Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author's Inuma Asahi De's (with the exception of historical figures).
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Their Departure
"Today was a long day." Sango mumbled as she climbed into the double bed Kaede had loaned them for the night, positioning herself next to Miroku who was already curled on his side preparing to sleep.
His back was facing her as he stared at the door to their room, as if waiting for someone to come in through it, someone he desperately wanted to see. "Otou-san." He mumbled in his head, his heart reaching out to his father, wishing he could simply understand what was going on in the man's mind right now. Sighing deeply he glanced at Sango behind him, taking in her expecting face, she was waiting for an answer. "It was a long day." He replied to her before turning back to the door, his eyes focused on the wooden entrance, hoping, praying that Inuyasha might walk though, yell at him, and then disappear to go to bed. "Still is."
Sango nodded even though her husband couldn't see her and leaned against the headboard of the bed, sitting straight up right, knowing sleep would be very hard to find tonight. "It's all, almost too much, isn't it?" She told him as she crossed her hands over her stomach, her eyes looking at the wall, staring at the white paint.
Miroku grunted his agreement before turning to lie on his back, hands moving to rest underneath his head, a makeshift pillow on top of a pillow that already existed. "Kagome," He muttered before shifting his eyes to look at Sango. "Do you really think she's this—Miko—like the Captain and Kaede said?"
Sango bit her lip and shrugged her shoulders. "I have no reason to believe that she's not." She let out a slight whine of frustration, then a low sigh. "I mean, doesn't that explain the light? Explain the jewel, explain that compass? It glowed Miroku," She looked at him her eyes pleading for him to agree with her, so perhaps she wouldn't feel so crazy. "Normal things don't glow."
"They do if demons have them." He commented back smartly.
Sango shook her head slowly, ignoring the bite in his comment. "Kagome's no demon, you know that, I know that." She gulped her eyes still fixated ahead of her. "So, I have to believe that she has that spiritual power inside of her. It must be true, because if it's not then I—I just can't explain anything that happened today."
"I know what you mean." He too let out a loud low sigh as he stared up at the ceiling, taking in the old wood above his head, the color of it extremely faded with age.
"Miroku," Sango whispered beside him, her eyes staring at her hands clasp in her lap. "Do you think, Kagome's really that woman—Kikyo's—reincarnation?" She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her look one of someone who was almost terrified of believing what they were forced to believe. "I mean I kind of believed it while we were in there, but it's just so—," she searched for the right word her eyes darting back and forth. "Unbelievable."
Miroku glanced back at her, taking in that scared expression before moving his hands out from under his head turning on his side so he was facing her, head propped up on one hand as he leaned on his elbow. "I—," He searched for the right words as well. "I don't know but, just like the Miko thing, the Captain, Kaede—they seem to believe it's true."
Sango nodded her head, the fright leaving her eyes to be replaced by a sudden sadness. "Don't you think, that must be awful—for Kagome?"
"Hm?" Miroku glanced at her confused. "Whatcha mean?"
"Think about it." Sango continued encouraged slightly by Miroku's interested face. "Didn't she say to Kaede that she just wanted to be herself? Isn't that the reason Kagome ran away in the first place, to be herself?"
"Your point?" Miroku drew out as he closed his eyes, not really understanding what Sango was getting at and too tired to really focus on her words to begin with.
"Didn't you see her face Miroku when Kaede told her?" Sango looked over at him, waiting until he opened his eyes back up before continuing. "It was like her mother was right there again, telling her to be someone she's not. Telling her she's—," The woman searched for the right word. "Not good enough, that she needs to cover up who she really is inside. That she's not an individual at all just," Her voice cracked slightly as the pain of her own past drifted in her mind. "Some woman and a poor copy of a woman at that." She finished, her voice fading with her last word, dissipating like smoke in the air.
"But she's not." Miroku immediately countered. "The Captain said it himself, her and Kikyo are nothing alike."
Sango shook her head again, her eyes half closed with sadness. "That only makes it worse."
Miroku raised an eyebrow and blinked several times. "You've lost me." He told her bluntly as he leaned towards her on his elbow. "Isn't that telling her she's an individual, she's herself?"
Sango didn't respond, simply sighed before leaning towards the bedside table, one of her hands cupping the candle's flame before she gently blew, extinguishing the little light, casting the room in sudden darkness as she slid down into the sheets, turning on her side to look out the window instead of at her husband.
"Sango?" Miroku whispered softly as he brought one hand up to feel her out in the dark. He came in contract with her side almost immediately, bringing his fingers up to follow the curve, recognizing it to be her hip. "Why is it worse? I thought—Kagome would be happy that you know—she's not a copy. She's still an individual. You said it yourself, it must have been awful for her to realize that she gave up her life just to learn it was for nothing." He brought his hand higher searching for her shoulder to give it a slight squeeze. "I would think, it'd be a relief for her to hear the Captain's words." He finished as he stopped his hand squeezing gently, his eyes closed, concentrating.
"Miroku." Sango whispered back, her voice stern. "That's my breast."
Miroku smiled from his spot and squeezed again. "I know."
The woman sighed, too tired both mentally and physically to put up with Miroku's normal shenanigans. "That's not comforting."
"I was at least," He mumbled, a little disappointed that she hadn't even cracked a smile. "Hoping for a laugh."
"I don't much feel like laughing." Was her quiet reply, soft and melancholy yet stern and annoyed.
Miroku brought his hand away as her words pierced the air, placing it back on her hip before laying his head down next to hers, burying his nose in her hair for his own comfort. "Explain it to me Sango, why would it be worse?"
Sango didn't respond, her eyes staring out through the window, watching the moon as it rose, her heart reaching out for Kagome and her feelings. She had seen the look cross Kagome's face the second the younger girl had made the connection, at the time Sango hadn't understood but now, sitting here in the dark, staring at the waning moon she knew, she knew exactly what Kagome had already pieced together. Blinking back tears of pity Sango took a deep relaxing breath before turning her face to look at Miroku's, coming nose to nose with him. He was curled into her side, a common occurrence, his eyes closed as he waited for her reply. "Don't you think," She whispered softly. "It's odd that the Captain reacted that badly to the thought of Kikyo trying to forget him?"
"Yeah, a little." Miroku mumbled opening his eyes to look into her own, his often sharp mind completely missing what Sango was implying. "I think it's even odder how he reacted to that name on the compass—Sess—homa—whatever."
