A/N: This is a 2017-revised chapter. Thanks for your support.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha
Fukai Mori
11. Jakotsu's Requiem
Renkotsu peered out from his hiding spot to see Inuyasha walk triumphantly out the cave in Jakotsu's stead. Inuyasha had fought a battle Renkotsu did not want to risk. It was time for Renkotsu to collect the prize Inuyasha had won for him.
"Jakotsu..." Renkotsu called the name of his brother-in-arms. Jakotsu, crushed by fallen boulders, could hardly open his eyes, let alone answer with a single word. He looked pitiful, but Renkotsu did nothing to help him. Gritting his teeth, Renkotsu reached forward to the Shikon shard in Jakotsu's throat. Jakotsu widened his eyes, an expression of shock and fear. Renkotsu forced himself to look away.
"I am sorry, Jakotsu-aniki. I don't have a choice! Blame Bankotsu for it!"
Renkotsu yanked the shard out of Jakotsu. In his last moments, memories flashed past Jakotsu's eyes: Bankotsu holding him, riding together atop Ginkotsu, laughing at Kyoukotsu's snoring, marvelling at Mukotsu's inventions…did none of it matter to Renkotsu? To Jakotsu, the time he spent with the Shichinintai was the happiest. To be accepted, to be loved, he thought Renkotsu felt the same. But was it all Jakotsu's self-satisfaction? Had Renkotsu been suffering all this time and he had not noticed as his brother?
Jakotsu saw a tear drop from Renkotsu's eye. He reached out to wipe it away with his fading hand, smiling.
If he could be of use to Renkotsu, then so be it. He was content with the life he had after all. His past life and the one he had after resurrection – this second chance let him meet Inuyasha, the first and last to truly understand him. It was all he could ask for.
He closed his eyes. The peace he found in death was warm this time.
A-Un had taken them to a cave. Kikyou and Rin cleaned a corner of the cave and lay Sesshoumaru down; he was still unconscious from his injuries. It was cold here on Mount Hakurei. It did not bother Kikyou for she had no such sensation, but Rin was shivering, and Sesshoumaru looked like he could be cold too whether he would admit it or not, his robes so torn that they weren't even adequate for covering his wounds.
Kikyou turned to the toad youkai who had been eyeing her suspiciously for some time. "Jaken-sama, would you please help us make a fire with your staff?"
Jaken snorted. "I, the Great Retainer of the Lord of the Western Lands, will do nothing so stupid as help a human."
Kikyou smiled regretfully, then turned to Rin. "Since Jaken-sama is unwilling, let us start a fire ourselves. Do you know how to do that?"
"Yes! Find wood!"
"We will need different types of wood though. First, we need dry shavings that can easily catch fire from the sparks we make when we strike flint against steel. That is tinder. Then we will use the tinder to ignite twigs and wood chips. That is kindling. Only when the fire has grown sufficiently can we add the larger pieces of wood. Do you understand?"
"Okay! I understand!"
Rin nodded and hurried outside to gather wood, careful not to venture out of the barrier Kikyou had put up to mask their presence from Naraku. The shinidamachuu slipped in occasionally to drop off a soul or two, else there was little movement within the cave. By the time Rin returned, Kikyou had dug a pit for their fire and lined it with rock. Kikyou instructed Rin on how to start the fire, and when flames finally roared steadily within the pit, Rin jumped and clapped at her own success.
Jaken glared at her. "Pathetic humans, celebrating something so unworthy. If you have time to waste, prepare me dinner already. Or did you forget that I am your master, Great Retainer of the Lord of the West?"
Rin pouted, but did not voice her frustrations. Kikyou whispered something in her ear, then headed out the cave with her bow and arrows. Soon she came back with game and wild berries.
"Wow! You gathered so much, Miko-sama!"
"We must thank the gods for their blessings. This land is more fertile than I had expected."
"Do you need help with preparing dinner?"
"Let me prepare it for you. You have worked hard building the fire, so why not just tend to it as I cook? Dinner will be ready soon."
Rin stole a berry and popped it into her mouth with a grin. Kikyou smiled, wiping away the blue juice from her lips. She then went on to prepare the game she had shot, set it on a spit and roasted it over the fire. The smell was delicious. Jaken felt his mouth water. In his impatience, he yelled once more at them.
"Measly humans, are you looking to satisfy me with a mere cooked bird? You would need to do better than that." Jaken jabbed a finger at Rin. "You, Child, are not being productive. Go shoot me more game. I am hungry."
