Revised and Adapted 9/15/2010
Chapter XXI: Three of Four
"What do you mean?" Miroku practically yelled as his heart pounded in his chest.
"Your daughter is the reincarnation of three of the original four Miko and Houshi."
"What the hell?" Inuyasha joined in as he held Kagome's still pale and weak body against him. She had her eyes opened but they were clouded with darkness that no one could explain. She bit her lip and pushed away from her hanyou slowly with great effort. Her hands pressed his away from her— slowly—when he reached for her again.
Her legs shook with fatigue as she stood and looked at the woman who had appeared behind Mikaren.
"Midoriko-sama?"
The ancient Miko looked at her with worried eyes and a sad smile. It was as if she didn't know what to say to the young girl.
"Kagome-sama." She whispered in a soft voice, it sounded like a mother talking to a child.
Kagome's normal smile came back to her face as the older woman took her hand and helped her to stay standing. Inuyasha stood not too far away with a worried frown etched into his features as he prepared to pounce to assist her. With shaking hands Kagome held onto the fabric of Midoriko's robes as she got ready to speak.
"The original four, I have heard some of their story. In the beginning there were many Miko's and no male counterpart to them. The Miko's grew lonely and created the Houshi as their companion. They eventually had children together as the demons did and lived in peace. Am I right?"
"Yes."
"But then one of them fell in love with a demon and thus created hanyous. The demons got angry and tried to kill all of the Miko's and Houshi's but four survived."
"You are exactly right."
Kagome nodded and closed her eyes as she tried to remember the rest of what she was told but drew a slight blank. "And then those four, they did something, to preserve the Miko and the Houshi power. They split their souls into fourths and placed them into mortal hearts. Thus humans with spiritual tendencies were born. They planned to eventually reunite their souls." Kagome finished.
Midoriko nodded and turned away from them all to look at Mika who was now in her daddy's arms. "The child of the Shikon, made from the original souls. They used my original Tama as the catalyst to create her; a child so powerful that she could get revenge on the demon's for destroying all Miko's and houshi."
A stunned silence fell on them as they watched Mika look at them with her big eyes and her natural smile.
"I'm confused."
Whispered Shippo as he stood next to Inuyasha. He was so much taller now, Kagome realized as she looked at him. He came to Inuyasha's waist and his hair was longer down his back but still in a pony tail.
"Then maybe I should start from the beginning."
Midoriko looked at the dirt of the fire pit and picked up a stick.
"Life…Death…Love…Hate…Human…Demon…Hanyou…" She drew into the remnants of the ashes. "All of these things are equal, created at the beginning of time."
"In the beginning there were many Miko's, hundreds of human women who had no need for children, they were immortal and could not have children with a normal human man. If they did the child would age at a normal human and thus they would have to see their own child die. It was with this knowledge that the Miko's decided they should not want such a thing as children. It would stop them from their pain."
Midoriko sat back on her knees as her hands folded in her lap. She watched the symbols she had written.
"And so they lived in peace with both humans and demons of all shapes, sizes, and races. They settled disputes between the two races, they worked on healing the sick of both races, and they worked at guiding both races."
With sad eyes Midoriko drew another symbol into the dirt, 'Jealousy.'
"Jealousy is an evil emotion" She whispered. "As the Miko's worked more and more with the humans and demons, they grew jealous of an emotion that both races processed. Love—it was the one thing a Miko had no experience with. They wanted to experience love, they wanted to experience sex, and they wanted to have children of their own. They wanted too much."
Midoriko drew the symbol for equal into the dirt.
"Desperate to have this need fulfilled they called upon the God's asking for a spiritual equal. The Demon's have demons, they told the God's, the human's have humans, they told the god's. We want our own sexual equal."
She then drew the sign for God.
"The God's gave them permission to create the male version of themselves. The male would have all their power, their immortality, so that their children would have it as well."
The symbol for children was made in the ground. Midoriko smiled as she made it.
"Thus, the first immortal children were born and all was peaceful. But with the knowledge of love comes curiosity."
She drew the symbol of love and surrounded it by the symbols of demon and miko.
