Author's Note: Well, hope you all had a Happy New Year! Best wishes in the new 2009!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha...
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Chapter 5: My Son and My Duties
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Have you ever had that feeling where you felt like you got hit by a huge boulder and left speechless? How about that feeling where you wanted to scream and shout but nothing came out? You wanted to run and punch something but you couldn't move? It's called… shock. Or at least, the pleasant word would be it.
Standing in the grace of the full moon, staring up at the man with the golden eyes, the girl didn't know what to do. She wanted to strike him. She wanted to push his arms that blocked her escape and run away, fleeing the denial that he gave her. She wanted to scream in his face and make him cringe in pain. But she could do nothing but stare at him, her eyes wide with shock, and her body frozen in disbelief. There were too many thoughts flying through mind and too many decisions that she had to make. But one thing was for certain. 'I'm… I'm a… mother?' No. It wasn't possible. Her child died. Her child died the night it was born from her Brothers and there was nothing that she could have done. There was nothing that she could have done.
Kagome suddenly felt a huge weight of pain strike her heart and she flinched back from Inuyasha. Her face changed to pain as she cringed. "No…" Inuyasha looked down at Kagome, his eyes searching her own as she stared down at the ground. Kagome's eyes darted back and forth on the ground as he could see the beginning of tears in her eyes. Inuyasha wanted to hold her, but he didn't want to lose his prison on her. Knowing Kagome, she might want to run from this. He wouldn't let her. Now that he got it out, he would go all the way with it and make Kagome know that Kazuki was hers, theirs. Inuyasha sighed and tried to counsel her.
"Don't," Kagome said, placing one hand up as Inuyasha began to talk. She knew what he was going to say. He was going to try and reason with her, tell her that what he said was the truth. He was going to tell her lies. More and more lies. But she couldn't take anymore. Her heart was already broken, too many times, and right now her heart wasn't in the condition to take any more beatings. She needed space and she needed to leave this place. Now. "I don't wanna hear it." Kagome turned so that she faced the shrine stairs, her eyes yearning for the release of this all.
Inuyasha saw where Kagome was looking and knew what was running through her mind. His body was still on fire from the passion that they had just shared and he wasn't in the mood to fight with Kagome right now. "Kagome… just come inside the house and I'll explain everything to you." He watched as Kagome looked at him with a smirk and a dead look in her eyes. Like she wasn't listening to him.
"I'm not going in the house with you. I don't wanna be anywhere near you right now." Kagome turned towards Inuyasha and glared at him. "Let me go," she demanded.
Inuyasha sighed, feeling already terrible for telling Kagome this now and also keeping her hostage. "No." He couldn't let her leave after all of this and he wouldn't because Kazuki needed to know as well.
"Inuyasha… please." Kagome frowned, feeling trapped and she didn't like it. "I don't want to hurt you." Inuyasha's eyes flashed and his nostrils flared, but Kagome didn't back down. She would use her powers against him if she had to. She wanted out of this, out of this corner that he trapped her in and out of this heartbreak that he gave her.
Inuyasha became even more furious that Kagome would say such a thing to him. Without thinking, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand and pulled her with him towards the house. Kagome fought him and tried to get released from his strong grasp but to no avail. The two got closer to Kira, who held Kazuki on her waist, his head against her shoulder, and Kagome's eyes suddenly darted to Kazuki. Her mind began to play tricks on her but she was trying to find reasons behind Inuyasha's actions and why he would say such a thing at such a time. Kagome looked over Kazuki's hair and dog ears, already noticeable that he got that from Inuyasha. But where were the traits that he got from her? Kagome definitely didn't see a connection, but Kazuki reminded her so much of her sister at times. The tenderness in his golden eyes and the smile when he was so happy was what showed her how much Kikyo was in him. Kazuki couldn't be hers.
Kira feared that her daughter would hurt Inuyasha as he pulled Kagome towards the house. But as the two passed her, Kagome averted her eyes to the ground and gave up fighting. Kira's eyes widened. 'She gave up!' She was surprised that Kagome would give up the fight when it was so clear that she wanted to escape all of this. But maybe Kagome finally believed. Kira kept her frown as she followed the two, knowing that her daughter would be emotionally distraught after all of this. And Kazuki would be in the middle of this.
Once in the house, it remained silent no longer. The atmosphere was deadly and dark as Kagome sat on the couch. Kira sat on the recliner with Kazuki on her lap, silent and small as if he knew that he wasn't supposed to talk or he was supposed to seem invisible right now. Inuyasha paced back and forth in front of the television and fireplace, his hair glowing with an orange fire, igniting his eyes even further. There was so much turmoil in Inuyasha's eyes that his aura flared with it.
On the couch, deep in her thoughts, Kagome remained quiet but still shocked and desperate. She still was in disbelief that Inuyasha had told her that Kazuki was hers. But now that she thinks about it, reasons behind his actions began to make her think of the past to try and solve this problem. Her child had died. There was no denying that her Brothers had taken her child from her right when the child came out and she was denied sight of the baby. Nor did she get a gender or anything. Kagome felt a pang of sorrow, but she quickly hid that emotion away, burying it back deep within her thoughts with the memory of her child's death. Kagome continued to search her memory to find a reason as to how or why her child could still be alive. There was no way that the child had lived. Unless… But it makes no sense for her Brothers to have lied to her. And her mother to have lied to her. But then again, she never really saw her child get killed, so who's to say that it did? Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, now desperate for him to explain to her what was going on. He continued to pace, his hands swinging at his sides through his attempt to calm down.
Inuyasha knew that he had to explain to Kagome about all of this but he didn't know where to start. Now that he had opened his mouth about it, he had to continue telling Kagome. But he didn't know where to begin. He didn't even know if Kazuki was ready for this, or if Kagome was ready for this, or if he was ready for this. 'What the hell am I talking about?' Of course they were ready for this. He wanted to tell Kagome. She had given him a son. Inuyasha finally stopped his pacing, a flood of love entering his state of mind, as he looked at Kagome sitting on the couch. Her hands were folded on her lap and her mask was on. She was the High Priestess now, all etiquette as she blocked her feelings to the world. But he loved Kagome whether or not she was a miko or just a regular human. And she had given him a son. 'Yes… Kagome.' Inuyasha smiled as he looked at Kagome, meeting eye contact with her beautiful, chestnut orbs. 'You gave me a son… Kazuki.' He was now ready to tell Kagome, and he would tell her.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome said, noticing the way he looked at her. He seemed pleased and happy about something, but she couldn't figure out what it was. "What's going on?" She had no more words, no other things to ask him that could express what she was feeling. So much questions and denials ran through her mind that she was getting a headache. Kagome gazed at Inuyasha, wishing that he would just tell her what all of this was about.
Inuyasha caught the desperate look in Kagome's eyes and suddenly began to start talking about everything. "Kagome… after you died…" Inuyasha pressed his lips together, the pain still there after years of burying it. "The Five Monks had come to the battlefield. At first, we thought that they were there to give us more trouble. But they had something for us." Kagome watched Inuyasha with wonder and confusion. Her Brothers had gone to the battlefield after she died? Why wasn't she told about this plan?
Feeling her heartbeat speeding up, Kagome tried to remain as still as she could while listening to Inuyasha's story. Her mind was desperately trying to clear up.
With a small smile, Inuyasha walked closer to Kagome slowly. "The monks had brought a child wrapped in a white blanket. The child was ours, Kagome." Inuyasha's pleading eyes gazed at Kagome as he went to his knees in front of her. He could see her confusion and denial, and Inuyasha only wanted to comfort her through this time. He knew it was going to be hard for Kagome to believe him after she was forced to believe her child would die. After all these years, Kagome was lied to. Inuyasha bent his head down to hide the anger in his eyes for a second and then looked back up at Kagome. Her eyes looked down at him with so much confusion that Inuyasha felt like his chest was being squeezed. He reached out for Kagome's hands and placed one of his on hers, right on her lap.
"The child was wrapped in a white blanket and your miko hakama. There was no denying it. I could smell your scent all over the baby. But what I didn't understand was why your scent was all over the baby." Inuyasha looked to the side, his eyes scrunched in confusion as he relived that day. "The monks had said that after the child was born, they took the child away. They were instructed by Priestess Midoriko to hide the baby from you and make you believe that they would kill the child," he said, looking back to see that shock was written on Kagome's face. Her mouth was open and she began breathe in small gulps now. "So they hid the child from you," he said slowly so that Kagome would understand. Inuyasha waited a few seconds, the tension in the room starting to change from anger to more confusion.
Kagome looked down at Inuyasha and knew what he was saying but couldn't believe it. 'So… Kazuki really is my… child?' Her Brothers had lied to her. Her mother had lied to her. Everyone had lied to her. Kagome felt more sorrow and pain now that she listened to Inuyasha to what had happened after she died. Her Brothers knew what her mother was planning and they planned to keep her child alive when she was told that her child would die. That brought on a sense of anger and she would definitely have a talk with her Brothers. Especially her mother. Tonight. Yes, tonight she would talk to all of them.
"The monks said that if the child had lived, and you would have known, then you would not have wanted to fulfill your prophecy," Inuyasha said, his voice leaking with sarcasm at the end. Kagome scrunched up her face in confusion as she listened. "They said that the Fates knew if the child was to live, you would have wanted to live as well… for our child." Kagome's eyes widened in disbelief, but she understood why the Fates would have wanted that because she would have done exactly that. 'So… Kazuki is mine?'
It made sense. The Fates wanted her to fulfill her prophecy and if her child had been born and left in the world without a mother, she definitely would have gone down screaming and fighting. She knew that she would have tried her best to stay alive for her child. Kagome looked at Inuyasha pleadingly, as if asking him to give her child.
Inuyasha smiled tenderly at Kagome, seeing in her eyes that the truth was settling in. And acceptance. He brought his hands to her thighs. "I named him Kazuki on the battlefield."
Kagome nodded her head with a smile, her eyes going to Kazuki for a moment as she caught sight of his beautiful, golden orbs staring at her from her mother's lap. "The first of a new generation…"
Inuyasha nodded his head with a smile, glad that Kagome knew the meaning though he had no doubt that she wouldn't. "I thought it would be a fitting name."
With so much joy in her eyes, Kagome smiled down at Inuyasha and placed one hand on his cheek. Inuyasha smiled, a little surprised at first, but then loving how she openly expressed her feelings with him. The warmth of Inuyasha's cheek flowed through her hand and Kagome felt numb with joy and shock. "It's a wonderful name and it's very beautiful," she complimented. Inuyasha beamed and rubbed his hands on the thighs of her pants.
"Kagome…" he didn't know what else to say but he knew that he had to try and tell her what happened after the war. But that was the hardest. It would be harder to tell Kagome that he and Kikyo were together and were happy together. Until she came. Inuyasha looked away from Kagome's eyes and turned his head, her palm slipping from his cheek. He couldn't look into her eyes and tell her that he is with Kikyo.
"After you left… I knew that I wouldn't be able to take care of Kazuki by myself. Kikyo offered to help me. She slept over ever since the war ended to help me with Kazuki. And… things started happening." Kagome nodded her head, looking over Inuyasha's head at the flaming fire. She knew that he needed to get this off his chest, but she didn't want to hear how he and her sister got together. It was already obvious how much they loved each other. But if he wanted to tell her, then she would listen to him. It seemed like Inuyasha was also pained by telling her, so she could do nothing but let him talk about what happened. "Kikyo and I began feeling things for each other. After a while, we began to date and then we realized that what we felt was more than just friendship for each other. And after all that we've been through together…" Inuyasha's voice cracked and he kept his eyes avoided, "I knew that we were connecting on a deeper level. Kikyo then got pregnant and I asked her to marry me." There, he said it. Inuyasha felt relieved on one level but he regretted telling Kagome how he has moved on with her own sister. It has happened before, but this time he had truly made love with Kikyo and planned to live his life with her. They are even having a child now. This wasn't how it happened back in high school, and for some reason, Inuyasha wished that it was high school again when the problems were simpler.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome said tenderly, watching as his ears twitched but his head remained turned from her. She sighed. "Inuyasha… I know that what you and my sister have is something special." Inuyasha flinched. 'She likes the fact that I'm with Kikyo.' He didn't know what to say now. Kagome was happy that he was with Kikyo. But why?
