Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha and co. I don't own any of the songs that I put into the story, except on cd's. But I do own Shiori, Miyu-Guardian-mother to Shiori & Koshin Hakogami-snow youkai from modern Japan-father to Shiori, Kil Kai-another snow demon from feudal times & Aisu-female snow demon from feudal times, they are all mine.
AN: " " is speaking, ' ' is thought
AN: The She that I am referring to in this is the Goddess, I thought that I would put 'she' in italics & capitalize, instead of writing 'Goddess' all the time.
And thanks to those that read & review, especially to Lady-Crymsyn I don't want to give away the plot just yet, but I think that you will get a bit of an idea of what will happen to sweet Rin after reading this chapter. Karla thanks for the encouragement & I'm glad you like my story, I want to see this little baby to the end & hope you like it to. Miss.N.I. thanks & yes it is a challenge with a toddler & an infant, & thank you for being understanding. Nordic-Nymph here is the next chappie, enjoy. Thanks again to those who read my humble story & enjoy it. Hope I keep you all interested in this story. The reviews mean a lot. Enjoy!
Now on with the show.
Glossary:
youkai-demon
inu-youkai-dog demon
ningen-human
ookami-wolf demon
osuwari-sit
aisu-ice
Chapter 22: A Word with a Goddess
Saying that Kagome and Shiori were stunned was a gross understatement. They were silent for a few heartbeats, staring at the Goddess. It was Shiori that broke the silence, "But, how? And why was she not found before now?"
She sighed and got more comfortable on the couch. "It had to do with the death of her parents. They were killed by bandits when Rin was very young, before her mother was able to tell her what she was or how to find the others like her. Just before she died, her mother was able to bind Rin's powers so she would not be hunted by demons." She looked up at Shiori, "She's like you, Little One, and she will be great. But you have to bring her to me or she will lose control and hurt those around her. You know what it feels like to lose control," She said gently, showing sympathy for the young woman and the scared child she had been.
"Yes, I do, my lady," Shiori answered, "It won't be easy you know. Lord Sesshomaru won't like his ward being taken from him and I don't know how I'll be able to convince him. He may not even believe me."
"He won't argue with you much, because I know that the child wants to be like you," She countered. "He denies her nothing. In a way, he sees her like a daughter. And, I think he would be very intrigued. I will need him, too."
"Why do you need him, my lady?" Kagome asked, "He's powerful granted, but he prefers to work alone. I've never seen him working with anyone."
"He will to defeat Naraku, or that is what he thinks he will doing."
"What would he really be doing," Shiori inquired, suspicious.
"Sesshomaru, along with the rest of your group, will fight, but the death of Naraku will be the sole job of the Guardian destined to destroy him and the Hell's Gate Jewel. It is the only way to be rid of both forever."
"Why can't we help destroy Naraku and the Hell's Gate Jewel? It won't be easy for just one person," Kagome asked, wondering.
"First, Kagome, you will have to get the shards from him and complete the Shikon no Tama. That will take a great deal of your power to heal and purify the jewel. And second, the one that battles him, will die. It's that simple. It will be a suicide mission," She said softly, trying to lessen the sting.
"When will we meet the one who will battle Naraku?" Shiori inquired, hoping and feeling the truth, that it couldn't be little Rin. Rin was too young and untrained.
"Soon, shortly after you arrive at my palace, in the mountains," She answered just before taking a sip of tea. "You, Little One, will under go more training once you arrive. This will help you put an even finer edge on the deadly skill you have." She turned to Kagome, "You will train with Shiori, I want you ready for the battle and the hard training of a Guardian will do just that. Other than that, there's not a whole lot I'm allowed to tell you. Just be ready, it won't be much longer now."
"Yes, my lady. We will be ready," Kagome declared. "We won't let you down."
"It's not me that I'm worried about, child, it's you and your friends," the Goddess said softly. "Just train hard, and let the One take care of Naraku. The One will have a hard battle ahead and will need you and your friends."
"We understand," Kagome nodded her head, feeling sorry for the one lone Guardian who has to face Naraku alone. Before Kagome could think of anything else to add, her aunt had picked up a duffel bag that had been laying next to her chair.
"Here, Shiori, we thought that you might need these," Miyu handed the bag over to her oldest with a smile.
Shiori recognized the duffel as being the one she kept her weapons in. She took the bag with a small smile on her face. "Gee, Mom, you always knew the right gifts to give for the right occasion."
