Okay, I hate this stupid ghetto Microsoft Word wannabe program! Jade, this computer SUCKS!!! Man, I miss my dearest Goad, stored way back at college and awaiting my return. Goad had REAL Word on her, not stupid ghetto Word that screws up your files and makes you reformat them so that fanfiction.net will upload them. Man. What a load. Okay, and if my brother's NOT legal little friend doesn't stop trying to grope me, he's gonna get slapped like my name's Sango and he's a monk! GRR!!! Okay, storytime.
*****
Fate's Reversal
Part 7
*****
"Get away from that guy. You don't know who he is." Tsuyo was watching from across the hall as Haruka tried to clean the dirt off of the face of the teenaged boy sharing her cell now. "He could grab you or something."
"I think I'll trust him, thanks Tsuyo." Haruka rolled her eyes. "You, on the other hand..."
"Hey, that's not fair!" Tsuyo protested.
"Anyway, I don't care who he is. He tried to save us, and he got a lot farther than you or Sekatsu, so you can just leave him alone." Haruka huffed.
"He's my oldest brother, Yuki." Nigai told her helpfully from his cell. "How's he look?"
"He's a bit scuffed up, but I'm sure he'll be fine." Haruka told the other boy. "So he's a youkai like you then? I suppose the ears should've tipped me off, huh?" Haruka tweaked one of the unconscious boys pointed ears.
"Is Yuki awake?" Amai asked, unable to see her brother. "I want to hear his voice."
"He's still out, sorry Amai." Haruka told the girl. "But he shouldn't be down for long."
"Hey, if you'd like, I could tell you a story." Sekatsu offered, feeling thoroughly useless next to the impressive youth who had almost freed them all.
"That's a good idea, Sekatsu." Haruka smiled, hesitating before spitting on a bit of torn cloth from the hem of her shirt, using it to scrub Yuki's face. Something about the young man's face, even in it's rested state, was vaguely familiar to her. Almost like a memory from her childhood. She shrugged it off as nothing, listening for Sekatsu to begin one of his stories. Sekatsu and Tsuyo were troublesome, but they were wonderful storytellers. They'd always had a flare for the dramatic, and it was one of the things she'd always admired in them.
"Tell her the story about the giant turtle!" Tsuyo encouraged, seeing that his brother was having trouble coming up with a story.
"I don't know...what kind of story would you like?" Sekatsu asked the pretty girl with the bright blue eyes.
"Tell me a story...about a princess!" Amai decided.
"Don't do that! Just tell her the turtle story!" Tsuyo argued.
"Amai! You're such a girl." Nigai grumbled, but he was obviously interested in hearing a story too, whether or not it had turtles in it.
"Of course I am, you idiot boy." Amai stuck her tongue out at him, then turned to Sekatsu, who snapped his fingers all of the sudden in decision.
"All right, I've got a good one. Keshiki's favorite!" Sekatsu assured the girl.
"Keshiki liked the turtle story best." Tsuyo advised.
"Keshiki?" she asked.
"My sister." he answered. "Anyway, it all happened long ago, on the other side of the river of stars..."
"No! Not this girly story!" Tsuyo pouted. "I've had to listen to this one a million times. The turtle story's better, you should tell that one."
"Hey, lemme tell this story, okay?" Sekatsu shook his head at his brother's interruption. "Like I was saying, all the way on the other side of the stars, there was a God who lived alone with his only daughter, Orihime."
"And she was a princess?" Amai smiled sweetly up at him.
"Of course! She wore beautiful robes spun from the finest silk, and she had a thousand servants to feed her and bring her beautiful things." Sekatsu told the girl. "And you see, it was Orihime's job to weave the clothing for the gods. Do you know why?"
"Why?" Amai asked.
"Because, she was a powerful princess, and gods need clothes woven by only the most holy people. And of course, since she was the daughter of a god, she was perfect for the job." Sekatsu explained. "It was very easy for her, too, since she was such a hard worker and it came to her so naturally. But then the god started to notice something about his daughter, Orihime. She was very lonely, all by herself with him in heaven. She had grown into a beautiful woman, and it was time for Orihime to get married." Sekatsu told Amai, who was completely entranced. "So he looked all over the galaxy, and on the other side of the river of stars, he found a man named Hikoboshi. This young man was a hard worker, and he grew food for all the people in the world."
"Everyone? That's a lot of food though!" Amai sounded amazed.
