InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ These Knots We Tie ❯ The Moment We Stop Trying ( Chapter 3 )

Dear Readers: I have received a review by someone, saying my story is a copy of another. I was very concerned by this, so I sent a message to the reviewer asking if they could get me a link to this other story. After receiving no reply (or maybe the message system wasn't working) I searched for this other story, entitled "Ai No Koinu" but couldn't find it on mediaminer. I then looked and found it at one of my favorite fan sites.

Let me just say this: That story is excellent, but I would give up writing before I copied another person's work. My story isn't anything like this authors'. Neither Kagome nor Inuyasha is a slave, and the story line is completely different. If you would like to see this yourself, try searching for the fic on fanfiction.net, I don't know if mediaminer allows links. With that said, here's chapter 3.

These Knots We Tie

Chapter 3: The Moment We Stop Trying

~*~*~*~

Sesshoumaru turned away from his father's house. After his step-mother had left, his father had been devastated. The only thing he could talk about these days was how he would "get that bitch back". Sesshoumaru was no fool; he knew the woman had been abused for months now. His only concern was avoiding his father's wraith. Both of them needed someone there to be the receiver of his rage.

So the young man had agreed to go out in search of his step-mother. Now, he was wondering if this was a mistake. He had no idea where to look!

He shuffled his feet along the dirt path leading through the woods he was currently in. He could smell smoke in the air, and could hear the chatter of young children. Wherever he was, it was a start.

~*~

The Inner Circle was full of talk all that day. Not only had a stranger come to live with them, the newcomer was a young handsome silver hair. He had come from OUTSIDE of the town!

Shippou was rather curious himself, so he spent the day trying to catch a glimpse of the older boy, instead of listening to the rumors the villagers were spouting.

"I hear he dyed his hair silver when he was a child."

"No, that is definitely a natural color. He's just like us."

"Well it was Yanna who told me, ask her about it."

The young boy yawned. He didn't see what all the fuss was about. In fact, he still didn't see why these people didn't just give in to the fact that the Outer Fringe would always act like they were better.

Shippou had moved to the Circle when he was five years old. His mother and father had split on their opinions of the state of this town and decided to live in different areas. His father was probably still in the Fringe, hating the fact that his son had to live among these people. Naturally, Shippou had grown up somewhat conflicted on what to believe. However as he grew, he was drifting more towards the Fringe than the Circle.

Shimmying up a tree, he watched the stranger being introduced to some of the town leaders. He stifled another yawn. This wasn't going anywhere, he wasn't learning anything new. There was nothing to be excited about, except that they'd been wrong about there not being silver hairs outside the town. Big deal.

~*~

Inuyasha couldn't keep all of their names straight. There were so many people in this small area, he wondered if they outnumbered the villagers in the Outer Fringe, or whatever they called it. He was having his name called in all directions by new acquaintances, and he didn't like it. No one ever used his name at home. It was definitely something to get used to. But for now, he wanted to get away from the buzz surrounding him. He wanted to see that girl again.

Getting away proved much more difficult than it seemed. After trying the old "I need to relieve myself" trick, the "what's that over there" trick, and the "I need to rest for a minute" trick, he was almost about to stop trying when something caught his eye. Up in a tree, he saw a young boy, probably about 11 years old, watching him with a bored expression.

He called out a greeting to the kid, causing him to look startled and drop down out of the tree. "Look kid, I don't know why it seems everyone in this town is watching me, but I could really use your help."

For a moment Inuyasha thought the boy would say something along the lines of "Well what will you do for me?" but he merely nodded. Inuyasha explained what he wanted and he motioned for Inuyasha to follow him. He shrugged inwardly and walked with the boy, ptretending to be taking a tour. Kaede was behind him somewhere, but he didn't look back.

After a while of this, the boy led him into a back alleyway. "Just follow this street a ways and you'll get to the border of the Fringe." Before he could thank the kid, he was gone.

~*~

The girls twittered when they came up to her. What was it now? Kagome was getting rather sick of this particular group, who seemed to follow her around endlessly.

"Hey Kagome! Over here! Someone is looking for you."

She turned away from them and walked deliberately towards the school. "I'm going to just get a drink, later ok?"

But they wouldn't be refused. The group ran up and surrounded her. "There's a BOY asking for you."

Kagome swallowed. Surely they were mistaken. Boys were forever approaching her, thinking she was Kikyou, but then turning away when they saw her face. It truly was a nuisance. She sighed. "You're sure he asked for me, right? Not Kikyou this time?"

She was in for a surprise when they replied, "No, this one is DEFINITELY asking for you Kagome. And he's cute too, and probably would be cuter if he took that hat off." Although she knew they were mistaken, butterflies were stretching their wings in her stomach.

Kagome turned around and shuffled over to the fence surrounding the school, where the girls had pointed. Sure enough, there was a boy there, with his hair neatly tucked under a cap. As she grew closer, she gasped. It was the boy from the other day! What did he want with her?

She came up to the fence and touched the cool metal to her nose. "Didn't I already tell you not to come here stranger?"

He grinned. For some reason that smile looked funny and uneasy on his face. "What's your name?" He sounded like a child asking for candy.

"It's Kagome, although I usually don't give it out to people I don't know." So what made this boy special?!

He ducked his head a little. "I'm Inuyasha. Pleased to meet you again." And with that, he was gone.

~*~

Had he done it right? Inuyasha was never accustomed to using manners, but his day with the townspeople had taught him how to introduce himself.

What was he doing? Shouldn't he be leaving this town soon? If he hadn't met that girl then he'd be long gone. And why hadn't he said anything besides his name? Well, what else could he have said? They didn't know each other.

~*~*~*~

Taa-daa! Third chapter is done. ^_^ Glad I finally got around to it, and sorry it isn't longer. Thanks for taking the time to read!

~Isuki-chan