InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Lost the Real Dream ❯ Memories; So Hard to Catch ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shounen. No profit or money of any kind is made from this fan-created crossover.

"Shuuichi-kun?"

He glanced up from his homework at hearing Kagome's soft voice. She had been chewing her lip and fidgeting with the clear bauble he had yet to see her without. "Yes, onee-san?"

Truly, he was curious as to what she wanted to ask. Though her presence was more than welcome, if she hadn't come to him now, then he would have been going to see her in just a few minutes.

She closed the door as she came into his room, "I didn’t want to ask Shiori-san, and I wasn’t told at the hospital, so…I was wondering if you could… If you could look at my back and tell me what it looks like?"

The sadness and desperation in her eyes threatened to drown him from their intensity. He nodded his head and turned completely towards her. Homework was a minor issue compared to the well-being of his sister. And also, he had been curious about her wounds ever since Shiori mentioned them earlier. Kagome sighed in relief and knelt down in front of him, so her back was facing him. She held her hair up, and he pushed up the back of her shirt high enough to get a good glimpse of the fresh scars. A few moments of silence passed as neither moved, however with each passing second he could tell Kagome was getting more and more worried.

"Shuuichi-kun?" her voice brought him out of his observations. He had seen enough, and while he couldn't say what he had been expecting to see, it was definitely not that. What human doctors had called "a mauling by a large animal," was false. Yes, they were claw marks, but not animal; they were completely demon-made. Especially given the fact that it looked like she had been pulled -- standing up, given that they didn't really angle up or down -- from a death-like grip. He knew of no animal that large, and humans certainly didn't have nails that large or sharp.

And there were two older scars that caught his attention. One was on the arm holding her hair up, and he remembered enough from his time as Youko Kurama to know what made that scar: a scythe. The other on her side, just above her hip, also caught his attention. Without a doubt it was demon made: the puncture wounds and amount of flesh that was ripped out in one bite pointed to no other conclusion.

He rolled down her shirt and watched as she turned around, her eyes searching his for an answer, "I'm not going to lie to you, onee-san." An answer he didn't want to give her yet because inside he was battling with himself. It looked like he was too late to save her from the threat of demons, and it even looked like she was fighting judging from the scar on her arm. Yet, he told himself, he could still save her from having to fight more, "But it looks like you were attacked pretty bad." His heart was decided now, he knew now all that he needed to do.

A soft, sad sigh escaped her, "I guess that means most of my wardrobe is out of the question now... It's probably better if I cover them up, so none can see such unsightly marks." As much as he hated to admit it, this was almost perfect. He could now offer to take her shopping with some of his friends without it seeming like he was snooping into her life too much. "However, Shuuichi-kun... Did they look like they were done by a large animal?"

Kurama almost had to bite his tongue to keep the truth from rolling out of his mouth. For all he knew, she didn't remember anything about being involved with demons. So he went with the safest answer, "Why?"

She shrugged her shoulders and stood up. With unsure steps, she walked over to his window, her mind deep in thought. "I-...I'm not sure... I know I don't remember anything about it, but...I know it wasn't done by an animal. My heart tells me it's not true, that it was something else. But.. I just don't know what it could be.. My heart and mind are trying to tell me so many things about what I've forgotten, but I just can't grasp what they're saying long enough to make sense of it. It gets so unbearable at times, even though it's just begun, that I want to forget and move on... Yet, I feel like if I do that then I'll lose who I am... I guess I'm just looking for a place to begin to remember, though this might be the wrong point to begin from..."

His heart went out to her, he wished he knew about her life so he could tell her something, anything. But as it was, he didn't know a thing since he couldn't tell her that she was attacked by a demon -- she might think he was crazy. So he did what he could. He went over to her and pulled her into his arms, giving her the stability she needed at the moment. How long he held her he didn't know as he was drowning in her lost time. When her hands around his neck started to run through his hair and scratch his scalp, he lost himself even more. At the same time he felt so helpless; he was supposed to be the one giving her comfort, not the other way around.

