InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpected Circumstances ❯ Megumi ( Chapter 10 )

The inside of the shrine was dark, save for a few candles that gave them visibility in the room. Like everything else with the shrine, the room itself was very big; there was more than enough room to accommodate the seventy-some residents of the village. There were pews and pillows lining the sides of the shrine making an aisle down the middle which led up to an altar where a statue of Buddha rested.

 

An aged woman sat near the altar speaking with what looked to be one of the village residents. The elder priestess was nearing her late fifties and had long, waist-length brown hair that had dulled with her age. Her eyes were a dark coffee brown, although one could hardly tell because of all the squinting she did due to the fact that her eyesight was failing her. She had very proper posture regardless of her age and she was carried on rather large feet for being such a petite woman. While she was conversing with the villager she continuously sniffed unconsciously, a habit she had picked up when she was a young girl.

 

The group stood near the doorway so as to not interrupt and waited for her to finish so that they could speak with her. They did not have to wait long for their audience with the priestess and soon she was leading them to sit among the pillows. Kagome smiled at the woman and handed her the letter that Kaede had sent with her. The woman, Megumi, took the letter and began to read. Her eyes widened a bit and she looked over the letter at Kagome who was nervously picking her fingernails. `This girl is the Shikon miko?' thought the elder priestess. Megumi sat the letter in her lap and sighed, `sometimes I think Kaede holds me in too high of regards'.

 

“Well,” Megumi stated in a shrilly feminine voice, “you're the Skikon miko? *sniff* Fascinating.”

 

“Er, um, yeah I guess you could say that,” replied Kagome. “After reading the note do you think you would be willing to train me?”

 

“Hm. I believe that can be arranged. It should not be too hard *sniff* of a task, you are the Shikon miko *sniff* I mean, so how much training could you possibly need?”

 

“Heh heh, well you see, I haven't actually had any training;” Kagome started nervously, “I kinda just do what feels right.”

 

Megumi blinked once and then twice in surprise before she laughed heartily out loud. Her earsplitting cackles echoed off the shrine walls while the group sat stunned, all looking at each other with confusion clearly written all over their faces.

 

“Oi, what are you laughing at?” Inuyasha snapped. How dare this woman make fun of Kagome just because she hasn't had any formal training, what's the matter with this old hag?!

 

The rest of the group started to glare daggers at the audacious miko who continued to laugh at their long-time friend. Megumi was still holding her stomach with laughter, but when the woman finally registered that none of her visitors were laughing along with her, her amusement quickly died.

 

“Please,” Megumi began, eyes growing wide. “Tell me you *sniff* have had some form of training! Surely you don't expect *sniff* me to start from scratch!?”

 

Kagome wrung her hands apprehensively in her lap. She gave a sheepish smile when she caught Megumi's incredulous look.

 

“Well, that's what we were sort of hoping for. Granted, I haven't had any training, but I'm pretty good with my bow and arrows,” stated Kagome.

 

Mumbling to herself, Megumi was trying to figure out just what exactly to do with the little information that she received. `Pretty good with her bow and arrows?! Oh dear, this is going to take a while.' She looked over at the young miko who was giving her, her best puppy dog eyes she could muster. `Well, at least I won't be bored for the next few months.'

 

“How can I say `no' to the Shikon miko? I would be *sniff* doing the world a great injustice if I were to decline. However, I warn you, it *sniff* will take a lot of hard work and concentration for you to hone these *sniff* powers of yours. I would say that you will have to be here for at least a year,” Megumi confirmed.

 

“A year?! Are you fuckin' crazy?!” screamed Inuyasha.

 

Miroku's staff came down hard on Inuyasha's head for his outburst. “Inuyasha, calm yourself and please refrain from using profanity in a holy place. A year is not a very long time for this type of training; it takes some people a life time to just tap into their power to reach the level lady Kagome is at now,” Miroku informed the group.

 

“No, no, I have to agree with Inuyasha on this one,” Kagome said. “We just don't have that kind of time. Naraku is sure to be gaining in strength as we speak, no one knows when or where he is bound to strike, a year is just too long.”

 

Inuyasha looked positively smug after Kagome's agreement and he puffed out his chest a little. At least someone finally recognizes that he knows what he's talking about; only took three years, damn.

 

“Is there any way to speed up the training?” asked Shippou.

