Three weeks had passed since Nauki was badly injured. She had not talked, or moved hardly during that time. Her mind and body were still weak from the blood loss. Unfortunatly, the fifteen year-old girl did not have the healing abilities her siblings and father had. Nauki desperatly wanted to move. She could hear them when they passed the room, when they were changing her bandages, and she could sense the sadness that plagued her father.
Nauki heard someone sneeze. Her ears slowly lifted, focusing on the being. She faintly sniffed the air for the scent of whom it might be. It was Aya. *Don't tell me they have got her watching me...* Nauki tried to move her right claw to feel around for her sister's kimono. She could only scratch the floor mildly.
Aya rubbed her nose. She set the bowl of food down. *Guess I'm allergic to this stuff Sango made. Mama hasn't felt like cooking lately because of Nia. She has been talking a lot to papa about her. I wonder what they've been discussing?* Aya looked down. She saw her sister's claw moving lightly. "Huh? Nia?" She bent down, sniffing a little at her face. "Nauki?"
Nauki's brow furrowed. She was trying hard to open her eyes. *I hate it when she calls me..Nia...her and Oda both..* Digging her nails into the floor, Nauki tried to lift herself up. The farthest she got was lifting her wrist an inch. Her limbs were still too heavy for her.
Aya realized her sister was trying to get up. She gasped. Nauki was conscious. "N..Nia..," Aya called, her voice full of sadness. Her claw moved to lay over her sister's. Aya pulled her claw away quickly when Nauki faintly growled at her, her body going tense from the touch. She frowned, her eyes welling up.
*I thought..she just..fought with us..'cause..she's suppose to....* Aya lowered her head, her heart filling with the realization of it all. She bit her lower lip, laying her claws in her lap. *But..she really..hates us...* Aya closed both of her eyes. Tears started to flow down her cheeks, dropping onto her kimono.
Nauki smelled the tears. *What is wrong with her?* Aya was sending her emotions telepathically to her without ever noticing it. *What? I don't hate you! You hate me! Both of you hate me because I'm not like you!* Nauki wanted to scream at her, tell her to shut up and stop thinking something so stupid. She groaned, her teeth clenched with anger. She wanted to be up, she wanted to move. She wanted to pop Aya upside the head!
Aya had never been hated before. Even Oda didn't hate her, and he fought with her all of the time. She didn't know if she could handle it. Maybe she was overdramtic like her mother. And...maybe Nauki was like her father. That was it, that had to be the reason why she was so aggressive, so closed up-she was just like Inu-Yasha!
Once Aya realized that, she felt a little better about it. Nauki didn't hate her, really? She only...disliked the way she acted, she guessed. Aya rubbed her eyes. She leaned down, wrapping her arms around her sister tenderly. "I...still..l-love..you..Nia..even..if you do..hate me," she forced the words out in a whisper, her head on her sister's shoulder.
*Huh?* Nauki heard her. *Love me? What?* She slowly opened her eyes. She could see Aya's silver hair. Was she laying on her? *Sh-She..loves me..?* It had been a very long time since Nauki had felt loved. She knew Miroku and Sango cared for her, but there was nothing like the love coming from a family. Her family.
Aya couldn't help crying. She was too sensitive, and she knew it. She did love Nauki. Aya held onto her tighter, not meaning to. She sniffled. *I don't want Nauki to hate me...*
Nauki lifted one of her claws, her claw shaking from weakness. She laid it on Aya's back, moving her fingers a little. "A...y....a...," Nauki called her, watching her sister.
Aya's ears picked up the sound of someone calling her. She lifted her head, turning around. Her pink eyes met Nauki's dark purple eyes. Her heart stopped. Nauki was watching her, listening to her-and it worried her. She got off of her quickly, flinging back some.
Nauki turned her head, watching how afraid she was of her. "A...y...a..." She moved her claw slowly towards her sister. Nauki's body tensed. It wanted to shut down on her. Her breathing quickened as she tried to force herself to stay conscious. She wanted Aya to know that she didn't hate her. Nauki groaned, her eyes closing. The room was going blurry and dark. Her claw fell back to the floor.
What was happening? Aya blinked her eyes. Was Nauki wanting her to stay closer to her? Aya couldn't figure it out. She took three long, deep breaths. Her sister had been reaching out to her, literally. Aya crawled back over to Nauki. Nauki was unconscious.
*She hasn't spoken...in weeks...I was the first person..she wanted...She talked to me..Nauki didn't call for papa, or mama...She..called for..me.* Aya put her claw over Nauki's again. Her sister didn't growl, or tense at her touch. "N..Ni..a..?" She squeezed her claw.
