You'll Be In My Heart
Chapter three: The Journey Begins
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Author's Note: Here is chapter three! I hope you all like it! I think this may be my best story ever! I decided to write it from Minako's Point of View, just to stir things up a bit. Thanks to all you guys reviewed, answering my questions.
Special thanks to: juusan'ya, animaygurl, Paprika012345, Catbuddy, Inuyasha05, Alexa.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
My mother is gone. Possibly forever. I may never see her again. And it may very well be my fault. I might have been able to do something to stop it…if only I had been here. If only I had been in this time instead of the one Mother was from. If I had been here she never would have been taken away from me. I would still be able to talk to her when I'm down. I would still be able to breath in her sweet scent. I would still be able to tell her how much I love her and appreciate her. If only I had been home instead of off in the modern era. If only…
Ichiro tells me that it's not my fault. That whoever took her would have gotten her whether I was here or not. But in my heart I can't believe that. Or, more accurately, I don't want to believe it. I can't help believe that if I had been here I probably could have stopped it from happening.
You see, my mom and I have always had this connection, right? We seemed to always be able to tell what the other was feeling. When they were sad, hurt, and happy, all the emotions you could think of. But when I left for the future to experience life on the more modern side of the well, that connection between us was slightly weakened. If I had been here I might have realized she was gone much sooner than I did. I might have realized quickly enough to stop it from even happening.
And how do we even know she was kidnapped? How do we know she didn't just leave us? Abandon us to make us think she had been kidnapped. Ichiro tells me this is not the case. That he knows she was kidnapped. He says she loved us so much she would never abandon us. He says that we meant more to her than anything else in this world. How can he be so sure of this? Am I the only one who sees the possible truth here?
I look around the hut father built for his family to live in. It's much larger than the other huts you see inside the village. Those huts are rather small while ours has four bedrooms and one room for us to sit together as a family. It's an odd house to have for this time, but Mother wouldn't have it any other way. She said if she was going to live in this time with Dad and raise his kids, she at least wanted a more modern home. And Dad did just that, the best he could anyway. The houses I have seen in Modern Japan are nothing like this but Mom understood this was the best she was going to get, so she didn't complain when he finished. In fact, she told me, she complimented him on a job well done.
My eyes wander around the room some more before they light upon my mother's sword. I always admired its beauty as a child. Mom rarely used it. I think it was because it bothered Dad so much. He hated the thought that she needed a sword to protect her when he could do that himself. But when she did use it, to kill some demon threatening her family, it was amazing. She had such grace and brilliance… With one swing of that mighty weapon the offending demon would be dead, never to harm anyone else again.
Now that I think about it…if Mother had run off wouldn't she have taken her sword with her? Why would she just leave something so monumental in protecting herself behind, if she were running from us? Maybe Ichiro is right. Maybe she was kidnapped. Maybe I am wrong in thinking she would abandon us.
God! Am I this horrible of a daughter that I would even think so lowly of my own Mother? She raised me, made me who I am and here I stand today, accusing her of leaving. What kind of daughter am I? She raised me, played with me, taught me right from wrong, made me strong, and how do I repay her?
I doubt her. I doubt her love for me. I doubt the compassion she had for me.
Some daughter I am. I'm ashamed of myself. I'm Ashamed to call myself her daughter. How could I think like this? Would she hate me if she found out I was thinking like this?
'No. She wouldn't, my daughter.' A familiar voice rings in my head. The voice is so sweet and warm and so familiar I know it can only be one person.
"Mom?" I hear myself saying without really thinking.
"Minako? Are you alright?" My brother asks. He lifts the flap to our hut, making his presence into the room.
"Yeah. I'm fine. I just thought I heard Mom's voice right now. My mind must be playing tricks on me." I laugh awkwardly.
"Listen," he kneels to better make eye contact with me, "We'll find her. Don't worry. Come now. Dad's ready. He wants to get going before it gets too late in the day. We're going to see Aunt Sango and Uncle Miroku." Ichiro grins, lifting my spirits.
"Alright. I'll be out in a second." I say.
He gets up and leaves me alone, allowing my mind to wander back to my thoughts.
Did I really hear her voice? Was it really my Mother speaking to me, answering my thoughts? Or was it my mind just playing tricks on me again? Probably the latter, I decide.
