Other Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome's Trial ❯ Chapter 24

So, this is it; the penultimate chapter. One more to go, and it'll be finished. It has been way too long since I updated, so I'm going to finish off the story today. If you like it, let me know. If you don't like it, let me know. I don't mind.

 

KagomeoftheSouth: You are what keeps this story floating. It's so hard to write when you don't get feedback on whether it's good or awful. In case I haven't told you enough, you are my hero. I dedicate the rest of this story to you and your patience with me. Thank you for your support.

 

~*~

 

Kikyo looked up in surprise as Aunt Kagome slammed her bag down onto the table. “What's wrong?” she asked. Her aunt usually didn't show anger, so this must be something big.

 

“They didn't have what I was looking for,” Aunt Kagome muttered.

 

“So? That isn't the first time this has happened,” Kikyo pointed out. “What else happened?”

 

“The men. I suppose that an eternally young wife is their ideal, but they won't accept that I'm married.”

 

“Oh. Well, either they thought you were me, or they just don't think your husband will come back. Didn't you say that he's been gone for over two thousand years?”

 

“Yes, dear. But anyway, I really need that spice.”

 

“Well, maybe the next caravan will have it.”

 

Aunt Kagome shook her head. “No, they said it's only found in Imil. If I want it, I'll have to go get it myself.”

 

Kikyo knew how much her aunt hated leaving Inuyasha's Forest. “I'll go,” she offered. “That way you can stay here.”

 

“You've never been that far before. No, I'll go.”

 

“Have you been there recently? Do you still know the way?”

 

“I'll be fine, Kikyo. It's been years since I've been there, but I'll manage somehow. Will you be okay if I leave for a little bit?”

 

“Yes, Aunt Kagome,” she answered. “I'll make sure everything stays clean, and I'll care for the graves.”

 

“What about strangers?”

 

“I'll be fine,” Kikyo assured her. “I've taken care of people before, and if they're poachers, I know how to discourage them from coming back.”

 

“Be careful,” Aunt Kagome said, picking up her bag again. “I'm taking Hiraikotsu and the shakujo with me.”

 

“I know how to use a bow and arrow,” Kikyo said exasperatedly. “I am eighteen, you know.”

 

“I know. Well, there's no time to leave like the present. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I'll try to come back soon.”

 

“Take you time.”

 

Aunt Kagome nodded as she packed food, clothes, and some extra coins in the bottom of her bag. Once she was satisfied with her supplies, she and Kikyo walked to the door, where she froze. “Is something wrong?” Kikyo asked in concern.

 

“I haven't left this place for very long since before you were born,” she answered, her voice distant.

 

Kikyo didn't know what to say to that. Aunt Kagome shrugged her shoulders and took a step out the door. “I don't think I'll be back for at least three weeks, so take care.”

 

“I will. Bye.” She watched her aunt stride down the path, her miko clothes blowing behind her. All of a sudden, the forest seemed very empty. “Well, I guess I'd better see to feeding myself,” she said aloud, taking comfort in her voice.

 

Aunt Kagome had always been a constant in Kikyo's life, so being here alone was quite disconcerting for her. She was almost relieved when another person wandered into Inuyasha's Forest. Like most other strangers found there, he was sick and was searching for the famed healer of the forest. Of course, he mistook her for her aunt, but she quickly informed him of his mistake. She couldn't tell if he believed her or not, but if he didn't, then she couldn't really blame him. She did look exactly like her aunt, for some unknown reason. Once the man was well, she escorted him out of the forest, just like she and her aunt did with the others. This time, though, she kept going to Vale.

 

“Well, if it isn't Kikyo,” one of the village women greeted her. “It's good to see you again. My, you've grown into a beautiful lady on me.”

 

Kikyo smiled at her. “I guess I have grown since you last saw me.”

 

“So, has the old witch finally kicked the bucket and you've come to stay?”