"One day a Miko met a demon. Her name was Airashii and she was beautiful and his name was Meiyo and he was very kind. When they first met they instantly were connected, as if their souls were destined to meet. They arranged meeting after meeting and grew to know each other very well. It was not long before they fell in love with one another. It was a love which was forbidden."
She combined the symbols for demon and miko in the dirt, creating a new symbol—hanyou.
"Their love became a physical union that produced the first ever hanyou. All had thought it was an impossibility for the two races to mix and produce a child. They were said to be different species incapable of inner breeding but as this child came fresh from the womb, he proved the world wrong.
She looked at all the symbols she had drawn and then back at them, her face serious but kind.
"Maybe it was the love that had been built so deeply between them that had created their child, maybe it was because the races were more similar than they thought. Whatever it was that caused the child's birth, the fact was, the child was bore and born."
She wrote one last symbol down as she turned towards the fire again.
"Before Meiyo could even see his new born child's little face he was killed by a Houshi named Kyoudai. Kyoudai was angered that Airashii would love a demon and was even more angered that the demon had spawned her child."
Everyone who could read watched the symbol for murder as she glared at it on the ground.
"The mother, her heart burning with the loss of her lover angrily named her male child—Bachigotta—for his cursed mixed blood. The very blood that had been in her lovers veins. It was not until several years later that the demon's found out about the child's birth. It was their anger at both the knowledge that he had been born and that one of their own had been killed, that made them angry. They decided to kill the Miko and the Houshi in hopes that no more demon's would be killed and no more half bloods would be born."
Midoriko looked at everyone with sad eyes.
"Poor Airashii became shunned by the Miko's and turned towards the gods for help and when she did they told her they would curse the Miko's for their greed and jealous feelings by making them as mortal as the human race. By the time the decision had been made the demon's had destroyed all but two Miko's and two Houshi's. The four most powerful."
"Sugoi." She wrote the name. "Kyoudai." She wrote the name. "Sasuga" She wrote the name. "And Airashii." She wrote her name.
"The Gods took away their immortality and told them that no more children of Miko's and houshi's could be born. Understanding this, the four went their separate ways to different corners of Japan where they never saw each other again until, fifty years had passed."
Inuyasha snorted but everyone ignored him.
"As Airashii lay on her death bed she grew angry at the God's. Her son was still very young, aging at the rate of a normal demon. She knew that he needed her, that he was too young yet to survive but there was nothing she could do. As she lay on her death bed she summoned her son to her and told him to find the other three. Bachigotta obeyed his mother willingly and traveled over the rough terrain of Japan until he found all three Miko and Houshi. Although they all were old and dying themselves they came to Airashii and listened to her plan."
"She proposed revenge on the demons that had caused them to be stripped of their immortality. They all decided to beg the Gods to rip their souls in fours and place them in normal humans, giving those human's some of their power. Thus, when they died each soul would become four, creating sixteen new Miko's and Houshi in the world. They would continue to rip their souls over and over again until they were stretched so thin that the souls could no longer sustain a human body."
"The Gods agreed to this for reasons unknown. Perhaps it was because the Miko and Houshi would not tell them the whole truth. That once their souls were so stretched they would find each other in heaven and recombine to make the most powerful soul ever known. This soul would kill the demon's and purify the hanyou's so they could live once again as one."
"At first Airashii agreed with all the terms, her hate for the demon's strong, but as the years passed her soul was exposed to more demons and hanyou's, thus making her rethink her initial hatred."
"As I was born her soul became a part of my own. It was then that she met Kanshin, a human boy that she and I both fell deeply in love with."
The people around the fire watched with surprised eyes as Midoriko continued, tears in her eyes as she focused on Inuyasha.
"Sadly, Kanshin died from a demon attack. In my anger and grief I, with her help, tried to kill the demons, thus creating the Shikon no Tama which sealed my soul within it but let Airashii go."
"So, you created the Shikon no Toma to avenge his death?"
She turned to Miroku and with a nod continued. "In the next reincarnation cycle Airiashii was born as Nozomi, another Miko."
They nodded in confirmation.