"Kikyo's happy." Kagome smiled, smiling down at Inuyasha though he refused to look at her, and she knew why. She was probably hurting him for saying this, after what they had just shared outside. Hell, she was hurting herself. "I can see how happy she is, now… with you, and I don't want to ruin any of the hard work and happiness that you guys have made over these last three years together." Kagome placed her palms on Inuyasha's hands still relaxed on her thighs. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him, though she knew that he would have wanted her to feel anything else besides that. After knowing him for so long, she knew his weaknesses and his strengths. Kagome sighed and gazed over at Kazuki, who was still looking at the both of them on his grandmother's lap. He seemed acutely aware of what was happening, as his eyes showed his attention and confusion, but he was also very quiet and patient. Kagome smiled lovingly at him, her heart filling with pride at the sight of her… son.
"I came back for you," she said, her eyes going back to Inuyasha. This caught his attention and he turned his head to gaze up into her eyes, the two locking in a battle of confusion and understanding. "But when I saw what you and my sister have… what gives me the right to come back into your lives and just expect you to drop everything for me?" she asked, her eyes pleading with a smile on her face. Inuyasha understood everything that she was saying and tried his best not to turn from her eyes that pleaded his understanding. He knew it, felt it, and knew that what Kagome said was the truth. But he felt different about it, knew that he would do anything for her. Just to see her smile. Inuyasha watched Kagome as she continued, his eyes in pain as to what she was saying.
"It's not fair for me to come back and expect to be welcomed with open arms… and just think that everything will go back to how I left it three years ago." Kagome sighed with a shake of her head. "I was foolish for letting my heart think that as I came back. But I guess it was my excitement that had made me believe that things would go the same way I left it." Kagome saw as Inuyasha understood her and she felt lighter for confessing her sin to him. It was wrong of her to come back, that she knew. She wasn't only causing stress for her family and friends, but she had changed the course of everyone's life that they had worked so hard to make for themselves. And that was what she has to live with now. But Kagome could see that Inuyasha knew her pain and understood what she was going through. He saw her pain through her eyes. He could always understand her, her eyes were her weakness and damn them for being upon her. Kagome squeezed Inuyasha's hands and smiled, trying to cheer up the situation a bit. "But I'm happy to be back and to see that you have moved on. I wouldn't have wanted you to dwell on my death, and I'm sorry for coming back with a wish to start where we left off."
"Don't apologize," Inuyasha said, his head going down. He took out his hands from under Kagome's and brought it to his side. "If I could… I would be with you again." Kagome's eyes widened, though deep inside she felt like she knew, it was nice to hear him say it. But he didn't say what she wanted him to say. Inuyasha sighed and looked up at Kagome, his eyes hiding his pain and sorrow for the both of them. "Kazuki…" he called, his eyes watching as Kagome's eyes widened, looking down at her lap. He smiled, watching Kagome turn into a shy, unsure woman right before his eyes. That was one thing that Inuyasha could never get about Kagome. Her emotions that spilled out of her was one thing, but the fact that she could hide them so well and suppress one while expressing the other always blew his mind. Right now, she wasn't the confused, pained person he was just talking to but the shy, unsure person as their son would meet his mother for the first time.
Inuyasha opened his hand and Kazuki jumped off his grandmother's lap to head to his father's arms. Kazuki looked at his father, his face still turned towards the miko, and he found himself gazing at the miko as well.
Kira's eyes widened in amazement and she smiled, delighted and shocked. Kazuki and Inuyasha both were looking at Kagome, and from the angle that she was in, the two looked so identical. Their faces were both turned towards her, as if finding something precious that they had lost, and the image was stuck in her mind. Her eyes went to her daughter who still had her head down, avoiding Kazuki's eyes, and Kira could understand why. Kagome would meet Kazuki now, not as Inuyasha's and Kikyo's child, but as her own. And that would bring about new emotions for her daughter to deal with.
Inuyasha smiled with a small release of breath. "Kagome…" he called, taking his free hand to place it on one of hers. Though Kagome didn't move to look up at him, he knew she would soon because she wanted to see her son. She would see Kazuki in a new light now. Inuyasha felt so much pride at the moment that he was filled with happiness. He turned to Kazuki and smiled at his son. "Kazuki… this is your mother."
Kazuki kept staring at his father as if time had stopped. Though he knew what his father had said, he still couldn't understand why his father was saying that. His mother was at home. His mother was with his baby brother or sister and she was tired, resting in bed. His mother was not this woman. But Kazuki's eyes moved to the woman in front of him and the same feeling swept through him whenever he saw her. For some reason, everything inside of him wanted this woman. She was like a candy to him. The woman's scent was one that he remembered well, but couldn't put his finger on it, as to why he liked this woman's scent so much. She looked just like his mother because they were sisters, or that's what his mother told him. But they looked almost exactly alike. But he could see a difference in this woman compared to his mother. Though he didn't have the highly acute senses of his father, he knew the difference between the two instinctively. And for that reason alone, Kazuki felt more comfortable around this woman than his mother. That, alone, brought on more confusion and uneasiness as he gazed at this woman. He was confused as to what was going on and how, all of a sudden, this woman shows up and claims to be his mother. Who was she really?
"Kazuki?" Inuyasha said, his attention going to his son under his shoulder. Kazuki had grasped onto his shirt and Inuyasha could smell his nervousness and fear. Though he couldn't understand why Kazuki would be afraid. "Son… this is your mother."
Kazuki shook his head, stopping Inuyasha from speaking. "No." He shut his eyes and blocked out the two adults around him. He hated his father for doing this to him. He was just a child. Why was he claiming that this woman was his mother? And there was still that part of him that yearned for this woman's arms, which only made him more afraid of this woman and the power that she held over him. Kazuki clung to his father and brought his head to his father's chest to escape the eyes of the two adults.
Kagome finally looked up, shocked as to what Kazuki had said. She could feel his fear and uncertainty, but she didn't want to overwhelm him by wrapping her aura around him. She could understand why he was angry and confused by all of this. It wasn't fair for them to put this on him so suddenly. Kagome saw that Inuyasha was going to scold Kazuki and she stopped him, her eyes shutting his remark. She saw Inuyasha understood what was happening as well. She smiled at him, glad that they both saw eye to eye on this one.
"Maybe you can come tomorrow for breakfast, Kazuki. Hmm? What do you say?" Kagome asked, making her voice tender so not to frighten him even more. Kazuki didn't make a move and she had to smile at his lack of life in Inuyasha's arms. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and nodded her head.
Inuyasha smiled and sighed, grabbing Kazuki and bringing him to his hip. He stood up, fixing Kazuki while the boy tried to hide his face in his father's hair the whole time Inuyasha situated him against his chest. Inuyasha understood that Kazuki was having a rough time with this and was confused as to why Kagome was suddenly his new mother. But there was something within him that knew Kazuki wanted Kagome as his mother. Though the boy wouldn't know it, his demon's instincts would tell him that Kagome was his mother. It was in every demon to know their birth parents straight from birth. It was a necessary survival instinct imprinted on them before birth. Inuyasha knew that Kazuki was drawn to Kagome as well. Kazuki knew and loved Kagome's scent, almost as much as he did. He would always sneak into Kagome's room when they would come to visit Kira and they would find him on Kagome's bed, his head in Kagome's pillow to take in her scent that had faded over the years. Though Kazuki didn't understand why he liked Kagome's scent so much, he would soon find out the reason to that. But the child just needed time, and Inuyasha suddenly felt guilty for allowing his son so much trauma and confusion in one day.
Kagome got up as Inuyasha moved towards the door. Kira got up as well, smiling at her daughter as Kagome came to her side and the two walked behind Inuyasha. He opened the shoji with his free hand and walked outside into the light of the full moon. Kagome watched as his hair was illuminated with that beautiful glow of the moonlight and his eyes shone in their golden hues. Her heart missed a beat as she looked at this beautiful creature in front of her, glad to have him in her life again though not in the way that she wished. Kagome smiled as he looked back at her.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow," Inuyasha said, taking Kagome up on that offer of breakfast. At least then they could hope that Kazuki would have the necessary time to understand what was said to him tonight. Inuyasha watched as Kagome smiled back at him with a nod. He took a moment to take Kagome in, remembering what they had shared under the light of this full moon. He couldn't help but wish that he didn't have to leave Kagome. But he had Kikyo waiting for him at home and Kazuki was confused as it is. Inuyasha took one last moment and then turned away from the woman who had stirred up so many unanswered questions and emotions within him, many of which he had buried for three years.
Kagome and Kira watched until Inuyasha walked down the shrine stairs and they went back into their home. Kagome walked to the stairs, feeling heavy already with what had just happened. She felt delighted and joyful that she knew about Kazuki and the fact that her child was alive. But that only brought on confusion and more suspicions, suspicions on her mother's and Brothers' parts. Kagome was more determined than anything to get to the bottom of all of this. Though Inuyasha had explained it to her, and that helped to keep her sane, she wanted to hear the truth from those who had lied to her. Kagome turned around to her mother.
"I'm going to bed, mama."
Kira nodded her head and went to turn off the television. "Your brother's already asleep. He didn't want to probe." She turned to smile at Kagome, standing at the bottom of the stairs with a deep thought in her eyes. Kira walked over to Kagome and grabbed her daughter by the hands. "I know that what happened tonight was all so sudden… but you can't ignore the fact that your child had lived Kagome." Kira smiled, her eyes shinning with happiness for her daughter. "Be happy. Kazuki was never meant to live, and yet here he is. A wonderful and strong young boy. I couldn't have asked for a better grandson and Kazuki is such a bundle of joy. Reminds me of his mother sometimes…" she said with a small chuckle.
Kagome smiled back, glad that she had her mother to help her cope with this gain. Yes, she was happy that her child had lived. But she was also sad that she had missed out on the three years of Kazuki's life. The three important years where a child needs their mother and father more than anything. Kagome felt sorrow that she wasn't there for him then, but the fact that her son had lived, like her mother said, cheered her up. Kazuki, her son, was alive. Her child hadn't died like she had believed. Kagome smiled and felt another desire within her to get into her bedroom. "Thanks, mama." She leaned forward and kissed her mother on the cheek. "Good night."
Kira nodded her head and let go of Kagome, watching as she walked up the stairs to her room. "Good night, Kagome." Kira watched with worried eyes as Kagome shut the door of her bedroom and the house was silent again. She looked around at the living room, remembering the image of Kazuki and Inuyasha kneeling on the ground in front of Kagome. She smiled, the fire glowing against the carpet, and went to distinguish the dancing flames.
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Anger was one thing. But confusion was another. And when the two mixed, it was like a combination for an explosion. One thing was for sure, Kagome knew that she was going to get some answers. She opened her eyes and found herself sitting in a circle with her five Brothers. The monks all wore their traditional kimonos, with Monk Kiyoshi standing out with his own, individual robe. Their heads were bowed, and Kagome tried her best not to glare straight at their bowed heads. She was furious. No. She was… she didn't know. All she knew was that she was confused, angry, and most of all hurt that her Brothers and mother had done something like this. Her heart was still beating with the knowledge of a son and the hurt from her family.
