Fruits Basket Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Inuyasha Basket ❯ Chapter Eighteen: Memories ( Chapter 18 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

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Chapter Eighteen

Memories

Tohru was so overjoyed to see Kyou and Yuki were all right that she hugged them. Kyou sort of moped, because he was a hanyou again, but at the same time, being able to hug Tohru back was nice.

Yuki approached a now human Hatori. “Hatori-san. We need to get Akito back into our time as soon as possible,” he said. “The other Sohmas are probably all very sick without Akito being there.”

Kyou nodded. “It's true.” He explained what had happened with the well. The Sohmas looked at each other. Akito was so vital to their lives… But he was so evil, and still with Naraku.

“What are we going to do? Akito is so powerful in this world. It isn't like we can just drag him back,” Haru pointed out.

Sesshomaru had gone back to fetch Rin, Jaken, and AhUn after dropping off Ayame. Naturally, Momiji had tagged along.

“Is something wrong with everybody back home?” Momiji wondered as he approached the somber-looking Sohmas.

Shigure considered for a moment. “We have to somehow separate Naraku and Akito,” he said, glancing at Inuyasha.

“And how do you expect t' do that?” Inuyasha spat. He looked up nervously at the moon. He hoped that everyone else was gone in a few days… Particularly Akito. With Naraku's newfound power, he might actually start outright attacking them.

Nobody knew, but it seemed like the obvious thing to do. Naraku more or less hid behind Akito's power, and vice versa. Akito might be able to be reasoned with, except that Naraku was around him.

“But Akito is healthy here,” Haru said quietly. “He won't want to give that up.”

“We can't bring everyone else back here,” Hatori pointed out. “And we don't know how long it will be before they die.”

The others froze. “What?” Yuki asked.

“Die?” Tohru said, eyes wide.

“What do you mean `die'?” Kagome wondered, putting a hand on Tohru's shoulder in an effort to keep her composed.

Hatori put on a show of being very calm, for the others' sakes. “Akito was born with the power on him, and it made him very weak. However, he shed it when he came here. It is only natural that the others would feel it. Their bodies are unaccustomed to it, and their souls not made for it, as Akito's was. Logic would tell that they might die.”

“Hatori, is there anything you can do?” Haru asked.

“If I return to our time, I would grow sick as well,” he said. “It's nothing I can cure.”

The Sohmas and Tohru thought of all the Zodiac members—Kagura, Ritsu, Hiro, Kisa, and Kureno. Their time was running out. Yuki looked away. What could he do? Maybe if he offered himself to Akito again… He didn't want to do that. He really didn't want to, but what choice did they really have? Akito might even listen to them, and that was what they needed right now. He felt Sango's hand on his back, trying to comfort him. It made him feel a bit better about this. He looked up. “What if I…”
“Sohma-kun…” Tohru whispered.

“Yuki, don't…” Haru said.

They already knew where this was going. Yuki tried to ignore them. “Akito would listen to Hatori and Shigure if I offered myself to him.”

A silence hung over them. “What are you talkin' about?” Inuyasha asked.

Yuki looked away. “I'd rather not talk about.”
Kyou glanced at Inuyasha. “Akito views Yuki more or less as `his.' He would love it if Yuki came back to him.”

“So, all you're gonna do is talk to him?”

“What else can we do?” Haru wondered.

“Do you think you can take out Akito without killing him?” Kyou hissed. “Just throw him down the well?”

Inuyasha huffed indignantly. “Well, you can't either.”

“Exactly,” Shigure said. “Akito might listen to me, though.”

“…”

“Why would he listen to you, Shigure?” Miroku asked.

Shigure shrugged a shoulder. “Akito-san and I have a… very interesting relationship. He'll at least hear me out.”

“And if he doesn't decide to go back?” Inuyasha asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, if we work this out carefully, then we can get Akito away from Naraku. Akito doesn't seem to quite know his limitations, so as long as we can stay alive, Akito may exhaust his energy and pass out.” Shigure sighed. “And then we have to act quickly to get him back to the well.”

“He'll be pissed,” Kyou muttered.

“At least he won't be nearly as dangerous,” Tohru said quietly. She disliked the idea of her friends being at risk, though.

“So, should the rest of us just hop through the well?” Kyou demanded.

Hatori shook his head. “You'll get sick if you do. It might be best if Tohru goes, though.”

Tohru shot to her feet. “I won't! I don't want to worry about all of you.” She looked away. “Besides, if anything happens, I…”

“You can stay with my mom until everything is cleared up, okay?” Kagome said.

Tohru shook her head. “No, I can't just leave…”

Shippo jumped up on Kagome's shoulder. He had been playing with Rin and the other children. Why had he come over here? “Akitoki is here,” Shippo said. Inuyasha groaned. Every single time that guy showed up, trouble started. It couldn't be anything good. What family heirloom was it this time? “He says he got lost.”

“Fig'res,” Inuyasha muttered. He got up. “Well, let's go see what tragedy is gonna happen next.”

However, he didn't have to go find Akitoki, as he approached them. He greeted the ones he knew, then made a hastier, but respectful greeting to the others.

“What ya got this time?” Inuyasha snapped.

Akitoki was taken back. “What do you mean?”

The inu hanyou was in no mood for a second catastrophe. “Whatever it is, hand it over now, before anything bad happens.” He reached out his hand, palm up.

