Chapter 11: Memories
Legal: Where have you been? In a cave?
Notes: Okay everyone this is the edited version of this chapter- for the original you'll have to go a-hunting on the display page. The only major difference between the two is 1 memory. That's it and for kids and people sensitive to the issue, please don't be worried about missing some big important detail- I knew I'd have to post both versions separately and, though the missing memory adds a more disturbing atmosphere to parts of the story, it is not vital to read the section. The issue will come up and will be highly glossed over with only important details told. It happened, this is why it's significant, done.
Alright? I will warn anyone who is confused on any issues after this (I mean plot related that have been discussed not 'where the hell did that come from?' messages) please for the love of God email me. There are a lot of twists and turns in the next couple of chapters right up to the end of this part and if you get lost you will never understand what is going on.
"Dad! Dad, look what I learned!" a six-year-old Kagome yelled, running up the Sunset Shrine's steep steps. Her mother followed a few steps behind, smiling at her rambunctious daughter. Kagome crossed the yard in a matter seconds, heading for the well house where her father usually was. She reached the steps just as he came out, arms open. Kagome jumped into those strong arms and laughed as her father spun around, joining his daughter in laughter.
"Watch me Dad!" Kagome said as he placed her on the ground and went to greet his wife. The couple kissed and laughed, hugging and smiling at their daughter's impatient behavior. The little girl had folded her arms over her chest, tapping her foot on the concrete pavement. "Are you two done?" Her parents nodded and Kagome's face lit up in a smile. She put her backpack on the ground and aligned her body for a cartwheel.
"Are you watching?" The little girl asked excitedly. She noticed her parents kissing again and whined. "Dad, watch me!" With his wife in the circle of his arms and his chin resting on her head, Mr. Higurashi watched his daughter patiently. She kept glancing at him to make sure he was paying attention. When she was satisfied that he was indeed paying attention, Kagome preformed her cartwheel perfectly, landing on her feet at the end and spinning on her heel in one of the dance moves her father had taught her. She put her hands up, palms wide to show she was finished. "Ta dah!"
Mr. and Mrs. Higurashi clapped accordingly, ginning at each other and at their laughing daughter. He kissed his wife and extended a hand to Kagome. "It's time for your miko lessons!" He said and Kagome's smile dimmed a bit but stayed. Waving at her mother, Kagome followed her father to the Goshimbu tree and waited for the new lesson. She had been getting a lot of these lessons lately- the little girl supposed that after she had made the house shake in a tantrum, her parents had opted to teach her to control her emerging power.
She was handed her staff, carved from a branch from the very tree she stood under. The staff was too tall for her but Kagome had been reassured that she would eventually grow into it; though she was eleven, Kagome was under height for her age and it worried her sometimes. Shrugging, she began the steps her father had told her, charging her staff as she moved in the dance. She tripped over her feet but her father simply picked her up and set her on her feet again, kissing any cuts she got.
Kagome sometimes wondered why there was no music for this dance, no tape her father played to help her keep her rhythm. She asked him about it and got this reply. "The song for this dance is individual, as unique as the person performing it. There is no music written by anyone anywhere that could be played and help you, Kagome, dance the steps correctly. It's the same with the completion for the dance; I can only teach you the first few moves but after that you have to make it up, you have to complete the dance." Kagome had merely blinked up at him, the explanation going in one ear, sticking somewhere in her brain, and then promptly buried under thoughts of more important things; like when she would get her ice cream. So Kagome practiced what she was taught and mastered it- even the staff movements, something she was immensely proud of.
That's so good sweet heart!" Mr. Higurashi said, picking up his tired daughter and brining her inside the house proper. Kagome yawned and smiled at him. They had dinner and her father put her to bed after a goodnight kiss from her mother. Once upstairs, Kagome changed and crawled into the large bed-something she would also one day grow into- and looked up at her father. "Daddy," the little girl said as he sat on the bed. "How come you can do the dance but don't get tired while I do?"
He smiled at her and tucked the blankets around her. "I'm older, for one thing, and have learned how to control my power. You're still young and just learning to control your power."
"But where did that power come from Daddy?" Kagome yawned again and blinked. Mr. Higurashi knew his daughter wouldn't be awake for much longer.
"Sunset Shrine has been along for a very long time, built around the Bone Eater's well and the old Goshimbu tree, both of which have existed for much longer than anyone knows. Our family was given the duty to protect them from evil."
Kagome frowned and sat up. "Does our power come from them? I thought we were descended from a strong line of mikos."
