Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host club or Inuyasha. The rights belong to Bisco Hatori and Rumiko Takahashi respectively.
A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Text
"Talking"
Thinking
Letter
XxXSceneChangeXxX
Chapter Four: Letters Through The Ages
Takashi watched as Shippou led Kagome back up to the Morinozuka estate. He was amazed at the change in Kagome's aura; aura reading was the one thing he had inherited from his ancestor. It seemed to brighten as soon as she saw the strange demon boy. The thing was, every other time he had met the warrior in his fathers employ, he had not been a boy. He had been almost as tall as himself.
He kept his silence as they trudged up the hill toward the house. He was beginning to tire, after all, their estate was one of the largest in the city, and he was amazed to see that Kagome, pregnant and all, was not tiring in the least.
"Okaa-san?" asked Shippou tentatively.
"Yes Shippou?" she said.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "You're not too tired are you?"
Takashi's eyes flicked toward Kagome, who was blushing slightly. It seems as if she was tired after all?
"Iie, Shippou. I'm fine." Kagome said as she waved her hands in a dismissing way. "It's only a bit further. We've traveled much longer without rest back home after all."
"Hai, but that was because that baka Inuyasha was pushing it, and not stopping until lunchtime, even though he knew that as humans, you needed your rest more than we did." Shippou told her. "I think you need to rest. Think of the baby."
"Shippou." Kagome sighed softly. "I need to read the scrolls that Sango and Miroku left for me. They could contain important information that I need to know."
"They do." he told her. "I was there when they wrote it." his chest puffed out in pride "I drew you a picture."
Kagome smiled, as Takashi frowned. Why should the boy know of the scrolls when even his father had been forbidden access? Not that he was jealous or anything of that nature, it just didn't make sense.
"Thank you Shippou, I'm sure I'll love it." Kagome told him with a smile. "But don't you see, if I stop to rest, it will take longer to get to the scrolls."
"It will take longer if you deny you need rest, because then you'll just end up hurting yourself, and the baby." Shippou said. "How about if I carry you like Inuyasha used to?"
Kagome smiled softly. "Thank you for the offer Shippou, but you're still too little to carry me yet."
"No I'm not." he told her. "I'm a Kitsune remember? Change shape at will and all that jazz."
Kagome wrinkled her nose at his uses of words. "Where did you learn that phrase?"
"About fifty years ago...maybe more. I lost count." he told her. "The point is that I can transform back and carry you that way. I just thought that this would help you adjust a bit better."
"Wait, transform back?"
"Silly Okaa-san, you didn't think that I would be a kit forever did you?" Shippou laughed as he transformed into his adult self.
Kagome watched with a smile on her face, one of remembrance. Takashi's with awe. He'd never seen the demon transform before.
The short boy grew, taller than Kagome, and stopped just below Takashi's chin. His black uniform changed as well, into a larger version of what he used to wear as a child. His pointed teeth flashed as he grinned at Kagome. "Better?"
Kagome laughed. "Amazing Shippou! You've gotten much better with your transformations!"
Takashi walked up to the two, cleared his throat and said, "How are you to carry her?"
Shippou looked at Kagome and said, "Well, seeing as you are bout as big as a house, 'kaa-san, I won't be able to carry you Inuyasha style."
Takashi grew angry as the man insulted the miko. He opened his mouth to say as much, when Kagome leaned up and flicked Shippou's nose.
The demon shrank back a bit and asked, "Okaa-san, why did you do that?" he looked a bit teary eyed.
"You know better than that Shippou." she chastised. "I'm sorry, but I had no other choice."
"That's mean 'kaa-san." he pouted. "Fine. Gomen. I won't say that anymore."
"Just as long as you don't." Kagome said in a stern tone.
Takashi waited until they looked at him. He raised a brow.
"I'll carry you bridal." Shippou grinned.
Takashi looked to Kagome to make sure the 'Kitsune' would be welcome in that way.
I should have known. He thought as he watched as Shippou slide his hands under Kagome's knees and behind her back, lifting her effortlessly. After all, of course Kagome could trust him, she did say she'd practically raised him as a surrogate son after his parents were murdered. He knew the story, it was all there in the scroll she had written so many centuries ago. As strange as this whole situation was, he believed her.
