InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Mapped Life ❯ A Mapped Life: Chapter 21: Burning Dreams... ( Chapter 21 )

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

I DO NOT OWN Inuyasha or the Crew, Rumiko Takahashi does. But I do own my original characters.



A/N: Alright people, I’m back, yes I know it has been dragged along oh so very much, but I had to give Izayoi time to grow up right? I do so hate those stories where the main characters are going at it in the second or third chapter. No, this is NOT a LEMON! I do NOT encourage Pedophilia! This is their second meeting, and a brief but interesting conversation between T&I. Please pay attention to the dates listed; there are wide spaced time jumps ahead.


Age Bracket:
Toga: Appears to be 25 years old, but is more like three hundred something.
Kentaro & Emi: Look twenty-ish, but are around two hundred twenty-ish.
Izayoi: 17 years old
Sesshoumaru: 12 years and half years old.
Manami: 12 years old.
Phong Li: 21 years old.


April 3rd 1978 Boston Massachusetts:


Years had gone by, and Izayoi now age seventeen, was tri-state champion, and a week away from graduating the Elizabethan institute, and hopefully on the way towards college, that is if her ever non-present father had other plans for her, like marrying her off to that horrible Chinese brat Phong Li, who she met the last summer when her father flew in from China on a small “business trip” with a petite and scantily clad woman on his arm. They stayed at the estate, and he had John fetch her from the institute, so they could spend some “quality time” – yeah right!


His looks weren’t the problem, no not at all, he stood a good fourteen inches taller than her, and his midnight black hair, and muscular tanned skin had her shying away when he looked at her, it was his eyes, yes his eyes were the problem. They didn’t reflect sincerity, or respect for her, they were cold, and calculating, evil, and that had her doubting him from the start.


Half an hour later when dinner was served at the estate, she found out that Phong was the accompanying ladies’ son. And that he didn’t come to America just for fun, rather her father brought him over to plan their arranged wedding, because the unity of the Li and Tokugawa family would bring great riches to both families. Poor Izayoi’s heart missed a beat, `not even graduated, not even eighteen and he was planning a marriage, to a foolish brat that was pure evil, you could see it in his eyes´, she was devastated, her hopes, her dream to become an artist shattered into a billion pieces by the sledgehammer weight known as Han Tokugawa, her dreaded father.


No, this was not what she wanted, she would have preferred him to stay as far away as he could, she rather not have heard from him in five years more, so she could do as she pleased and go to an art academy or a college with a vast arts culture department. But here she was all dressed up, sharing a banquet at the Tokugawa estate with the hell spawn sitting in front of her.


“Izayoi dear, is there something wrong?”


She continued to stare at Phong, and she saw his eyes hid an amused smirk, `so she didn’t know she was being traded off eh? ´


“Izayoi, I said is there anything wrong dear?”


Izayoi blinked and shook her head, concentrating on the Tempura still lying on her plate, but not really seeing it.


“There is nothing wrong father, nothing at all…”


“Then you did hear me when I said that I have started planning an arranged marriage with the young man sitting in front of you to strengthen a merge with the Li Textile Corporation then?”


“Yeh…Yes father I heard…”


“O.K. then, so lets continue enjoying dinner, then we have my chef’s special dessert served eh?!”


The guests nodded and continued their dinner as did Han, but Izayoi disregarded their incessant chitchat, and choose to be excused, feigning fatigue.


“Honorable father, may this humble daughter please be excused?”


“Izayoi, please don’t be rude, you know our guests only speak Chinese, even if you are asking to be excused do it in Chinese, I know you are fluent, that’s why I pay for your tutors! Excuse yourself this instant!”


“Nay chichi-ue, I am Japanese, just like you, this is my mother tongue and I shall speak it when addressing you in front of strangers, one which is the first time I meet and you want me to marry because it will be trivial for your merger? I don’t think so, I am not marrying him, not today or ever father, that is my decision, please excuse me…”


“Izayoi, if you stand up from this table before excusing yourself properly with our guests you will have hell to pay for.”


