Footsteps echoed on the stone steps. Slowly the person descended deeper and deeper until he reached the bottom. It was cold and damp, the only light being the torch he carried. Down the hall he walked alone. No guards were stationed there. There was no way the prisoner could move, much less break free. He stood at the bars of the queen's cell.
As the cell door creaked open, Noa cracked her eyes. On the floor she saw the shadow of her brother before his foot connected with her face. She merely let out a grunt. A hundred years of his wrath and it never lessened.
"Takara escaped." He told her and she remained still. "You must be very proud. Not that it would do any good." He kicked her face again. "She will be brought back, and she will be executed." Noa remained still as he continued to kick her face. She hung against the wall, chains keeping her from moving, draining her energy for the past century. "Where did you send he little shit?" He asked. She gave no response and he kicked her again. "Do you really think anyone can help you?" Kick, kick, kick. With one final stomp, he stood back. He smirked at his sister who hung limply as blood dripped from her face and head, matting her brown curly hair. Her brother turned and slammed the door to her cell shut, locking it once more. "I can't wait to kill Takara in front of you." He taunted as he left, leaving her bleeding in the darkness once more.
Noa lay chained to the wall in the dark, the only sound was her blood dripping on the floor. In the dark, for the first time in a century, a smile slid across her face.
Good girl.
More than a week had passed since Takara joined the group and she slowly came out of her shell. It had been a hundred years and she was starting to feel like a child again. She found a playmate in Shippo and Kirara and helped him harass Inuyasha. Inuyasha never seemed to turn his anger on her. Kagome and Sango showed her kindness she had not felt in so long. She was wary of Miroku, but eventually, he won her over by answering any questions she had. He was surprised when she approached him.
"What do you know about binding chains?" She asked him one night when they were eating around the fire. He blinked at her, startled she would know of such a thing.
"They are an ancient tool used to bind and suppress the strongest of demons. They haven't been used in centuries. Why do you ask?" He asked her and she stared at him. "I answered a question of yours, now you should answer one of mine." He told her. While she made him uneasy, he had an astounding sense of fairness.
"My mother." She answered. "It's what they are using to keep her imprisoned."
"You mean your mother's alive?" Inuyasha asked and Takara nodded. "I thought they would have killed her to take over."
"the chains are usually made of demon welders who are formidable in their own right."Miroku explained, catching her attention once more. "Once a demon is in them, it is impossible for them to break the chains. Only someone not bound by the chains can break it, and even then, it requires an incredible amount of spiritual energy. I don't think even Kagome would be able to break them easily." He explained and looked over to his friend. Kagome looked to him in surprise.
"That doesn't matter." Inuyasha announce. "First we gotta find your old man, then we'll worry about how to save your mom."
He told her they would find her dad and she believed him. Takara looked at Inuyasha as they walked through the woods. His long white hair was similar to her own and looking into his eyes was like looking into a mirror. Honestly, at first glance, she would have thought he was her father. But he was no where near old enough and there were a few features he was missing. Inuyasha caught her staring at him.
"What are you looking at?" He accused. She humphed and looked away, crossing her arms. She sped up so he would be behind her and ended up walking next to Sango. He was nothing like the stories her mother told.
"Takara," she asked, getting the girl's attention. "If you've never met him, how do you know what he looks like?"
"My mother told me." She explained. "She used to tell me stories when I was little and she would tell me about him and what he looked like."
"What kind of stories?" Kagome asked, curious about the man they were searching for. "What was he like?" She asked. Takara looked to the sky as she thought. How would she describe him?
"She told me he acts cold to everyone and doesn't like letting people in, whatever that means." She told them. "She said he's too scared because he thinks feeling things make him weak."
"Your mother sounds very observant." Miroku told her with a smile. "Surely he showed her affection, but in private, to make sure she felt his love." He suggested while making a suggestive face at Sango, making the woman blush. Takara just looked up at him blankly.
"No." She told him. "Mother never mentioned anything about that."
"Well, he doesn't sound like much of a husband, or a father." Inuyasha announced as he joined the group. "I mean what kind of old man leaves his wife and kid?"
"You don't know why he left them." Kagome scolded him. "Besides, what if she left him instead?" Takara pulled on her sleeve, calling her attention.
"Mother told me she left." Takara told her. "She had to go home and be the queen." They all kind of looked at her funny for a minute and she looked around at them, not really sure what they were thinking.
"What kind of life did she lead?" Inuyasha asked, curious about her mother now. Not everyone could just up and leave and then return to the throne.
"Grandpa was mean to her growing up so she left." Takara explained. "She was gone for a long time and she said she learned a lot from traveling. But when grandpa got sick, she went home. That's when she had me."