Sango nodded at him as her earlier train of thought was momentarily broken. "That was weird." She agreed and then half shrugged, or at least tried to from her current position on her side. "He said something about, an Inu no—,"
"Tashio?" Miroku finished guessing at the pronunciation of the last bit. "Hm, he said it was a title."
"I guess this Sess," Sango shortened the name to make it easier to say. "Has the title and the Captain doesn't think he deserves it."
"I think it's more than that Sango," Miroku interjected his expression one of complete concentration. "Inuyasha acted like he wanted to kill the man for even daring to use the title. I wonder if he knows him?"
"Sure sounded like it." Sango mumbled as her mind went back over the way the Captain had lost it, the way he had screamed and snarled all because of that name holding that title on that box. "Do you remember what he said, right after he dropped the box?"
"Hm?" Miroku hummed as his mind went back to that moment, taking in the look on the Captain's face right before he exploded. "Yeah, he called Sess a lying son of a bitch and then—," Miroku trailed off as his eyes grew wide.
"He said the Inu no Tashio was dead and that—," Sango looked into the dark room her eyes darting around to collect her thoughts. "That man, Sess-whatever—was disgracing his name."
Miroku and Sango both looked at each other as the thoughts ran through their minds. The Captain had screamed as if he was defending someone's honor, someone he had taken great pride in knowing, someone he was attached to. "Do you think," Miroku whispered as if afraid someone might overhear. "This Inu no Tashio and the Captain were close?"
Sango nodded blinking several times as the thought haunted her. "Sure seems like it. Isn't it odd though," She continued on, poising the question thoughtfully. "Why would the Captain protect some man with a title?" She pursed her lips tightly. "I mean his not one to care bout princes or kinds or kingdoms so why would he protect a titled man with such—vigor?"
"Or more importantly." Miroku continued where her question had left off. "How does he know him?"
"The Captain is an educated man." Sano stated bluntly as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "A man educated like a noble, the kind of a guy who has a title."
"Strange."
Sango gulped when he didn't continue to speak. "I think we're reading too much into this." She told Miroku bluntly as she tried to relax her tense muscles. "I mean they could be friends or the title could be like a pirate title.
Miroku shrugged noncommittally.
"I mean, we won't know unless we ask and I'm not gonna ask." She continued on this time causing Miroku to grimace at her words, there was no way he would ask either for fear of being on the receiving end of that rage. "He'll tell us when he's ready." She finished firmly, nodding her head sharply with conviction.
Miroku exhaled slowly, "He'll never be ready." He told her, his voice honest and sure as he thought back to the moment in the room when the ownership of the gemstone had been questioned. "He lied flat out to everyone to protect his secrets." Miroku glared into the dark. "If he's willing to do that then we'll never know who Sess or this Inu guy are." The young man sighed and closed his eyes for a moment to collect himself. "He doesn't talk about stuff like that," He told Sango bluntly. "It's not his way.
"That may be so." She nodded her head in agreement before yawning slightly. "But lately, his control's been slipping." She commented as her eyes started to drop closed, her mind forgetting the earlier conversation as sleep started to push at her eyelids.
"Maybe a little but that could ha—," Miroku started to speak but stopped when Sango sat bolt upright her eyes darting to him as if she had just remembered something important.
"You distracted me." She blamed as she knitted her eyebrows together angrily, her finger pointing at him accusingly.
Miroku smiled at her innocently bringing his hands up in front of him in a defensive gesture. "From what?"
"What we were talking about earlier with Kikyo and the Captain." She sighed exasperated, as she brought a hand to her face rubbing the bridge of her nose between two fingers. "What do you think about him acting that upset over her erasing his memories?"
Miroku nodded smirking slightly as he watched her grumble to herself incoherently. "I think he had every right to feel upset." Miroku told her as he reached forward and gently tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't be too happy if someone played with my memories either."
Sango nodded her head, accepting Miroku's words easily as she searched for the right way to bring up the subject she had wanted to present earlier. "How would you feel," Sango began speaking so quietly that he almost didn't hear her. "If I did that? If I tried to forget you, make you forget me?"
Miroku instantly pulled away from her, the shock from her words clearly visible to Sango despite the dark. "What?" He looked panicked as he grabbed her holding her at arm's length, his eyes frantically searching her face, frantically looking for any sign that she had meant the comment to be more than it really was. "I—you wouldn't do that right Sango? You love me!"
Sango smiled at him gently causing his panic to lesson as she reached for his cheek, touching it gingerly reassuringly. "No, I wouldn't because I love you." She told him strongly, firmly. "But based on your reaction, you would be angry if I did, you would heartbroken and hurt and confused." She soothed her fingers over his skin gently. "Why would you feel that way?"
"Because I love you and I would never want to forget—," It was then that a wave of realization hit Miroku, an understanding he was surprised he had not understood earlier. "The Captain, he—he reacted the way he did because he and Kikyo—." His voice trailed off, everything made total sense now, the Captain's strange behavior, his demon blood taking over, the pain in his eyes, it all added up.
"I think," Sango whispered to him in the dark, dropping her hand as she spoke. "They were together but Kikyo for whatever reason hid it from everyone and when she died, she hid it from him as well." Her voice sounded almost shaky and very un-Sango like. "He loved her, really loved her, that's the only reason he would act that way when he found out about it." She sniffled. "He loved her and she—threw it back in his face, hurt him horribly."
Miroku gulped loudly before looking at the teary eyed Sango. "You think, Kagome already figured it out." It was a statement, not a question.
Sango bit her lip but nodded anyway. "She's sharp." She admitted, "And even though she's only known him for a month, it's like, she's known him forever." Her voice was strained as she spoke. "Kagome just seems to know things about the Captain; I guess it's part of that reincarnation thing."
"Yeah." Miroku nodded, a slight feeling of jealousy worming into his heart. It had always been him who had the Captain's ear and vice versa, it was strange for someone else to be so in tuned to the man. It made him wonder, what else had he missed over the years? What other clues had the Captain given him that he hadn't been able to put together? And—why was Kagome figuring them all out so fast. He shook his head slightly, clearing the surreal thoughts away, his mind focusing back on the topic at hand. "So, Kagome knows?"
"I think she figured it out." Sango admitted with a slight nod. "I saw the look on her face when we were talking about her and Kikyo and reincarnation, and—the Captain's memories. She knows." She finished with a sad exhale.
Miroku nodded his head as he laid back down, his tense body easing as the conversation went oddly quiet for a moment as Sango gathered her thoughts.
