Chapter 18: When the Sun Breaks Through, Part 2
"The one and only," he replied with a smile. Kagome barely heard him over the blood rushing to her ears.
Shippo was no longer the little boy she had now back then. No, the creature that stood before her was a fully grown man. She hardly even recognized him except for his eyes. They carried the same mischief and mirth she expected from the little fox kit she adored so much. As she stared, emotions began to burst from her and before she knew it she was weeping.
"Shippo," Kagome wept as she threw herself into his arms. He caught her easily despite the weight of her kimono. Shippo hugged her back tightly, savoring her presence. When they parted, Kagome's watery eyes took on a fiery sheen. "Where the hell have you been all this time?"
"That's a good question. I've been to many places: here, there, almost everywhere."
"Don't get sassy with me mister, you know what I mean."
"Ah, yes," Shippo scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I didn't know how to find you."
"Looking to the only shrine in Tokyo called Higurashi Shrine wasn't enough information for you?" Kagome tutted, crossing her arms.
"When you put it that way…You know what? That's not important. I followed your reiki and found you here which is all that matters." Shippo said.
"My reiki?" Kagome quirked her head to the side. "Were you close by?"
"Hell no, I live way out of the city. My family and I were celebrating Chichibu at home when I sensed your power. Damned thing was like a beacon, can't believe I hadn't sensed it before. I came as quickly as I could."
Kagome searched for a response but found nothing. Too many revelations were hitting her too quickly yet all she could think about in that moment was how much she missed Shippo. She could hardly believe how he was there, standing physically in front of her. In her mind, she always thought he would stay in the Feudal Era, and seeing him here was making her head hurt.
"Shippo do you want to meet my family?" she blurted suddenly. "I need to change out of this but I think they'd love to meet you!"
Shippo smiled, revealing sharper than human canines with the gesture.
"Hell yeah, I would."
The festival had just wrapped up and the Higurashi family tiredly dragged themselves back to the house. They were sprawled across the living, exhausted from the festivities.
"Everyone, this is Shippo! He was one of my traveling companions from the past," Kagome said once the Higurashi family was finally settled.
They stared at her, then at Shippo, then back to her. A nervous bead of sweat trickled down her forehead. They had welcomed Inuyasha so well, why were they being weird now? Then her mother stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Shippo's cheek.
The fox youkai looked nervously into the matriarch's eyes. They were the same shape as Kagome's with the same long sooty lashes, but they were a dark brown. Shippo gulped seeing traces of water gather at the corners of them.
"We are so glad to finally meet you, Shippo. Would you like tea?"
"Yes please," Shippo answered politely.
It turned out that introducing Shippo to her family was easier than she had expected. The fox youkai recounted many tales from the past, painting the picture of a very mischievous teenage phase that never left when he hit adulthood. The evening took a turn when he released the glamour hiding his demonic features. While Mama Higurashi and Souta awed over his six tails, Grandpa Higurashi instinctually took that moment to slap a sutra over his face. As expected it did nothing except make everyone in the room laugh.
As the evening continued, Kagome had not felt so giddy and light as she did that night. The effect that Shippo's arrival had on her was obvious. Nodoka watched as her daughter laughed until she cried, clutching her stomach. It had been so long since she'd seen such ease and humor from Kagome
Shippo sensed a pair of eyes looking at him then. Glancing toward the perpetrator, he caught Nodoka's eyes. She smiled at him when he saw her and mouthed a simple sentence.
"Thank you."
A week had passed since Shippo made his appearance at the Higurashi Shrine. Since that day, he visited several times more. He brought Souten, who Kagome delightfully learned was his wife, on his second visit. Seeing the little girl as a full-grown woman gave her nearly as much whiplash as when she'd seen Shippo.
When they brought Satsuki, their youngest daughter, it was as though their little family was finally complete. They fit into the Higurashi family dynamic quickly much to Kagome's happiness.
One particular day there was a knock at the door. Sensing the fox youkai's familiar presence, Kagome was the one to rush down the stairs and answer the door. When she greeted Shippo, she could immediately tell there was something off about him. There was no mirth in his eyes, no humor in his countenance.
"Ship, what's wrong?" Kagome asked immediately noticing the change.
"Kagome, can I borrow you for the afternoon? There's something I need to tell you." Shippo said.
She nodded mutely and went to change into more appropriate attire. Calling out a goodbye to her family, Kagome left the shrine with Shippo. While she had a million questions as to what was going on. Judging from his dark expression she did not want to push it. However, she could handle a silent car ride for so long.
"Shippo, you're freaking me out here. What's going on?" Kagome broke the silence a few minutes later. From the driver's seat, Shippo glanced at her and then back to the road. He inhaled a large breath before speaking.
