Prologue
Inuyasha grumbled under his breathe as he headed towards the well.
"Damn...bitch...said she'd be back...never...keeping her damn promises."
He jumped into the well and let the cool blue liquid surround him like water. In an instant he was no longer surrounded by a lush forest, but an old dusty shrine that stank of old saké. Wards were immediately placed on his head as a fresh pail of the alcoholic Japanese drink was poured over him.
"Be gone demon!" Kagome's jii-sama yelled angrily plastering as many scrolls as he could. Inu Yasha let out a growl of annoyance as he raised a claw.
"Osuwari!"
"Da-!"
Inuyasha cursed the same word over and over as his face into the dirt beneath him. As soon as the spell wore off he raised his head.
"Bitch! I was only going...to...to..." Inu Yasha just stared at her like he was in love. Kagome blushed.
"To what? To what Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha's jaw dropped slightly before another bail of saké was thrown on him, snapping him out of his trance.
"Um, Kagome, if you don't mind me asking, why the hell are you dressed as Kikyo?"
"I am not!" she snapped. She crossed her arms and grabbed a scroll from her jii-sama. An evilish grin appeared across her lips. "I'm dressed as a miko," she said setting the scroll on his shoulder. Inuyasha yelped loudly as he hit the ground with a thud.
"What the hey?! What was that for?!!"
Kagome giggled as she pulled the scroll off of him and pulled him up. She opened the shrine doors. Inuyasha started to go after her but stopped and stepped back a little at the site of Lord knows how many kids prancing around decorating the place in mostly black and orange.
"Kagome? Explanation please?" he asked in an annoyed tone.
"Oh yeah!" Kagome turned around walking back in. "There's this special holiday today called Halloween. Everyone dresses up as something. I decided to be a miko since I am one anyway... I don't think you need to worry about people freaking out at you today, Inuyasha. They will just think you're wearing a costume. Come on already!"
Inuyasha stumbled out of the shrine as Kagome pulled him out. He yanked his hand out of hers and folded his arms sticking them in the edges of his sleeves. He noticed Kagome heading down the stairs to her home and almost leapt to catch up but remembered how people wouldn't understand his strength so he just ran. Kagome smiled at him as she grabbed his arm and sped up, causing him to stumble around again.
Why is she in such a good mood?
"Inuyasha no nii chan!" Souta shrieked as he glomped him to the ground. Inuyasha grumbled as he pulled Souta off him. Kagome closed the door and headed up the stairs. She was half way up when the door bell rang. She glanced at Inuyasha who was having his hair pulled by Souta and his ears rubbed by her mom. Kagome rolled her eyes as she peeked out the door. A mischievous grin formed on her face.
"Ne, Inuyasha, can you do me a favor?"
Inuyasha gladly retreated from the two and went to Kagome. "Anything to keep me from those two."
Kagome laughed. "All right, I need you to make the scariest growl or whatever you can when I open the door." Inuyasha stared at her like she was crazy.
"Why?"
"Because I want to scare my friends."
"Why?!"
Kagome sighed. "Just do it, you'll see."
"Whatever." Inuyasha flexed his claws and stood in front of the door beginning as a low rumble erupted from deep within his throat slowly getting louder. He tensed his face baring his fangs. Kagome opened the door and Inuyasha growled louder than she'd ever heard.
"Trick or-AH!" Her three friends squealed as they fell back. Kagome buried her face in Inu Yasha's sleeve laughing like a maniac.
"That...was...so...worth it!" her face was red from laughing. Inuyasha smirked finally getting the joke as he glanced at the three ghostly white figures on the ground.
"Kagome-chan! What was that for?!" Yuka demanded. Eri and Ayumi stood and the three seemed to regain their color.
"That-was for all the times you forced me on a date with Hojo!" Kagome yelled as she turned and stormed out.
Who the hell is Hojo?
"Um, candy?" Inuyasha looked at the three pleading faces but before he could do anything Souta pushed him back. He watched Souta give what Kagome called candy. He'd seen Shippo with it.
"Kagome, are you ready to go?" he heard her mother call. Kagome stormed down the stairs with a few scrolls in hand. Her mother grabbed a bouquet of flowers. Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's arm and ran out.
