Our Own Burdens.
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(An INUYASHA fan-fiction)
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DISCLAIMERS: "Inu-Yasha" is not mine! It belongs to it's creator, Rumiko Takahashi. The manga-rights belong to Shogakukan, and appear in Shounen Sunday. The anime is the property of Sunrise Productions. The English-Translation belongs to Ocean Productions. Have I missed anyone? This story-idea, I hope, is mine.
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The top of the hill was oddly bald. Nothing grew on the summit.. not even moss. And the winds were the only voices that sang over the black rock. And this suited Kagura fine. This felt more like home then Naraku's phantom-shogi. This was where she truly belonged. She and Kohaku.
Inu-Yasha, Kagome, and the rest of the Shikon-hunters had followed Kagura and Kohaku to the barren knoll. Just as she had wanted them to. And, the usual battle was waged. With the usual toll taken in Youkai. Yes. This was all going as planned.
Kagura's plan.
As the other hunters stood in a defensive semi-circle, Sango stepped toward Kagura and her brother.
"Watch it, Sango!" Inu-Yasha snapped out. "Don't take another step! This whole hill-top wreaks of a trap!" The hanyou rested his palm against Tessaiga's grip. "You make one more move, Kagura, and I will.."
"Do nothing, Inu-Yasha, but sit and listen!" Kagura's red eyes glowed steadily as she stared at her foe. "You are rash, puppy! And, yes, arrogent. But.. you are not stupid. I have heard of the Baku Ryuu-ha.. the Backlash Wave. Many have heard since you used it to slay Ryuukossei! I know you can destroy me with the Tessaiga, as.. I have little doubt.. it will be used against Naraku! But! You will not use it on me, as I am the only being that stands between Kohaku and death."
The Wind-Sorceress then stepped boldly farward.
"As I have said before, Taijiya," the wind-sorceress said as she turned to Sango, "Kohaku holds many memories locked safely inside of himself! They are memories that could easily kill him if allowed to roam around unchecked. As his Aneue, would you wish for his death this way?"
"They are memories of what Naraku has MADE Kohaku do!!" Sango screamed as she readied her Flying Bone to strike.
"Not all is because of Naraku, Taijiya." Kagura countered with a smile. Though it seemed malicious at first, the smile grow quickly sad. "Hai. Naraku has trained Kohaku's talents to his twisted pleasures. Demo.. Naraku was not the one who planted the seed."
"'Planted the.. seed?" Sango repeated as if suddenly in a trance.
"Sango.. are you well?" Miroku asked, worriedly.
"She is just realizing, Houshi," Kagura smirked, "that I MIGHT be speaking the truth!"
"What STRINGS are Naraku pulling, NOW, Kagura?!" Inu-yasha tightened his grip on Tessaiga. "Naraku pulls no strings, this time, Inu-yasha." Kagura grinned. "What I do, now, I do on my own. The wind is no one's slave." She turned back to Sango and the grin became a sneer. "Can you say the same for you and your otouto, Taijiya? Tell me, Sango..", The witch then snapped her fan shut, "can you honestly say that your otouto was born to be Taijiya?"
The Wind-Sorceress' question, though barely-whispered, echoed like thunder in Sango's conscience! It was a question that she, herself, had asked since her brother's death and burial. One she had asked, more and more, ever since Kohaku's resurrection.
"Kohaku was born into a family of generations of Taijiya." Sango's reply came out in a weak, dead monotone.
"I did not ask WHO he was born to, Taijiya!" Kagura retorted. "I asked WHAT he was born to be! Was Kohaku's heart that of an Taijiya?"
Sango suddenly felt a million miles distant from her friends, as she stared - suddenedly, truly, frightened - at Kagura of the Winds!
"Nani-yo? How could.. Kohaku's heart..?" Sango stuttered.
"Taijiya.. taught how to kill! What to kill! When to kill! Where to kill!" Kagura's eyes and face grew dark, her voice an ominous roll of thunder. "Never WHY to kill!"
Kagura then splayed her fan and sliced it through the air, calling a cyclone to seperate herself and Sango from the others! As the cries and screams of Sango's companions died in the ferocious winds, Kagura asked the Taijiya:
"Just between you and me and the winds, Sango-chan? Are ALL Youkai and Hanyou worthy of the Taijiya?"
Sango fell to her hands and knees! "SANGO!!" Miroku cried out, readying his wind-tunnel!
"SANGO!!" Kagome cried out, hotching a purifying-arrow into her bow. "STAY DOWN!!"
"KAGURA!" Sango cried out above the circling winds. "Bring down the wall that seperates us all! Onegai?"
"Are you quite sure that is your wish.. Taijiya?" The Wind-Sorceress asked. "Do you wish your companions to learn of your answers to me? Learn even of our conversation?"
"Hai." Sango's answer was weak and choked with tears.
