InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Breathless ❯ Memories ( Chapter 31 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Inuyasha… I am not Japanese.

 

Note: Just in case someone didn't know this, the game the children were playing in the previous chapter, “The Bird in the Basket” is a very popular, traditional game in Japan, and it DOES involve the children singing `Kagome' in their song… It was this song from which apparently Rumiko Takahashi took the leading girl in Inuyasha, Kagome's name… So I thought it'd be an interesting twist to state it'd been Kagome herself who had first taught to some Japanese children of this game, during one of her many stays in the Feudal Sengoku Period…

 

 

On with the fic!

 

 

Chapter Thirty.

 

 

`Memories

 

 

It was several days later that the teen finally decided to address the issue with her teacher.

 

 

“Visions… you say?”

 

 

“Yes, I just— I just keep having them. I wasn't going to say anything about them, I thought it wasn't anything serious… but now I'm not so sure”

 

 

“And you want to know if I can tell you what they are” the seated priestess finished seriously, staring at her in deep search.

 

 

“Uh huh” the blonde nodded her head, not knowing what else to say.

 

 

“This… headache that you mention, it always happens the same way?”

 

 

“More or less”

 

 

“Um… Usagi” Kaede started then “those visions that you see… what are they like?”

 

 

“They're like, flashes… images that fleet before my eyes in a second… sounds, faces, people, objects… places I don't recall ever having been to. I never know what, or who they are… All these hallucinations, Kaede-sama, it's just horrible!” the blonde girl suddenly cried, giving into her despair “Am I… could I be coming crazy?”

 

 

“I don't think you are” the older woman tried to reassure her “you already said you bumped your head so you don't remember anything of your past; your family, your home, where you were born… you said that if those acquaintances of your father hadn't told you what it was, you wouldn't recall your own name, am I right?”

 

 

“Er… yes” the blushing blonde said nervously, trying to pay heed to Kanna's advice and not wanting to let slip anything that she shouldn't about who those acquaintances were; she really didn't want to bring anymore problems to Niraya-sama. “yes… that is, that is what I said”

 

 

At her sudden nervous tone Kaede frowned in slight suspicion, but then immediately shrugged it off: she truly ignored the particularities of the youth's relationship with those people… perhaps they weren't in much good terms after all.

 

 

“What I'm trying to say here, child… is that those visions that you have so much, well, they could in truth be memories”

 

 

“Me- memories?!”

 

 

“Of your previous life… of that past that you don't remember. This has never occurred to you before, has it?”

 

 

“N-No…not really…” the blonde couldn't explain why she so out of the blue felt so growingly apprehensive… like the old priestess had hit the nail on the head, and something deeply within didn't want her to dwell on it any longer… like she was about to uncover a big dark secret…

 

 

`But that is ridiculous' she tried to reason with herself `why would anyone not wish to know where they come from?!'

 

 

Indeed. What could she have done that was so terrible, in her past, for something very deep inside of her to so desperately want to remain unaware of everything about it?

 

 

It just didn't make any sense to her...

 

 

She wondered if it someday would.

 

 

“Do you find this troubling, child?”

 

 

“I- I ah… I don't know what to say” the girl lifted her shoulders and swayed her palms open in a frankly clueless, frustrated gesture “I don't even know where to begin… I mean, I do want to find out more about my past… I mean, who wouldn't? But -but at the same time, something tells me that I shouldn't. I don't know why I'm feeling like this” she shook her head in defeat and took a deep breath, raising her head to look at the priestess fearfully “…Do you think I did something horrible in my past, Kaede-sama, and that is the reason I might not feel like uncovering it?” she finally voiced her fears aloud.

 

 

“I find it hard to believe that someone like you might have had a dark past, though I pray that it is not the case” the wizened woman said in all seriousness “Have your visions up to this time, any of them given you that idea?” she inquired with great interest.

 

 

Once more the blonde shook her head.

 

 

“…No”

 

 

“Very well” the elder said again with relief “then I don't think we should be rushing to any fast conclusions just yet” she observed “for they could be thoroughly wrong, for all that we know …Do you feel any better now that you told me?” she asked with concern.