Akitoki's frown deepened. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

Kagome stood up, stepping between them. “Well, you usually have some sacred artifact. You don't have one now?”

The boy looked bewildered. “I'm just lost,” he insisted.

“Keh,” Inuyasha said, sitting back down.

Tohru, ever the helpful one, rose. “Oh, are you okay? Are you hungry? You look tired. Let's go see Kaede-san. She'll get you something.” Tohru led him off. That was good anyway. The less trouble, the better.

Sango considered something. “What if Naraku finds out about the well?”

Miroku raised an eyebrow. “I'm certain he already knows there's something weird about it.”

While Sesshomaru had been left completely in the dark about the well, he had gathered that it was a link between this world and another one from the future. Also, if the well were destroyed, he wasn't sure if that would be a good or bad thing. He was certain that Ayame would be distressed, though, even though they would stay together.

“What if he destroys it?” Kagome asked, her eyes widening.

Kikyou made a quick decision. “There has to be guards for it—day and night. If any of you are to go home, the well must be protected.”

Kagome sighed deeply. “But what about after all of you go back to our own time? The well will still be in danger with Naraku knowing about it.” She didn't know what was worse: getting sealed here, in this world, or getting sealed in her own time. Either way, she would be separated from those she loves forever.

The Sohmas looked at Hatori. “Not necessarily,” Shigure said.

“How would he get close enough to erase his memory, though?” Yuki wondered.

“Is there something else you're not telling us?” Kagome demanded.

“Hatori can erase people's memories,” Momiji said, looking off into the distance as he contemplated his own mother's lost memories.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. Kikyou rested her hand on his shoulder in an effort to comfort the dragon. The silence conveyed everyone's thoughts. Would it be best if everyone forgot this had ever happened? All except Hatori, anyway, who always must bear these memories, while everyone else could easily forget them.

“It would be better for all of you if you forgot,” he said quietly.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. Inuyasha glared at him. Kyou looked angry too. Yuki became more somber than usual, taking Sango's hand, as if she might disappear then and there. Shigure glanced at Miroku, who shared his gaze. Kagome edged closer to Haru. Haru gently took Kagome's hand. Momiji looked off at Rin. Nobody wanted that, not even Hatori.

“It would be better—for everyone,” Kikyou said, even as she moved just a little closer to Hatori.

“How would it be better!” Inuyasha screamed.

“We live in a world five hundred years apart,” Hatori said quietly. He looked at the relationships beginning to form, and it hurt him. “It won't work—for any of us.”

Kagome's grip on Haru's hand tightened. Theirs was the only one that could work. “But, Haru and I—“

Hatori looked at her seriously. “Five hundred years in this future—our present—any time you embrace Hatsaharu, he will turn into an ox. Akito will never allow your relationship, Kagome. You will be a danger to our family.”

“No! No I won't!” Kagome cried. She leaped to her feet, pulling Haru along with her. She ran away from them, unable to take this any more.

Sesshomaru regarded Hatori coldly. “I am immortal. I am certain I will still exist in your time. I will not affect Ayame.”

Hatori sighed. “What if you find him before we come here? What if that alters him even coming here?”

The youkai looked away. The humans and Sohmas were silent. In 500 years, Sango, Miroku, Rin—they would be nothing but memories. There was only real hope for Sesshomaru and Ayame, Kikyou and Hatori, and Inuyasha and Kyou.

Kyou's fingers curled in to fists. “This isn't fair, Hatori! You're only s'pose to erase Akito and Naraku's memories! Not ours!”

“You will lose nothing,” he said.

“To hell I won't!” he growled. He turned and stomped off.

He looked at what was left of the unhappy group. “We must all move on with our lives. We cannot be burdened by the past—by this place.”

Momiji turned and fled. “Burdened?” Inuyasha wondered, head down. “I would only trouble you?”

“Akito forbids any of the Juunishi to have contact with others. Tohru has been the one exception in all this time. Inuyasha, you must understand—“

He shot to his feet, furious. “Stop controlling everyone's lives! If we want to do something, we'll do it!” He leaped into the air, landing outside the group. He jumped again, running off into the forest.

Sesshomaru rose and walked away. Hatori noted that he was walking toward the hut where Ayame was sleeping. “Sesshomaru,” Kikyou called. He paused. “Don't move him. He's still very weak.” She was afraid that Sesshomaru might take him and run off, in which case, they may have to hunt them down later. He gave a slight nod of his head in consent and resumed.

Yuki and Sango quietly wandered away. Shigure and Miroku looked at each other. Silently, they left together, leaving Hatori and Kikyou. The two sighed. Kikyou was merely annoyed with their behavior. Hatori, on the other hand, was both annoyed and worried.

He would have to track them all down, yes, but that wasn't what truly bothered him. He didn't want to have to do this. Every time he erased a memory, it seemed as though it hurt someone else. However, this time, he would be the only one to remember. There would be no other witnesses.

“It isn't what I desire either,” Kikyou said quietly. They looked at each other. Slowly, they leaned in and their lips met. Kikyou looked away. “It will be difficult for all of us, but it is for the best.”

“I agree,” Hatori said. His heart ached. He wanted to let them all remember, but it would do no good in the end. It was best, for everyone, if these memories were forgotten.