Shades of Night
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha
Chapter 5
Reunion
InuYasha stared in muted shock as he read the letter for the second time.
Dear Mr. Mori,
We regret to inform you that your brother and sister-in-law were victims of a horrific car crash. They were fatally wounded, but left behind their son, Shippo. You have been appointed sole guardianship, and being the last living member of both families, if you do not pick him up within the Next Month at the Goshinboku Orphanage, he will become a ward of the state and be put up for adoption…
The letter was signed with an indistinguishable flourish and dated four years ago. His father had kept it a secret and allowed the child to stay wherever they put him. Inu got up, angry at his father before he remembered that the man had recently died. Sadness mixed with slight fury flowed in his veins as he looked bitterly at the pile of old letters and random items that his father had kept. While going through his stuff he had found the letter. InuYasha sighed. At twenty years old he felt responsible and so called his mother to tell her about his cousin Shippou.
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"Kag!" the young boy cried loudly. "I thought you said you were too busy to play today!" Kagome stared down at Shippou, a loving gleam in her eyes. In the three years she had been at the orphanage, she had come to care for the child as if he were her own. When she had first arrived, not knowing anything of her past, she was reclusive. The young boy bonded with her, sensing a pain that went deeper than his own. At age seven, he did not understand what had happened to her, only heard the whispered comments of the staff talk about the 'incident.' Staring up at her with sagacity far beyond his years, he frowned. "What's wrong?"
Startled that Shippou was able to read her so well, she kneeled down until she was eye level with him.
"Hey, d'you remember your cousin and aunt?" His frown deepened and his brow wrinkled in concentration.
"No, but when I try to think about them my heart hurts like it used to before I met you." Forcing back her tears and waiting until her voice was steady, Kagome spoke to him softly.
"Well, I don't know what really happened, but somehow they never knew about your parents 'till just now. They're coming to pick you up this afternoon." She tried to maintain eye contact. "You're going to go live with them." Shippou's face clouded over.
"No! I won't! I don't wanna! Kag, you said I could live with you when you get your own place! You promised! You promised!"
"I know, Shippou, I know I did. But…I think this will be better for you." Kag knew she stood no chance against his relatives. She could not afford to house herself and him, so it was only logical that he should go live with his aunt, as much as it broke her heart to do so.
"How could it be better? They don't care! They never came for me! They hate me! Kag, Kag, I thought you said you loved me. Why are you doing this?"
"I have no choice…"
"Liar! I hate you, Kagome! I hate you! You don't know what it's like to have a promise," he voice cracked on the word, "broken again. My parents promised they'd be back. They never came back. Never! I hate you!" Tears spilling down his cheeks and absorbing into his shirt, he turned abruptly and ran from the room.
Staring blindly after him, Kagome groped along the wall until she rounded the corner of the hallway. Falling to the floor in a heap, she began to silently sob as the poor boy's words slowly tore her apart in every wounded place she had managed to heal since her mother's death. The capability to feel, something that had not come to her naturally after waking from her coma, was once again lost to her as she slowly sank once again into the dark pits of depression.
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The crying boy was led into the room by an impatient worker.
"Now, Shippou," she said patronizingly, "be nice to the pretty lady." She then let go of his hand, offering Izayoi a slight nod as she closed the door to the visiting room behind her. Shippou sat stiffly across the table from her, his shoulders trembling in his muffled cries. Izayoi, feeling sorry for the lost little boy, got up and kneeled beside him.
"What's wrong?" she asked gently. Shippou looked up at her, the tears making his green eyes muddled.
"I don't wanna go with you," Shippou said. "I'm supposed to go live with Kag once she gets enough money, only…"
"Only what?"
He let all his words out in one rush of breath. "Only now I think she hates me cause I told her that I hated her but I really don't since I was just really mad at her but now that I think about it it's not really her fault and I feel really bad and I think she doesn't like me anymore." Izayoi's heart filled with pity for him.
"Oh, sweetheart, she doesn't hate you." His eyes looked miserable when he glanced at her.
"You really think so?"
"How could she hate you? You said she wanted you to live with her, right? She's just trying to do what's best for you."
"Yeah…she said that, too. But…if this is better for me, then why didn't you come for me earlier?" Regret and anger flashed in her eyes.
"There was a bit of a mix-up in your uncle's mail. We didn't get the letter till just now." A spark of hope that Shippou had dared not think about appeared on his face.
"So then…you guys really do want me?"
"Of course we do!" He began to smile, then frowned suddenly.
"But…can I talk to Kag before I leave?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way." It was at this point that Kagome walked through the door, trying to smile bravely. Izayoi gasped, but Kagome didn't notice. Shippou ran over to Kag.
"I didn't mean it, I swear! I don't hate you, Kag, I don't!" She smiled sadly.
"I know you don't." His look turned pensive.
"I'm going to go live with them." The small glimmer of light in Kagome's eyes flickered then died.
"Good for you. I hope you'll be happy there." Shippou's face lit up.
"Oh, it's going to be so much fun!" Shippou skipped over to Izayoi and began pestering her about details. Izayoi, too shocked over the sudden reappearance of Kagome, could do nothing but try to answer him. It was at this point in time when InuYasha walked through the door.
"Sorry I'm late…" His voice trailed off when he saw Kagome. Closing her eyes tightly and shielding her face with her dark hair, Kag heard his voice and her eyes fluttered open. Staring at him, she got a distinct feeling of unease and the beginnings of a panic attack began to form.
"I, um…better get going," she stammered. She rushed out of the room, and Inu, too stupefied to do anything, just watched her leave.
...Hey look! I got through an entire chapter of no Kag/Inu fights! -.-'
Review Responses:
Fiona-Angel:Male selective hearing is a wonderful thing...I'll never understand it for as long as I live. The rape scene...ah. Ah. I had to do it in order to build character traits or some weird stuff like that. Erf. I know I'll still end up being killed at some point for it. >.>
Love ya 4 eva: Very sad. Didn't get to the "soon" part.
purepriestess345: Thanks.
Kagome M.K.: Eek. I failed. Horribly.
darkangel: So do I...and that's sad since I'm the author. X.X
coldflamez: It is sad. And Kag wakes up...later. And Inu thinks...what he does. Bwahaha. It will be revealed later.
billysgotagun: Kag? She goes to an orphanage. Of course. And as for the living with him thing...we'll see...
Jamie: Sorry about the creepy rape. -.-' Aiee. I'd really love to make me chapters longer, and I prolly should, but life's hectic. I barely had time to write THIS part of the story. Thanks though.
InuYasha Obsession Grizzly: Wow. You kinda reminded me that I have a story up here. X.X Anyway, thank you, I'm sorry, and please no flames. I honestly barely have enough time to sleep what with school and all my extra-currics and homework right now, so I'll do what I can, but I don't think it'll be much. But anyway..here's your update.
Kaa-san