Kagome looked around, her hands placed gently on her lap with her legs tucked under her. She was still formal through any of her emotions that would threaten to overtake her. It was embedded in her since she was five to become this woman that she was today. "Where is she?" she asked, keeping her voice as calm as possible as to not give away too many of her emotions.
Monk Kiyoshi looked up, addressing Kagome's question by respectfully looking into her eyes. "Priestess Midoriko has sent no word to us about her presence."
Kagome turned to her eldest and glared at him. "No. She would have sent a request to me before you, my Brother. Remember your place," she admonished. Monk Kiyoshi bowed his head and kept his eyes focused on the ground in front of his knees. Kagome turned her head from him and looked out at the surrounding mist of the Maboroshi Kokudo. They sat on green grass but were enclosed by gray mist. Nothing could be seen beyond their circle where the mist touched their backs in an illusion of dreams. Kagome sat straight and rigid, her mind running with the questions that she wanted to spill out to her Brothers already. But her mother seemed to be conveniently late at such a meeting. Though this was her mother's domain, Midoriko could hide her presence anywhere in this plane. And she was hiding from them to avoid a confrontation.
"Mother!" Kagome yelled, now showing her frustration after bottling up within her. Her eyes burned with her anger. At that moment, Kagome felt like the every bit of priestess that she was. She felt the power coursing through her veins and accepted it, allowing it to control her with absolute power. Kagome took deep breaths as the mist stirred just ahead of her, behind Monk Kiyoshi.
"You are late," Kagome said, her eyes looking at her mother's appearing figure.
Midoriko didn't smile, but kept her place behind Monk Kiyoshi, her figure coming out of the mist with color. "This meeting is ridiculous."
"Ridiculous is the right word for what you have done." Kagome didn't turn away from her mother's gaze. She was angry and hurt and was not afraid of her mother's wrath. Plus with the power she felt flowing within her gave her the extra boost to stand up to Midoriko. "I called this meeting for a reason and I expected you to be here. You know why you must be here, but you choose not to show your face for your own personal reasons, which I can clearly understand."
Midoriko arched her eyebrow, not afraid of her daughter at all though she could clearly see the change in Kagome. Her daughter's aura was charging with power and her emotions only helped to fuel it. Kagome had changed before her eyes and she wasn't that beautiful, carefree woman that Midoriko remembered. She had become a fierce and determined miko, like how she was made to be. Midoriko tilted her head and slightly nodded. "Then so be it." She moved forward next to Monk Kiyoshi and sat next to him. The Brothers moved over and made room for the priestess as Midoriko gracefully sat down, moving her robes so that she was comfortable, all the while not taking her eyes off her daughter.
Kagome waited for her mother to sit and then turned her eyes from her. "Now that everyone is here, I would like to talk about what I have just learned tonight." She kept her silence for a little while, wanting to bottle up her emotions again so that she could think clearly. "Inuyasha has told me quite a bit about what had happened when I was dead."
Midoriko smiled and looked away from Kagome. 'Inuyasha… you couldn't keep it to yourself now could you?' Though she couldn't blame the hanyou for opening his mouth, it would have been nice, and a lot easier, if Inuyasha hadn't told Kagome about what had happened. Midoriko had known that Kagome would have wanted to be with Inuyasha once she got back to earth, but she had been watching the earthlings for some time and knew that it wasn't going to happen. She watched the lives of those families grow together and they had moved on without Kagome, happily. The ideas that Kagome had about going back to be with Inuyasha weren't going to be reality, and this Midoriko knew. So, she had thought that Kagome would never know about Kazuki since Kikyo claimed him hers. But it seems like Inuyasha wanted Kagome to know. 'I really can't blame him…' she thought, a bit mad at herself for thinking that Kagome shouldn't find out about her child. Midoriko sighed. This was going to be a long night.
"I want the truth," Kagome said, her eyes going over every head of her Brothers and to her mother's eyes. "I want to know what happened and the plans that you all made behind my back." She stopped and waited, listening to the breaths of everyone around her that was the only sound available. Kagome waited a few more moments, patiently, calling on the years of her training to remain calm and serene through the waiting period.
Midoriko was the first to speak, as she felt like she should be the one to explain it to her own daughter. Though she felt heavy saying these words, she had to get it out because Kagome deserved it. "The Fates had made the prophecy for your child because they didn't want your child to survive. They knew enough about a mother's bond to her children to know that you would not have wanted to leave your child's side if the child was to survive." Midoriko saw pain flash in Kagome's eyes but was quickly gone. "The Fates didn't want you to forget about your prophecy. They wanted the child gone so that you would have only one focus on your mind: to destroy Kano. They made the prophecy so that the child would die and you would have nothing to hang onto of the child, no memories or images of what could have been." Midoriko rearranged her hands on her lap while keeping eye contact with her daughter. The words just kept spilling out of her mouth.
"But I had not wanted your child to die," she said, making Kagome's eyes widen in surprise. "I had ordered the monks to take the child away once you gave birth and shield it from eyes until you left the Naiku Shrine. It was easy to think that they were going to kill the child because that's what you were made to believe." Kagome looked away, towards the ground, as she tried to take everything in to her confused mind.
Midoriko watched Kagome's bowed head. "I couldn't let that child die, so I had bargained with the Fates and they saw that this plan could work. So they allowed it. After you left the Naiku Shrine, I told the monks to take the child up to Hokkaido before your death at sundown. All I knew was that you were to fall with the sun, and so I told the monks to get there before the families left Hokkaido. There… the child was given to Inuyasha and now survives." There. She had told her daughter the truth of what she had done. She felt no regret for keeping it a secret from her daughter. It was for Kagome's protection that she kept it a secret. Kagome would have died if she knew that her child was living without her and then she would have thought about the 'ifs' of what could have never been. Midoriko waited for Kagome to speak, knowing that her daughter was taking in everything and trying to understand and accept it. It was how Kagome was. She calculated it before putting her emotions into it.
Kagome sighed and shook her head, bringing her eyes back up to view her mother. "So… you kept that my child was alive from me… even after I fulfilled my prophecy?" she asked, wondering why she couldn't have been told the truth after she fulfilled the Fates' most precious prophecy.
Midoriko nodded. "I know it would have killed you if you knew that your child was living on earth. You would have thought about all the things you could have done to remain alive. You would have given yourself false hopes and thoughts," she said, watching as Kagome turned her head. Midoriko frowned, thinking to herself that she knew her daughter a lot, maybe even more that Kagome knew herself. "Kagome… I know that it hurts you, now, to know that your child is alive. But it would have hurt you more to know that you were here in the Maboroshi Kokudo while your child was alive and without a mother. Plus, the burden you had placed on the families was already too much and the way you left them has given you your own burden to carry." Kagome flinched and fisted her hands on her lap.
Her mother was right. Though Kagome didn't want to admit it, her mother was absolutely right. A part of her denied the fact that she agreed with her mother while the other completely went with her mother's actions. Kagome just didn't know what to say now. At once, her anger fell away. The anger she felt for her mother and Brothers faded. The hurt that she had felt from them faded away to be replaced by weariness and uncertainty. The task ahead would be hard and she wasn't sure how to start it. Kagome sighed, shaking her head as she looked down at her lap. "I want to hear from my Brothers."
No one stirred as they listened to Kagome's request and waited a few moments until someone spoke. Monk Nobu was the first to express his sorrow.
"My Lady… I am deeply sorry for what we have done to you," he said, his eyes closed but his face stricken with pain. He tilted his head, and considered his words. "We agreed with Priestess Midoriko in that by taking your child away from you would spare you so much pain and regret. It was the better option we were given and Priestess Midoriko had avoided the death of your child." In a sense he wanted to recognize what the priestess had done in favor for Kagome and her child instead of highlighting the negative.
Monk Kenshin nodded his head. "Priestess Midoriko has much to be thanked. However, yes, we should have told you after you had fulfilled your prophecy."
"Because it was your prophecy that made us to take your child away from you," Monk Arata said, his brown eyes subtle and reserved. He set his lips together and remained quiet again, trying to move back into his corner as he observed things instead of speaking them.
Monk Minoru sighed, his hazel eyes tired. "I know what we have done to you, My Lady. But you must believe us when we say that this was for your betterment." He glanced up to see that Kagome was looking at him, interested in what he had to say, interested in what they all had to say. "By sparing you the love you would have felt for your child, you were left with only one thing in mind, which was the only thing that was awaiting your future."
Kagome sighed heavily but kept her lips shut tightly against each other. Her Brothers' words were only putting more pressure on how right they did seem in their actions. Though she knew that she couldn't disagree with her Brothers, because they did hold the truth in their words, she couldn't agree with how they did it. But by their actions, she was alive today and had lived her three, lonely years in the Maboroshi Kokudo fine. She had been happy there with her mother, as happy as any dead person could be. And she hadn't had any regrets, or at least that many regrets. Her heart had been lifted a bit.
Monk Kiyoshi glanced up at Kagome across from him and took a deep breath. "My Lady, we are sorry for what we have done but we do not regret our actions. Your child is alive now, because of your mother… your child is safe now, because of your mother… and your child is loved now, because of your mother." Monk Kiyoshi softened his eyes as Kagome gazed at him, taken aback by his words and his choice of stance. "Don't feel the need to be angry at your mother. She had your intentions in mind and didn't want your child to be killed. At least… at least your child is alive," he said with as much strength as he could put into the word. Monk Kiyoshi smiled as Kagome's look turned into a pained expression and then changed to nothing. He turned to look at Midoriko next to him, her face with a small smile and as calm as a stream.
Kagome tilted her head and looked down in the middle of the circle they created. Her Brothers were all right, and so was her mother. She had no right to be angry at them because they kept her child alive, and that was more than she could ask for. Of course, she was angry to only find out about it now, but it's not like she would have been able to be with her child even if she knew about him. Kagome shook her head, almost feeling sorry for herself and her situation.
"Kagome…" Midoriko called, her eyes knowing as she watched her daughter put the pieces together. "Kazuki has had many to love him and he was raised by wonderful people. You should be proud of him."
"I am," Kagome said with no hesitation. Her eyes went to her mother, hard chestnuts. "I have no doubt that Kazuki is a beautiful, young boy and he was raised by loving people. He was shown love when so many like him was shown hatred."
Midoriko smiled, remembering another point. "Oh, yes. And another thing… Kazuki is a hanyou."
Kagome scrunched her eyebrows together. "How?"
"Your miko blood must have something to do with it, for usually the resulting child of a hanyou and a human would be ¼ demon. But Kazuki has turned out to be just like his father, a hanyou," Midoriko said with a smile.
Kagome shook her head at the fact and smiled, delighted for her son. 'My son…' For some reason, it still shocked her whenever she said that word, let alone think that word. Kagome smiled to herself and looked around at her Brothers and mother.
"Well… I must say that this meeting has proved to be influential," she said with a smile as her Brothers brought their eyes up to meet her. They all smiled back, clearly relieved with the tension that was floating in the atmosphere just minutes ago. Kagome sighed. "Tomorrow Inuyasha and Kazuki are coming over for breakfast."
"And Kikyo?" Midoriko asked, her eyebrow arched. Though she didn't want to remind her daughter, Kikyo was still like a mother to the little boy. Kikyo is still in Inuyasha's life as well as Kazuki's and Kagome can't overlook that. 'I wasn't…' Midoriko smiled as she and her daughter locked gazes.
Kagome looked away from her mother and towards the ground, remembering about her sister. "Kikyo is coming, I hope… I think. She is still my sister… and I love her very much."
"But she will understand that Kazuki is yours, right?" Monk Kenshin asked, wondering how the two women would settle this.
