What the Darkness Brings

PART I: The Consequence of Recovery
Chapter 11: Rumor Has It

Three Months Later

“Are you ever going to get a hang of that, woman?”

Kagome shot a cold glare – courtesy of spending too much time with Sesshou-Maru – at Inu-Yasha before again looking to the ground, focusing on her next step. In her right hand she held her brand new best friend: a beautifully crafted cane gifted to her by Sango. “I’m doing better than I was yesterday, Inu-Yasha, so can it.”

“Feh.” The hanyou shifted back in his tree, getting more comfortable as he watched her. Still, she knew he was primed and ready to swoop down and catch her in case she fell… again.

While she was grateful for his aide, it was still rather irritating. She’d think with all the therapy she’d been through in the past months that she would be able to use the damn thing correctly. Not only that, but when she was younger, she had played pretend with her grandfathers cane. She and Souta would play cripple in turn until Gramps would chase them away. It had been easy then to use the cane, after all, she’d had two legs she could actually use. Now…

“It can’t be that hard Kagome.”

Again she sent him a frosty glare, “I’m kind of learning a new mode of transportation here, dimwit. I’m not going to get it right for a while!”

“Well, that’s useless.”

Out of spite, she stuck her tongue out at the hanyou, reigning in the need to flip him off. Instead she concentrated on her next aided step and listened as the others deemed it necessary to join them.

“… heard nothing… Naraku since… accident. Could he be planning something more?”

Miroku’s fragmented question made Kagome look up covertly, peeking under her bangs. They never spoke about the dark half-demon while she was around. Every time she’d step out she could hear them start discussing his ‘next move’ behind her back. Whenever she came back to talk about it with them… they’d change the subject to her health or the weather… She was getting ready to cheerfully murder each and every one of them.

“That’s more than likely. You know how he is.”

She was damn tired of everyone walking on eggshells around her. What was she? A baby? Some little girl who cried every time she got a freaking ‘boo-boo’? She was very proud to say that the last time she scraped her knee (not twenty minutes ago) she didn’t complain once! She wasn’t even going to mention it, but no-o-o-o… Inu-Yasha had to go and get Nezumi so he could play nursemaid all over again and not help the ones who really needed the help. True she could have hurt her back… but she didn’t!

“Yes, yes, you are right. I suppose the question is, then, is of what he is planning.”

Angrily, Kagome stalked around the well, muttering about over protective friends and insidious hanyou’s. Both the friend-type and the enemy.

“I haven’t the faintest clue.” Sango’s forlorn sigh quickly brought Kagome out of her thought induced anger and she once again fully concentrated on the discussion.

“I believe his next plan may be centralized around Kagome-san.”

The said priestess blanched, “What? Why me?”

Sango immediately looked away from Miroku, an anxious blush staining her cheeks, “O-oh… Kagome… I didn’t see-“

Before Kagome could throw her cane at her surrogate sister, the monk interrupted, “Because you got away from him, of course. He hadn’t liked you before; he’d been terrified of you. Now most likely he loathes you as well as fears you.”

Relieved that they weren’t trying to coddle her anymore (or at least Miroku wasn’t), they young priestess could only smile, “Well, I always try to please, ya know.”

Miroku returned her smile, “You do so well, My Lady.”

Sango huffed, obviously still disconcerted with the subject of their discussion. “But what would he plan then? It would center around Kagome, yes, but-“

Miroku cut her off before she could turn her inquiries into full blown rant. “There is no telling what Naraku would do, my sweet. We will just have to wait him out and just be prepared.”

A snort in the general direction of Inu-Yasha had them looking toward the tree where he sat. Kagome raised an eyebrow as the hanyou sat back lazily, patting the hilt of his Tetsuseiga as if it answered all the thoughts and questions they’d been having. True, it was a great help in all their battles, and the ending move usually came from the great fang. But Naraku had to know that by now as well. He’d probably plan around it somehow.