He glanced at Takashi. "How fast can you run?" he asked him
"..." Takashi didn't know why he'd asked that. What difference did it make? "Fast."
"Good. Lets make this a race." the Kitsune suggested. "I'll give you a five minute head start."
"That doesn't seem too fair." Takashi told him. Especially as you're carrying a pregnant woman.
"Shippou, that's not much of a fair race." Kagome said disapprovingly. "Better give him a ten minute head start."
Takashi stared at her disbelievingly. "How is that fair?" he asked her.
"Shippou is a demon, Takashi-kun...he's very fast." Kagome explained.
"Ah." he said.
"You can start running now." Shippou told him with a wide grin.
Takashi shrugged and began to run. He hadn't been lying. He could run fast. He kept his body in perfect shape. As the heir to the Morinozuka line, it needed to be.
He counted as he ran. Five minutes. He glanced over his shoulder, they were very far behind him. He kept running. Nine minutes. Another glance found him squinting to see them. Thirty seconds left, he was about a hundred feet from the door. Ten seconds. Fifty feet away. Nine, eight, seven, six, five. Almost there. Four, three, two, one. Almost.
He put on a burst of speed as the wind picked up. He used the wind to his advantage, propelling himself forward. His hand hit the side of the house, and he leaned down, catching his breath. He heard a snicker. Looking up quickly, he gaped as he saw Kagome sitting on the top of the steps leading into the house. Twenty feet ahead of him. She was drinking a lemonade.
Shippou snorted to himself as he passed the human. He could tell that he was at his limit. When the human grasped the siding of the house, he couldn't help but laugh. He had been fast, that was certain, but Shippou had been faster. Kagome was right. Five minutes wouldn't have been fair at all.
He turned and picked up a glass of the refreshing drink, and offered it to Takashi. "Here." he said. "Nice race. You did really good. For a puny human."
"Shippou!" Kagome said. "Be more polite. I raised you better than that!"
"Sorry. It was all those years with Inuyasha that messed that up, Kagome." he grinned.
Kagome's face fell slightly. Shippou was concerned and asked, "Okaa-san? Are you okay?"
"Yes..." she said. "I was just thinking."
"About what?" Takashi asked her. "If I can help, Miko, I will."
Kagome threw him a grateful look. "Thanks, but this is something that only Shippou would know."
"What is it 'kaa-san?"
"Well...Sango and Miroku were human, so I understand that. But you made it this long." she started.
Shippou knew what she was asking. He sat beside her. "When you disappeared, Inuyasha...well...he was devastated. He kept trying to go through the well to bring you home. After a while, he just stopped trying. He stayed in the village with me, Sango and Miroku. We protected the village for Kaede until she passed on. When we buried her, well...Kikyo came. She said she wanted to see her younger sister off to the next life. She left the soul collectors behind."
Takashi watched Kagome's face as Kikyo was mentioned. He knew from the scrolls written by her during her time in the past, that she did not like the undead priestess.
Shippou continued. "She tried to incorporate herself into the village again. She said that it needed a priestess since you left. Inuyasha told her to go. He didn't want anything to do with her after the last run in you two had.
You remember that before you left, you married Sango and Miroku? Well, they soon had a pair of twins. A boy, named Mushin, born first, and a girl, Yuki. The girl was sickly, and died soon after. Sango got pregnant again, she had another boy, his name was Ichirou. After about a year, they were pregnant again, this time with triplets. Two girls, Sayuri, and Sayumi were born first, and a boy, Ryoga. Ryoga was very small, but after a while he got to be bigger than his sisters. Over the years, they had four more children; Three more boys, Nemurai, Tsuyan, and Raiden. Their last, and youngest, was a little girl, they named her Kagome."
Kagome gasped, tears streaming down her face. "Oh Sango." she whispered.
"After Sango and Miroku passed on, I stayed and took care of the village, along with their children, and their children's children. So on and so forth until now. I promised Miroku I would until I met you again.
Inuyasha, he left, after they passed. Said that he'd had enough of watching over perverted offspring of the perverted monk. He left for around eighty years, before coming back to visit.
By then, Miroku and Sango's clan had grown exponentially. He helped me to train the young ones, to fight. Just in case. The benefits from this training, is incorporated here, at the Morinozuka dojo." Shippou told Kagome.
