Tears of an Immortal - By Serene Draco
Immortality has always been sought after and theorized about for years. All throughout time humans have searched and researched for the "elixir of life" or the fountain of youth. What they do not know is that immortality isn't all that it's worked up to be. No, they could not conceive the true meaning of the word immortality. But some aren't given the choice…
If it weren't such a sad day for the young man standing in the middle of the graveyard, he would have looked up and seen the sun displaying one of it's most beautiful sunsets it could show. The gold's and reds mixed together perfectly while the clouds were painted lovely shades of pink and violet. Much to the sun's desperation to try and cheer the man up, its efforts went unnoticed. He just stood there with a bouquet of white roses staring at the names on the tombstone of his mother and father who were buried side by side. He set the bouquet down amongst the other flowers with a sigh after he removed one of the roses and set it on the barren grave next to them. The barren grave was of a young girl, Serenity, his sister who had died five years ago when he was eighteen and she was only sixteen.
Their father, Inutashio, died shortly after she was born after he had gotten into a fight with another youkai who was trying to take over the company. Their older half brother took over the company and in accordance to their father's will so did the young man, Inuyasha, when he came of age. Chi followed after her husband from a massive heart attack, when Inuyasha was a junior in high school. That's when Inuyasha began to live on his own while Serenity went to live with Sesshomaru. Outwardly the family seemed to be moving on fine but behind closed doors everything was a mess. Serenity and Inuyasha grew apart while she and Sesshomaru started to grow a little closer, which was surprising because of Sesshomaru's open display of hatred of half-breeds. Chi was a human while, Inutashio was a full blooded dog demon, and so thus Inuyasha and Serenity were half and half, neither one nor the other.
Serenity seemed to take losing their mother rather hard, on top of hardly ever getting to see her brother. She began to pull away from everyone, except Sesshomaru, and even then he couldn't get her to talk about what was really on her mind when one day she just disappeared. After three months everyone gave up on finding her. After a year they presumed her dead. After three years everyone seemed to forget. Everyone had forgotten except the young man who now stood at her grave and the couple that was walking towards him.
Sesshomaru walked silently up to Inuyasha and placed a hand on his shoulder. It was one of the few and extremely rare moments where he would show kindness towards his younger brother. Sesshomaru's wife, Rin had tears that were starting to pool in her eyes as she came up and placed the two small bouquets of flowers on the two graves before stepping back to stand behind her husband. It wasn't but a few moments later when the flood gates opened and Rin began crying. Sesshomaru turned pulled her towards him while she cried quietly. The three stood there for a while each in their own thought while looking at the graves until the sun sunk below the horizon. Without saying a word Sesshomaru took Rin by the hand and led her back to their car, leaving just Inuyasha standing there in the remaining twilight.
"I love you big brudder!"
Serenity's last words to him seemed to be carried to him on the wind that blew from the east ruffling his silver white hair and tugging at his Armani suit.
"I miss you little sister," Inuyasha whispered.
"I'm sure she misses you too young man," a woman said from behind him sitting on a tall tombstone.
Startled Inuyasha turned around. He hadn't even heard her walk up behind him, nor had he smelled her. She was dressed in a long black dress that was off the shoulders and was loose around her middle and a pretty Sunday hat was on her head. Her shoulder length black hair fell in waves around her round face and only accented her baby blue eyes that were even more defined by her black eyeliner.
"A sister will always miss her big brother while she's gone even if she's in hell," the woman said with a smile.
"My sister isn't in hell," Inuyasha growled. "Just who are you that you think you can insult my family like that?"
"A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet," the woman replied smartly. "Trust me when I say the Serenity you knew is in hell for I was the one who sent her there along with the bastard that killed her."
"What?" Inuyasha asked confused. "I don't have to listen to this, your fucking nuts."
He turned and walked away leaving the woman sitting on the tombstone. He was quite angry as he stormed out to his silver Mercedes Benz. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys.
"You can save her you know," the woman called walking elegantly down the stairs.
Ignoring her Inuyasha pressed the unlock button on the key pad and then reached for the door handle when she placed her pale hand over his.