"Laugh all you want, smarty pants, but I know you'll need your things. Now, why don't you two go get a hot shower and come down for dinner. Then, I want you two to go to bed early and get some rest," Miyu said, standing up to shoo the girls upstairs. "And, I don't want to hear any arguments, my sister agrees with me one hundred percent. So, hustle."
"Dinner will be ready by the time you're finished with your showers. Shiori, there are towels in the hall closet by the upstairs bathroom. And, Kagome, you have clean towels in your bathroom," Kagome's mother said, before heading back into the kitchen, followed by her sister. This left Koshin, Ji-chan, and the Goddess in the den.
"Tell me straight, my lady, who is the one that has to go up against this monster?" Koshin asked, quietly so only those in the room could hear.
She sighed, "You know the answer to that one, Koshin, or else you would not have fear in your heart. I can not tell you exactly what will happen, only that there will be great loss and pain."
"Do they know," Ji-chan asked, looking upstairs, as if he knew exactly where his two granddaughters were in the house.
"No, not yet. But they will find out and they will have some tough decisions to make. I just hope they have the strength to make them," She said the last softly, as if in prayer. She knows what will happen and what can happen, and still She worried for her 'children.' She wants to protect them from what is to come, but knows She can't or else risk the whole of the world for two special young women. 'It is so hard to remember that the world depended on what two of my 'children' decide. A decision that could end in their deaths,' She thought to herself.
"I wish I could go with them," Koshin muttered.
"But, you can't," Ji-chan admonished, "We can't interfere anymore than we already do or we could be altering history in a very bad way."
"I know that, old man," Koshin replied, softly with affection for his father-in-law, "but, I feel so helpless. That's one of my babies going to fight this monster, I can't help but feel that I should be there to protect her. I want to tell her not to go and have her stay here, where she would be safe. I know she's a grown woman, a powerful Guardian, demon and a skilled warrior, but she's still my baby girl. I can still remember holding her in my arms the day she was born." Koshin was silent, praying that his daughter would return to him, despite the dread he feels in his heart, telling him that she may not come home this time.
"I understand your feelings, Koshin," Ji-chan offered, placing a hand on his son-in-law's shoulder. "But, you have to let her go and risk it all to save the world. I had to come to terms with that a long time ago, and I still shake with fear in my heart everytime your wife, my baby girl, went out to fulfill her role as Guardian. It never gets easier. And you have more to worry about, because she is not your only Guardian child. I thank the Goddess that I had only one to worry about. Kagome's mother was a healer, not a warrior, a lot less to worry about."
Koshin looked at his father-in-law and smiled, sharing a moment of silent understanding between two fathers of very special children. "So true, old man, so true."
"You did a fine job raising her, Koshin, she will handle whatever is thrown her way with honor, and bravery," the Goddess added, "I speak as a goddess, but as a confident mother who knows her children. They will both be strong and they are not alone."
Koshin and Ji-chan looked at the Goddess and nodded their heads, silently, still praying for the safe return of the girls. Then Koshin looked the Goddess, "Can you tell me more about this Ice Prince that you have picked out for my little girl?"
She smiled, "Yes, he is a noble lord of the Western Lands, what is now most of Tokyo. He is from the great Inu clan. His father was called the Great Inu Taisho."
"I have heard of him, truly powerful youkai, and very noble," Koshin commented, a bit surprised by the Goddess's choice.
"He is a bit on the frigid side. He hides himself, let's no one get close. But, when he gives his loyality and protection, he gives it one hundred percent. He sees feelings as a weakness, but he does feel. He, as his name suggests, is a perfect killing machine, just not control by blood lust. The human villages on his land are lucky."
"But, why him for Shiori? So far all that you have told me, he would only be good as a battle ally rather than a mate," Koshin wondered, waiting for Her reply.
"You know how strong willed your daughter is, Koshin," She answered with a warm smile. "She is already in love with him or I should say, who is going to become. She is fighting it, just as he is fighting his feelings for her. She needs someone strong, someone to stand beside her, to love her, challenge her. Just as another 'daughter' of mine needed in a mate. Don't worry, I have made a good decision in him, Koshin, he is the one for her."
"I would feel better if I could meet the young man," Koshin griped, crossing his arms over his chest, showing his irritation.
The Goddess laughed softly, "Young Man! He's older than you are by three centuries. Now, I must go," The Goddess said softly, standing up, "Don't let Shiori know about your suspicions regarding the One. She must meet the One without anything clouding her heart. She will have a hard enough time as it is."
"I will keep quiet about that, my lady," Koshin bowed his head. He looked up and asked, "Has she met any of our family, our ancestors?"