"I was going to wait to tell you at a better time but now's as good as any. You know how you thought youkai went extinct? Well, obviously, we didn't. Our population is small but there's enough of us that we are far from being gone."
"That's good though, isn't it?"
"Well, yes. But to tell you the truth, Kagome, I don't know for how long."
It was like pulling teeth trying to get a full answer. Kagome pushed him again, demanding a clearer explanation. Shippo looked as though he would much rather eat slime than continue explaining. But he knew with their quest he had to.
"We're dying, Kagome. There's a disease that attacks our spirit, our youki. It slowly drains us until we are nothing." Shippo finally said after a pregnant pause.
"What?" Kagome whispered, unable to grasp the news he delivered. "You're telling me just now that you're dying?
"No, nononono, NO! I am not dying," Shippo quickly interjected. "The youkai and hanyou populations are dying. Come on. It'll take more than an energy leech to kill me."
He pompously added the last part to soothe any worries she could have. The gesture assuredly backfired as Kagome began to question him more. It was impressive, he mused, how many questions she was able to ask in a single breath. Before she could suffocate on her own line of questioning, Shippo squeezed her shoulder gently.
"Calm down. I'm telling you this now which is all that matters. I'm taking you to a place where you can visit them," he said soothingly.
"Why would that make me calm!" Kagome cried out, smacking his hand away. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"That's simple. I'm selfish and wanted some time with you before you found out." Shippo answered. Kagome gaped at him in disbelief.
"You are unbelievable!"
"Come on, Kags, don't be like this please."
"I'll be how I want, thank you! You've got some nerve, Shippo."
With that, she turned herself away from him. Kagome pointedly ignored any of his attempts at conversation for the duration of the car ride. The nerve of him hiding such news from her for this long. She could hardly believe him. After so much time gone from that world, she felt that she had the right to know even if the timing was bad. It was her world too, after all.
They arrived at a moderately sized brick building an hour later. There were no signs or a parking lot. The establishment was far outside of Tokyo's city limit, bleeding into the countryside. A thick line of forested area surrounded them, giving the feel of a strangely comfortable isolation. Kagome followed closely behind Shippo as they approached the building.
It was quiet as they entered a waiting room area. The small room had a few benches and several stuffed chairs that looked one seam from falling apart. At the back wall was a receptionist desk where a broad woman scribbled away at a pile of paperwork. Shippo coughed to gain her attention and she started. Apparently, she wasn't expecting anyone to come.
"Ah, Mr. Kistunezuka welcome back. I'll check you in real quick. Who is the lady with you?" The woman asked, smiling as she recognized Shippo.
"She is a visitor. Her name is Kagome Higurashi."
"Alright, all checked in. I'll let the doctor on duty know that you're here."
"Thank you, Ms. Nagisa."
Ms. Nagisa's smile widened as they left the room. Kagome couldn't help but glance over her shoulder to get another look at the woman. If she concentrated really hard she could make out the rough, shimmering shape of horns atop the woman's head.
"Is this place a hospital, Shippo?" Kagome asked.
"Oh, you're talking to me now?" Shippo asked with a pout. Kagome rolled her eyes and nudged him with her elbow.
"I think you've learned your lesson. Now fess up, what is this place?"
"This is part hospital, part assisted living for youkai and hanyou afflicted with this particular disease. There is an in-house doctor that monitors their health and several nurses that tend to the patients here."
"Wow," Kagome whispered, drinking in her surroundings with a more positive light. "Where is everyone?"
"Well, it is after hours so the patients are likely in the community room or in their units. There might be some nurses too."
Shippo stopped them in front of a set of open double oak doors. Curiously, Kagome peered through the doors. It was a larger room with multiple round tables with built-in benches. Almost all of them were filled with youkai and hanyou alike. Horns, animalistic ears, and varying sizes were plain to the naked eye. Much to her surprise they were not maintaining a glamour.
Seeing them in her own era felt strange. They all looked so out of place wearing modern clothes and existing in modern facilities made Kagome's head spin. Even their energy felt different, their youki which is as present as one's aura was weak. There were varying degrees of how little energy some of the youkai had, the ones with the least moved very slowly and looked one wind gust away from blowing away.
"Is this…?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
With an arm wrapped around her shoulder, Shippo led Kagome away from the door and down the hallway. The miko felt too shocked to speak. Her heart cried out for the youkai and this horrible disease that was wasting them away. Every muscle in her body screamed to turn around and comfort them. Sensing her despair, Shippo stopped their trek and forced her to meet his eyes.