Slowly I rise to my feet and grab a small bag I have brought back with me from Modern Japan. In it are a few things we may need for this journey. Not much, just the bare essentials. Before I head out I grab my set of bow and arrows, the one my mother bought for me. But I don't stop to dwell on that thought and continue on. As I exit the hut I see my father and brother waiting for me.
"You ready?" My father asks.
"Yeah. Let's go." I say. And with that, our journey begins.
XXX
It's only a few days travel before we reach the village where Aunt Sango and Uncle Miroku live. They aren't actually our real aunt and uncle but we are so close we might as well be. Some time after the battle with Naraku, Miroku and Sango, along with Kohaku, Sango's little brother, returned to this village to rebuild it. Some of the villagers from our village came with them. It had always been a goal of Sango to rebuild her family's village. And in a few years time she had done just that.
Now it's an exterminator's village full of people. Sango and Kohaku have taught so many new slayers. Here, everything is as is should be; slayers being called away to slay demons, Aunt Sango teaching more slayers, Uncle Miroku teaching his son what it means to be a lecher…. Everyone is happy. Or at least they will be until we tell them the great news we bring.
I hate coming here on such unhappy pretenses. I am so upset by this I forget about the slayer and ex-monk's son, right up until the point where he gets a little to close for comfort. What a surprise that is. Right.
"Why, hello Minako!" His voice booms behind me. "It's so nice to see you again!" He says before his hand just 'happens' to wander right where it shouldn't be.
SMACK!
My hand comes flying up and connects with his handsome face. Like father like son, as they always say. "This is not the time, Katashi!" I yell, angered. "But then again, it's never the time!" I storm off to the main hut where Sango and Miroku live. When will he ever learn? I feel sorry for the females that actually live in this village! They actually have to deal with this lecher everyday! Lucky them!
"Get up!" I hear my brother say behind me. He picks Katashi up and drags him after me. He's never liked Katashi much. I don't think I have to tell you why. As kids they were always good friends. But as Katashi began to get older and his hands began to wander, that changed.
It's not that Ichiro hates Katashi or anything. He's just protective of his younger sister is all it is. He's always been like that. Just like all older brothers are.
I enter the hut followed by my father, and brother who's now carrying a zonked out Katashi. I guess I hit him pretty hard back there.
"Oh! What a nice surprise!" Sango chirps. She stops preparing her meal and rises to hug me. I return the hug and I guess that's when she sees Katashi. "Put him over there." She sighs deeply and points to the far corner of the room. She's so used to seeing him like this, its no surprise to her. "I'm so sorry Minako. He's just like his father was before we were together. I don't know what I'm going to do with him!" She shakes her head sadly.
Ichiro complies and drops Katashi in the far corner, far away from me. After greetings are exchanged we sit ourselves in a circle.
"So what brings you here?" Aunty Sango asks. And it's then that she notices our solemn faces. And it's also then that she realizes our mother is not with us. I don't know why she didn't notice it before. Maybe it's because she was so happy to see us? I was told they were such close friends during the reign of Naraku. She must sense that something is up because she asks, "Where's Kagome!"
When we don't speak, she quickly rises to her feet. I think she knows what she is about to hear can't be good. "I'll go get Miroku. He'll want to hear what you have to say too."
We nod and she rushes out of the hut, in search of her husband. In a few short moments she returns with Miroku in tow.
"What has happened?" He asks and I hear the worry in his voice. Sango must have conferred her worries to him too. Now both of them are worried. How will they react when we tell them the terrible news?
None of us speak, we can't tell them. It's so hard. What are we to say? What can we say? How can we tell them that their close friend has disappeared? I look to Dad who nods, telling me he'll be the one to break the news.
"Tell us what happened!" Aunt Sango demands. She is tired of this silence. It's killing her. She wants to know what happened and she wants to know now.
"Kagome…has disappeared." Dad finally answers. He closes his eyes and waits for what he knows what's to come. I know it hurts him to have to tell them this.
A sharp intake of breath hisses from Sango's lips. Miroku warps his arms around her, trying to comfort her but to no avail. Both their faces are those of grief and sadness. And we are the ones that brought this to them.
"W-what happened to her?" Sango forces out.