“How go your exercises Kagome-chan? Is the cane working well?” Sango suddenly asked. Kagome turned to yell at the exterminator, sure that they were trying to veer her off the subject; but when she spotted the woman eyeing the walking stick critically, she knew it was an honest question.

“It’s difficult for now, but it should get easier with use.”

“Feh, if it didn’t I’d say you were a moron.”

Kagome shot a half-hearted glare to the hanyou, fighting off a smile. It had been awhile since he’d insulted her so… she’d missed it for some twisted reason. “You’d call me a moron no matter what I did, you jerk.”

He smirked down at her, “True but then I’d mean it.”

The hand not holding onto her walking stick fisted against her hip, “Well, then, I’d just have to give you the sitting of your life then, wouldn’t I?”

A clawed hand waved her off, “You wouldn’t have to… you’re just a bitch like that.”

Kagome’s mouth dropped open, and she stared open mouthed up at her hanyou friend. “Did you… what… I… what….” Angrily, she pursed her lips to force herself not to talk. After a moment, she gathered enough wits to properly speak, “Did you just call me a bitch?!”

“Yeah.”

Her eyes crossed with anger, “Are you TRYING to get me to ‘sit’ you?!”

She watched as Inu-Yasha considered that for a moment, frowning up at the trees branches, “Nah… you’ve just been really tense lately and I know that pissing you off eventually leads you to calming down and relaxing.”

His simple logic stunned her, and it was a full minute before she could respond. “You’re… trying to relax me by… pissing me off?”

“Feh, didn’t I just say that wench?” He crossed his arms, but didn’t make an attempt to rise. “You goin’ deaf now too?”

She could feel her anger heat her face, “Oooh! OSWARI!”

The resounding crash and loud ‘oomph’ that resulted from ‘the word’ did indeed calm her down greatly. And Kagome ambled (as much as a cripple could ‘amble’) closer to the ground ridden hanyou. She listened to his grumbling while she stared at the prone hanyou, trying to come to a decision. Should she? It was a rather miserable situation… for the both of them…

To herself, Kagome nodded and stepped forward when her best friend picked himself up off the ground. Without a word, she reached out and grabbed the toothed rosary put on him so long ago and twisted. In a bright flash of pink, the beads tumbled to the ground, leaving only the ones in her hand.

Her surrogate family looked at her in shock, not really comprehending what just happened. Inu-Yasha stared down at her hand with his mouth wide open and she was hard-pressed not to laugh out loud at the picture he made. Instead, she grabbed his hand and gave him the beads and teeth she held. “Close your mouth, Inu-Yasha.”

His ears twitched for a second before he dropped the beads and picked the young miko up in a tight embraced. Kagome felt him bury his face against her throat and she could swear she feel a warm wetness there.

She let him hold her, knowing that it had to be an overwhelming experience to be finally free of something that tormented him for so long. Hell, if she had been told many years ago that she was freed of her fate, she would have had the same reactions as he. Only probably more emotional and openly. With that in mind she wrapped her arms about his waist.

“Why?”

The shaking question was breathed against her neck as he seemed unwilling to let her go. Smiling crookedly, Kagome reached up and patted his head. “It was making me soft and you a laughing stock. I didn’t want to be the cause of my friend being laughed at anymore. Only I get to laugh at you like that.”

“Feh.” But it was half-hearted and she felt his embarrassment as he carefully set her down on the ground. When he stepped away his gaze was locked on the ground. “I could take ‘em all with or without the damn necklace.”

Kagome nodded compliantly, “Of course you can Inu-Yasha.”

“And when Kouga comes around, I’m beating the hell out of him.” A gleam suddenly entered his eye, and he whirled about searching for something. “Where’s Shippou? I still got to get him back for this morning’s stunt…” The little fox demon, who had previously been perched upon Miroku’s shoulder, ‘eeped’ loudly and scrambled to hide behind Kagome. Inu-Yasha smirked, obviously feeling overconfident with his new freedom, and stepped forward to apprehend the tiny prankster.