Nauki heard Aya calling her. She even felt the touch of her claw on hers. Nauki wanted to get up so bad. She whimpered, unable to move her arms, or open her eyes again.
Aya could feel Nauki's desperation. Nauki's mind was calling out to hers. Aya felt everything her sister felt and experienced. Her limbs were heavy and sadness crept over her. Nauki wanted to get up; she was tired of laying on the floor, not able to interact with anyone.
Nauki wanted to cry; she needed to. However, her body was too weak to muster tears. *I want papa..* When Inu-Yasha was near her, she felt comforted. She was breaking emotionally just like when she was a toddler.
Aya didn't know where their father was. She was alone in the hut. Nauki had never portrayed any kind of emotion around her, except annoyance. She bent down, wrapping her arms around her sister. Very cautiously, she picked Nauki up. Aya held her, watching her sister for any kind of a reaction.
Nauki started to calm down a little. She could hear Aya's heart beating. The sound of it focused her attention elsewhere. She relaxed some, her breathing slowing down. *Don't...leave me, Aya...*
Aya nonchalontly started to run her nails through her sister's dark brown hair. "I won't. I promise." She put her arm back around her sister. Aya could feel Nauki's mind resting in peace, her body calming down.
Kagome sat next to Inu-Yasha near the river. Her mind was deep in thought. She was thinking immensley about her children. All three of them were so very different, and all had one thing in common: they were all half-demon. Oda was the fastest; even faster than Inu-Yasha when it came to speed. Aya was telepathic and could easily control another creature. Nauki had the ability of flight and could generate energy into any form she desired. They were all special, in her mind.
She was praying Nauki would recover. She missed seeing her run around, fighting with the twins. Nauki acted so much like Inu-Yasha it wasn't funny. If she was the same age as him, she could easily be mistaken for being his sister. Kagome saw some form of him in every one of the kids. Oda had his eyes and face. Aya had his hair color. Nauki had his personality. She had missed all of them so much when they were trapped on the other side of the well. It had been three years since she had seen them last.
Inu-Yasha had been trying his best to patch things up with Nauki, while trying to get to know Aya and Oda. Now this had happened with Nauki. Despite everything, Nauki had chosen to be like Inu-Yasha. She could have easily chosen a priestess's path, but she had chosen to be more like her father. Perhaps, to prove a point..Kagome didn't really know.
"What are you thinking about," Inu-Yasha asked as he glanced at her. He kind of knew, but decided to break the silence between them.
"The kids," Kagome answered softly. "I miss Nauki so much.."
"I do, too.." He thought back to that day when Nauki had saved him. She had came out of nowhere to defend him; the past forgotten. In a split second, she was lost to him. It was a miracle that she was still with them.
Kagome turned her head, watching his reaction to his thoughts. Inu-Yasha was deeply troubled about what had happened. There was no way he could have stopped Nauki from getting hurt. She had a mind of her own-same as him. "She loves you with all of her heart, Inu-Yasha."
He listened to her words. His heart ached slightly. Inu-Yasha wanted nothing more than to hold his daughter, and keep her from harm. "I just..want to hold her, and have her look at me," he said, choking slightly. "I..don't want anything else, Kagome." His eyes started to well up. "From what Miroku and Sango have told me, Nauki is their defender...She comes to their aid no matter what fight they have had with her, or have treated her."
Kagome wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head on his shoulder. "She loves everyone unconditonally. That's what she's been trying to tell us all of these years. She knew when you found out who and what she was. I sensed so much sadness coming from her."
"I know...and I regret that day, Kagome. I wish I had never turned my back on her. I should have taken her in my arms and held her for the rest of her life..She is a part of me, something I once lost.."
"It's alright to feel that way. She understands that. You were shocked, and I understand that, too."
"But it wasn't acceptable how I treated her. I started to ignore her, Kagome. I shouldn't have ever ignored her. She's my daughter! I love her and have never been able to tell her to her face how I feel. I don't want Nauki to hate me." He lowered his head, looking down to the ground.
Kagome just held him for a moment. She ran her hand through his bangs. "Look, you had a hard time telling me how you felt. It's no wonder that you haven't been able to tell Nauki, or the children how you feel about them. In Nauki's mind, actions speak louder than words. You have never told her verbally how you felt, but you have expressed it in your actions. She knows that you love her and care for her."
Inu-Yasha closed his eyes, kissing her dearly. He looked at her shyly. "I'm still afraid to fully open myself, Kagome. Even after all of this time. It's hard considering what I've been through. I know I need to, that I have to. It's not fair to have my guard up against my own family."