"I didn't show you this to make you sad. I wanted to show you because you deserve to know. Our doctors are working on a cure but science is always moving slwoly. Especially when you're trying to keep an entire population's existence under wraps."
Kagome nodded mutely in understanding. However, she couldn't ignore the powerful feeling that vibrated in her chest. Now that she knew, there had to be something she could do to help. Right?
"Can we stay here for a little longer? I want to speak to them," pleaded Kagome.
"Sure. I have some business to discuss with the doctor here and then we can leave. Just… Don't get too attached to anyone. Okay?" Shippo said. Kagome's heart sunk at his implications, but she nodded. "Alright. I'll see you in a bit then."
Taking a deep breath, Kagome retraced her steps to the community room. Most of the more withered ones were gathered around a small television set. From her vantage point, she surmised they were watching some type of soap opera. As much as she wanted to go in, her feet refused to move.
"Who are you?"
Kagome started at the sound of a young girl's voice. Placing a hand over her wildly beating heart, the miko made eye contact with a pair of uncommonly large honey-brown eyes. The little girl stared at her with a strange look on her face and didn't look over the age of six.
"Excuse me, but who are you? You don't look like any of the humans that normally visit." The little girl pushed again. Kagome leaned down so she was at her height.
"Hi there, my name is Kagome. What's yours?"
"Kayoko's name is Kayoko," she introduced. "Kayoko is a powerful river hanyou. If you're here to hurt anyone then face Kayoko's wrath."
The little girl spoke in such a serious tone that was simply too adorable. Her large eyes seemed to widen further as she blatantly threatened Kagome, but she didn't care. The cuteness overload was too much to handle.
"You are so CUTE!" Kagome squealed, bringing the little girl into a hug. "Don't you worry, I promise you I mean no harm. I came with Shippo."
"Mr. Kistunezuka?" Kayoko brightened at the mention of the fox youkai's name. "Kayoko likes Mr. Kistunezuka, if Kayoko is a good girl she gets candy!"
"That's nice of him. Do you get lots of candy?"
"Of course! Kayoko is always a good girl," she stated proudly. Kagome giggled at the earnest expression on her cherubic face. This kid was too precious.
"Do you have any friends here, Kayoko?"
"Yes! Kayoko will introduce you."
With that, the little girl grabbed Kagome's hand and dragged her into the room. When her presence was finally known many of them cast a side-eyed glance in her direction. Though they must have sensed her reiki, the miko made an earnest effort to talk to as many of the patients as she could. Their ice soon melted and some chatted amicably with her.
"Yay! Kayoko won, let's play again!" The little girl cheered as she "beat" Kagome at another round of Tic-tac-toe. Apparently in Kayoko's game, one could cross three off by curving the line.
"Why don't we play something else? Do you like-?" the miko cut off when Kayoko began to violently cough. "Kayoko?"
The little girl didn't hear her, covering her mouth as she wheezed. Kagome patted her back gently in hopes of the fit subsiding. When Kayoko started to wretch blood, the miko cried out for a nurse in panic. No sooner had she called for them did one appear and whisk the coughing child away. The nurse was a tall, Oni woman with deep emerald skin. Her stature made Kayoko look even tinier than she did just a moment ago.
She followed them to a hospital room where the nurse began to insert needles and IVs. Kayoko was entangled in a web of clear tubes and wire by the time she was finished. Kagome didn't wait for permission to enter the room. She rushed to the little girl's bedside, her eyes bleary with tears.
"What happened?" Kagome croaked, her hand encompassing the little girl's. Laying like this she looked so small and frail. Her heart creaked at the sound of Kayoko's labored breathing.
"She's our youngest patient so far," the nurse answered. "Miss Kayoko is a fighter but she is young for a hanyou, only ten years old."
"She has the disease?" asked Kagome. She turned back to Kayoko who looked no older than six.
"Unfortunately so. With how aggressive her condition is, we're surprised she's made it this long. The doctor assumes it's her human heritage keeping her alive."
With every word, Kagome's heart sank. Kayoko was so young and yet teetered between life and death, her humanity being the thread keeping her together. Her grip on the girl's hand tightened. Ice cold skin chilled her fingertips.
"The doctor will be coming in shortly, Miss. I recommend that we leave and let Miss Kayoko rest," the nurse said gently.
"I can't just leave her like this! What if she's dying?" Kagome exclaimed.
"She is. Which is why we must leave and let the doctor do his job. Let's go, Miss." The nurse explained with a stern tone.
Kagome refused to leave the little girl. It was clear how much pain she was in. Nobody with half a heart could leave a child by herself in a condition like this. The miko turned teary eyes back to Kayoko. She was fast asleep now but Kagome couldn't help but see a future corpse. It was then that she made a decision.