At this, Kikyou smiled at Jaken. Was there mischief in her smile? "Regrets, Jaken-sama. I feared my lowly human cuisine is not fit for your consumption, so I only prepared a meal for Rin-chan."
Rin giggled at the way a vein bulged out from Jaken's forehead. She turned back to the cooked bird in her hand. "Miko-sama, would you like the left-side, or the right side, or do you want to eat the whole thing?"
"You can eat it all, Rin-chan. I am not hungry."
"But you haven't eaten for the whole day!"
"Walking corpses like her don't need to eat, Dumb Child!" Jaken snapped.
Rin glared at Jaken, but Kikyou told her it was okay, so she continued to eat while conversing with Kikyou. Rin knew Jaken wasn't a bad person – youkai – but he just wasn't always truthful about how he felt, upholding a pride that Rin couldn't quite comprehend. The same went for Sesshoumaru; without them both, lord and retainer, Rin wouldn't have survived to this day. She was very grateful for all they had done for her.
She was, however, thankful that Kikyou had joined them. Travelling in an all-male, all-youkai party could be a little alienating at times. It was nice to have someone to talk to who shared her experiences. But since Kikyou had joined them, Rin had always been under her care. She wondered what she could do for Kikyou in return.
"Miko-sama, are you really alright?" Rin asked. Kikyou had made her a bed of dry grass in the back of the cave where it was sheltered from the night wind. She laid down and Kikyou sat beside her, holding her hand.
"I am fine. Sorry I hadn't been able to share a meal with you."
"Oh! It's quite okay with me. If Miko-sama cannot eat human food, then I will eat your share too! Wait…that is a little wasteful, is it not? Next time if Jaken-sama asks nicely, maybe we can share the food with him. Is that alright?"
"Only if he asks nicely."
Kikyou and Rin giggled softly so that Jaken could not hear them. After the commotion earlier, the toad youkai had found a place by A-Un's side and fallen asleep.
"Miko-sama, may I call you Onee-sama?"
"Onee-sama?" Kikyou was surprised to hear the title from Rin. Only Kaede had ever called her that…Kaede, her little sister, who wasn't so little now. She couldn't quite possibly return to Kaede anymore. She would only cause her trouble. And anguish. She was sure Kaede still loved her, but it was this love that made it all the more difficult for Kaede to watch her dear sister wandering undead, never finding peace in the afterlife.
Rin took Kikyou's silence as hesitation. She looked away shyly. "Umm…actually, I used to have a sister. She died. With the others, when our village was raided. I guess I'm still a bit lonely. I'm sorry I asked you the impossible…"
"No, that is not true."
Kikyou tightened her grip on Rin's hand. "I am very happy you asked. So very happy…"
"Really?"
"I hadn't been a good sister during my life. Now that I have become like this…I would only be a burden if I return to her-"
"Miko-sama is no burden to me!"
"I see. I am glad." Kikyou gently stroked Rin's hair. "Then please call me your sister. I may not the best sister, but I will try hard to do my duty as one."
"Me too! I will try hard to be Onee-sama's younger sister!"
The skies had grown dark. The moon was high and the night became colder, turning drizzle to snow. Rin, too, had fallen asleep, and Kikyou left her side to tend to Sesshoumaru. Now that Mount Hakurei's barrier had fallen, Sesshoumaru recovered faster. He was in stable condition, so at Jaken's insistence earlier, Kikyou had not touched him. Still, he did not look too comfortable, his exposed skin and what little remained of his torn kimono soiled by dirt and clotted blood. His wounds had closed for the most part, so he wasn't bleeding anymore, but they could not fully heal due to the taint of Naraku's shouki. The least she could do was to purify it.
Just when Kikyou was about to touch the wound, Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open. He fixed her a cold, deadly gaze.
"What are you trying to do, Miko?"
"I'm trying to purify the shouki from your wounds."
Sesshoumaru's gaze turned a bit softer after Kikyou voiced her intent, but he was not about to comply. "That will not be necessary," he said.
"But if I do not purify it, your wounds will not heal."
"I said," he insisted with a stronger tone, "that will not be necessary."
Kikyou pretended she could not hear him. "I will heal you, I promise."
"I will heal you, I promise."
The same words as what the miko from his past had once said to him. Somehow, he still remembered them. He still remembered every word they had shared.
"Do as you wish," Sesshoumaru said, turning his face to the side. As Kikyou slipped off his torn kimono to access his wounds, something fell from its folds.
An off-white ribbon from fifty years ago.
End of Chapter - reviews appreciated