 

 

“Hai, I do… Thanks a lot for listening, Kaede-Baba” she gave a genuine, heartfelt smile at the wise priestess “Ryuji was right when he suggested I talk to you”

 

 

“So it was the young one who convinced you” the old lady tusked “He worries about you, as do the rest of the children and many other people from the village. They've all become quite taken with you, my child”

 

 

Usagi's smile only grew brighter “I realize that now, and I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for all of your kindness and hospitality… I'll never forget how nice everyone here as been with me”

 

 

“Does it mean… that you plan on leaving us some time soon?” Kaede said with sincere disillusion; she as well had taken to look at the cheerful teen like a daughter she'd never had.

 

 

Usagi looked all crestfallen all of a sudden.

 

 

“I'm not certain still, but sooner or later, I think I will have to… I don't think I should stay here and continue to abuse of your patience when I don't have any real intentions of completing my miko training” she explained with regret “there's… some people… who're waiting for me; besides, I don't wish to impose”

 

 

“Nonsense” the priestess denied stubbornly “who said anything about imposing? Though if you truly have people expecting you back… an important someone, perhaps?” she added with a sly tone.

 

 

The teen instantly felt her cheeks becoming crimson.

 

 

“Uh, I don't know… I mean, may be…”

 

 

Was Niraya-sama really her own important, special person? She really couldn't tell for sure. Which meant, he `was' very kind to her and always seemed to be looking out to her wellbeing… but did all this count for a special affection? She really didn't want to think much of it, though; being that she knew nothing and completely lacked any experience, the whole subject of love affairs and couples had always made her feel confused and a bit squeamish.

 

 

However, what she felt was that could label Niraya-sama as an important person up to the present… because even when it was on some unclear level, they both apparently cared greatly for each other.

 

 

And then there was Lord Sesshoumaru…

 

 

The blonde's eyes widened. Eehhhh????!!!!

 

 

`Why did I think of `him' like that just now?!'

 

 

It was official now: she WAS becoming crazy…

 

 

 

 

 

Later that afternoon, the young girl and her teacher were sitting in another meadow outside the shrine as the elder woman showed her student how to bring forth her power of purity.

 

 

“You must call to the essence inside you, Usagi child” Kaede was admonishing one more time “no matter how many time you strain yourself and clench your teeth, if you don't call that essence forth, you won't be capable to do it”

 

 

How… how do I call forth that essence, Kaede-sama?” the blonde asked with discipline, attempting to get a hold on her growing frustration.

 

 

“By calling to the most pure inner wishes and desires that you have” the aged lady explained “the need to protect someone you love, for example, or the simpler need to set things right. Try to imagine as if you were in that type of situation...it is circumstances like this which usually trigger the awakening of this kind of power. Remember, Usagi, not all people are gifted with this ability; this is why you must learn to appreciate it, and use it for the greater good, always. It's a great responsibility. Only the utmost evolved and elevated of human beings ever manage to make use of the hidden power in their souls… do not forget that”

 

 

“I'll try not to, Kaede-obaasan” (grandma Kaede) she had gotten used to call the old woman that from time to time… since she was welcome under her roof. From then on, living with the wise old lady had gradually come to feel kind of like family.

 

 

“Alright… now concentrate on it” the priestess chided.

 

 

“Um” the blonde attempted to sort out her thoughts, closing her eyes.

 

 

…What kind of circumstances would set off her power?

 

 

She bit her lower lip and tried to come up with one that'd seem like it.

 

 

“…Usagi, the person I hurt; no, the people I hurt…are people who search for me, because they want to put my existence to an end…” Niraya-sama's words echoed inside her head first... and so did the thoughts she'd had then…

 

 

`K-kill Niraya-sama? -NO! Why…who would want to?!'

 

 

At her recollection of this, the blonde bit her lip till it bled. She wouldn't let them

 

 

Niraya-sama had been nothing but caring toward her… she couldn't allow it to happen. She suddenly felt her hands and forehead getting very warm.

 

 

Kaede-Baba's village collapsing under a huge fire.

 

 

The children homeless and orphaned… The crop fields destroyed.

