Shochuu No Matsuri
Summary: "He once was a true love of mine." In her old age, Kagome is visited by a youkai and his lover, who seek advice in their growing relationship. To soothe their fears, Kagome recounts a story of how a beautiful maiden fell in love with a youkai at the Shochuu no Matsuri. Her story. YoukoKagome IYYYH
OooooO
Saeko looked into the face of the wolf youkai walking beside her. He was very beautiful, as many youkai in human form were, and Saeko felt that she had surely been blessed to have such a strong lover. Many people looked down upon their love, for Saeko was human, and they felt that a human and a youkai should not love each other. It was only during the Shochuu no Matsuri that youkai and humans associated with each other. In fact, that was where Saeko had met her lover, Isamu. The Shochuu no Matsuri was the Mid-Summer Festival. It was a ten day event, and people came from all over to the village of Miki. The village was named for the surrounding forests that, even though they were inhabited by youkai, were very peaceful and beautiful. The reason why the Shochuu no Matsuri was held in Miki was because the village was located in the Central Lands, where no fighting between anyone was allowed. Still, the rule did not banish the hatred between the two races, but they allowed themselves to forget they were different during the Shochuu no Matsuri. The upcoming Shochuu no Matsuri was growing very close, and there were only three more days until it began.
Isamu and Saeko were going to visit an old lady outside the village of Miki. She lived past the forests and up on a hill. No one was sure why she chose to live that far away, where help was out of reach should she be attacked or be taken ill. There was a kind family in Miki, whose mother often sent her children through the forest to her house to give her homemade food. It was said that she contented herself with tending her incredible garden and helping young lovers with their problems. Everyone had dubbed her " Grandmother of Wisdom" as she was always giving everyone advice, and she turned no one away, child, adult, old, human, or youkai. But it was her help with couples that she was best known for, and Saeko and Isamu had been having problems with the locals. Saeko's father had threatened to disown her, and Isamu was on the verge of being exiled from his tribe because they loved each other so. They had been forced to meeting each other in secret, which had been becoming increasingly difficult. It had been Isamu's decision to see the old lady and ask for her valuable advice.
Saeko felt Isamu's hand hold her own for a few a moments, before he let it go. Saeko smiled and looked up at Isamu, eyes shining. Isamu glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, a smile tugging at his lips. Saeko giggled. Isamu was incredibly shy about showing his feelings, and at the beginning of their relationship, that had caused them some problems, but they were working past that on their own. It was then that Saeko looked up ahead to see how much closer they were to their destination. She gasped in awe at the sight before her.
Isamu and Saeko were on the slope of an incredible hill. Saeko had been feeling the strain of walking upwards, but she had no idea that the hill was so large. The forest had stopped, leaving the hill open to the night air. The whole hill was covered in flowers and plants, some demonic, some not. Saeko was willing to be that the garden extended all the way around the hill. There was a narrow dirt path that led up to a house at the very top of the hill, and no less than fifteen feet away from said house was an old bench that had seen better days.
" This must be it," Isamu said. Saeko nodded silently. She shifted her position so that she was a bit behind him. The place radiated calm and peace, but Saeko was still cautious, especially with those demonic plants around. The couple started towards the hut, a feeling of apprehensiveness falling over them. When they finally reached the hut, Isamu raised a fist and rapped on the wall of the hut. There was no answer but silence. Saeko peered around Isamu's form and gazed at the hut.
" Excuse me? Is there anyone home?" Saeko called. Again, there was no response. But then they both heard rustling in the garden from their right. Turning, the couple watched the spot intently. Just when they thought nothing was going to happen, an old woman appeared from the garden. She had long, grey-white hair, with a bare hint of faded darkness remaining. It was obvious her hair was once black. She didn't have a hunched back many elder woman had from working fields, and her hands weren't as gnarled as some, though they held thick calluses. She was small, and apparently had trouble walking, since she had a walking stick. Her face was kind, a soft smile on her weathered face. Her eyes were a startling blue that had a bright twinkle.
" Ah, visitors. You'll have to pardon my rudeness in not replying, I'm afraid I didn't hear you at first," she said.
" I see," Isamu said. The old lady smiled.
" You may call me Grandmother. What is it that I can help you with?" Grandmother asked. Saeko stepped forward.
" We are having some…troubles. We have heard you are wise, and we wondered if you could give us some advice," Saeko said. Grandmother nodded.
" I understand. Please, come inside this old woman's home," she said. She promptly turned her back to her guests and walked inside the hut. Isamu and Saeko glanced at each other, then they shrugged. Youkai and human stepped into the hut.
The hut was rather stereotypical. It had only one room, and though Grandmother lived by herself, it was beginning to look rather dingy. Shoved against the far wall was a futon, and in the center of the hut was a fire pit. Above the fire pit was a hook where a pot could hang. There was a rocking chair in the corner. Next to the chair was a chest, no doubt full of clothing. Leaning against the wall was a bow and a quiver full of arrows. Grandmother had taken a seat on the floor, a new fire roaring in front of her. She held her hands up in front of the fire, letting the heat soak into them.
" Come sit down," she told the couple. Isamu and Saeko stepped further into the hut and sat across from Grandmother.
" Tell me, why is it you seek the advice of an old woman?" Grandmother asked. Isamu shifted, then looked Grandmother squarely in the eye.
" The villagers and our families disapprove of our love," Isamu said. Grandmother nodded to show she was listening. Isamu hesistated, then continued.
" It puts much strain on us, and we are not sure what to do," Isamu finished. Grandmother smiled.