"So she was pregnant before she went home?" Sango asked. "Does your father even know about you?" Takara froze. She hadn't thought about that. Is that why he never visited? Now she was plagued with more worries. Would he like her? What if he hated her? What if he knew but didn't care about her or her mother? What if he refused to help them? What if she failed?
She was startled out of her trance when two gentle hands rested on her shoulders. Kagome was crouched in front of her and she brushed some of the girl's hair out of the way with a soft smile, but her eyes caught something and her smile slipped.
"What's wrong?" Takara asked her and Kagome covered it again and smiled.
"Nothing." She assured the kid and stood up. Takara looked at her funnily but shrugged. They were all weird so it was easy to dismiss as she continued on down the path with Sango, Mirroku, and Shippo. Kagome stopped Inuyasha and he looked at her, puzzled.
"Something wrong?" He asked her. Kagome reflected on what she saw. Could it be?
"When I moved her hair, I saw something." She began. "It was on her forehead and it looked so familiar, but there's no way it could be."
"No way it could be what?" He asked, getting impatient. "Just spit it out Kagome."
"I thought I saw a cresent." She explained to him. "Like the one Sesshomaru has." Inuyasha just stared at her, wide eyed.
"There's no way." He mumbled in shock as he looked at the little girl again. Her white hair was similar to theirs except for the curls and white hair was rare even among demons. And if she had the cresent moon, it would all but solidify their relation. Could this girl really be her niece? Did Sesshomaru have a kid.
"Woah." Was all he could mutter. Kagome watched the little girl too.
"Woah is right."
"My lord, we've been traveling for so long, surely we should stop and rest for the night." Jakken whined from his spot on Ah-Un. Rin, the ever obedient girl, was already asleep, resting on the neck of the beast. Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks and paused for a beat. He sniffed the air once more. The odd smell of her was mixed with the sea as well as the smell of Inuyasha and his friends. They were getting closer each day. They could afford this one night.
"Set up camp." He ordered. "I'll return shortly." And with that, he disappeared into the forest. He wandered for a while before looking to the moon. She smelled different than he remembered. Why was she here? Why did she come back? Why had she not returned home sooner? Why had she not written him? Why had he not gone to her?
Darkness and cold surround her and the dampness was almost suffocating. Takara couldn't breathe. She would gasp desperately for air. She tried to move but found herself chained. She tried to lift her arms but the chains were cold and heavy. The cold was covering her, keeping her immobile. She tried to shake them off but could do nothing but collapse against the cold stone floor.
"Mother." She gasped out. A small light caught her attention and she managed to lift her head just enough to see ahead of her. Beyond the cell bars stood her uncle with a disgusting smile. She widened her eyes, recognizing the box in his hands. His malicious laughed echoes in her ears louder than the sound of the box falling in front of her. The beetles burst out and moved towards her in a wave.
Takara screamed.
The group was awoken in the middle of the night. The scream was piercing and no doubt echoed through the woods. Miroku and Inuyasha jumped, wielding their sword and staff. Sango and Kgome looked to the source of the screaming. Shippo and Kirara were both startled awake as well.
Kagome scooted over to the thrashing girl and gently shook her awake, calling her name, trying to wake her. They had been traveling together for a week and almost every night, Takara would wake screaming and thrashing in a nightmare. She never told them what made her scream, what terrified her almost every night.
"Takara, Takara, you're alright." Kagome shook her awake and Takara sat up, crying. Her screams had subsided only to be replaced by loud sobs. Kagome pulled her into an embrace, that same as she had done a few nights prior. She would lay down next to her, holding her, but Takara would not fall back asleep.
Takara's screams would echo through the forest and mountains. Hidden in the shadows were the hunters. They were crouched, waiting, listening, growing nearer. Each time they heard her, they knew they were getting closer every day. Soon, they would reach her.
Takara walked along side kagome, wobbling a bit, exhausted from the night prior. The thought of those bugs made her skin crawl and she shivered. Kagome noticed and sked her.
"Are you alright? Are you cold?"
"I'm fine." Takara told her. "Im just tired."
"Yeah, we wouldn't know what that was like." SHippo grumbled quietly to himself and Takara blushed, embarrassed by her nightmares. She crossed her arms and looked away from him.
"It's not like I do it on purpose." She mumbled.
"It's ok if you want to talk about it." Sango offered. "You never know, talking about it might help." Takara looked away. She didn't want to talk about it. She just wanted to go home, back to the way things were when she was a child.
