InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Every Heart ❯ Chapter 15
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: LuxKen27 
Kagome finds herself torn between her two worlds...then discovers the secrets of the jewel, and her ultimate destiny.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Action / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.28.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 694 | Status: Work In Progress
Kagome finds herself torn between her two worlds...then discovers the secrets of the jewel, and her ultimate destiny.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Action / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.28.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 694 | Status: Work In Progress
Want to see the ultimate author’s notes for this story? Visit me! http:// luxken27. livejournal. com / (minus the spaces of course). Explanations, clarifications, spoilers available!
Disclaimer: The Inuyasha concept, story, and characters are copyright Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media.
All modern-day characters, except Grandpa and Ayumi, are original to this story.
This is merely one girl’s dream of life after “The End.”
Kagome stared at the target in front of her, training her eyes to the small black point in the middle. She felt her body respond: the muscles of her arms and torso grew taut, her breathing slowed, her heartbeat reduced by half. She concentrated on the point of her arrow, her form coiled with anticipation.
“Fire!”
In the space of a breath, she released the arrow, watching as it flew straight and true in the air. She exhaled with relief as it hit the target squarely, a small smile tugging at her lips. She lowered her arms, suddenly feeling the full weight of her bow.
“Very nice, Higurashi!” Ms. Sugiyama said, approaching her with clipboard in hand. “You’ve passed with flying colors.” She handed Kagome a small slip of paper.
“Thank you,” Kagome replied happily. “It’s been an honor taking this class.” She retreated to the back of the gym as her classmates stepped up to the line to complete their final. She sat on the bleachers, satisfaction tugging at her shoulders. I passed, she thought giddily.
Advanced Archery had proven a challenge. Over the last three months, she’d worked hard at improving her form. She had followed Sensei Hitoma’s advice and purchased a recurve bow, modifying it to her specifications. Everything had been much easier after that, and she practiced at home, trying to commit these corrections to muscle memory. Should she ever see battle again, it would be important to be able to respond in the blink of an eye.
She unlaced her arm guard, stowing it safely in her backpack. Sometimes it was hard to believe she was still in the modern era; this was the longest period of time she’d been back since the beginning of her adventures. She had fallen into some semblance of normal life: attending class, spending time with her family, reconnecting with her high school friends. However, a feeling of alienation still surrounded her, no matter how much she tried to focus on mundane matters of life.
“Hey, Kagome, that was some great shot-making out there!”
Speaking of mundane matters of life, one was presenting itself to her right now.
She smiled at the compliment. “Thank you, Takao. You didn’t do so bad yourself.”
Takao Nishikori beamed at her words, and she felt a knot of dread forming in her stomach. He’d been friendly towards her in class, and they’d been put in the same post-midterm group. He was nice enough, she supposed, but he resembled the bland, blank Hojo from middle school too much to suit her taste.
He sat down beside her and started putting his gear away. “Listen, Kagome,” he hedged, his eyes down in his bag as a blush crept across the back of his neck. “Would you like to go out for coffee or something? You know, to celebrate passing the class.”
The knot in her stomach doubled. Takao had been friendly, but shy. She suspected he had a crush on her, but never expected that he’d actually ask her out. “Um…”
He glanced up swiftly at her, the blush spreading across his cheeks. “Nothing romantic,” he rushed. “I’m sure you already have a boyfriend.” His eyes turned pleading. “Please?”
She swallowed convulsively. “Sure, Takao. It’d be nice to have a hot drink before the long walk home.” She gave him a weak smile.
He looked incredibly relieved. “Great! Where would you like to go?”
She shifted her eyes away from his face, gazing back at their classmates. “There’s a little shop by the student union. How about we meet there in, say, fifteen minutes?”
“Sounds good. See you then!” He gathered his bag and jumped off the bleachers, striding from the gym with newfound confidence.
Kagome sighed, covering her face with her hands. She really hated this, feeling torn up inside. Sometimes she was tempted to give up the search for the jewel’s answers and fling herself back into “real” life. It would be so easy to slip into the role carved out for her. She could register at university, pursue her studies, have a normal career, husband, kids. Other times she wanted to throw herself back down the well and into the past. She missed Inuyasha desperately, as well as her other friends there. They accepted her for what she was, respected her even though she didn’t have a degree or a job or a life plan.
