Chapter 4 – A Mother's Love
And so we continue…Kaza's POV…
Kirara didn't say anything as I sat there, stroking her. Without even thinking, I slowly raised my right hand to my face. I could feel the pull of wind – muted and faint, but still there – emanating from my palm. It occurred to me that if I wanted to, I could suck up Kirara, my mother, this hut, this village. My mother's words were festering in my mind as I thought about the Kazaana. Over the years of being cursed I'd become numb to the thought that one day I, too, would be sucked into the void. My mother had always said that there was probably nothing I could do – Naraku and my father were gone, and there would be no finding them now. But as I just kept looking at the Kazaana, I finally realized it was a weapon. A weapon I could use to find Naraku and break the curse.
A weapon I could use to find my father.
Something snapped in my subconscious. I leapt off my feet, startling Kirara, and raced up the slope to my hut. Banging the door open, I found my mother sitting by the fireplace, making soup. Her eyes were sparkling with what looked like tears, but I didn't exactly care.
"Mama," I yelled, "I'm going to find my father!"
I braced myself for the yells and arguments that would follow, ready to stand my ground. My mother was NOT going to control me! But instead of screaming, my mother's eyes flashed. The tears vanished in an instant. There was something on my mother's face I hadn't ever seen –
The glint of the old Taijiya.
"Well, Kaza," she said, standing up and walking over to the little chest where I knew contained her most valuable possessions, "if you're going to find Miroku, you're going to need this."
She flicked the chest open and pulled out what I knew to be –
"A Taijiya suit." I whispered. Her brown eyes were shining as she placed it in my hands.
"That's black calfskin leather you're feeling – it's old, but it's still good." She rummaged around a bit and pulled out what looked like bright pink armor. "And this armor is made from the scales of a rare dragon youkai, harder than any metal. Take off your yukata, I'll show you how to put it on."
I was trembling as I quickly stripped. Though for years my mother had considered me a Taijiya, I'd never worn a real Taijiya battle suit. She showed me how to bind my chest with strips of cloth, ease on the form-fitting leather, tie all the intricate armor on, even put my long, brown hair into a high ponytail. When I was done, she stepped back, put her hands on her hips, and smiled.
"I thought it'd fit. I have two suits, Kaza – this one, and another one I had made when I was pregnant with you. You're the same size I was when I was your age, so I figured it'd fit you. Now – take it off." She pulled a large blue shawl from the chest, put some bread, cheese and fruit in it, and showed me how to stow my armor and wear it around my waist.
"Alright, only two more things." She said, going back into the chest. "I can't give you Hiraikotsu – you never really liked fighting with it anyway. But I can give you this – "
And she pulled out a sword – a katana, still in its black sheath. I'd been speechless this whole time, but when she handed me the sword, I stammered,
"Mama, no, your katana! I can't!"
"You're a much better swordsman than I ever was, so take it – I can tell you'll use it." She smiled, the little wrinkles around her eyes and mouth creasing up.
"Kirara!" She called, and the cat demon scampered into the room and into my mother's arms. She stroked her and said, "Go with Kaza, Kirara."
"No way, Mama!" I gasped. "Who'll stay with you? You've had Kirara for years!"
"It's ok, I'll take care of myself." She said. "Kirara will keep you safe. She's saved me from demons for as long as I can remember, and she'll do the same for you. Now listen to me – " she knelt down till we were eye to eye. "I've given you everything you need. Follow your instinct – follow the wind, and that's where you'll find Miroku. But promise me this. There's a village a couple miles up north. Kirara knows it. Go there first, and wear your Taijiya suit, even though I told you not to. You'll be greeted by a black-haired priestess. Ask if you can spend the night, and whatever she asks, tell her – your name, where you're from, where you're going, who I am, anything she asks, tell her. Can you do that?"
I nodded, my throat choked, and then hugged her. I whispered, "I'll find my father, I know I will. And I'll come back here, Mama."
"Kaza," she whispered, stroking my hair, "it's not like I'm never going to see you again. You'll succeed, I know you will. Just stay safe, trust the wind, and promise me you'll go to that village."
I nodded, kissed her, and walked out the door, trying so hard not to cry. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sango beckon to Kirara and whisper something in her ear. But pretty soon, the cat demon was on my shoulder, and I turned around and say my mother waving at me. I waved back, blinked back the tears, and set off down the road.
Kaza, my baby, Sango thought, watching her only child walk into the sun, this time I wasn't lying. A smile crossed her lips. I will see you again. Very soon.
Well, sorry for the boringness of this chapter, but I really wanted to focus on how Sango was kind of passing on her legacy. It finally gets exciting in the next chapter – can u guess who the black-haired priestess is? Ooooh, this is gonna be fun…please review!