Takara ran through the halls of the palace quietly. She had always been light on her feet and would sneak around, eavesdropping or getting into trouble. This time, she was eavesdropping on her mother and uncle. She sat outside the door and cracked it just a smidge. In the garden stood her mother and uncle. He was in his formal armor with his helmet tucked under his arm, careful not to damage the plume. Her mother was dressed in semiformal clothes. They had been in a meeting with more generals again. Her mother had been wise to guard the room so heavily. Takara couldn't get close enough to eaves drop.
Her mother wore a dark green tube top, stopping at her ribcage. Her green and brown skirts flowed when she walked and it was one of Takara's favorite things to watch. The silks were so light. And her mother looked so beautiful and strong. She wanted to grow up like that.
But her mother was sad now. Her wild, curly brown hair was pulled away from her face in braids that were tied together at the back of her head. The rest of her hair fell behind her back, adorned with the occasional bead or braid. Her mother's usual smile was replaced with a mournful frown and her dark brown eyes were cast downwards.
"How long has it been?" Nobuo asked her gently. "Honestly, I don't know why you thought he'd ever come for you. I've heard stories about him." He placed his hands on her shoulders and she looked at him. "He's cold. He doesn't care for anyone but himself. He doesn't care about either of you." Noa frowned and stepped back.
"You don't know that." She told him calmly. "You've never even met him. I spent years traveling with him. All you have is rumors."
"He doesn't love you, Noa." He told her, sounding defeated. "Don't you think he would have responded to a letter by now if he gave a shit about either of you?" Noa looked away, fighting tears. It had been a long past couple of years. She had never felt so isolated or alone, even though she had her daughter and brother. Nobou pulled her into a hug. "You don't need him, Noa. It's alright." He consoled her as she wept in his arms. It was the only time Noa had ever seen her mother cry.
"Don't worry, Takara." Miroku told her gently. "I'm sure once we find your father, he will help you get home and help your mother take back her village." Kagome and Inuyasha shared a look. Would he?
"I know." Takara told him quietly. They continued walking in silence down the path, not a sound to be heard other than their footsteps and the clack clack clack of the bicycle. Takara stopped, her eyes wide. Kagome almost bumped into her.
"What's wrong?" Kagome asked her. She shushed her and they all listened.
"I don't hear anything." Sango said, confused. Inuyasha growled lowly and slowly put his hand on his sword. They started backing into a circle, watching waiting.
"Yeah, that's the problem." Inuyasha pointed out.
"It's the middle of the day, shouldn't there be noises from birds at least?" Miroku added.
"Where are they?" Kagome asked, looking for the threat. Sango slowly reached out to pull Takara closer, but to her horror, the girl bolted down the path.
"Takara!" She called after the girl. They were surrounded in the next instant.
"She wasn't lying, these guys are good. I still can't smell them." Inuyasha told them and pulled out his sword. "Miroku and I will hold them off, you guys get to Takara."
"Right." Kagome said as she hopped on her bike.
"Let's go, Kirara." They took off down the path. The trail led down a hill and around a bend. Takara was running for her life. If she was lucky, the hunters would follow her and leave her new friends alone. She could hear them running beside her and she pushed her legs harder. She saw a small ledge before her and she jumped without hesitating, hoping she would land safely.
She hit the dirt and rolled down the hill before pushing herself back into a run. She could feel them right behind her. Takara looked over her shoulder and saw one of them reaching out, inches from grabbing her hair so she abruptly turned left and ran. The man slid on the leaves and fell trying to follow her. He recovered quickly and rejoined the other two who were chasing her. She turned right and this time no one fell. There was no way she could lose them. To her horror, she felt her foot catch on a root and she hit the dirt before she could catch herself. She tried to crawl away but a heavy foot pressed her into the dirt. The man pressed harder and something in her chest cracked. She screamed in pain as fresh tears fell.
"You thought we wouldn't catch you, you little shit?" He howled at her in laughter. He pressed down harder and there was another crack before he kicked her, sending her flying. Her back hit a tree and she fell into the dirt again. She tried not to cry, her chest hurt too much. She didn't even try to get up. She just lay there in the dirt, hoping her friends would come help her, or that they at least got away. The men above her laughed as they neared, until they stopped laughing. Takara looked up and saw the three men were facing away from her. They were much more preoccupied with the tall man with white hair.
"What do you want?" The ring leader asked.
"I am here to tell you to leave." He informed them. "You are not welcome here."
"Oh, yeah?" He scoffed at the man. "What are you going to do about it?" After the man asked the question, he dropped dead. The man in white was fast. All Takara saw was a flash of green before the three men fell. She looked at them in awe. The men who had plagued her all these years were dead in such a quick blow. She looked past them and before her was a man staring down at her. She was not afraid.
The man stood with long white hair. He wore white with red detailing. His belt was blue and yellow. He was as still as the trees around them. On his forehead was the same crescent that she had. She found him. She found her father.