"Um, Kagome, where are we going?"
He noticed the upset look on her face and regretting asking. He kept silent as they walked down the street. He heard people complimenting him on his 'costume'. He wasn't use to being not ridiculed so he tried his best to enjoy it.
He noticed gates with the words 'cemetery' over it. He was about to ask again but kept against it. As they entered he watched Kagome slowly drop to her knees in front of a large stone. He watched her mother follow as they bowed touching the ground. Inu Yasha looked at the stone and gasped at the inscription.
There was more but his eyes wouldn't move.
"Higurashi!" he turned around hearing a voice call out Kagome by her last name. It was a boy on one of those bikes. He was wearing what seemed to be a knights outfit, although he looked stupid in it by Inuyasha's standards. The boy plopped down next to Kagome and started rambling about something. Inu Yasha sensed her anger flare up as well as her sadness. He caught the scent of tears. He backed up as Kagome sprung up.
"Damnit Hojo! This is a cemetery! For Heaven's sake, go away!" she brought a hand up slapping his face. Hojo looked at her surprised. Before anyone could say anything Kagome spun around and began running. When she was almost at the gate she tripped on a broken limb. Inuyasha's protectiveness flared over him as he ran over pulling her up. He was slightly surprised when she grasped onto his haori wrapping her arms around him. Her priestess clothing was stained with a little dirt but no injuries as far as he could tell.
"Kagome," Hojo almost whispered stepping forward. Inuyasha ignored the boy and pulled Kagome up into his arms like a bride. He walked back to the grave as he recognized now and knelt still holding Kagome.
Well I guess that 'bout answers my question on who Hojo is.
Kagome reached into her shirt pulling out a few scrolls. She set one against the tomb stone and said an enchantment for eternal rest that Miroku had taught her. Her mother set the flowers on the tomb as the tears ran down both their faces. Inuyasha felt the knot resembling guilt in his gut tighten. He hated it when people cried. And that Hojo boy was only making it worse.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome lifted her head. "What?" she responded softly trying to hide her sadness. She saw the confusion.
"Hiroshi, was the name of my father. He died when I was seven. I don't remember that much, and I miss him. You see, Halloween is celebrated differently every where. The real reason Halloween was started was by a tradition called the Day of the Dead. It's a holiday for the dead spirits. It's said that they get to come back for one night of each year. We always come to visit his grave on this day and remind him that we still love him and miss him."
Inuyasha felt himself speechless. He had always wondered where Kagome's father was, and now he knew. He had died leaving her like when his mother died.
"Day of the Dead?" he made sure he'd heard right. Kagome nodded sniffling. Inu Yasha looked back at the grave reading the rest.
There was more but the more he read the more he hurt.
"Izumi?" he questioned. Kagome's mother turned around.
"Yes?"
Inuyasha looked at her for a minute. After awhile the name seemed to fit. "That's your name?"
Izumi let out a laugh realizing she never really had told Inuyasha her name. He heard Kagome sniffle again.
"Souta was born the day daddy died. He never met him, well, yeah he saw him but he doesn't remember, he was too little." Kagome hid her face in his haori again muffling her cries.
"Let's go, before she gets more upset," Izumi suggested. Inuyasha nodded as they stood. As they turned Inuyasha felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around at Hojo.
"Excuse me, but might I know who you are before you run off?"
Inuyasha growled turning back around. A smirk formed on his face as he tilted his head back. "I'm Kagome's boyfriend, who are you?" He bit his lip holding back the laughter of Hojo's expression. Kagome's head shot up flushed. "I-Inu-!" Inuyasha stopped her as pushed her head back. "Look at his face."
Kagome burst out laughing as Inuyasha chuckled.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked as they headed for the well. The sky was just turning dark.
"Hm?"
"You know how you said on the Day of the Dead, the dead get to come back?"
"Yeah, why?"
Inuyasha sighed looking down. "Do you think before we meet up with the group we could go visit my mother?"
"Of course!" Kagome said cheerfully pulling him into the shrine. They jumped down and came out into the other era. Kagome hopped onto Inuyasha's back as he sped off into the woods.
After a few minutes Kagome started to get nervous. "Um...Inuyasha, why are we going into Sesshomaru's Forest?"