"God gave you ears for a reason, now make use of them and give me five minutes of your time," she whispered.
"Fine," Inuyasha replied gruffly and she removed her hand.
"Thank you, now if only we could go some where more private, please?" she asked quietly.
Inuyasha glared at her briefly before opening up his car door and getting inside. With a soft smile she walked around the car as he fired it up and then got in on other side. Normally he would have peeled out and made quite a show when he pulled out of anywhere, but this being a graveyard he was respectful and didn't. The woman didn't say anything as they drove along back into the more busy part of the city; she just stared out the window for a long while. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence in the car but it wasn't a comfortable silence either.
"Are you going to talk?" Inuyasha asked.
"You really don't know who I am, do you?" the woman asked quietly still staring out the window.
"What kind of question is that?" Inuyasha asked glancing sideways at her.
"You spent the day with your sister before she disappeared didn't you? Do you remember what the last thing she said to you was?"
"Yes," Inuyasha replied shortly.
"Did you also know she was thinking about committing suicide that night? That's why she asked you to spend the day with her, so she could have one last day with her big brudder before she left?" the woman asked her voice becoming stoic, like Sesshomaru's.
"How do you know that?" Inuyasha asked pulling up to a red light and looking at her sharply.
"Are you really that dense that you haven't figured it out by now Inuyasha? I know for a fact Inutashio and Chi didn't raise no moron," the woman asked finally looking at him coldly.
"Tell me who the hell you are right now or else I shove you out of this car right now," Inuyasha growled finally getting fed up with all her questions.
"Big bubby, it's me. I'm Serenity," the woman said removing her hat revealing her white triangular dog ears on her head just like his. "I'm back, bubby, and I've missed you too."
"What?" Inuyasha muttered not believing his eyes or his ears.
Serenity smiled at him with tears of happiness pooling in her eyes and carefully removed one of the contacts hiding her golden eyes that she also shared with him. They both barked out small laughs before they leaned over and gave each other a warm long over due hug until they were broke out of their reunion by an aggravated driver behind them because the light had turned green.
"Shit!" Inuyasha cursed and took off squealing the tires. "Damn it Serenity where the hell have you been? God, we thought you were dead! Fuck! How the hell could you do that!" he asked angrily while driving like a maniac which only made Serenity laugh as she expertly put her contact back in.
"I know but I was in a spot of trouble and I didn't want to get you guys involved so I thought it would be best if I just left, so that's what I did," Serenity said simply.
"What do you mean you were in trouble?" Inuyasha asked critically.
"Well I kind of got AH! Would you chill out! We're in the city for the sweet love of Jesus pickles!" Serenity said quickly, putting on her seat belt after he made a rather fast and sharp turn.
"Jesus pickles?" he wondered aloud.
"Can we make it home in one piece first and then I'll tell you what you need to know," Serenity said looking at him with puppy dog eyes.
Inuyasha sighed and slouched down in his seat, while slowing the car back down to the speed limit. It didn't matter much anyway because he lived only a few more blocks up the road and then about three blocks right in a nice apartment building that Western Industries owned. The company was one that did a little of everything, but mostly dealt with technology.
"So do you have any things that we need to pick up or something?" Inuyasha asked pulling up to another stop light.
"No, a good friend of mine can bring my duffle by tomorrow if that's okay with you," she replied fiddling with the pendants on her gold chain necklace.
"You're gone for five years and all you have is a duffle bag?" he asked quizzically.
"Well I had more things but they kind of got lost in the house fire," she replied quietly.
"House fire?" he asked worriedly.
"Yeah, but like I said it's better if I explain everything when we get inside," she said giving him a small smile before starting to look out the window again.
When they got to the apartment building Inuyasha pulled into his parking spot and cut the engine before they climbed out of the vehicle. Serenity straightened her dress before following him up the stairs where a person stood in a white and burgundy uniform and opened the door for them with a polite 'Hello'. The lobby was beautiful with a pretty fountain of gorgeous water nymphs playing in the water that spouted from jars and pipes they were playing. Inside the water were adorable multicolored fish and some coins that would go to the children's hospital. On one side of the fountain was an elegant stair case and on the other were two sets of elevator doors which Inuyasha immediately headed towards.