Kagome nodded her head, her eyes still on the ground. "I'm quite sure she is willing to give him back to me." There was a bit of hesitation in there as she wasn't sure of her sister's intentions. But there was also that situation of Inuyasha. She still loved him, deeply, and yet apparently so did her sister. The two of them were in a bit of a hole with this. "Kikyo will have a child of her own as well," she reminded them, herself.
Monk Kiyoshi nodded. "The two have indeed started their own family now," he said, watching Kagome's expression carefully. Though she tried to hide it, Monk Kiyoshi saw the hurt in the depths of her eyes as she kept her face calm and unflinching. "Kikyo has an opinion about all of this. You need to talk to her about it too."
Kagome scrunched her eyebrows together, furious as to what her Brother said. Midoriko tilted her head to the side, reading her daughter's thoughts as easily. "There's nothing to talk about," she said in a straight tone. Kagome looked up at her Brother. "Kazuki is mine and Inuyasha's child, not hers. She has no right over him and so I do not have to talk to her about my own child." Kagome felt relieved to get that off her chest. Kikyo had no power over her child, but she did have power over another. "It is Inuyasha that she has power over, and that is what we already discussed."
"Oh?" Midoriko said, her eyes curious as she watched Kagome nod her head, as if telling herself that the situation was done and taken cared of.
"When I told the families of my rebirth, I talked to Kikyo. We had a few words and it was clear that she loved Inuyasha and felt threatened that I was back. But I assured her that Inuyasha will remain with her because it wasn't my right to come back and ruin what they had built together."
"Well don't you seem like a saint," Midoriko said with a smirk. Kagome scrunched her eyebrows as she tilted her head at her mother. Midoriko sighed and situated her robes. "Kagome… your heart is too big. You know that you still love Inuyasha and yet you are willing to watch him love your sister. It is not possible, you know." Midoriko kept her smirk on as Kagome looked like she denied her words. "Kagome… your love for Inuyasha is what helped you to kill Kano. Your love for him is what sustained you when you died and you hadn't broken down when you were with me here. Your love for him is what brought you back to life. I believe that you will never stop loving him…"
"No, I won't," Kagome said, not hearing anymore of what her mother had to say. She felt her heart already constricting at the pain of having to watch Inuyasha with her sister. "But I love him too much to take him away from someone who could give him her all, and who has been there for him when he fell hard. I owe Kikyo a lot," she said, her eyes pleading with her mother to stop and to understand. "I owe Kikyo a chance to love him because she lost her love as well."
The Brothers all shook their heads, their eyes to the ground, but chose not to express their thoughts. They all knew their Priestess too well, and it was obvious that she has made her choice no matter how wrong of a choice they thought it was. Kagome was a strong-minded woman and when she decided something, she put her foot down and demanded it. But one thing that was above all the utmost importance in her decisions was that she thought of other's happiness before her own. And this trait in her was not going to go away.
"Well…" Kagome said, her back straighter and her head up high in determination. "I must go to bed. I am weary of the day's events and wish to take a much needed rest. Thank you, my Brothers, for coming at my demand." The Brothers all bowed their heads and kept it there for a few seconds. Then, slowly, each of their figures began to fade into the mist surrounding them as they went back into their bodies in the living. Kagome looked at her mother across from her. "Mother…"
Midoriko smiled as Kagome nodded at her. "Good night, Kagome."
"Good night, mother," Kagome said, and then faded into the mist.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
The sun rose to the sounds of the tiny birds chirping under their mother's belly high on the branches of Goshinboku. With great effort, the sun lifted itself above the horizon and began its new journey across the sky until it could sleep again beneath the opposite side of horizon. The birds began to take their flight to find food for their children waiting back at their nest. A new day had begun.
Kagome came down the stairs wearing a blue t-shirt and dark jeans that went just above the knees. Her hair was up in a ponytail as she had a smile on her face for the new day. She made her way into the kitchen to see her mother getting the food out of the refrigerator.
"Good morning, mama," Kagome said as she came around the table and made her way to her mother's side.
Kira stood up, holding the container of eggs in her hand, and turned to see Kagome. "Good morning, sweetheart. Are you gonna help me today?" she asked, seeing as how delighted and jumpy Kagome seemed already. Kagome nodded her head and reached for the eggs.
"I don't know what we should make though," Kagome said, opening the container of eggs to look at the hard, round objects.
Kira went back into the refrigerator to get out some bacon and then closed the door. "Well… let's keep it simple." She placed the bacon on the counter next to the eggs and reached on top of the refrigerator to grab the pancake mix. "How about pancakes, eggs and bacon?" she offered with a smile. Kagome nodded her head as she smiled back at her and the two began to make breakfast together. Kira occasionally had to help Kagome with the cooking. Though Kagome wasn't all that bad, her daughter had to touch up on her cooking skills again. Kira smiled as she watched Kagome concentrating on the text on the back of the pancake box. She giggled as Kagome stirred the eggs that would sometimes fall out of the bowl and onto the sink. Kagome, however, had fun with it as well. The two cooked breakfast together until the time came when their guests would arrive.
Since it was a Saturday, Souta was home to help them, much to his disappointment and fear. Kagome put him to work, making him fix the table and place all of the dishware onto the table. Souta did so with heavy feet, but Kagome made sure that his spirits were up as she kept teasing him or playing with him. The two were the brother and sister that they were, always pestering each other for no reason just to get on each others' nerves. Kira looked out the window and spotted Inuyasha and Kikyo making their way above the last step. Kazuki was between them as he reached the top of the stairs and began to run to the house.
"They're here," Kira said a bit excited and frantic. She turned around to see Kagome and Souta both freeze, one on either side of the table, as they gazed up at each other. Souta was the first to move, straightening out his back to smile encouragingly at his sister.
"Come on, sis." Souta moved towards the doorway into the living room and turned around to beckon Kagome to follow him. Kira smiled at the sight and how Souta has turned to be the encourager rather than Kagome. He has truly grown up to be a man. Kagome followed, finding the strength within herself and drawing on her brother's. The two walked towards the door and opened the shoji to reveal a little boy halfway to their doorstep. Kagome smiled lovingly, happy to see her son running towards them and bringing light to her heart. It was a beautiful sight to see Kazuki's silver hair flowing behind him and a bright smile on his lovely face. Kagome shook her head in amazement and went to her knees as Kazuki came barreling straight into her arms. Shock took her back for a moment as it came to her attention that he was running to her, happy to see her, happy to be in her arms as he tightened his hold around her neck. His small hands wrapped around her neck and his small face went to the crook of her neck. Kagome smiled, feeling her eyes burn with the need to cry. 'My son…' she thought. Kagome squeezed him tighter and drew on her love for him.
"Okaa…" Kazuki said in the crook of Kagome's neck. Her eyes widened at the small sound, but it was enough to make her heart swell with love and the intensity to cry grew stronger. She felt a tear make its way down the side of her cheek and thought where it came from. But she didn't care because her son was in her arms and he called her 'mother'. That was all that she needed.
Kazuki pulled back, getting into Kagome's face. Her eyes widened at the proximity he came to her face. She could feel his breath on her chin as he looked at the tear that went to her chin. Kazuki reached up to wipe away the stain that the tear left behind. "Okaa? What's wrong?"
Kagome let a sob escape her and she grabbed Kazuki and brought her back into her arms. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong…" she said, her emotions flooding her. Kazuki was too old for his age, his eyes showing too much for such a young child. But he was clever and smart for his age and that's where the demon blood kicked in. Kazuki was growing faster and he understood things faster than a regular three year old human child, which was what she was used to. Kagome shook her head against Kazuki's head, still amazed that this was happening.
Souta remained behind Kagome and Kazuki as he smiled lovingly down at them. He couldn't believe what he heard from Kazuki's mouth. He called Kagome 'mother'. But Souta was dying to know how Kazuki would understand the switch of mothers so quickly and accept it after all these years of calling Kikyo his mother and being within Kikyo's embrace. Souta looked up to see Inuyasha and Kikyo making their way to them. He smiled at the two as they stopped a few feet in front of Kagome. He watched as Kikyo smiled down at Kagome and Kazuki with happiness and Inuyasha watched the two with his own smile. But Souta didn't want to think what Inuyasha was thinking, or what he was feeling, as he saw the mother of his child embrace their son and be accepted into the position for the first time. Souta was not ready to accept the fact that Inuyasha was happy Kagome was back and would later break her heart by being with Kikyo. He loved both of his sisters, but there was a line that Kikyo was crossing and she knew it as well. Souta moved back and looked down at Kagome.
"Sis… let's go inside to the kitchen. Mama's waiting," he said, hoping that Kagome would listen. Thankfully, she did and got up with Kazuki in her arms. The little boy smiled at Kagome and the two made their way into the kitchen. Souta let Inuyasha and Kikyo in and then closed the door behind them. He walked into the kitchen behind Inuyasha and Kikyo and saw his mother kissing Kazuki on the cheek. The child was stuck to Kagome, though. And she wouldn't let him go. Everyone went to the table where Souta had prepared the silverware and picked their own spots. Kagome sat at one end of the table with Kazuki on her lap. Kikyo sat next to her sister with Inuyasha on the other side of her. Kira sat at the other end of the table with Souta and Inuyasha on the sides of her. The empty chair across of Kikyo, next to Kagome, was for Kazuki who obviously wanted to be with Kagome. The food was prepared and waiting in the middle of the table for everyone to dig in.
"So… are we going to eat or what?" Inuyasha said, breaking the silence with his usual choice of words. Kikyo slapped his shoulder, making him grab his shoulder and demanded why she did that. Kagome smiled at the scene and turned to Kazuki, placing him on the seat next to her. Kazuki smiled at the food and Kira then told everyone to dig in. Plates of food were passed around the table for everyone to pick out of and soon they were all eating the food in front of them. Kira had to get up a few times to replace the empty plates with more food. The family was hungry and this breakfast was what they had been waiting for all morning long with hungry tummies and more appetites to satisfy than just hunger.
There was small talk at the table mostly about each other's day yesterday and some new things that were happening in their lives. Inuyasha talked about the band's new album that they were working on and another performance that David had in mind. Kikyo talked about the child and how much it has been acting up for her, which made Kagome smile and keep to herself, staying away from the topic as much as she could. Souta talked about his baseball game today and Kazuki took the chance to exclaim how much he wanted to go. Souta remembered the promise he made to the boy and how he was supposed to take Kazuki to the locker room to meet his teammates. Kazuki then asked Inuyasha and, out of habit, Kikyo if he could go. But then, he stopped and turned to Kagome.
"Can I go, Okaa?" Kazuki asked, his eyes pleading as if he had done this many times and knew how to get his way with his mother.
Kagome's hand with the fork froze in mid-air as she heard his question, wanting her permission. Her eyes looked up at her mother across from her, Kira's eyes just as wide as hers were. Kagome then turned to look at Inuyasha to see his eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face. He knew something, that was for sure, and Kagome was eager to know what. But then she turned to view Kikyo and saw that she was smiling at her, happy and amused. Kagome couldn't understand how accepting Kikyo was to hear Kazuki call her his mother, but she was. This only brought more shock and confusion to Kagome. Placing her hand down and the fork back on her plate, Kagome turned to Kazuki with a smile.
"Of course you can. We'll go to watch Uncle Souta play." Right after she said that Kazuki beamed and yelled his excitement and triumph. He turned to his uncle and they began to talk about the game and the umpires and the locker rooms. It was obvious that Souta was Kazuki's role model in playing baseball.