 

“Well, that *sniff* all depends on the young miko here,” Megumi stated as she motioned towards Kagome. “The amount of time training *sniff* rests on her shoulders; I am merely giving an approximation of the *sniff* time needed for this type of instruction. As the young monk *sniff* here said, a year really is not that long.”

 

“Feh! With her being the klutz she is, we'll be waiting forever! Screw the year, we'll just give Naraku the damn shards,” Inuyasha spat.

 

Kagome narrowed her eyes at Inuyasha and pursed her lips. Ooo, he was going to get the sitting of a lifetime once they left the shrine. Inuyasha brought his nose down from the sky to look over at the fuming young miko. He gulped and flattened his ears to his head as he saw his crater-filled future in her flaming eyes at his less than amusing comment. So much for his self-righteous demeanor, now he's really in the dog house (no pun intended of course).

 

“Inuyasha, please keep your remarks to yourself; they're not helping,” Sango said pointedly to the hanyou. She turned her gaze the young priestess and continued, “Kagome, it's up to you, what do you want to do?”

 

Said young miko was worrying her bottom lip as she contemplated over the decision. On the one hand, getting training would greatly benefit her group and their main goal in defeating Naraku. On the other hand, if the training took too long, he could very well come into more power and have a distinct advantage over them. However, they really do not know where Naraku is currently hiding, so it would not hurt for her to stay and get at least some form of training in; and if they happened to hear anything of great importance, they know where she is.

 

`Okay,' she thought to herself, `time to do something productive for once.'

 

“I'm going to stay here and train,” Kagome determined. “If you guys need me, you know where to find me and I will drop everything and come help.”

 

The group nodded their acknowledgement and turned their heads expectantly to Inuyasha who had remained quite silent since his last remark. Feeling eyes upon him, Inuyasha raised his head and growled lightly at them all.

 

“What the hell are you looking at?” he snarled. “She's made her decision, so let's go.” He stood up abruptly and began to stomp out of the shrine. Miroku shook his head and closed his eyes in frustration. `He hides his true feelings behind the nasty attitude, I'm sure of it'. Miroku stood, offering his hand to Sango which she gratefully accepted. The two of them bowed low in respect to the elder priestess and hugged their friend good-bye.

 

Shippou was the last to leave her, offering her small words of encouragement and apologies on behalf of Inuyasha's lack of manners. He gave her the biggest hug he could manage with his small arm span and Kagome then carried him outside of the shrine to her waiting friends. Shippou hopped onto Sango's shoulder and the group reluctantly left their friend to her new life in the small village. Before they were completely out of sight, Kagome crossed her arms in front of her chest and spoke loudly.

 

“Sit boy!”

 

Off in the distance, a quiet thud was heard along with a light string of curses. Kagome covered her mouth with her hand and giggled to herself; serves him right for that rude comment he made earlier. Besides, she wasn't going to see him for a while, might as well get one last `sit' in. The elder priestess looked over to the girl with confusion written on her face; `sit?'

 

When the group was out of sight Megumi turned towards Kagome and clapped her hands to gain her attention. Kagome jumped at the sound, having been off in a daze and turned her eyes towards the elder woman. Megumi stood there staring at Kagome with a critical eye; this girl did not look like anything special, she couldn't say that she was not just a little disappointed; this girl was not what she expected. With all of the rumors that she had heard about the Shikon miko she was anticipating an older woman: a trained older woman to be the barer of the infamous jewel. How could this small slip of a girl be held responsible for a thing of such enormous power?

 

Kagome shifted her feet a little under the scrutinizing gaze. She could clearly see the dissatisfaction that the elder miko had for her; clearly she was not what she wanted. Kagome watched as the elder woman circled her form as if sizing up her prey, a little unnerving if you ask her. When a few moments had passed and Megumi still had not appeased her inspection, Kagome was starting to lose her nerve. She was squirming now and her annoyance was starting to become hard to suppress.

 

“Can I help you with something?” Kagome asked in the politest voice she could muster.

 

The older woman looked her in the eyes and grabbed a hold of Kagome's chin to turn her head from side to side. Megumi could not even fathom where to start with this girl. She had trained many priestesses in her time, but none of them had even come close to the power that radiated off of this girl. For the young woman in front of her to have had no proper training of any kind was unfathomable. She would have to have a talk with Kaede the next time she saw her. First thing's first: where to start her newest student. Well, her best bet would be to start with the bare minimum.

