The Curse of Clumsiness by UnknownRandomness
Trip
A/N: I hope you enjoy this short oneshot and please leave me a comment :)
The Clumsy Challenge
Word Count: 907
Kagome stifled a very rude word as she tripped over yet another tree root. Why couldn’t she manage to stay on her own two feet? It was clearly a curse that had been set on her innocent head by some malevolent being when she was a cute little baby. Yep, that had to be it. No one else she knew was even half as clumsy as she was; Souta was practically a balancing maestro compared to her.
Sighing, the teenager picked herself up from the ground, brushing the dust off the front of her abused school uniform. It was the sixth set this year and her mother was beginning to get seriously annoyed with her, almost suggesting that perhaps she was ruining the expensive clothes on purpose for some sort of amusement. Why did she even wear the bright sailor uniform to the feudal era anyways? It was a nightmare to keep clean and it drew strange looks from everyone she met, as well as comments she would rather not hear. Perhaps a change of wardrobe was in order? Well, she would be able to choose something else when she got back home, if she managed to get to the well in one piece.
She had barely taken more than a few steps when her foot snagged on another root and she went sprawling onto the annoyingly familiar ground. Springing up from her position, the miko turned around to give the tree a firm kick for tripping her up, only to stop as hurt brown eyes met her angry gaze.
“Rin? What are you doing on the ground?”
The young girl accepted her helping hand and sniffled as Kagome proceeded to fix her skewed topknot and straighten the ruffles in her kimono.
“Rin-chan was looking for Shippo-chan, but Rin-chan fell down because she is clumsy and then Kagome-san fell over Rin-chan and she is very sorry for hurting you!”
Her explanation ended on a wail, large eyes filling up with tears that raced down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly, incredibly distressed by the turn of events.
“Oh, Rin, don’t cry! There’s no need to worry - you didn’t hurt me at all; rather I should be apologising for not looking where I was going and tripping over you! Are you hurt?”
At the small girl’s headshake, Kagome felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It would have been awful if she had injured the sweet child!
“You’re quite close to the village; Shippo is in Kaede’s hut with Sango and Kirara, just keep walking straight in this direction and you’ll get there soon. But why are you alone? Shouldn’t that strange toad be with you? And what is Sesshoumaru thinking, leaving a child unattended in a place like this!”
“She is not alone, miko and you had best remember your place, having almost kicked my ward. One could say the same to Inuyasha; what is he doing letting such a useless woman-child roam by herself?”
Eyes narrowing at the insult, the time traveller turned to the inuyoukai lord, surprised to find that he was right behind her. How did he manage to move so quietly? It was creepy!
“I am not useless Sesshoumaru-sama and I am very sorry for falling over Rin, but perhaps if you had been here, she would not have fallen in the first place.”
The Western Lord’s golden eyes narrowed as he raised his head imperiously, literally glaring down his nose at her. Just when the young woman thought that her head was going to be cut off, Rin piped up through her sniffles,
“Oh no, Kagome-san! Rin-chan is always falling over! She is very clumsy and Lord Sesshoumaru used to catch her, but she asked him not to otherwise he would be carrying her all the time!”
Blue eyes widened incredulously at that. She couldn't believe it. She had actually met someone as clumsy, if not even clumsier than herself. For some reason, that made her incredibly happy.
“Well, I hope you find Shippo and have a nice time in the village, but I must be going now. Good day Lord Sesshoumaru, Rin.”
With a smile at the little girl and a bow to the stoic demon, the woman turned and walked away, happy with the newfound knowledge that she wasn’t the only one who had trouble walking.
Her happiness did not last. For the third time in not very long at all, Kagome fell over again, landing flat on her face, twigs burying themselves in the soft skin of her face and plants tickled her nose. Rin quickly appeared at her side, concernedly asking if she was okay.
Face burning with embarrassment, Kagome promised her she was fine and continued on towards the well, refusing to look at the Western Lord, his heavy chuckles following her as she speedily walked away. Just before she was out of earshot however, he told Rin, clearly intending for her to hear,
“Rin, I do believe that miko is even clumsier than yourself.”
Blushing a red so dark that a tomato would be proud to sport such a shade, the mortified miko jumped into the well, feeling the timestream whisk her away from that awkward incident. He didn’t need to remind her! Somehow she had the feeling that the demon would bring it up whenever they met thereafter.
Landing in the future, Kagome groaned. Maybe she could get lessons?