Okay, I'm pretty sure this is the most ridiculously long story ever, but I swear this is the last chapter. Yep, so just stick around for some great wrapping it up action. I would have warned you guys about the graphic death of Naraku last time, but I doubt that was as disturbing as his life. So yeah, I thought you'd like it a lot! Let's finish this up...
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Fate's Reversal
Part 19
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"I didn't want to tell mom because I think she had to go through enough pain when it all happened. I mean, dad was soulless and dying, and then all her kids got erased from existence. That wouldn't be any fun, so I thought I'd spare her the chance that she'd remember it all when I told her." Haruka explained before sipping at the tea Kaede had made her. "And I can't tell my dad. No way. I mean, I'm pregnant, Kaede. And from what I hear, Yuki's dad and my dad didn't get along very well. He'd kill me, and then he'd go kill Yuki."
"That is a problem." Kaede smiled slightly at the girl's worries. Her story sounded familiar, and Kaede knew she wasn't one to tell lies, so it was probably true. "I wondered why you were so determined to spend your summer here in this world when you used to hate coming here with Tsuyo and Sekatsu. But if you're trying to hide your pregnancy from your parents, that makes perfect sense."
"So...you believe me?" Haruka looked so relieved she might burst into tears. "Thank the gods. I was worried that you wouldn't help me because you thought I was making things up. Please, Kaede. I need to figure out a way to keep this baby without my father suspecting anything." her hand went protectively to her stomach. "I can't let that woman down, she used her powers so that I could keep my memories and my baby. I only wish Yuki was here now...maybe if I told him, he'd remember."
"I don't know. I've heard that the bond between youkai mates is very strong and mysterious, but you are human, though there is a small amount of youkai blood in you." Kaede stood slowly. "Now come with me, child. I will try to think of something, but in the mean time, Sango and Miroku are expecting visitors and I told Sango I'd help prepare the food for them."
"That's fine, as long as Tsuyo and Sekatsu leave me alone." Haruka stood also, taking the older woman's arm and helping her out of the hut and down the path to where Sango and Miroku lived. "So, who's coming to visit? Some villagers that need Sango and Miroku to kill some youkai?" she guessed.
"No, actually." Kaede smiled at the young woman as they approached the hut. "About a month ago, Miroku and Shippo went off to take care of this threat that they'd suspected was living in the Western forest, but when they found it, they met a few others who offered to help them. Miroku invited them to come to the village for a while as thanks, and they're only now coming. You see, these three are very important where they come from, so they have a hard time getting away from their responsibilities."
"Oh, like village leaders or something?" Haruka asked, only halfway listening to the story.
"Something like that." Kaede smiled again as they reached the hut, taking off their shoes to enter. "Sango! I've brought a kitchen slave!"
"I'm no slave!" Haruka protested, laughing lightly as Sango entered the room. "I will help, though."
"That's right! I almost forgot you were spending time over here with Kaede!" Sango hugged Haruka warmly, ushering them into the kitchen and setting them to work.
"Where are the twins?" Haruka asked as she patted balls of rice smooth and wrapped them in strips of seaweed.
"Oh, don't worry about those two. They went with their father to meet the guests." Sango smiled as a dark head of hair peaked around the door. "Keshiki, dear, did you want to help Haruka make rice balls?"
"Haruka! Yeah, I'll help." Keshiki rushed into the kitchen, plopping down on a stool across from the older girl, her maroon eyes sparkling happily. "I didn't know you were visiting us today too!" she giggled in excitement, blushing deeply.
"Yoru's at home." Haruka told her immediately. "It's only me, this time."
"Oh...that's still good!" Keshiki's face dropped momentarily, but it was obvious she still was excited to see Haruka. "Are you gonna eat with us when the guests come?"
"I don't see why not." Haruka shrugged, looking to Sango for verification that it would be alright. Sango nodded as she stirred her soup, tasting it with a critical look on her face.
"She's helping make the food. That's more than I can say for your brothers, and they get to eat here every night." Sango rolled her eyes, but there was a smile touching her lips. "Of course you're welcome, Haruka. Oh, Keshiki? Where are your younger brother and sister?"
"They're outside playing." Keshiki answered easily. "Shippo's watching them."
"That's fine then." Sango relaxed a little. She winked at Haruka. "It's like this when you're a mother, you know. You can't help but always worry about every one of them. Even the twins, now that they're grown up are still my babies."
"I don't really know about that." Haruka blushed, suddenly wondering if Sango somehow knew about her condition. "But my mom's a lot like that. I always have to call and tell her where I'm at so she doesn't have a fit."