"Yes, but he was very good at farming, and he had his cows to help him. So the god decided that Hikoboshi and Orihime should be married, and they were! The two of them fell in love and were very happy together, but there was one problem." Sekatsu paused. "You see, they were so busy being in love that Hikoboshi and Orihime never did any work! Of course, the gods were very upset about all this, and Orihime was returned to heaven, separated from her precious husband."
"Oh no!" Amai gasped.
"It was very sad, and Orihime could never stop crying. So finally, her father allowed her one day of the year when she could come back to earth to see her Hikoboshi every year. And now, it's a very magical day! If someone makes a wish on that day, the gods will hear them and give them whatever they wish for." Sekatsu finished.
"Really?" Amai asked. "Anything at all?"
"What if they were evil and wished for a bad thing?" Nigai asked.
"Well, the gods would know and wouldn't grant an evil wish." Sekatsu explained.
"That was a very good story." Amai told him. "Thanks a lot."
"Good job, Sekatsu." Haruka praised him from her cell. "I always loved how you told that story."
"I like the turtle story better." Tsuyo grumbled.
"We all know you like the turtle story better." Haruka sighed, turning her attention back to her new cellmate, who was stirring slightly. "You guys, Yuki's waking up!"
"He is?" Amai sounded extremely excited by the prospect, and Nigai was pushed so close to his bars that it looked like he might force his body through them.
"I think so..." Haruka smiled down at the young man. "Yuki? Yuki? Can you hear me? Wake up."
"Hmm?" he grumbled, a hand ruffling his longish black hair as he slowly blinked brilliant red eyes up at her. "Who're you?" he asked sleepily. "Do...I know you?"
"Not really." Haruka told him, but she couldn't push down the feeling that she did know this person from somewhere she simply couldn't place. "But Amai and Nigai are here."
"Amai? Nigai?" at this, Yuki attempted to jump up, only knocking Haruka over and practically tripping himself in the process before finally sitting back down. He looked around at his surroundings before he remembered what had happened to him.
"Oh yeah. Shit." he cursed, crossing his arms.
"I know. You're telling me." Haruka grumbled, climbing to her feet and brushing the dirt off of her backside. "Don't get all excited like that again, I don't have the energy or the patience."
"Yeah! You keep away from Haruka! She'll kick your ass!" Tsuyo threatened.
"Kick my ass?" Yuki stood up more slowly this time, showing that he was a full hand taller than this temperamental human girl. "I'd like to see that."
"Don't start with me, buddy!" Haruka hissed. "I'll have you know, I'm not afraid of you just because you're some overgrown idiot youkai boy."
"You aren't, are you?" Yuki laughed tauntingly. "Come on then, human, take your best shot." Yuki spread his arms and waited for her to punch. Haruka growled before leaping at Yuki with all the force she could, but he caught her and held her back easily. This only infuriated her more.
"I don't know who you think you are, but I've got--" Haruka suddenly stopped speaking and collapsed in a heap right in front of the utterly shocked Yuki.
"Dammit! I told you to keep away!" Tsuyo was rabid.
"I didn't touch her! She just...hey you? Are you okay?" Yuki had been annoyed with the girl's bossy attitude, but she was smaller than him, and he couldn't help but think of her as his responsibility, just as he always had with all his younger siblings. Bending over her, he reached a hand out to touch her shoulder when she stirred slightly before waking back up.
"What's going on over there?" Sekatsu demanded.
"That Yuki guy knocked Haruka down!" Tsuyo informed his brother.
"He did not! She just fell!" Nigai asserted.
"Oh gods...my head." Haruka reached out and took Yuki's hand without really looking at him, letting him help her up. "Did I just...faint? I feel so weird."
"What the hell was that? You scared the shit out of me." Yuki scolded her. "Looked like you fucking dropped dead out of nowhere."
"Hey! Don't touch her!" Tsuyo reminded the youkai, who simply growled at him.
"I don't know what happened. We argued and then...I just fell." Haruka shook her head, obviously unsure of it all. "I still feel a bit shaky. I wonder...what the hell that was all about."
"Just sit down over here, okay?" Yuki helped her to her scrappy futon. "I don't care if you can kick my ass or not, just don't pull that shit again. Fucking gave me a fit."
"Haruka? You okay?" Sekatsu called to her.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Haruka smiled slightly. "I feel so stupid, fucking fainting."
"You must be tired." Nigai told the silver haired teenager. "Trying to watch out for all of us this whole time."
"You watched out for them?" Yuki raised a black eyebrow at the pretty girl. "Thank you for that."
"They're my responsibility, too." Haruka told him.
"How about we share?" he asked her, not wanting another argument. Haruka laid down on her bed, still trying to think of how she knew this boy.