"We have to pass through it to get to my old village. Don't worry if we run into Sesshomaru, he's always visiting his mother's grave during this time of the year."
Kagome thought on the matter for a moment. Now that she thought about it, Sesshomaru wasn't that bad. Yeah, he tried to kill them on every occasion he had, but he'd saved them once or twice. Like when Inuyasha turned full demon, Sesshomaru saved him. Plus he had that little girl with him, and she was human.
Kagome looked down and saw a tinge of silver deep in the woods. "Osuwari." Inuyasha yelped and screamed as he plummeted to the ground. They landed loudly near Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru spun around pulling Toukijin as Rin shrieked and ran behind him.
"You bitch! We're trying to AVOID him!"
Sesshomaru almost laughed at the scene. Almost. He sheathed his sword seeing no threat. His idiot brother obviously wanted to go see his mother, but his woman had other ideas. He wouldn't kill them. This time. Just this time.
"Welcome," he greeted them in his cold voice. Inuyasha stood sulking as Kagome brushed the new dirt off her miko clothes. She took a few steps forward gazing at the gigantic tree. It reminded her of Goshinboku; only this one looked much older, much, much older.
"Is this..." Kagome trailed off as a bright green light emitted from it. It changed to a blinding white and slowly faded away. Kagome gasped opening her eyes. A demon, a female demon, no-a female dog demon stood before them. Her tail was much like Sesshomaru's only wrapped around her waist a few times. Her eyes were a piercing bright yellow. Not the beautiful dull amber like Inuyasha or Sesshomaru's, but a bright sunny yellow. Her hair was silver like theirs, and it reached the floor, almost dragging. She wore a dark green kimono and she was slightly shorter than Sesshomaru. She had a dark green crescent on her forehead and two blue stripes on each cheekbone.
"Hello, mother," Sesshomaru whispered as he knelt on one knee letting his head drop low. The woman walked forward and knelt in front of Sesshomaru. Kagome felt a blush come to her face and stepped back. She'd never seen Sesshomaru this calm before. She looked back and saw Inuyasha in the same boat.
Kagome's jaw dropped as the woman wrapped her thin arms around Sesshomaru and he didn't object.
"Hello, my son," she said. Her voice was warm but sad. Kagome almost thought it impossible but believed she was real. She had thought demons weren't real, but they were. So the Day of the Dead must be real. But then, why hadn't her father come?
The woman looked up at Inuyasha and smiled. "And I believe you are Sesshomaru's half brother? You look more like your father."
Inuyasha's mouth opened slightly.
"I-I look like father? But I thought Sesshomaru looked like him-he's a full youkai."
The woman smiled as she stood. Sesshomaru stood as well. The woman walked toward Inuyasha and raised a hand to his face stroking his cheek. "Your name? I never learned it. Sesshomaru talks only a little around me."
"Inuyasha," he told her feeling nervous.
"Inuyasha, reminds me of your father. My name is Kumiko."
Inuyasha bowed. Kumiko smiled and sighed at the same time.
"So, my father had two mates?" he asked. The woman nodded.
"I've watched your father since my death. I died when Sesshomaru when fifteen. He didn't really seem saddened, but I knew he was. Your father was heartbroken. He went to the miko Hitomi in hopes of her giving him a peaceful death. She was busy and told him she would exorcise him later. Alas, I enjoyed human company. My death was the cause of protecting Sesshomaru from bandits. He could have defended himself, but I had no faith in him. I still saw him as a child. So I foolishly gave my life away. This is how he came to hate humans, and how your father learned to trust them. He knew I trusted them so he did. He held anger against them at my death but soon learned not all were like that. Then he fell in love with Hitomi. I was glad his sadness had been subdued but loving that human was the death of him."
Inuyasha felt speechless again. His throat was dry. So it was from this woman that was the reason his father took a fancy to the humans. If it hadn't been for this woman, he'd never been born.
He was thrown off guard and surprised as the woman took him into a gentle and soft embrace. He felt the blush creep up onto his face. Before he could answer Kumiko let him go.
"Forgive me, but I just wanted to hold you for a moment. I never got to physically know you so I just wanted to hold you as if you were my son. Now then, I'd hurry to your mother's grave. If you're lucky, you're father will be there as well."
