A month later, Kikyo came back home after a night she'd always remember.
Ever since that first time they talked, and opened up a little bit to each other, they'd been getting closer and closer. Without Tsubaki's and Onigumo's frank glares and Tsubaki's disapproving frown, Kikyo felt much more carefree. Although the museum had burned down, Kikyo and the jewel, along with a few other security personnel, had been transferred to a different museum. And everyday, InuYasha showed up.
After they'd talked, InuYasha had refrained from trying to steal the jewel, and had resumed gazing at it wistfully. Kikyo had noticed this, and everyday after she completed work she'd drag him out of the building, and walk around the city with him. It was good for both of them to be out of the museum, and they both thrived in each others company. Over the month she'd found out the answers to her questions about his family.
"Kikyo, you remind me of my mother." InuYasha's shoulder length hair was being pulled gently by the wind, and his golden eyes were fastened to hers. Kikyo tucked a strand of her own windblown hair behind her ear and smiled. "How is that?" She asked softly, reluctant to bring back any unpleasant memories he had. InuYasha turned away and glanced at his feet before answering her. "You sorta look alike, but that's not really it. It's how you're so kind. My mom took care of me when dad died. Even though no matter where we turned we were looked down upon and thrown out. You see, I'm the son of Izayoi and InuTaisho. The son of the most famous people who ever broke the rules, that society has deemed unfit and has decided to pretend does not exist."
Kikyo stared at him, and realized it was true. InuTaisho, like she had noticed before, shared the same coloring as InuYasha, and he had the exact distinctive smirk and facial features of Izayoi. So many nights, Kikyo had curled up with her parents, watching the talented actress fill the silver screen with her charm. Although only 4, Kikyo had loved those nights, and ever since had associated Izayoi with the happy times before her parents died. To think, InuYasha was the son she'd heard rumors about.
It was a year after the actress had disappeared, and after all the movies and shows starring her had stopped being aired. They said she'd married a gang leader, InuTaisho. He'd died, and the rumor running was that before he'd died she'd given birth to their child. Izayoi hadn't been bothered by the press, since the whole thing was a scandal society just wasn't interested in. Izayoi's shocked fans, who had loved her for the kind and gentle person she was, just couldn't believe she would get involved with someone like InuTaisho.
InuTaisho. Now he was the type to fit in to the bad boy category. He was the leader of a gang, previously married to a fellow crimelord named Kimi. They divorced, and he met Izayoi. Within a month, they were conspiring to elope. They did, and managed to keep it a secret from the press. The couple didn't want Izayoi to get in trouble with the police after marrying such a well known crimelord, and InuTaisho's enemies could come knocking at their door any day.
One day, an enemy had. Ryuukossei, another powerful kingpin, had discovered InuTaisho's weakness. The two had fought to the death, InuTaisho protecting his wife and unborn son. Ryuukossei was killed by InuTaisho, but not without delivering a fatal blow. Izayoi had driven him to the hospital under his protests, while experiencing labor pains. Both had collapsed in the emergency room, and were treated. InuTaisho, knowing he was past help, waved off the syringes and bandages, and had limped down the halls to his wife's room. Struggling to stay alive, he was able to see his son before collapsing into a pool of blood. Izayoi had then been left alone with InuYasha to support, and had succeeded in not starving to death. The actress, while being rejected by society and hunted by the police, managed to care for her son until she died 8 years ago.
"InuYasha..." Kikyo said, still at a loss for words. "Your- you can't be, but you, your the one- the child?" No longer at a loss for words, they came pouring out before she could stop them. InuYasha only looked at her, amused. "It's okay Kikyo. You're a little older then me, so I know you'd have more memories of all the rumors that were circulating. I only remember being rejected and ignored. But from what my mother said, the press had quite a fit about their relationship."
Kikyo nodded again, shocked by his understanding. And those next few weeks, he'd been more then understanding. InuYasha knew all about Kaede, though he had yet to meet her, and InuYasha knew about her parents death.
