Part Two of the Mei Lhi Saga…Started Tuesday November 30, 2004 at 9:19 PM PST.
The Threads That Bind Us Together
A/N: Well, here we are…another story…so…let's get this started…as of now, I don't know who want I to read the disclaimer, but, I'll figure it out eventually…probably after this author's note…But anyway, I hope everyone enjoys the sequel. Riku, Angie, Dragon Man, all of you other readers, get ready for it, because here it comes! And now to read the disclaimer, I'll just bring out Mei Lhi…
Mei: Hi…umm…I don't believe I've done one of these before…but, I won't bother you by talking a lot and taking an excruciatingly long time to say it. Firstly, this story will be pretty dark…and angst-filled. And Aki doesn't own… (Grits teeth angrily) Inuyasha…damn traitor…anyway…Chapter One…but first, some review answers to those who reviewed Ch. 45 of the previous story…
Me: Thank you, Mei-chan…now…where was I? Ah yes…
Dragon Man, yeah, that is true. I just kind of realized that, lol…I'm kind of slow, unfortunately…well, you won't be so upset about his choice later…a positive outcome will eventually happen…yes, Shippou is with Kaede watching over the village.
Angie, like omg…we already talked about this in email…post more, that I have done…as this is the only reason why this is here…
Riku, Sorry! I didn't mean to! Lol…ur so silly…well, how can an ending that ends with 'Tick, tick, tick…' not kill you?! Well, I'm sort of realizing that Mei's angsty mood is kind of a bit much…but you'll notice a toned-down version of it now…seeing as it's been awhile since Inuyasha actually left. Never as in Mei not going back to the Feudal Era? Well, from then to the present time now, yes. She hasn't gone back. But…for a small snippet of a hint, that will change soon…Well, let's just say I've read several great fics that just happened to include those scenes (cough)Dragon Man(cough) and the other one was this girl whose pen name is 'kira' or 'kirayasha' and her work is very good. My favorite by her is 'Bishies without Shirts or the Day Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru Lost Theirs'. Tsukimaru…well she's named after Sesshy, 'Tsuki' meaning 'moon', and 'maru' just the suffix added to Sesshy's name…I think it means circle or something…(looks it up in dictionary) Hang on…yes, 'maru' means circle. And I just looked up 'Tsurugi' and I just learned that I picked the absolute perfect name for Sesshy's son. It turns out that 'Tsurugi' means 'sword'. That's totally awesome! Anyway…Thank you. I like the epilogue a lot myself. Yes, funnily enough, the title came to me as I was reviewing the last chapter of Dragon Man's fic. Lol…inspiration just hit me! Literally! Wow, I guess nobody really likes us Inuyasha otakus. They all try to prevent us from painting our beautiful masterpieces upon our silk canvases…ok…anyway…enjoy this stunningly amazing first chapter. (The rain in the beginning, it's all KH 2 preview based. So yeah, the rain and all that fun stuff we got to see in the secret trailer at the end, that's what the rain over in Tokyo is like.) Yay, more chappies! (dances around happily)
Enough talk! Let's read! :)
Chapter One: Silent Memory
The thunder rumbled in the sky, the rain fell in sheets. Lightning forked across the gray-indigo sky, illuminating the grounds of the Higurashi Shrine. A lone figure sat outside in the rain, under the branches of the Goshinboku Tree.
'Two and a half years…almost three now…'
A fifteen year old Mei Lhi looked up at the sky, not really caring or noticing that she was soaked to her skin, or how cold she was. The door of the main house slid open.
"Mei! Get inside, hurry! You're going to get sick!" Kyo called out to her.
Kyo sighed, seeing the girl seemed to not hear him. He slipped on his sandals and walked out into the pouring rain.
"Mei, please, come inside…" He said, sitting next to her, lightly reaching out to touch her arm.
At last, Mei Lhi averted her gaze from the sky to him, and nodded silently, she stood and walked away, Kyo following her as the two of them went inside.
Once inside, a seventeen year old Kagome rushed over to them with her mother, wrapping blankets around them, shoving warm tea into their hands.
"Mei-chan, you know that sitting out in the rain isn't good for you…" Kagome chided lightly.
"…I know…but…I just can't help it…I love the rain…it's so…soothing…and so calm, so nice…" Mei Lhi replied.
Kagome nodded understandingly.
"Why don't you go upstairs and have a warm bath? You were outside for quite a while…we don't want you getting sick, ne? Just hurry and finish your tea."
Mei Lhi nodded, quickly draining her tea mug, trudging upstairs. Once she was out of earshot, Kagome turned to look at Kyo.
"She was out there thinking about him, wasn't she?" She asked.
"Hai…you can always tell she is…that look she gets in her eyes…I'll never forget it…it's the same look she had when she realized where he was going with Kikyou…" Kyo replied.