"Miroku?" She whispered into the dark after some time, her voice timid almost.
"Yes?"
"Do you think the Captain is still attracted to her," Her voice was quiet in the hot night air. "Like he was back at Port Royal?"
Miroku didn't reply right away his mind slowly going over everything that had happened over the course of the past month. His father's far off looks, the way he smiled at the girl, the way he lost himself just looking at her as the wind whipped her short hair around her face, the way he protected her, the way he talked with her, laughed with her, watched her when he thought no one would notice. He had never once seen Inuyasha look at any woman like that, he had never heard him talk to any woman about anything, he had never stood by silently and watched as his Captain, his father, looked at somebody like they were singlehandedly the most important thing in the whole world. If he didn't know any better, he would have sworn it wasn't just attraction but something far greater.
"Miroku?" Sango whispered when he didn't respond right away, reaching out to touch his arm lightly.
He jumped slightly at the contact and shook his head, brushing the thoughts away with a sigh. "I think so." He told her honestly as he turned, his eyes studying her beautiful face in the dim moonlight. "Do you think Kagome is still attracted to him, just like she was back then?"
Sango let out a sound that ranged from somewhere between a sigh and a giggle. "Miroku," She said mockingly as she leaned towards him, bringing her face closer to his until his eyes crossed. "The girl is fascinated with him and she doesn't even know why yet."
Miroku chuckled as he leaned even closer to Sango, closing his eyes as his forehead came into contact with her own, a sweet and loving gesture between two lovers. "I think it'd be weird." He told her faintly as he pushed her down onto her back, bringing himself up above her, slowly shifting to where his weight was hovering over her frame, his knee slowly nudging her own knees apart.
"What's that?" She asked as she smiled in the dark, looking up at him with a dangerous gleam in her eye, a gleam he knew all too well.
"For Kagome to be my new mommy."
Sango broke into slight laughter, her hands coming up to grab his shirt, holding onto him as if she needed strength, her eyes closed and her cheeks flushing so bright that Miroku could actually see them as he looked down at her, taking her in. The way her mouth was opened, that red that highlighted her nose, the way she leaned her head back as she laughed exposing her slender delicious neck. He licked his lips.
"God, you just don't realize how sexy you are." He mumbled causing Sango's laughter to turn into a low chuckle of her own as she opened her eyes, the black irises twinkling as the moon shone in the room a little brighter as if it wanted to see her beauty as well.
"Am I?" She taunted, her smile growing on her face.
"If you don't believe me." Miroku mumbled as he lowered his face towards her neck, his lips playing against the soft flesh. "I'll just have to prove it to you."
Her only reply was a low and throaty moan.
-break-
Downstairs from Sango and Miroku's room, Kagome laid wide awake in the bed Kaede had offered her for the night, her eyes unable to close. The soft snoring of Shippo came from beside her, the small child easily able to fall asleep even after everything that had happened throughout the long day. She frowned at the small child as he laid strewn out on the bed jealousy for his easy sleep welling in her heart. "I wish I could sleep like that." She grumbled into the darkness and sighed turning awa from him to look at the ceiling. She closed her eyes, attempting to drift off but after several minutes found her eyes opening once again against her will. "Come on," She willed her body with her eyes still closed. "Just let me sleep, I'm tired and its been such a long day and I just," She closed her eyes as tight as she could. "I just want to sleep." She groaned but it was useless her mind wasn't going to shut off as easily as the little Shippo's. "It's not fair."
Groaning Kagome turned on her side, putting her back to the snoring Shippo so she could look out the window of the small bedroom. The window itself was opened, the curtains pulled back so a tiny amount of moonlight could enter the room, just enough so she could see the space she was to sleep within. It was simple to say the least, a small bed, big enough for one and a child, a nightstand where an extinguished candle sat, a chair in the corner where her and Shippo had placed their unneeded clothes in favor of sleeping in the dressing gowns Kaede had provided. After all, the soft cotton of a dressing gown was far more comfortable than the heavier clothes she was forced to wear at sea.
She huffed as she reached absently for the gemstone around her neck not even realizing she was touching it as her eyes traveled over the plain walls of the room, "Not on picture." She noted as she rolled the gem between her thumb and forefinger. "Its so weird to see such a sparse home when you grow up with one filled to the brim was paintings and tapestries." She frowned at the thought her mind going to her childhood home for just the briefest of moments. "Mama always made sure every wall had at least one thing on it." She felt sad for all of a second before she pushed the memory of that woman from her mind choosing to look at the uninteresting white paint. "Its peeling." She thought vaguely as she looked at the spots on the wall which were flaking and in need of repair. "Kaede must not have much money." Kagome mumbled to herself as she finally bit the bullet and set up in her bed, not even able to fathom the idea of attempting to sleep when her mind refused to turn off for the night.
She leaned against the headboard of the bed, which squeaked at the contact and adjusted her pillow to support her back as her eyes continued to look at the room around her. She could just see the rug that covered the wooden floor, it like everything else was in poor shape, unraveling at the seams.
The young girl frowned, "Even though Kaede owns her own business," She spoke out loud even though there was no one there to hear her. "She still doesn't have enough money to replace the most basic of things, poor woman." She muttered with a shake of her head as a bead of sweat made its way down her neck traveling all the way to the edge of her nightshirt before she brought her hand up to catch it irritated. "It's so much hotter here than the ship." She mumbled dryly before kicking the covers off in an attempt to make herself cooler.
She glanced at the window and sighed uncomfortably from the heat as she took in the old yellowed drapes as they moved with the breeze slightly; the hot breeze. At night in Port Royal it would almost get chilly sometimes from the breeze coming off of the Atlantic waters, thus leaving the window opened was more than enough to make it comfortable to sleep. The same could be said of the ship Shikuro: with the window opened the breeze coming off of the ocean's water would be reasonable and almost bearable but here, here it was simply stagnant.
"I hate humidity." She grumbled as more sweat trickled down her neck. Finally sick of it Kagome swung her feet to the side of the bed, dropping them down to the floor as she rolled her eyes annoyed with the heat. She walked across the floorboard quietly as not to make it squeak and awaken the little Shippo. Said boy didn't even move as she walked to the window, only continued to snore and grumble lightly, mumbling something to the affect of 'so hungry,' under his breath.
Coming to stand in front of the window, she reached her hand out just as she had a million times as a child, clutching the windowsill with firm and knowledgeable fingers. "That's odd." She thought as she glanced down at the wood. "It's smooth but," She tilted her head to the side as she tried to get a better look at the wood's surface. "Is it indented?" She questioned the thick air squinting at the sill trying to determine what the groves she felt were.