Having foreseen this, Kagome raised her cane and ‘tapped’ him ‘gently’ on the back of his skull. The hanyou yipped like a wounded pup, clutching the back of his abused head. “Oye, woman! What in the hell was that for?!”

She tried not to smile and fortunately, she succeeded. “To show you that I can still kick your butt if you decide to pick on Shippou. I already punished him for that prank this morning, more would be just overkill and cruel.”

“Whatever woman.” His tone was irate, but she could still tell he was ecstatic over her gift.

Rolling her eyes, she looked down to the little kit who was sticking his tongue out at Inu-Yasha. “And you…” Instantly the little tongue was back in his mouth and he was looking up at her in a way that would usually make her melt. She pursed her lips, not this time… “I’ve been talking to Nezumi and he tells me that I coddle you too much.”

“I’ve been telling you that for year’s woman!”

Studiously she ignored Inu-Yasha. “And I agree with him.” Instantly, Shippou’s eyes teared up, and she was very close to giving into the kit, “Demons are raised to be more independent, and you’re a demon, and of a very independent breed. I keep forgetting that and I’m giving you everything you want. But no more. I won’t abandon you, but from now on I’ll raise you right.”

Her kit pouted, the tears in his eyes remaining as he turned away from her and bound away to the village. Kagome sighed, raising a hand to rub her forehead. She had expected that reaction from him. Shippou had been acting like a spoiled child lately, so her refusing to enable him any longer would be a highly unwelcome development. But she knew she was right in her decision… wasn’t she?

A heavy hand landed on her shoulder, “It’s alright, Kagome.”

Inu-Yasha’s soft reassurance startled her. Inquiringly, she looked up to him, “You think so?”

He shrugged with a blush, dropping his hand and folding his arms into his haori, “Mother said the same thing to me.”

She couldn’t help the tears that gathered in her eyes and futilely she tried to wipe them away. “Did you react the same way?”

The hanyou gave a humorless laugh and enveloped her in a hug, “Worse. She spoiled me more than you could ever. She was a princess, she was used to getting everything she wanted and she wanted me to know the same kind of life.”

She sniffled slightly against his haori, “But I give him candy and toys-“

“Which he knows are off limits now since the well is closed.” Inu-Yasha stepped away from her to look down at her imploringly, “Believe me, Kagome, he’ll get over it soon enough. He’s not as pig-headed as I am.”

She believed him. On all parts of his statement, she believed him so she just nodded and reluctantly stepped away from him.

“Perhaps, then, this is a good moment to change the subject?”

Everyone jumped in surprise at the tiny voiced intrusion and all but Inu-Yasha looked around. The said hanyou huffed indignantly and flicked something small off of his shoulder. A familiar squeak as the little dot fell to the ground clued everyone else to the identity of the newcomer. Myouga was back.

“What do you want, flea?”

The tiny demon jumped up onto Kagome’s shoulder, “A report of a shard milord! Just west of here! Only three days travel at best!”

Inu-Yasha’s eyes suddenly blazed with the chance to get a shard, with the chance to get at Naraku. But, much to her surprise, he didn’t immediately order everyone to get ready, instead he looked to her. “You up to it?”

She smiled, “As ever.”

At once her friend cheered and raced back to the village, tossing back an assurance that he’d return soon. Kagome shook her head in amusement and turned to the others with a shrug. “I guess he’s been cooped up too long then.”

~(^_^)~

She couldn’t help but see and feel the normality. It was impossible not to. Again the entire group was traveling in search of the elusive jewel shards, scouring the lands just because of a stupid, possible incorrect rumor. Kagome couldn’t have been happier.

Oh there were some changes. After all, she no longer had the stamina to walk as the others did. This annoyed her of course. It had taken her so long to get up to their level, and to have it taken away so easily… But both Inu-Yasha and Kirara were more than willing to carry her when she was unable to walk.