The final exam was over; class was breaking up for the last time. Her other group-mates congratulated her on passing, and she returned the compliments. As she was leaving the gym, Ms. Sugiyama stopped her. “Higurashi, I wanted to give you this before you left. It’s information on the Olympic trials.”
Kagome looked down at the thick packet in her hands. “Thanks.”
Ms. Sugiyama studied her for a moment. “The national federation is holding tryouts soon. Sensei Hitoma thinks you stand a very good chance of making the team. Please consider it.”
Kagome nodded. “I will, Ms. Sugiyama. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
She turned on her heel then, leaving the gym with shaking hands wrapped around the packet. Olympic trials? She was still taking the special Olympic-level competition course, and nothing had been mentioned of the trials there. She felt awkward, being blindsided by such an opportunity.
“Kagome!” A new voice broke into her thoughts. She turned to see Ayumi waving at her, running to catch up to her. “Where are you headed?” the girl asked brightly, winding her scarf tightly around her neck.
“Takao Nishikori invited me for coffee. Do you want to come?”
Ayumi’s eyes lit up. “Takao Nishikori?! How did you meet him?”
Kagome angled a puzzled glance at her friend. “We were in archery class together.”
“Oh, wow! You’re so lucky, Kagome!” Ayumi’s excitement was growing with each passing minute. “Are you sure you want me to tag along on your date?”
“It’s not a date,” Kagome insisted, shoving the information packet into her backpack. “We’re just friends.”
Ayumi gave her a knowing smile. “I’d like to be ‘just friends’ with the cutest, richest kid in our class!”
“What?” Kagome’s confusion only grew at this news. Cutest, richest kid in the class? He had been nice, but intensely quiet in archery.
Ayumi’s eyes widened. “How could you not know? He’s the son of Satoshi Nishikori!” When Kagome’s blank expression didn’t change, she tried again. “You know? The tycoon businessman who spends most of his time off the coast of Australia, basking in his millions on his yacht?”
Kagome shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.
Ayumi gave a disbelieving sigh. “Where have you been the last three years? He made a mint on the stock market, sank all his money into his investment firm, and now owns half the northern island of Japan!”
Kagome didn’t hear the last part of her friend’s comment, or the ensuing updates about the apparently infamous Nishikori family. The subtle disconnect she felt with the world suddenly gaped open, and she felt like a stranger in her own land. Where had she been the last three years? Playing in history, saving the world, slaying demons with a bow and arrows.
Do I really belong here anymore? she asked herself as Ayumi continued to prattle on. She touched the jewel, which she still wore in the small haori pouch around her neck. It seemed she was approaching a crossroads, even if she felt ill-prepared to make a decision. Doors of opportunity were opening to her in this era. Apparently the cutest, richest kid in class had a crush on her. Her instructors thought she had a real chance to go to the Olympics, maybe even to turn pro. She knew her family would be over the moon if she pursued these chances.
She felt the jewel warm between her fingers. She wasn’t ready to go back to the past just yet. Even after three months of intensive training, the jewel had yet to reveal the secrets of controlling its powers to her. It was very frustrating, but she tried not to think about it. She knew that if she went back now, before mastering it, she’d only be forced to return. She couldn’t imagine parting from Inuyasha or her friends again, not after the last separation. No. She had to stick it out a little longer, had to resist the draw of her burgeoning modern life.
“Listen, Ayumi, would you meet Takao for me and tell him I’m sorry? I suddenly feel a huge headache coming on.” It wasn’t really a lie; trying to figure out her place in the world was making her head pound with a vengeance. “I think I’m going to catch the train home.”
“Okay, if you insist,” Ayumi said, giving her friend a concerned look. “I hope you feel better!”
“Thanks,” Kagome replied gratefully, pushing her backpack onto her shoulders once again. She left the campus, turning towards the train station. Even though it was the dead of winter, she still preferred walking home over catching the train. It was hard to think with the noise and clatter of people.
