InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Out of This World ❯ The One ( Chapter 2 )

A/N: Ok, so maybe I lied. I felt like working on this one right now, but I have part of On a Leash worked on right now, but we'll see. I have a Creative Writing class this semester, so maybe I'll spend more time on the computer actually writing again (I hope, I hope).

 

Great questions this time around and actually a few are going to be answered this chapter. So, enjoy.

 

While I was writing the Prologue (both parts) I always heard the song “The Unforgiven” by Metallica in my head.

 

Dedication: To my niece, Kirsten. You seem to really like this story, so, this chapter is for you, another lost and confused girl.

 

 

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Chapter Two

 

The One

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Inuyasha gave a mental nod. This is the girl, no mistake.

She stared owlishly at him with brilliant sapphire eyes, irises sparking with silver as she grew more uncomfortable. She finally seemed to regain her wits when she wrenched her chin out of his wet hand and shouted, “Get away from me, you weirdo!”

“What? No wait!” He made to go after her, but she rounded on him at the door, eyes flashing, and he was thrown against the wall by an unseen force. Vision spinning, Inuyasha slid down to the floor and sat dazed for a moment while the girl made her hasty exit from the bathroom, screaming, “KYAAAAA!”

Inuyasha sat forward, holding a hand up to his throbbing head before realizing that the girl was still running away from him (and making quite a scene). “Fuck...!” Swaggeringly getting to his feet, and after slipping on the excess water on the bathroom floor, the hanyou stumbled after her. He passed by a woman and a little boy as they emerged from their respective rooms, looking wide-eyed at him as he tramped after the girl. “Look, I'm not a bad guy!”

“Oh yeah, like I'm supposed to believe it's totally normal for guys to fall into my bathwater!” she shot back.

“Hey, that was an accident!” he snapped, finally overtaking her and stepping right into her path; subsequently, she slammed right into his chest.

“Ow...” The girl rubbed at her nose.

Inuyasha grabbed her upper arms, not harshly, and intoned, “I'm not going to hurt you, all right? So quit freaking out.”

Kagome began to pull away, already opening her mouth to respond before Mama's voice cut in, saying, “It's about the Shikon no Tama, isn't it?” She looked to her mother in confusion. Mama..?

Inuyasha looked to Mama and nodded, releasing Kagome's arms. “Yeah...”

Mama bowed her head slightly, hand touching her chest. “Oh dear...I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. Let's take this downstairs in the kitchen.”

“Fine with me.”

Kagome simply watched, dumbfounded, as her mother and the strange boy walked straight passed her and proceeded down the staircase. She rubbed her arm subconsciously. Something about this was just weird, and Kagome had bad feeling, a really bad feeling.

“Whoa! Did you see his ears, Sis?” bubbled Souta.

Kagome glanced dubiously at her brother. “How could I not?”

“Maybe he's an...” Souta glimpsed surreptitiously from side to side before whispering, “alien...”

“Souta...” she groaned. Only her brother would think of stuff like aliens when some strange guy appeared, and not be at all concerned about why the guy was there in the first place. “Not another theory...”

“But, extraterrestrials have been making contact, and I'll bet that shooting star was really one of their craft.” Souta's entire body shook giddily.

Kagome sighed. “You've been talking to that homeless man by the subway again, haven't you?”

“So...? Jay's right!”

Spreading her fingers to place her forefinger and thumb on her temples, she simply sighed again and made her way downstairs and towards the soft light pouring from the kitchen. Kagome entered and simply stared at the strange boy again, though much more calmly than before. His vermillion jacket hit the middle of his back and a white shirt was tucked into his black pants. He wore heavy-looking black boots on his feet and some strange pouches and pockets were strapped onto his legs.

Now that Kagome looked at him again, he didn't look as terrifying as she'd previously thought. If anything, he just looked wet, a tad sore, and rather peeved.

And that sense of foreboding still refused to leave her.