"Sounds fine to me." she told him. "I'm taking a nap. You watch them."
----------
"I need to talk to both of you." Kaede approached Shippo and Sango, both of whom were resting outside the house for a moment as they watched the children play. "There has been a disturbing development."
"Do you mean the problems Yoru and Mottomo have been having? I don't understand what all that could have to do with the rest of this." Shippo shook his head as he watched Inuyasha and Kagome's two youngest, playing with the others even as if they hadn't both been having frightening fainting spells for the past few days. Ever since they had begun, of course Shippo and Sango had been watching those two more carefully than the rest.
"Believe it or not, I have discovered the cause of their problem." Kaede informed the other two adults as she settled down next to them on the porch. "It is deceptively simple, so I overlooked it. What is the link between Yoru and Mottomo?"
"They're brothers." Sango answered patiently, knowing that Kaede was starting out with something so simple only because it would help Shippo and herself understand.
"Yes, and their father has been attacked in a very unique fashion. The very soul he held was stolen, along with the Shikon no Tama and the wish that he made. There were many side effects of this attack, the most obvious being Inuyasha's sudden change in appearance. Almost as though he never made that wish at all." Kaede began. Sango gasped, thinking she might know what the problem was, but not wanting to jump to conclusions. "Now think, if Inuyasha never made that wish, the wish to be with Kagome forever, what might have happened differently? Do you recall Kagome explaining to us that when Inuyasha came back to her, she wanted nothing to do with him? She was only forced to stay with him because of the power of the wish. If the wish was not a factor, then perhaps..."
"They'd never have..." Shippo began, fading off as his green eyes widened in shock.
"And then, the children..." Sango guessed. "If Inuyasha and Kagome never ended up together...the children would never have been born."
"Exactly." Kaede nodded. "This wish has been erased, and it is affecting not only the present, but also the past. It is difficult for the ripples caused by this stone to be completely followed, but in the end, I fear that if we do not save Inuyasha as well as the wish he made, those two boys will disappear."
"And then, if Haruka is somehow still alive..." Sango began.
"She won't be for long." Kaede nodded.
----------
"No chance am I ever putting that thing on." Haruka eyed the small, extremely thin garment Kanna had handed her with disgust. She was wearing shackles, as Kanna had come to the dungeon that day to say that Haruka would be the "master's new serving maid." Not wanting to cause trouble, she had simply gone along with the strange woman, but she was not about to sacrifice her dignity to that creepy Naraku character. "I'm especially not wearing it for that nasty freak." She clarified, tossing it back to Kanna.
"Nasty freak? Very well then." Kanna almost smiled. "Come with me." the ghostly woman led her down the hall to Naraku's private chambers and bid her to enter.
"Ah, Kanna, you've returned." Naraku stood from the chair he'd been waiting in. "But I see my little pet didn't like the new clothes I bought her? How selfish of her to refuse my gift." Naraku moved toward them smoothly, and though he looked dangerous, he didn't look angry. Thus, when his hand flashed through the air toward Haruka's face, it sent her to the ground, as she was caught completely by surprise.
"You'll have to do better than that." Haruka stuck her nose up, standing up again with limited difficulty. "I'm not wearing that disgusting thing."
"Really?" Naraku asked, arching a dark eyebrow.
"She has told me as much." Kanna confirmed. "And Master, she refused to address you properly."
"Did she?" Naraku wanted to know.
"She called you a 'nasty freak,' I believe." Kanna reported.
"A nasty freak?" Naraku asked, turning to Haruka.
"That's what you are, you crazy fuck!" Haruka shouted at him. "Capturing kids and dressing them up in this smutty kind of thing. What's your problem?" Her answer was a strong punch to the gut, which left her gasping for air.
"Oh, only you wear this outfit now." he answered her. "And you are a woman, I see." Naraku reached for her chest to demonstrate his point, but she batted his arm away. "And you will not resist me!"
"I won't be your whore! That's what she's for!" Haruka pointed to Kanna angrily. Kanna did not seem upset by this, she simply watched the scene with slight amusement in her eyes. Naraku hit Haruka again, and though she tried to block it, he still landed it quite hard, knocking her to the floor.
"You will do as I say! And you will show respect to myself and to Kanna. I am your master, and she is your better. You will treat us as such!" Naraku demanded.
"Go to hell!" Haruka hissed, but before she could climb back to her feet, he kicked her in the face, knocking her back down.
"What did you say?" Naraku asked her.
"I told you to go to hell." she told him, though her voice was thick with pain.
"It seems she does not wish to serve you, my Master." Kanna observed.