 

“No, she's still alive, or she was several days ago.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“She needed some spice that's only in Imil, so she left to get some.”

 

“I always thought that she was bound to Inuyasha's Forest, and Vale was as far as she could travel from it.”

 

Kikyo laughed; she knew the stories about her strange aunt. “No, she can leave if she wants. I just need to pick up some food since I'm on my own until she comes back.”

 

“Well, take care of yourself.”

 

“I will.”

 

~*~

 

The innkeeper at Vale eyed her customers with wariness. They all looked young to be traveling on their own, especially in these times. There were rumors that Lunpa and Champa were at war with each other, and were now seeking to recruit other cities to their cause. The innkeeper didn't think that anyone would; a war between a city of thieves and a city of pirates wasn't necessarily a bad one if it kept them occupied and out of mischief. Still, she didn't want any thieves or pirates in her inn, no sir!

 

One of the strangers approached. “Excuse me, ma'am,” he started politely, “we were wondering what has happened here recently. My colleagues and I have been out of touch with civilization for awhile, so we aren't familiar with recent news.”

 

“Define recently,” the innkeeper replied. “Very recently, there's been a war between the Champa and the Lunpans.”

 

“I always knew Dodonpa would get it,” one of the blond boys said from the table.

 

The innkeeper looked at him strangely. “Dodonpa? The leader of the Lunpans is Maran, and the king of the Champa is Rilam.”

 

The blonde who had spoken looked startled, but the other boy was speaking again. “This place doesn't look very crowded. It's more like a ghost town, just like all the other cities we've passed through. What happened?”

 

“You really have been isolated, haven't you? About eighteen years ago, an epidemic swept through all of Weyard. It almost wiped out all of humanity. We still haven't recovered from it, and I don't think we will for years to come. But that doesn't mean we should give up. We'll make it; humans are natural survivors. Now, what else can I help you with?”

 

At that moment, a violet-haired woman coughed. The innkeeper looked at her in alarm. “She doesn't have the plague, does she?” she asked the stranger in front of her.

 

“No, she's just been coughing a lot lately. Why?”

 

“That was a symptom of the plague from eighteen years ago. You'd better take her to see Kikyo.”

 

“Kikyo?” The boy's tongue stumbled on the strange name.

 

“Yes, the healer who lives in Inuyasha's Forest. She may be able to cure your friend.”

 

A shocked look crossed the boy's face, but it was only for an instant, and the innkeeper figured it was just her imagination. “Would you like to stay at the inn tonight?” she asked.

 

The boy shook his head. “No, we'll go to Inuyasha's Forest and see this healer you spoke of.”

 

The boy returned to his companions, and the innkeeper could hear their muttering. The violet-haired girl had another coughing fit, and her companions all had worried looks on their faces. “If you head east, you'll hit Inuyasha's Forest,” the innkeeper offered. “Kikyo will find you there.”

 

“Thank you,” a different boy said. With that, they exited the inn, the innkeeper looking after them.

 

~*~

 

Two weeks passed since her aunt left. Kikyo tended the graves just as she said she would. For some reason, she enjoyed being there. It was always calm here, and it never failed to soothe her worries. The writing of Aunt Kagome's home was strange, but beautiful. When she was a young girl, she asked her aunt to teach her, and Aunt Kagome complied with her request. Now she was fluent in Japanese, the written and spoken forms, and the language of Weyard. It was probably a useless talent, but Aunt Kagome loved speaking in her native dialect, and Kikyo was happy to make her aunt happy.

 

It was growing dark out, so she hurried to complete her task. When she was done, she would soak away her aches and fix herself something to eat. She had just finished weeding the area around the Goshinboku when she heard the wind whisper the presence of strangers. Now, it wasn't that the wind actually spoke to her, but she and Aunt Kagome had picked up the language of the forest, and it alerted them of changes in the area.

