Home at Last
Hitomi let out a slight groan as her consciousness starts to returns. The first thing being aware of that her body was in pain. She didn't know how long she had been out, but the pain was invading her mind more and more as her conscious recovered. Unable to ignore the pain Hitomi's eyes flutter open. The first thing she notice is that she in room, and carefully tucked into a futon that was in the center of the room. Second was that there was a window that displayed the night sky, and letting in a nice cool breeze. Hitomi not sure how she got here digs through her head for some sort of answer.
It then hit her that she had been captured by that drunk from the tavern. The memory of him torturing her still fresh in her mind cause her to shutter. However, what she was more worried about was if she had lost control of her yokai power. Did she go on a killing spree, and was captured? Hitomi's body shivers again at the thought, and the haunting memory of what happened at the headman's manor plays in her mind. The sound of the door opening breaks her out of her trance. As a girl with long raven colored hair enters the room. Hitomi recognizing her as the one she had ran into earlier in the day.
"Ah your awake I'm so glad. I was worried you were in some deep trouble due to your injuries," spoke the girl letting a sigh of relieve leave her lips.
"Are you the one that brought me here?" asked Hitomi trying to sit up. Before letting out a hiss as her wounds still sting badly.
"Whoa don't try to move. You're a lot more roughed up then you understand!" shouted the girl rushing over to Hitomi side to gently help her sit up.
"Who are you..? Are you someone sent by the city guard to detain me?" Questioned Hitomi with a weary stare. Things would be complicated if this was the case. Sure this girl looked easy enough to get by. However, if she had to fight armed soldiers she would be in a pinch.
"Um don't be so scared… I don't intend to hurt you. I actually owe my life to you," Stammered the girl looking at Hitomi with pleading eyes.
"I'm sorry… I'm just a bit confused about this situation," responded Htiomi but more importantly she wondered. What did the raven hair girl mean by she owed her life to her.
"You would be. You've been out since my sister, and I brought you here. Oh sorry I should probably introduce myself. My name Kaori it a pleasure to meet you," said Kaori with a big smile on her face.
"My name is Hitomi… Pleasure to meet you Kaori-san," replied Hitomi feeling a bit more relaxed, but not to the point she just drop her guard completely.
Hitomi simply watches Kaori who's gone silent after the introductions. Kaori who is convinced that Hitomi is the child of their parent's old friends has many questions. However, her sister had told her to hold off on them until her return. This though couldn't hide her excitement and curiosity which Hitomi could clearly see on her face. In a way it made Hitomi a bit nervous as it was the same awkwardness she had felt when she first met Koga. Kaori not sure what to talk about is panicking inside her head. She wanted to get her questions answered, but until her sister came back she couldn't ask even one.
"Um you said you owed me your life. What do you mean?" asked Hitomi snapping Kaori out of her own panicking fit.
"I would be glad to tell you, but could you wait a bit on that until my sister comes back?" questioned back Kaori who just receives a curious look from Hitomi.
"You have a sister?" asked Hitomi getting a simple nod from Kaori. Who goes on to tell her that the two were twins, and that her sister Kaoru was out at the moment.
"I see you're awake. I'm glad to see you're okay but you should be laying down not sitting up," spoke Kaoru as she entered the room. Closing the sliding door behind her.
"Kaoru your back! Thank god I was starting to panic about what to talk with Tsukiko about!" whined Kaori as she hugs her sister. Who was now wearing a pink Kosode, and green Mo-bakama which was the same as their mother's in design. Kaori soon wince back in pain as her sister deliver a swift karate chop to her forehead.
"Owww! What was that for Kaoru!?" whined Kaori not understanding why her sister just hit her.
"That was for the slip of tongue stupid," replied Kaoru now looking at Htiomi. Who is now looking at the two with an intense stare, and probably has lots of questions to ask.
"My sister has probably already told you my name, but regardless my name is Kaoru. I'm also sure by that look on your face you have questions for us. I have some for you too, but first things first," said Kaoru fishing inside her robe to pull out the Tessagia sheath which shocks Hitomi.