 

“Meditation.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“We will start with meditation; *sniff* you cannot expect to get anywhere in your training if you cannot properly concentrate. Therefore, that is where *sniff* we will start.”

 

“Oh, okay. Um, what else are we going to work on?”

 

Megumi snorted at the question. “What aren't we going to work on girl? You know nothing, as far *sniff* as I know you have no special talents other than amateur archery skills, and you *sniff* are much too dependent on others to protect you from what I gather. But, as of now the only thing *sniff* I want you to worry about it meditation.”

 

“But-”

 

“Git moving girl, we have much to do *sniff* and less time to do it in!” Megumi smacked her on her wrist with two of her withered old fingers and then made to leave the shrine not bothering to check if Kagome was following her or not. First thing's first: get the young miko out of those poor excuses for clothes. Honestly, had she no shame? A slight breeze would give every person within twenty yards of her a view of what the Kamis had gifted her with.

 

Megumi headed towards a tired looking hut and slapped the bamboo mat away, giving both she and Kagome entrance into her home. The hut was modest. There was a small fire pit in the center of the room that had a large pot hanging over it. There was only one window, just like the rest of the huts in the village, and there was a slightly larger room to the left side; obviously sleeping quarters. Megumi pointed to a mat on the floor near the fire, indicating that Kagome was to seat herself. Kagome sat down and watched as the elder miko disappeared into her bedroom only to reappear a minute later with a bundle of clothes in her grasp.

 

The older woman unceremoniously chucked the clothing at Kagome, who noticed only when it hit her in her head, and walked once more into her room. Megumi then stayed in her room for so long that Kagome was beginning to think that she missed her queue to leave. Just as she made to stand Megumi appeared again with another bundle in her arms.

 

“Here are some sandals to wear *sniff* along with some socks. I expect you to wear this clothing *sniff* every day, I do not want to see that… thing,” Megumi wagged her finger up and down at Kagome's skirt, “ever again. Once you have changed we *sniff* will burn them!” The elder priestess shoved the package into Kagome's arms and walked off again.

 

Megumi did not wait for a reply before she motioned for Kagome to once again follow her out of the hut. The elder miko walked briskly through the small village, stopping only once or twice to attend to one of the villager's needs. They soon came upon a hut, smaller than most of the others, just at the edge of the village. Megumi turned to face Kagome who had to almost jog to keep up with the old woman and motioned to the small abode.

 

“This will be your hut. Make yourself *sniff* comfortable, this will be your home for quite *sniff* some time. It is too late to start any of the training *sniff* tonight, but be sure that you are at the *sniff* shrine at sunrise: no sooner, no later. Do you have any questions?”

 

Kagome shook her head slightly in the negative and with no further words said, Megumi strode off once again into the village leaving behind a slightly bewildered Kagome.

 

“What have I gotten myself into?”

 

Kagome looked up the lane towards the village. There were some people still openly gawking at her, but most seemed to have calmed down after her group left. Now that her friends were gone, the stares all landed on her. She took a deep, nervous breath and turned into her hut and away from prying eyes.

 

The first thing that Kagome noticed about her new home was that there was certainly nothing special about her small hut. There was a small fire pit, much like the one in Megumi's hut, taking up the middle of the floor and to the side, propped up against the wall, were three different sized pots which she assumed to be for cooking and the making of medicines. There was no other room in the hut signaling a bedroom, but a sleeping mat with a few blankets lay folded near the back wall beneath a window. She sighed low and dropped her shoulders a little. She walked over to the back wall and drew the curtain back from the window and gasped when it revealed a beautiful mountain backdrop.

 

The sun was setting now behind the mountains and she found herself entranced with the many colors that had painted the sky. The trees in the distance were casting shadows over the small meadow in the valley and the songbirds had been replaced by the soothing sound of a cricket's melody. She would definitely never tire of that view.

 

Kagome let the curtain drop back in place after taking in one last glance at the scenery. She then set about making a fire to give a little warmth to the steadily cooling hut and so that she could fix herself some dinner. She dropped her yellow backpack on the floor and started to dig through it in hopes to find any left over ramen that Inuyasha hadn't eaten.

 

`Inuyasha…I already miss you.' She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall and chastised herself. Now was not the time to start feeling regrets, it was a little too late for that; she had training to think about now. She relentlessly continued her search for the ever coveted cup of noodles and only when most of her belongings were strewn across the floor did she find what she was looking for.

 

“Ah-ha one last cup of ramen! Looks like tomorrow I'll have to find other food,” she said as she prepared her water.