"I'm sure your father's always worried, too." Sango laughed slightly. "You're an adult now, and even by your world's standards, Kagome says you're old enough to marry and start a family. Do you ever think about doing that?"
"Oh...I don't think about those things. I mean, I don't even have a boyfriend, so really, it doesn't make sense to worry about things like that." Haruka pictured Yuki in her mind, blushing even more deeply.
"No boyfriend? But I'm sure plenty of guys are interested. I know my boys seem to think you're the end all be all of the female gender." Sango spoke innocently enough, but Haruka saw what she was getting at. "And they're both old enough to marry, too. It would do them good to find a pair of girls and settle down."
"Sorry, Sango, but I'm not big for matchmaking. And I'm definitely not big on those two." Haruka sighed. "I mean, no offense to them, but I think that I'll know when I meet the right guy."
"None taken." Sango shrugged. "I understand that they're a little too rambunctious for most girls. And it takes a very special type of woman to put up with their attitudes..."
"Yes, they're so much like their father, I wonder if any girl will ever want one of them?" Kaede teased the other woman, who flushed so deeply her skin matched her red eyes.
"Miroku's...calmed down a lot since those days." Sango attested, but her blush did not go away.
"Sango dear!" Miroku picked that moment to sweep into the kitchen, an extremely tragic look on his face as he swept her into his arms. "I've missed you so much!"
"You liar...you've been gone only a few hours." Sango's blush deepened further, her face becoming a rather interesting shade of deep crimson as she struggled weakly.
"See, she pretends to fight him, but I remember when she would knock him down and leave his cheeks stinging for the rest of the day. It's all an act." Kaede whispered loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.
"Are the guests here, then?" Sango asked her husband, her blush showing that she could not fully ignore Kaede's comments.
"They're waiting at the table. One of them brought two of his younger siblings who wanted to meet us as well. I hope that's okay." Miroku told her, stealing quick kiss before she tried to slap him and he ducked away easily. "Do you need help carrying all this?"
"Get the twins to help." Kaede suggested. "We women have worked hard enough."
"Uh, yes, good idea." Sango nodded, ushering everyone out of the kitchen and toward the other room. "Those two never are much help, it would do them good."
"They're too busy chasing girls all the time, it's no wonder..." Haruka stopped, her tongue going still and the blood draining from her face as she saw who was waiting at the table. The five young youkai had been talking amongst themselves, but as Haruka and the others entered, they stopped, standing politely to introduce themselves to those in the room they had yet to meet.
"Hello, I am pleased to meet you all." a young man with white hair and blue eyes made a slight bow. "I am Fuyu, the first son of Sesshoumaru, Lord of all the Western Lands."
"And I'm his sister Natsu!" the golden-eyed girl next to him spoke up.
"I didn't expect you to be able to meet her, but this is your cousin Haruka." Miroku indicated the white-haired girl who stood gaping at the five youkai, her eyes locked on the oldest, a young man with a tail and black hair and bright red eyes who was looking at her with puzzlement in his features. "Her father Inuyasha is Sesshoumaru's younger brother."
"Really?" Natsu clapped her hands eagerly. "I can't believe it! I mean, what are the chances I'd have a human cousin on my daddy's side? I mean, my mom was human, so that would make sense, but she didn't know her family and I think they died or something and..."
"Natsu, hush." Fuyu poked her in the side.
"Oh yeah." she cleared her throat and looked a little abashed at her outburst.
"Let me introduce myself." the young man with the red eyes spoke up.
"Yuki, first son of Kouga, leader of the wolf youkai of the Western Mountains." Haruka finally found her voice. "And Nigai and Amai, your younger siblings...I can't believe you're all here..."
"I'm sorry...do we know you?" Nigai narrowed his eyes at her, obviously confused by the fact that she knew his name.
"Oh...um...you see, Haruka's mother was a miko, and sometimes Haruka sees things before they happen." Kaede offered quickly. "She probably sensed who you were since you're all pretty powerful youkai, and very important too."
"Oh...yeah, that's it." Haruka verified, feeling extremely stupid. But Yuki was still staring at her, and she wondered if that look in his eyes meant he remembered her, or maybe he felt that bond that she could still feel pulling her to him. The bond of mates. The bond of love.
"I'm sorry...Haruka, was it?" Yuki asked her. "You seem like a very interesting woman. Would you like to sit next to me? Perhaps we could talk..."
"Yes!" Haruka immediately agreed, moving next to him as everyone began to sit and Miroku introduced the five youkai to his wife as well as his oldest daughter and the village miko Kaede. All the while, the twins brought in the food that the women had prepared, and then sat down together. Haruka noticed immediately that though it might have been a coincidence, Sekatsu sat next to Amai, and Nigai gave the older boy a measuring look before nodding and turning his attention to his food.