"That mine! Please return it to me!" shouted Hitomi in a panic only now having thought about its fate since the whole ordeal today. Now in a frantic state of mind. Hitomi tries to get up on her feet in order to retrieve her only clue about her parents
"Whoa easy there or you'll make your wounds worse," said Kaori wanting to go over to try and calm her down. However, she was a bit reluctant. Since Hitomi may attack her in her frantic state of mind.
"Calm down. I have no intentions of keeping it. The fact of the matter is seeing how much a panic you're in confirms some things for me. I'll gladly give it back so no need to worry," explained Kaoru in a calm voice never taking her eyes off Hitomi. Seeing that she was not lying. Hitomi simply nods her head
"Thank you for understanding. First off I like to know your name, but judging by your reaction to what my sister said when I arrived. You seem to have some connection to the name Tsukiko," said Kaoru causing Hitomi to wonder just who these two were, and if they knew something about her parents.
"My name is Hitomi… The Name Tsukiko… I think it's the real name that my parents gave me… The name Hitomi was given to me by the priest who raised me," answered Hitomi with the twins nodding their head in unison
"You mean you don't know anything about your parents?" asked Kaori getting a simple nod from Hitomi.
"All I know is that Oji-san… Found me as an infant on his journey, and that I had that sheath with me. It the only clue I have about my parents, but recently I learned a few more things," answered Hitomi in a meek voice.
"What do you mean by that?" questioned Kaoru now thinking that Kaori's theory about this girl being Inuyasha, and Kagome sole child to be true.
"I recently ran into two Yokai that seem to know my parents. The first one I believe his name was Sesshomaru told me to go to Kaede's village to learn about that sheath-," explained Hitomi but is soon cut off
"Eh!? You ran into Sesshomaru!? Why in the world didn't he bring you to the village himself!?" shouted Kaori being completely baffled by this. Sure she had known the Dai-Yokai to be a bit aloof, but she couldn't understand him leaving his own niece to travel there alone.
"Why are you so surprised? Do you know him?" asked Hitomi a bit confused about Kaori's shock of Sesshomaru not taking her to the village.
"He's Inuyasha older brother, and your uncle!" cried Kaori before getting smacked on the forehead by her twin sister.
"Stop it you moron! We don't want to overload her with too much information!" scolded Kaoru who see a look of disbelieve on Htiomi's face.
"That Dai-yokai is Inyuasha… My father's brother?" whispered Hitomi not knowing how to process this newfound information.
"Try to ignore that for now Hitomi-chan. You said you met another yokai that knows your parents," said Kaoru trying to get the conversation back on track.
"Yes his name is Koga. He was the one that told me a lot about Inuyasha and Kagome-san," answered Hitomi another shocked look crossing Kaori's face.
"Ok Sesshomaru I sort of get but Koga! I can't believe he isn't with you right now. I mean from what dad and mom said he was head over-heels in love with Kagome-san," spoke Kaori who was now at a complete lost for words.
"He said he had something to investigate before we parted ways," replied Hitomi with Kaoru nodding her head. While Kaori was still lost in her own thoughts.
"You two seem to know my parents… Were you two friends with them?" asked Hitomi in an unsure voice. This cause Kaoru to wonder what she's so unsure about.
"Yes we were a partially raised by them. Since our parents were very close friends with them. I assume Koga then told you that Inuyasha and Kagome are dead," said Kaoru with Hitomi simply nodding her head.
"Yes that what I was told by Koga. They were killed by Kuroisou and his gang," replied Hitomi clenching her fist a bit in bitter anger. However, her mention of Kuroisou catches Kaoru's attention.
"Who is this Kuroisou you mentioned? Can you elaborate on that," asked Karou with Hitomi nodding her head, but showing nothing but bitterness on her face.