She needed that distraction right about now, though.
Kagome squared her shoulders, tightening her hold on her bow and the shaft of her arrow. “I have to get this right!” she called to her grandfather, who was standing in the doorway of their home behind her. She lifted the bow and slotted the arrow in place, closing her eyes and concentrating on the jewel around her neck. Please work, she begged silently. Opening her eyes, she took a breath and shot the arrow. It hit the target she’d pinned to the tree, but nothing else happened.
“No,” she muttered, frustrated. She’d been out behind their house for hours, practicing her skills and trying to lure the magic out of the jewel. She was cold and tired, her shoulders and back aching from the constant training. Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. What was it going to take?
She heard the rustle of cloth passing over snow, and her grandfather came into her line of vision. He was dressed in his usual kimono and hakama, with a light scarf around his neck and a hat on his balding head. She saw the steady trail he made as well; the layer of snow on the ground was thin, and would probably disappear overnight.
“Kagome,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I’d like to speak with you.”
She nodded, allowing him to guide her around the house, to the bench under the Sacred Tree. He cleared a spot for them and sat, stretching his legs and folding his hands into his sleeves. Kagome sat beside him, her bow resting against the bench.
“You’ve been out here every day for the last week, shooting arrows at that poor tree,” her grandfather remarked. “I’m beginning to wonder what it ever did to earn so much of your wrath.”
Kagome couldn’t help but smile at that. “I’m not angry,” she said. “I’m frustrated.”
Her grandfather merely nodded, looking up into the branches of the tree. “Your university classes have ended?”
She nodded. “Yes. Now I’m on my own, trying to figure out how to make the jewel show itself.” She had been relieved, at the start, that the jewel was dormant; the last thing she needed was to explain supernatural powers to her skeptical instructors or classmates. But now it was beginning to worry her.
“Perhaps its powers won’t manifest in this time period,” he mused aloud.
Kagome shook her head. “What about that shard we found in the Noh mask? It wreaked havoc in this era.” She looked down at her hands.
He shuddered. “Yes, how could I forget that?” He’d been hospitalized following a fire the mask had started in its quest to possess human flesh.
“I’m afraid, Grandpa,” Kagome confessed quietly. “What if I never master it?”
He didn’t appear to hear her question. He reached for the jewel, which rested against her neck. He held it thoughtfully, appearing to study the protective pouch wrapped around it. “What if you need to make a wish on it?” he asked slowly.
“A wish?” she asked blankly, her mind still overwhelmed with the fear of failure, of never getting to see her friends beyond the well again.
“Yes, don’t you remember? ‘When the final person to hold the jewel makes the right wish upon it, it will be purified and disappear from this world,’” he quoted from the legend.
She lifted the chain from her neck, looking at the jewel where it rested in his palm. “I don’t think that’s the answer. After all, Naraku made a wish on the jewel, a wish it didn’t grant.”
Her grandfather smiled warmly at her. “Do you remember our conversation about the jewel, when you returned with your powers seemingly sealed?”
Kagome nodded slowly, dredging the memories up from the depths of her mind. She’d been taking her entrance exams, and she’d spent the night desperately trying to cram. God, she wanted so badly to get into that school! Her grandfather brought her a shrine trinket for good luck, and then…Inuyasha had come to fetch her.
“Oh!” she breathed, the conversation they had returning to her. “The jewel sealed my powers because it feared me.” She looked up to her grandfather’s confused expression. “Kaede and the others figured it out after I came back. It wasn’t Kikyo who sealed me, it was the jewel.”
Understanding dawned on her grandfather’s face. “I wonder…” His thought trailed off.
“What?” she asked him, her heart slowly climbing in her chest.
“The jewel wasn’t destroyed in your final battle with Naraku,” he began. “You took possession of it once again, and purified it to the point that it constructed a barrier.”
Kagome nodded. “That’s when it started to give off its powers in battle. Miroku theorized that the barrier was protective, not only of the jewel, but also of me.”