"We don't know." Dad says sadly. "We just woke up one day and she was gone." He breaks down crying unable to hide his pain any longer. "Someone took her and I was unable to stop them! I let them take her!" He sobs and I wrap my arms around him. "I'm a terrible person! I promised her I would always protect her! But I didn't!"
I've never seen him like this. So broken and worn down. This is really killing him. "Shh. Dad, it's okay. We'll find her. Please don't blame yourself. It's not your fault" I say. I look to Ichiro. It wasn't too long ago that he was telling me the same thing.
"We think that this may have something to do with that past evil you fought. You know before we were born?" Ichiro speaks up. He is unprepared for the reaction he receives and flinches unexpectedly.
"Impossible! Naraku is dead!" Miroku roughly points out. "We killed him! He can't be alive!"
"We know that. But do you remember when Minako and I were kids? Our parents were visited by Aunty Kanna and Aunty Kagura. And do you remember that they came to tell our parents about a mirror that had broken? I remember Dad left shortly after that to tell you guys." Ichiro says gently.
"It's true." Sango sniffled. She looked up at her husband, waiting to see what he has to say.
"So it is." Miroku says. "What do you think we should do?"
"Well, we were thinking we should get the old group together and see what they could tell us about Naraku." Ichiro says. "That is, if you want to. You don't have to. I know you guys have a family and things you have to do here. So if you could just tell Minako and me everything you know about Naraku that would be great."
"No. We'll come with you and we'll tell you what we know once we get everyone back together again. Kohaku and our children can take care of things while we help you find the others." Sango says firmly. She seems to have recovered herself now. Her tears are all dried up and she seems more herself. But I know that is just a cover for the pain she is feeling inside. It's the same way we are all feeling.
"Thank you." I whisper, almost inaudibly but she hears me and smiles warmly at me. I hate that we had to come her on such heartbreaking pretenses. I would rather have come just to visit and catch up on things. But that is not the case. We came to tell them our mother is gone and without second thought they offered to help us. I know it's probably because they were such close friends and knew Mother would do the same of them, but still I am grateful.
My thoughts are suddenly disrupted just as Katana bursts through the flap and into the room. She is Aunty Sango and Uncle Miroku's daughter, well one of them. They have another daughter as well, she's the oldest. Katana is the youngest. Nevertheless she is just as beautiful as her sister before her. Long black hair, beautiful chocolate eyes, and perfect pale skin. Sometimes I am even jealous of her. Many of the village men stop and stare when she walks by. They never do that to me. But that's because I'm hanyou! Still I try to keep my feelings to myself. Katana can't help the way she looks or the way people act. And she really is a nice person. She's always been nice to me and we're pretty close friends.
"Momma!" Katana says. She seems really excited, but she won't be for long. Not after she hears what we have to say. "The villagers told me we had visitors!" She chirps, and that's when she notices us.
"Minako!" She hugs me so tightly I can hardly breathe. "It's so nice to see you! It's been so long!"
"Nice to see you too." I manage to choke out and she finally releases me.
"And Ichiro! I missed you too!" Katana hugs him as well.
"Same here." He chuckles and I wonder how he can laugh at a time like this. Hello! Our mother is missing!
"Uncle Inu! I think I missed you the most!" She grins toothily and I roll my eyes. Suck up. "So what all you guys doing here?" She finally asks. "Not to sound rude or anything. It's just it's been so long since you've actually come for a visit." She adds hastily.
"Katana, why don't you sit down first?" Miroku says gently.
"What? Why? What's wrong?" She turns around but remains standing. "Just tell me now! I don't like this awkward silence!" Katana can be very temperamental at times.
"Sit down!" Sango snaps. Swallowing, Katana did as she was told and took her seat just as her brother was waking up.
"What happened?" Katashi asked groggily. "The last thing I remember… Oh. Yeah…" He smiled awkwardly looking at me. I scoff and look away. Once a lecher always a lecher.
"Get over here. We have something to tell you." Miroku says
Katashi nods knowing something is up and takes a seat beside his sister. A prolonged silence follows afterwards. And Katana, let me point out, has never been one to be patient.
"What is it!" She demands.
