InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ There I Was ❯ Truth Be Told ( Chapter 18 )

There I Was

Chapter Eighteen: Truth Be Told

{Disclaimer: I don't own it.}

Authors Note: Not much else I have to say that I haven't other than I'm really sorry about not updating. Ja

-Flame

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I stretched as I watched Kohaku and his father train. It's been two months since I first came to the Taijiya village and I have to admit, it's not as bad as I first thought. For one they only destroy bad youkai, like the ones Sessh would always fight. I sighed and stood from my seat on the porch and walked inside where Sango was making tea. "He's progressing quickly." I smiled and helped set the table.

"Isn't he? It still feels like only yesterday he was picking up his first weapon."

"Never forget memories like those. Once he's gone that's all you'll have left."

"You sound like you speak from experience." Sango said sitting across from me at the table.

"My brother died when I was sixteen."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." I smiled and poured her some tea. "Besides, I have memories to remind us of our good times." Sango nodded and then stood. I looked over my shoulder and saw her father standing behind me, and I stood as well.

"Sango, Raquel, could you two go out and find some wood for the bon fire tonight?"

"Yes." We said simultaneously and grabbed some shawls and left the house. This is perfect! Just Sango and myself alone in the woods! Now I can get to talk to her about what I've needed to talk to her about for a while.

Leaving.

We left the village and began walking through the surrounding forest. "So…Sango…I was wondering…"

"Yes?" She asked as I paused.

"The snows have pretty much stopped and spring will be starting soon. So…I was wondering if it would be a good time to leave now." Sango stood from picking up a log and turned to look at me.

"Leave, but I thought you liked it here? And what of the baby? Should you really be traveling?"

"Well, you see…I was on my way to my brother-in-laws house, he lives in the east, and I need to get to him soon. Besides, I doubt my child would be welcome in the village." Okay, so I just recently remembered about Inuyasha living in the east, but I was traveling in that direction, so I'm not lying.

"Why wouldn't the villagers except your child?"

"My husband…he was a youkai." Sango gasped and I looked away.

"Then that means…your child is a hanyou…I can see why you feel you need to leave." She turned and began collecting more firewood. "I'll tell my father tonight that I'll be escorting you to your brother-in-laws in the morning." I nearly dropped the wood I had in my arms, I really did. "Though, it will be lonely without another woman to talk to." Tears formed in my eyes and I dropped the wood and hugged her.

"Thank you Sango! And you can come and visit anytime! I'll miss having you around too ya know." I let her go and picked my wood back up. Sango smiled at me and nodded.

"I thought as much. I trust you to visit me as well." She trusts me…? I mean, for all she knows I'll leave and never come back, but she trusts that I won't do that?

"You trust me?"

"Oh course, you've done nothing to make me believe other wise." Okay, I feel really bad now. I don't think I like this game anymore.

"Well, no…no that's not true."

"Oh? What have you done?"

"I've lied to you."

"How so?" I can't believe I'm about to do this…but I feel like I need to tell her. I think I can trust her to keep my secret safe.

"I'm not who you think I am for one."

"Then who are you?" She was still gathering firewood as she spoke. Does she think this is just one of my games?

"My real name is Kagome." That got to her. She straightened and looked at me shocked.

"Kagome? You mean the Lady of the Western Lands Kagome?" I nodded and I could see her pale. "H-how, you look nothing like the rumors I've heard."

"I'm a miko, I can look like anything I want." Stretching the truth a bit, I know but hey, I don't really care. "Also, my husband's not dead."

"I figured that." She said flatly. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I was kidnapped by Saiyako and when she came looking for me you said you'd keep and eye out and I got worried that you would send me back to her." Sango had resumed collection wood and shrugged.

"I may have. What did you do to get on her bad side?"

"Mate my husband who she happened to have a fixation on." I heard Sango laugh a bit and I helped gather more wood as well.

"It figures. So, I'm friends with the Lady of the West, what kind of perks do I get?" She laughed. I could tell she was only joking to lighten the mood. I'm so glad she still considers us friends after I lied to her.

"Oh I don't know…maybe the West's support in youkai hunting?" We laughed and finished collection wood and headed back to the village. "One thing though, please don't tell anyone. I don't want anyone else know who I am yet." I asked Sango before we entered the village.

