A Father's Embrace

Chapter Eight

Masuyo

The delicious aroma of rabbit and vegetable stew filled the cozy hut. Sango stirred the meal while Miroku entertained Takara.

"Supper is almost done. Do you think Sachiko and Maiki-chan will return with Kazuki soon?" Sango asked, keeping her eyes on the pot over the fire.

"I'm sure they'll return shortly," Miroku replied. Sango shot him a meaningful stare. "Or perhaps I should see what's keeping them." The exterminator returned her attention to the meal while the monk headed out into the village.

After seeing the confused look on Maiki's face when she realized she really was in the Feudal Era (and that her mother had played a tremendous role in the legend of the Shikon no Tama), Miroku and Sango decided to leave the details to Kagome to explain to her daughter. It was only right, they felt, that Maiki learn everything from her mother. The teenage girl had remained mostly quiet since then, speaking only to half-heartedly volunteer to assist Sachiko with the task of retrieving Kazuki for dinner. With an oil lantern in hand, Miroku headed towards the outskirts of the village, having a fairly good hunch where he would find the three children.

Through the open field to the north of the village, Sachiko led Kunkun by his leash as he weaseled his way through the tall grasses. Maiki walked beside the younger girl with a lantern to light the way. The teenager paid little head to where Sachiko was leading her. There were too many thoughts on the older girl's mind at the moment.

"Would you believe me if I were to tell you that your mother is the reincarnation the legends speak of?"

Over and over, Miroku's words rolled in her head. 'I can't believe that mama would hide all this from me. Why didn't she want me to know all this? Was she afraid that I'd try to go through the well if I knew? It seems like there's so much more to this story, and I don't think either Miroku or Sango know the entire truth. I'll have to demand the answers from mama. But how to get back home… Can I get back home through the well? Will it even let me go through it again?'

"Kazuki!" Sachiko called out, pulling Maiki from her thoughts. "I just knew you'd be here! Don't you know it's almost supper time?" the child scolded.

Maiki looked up ahead, and saw Kazuki facing away from them. He stood about ten paces from a lone sakura tree in the middle of a small field. Sachiko rushed towards him as fast as she could manage without dragging Kunkun by his leash. She stopped when she reached her brother's side. As Maiki drew closer to them, she could tell that both had their heads tilted downward. And it was then that she realized what they were doing.

They were offering a silent prayer.

Maiki stopped when she came within five feet from the siblings, allowing them their moment of silence. At their feet, she could see the slight mound in the ground. It was a grave. She could tell that whomever was buried there had passed on quite some time ago. Grass and flowers already grew over the once upturned soil.

"Why is she here?" Kazuki finally muttered in a scornful voice, breaking the silence.

"Who? Maiki?"

"Who else would I be talking about?"

"Oh, she came to help me find you, of course!"

"And what if she had intended on kidnapping you?"

"Kazuki! She wouldn't do that!"

"How do you know she wouldn't?" the teenage boy insisted, voice growing louder.

"Kazuki, that is enough," came Miroku's calm, but stern voice from behind Maiki. Three sets of eyes turned to look at the newest arrival. "Sachiko, why don't you and Kazuki head back home? Maiki-san and I will follow in just a moment."

"Yes, father!" the girl beamed, heading off with Kunkun.

Kazuki was less enthusiastic about the dismissal. After taking his father's lantern, he shot Maiki a brief glare, then followed after his sister. Maiki stared after Kazuki as he walked away. She was unsure whether to be upset or angry at his uncalled-for remarks. She had done nothing wrong to him. So why the animosity? Why the distrust?

"Please forgive my son," Miroku requested as he, too, watched the boy depart. "I know his anger towards you is unjustified, but please understand that his actions are not without reason."

Maiki listened quietly, waiting to see where the monk was headed with the conversation. She waited patiently as she watched the monk approach the grave, bowing his head giving his own prayer. Maiki's eyes were drawn once again to the grave. Without the siblings blocking her view, she could see how small it really was. And a realization dawned on her.

"A child's grave?" she mumbled aloud, not realizing she had done so until Miroku spoke again.

"Yes," he confirmed as he turned back towards the teenager. "My son, Masuyo."

"I- I'm very sorry to hear that."

"Your condolences are appreciated, but you need not feel sorry about it." The monk sighed. "It's been almost a year now since he was taken from us. And yet, Kazuki still has not forgiven himself for what happened."

"Kazuki? Why would he be blaming himself for it? I'm sure whatever happened wasn't his fault. He seems so protective of his sisters…"

"Hmmm. You are very perceptive. No, Kazuki is not to blame for Masuyo's death, but I bit you good luck trying to convince him of that…" The monk sighed, gathering his thoughts, then continued. "Kazuki and Sachiko haven't shown any evidence of having strong spiritual abilities, and as such, they have been training in the ways of demon extermination. Masuyo, on the other hand… He was only five summers old and had already begun to show tremendous potential. I had hoped to teach him the ways of the Buddha.