 

 

Not only were her hands getting warmer now, but she saw they were also covered in a dim light. So she immediately tried imagining something else, jumping at the chance continue calling and awakening her power; getting the utmost inner energy in her soul to respond.

 

 

Aku and Tsumi, already dead, under the toe of some unknown enemy

 

 

…Little Rin lying there, dying… on a pool of her own blood

 

 

--NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Usagi once more shook her head, attempting to get a grip on herself as she took a big intake of breath. Picturing this kind of things just to put her own self on the strain, and stimulate her power into action, couldn't be healthy; so she attempted to put a stop to it.

 

 

…But the dreadful fantasies simply kept coming.

 

 

A silver haired woman, so very like herself, raising a moon-shaped scepter high in the air, with a shinning stone engraved on it, shouting an unintelligible incantation to vanquish the hundreds of menacing shadows around the entire place… forfeiting her own life…

 

 

…Two cats, one white and the other black, just standing there, helpless, with their eyes wide… just watching.

 

 

…A chestnut haired teenage girl, with her hair in a ponytail, being constricted by dozens of vines wrapped tightly around her body, slowly suffocating her… as the she-demons around her looked on, and laughed….

 

 

…Another blonde haired girl like herself, with her brilliant mane tied in a red bow, throwing her out of the way as more vines shot from bellow the ground, raising her flailing form up high before quickly sinking back, dragging the girl with the bow out of sight, with them….

 

 

A blue haired young woman in a white swimsuit, screaming as some crystal shaped object was ripped from chest…then falling to the ground, unconscious….

 

 

…A pink haired little child, with a tender, regretful smile, crying silently as her body was fading….

 

 

…A proud brunette in a red pleated skirt, shielding her body with her own as flying yellow energy disks impacted on them harshly.

 

 

…A charcoal-black haired, ocean-blue eyed man, caressing her cheek fondly as his pulse slowly paused forever.

 

 

There were tears falling from her eyes. Usagi raised a hand to touch them.

 

 

They died for me…

 

 

They had all died for her ―this time, the visions had told her as much―, and she couldn't even remember their names…

 

 

She felt like the worst person on the planet. Bringing a hand to her chest, she attempted to soothe her own racing heart.

 

 

She could feel herself already sweating profusely in her distraught confused state…

 

 

“Usagi, well done! You actually did it quite fine, alright! The light on your hands was your purifying power… there was also a strange shine on your forehead, there for a second, but it disappeared fast. Never mind; there's no doubt about it now: you truly possess the assets of a priestess! Even though you've chosen not to become one…” she noticed the blonde wasn't listening.

 

 

“Usagi…? What's on your mind?” she heard the priestess Kaede distantly begin to ask, as if she were doing it a thousand kilometers from afar, and that was when the blonde glanced at her at last.

 

 

“Oh, Kaede-Baba! I think… I think I remembered something” she said, still in between shallow breaths.

 

 

“…Of your past?” the old priestess prompted, taken aback; a hint of surprised anticipation quite evident in her tone “What did you remember”

 

 

“Friends… People that I think were my friends… risking their lives to protect me, and dying…” she finished with a strangled voice.

 

 

“Protect you from what?”

 

 

“I don't know...- I don't know… Oh, Kaede-obaasan, I don't get it; I just don't understand anything!!” not being able to hold it in anymore, she threw herself in the priestess' arms “What's going on Kaede-sama? What's going on with me?! Who am I, where do I come from?! Why can't I ever seem to find any answers to billions of questions like these in my mind?!”

 

 

“Sh sh… Hush, Usagi… It's going to be okay” the mature lady soothed her with a hand on her soft yellow hair.

 

 

“You think so?” came the blonde's muffled reply.

 

 

“Yes. It's a very good thing that you've finally started to recover some of your memory... I bet the rest is soon to come ...Besides, you're no longer alone, child; you have many people of the village with you” the wizened woman said as she continued petting her head “we're nothing but peasants, but we'll sort this out, together…you'll see”

 

 

“I don't know how to thank you, what I'd do without you, Kaede-Baba!” the young girl embraced the priestess impulsively.

 

 

And yet another time Kaede smiled.

 

 

Such a sweet, innocent child

 

 

“…It's going to be alright…”

 

 

To Be Continued.