"But it doesn't seem as cold…it's almost…I dunno…anno…warm?"
"Hai…She's just remembering the fun times…before 'that day'."
Kagome nodded and sighed.
"Nearly three years to the day…I can't believe it…it's just gone by so fast…"
"Yeah…it has…" Kyo paused for a moment, thinking. "Hey, didn't you say you were going to invite Yuka over?"
"Oh yeah…arigatou, Kyo…demo…I don't think she'll want to go out in this kind of weather…just to see me…"
Kyo nodded and glanced out the window at the sky.
"Hopefully it's not raining over in the Sengoku Jidai…"
"Yeah…Sesshoumaru and Hana's pups will be hit hard if it is…they're most likely holed up in the castle or in Kaede's village, with Sango and Miroku…and their son too…"
"Well, if you want, I can go check on them…and I'll bring some sweets for Shippou, don't worry…"
"Well, it's raining as it is, and I don't want you to get sick either…so you can go when the rain lets up, ok? Besides, Mei-chan's been awfully quiet. I don't even hear the water running…would you go check on her for me please, Kyo?"
"Hai…"
Kyo walked up the stairs and approached the closed bathroom door. Sighing, he rapped his knuckles lightly on the door.
"Mei…you ok in there?"
The door opened a few moments later, Mei Lhi now in a bath robe.
"What?"
"Kagome asked me to check on you…"
"Well I'm fine, Kyoshi-kun…you don't have to worry about me…"
"I know…it's just that Kagome is really worried about you…"
"Yeah…but really, I'm alright…"
"Ok…if you say so…just don't drown…"
"I won't…"
The door closed softly in front of him. He turned and sighed for the umpteenth time that day.
'I miss her ears…those inu ears were so adorable…I've forgotten what they look like…it's been so long…'
He walked to Souta's room where he had been sharing the room with the young boy for a while, sitting down on the futon he usually slept on; he sat deep in thought, remembering when he had first found Mei Lhi after she had run away from the Goshinboku and away from her brother.
Flashback
He ran through the trees, listening for her silent sobbing. He found her crying her eyes out, her hair had darkened; her form had taken its Ningen state. He approached cautiously and quietly, gently, he reached out his arm to lightly touch her shoulder. She faced him with her tear stained face and threw herself at him, burying her face into his chest, she cried, all the while he held her in his arms. Soon her tears ceased to fall, and she looked up into his eyes.
"Thank you…" She whispered.
"Don't worry about it…everything will be fine, Mei…I promise…" He had replied reassuringly.
End Flashback
The door to the room opened and an older Souta walked in.
"Nee-chan says that dinner is ready. And that we can't start eating until Inunee-chan is ready…"
"Souta-kun…please…don't call Mei by that name…you know perfectly well as I do, she's not inuyoukai anymore…besides…it'll bring back bad memories for her…and your Nee-chan too…even for me…"
"Hai, Kyo-san…"
Souta turned on his heel and left, heading back downstairs. Kyo remained sitting on his futon in deep thought.
When the door opened again, some twenty minutes later, the Ryuuyoukai expected it was Souta coming in to whine again, without even looking at the one who had entered.
"Souta-kun, just stay downstairs and wait patiently…Mei will be out soon…"
"Kyoshi-kun…were you all waiting for me?" Mei Lhi asked.
"Oh, gomen, Mei…but…Kagome said dinner's ready…and that she wanted to wait to start until you were ready."
"Tell her to just save me a plate…and send it up…I'm too tired…I just want to go to sleep…"
"Sure…I'll let her know…"
"Arigatou, Kyoshi-kun…"
-
The next day Kagome, Mei Lhi, Kyo, and Souta all got ready for school, each one taking their lunches from Higurashi-san. They all put their shoes on and exited the main house, crossing the courtyard, each of them glancing at the well house, before quickly looking away to continue walking. Higurashi-jijii wished them all a good day, and then after that, they were off.
Together they walked to school; Souta spotted his friends and ran off to walk with them. So the three of them continued on, the bell chimed and they all went their separate ways.
Kagome was joined by Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi with Hojo not far behind. Kagome waved at Mei Lhi and Kyo as she walked off with her four companions.
"Hey…you two going to stand there all day?" Asked the voice of Tenshi Miyazawa.
Mei Lhi turned around and waved.
"Ohayo, Tenshi-chan." She said.
"Ohayo, Miyazawa-san…" Kyo greeted.
"Well what're you waiting for? Let's go inside! The auditions for the play are today! You know just as well as I do how much you want to be in it!" Tenshi chirped.
The three of them rushed inside also, making it to class just as the late bell chimed.