Moving her hands she focused her eyes (which were already adjusted to the nighttime light) and took in the plain indentations left by a hand, a hand that had touched this very wood so many times that it had worn a visible mark into the soft sill—just as she had done to her own sill back at home. Gently, she lowered herself to her knees wanting to see even closer her eyes widening with surprise as she took in the perfect little fingertips. Carefully, slowly, she brought her hand up, touching each one of her fingers one by one down into the grooves.
"They match." Kagome gulped, standing up completely taking her fingers away instantly as she turned and looked around the room, looking for any sign of whose room this was. It couldn't be Kaede's room, she was asleep in her room just down the hall. No, this was the very front room and from the looks of it, no one had used it in years except for one brief moment earlier this very night. "Kaede got the compass from this room." Kagome mumbled as she looked around, the thought slowly seeping into her. "The compass that belonged to her sister—," Her mind froze, her internal thoughts trailed off as she blinked rapidly, her mind attempting to wrap around the possibilities of that sentence. "This is Kikyo's room!" Her mind screamed as her eyes snapped to look at the sill, staring at those finger indentations that perfectly matched her own. "And those are Kikyo's marks." She concluded, the implications of such a thing disturbing her. "She did it too, she watched, she watched out the window, just like I watched out the window."
Panic hit her as thought after thought raced through her head making her head ache. Kikyo had looked out this window, the woman who had once had her soul, the woman that she apparently looked like, the woman that the Captain had loved, the woman the Captain had told her she was nothing like, the woman she wasn't supposed to have anything in common with. Apparently, that had been a lie.
"What if the Captain lied, what if we are alike?" Kagome whispered her hands worrying in front of her. "Then—it would be true, he—he—only likes me because I'm her copy." She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut, forcing herself to not believe the truth that was staring her in the face. "It's a lie!" She hissed under her breath, just barely controlling herself for Shippo's sake. "I'm me! I'm not just someone's replica, I'm unique, I'm an individual, I'm myself and no one else." She chanted but it seemed rather useless, even to her.
Her chin trembled as her heart ached and slowly, she slid to the ground onto her knees little tears pricking her eyes as she felt her individuality slip away from her once again, leaving her nothing more than a shadow on the floor, unnoticed, unwanted, and unneeded. A light breeze came through the window the curtains picking up and dancing slightly with it, gently fluttering until they barely touched Kagome's bent head. She blinked from the contact her eyes turning upwards to look in the direction of the soft fabric. The yellowing white cotton seemed to call to her, telling her to look, to look at it, to look beyond it. She narrowed her eyes as the breeze faded and the dancing fabric went limp, devoid of life.
"Strange—," She began to think but stopped when her eyes were drawn to the window itself and to the world that laid outside it. It was the worn out street street tired in the moonlight and lacking people, dead. Her eyes widened, "This window doesn't face the sea," She realized as she looked out at the town before her feeling confused. "When Kikyo stood here looking out," She questioned the dark. "What was she looking for if not the sea?" Kagome's words paused on her lips as another settle difference became known to her. "Kikyo didn't look for the sea—maybe she didn't long for it like me but if she didn't then why?" She touched the windowsill with just a fingertip. "Or better yet, what was she looking for?" She tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyebrows as her mouth opened slightly confused. "Wait—," She glanced at the indentations and lowered herself to them her eyes looking for something that should have been there but wasn't. "There's no dust." She realized, a great epiphany.
She lifted her head, her eyes looking at the window itself, there was no dust on the inside of the frame, this window had either been cleaned recently or had been left opened often. Dipping to her knees once again Kagome stared at the groves, knowing that if they hadn't been used in years then there would be some trace of dust stuck deep within them, buried in the wood even if it had been cleaned or the window had been left opened often to clear out the mustiness of an unused room. There was none. No, not even a little dust remained in those groves, those deep groves, groves that had to have been made over years and years.
"These marks, they're recent but—if they're recent then—," Kagome whispered to herself, her eyes going huge as the tired part of her mind reacted to that information irrationally. "Kikyo's a ghost that stands at this window!" It yelled at her causing Kagome to fall back on her bottom, creating a loud bang in the silent night.
She froze on the ground for a second before turning her head slowly to see if Shippo had awakened, the little boy hadn't even budged, his hands still spread out, the covers still kicked off, and his cute baby snores still sounding lightly into the air.
She sighed in relief before turning back to the window, her illogical brain backing down to make way for the part of her that knew her words were foolish. "It's not Kikyo." She told herself firmly. "Or some ghost, I'm her reincarnation so that means she can't have a ghost—at least I think that's how it should work." She nodded to herself firmly. "But if Kikyo didn't make these the who did?"
The knowledge hit her mind before she was even prepared for it. After all, there was only one other who lived in this house.
"Kaede?" The name slipped from her mouth like rain from a slanted roof. "Could she be the one standing here?" Her eyes looked down at the indentations in the wood, the fresh marks. "Are these marks from your hand?" She whispered as she reached down slowly placing her hand in the groove there. "But—why?" She wondered as she massaged the marks with her fingertips. "What were you looking for?" She gulped, "Better yet, who were you waiting for?"
"Shi't."
Kagome jumped as she heard a curse come from outside. Immediately, she dropped to her knees wanting to hide her face just in case there was somebody dangerous mulling about on the street. Carefully, she peeked her head up above the windowsill her eyes darting this way and that hastily looking for the person who made the sound.
"God 'amn it, not a bar in all 'da town open'd still."
The voice came again, her ears registering it to have come from her right. She turned her head quickly, keeping herself low so as not to be seen, only to instantly jump up to her feet when the figure came into view. She saw the silver hair first and then the puppy ears on his head, the red jacket slung over his shoulder, the white cotton shirt not tucked into his pants, his boots unlaced and his golden eyes pained, bloodshot, and unfocused as he looked around, his body slumping forward as if his head was too heavy to even hold up, it was obvious even to Kagome, he was drunk.
She winced as he tripped over his own two feet, falling slightly to the side catching himself on an old barrel. He stood their silently, holding himself up before he slumped to the ground, leaning his head against the barrel, his eyes half closed as if he was simply giving up, as if he was just going to fall asleep right there or better yet pass out right there. She watched as he brought a hand to his head, burying it in his hair, his eyes closing tightly warring off a headache it appeared. He bit his lip and then without preamble turned to his side looking green as if he was about to vomit.