She didn't know what to say to him. He was admitting how he felt, in a way. Kagome just couldn't force him to agree with her, or give him advice on the subject. All she could do was tell him to follow his heart. "Follow your heart, Inu-Yasha. It will lead you home, in the end."
Nauki heard someone sneeze. Her ears slowly lifted, focusing on the being. She faintly sniffed the air for the scent of whom it might be. It was Aya. *Don't tell me they have got her watching me...* Nauki tried to move her right claw to feel around for her sister's kimono. She could only scratch the floor mildly.
Aya rubbed her nose. She set the bowl of food down. *Guess I'm allergic to this stuff Sango made. Mama hasn't felt like cooking lately because of Nia. She has been talking a lot to papa about her. I wonder what they've been discussing?* Aya looked down. She saw her sister's claw moving lightly. "Huh? Nia?" She bent down, sniffing a little at her face. "Nauki?"
Nauki's brow furrowed. She was trying hard to open her eyes. *I hate it when she calls me..Nia...her and Oda both..* Digging her nails into the floor, Nauki tried to lift herself up. The farthest she got was lifting her wrist an inch. Her limbs were still too heavy for her.
Aya realized her sister was trying to get up. She gasped. Nauki was conscious. "N..Nia..," Aya called, her voice full of sadness. Her claw moved to lay over her sister's. Aya pulled her claw away quickly when Nauki faintly growled at her, her body going tense from the touch. She frowned, her eyes welling up.
*I thought..she just..fought with us..'cause..she's suppose to....* Aya lowered her head, her heart filling with the realization of it all. She bit her lower lip, laying her claws in her lap. *But..she really..hates us...* Aya closed both of her eyes. Tears started to flow down her cheeks, dropping onto her kimono.
Nauki smelled the tears. *What is wrong with her?* Aya was sending her emotions telepathically to her without ever noticing it. *What? I don't hate you! You hate me! Both of you hate me because I'm not like you!* Nauki wanted to scream at her, tell her to shut up and stop thinking something so stupid. She groaned, her teeth clenched with anger. She wanted to be up, she wanted to move. She wanted to pop Aya upside the head!
Aya had never been hated before. Even Oda didn't hate her, and he fought with her all of the time. She didn't know if she could handle it. Maybe she was overdramtic like her mother. And...maybe Nauki was like her father. That was it, that had to be the reason why she was so aggressive, so closed up-she was just like Inu-Yasha!
Once Aya realized that, she felt a little better about it. Nauki didn't hate her, really? She only...disliked the way she acted, she guessed. Aya rubbed her eyes. She leaned down, wrapping her arms around her sister tenderly. "I...still..l-love..you..Nia..even..if you do..hate me," she forced the words out in a whisper, her head on her sister's shoulder.
*Huh?* Nauki heard her. *Love me? What?* She slowly opened her eyes. She could see Aya's silver hair. Was she laying on her? *Sh-She..loves me..?* It had been a very long time since Nauki had felt loved. She knew Miroku and Sango cared for her, but there was nothing like the love coming from a family. Her family.
Aya couldn't help crying. She was too sensitive, and she knew it. She did love Nauki. Aya held onto her tighter, not meaning to. She sniffled. *I don't want Nauki to hate me...*
Nauki lifted one of her claws, her claw shaking from weakness. She laid it on Aya's back, moving her fingers a little. "A...y....a...," Nauki called her, watching her sister.
Aya's ears picked up the sound of someone calling her. She lifted her head, turning around. Her pink eyes met Nauki's dark purple eyes. Her heart stopped. Nauki was watching her, listening to her-and it worried her. She got off of her quickly, flinging back some.
Nauki turned her head, watching how afraid she was of her. "A...y...a..." She moved her claw slowly towards her sister. Nauki's body tensed. It wanted to shut down on her. Her breathing quickened as she tried to force herself to stay conscious. She wanted Aya to know that she didn't hate her. Nauki groaned, her eyes closing. The room was going blurry and dark. Her claw fell back to the floor.
What was happening? Aya blinked her eyes. Was Nauki wanting her to stay closer to her? Aya couldn't figure it out. She took three long, deep breaths. Her sister had been reaching out to her, literally. Aya crawled back over to Nauki. Nauki was unconscious.
*She hasn't spoken...in weeks...I was the first person..she wanted...She talked to me..Nauki didn't call for papa, or mama...She..called for..me.* Aya put her claw over Nauki's again. Her sister didn't growl, or tense at her touch. "N..Ni..a..?" She squeezed her claw.
Nauki heard Aya calling her. She even felt the touch of her claw on hers. Nauki wanted to get up so bad. She whimpered, unable to move her arms, or open her eyes again.