"We are." Her father pushed her back down. "But we are also rumored to be descended from dog demons."
Kagome gasped. "But demons don't exist and if we do come from demons are we evil?" The child had paled.
"No! No we aren't evil! Sheesh, Kagome." Mr. Higurashi rolled his eyes and Kagome giggled. "The dog demons we are rumored to be descended from were great guardian beasts, fierce defenders of the mikos in our line. Besides," he winked playfully. "This was a long, long time ago; how do you know there weren't any demons?" And he tickled her briefly before kissing her forehead and standing. He hit the light and closed the door. "Good night, Kagome."
Eventually Kagome did grow into her full height just as her father had promised her. It was sad that Mr. Higurashi never lived to see it; the man had died months before it her growth spurt happened. At the funeral, Kagome cried as only children could, full out and uninhibited. Mrs. Higurashi cried more quietly, holding the infant Sota closely. As the casket lowered into the ground, Kagome watched it with haunted eyes; the image would reoccur for years afterward in her nightmares. When the family returned to the shrine, hundreds of well-wishers and friends arrived. Thoughts, prayers and stories were swapped and shared. Kagome did not participate; as soon as she could get away she sat under the Goshimbu tree and tried to come to grips with her father's death. She cried and curled up; not wanting to admit her daddy would never teach her anything again. She didn't want to have anything to do with her lessons anymore- the joyful memories were too painful.
Soon after that day, Kagome's powers and the staff she had practiced with disappeared.
~
"Hahaue?" a tiny Inu Yasha asked, pulling on the sleeves of his mother's kimono. The woman remained immobile, looking as if she were merely asleep. "Hahaue, wake up." His tugging became more frantic, more desperate, as the hanyou realized that his mother still wouldn't move. Inu Yasha climbed up onto her bed, looking down at her fully.
Lady Yui's hands were folded over her waist, her eyes closed, her chest unmoving. Inu Yasha's ears swiveled in a scanning motion, trying to find her heartbeat. Aside from his own, the room was quiet. Panic seized the hanyou and he began tugging on his mother urgently, calling for her. A servant heard his cries and came to investigate, finding the child crying into his dead mother's chest. The servant tried to pull Inu Yasha off the dead human but met stubborn resistance, the child's claws holding tight to his mother's kimono. The servant continued to tug at Inu Yasha, still tried to dislodge the child, not realizing that Inu Yasha's cries had summoned his elder brother.
"Leave him." Sesshomaru ordered, walking across the room in a quick stride. The servant obeyed immediately and went to fetch those that would deal with the body. Inu Yasha continued to wail, crying full out for his mother, unwilling to accept she was dead. Sesshomaru touched Inu Yasha's shoulder, the youkai making it to the bed and finally able to look down at the dead woman.
The hanyou looked up at his brother, his ears drooping heavily, tears streaking his small face. "Hahaue," he sobbed as Sesshomaru looked down at him. "Hahaue won't wake up!" The child turned back to his mother, sniffling noisily as reality made itself plain.
Sesshomaru ran a hand through Inu Yasha's pale hair while his amber eyes surveyed the room for enemies; while he spoke, Sesshomaru's entire body was on alert for threats. "She's gone Inu-chan." His voice was soft, as grief stricken as he would ever allow it to be in public. Inu Yasha looked up at his brother, at the most powerful person in the world after their father.
"Then bring her back!" Inu Yasha pleaded, his eyes large with unshed tears. "Bring her back Sesshomaru!" He tugged on Sesshomaru's kimono, balling his small fists into the fabric.
"I can't." Sesshomaru said simply and Inu Yasha's fists dropped. The little boy turned back to his mother, looking down at her lovely face and feeling his world crumble. If Sesshomaru said he couldn't do something, then no one could.
The hanyou sniffled again and bowed his head. "I wanna go too; I wanna be with hahaue." His shoulders slumped in defeat, loneliness creeping into his heart. The little one felt truly and utterly alone now that his mother was dead. Sure Inu Yasha had Sesshomaru, but the latter was always so busy with duties that he never had anytime to play with his younger brother. It was the same with the brothers' father; Lord Momaru hadn't been seen by his sons for several days, leaving Sesshomaru in charge. The only one who had always been there was Lady Yui, Inu Yasha's mother, and now she was dead. It left Inu Yasha with an uncertain future. Enemies were everywhere and he had almost on one to protect him.