Also, she was no longer in clothing from the future. No green mini skirts, no sailor uniform, not even jeans or t-shirts. She was in the rough cotton attire of a miko, tabi socks and all. She was in the clothing of her predecessor. Well, not her clothes exactly… but the red hakamas and the white gi and haori seemed to always be the trademark of Kikyou. She simply refused to pull back her hair, not wanting to be mistaken for the soulless dead woman. It was bad enough she had similar features, wearing the same type of clothing… well that just sucked.

Nezumi was now with them, though he seemed a bit more tense out in the open. She figured it was because of his rat instincts. He was a prey demon and so would naturally try to find enclosed places to protect himself. She was sure he didn’t fully trust Kirara yet… and with the way the neko sniffed in his direction sometimes she was sure his wariness wasn’t unwarranted. She had to wonder how he had felt around Sesshou-Maru…

And Inu-Yasha was –slightly- different. Instead of bitching at her slow pace, or yelling when she needed to sit and rest, he waited patiently. There were times he even encouraged her to rest when he scented some imagined discomfort on her. Admittedly it had been a refreshing change… at first. Now it was beginning to wear on her.

Now she was perched on Kirara, enjoying the scenery as it passed. Walking next to her at a safe distance from the mononoke, was her rat caretaker, glancing into the dense forest with sharp eyes. Inu-Yasha was in the lead, with a annoyed and dejected Shippou following close behind him. Sango and Miroku walked hand in hand behind, talking to each other on both inconsequential and significant things. Kagome had tuned them out long ago in favor of a more… stoic subject.

They were heading into Sesshou-Maru’s lands, which naturally lead her to think about the high demon. It had been some time since he had come to check up on her, to administer therapy. He had taught Nezumi the moves needed, and had also given her a few exercises to practice on her own. They were working fabulously, as her ‘doctor’ had predicted. But he needed to come and check up on her progress soon, right? Not only that, he needed to get her to give him back his arm… however the hell he was planning that. Was he going to count on her wild priestess powers to grow him a new one? If he was, he was kind of an idiot. He knew how volatile her energies were because of her control. Or more like lack of control. She’d probably purify his other arm off. Well, if that was the case, it would be harder for him to kill her. What would he do then? Bite her head off? Kagome stifled a giggle at the image that brought up in her mind, hiding her smile behind a hand.

She ignored the questioning looks the others sent to her only shaking her head for them to ignore her in return. It wouldn’t do for her to tell them her little inner joke and have them laugh at Sesshou-Maru the next time he came around. He wouldn’t take it too well…

A soft giggle tore her attention away from her inner hilarity. Horrified that she may have said her stupid joke out loud any way, Kagome anxiously looked to her group members. Only to find them as before, not one of her friends were laughing. Frowning, Kagome concentrated on the noise, trying to discern where it was coming from. Not from any of her friends, and they didn’t seem to notice it either. So it was in her…

Her eyes widened at the sudden revelation, and dimly she cursed herself for not thinking of it earlier. It was in her *mind*. It was the Shikon no Tama. The Shikon was… laughing. She shuddered at the implication; the damn jewel was planning something. It had to have been. Or did it find her joke to be funny?

Not likely.

A sliver of white passed over her field of vision, and Kagome started out of her Shikon induced haze. She was able to focus on the tail end of a very familiar soul gatherer as it passed her by to gain her notice. Immediately the chuckles in her head ceased and she was forced to focus on the arrival of the dead woman, Kikyou.

The familiar pull of her fragmented soul made her ache in places she hadn’t known she had until that fateful day Kikyou was revived. Kagome resisted the urge to press a hand to her chest and instead looked to where the clay doll approached her best friend. She narrowed her eyes, a hand clenching tightly around her cane, mentally daring the dead woman to try anything with Inu-Yasha.

“What brings you to this area, Inu-Yasha?” Kikyou’s voice was as uninterested as Sesshou-Maru could be when talking about insects. But Inu-Yasha didn’t seem to hear her disinterest.

