Chapter 6 - Misaki and Memories

After wrapping things up at the Gun Shop, the trio finally made it the Mall, grabbed some lunch and did some shopping. Kikyo felt a whole lot better now than she had before as she knew she was going to be able to pay Soubi back for anything she needed to get now. While she was getting some of that 'girly stuff' the boys made a break for it with promises to meet her in an hour at the Ice Cream shop. As much as Soubi thought Ritsuka would look adorable in some of the Lingerie the store carried the rest was way out of his league.

An hour later found them each enjoying an ice cream treat of some kind, bags surrounding their feet. Soubi was smoking a cigarette and sipping a chocolate shake, Ritsuka was diving into a seriously big banana split sundae and Kikyo was enjoying a butterscotch sundae. Ritsuka nodded to Soubi, letting him know now was as good a time as any to give her what they'd picked up for her while she'd been at that frilly girly place. Still sipping his shake Soubi placed the cell phone in front of her. Picking it up she flipped it open and hit a few buttons.

"What's this for?" Licking her spoon clean as Ritsuka sided over to show her the speed dial numbers.

"We went and added you to Soubi's cell account and got you your own phone. This way you can text or call either one of us anytime you want. I already added mine and Soubi's numbers, see I'm the first number and Soubi is the second." Ritsuka grinned as he stated who was first and who was second in Kikyo's phone. She smiled right back at him, happy to see him smiling so big. Looking at the phone again she realized it had a built in camera, she took a couple of pictures using the cell phone. Ritsuka had been having such a good time he'd forgotten all about taking his pictures and making 'memories' until she'd started with the cell phone. He took out his Camera and they took a bunch of pictures of the three of them.

"Awesome I got lots of 'Memories' here. I can print them out later. What are we going to do tonight?"

"So these are the 'Memories" you were talking about wanting to make?"

"Uh-huh, This way I won't forget you with your ears." Reaching up to rub the offending appendages, Kikyo smiled wryly.

"Ah yeah, I don't think, I'm going to be forgetting them or this tail thing anytime soon, if ever." Really it felt SO weird to her. Soubi eye'd his Sacrifice before reminding him that they 'had' someplace to go tonight.

"Ritsuka, did you forget? We're going to the Seven Moons School tonight. The Wedding is early tomorrow morning."

"Oh, my god! With everything else that's been happening. I totally forgot. We'd better get all this stuff back to the apt, and I'll need to grab a few things from home before we leave." Well that explained why Soubi had insisted Kikyo buy a pretty dress and all the accessories. They we're going to a Wedding and at this Sevens Moons place Soubi had mentioned earlier.

They went back to the apt and Soubi thru together a bag for him and Kikyo. Then they headed to Ritsuka's house. Just as Kikyo had wanted to do earlier, she kept quiet and hoped Ritsuka would continue to be distracted by the impending visit to Seven Moons and forget to ask her to stay outside of his house, she had work to do. They entered the front door and were meet by none other than Ritsuka's mother in the entry way.

"What are y…."

"Sleep." The older woman began to sink to the floor, Kikyo caught her before she hit, laying her down she asked Ritsuka one of the most important questions of his life.

"Do you love your Mother?"

"I, yes, yes I do. Kikyo what are you going to do her. Pease don't hurt her."

"Whatever I can to help her, for you." She placed her fingers to his mother's temples and closed her eyes.

"Ah, I see now where you get your strength Ritsuka. She is a strong woman your mother, you should be proud, somebody has placed her under a very strong compulsion, actually there are layers of compulsions, the first was placed many years ago and then twice more. She has been fighting within her own mind, fighting a compulsion to kill you."

"Kikyo, is there anything you can do to help her?" There was a sound in Ritsuka's voice that had never been there before, his mother was under a compulsion? It wasn't his fault, just as everyone had been telling him?

"Yes, all you have to do ask me. 'Ask' and I will be able to do anything for Ritsuka."

"Ask? Uh okay. Please, Kikyo help my mother make her better."

"It will be as you have requested."

"Release…Protect….Wake." With a snap of her fingers Ritsuka's mother opened her eyes and awoke. Kikyo made a quick suggestion to cover her being on the floor.

"Aoyagi-sama are you okay? You slipped and hit your head."

"Oh my, I hope I didn't give you young people too much of a fright. My head does feel a little funny. Ritsuka dear, could you help me up, I think I need to go lie down for a while, please forgive me for the inconvenience." Ritsuka stunned at the change in his mother, helped her up and to her room. Kikyo retreated with Soubi to Ritsuka's room, he remained quiet waiting for Ritsuka to return. Ritsuka would ask the same questions burning in his mind, so when he entered the room it was no surprise that he immediately confronted her.

"What did you do? S-She seems so different. Will she be alright now?"

"Yes, I have removed the compulsions, I also placed a protective barrier about her mind so that no one can do that to her again. Even as strong as she is, I don't think she could handle going thru this again." Tears welled up in the teenager's beautiful amethyst eyes.

"Will she remember?" Kikyo knew what Ritsuka was really asking.

"No, at least not everything. For her sanity's sake I have suppressed her memories regarding the 'episodes'. Her memory will seem a little spotty regarding the last 5 years. I figured that is what you would wish for me to do, to not burden her with the guilt of actions not entirely of her own doing. Sometimes memories are overrated." A sad look crossed her face, as many of the painful things she wished she could forget flashed thru her mind.

"But how can you say that memories are overrated? I-I lost all mine when I turned 10, I can't remember anything before that, just vague feelings and stuff like that. I mean, yeah, I supposed for Mom it's for the best cause of what's been happening , it's not like it's all of them. But, But..."

"There are things I wish I could forget at times, and quite honestly Ritsuka nobody remembers much if anything of those first couple of years of life, and as we get older the memories of our childhood fade to a few blurry images and vague feelings. Regaining those memories at this point is useless, you have lived more fully and grown much since that time, you will remember these years far more clearly than you would have ever remembered those early years." Kikyo smiled a soft smile." besides even though your mind does not remember those early years, your heart always has, it is what has made you the person you are."

"My heart never forgot?"

"Exactly, if it had, you would have answered me far differently when I asked if you loved your mother. Your heart has never forgotten the love you have for her." Listening Soubi realized he'd made a grave mistake over the years, he'd always blamed Misaki for the wounds she'd given his Sacrifice both physically and emotionally. He'd never thought to look for an outside source influencing her, he'd only occasionally wondered if she too had once been an abused child.

"Ritsuka, can you ever forgive me? I nev...." Ritsuka saw the guilt clouding his Fighters eyes, he went to the man sitting on the floor by his bed, taking his face between his hands. His kissed him, stopping the words coming from his mouth and letting him know he forgave him at the same time. Resting his forehead on that of the older males.

"No Soubi, it's not your fault. I've ordered you repeatedly to leave her alone and to stay away from her. How could you have known, anymore than I did. I-I think it's time we both started to forgive ourselves for things we couldn't control." The words, it was a start, the healing could begin now, eventually Ritsuka would believe the words he spoke in his heart as well as in his head. It had begun.

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AN: Both Soubi and Kikyo can do just about anything for Ritsuka no matter how impossible it may seem. The difference is in 'how' the request is conveyed. Soubi needs to be ordered, Kikyo on the other hand needs to be 'asked' ordering her will not work. But if Ritsuka 'asks', Kikyo is as powerful and efficient as Soubi when he is ordered.