Without a second thought, Kagome climbed up on the window sill knowing that she could easily jump down into the street from the first floor, she had done it before in a hoop skirt once when she was attempting to escape her mother and if she could do it in a hoop skirt and petticoat then she could certainly do it in a nightgown. Sure enough her bare feet landed on the wooden porch of the tavern seconds later as she moved without thought in the Captain's direction. Her mind not registering the clamminess of dirt caking onto her feet and between her toes or the fact that her nightgown was completely indecent to be seen outside—no—her mind didn't care, she didn't care, all that mattered was the man in front of her, the drunken man who had left them only a few hours ago in anger.
"Inuyasha," Her mind called to him, wanting to comfort him, wanting his pain to go away. She knew he was hurting as it was painfully obvious just by looking at his current condition and she knew, she knew at least part of what caused it. "Kikyo," The name was like a dagger to her heart but she ignored the pain. "She hurt you so much that you would drink yourself to death." She felt the tears prick at her eyes. "I just, I don't want you to hurt." She reached him easily, dropping to her knees in front of his hunched form without another thought. "Inuyasha." She whispered into the thick night air, her voice shaky yet strong as she moved her fingertips forward reaching to smooth his hair from his face wanting to see if he was still conscious, if he had in fact vomited, or if he had passed out drunk.
Her fingers never made it however, they were stopped midway by a strong hand grasping them, pulling them away, his head raising at the same time, his golden eyes lighting on her. His mouth slightly opened, those eyes dazed but sure, not confused in the least. "Kagome." He rasped out as he let go of her hand and allowed his own to make the same journey hers had tried to seconds before.
She gulped when the pads of his fingers connected with her cheek and she shuttered when his eyes changed, the honey gold warming as his lips formed a gentle smile.
"Kagome." He repeated, the word slurring on his tongue. "You're beau'iful."
She gasped and pulled away in shock, his words haunting her, causing her heart to pound in her chest. "Me?" She thought but desperately wanted to say it out loud as if she couldn't believe he had said she was beautiful, her Kagome, not Kikyo.
His eyes instantly changed from her action, narrowing confused, almost angry, misunderstanding her reaction. "Keh." He barely got the syllable out as he quickly turned away from her, the action causing his inebriated form to lose its balance, falling to the side.
Concerned, she reached out despite her pounding heart and caught him, attempting to stop the fall. He pushed her hands away righting himself easily, sneering at her, his face contorted into a look of both anger and old pain.
"You'ra—jus' 'ike her." He slurred as he squeezed his eyes shut sniffling as he braced himself with one hand on the ground while the other rubbed his eyes and face. "She—a—," He tried to speak but his words got caught in his throat as he groaned. "Ummm—she—didn't a—'ike it whn I's tou'ch'd her either." He looked at her, his eyes swirling with emotions, self hate, sorrow, anger, pain, even guilt. "Her and Nee-chan, they 'oth hat'd me."
"Nee-chan?" Kagome repeated the odd word her mind trying to wrap around the strange piece of language.
"Yeah." Inuyasha laughed, but there was no mirth in it. "They'a hat'd me." He told her as he sniffled before smiling sadly. "I lov'd 'em and they hat'd me." He laughed or sobbed, Kagome really couldn't tell, she only sat stunned as the strong, intimidating, and imposing force that was Inuyasha, the Captain of the ship the Shikuro, laughed hysterically, pain hidden in every breath he took.
"Inuyasha—," She whispered wanting him to stop, wanting that pain to go away, wanting him to feel better. She reached out her hand touching his arm with hesitant fingers.
He jumped at the contact but didn't pull away, his gold bloodshot eyes looking at her in shock, then looking down at her hand as if he couldn't believe she had touched him. Then suddenly, his eyes went soft, a look she had seen only a few times before, each time right before he had kissed her. Her heart began to pound in her chest as he reached for her with the hand she wasn't holding up and allowed it to cup her cheek.
"You don't care, do ya Ka—go—me?" He asked, his words becoming somewhat more sober as he sounded out each syllable of her name, slowly, drunkenly, sensually. "You wo'dn't care, you're different, 'ight?" He tilted his head to the side, his honey gold eyes pleading with her gently seeming to caress her with just their molten gold appearance, as he gave her a crocked boyish smile.
"Dead lord," Kagome thought as she looked into those perfect sensational eyes. "You're gorgeous, the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen."
"You," He continued on breaking up her thoughts. "Don't care who I am, what I am, do you?" He whispered into the air as his eyes looked over her landing on the gemstone that rested around her neck. "You 'ike this form," He continued as he reached for it but hesitated before he touched the little orb. "Not 'ike her und him, 'ight?" He stopped talking and drug his eyes away the gemstone as he dropped his hand back down realizing even in his drunken state that he could no longer touch it for fear of losing control once more.
Kagome followed his hand barely registering that he had stopped talking, her eyes looking on with rapt interest as he stopped himself from touching the gem that rightfully belonged to him. "Why didn't he touch it?" She wondered as she stared at his hunched form. "I just don't understand."
"Kagome." He whispered disturbed by her silence. "Ya can't even answur, can ya?" His voice was sad in the night air as his golden eyes began to dim.
It took her a moment to realize that he had stopped talking because he was waiting for her to actually answer. "Oh." She gulped, not knowing what to say, not knowing how to react to his drunken question. "I—," She tried but couldn't find the right response.
"Its this form, 'idn't it?" He spoke softly into the night as he brought a hand to his chest and grabbed a piece of hair that hung loose around his shoulders.
"What on earth is he talking about, a form?" She blinked several times watching as he messed with the little silver hairs absently. "Do I like this form, does he mean do I like demons?"
"It's funny." Inuyasha began to talk again, his voice cracking as he spoke. "Nee-chan, he want'd me ta be a demon." He told her softly as if he was telling a great secret, unwittingly and truthfully he was. "Kikyo—she hat'd the demon, she wished, you know 'hat I wasn't a demon, 'hat I—," He leaned closer to her, his face merely a inch away as his drunken gold eyes peered into her, looked at her as if he was reading her mind. "She want'd me to be a human."
"But," Kagome blinked rapidly even more confused. "That's impossible, you're a demon and demon's can't be humans."
Inuyasha laughed at her words, pulling away. "You're so naïve." He told her bluntly a silly grin lighting on his face, highlighting every young feature that rested there. "But 'hat's what I love 'bout you."
