InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ New Journey ❯ 4 ( Chapter 4 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The others watched, shocked, as Kagome transformed into her demon form,
which resembled a calico cat. (A/N: No, she wasn't a cat in reality,
see chaapie 22 in The odd things we do for complete details on the forms
of the group!) They were extremely surprised that Kagome would do
something so........suicidal. She was becoming a demon, right in front of a
powerful miko that had just stated very clearly that she'd kill any
demons she saw! Once Kagome was full youkai, the others followed her lead,
hoping that they had made the right descion. Kohaku was the last to
transform, and he threw a look that meant ,I'm sorry, but I have to back
them up. to Nari, and she just nodded in understanding. The Mikos mouth
opened in surprise when she saw the group of seemingly human people
become full youkai. She turned to her daughter.
"You knew about this?" Nari nodded.
"You knew that they were demons and you didn't say a word?" The Miko
wasn't yelling. She was using a very soft voice that commanded attention.
Nari nodded again.
"I want them out of my house." The Miko said. "No youkai should have
been able to come in." Kagome took a stept towards the Miko, and the Miko
flinched, afraid that Kagome would attack her.
"Couldn't you give us a chance?" Kagome asked. "You don't even know how
we came to be like this. Hear our story, then you may pass judgment."
Kagome glanced at the group. "Is this okay?" Everyone nodded. The
Princess looked shocked that a bunch of youkai was in the same room without
fighting, or trying to kill anyone.
"Okay. I'll hear how you met, and how you became like this. I wanted to
know anyway." The Miko said. "I'll listen over breakfast. Come on." The
Miko turned away, back facing the youkai, and had temporary misgivings.
everyone was shocked to say the least. The Miko had her back facing
towards youkai, and she had invited them to eat with her? Speechless, the
group followed, morphing into their usual forms, if full-youkai wasn't
what they were normally.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They had just gotten started eating when the Miko started to pester
them with questions. She had her fork in her hand, but she clearly wasn't
interested in eating.
"What were you origninally? How did you all meet? Were you friends or
enemies? How did such a band of people like yourselves stick together?"
" Kagome tried to answer her questions with one sentence, but failed
until Sango said: "It's a long story. After we have eaten, we'll
explain." The Miko seemed content with the answer, for she didn't ask anything
again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Afetr breakfast, Kagome patiently explained how they had met everyone,
and that the group had steadily grown. She explained about Naraku,
Kagura's heart, and the last battle. It was clear that everyone had become
friends after no one was trying to steal someone's woman, or hit on
everyone they saw, etc. Koga and Miroku looked sheepish at this, but
didn't say a word. Kagome got to the part about the completed Shikon Jewel,
and then the Miko looked a lot more interested.
"You made the wish on the Jewel?" the Miko asked.
"Yes. After it was purifuied." Kagome explained.
"Were you all demons, humans, or a mix when the wish was made?"
"Sango, Miroku, Kohaku, and I were human, Inuyasha was a hanyou, and
Koga, Kagura, Myoga, Shippo, and Kirara were all demons."
"Who's Myoga?" the Miko hadn't met the flea yet, so she didn't know.
"He's a flea demon that lectures on pointless things." Inuyasha said.
"Like how I should behave."
"They're not useless!" Myoga said, jumping off Kirara's back onto the
Mikos nose. The Miko looked unsure of what to do. Inuyasha might be mad
if she squashed him...........
"Just hit him." Kohaku said. He'd learned how to deal with Myoga on the
road. The Miko did as instructed. Myoga floated down, flat as a
pancake.
"Okay. Why are you different from other youkai?"
"We don't kill anyone. Sango would have killed us, or one of the other
demon exterminators." Sango nodded.
"That's another thing I don't get. How come a monk, a demon
exterminator, and a miko are traveling with demons and half-demons?"
"I love Inuyasha, and the others joined because we had a common goal."
Kagoem blushed at the first three words, she never said them before,
but all Inuyasha did was kiss her cheek and say 'I love you too, Kagome.'
whisper-soft, so no one else heard.
"What was the goal?" the Miko asked, interested.
"Kill Naraku, which we did."
"There must be strong bonds of friendship to stay together, even after
your goal." the Miko observed.
"Yes, well, it's like we're our own little community. No one else is
quite like us."
"That's true enough." The Miko seemed deep in thought for a moment. "I
think i have come to a descion." Everyone held their breath, waiting
for the axe to fall. The Miko just smiled.
"You are worthy of becoming the next rulers. You'll leave tomorrow on
your quest. I must put old grudges aside, and let the next generation
take over." Everyone was shocked. No one had expected the Miko to let
them continue!