"You can't go with her," Sesshomaru said and Inu Yasha felt himself being lifted upward. "You can't leave for a very long time." Sesshomaru held his little brother, resting his chin on the small head and stroking his back while Inu Yasha began to cry again. The young prince continued to sooth his brother as servants entered the room, glancing nervously at the pair. There was some hesitation as to who would actually touch the body- after all; Lady Yui had been human and humans were vermin compared to youkai. It irritated Sesshomaru to watch these idiots. Everyone in the castle had loved Lady Yui while alive and they were all tossing that affection for her aside like garbage now that she was dead.
Inu Yasha watched the servants hesitate, feeling like he wanted to scream. He was about to voice his opinion of them all when Sesshomaru placed the hanyou on his shoulders. Sesshomaru's tail snaked around Inu Yasha's waist, making sure the child didn't fall as Sesshomaru picked up Lady Yui's body. After looking at the servants with a gaze that held disgust and promised punishment, Sesshomaru left the den carrying the dead woman and Inu Yasha to his father.
Later that night, when all arrangements had been made and all details had been discussed, Sesshomaru found himself sharing his bed with Inu Yasha. The child had slept in the same room with his mother and had never really had to sleep alone. Inu Yasha, looking depressed and heartbroken, had simply stayed near his brother the entire day, silently enduring his grief. In truth, the child had been so despondent that Sesshomaru was almost afraid as to what Inu Yasha would do if left alone. So Inu Yasha was curled beside Sesshomaru, crying softly in his sleep.
The pale youkai sighed quietly, winding down from this sad day and lay down. He pulled Inu Yasha against him and curled around the tiny body, wrapping his tail around them both. Sesshomaru stroked Inu Yasha's head, taking small comfort from the action. Now, finally, it was just the two of them and Sesshomaru could let his grief come out, letting his mourning begin. Sesshomaru would miss Lady Yui, already missed her, and would do his best to help his father raise Inu Yasha. And to find her killer. The prince owed the woman that much.
Several days later, while Sesshomaru was tending to affairs of state, Inu Yasha was left to himself. The funeral had been awful for the child and he had found it very hard to think that his mother was indeed gone when she simply looked asleep. Lord Momaru had come home and was mourning in his den, leaving Inu Yasha to roam and Sesshomaru to run the country. The hanyou was wandering the halls, uninterested in any of his former hobbies or pastimes. He was tired, distant, and unhappy. He wouldn't eat, not that the chefs would feed him when Sesshomaru wasn't looking, and therefore had no energy except to breath. And above all, little Inu Yasha didn't care. He sat and leaned back against a wall in the entry way to the den tunnels. Inu Yasha was in a darkened corner, hidden from anyone coming or going. It was quite possible that he would have stayed there until he died except that fate had other ideas.
Beside the despondent child, a doorway opened, the door seeming to be part of the wall itself. Inu Yasha watched the door open, squinting against the sudden brightness. Blinded for several seconds, he missed the dark haired girl emerge from the semi-opened doorway. The new child knelt beside the hanyou, blocking the light coming from the door as it swung shut again. With a final scrape of stone on stone, the massive door shut, blending into the surrounding walls as if it had never existed.
Inu Yasha blinked and looked at the new figure. "Who are you?" he asked, trying to stand up and having to use his tail to finally achieve his goal. The girl smelled different, was dressed differently, and was altogether unique.
"My name's Kagome." The girl said, smiling at him briefly before looking worriedly at the now invisible door. "What's your name?"
"Inu Yasha." He replied, his ears pricking up as he followed her gaze. "Pleased to meet you." Kagome nodded, chewing on her lower lip as she looked at the wall. She finally sighed, and tapped her staff on the ground as she stood. It was the first time Inu Yasha had noticed the wooden stick in her hand, the object several feet taller than its holder. Kagome looked at Inu Yasha and smiled again. Inu Yasha's stomach growled and Kagome's followed suit. They laughed embarrassingly together and Inu Yasha led the way to the kitchens, constantly looking over at the girl beside him while her staff clicked the floor in time to their steps.
"I like your ears." Kagome said shyly and Inu Yasha tugged the furry triangle.
"Err… thanks." He blinked, his tail flicking behind him.
"And a tail! Wow!" Kagome seemed very interested in these minor things. The girl looked the boy over, noting his clothing's white color. Kagome's exuberance slipped away and she stopped. She looked her companion over critically. "Inu Yasha, did someone die?"
Inu Yasha stopped, looked back at the girl. It was strange; they had known each other for five minutes and yet the hanyou felt as if he had known the girl for much longer. Her scent was comforting, filling that need inside him for someone to share his grief with, to talk to and play with. In short, to comfort him and fill the gap his mother's death had left. "My mother died a few days ago."