Her heart stopped in her chest at his words as she took in his closed eyed boyish smile. It was heartbreaking how sweet he looked with his head tilted to his side, his dog ears dropping on his head from the weight of alcohol in his stomach, that little fang peeking out from his lip. It was almost criminal the sensation that built inside of her just looking at him. He was singlehandedly the most stunning, mind blowing person she had ever in her life seen. A part of her just wanted to let go, to grab him, to kiss him, to do something so completely improper, undignified, that she would never be able to look her mother in the face again but another part of her knew better.
That part of her knew this was a fantasy, this was a lie, this was a drunk.
"You're drunk, Captain." She told him sadly, knowing that the drink was causing everything he had said to happen, knowing that he meant none of it.
"Tsst." He stuck his tongue out at her as he braced both hands on the ground and forced himself to stand, extending one hand out to her once he gained his balance. "I'm only a wee bit drunk." He told her with a smile, two of his fingers showing her how little alcohol he had consumed. He stuck his tongue out again and chuckled, his face breaking out into a giant drunk grin as he reached his hand for her, waiting for her to take it.
She looked at the claw appendage and swallowed hard, not knowing what to expect if she took it but at the same time wanting to find out. Carefully, she placed her hand into his much larger one and watched in amazement as he pulled her up to her feet with so much force that for a second she found herself floating in the air. She gasped as the world seemed to slow down as she floated above his head, that boyish look the cornerstone of his lips as his eyes sparkled up at her, just as they had before back at the Port of Spain as he calculated his age, just as they had back at Port Royal when they danced, just as they had in Havana after the tavern fight, just as they had when he gave her the violin, just as they had when he gave her that first lesson.
As if in slow motion she felt herself begin to fall back down as if gravity had finally kicked back in. The hand holding her own tightened as his other hand came to wrap around her waist, bringing her to him as he pulled her in close, his face burying into her neck, his nose nuzzling where he had marked her, the feeling causing a jolt of electricity to hit her the tingling going all the way down to her toes. She felt his lips brush against her neck, her heart beating so fast from the action that she thought it would burst from her chest. Finally, he pulled away from her, his smile so contagious that she couldn't help but smile back. Suddenly he laughed, his eyes shining with delight as he pulled her into a embrace once again, this time his nose going higher burying itself in her short hair. She heard the sound of his inhale and she felt the vibration of a contented whine in his chest.
"Flow'rs," He whispered in her ear. "Flow'rs and the 'ea." His hold tightened for a moment before he released her completely, his eyes focusing on her own. "I h'pe—," He told her. "I 'member this tomorraw." He chuckled. "But when I'm this drunk," He laughed his eyes closing as he attempted to gain control of his voice again. "I don't 'member nothing."
Kagome wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh with him or cry. Opting for a slight smile she reached for his shirt, tugging on it slightly. "Come on Inuyasha." She whispered as she turned and started walking back to the tavern. "Let's get inside. Miroku's been worried about you." She directed him gently, her heart cracking in her chest, not knowing what to make of anything that had just happened. "Kaede made you a bed, it'll be good for you to lay down and sleep this off."
She heard him sigh behind her but smiled when he began to follow her without resistance, making the short distance back to the tavern with her in silence. They reached the front door within moments both somehow knowing Kaede had left it unlocked.
-break-
Kagome awoke the next morning to the sun shining in her room, bright and happy, a stark contrast to the previous night. Sitting up in her bed she stretched absently, bringing her hands above her head trying to pop her stiff joints as they groaned, protesting the action heavily. Taking in a deep breath of the morning air she reached a hand to rub her eyes before yawning.
"Hot." She mumbled to herself as she pushed the light cotton sheet aside so she could climb from the confines of the too warm bed. Carefully her feet touched the ground and as they did a rather loud and irritated growl hit her ears. Fully awakened by the sound she stood to her feet completely; one of her hands blindly grabbing her jacket from the chair as she hurried around the bed to the door of her room.
Behind her she vaguely heard Shippo mumble in his sleep but ignored the baby talk as her hand met the handle of the door just as she managed to get one arm in her jacket sleeve. Pushing the door opened she froze, her other hand dangling in the air instead of fitting into the jacket, as the surprise of what she saw caught her off guard.
Sitting in the middle of the room was none other than the Captain, a hammer in one hand and his thumb of his other hand in his mouth. "This is all your fault old woman." He mumbled around the appendage in his mouth, glaring daggers at the old woman in question.
"My fault?" Kaede mumbled from her spot sitting at a table not too far away from where the Captain was working, a tea cup in front of her along with a kettle, sugar bowl and creamer. "You're the one who smashed the table." She told him bluntly as she sipped something from a beautiful tea cup. "And if I do recall, you were the one who offered to fix the table." She eyed him with her one good eye. "Or should I say, offered to attempt to fix it."
"I can fix a bloody table." The Captain grumbled as he ripped his thumb from his mouth reaching for a nail that was lying on the floor.
"Funny," Kaede reasoned as she set her cup down and lifted a hand to her chin in thought. "It doesn't look like fixing to me, more like destroying."
"There's a process." The Captain claimed as he set the broken leg of the table upright on the bottom of the rounded wood top, looking at it this way and that, trying to determine how he should nail it in.
"Why don't you just give me the money for the carpenter?" Kaede reasoned as she watched him, her face held in a grimace as if she was afraid he was going to hurt himself again.
"I will but this one's just missing a leg," The Captain spat in her direction as he tried to figure out how to hold the leg while also holding a nail and a hammer. "It should be easy enough to fix and then I won't have to pay for four tables, just three."
Kaede shrugged and took another sip from her cup. "I doubt the price will be all that different."
"It's the principle of the matter." The Captain grumbled as he finally got the leg in position to hammer in the nail.
"I thought it was the principle of hurting yourself doing something you have no business doing." She spoke calmly as she reached for the sugar electing to put some more in her drink.
Inuyasha growled lowering the hammer before turning to look at her, his eyes flaming with anger. "Maybe it's the principle of shutting the fuck up before I break another table."
"Oh yes, destroy things, that's the answer." She replied nonchalantly as she stirred the sugar into her tea, scraping the spoon against the cup to dry it off before placing it back down on the table.
Inuyasha dropped the hammer and the nail, clutching his fist as he stood quickly to his feet, his mouth drawn in a thin line, anger radiating off of him like flames come off of a fire. "Why you old bat—," He ground out his teeth gritted.