"Mother?" Nari asked suddenly. "May I go with them?" Nari blushed,
embarrassed. She had wanted to go, if only to speak with Koahku some more,
but she had planned on talking to her mom later, not right now! The
Miko seemed surprised too.
"Of course." was all she said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As scheduled, the next day at dawn found our group walking in search of
the first talisman. They had a clue sheet, which would be helpful, but
it would take a while to figure out the clues, which were in the form
of riddles. the first clue/riddle was:
All my life I eat, but when I drink I die. I am tall and straight, and
I look white to your eye. What am I?
No one could figure out the meaning, and they decided to stop at the
next town to figure it out. Kagome was sure that she'd heard it somewhere
before, but she couldn't remember the answer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome and the girls wanted to go shopping. They were excited about
some candle-makers shop, right on the outskirts of town. Inuyasha and the
men grudgingly agreed. They were dragged from shop to shop, finally
stopping at the candle-makers. They entered, and a bell tinkled overhead,
signaling their arrival. the man behind the counter asked if they were
tourists.
"Sort of. We just wanted to look around at your shop." Kagome said,
smiling.
"Oh, I thought you came to see this white candle. No one has been able
to pick it up. People try to every day." Kagome looked shocked for a
moment, they whispered to the others.
"The answer to the riddle is a candle! Candles can be any color, but it
mentioned a white candle! Candles are tall, and the candle flame 'eats'
wax, but if you give the flame liquid, it dies!" Turning to the man,
she asked:
"Is it okay if we try to pick it up? One at a time? If we do, may we
have the candle?"
"Sure, sure." the man said, ceratin they wouldn't succeed. He led them
to the back, where a normal sized white candle was. the first to try to
pick it up was Kagura, followed by Koga, then the others shortly after.
None could. everyone in the group was puzzled for a moment, then Sango
saw the reason.
"Maybe we have to be in our normal forms?" Sango suggested.
"She might be right." Kagura said. "After all, what else would work?"
The demons transformed into their usual forms, and the owner of the
store looked shocked. Inuyasha, of course, transformed into a hanyou. This
time, Koga managed to pick it up, very easily.
"So it looks like we have the first talisman." Koga said cockily.
"What's a candle for though?"
"It supposedly represents fire, so I guess we represent the elements.
Koga, Fire is yours, so we have to move onto the next clue." Kagome
said. "The next riddle reads :
Flowing to center, then running away, I have no legs, and am hard
pressed to stay put. My 3 forms will have you searching. What am I?"
Everyone was stumped. They decided to sleep on it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning, the clouds were dark and grey. Kagome thought tha she
heard someone mention something about 'floods' but she wasn't sure.
when she asked about it, the villagers responded that it was flood season.
Kagome ran off to tell the others, but then the rain came down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inuyasha was searching for Kagome. He had forgotten that these parts
were known for their violent flash floods. Kagome was no where in sight,
and the water was rising past his ankles. He had a hard time walking,
so he started to travel by huge jumps. the next time he touched down,
the water was at his knees.
"Kagome! Where are you?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome was underwater. She was trying to stand up, but she wasn't
strong enough to, and she didn't like water when she was a cat youkai, so
that form wouldn't help. She was about to give up when delicate female
hands pulled her up onto a feather. Kagome sat there, coughing, for a
moment, then thanked Kagura for pulling her up.
"You have to watch out for flash floods. Inuyasha reminded us, and I
saw you head over here a few minutes ago." Kagura said. "I'm just glad I
found you. The water is terribly cold, and I don't like sticking my
hand in cold water."
"Oh, I thought that the water was fine." Kagome said, surprised.
"What's that you have in your hand?" Kagura sked, curiously.
"What?" Kagome looked at her hand. Sure enough, it was clenched around
something. When Kagome opened her hand, she found a beautiful shell.
"May I see it?" Kagura asked.
"Sure." Kagome handed her the shell, but Kagura dropped it on her
feather. "What's wrong?"
"It's scalding hot! How did you touch it?" Suddenly everything clicked
into place. "Oh." Kagura said.
"What?" Kagome asked.
"Does a shell represent any of the elements?"
"Yes. Water. Why do you ask?" Then realization dawned on her. "Oh. I
represent water?"
Kagura nodded. "The shell is proof. Come on." Kagura said, stopping her
feather at their hut. "Let's tell the others."
Soaking wet, they entered the hut.

A/N: Long chappie? Review for more. Don't you want to know what the
others represent? R&R