Hitomi explain everything from the beginning. How she lived her day to day life back at the village. How all of it ended on the night Oji-san was killed by Kuroisou and his companion. She explains it all to the twins. How she was blamed for her Oji-san's death, the massacre at the headman's manor when she lost control of her yoki powers, her enslavement by Issac, and it ending when Sesshomaru defeated him. The twins sit there listening to her recount of all this for a good two hours. Both not being able to express their feelings about everything the girl had went through. Kaori though soon just goes over to Hitomi and locks her in a tight embrace.
"You poor girl you been through so much… It unbelievable that you survived all these happenings, but I'm so glad you did," said Kaori with Hitomi not sure what to think or feel.
"It certainly is an unbelievable story, but like my sister I'm equally grateful as well. I pretty positive now you are indeed Inuyasha and Kagome daughter. You having the Tessaiga sheath is proof enough. Still if this Kuroisou guy's goons were behind the attack on the village twelve years ago. What were they trying to do," pondered Kaoru scratching her chin a bit.
"He said it was for the completion of The Shikon no Tama," replied Hitomi getting shocked gasps from the twins as if she said something wrong
"The Shikon no Tama!? Are you positive about that!?" shouted Kaoru in earnest as if their very lives depended on this.
"Yes that what he said… But he said it's incomplete since they need a pure soul to balance out the negative energy in it. I don't know what that mean or what this jewel is but he killed Oji-san and my parent for it," replied Hitomi in low voice.
"This is bad Karou! This is super bad right!? We need to get her back to mom and dad on the double to let them know," said Kaori in a panic as her sister orders her to calm down. Even though she herself isn't doing too well holding her composure.
"I don't get what going on, but sounds like this jewel is something really bad," spoke Hitomi at an utter lost at why the two were in such a panicked state of mind.
"It is indeed very worrisome. It very existence bring nothing but pain and misery. I can't explain it to you. Kaede-san and our parents would be better for this. I know it a bit much to ask since you're injured, but we need to get you to the village soon as possible. So I was thinking we should leave tomorrow morning," explained Kaoru as she wanted to get this info to her parents as quickly as possible. If what Hitomi said was true then she could possibly be attacked again.
"I'm fine with leaving tomorrow. I'll try not to hold you guys back. Seems this jewel is really something terrible," answered Hitomi now wondering just what this Shikon no Tam is, and why it only brings pain and misery.
"Thanks for understanding with that said let turn in for tonight. I wish our meeting was under better circumstance. So we could wait for you to recover, and chat a bit more. However, time is of the essence, and if this Kuroisou guy is as dangerous as you've described. He going to do everything in his power to make your life a living hell," said Kaoru as she walks over to Hitomi and hands her the Tessaiga sheath.
"Kaoru right Tsukiko-chan. The sooner we get you to the village the better. You'll be a lot safer under the protection of our parents and uncle," added Kaori wanting to get her back to the village just as quickly as her sister.
The three chat just a bit more, and have a light dinner before going to bed. Htiomi though couldn't sleep. All the events of that day just kept playing over and over in her head. She still couldn't believe she had found two girls from Kaede's village, and didn't know how to view this. The two were quite friendly and genuinely concerned about her. Despite the fact that they knew very little about her at all. She couldn't help but worry that it was just cause of their parents' connection with her own. Thus it was the only reason they were bothering with her at all. While it was better than any treatment she's received from other humans. She couldn't help but feel a bit sad that it was the only reason. Letting out another sigh Hitomi looks at the Tessagia sheath as her thoughts drift again to the parents she don't know. She constantly wondered how her life would be with them around. Koga and the twins had said she looked like a flawless image of her mother. Did that also mean her personality was similar to her mother?
"You're still awake Tsukiko-chan?" came Kaori's voice causing Hitomi to look to her left at the older girl.
"Yea my mind just wondering that all," replied Hitomi not sure what else to really say at the moment.
"I guess everything that's happened today is finally catching up to you huh," replied Kaori as she goes over to sit next to Hitomi.