They rode the elevator all the way up to the top floor and then stepped out in the middle of a burgundy colored hallway with only four doors. Inuyasha walked over to the gold steel door on the far right and put his card key inside which opened a slot for his regular key that he quickly opened as well. He opened the door and motioned for Serenity to go in first like a gentleman. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
"What aren't you going to invite me in?" she asked.
"Well I kind of thought holding the door open for you was an obvious invitation, but why don't you come inside?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically walking in ahead of her.
She walked in and sat down in the over stuffed arm chair while he went into the kitchen. After a few moments he came back in with two glasses of tea and sat down on the couch diagonally across from her. He ran a hand through his long white hair and then folded his hands and rested his head on them, looking at her. She acted as if she didn't notice and kept on looking around his nice big apartment.
"Start explaining," Inuyasha commanded.
"Well I ran away when I was sixteen moved to America for a short time, ran out of money, had to work to get back here, but fell in love along the way, broke up, then flew back here two years ago, looked for you, found you, but couldn't talk to you, moved in with some friends, found a new boyfriend, moved in with him, started moving from place to place, until our house burned down, moved back in with my friends, went to visit mom, and found you again, the end," she said simply straightening out the wrinkles on her dress.
"Why did you run away?" Inuyasha asked.
"Because I couldn't take living anymore so I just started wandering the streets," she replied quietly.
"How did you get to America?" he asked leaning back into the couch, watching her as she sat straight with her legs crossed and her hands folded neatly over her knees.
"I flew," she replied obviously.
"I assumed that," he retorted, "I mean why did you go so far away? How did you afford the plane tickets?"
"Brudder, we're the richest family in Tokyo, wouldn't you think I had some cash stashed somewhere?" she said looking at him as if he was an idiot; "as for why I went to America it was the only place I could go with my fake passport, plus there I could just start over."
"When you came back to Japan why couldn't you talk to me?" he asked, the hurt evident in his voice.
"Because," she sighed, "I just couldn't bring myself to try to fit myself into your lives again. You and Sesshomaru had moved on just fine while I was gone. I mean, for the sweet love of Jesus pickles, Sesshomaru, freaking ol' IRON HEART, got married and you, you're engaged to your high school sweet heart Kikyo!" she stopped when Inuyasha growled at the name Kikyo.
"Kikyo and I broke up a few months ago," he said coldly.
"Oh, sorry," Serenity offered.
"Yeah me too," Inuyasha replied sarcastically grabbing his glass of tea and taking a drink.
"I told you she was a bitch," Serenity muttered.
Inuyasha just glared at her, "We're still friends, you know."
"Psh, yeah because you give her money and she knows she can free load off you all she wants because you still love her," Serenity said calmly.
"What the hell do you know about it? You've been gone for five fucking years!" Inuyasha shouted.
"You don't think it's obvious? Any one who can read a fucking aura could tell you that you still love her!" Serenity shouted back. "Look fuck it, I don't really give a fuck about your love life, especially if it's going to cause problems between us, so here's the deal; you just put up with me for about a week and then you can go on pretending I'm dead."
"Damn it, why would I pretend your dead when I know your not?" Inuyasha asked angrily.
Serenity didn't answer him but just stood up and walked over to the phone on the table behind his couch. "I'm going to be using this, I won't be on for long."
"Why won't you answer me?" Inuyasha shouted.
"BECAUSE!" she shouted back. "I told you I would tell you what you needed to know and that's what I did!"
Inuyasha scowled and stalked off to his bedroom where he slammed the door shut. So much for a happy reunion, he thought as he took off his jacket and tie. His sensitive hearing could hear her in the other room speaking fluently in English. He could only catch a few words here and there that he understood because it was his brother who usually handled all the international affairs. After he had pulled on his favorite pair of red loose pants and red shirt with a white wife beater underneath, he heard a small knock on the door.
