InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hanyou no kokoro no naka de; Within the Heart of the Half-Demon ❯ Scars of Faded Memories ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: All the people I'm writing about…yeah, defiantly don't own them. And my reviewers too, I don't own them. None of them. What I say about who I write about I do own, however. Like the plot and so forth. Someone else made them up…it's 3 in the morning…Ru—Rum—Rumu—Rumi—Rumi…Eh, I forget. There goes a cow. What?

 

A/N: What the disclaimer said. Except that I forgot to eat supper. I'm hungry. I left that out. So I put it here. Just like this time that I flew to my grandma's house for Christmas. Or was it Hanukkah? No…I'm not Jewish. Nevermind. Did I say cow earlier? I meant chicken.

 

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Chapter 13

 

Scars of Faded Memories

 

 

 

 

Inuyasha sat Indian-style on the grass, his back leaning against a large rock. Kagome leaned against the other side of the rock. Neither of them talking. Between them sat the bag Kagome had been carrying and Sango's Hiraikotsu. Inuyasha let out a sigh, exaggerating it loudly so that Kagome would hear him. She rolled her eyes a bit, turning to face the side of his back that she could see.

 

“Patience is a virtue.”

 

Inuyasha shifted his eyes in her direction, making short eye contact before stuffing his nose into the air. “Keh! How long are those friends of yours gonna take anyways??”

 

“They just didn't want you going into the village!”

 

“If I had gone, we would have found help long ago.”

 

“No one would have talked to us!”

 

“Oh, they would have talked,” Inuyasha said with a smirk. “I woulda made `em.”

 

Kagome sighed. “Well, at least this way no one will help us out of fear.”

 

He didn't reply.

 

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

“Excuse me,” Miroku said to a young lady as she passed by.

 

“She's not going to be any help, Houshi-sama,” Sango said, walking on past, Kirara still on her shoulder.

 

“What is your name, miss?” Miroku asked, taking her hand.

 

“Ano…I am Kome.”

 

“Kome? Such a lovely name.”

 

“Thank you, monk!”

 

“Would you do me the honor of bearing my child?”

 

Miroku suddenly felt a sharp pain shoot through his head as Sango grabbed him roughly by the ponytail and dragged him away, the poor monk yelling in pain. Kome giggled before turning and walking away.

 

Shippo leaped onto Miroku's shoulder. “You should really try to control yourself around her, ya know. That's the third time today.”

 

He gave a half-laugh.

 

“Excuse me!” A strange voice came from behind them. Sango and Miroku turned around to see an old lady walking quickly toward them. They all looked down at her confusedly. “You, young sir, are you a monk?”

 

He nodded, “Yes, old woman. Can we help you?”

 

“Might you know where Miatsu-sama is, then?”

 

“Miatsu?”

 

“He is also a monk that lives in the village. I thought that maybe you would know him, or be a student of his, but I see that you know not of his name.”

 

“No, ma'am, I am sorry.”

 

She bowed. “No, sorry to cause you any trouble.” She smiled and walked away.

 

“Miatsu…Sango, remember that,” Miroku said thoughtfully.

 

“Okay,” Sango said, nodding. “How come?”

 

“Well, if this monk is old and has lived in this village for long, then he might know a little bit about Midoriko, the Shikon no Tama, and maybe even about the curse.”

 

“Oh…” she nodded in understanding.

 

Shippo suddenly popped up, exclaiming loudly into Miroku's ear, “Oh! Miatsu!! I've heard of him! Yes! He's a monk! He's a monk that works to drive demons away from this village. Everyone in the Youkai no Mori knows of him! He lives near there!”

 

“Really, Shippo-chan?” Sango asked, “Where is his home, then?”

 

“Hai, Shippo? Do you know where he lives? That could save us lots of time.”

 

“Yeah…I don't know exactly where, though…come to think of it,” Shippo said, a bit quieter.

 

“Well, I'm sure it can't be hard to find if it's apart from the village. I suppose if we get Inuyasha to sniff him out then it won't take any time at all,” Sango suggested.

 

Miroku nodded. “Yeah, that is, if we can get Inuyasha to do it.”

 

“I think since this whole thing is in his benefit, we will aid us without any argument.”