Kagome turned back to Inuyasha and Kikyo and saw they were smiling at her but then began to eat again. Kagome glared at them but said nothing as she continued to eat as well. Kira just smiled at the scene of the three and ate her own food. After breakfast was done, Kazuki asked to be excused and he went to watch TV with Souta. The two turned to cartoons and were quiet in the living room. Kira had taken the dishes and went to the sink to clean up. Kikyo got up to offer a hand, and Kira was about to object when she saw the look in Kikyo's eyes. She nodded her head and took Kikyo's offer. That left Inuyasha and Kagome sitting at the table with nothing to do. Kagome sighed and got up.
"Inuyasha, can I talk to you outside?" she asked, moving around the table to head to the door. Inuyasha smirked and got up, heading to the door to follow behind her.
Outside of the house was much more comfortable than inside. There was fresh air and the sunlight to wipe away her emotions, which were overloading as of an hour ago. Kagome walked towards the Goshinboku, feeling Inuyasha's aura following her. She felt the heat against her skin right before she was covered by Goshinboku's shadow. Kagome sighed as she got to her statue and looked up at the outstretched arms.
"Why is Kazuki calling me his mother?" she asked to her statue, though she knew that Inuyasha knew she was talking to him.
"Because you are."
Kagome turned around and placed her hands on her hips, her eyes boring into him. "You know what I mean Inuyasha," she said exasperatedly, as she saw him with a smirk on his face and amusement in his eyes. He thought that this was all hilarious. Kagome fumed. "Don't look at me like that, Inuyasha. Why is Kazuki doing this? Why is Kikyo so happy about it? Why are you smirking?" She blurted out these questions without a thought because Inuyasha's smirk was making her lose her mind.
Inuyasha laughed, then. His face went up to the heavens as he roared out his laughter and she stood there dumbfounded at this new action he made. There was nothing funny about this, that she knew. So she stood there, hands on hips, anger in her eyes and watched him.
Inuyasha didn't know why but the sight of Kagome so angry turned him on, but also made him laugh. She was a sight to behold and she was as beautiful as ever. He settled down, holding the part above his heart that was hurting with the loud outburst he just made and the fact that he loved this woman dearly. He looked at Kagome and smiled, taking in her appearance and the emotions that flooded him.
"Kazuki knows that you're his mother," he said without doubt.
Kagome crossed her arms across her chest, unsure of his words. "But how? How is he so accepting of it?"
Inuyasha shook his head, crossing his arms as well. "Kagome… he's a half demon. We know these kinds of things," he said, watching as she took in his words and it began to ease her worries. He sighed, his ears flattening on his head. "When we would come here to visit your mom, Kazuki would scream when we would leave. First, when he was still under a year, he would cry and cry when we left the shrine. Do you know why?"
Kagome shook her head slowly, trying to understand the words that he was saying.
"Because your scent was still strong within the house. Kazuki could smell you and your scent was one that he knew well. When the monks brought Kazuki to us on the battlefield, they had him wrapped in your hakama. They at least had the decency to know that demon pups, especially Inu-demons, rely on scent to place members of their pack." Inuyasha ran a hand through his hair as he remembers how Kazuki was when they came to the shrine. "Inu-demon pups always know the scent of their mother and father after they are born. It is embedded in them before birth. But since Kazuki was wrapped in your hakama, he knew your scent more than anyone's. And that's why he liked the shrine so much and we came here often when he was young because he became fussy if he was away for so long. First, me and Kikyo thought that he was just fussy or needed a diaper change or something. But then when we came back to the shrine, he calmed immediately. Sometimes he would stay awake the whole time we were there. Sometimes he would fall asleep right when we walked in the door."
Kagome tilted her head, amazement on her face as she listened to Inuyasha and watched him explain to her the senses of a demon. She knew they had great senses, especially Inu-demons, but the fact that the child knows the scent of their mother and father was remarkable.
Inuyasha sighed and went back to crossing his arms as he looked somewhere else instead of staring into Kagome's eyes for so long. "As Kazuki grew older, your scent faded away. But as he grew older, he didn't remember how much he yearned for your scent more than anything. When he was about one and a half," he said, turning to view Kagome again, feeling her eyes on him and making him want to look at her just as much as she was looking at him. "Kazuki obviously had found your room by following your scent. He had crawled his way up the stairs and fell asleep right next to the crack under your bedroom door." Kagome's eyes widened at how adept Kazuki was, probably unknown to himself, at such a young age. But she told herself that it was the demon's senses that made Kazuki follow her scent so accurately. "Kikyo and I would usually find him sleeping there, next to your bedroom door. Though I knew why he was always found there when we visited, I kept it to myself and said nothing. Kikyo also had an idea, but she never really told me what she thought."
Taking a moment, Inuyasha looked up at the branches of the Goshinboku, going towards the tree. "Then, when Kazuki was old enough to walk, he would reach up to the doorknob and succeed in opening it." Inuyasha stopped right next to Kagome, in front of her statue, and chuckled. "That was how he became good at opening doors," he said with a chuckle.
Kagome smiled at the thought and turned to Inuyasha next to her. His eyes were looking at her statue and she uncrossed her hands, finding her anger completely washed away as quickly as Inuyasha told her the story of her son's childhood. She turned around to look up at the statue, giving Inuyasha space to tell her of Kazuki's discoveries of her.
"Kazuki would open your bedroom door," Inuyasha continued once Kagome become comfortable, "and fall asleep on your bed. Sometimes Kikyo and I would find him sleeping on your bed or awake on the ground just playing with himself. He would make noises and loud squeals sometimes and we would rush up there to see that he got into your room again." Inuyasha sighed. "After a while, Kikyo and I decided to keep a close eye on him whenever we came here. Kazuki was about two years old and we didn't want him to get so used to your scent that he wouldn't see Kikyo as his mother."
Kagome knew that she shouldn't feel this way, but she was hurt that Inuyasha said that. But she was wrong for feeling that way as well. Kikyo had been there for Kazuki and had taken care of him, everything that a mother should do, she did. Kagome had no right to be mad at Inuyasha for loving Kikyo, at Kazuki for loving Kikyo and calling her his mother. But somewhere deep inside of her she was hurt that she wasn't there for Kazuki and that Kikyo was in her place for the good three years of Kazuki's life.
"Whenever we came here, we kept watch over him. We didn't allow him upstairs and we didn't allow him to sleep over." Inuyasha looked up at Goshinboku, feeling Kagome's emotions. He could sense her sadness and wondered what was bringing her down. But he knew that as he told her of these things she was feeling even more sadness. But he needed to tell her how Kazuki knew her more than he thought he did. "I wanted him to realize that Kikyo was his mother, and after a while, he did. At first, I could see in his eyes that he really didn't understand why he was calling Kikyo his mother, but then he got over it. He was just a kid and didn't understand. So it was easy for him to give in. But I think another reason why he accepted Kikyo was because of her scent. Maybe it was familiar because she is family. I don't know."
Kagome took a deep breath and nodded her head, understanding what he was saying. "So… Kazuki knows that I'm his mother."
Inuyasha nodded his head with a smile, though he didn't look at her. "He knows you, Kagome. He's still confused, though. Yesterday, it was all so sudden and he didn't understand what was going on. I'm quite sure that when he met you those other times he was confused as well as to why you smelt so familiar." He turned to see Kagome thinking about what he said. Kagome tried to remember all those times she met him before any of this happened and tried to remember how Kazuki acted. Yes, he was nice to her. But that was because he was shy and didn't know who she was. Yes, he talked to her. But she was asking him questions. That didn't mean that he knew her when she had first met him. Kagome felt confused as she retraced her memory and tried to understand what Kazuki was thinking. Inuyasha walked towards Kagome and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Kagome, Kazuki knows you're his mother." Kagome turned her head to look at him, saw the sincerity in his eyes, and smiled thankfully. Inuyasha smiled down at her, the smile that he loved so much was there again. "Last night when I went back home with Kazuki, I told Kikyo what happened. She wanted to talk to Kazuki. She told him that she wasn't his real mother and that you were." Kagome's eyes widened at what her sister had done, especially so soon. Kikyo had no doubt that Kazuki deserved to be Kagome's son and not hers. "Kikyo didn't want Kazuki to hate you or anything and wanted him to understand what happened."
Kagome's eyes widened and she turned to face him, making Inuyasha lose his hand's place on her shoulder. "You didn't tell him about the war did you?"
Inuyasha smiled at Kagome's frantic eyes and shook his head. "No. I wouldn't tell him about that. He's too young to learn about it, let alone understand it." Kagome seemed relieved as she heard that and nodded her head with a smile. Inuyasha smiled and, without thinking, brought his hand to her cheek, resting his palm against her cheek. Kagome stood still, wide eyes looking up at him and her hands clasped together in front of her. Inuyasha was mesmerized by Kagome's chestnut orbs, falling into the spell that they captured him in so many years ago. His heart ached for her, and his body too. Before he found it too difficult to do so, Inuyasha pulled back and turned away from her.
Kagome blinked a few times and looked at Inuyasha's turned face. He was holding himself from her, which she was thankful for in a way. She wasn't ready to deal with that right now. Kazuki was the topic here and she would stick with that topic for now. Kagome sighed and turned towards her statue again.
"So… now what do we do?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Inuyasha smirked and turned to her. "Go to Souta's game, of course."
Kagome nodded with a smile and the two went back towards the house. Though Kagome didn't know why, she wanted to reach out and hold his hand as if they have been doing it for ages. It was a raw feeling that left her perplexed, but she understood the need. It would have to be controlled, like all her other emotions. Kagome turned to glance at Inuyasha and saw that he was looking her. She blushed and quickly looked away, smiling to herself as she felt like that teenage girl again. The butterflies in her stomach didn't go away once they got to the door. Inuyasha, however, sensed something. His ears pointed towards the shoji and he placed his hand around Kagome's shoulders without her noticing anything. Immediately, the shoji slammed open and a very frantic Kira stood in the doorway, surprised by the sight of the two as she was in a posture to run out the house.
Kagome flinched when the shoji slammed open and she almost fell back if not for Inuyasha's arm around her. She glanced up at him, seeing that he had known her mother was going to barge out of the house.
"Kagome," Kira exclaimed, making Inuyasha flatten his ears on his head. Kagome turned to her mother with a worried look. "Your Brother, Monk Kiyoshi, is on the phone."
Kagome's eyes widened as she looked at the white phone in her mother's hand gripped against her chest. 'My Brother?' But she had just talked to him last night. Why would he be calling her? As Kagome thought for the answer, Kira outstretched her hand to Kagome, urging her to take it. The look in her mother's eyes was all that Kagome need to know that something had happened. Something bad. That was the only reason why her Brothers would call her since the shrine had no telephones. And for her eldest Brother to leave the Ise Shrine to find a telephone nearby was enough for Kagome to find the panic in herself.
"Brother?" Kagome asked as she brought the phone to her ear. Her voice was soft, afraid of startling him, or maybe herself. But the other end of the line was quiet as he waited for her to answer the phone.
"Kagome…" Kagome could hear the relief in his soft voice and knew that something was terribly wrong. Her Brother sounded weary and she worried for him like never before.
"Brother? What's wrong?" she asked, turning away from Inuyasha and Kira, getting out of Inuyasha's arm. She walked a bit out of reach from the two of them and glanced at the trees surrounding their shrine.
"Kagome… you need to come to the shrine." Kagome's eyes widen at his declaration and her heart sank. What did he mean by that? Was something wrong?
"Brother tell me… what happened?"
There was a short pause, her heart beginning to beat faster in fear of hearing the answer. She felt a presence behind her, Inuyasha had moved closer, sensing her fear. He was right behind her and she could feel his aura, so comforting and protective. Kagome's eyes gazed at the trees, urging for her Brother to tell her the truth.