Kagome nodded sadly. "My daddy died a little while ago too." The two children looked at each other, an unspoken volume passing between them silently. They resumed walking and Kagome silently took Inu Yasha's hand, looking down at the floor as she blushed. The hanyou started, unfamiliar with the gesture but something inside him was willing to give it a try- an a little extra. Blushing and looking strait ahead Inu Yasha squeezed Kagome's hand while they walked to the kitchens.
"Call me Kago-chan." Kagome said suddenly, startling the hanyou child. Inu Yasha looked her over silently as their wanderings brought them closer to their destination.
"Then you can call me Inu-chan."
~
"Kitori!" Taomaru pushed her out of harm's way just in time as an arrow narrowly avoided her body. He pulled her against him, shielding her from the chunks and clods of earth being turned up by friend and foe alike. The battle raged around them and no place was safe. Momaru in full dog form joined them a second later, protecting his brother and future sister-in-law from airborne threats.
Taomaru looked around the battle field, noting that there were a lot less dog demons around then there had been originally. They were loosing, he realized, getting slaughtered every step of the way. The best fighters and troops in all the Western Lands had been assembled for this battle and now their bodies littered the castle grounds like macabre lawn ornaments. The moans of the dying mixed with the roars of the fighting, combining to become one continuous pain filled background.
An explosion a few feet away churned up the ground, making dirt fly everywhere and rocks pelt those within range. Screaming filled the air and from above Kitori and Taomaru, something grabbed Momaru in mighty jaws, shaking and worrying the giant youkai like a toy. Snarling and barking filled the air as the couple changed forms, becoming their larger counterparts to aid their comrade. The two finished off the attacking enemy, a beast of some sort that looked like a jigsaw puzzle of youkai parts, and tried to gauge the extent of Momaru's injuries.
The white dog was not going to move for a while. Blood was all over the ground, staining the earth crimson. Tooth marks like giant holes dotted the normally glossy coat, red streams flowing from them. Above all was the wound along Momaru's back. The youkai's flesh had been ripped apart and Momaru's spine glistened wetly in the hazy air surrounding the trio. Even as Momaru's youkai healing powers began knitting the flesh back together, Taomaru knew that they were out of options, that his brother would have to take it easy unless he wanted to be permanently crippled.
"Kitori, my love," Taomaru barked, nuzzling her briefly while she licked Momaru's wounds. "Stay and keep him safe. I have an idea."
"No!" Kitori's pale head shot up, her ears pricked forward in alarm. "Taomaru you can't! I know what you are going to do and you can't!" She bit his tail as he turned around, as he turned away from her. Her bite had enough pressure to get his attention. The dark youkai looked at her, his remaining eye pure bronze. Kitori knew that look, knew the determination written in every line of his face. He had an idea and nothing she said would sway him from it. Kitori's ears continued to scan for attackers as she let go of Taomaru's tail and moved forward to nuzzle his cheek gently.
It was a shame, she thought as she licked the red ruin that had once been one of his beautiful eyes. Though her tongue was rough, Taomaru purred for her, finally licking her face furiously. "I love you." He whispered and Kitori returned his words, licking him too. As Taomaru backed up and charged back toward the castle, Kitori was glad she was in her dog form- dogs didn't have tear ducks. She knew in her heart that she would never see him again and it saddened her greatly. She let out a soft bark, a low mournful sound, and resolutely stood over Momaru, defending him and herself from the new enemy.
Taomaru barged through the doors leading to the den tunnels, heading downwards as fast as his four legs could carry him. He knew the room he sought, knew the place it should be and the power to be found there. He also knew the price. The wolf dog had been researching the legend of the Dog Clan Guardian ever since he had heard of the Dark Army, eager to find a way to protect his family and his fiancé. Now, years later, Taomaru was the authority on myths and legends concerning the Western Lands, the Dog Clan, and almost everywhere else he had lived.
He skidded to a stop, his nails stirring dust motes into the air as he shrank back down to his humanoid form. Taomaru pushed against the bare stone wall, determined to make the stone door move and allow him entrance into the Guardian's pool. At last the door moved, creaking loudly as it scraped against the stone floor. Taomaru slid inside the crack he had made and crossed the ancient cavern. He paused at the pool, looking down at the seemingly innocent surface, steam rising in a hazy cloud. Taomaru knew what would happen, knew that he would never leave this place, and didn't care. If it would save Kitori and Momaru, then it was worth it. With no further hesitation, Taomaru jumped into the pool, disappearing under the crystal blue water.