"Could I have a moment with her alone? Just to say goodbye. I might never see her again." Kagome's warbling voice trailed off. Luckily the nurse nodded her approval and told her she had five minutes.
"That should give me just enough time," Kagome thought. She had barely formed a plan doing this, but she needed to do something.
Quickly she placed both hands on Kayoko. Taking a deep steadying breath, Kagome called upon her powers. Warmth spread from her solar plexus, into her arms, and through her fingertips. She coaxed her reiki into Kayoko who seized at the sudden intrusion of energy.
Gasping, Kagome retracted a small portion of the reiki. Kayoko was very little and she needed to be careful. Concentrating harder, the miko allowed her energy to flow through the little girl's body. From the sound of Kayoko's even breathing, the healing reiki was doing its job. It just needed a little more time.
"What are you doing?" The nurse suddenly appeared, shouting in horror. "Get off her this instant!"
"I'm healing her! Can't you see?" Kagome screamed back, teeth bared. The nurse didn't back down, rushing toward them.
"This is not- what?"
"Miss Aya what are you doing here?" Kayoko asked. The miko snapped her attention to the little girl who was sitting up. "Miss Kagome, you promised Kayoko another game."
Both women were astounded at the clarity that the little girl showed. She was upright, even gained some of her color back, and was looking at them quizzically. The nurse, Aya, swooped in to perform some tests. She checked all of her vitals twice over.
"Gods above," Aya whispered in disbelief. "Her vitals are… normal."
"That's good, right?" Kagome asked. Nurse Aya pinned her with a scathing glare.
"Yes. But you had no right performing this," she waved her hands in search of the proper word. "Miracle!"
"So I saved a little girl's life and you're mad about that?" Kagome hissed.
"No, but you made things interesting Kagome. Wouldn't you say Dr. Hayate?"
Whipping around, the miko found Shippo and a woman wearing a lab coat. While Shippo looked very pleased, Dr. Hayate watched with disbelieving wide eyes. Before any of the adults could comment, Kayoko yanked the IVs and other equipment off of her and hurled herself into the fox youkai's arms.
"Mr. Kistunezuka! Kayoko was a good girl today and made a new friend!"
"Wow, good job. I'm glad that you're behaving Kayoko. Did you have fun with Kagome?"
"Yes! Yes! Miss Kagome is Kayoko's new friend. She is very nice but bad at tic-tac-toe."
"Well, now that's a surprise. Kayoko why don't you go play with Nurse Aya back in the community room?" Shippo laughed brightly as he set the little girl down. She frowned at the idea and pushed her lip out to display her impressive puppy dog eyes. Nurse Aya took the hint and ushered them out of the room.
"It was really nice meeting you, Kayoko," Kagome called out.
"Bye, Miss Kagome! Come back and play again!" Kayoko shouted back, waving her hand wildly.
Once they were out of sight, Kagome suddenly realized the weight of her situation. Nervously, she smiled at Shippo and Dr. Hayate. She prayed to the gods above that she didn't just do something bad.
"Why don't we go to your office and talk, Dr. Hayate?" Shippo suggested.
"Yes. We need to speak of this matter urgently," Dr. Hayate agreed.
Dr. Hayate's office was a very clean, strictly organized space. Without so much as a photograph or painting on the wall, it felt more like a set for a magazine than a place where someone worked.
Bright azure flicked nervously from Shippo's casual demeanor to Dr. Hayate's tight frown. Nurse Aya had dropped off a stack of papers that the doctor was currently looking over. Kagome bet that it was about Kayoko, but what she couldn't decipher was if she was in trouble.
"Miss Higurashi, do you realize what you have done?" The doctor asked finally.
"I helped Kayokoa and I don't regret it," Kagome replied. Her tone came off more fierce than she intended, but she didn't care.
"That's good to hear because we have not seen such improvements in a patient's health ever," Dr. Hayate stated, sliding the paperwork toward her. "She is not cured, but young Kayoko was projected to have only two more months to live. Now I speculate she will be able to reach adulthood thanks to whatever you did."
Kagome gaped at the doctor's happy expression. She scanned the data sheet in front of her for confirmation, though it was a bunch of hospital gibberish to her.
"That's amazing to hear," she whispered. Dr. Hayate smiled and leaned forward, propping her chin on folded hands.
"What I would like to know now, Miss Higurashi, is what did you do to improve Kayoko's condition?"
"Well…" Kagome trailed, glancing at Shippo for back-up. He smiled placidly at her and shrugged. "I used my reiki to heal her. I didn't really know what I was doing but I thought it would help her."