“There’s a rumor of a jewel shard some days away from here. We’re going to get it.”

Dead eyes flicked to Kagome, and she could feel a cold shiver run up her spine.

“She does not hinder you?”

Inu-Yasha blushed, but rather than being embarrassed, he seemed offended. “We need her here.”

The cold feeling settled in her heart.

Kikyou raised an eyebrow. “She cannot walk correctly. She has no control over her energies.”

Sango growled a bit and stepped forward, “Who asked you, you-“

The cold shifted into a sort of strange pressure.

“Am I wrong?” Kikyou dared to interrupt.

Sango flushed as well, in both anger and embarrassment.

The pressure grew until it encompassed her entire body.

“She aids us more than you could ever, Kikyou-san.” Miroku’s admonition was soft and subtle. Kikyou turned to glare at him.

“She frequently lies on the location of the Shikon shards.”

Her breathing became ragged, her heart fluttered in her chest.

“She always feels them, she doesn’t know where to find them.”

A small paw settled on her knee, and Kagome looked down to the worried eyes of her kit, “Kagome, are you al-“

And the pressure in her chest suddenly released itself in what she could only call a pulse. A warmth settled in her as it left, and the ache of having a piece of her soul missing eased slightly.

An instant later, Kikyou doubled up with a cry, an arm about her abdomen. She pushed Inu-Yasha away when he tried to comfort her, slowly composing herself as if the pain had left her so suddenly. Her confused brown eyes found Kagome’s own blue ones and for a moment they searched each other for answers.

The dead woman’s eyes suddenly hardened in anger, and she swiveled around to leave the way she had come. The others watched in confusion as she left silently, not knowing exactly what had occurred.

And in Kagome’s mind, several voices rang out in an evil laugh rivaling Naraku’s.

She shivered.

AAAAAA

Hmm, kind of a cliff hanger… I like this chapter though… it be nice and easy. But we are finally getting deeper into the story! Yey!

Thank you very much to those who reviewed! (Is it odd that I’ve gotten more reviews than ever after I’ve told people not to review with one liners?) I only got one who ignored my request. All of you others are great! To:
Danielle on AFF: Thank you for not thinking I’m a bitch and for encouraging me in that endeavor! And yes, I enjoyed picking out the particulars of Sesshou-Maru’s hobby. After all, he doesn’t want to help anyone else out other than himself eh? And I hope you enjoyed this chapter with Kagome’s ‘interaction’ with the Shikon… I love that thing… it’s so… jewelish.
Kiara on AFF: Thank you for your review! And don’t worry about not reviewing before, I honestly don’t mind. (I’m delighted that you reviewed now though). I’m sorry about the so little updates. Yes, there is a lot of things going on in my life… but I am working on other stories… I multitask too much. But this one is… I think… early, so I hope you are please with me!

Snowbird on ASS: You are right on the spot with Naraku’s plans! And don’t worry about Kagome, she has to heal for what I’m planning for her. Unfortunately, Sesshou-Maru planned for Nezumi to be her life-long trainer… I think I explained that… probably not well enough though. And as for your other questions… well we shall see won’t we?
Sonja on ASS: I am glad to share my visions with the world. I’m afraid I’m very big headed like that. I try to keep my story in line, you have no idea how often I have to hit the backspace key because I’ve gotten off subject.
Iloveprettysilverhair on ASS: Thank you so much! I’m happy you like it!
Flarie on ASS: You have no idea how many times I’ve done that and how many times it was done to me. And Sesshou-Maru seems the type to do it as well. Thank you for your review!
Megs on ASS: I know I know… unfortunately putting Naraku in is an absolute must. Without him it would be a dull story, don’t you think? Thank you for your review!
Tag0 on ASS: Yay! Someone likes Nezumi! I’m glad, because he’s very important to the story line. Thank you for your review!

And I think I answered all those on Fanfiction.net… If I haven’t, kick my ass, would you?

Please Regard Me Kindly,
I Agree