 

Please don't be poachers, she prayed, going inside and picking up her bow and arrows. The trees and wind pulled her in the direction of the people. She had to leave the path and blaze her own trail through the underbrush. These people would choose to get lost far from the path, she grumbled after twenty minutes of thrashing through the bushes and small saplings.

 

A sound behind her caused her to automatically load and fire an arrow toward the source of the noise. When she saw what she had fired at, she was glad that it didn't hit. A man, looking startled, was staring at her, his sword drawn and a torch in his free hand.

 

“Who are you?” Kikyo demanded, bringing another arrow into a firing position. He's dressed like a poacher! Just my luck. “What business do you have here?”

 

The man squinted at her, stepping closer, but stopped when she pulled the arrow back farther. “Are you Kikyo?” he asked disbelievingly.

 

“Yes, that is my name,” she answered warily. “Why are you here?”

 

“Please, it's my wife,” he explained, brushing blue hair out of his eyes. “She's had this cough for too long, and she can barely breathe.”

 

Looking behind the man, she could see more people. A violet-haired woman was coughing violently and had to be supported by a short, blonde boy. “You're not poachers?” she asked in surprise.

 

The man shook his head. “No, we came to get help for my wife. The innkeeper said to go to you; can you help her?”

 

“Maybe. Please follow me, and I'll see what I can do.” She turned and started going back the way she came. She could hear them all trail behind her, the woman still coughing. It took awhile to get back to her home since she had to make sure the people didn't get lost. They seemed to follow pretty well, though. “Here we are,” she announced when her home came into view. “Just follow me.”

 

Once inside, she made the woman sit on the bed in the sickroom. “Will you make sure she doesn't move?” she asked the blue-haired man who said she was his wife. He nodded, and she left to get her a cup of water. When she returned, the other eight were in various positions around the room. “Drink this,” she ordered the woman. The wheezing woman took it gratefully and downed it.

 

While the woman drank, Kikyo studied her new companions. Now that she could see them clearly, they weren't any older than she herself was. They were looking around the room curiously, but so did everyone who came here. The houses in Inuyasha's Forest weren't built like any in Vale, and Aunt Kagome said that none of the other cities in the world were built like this. Except her hometown, of course.

 

“Okay, let's see what's wrong with you,” Kikyo told the violet-haired woman cheerfully. Turning to the woman's companions, she said, “Would you mind terribly if I asked you to leave for a few minutes?”

 

No one minded, and they filed out the door. Kikyo turned back to her patient. “Before we begin, let's introduce ourselves. I'm Kikyo, and I'll be taking care of you. Who are you?”

 

“I'm Hamma,” she answered.

 

“Well, Hamma, can you tell me how long you've had this cough?”

 

“A month now, and it's been getting worse. I know my husband's worried about it, but he hasn't been able to do anything to make it go away.”

 

“Oh, is he a Water Adept?” Kikyo asked, getting her things together.

 

“Yes. I know it frustrates him when he can't cure something, so he's been a bit surly of late.”

 

“I can imagine.” Finding everything she needed, Kikyo stood next to Hamma. “Okay, I need you to swallow this.” She handed her a small cup of tea. “Drink it slowly; it's hot.”

 

Hamma obeyed, and Kikyo used her other sight to see what was wrong, just like Aunt Kagome taught her. Found it! There was an infection in her lungs, and it was gradually causing them to shut down, thus the coughing fits. Heat ought to get rid of that in no time. No wonder a Mercury Adept couldn't do this; they're aligned with the cold. “Okay, I know what's wrong,” she announced. “You just need to eat hot things, like soup, and you'll be okay.”

 

“Is it contagious?” Hamma asked.

 

“No, why?”

 

“I would hate to have passed it on to any of my friends.”

 

“No, this isn't contagious, so put your fears to rest. I'll go make some soup for you and your friends, so just relax and I'll send them in.” She pushed the door open and beckoned to the waiting people. “You can see her. I'll make some soup for everyone, so just wait a few moments.” She let them walk past her, then went to the kitchen to see what she would make them.