 

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Inuyasha sniffed the air lightly, dropping his head down and sighing. “I'm tellin' you guys, there's no scent of a human out here. The village are the closest humans I can detect. Whatever that lady told you, she must have been on crack cuz there ain't nothin' here.”

 

Kagome sighed, leaning exhaustedly against a tree, dropping her bag to the ground next to her. “We've been looking for the place for hours now, can't we take a rest?”

 

“Hey, I'm the one doin' all the work, Miss Princess!!! I don't wanna hear your lazy butt complainin' any,” Inuyasha said irritably.

 

Miroku looked around again. “I can't sense a thing, either.”

 

Sango nodded.

 

Kagome leaned her head back. “Man! And I wanted to be home by tonight! We're so going to get caught.”

 

Sango looked at Kagome and nodded in agreement, but something behind her friend caught her eye. She stepped over to get a better view. It looked like smoke, but nothing smelled of fire. She walked in the direction of the strange sight. Kagome watched her curiously.

 

“What is it, Sango-chan?”

 

She squinted her eyes before they popped open in happiness. “Oh, look, Kagome-chan! A hot spring!!”

 

Kagome flew from against the tree and looked behind her. “Yay!” she exclaimed. She turned to Inuyasha and Miroku with pleading eyes. “Can't Sango and I take a quick break?!”

 

Inuyasha jumped back in surprise. “For what!!?! So you can take a quick bath in the hot water?? I thought you were in a hurry!”

 

“We'll just be a minute!” she called as her and Sango bounded happily toward the spring.

 

Shippo leaped from Miroku's shoulder. “Wait for me!!”

 

“Sure!” Inuyasha shouted, plopping onto the ground, holding his sword in his arms. “Have fun, Miroku and I will just sit here and wait.”

 

“Go keep looking for that monk!” Kagome called back, pulling off her kimono and sliding slowly into the water.

 

Inuyasha jumped back up. “No way! I ain't doin' all your work while you stupid girls slack off in the hot spring!!”

 

“Relax, Inuyasha,” Miroku said in an attempt to bring the argument to an end.

 

The hanyou shot a glare and Miroku before taking his advice and plopping back down on the grass. Miroku walked away, still trying to find some kind of sign of a near by monk.

 

Kagome sighed with contentment. “This feels so nice!”

 

Sango grinned. “I know! It's been a whole day since we bathed last.”

 

“I know! Guys just don't understand!”

 

They laughed. Shippo splashed around lightly in a shallow and cooler part of the water, almost completely ignoring the conversation the two girls were carrying on. Sango slid into the water all the way up to her neck, closing her eyes. Kagome watched Shippo momentarily before Sango opened her eyes and said,

 

“Hey, Kagome-chan, could you hand me my handkerchief, it's sitting on top of my robe,” she said, pointing to her clothes that lay on a rock right behind Kagome.

 

“Oh, sure,” Kagome replied, turning around, lifting herself from the water a bit.

 

Her wet hair fell over her shoulders and revealed her back. Sango cocked her head confusedly at the sight of three long scars across the princess' back. They ran diagonal down the length of her spine, and from the color, looked to be very old scars. Kagome turned back around, snapping Sango from her trance. She handed her friend the handkerchief, and laid back into the water. Sango took the cloth and dipped it into the hot water, patting it gently over her face. She looked at Kagome again, she was completely oblivious to Sango's looks. Finally, Sango's curiosity got the best of her.

 

“Kagome?”

 

The princess opened her eyes. “Hm?”

 

“Those scars…on your back…where did you get them?”

 

Kagome got a strange look on her face, as if she was trying to remember if she even had scars on her back. Then she nodded. “Yeah, the three longs ones right?”

 

Sango nodded.

 

“I don't know.”

 

“You don't know!?! Don't you remember? Didn't it hurt?”

 

“I don't remember ever not having them. Mom said I got it when I was little, but I don't know how. It's just one of those things,” she said with a shrug.

 

Sango dipped her handkerchief into the water again, laying it on her forehead as she lay back against a rock.

 

Kagome looked down at the ripples the water made as she breathed on it. It provided her a short bit of entertainment before she lay back as well, closing her eyes. Sango's question had set off a chain of locked up questions in her head. How did it happen, I wonder? Mom never really has told me… Why not? Is it some kind of secret? Does it have anything to do with the curse?? No…it couldn't. I had it long before I had the curse. Right? Sigh…I just don't know anymore.