“Kagome,” said Mama, grimacing as she pulled one of the dining chairs towards her, “please, sit down.”

Allowing her gaze to flicker from the boy to her mother, Kagome scooted the chair out and sat beside her mother.

Souta scrambled into view, depositing himself into one of the chairs across from his mother and sister - Buyo the cat clutched to his chest.

“Well then,” Mama looked at the boy, “would you care to sit down?”

He shook his head. “No, thanks.” He crossed his arms over his chest, peering at Kagome.

Kagome wondered how her mother could be so level-headed about this as she met his gaze. Sure, weird stuff seemed to abound at their house but this guy had just suddenly appeared out of nowhere - and into her bathwater no less!

Mama acts as if...she's expected this... Kagome thought and a sick sort of `eureka!' passed through her. Did Mama expect this...? Why would she expect this boy to visit us...? She shook her head. The more I think about it, the more confused I get... Maybe I should just listen and find out and mull over it later...

Deciding on that notion, Kagome waited for the strange boy to say something.

Inuyasha let his gaze pass over the family and gave a soft sigh - part of him really hated himself for having to disrupt this girl's life here by telling her who she was, what she was, but the greater part of him knew it had to be done and it was that gut-feeling that he was going to follow.

He knew he was going to have to talk soon before the silence got too awkward, and he suddenly wished he'd brought Miroku along - he was a much better orator. “It's about Aetori.”

“Aetori?” echoed Kagome. “What's Aetori?”

“Don't you even know your own father's name?” shot Inuyasha.

“What are you talking about?”

Sensing her daughter was getting upset, Mama laid a hand on Kagome's shoulder. “Your father Tori's real name was Aetori.”

“Mama...?”

Dropping her hand back onto her lap, she continued. “But once he came here, he adopted a more Japanese-sounding name and so he shortened it to simply `Tori.' He didn't want to be recognized - he only wanted to have a life here with me.”

“Dad was a foreigner?” asked Kagome, somehow knowing that was putting it mildly.

“Your father was the prince of the Miotas-las,” Mama intoned softly, looking at the white of the tabletop for a moment. She brought her eyes up, looking to Inuyasha. “It's about Kagome and the jewel isn't it?”

The jewel...? Kagome touched her necklace, too stunned to utter a word.

Inuyasha nodded. “It's for the best if I get her to my ship and get her off this planet. We were hoping not to have to do it so soon but we gotta do it now.”

“Yes, I understand. He's after it, isn't he?”

“Yeah.”

Mama shook her head. “This isn't at all what Tori had in mind... Kagome,” she turned to her daughter, “you have to go with him and get out of here. It isn't safe here for you.”

“Wh-what do you mean--?”

“Just listen! You need to listen to everything this man tells you - “

“Man?” interjected Kagome. “Mom, he's not even human!”

Clamping her hands onto Kagome's shoulders, Mama cried, “Neither are you or Souta!”

Azure eyes widening, the girl looked to her brother, who looked just as genuinely surprised and perplexed.

“I was right...” mumbled Souta as he looked to Buyo, who mewed largely up at him.

“Mama...” she murmured, “I don't know what's going on, but if I'm in some form of trouble, can't I just be put in Witness Protection or something?”

Mama squeezed tighter, hurting Kagome's shoulders a bit. “No, Kagome, you can't. This is something from your father's home, this is your duty - this is your destiny, Kagome.”

“What? Destiny?” she squeaked. “What destiny?” She looked frantically around the room before spotting her grandfather making his way into the room. “Grampa!”

“Hm?” He raised a white eyebrow. “What's going on here?”

“I...I-I don't know...”

Mama refused to yield her grip on her daughter's shoulders, even as she spoke. “Father, this young man came to take Kagome from here and protect her from the same thing that killed Tori.”

“What?” Kagome whipped her head toward her mother. “Something killed Dad...? But, Mama, you said he died in a plane crash...” She managed to break free of her mother's grasp, ignoring her pleading call of, “Kagome!”