 

While she was preparing their meal, one of the girls, a redhead, came out. “Do you need any help?” she asked.

 

“No, I think I have everything under control,” Kikyo answered, smiling at her. “You all must have been desperate for some sort of help to be wandering in Inuyasha's Forest at night.”

 

“Hamma needed help, and the innkeeper recommended you. Will she be okay?”

 

“Yes. She just needs to eat hot food until that infection in her lungs is burned away. Then she'll be fine.”

 

“Why do you live here in the forest by yourself?” the girl asked.

 

“I don't; my aunt lives here, too.”

 

“Oh?” The girl's attention was completely on her.

 

“When I was a baby, the plague came to Vale. You heard about it, didn't you?” When the girl nodded, Kikyo continued. “It wiped out my entire family except me and my aunt. Once my family died, she took us to the forest, and we've lived here ever since.”

 

“Oh, I'm sorry,” the girl said sympathetically.

 

Kikyo waved it aside. “It's okay. I was only a few months old, so I don't remember any of them. She has pictures, but they don't really mean anything to me.”

 

“We were just at Vale, and it doesn't look like the plague's still there. Why didn't you move back?”

 

Kikyo didn't particularly like being asked all these questions by a stranger. “We didn't want to.”

 

“Where's you aunt?”

 

“She's out right now, but she should be back any day now.” She checked the pot and found the soup ready. “Will you help me bring it in?”

 

The two of them brought in the soup. The travelers accepted it gratefully. “How long have you all been traveling?” Kikyo asked once they were all served.

 

“A long time,” a small blonde girl answered, feeding some of her cooled soup to an infant Kikyo hadn't previously noticed. “We've lost track of how long.”

 

“Where are you from?”

 

“I doubt you'd have heard of it. A village called Prox, in the Northern Wilds.”

 

“Oh, I know where that is.”

 

They all looked at her. “How did you know that?” the blue-haired boy asked.

 

“It's on the map.”

 

“I didn't know they had a map that had Prox on it unless it was made there,” a blue-haired girl said.

 

“Anyway, I expect all of you will be staying here tonight. I can put some mats out, and there are a few cots, but we don't normally entertain this many guests, so we don't have beds for everyone.”

 

“That's fine,” a redheaded boy said. “We're used to sleeping on the ground, and anything's better than that.” The rest affirmed this statement.

 

“I can set up a cot in here so you can stay in here with your wife,” she addressed the blue-haired boy. “Is a set-up in the living room okay with everyone else?”

 

It was, so she got the cot ready and headed back out to spacious living room. Once the beds for the rest of them were set up, the redheaded girl came up, holding the baby. “Do you have a crib?” she asked.

 

“Yes. I'll go get it.” She was about to leave when the girl stopped her.

 

“I think Hamma will want her baby to stay with her.”

 

“Hamma needs rest more than anything. I can set up a crib out here.”

 

“Okay. We'll take care of Kagome, then.”

 

Kikyo stopped dead. “What?”

 

“The baby's name is Kagome.”

 

“Why name a baby that? I know the name Kagome is legendary, but it's a bit foreign, don't you think?”

 

“Yes, but it's unique, and this is a unique baby. At least, she is in her parents' eyes.”

 

I guess Aunt Kagome's more of a legend than I originally thought. She put the crib up and left them after telling them where she was sleeping in case they needed anything. Right before she went to sleep, she thought, I didn't get the names of the rest of the group. Oh, well, I'll get them tomorrow.

 

Of course, she forgot. In her mind, she started calling them by some trait, like the blue-haired boy became Hairband because of the band he wore around his head. They did their part to help her around the house while she tended to Hamma. The redheaded girl, Fiery, and the blue-haired girl, Misty, cooked and made the soup for Hamma. The small, blonde ones, Windy and Rock, kept the place spotless. The rest of them did outside work, and everyone looked out for Kagome, the baby.