

"Home, it's almost time for dinner. Do you want to come?"

"No."

"Fine, see you again."

Humming a song under her breath Kagome walked back home. Over the few weeks Kagome

and Inuyasha had many conversations. Kikyo remained as aloof as ever, but recently she had

been a little colder. Inuyasha still followed Kikyo around and even talked to her a few times.

But each time Kikyo refused to give him the Shikon. And each time he came back frustrated

and quiet to Kagome. Kagome tried to cheer him up whenever he came back sulky from a

failed attempt. In a way the two formed a bond with each other that grew to a solid

friendship.

Kagome looked up at the summer sky and gave a smile of contentment. All her chores for the

day were done and now she could rest in peace. Or so she thought. She felt someone sit down

next to her and she didn't need to turn her head to know who it was.

"Where did you go?"

"Nowhere."

"Fine."

"Ok ok, I went looking for Kikyo."

"Again? Aren't you ever going to give up?"

"No, I need that jewel."

"Isn't what you have enough?"

"Not if I'm still a hanyou."

"Who cares if youkai don't like you because you're hanyou, what you think matters most. As

long as you believe in yourself nobody else matters."

"You try being the odd one, the person who was never accepted by youkai or humans.

Humans don't like me because I'm part youkai, youkai don't like me because I'm part human."

"Well, if it matters, I don't care who you are."

He paused for a minute.

"Thanks."

Kagome felt her stomach turning. Lately, she had been experiencing that. And her palms

became sweaty when she was near him. She knew she was falling in love, but she also knew

that she didn't want to risk their friendship. She had lately noticed a new change of emotions

in Kikyo. She could see the desire in her eyes whenever they rested upon Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, what are you going to do after you turn into a full youkai?"

"....I don't know. Go beat up the youkai who pushed me around. Teach them a lesson."

"Revenge won't make anything right."

"How do you know?"

"It won't fill up the emptiness inside."

"Then what will I fill it up with?"

"Love. Just a drop of love is better than pounds of hate."

Before Inuyasha could answer back with a retort Kikyo walked by with her bow.

"There is a youkai near."

Inuyasha sniffed the air and nodded his head. He got up and followed Kikyo, leaving Kagome

sitting alone. After a while Kagome got up to see what they were going to do. Hiding behind a

tree Kagome could see the two facing off a giant spider youkai. It had bristling purple hair and

was drooling a yellow saliva that burned the ground when it dropped. Inuyasha ran toward it

and dropped down, slashing the legs of the spider. It gave a roar of pain and fell the ground.

Kikyo shot an arrow through it and it disintegrated into dust. Kagome watched in amazement

at the spectacle before her. They moved as a well oiled team, a pair, a couple. Kagome

suddenly realized something as she watched the two nodding in approval of their work.

Keeping the thought in her head she walked back to her place in the meadow. When she sat

down she clutched her legs to her breast and held them tightly, as if she was cold. It somehow

made sense, perfectly clear sense.

"Are you cold?"

Kagome looked up to see Inuyasha peering down at her.

"No, I'm fine."

He sat down next to her.

"It's amazing how you guys can fight like that."

"It takes practice and experience, that's all."

"I wish I could do that."

"Be able kill youkai?"

"To be able to protect myself."

"Why don't you ask Kikyo to teach you how to use the bow and arrow."

"No, Kikyo is much too busy. Maybe I'll ask Kaede. I have to protect myself somehow these

days. With youkai roaming around, looking for the Shikon."

"I'll protect you."

Kagome turned her head to Inuyasha and looked at him.

"Do you mean that?"

He looked awkward for a moment and stared down at the grass.

"Yes."

Kagome touched his arm.

"Thank you."

"You don't have to get all touchy about it!"

Kagome gave a grin and turned her head to look at children picking flowers. Things felt

perfect, but there was that tug of knowing. She knew now, and she had not a clue of what to do

with it.