Sango takes in a deep breath before she finally collects herself enough to answer her impatient daughter. "Kagome, your aunt, has…" she takes in another calming breath, the flow of tears almost starting right up again, "gone missing." She finally manages to finish. Katana and Katashi both gasp not believe the words they are hearing. But their mother continues on. "It is believed that she was kidnapped, taken against her will. Your father and I are going to journey with Inuyasha, Minako, and Ichiro to gather the rest of our friends and find Kagome." Sango finishes regally, somehow managing to keep herself from crying again.
"But Mom! We want to go with you! We want to help you find Aunt Kagome! Katashi and I love her just as much as you do and want to do anything we can to help! Right Katashi!" Katana says rather emotionally.
"No!" Her father snaps rather quickly. "It's too dangerous! You and your brother are to stay here and keep this village running smoothly while we are gone. You are not to tell the villagers why we are leaving or where we are going. Simply tell them we are going on a long demon slaying trip and have no idea when we will return. And when your uncle returns from his trip, you are to tell him what's happened. Understand?"
"But Dad!" It was Katashi who spoke this time. "Mother has taught us the ways of the slayers! We know how to fight well and could be of much help to you in finding Aunt Kagome!"
"No means no! You are to do as we say and protect this village! What would happen if we sent off all our most skilled slayers and something happened to the defenseless people living here? How could we even call ourselves exterminators?" Sango snaps, asserting her authority as a mother.
Her children remain silent. Both have heard the story of how Naraku had destroyed this village before they were born, killing every living thing in it. They knew how much it killed their mother inside and still lived within her to this day. It was still a touchy subject within her. They knew better to go against her a third time.
"Alright Mother. We will do as you ask of us." Katana relinquishes in a small voice.
"Thank you." Sango smiles weakly.
"But promise us you will return safely! That nothing will happen to you!" Katana bursts out.
"Of course nothing will happen to us!" Miroku chuckles, uncertainly.
"Promise!" Katashi almost, but not quite, roared.
Slightly taken aback by their son's outburst both parents promised to return safely and that nothing would happen to them.
"Thank you." Both children whisper. They seem content now, more relaxed. I guess they were reassured now. Maybe they were worried about losing a parent like Ichiro and I had.
"So, when do you want to leave?" Ichiro asks conversationally.
"As soon as we can. Today, if that's alright." Sango answers quickly. "We'll just gather some supplies and then we can get going. I think we should head over to the wolf tribe first." She decides.
"Do we have to go there next?" My father asks unhappily. He and the leader of the wolf tribe don't exactly get along. I remember the stories Mother told us of back when, before she and Dad had actually gotten together, how Kouga had actually claimed her as his woman. Dad didn't like that too much.
But he's not the only one who isn't too excited to be going there so soon. Kouga's son seems to have followed right into his father's footsteps. The cocky little wolf claims to have feelings for me and can't take no for an answer! And frankly, I'm not ready to deal with his antics so soon.
"Can't we go to Uncle Sesshomaru's first?" I offer.
"I'm sorry you two, but No. The wolf tribe is actually closer. We visit them and then turn around and head to visit Sesshomaru. Plus we need to ask Sesshomaru if he knows where Kagura and Kanna are. No one has seen them in so long. We have no idea where they are, and since we should look for them last, it just seems better to go to the wolves first. And plus while on our way to Sesshomaru's is where we should find Shippo's place. So it's actually easier to go that way. It's like one big circle." Miroku says democratically.
Great. Looks like Father and I have lost this battle. I know Uncle Miroku is right but that doesn't change the fact that I'm not too happy about going. Oh well. At least we'll be getting the worst part over with first. That's a bright side right? Yeah, right. It sure doesn't seem like one. But I'll do it. If it means finding Mother, I'll deal with that wolf brat. But only for her.
XXX
We set off just barely over an hour later. Being half demon I'm not even tired from the journey here. I still have much strength in me to keep going. It will take us only a few days to get to the wolves cave.
'And then the fun will begin.' I think sarcastically.
It's only about a three days journey and during that time we don't talk much. We stop occasionally to rest, mostly for the sake of the humans traveling with us. But surprisingly we don't stop all that often. Sango and Miroku are used to these kinds of long travels. But still it amazing me how strong they seem to be even after they have aged since the days of their first adventure with my parents about 20 years ago.