-
"Today we will be having auditions for the school play. Now as you know, it's taken over a year of production to get all the scripts run, sets built, and costume designs made. But we are now ready to let the auditions to begin. So if you have signed your forms, please bring them to me and I shall dismiss you to the theatre."
Tenshi and Mei Lhi along with a handful of other students stood and walked to their sensei's desk.
Kyo remained in his seat, hands clasped together, fingers intertwined, and eyes closed, deep in thought.
"Oda-kun isn't auditioning?" Tenshi asked.
"Iie…he told me that he doesn't like to be in plays…or perform publicly…he just prefers to watch…" Mei Lhi replied.
"But you two would've been perfect for the parts of Ami and Van…"
"Tenshi-chan, the play is a tragedy…we all know that Ami kills herself out of spite for Van."
"Yeah, and you're auditioning for Ami."
"Only because you twisted my arm into doing it…"
"Yeah, but I twisted your arm into doing it because you only fit the part exactly!"
"Whatever…ja, Kyoshi-kun! I'll see you soon!"
Kyo looked up finally.
"Hm? Oh…Ja, Mei! Ja, Miyazawa-san. Good luck!"
"Arigatou!" The two girls chorused as they left the room with the rest of the students.
Kyo sighed.
"Kyoshima…you must take great care to watch over her…the Lady of the Western Lands…something is planning to strike, and soon…word of her existence has reached the ears of many youkai here…particularly, the males…you know what this means, Kyoshima…do well to protect her…her heart is so fragile…and she is so weak on the inside…she is Ningen now…she can be so easily lost to the darkness…human hearts do tend to sway like that…" Megumi's voice whispered in the soft tongue of the Ryuuyoukai.
The Ryuuyoukai boy nodded solemnly, taking a calming breath, he looked up at the blackboard and began working on the assignment the teacher had just finished writing up.
-
"Next! We need it to be perfect acting here people!" The director of the play called.
Mei Lhi stepped up.
"Name?"
"Higurashi Mei Lhi."
"Part you're auditioning for?"
"Hyuuga Ami."
"Oh? Well, you're the fifteenth person to say that…you'd better show up all the other girls…"
"Hai…I will try my best…"
"Alright, here's the script, page twenty-four, line eighteen. Go."
Mei Lhi took the script and flipped through the pages and skimmed the lines until finding her place.
"'You! How could you just leave me like that?! Do you know how much it hurt me?! Why are you even here?! I can't believe you would actually have the nerve to show your face again! After what you've done! I can never forgive you!'" Mei Lhi read, the words sounding familiar in her mind.
"'But, Ami, please…listen…'" The director followed along.
"'No! I've had enough of your lies! I've had it with you, Van. Your words are nothing more than false promises, all lies! Lies! No, Van…you had your chance to speak…you spent it unwisely. There is nothing you can do to change it…I hate you, Van…'"
"'Ami, please!'"
"'Whatever you have to say I don't want to hear it, you traitor! Just go away you bastard! I hate you! I hate more than anything in this world!'"
"And…end scene." The director finished.
It was only then that Mei Lhi realized she hadn't been reading the script at all, but instead saying what she had wanted to say to someone else for quite some time now.
The director's face broke into a grin.
"Congratulations…you made the part." He said simply.
Behind her, Tenshi yelled excitedly.
"YES! Go Mei-chan!"
"Alright, excited hyper girl behind Higurashi, you're next."
"Name, Miyazawa Tenshi. Part I'm auditioning for, Izumi Kanoe."
The director handed her the script and pointed to where she was to start reading.
Tenshi read her lines proudly and with spirit. She too, was also cast.
The two girls smiled happily at one another.
-
"Kyoshi-kun! Guess what? Guess what?!" Mei Lhi said excitedly.
"Nani, Mei?" Kyo asked.
"Tenshi-chan and I both got cast in the play for the roles we auditioned for!"
"Really? That's great! So, when's the play gonna be so I can see you with your divine acting abilities?"
"Kyoshi-kun!"
Mei Lhi lightly hit him in the arm.
'Well, she's happy when she's not thinking about her brother…these are the rare moments I come to cherish…when she's like it was before…how it was before any of this came and got in the way of things…how I wish that the past could be changed…I should be used to her emptiness by now…but…it's just not the Mei I know to be that way…I have always remembered her to be so happy all the time…so…full of life and joy. But now she's so hollow inside…and I guess, now is a time when she's slipped back into her old self…but I already know the mood won't stay long…the play is literally based on how I know she feels about everything. Once the euphoria of getting the part dies away, she'll be back to being dark and moody to everyone but me, Miyazawa-san, Kagome, Souta-kun, Higurashi-san, and Higurashi-jijii…I dunno if Buyo counts…' He thought.
"Oi…Oda-kun, get out of la-la land!" Tenshi said, waving a hand in front of his face.