 

 

****

 

 

The demon lord was furious, although his outer appearance gave away nothing. He had been journeying east for almost a week on a tip that Naraku had been headed this way only to reach another dead end. His dead end this time came in the form of a couple of demons under the direction of the vile half-breed. They had been sent his this way, knowing that they would reek of Naraku's scent, to throw off his nose.

 

*Flashback*

 

“Ah, western lord, how kind of you join us,” stated a rather large bear youkai haughtily. He and another demon, a tiger demon, were leaning against trees on opposite sides of the pathway that Sesshoumaru walked, effectively halting his progress.

 

“You are in this Sesshoumaru's path. Move.”

 

“Come now Lord Sesshoumaru. Is that any way to treat your own kind?”

 

“I care not who you are, only that you are hindering my procession. I will not ask again, either move or be removed permanently.”

 

Sesshoumaru looked at the two smirking demons before him; something seemed off. He had been tracking Naraku's scent this way and it had abruptly stopped here. The demon lord allowed himself to take a once over of the two demons before him and then took a deep breath, analyzing the air about them. Just as he suspected: Naraku's vile stench.

 

“I see,” Sesshoumaru began as he lowered his head with his eyes closed, a light smirk tugging on his lips. “It was a diversion.”

 

In the blink of an eye both the bear demon and tiger demon had been decapitated by the demon lord's whips; neither had time to protest.

 

*End Flashback*

 

Sesshoumaru turned elegantly on his heel and began his way north once again. Naraku was indeed a mendacious bastard and a coward to no end. Things such as he should not be graced with mortality let alone the immortality that he seeks.

 

Sesshoumaru had always prided himself in being one with honor and dignity. His cool façade that so many had deemed his trademark was put in place as a means of intimidation when he was younger and it had always stuck with him. It was not that Sesshoumaru did not feel emotions; in fact it was quite the opposite. He was curious by nature and he often found himself studying that which he did not understand to an almost unhealthy extent. He held respect for those who he deemed worthy, though he admitted there were not many who held this honor, and he gave praise when praises were due.

 

The demon lord was never quick to lose his temper; he had an extreme amount of patience. One could not live as long as he and not hold some semblance of tolerance for the dim-witted. Although his tolerance was astounding, his patience with Naraku had long since reached its end. This last stunt that he pulled only fueled the hatred that he felt for the creature.

 

For now the search would continue on. Since he had left Jaken to watch over Rin in his stronghold, he would not keep his pace slow; there would be no wasted time. Now all he needed was another tip to go off of; it shouldn't be too hard to come across one.

 

`Perhaps, little brother, it is time I paid you a visit.'

 

 

****

 

 

Kagome was less than amused. Her first night in the small village was nothing to write home about; in fact it had been so peaceful that she had almost forgotten where she was. Her dreams had also been pleasant, to which she is always grateful, and as unforgiving as the ground was, she slept quite comfortably on her mat, wrapped in her blanket that she had brought from home.

 

Nope, her first night there was not the problem. The problem was her first morning of training and that witch of a woman that calls herself a priestess!

 

So, Kagome hadn't been ready exactly at sunrise; okay so she was still sleeping. That did not give Megumi the right to dump a bucket of ice cold water on her! What happened to a gently nudge awake? Did nobody have manners in this era? With a screech that could wake the dead Kagome was being dragged up and out of her hut and towards the shrine.

 

“Aren't you going to even let me dry off?!” Kagome questioned with a glare.

 

“Discipline, girl, discipline! *sniff* How do you expect to learn anything if you *sniff* can't even get yourself out of bed in the morning?”

 

Kagome mumbled incoherently under her breath scathing remarks about how no one should have enough energy to be wicked in the morning.

 

“What was *sniff* that girl?” Megumi asked.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Hm, that's what I thought. Now *sniff* take these pails and go fetch water from the creek. When you return you will *sniff* receive your next task.”

 

Kagome grabbed the buckets and grudgingly set out towards the small creek that happened to be right next to her hut, which happened to be on the other side of the village from the shrine. She huffed and forced her eyes to stay open as she made her way to the bank. `How is fetching water preparing me for priestess training?' When she reached the small creek Kagome gathered the water in the buckets. Soon she was walking back to the shrine, full buckets in hand.