Kaede ignored him, reaching for her tea to take a sip her eyes landing on Kagome as if she had known the girl was there all along. "Why good morning Kagome child." She said brightly, her lips as well as her eye lighting in a gentle smile. "Would you care for some tea?"
Kagome opened her mouth to respond but was stopped by the irritated snort of the Captain.
"So you're just gonna ignore me huh?" He ground out as he stomped towards the door. "Fine! I'll go find a bloody carpenter." With that he once again left the room, slamming the door behind him violently.
Kaede chuckled from her spot at the table, her eyes amused as she watched him through the window huffing away. "He was always such a rash boy." She told Kagome thoughtfully as she patted the chair next to her, motioning the girl to take a seat. "I mean, he doesn't know where a carpenter is in this city." She smiled and shook her head. "He'll be back in fifteen minutes, empty handed and huffy."
Kagome couldn't help but giggle at the old woman as she took a seat next to her reaching for an empty cup and the kettle. "How long have you known him?"
"Since I was a little girl," Kaede replied the smile still on her face as she offered Kagome milk and sugar. "I must have been about seven the first time I saw him."
"Wow, you really were a little girl." Kagome agreed as she took in the old woman's appearance trying to access how old she was now. "How did you meet?"
Kaede smirked as she took a sip of her tea, the earlier memory causing her to chuckle. "Oh, my sister introduced us." She decided that was the safest way to tell Kagome she had walked in on the two of them having sex.
"Kikyo." Kagome acknowledged the name, as she stirred her own sugar into her tea. "She must have been an—interesting person."
"She was." Kaede told her as she slowly sat her tea cup down on the little white saucer that set on the table, her old wrinkled hands fingering the cup for only a second before they pulled away, moving to rest in her lap, fiddling with the edges of her shirt. "She was a kind woman, she had a sweet nature but was a bit idealistic." She took a deep breath. "She thought the world should run one way and one way alone and when it didn't she grew angry."
"Forgive me." Kagome said as she bit her lip. "But that sounds a bit—a."
"Asinine? Absurd? Or how about downright stupid." Kaede filled in for her as she took a deep breath letting it out slowly. "That was just Kikyo, she was a bit foolish when it came to the way things are, or better yet were."
Kagome nodded her head, listening to Kaede it almost sounded like the old woman didn't like her sister and yet yesterday, she had acted so different, acting as if her sister had been the greatest most important person in the world.
As if hearing her thoughts Kaede began to speak again. "I loved her." The old woman whispered. "Even if I didn't agree with her, I loved her dearly and I miss her but—," She paused for just a second as her old eye grew soft with memories. "What is done is done and there's nothing we can do to change that."
Kagome bit her lip as those words permeated the air causing a question to stir within her, "What is done is done but how did it finish?" She gulped. "How did Kikyo die?" For some reason Kagome knew Kaede wasn't the one to ask.
"I slept so well."
Kagome and Kaede's conversation ended with the sound of Sango's voice on the stairs.
"Good morning." Kagome called to the older woman as her feet left the last step and she crossed the room, coming over to the table sluggishly, Miroku falling behind her his eyes looking at the room as if expecting someone.
"Where's the Captain?" He asked without preamble, an action that caused Kagome to smile despite herself.
"He went to find a carpenter." Kaede informed as she stood from her chair, her old body and the chair both creaking from the action as she moved towards the bar slowly, retrieving two more cups for Sango and Miroku. "He'll be back soon, so don't fret."
Miroku nodded and took a seat at the table. "I wonder when he got in last night."
"Who knows?" Sango replied as she reached for the kettle, taking a cup from Kaede gratefully, her steady well rested hands pouring herself morning tea easily.
Kagome blushed lightly at the words, as she forced herself to look at her own tea cup, focusing on the dark liquid within in.
"I left the door unlocked for him." Kaede told them as she reached for the sugar bowl pulling it towards her. "Knowing that uncouth demon he probably came in through a window."
Before she could stop herself Kagome defended the Captain. "He used the door."
Kaede, Sango, and Miroku froze, before they all collectively (as if the simultaneous action had been premeditated) turned to look at the youngest person in the room. Kagome smiled faintly in return, her eyes darting this way and that trying desperately not to make eye contact with anyone.
"Do you have something you'd like to share, Kagome?" Sango prodded as she scooted her chair closer to the younger girl, abandoning her cup of tea in favor of interrogation.
"No—not a thing—I just meant I um—," She stalled trying to think of anything she could use to get herself out of this one. "I—I heard the door open last night, that's all." She laughed as she came up with the quick and horrible explanation, it was an awkward sound.
Sango smiled leaning closer to the younger girl, her eyes gleaming like a cat that had just found a moose. "Now now Kagome, tell Auntie Sango the truth." The girl pressed as she smiled her eyes lighting up even more at the prospect of what had happened.
Miroku leaned in closer to his wide giving Kagome the same interrogators smile. "Yeah, Miss Kagome, do tell."
Kagome leaned backwards in her chair, sweat starting to trickle down the side of her face, sweat that wasn't caused by the heat. "That's the truth, honest."
Sango gave her a look that clearly said she wasn't convinced but before she could question any further the door to the tavern swung opened, or more or less slammed opened once again.
"Otou-san!" Miroku abandoned the Kagome examination in favor of quickly standing to his feet, moving over to the man who was standing in the door looking just as irritated as he had when he left.
"We're leaving." He said bluntly as Miroku came to stand in front of him.
"But—?" Sango complained as she too forgot all about Kagome.
"We need to get back to the ship." Inuyasha growled lightly not in the mood to deal with any excuses. "I don't know how long Myoga can watch it without someone complaining and taking over."
"The ship will be fine for an hour." Kaede mumbled calmly from her place at the table. All four younger adults turned towards the old woman, seemingly having forgotten she was there. "Stay, eat breakfast. It's your first visit in fifty years, having breakfast won't kill you."
Inuyasha's eyes seemed to go soft at the sound of Kaede's voice but only for a second before the irritated mask went straight back on. "Fine, only because I'm hungry." He muttered as he closed the door to the tavern, this time with a lot less force. Grabbing Miroku he pulled the younger man back to the table calmly sitting down as he let go of his son, allowing the boy to sit on his own.
"I'll go wake up Shippo." Kagome mumbled dazed for the hasty change in pace.