Inuyasha's jaw dropped open as he looked back at Kagome. She let out a squeak as he picked her up bridal style and leapt toward his old village.
"M-my Lord-"
Inuyasha growled looking at his shoulder. "When did you get here Myoga?" The flea fell silent as Inuyasha landed. People backed up and began whispering.
"He has returned! But what ever for?!"
"He has come for revenge! He has come to slaughter us!"
"Who is that girl and why is she with him?"
"She's a priestess!"
"Why would a demon, no-a hanyou want a priestess?"
"Are they in love?"
"I think so; his father was in love with Lady Hitomi."
Inuyasha sensed Kagome's nervousness and grasped her hand walking forward. They soon came to a field lush with dew stained grass. The small droplets of water shown brightly in the moonlight. Inuyasha knelt down dropping his head showing respect.
"My Lord, my I please ask what we are doing here? My-" before Myoga could continue or Inuyasha could threaten him another voice spoke out.
"Myoga, leave the boy alone."
Myoga squeaked, "L-l-l-l-lord...Lord Inutaisho?!"
Inuyasha head snapped up, eyes wide open. The only thing he saw were white hakama pants. He rose his head up further until he could see the whole figure. He had silver hair in a style of Inuyasha's. His eyes were a deep amber. He wore a silk hakama similar to Sesshomaru's only, the designs were different. They were a lilac purple and shaped like lace on the shoulders and tips of the sleeves. The rest was white. The outfit was kept together with a deep dark purple obi. A whitish fluffy tail had itself wrapped around his waist under the obi. At a closer look it appeared as two tails that were intertwined with each other. Kumiko was right; he did look more like him than Sesshomaru. In fact, he didn't see a single marking that Sesshomaru had inherited. Inuyasha guessed that Sesshomaru inherited them from Kumiko, only his were of different colors.
"F-Father?" Inuyasha chocked out.
"Hello, Inuyasha, my son," the man said smiling warmly at him. He grabbed Inuyasha by the arms and helped him up. Inuyasha stumbled until he got his footing back. He just stared at the man like he was a stranger.
Kagome was speechless this time. The man apparently named Inutaisho looked almost exactly like Inuyasha. His face was more aged but still young.
A pale pink light started to flow from the small hill of grass.
"Well, it's about time Hitomi. I thought you'd never get here," Inutaisho said setting one leg against the dirt and resting his arm on his knee. Kagome let out a single laugh mostly consisting of air than noise. Inuyasha turned around. "What?"
Kagome smiled and pointed to Inutaisho. "H-he's nothing like I expected!" Inutaisho turned to the woman. He glanced mischievously at Inuyasha.
"And who might this beautiful young miko be?"
Inuyasha blushed as the pink glow around the grave slowly took a form. He looked back at it as the image of his mother appeared. A smile slowly widened on his face as he leapt forward burying his nose into the soft pink kimono she wore. She wrapped her arms around him as a smile formed on her lips. Kagome walked forward in front of Inutaisho. She tried to speak but couldn't find anything to say. Inutaisho smiled as he took her hand gently placing a kiss on the top.
"A pleasure to meet you Miko-sama," he said softly. Kagome blushed heavily slowly pulling her hand away. "If you don't mind," he began, "what is your name? And why did you say I was nothing you expected?"
Kagome felt her throat wash over as her voice seemed to return. "Kagome," she squeaked out. She made a small cough trying to get rid of her nervousness. "I thought you would be serious and calm like Sesshomaru, but you seem carefree, more like Inuyasha." Kagome was surprised when he let out a laugh.
"That's what everyone thought, especially Kumiko. But no, I enjoyed fighting, mostly swordsmanship. I loved adventure. It was Hitomi who calmed that feeling in me. She made me like the leader I am now. Even though my wild spirit still remains."
Hitomi laughed as she and Inuyasha's embrace parted. Hitomi walked over to Kagome shaking her hand.
"So has my son fallen in love with a miko like his father?"
Kagome and Inuyasha flinched turning bright pink. Kagome suddenly felt angry. She 'hmph'ed and stuck her nose up in the air crossing her arms.
"No, Inuyasha prefers to follow a dead girl who's tried to kill him on several occasions."