 

By this time the residents of the small village were now starting to move about with their daily tasks; farmers were making their way to the fields while the shop keepers were setting up their stands. Although the village was small, they seemed to have replicated the workings of a large community. Kagome admired the way they all seemed to work together in their routine; everyone had their own role to play. The town seemed so different than what she had witnessed yesterday; everyone had smiles on their faces and were happily conversing with each other as if the had not a care in the world.

 

`I hate them all,' she sarcastically thought to herself. If only her life was that carefree. She was almost to the shrine now, having spent most of her trip there lost in her own musings.

 

“Oh well, that's life,” she unconsciously said aloud. She looked up and realized that a couple of people had heard her and she blushed a bright red before she looked down at her feet, keeping her gaze away from them. She soon regretted that decision when she collided with a firm back and landed hard on the ground, dropping her buckets of water in the process.

 

“Just great, good going Kagome,” she chastised herself as she looked over the newly formed puddles of mud.

 

“Please forgive me, let me help you with that,” came a voice above her.

 

She chanced a look up and came face to face with one of the most handsome men she had ever met. He had short black hair and eyes so dark brown they were almost black. He had a tall stature, about six feet and broad shoulders. He wore the clothing of one of the local farmers, but it did not hide his lean figure. His skin was sun kissed tan and when he smiled two defined dimples graced his cheeks. He was an older man, maybe nine or ten years older than she, but it did not take away from his rustic good looks.

 

He reached out a strong hand to assist her in standing which she gratefully accepted. He smiled once more at her and she blushed yet again and smiled back. Dusting herself off, she gave him an apologetic look for her clumsiness.

 

“You're new here?” he asked. It actually sounded more like a statement and his voice was a light tenor that almost sang as it passed his lips.

 

“Yes, I'm here training with priestess Megumi. I'm really sorry about bumping into you like that; I'll have to pay better attention to where I'm going.”

 

“Don't worry about it. Um, may I help you gather more water seeing as how it was my back that made you drop your buckets?”

 

“Well, I wouldn't mind the company, but I'm sure Megumi wouldn't like it too much if I were to let someone else do what was intended for me,” Kagome said.

 

He nodded once and then excused himself from the man that he had been talking to. He offered Kagome his arm and she shyly interlinked her arm with his. The two of them walked down the road towards the creek in companionable silence, each trying to figure out the best way to break the ice. Well, that is until Kagome decided she wanted to know more about this man.

 

“Do you mind if I ask your name?” she questioned.

 

The man looked over at her a smiled before answering. “Certainly, my name is Takahiro. Might I ask yours?”

 

“Kagome,” she replied before chewing her bottom lip. `Wow, he smiles a lot…not that I mind.'

 

They reached the water bank and he dropped to his knee to refill the pails. What Megumi didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

 

“Well Kagome,” Takahiro said as he gave her the newly refilled buckets, “it seems as though I'll be seeing you around. I live in the fourth hut from the shrine; feel free to seek me out if ever you need me.”

 

Kagome nodded in affirmation and he placed a delicate kiss on the back of her hand. She felt her face grow hot signifying yet another blush and waved to Takahiro as he left to the field. `Maybe it won't be so bad here,' she thought to herself.

 

“Girl!” cried Megumi from a distance.

 

Kagome cringed, kami but if that woman didn't have a voice that sounded like a cat being drug through a keyhole backwards. She turned towards a fuming Megumi who was walking quickly towards her. Kagome meekly held out the pails in front of her with a slight smile in hopes of escaping the elder miko's wrath. However, when Megumi made it to Kagome, her only response was a sharp slap to her wrists with those two harmful crippled old fingers of hers.

 

“Who would have though that *sniff* getting water from the creek would take so long? What *sniff* have you been doing this entire time girl?!”

 

Kagome, who had set the buckets down after her wrists were abused, was rubbing them gingerly while doing her best to refrain from glaring at the older woman. She knew it had taken her a long time just fetch water from the stream, but honestly, it wasn't like she was being slow on purpose! `Stay calm Kagome, this is all part of the training…this is all part of the training.'

 

“I-” Kagome began but was cut off.

 

“Girl, I don't want *sniff* to hear any of your excuses! Pick up *sniff* the pails and let's get going!”

 

Kagome reached down to pick up the discarded buckets of water. She watched as Megumi sped walked away from her with the speed that would rival Inuyasha's sprint. Shaking her head to try and wake herself up she started after the elder priestess. That is how, yet again, Kagome found herself walking through the village; `this is going to be a long few months.'