"That won't be necessary." The Captain informed as he crossed his arms over his chest. Sure enough the sound of the bedroom door opening brought everyone's eyes to the small sleepy boy who was currently making his way to the table. Inuyasha rolled his eyes when the child stopped in the middle of the room looking as if he had fallen asleep on his feet. "Worse than Miroku." He grumbled but there was no bite in his tone as he stood hastily, grabbing the child by the collar before depositing him in Kagome's lap.
The word, "Hungry," was the sleepy Shippo's only coherent response.
"What's for breakfast old woman?" Inuyasha mumbled, arms crossed over his chest as everyone watched him, taking in his strange yet seemingly normal foul mood.
Kaede only smiled as if this was the most excitement she had had in years. "Whatever you like."
"I don't care as long as it's food."
-break-
"As with all good things, they must eventually come to an end."
Those were the words Kaede's sister had spoken right before she died, an ironic kind of death bed statement but fitting to Kaede even now as she watched Inuyasha once again walk out her front door. The last time she had been eight, this time she was fifty-eight.
The old woman smiled sadly as she made her way to the room she had lent Kagome for the night. Her old hand's touching the handle gently before bringing it downward and letting the door open. Instantly she felt a wave, a rush, as if she was suddenly younger, as if this room was suddenly lived in, as if the person who had always claimed it were not in fact dead.
"Sister." She whispered, hoping for a response but just like every time she opened the door, no voice came.
With a heavy breath Kaede opened her eye and allowed it to travel the now once again vacant room, taking in the sight of the place that housed so many memories. Even after fifty years it looked the same, the same bed, the same curtains, the same shelves, the same peeling paint.
It was all the same just as he was the same. He looked the same, tall, handsome, a firm chin, piercing honest eyes. He looked exactly the same as he had the first time she had ever seen him as a demon, a half demon. She closed her eye at the thought, the memory hitting her like a ton of bricks falling to the ground.
She could just see the woman trying to stop the demon that was drunk in their bar. Why she hadn't used her miko powers to stop the demon Kaede had never know. It dind't matter anyway because before Kikyo could have even thought to retaliate in anyway, the demons claws had been inside her.
"Ah!"
She could still hear her sister's voice screaming as the splintering pain of having her body ripped apart ran through her. She could feel of blood on her face as it splattered throughout the bar everything coming to a halt as demon's looked on amazed that the beautiful barmaid of Cumming's Tavern had been gutted before their very eyes. "He didn't stand a chance." Kaede thought as she shook her head the image of those demons setting upon their brother and ripping him to shreds met her young mind. They had torn him apart, desecrated him until there was nothing left.
She remembered screaming when the shock wore off but it was too late her sister was already dead, she was already alone at the age of thirteen, tiny and insignificant in the world: Fatherless and motherless.
"Kaede, what happened?"
She remembered his gruff voice sounding just behind her and a gentle hand resting on her head. "He arrived right after they buried her." She vaguely registered her hand clutching at her side in the same way it had then.
"Kaede, talk to me please?"
She remembered the sound of his voice was pained and quiet. Thinking back on it now he had almost sounded like his heart was breaking. She remembered clutching the memento at her side, her sister had asked not to be buried with it and had told her to give it back to its true owner for reasons at the time she had not known.
"She's gone."
Kaede remembered standing before the grave as the man came to stand behind him, his form towering over her own and casting a shadow as she told him the truth barely believing it as she spoke.
"But—she was just here."
He had sounded so sure that she had thought to turn and look at him. The first thing she saw was his eyes in the daylight that shinned so beautiful molten gold shimmering as the sun reflected off of him. They had been beautiful those eyes, then that face, then that hair, then those ears and without anyone having to tell her she had known, known that the man was Inuyasha, the same man who slept with her sister but had dark hair, dark eyes, and normal human ears.
"Inuyasha!"
She remembered crying out his name and throwing her arms around his stomach as she cried into his chest. She didn't recall having seen his face at the time but she was sure if she had it would have been completely shocked.
"He didn't think I'd recognize him, he thought I would question his changed appearance after having seen him as a human for so long." Kaede mumbled as she stepped further into the room, her memory of the demon attack that had taken her sister leaving her. "Maybe I didn't question it because I was so blinded with grief," She whispered as she stepped up to the window sill, her hands falling into fifty year old groves as if they were custom gloves. "Or—," She allowed her voice to fade as a soft smile joined her lips. "It was because I knew that the true Inuyasha was not the man I saw on the outside." Her one eye caught a glimpse of him as he walked down the street, Kagome at his side, Miroku and Sango trailing behind, Shippo on Sango's shoulder. "But—was instead the one I saw when I looked into those honey eyes."
She felt the tears form in her eye, she felt them drip, overflowing as she watched him disappear around a corner, knowing this was probably the last time she would ever see him again. He was departing after all, departing on a journey that could possibly take him all over the world. It was momentous that moment, that realization, that knowledge that something big was about to happen, something big surrounding the man she knew and the girl she had once known. It was huge and yet, it was small.
Kaede smiled faintly her eye trained on the place he had turned the corner. "Just remember Inuyasha," She told the air. "Whether Gold or Black, you're still the same man." She turned away from the window, her words haunting, a premonition that clung in the hot humid air.
End of Chapter
Please Review
Edited for Content 7/31/2012 and 8/1/2012
Congrats to Tjam for being reviewer 700!
Bonus Point:
What's Inuyasha's (and my own) favorite type of Alcohol? Hint: The answer is in Havana and Captain Morgan can help you get there. (Don't worry I am more than legal enough to drink ^_~)
Last Chapter's Bonus Point:
Well, well, boys and girls some of you guys are very well educated. (Gets in Professor Mode) The answer to last week's Bonus Question is Japan! Nihon is the Japanese word for Japan. It consists of two words actually Ni which means Sun (Hints the Japanese flag is a rising sun) and Hon which means Beginnings. Congrats to everyone who got it!
SweetHunniiBunnii, Nice Stories, pApAw, Purple Dragon Ranger, I am Green, HeavenlyEclipse, LittleMargarita, Neko-hanyou05, NurNur, Evey, Tjam, AriaLuvsInu, InuKag4eva, 3lue 3utterfly, Chibi Emi-chan, SilverStarWing, Warm-Amber92, Pidgey104, glon morski, Gun toten Girly
Fun Fact:
A lot of countries call themselves something different than what American's or English Speakers call them. For instance, Germany (my homeland) is known as Deutschland to its people, Austria is known as Österreich and Egypt is known as Masr. If you know any other's I'd love to hear 'em!
Next Chapter:
The Red Arrow
See you then!
UNEDITTED
POSTED 7/20/2011