InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Punishment ❯ Chapter 4: Emptiness ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4: Emptiness

 

 

The next day, Kagome awoke late from an uneasy and restless sleep, feeling irritable, and gazed around her little room with loathing. It was a tiny little hole of a place, no more than six paces long, and so low that anyone even a little more than average height would feel uncomfortable in it, fearful that at any moment they might bump their head against the ceiling.

 

The fresh timber that was used did little to refresh the dank atmosphere; an old and dusty backpack leaned against one corner. Memories of a world now forgotten. And lastly there was a bedding area that took up almost one whole wall and half the width of the room.

 

A more degraded manner of life could not have been imagined, but it suited Kagome's present mood. She had resolutely withdrawn from all human contacts, like a tortoise retreating into its shell, until the sight even of those she loved made her shudder with revulsion. Such behavior is often found among students or those with education when they are concentrating all their energies on one point.

 

She had stopped supplying herself with food a week ago, and it hadn't occurred to her to heed the advice of those around her and eat something, even if it appeared unappetizing. Her closest friend, Inuyasha, who some may even label as more of a friend, was particularly concerned with her recent odd habits. It was he who woke her up now.

 

“Get up! Why are you still asleep?” He exclaimed standing over her, “It's past noon already!”

 

Kagome opened her eyes with a start and looked at InuYasha.

 

“Keh! Pathetic human! You'll waste away if you don't eat something; I thought you were smart Kagome. I've brought you some food, wouldn't you like some?”

 

“You brought me food, Inuyasha?” she said, slowly and painfully raising herself off the floor into a sitting position.

 

“Just eat the damn soup, wench. It's good soup, yesterdays. I saved some for you yesterday but you came in too late. It's good soup…”

 

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha with skepticism. Recently he had been concerned about her well being, but never had he showed this amount of affection. Seeing how it pained him so to do this simple act without messing it up, she reluctantly dipped into the soup and forced down several spoonfuls, much to Inuyasha's pleasure.

 

“Um…Kagome?” Inuyasha seemed afraid to bring up whatever he wanted to discuss.

 

“Yes” Kagome ignored the rest of the soup and stared at Inuyasha's blushing features.

 

“I was wondering, and it's not just me! Well anyway, I was just thinking, I mean we were just thinking, well…why the hell do you just lie here, with nothing to show for yourself! You used to be so active; why do you do nothing now?” His outburst was rash and sudden, as if this was a question that had been in his mind for a long while.

 

Kagome heard a slight shuffle of feet and looked up to see the tail of Miroku's robes disappear from her doorway.

 

“I am doing…” began Kagome grimly and reluctantly.

 

“What?”

 

“Work…”

 

“What sort of work?”

 

“Thinking,” she replied seriously after a moments pause.

 

“You have got to be fucking kidding me! Well, have you thought up a way to open the well again? Have you thought up a way to take care of you and your brother? Come on, Kagome, we can't take care of you for the rest of your life! And Shippou…”

 

Kagome gave him a look that dared Inuyasha to bring up the subject of Shippo. “I don't know what's wrong, but you're the one who has to fix it!” Inuyasha stormed out of the hut, she could hear him defending his rash actions to Miroku and Sango.

 

Almost all the time that Inuyasha was yelling, her face was wet with tears, but when he left it was pale and distorted and a bitter, angry smile played across her lips. She put her head down on her thin, crumpled pillow and lay there for a long time, thinking. Her heart was beating fiercely and her thoughts were wildly agitated.

 

At last it began to seem close and stuffy in the shabby little room, so like a box or cupboard. His eyes and thoughts both craved more space. She seized the blankets and ripped them off her body and went out, this time without fearing to meet anybody on the way out; he had forgotten all about that.

 

She walked in the direction of the village, hurrying as though she had business there, but, as usual, she walked without noticing where she was going. Whispering and sometimes even talking aloud to herself, to the surprise of passers-by. Many of them supposed her to be crazy.

 

 

-------2 Months Ago-------

 

 

It took a long while to explain the entire series of events. Apparently on the way into the well, Souta had wished for him and his sister to be safe and the jewel had apparently decided that the safest place was in Feudal Japan.

 

The confession from Souta had a profound effect on Kagome, she could feel the jewel was gone, and there was an emptiness inside of her, almost as if a piece of her soul was missing.

 

In the two months following, Kagome had begun to grow more irritable, more reclusive. Her entire personality had changed, for the worse. Many assumed that it was due to the loss of her family, having been deprived of a home, Kagome had slipped into a deep state of depression. Kagome knew that something was not right inside of her, that a piece was missing and she might never get it back.

 

For Kagome, it wasn't that she chose to be reclusive and unemotional; it was that she could not feel, could not see in the way she used to be able to.

 

Souta thoroughly blamed himself for his sister's condition, in blaming himself; he also changed his personality drastically. Once a pleasant enough boy, idolizing his sister and Inuyasha, he was now very sullen most of the time and worked feverishly at whatever tasks anyone would give him, perhaps trying to compensate for some wrong he felt he had committed.

 

Shippo had also suffered, the final battle with Naraku had left the kitsune severely wounded, and several of the wounds were deep and required more attention than Kagome could give. The end result had been drastic changes in Shippo's personality, due to changes that would affect his life forever.

 

Shippo would never be able to run correctly again, and never would he be able to sit atop his favorite perch on one of his friends shoulders. The wounds to his legs and back had made sure of this. The full effects were not realized until much later, but no matter how much care the kit needed, Inuyasha and Kagome had always been there, feeling eternal gratitude for saving Kagome's life.

 

The well had disappeared, as if it never had been. Kagome sat on that hilltop often, gazing into the distance, or perhaps gazing into herself, searching for a piece of herself she could remember, but never grasp.

 

A/N

Another installment done…

Nothing really to say…

Later