Aya could feel Nauki's desperation. Nauki's mind was calling out to hers. Aya felt everything her sister felt and experienced. Her limbs were heavy and sadness crept over her. Nauki wanted to get up; she was tired of laying on the floor, not able to interact with anyone.
Nauki wanted to cry; she needed to. However, her body was too weak to muster tears. *I want papa..* When Inu-Yasha was near her, she felt comforted. She was breaking emotionally just like when she was a toddler.
Aya didn't know where their father was. She was alone in the hut. Nauki had never portrayed any kind of emotion around her, except annoyance. She bent down, wrapping her arms around her sister. Very cautiously, she picked Nauki up. Aya held her, watching her sister for any kind of a reaction.
Nauki started to calm down a little. She could hear Aya's heart beating. The sound of it focused her attention elsewhere. She relaxed some, her breathing slowing down. *Don't...leave me, Aya...*
Aya nonchalontly started to run her nails through her sister's dark brown hair. "I won't. I promise." She put her arm back around her sister. Aya could feel Nauki's mind resting in peace, her body calming down.
Kagome sat next to Inu-Yasha near the river. Her mind was deep in thought. She was thinking immensley about her children. All three of them were so very different, and all had one thing in common: they were all half-demon. Oda was the fastest; even faster than Inu-Yasha when it came to speed. Aya was telepathic and could easily control another creature. Nauki had the ability of flight and could generate energy into any form she desired. They were all special, in her mind.
She was praying Nauki would recover. She missed seeing her run around, fighting with the twins. Nauki acted so much like Inu-Yasha it wasn't funny. If she was the same age as him, she could easily be mistaken for being his sister. Kagome saw some form of him in every one of the kids. Oda had his eyes and face. Aya had his hair color. Nauki had his personality. She had missed all of them so much when they were trapped on the other side of the well. It had been three years since she had seen them last.
Inu-Yasha had been trying his best to patch things up with Nauki, while trying to get to know Aya and Oda. Now this had happened with Nauki. Despite everything, Nauki had chosen to be like Inu-Yasha. She could have easily chosen a priestess's path, but she had chosen to be more like her father. Perhaps, to prove a point..Kagome didn't really know.
"What are you thinking about," Inu-Yasha asked as he glanced at her. He kind of knew, but decided to break the silence between them.
"The kids," Kagome answered softly. "I miss Nauki so much.."
"I do, too.." He thought back to that day when Nauki had saved him. She had came out of nowhere to defend him; the past forgotten. In a split second, she was lost to him. It was a miracle that she was still with them.
Kagome turned her head, watching his reaction to his thoughts. Inu-Yasha was deeply troubled about what had happened. There was no way he could have stopped Nauki from getting hurt. She had a mind of her own-same as him. "She loves you with all of her heart, Inu-Yasha."
He listened to her words. His heart ached slightly. Inu-Yasha wanted nothing more than to hold his daughter, and keep her from harm. "I just..want to hold her, and have her look at me," he said, choking slightly. "I..don't want anything else, Kagome." His eyes started to well up. "From what Miroku and Sango have told me, Nauki is their defender...She comes to their aid no matter what fight they have had with her, or have treated her."
Kagome wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head on his shoulder. "She loves everyone unconditonally. That's what she's been trying to tell us all of these years. She knew when you found out who and what she was. I sensed so much sadness coming from her."
"I know...and I regret that day, Kagome. I wish I had never turned my back on her. I should have taken her in my arms and held her for the rest of her life..She is a part of me, something I once lost.."
"It's alright to feel that way. She understands that. You were shocked, and I understand that, too."
"But it wasn't acceptable how I treated her. I started to ignore her, Kagome. I shouldn't have ever ignored her. She's my daughter! I love her and have never been able to tell her to her face how I feel. I don't want Nauki to hate me." He lowered his head, looking down to the ground.
Kagome just held him for a moment. She ran her hand through his bangs. "Look, you had a hard time telling me how you felt. It's no wonder that you haven't been able to tell Nauki, or the children how you feel about them. In Nauki's mind, actions speak louder than words. You have never told her verbally how you felt, but you have expressed it in your actions. She knows that you love her and care for her."
Inu-Yasha closed his eyes, kissing her dearly. He looked at her shyly. "I'm still afraid to fully open myself, Kagome. Even after all of this time. It's hard considering what I've been through. I know I need to, that I have to. It's not fair to have my guard up against my own family."
She didn't know what to say to him. He was admitting how he felt, in a way. Kagome just couldn't force him to agree with her, or give him advice on the subject. All she could do was tell him to follow his heart. "Follow your heart, Inu-Yasha. It will lead you home, in the end."