"Perhaps if she understood the consequences more fully, she would not be so quick to disobey." Naraku commented.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Haruka asked.
"If you do not do as I say with the proper respect, I will find another serving maid." Naraku told her. "I have no use for one so stupid as you."
"My Master has also shown interest in the youkai girl." Kanna explained.
"Amai? But...she's just a girl!" Haruka protested.
"Perhaps, but she is mine now, and I can do with her as I please." Naraku waved a dismissive hand. "You should thank my kindness in allowing you to choose whether she is my maid or you are. I could simply choose for myself, you know."
"Wait!" Haruka's yellow eyes looked leaden with the weight of responsibility. "I'll do it. I'll wear that thing. I'll do whatever you say as long as you don't do anything to Amai." Kanna and Naraku smiled and nodded at each other before Kanna handed the thin, skimpy garment back to Haruka.
"Very well." she spoke, in her breathy whisper of a voice. "Your uniform."
----------
"No, so you see, the idea is that the whole time, the world was on the back of this giant turtle." Tsuyo explained to Amai. "That's why it was separated from the stars and things like that."
"But isn't it still separated? I mean, if we were on the turtle's back, how did we get off?" Amai asked him.
"Gah! Never mind! You don't understand the story, you stupid woman!" Tsuyo tossed his arms up and went to pout.
"Don't listen to him. He's just mad cause he doesn't know the answer." Sekatsu assured the girl, who smiled up at him.
"Sekatsu, when is Haruka coming back?" Amai asked him.
"Yeah, I don't like this. She's been gone all day." Nigai growled.
"Well, Kanna said she was going to do some job for Naraku, so who knows." Yuki commented.
"Do you really think she'll work for him?" Tsuyo asked. "I mean, sure, he might threaten her, but she'd never cave. Haruka is one tough bitch."
"Don't call her that." Sekatsu told his brother.
"Oh, sorry about my language mom. I'll be sure to watch it next time." Tsuyo mocked him. Just then, the dungeon door was unlocked, and Kanna entered, followed by a thoroughly disheveled looking Haruka, wearing a lot less than she'd been in when they'd last seen her.
"Haruka!" Amai shouted, excited, than shocked. "What are you wearing?"
"What did you do to her? I'll kill you!" Tsuyo threatened.
"You think so?" Kanna arched a snowy eyebrow. "Don't get so overexcited, I've brought the little dog girl back to you, now keep it down." she cast a barrier quickly before putting Haruka back in her cell with a concerned looking Yuki. "Get your rest, puppy. We'll need you again tomorrow." With that, Kanna left.
"Haruka? What'd they do?" Sekatsu asked as soon as the woman was gone.
"Yeah, why're you wearing that outfit?" Amai wanted to know.
"I don't know, I kinda like that thing." Tsuyo opined, tilting his head as he watched Haruka's backside.
"Dammit, you little pervert." Yuki chucked a little rock at the other boy's head before he turned to where Haruka stood, not speaking. "Haruka, are you okay?" Yuki asked her, moving to her side and gingerly reaching for her shoulder. When she didn't respond, he let his hand rest there, and it was as if he had unleashed all her pent up emotions with that touch. Instantly, Haruka threw herself into his arms and began to sob. Yuki had known her for little more than a week, but he had never seen half as emotional as she was now. Not knowing what else to do, he simply held her.
"Hey! Get your hands off her! She's practically naked!" Tsuyo protested. Yuki glared at him, but it was true. Haruka was wearing very little. But she had obviously been through a lot, noting her appearance. She had a black eye, a swollen lip, and her smooth silver hair was thoroughly mussed and tangled. Yuki guided her to her futon, muttering comforting noises the whole time as he wrapped a blanket around her the best he could with her refusing to let go of him.
"Haruka, please, tell me what happened." Yuki prompted her, working his clawed hand through her tangles gently.
"What are you trying to pull! He's got her on the bed! Yuki's gonna sleep with her!" Tsuyo was on high alert, but another well aimed stone shut him up.
"Would you stop it!?" Yuki shouted. "I'm only trying to help her."
"Is she gonna be okay?" Sekatsu wanted to know.
"She doesn't look good from here." Nigai commented.
"I'm sure she'll be okay." Yuki answered before turning back to Haruka. She didn't seem to want to answer him, so he simply held her until she fell asleep, and then he deposited her gently on her futon. All the while, Yuki couldn't help but curse himself.
She's my responsibility, and I've failed her. Yuki realized. I've failed them all.
*****
The End (Of Part 7, That Is)