The girl sprang from her chair so quickly it skid backwards before she backed herself into the counter, palms pressed against it. All this time...has it been a lie what happened to Dad...? She took a deep breath, and then spoke. “Tell me the truth, Mama. What really happened to Dad?”

Mama bowed her head.

Softly, Souta broke the quiet, saying, “Dad...he didn't die in a plane crash, did he...?”

The fixture situated above the table seemed to drip a sallow light, casting not-quite-black shadows on the features of everyone in the room. It seemed as if everyone and no one were talking all at once, and it swarmed Kagome's mind, making her eyes water from the pain.

She slammed her eyes shut just as Mama finally spat out, “No, your father was savagely killed in battle by a...man....named Naraku.”

Kagome's hand curled around the edge of the ceramic counter, the cool metal of the sink pressing against the heel. “But...why?” she whispered.

“Because of that jewel you're wearing around your neck,” the strange boy said, voice low and gruff, but not without sympathy. “That is the Teirlon Treasure - the Shikon no Tama.” He waited and when Kagome remained silent, he went on. “Teirlon is where the Miotas-las lived, where your old man was from. You have to protect this jewel, girl, because I'm pretty sure your dad didn't die in vain.”

“Why? It's just a stupid jewel...” Kagome chewed on her bottom lip. But Dad gave it to me...I wouldn't be able to just give it up if I wanted to.

“It's not a just a stupid jewel, stupid! That thing has unbelievable powers and in the wrong hands could cause destruction, don't you understand that?” He slammed his palm on the kitchen table, moisture ringing around his hand on the tabletop; the vase in the center jittered from side-to-side. “You're the one who has to protect it - you were the next one in line.”

A tear slipped down her cheek. “Next one in line for what...?”

“For guardianship. Your father was the previous guardian and since it follows from generation to generation, it fell to you. You are the current guardian, whether you like it or not.”

That was it. He said it with such finality that Kagome felt herself taken aback.

Destiny? Fate? Romanticized ideas. She had been lied to, that's all she knew, and she was too upset to consider any of her daydreamer logic. For all these years, Kagome had thought her father had died in a plane crash, but instead was living something of a double life. Now she was the supposed guardian of this Shikon no Tama and expected to go off with this complete stranger to...to another world entirely! This was absurd; there was no way she was going along with this.

Before she knew it, Kagome was shouting, “No, I don't like it and you can't make me do it!” She bit her bottom lip again, more tears finding their way to her cheeks.

“Kagome, if you don't, Naraku will come here for you and the jewel! He may even kill you!” Mama cried.

The emotions were overcoming her, making Kagome's small frame shake. They all just swelled together into one massive, throbbing ache that placed itself right in the center of her forehead. Her fingers clenched onto the counter.

There was a loud bang and a few surprised shouts, causing Kagome to whip open her eyes. The light fixture above the kitchen had burst. She was just able to catch the remnant sparks drifting through the air along with shards of glass chiming as they shattered into even smaller fragments as they hit the table. She could only stare dumbly as the room went dark.

“I...I didn't mean to,” Kagome whispered. She started to tremble harder. Slowly, the taste of fear coating the inside of her mouth, Kagome moved her hands in front of her and saw the lines from the sink and counter edges as the flesh continued to glow light bluish-white color. She brought them up to eyelevel, staring at them with some sort of nauseated horror.

“Sis...” whispered Souta.

Tears blurred Kagome's vision as her eyes focused on her brother through the gaps between her splayed fingers. In the dim natural light, she could make out Souta squeezing the cat a little tighter to his chest. Biting back a cry, she turned on her heel and fled out the kitchen, into the hall, out the shoji screen. She could hear her family calling after her, but she just kept running - the cool stone of the temple grounds brushing the soles of her feet.

“Kagome - stop!”