Dr. Hayate nodded slowly, listening to each word carefully. Kagome gulped, still feeling like she was in massive trouble for intervening when the doctor stood. Rubbing a hand over tired eyes, she smiled at her.
"I need to make a phone call. Thank you for your help today, Miss Higurashi. I will be reaching out to you again." Dr. Hayate said.
The car ride home was quiet. Too many thoughts were racing around Kagome's brain to be able to hold any form of conversation. In the driver's seat, Shippo was humming a cheery tune and feeling very proud of himself. This prideful aura caught the miko's attention, so she questioned him about it.
"Kagome you never fail to impress me," he said. "You gave me something I haven't had in a very long time."
"And what is that?"
"Hope."
Hope.
The singular word echoed in Kagome's mind as several days passed. She had never seen Shippo look so relieved about something before. He looked so much older in that moment, as though many burdens were weighing on him and then simultaneously lifted off. It was still strange to think of her little fox kit as a grown man.
Glancing across the table, Shippo wore a different expression. In his green gaze there was a fiery determination that piqued the curiosities of the three oldest members of the Higurashi family. The fox youkai had requested them to sit down for a serious conversation.
"I believe Kagome has the ability to help a lot of people. Her talents as a miko and her kind heart would serve a population in desperate need at this time."
"We've always known our girl was impressive," Nodoka laughed, beaming at her oldest child. Kagome flushed and looked away embarrassed. "But I have a feeling you're going to whisk her away. Are you not?"
"Not exactly," Shippo replied. He placed a stack of papers on the table with a twinkle in his eye. Grandpa Higurashi pulled the stack closer to see. When he read the first few sentences, he gasped loudly.
"Ouran? As in the prestigious Ouran Academy?" he shouted incredulously. Shippo nodded, pulling out one particular paper.
"She will need to take the entrance exam of course, but I have no doubts that she'd pass," he said. "If you're concerned about tuition, don't be. I and another have that covered."
"What's the catch?" Grandpa Higurashi asked skeptically.
"Kagome attends Ouran Academy to become a doctor and help save lives. That is the only catch to this situation," Shippo answered seriously. "I trust that you know I have Kagome's best interest at heart. We can't allow for her talents to go to the wayside when she could help so many youkai and hanyou alike."
"What makes you so sure that it will do anything?" Nodoka asked.
"Because she's already done it. Sort of. Our medical team believes that if Kagome trains to understand the human body and medicine she could be the one that saves us."
Shippo's statement hung in the air, an echo of change that was simultaneously terrifying and exciting. The eldest Higurashis looked toward Kagome curiously. She only just graduated middle school, barely passing as it was. Attending a nationally renowned school to become a doctor seemed strange to them. Their concerns were silenced immediately by the determination lighting up her azure gaze. They recognized that look and knew that her fate was sealed.
"What do you say, Kagome?" Shippo presented the paperwork to her with a broad smile. When she didn't answer he called her name once again. "Kagome?"
"–gome, KAGOME!"
Suddenly the sound of Haruhi's voice broke her out of her daydreaming. Kagome blinked owlishly, finally registering where she was. Haruhi stared at her with a concerned look as she whipped her head around the unfamiliar surroundings.
"Where the heck are we?" Kagome asked. She suddenly felt very dizzy, as though she woke early from a nap.
"You followed me to class. Are you sure you're good to be back at school?" Haruhi said, placing a gentle hand on Kagome's forehead.
Shooeing the hand away, Kagome realized that she did in fact follow Haruhi to her class. On the opposite side of the building. A quick glance at the time told her she was about to be abysmally late.
"Crap! Gotta go, bye Haruhiii!" Kagome shouted, breaking into a sprint. On her way out she nearly ran over the Hitachiin twins as they entered. With a quick apology thrown at them, she hastened her pace.
"What's with her?" They asked Haruhi. The brunette merely shrugged and turned toward the board.
"Who knows."
"Mr. Yamada! I'm here!" Kagome burst into the classroom. Her teacher started at the sudden sight of her, but the shock melted into exasperation quickly.
"Do us all a favor, Higurashi, and take your seat." Mr. Yamada grumbled. He was not paid nearly enough to deal with such foolishness. Kagome colored and hurried to her seat.
Behind her, Kyoya hid a smile behind his hand as she sat down. Her seat had been empty too long for his liking. With her finally back the world felt right once more. Leaning back into a better posture, he was comforted by her returned presence.
A/N: Aaaand that concludes part 2 of the beast chapter! Love y'all too much to make you wait too long lolol. I hope you enjoyed Kagome's origin story and why she attends Ouran. Big missions for our girl! Thank you for reading. :))
