InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shikon Wishes ❯ Desperate Wish ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: Hey y'all! Ok so I know it probably dun make much sense for me to start this while I'm still working on another incomplete thing but…well…it just came to me and I couldn't lose it so r&r please k! oh and as always, none but the original characters belong to me…mneh!

Chapter 1 - Desperate Wish

The sharp rap on the door nearly made Kagome cut herself with the knife. It was the eve of the winter festival! Surely they'd leave them alone for that.

A noisy succession of raps shattered that hope.

Her younger brother Souta rose, face shadowed by the same fears. Kagome waved him back to supervising their youngest brother, Shippou, making snowflakes out of bleached rice paper. After wiping her hands on the front of her kimono she picked up a heavy shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders, making her way to the front door.

"Open in the name of the law!"

She flung it wide open to see icy fog swirling around the figure of two figures, a man and a weasel, one of the enforcers of the Demon Law.

*Not on the Eve!* She prayed. Please. Lord Hojou, the man, had been so kind to her after the deaths of her mother and grandfather, continuously giving her small sums to maintain the upkeep of the shrine after she had been left penniless. Although he had been rather gracious about it up till now, Kagome had yet to pay back even a cent of the sizable amount she owed him and he was beginning to show signs of impatience, but surely he'd never throw them out on the eve. He clearly wasn't suffering for lack of pay as his Hakama was just as lush as it always was and his hair was neatly dressed.

"Ah Kagome my dearest, at last," he said in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Let us in please."

Kagome swallowed, but could do nothing but nod and step back to let them into the small house near the shrine. "You wanted something Hojou-sama?"

Once she'd shut the door to the frigid air he said, "Dear Kagome, love you though I do I cannot overlook the fact that you haven't paid back any of the money I have lent you or even made any attempt to reimburse me in any way for that matter. Surely it cannot have escaped your attention?"

"Nani!? But you said we weren't to worry!"

Her breath puffed in the coldness of the house. If Lord Hojou had come alone she would've invited him into the kitchen. She rebelled, however, at the thought of having the grubby weasel demon at his side any further into her house that he had to be and so remained in the freezing hall.

"My dear Kagome, you must believe me in full when I say that if I could ignore your debt then certainly I would, but the fact of the matter is, it's out of my hands. The Youkai Law requires that I collect from you…oh Kagome I know this must be too much but you have to understand there's nothing I can do! The High Lord Naraku would have me punished if I deterred from it. Surely you realize that?"

Kagome glanced around, as if help or advice would appear like an angel. But, not at all to her surprise, none came.

"Hai Hojou-sama, I do realize that, but surely…surely you can wait until after the festival? If you could only give us a bit more time…"

"Now, now, Higurashi-san," said the weasel, "Hojou-sama has indeed been kind. More than kind-."

The young man raised a hand to silence him. "And can afford to be a bit longer. After all, it is Winter's Eve."

*Oh thank Kami!* Kagome thought to herself.

"But you must see," he added," that this cannot be permanent."

Kagome did. She had lived on hope for months, writing at first to a few scattered relatives, even going so far as petitioning Demon charities to take on her case to no avail. It was pointless to try and conceal her destitution any longer. Their money was just about gone. The best she'd been able to scrape together for Eve dinner was a rabbit. One day soon the money would be all gone.

She looked down, hating it. "I really have no idea where to turn."

"Oh my dear." At his kind tone she looked up with hope, but something in his eyes made her want to step back. She remembered that not to long ago Lord Hojou had changed from a faraway friend to an attentive admirer, but certainly she must be imagining things. Surely he didn't think of her in that way?

With a wave of his hand Hojou dispensed with the weasel still lurking at his side. "I do not think we have any further need of you Masaro. I will sit with Higurashi-san."

"You are too kind Hojou-sama," Masaro replied. Then to Kagome, "you pay attention to Hojou-sama. `Tis a sad truth that beggars can't be choosers. If you're without resources then you're going to have to lower your standards and make do" and with that the grubby weasel disappeared out the door.

Kagome bit her tongue. They had been lowering their standards and making do for months. Was it their misfortune that their clothes hadn't yet worn to give a tattered enough appearance? Left with the young lord she led him into another room and lit the fire, taking out a few old silken mats to sit on. They had been her mother's best. Gesturing to the floor she forced a smile. "I cannot thank you enough for your kindness Houjo-sama. Please, sit."

Houjo smiled back and sat gesturing to her to follow suit, "Hai Kagome, arigato. I am only sorry that I must collect reimbursement from you. You are well aware that the situation cannot go on this way. I am sorry for the death of your mother and grandfather, I held great respect for him and she was always kind to me."

Kagome shifted uncomfortably. She could tell that he was only trying to relax her but the situation was only making her sick with anticipation. "So," she said a little too loudly, "can you think of a source of aid for us, a way to keep our family together? I do not want my brothers to end up in the mines."

Houjo frowned and clasped her hands in his, "of course not Kagome. Surely you must know that I would never let such a thing happen!"

Kagome forced herself to smile though she disliked the cold clamminess of his hands. "Iie Houjo-sama, of course not."