"Kagome's here to see you," Serenity said, all of the emotion out of her voice.
"Thanks," he replied walking after her back into the living room where a black-haired woman was sitting with a sleeping kit on the couch.
"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked gruffly.
"Well hello to you too," Kagome replied sarcastically. "I came to see how you were doing considering I haven't been able to see you in a while."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow while Serenity walked back down the hallway towards the bedrooms and the bathroom. "I just saw you yesterday."
"Oh, yeah," Kagome said foolishly, "Well I was in the-"
"Kagome I'm fine, today is no different from all the other years I went to the cemetery with Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said coldly, starting to look around for his wallet chain.
"Sorry I just… So who's your new friend?" Kagome asked cheerily.
"That would apparently be my sister, Serenity," he replied calmly.
"That's not funny Inuyasha, who is she really?" Kagome asked stubbornly.
"I'm not lying," he said turning around from the entertainment center where he had found his wallet underneath some papers that were cluttered around on top. "Serenity come here."
"What!" Serenity asked agitated, walking back into the living room with only one of his black hoodie's on.
"For Christ sake! Put some clothes on before you go strutting around," Inuyasha said turning around quickly.
"Well I was trying to but you called me in here," Serenity replied rolling her eyes and starting to walk back out of the room.
"Wait, tell me who you are," Kagome said turning on the couch to look at her.
"I'm Serenity and if you really want me to prove it to you, I'll let you ask me one question that only I would know."
"Okay, show me your birthmark," Kagome said skeptically.
Curious, Inuyasha turned around just to confirm that it was indeed his sister as Serenity turned around and lifted up her shirt to show them the winged shaped birthmark at the base of her back, just above her panty line.
"Oh my God!" Kagome squealed before jumping up and running over to Serenity so she could give her a giant hug.
"It's good to see you too, Kagome," Serenity replied not phased by Kagome's bone crushing hug.
"I can't believe it's you! My gosh where have you been? We were so worried! My God, all these years and not a word from you!" Kagome said happily in a rush.
"I was around, but if you don't mind it's a little chilly out here so I'm gonna put some pants on," Serenity said rolling her eyes with a slight smile, and starting to walk back into Inuyasha's bedroom.
"Wow, she's grown up," Kagome said still in awe.
"Yeah," Inuyasha scoffed. "She's changed."
"You sound so happy," Kagome said sarcastically sitting back down in the chair so she didn't disturb her surrogate son,
"Well I'm going out for a while," Serenity said walking back into the living room now with a pair of Inuyasha's black pants that were held up by a leather belt pulled tightly around her waist just above her hips.
She had taken one of his favorite black hoodie's that he'd gotten from a Godsmack concert and had also borrowed one of his black bandanna's and put it over her ears to hide the fact that she was a half breed. Inuyasha's shoulders slumped ever so slightly as he looked at her dressed as if she was ashamed of her heritage. When they were kids Serenity used to get in trouble for fighting the people who made fun of her human mother or demon father and she always told him the reason why was because no matter what we're made of we should all be proud because it isn't our blood that makes us who we are, but the people we choose to be.
He was saddened to see even she couldn't hold onto that simple concept…
"Where are you going?" Inuyasha asked.
"To meet with some friends who are holding my things with them. I'll be back before sunrise," Serenity replied as she walked to the door.
"I'll leave the door open for you if you plan on being out all night then, and you can sleep on the couch for now. The spare bedroom isn't suitable for any one to sleep in, so I'll leave your blankets out for you," Inuyasha said, being unusually kind as Serenity walked to the door.
Serenity stopped midway, when she heard the softness in his voice as tears came to her eyes. With a small sniffle she ran and threw herself at her brother in a strong much needed hug.
Well I haven't abandoned my other stories, but this one is one I've had written for a while but I hadn't typed it up so I decided to start typing and editing this for posting because it's actaually one of my favorites that I've written thus far. This story is actually one of the only five stories that I've written previously and actually finished. I'm already halfway done with chapter two and I might actually have that fully typed up later tonight or sometime tomorrow.
Love Always,
Serene