"Very well," Kagura swept the winds away, "it shall be as you wish." And, with a sweep of her fan, the monstrous winds vanished.
"SANGO!!" Miroku ran quickly to Sango's side.
"Now, Sango-taijiya?" Kagura repeated herself, "Answer my question. Did your clan feel all Youkai and Hanyou were worthy of Taijiya?"
Sango lowered her head and stared at the ground. "Hai."
"Dano.. what of you, Sango-chan?" Kagura continued. "Is that how you feel of Youkai and Hanyou?"
"They are.. dangerous?" Sango replied hesitantly.
"So can humans be." Kagura smiled dangerously. "And, I have little doubt many of us.. myself, Naraku, and Kanna included.. will meet the fitting-end of the taijiya we desrve. Demo.. are all so deserving? What of old Toutousai- the smith? Is he worthy of the taijiya? What of Kouga? Certainly, the wolf-demons are bloody enough to warrent the taijiya! What of Sesshoumaru-Sama? Of a certainty, he is a very- dangerous Youkai! And, he has no regard for anyone.. youkai, hanyou, or human. Demo, what of the small human child he cares for? He seems very protective of her. In his fashion. Does he not? So, I guess he does care for someone, after all?" She chuckled lighhtly. "That would make him ever MORE dangerous! MORE the candidate for the Taijiya.. wouldn't you think?"
Sango, meanwhile, was wilting like a flower in the heat of summer.
"Demo.. what about Rin-chan?" Sango managed a choked whisper.
"What about the girl?" Kagura asked. "She is minashigo, hai. Demo... as taijiya, you know that she would be better off without such a dangerous youkai as Sesshoumaru as youfu. Hai. Dano.. what of Jimenji?"
"How.. does she know.. about Jimenji?" Kagome whispered low. "I know many things, Higurashi-Sama!"
Kagura chuckled as she bowed low. "I am the wind! Dano, my sisters tell me many secrets."
Kagura's red eyes shot back to Sango. "Jimenji is horse-hanyou, hai.. gentle, but still hanyou! Still.. a danger.. to mortals. Dano.. what of Kitsune?"
Kagura pointed to Shippou.
Sango jumped up as if stung by a hornet, and looked at her companions with stark fear in her eyes! Kagome, meanwhile, hung onto Shippou- her adopted "son"- for dear-life, as Inu-Yasha swiftly drew Tessaiga from it's scabbard and advanced upon the Wind-Sorceress!
"Don't you DARE touch Shippou, Kagura!" The hanyou screamed. "He has been through ENOUGH!!"
"Hmm.." Kagura giggled. "The winds were right! You HAVE developed paternal-feelings for the kit! The fox-child is in the best of hands, then! Do not worry, Inu-Yasha. I bear no ill-will to the kitsune! I just used him to make a point. As I used Jimenji. Dano, as I used Toutousai!"
"Dano... That point IS..?" Inu-yasha growled.
"Taijiya consider ALL youkai and hanyou dangerous." Sango choked out, answering for Kagura. "We.. children.. are taught young that all youkai and hanyou are dangerous! Some.. are just.. more controllable than others.. at times. Demo.. ALL are deadly, and must be illiminated!"
"Hai." Miroku spoke quietly, steadying Sango's shoulder. "That is the gift of the Taijiya."
"A gift.. a burden that Kohaku can not bear!" Kagura stated again. "The fact that he can kill without regret is the memory that can kill him, not the fact of WHO he killed. Dano, the gift of killing is the burden of the Taijiya, not of Naraku."
"That MAY BE, Kagura," Inu-Yasha growled, "demo.. he HAS to remember to fully live, freed from Naraku!"
"Kagura!" Miroku said from Sango's side, "You would not have used such an elaborate-plan to just break Sango's spirit! That is Naraku's tricks... you are more direct."
"Arigatou nissai, Houshi!" Kagura smiled with warmth. "You are correct. The taijiya's spirit is weakened, hai. Demo- not onto death! She will recover, stronger than before, as will her otouto!"
The Wind-Sorceress nodded to Inu-Yasha. "Dano.. when the time is right, the winds shall send him where he is truly needed! Until then.. Kohaku is in my care." Kagura pulled out a feather and threw it to the winds! And as she climbed into her feather- boat, she continued to talk to Miroku:
"Sango-aneue is in YOUR care, Houshi! She is YOUR burden! Love her. Help her heal. Care for her. If anything happens to her, to injure her, your spirit is MINE! You need not worry of loosing your life to the Kazaana!"
Soon, Kagura was speeding-off with these words: "I go to retrieve Kohaku. Do not worry. He is safe. He is as much my family.. my responsibility.. my burder.. as is Kanna! And.. as Sango! Do not worry, Inu-Yasha! He will come back! I go, now, to run with the wolves!"
Sayonara.
Glossary:
OTOUTO... younger brother
MINASHIGO... orphan
YOUFU... foster-father / adopted-father