"I saw Hakkaku, Ginta, and Kouga only twice in the last five hundred years. I don't know where they are now, or if...if they even survived." Shippou told her sadly. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you more about them, I know you guys were close."
"Yeah. They called me Onee-san." Kagome said fondly.
"Totosai is still out there somewhere. But I haven't met him in near a hundred years. You know him. Still puttering around." Shippou laughed. "Rin ended up marrying some human that Lord Sesshoumaru found for her, they had several children, I forget their names, only met them a few times. The last I heard, her descendants are still around here somewhere, but I didn't keep track of them. Jaken died though, about seventy years after you left."
"What happened to him?" Kagome asked. Sure she'd never really liked the nasty toad, but she was curious.
"Well, see, when Lord Sesshoumaru married Rin off to the human, he put Jaken in charge of protecting the family when he couldn't. Like when he had to patrol his lands and all that. Apparently there was a raid on the village where they lived, and Jaken failed to protect Rin. She was killed as she and her husband were trying to escape. After Sesshoumaru returned, he found that Jaken had failed him, he did what he always threatened."
"So this Sesshoumaru killed his retainer?" Takashi asked, having followed the conversation.
"Pretty much. He went into a rage and ended up killing him. I think he felt some sort of remorse, for he tried to bring him back using Tenseiga, but he's apparently already brought him back once before, and it doesn't work a second time." Shippou informed them.
"Sesshoumaru disappeared after that. I have no idea if he is around any longer or not. Sorry, it's been so long since I've seen any of them, and I've lost track."
"It's okay, I understand." Kagome said sadly. "You remembered so much, it would be crazy if you didn't forget some things."
They sat there for a bit longer, letting Kagome grieve for her lost friends. Soon, though, she stood. "Take me to see the scrolls now, please." she told Takashi. "I think I can't put this off any longer. Besides, we've been here nearly three hours, and if I don't hurry, Haruhi will be worried. Not to mention uncle Ryoji.
Takashi nodded before helping her up. As they were walking, Kagome watched Takashi closely. She had noticed it the day before, but she hadn't been sure. His aura was very strong. She doubted that he even knew, so she decided to let him know after she got the scrolls.
Takashi led them into the attic, which had been turned into a sort of museum. Sango and Miroku's personal belongings were either mounted on the walls, or in glass cases. He walked to the center of the room to a huge black wood desk. He opened it, and withdrew a large, thick scroll. It was in pristine condition. It was sealed with a mixture of spiritual powers, and a bright blue chain, made from cold flames surrounded it.
Kagome turned toward the scroll. She glanced at Shippou. "You learned sealing spells?" she asked.
"Yeah, when I was still a kit, and Inuyasha was helping me look after the village, I would leave every night and go to train with a group of other young Kitsune. I learned lots of things. My illusions are much better now." he grinned. "Miroku asked me to help seal this for you."
"Nice." Kagome said, as she accepted the scroll from Takashi. She closed her eyes and concentrated.
Takashi watched with interest as the scroll's barrier glowed a bright pink, and then faded completely. He gaped. So many had tried to release the seal of ages, and failed. All they had to show for their attempts, were badly burnt hands.
Kagome turned and held the scroll out to Shippou. "Can you take the flames away please?" she asked.
"Sure." Shippou reached out an hand, and touched the flickering blue chain gently. The fire grew very large, very fast. Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped. The flame was absorbed back into him.
"Thanks Shippou." Kagome said.
Shippou responded by transforming into his child form and jumped into Kagome's arms like he used to do. He hugged her for a moment before clambering up on her shoulder to read over it.
Kagome turned to Takashi. "Could I please have a moment alone? I would like to read this in privacy, if that would be acceptable."
"Of course, miko." he replied. He left her with the scroll. After he closed the door, he pulled up a chair, and sat to wait.
"Well." Kagome said, "Here we go." she opened the scroll.
Lady Kagome, I hope this finds you well. Hopefully Shippou has filled you in on the basics of what happened when you returned to your era. Sango and I have nine children, and it is doubtful that we'll have anymore. Several of the children are adults now, with children of their own. Raiden and Kagome are still too young for marriage.
I began this scroll, in the hopes that it will make the grieving that you are sure to do, easier. We have a wonderful family and are very happy, though we all miss you terribly. We see your husband sometimes, not often as he seems to be too melancholy to visit long. He misses you very much, Kagome.
