A/N: Now I realize I haven't been putting in the disclaimer. Well, here it
is again...I don't anything except for new characters and the plot.
Everything else is © Rumiko Takahashi.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter Seven: The Quest Ends
"Quick! Sango-chan, Miroku help me get them on Kirara's back! We have to get them both back to the village!" Kagome exclaimed.
Sango and Miroku nodded. Sango picked up the girl, while Miroku got Inuyasha. The two placed Inuyasha and the girl on Kirara's back, then picked up their fallen swords. Sango, Miroku, and Kagome clambered onto Kirara's back, Shippo riding on the nekometa's head.
"Kirara, take us back to Kaede's village. Hurry!" Sango whispered.
The cat nodded and took flight.
Kagome held Inuyasha's unconscious form in her arms. His blood was staining her clothes.
'Please Inuyasha...hold on!'
"Kirara, hurry up!" Shippo called.
"Myouga-jichan, there's something I don't understand." Miroku said.
"What would that be?" Myouga replied.
"You said that Tetsusage belongs to Inuyasha and that he's the youngest child. But just before Inuyasha and the girl passed out, he called her 'Mei Lhi', and she called him 'Onii-Chan'. Which means that Inuyasha is her older brother. But you said that Inuyasha was the youngest, so it's impossible for it to be so."
"I see...well, I was telling the truth. You see, when Inuyasha-sama's mother died, the girl was still in her care. It was said that when she was sent off with Kiori-sama, it was said she died in a fire. But that was a long time ago..."
"Kiori-sama?"
"The lady's most trusted maid."
The village loomed into view, and Kagome leaped off Kirara's back, rushing inside Kaede's hut. Miroku and Sango brought Inuyasha and the girl inside the hut. Kaede appeared, then told Miroku and Sango to leave.
"Ye don't need to worry yourself. I'll tend to them. Just wait outside and I'll call ye when I'm done or when they've regained consciousness." The elderly miko said gently.
"Thank you so much, Kaede-bachan!"
Kagome walked outside, taking a seat on the grass. The sky was still dark. She gazed up at the stars and secretly wished that Inuyasha could be by her side looking at them with her.
* * *
Kirika woke up, sitting up in an instant. Her breathing was heavy and ragged. She winced and felt her abdomen. Her hands felt a soft material that was wrapped tightly around her chest and torso. She noticed that the top of her kimono had been taken off. It was lying nicely folded at her feet. She looked across from her and saw a boy sleeping, bandages wrapped around his abdomen as well. He was sleeping fitfully. She noticed that his right hand was gripping the blanket over him tightly.
"Inuyasha..." She breathed.
"So are ye awake?" A voice asked.
The girl jumped, then painfully clutched her stomach.
"Y-yes." She managed.
"What's your name, child?"
"I was called Kirika by Hana-chan, but it was just a name she made up...I'm really called Mei Lhi..."
"I'm Kaede. I'm the head of this village."
Inuyasha started to stir. He sat up with slight difficulty.
"Kagome..." He whispered.
Kaede walked out of the hut, returning with Kagome, Shippo, Sango, and Miroku.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, tears forming.
She ran towards him, sitting down by his side and embracing him. Inuyasha blushed, and also shocked by Kagome's sudden action. He held her gently, stroking her black hair.
"Ahem." A voice said.
Inuyasha and Kagome jumped.
"Oh hello! I'm Kagome. That's Sango, Miroku, and Shippo." Kagome said pointing to the others. "And I'm sure you know who Inuyasha is."
Inuyasha looked over at the girl next to him.
"Mei Lhi." He muttered.
"How do you both know each other, anyway?" Shippo asked.
"Inuyasha is my older brother." Mei Lhi replied.
"What?!" Everyone exclaimed.
"It's true." Inuyasha said suddenly.
"But you never told us you had a younger sister! And if she's your young sister, that means that she really does own Tetsusage!" Miroku said.
"I never really knew about her...until now...when I was dying, I remembered."
"At first you were fighting him blindly, but once you were both down, the mood changed entirely." Sango said to Mei Lhi.
"That is because, when Kiori-sama took me in, she died before my eyes when I was only three years old...the villagers...they got angry, so they burned my home...killing my 'brothers' Hakaru and Kyo. I was almost killed by the villagers, but the miko, Hanajima Shimabara, saved me. I was taken in under her care, and she took me to our mother's grave where I received the inheritance, Tetsusage. She sealed my memory with a spell that could only be countered if I learned my real name,Mei Lhi, or until I was ready to know what happened to my family. I learned about who I was. What I was. She gave me a new name, Kirika, just so she could call me something. Then Hana sealed my body and soul for forty seven years. All the while, my mind was detached and wandering like a shadow about her temple. Hana taught me how to use Tetsusage once I could hold the sword without falling over. That was when I turned nine in human years. And still, I was sealed. But you see, when you're sealed, you don't age. So she released me, and I turned thirteen at last, four years later. Then one day, she sent me off on my quest. And since the spell hadn't been broken yet, so I learned your name, and found you, we fought, and then you broke the Hana's spell, and I remembered everything that you just told me." Mei Lhi explained.