Kikyo squeezed her eyes, not wanting to go down that road again. The gunshots, the mess of blood and brain, her and Kaede hugging each other close, to scared by the sight of their parents to even touch them.
"Mom! Mom! Where are we going for ice cream?" Kaede's excited voice from behind Kikyo called. Mom turned to look back at her, and the sun glanced off her dangling earrings. Mom's brown eyes were filled with joy, before they turned to horror. She tugged on Papa's arm, and he turned around. A man, face hidden by a mask, was following them, gun in hand. Kikyo saw the desperation in the hard line of his mouth, and the unshaking hand holding the firearm. Six life-changing shots rang out, and her parents fell to the ground. Kaede screamed and ran over to Papa, before recoiling in fright. The three holes in his head and his wide eyes were imprinted in their memory forever, and they embraced each other while trying to wake up from the nightmare.
Kikyo blinked, and lifted a hand to her cheek. Sure enough, a few tears had escaped. And like when she told InuYasha, she started weeping. LIfe sure wasn't fair. But then, InuYasha, like her, was an orphan. And he too wasn't well off, was lonely, and had a great burden to bear. She couldn't even imagine he stress he had to put up with, knowing that at any second his own brother could come to kill him.
"If you absolutely have to know his name, it's Sesshomaru. He looks exactly like dad, but he's got tattoos like his mom, to show off his lineage." InuYasha practically spat out the answer to her question, his voice underlined with frustration and hatred. "But I still don't understand, why would he want to kill his own brother?" Kikyo asked, and Inuyasha turned to her with a bitter smile and biting laugh. "First off, the reason why he hates me is that we're related. 'Coz of my mom being one of 'societie's elite', he thinks I'm a prestigious snob. Ha! He needs to take a good look in the mirror. Anyway, so apparently my blood is tainted, and must be destroyed before I ruin the bloodline. At least, that's what he says. For all I know, he's just jealous that dad sent him to boarding school once he met mom. Or he could be out for revenge 'coz of his mom, but I thought they weren't close. He might even wanna kill me just 'cos he doesn't want me coming to him for help. Like I'd do that! But you never know with this guy, he's not completely there. Has this guy following him around now, bald and always fretting about something. Does whatever Sesshomaru tells him to do though, even tried to kill me for Sesshomaru a few times. Keh! Like I'd be killed by Jaken!"
InuYasha explained his brother to Kikyo, and she tried to understand. InuYasha was pretty nonchalant most of the time, but he genuinely seemed distressed by his brother's hatred. From what he had said on several occasions, Kikyo gathered that Sesshomaru was a powerful crimelord, following in the footsteps of his parents. InuYasha had every reason to be distressed, with an influential man like that hunting him down. Which was one of the reasons why he wanted the jewel. InuYasha had told her that his goal was to become just as powerful as his brother, and to head up an organization of his own. When neither society nor the criminals had accepted him, InuYasha had resolved to make them. He didn't care a bit about his bloodline, and didn't see why others should. When he had the jewel, he'd sell it and use the money to finally show everyone his strength. InuYasha was a survivor, and he wuld take whatever life threw at him. Kikyo had no doubt that he would reach his goal, but still, if only he didn't want to turn to a life of crime.
But, why couldn't he fit in with society? If he left the country, hardly anyone would even know about his parents if he told them their names and proffessions. Instead of using the jewel to become a crimelord, and resort to a life filled with murder, theft, and drugs, InuYasha could use the money to start over, and do whatever he wanted, without his heritage hindering him. And even though it involved the theft of the item she was protecting with her life, Kikyo found herself approving of this plan.
And that night, to her surprise, she proposed her idea. To add to her astonishment, InuYasha agreed.
"InuYasha." Kikyo said. "I've been thinking. Is it so important that you become a criminal? Couldn't you just, I don't know... leave? Start over? InuYasha. I will help you steal the jewel if we use it to run away. From it all. We can go to Australia, or America... Kaede would love America. InuYasha, please. Help me steal the jewel, run away with me." InuYasha glanced up at her face, no doubt beaming and blushing. "Ki-Kikyo, I-I... Yes."