"True but that's not what really bothering me. It just… I've always wanted to know about my parents from as far back as I can remember. Now that I am finding answers to that desire. I'm a little scared to find out the full truth about them, and everything surrounding my abandonment," said Hitomi with Kaori seeing the worry, hurt, and denial all in Hitomi's mismatched eyes.
"Koga already told me there a good possibility that my parents are dead, and after what you guys have said. Along with what I have found out from that bastard Kuroisou. When I imagine that all being the truth. I just feel so angry and afraid at the same time… Angry at the Shadow Lords for killing them, and afraid cause I now know that there no place for me anywhere in the world," finished Hitomi before she suddenly caught in a tight embrace by Kaori.
"Don't ever say such a thing as there no place for you Tsukiko-chan! I know that we can't bring your parents back, but you do have a place! Your place is with me, my sister and brother, our parents, and everyone else in the village! You may not understand but your parents and you were really special to all of us. So you do have a place in this world. Besides you are here right here and now when we all thought you were dead. If you survived that attack from twelve years ago then it possible Inuyasha and Kagome survived too," explained Kaori tightening her hold on Hitomi.
"What I'm trying to say is don't lose hope. If you don't believe they are alive then who will?" finished Kaori as she feels Hitomi return her hug.
"Thank you… Thank you so much Kaori-san… I was being stupid and your right. If I don't believe in them then I can't call myself their child… At first I thought you guys only cared about me. Since our parents were close friends. I feel so stupid and ashamed of myself," said Hitomi as tears comes to her eyes.
"It ok Tsukikio-chan you don't have to apologize. After hearing about your childhood, and all the bad stuff that happened to you before we met. It's a wonder you can find it in yourself to trust anyone. I might be a bit pushy and annoying, but I want us to be great friends. So let's do just that and be best friends Tsukiko-chan," said Kaori flashing Hitomi a bright smile that touched her very soul.
Hitomi was at a loss for words. One of the things she wanted most in life was right in front of her. A friend… Someone she could talk to about her worry, share the good and bad times with, someone who was willing to understand her, and want to be around her. All this was being offered to her by Kaori who just continued to smile at her. A smile that was genuine real. Hitomi soon couldn't contain herself and buried her face in Kaori's shoulder crying from the depths of her soul.
Kaori just rubs the girl's back as she lets out all her pent up emotions. Hitomi may not know it but Kaori was just as happy as her. As she had been wanting to be best friends with Hitomi ever since she was born. She had thought that chance was loss twelve years ago, but know she was so happy and grateful for the chance that it brought tears to her own eyes. After a few minutes Hitomi settles down. Looking at Kaori once more she gives her own smile. A smile that show just how truly happy she was at that moment. A happiness that she thought she never experience in her life.
"Thank you Kaori-san I really grateful that I can't find words to describe my feelings," said Hitomi with Kaori ruffling Hitomi's long onyx color hair.
"It alright Tsukiko-chan you deserve some happiness for once. Just change the san on my name to chan. After all we're friends now so there no need to be formal," replied Kaori with Hitomi nodding her head.
The two soon decide to get some sleep for the night. Since they would be heading back home first thing in the morning. The concept of having a home full of people that cared about her was so shocking to Hitomi. All she ever had was her Ojii-san, but now there as whole village full of people that cared about her waiting for her. These were the last thoughts running through Hitomi's head before slipping off to sleep.
Kaoru turns her head to face Hitomi who was sleeping to the left of her. A smile appears on Kaoru face as she was happy not only for Hitomi, but for her sister as well. She of all people knew how much Kaori wanted to be friends with Hitomi. Thus, when they had thought she was dead it had crushed her sister's heart. Whatever god that had brought the three of them together. She was eternally grateful and happy to see that her sister could fulfil her wish. However, moreover Kaoru now more than ever wanted to better herself, and become stronger. So that she would be ready to face the dangers ahead of them. Kaoru was ready to do everything in her power to protect her sister, and Hitomi. So that their friendship would be just as long lasting as her mother's friendship was with Kagome.