Hina's Story: Kaeru
Canon characters: Hina and Rui
Pairings: Hina with Yukina's and Hiei's father
Continuity: Anime/Manga/Speculation/Slight AU (Certain liberties taken with the details.)
Summary: Yukina was different because of her unique heritage. But how did she come by that heritage? What made her mother abandon all the traditions of her people and go to the outside world, where she would meet the man who would become her children's father? Prequel to Yukina's Story: Firestorm.
Author's note: Rui is the name I'm familiar with for Hina's friend. She's also known as Ree, though I can't seem to figure out exactly which translations use what.
About the title: "Kaeru" is a Japanese word meaning "to return" with connotations of "completing the circle". (At least according to my memories of Japanese class. If anyone has more complete information on the connotations of the word, I'd be thrilled to see it.) At this point, the actual "homecoming" part is just implied, but I'll see what I can do.
Hina sat crying in the snow.
No tears gems fell from her eyes, but her breath came in ragged sobs and her shoulders shook as she thought about the truth she was no longer able to deny.
She was crying because today was her birthday.
"Hina?"
Her friend's soft voice reached her through the evergreens and ice-plants of the forest where she was hiding.
"Hina, are you there?"
Hina didn't respond, only hugged herself closer.
"Hina…"
She felt her friend's hand on her shoulder, and finally looked up, steadying her breathing and trying to pretend that she hadn't been sobbing.
"Rui," she said, by way of greeting.
Rui sat down in the snow next to her.
"I came to wish you a happy birthday, but you weren't there."
For a long moment, neither spoke, letting a thousand unspoken thoughts hover around her words like the morning mists. Implications of implications lurked just beneath the surface, waiting for them to stop treading softly on tangential topics and face the core of the matter.
Finally, Hina took a long, not-quite-steady breath, and said, "One hundred and twenty."
"I know."
Again, they were silent.
Again, Hina was the one to break the silence.
"It's never going to happen."
Her voice was finally steady again, and there was a note of finality in it. Rui bowed her head, but did not deny it.
The silence stretched out like the horizon from the edge of the island—and, like that view, there was an element of danger to it.
This time, Rui broke it.
"What are you going to do?"
Hina swallowed.
"I…I can't stay."
Rui glanced sharply up at her. Hina bowed her head.
"I can't. Everything…everything here is focused on…children." Her voice caught on the last word.
"I want children, Rui! You remember how we both dreamed of holding our first daughters in our arms. When that day came early for you, I…I was happy for you, but…" Her voice trailed off as she wrapped her arms in front of her, holding an imaginary infant, rocking her gently in her arms. She was brought out of her reverie by her friend's hand resting on her arm.
"I thought I was just late. I thought for sure, eventually…" She clenched her fists and closed her eyes. "I thought…"
She opened her eyes again and turned a little to meet Rui's gaze.
"Rui, I'm a hundred and twenty. There's no way I'm ever going to have children now. I'm…I'm barren."
Rui bowed her head, but said nothing. What was there to say? They both knew the facts of life. Women when through puberty and conceived their first child at around their hundredth year. Rui had been unusually early, being only eighty-five when she had borne her first daughter. Rui and Hina were the same age, and so should have had children of about the same age…but Rui's daughter was thirty-five, and Hina was still daughterless.
Still, she should say something.
"Perhaps you're simply—"
"—late?" finished Hina, and then gave a mirthless laugh. "I've been telling myself that for twenty years."
The silence lengthened with the shadows of the trees. The two friends sat there for hours, never speaking, hardly moving, until they seemed to have frozen into the icy landscape. The forest darkened as the sun sank beneath the level of their island. Though the Makai had some spectacular sunsets, they would not see them here. For that, they would have to travel to edge of their floating island and look down on the land that was still covered in sunlight.
Finally, Hina roused herself. Standing, she brushed away the snow that had settled itself in her long blue hair, and then offered a hand to Rui.
"I'm leaving in three days," she said, not meeting her friend's eyes. "Will you help me?"
Rui took her hand and rose without changing her expression.
"Why three days?"
"In three days, we will be close enough to Mount Hinome to make a bridge." She let go of her hand and turned away slightly. "But I won't be able to do it by myself."
Rui looked at her friend for a long moment.
"Will you come back?"
Hina closed her eyes.
"I don't know."
Rui closed her eyes as well, and was quiet for a long moment before responding.
"I will."
Hina turned back, gratefulness filling her eyes.
"Just…please, promise me. If it does turn out to be temporary…if you are just late…"
Hina nodded. "If I get pregnant…"
"Come back," Rui finished.
"I will try."
The two friends turned and headed back into the dusky forest behind them. They had said all there was to be said. All there was left to do was act.