InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ HeartSong ❯ How It Happened ( Chapter 19 )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, its characters or any quotes I may use.

I also don't own the song “I Will Remember You”

 

CHAPTER NINETEEN: HOW IT HAPPENED

 

Kagome jumped off Kirara's back and stood by the demon's head, “You stay here Kirara. I don't think Sesshomaru will be very pleased at the sight of us; but maybe if it's just me, he'll talk.”

Kirara growled softly and Kagome laughed, “Yeah. No way in heck.”

She looked up to the castle standing before her, “But I have to try.”

Kagome walked around, looking for some kind of entrance, and instead found a beautiful garden. She slowly walked through, looking at each type of flower.

“Why are you here?”

Kagome gasped and spun around. Sesshomaru stood behind her; his cold eyes on her, chilling her to the bone.

Kagome stepped closer, “There's something I needed to talk to you about.”

“Leave.”

Sesshomaru turned and started to leave, “No wait! Please.”

Sesshomaru stopped.

“I heard a story. About a girl who came here 17 years ago. From my world.”

She saw Sesshomaru stiffen slightly.

“And I want to know what happened to her.”

Sesshomaru turned back to her and sneered, “I don't know what you're talking about.”

Kagome stood right in front of him, “I think you do. Amaya Hikari came through the same well I did. But she never returned. And I think you know why.”

Sesshomaru stared down at her, “I have nothing to say to you human. Be gone from my presence.”

He turned and walked back down the walkway.

Kagome's eyes flashed angrily, “Can you forget you hatred of me for one second!” she snapped. “Tell me what happened to Amaya!”

Suddenly Sesshomaru's hand grasped her throat tightly, “Do not speak of her!”

Kagome struggled against his hand, “Why are you so protective of her?” she rasped. “Did she mean something to you?”

Pain flashed in Sesshomaru's eyes and he let her drop to the ground. “Leave me” he growled, “And return home. Forget what you seek. It is no more.”

Kagome stood slowly but did not walk away, “She stayed because of you, didn't she? Amaya didn't go home because she wanted to stay with you.”

“Her name was Akari”

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed, “What?”

Sesshomaru turned back, the night masking his face but the light from the moon reflected his eyes; they were unmistakably filled with pain and sadness. “She went by Akari. She hated the name Amaya.”

Kagome slowly walked over to the demon, “I see.”

Sesshomaru looked to the sky, “I met her, by the river. She was dressed in a strange manner. I was filled with a distain for her at first. She was confused and a little frightened. But she held such a fire in her eyes. She was attacked, and I saved her. After that I…felt some need to protect her. And it disgusted me.”

Kagome smothered a smile behind a hand and Sesshomaru glared at her, “What do you find so amusing?” he snarled.

Kagome shook her head, “I apologize. I did not mean to offend you.”

Sesshomaru stared at her a moment, his golden eyes burning into her. “I see.”

Kagome mentally kicked herself and bit her lip to keep her cool. She was sure he wouldn't continue and felt a disappointment in not knowing what happened to the girl.

But the cold demon surprised her by speaking again.

“She stayed by my side, for many days. She insisted it was till she could find a way home, and I…thought didn't care. But I did. I never let her out of my sight. I couldn't help but protect her. When we finally found a way for her to return, she went, but came back again. She wanted to stay with me.”

He looked down at Kagome, “And I foolishly let her stay.”

“You fell in love with her” Kagome whispered.

Sesshomaru hesitated then nodded slightly, “Yes.”

He looked up to the sky, “I should have made her leave.”

His eyes focused on Kagome, “If she had gone back, she wouldn't have been there. Nothing would have happened.”

Kagome carefully approached the agitated demon, “What happened?”

 

 

“Lord Sesshomaru!”

Sesshomaru looked up from his desk as Jaken came bursting in.

“Jaken”

“My Lord! It is Gyroa, he is attacking a village. Near the border.”

Sesshomaru growled and got to his feet, “This ends tonight.”

Akari looked up from her book, “You're going?”

“This demon has run wild on my lands long enough; I will not allow it to go on anymore.”

Akari walked over to him “You have no weapon, no way to defend yourself.”

“You doubt this Sesshomaru?”

“No. I'm just worried.”

Sesshomaru leaned down and gave her a deep kiss. Once he pulled back he gently brushed his hand across her face, “Don't be. I will be back, but you must stay here.”

Akari nodded once and Sesshomaru left the room.

Akari settled back into her chair. Soon her eyes closed and she let herself drift off to sleep, her thoughts still on Sesshomaru.