 

Kagome had begun to daze off.

 

“Yo, girls!” Inuyasha's voice suddenly rang over the trees. Kagome's eyes snapped open again in surprise. “You just about done in there?”

 

“Five more minutes, dog!”

 

“Get out!” he shouted in anger. “And don't call me dog!”

 

Kagome sighed, sitting up. Sango had already stood up and begun wrapping herself in her clothes. Kagome stood up, and self-consciously looked back over her shoulder. As a human, her neck could not stretch out long enough for her to see the scars on her back, but even knowing that, she thought she would give it a try. Sango noticed the princess' actions and picked up Kagome's clothes, handing them to her friend.

 

“I didn't mean to make you worry about them, Kagome-chan. I'm sorry.”

 

Kagome jerked her head from her back to Sango and smiled. “No, it's not what you said, I've just always wondered too.”

 

They dressed themselves before walking back out to where Inuyasha waited. Shippo came scurrying from the water, pulling on his clothes as he joined the others. Kirara, who had been waiting with Inuyasha, jumped onto Sango's shoulder as soon as she was in range. Sango giggled as the cat sat and meowed loudly from her shoulder.

 

“That cat really like you,” Inuyasha said, standing up.

 

Sango scratched her between the ears, nodding. “I can't imagine why. I am a demon slayer after all.”

 

Kagome looked around. “Where's Miroku-sama?”

 

Inuyasha waved his hand around indifferently. “He's—somewhere. Lookin' for that monk, no doubt.”

 

Suddenly, from a distance away, they heard Miroku call for them. Inuyasha's ear perked up as he turned his head in the direction of Miroku's voice. He looked back at the girls and beckoned them follow with a twitch of his head. Kagome picked up her bag, gathering her still slightly wet hair, and holding it behind her. Then she and Sango began walking after him. Shippo ran ahead of them on all fours, reaching Miroku and looking strangely at a cave that the monk was standing in front of.

 

“What is it, Miroku-sama?” Shippo asked curiously.

 

“What did you find, Miroku?” Inuyasha said loudly as he came into view.

 

He pointed at the entrance to the cave he stood next to. “What is this, Inuyasha?”

 

Inuyasha looked at the cave and then back at the monk, his face saying Does he really want me to answer that? “It's—uh—a cave?”

 

Miroku nodded. “Can you smell anything strange? Sense anything?”

 

Inuyasha shook his head. “No.”

 

Miroku nodded. “Then go in the cave.”

 

Inuyasha gave him an even stranger look than before. “You want me to go in?”

 

“Yes,” Miroku said with a nod.

 

Inuyasha looked back at Kagome and Sango, giving them the same look. He shrugged and began slowly walking toward the entrance to the cave.

 

“You're insane, monk,” Inuyasha mumbled as he passed him. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and walked smartly into the hole until suddenly he froze, the space around him shining, and few lighting shocks hit his body as he flew backwards, screaming, and then landing in a tree behind the others, frazzled, and a stray electric shock shaking him until he fell motionless, lying limply on the branch. Miroku, Sango, and Kagome tried to hide their laughter. Inuyasha shot up, shaking his head violently. He stopped and inhaled deeply.

 

“What the hell was that for, Miroku! BAKA! That hurt!!”

 

Miroku stifled his laughter again until it passed. He cleared his throat. “Hm—just as I thought.”

 

“What do you mean just as you thought!?!?!” Inuyasha yelled, leaping angrily from the tree, landing unsuccessfully and falling to his face. Kagome and Sango begin laughing, but he jumped up, ignoring them, and ran toward Miroku.

 

“There's a barrier.”

 

“So?!”

 

“I have a feeling that he might be behind this barrier,” Miroku said, observing the large rock. “That would be why we have been unable to sense him thus far.”

 

“You mean this Miatsu character could be hiding in there?”

 

Miroku didn't reply, but walked toward the cave, holding the head of his staff out in front of him. He walked cautiously, waving the jingling staff back and forth through the barrier. The barrier shown blue around where the staff pierced it.

 

“Can you go in, Houshi-sama?” Sango asked.