“Consider this, Kagome. What if your purification finally broke the spell? Maybe the answer is that the powers do not belong to the jewel, they belong to you.” Her grandfather regarded her as he said this.
Her heart was in her throat and beating wildly. “W-what?”
He nodded. “It makes sense now. You had no control over the jewel because you thought it was controlling these abilities, this power to strike and seal. In reality, those powers belong not to the jewel, but have been reawakened in you.”
She shook her head, disbelieving. “But then, why would it burn me? Why would it ultimately incapacitate me?”
Her grandfather put the jewel back in her hands. “The jewel’s spiritual barrier is protective. You told me it never glowed or burned unless you or your friends were in danger, yes? If it came down to it, it would probably project a barrier not only around itself, but around you as well.”
“I just can’t wrap my mind around the idea that the jewel’s powers may really be my own,” Kagome said. “It makes anyone who possesses it more powerful, that’s why so many desire it.”
Her grandfather closed his hands around hers. “Humor me, Kagome. Try your arrows again, but this time change your mentality. Believe the powers you wish to control are your own. Let the jewel be a vessel for you, as it is for all those others who wish to possess it.”
She nodded once, slipping the jewel back around her neck and tucking it under her collar. She walked back to her practice area, bow in hand. Eyeing the target with renewed confidence, she raised her bow and arrow. These are my powers, she told herself. Strike…and seal!
She fired, the arrow flying with increased speed at her target. There was no explosion of white magic, no glimpse of the seal. She frowned and picked up another arrow. “Maybe it has something to do with protection?” she wondered out loud. I guess it’s worth a try, she thought, shrugging her shoulders.
Again, she nocked an arrow, concentrating on her target. Imagine Inuyasha’s over there, she told herself, her mind’s eye forming his image all too easily. You have to protect him from something. She inhaled, the tree becoming a youkai before her eyes. She felt the jewel begin to warm ever so slightly against her chest. She exhaled slowly. Strike…and seal!
This time, the arrow shot through the air like a bullet, landing off-center of the target (which had magically reappeared in the demon’s place). A web of white magic shot out and encompassed the trunk of the tree, shredding the paper target into ribbons.
Kagome clutched her bow in trembling hands. “Oh my God,” she choked out, staring at the pieces of the target as they fluttered to the ground. That’s it, she realized. That’s the answer.
Disclaimer: The Inuyasha concept, story, and characters are copyright Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media.
All modern-day characters, except Grandpa and Ayumi, are original to this story.
This is merely one girl’s dream of life after “The End.”
Kagome stared at the target in front of her, training her eyes to the small black point in the middle. She felt her body respond: the muscles of her arms and torso grew taut, her breathing slowed, her heartbeat reduced by half. She concentrated on the point of her arrow, her form coiled with anticipation.
“Fire!”
In the space of a breath, she released the arrow, watching as it flew straight and true in the air. She exhaled with relief as it hit the target squarely, a small smile tugging at her lips. She lowered her arms, suddenly feeling the full weight of her bow.
“Very nice, Higurashi!” Ms. Sugiyama said, approaching her with clipboard in hand. “You’ve passed with flying colors.” She handed Kagome a small slip of paper.
“Thank you,” Kagome replied happily. “It’s been an honor taking this class.” She retreated to the back of the gym as her classmates stepped up to the line to complete their final. She sat on the bleachers, satisfaction tugging at her shoulders. I passed, she thought giddily.
Advanced Archery had proven a challenge. Over the last three months, she’d worked hard at improving her form. She had followed Sensei Hitoma’s advice and purchased a recurve bow, modifying it to her specifications. Everything had been much easier after that, and she practiced at home, trying to commit these corrections to muscle memory. Should she ever see battle again, it would be important to be able to respond in the blink of an eye.
She unlaced her arm guard, stowing it safely in her backpack. Sometimes it was hard to believe she was still in the modern era; this was the longest period of time she’d been back since the beginning of her adventures. She had fallen into some semblance of normal life: attending class, spending time with her family, reconnecting with her high school friends. However, a feeling of alienation still surrounded her, no matter how much she tried to focus on mundane matters of life.