"At the same time Kanshin was reincarnated as well into a full demon by the name of Hatsuji. Airashii sought out the soul of Kanshin and was horrified to find it was now in a demon."
"Her hatred would not allow her to accept him, right?" The sound of Kagome's voice shocked the group slightly.
"Yes." Midoriko nodded in agreement. "Her hatred of demons caused her to decide that it was better to let her love go. Hatsuji fought in the great Panther Wars of Inuyasha's father and died soon after. It was because of his death that she realized she really loved him and cursed her racism."
"How sad."
Midoriko gazed into the light of the fire. Only she really knew how said it actually was about to become. "Upon Hatsuji's death she was once again reincarnated." Midoriko looked up at Kagome. "Into Kikyo."
The hut stayed deafly silent as Midoriko looked at Kagome, Kagome gulped at her piercing stare.
"Kikyo was a sad soul who through a strange twist of fate was handed the very Shikon she had once created." Midoriko looked at the ground her eyes going unfocused. "Soon after Kikyo met a young hanyou, he was the next reincarnation of Kanshin, the one Airashii had always loved."
Inuyasha looked at Midoriko with wide eyes. "You mean, I was reincarnated from this Kanshin and Hatsuji?"
"Yes."
He nodded for her to go ahead his head spinning with his thoughts. Kagome looked at Inuyasha and wondered what he could possibly be thinking.
"Airashii had healed somewhat from the last time she had loved Inuyasha's soul and because of that she was able to forge a relationship with him and love him."
A twinge came into Kagome's heart at the thought of this but she pushed it down. Kikyo was long since dead and she knew that Inuyasha loved her and would always love her. A warmth came to her hand and she looked down to see Inuyasha holding it in his own, his eyes still trained on Midoriko. She smiled and held his hand tightly, "Thank you." She whispered knowing he would hear.
"Unfortunately," Midoriko went on, "Airashii still held her doubts about demons. It was this doubt that allowed Naraku to wedge between Inuyasha and Kikyo, causing them to betray each other. Pinning Inuyasha to Goshinbock and leaving Kikyo dead."
Kagome felt Inuyasha's grip tighten and she knew that it was still painful for him to hear. She leaned her head on his shoulder for comfort, hoping it would be enough. Inuyasha sighed and let go of her hand, bringing it around her shoulder in a hug.
"As Kikyo died the part of her soul that was Airashii made a wish: A wish to see Inuyasha again."
Kagome looked up surprised. "She made a wish on the jewel?"
"Yes, it was with this wish that the Shikon devised a plan. It would allow Airashii to be with Inuyasha again but only after all the prejudice was taken from her heart."
"The Jewel actually made a good wish?" Sango said surprised.
Midoriko smiled and nodded before she continued. "Her soul continued to be reincarnated over the course of five hundred years until all of the malice was taken from her heart and was replaced by unconditional understanding."
"Kagome." Sango muttered from her place next to Miroku. "She became Kagome."
Midoriko only smiled softly. "It completed the wish by taking Kagome back to where Inuyasha rested, still alive but in a state of frozen animation."
Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other and smiled as they felt even closer than they already were. Their souls had been tied to each other for centuries, they were meant to be together. Inuyasha placed a kiss to the top of Kagome's head and lovingly looked into her eyes.
"It was Airashii's love of Inuyasha's soul that stopped her from meeting the original four souls back in heaven. She attached herself with Kagome so she could see Inuyasha again. Although this has lessened her power, she still is powerful enough to destroy every evil in the world."
"So my soul," Kagome looked at Inuyasha, "And Inuyasha's souls are connected forever."
"Yes," Midoriko smiled. "Our soul is connected to him always, you, me, Kikyo, Nozomi, Airashi, we are connected to Inuyasha and we always will be."
"And Mika is supposed to be the remaining three and is destined to destroy all demons?"
Midoriko nodded painfully as she looked at Rin who was holding on tight to Sesshoumaru and then to Shippo who was standing with pasty skin in the doorway to the hut with Kirara in his arms. She looked to Inuyasha who was holding a shaking Kagome in his arms and running his fingers through her hair as she cried into his chest.