"One evening, during the summer festival, Kazuki had taken Sachiko and Masuyo out into the village to participate in the activities. Sometime during the night, Masuyo had gotten lost in the crowds. Kazuki did everything he could to find his brother, but to no avail. He had already been missing for quite some time by the time Kazuki came to Sango and I with the news. By morning, Masuyo still had not turned up, and most of the villagers had joined in our search. We still found no trace of him.

"A week went by before his body was discovered. A few of the village men had stumbled upon him out in the forest. Masuyo… He… He looked so peaceful. He felt no pain when he passed on. It was three days later when we discovered the cause of his death. A bat yokai disguised as a young maiden attempted to steal the blacksmith's son. Sango and I followed her into the forest, and arrived just as she was about to draw the child's soul from his body. She had targeted the boy, we realized, for the same reason she had targeted Masuyo; for the strong amount of spiritual energy each child displayed.

"Even after nearly a year later, Kazuki still feels he is to blame. He feels that he should have kept a better eye on Masuyo and that if he had, then his brother would not have been lured away so easily. This is why he is so protective of his sisters… And why he is so hostile towards you. Unfortunately, he sees you as a threat because he believes you will try to bring us harm. Just give him some time, and he will see that he has no reason to believe so."

"Then perhaps I shouldn't stick around too much longer…"

"Oh, nonsense!" the monk refuted in a much lighter tone, as if he suddenly forgot the serious subject matter from a moment before. "I'm sure that the stew is ready by now! And Sango is such a wonderful cook! She would be quite offended if the daughter of one her dearest friends didn't stay for supper."

"Well, I suppose I could stay for another hour or two…"

"And then what? Go home? It'll be quite dark by then, and the forest is nowhere to be after night falls. If you want to head back home, you should wait until morning. And then Sango or myself will escort you back to the well. Okay?"

Maiki considered the offer for a moment. "Are you sure it's okay? I don't mean to overstay my welcome. I'm sure mama is worried sick by now too…"

"Well, I wouldn't doubt that. I know that if one of my children were to stumble into the well and end up on the other side, I'd be worried as well. However, I know that there are people on the other side of the well who would look out for my children if should they ever end up in your world, just as Sango and I would do for Kagome. And I'm certain your mother is aware of this too."

"I suppose you're right…"

"Now, how about some of that delicious stew my lovely wife has prepared?" he asked with a cheesy grin.

Maiki mirrored the smile. "Sure."

"Kagome, you really ought to eat something."

Nana Higurashi watched as her daughter pushed the food around her bowl. She had prepared her daughter's favorite meal, oden. But the worried woman had eaten little more than a bite of her food, causing the elder woman to grow concerned.

"I'm certain that Maiki is fine," Nana tried for some reassurance. "I'm sure that someone has found her by now, and is making sure no harm will come to her."

Though it was unspoken, it was understood that Nana was referring to one of Kagome's long lost friends from the past. The elder woman could tell that Kagome still did not want to believe what was so obvious to be true, that Maiki had somehow gotten through the well. Until Kagome was willing to admit that that's where Maiki had disappeared to, Nana was not going to push the issue… too much.

The food on Kagome's dish had grown stone cold. It was apparent that she wasn't going to eat. Nana began clearing the dishes from the table, rinsing them off in the sink. She returned to the dining area and took away the leftover food, placing that in the refrigerator. Kagome sat silently, as if unaware of her mother's actions, her mind focused on the worry for her daughter.

"Well, Kagome, I'm going to read in bed for a while. Call me if you need anything."

Nana's words momentarily pulled her daughter from her thoughts. Kagome responded with a single nod, and her mother left the room. The younger woman's eyes flicked to the window, to the darkened outside world.

'I want to go look for her. But I… But I can't…'

'Can't? Or won't?'

'I can't. I can never go back. Not after… Not after what happened…'

'Coward. Your own daughter is there now.'

'I know that…'

'So you're finally admitting that she's there?'

'No! I mean… I don't know… She… She couldn't have been able to cross through…'

'Are you so sure about that?'

'…'

'I didn't think so. Y'know, she's probably being devoured by bloodthirsty yokai at this very moment while you're sitting here sobbing like a baby! You really are helpless and useless! Just like Nanashi said--'

'Stop! Just stop it! Just leave me alone!'

With her elbows on the table, Kagome held her head facedown in her hands. Palms smashed tightly against her ears as if to block out the hateful words. Even though the taunting voice in her head had disappeared, the self-inflicted emotional damage had been done. Drops of hot, salty tears fell onto the surface of the table as Kagome silently wept.

Masuyo - to increase the world

A/N: Sorry I didn't update sooner! Meant to upload this chapter yesterday (Friday), but I got tied up running errands and such. If all goes well, I'll have chapter nine up on Monday, which (by the time most of you read this) will be tomorrow. Since it's now going on 1 a.m., I bid thee all goodnight:p

About Kagome's behavior:She is acting a bit cowardly, but there's a good reason for that. We obviously know that something traumatic happened to her in the Feudal Era. She has also just emerged from an abusive relationship. Onein whichshe was 'locked up' at home, cheated on, verbally abused and, to a small degree, physically abused. At this moment, she doesn't have a whole lot of courage or self-esteem.