"I remember... I used to do this for someone with red hair," her whisper caught his attention, along with the grief that laced her words. "But that's all I can remember..."

"It's alright, onee-san. Give it time and you'll remember more." And he really hoped that would happen. He heard her smile, and was glad for it.

"Shuuichi-kun?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think you could take me to the store tomorrow? I really could use some new clothes."

"Of course, onee-san. I'll even introduce you to some of my friends, is that alright?"

She smiled into his shoulder, "More than alright."

Curious jade eyes scrutinized the slightly older woman sitting across from him as she stared out the window, too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice. It was for the best, Kurama concluded, since it gave him a rare unguarded look into his step-sister. She was proving to be a very intriguing puzzle, even after just one day. Last night had given him more than a few pieces of the puzzle that was Kagome, but he had no clue how large of a puzzle she would prove to be. Already it seemed like her puzzle was going to be a large one, but then again he had nothing but time on his hands to figure her out.

Soon he, too, was wrapped up in his own thoughts about all he discovered last night as he continued to stare at her. One thing he knew he didn't like about this puzzle were the heavy implications that she had been involved with demons.

The least he could do right now is see if any of his friends would also notice something odd about her. And if they did, then it would be nice to have more than one head helping to piece together her missing year.

Though, of course, he didn't really know if he could call Yusuke a friend as they had only met barely a couple weeks ago. But he knew he could trust him, along with Hiei now, since both Yusuke and he had stopped him from his path of conquest over the human race. And he knew he could trust Keiko, if anything Keiko was what Kagome needed. A woman near her own age to bond with, and maybe as Kagome was forging her own bond with them, it would allow him to strengthen the ones he already had. If he didn't believe that then he wouldn't have even considered turning to them for help.

Kagome turned towards him and smiled. She was excited to meet his friends, and he was glad for that. It meant that even though she, rightfully, sought out her missing past, she wasn't going to let it hold her back from living in the present. That was one of the many things that made her unique, as hardly any lived in the present even though they weren't missing any of their past, just times they couldn't let go of. Even he was guilty of that; if he wasn't then he never would've agreed to help Hiei. Everyone thought his mother was the only reason he agreed, but it wasn't; he had a desire to feel the thrill only thievery gave one more time.

Her hand brushed some of his bangs out of his eyes, the smile never left her face as her eyes searched his for someone out of her memories. The kitsune in him wanted to be jealous and force her to see him when she looked at him like that, however seeing the calluses on her palms always stopped him. She had been a fighter, and if the person she was looking for protected her, then he would be thankful instead of jealous for doing what he couldn't. "Shuuichi-kun, I'm going to order a shake before your friends get here. Do you want anything?"

Kurama shook his head, and watched as she got up and left. He looked out the window trying to see what could've held her attention for so long, only to see a ramen shop through the throngs of people walking by. A sharp tap against the window had Kurama glancing to the side and coming almost face-to-face with the enthusiastic grin of Yusuke had there not been a window separating them. Keiko and a tall red-headed boy waved at him from behind Yusuke before Keiko started pushing Yusuke towards the entrance. Kurama smiled and glanced over towards Kagome. Yes, this was exactly what she needed.

"Oi, fox-boy! So where's this mysterious sister of yours anyway?" Kurama stifled a chuckle when Keiko smacked him in the back of his head for his comment. At the very least, they could make her laugh. He wanted -- needed -- to hear her laugh.

"Fox-boy, hm?" shock flashed in all four of their eyes when Kagome asked her question. He turned and looked at her behind his three "friends," and saw mirth dancing in her blue-gray eyes as she looked at him. "Yes... I can see how you got that nickname, Shuuichi-kun."

"Ahh, onee-san. These are my friends-..."