"Yes, unless we remove the part of her they are using to channel their rage."
"And what is this power source?" Miroku asked in a small voice not befitting of him.
Midoriko looked to his hands that were turning white with his grip and the little bit of blood that was gathering on the ground below the tightly closed fist.
"The Shikon no Toma that is inside of her."
"You mean like it was inside of me?" Kagome asked.
Midoriko nodded, "When you purified the Shikon no Tama they took it, Kagome, and used it to fill the space that is Airashii inside of you." She turned to Mika with a smile on her face that warmed the hearts of everyone a little. "Mika come her sweet one."
The little girl obeyed and ran over to Midoriko who took her into her arms and closed her eyes tightly as her hand rested on Mika's head.
After a moment fear became evident on Midoriko's face and her eyes opened with tears brimming in them as she set the child down and pushed her towards her father. Mika moved into Miroku's arms and looked at the creator sadly.
" Mi-ri-ko-sama?" She said in a small innocent voice.
Midoriko shook her head at the small girl. "Shippo-kun?" The fox jumped and bowed to her slightly in acknowledgment. "Take Shokuro-chan and Mika-chan to play please."
"Sure." His voice cracked a little as he ushered the two children away from the adults and to a nearby field to pick flowers.
Miroku studied the woman as she watched the three run off in the direction of the field, both the twins looked sad as they waved to their mommy and daddy. They both wanted to tell them what they had done while they were gone for all those weeks but couldn't. And this made both of them extremely depressed.
"Miroku-san, Sango-san I know something that you might want to know, now."
"What is it?" Sango was shaking with worry as she thought of her little girl and the pain in her womb increased tenfold. It was like a dagger was stabbing her every time she breathed in or out and she was sure she was going to faint any time now.
"The Shikon is inside her but," Midoriko's lips trembled as she attempted to speech. "I don't think we can get it out."
"Why not?" Kagome said. Inuyasha held Kagome tighter as she spoke. "If it's in her side, like it was for me, then it should be easy enough to do, right?"
"No, this time the Shikon is in a place that is not so easy to get to without—." Her lips trembled more and her voice shook with a type of fear that only a mother or Miko could feel. "Killing her."
Sango fainted on the spot, something so unnatural for her that it caused Miroku to nearly cry as he caught her and tried to shake her awake. She stayed silent and all she mumbled out were a few words pertaining to her babies and nothing more. Slowly he brought her to his chest and buried his face in her hair before looking at Midoriko in the eyes, unwavering and with no lack of certainty.
"Where is it?"
"In her heart."
-break-
Amarante looked at the room around her, there had to be a way out of here. With a deep breath she glanced out a crack through the door, there was someone standing on the other side. She knew that she would not be able to make it out of that room.
She looked around and spotted a window. Moving to it quickly she looked outside. It wouldn't be that big of a fall she supposed but she wasn't sure if her old body could take it. Deciding that she might as well try she started to climb out of the window but was stopped as someone opened the door.
"Trying to escape Amarante?"
"Akkanka?" She turned to face the man who was standing in the doorway.
"Why don't you take a seat?" He pointed to one of the pillows sitting around a low table.
She didn't know how to respond so she simply moved to do as he said. Sitting with her knees bent underneath her she looked at him with wide eyes. She was frightened by the possibility that he might hurt her or better yet, hurt her daughter.
"Guess what your daughter did?"
"What?"
"She has escaped with the hanyou."
"Inuyasha?" Amarante asked as he circled her slowly.
"Yes, it has ruined my whole plan." He smashed a hole into the wall as if to punctuate his sentence.
Amarante winced as splinters flee past her from the now destroyed wall.
"That fucking wench betrayed me!" He rushed forward picking her up by the front of her kimono. "My own daughter betrayed me."
"She is your daughter of rape, not your real daughter." Amarante bit out as she forced herself to breathe. His hands were holding her kimono to her throat, pushing on her arteries. It was a harsh blood choke. "She doesn't even know you are her father!"
"It shouldn't matter." He glared at her. "This is your fault."
"You laid your own bed Akkanka, now lie in it!"