 

Akari was awakened by Jaken's yelling and the sound of glass breaking.

“Who are you!”

Akari sat up as a dark clothed advanced on Jaken and forcefully knocked the imp to the ground.

“Jaken!”

Akari started to go to him but stopped then the figure suddenly turned on her, pressing a knife to her throat, “Well, well, well” he sneered.

“It looks like the rumors were true.”

He grabbed Akari but her upper arm and started to drag her out of the room, “Come on girl; we've got some people waiting for us.”

 

Meanwhile in the forest near the border Sesshomaru finally found the demon called Gyroa. He looked like a large man, with blood red skin and yellow eyes. His hair was stark white and stuck out in wild directions.

Gyroa laughed as he watched Sesshomaru approach, “I was starting to wonder if you'd ever show up!” Gyroa called in a deep voice, “I was beginning to think you did not care about your territory.”

Sesshomaru stopped and stared coolly; his face emotionless.

“Ah yes. I heard you were quite the cold-hearted bastard. But…that doesn't seem to fit with the last news I received. Perhaps you are not the one who rules here.”

“I am the only Lord of these lands.”

“Not for long.”

Sesshomaru jumped back just in time from Gyroa's attack.

Sesshomaru's fingers began to glow green, “You think you can defeat me?”

“SESSHOMARU!”

Sesshomaru's head snapped up and his calm face changed into shock.

“Akari!”

A man held the struggling girl with a blade pressed to her neck and sneered, “Will you look at that! The Great Dog Lord is surprised.”

Gyroa stepped back, “So it's true” he said darkly, “The mighty Sesshomaru. Lord of the Western Lands. Has fallen in love with a human.”

Sesshomaru bared his teeth, “Let her go!”

“Now why would I do that, after Konoy has gone through all that trouble to kidnap her and everything?”

Gyroa chuckled, “Didn't you learn from your father Sesshomaru?” he nodded slightly to Konoy.

“Humans don't live long.”

Konoy took the blade from Akari's neck and plunged it into her stomach.

Konoy then released her and Akari stumbled forward; blood steeping through her fingers as she held them to her body.

I will be walking one day, down a street far away.
And see a face in the crowd and smile.

“Akari!” Sesshomaru yelled.

Konoy laughed and pushed the girl to the ground.

Sesshomaru snarled and rushed to her side, hardly glancing as he sliced Konoy's throat.

“Sess…Sesshomaru…” Akari whispered, her face white.

Knowing how you made me laugh,
Hearing sweet echoes of you from the past.

Sesshomaru gathered her up in his arms, “Akari…you can't…”

“Hey…it's ok..ay..” she breathes came in small gasps.

Sesshomaru pulled her to his chest; her blood staining his white clothes.

“I don't have Tensaiga. I can't bring you back!”

I will remember you.

Akari smiled softly, “I know.”

Look in my eyes while you're near.

Tell me what's happening here.

“Akari…”

Sesshomaru struggled to breath, “Don't…leave…”

See that I don't want to say good-bye.

Gyroa laughed behind him, “You're a fool Sesshomaru. You let your guard down and your back exposed. For what? A dead human girl.”

Sesshomaru gently laid Akari back down; her body still and her breath shallow.

He knew she would die. And that hurt more then any pain he'd ever felt before.

Tilting his head back, Sesshomaru let out a roar that would have made the very depths of Hell tremble in fear.

Slowly rising from Akari's body, Sesshomaru turned to face Gyroa.

“You will die” he said coldly.

Gyroa raised an eyebrow, “And what makes you think you will be able to defeat me Dog Lord? You have yet to touch me and Konoy was only a human. I will not be killed so easily.”

Sesshomaru growled, his fangs gleaming in the moonlight, “You killed…the one thing in this life…that I love…”

“Are you trying to appeal to my sympathy Dog?”

“No. I'm letting you know for what reason you will not leave this forest alive.”

Gyroa laughed, “All this for a human girl?”

“Her name is Akari.”

Those were the last words Gyroa ever heard.

 

Sesshomaru knelt by Akari's side again; she was laying in her own puddle of blood.

“Akari” he whispered.

Akari slowly opened her eyes, “Hi” she whispered; struggling to breath.

“I….please don't…You can't leave me.”

Very slowly she reached up to touched his face, “I can…never leave...Don't forget that.”

Our love is frozen in time.
I'll be your champion and you'll be mine.

“I love you Akari”

Akari smiled then her eyes closed and her body went limp.
Sesshomaru buried his face in her hair, “No…”

I will remember.
I will remember you.