“Hey, Kagome, that was some great shot-making out there!”
Speaking of mundane matters of life, one was presenting itself to her right now.
She smiled at the compliment. “Thank you, Takao. You didn’t do so bad yourself.”
Takao Nishikori beamed at her words, and she felt a knot of dread forming in her stomach. He’d been friendly towards her in class, and they’d been put in the same post-midterm group. He was nice enough, she supposed, but he resembled the bland, blank Hojo from middle school too much to suit her taste.
He sat down beside her and started putting his gear away. “Listen, Kagome,” he hedged, his eyes down in his bag as a blush crept across the back of his neck. “Would you like to go out for coffee or something? You know, to celebrate passing the class.”
The knot in her stomach doubled. Takao had been friendly, but shy. She suspected he had a crush on her, but never expected that he’d actually ask her out. “Um…”
He glanced up swiftly at her, the blush spreading across his cheeks. “Nothing romantic,” he rushed. “I’m sure you already have a boyfriend.” His eyes turned pleading. “Please?”
She swallowed convulsively. “Sure, Takao. It’d be nice to have a hot drink before the long walk home.” She gave him a weak smile.
He looked incredibly relieved. “Great! Where would you like to go?”
She shifted her eyes away from his face, gazing back at their classmates. “There’s a little shop by the student union. How about we meet there in, say, fifteen minutes?”
“Sounds good. See you then!” He gathered his bag and jumped off the bleachers, striding from the gym with newfound confidence.
Kagome sighed, covering her face with her hands. She really hated this, feeling torn up inside. Sometimes she was tempted to give up the search for the jewel’s answers and fling herself back into “real” life. It would be so easy to slip into the role carved out for her. She could register at university, pursue her studies, have a normal career, husband, kids. Other times she wanted to throw herself back down the well and into the past. She missed Inuyasha desperately, as well as her other friends there. They accepted her for what she was, respected her even though she didn’t have a degree or a job or a life plan.
The final exam was over; class was breaking up for the last time. Her other group-mates congratulated her on passing, and she returned the compliments. As she was leaving the gym, Ms. Sugiyama stopped her. “Higurashi, I wanted to give you this before you left. It’s information on the Olympic trials.”
Kagome looked down at the thick packet in her hands. “Thanks.”
Ms. Sugiyama studied her for a moment. “The national federation is holding tryouts soon. Sensei Hitoma thinks you stand a very good chance of making the team. Please consider it.”
Kagome nodded. “I will, Ms. Sugiyama. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
She turned on her heel then, leaving the gym with shaking hands wrapped around the packet. Olympic trials? She was still taking the special Olympic-level competition course, and nothing had been mentioned of the trials there. She felt awkward, being blindsided by such an opportunity.
“Kagome!” A new voice broke into her thoughts. She turned to see Ayumi waving at her, running to catch up to her. “Where are you headed?” the girl asked brightly, winding her scarf tightly around her neck.
“Takao Nishikori invited me for coffee. Do you want to come?”
Ayumi’s eyes lit up. “Takao Nishikori?! How did you meet him?”
Kagome angled a puzzled glance at her friend. “We were in archery class together.”
“Oh, wow! You’re so lucky, Kagome!” Ayumi’s excitement was growing with each passing minute. “Are you sure you want me to tag along on your date?”
“It’s not a date,” Kagome insisted, shoving the information packet into her backpack. “We’re just friends.”
Ayumi gave her a knowing smile. “I’d like to be ‘just friends’ with the cutest, richest kid in our class!”
“What?” Kagome’s confusion only grew at this news. Cutest, richest kid in the class? He had been nice, but intensely quiet in archery.
Ayumi’s eyes widened. “How could you not know? He’s the son of Satoshi Nishikori!” When Kagome’s blank expression didn’t change, she tried again. “You know? The tycoon businessman who spends most of his time off the coast of Australia, basking in his millions on his yacht?”
Kagome shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.
Ayumi gave a disbelieving sigh. “Where have you been the last three years? He made a mint on the stock market, sank all his money into his investment firm, and now owns half the northern island of Japan!”
