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"I want you to talk to me Kagome." Mrs. Higurashi said as she slowly drove home.
"About what, mom?" Kagome asked warily. This tone usually meant that her mom knew something that she wanted Kagome to admit
to.
"Kagome, you aren't sleeping right. You aren't eating right. You aren't
studying, and now you're falling asleep in class. This isn't like you." She sighed sadly, "I know it's been hard on you since
your dad died, but Kagome," she sighed, "I'm doing my best, sweetie. I'm trying."
"Mom, it's not your fault." Kagome interrupted. "It's just I haven't been sleeping."
"I know, Kagome." She tapped the steering wheel with her hands, "Why? Is there something you aren't telling me? Kagome swallowed,
she really didn't want her mom to hear about the dream. Her mom would worry too much, but then, it was probably worrying her
right now not knowing. "If you're not going to tell me, then I'm going to ask some questions, and you're going to answer them,
deal?"
Kagome nodded silently, her mom was serious now. She glanced over at
her mom, and Kagome noticed that she had dark circles under her eyes. She hadn't been sleeping well.
"First question." she sighed, as she pulled the car over along the curb. "Who is Inuyasha?" she said, looking at Kagome pointedly.
Kagome swallowed. "I - I'm not sure, Mom."
"Kagome! I sleep across the hall.
Every night you scream that name. Who is he?" Her mom told her, watching the surprised expression wash across Kagome's face.
"I don't know, Mom." She sighed, shaking her head, "He's in my dream every time I fall asleep."
"What does he do in your dream?" Her mom asked warily. "Does he hurt you?"
Kagome
shook her head, "No, no nothing like that." She frowned, remembering the biting pain as the monster slid across her body.
"It's nothing like that." She remembered seeing him run, "I think I'm asking him to save me."
"Really?" her mom said, surprise registering across her face.
"Yeah. In the
dream, I'm being attacked, and. I'm fighting with this bow and arrows, and then.this monster, it kind of overcomes me, and
I'm. . .like. . .dying, then I see him and I scream out his name. Then I wake up." Kagome let her eyes slide to her mom. Her
mom looked thoughtful for a moment. "Mom?"
Her mom smiled, and started the car,
"What do you say we go talk to Grampa about your dream?" she asked, heading for home.
* * * * * * * *
Grampa nodded sagely as Kagome finished her story, slowly and shakily.
"So. it has come to you, then has it?" he asked sadly, shaking his head.
"What
has come to me?" Kagome asked, watching her grandfather warily. He was a very strange old man, who believed in spirits and
demons and those silly slips of paper he stuck to everything, claiming they warded off evil.
"The protection of the sacred jewel." Grampa told her, watching her closely.
"Grampa! This is silly!" She said irritably, standing and turning to leave. "Why can't you ever be reasonable? I don't even
know why mom wanted me to tell you about this. I told her you'd say something like this."
"Kagome! Sit down!" Grampa said sharply, and Kagome stopped. In her entire life, her Grandfather had never spoken to her sharply,
and it scared her and made her listen at the same time. "You have been raised in a world where the words of your elders mean
nothing! You come asking my advice, then spurn what I offer. Kagome, child, listen to me for a moment!"
Kagome sat down, staring at her Grandfather wide-eyed. "Okay, Grampa. I'm listening."
"Five hundred years ago, a Miko named Kikyo took the Shikon no Tama into her care. She was to protect it from whatever evil
may come to take it away. There came a time when a war between the youkai of the eastern and western lands. Kikyo gave the
jewel to a powerful warrior named Inuyasha. He used the jewel to defeat the enemy and drew all the demons into the jewel,
turning it black and evil. When the jewel was returned to Kikyo, the evil in the jewel corrupted her and she joined forces
with an evil youkai named Naraku. There was a great battle between the brothers and the evil pair. Evil always brings it's
own end, Kagome, and in the end Naraku slew Kikyo, but not before she cursed the young Inuyasha. She cursed him to love her
forever, in whatever form she came before him in." Grampa said slowly. Kagome frowned, that story was so familiar.
"What happened to him, Grampa?" Kagome asked, fearing she already knew the answer.
"He took his own life only a few days after the battle." Her grandfather said matter-of-factly.
"No!" Kagome protested angrily, slamming her hand down on the table, "He can't do that!"
Her Grampa jumped, looking at her as though she'd lost her mind. "Kagome, it happened a long time ago. There's no point in
getting upset about it."
"Why would a powerful youkai like him take his own
life?" Kagome demanded.
Her grandfather frowned, "He was only a human, Kagome.
He wasn't a youkai. Sometimes it's hard to move on."
"Grampa! Don't argue with
me. I saw him. He's not human." Kagome argued.
"Kagome look." Her grandfather
said pulling a parchment out from a heavy drawer. It was old, but in incredible condition. "This is a picture of him, drawn
by an artist of the village." He said, smoothing it out on the table.
The man
that stared back at her was definitely human. But he looked so much like Inuyasha. Only.he was human. "That's not him, not
quite. He has white hair, not black, and.who's that?" she said, moving her eyes to the other face drawn on the page. "That
looks like me."
"That." her grandfather said, "Is Kikyo, miko from legend."
"That looks like me." Kagome repeated dumbly. "How can she look like me."
"Kagome,
she is you." Her grandfather explained, dully. She's the same person, why else would you be able to see what happened that
day? Why else would you be destined to guard the jewel?" He grandfather rolled the parchment up and tucked it back in the
drawer, but drawing out a small box this time. "This is now yours Kagome. Protect it forever."
The box clicked open, and Kagome's eyes opened in surprise. Kagome reached for the jewel. "Kagome, don't!" her grandfather
exclaimed as her fingers closed around the swirling black orb. She held it up to her face to examine it closely.
"Why?" she asked, curiously examining it. Suddenly the jewel shimmered brilliant pinkish purple, and the black had disappeared.
The jewel was a soft lavender-pink color that glowed gently in her hand. "Grampa, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to." She said
dropping the jewel back in the box.
"Ka - Kagome." he said, eyes wide and shocked,
"Do you know what you just did?"
"Grampa, I'm so sorry." She said, feeling tears
well up in her eyes.
"You purified it, Kagome! Five hundred years of evil and
bloodshed, and you just purified it by picking it up!" He said, his voice rising to an uncomfortable shriek. His face was
bright red, and he couldn't stop grinning at her. "Kagome! Such power you possess!" he laughed, dropping the jewel in her
hand.
Kagome stared at him in confusion. "Grampa, what do I do with it?"
Her Grampa smiled, "You keep it with you always. It is your duty." He said and smiled, giving his granddaughter a hug.
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