"It is best you come here and I will tell you everything. Please, My Lady. Please come back to the shrine."
Kagome felt her eyes sting at the sadness and weariness in her Brother's voice. He sounded torn, weak and maybe even to the brink of no hope. Which was something that she has never heard in her eldest Brother. Monk Kiyoshi was their eldest and he kept all of them in their places. He was the eldest, the wisest, and the one who watched over them. For her eldest Brother to sound so weary was not like him at all. Kagome nodded her head, her lips pressed together. "I will. I will be there before sundown."
There was a sigh, like a huge burden had been lifted off Monk Kiyoshi's shoulders, and Kagome was even more eager to find out what had happened. Why her eldest was so heavy. "You have my deepest thanks, My Lady."
"No need to thank me. Now… when I get there you will explain everything to me," she demanded, though there was so much love in her voice.
Monk Kiyoshi made a soft chuckle. "Yes. You will find out everything."
Kagome said her goodbye and then hung up. She gripped the phone to her chest, her eyes still gazing out at the trees around the shrine. She wanted to run to the shrine right now, but she had to pull herself together. Something had seriously happened and it only fueled her fear to think that something had happened to her Brothers. What if one of them had been hurt? What if one of them had an accident? Kagome shook her head, closing her eyes tight as a new swarm of emotions engulfed her.
But Inuyasha's hands were there. Inuyasha placed his hands on Kagome's shoulders, feeling her fear and pain as it suffocated him and worried him to no end. He saw Kagome shake her head and he couldn't take it anymore. He needed to see her happy again and not in so much pain. Inuyasha felt Kagome's shoulders rise and fall to the hard breathing she made.
"Kagome… what's wrong?" he asked, worry in his voice. His eyes, full of worry, looked down at Kagome's head. He waited for a moment and she finally turned around, making him lose his grip on her shoulders. But Kagome's eyes were what he feared and he felt a strong desire to grab her and protect her in his arms. From whatever Kagome was being hurt by, he didn't know, but he wanted to wipe that fear and worry off her face. It pained him to know that he couldn't do anything.
"Something's happened…" she said, looking up into Inuyasha's worried eyes. She could see his worry and concern for her and it made her feel wanted and protected. But now was not the time. Kagome smiled comfortingly up at him, wanting to wash away his worries. "I have to leave." Kagome went around Inuyasha, heading into her home, to see her mother still standing in the doorway.
Kira heard everything that Kagome had said and her fears were corrected. Something had happened. The only reason why her Brothers would ever phone them was for emergency purposes. And for Monk Kiyoshi to call himself was a big concern on its own. Kira watched Kagome's worried eyes and knew that she had to leave to see what had happened. Kagome had to go, for her sake and for her Brothers'.
Kagome's eyes softened on her mother and the three standing behind Kira. Kikyo remained right behind her mother, one hand on her belly and one hand holding Kazuki's little hand. Kikyo looked at her with worried eyes, but her face was held with understanding as she knew of her sister's place and duties. Kazuki remained next to Kikyo's side, his body small compared to Kikyo's growing one. His scared, golden eyes looked at her and his father with fear and worry. He knew something was wrong, could feel it in their auras, and wondered what it was. Souta was on the other side of her mother, leaning against the doorframe as he watched her with worried eyes.
With a smile, Kagome went down to her knees and opened her arms. Kazuki slowly let go of Kikyo's hand, his body hesitating for a second as he didn't know what to do. But he suddenly walked into Kagome's arms and she snuggled him close to her chest, one hand holding the telephone. She tilted her head with a frown on her face, now able to hide it from Kazuki. She rested her chin on his head as his small hands tried to wrap themselves around her back. Kagome found it a bit funny, in the senses she were in, that she was just getting accustomed to her son and now had to leave him. She felt bad, as well. She wanted to be there for him, Buddha only knows she hasn't been there for him for his first three years. Kagome couldn't believe that she was leaving him again, but she kept reminding herself that this time, this time she would come back.
"I have to leave now, Kazuki," Kagome said softly, trying not to startle him with her words and decision. "I have some family on the other side of the country. They need me and I need to go see if they're okay." Kagome rubbed Kazuki's back as she felt him stir in her arms.
"When are you coming back?" Kazuki asked, wishing that his mother didn't have to leave. He just got her back and died for her scent. Ever since last night, when Aunty Kikyo had told him about how she wasn't his real mother, he knew that what he felt was right for this miko. He knew that he wasn't hurting anyone and everyone still would love him for it. Now, he could love this miko, his mother, and drown in her scent that he remembers since he was really young. She was his mother. And she was leaving him.
"I'll come back soon, don't you worry." Kagome pulled back, pushing the child back so she could see his eyes. "I'll come back soon." Kagome smiled at him and moved to kiss his forehead. With much effort, Kagome pushed herself to her feet and turned around to gaze at Inuyasha. He had watched the scene and now his face shown more concern and worry than he did a few moments ago. Kagome could see how conflicted he was, could see that he wanted to go with her, but he had others relying on him too. He had his family.
"Inuyasha… can I use the bike you gave me?" Kagome asked, grasping the phone to her chest as she waited for his answer.
After a few moments, Inuyasha looked to Kikyo, seeing her gaze on him. She seemed as worried as he was, though she couldn't be. He just got Kagome back and now something might be happening in Ise and she was going straight to it. Inuyasha fought with himself for a moment, making the others look at him with worry. Then, he sighed, knowing that he had no other choice but to give in. Kagome had made up her mind and the monks needed her, maybe as much as he did.
"Sure…" he said through his teeth. He wanted to go with her; he needed to go with her. If she was going into danger, he needed to be with her to protect her and make sure that no harm would come to her. It was a strong urge to go with her and Inuyasha had to discipline himself. 'Kagome is coming back. I know she is…' he told himself so that he could believe that she wouldn't leave him again.
Kagome nodded her head, taking a moment to watch him and make sure that he was all right, and then turned to head back into her home. She placed the phone on the receiver and went back to the door to kiss her sister on the cheek, wishing her well. Kikyo said the same to her and told her to come back to them. Kagome smiled encouragingly at her sister and turned to her mother, giving her a kiss on the cheek as well. Kira smiled at her, knowing that she didn't have to say anything, and then turned to her son for Kagome to say goodbye to. Kagome moved to Souta and hugged him, feeling his strength as he wrapped his arms around her. She still marveled at how big he had become, and moved back to smile amusingly up at him. Souta saw the humor in her eyes and chuckled, drawing on Kagome's light.
After saying goodbye to her family, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. He told Kazuki to go to Kikyo and the child did so. She nodded her head at Inuyasha and he nodded back. The two then walked towards the shrine stairs to head towards his home where he kept Kagome's bike stored away and hidden from his sight. Inuyasha sighed just thinking about it. He kept the bike because he couldn't give it away, so sometimes Sango would use it in races but that was it. Inuyasha turned to view Kagome as they walked down the stairs together, like old times. His emotions were conflicting and confusing him to no end, but one thing was for sure. Inuyasha didn't want Kagome to go there on her own. He didn't want to let her out of his sight. Because he knew, that by some twist of the Fates, she would be taken away from him again that easily.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
The sun was still a few hours from touching the horizon and retiring to rest for the night, leaving it to the moon to shine light down on the occupants. Though the city of Ise was a modern city, there were still developments happening around the city that will forever change a small town into a huge, bustling city. It was the developer's world. The small, magenta bike roared its way through traffic to the smaller, less crowded part of town. There were more parks and nature that sprouted up everywhere where skyscrapers had once hidden Kagome from the sun. She made her way to Ise Shrine, feeling the adrenaline flowing from her bike into her veins. It was a thrill to ride a sports bike and she missed this feeling. It was one thing to be on a motorcycle but it was another to feel the wind whipping against your skin. Though Kagome wore a helmet, much to Inuyasha's insistence and she not wanting to fight him any longer, she still could feel the wind against her clothes and skin. Her blue shirt ruffled angrily as the wind disturbed it. But Kagome kept pressing on with her speed, the sports bike vibrating against her body with more of an adrenaline rush.
The way to the Ise Shrine she remembered well. But what awaited her there was not in her memory, nor was it in her happiest thought to smile at what she saw. Kagome jerked the bike faster and skidded to a stop right in the front of the gate entering the Ise Shrine. Turning off the bike, Kagome felt her heart stop and her breath left her in a gasp. Her eyes were hidden by the helmet but she stared up at the wooden archway that welcomed the visitors into the shrine. Slowly, with shaking fingers, Kagome grabbed the bottom of her helmet with both hands and pushed the thing off her head, revealing her heavy fall of black hair in a ponytail and a pair of shocked chestnuts.
The Ise Shrine was no more. What had once been the wooden archway with the words 'Ise Shrine' in welcome was now destroyed with nothing left to say. There were pieces on the sides of the entryway, near the trees that bordered the shrine, where the wood showed splinters where it had been broken. But that was what greeted her. Kagome blinked, her eyes burning with the need to blink. She was shocked as to what met her and her heart began to speed up, fearing the worst. Kagome got off her bike, leaving the helmet on the stirring wheel, and forgot about the sports bike at the entrance to the shrine. She forgot about the adrenaline rush that she had just received a few seconds ago. Now, her main focus was on the occupants of the Ise Shrine. Without thought, Kagome ran towards the bridges that would lead to the Geku Shrine.
Nothing was wrong along the way to the shrine. But the trees were quiet, as if they had been quieted from what had happened. Something had definitely happened, something bad, and she feared that a demon had attacked the shrines. But it wasn't possible. A demon wasn't able to step foot into the Ise Shrine because of the holiness that surrounded its borders. Kagome shook her head, her face in fear and worry as she kept running. That was a lie. Kano Mitsuhada had proved it wrong when he stepped foot in the holiest shrine in all of Japan and challenged her.
Spotting the entrance into the Geku Shrine, Kagome felt her breath leave her as the sound of her shoes hitting against the wooden bridge carried an echo into the quiet forest. The archway that had greeted the visitors into the Geku Shrine was destroyed as well. Kagome finally came to the entrance, standing on solid ground, and looked at the broken wood that lay on the ground. Splinters of wood were what made up the broken archway. Kagome shook her head in denial. Who could have done this?
There was a small, subtle sound up ahead, making Kagome flare out her aura. Her demeanor completely changed into that of the miko that lay hiding within her, waiting to be unleashed when threatened. Kagome held her head high as she gazed ahead of her, feeling for the enemy. But there was no demonic aura in the area and what she saw drew her senses back. There was a monk that made his way from the closest shrine house to the entrance while a few priestesses began to peek from behind the shoji. Once they saw her, they quickly screamed her rightful name and walked behind the monk to greet her. Kagome took a deep breath, feeling relieved that she had found lives. 'At least they're still alive…' she thought, trying to cheer up after all of this destruction and shock that greeted her. But what of her Brothers?
The monk got close enough and went to his knees, the priestesses following his example. The six of them brought their hands out to place with their palms touching the stone in front of their bowed heads that touched the stone beneath them.
"High Priestess… thank Buddha…"
"Praise Buddha…"
"High Priestess…"
The sounds they made were that of total relief. Their voices sounded tired and exhausted, but what she also heard was hopelessness that was fading away because of her return. Kagome needed to give them her strength, and fast.
"Tell me what has happened." Kagome gazed down at their bowed heads and the monk spoke.
"High Priestess… My Lady… there was a demon." Kagome tilted her head as she gazed at the back of his head, hearing his voice that was mumbled as he kept his head down in respect. "A demon came through here. A demon came into the shrine." The priestesses behind him made a sound of a sob, their fear and shock only enticing her worry and fear. "A demon with long silver hair. I believe him to be an Inu-demon."