Kagome didn’t hear the last part of her friend’s comment, or the ensuing updates about the apparently infamous Nishikori family. The subtle disconnect she felt with the world suddenly gaped open, and she felt like a stranger in her own land. Where had she been the last three years? Playing in history, saving the world, slaying demons with a bow and arrows.
Do I really belong here anymore? she asked herself as Ayumi continued to prattle on. She touched the jewel, which she still wore in the small haori pouch around her neck. It seemed she was approaching a crossroads, even if she felt ill-prepared to make a decision. Doors of opportunity were opening to her in this era. Apparently the cutest, richest kid in class had a crush on her. Her instructors thought she had a real chance to go to the Olympics, maybe even to turn pro. She knew her family would be over the moon if she pursued these chances.
She felt the jewel warm between her fingers. She wasn’t ready to go back to the past just yet. Even after three months of intensive training, the jewel had yet to reveal the secrets of controlling its powers to her. It was very frustrating, but she tried not to think about it. She knew that if she went back now, before mastering it, she’d only be forced to return. She couldn’t imagine parting from Inuyasha or her friends again, not after the last separation. No. She had to stick it out a little longer, had to resist the draw of her burgeoning modern life.
“Listen, Ayumi, would you meet Takao for me and tell him I’m sorry? I suddenly feel a huge headache coming on.” It wasn’t really a lie; trying to figure out her place in the world was making her head pound with a vengeance. “I think I’m going to catch the train home.”
“Okay, if you insist,” Ayumi said, giving her friend a concerned look. “I hope you feel better!”
“Thanks,” Kagome replied gratefully, pushing her backpack onto her shoulders once again. She left the campus, turning towards the train station. Even though it was the dead of winter, she still preferred walking home over catching the train. It was hard to think with the noise and clatter of people.
She needed that distraction right about now, though.
~*~
“Kagome? Aren’t you ready for a break yet?”Kagome squared her shoulders, tightening her hold on her bow and the shaft of her arrow. “I have to get this right!” she called to her grandfather, who was standing in the doorway of their home behind her. She lifted the bow and slotted the arrow in place, closing her eyes and concentrating on the jewel around her neck. Please work, she begged silently. Opening her eyes, she took a breath and shot the arrow. It hit the target she’d pinned to the tree, but nothing else happened.
“No,” she muttered, frustrated. She’d been out behind their house for hours, practicing her skills and trying to lure the magic out of the jewel. She was cold and tired, her shoulders and back aching from the constant training. Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. What was it going to take?
She heard the rustle of cloth passing over snow, and her grandfather came into her line of vision. He was dressed in his usual kimono and hakama, with a light scarf around his neck and a hat on his balding head. She saw the steady trail he made as well; the layer of snow on the ground was thin, and would probably disappear overnight.
“Kagome,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I’d like to speak with you.”
She nodded, allowing him to guide her around the house, to the bench under the Sacred Tree. He cleared a spot for them and sat, stretching his legs and folding his hands into his sleeves. Kagome sat beside him, her bow resting against the bench.
“You’ve been out here every day for the last week, shooting arrows at that poor tree,” her grandfather remarked. “I’m beginning to wonder what it ever did to earn so much of your wrath.”
Kagome couldn’t help but smile at that. “I’m not angry,” she said. “I’m frustrated.”
Her grandfather merely nodded, looking up into the branches of the tree. “Your university classes have ended?”
She nodded. “Yes. Now I’m on my own, trying to figure out how to make the jewel show itself.” She had been relieved, at the start, that the jewel was dormant; the last thing she needed was to explain supernatural powers to her skeptical instructors or classmates. But now it was beginning to worry her.
“Perhaps its powers won’t manifest in this time period,” he mused aloud.
Kagome shook her head. “What about that shard we found in the Noh mask? It wreaked havoc in this era.” She looked down at her hands.
He shuddered. “Yes, how could I forget that?” He’d been hospitalized following a fire the mask had started in its quest to possess human flesh.
“I’m afraid, Grandpa,” Kagome confessed quietly. “What if I never master it?”