Inutaisho and Hitomi turned to Inuyasha who paled a bit. "Um..."
Both started laughing startling both Kagome and Inuyasha. "What?!" they said in unison.
Hitomi was the first to talk. "That sounds exactly like Inutaisho."
Inutaisho stopped laughing and glared at his wife with a peeved look. She laughed harder and smiled sweetly at him. Soon they both starting laughing again. Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged confused glances. Hitomi finally stopped and sat down on the soft grass. Inuyasha followed sitting in his common position. Inutaisho sat with his legs crossed and his hands on his knees. After awhile Kagome sat as well.
"You see, Inutaisho had been in love with this youkai-"
"Kumiko," Inuyasha filled in. Hitomi nodded.
"He'd been in despair for over fifty years before coming to me. I knew I was starting to love him, and he knew he was starting to love me, but he always gave me the excuse of already having a mate, and I complained that she was dead and to move on."
Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged glances again. "That does sound sort of like us," Kagome said turning back. "Only, Kikyo was a miko... and I'm just a stupid reincarnation." Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's shoulders roughly pulling her slightly off balance.
"Will you shut up with the stupid reincarnation business?! You aren't stupid! You're fifty times better than that cold bitch! I loved her at one point but we held little trust!" After a few minutes Inuyasha let go of Kagome realizing what he'd just said. His face burned with embarrassment.
"Ah, so she is a reincarnation," Inutaisho mused with humor in his voice. Inuyasha let a deep growl erupt from his chest. He hit his chest causing it to stop. Hitomi giggled making him flush red. Inutaisho sighed looking at the sky.
"Hitomi, my love, we will have to depart this world soon."
Kagome watched as sadness blanketed itself over Inuyasha. "So soon?" he whimpered out. Hitomi took him into another warm embrace.
"How?" Inuyasha asked closing his eyes. "How can this feel so real? Ghosts can't be touched, they have no scent, they have no warmth, but-"
Kagome watched as his face relaxed. She knew he was on the verge of sleep. Inutaisho bent over patting his shoulder. "Be well, my son," Inuyasha sheepishly opened his eyes taking one last glance of his father as his body began to emit light blue particles. Soon his body disinagrated into the light and it floated toward the sky. Inuyasha whimpered as he felt his childish self coming back. He turned around covering his face in his mother's kimono. He felt the tears sink into the material as sleep took him into its gentle and quiet embrace.
"Kagome," Hitomi said lifting her head, "will you take care of him for me? Inuyasha may not seem to be one with pent up anger, but he's very emotional, as you can see now."
Kagome gasped as Hitomi moved her kimono sleeve revealing the weeping Inuyasha in his sleep. A faint smile was across his face as he snuggled into his mother's hold. Kagome walked over blushing a bit. As a faint pink light started to emit of Hitomi Kagome moved where she was. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her moving up. Kagome flinched holding in the squeak. She soon felt Inuyasha's warm breathe touch her neck sending shivers down her back. She moved his head into the crook of her own neck as she relaxed. She felt his warmth against her make her feel drowsy. Slowly, she too gave into the embrace called sleep.
Inuyasha's eyes opened with barely a slit showing his amber eyes. He smirked realizing he and Kagome where against one another. He looked forward into the moonlight and saw a bright blue and pink ball fluttering around each other. He smirked again as they came closer. He lifted his head as the blue ball of light came forward.
"Son," a quiet voice appeared in his head, "there is something you must know."
What is it?
"You are not alone."
I know that.
"No, you don't."
What do you mean?
"You and Sesshomaru, you will soon meet another. She is powerful and cheerful. I'm almost certain the minute you see her you will recognize her. I don't know her location as of now, she loves to travel."
Who?
"That I cannot tell you."
Why?
"Will you stop with the questions? You're worse than Sesshomaru."
Will you just give me a hint before I pass out?!
"Calm down, all I'll say is that she is one who lives in despair. She is despised but has a strong heart. Now I must leave, or I shall truly perish. The graves are our only refuge. I hope that you shall come to visit us on the next day the world allows us to return."
Inuyasha watched the light disappear as his vision blurred. He nudged his head against Kagome's chin getting more comfortable before falling back into slumber.