"Not a problem, your secret's safe with me." I gave a sigh of relief as we entered the village and set the wood next to the fire pit. Some men quickly gathered around and began to light a fire as we sat back ad watched in amusement. "So, what are you going to do once you make it to the east?"

"I'm going to try to find my mate. I don't know how that's going to work out though."

"You never know." Sango laughed and pointed to one of the men who had nearly lit his clothes on fire. "Did you see that?"

"Unfortunately, inane little children." I shook my head and sighed.

"I want to meet your mate when you find him again." I looked at her and smiled.

"I'll make sure you will."

"What's he like? Is he like what the rumors say?"

"No, well, not around me at least. He can be very bloodthirsty at times, but he shows me his softer side. He's like a giant pink bunny on the inside."

"Pink? How can a bunny be pink?"

"When they meet a untrained miko whose powers go crazy when she sneezes and turns it pink." Sango laughed and grabbed her stomach.

"You've turned Sesshoumaru-sama pink? I bet he loved that."

"You could say that. I'm glad I'm not the only one that finds it amusing."

"How can someone not?" She laughed again as the fire was finally lit and food was beginning to roast over it. "Well, I'd better go ask my father about leaving in the morning before he gets too preoccupied." I nodded as she stood and left me with my thoughts. I'll be leaving soon. Inuyasha will be able to help me find Sessh and everything can be just as it was before any of this happened. I lied down on the porch and closed my eyes. At least I hope everything can go back to normal.

_-*~=~*~=~*-_

I opened my eyes as I felt someone shaking me. I looked and saw Sango smiling at me beneath a starry sky. "You fell asleep." She said and helped me stand. "The party's starting and you should join us." I nodded and walked up to the bon fire with Sango. We sat down on a couple of logs set around the fire and listened as her father gave a speech about how well the warriors have protected the lands this year.

After his little speech we all began to eat. And then the music began. Some couples stood up, ignoring their food and began to dance. Kohaku asked Sango if she could teach him how to dance and she smiled and nodded. I watched as more and more people began to forget about their food and dance. Myself, I stood up and went inside. I was going to be leaving in the morning and needed my rest. Besides, the party reminded me too much of how alone I was at the moment.

_-*~=~*~=~*-_

I woke as sun hit my eyes and sighed. It's too early…early or not I got out of bed and folded it neatly away and walked down to the hot spring in one of the huts in the village. I slipped out of my clothes and into the heated water. I ran my hand over my scarred shoulder and sighed. I can hear Sessh now. "Where did you get that and from whom?" Or something along those lines.

I washed my body and was rinsing suds out of my hair when a thought struck me. I just remembered the poor person Saiyako murdered and left in the Western Lands, Chikako I think it was. What if Sessh already found it? I paled and swallowed hard. I hope he didn't…maybe Inuyasha knows something…hopefully?

I finished bathing and dressed in a new kimono Sango had given me. I was walking back to her house when she stepped out with a worried look on her face. When she saw me though, it turned into a smile. "There you are, we're leaving soon, so pack up what you want to take." I nodded and headed inside as she headed for the hot spring.

I sat down next to my, well their folded bed that I was using, and looked at my stuff. Sango had left a backpack next to the bed and I began to pack clothes in it. It was an odd, overly large yellow backpack. Some of Sango's things were inside and some supplies for the trip. I finished packing just as Sango came back and picked up the backpack. "You're not carrying that the whole trip."

Sango laughed and whistled. "No I'm not." Kirara came running at her whistle and I bent down to pet the little neko. "Kirara's going to carry it for us."

"I see…" I really didn't, until Kirara transformed into a giant fire neko. "She's youkai. I thought Taijiya hated youkai."

"Kirara's different. She saved my life once."

"Oh…" Sango placed the pack on Kirara's back and we left the village. "Can you hold on just a second?" I asked once we were far enough from the village.

"Sure, what do you need?"

"To change back." She looked at me odd and I closed my eyes. I concentrated my powers into my appearance and envisioned my old body. When I opened my eyes I saw an awe struck Sango.

"Wow…you look just like the rumors say…amazing…" I smiled and started walking. I'm so glad that worked. Jii-chan always said, "When in doubt, concentrate."

"Thank you." I said as we started our journey east.