"Fair maiden, would you do the great Kuwabara Kazuma the honor of being my girlfriend?" Kurama's introduction was cut off by the one person he didn't know kneeling down in front of his sister. That simply wasn't acceptable to the person he used to be, especially when he grabbed her hand and asked that question. As far as Kurama was concerned, no one would ever be worthy enough to touch those beautifully calloused hands, and eternity would pass before he found anyone worthy of calling his older sister their girlfriend.

Kagome, however, was lost in her memories again. That pose, those words...

They made her heart ache at how familiar they seemed to her. In her mind she wasn't in a food court, she was some place far away in a clearing with clean air and a pure sky. Almost like she was in another time, having another person holding her hand... A person with beautiful violet eyes.

"Fair maiden, would you do me the honor of bearing--..."

"Don't no one want to be your girlfriend, doofus!" Yusuke beat Kurama to Kuwabara and punched him in his head, bringing Kagome out of the memory she now could no longer recall. She had remembered something, she knew, yet all she could recall were those violet eyes. Sighing in resignation since she knew that memory was now out of her grasp for possibly forever, she glanced down at the brawl taking place on the floor between a dark-haired youth and the one called Kuwabara Kazuma.

The brown-haired girl with intelligent dark eyes smiled at her, "I'm sorry for them Minamino-san, but that's Yusuke and Kuwabara for you. They come off as the worst of enemies.."

Kagome glanced down at them again and raised an eyebrow at the insults she could hear, "Yes. One would think they're the best of friends with terms of endearment like that."

They couldn't help it, what Kagome had said was too true. Keiko and Kurama were trying their hardest to keep their laughter down as even Yusuke and Kuwabara stopped fighting to guffaw at her words. It really was so true what she had said, they were the worst of enemies through the good times. And they also were the best of friends through the tough times. When it came down to the wire, and the battles became too tough, they wanted no other to be beside them, fighting alongside a true comrade-in-arms.

Surrounded by the real laughter and the good-natured feeling coming from four friends who were just that close, Kagome couldn't help but join in their laughter. However, even though she was laughing and enjoying herself, an ache in her heart that was becoming all too familiar made itself known. The scene was just too familiar and dear to her heart and soul. Five people truly enjoying the time they had with each other, and being able to laugh brought memories forward that she just couldn't grab. But she knew she had done this before, with other people so similar to the ones in front of her.

Sometime as she had been laughing, her eyes had closed as she tried to grab onto her lost memories. So caught up in trying to chase after her uncatchable past, she never noticed when they stopped laughing or that she had stopped as well. Three pairs of eyes glanced at her in worry, while one pair watched her with painful understanding. Kurama knew from the way she would glance at him with unfocused eyes that she had friends in her missing time that she cared for deeply. His friends, obviously, were so similar to her own that she couldn't help but try to remember things she wasn't ready to.

"Kurama... Is there something wrong with her?" Honestly, he couldn't answer Kuwabara's question because he didn't know.

"What's her name?"

"Higurashi Kagome."

Keiko nodded and waved her hand in front of Kagome's closed eyes. "Kagome-chan... Is everything alright?"

Yusuke scoffed when she opened her eyes and nodded her head. "Well, we all know what's wrong with her," Yusuke said with a goofy grin. He went up and poked her in the side of her head, "her brain's broken!"

Everyone, including Kagome, laughed at that. She swatted his finger away and glared at him in good humor, even though silently thanking him for lightening the mood again. At the same time, she was confused at a strange urge she had when he said that. She wanted to shout out some command that had to do with sitting as soon as he said her brain was broken, as if she had been in this situation before. But for now, she was simply going to enjoy the laughter and fun times she knew she was going to have today with her older brother and his friends.

Kurama was also thankful for Yusuke, he got her to laugh again. She looked so different, so much like her younger self when she laughed like that. He wanted her to be like that all day, like she used to be. And as much as he hated to admit it, she seemed so much more at ease around them than she did at home with just him and Shiori. But, he told himself, this was definitely a good idea.