" You both are afraid to leave the things you grew up with, afraid of facing the unknown with only each other," Grandmother said. Isamu growled and Saeko knew that with her words, Grandmother had raised Isamu's hackles. He allowed no one to call him a coward.
" Listen here you old crone-!" Isamu started. He was interuppted by Grandmother's laughter. It wasn't the cackling of most elderly woman, but it was rough and harsh. Saeko had the feeling Grandmother used to have a very beautiful laugh. Isamu glared at Grandmother.
" Ah, I never imagined someone calling me an old crone. My dear boy, it is a very natural reaction, to be afraid of the unknown. You don't have to feel insulted. I do not think you are a coward," Grandmother said. Isamu scowled, but settled. Saeko leaned over and spoke for only Isamu's ears.
" Isamu-kun, you mustn't be so rude. She is only trying to help us," Saeko said. Isamu didn't say anything, but his features smoothed until he was wearing only a neutral expression. Grandmother smiled.
" Yes, a love like yours is bound to have many hardships. Yet, you are safest here in the Central Lands, only forced to bear ridicule and nothing else. Many others have suffered far worse and persevered," Grandmother said. Isamu scoffed.
" So? We're worried about us, not anyone else," Isamu snapped. Grandmother continued smiling. Saeko was becoming unnerved. Did she ever get angry?
" I am glad you came to see me," Grandmother said abruptly. Isamu's brows furrowed in his confusion.
" Why?"
" You two remind me of a pair lovers from long, long ago," Grandmother said vaguely.
" Who, Grandmother?" Saeko asked, her interest piqued. She would gladly hear of another couple like them, and learn from their mistakes.
" It was the love between a priestess and a great and terrible fox youkai," Grandmother began. Saeko gasped, startled.
" A priestess fell in love with a youkai?" Saeko asked breathlessly. Grandmother nodded solemnly.
" Yes. T'was the great priestess, Guardian of the Shikon no Tama, Kagome Higurashi. Her lover was the notorious fox bandit, Youko Kurama," said Grandmother. Saeko's eyes went wide.
" Kagome Higurashi-sama? She fell in love with a bandit?" As Saeko spoke the priestess' name, she drew the holy sign for the Great Guardian on her chest, a circle with a line drawn down the middle. Mostly everyone knew of the Great Guardian, Kagome Higurashi-sama, the priestess. She guarded the Shikon no Tama, until one day it had disappeared. The people had assumed it was because the gods were pleased with her work, and had lifted her burden. She had appeared one day near Edo from her mysterious homeland, and had been said to be the priestess Kikyo's reincarnation. After the jewel had been shattered, she joined forces with the sons of the great and terrible dog youkai of the west, a demon slayer, a monk, a child fox youkai, a cat youkai, and a wolf youkai. Together, the odd group went on to destroy the greatest of all evils, Naraku. Kagome Higurashi-sama had been the one to deal the final blow to the evil hanyou, purging all of Japan from his dark evil. However, the fox youkai, apparently who Kagome Higurashi-sama regarded as son, died in the final battle. Supposedly driven mad with grief, she fled from the village of Edo where she took shelter and disappeared into the wilds of Japan, never to be seen or heard from again. Some people had claimed to see an unearthly woman stalking the forests at night, punishing those who did not live peacefully with youkai or humans. In honor of her sacrifice, the four youkai lords sectioned off a large portion of land, called the Central Lands, officially known as the Lands of the Great Guardian, where no fighting amongst youkai and humans were allowed. These events had occurred nearly fifty years previous. If the Great Kagome Higurashi-sama were still alive, she would be in her seventies.
" You mean to tell me Youko Kurama fell in love with a human?" Isamu asked incredulously. Saeko glanced at her lover.
" Who's Youko Kurama?" Saeko asked.
" You wouldn't have heard of him, he doesn't have anything to do with small villages. Youko Kurama is a ruthless fox youkai, known for being heartless and cold to the core and having a razor sharp aura. It was once said he suffocated his enemies with his battle aura alone. Some decades ago, there was a rumor he had fallen for a human, that he had gone soft. He found out. No one has dared to speak of such a thing since," Isamu said. Saeko gasped silently, covering her mouth with her hands. Grandmother smiled when they were finished talking.
" Yes, Youko Kurama has a might reputation, as does Kagome Higurashi. They were both from opposite ends of the spectrum. It seem impossible that such different people could meet and fall in love. But the truth is, they fell in love here, right in the village of Miki. It was during the Shochuu no Matsuri," Grandmother told them.
" Incredible…" Saeko said. Grandmother nodded.
" Unfortunately for Kagome, he left for other things," Grandmother said.
" Why?" Saeko inquired. Grandmother shrugged.
" Power. To thieve. To feel the thrill of danger again. I'm not sure why Youko Kurama left," Grandmother answered.
" How sad…" Saeko murmured.
" So you know exactly how these two fell in love with each other?" Isamu asked skeptically. Grandmother nodded silently.
" Umm, Grandmother, how is this supposed to help us?" Saeko questioned. Grandmother shifted.
" Just listen to their story, it'll all make sense to you in the end," Grandmother answered.
" Now, fifty years ago, down there in the village of Miki, lived a mysterious priestess who called herself Kikyo. But no one knew it was really a grieving Kagome Higurashi, who had just lost her son, Shippo. She had been staying in Miki for nearly two years, so she was prepared when the Shochuu no Matsuri came around. However, she was not prepared to meet Youko Kurama. You see, even he ventured into Miki every few years to enjoy the Shochuu no Matsuri…"