"What happened in those four years after your seal was broken?" Inuyasha asked.
"Feh. Don't even ask." Mei Lhi replied fiercely.
"Well I want to know! Did anything happen then? Or even in the three years you were with Kiori-sama?" Inuyasha inquired. "Well?!"
"You want to know what those-those human filth did to me?!" Mei Lhi screamed, tears of anger in her eyes. "Well then I'll tell you if you're so damn interested! When I was three on the day that Kiori-sama died, a village boy threw rocks at me when I was just sitting by the pond minding my own business! That same boy, when I was nine, when ever I stepped outside of the temple he'd take every chance to hurt me in any possible way! But I could defend myself, and one day when he went too far, which was three years later, I murdered him with my own claws! After that day, I was feared and called an inhumane out of control beast! A monster! And when I stepped outside that temple door the following year, the villagers screamed in terror. They cowered from me in fear, praying to Buddha that I'd spare their lives. But how could I?! They had treated me so badly! But Hana told me not to hate. And yet, I still hated them. I almost destroyed the village. Hana stopped me by putting a subduing spell on me. Then she sent me off to find you. She said that once I did, I'd feel welcome, and I'd feel like I was wanted, like I belonged somewhere. But I feel nothing!" then she suddenly stood up and stormed outside.
Inuyasha was staring at the floor.
'I can't believe it...how much she's gone through...she poured her entire heart out...about her whole life...to all of us...and no one else knows my life story...she's much stronger than I am...it takes courage to say things that you've kept locked away...I guess I lack that kind of courage...' He thought.
"Mei Lhi shouldn't be outside...it's cold...and her wounds haven't healed." Kagome said.
She walked outside, and found the girl sitting in the grass, the night air flowing through her dark tresses. Tears were pouring from Mei Lhi's dark eyes.
"Hey, you shouldn't be out here. It's cold...and it isn't good for you." Kagome said quietly.
"Kagome, right?" Mei Lhi asked.
"Yeah."
"You really care about Inuyasha don't you? I can see it. I can see that he cares about you too."
Kagome blushed.
"I guess he does...but he seems so mad at me most of the time..."
Mei Lhi almost smacked herself in the head.
"You can't see it, can you?"
"See what?"
Mei Lhi rubbed her forehead, and laughed.
"He only acts cold to hide how he truly feels. I can't believe you can't see it..."
Mei Lhi stood up and dried her eyes then walked past Kagome.
Kagome was speechless. But it all made sense. But how could it be possible? She shrugged it off, then headed back inside.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter Seven: The Quest Ends
"Quick! Sango-chan, Miroku help me get them on Kirara's back! We have to get them both back to the village!" Kagome exclaimed.
Sango and Miroku nodded. Sango picked up the girl, while Miroku got Inuyasha. The two placed Inuyasha and the girl on Kirara's back, then picked up their fallen swords. Sango, Miroku, and Kagome clambered onto Kirara's back, Shippo riding on the nekometa's head.
"Kirara, take us back to Kaede's village. Hurry!" Sango whispered.
The cat nodded and took flight.
Kagome held Inuyasha's unconscious form in her arms. His blood was staining her clothes.
'Please Inuyasha...hold on!'
"Kirara, hurry up!" Shippo called.
"Myouga-jichan, there's something I don't understand." Miroku said.
"What would that be?" Myouga replied.
"You said that Tetsusage belongs to Inuyasha and that he's the youngest child. But just before Inuyasha and the girl passed out, he called her 'Mei Lhi', and she called him 'Onii-Chan'. Which means that Inuyasha is her older brother. But you said that Inuyasha was the youngest, so it's impossible for it to be so."
"I see...well, I was telling the truth. You see, when Inuyasha-sama's mother died, the girl was still in her care. It was said that when she was sent off with Kiori-sama, it was said she died in a fire. But that was a long time ago..."
"Kiori-sama?"
"The lady's most trusted maid."
The village loomed into view, and Kagome leaped off Kirara's back, rushing inside Kaede's hut. Miroku and Sango brought Inuyasha and the girl inside the hut. Kaede appeared, then told Miroku and Sango to leave.
"Ye don't need to worry yourself. I'll tend to them. Just wait outside and I'll call ye when I'm done or when they've regained consciousness." The elderly miko said gently.
"Thank you so much, Kaede-bachan!"
Kagome walked outside, taking a seat on the grass. The sky was still dark. She gazed up at the stars and secretly wished that Inuyasha could be by her side looking at them with her.
* * *
Kirika woke up, sitting up in an instant. Her breathing was heavy and ragged. She winced and felt her abdomen. Her hands felt a soft material that was wrapped tightly around her chest and torso. She noticed that the top of her kimono had been taken off. It was lying nicely folded at her feet. She looked across from her and saw a boy sleeping, bandages wrapped around his abdomen as well. He was sleeping fitfully. She noticed that his right hand was gripping the blanket over him tightly.
"Inuyasha..." She breathed.