"Yes," the Goddess answered with another warm smile, "Your father is trying to win her affections. He hasn't found out who she is, yet. And, a certain Inu youkai is none too happy with Lord Kil Kai. None too happy at all."
"What a crazy way to meet your ancestors," Ji-chan joked.
"What about my mother?"
"She will meet her soon and if I'm not mistaken, Shiori will help her get your father's attention," She smiled. "Goodbye for now, I will let you know what happens as things move forward." With that, the Goddess was gone and Ji-chan and Koshin were left alone with their thoughts.
The two fathers just sighed, each lost in their own thoughts.
Meanwhile the girls were upstairs getting cleaned up and comfortable. Shiori walked into Kagome's room, wrapped in a towel to get her bag and a change of clothes. She could hear Kagome still in the shower, singing. Shiori smiled and shook her head. She quickly dressed and heard the shower being shut off. A few minutes later, Kagome came out in a thick robe with her hair in a towel.
"I was wondering if I would ever get a chance to use your hair dryer before midnight tonight," teased Shiori as she walked into Kagome's bathroom.
"Ha ha ha, very funny. I enjoy my showers, thank you very much."
"So I noticed," Shiori laughed, then heard a wet towel hit the bathroom door.
The girls came down the stairs, dressed in their jammies and ready for dinner. They found everyone at the table in the kitchen.
"Good, now you girls eat up and then it's off to bed," Kagome's mother said, handing the girls their dishes.
"But, Mom, it's only around 8 pm. Isn't that a little too early," Kagome asked.
"It may be, but I figured you two would be heading back tomorrow and I want you two to get plenty of rest," her mom admonished gently. "Now, no arguments, eat your dinner."
Koshin smiled at his daughter and asked, "I heard that you have met your grandfather."
Shiori smiled and rolled her eyes. "Yes, well it was an accident. He seems to find me interesting. I haven't told him exactly who I am yet, but if I can find grandmother, maybe I won't have to. I hope."
"I'm sure that will be the case," Miyu said gently, smiling. "So what is he like?"
"Who, grandfather?"
"No, this Lord Sesshomaru," Miyu asked, interested in the demon that the Goddess felt was worthy of her baby.
"Oh, he's about as loving as an icicle. And, he's arrogent, rude, self centered," Shiori began her rant, but was cut off by Kagome.
"And you find him attractive," Kagome teased, watching her cousin narrow her eyes at her.
"Okay, so he's good looking, but he's still a jerk. And besides, why don't you tell them about his brother?"
"Oh, Mom knows about Inu Yasha," Kagome said, trying to end the conversation before it starts.
But her mother wouldn't let her, "He's very sweet, a little rough around the edges, but you can tell he likes our little Kagome."
"Mother!"
"Oh, honey, I'm not blind. I see how he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching and I know you have feelings for him."
"Yes, but he's still mourning over his first love. I'm nothing like her, but he sees her when he looks at me," Kagome frowned.
"I happen to know that it's you he sees now," Shiori admitted, watching her cousin's head snap up, hope filling her eyes, then fading.
"I doubt that, Shiori. I'll never just be Kagome to him, only Kikyou's reincarnation."
"No, you're not just a reincarnation, but I think you'll have to hear it from him, since you won't believe me." Shiori added, then went back to eating, leaving her cousin speechless and hoping.
"Well, if he can't see you for you then he's not worth your time, dear," Miyu said with a soft smile, "Because, you are a very caring and brave young woman. Don't you settle for less, dear. You deserve all of his attention or he's just blind."
Kagome let a small smile grace her face at the confidence of her family and how they feel that she is very important. It always felt good being surrounded by her family and feeling the love they have for each other. She stopped eating to watch her mother, brother, grandfather, aunt and uncle talking, joking and teasing each other. She always felt complete here.
Shiori was also enjoying the feeling of being home. No matter what was going on, what she had to do to keep the rest of Japan and the world safe, it was always a comfort to be home. 'This is worth fighting for,' she thought, 'This warmth that people can feel being surrounded by family.' She turned and saw the smile on her cousin's face, feeling the same joy.
AN: And again, I'm so sorry that it has taken so long for me to update. I hope you like this chapter. LOL I hope this chapter is enjoyed by my loyal readers. How do you guys like it so far? Please read & review. Or I won't write any more! just kidding, please review.
I would like to thank my wonderful editor, ninjawarrior4life, my bro. glad you like it.
And thanks to everyone who has been reading this story from the beginning when I first started posting it. And to those who read and like it.
THX to all my readers.