That struck a nerve in her. 'An Inu-demon?' she thought, confused as to what that could mean. A demon with silver hair was definitely an Inu-demon, which was a trait held by Inu-demons. But what other Inu-demons were there besides the Takahashis? Kagome scrunched her face in confusion as she tried to listen to him and sort things out in her mind at the same time.
"The demon destroyed the entrance. He killed several of us who tried to stop him from going any further. But he was too powerful." The monk swallowed hard past the lump in his throat at having to admit his own weakness of not stopping him. "The demon went on to the Naiku Shrine."
Kagome stared down at the back of the monk's head as he ended and she was in denial. An Inu-demon? Here? How could an Inu-demon make its way into the Ise Shrines and not be stopped by the number of monks and priestesses that they had? Kagome finally took notice of the monk's torn, light brown robe. There were places where the white kosode underneath the koromo could be seen with long tears and small slashes along the garment. Kagome then looked at the other priestesses behind him and noticed their torn miko robes as well. There was even blood on some spots on some priestesses and Kagome frowned, feeling anger and sorrow.
"My eldest Brother passed by," she said, her voice firm and calm, though inwardly she was screaming and trembling. "How was he? Are my Brothers safe?"
The monk shook his head but still faced the ground. "I do not know, High Priestess. Monk Kiyoshi made his way past here but he was in bad shape…"
That was all Kagome needed to hear from him. She did not even say thank you or goodbye, or even take care. All of her thoughts were focused on her Brothers. After hearing what the monk said, she could only think of her Brothers' safety and prayed to Buddha that they were alive and okay. Kagome walked swiftly towards the end of the Geku Shrine. But as she made her way through the shrine grounds, she witnessed the destruction that the Inu-demon had caused.
Bodies laid on the ground where blood oozed their way out, staining the white stones below. Some bodies were cut up and there were severed parts that Kagome noticed as she started to walk slowly, shocked as to the damage and destruction that the demon left behind. The sight that met her only slowed her mind and body. She passed by a garden and spotted a few priestesses high in the branches of the trees, their bodies hanging lifeless and without a soul. Kagome sent a prayer up to Buddha as her eyes took in the death around her. Shrine houses were destroyed, splintered wood lay around the shrine and at her feet. There were darkened areas on the stones that must have been caused by some sort of magic or energy wave. Kagome watched as she passed by monks and priestesses who went to their knees once they saw her. There were obviously survivors here so not everyone got killed, which brought on a small relief to her heart. But they were in bad shape themselves. Some of the moving bodies were limping or were bleeding on at least one part of the body. Some were even in groups where they were tended to by the able-bodied ones. Kagome looked away from the scene and continued forward. She got to the first bridge leading out of the Geku Shrine and paused. Her aura flared out to touch every single soul in the Geku Shrine, feeling their awareness of her presence and the first stir of relief claimed their souls. Kagome nodded and began to run towards the Naiku Shrine with one thought in mind. Her Brothers' safety.
The sound of her shoes hitting the wooden bridges was loud against the silence of the forest around her. Even the streams that flowed under the bridges were quiet. No pebble dared to hit another, no current dared to move a pebble. It was silent as the wind dared not to move a leaf or branch on the Willow trees that draped over the streams and stones and bridges. The wooden bridges were the long journey to her salvation, to knowing if her Brothers were alive and well. Kagome ran as if she was being chased by the demon that came here and done such damage to the shrines. She ran with all her might, thinking about her Brothers and their safety, worrying about their health above all. The anger she felt for the demon was in the back of her mind. She didn't worry about the demon, for she didn't feel his demonic aura here. The demon had come and gone, done its destruction and gone. But Kagome still felt his touch all over the shrine grounds and his destruction only reminded her of his presence.
Finally, the Naiku Shrine came into view. Kagome's breath came out of her in ragged huffs as she took in the sight of the destroyed archway for her welcome. With her feet coming to a brisk walk, Kagome took in her surroundings. She walked through the entrance and her eyes widened at the destruction that lay before her. Monks and priestesses were everywhere, trying to heal the wounded, trying to repair the damage of their shrine that they could not protect. Bodies lay everywhere, mangled and bloody as if they were killed with a malicious thought in mind. Blood was splattered all over the shrine grounds, some in patterned dots while some in streaks of lightning. Kagome felt her heart beat wildly in her chest as she took in the destruction.
The Naiku Shrine, once beautiful in its magnificent glow and purity was now completely tarnished and destroyed. It was worse than the Geku Shrine. The Garden of Naiku was destroyed as well where trees had been uprooted by some unnatural force, mounds of dirt lay open into the awakening earth and bushels of flowers were burned to bare no more color. Kagome shook her head as her body began to slow, her shock and complete disbelief finally took in. With that, Kagome fell to her knees, her eyes staring at the once beautiful Garden of Naiku.
The monks and priestesses that had gotten to their knees and wept when they saw her now stood and ran to her, asking about her health and well being. The monks stopped a foot away while the priestesses got closer, asking for her reply. But they dared not touch her. She was holier and purer than any of them, and she demanded of them their reverence and respect. The monks watched as the priestesses called out to Kagome, but she didn't answer. Her eyes lay on the once beautiful garden, the once beautiful shrine, the once beautiful world that she was brought up in. It was all destroyed. Her childhood home was destroyed.
Snapping out of it, Kagome turned to the closest priestess and when she met the woman's eyes, she quickly looked away. "Where are my Brothers?" she demanded, her voice harsher than she intended, but it couldn't be helped. She was furious, her aura was pushing out of her with a force that she had to control. She had been hurt from the inside out and the demon had found the center. The priestess in front of her bowed her head, the robes she wore torn, ripped and bloodied.
"The Five Monks are in the deeper parts of the shrine," the priestess said, her voice soft and weak, tired. Kagome nodded her understanding and slowly got to her feet.
As she got up, she looked down and saw that her knees were soaked with blood that dripped down her calf. Kagome pressed her lips together and her eyes burned with fury. The priestesses stepped back quickly, though she didn't know if they did it out of respect or out of fear of her changing aura. Kagome didn't care. She turned her head to look out at all the dead monks and priestesses that lay on the ground.
"Take care of the wounded." That said, they all nodded and watched as Kagome continued into the deeper parts of the shrine. Her eyes took in all of the broken shrine houses and the holes that lay on the wooden walkway that connected all of the shrine houses together. The roofing overhead of the walkway was gone in some parts as if a fierce wind had ripped it right off its pillars. Kagome couldn't believe what she was seeing. Such a beautiful and sacred place was now in ruins.
The inner part of the shrine came into view. She went straight to her Brothers' shrine house. Her shoes made the only noise in the area. Kagome passed many bodies that lay against the walls of the shrine houses. Some bodies were lying across the walkway and she had to step over them, not without saying a quick prayer to Buddha for their souls. Her eyes took in all the blood with sorrowful eyes. Her heart took in all of the lost souls and wearied monks and priestesses that she passed with pain and pity. But most of all, her mind took in the destruction with a thought in mind. She would get revenge. She should have been here for all of this. She was the protector of the Ise Shrine, she was their guardian and protector. But she wasn't here for any of it and she felt so guilty that it broke her heart to see such a beautiful place destroyed because of her faults. Kagome shook her head after she left a monk tending to a wounded priestess leaning against a pillar. They looked at her with such reverence and relief that it broke her heart. They looked at her with weary after a long battle but they saw hope in her. Hope. Kagome continued forward.
The Brothers' shrine house was in the empty clearing in one part of the inner shrine. The white pebble stones that lay within the empty clearing were all that could be seen besides the shrine house. The house lay untouched and pure, through all the destruction just on the outer parts of the shrine. Kagome steeled her nerves and walked onto the white pebbles, hearing the crunching sounds it made as the pebbles scraped against each other, taking her weight. Kagome couldn't feel her Brothers' auras in the vicinity, but she dared not take the chance. She had to see for herself. Walking up the stairs, the sound of the wood creaking made her take a breath and she opened the shoji. The shrine house was empty to her fearful eyes. Releasing her breath, Kagome turned around and began to run where she felt her Brothers' aura. It was there, yes, she could feel it. Her mind began to work again as she thought about concentrating on the auras around her. It was all happening so fast that she didn't have time to think. She didn't know what she was going to do but she knew that she wanted to find her Brothers. She needed to find them.
Going back onto the walkways, Kagome made her way to her shrine house in the deepest part of the Naiku Shrine. Far to the back, where it touched the beginning of the forest surrounding the Ise Shrines, Kagome went to her shrine house. What met her was what brought her fears to work.
The white pebbles that made up the empty clearing were littered with red blood. The contrast was high, the blood standing out so clearly against the white, staining its purity. Kagome looked with wide eyes. The Sakura trees on each corner lay untouched but quiet, not even stirring. But what lay in front of her stopped her heart. Her Brothers were lying against the white pebbles and Kagome ran towards them, forgetting about the destruction behind her.
"Brothers!" she screamed, her heart screaming for her Brothers who lay wounded against the pure, white stones.
The monks looked up when they heard her and suddenly smiles touched their weary faces. Monk Kiyoshi was on the stairs of the shrine house on Monk Nobu's side, trying to dress his wounds. Monk Kenshin and Monk Arata sat on both sides of Monk Minoru near the shrine house stairs of the shrine house, on the white stones. They were the only things on the tainted red pebbles at their feet. Kagome stopped at the three first, her eyes wide and frantic as she took in their wounded shapes.
"Oh my God," Kagome whispered, her voice scared and her eyes worried. She dropped to her knees and looked at Monk Minoru. He seemed like the one in the worst shape out of all of them. Monk Minoru's right leg was shown, as the kimono was cut away to reveal the deep lacerations from his thigh to his ankle. It looked like tigers tore at his leg with their razor sharp claws. Kagome felt the rise and fall of her chest as it became hard to breathe. Monk Minoru's hands, each which were in his two Brothers' hands as they tended to his wounds, were covered with blood and opened to expose the meat and bone. Kagome flinched. His face was bruised and cut open, his lips puffy and cut as if hit with a thousand pounds. His left cheek was black and blue, puffing up under his eye. His bald head had cuts along it as well, and his kimono was torn in so many places, revealing the cuts and meat underneath that she couldn't look at anymore.
"My Lady…" Monk Minoru said, wheezing past his throat to speak. He then began to wheeze at the effort and coughed up blood. Kagome's eyes then stung and watered, her hands going to her chest.
"Please… don't talk," she said, tears running down her cheeks. She then looked at the two Brothers at his sides and saw wounds on their faces, arms, legs, body. Their kimonos were torn as well, revealing the skin that had red blood running down their bodies. Kagome looked up to Monk Kiyoshi and Monk Nobu on the stairs and saw they too bared horrible injuries. She frowned, her bottom lip trembling in sorrow and pain at seeing her Brothers so terribly wounded. Kagome looked back to Monk Minoru and wiped the tears from her eyes, sniffing back her sobs that would threaten to drown her in sorrow.
"I will heal you," she said with a nod to herself, strengthening herself with conviction. Kagome looked to the Brothers at his side, seeing their weary eyes look at her with hope and trust. She nodded her head with a comforting smile, wanting to wash away the pain and weariness in their eyes. "All of you… I will heal all of you," she said, then looking up to Monk Kiyoshi and Monk Nobu as they looked down at her with love and hope. Kagome nodded her head and went to Monk Minoru's head. The two Brothers kept their grasp on both hands, giving their Brother comfort and guidance.
