Hirokin inclined his head. Through the damaged roof, a light drizzling rain had begun to fall. The drops glowed as they touched him, and he dissolved shimmering before her eyes.
“…Until we meet again, my lady.”
Alone, Kagome sank down into the tub, feeling oppressed and bereft all at once. Hirokin, she stewed to herself, what are you playing at, really?
On the dark surface of the water, she spied a small glittering shape. A lotus flower, formed exquisitely out of crystal. As it drifted toward her, Kagome reached out to scoop it up. In the cup of her palm the tiny sculpture melted away like ice, and she frowned.
Demons, Inuyasha had warned her. They don’t think like we do.
But Kagome feared she was beginning to understand. The flower was an apology. But for what, she wondered darkly.
Leaning her head against the edge of the tub, Kagome closed her raw, aching eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. Around her, the water grew tepid, then cooled. She shivered at the creeping chill.
An apology…
Kagome’s eyes shot open. Rising from the tub with a start, she vaulted the edge and hurried naked and dripping to the charred trunk that stood beside her moldering bed. The melted lock had been prised. Heart in her throat, Kagome wrenched up the lid—only to find Tessaiga resting sheathed and intact within.
A sigh of sheer relief rushed out of her. “Thank the gods…”
Taking up the rusty sword, Kagome set it aside, her brow furrowing. Had Hirokin ever truly even wanted it? His motives seemed more obscure to her than ever. Clearly, though, the trunk had been rifled through. But as she drew the skewed Robe of the Fire-Rat aside, all the contents beneath it were accounted for—all, except for one.
Glancing past the trunk, Kagome saw it, laying smashed to bits on the ruined tatami floor. A horrified gasp left her mouth as she scrambled over to it and stared down at the splintered remains. Kaede’s old teacup…but why on earth would Hirokin destroy it? Such a needless, petty thing to do. It looked as though he’d simply crunched it beneath his heel like a bug.
As she poked through the fragments, Kagome’s heart was heavy. Memories rose unbidden, of Kaede’s sudden passing. The loss had blindsided Rin and Kagome both. With Kanako’s tending, Kaede’s health had seemed to be rallying, before it had taken an abrupt turn for the worse. Before…
Kagome froze, a piece of the teacup pinched between her fingers. Shakily, she lifted it, her eyes trailing along the exposed inner grains. Light and soft just beneath the scrubbed surface, the wood at the center was gritty and dark. Rubbing a finger across it, Kagome’s skin came away dusted with that darkness, which had steeped down into the cup as surely and steadily as it would’ve steeped back out again—
From those brittle black veins of accumulated poison.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
YOOOO WHAT?!?!?!?!! Did Kanako poison Kaede? Did Hirokin??
😉
<3
So it comes out at last. I think one of your other readers saw Kaede’s poisoning coming—I remember reading a comment about it that made me go back and reread certain passages. The hints are certainly there—particularly in Kanako’s shifty behavior before and after her death. But if I recall correctly, it is also suggested that Kanako is under the impression that she is acting either in Kagome’s best interests or acting according to her will. We have seen how spiteful Kanako can be, but I don’t see how it would benefit her to kill off Kaede. Unless she is acting under the orders of someone else (perhaps Hirokin?) who would like to see Kagome isolated and struggling. It will be interesting to see how Kagome reacts—though she seems to struggle to cut Kanako dead entirely—her spiteful actions towards Rin, her spying, even her witnessing Kagome’s indiscretions with Sesshoumaru—provoked rage and dismissal but she always reluctantly accepted the waif back into the fold. Perhaps because she so closely associates Kanako with her struggle with the beast and her fight to preserve the innocent.
Thinking back, Kanako might be the only frequently recurring side character who hasn’t garnered a side story from her point of view. That seems telling—perhaps it would give too much away?
“It will be interesting to see how Kagome reacts—though she seems to struggle to cut Kanako dead entirely—her spiteful actions towards Rin, her spying, even her witnessing Kagome’s indiscretions with Sesshoumaru—provoked rage and dismissal but she always reluctantly accepted the waif back into the fold. ” – <3
Originally, the side-story The Price was going to be from Kanako's POV 🙂 It might be fun to share some extras and outtakes like this, after the story is complete. Thanks so much for sharing, Alex - love hearing your analysis! <3
Yes, please explain kanako, give us some idea of her motives. Whose side is she on, really?
“Whose side is she on, really?” – an excellent question 🙂
<3
This is like a game of Clue. Who killed Kaede? Kanako, Hirokin, or Sesshoumaru? It’s hard to believe Sesshoumaru would bother with such a thing. He seems above using poison to kill an elderly woman but I’m sure he would want Kagome to have more power and prestige as well to further suit his own agenda for her. Hirokin certainly seems the type although I doubt he sullied his own hands. He could have gotten someone to do it for him but the question is who? Kanako is a sneaky thing and I could see her poisoning Kaede simply because she wants Kagome as well and killing Kaede would have put her in a position to serve Kagome and get closer to her as she grew in power. This is a mystery for sure.
” Kanako is a sneaky thing” – that she is 😉
<3
OMG….soooo I read this chapter and immediately went back hunting for clues and BOY, did I find them. I was not expecting to find out that Kaede had been poisoned. Now that I read further back, I found this:
” The waif, who had been hanging back in wariness, started at the summons. Hastening to Kaede’s side, she met Kagome’s eye, the glint of her gaze steely in a way Kagome’s orders hadn’t been.”
I take back everything nice I said about Kanako. Just when I started liking her, she betrayed us all!! 😩 I’m thinking she’s a little TOO obsessed with Kagome…but why? I also think she knows too much about Sesshomaru and Kagome’s relationship at this point for Kagome to just kick her out. Wonder if Kagome will choose to out Kanako to the rest of Edo for killing Kaede or outright kill her? Then again, Kagome is no saint. I also found a bit of evidence that suggests she knows a bit more about Inuyasha’s death than she realizes…
Merry Christmas Char!! Hope you have a safe and happy holiday <33
“Then again, Kagome is no saint. ” – yep, this is true 😉
Thanks so much for sharing, Lee! Love the questions – and the lines you quoted here 🙂
Thanks for the well-wishes! Hope you have a very Merry Christmas as well!! <3