It was the stranger who called her and Kagome found herself glancing back at him. Her barefoot caught on the side of a stone and she held out her hands to brace for impact, now facing forward with her eyes closed.

Her knees folded beneath her yet only slightly tapped the stone hit. It took a moment for her to realize that there was a pair of large hands bracing her upper arms. She dared to open her eyes and found the unusual gold eyes of that strange boy boring into hers rather knowingly; he had dropped onto one knee so they were level. Kagome hadn't forgotten his earlier brusqueness and was surprised by this display of tenderness.

“Look, you shouldn't run from this,” he said. “It's...just how things are.”

She averted her gaze. “Why does it have to be...?”

“Why does it have to be? What a stupid question! You're The One; you're the guardian, Kagome. Just like your father was before you.” He gave her a light squeeze and Kagome could feel the tips of long nails on her arms.

“Just...why didn't anyone tell me before? How am I in danger? How can I believe all of this?” The tears continued to trail down her cheeks, unable to meet the strange boy's gaze even though she could sense his on her. “I don't even know your name.”

He was quiet for a moment before he finally said, “Inuyasha.” Kagome managed to look at him again as he repeated, “My name - it's Inuyasha.”

“Inuyasha...” she whispered. Another unchecked tear made its way down her face, her mind still reeling from the past few moments.

“...They know you didn't blow the light up on purpose.”

“That's good...”

They sat there in silence, the sky seeming darker and more ominous than ever. The wind changed direction and picked up speed, rushing past and bursting through the god tree's leaves to the west. It was like some soothing lullaby and Kagome found herself calmed by it.

Kagome heard Inuyasha lick his lips and she glanced up at him. “You're going to have to believe me,” he stated. “Naraku wants that jewel more than anything.”

“What if...I just give you the jewel?”

He shook his head. “Doesn't work that way. You're the only remaining Miotas-las, Kagome. The rest of them were killed.”

Her eyes grew wide and murmured, “All of them...were killed...?”

Inuyasha nodded. “Yeah. Your dad kept you hidden here, but Naraku knows where you are now, just like we do.”

“Then why didn't anyone come for me before?”

“Naraku didn't know where you were before. We figured it'd be easier if you were older and able to understand this whole thing better.” He paused for a moment.

“Are you sure I'm not the guardian?” she queried softly.

“You have blue eyes just like all of the other Miotas-las guardians before you,” simply responded Inuyasha. “Only the guardian line seems to be able to control the Shikon no Tama's power correctly. It's where your power came from, too.”

“But I don't know what's going on still. I'm confused, and I don't know if I can trust you yet. But if I stay here...” Kagome drifted off as Inuyasha's grip on her arms slackened and slid away. “My family will be in danger and so will I. I...don't really understand everything yet, but...I'm going to have to go with you.”

Inuyasha kept his eyes on her. “I'm here to protect you, all right? You can trust me. But we have to get you out of here if we're going to keep anyone safe.”

Kagome smiled softly, nodding once. “Then I guess I'm ready to accept my destiny.”

 

 

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A/N: Ooo...and the plot thickens! Okay, well, this chapter was shorter than most, but hey - it had to be cut there. Where will Kagome go? How will this work out? Why are there so many damn questions in this story? Hehe, whoops. My fault.

 

There is some new fan art linked on my bio page drawn by Another Lone Ranger. He let me post it on a page of my `webpage' on geocities so please check it out and enjoy.

 

Also, if any of you like Final Fantasy VIII, please check out the stuff I have written by heading my bio page. On another fun note, I have a theme writing community on livejournal called 100(underscore)chances. Check my bio for my information and a link.

 

Glossary:

 

Aetori (Tori) - Kagome and Souta's father. He was Prince of the Miotas-las before he was killed by Naraku and was the previous guardian of the Shikon no Tama.

 

Teirlon Treasure - Another name for the Shikon no Tama.

 

 

Moonlight Shadow