Monk Minoru didn't need their guidance. His Priestess was here, their eldest Brother had promised that she would come and she did. Their beautiful, strong Priestess was here and she would heal them. She would make everything better. She was their protector, their strength and their hope. Monk Minoru felt the first sign of warmth as Kagome placed both palms against his cheeks and began to heal him with her aura, healing him from the inside out. He could feel her within him, her essence, her light. It was like having the sun within in, the heat and warmth that she provided healing him and making him feel strong again. He could feel her moving within his body, touching his soul, tending to his wounds that he received for her. He would take the blow for her over and over again. He would protect her with his life, just like every single one of his Brothers. They all had protected her with their lives today, and they would do it again and again. Monk Minoru took one final look up at Kagome's face that remained bowed over his. Her eyes were closed as a deep concentration took over her. He took a deep breath and sighed, giving in to the arms of warmth and love that she provided for him. There, Monk Minoru rested. There, he fell asleep and gave his body and soul to his Priestess.
After a couple of hours, Kagome reentered her body and felt the first wave of weariness hit her. She opened her eyes and blinked against the light of the setting sun. A few hours had gone by when she felt like it has been days. Kagome swayed and Monk Kenshin had to reach out and steady her body as she thanked him through her eyes. She couldn't talk, didn't have the strength to thank him with words. Monk Kenshin and Monk Arata released Monk Minoru's hands and saw that his hands were now a smooth and creamy skin. Only blood remained on top of the healed wounds that had once torn up Monk Minoru's body. The two Brothers breathed a sigh of huge relief and happiness, their eyes taking on a new look of hope and joy. One of their Brothers was healed, and it was a treasure.
"My Lady…" Monk Kenshin said, his eyes shinning with love and concern.
"Get her some water and food," Monk Kiyoshi demanded from his perch on the stairs. They all knew how much energy it took for Kagome to heal a wounded human. It was a lot of work and not many priestesses could do it. Truthfully, there were only a handful that could heal but it wasn't successful healing. There were still wounds on the healed bodies that they healed, the spots still red with the tenderness of an open wound. Though the wound was still there, it was better than before but it would not close. The priestesses could only lessen the degree of the wound instead of absolutely healing the wound and closing it up. But Kagome could do it. She learned from Midoriko and she was known by all of Japan to be the only priestess who could heal. And the Brothers had to take the results of what the healing process took on Kagome's body and soul. The healing usually took a huge toll on Kagome's body and energy, making her feel tired and malnourished, as if she hasn't eaten for days and never gained nourishment to help her body function. It was a toll that Kagome was willing to take, however, and the Brothers were in charge of nursing her back to health as she did for the people of Japan.
Monk Arata nodded. "I will go." Kagome looked up at her Brother as he slowly got to his feet and was about to protest when Monk Kenshin grabbed her hands that still lay on Monk Minoru's cheeks and squeezed them.
"Let him, My Lady. His wounds are not as bad as mine." This allowed Kagome to settle down, much to Monk Kenshin's knowledge. Kagome then looked at him and he could see the weariness in her beautiful eyes. He fought back the urge to take care of her as he knew that she felt like the one to take care of him now.
"Then, let me tend to your wounds," Kagome said with strict determination and demand. Monk Kenshin would not go against her, for it was Kagome's voice that he heard that made him quiet. He knew her too well to know when she demanded something to be done, and it was by that demand that they all lived by. It was by her will that they fulfilled. Kagome moved so that she sat facing Monk Kenshin and told him to place his head in her lap. Monk Kenshin did as he was told, for she didn't have the strength to move.
What she had seen on Monk Minoru's body was more than she had healed in all of her life. His body was damaged in more areas than she could count and, much to her pain and sorrow, had found that Monk Minoru would have died from loss of blood and internal bleeding if she had arrived any later. He had the severity of the wounds inflicted from the demon, and as Kagome left her skin and became light, she journeyed into Monk Kenshin's body and found that his wounds were not as bad as Monk Minoru's. His wounds were actually a lot easier to heal and wouldn't take her much time and energy to heal him. Her healing abilities had gotten better over the three years she spent with her mother, and she has learned how to become more efficient in healing. The time and energy it took her to heal was now cut shorter than before when she was a teenager. Kagome believed in herself and would heal her Brothers before the night was over. She would heal them and nurse them back to health.
The sun had retreated below the horizon, thankful that another day has come and gone. Now, the stars began to shine in the darkened sky and the aftermath of a full moon was now peeking its way over the mountains. The Ise Shrine lay destroyed in the dark of the night where the wind didn't howl and the animals lay quieted in their disturbed sleep. Lamps began to be lit around the shrines to guide the monks and priestesses who were tending to the wounded. Deep within the inner shrine of the Naiku, the Brothers were now all healed and the Sakura tree glowed against the darkened sky, lit by the light of the moon after its peak. The patches where the white pebbles stood out were the only light that they had as the stars and moon tried to shine brighter for them.
Kagome opened her eyes and was hit with a major headache and weariness that she hasn't felt in a long time. Ever since three years ago when she had fought with Kano. This weariness was almost the same, though not as bad as before. Monk Arata steadied Kagome as she moved to sit on her butt and he pushed the plate of food he brought for her towards her. Kagome thanked him and began to eat and drink the food he offered. Monk Kiyoshi had insisted he be the last to be healed of his Brothers and so Kagome had healed his wounds last. She hadn't touched the food Monk Arata brought after she healed Monk Kenshin's wounds. She would not eat until their wounds were healed. She would not gain a sense of relief and pleasure when they had suffered so much because of her. Though the other four Brothers were easier to heal, their wounds were still serious and it took all that she had, and more, to heal them. Midoriko had heard Kagome's cries and come to her aid, assisting her in healing her Brothers, giving her the strength to finish the task she set her mind to. Midoriko stayed with her daughter through it all, lending her strength and words for Kagome to stay strong. Now, that night has fallen, she knew that her daughter would need her assistance.
Kagome swallowed the last piece of bread and drank the last sip of water. She looked up at the Sakura trees in her view and took a deep breath of the fresh nature around her. Her Brothers were well and their energy was back because of her healing. They all sat on the stairs of her shrine house and the silence of the night engulfed them.
"An Inu-demon?" Kagome asked, breaking the silence with her soft whisper.
Monk Nobu sighed as the others did, but only Monk Kiyoshi spoke. "Yes. An Inu-demon had entered the shrines and destroyed everything."
"Why? What was he looking for?" she asked, her eyes glancing at all the pools, streaks and droplets of blood against the white pebbles. She knew the answer, didn't want to hear the answer, but needed to be sure of the answer.
Monk Kiyoshi remained quiet for a moment as he looked at the side of Kagome's face. He could see her weariness and determination, but he could also see the strong-minded woman that she was. She would hear everything and take in everything, even if it hurt her to know. "He came here for you."
Kagome closed her eyes for a brief moment and took in a deep breath. As she released it, she nodded her head to herself. "What is his name?"
"He said his name is Raige." Monk Kiyoshi turned and sighed as he looked out at the blood that claimed Kagome's eyes. "He had come here looking for you. He came to your shrine house by following your scent. We tried to stop him here, though we didn't know why he kept staying when he knew that you weren't here." Monk Kiyoshi gazed down at the ground in deep thought, his eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "He said that he wanted to play. He said he was sleeping for many years and was now free. He was toying with us then…" he said defeated. Monk Kiyoshi placed his forehead in the palm of his hands and his Brothers comforted him, telling him they couldn't do anything.
"That's right," Kagome said, her eyes understanding as she looked down at the ground. "You guys can't do anything about it." It all made sense now. Her rebirth. It wasn't a coincidence or by faith that she was brought back to earth. It wasn't because the Fates truly wanted to give her a second chance at life because they believed that she had suffered enough. NO, it wasn't because they felt sorry for what they did to her. She had been reborn because of one purpose, their purpose. Right. It all made sense now.
Kagome's eyes were sad and her face was in pain as she looked up at a Sakura tree. "It all makes sense now…" Her Brothers now looked at her, their eyes curious as to her change of aura. The sadness and hopelessness that radiated out of Kagome's aura concerned them. "The Fates weren't looking to give me a second chance. They knew this would happen." Kagome nodded her head, though she didn't know if it was because she was telling herself it was okay or if she was agreeing with herself. But she was starting to put the pieces of the puzzle together and it all matched up. "The explosion on Hokkaido Island. That wasn't an accident. The Fates knew that this would happen, they knew that another demon would threaten all of mankind." Kagome bit her bottom lip and felt her eyes sting. 'I'm never going to be free of their hold, am I?'
"The Fates knew that Kano must have had one last final plan in case he didn't succeed. Of course…" she said with a small chuckle. The Brothers listened intently and recognition began to enter their eyes as they placed everything together. "Kano would have had a backup plan. He had made this demon to take over his place if he was to fail. And he did. So now… here's this demon. And the Fates knew." Kagome felt her voice cracking. "So they brought me back. And they were planning on all of this to happen and to use me to destroy this demon."
Oh how ironic. Kagome shook her head. 'I guess I was given the belief that I could live my new life the way I wanted to.' A small tear ran down her cheek as emotions flooded her. "The explosion happened right above the field where the battle took place on Hokkaido Island." Kagome turned to look at her Brothers, wanting to see their faces when she felt like breaking down and screaming to the heavens. "Raige had been sealed away, and for some reason, he's now free. And the Fates brought me back just in time because they knew that he would become the new threat." Kagome smiled sarcastically at them, feeling her emotions bringing her to denial. "I was reborn because they want to use me again. I was reborn for only one purpose again." She felt another tear fall down her cheek and her fingers trembled as she grasped her hands together and placed her elbows on her knees. Her Brothers reached out to her, feeling her pain, but Kagome shook them away. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up at the night sky. The stars twinkled above, free to shine and disappear whenever they wanted to. They were free.
With a deep breath, Kagome sighed and cleared her mind, pushing her emotions away into a corner where she could take it out later. She stood up and dusted off her jeans. "Well… let's get going." The monks looked at each other, understanding that Kagome was pushing her emotions aside again. But that was how a priestess was. They never did rely on their emotions or showed their emotions because it always brought trouble. Emotions were never good. The monks knew that Kagome would hide her true feelings and go on with all of this by helping others. It was what Kagome does. It was who Kagome was. And they loved her and protected her with their life. This one woman who was so much light, so much love and so much heart. The monks got up and nodded her heads.
"We will go find the wounded and tend to their wounds. First the Naiku… and then the Geku. Then… we will rebuild the shrines." The Brothers said their agreement and followed Kagome as they descended the stairs and stepped foot onto the pebbles. The sounds of the crunching started again and were the only noise in the empty area.
Kagome looked ahead at the darkened walkway leading to the outer shrines. 'I am here, Kagome… I will not leave you.' Kagome smiled and closed her eyes for a brief second, listening to her mother's words and hearing the comfort that she gave. Midoriko wrapped her arms around Kagome and she opened her eyes to show her love. Kagome knew her mother wouldn't abandon her on this, but of course, her mother would have explaining to do. Now was not the time to worry about her problems. The monks and priestesses of the Ise Shrine died and were in pain because of her. This demon, Raige, came for her and it was because of her that the shrine was destroyed. Kagome would fix this. She would do everything in her power to heal the wounded, anyone who still had a soul, and fix the once beautiful shrine. It would be a long night, and probably long day tomorrow, but Kagome was determined to heal every last thing within the shrine grounds before she thought about herself.
So... chapter 5 is a new one. As of right now, I'm planning on making this story about 20 chapters long. So it'll be less than a half of the Prophecy of the Child. I have had many requests for the story not to be so long and so I won't make it. It's just that I find myself wanting to continue writing, not wanting to end the lives of the characters because of the interest and fantasy that I can live through them. That's how I read books and stories. But that's okay. So I'm trying to shove things together and make things happen more quickly, but not so quick where it seems forceful and unreal. It takes imagination to write things. :)
- Kaleialohalani