"I know this will sound strange, but I feel as though I know some of you already." Nigai spoke up, smiling at Natsu who had sat down next to him.
"Yeah, I kinda get that feeling too." Amai added. "But you know, our parents all knew each other, so maybe we feel that kind of a familiarity."
"Who can tell? Perhaps in another life, you all knew each other." Kaede offered, despite the shocked look of warning on Haruka's face. "Stranger things have happened."
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"Haruka...would you mind talking with me in private?" Yuki asked the girl after dinner had ended and many of the people at the table had either gone to bed or wandered outside to take a walk or talk to each other. Haruka nodded, feeling the disappointment that he'd not said one thing about remembering her fading more with each moment they were together.
"Yes, I wouldn't mind at all." she smiled, letting him take her by the hand and lead her outside. "What did you want to talk about?" she asked, wondering if she should take the chance that he'd think her crazy and tell him about their pasts.
"I know you, don't I?" his voice was low and serious. "And not from some past life or something...I've had these dreams about a woman...she looked just like you, and her name was Haruka..."
"Really?" she tried to calm the rapid beating of her heart.
"Listen, I know this is going to sound completely insane, but I feel like I know you...like...we're connected...and..." Yuki struggled with his words.
"Yuki...if I told you that we knew each other...what would you think?" she asked him, hope strong in her golden eyes. "If I told you that the memories we had of meeting were erased, would you believe me?"
"I don't know...but all through dinner, I kept getting these feelings." Yuki told her, fidgeting nervously. "I...you see, I'm the prince of my tribe, and my mother wants me to find a mate...but every girl seems so...wrong to me. But in my dreams, when I see you, I feel like...not like I want you as my mate...but like we already are...and it's strange, I know, but I think that maybe we were supposed to meet."
"We were." Haruka told him, placing a soft hand on his cheek. "I am going to tell you a story. It's your choice whether or not to believe me, but believe this..." she leaned forward, kissing the surprised boy. "I am your mate, and this..." she placed his hand on her still flat stomach. "Is your child. Will you hear me?"
"I...I will listen." he sat down with a thud on the ground, listening as she told him all she could. And though it was strange and unbelievable and crazy, it all felt right somehow. And he knew that whether they were already mates or not, he wanted her for his own. He may have known her for months or for only that single day, but he knew that he'd met his mate. And he loved her.
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Kaede took care of everything, as she had promised to. She kept the truth from Inuyasha and Kagome about when Haruka truly conceived, instead making it seem that the baby was born extremely early because of it's youkai blood. Inuyasha had agreed to the match, though he seemed extremely grudging about it, especially since Haruka told him that if he refused, she'd run away and mate him anyway. Kagome's only stipulation was that they must also hold a wedding ceremony in her own world, and Haruka didn't argue with this arrangement. It was quite a bit of work to hide Yuki's youkai identity, but with Shippo's help, it wasn't too difficult. Six months after they were officially reunited, Haruka gave birth to a female hanyou that didn't look very much like it's mother or father, but still looked like someone Haruka could think of. She named the baby Midoriko, explaining to Yuki that it was the name of a woman she once met, someone who had done her a great favor. After all, she didn't feel the need to tell him everything. She was a woman, and she liked keeping some things secret. The birth of Midoriko was the beginning of her family with Yuki, and they both decided despite protests from Inuyasha that they would live with the wolf youkai of the Western Mountains. This living arrangement caused many visits from Haruka's family, including her newfound cousins, as well as Sango and Miroku's children. And she watched it all, knowing that it was something unavoidable. Twice had the Shikon no Tama reversed the fate of those it affected, and now it seemed that those bonds built and then erased due to the jewel were being forged anew. Yuki suspected some of it, but as she'd mainly only told him of how the two of them met and fell in love, he didn't predict how Amai and Sekatsu seeemed drawn together by some invisible cord. Their sad pasts erased, they were still free to be together in this new destiny.
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"You have no idea how funny it is to see those two playing with their grandchildren as though they were never rivals." Kagome sighed, her face lighting up at the sight of Kouga and Inuyasha on the ground giving two of the young ones rides on their backs.
"Kouga always loved children more than he could ever hate anyone. And his rivalry with Inuyasha was so long ago..." Kagura laughed as a toddler placed a flower necklace around her mate's neck. "It does my heart good, though. I never thought that my Yuki and your Haruka would bring our families so close."