 

Some hours later Sesshomaru sat down and leaned against the trunk of a tree. Looking down at his hands he realized they were covered in blood. Gyroa's and….

“Akari”

Later on,

When this fire is an ember.
Later on,
When the night's not so tender.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and breathed deeply. After he slaughtered Gyroa, he picked up Akari's lifeless body and carried her away.

He build a fire; out of habit or hope. Hope that maybe it would somehow bring her back. But that wasn't possible.

She was gone.

Given time,
Though it's hard to remember darlin'.

Akari was dead and there was no way Sesshomaru could bring her back. With his Tensaiga gone, there was no way to save the girl's soul. Now, she laid a lifeless corpse; yet still amazingly beautiful.

I will be holding,

I'll still be holding to you.

A strange cold feeling swept through Sesshomaru's body as he watched at her. Her body on the other side of the fire; just like when they had first started traveling together.

Eyes closed and long hair framing her face, she looked as though she was just in a peaceful sleep.

Sesshomaru tired to ignore the emotions that raged through his body; they never crossed his face. But if one were to look closely at his eyes, they would see the reflections of his soul.

Anger, contempt, pain and sadness. Feelings a demon could feel, but would never show. Feelings a demon knew, but could never express. Yet there they were, dancing in his eyes like the flames across the sky.

Closing his eyes Sesshomaru locked everything back in, back in the farthest and darkest part of his soul. But not before a single tear escaped and ran down his cold cheek.

I will remember you.

 

 

Sesshomaru turned and started up a small hill; Kagome hesitated a moment before following him. There surrounded by trees and flowers was a lone grave.

Kagome knelt down, tears in her eyes, and gently brushed her fingers over the stone, “You buried her here.”

“She belonged nowhere else.”

“And what happened to Tensaiga?”

“It had been Konoy. He was able to mask his scent and sneak in. I found it in a cave some months later.”

“I see.”

“I'm sorry Sesshomaru” Kagome said as she stood.

She touched his shoulder, and he spun on her; his eyes glowing red.

“Don't give me your pity human! I don't need it!”

Kagome stood her ground, “Fine. Then I won't give it. But this certainly explains many things.”

“And what is that?”

“Now I understand why you hate me and other humans. But I think it's me more of all. I came from the same time as Akari and I remind you of her.”

Sesshomaru hissed, “You are nothing like her!”

“Look Sesshomaru. I didn't mean it like that.”

Sesshomaru suddenly touched Kagome's face, “Just go now Kagome. Let this story rest.”

Kagome stared at him in surprise at his gentleness, then nodded her head slowly, “I will. I just have one more question.”

He turned away, “What?”

“Why do you come back to her grave, if her memory causes you some much pain?”

Sesshomaru stared into her eyes, then looked down at the grave.

“Because she was my HeartSong.”

Kagome didn't say a word. Just turned and walked back down the hill.

Sesshomaru looked up to the sky, the pain of a new wound flowing through his heart.

“Sesshomaru”

Sesshomaru turned quickly and his eyes widened slightly, “Akari.”

Hearing Sesshomaru speak Kagome stopped at the bottom of the hill and turned back; looking up towards the grave she squinted to see who he was talking to.

Sesshomaru stood with a young girl who had her arms wrapped around Sesshomaru's neck.

“Akari” Kagome whispered.

Suddenly they both disappeared, leaving Kagome alone on the castle grounds.

Slowly making her way down the path she ran into Rin and Jaken and braced herself for a fight.

“Ah… the human girl Kagome” Jaken said with a slight sneer.

“Where is my lord?”

Kagome shrugged, “I-I'm not sure. He just disappeared.”

This time it was Rin who spoke, “Of course. We thought as much.”

“This has happened before?”

“Oh yes. Every once in a while he leaves with her. With Akari.”

“But I thought she died.”

Jaken scoffed, “Oh course she did you silly human.”

“But how?”

“They are connected” Rin pointed to the grave, “Her body may reside there but her soul is forever by his side.”

So many years come and gone, and yet the memory is strong.
One word we never could learn, Good-bye.

Jaken hit Rin over the head with his staff, “She does not need to know all this you dumb girl!”

Kagome smiled, “But I already do.”

Rin and Jaken looked surprised, “You do? How?” Jaken demanded.

Kagome looked back to the hilltop; the grave stone standing alone now.

“Because she is his HeartSong.”

True love is frozen in time,

I'll be your champion and you will be mine.
I will remember you.
So please remember…
I will remember you.