Houjo suddenly turned scarlet. "Um…yes, well I…I think I may have a solution Kagome. You see my 25 year will be coming next year and well, well, you know how the law requires all Lords to be married by then. Well my father has given me leave to find a bride of my choosing, of course because you are so poor he would never allow me to marry you but the law allows for…others. And…um…well, if you…if you…since you can't find help anywhere else I…I thought that perhaps you could become my mistress."

The world stopped for a few missing heartbeats, then Kagome exclaimed, "nani!? Your mistress!?"

Kagome turned dark red and snatched her hands from his. She leaped to her feet wanting to scream at him and throw him out physically from the house but-hands clenched-she made herself pause. *Why that sniveling little…* with a sigh she closed her eyes. It wasn't his fault, he was only trying to help and the law was the law…*but I'd sooner give my right hand than become anyone's mistress.*

If she didn't agree then there was nothing even Lord Houjo could do to keep them from being cast from their home. She could deal with it, probably find a job as a servant in another shrine but certainly her brothers would be sent to the mines and she knew that little Shippou wouldn't last long there.

Should she consider it? Perhaps there situation would be better if…?

No

*Never* her pride wouldn't allow for it.

But she needed more time.

Time.

An idea suddenly occurred to her, it was something dark and dangerous but certainly preferable to Houjo's proposal.

To do that she had to put him off.

She faced him. "I cannot agree with this at the moment Houjo-sama"

Houjo looked chagrined, "Kagome, I cannot give you much time…"

"Just until after the winter festival!"

"Two weeks? No, no that's far too long I'm sorry. Kagome I can only give you one week."

Kagome looked silent a moment then nodded, "Hai Houjo-sama, arigato."

They left the room and she showed him to the door. As he went to leave he suddenly turned and caught her lips in a cold clumsy kiss, "remember, a week Kagome. I'm sorry but that's all I can give. Oh and please consider my proposal, certainly there are worse things."

Kagome fought not to rub at her lips but instead forced a smile, "hai Houjo-sama, I will." With that she closed the door in his face.

Kagome heaved a sigh and leaned against the door. She had expected his attentions to have turned more than friendly, and had even been prepared to accept a marriage proposal for the sake of her brothers, but mistress…never. This left only one resource, the thing which she had avoided throughout these terrible months.

The wishing stone.

She gave another sigh then slowly, stiffly made her way up the stairs to her mother's bedroom. Oh, how she missed her. Her father had been killed when she was little so she didn't remember much of him but she had had her mother and grandfather all her life and been so close to them.

She shook herself then steadily walked over to the dusty cabinet where the jewel was kept and opened it. It was humming. That's how she thought of it though no one else seemed to hear it. It was years since she'd seen it and it still dazzled her. Five years, in fact, for she'd been fifteen when her mother had shown her the Shikon-no-Tama, and explained where it was kept, why it was hidden, and the powers it possessed. Five years since Kagome had found out that she too possessed the miko powers needed to use the Shikon. The jewel was a wishing stone, and to the women of the family gifted with the power, it would grant wishes.

For a price. Always at a cost.

One cost was always the unpleasantness of the process-a sickening pain which usually caused a faint. That discomfort was brief, however, and could usually be borne. The other cost came because it was a mischievous jewel which always granted a wish with a sting in the tail. So now she studied the stone warily, wondering what she should ask for, and if it was possible to avoid the sting.

Money?

That's what they needed but it could come in many unpleasant ways. To make the stone do her bidding she had to form her wish exactly as it should be.

The future of her brothers. That's what she wanted. Their future as a decent family. She framed the wish and went over and over it. It seemed too much to wish for, an impossible wish, but it was what they needed, and she believed in the power of the Shikon. When she was ready, she took a deep breath and held the jewel in her hands. The power rushed into her and she flinched.

"I wish," she said as firmly as she could, "that within the week, we shall all be provided for as befits us, and with honor and happiness."

She could not let go, and her hand shook violently as she tried. Then she made herself surrender, plunge deep into the jewel's wild energy. The power engulfed her, bringing shivers and aches, dazedness and breathlessness. Dimly she though she should have locked the door in case one of her brothers came in and found her like this. She wondered too, if the stone could kill, for she felt as if she might die. Perhaps the power of the jewel equaled the dimension of the wish, and she had wish for so much! Was it possible that she had wished for too much? Panicked, she tried to let go. What if it never let go? What if it sucked all the life from her? It couldn't! She couldn't bear it…! A desperate scream and she became one with the Shikon. Sick and dizzy she came to herself, shaking. She still couldn't let go of it. The Shikon's power ebbed, but slowly, almost reluctantly, as if it resisted releasing its victim.

Victim?

Why think that when the jewel offered her only chance of escape? When the power sank, instead of dropping it immediately, she made herself kiss the jewel and whisper, "thank you" before gently setting it back on the silk pillow and shutting the cabinet door. She had only a few minutes to steady herself but she blew out the candle and locked the cabinet.

Now it was just a matter of time.

It would happen, she was sure. Within the week her wish would be granted.

Time alone would tell the price.