He has inquired of us, to add some words from him, so that you may know comfort in this difficult time. I wouldn't write it myself, rather, I had him do so. You will find it with Shippou. He was instructed to give it to you only after you have read this. I'm sorry, Kagome, but it shouldn't be too long of a wait.
We think Inuyasha has found someone. He is often glimpsed leaving the village in the dead of night, and returning before sunrise. I don't think it is Kikyo, though, as she hasn't been sighted in near a decade. All reports of the Shinidamachu have dissipated. We think she has returned to the realm of the dead at last.
Sango and I are great grandparents. Mushin's eldest son has three, and several others were born recently. In case you're wondering, it's been forty years since I last wrote in this scroll. Not much has happened, so I have not felt the need to write again until now. However, my hand has begun to itch as of late. I know what you must be thinking. We defeated Naraku.
Sango thinks I should find a healer to look at my hand. I have told her I will, but Kagome, who else in this world will know? Master Mushin is long dead, and he was only knowledgeable of the Kazaana, because of my father, and grandfather. I fear that Naraku survived the final battle. If it is true, he will wait until we are dead and in the afterlife. I do not think it is any reason to worry yet, I might be wrong, it may only be ghost pains. I will write again when I know more.
Kagome, last year, Miroku passed on to the netherworld. It has been hard, our children and their own, are devastated. I miss him so much Kagome. His death was caused by the return of his wind tunnel. It is as he feared. Naraku has returned. The Kazaana has been passed onto our eldest son, Mushin. He is strong, and has not flinched from the fate he knows will befall him should Naraku not be destroyed.
His wife is loath to let him journey for the destruction of our enemy. I've talked to her, and she is now resigned. She wishes to travel with him, and I have encouraged it. He will need the support that comes with this task.
Do not fear, Kagome, I have taught him about the saimyosho, and he knows not to suck them inside the tunnel. He also has been provided with many different antidotes, just in case. Inuyasha has gone with him, to aid him in his journey.
The writing on the rest of the paper was shaky, and harder to read.
Kagome, it's been four years since I last wrote to you, and it will be the last. Mushin's dead, and the cursed hand has been passed on once more. I am afraid, that he will never be defeated. It may just end with you, Kagome. I'm sure Shippou survived and is with you, as well as your husband and the rest of our demon friends. If it comes down to it, I know you will do it, I know you will destroy Naraku once and for all.
I'm old, Kagome. Just over ninety years old, I am six years older than Kaede was when she passed on. But before that happens, I want you to know something. All those years ago, when I met you and began to travel with you and the others, I thought of you as my best friend. But you were much more than that. You were my friend, my confidant, and my sister. You were there for me when I was at the lowest I could feel, you married me to the man whom I've never stopped loving, and you helped to shape the future for generations.
Thank you, Kagome. I wish you all the happiness in the world.
Your sister,
Sango.
Kagome felt her chest tighten painfully. She gasped as tears threatened to fall down her pale face. She carefully set a barrier around the scroll and set it on the floor in front of her.
"Shippou!" she cried out.
Shippou transformed into his adult form and quickly pulled Kagome into his arms. "It's okay, Okaa-san. It's going to be okay."
Takashi got an uneasy feeling as he sat outside the room. He just couldn't place it.
I think I need to talk to Chichiue, and it needs to be soon.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
A/N: I think it's time for a Japanese lesson. =)
Okaa-san: Mother
'kaa-san: Short way to say mother.
Chichiue: Father
Onee-san: Sister
Baka: Idiot, Stupid, Moron, Etc.
Hai: Yes
Iie: No
Arigato: Thank you
Arigato Gozaimasu: Polite way of saying Thank you
Domo Arigato: Thank you very much
Gomenasai: Polite way of saying I'm sorry
Gomen: Informal way of saying I'm sorry
Ohayou: Good Morning
Ohayou Gozaimasu: Polite way to say Good Morning
Osuwari: Sit
Miko: Priestess
Tenseiga: Sesshoumaru's sword of healing/sword of the heavens
Kazaana: Wind Tunnel
That concludes today's Japanese lesson. Now you will know what I mean when I use these words.
A/A/N:Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think.
~Kiera