Most of the time is spent in silent running, Miroku and Sango riding Kirara, thinking. I believe we are all thinking the same thing. Will we find my mother alive?
But my thoughts also run to other things. How will Kouga react when he learns this? How will Ayame react? Will Kouga start a fight with my father? How am I going to deal with Kouga's son?
It is early morning on day four when we finally reach the wolf tribe. We are greeted warmly but the wolves they accompany the wolf demons. To them we are just like friends, almost a part of their tribe. The excited yelping of the wolves alerts the others that they have guests and it isn't long before my least favorite person in the world makes his appearance.
"Ah! Minako, my dear!" He takes my hand in his and holds it to his chest. Behind me I hear my brother and father growl warningly but Takuto ignores him. "It has been so long since I have been graced with your beauty!" Takuto says. It takes all I have not to throw up. "Oh, how I have missed you! I am so sorry I haven't come to visit you. You must be quite upset with me. But alas, I have been busy. I hope you are not angry with me. And again I apologize. I trust you have been fine since I last saw you?" He asks with smiling a showing off his perfect teeth.
"Uh… Thanks. And yes. I'm just fine." I say snatching my hand back roughly. But he doesn't seem to notice my dislike for him at all. What more do I have to do to tell him I'm not interested?
"I am so glad. You have no idea how worried I have been for your safety. I came to visit once but your mother so graciously informed me that you were not around. She said that you had gone to visit relatives and she did not know when you would return." He doesn't notice how I wince when he mentions my mother. "But now I see you have finally returned and have come to see me!" Won't he be surprised to find out how wrong he is!
"Actually… That's not why I'm here. That's not why we're here." I motion behind me. He looks over my shoulder to see my brother and father glaring at him, along with Sango and Miroku grinning weirdly. Kirara is there too.
"Then why are you here?" It's not Takuto who asks this. It's Kouga. Finally, he and his mate, Ayame, have come out to see what the commotion is. "Nice to see you again, mutt-face." Kouga greets my father. "It has been awhile."
"Feh. Wolf-butt. I'm not in the mood to fight right now." My father says.
"What? You not in the mood to fight? This is new!" He scoffs. "Hey! Where's Kagome?"
"Why don't we talk somewhere more private?" Miroku proposes. He's always been the peacemaker.
"Alright. You can come into our cave. We'll talk there." Kouga says.
"It's so nice of you guys to come!" Ayame says as we enter the cave. "I told Kouga it's been way to long since either of us has come for a visit!"
"Yeah, well I wouldn't exactly call this a visit." Ichiro's and my father says.
Ayame looks at him funny but wisely doesn't question further. She turns back to face the front and follows Kouga inside. Like the Tribe Leader he is, Kouga leads us to a back chamber of his cave. Once we are all seated he asks the question we avoided answering before.
"Where the hell is Kagome?" He looks pointedly at my father, narrowing his eyes.
I can't take it anymore! Here we are, coming here to tell them the worst possible news we can imagine, and Kouga here is hustling my father! Its not that I hate Kouga, because I don't. It's just sometimes he can't take how he treats my father sometimes! I can't help thinking maybe we should have gotten everyone together before telling them anything. But I know that would be even harder because they would all be asking questions demanding to know and it would only be a matter of time before I would break down and tell them anyway.
"My mother was kidnapped!" I scream before I can even think of stopping myself.
Everyone starts at me. Kouga and Ayame's mouths are hung open in surprise, while Takuto looks at me his eyes wide in utter shock. I don't know if it's because of my outburst or the fact that my mother was kidnapped. Although I have a feeling it has more to do with the latter of the two.
I close my eyes and take a deep calming breath. I guess the stress has weighed more heavily on me that I thought. I hate to admit this, even if it is only to myself. When I am finally able to open my eyes I see everyone has slightly recovered from their shock. Now they know why we are here. Now all that is left to do is to tell them the details of this painful story.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
So how did you like chapter three? I know it probably wasn't that interesting and I probably should have continued on some more before ending it but I wanted to put Kouga's reaction in the next chapter. I'm not sure but I think I'll have Shippo for sure in the next chapter and then probably Sesshomaru, and Kagura in the ones following. Thank you and Please R and R!
Clouds of the Sky