 

He once again didn't reply, but slowly edged closer to the barrier until the entirety of his staff was through, as well as his forearm, and the barrier, besides giving off light, was not reacting to his touch. He took a deep breath and stepped though, making himself completely on the other side.

 

“He's in!” Kagome exclaimed.

 

He turned back to the others and waved. “I will go further in and see if I can't find this Miatsu. Perhaps he can break the barrier and allow you all to pass. I will return shortly.”

 

They watched as Miroku disappeared into the darkness of the cave. Inuyasha turned around.

 

“Keh! Why could that idiot get by and I couldn't!?!”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes, “Because, stupid, Miroku's a monk. Apparently the monk that is in there made the barrier to keep everyone but monks out.”

 

Inuyasha sat down, and began waiting impatiently. Kagome and Sango stood unmoving, also waiting for Miroku to return with word.

 

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

Miroku squinted, trying his best to see in the extreme lack of light. He smiled in relief when he saw a burning lantern on the rock wall ahead of him. He walked quickly to the lantern, and, not seeing another source of light anywhere, took it from the wall and held it in front of him, continuing on, this time his path way lighted.

 

For a long time after the single lantern, the cave was completely bare. It began to get larger as he walked on, being much deeper than he ever thought it was. Finally, though, he saw something reflect a bit of his light back at him. He approached the object, finding it to be a small statue of Buddha. He inspected it for a moment, before looking up. He found that the hallway of the cave suddenly opened up. He saw an unlighted torch next to the Buddha. He took it and lighted it, setting it back on the wall. The little extra light provided him a better view of the huge room. A majority of the space was taken up by a huge formation in the middle of the room, though Miroku could not figure out what exactly it was supposed to depict. He turned to the wall around the outside, finding all kinds of strange ornaments and things hanging from it. A vase suddenly caught his eye. He neared it, and looked inside, seeing ashes. He then realized that it was sitting on a sort of a shrine. A grave, no doubt. He raised a hand to his face and said a prayer over the grave. It's probably been prayed over many a time. He thought to himself as he finished. Strange, I've never seen a grave inside the residence of a monk before. Speaking of which, where is the monk?

 

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

Kagome was subconsciously studying Inuyasha's face. His eyes were closed as he was resting, but she was looking intently at his face. Sango was too distracted watching absolutely nothing to even notice.

 

I know it…I know that I have seen Inuyasha…even talked to him before! His face is so familiar! This is driving me absolutely crazy!!

 

Kagome suddenly snapped out of her thoughts as she saw an old man approach them. He seemed just as surprised to see them.

 

“Can I—help you children? Are you from the village?”

 

Sango and Inuyasha looked at him, finally taking notice. Kagome stood up.

 

“Are you…Miatsu-sama?”

 

He smiled. “Why, yes. That's me.”

 

Kagome smiled. “If you don't mind sir, we have some questions for you.”

 

The old monk cocked his head and he continued walking slowly toward the cave. He waved his hand over the entrance and mumbled something indistinct. “I'll answer the best I can, I suppose. Come on in,” he said kindly, waving a hand at them, signaling them to follow him inside.

 

Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara walked in after him. Kagome noticed Inuyasha's hesitation.

 

“Come on, Inuyasha.”

 

He walked slowly toward the entrance. Kagome smiled as she watched him run through the place where the barrier used to be with his eyes closed. He looked back and straightened the front of his haori, regaining some dignity, and then followed the others into the darkness of the cave. He noticed that Kagome was still looking at him, smiling.

 

“What?”

 

She shook her head. “It's nothing.”

 

He looked at her though the corner of his eye. Could this really be her fault? I hope this monk guy has some answers…because for some strange reason, I don't want to kill Kagome.

 

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A/N: Ta da!! Another chapter. For those of you who are waiting for Inu/Kag fluff…your time is coming soon!! I'm excited about the next chapter! That means an update should be extremely soon. Yay!

 

Radish: Wow, I'm so glad you like this story that much! I know…it's really weird that MM.org is no longer sending out alerts. Oh well. Thank you for the review.

 

Anime-Lover09: You are probably my most faithful reviewer on both of my current stories! I appreciate it! So, if only for you and Radish, I promise to finish the story!!

 

Thank you to anyone who is reading. 1640 hits…25 reviews. *sigh* thanks…kind of.