He didn’t appear to hear her question. He reached for the jewel, which rested against her neck. He held it thoughtfully, appearing to study the protective pouch wrapped around it. “What if you need to make a wish on it?” he asked slowly.
“A wish?” she asked blankly, her mind still overwhelmed with the fear of failure, of never getting to see her friends beyond the well again.
“Yes, don’t you remember? ‘When the final person to hold the jewel makes the right wish upon it, it will be purified and disappear from this world,’” he quoted from the legend.
She lifted the chain from her neck, looking at the jewel where it rested in his palm. “I don’t think that’s the answer. After all, Naraku made a wish on the jewel, a wish it didn’t grant.”
Her grandfather smiled warmly at her. “Do you remember our conversation about the jewel, when you returned with your powers seemingly sealed?”
Kagome nodded slowly, dredging the memories up from the depths of her mind. She’d been taking her entrance exams, and she’d spent the night desperately trying to cram. God, she wanted so badly to get into that school! Her grandfather brought her a shrine trinket for good luck, and then…Inuyasha had come to fetch her.
“Oh!” she breathed, the conversation they had returning to her. “The jewel sealed my powers because it feared me.” She looked up to her grandfather’s confused expression. “Kaede and the others figured it out after I came back. It wasn’t Kikyo who sealed me, it was the jewel.”
Understanding dawned on her grandfather’s face. “I wonder…” His thought trailed off.
“What?” she asked him, her heart slowly climbing in her chest.
“The jewel wasn’t destroyed in your final battle with Naraku,” he began. “You took possession of it once again, and purified it to the point that it constructed a barrier.”
Kagome nodded. “That’s when it started to give off its powers in battle. Miroku theorized that the barrier was protective, not only of the jewel, but also of me.”
“Consider this, Kagome. What if your purification finally broke the spell? Maybe the answer is that the powers do not belong to the jewel, they belong to you.” Her grandfather regarded her as he said this.
Her heart was in her throat and beating wildly. “W-what?”
He nodded. “It makes sense now. You had no control over the jewel because you thought it was controlling these abilities, this power to strike and seal. In reality, those powers belong not to the jewel, but have been reawakened in you.”
She shook her head, disbelieving. “But then, why would it burn me? Why would it ultimately incapacitate me?”
Her grandfather put the jewel back in her hands. “The jewel’s spiritual barrier is protective. You told me it never glowed or burned unless you or your friends were in danger, yes? If it came down to it, it would probably project a barrier not only around itself, but around you as well.”
“I just can’t wrap my mind around the idea that the jewel’s powers may really be my own,” Kagome said. “It makes anyone who possesses it more powerful, that’s why so many desire it.”
Her grandfather closed his hands around hers. “Humor me, Kagome. Try your arrows again, but this time change your mentality. Believe the powers you wish to control are your own. Let the jewel be a vessel for you, as it is for all those others who wish to possess it.”
She nodded once, slipping the jewel back around her neck and tucking it under her collar. She walked back to her practice area, bow in hand. Eyeing the target with renewed confidence, she raised her bow and arrow. These are my powers, she told herself. Strike…and seal!
She fired, the arrow flying with increased speed at her target. There was no explosion of white magic, no glimpse of the seal. She frowned and picked up another arrow. “Maybe it has something to do with protection?” she wondered out loud. I guess it’s worth a try, she thought, shrugging her shoulders.
Again, she nocked an arrow, concentrating on her target. Imagine Inuyasha’s over there, she told herself, her mind’s eye forming his image all too easily. You have to protect him from something. She inhaled, the tree becoming a youkai before her eyes. She felt the jewel begin to warm ever so slightly against her chest. She exhaled slowly. Strike…and seal!
This time, the arrow shot through the air like a bullet, landing off-center of the target (which had magically reappeared in the demon’s place). A web of white magic shot out and encompassed the trunk of the tree, shredding the paper target into ribbons.
Kagome clutched her bow in trembling hands. “Oh my God,” she choked out, staring at the pieces of the target as they fluttered to the ground. That’s it, she realized. That’s the answer.