"Kagura-kaasan," Haruka shook her head, silently motioning for one of her children to put down the rock it was playing with. "much as I love you and Kouga-tousan, I really wish you'd had a few less children. I think it gave Yuki some sort of idea. And I love children too, but seriously, I feel as though he's keeping me in a constant state of pregnancy. Like livestock or something."
"It wasn't my idea to have twenty." Kagura affirmed. "Well...I might have said something once, but it was a joke! Trust Kouga to take it seriously. At least you have an endless supply of uncles and aunts to babysit them, right?"
"I keep telling Yuki I want to stop at five, but I don't think he believes me." Haruka patted her slightly rounded stomach. "You know how hard it is to keep a nice figure when you're almost constantly pregnant?"
"Well, dear, that one'll be number four, so maybe he will stop. And it's only been six years, so you aren't really constantly pregnant, but I see why you're worried." Kagome told her helpfully. "Did you want me to try and get you some pills from our world? It might solve the problem."
"I don't know. Before she died, Kaede showed me how to make this tea because even though I was fine after Midoriko, she worried that hanyou children might still hurt my body, but it hasn't helped at all. Stupid wolf youkai and their stupid fertility issues."
"I hear that." Kagura nodded seriously to her daughter-in-law. "Maybe he'll stop when you have a boy."
"Yeah, I'm hoping that's the issue, but I don't know. I get this feeling that he can control whether or not I get pregnant...I mean, I know it sounds stupid..." Haruka shrugged.
"Not at all. Just think of Lord Sesshoumaru. Are you saying he only had two children because he only wanted two? No, I think he was sure that more children would hurt his poor mate more. Very sweet man, he is. I saw him earlier with one of the babies, and it's so adorable to see a youkai lord coddling a little child like that."
"Can I join you ladies?" Keshiki asked, setting the struggling toddler she was holding down so that he could play with the other children. "I'm afraid I'm exhausted after all that dancing." she sighed, sitting in an empty seat at the table. "And Yoru will get upset if he thinks I'm straining myself." she patted her slightly round stomach lightly. "Like he knows what I go through. Though his thought is sweet."
"I told you my boy would be good to you, didn't I?" Kagome smiled broadly. "And do you remember how happy your mother was when you two announced your engagement? Where is she, by the way?"
"Cleaning up, I think." Keshiki told her nonchalantly. "It was a beautiful ceremony, wasn't it?"
"My favorite was the way Kouga kept giving Sekatsu that I'll Kill You If You Hurt Her glare." Kagura commented.
"Yes, but Sango looked like she'd burst into tears, she was so happy they were finally getting married." Kagome sighed. "It would have happened long ago if Sekatsu wasn't so terrified of Kouga."
"Natsu told me that the reason they're finally doing it is because Amai's pregnant." Keshiki offered in a conspiratorial tone. "And after all, she would know. She's Nigai's mate, and Amai tells Nigai everything."
"Don't tell Kouga that." Kagura warned her. "He'd have a fit."
"Don't I know it!" Haruka sighed, giggling slightly. "It's nice though, knowing that there's another baby on the way. Though I think this world could do without another Sekatsu."
"I don't think he's as bad as Tsuyo." Kagura sighed. "I never thought Kouga'd agree to letting that lech marry Hashira. But my oldest daughter's just the type of woman to keep him in line. She's never been a pushover."
"I think that's what he liked." Keshiki offered. "And he has been a lot better since they've been married. Amazing what settling down can do for someone like that."
"Well, I think we can all be proud of how we've trained our men to behave." Kagome winked at Kagura. "I mean, twenty five years ago, if you'd told me I'd sit at a wedding watching Inuyasha play with his grandchildren with Kouga, I'd have told you you were crazy. I guess it just goes to show, you can't always see where we'll end up and how our lives will change us."
"If I could pick all the paths my life could have taken, I would be here." Haruka spoke, standing up to leave the table. Suddenly she had the overwhelming urge to see Yuki, to be sure that it wasn't all some dream, some trick that would be taken back when she least expected it. They'd beat the fate's reversal, all of them had. She sometimes wondered if it was better now, having none of them but her remember. She'd told Yuki parts of it, and now that Kaede was gone, they were the only ones who knew what had happened. She wondered, but then she'd see her friends, happy in love. She'd see one of her children, one of her nieces or nephews running around happily, and she knew that maybe this was really how it was all meant to be. And maybe Midoriko had known. Haruka felt special knowing that only she knew of the priestess's grand scheme, and she knew that this was truly where she wanted to be, in the midst of friends and family brought together time and time again by the threads that bound them together. That was how they'd survived the reversal. Love held them together, forever.
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THE END!!!