A laugh came to the room a wicked, evil, vile, it hit the walls and bounced around them haunting Amarante.
"If she knew I was her father she would not have obeyed me without question. I took her in when she was still little so she never knew of the circumstances and I filled her head with lies." He smirked and ran his fingers through her hair as he lowered her to the ground.
"It does not matter anyway. Inuyasha and Kagome might be gone but I still have the ability to destroy their lives and prevent the demon apocalypse."
"What are you talking about?"
"A girl named Mikaren, the destroyer of my race." He touched her cheek with his claws. "Is also the holder of the Shikon no Toma. I will find this girl and rip the Shikon from her body. With the Shikon in hand I will wish for the extinction of the human race. Thus killing Kagome and preventing Mikaren's destruction of the world."
"Mikaren?" The old woman repeated the name. It was the same name Inuyasha had mentioned to her, the name of his niece. "Inuyasha."
"What was that?"
"Nothing." She tried to hide the knowledge in her eyes but failed.
He looked deep into her. She knew his power; she knew that he would be able to see all the way into her mind and heart. "How interesting." He said after a moment. "Is this the same girl?"
He pushed her away from him. Amarante feel to the ground tears brimming in her eyes.
"Please!" she said as she reached for his robes. "Don't kill the child, please!"
He shook her off and looked down at her pathetic form. "I won't kill her now. It will take me at least a year to prepare every move in my plan."
She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Akkanka, please."
"Until them Amarante." He said as he lifted her chin in his hands. "You will be my slave once again."
She felt his thumb brush against her face as he wiped away the tears and bent to kiss her. The kiss was vile, the same vile kiss he had used when she was sixteen. She felt the strings come from his mind to hers and her eyes dimmed as she lost control of her body and slumped to the floor. He backed away and looked at her hotly.
"Amarante, I have many uses for you yet."
Akkanka walked over to the wall and opened one of the many sliding cabinet draws and grabbed some paper, ink, and pen.
He wrote a quick letter and called a servant to have it delivered personally to the hands of the head master of the village.
"Tell me," he said to the servant offhandedly. "How long will it take you to get that delivered?"
The boy stopped and thought for a moment then turned back to the underling, yet still master. "About a week, sir."
Akkanka nodded his head smartly and with a wave of his hand dismissed the poor innocent.
With a stiff bow the servant left and proceeded to do as ordered. Quietly he ran his hand in his hair and moved over to the window.
"Nii-chan look at the birdie!"
The voice of a small human boy, of no more than eleven invaded his mind and taunted him. But the purely youki half of him which Akkanka had forced upon himself told him to ignore the sound. He brought a hand to the window sill and pushed his body up and out of it, landing on the ground a few feet from a little bird nest.
"Poor birdie's they fell out of their nest. I hope they're ok!"
With slow movements he bent down and looked into the nest. The birds within it were fine but their mother was gone at the moment. Carefully he picked up one of the little chicks and held it in his hands. It peeped at him.
"Lookie, lookie! One of the baby birdies is still alive."
It turned its head sideways as it opened its mouth for food. He wasn't sure of what to give it but after a moment he saw a worm sprouting like a plant from the ground. Two fingers took the worm between them and gave it to the little one…
"He is going to be my new little friend and I'll take care of him always. Let's show Otou-san."
"Little friend?" He said out loud as the bird happily ate the still squirming worm. The name went through his mind and hit the edges of his brain as he allowed it to inhabit the child within him. For a moment the original little boy came into his being but quickly disappeared. He had been a formed hanyou for over twenty years. The little boy no longer existed or at least he thought.
"Otou-san look!"
He climbed back into the window. All the while being very careful not to hurt his little friend. Once inside he found a box and placed some blankets in it. After making a make shift nest with them he smiled and placed the still twittering bird into it.
"I'll make him a new home, a better home Otou-san."
Then, once he was satisfied, he went back out the window with a jar that he filled with worms and dirt. Once it was filled to the brim he was once again inside and feeding another worm to the little nestling that happily ate all of them without thought. Soon the bird became full and started to fall asleep.
"Aren't you proud Otou-san? I made him a brand new home, all by myself."
End of Chapter
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