"So are ye awake?" A voice asked.
The girl jumped, then painfully clutched her stomach.
"Y-yes." She managed.
"What's your name, child?"
"I was called Kirika by Hana-chan, but it was just a name she made up...I'm really called Mei Lhi..."
"I'm Kaede. I'm the head of this village."
Inuyasha started to stir. He sat up with slight difficulty.
"Kagome..." He whispered.
Kaede walked out of the hut, returning with Kagome, Shippo, Sango, and Miroku.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, tears forming.
She ran towards him, sitting down by his side and embracing him. Inuyasha blushed, and also shocked by Kagome's sudden action. He held her gently, stroking her black hair.
"Ahem." A voice said.
Inuyasha and Kagome jumped.
"Oh hello! I'm Kagome. That's Sango, Miroku, and Shippo." Kagome said pointing to the others. "And I'm sure you know who Inuyasha is."
Inuyasha looked over at the girl next to him.
"Mei Lhi." He muttered.
"How do you both know each other, anyway?" Shippo asked.
"Inuyasha is my older brother." Mei Lhi replied.
"What?!" Everyone exclaimed.
"It's true." Inuyasha said suddenly.
"But you never told us you had a younger sister! And if she's your young sister, that means that she really does own Tetsusage!" Miroku said.
"I never really knew about her...until now...when I was dying, I remembered."
"At first you were fighting him blindly, but once you were both down, the mood changed entirely." Sango said to Mei Lhi.
"That is because, when Kiori-sama took me in, she died before my eyes when I was only three years old...the villagers...they got angry, so they burned my home...killing my 'brothers' Hakaru and Kyo. I was almost killed by the villagers, but the miko, Hanajima Shimabara, saved me. I was taken in under her care, and she took me to our mother's grave where I received the inheritance, Tetsusage. She sealed my memory with a spell that could only be countered if I learned my real name,Mei Lhi, or until I was ready to know what happened to my family. I learned about who I was. What I was. She gave me a new name, Kirika, just so she could call me something. Then Hana sealed my body and soul for forty seven years. All the while, my mind was detached and wandering like a shadow about her temple. Hana taught me how to use Tetsusage once I could hold the sword without falling over. That was when I turned nine in human years. And still, I was sealed. But you see, when you're sealed, you don't age. So she released me, and I turned thirteen at last, four years later. Then one day, she sent me off on my quest. And since the spell hadn't been broken yet, so I learned your name, and found you, we fought, and then you broke the Hana's spell, and I remembered everything that you just told me." Mei Lhi explained.
"What happened in those four years after your seal was broken?" Inuyasha asked.
"Feh. Don't even ask." Mei Lhi replied fiercely.
"Well I want to know! Did anything happen then? Or even in the three years you were with Kiori-sama?" Inuyasha inquired. "Well?!"
"You want to know what those-those human filth did to me?!" Mei Lhi screamed, tears of anger in her eyes. "Well then I'll tell you if you're so damn interested! When I was three on the day that Kiori-sama died, a village boy threw rocks at me when I was just sitting by the pond minding my own business! That same boy, when I was nine, when ever I stepped outside of the temple he'd take every chance to hurt me in any possible way! But I could defend myself, and one day when he went too far, which was three years later, I murdered him with my own claws! After that day, I was feared and called an inhumane out of control beast! A monster! And when I stepped outside that temple door the following year, the villagers screamed in terror. They cowered from me in fear, praying to Buddha that I'd spare their lives. But how could I?! They had treated me so badly! But Hana told me not to hate. And yet, I still hated them. I almost destroyed the village. Hana stopped me by putting a subduing spell on me. Then she sent me off to find you. She said that once I did, I'd feel welcome, and I'd feel like I was wanted, like I belonged somewhere. But I feel nothing!" then she suddenly stood up and stormed outside.
Inuyasha was staring at the floor.
'I can't believe it...how much she's gone through...she poured her entire heart out...about her whole life...to all of us...and no one else knows my life story...she's much stronger than I am...it takes courage to say things that you've kept locked away...I guess I lack that kind of courage...' He thought.
"Mei Lhi shouldn't be outside...it's cold...and her wounds haven't healed." Kagome said.
She walked outside, and found the girl sitting in the grass, the night air flowing through her dark tresses. Tears were pouring from Mei Lhi's dark eyes.
"Hey, you shouldn't be out here. It's cold...and it isn't good for you." Kagome said quietly.
"Kagome, right?" Mei Lhi asked.
"Yeah."
"You really care about Inuyasha don't you? I can see it. I can see that he cares about you too."
Kagome blushed.
"I guess he does...but he seems so mad at me most of the time..."
Mei Lhi almost smacked herself in the head.
"You can't see it, can you?"
"See what?"
Mei Lhi rubbed her forehead, and laughed.
"He only acts cold to hide how he truly feels. I can't believe you can't see it..."
Mei Lhi stood up and dried her eyes then walked past Kagome.
Kagome was speechless. But it all made sense. But how could it be possible? She shrugged it off, then headed back inside.