"Hm?"
"Are you going brain dead or something, Oda-kun? Going deaf, maybe?"
"Iie…I just…have a lot of things on my mind…"
'I wish we could be us again…how we used to laugh, and smile together, talk and share our feelings…and how we would rest in one another's arms…I still won't forget that trick she pulled on me at Sesshoumaru's castle…even if it was her heat phase getting the better of her…but…I got her back…and…then she got me back again by putting all those ribbons and Sakura blossoms in my hair…and…I got back at her again by chasing her up and down the hall, waking everyone up…but then you stopped us at that time, Inuyasha…got back at both of us, as it were…heh…'
"Hey, baka kusotare, can you quit day-dreaming and try and listen? Mei-chan's trying to say something to you, but your eyes are all glazed over…"
"Oh…gomen nasai, Mei…"
"Ummm…Kyoshi-kun…let's…anno…take a walk?"
"Oh…hai…"
Together the two left Tenshi behind, who was very confused, and walked away.
"Kyoshi-kun…I know you've got something you want to say…so go ahead and just let it all out…"
"Mei…I…can't…"
"I don't care…whatever it is; just…say it…even if…it has to do with 'that day'. Just say it, Kyoshi-kun…"
"…I wish…things could go back to how they were…how we were before…so happy…but, I mean, I don't mean to be so blunt, but, it was two and a half years ago…things just need to be let go of…and you hold onto it so strongly…and yes, I understand, you feel that he betrayed you and Kagome by leaving like that, but it was his choice, none of us had a say in it, he promised to go through with it, and he kept his promise. There was nothing we could do. We came after the fact, after the vow had been made…after he had made up his mind. Mei, I just can't help but feel hurt that you're like this…so sad, and so…emotional inside, but so empty on the outside."
Mei Lhi stood there before him in silence, letting his words sink in. She looked down at the ground, and bit her lip.
"I know…" She whispered.
She sat on the grass outside, leaning against a tree, she motioned for him to come and sit with her. She held the Ryuuyoukai close letting him rest his head on her chest.
"I remember…when I held you like this…when you were hurt…it was Hakaru's attack on the Ryuu Order…Hana-chan had to seal your wound…all of us had to help you endure it all…"
"Hai…I remember that…"
"It was nice having you so close…back then…and it's still that way now…"
They sat that way for a while.
"Mei…It's going to rain any minute now…"
"Nani?"
"The clouds are gathering. I can smell the water…it's going to rain a lot…Jun and Taka are flying in the air…I can see them…Harukichi is returning to the mountain. Megumi is even preparing for the downpour…I can sense her movements in the earth. I myself have to make the wind colder…it's all coming together…so we should hurry…"
Mei Lhi nodded and waited as Kyo stood, then she stood up as well, the both of them running inside just as the bell signaling the end of the day chimed and a giant torrent of rain came down.
Tenshi ran over to them struggling as she carried her things, Mei Lhi's things, and Kyo's things.
"Wow…you both seriously have a lot of crap…honestly…do you keep bricks in those or something?"
"Iie…you just have weak arms…" Kyo teased as he took his things.
"I'll have to agree, Tenshi-chan…" Mei Lhi also teased, relieving her friend of her immense burden.
"Looks like we'll have to wait this one out, Mei…I forgot my umbrella…"
"Me too…" Tenshi mumbled.
"Me three…" Mei Lhi also muttered.
"Luckily, I didn't and I brought yours." Kagome's voice said behind them. "I've been looking for you both…I was wondering where the two of you went! I thought you'd melted out there or something!"
Mei Lhi and Kyo gratefully took their umbrellas from Kagome and opened them before stepping outside once more.
"And so, I, Tenshi Miyazawa am left alone once again…"
"Oh you baka kusotare…you can come with us to our house and just call your Okaa-san from our phone…jeez…" Mei Lhi said over her shoulder.
Tenshi ran and huddled under her friend's umbrella and the four of them were off.
"Kyo…it's raining awfully hard and at an unusual time for the current season…because really, it's October now…it really should be near snowing…you wouldn't happen to know why, would you?" Kagome asked quietly.
"Yes, actually…" Kyo muttered.
"So…what's going on?"
"There's a few of my kin that aren't too happy with me…they're doing it on purpose…"
"But…why?"
"Well…Megumi told me something recently…but I'm sworn to secrecy…so I really would tell you if I could…but the Order is already pissed off enough at me already…it'd only give me more aggravation and more annoyances than necessary."
They reached the shrine steps and began climbing the never-ending stairs, finally reaching the top. A man stood leaning against the Goshinboku, looking up as they arrived with his fiery orange eyes.
"Hello Kyoshima…"
A/N: Review!!! :)