InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fading ❯ Memories And Tears ( Chapter 4 )

Hey pplz, it's me again! *ignores groans from readers* Thanks to a kind individual, I've just realized that I had my settings so that you couldn't send in anonymous reviews T_T I'm sorry! I changed it, so feel free to review, k? I really wanna hear from you all! Enjoy the fourth chappy ^_^

Disclaimer: You want a disclaimer? Look in the first three chapters! -_-x

Chapter Four: Memories and Tears

Shock. Inu Yasha would have been able to smell it even if Kagome's face hadn't looked like she had just been hit by lightning. The raven-haired girl was clutching something in her hand as if it were a life-line. What the hanyou didn't know was that it might very well be.

How did this necklace get here? Kagome thought in bewilderment. The last time I saw this was back in my own time!

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*Flashback*

A twelve-year-old Kagome fiddled with the hem of her fancy red dress as she watched sign-posts flash by outside the car window. The evening sky was dotted with bright stars, reminding her that Christmas was only a few days away.

"Are we almost there, Mom?" the young girl asked excitedly. Kagome, her mom, and her little brother Souta were on their way to a friend's Christmas party. It was one of the first fancy-dress parties Kagome had ever been to, and she kept tugging on her new dress as if to make sure it was still there.

Kagome's mother glanced at her daughter in the rear-view mirror and smiled. "Almost. The next turn will put us on Takahashi-sama's road."

Kagome turned to Souta and shared his grin. Christmas parties meant presents, and candy, and friends, and staying up late! The two kids were out of the car the second Mrs. Higurashi pulled into the driveway. Kagome would have run straight to the door if her mom hadn't stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Kagome, would you please help me put on this necklace? I didn't have time to do so before we left."

"Sure," Kagome said, carefully taking the fine golden chain her mother handed her. The girl's eyes widened as she studied it. Hanging from the chain was a beautiful lily wrought from white gold. "Where did you get this?"

Mrs. Higurashi turned away from Kagome and bent her knees so that her daughter could place the necklace around her neck. "It's been in the family for generations," she explained. "I was told that it might even date back five hundred years or so."

"That's a long way back," Kagome said softly, her eyes still on the necklace. Something about the chain and lily held her gaze, a strange compulsion passing through her body. Although Kagome didn't know why, she had the feeling that this wouldn't be the last she'd see of the beautiful necklace…

*End flashback*

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It might even date back five hundred years or so - I guess that was more than just a story. Kagome traced the petals of the lily, staring out across the lake. At least now I have a good idea of where we have to go.

"Kagome!" Shippou's voice jolted the teen out of her thoughts. The kitsune raced up to Kagome and leaped onto her shoulder. "Watcha got?"

Kagome held up the necklace, almost smiling at the way Shippou's eyes grew round and followed the swaying motion of the chain.

"It's so pretty!" he said, reaching out a small hand to touch the lily. "But why's it all broken and dirty? Who would throw away such an pretty necklace?"

"I'm not sure Shippou," Kagome answered slowly. "But I think I know where we might find some answers."

"Where, wench?" Inu Yasha broke in. Kagome scowled at him, but she had noticed that the insult lacked its usual emphasis. The half demon appeared to be simply trying to make things normal again. Kagome snorted. Like her life would ever be anything that resembled normal.

"We have to go back to Taro's house," she told her friends. "I think this necklace is the key to my problem, but I'm not exactly sure how it fits in. Taro might be able to tell us."

"It's just a damn necklace," Inu Yasha muttered. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

Kagome grimaced. It looked like the old Inu Yasha was back. No more hugs or kind words from this particular hanyou. "I'll explain on the way," she said, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "Just take me there, okay?"

"Fine," Inu Yasha said, sulky at being brushed off. "Let's go."

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It shouldn't have taken long to reach Taro's house from the lake, but the small group hadn't counted on any delays. Only a little after they had left the clearing, Kagome - who had been riding on Kirara with the others, besides Inu Yasha - had felt her hand sink through the fire cat's shoulder. She had only had time to utter a mental Damn it! before she was tumbling to the ground straight through Kirara's body. Kagome sat up slowly, answering her companions' anxious questions with a simple "I'm alright." before belying her words by starting to cry. Her body wasn't solid enough anymore for the fall to actually hurt, but if anything that only made Kagome sob harder.

It was Inu Yasha who, unsurprisingly, reached her first. Putting an arm protectively around her shoulders, he squatted down beside the girl.

"It's okay, Kagome. You're fine, don't worry. You can't break down on us now, we have too little time as it is," he said soothingly. Brilliant move dog-boy.

"Don't you get it?" Kagome yelled through her tears. "That's the problem! I'm bloody DISAPPEARING faster than you can eat ramen and you want me to calm down?!"

The others had been looking on, feeling uncomfortable. At this point, however, Miroku wisely decided to step in.

"Kagome-chan," he said, using the term for a dear friend, "Inu Yasha is right, however thoughtless and crude his comments may have been." Here he shot the hanyou a dark look. "You have to be strong so that we can fix this problem. We're all in this together - if one of us fails, so do the rest. Besides being important to our mission, you're an excellent friend, Kagome. We would be devastated if you were to disappear in any way. Please, we must continue."

Kagome, who had stopped crying as Miroku spoke, suddenly teared up again. "Oh, Miroku!" she cried, flinging her arms around him and sobbing into his robes. "I never knew I meant so much to all of you!"

The monk looked decidedly uncomfortable at having a hysterical female sobbing into his chest. Wasn't he, being a lecher, supposed to be the one grabbing unsuspecting women? Having the tables turned on you is embarrassing, he thought, patting Kagome on the back until her sobs quieted again. After all, I've got a reputation to uphold!

Scrubbing at her eyes with the backs of her hands, Kagome stood up. She offered Sango and Shippou a watery smile, gave Miroku a grateful look, and raised an eyebrow at Inu Yasha. " 'We have too little time as it is' ?"

He held up his hands defensively, saying, "I was just trying to help!" Kagome only shook her head and grinned, though her grin faded as she turned to the rest of her friends.

"I'm sorry," she said, facing them squarely with her back to the horizon. "You probably all think I'm a coward now. I would, if I were you. But I can promise it won't happen again. If you're ready, we'd better go before…well, we'd just better get going."

  Her companions nodded and exchanged glances before following the determined girl as she strode away. None of them spoke, but each was thinking of what they had just glimpsed - trees and farmers fields, clearly seen through Kagome's fading body.

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Yeah, it was a shorter chapter than the others, but I'm trying to spread the story out a bit so you can all enjoy it! Besides, I was having a little bit of writer's block -_-x Please write and tell me what you think so far, so I'll know whether or not to continue with this fic!

~SilverMyste~