Izayoi threw the napkin on the barely touched dinner, and scooted out of her chair.


“Izayoi I am warning you!”


Izayoi paused her angry stride out of the room to look at her father over her shoulder, “See father that is the beauty of this country, women like myself have rights, and freedom of speech, I speak in the language I want when I want to, please excuse me, I believe I am beginning to feel the onset of a headache.”


With that said Izayoi vacated the dinning room and speed up the stairs, locking the door to her room and threw herself atop her four post bed, weeping freely.


“Please forgive her Mrs. Li she has become more Americanized than I thought. But no worries I still know how to bend her to my will and advantage. She will make a great wife for your son Phong, isn’t that right boy?”


“She is prettier than you described Mr. Tokugawa, she will make a great wife and will bare me many sons…” The teen said just barely trying to hide a smirk from both adults at the table.


-&-&-&-&-&-&-&-

< br> May 10th 1978, Taisho Estate, Boston Massachusetts:


“Come on Kentaro! Toga! It’s not everyday your kids graduate from school!”


“Calm down Emi! The graduation is not until noon, and it’s barely nine in the morning woman!”


“Taro if you ask me to calm down one more time you are tying your own tie today!”


“O.K.! geesh! So what is the plan, we watch them graduate middle school and visit the school they are recommended to right away right? Then brunch at that new Italian place, what is it called again?”


“The Vineyard on 31st St.”


“And you made the reservation?”


“Do you think me stupid to not make a reservation beforehand?”


“No”


“O.K. then you answered your own question.”


“Ha! Look I tied my own tie!”


“Is that so? Then why is it own backwards?”


“Well, shoot at least I got the knot right, right?”


“Not even, accept it puppy you need me!”


“Why do you think I mated you? For your stunning personality and good looks?”


“You are ruining the mood Taro…”


Taro laughed and pulled Emi in for a bear hug and pecked her on the cheek, while she finished straightening his tie and smoothing his blazer out. They both looked each other over and nodded, and then they walked out and down the steps into a waiting limousine where Toga had been for a good ten minutes while they bickered.


The graduation went well; Both Sesshoumaru and Manami received their diploma from the Dean at Jennings Academy for Girls and Boys. Then they were off to Prince Academy for the welcome speech and enrolled Sesshoumaru right away. Then they parted towards the Elizabethan Institute, were Manami had been recommended to by the Jennings Dean himself. But they had to sit and wait in the back since the graduation for twelfth grade was currently being held, then the welcome speech by the headmistress to the new students.


Toga found the entire wait boring, he decided to count the number of graduating young women, all between the ages of seventeen and eighteen. All graduating and off to a fresh start at college, towards reality, he smirked to himself, humanity seemed such child’s play, it went by in the blink of an eye, grow up, educate yourself, meet a spouse, reproduce, grow old and die, and all done in less than one hundred years. Toga sighed, `one hundred years, one lifetime, one legacy, that time seems like nothing to me. To any youkai…´


Just then a name was called from the multitude of girls to receive her diploma, Tokugawa, Izayoi.


It made Toga blink and sit up straighter in his metal chair, his golden eyes hungrily searched the standing girls for the face tied to that name, that name sounded familiar, he could bet he had heard it before, Tokugawa, Izayoi.


The girl walked proudly up to the podium and received her rolled up diploma from the headmistress, cameras went off, people cheered, and then she looked out toward the crowd and smiled.


`Kami-sama those eyes! ´


His heart fluttered, his thoughts gone, the only thing that existed that precise moment was her eyes, her smile, and the memory on the cruise toward Boston.


`It’s her, the girl from the ship, the one with the beautiful, innocent eyes´


She bowed and smiled some more, even waved when somebody behind the photographers called her name, then as the rest of the already graduated, walked off the stage and out of the gymnasium. She was leaving; he had to talk to her again, before another seven years went by. Toga was practically squirming in his seat. Taro reached over and touched Toga’s arm.


“Oi! Toga you O.K. man?”


“Huh? Yeah, yeah, just a bit hot, this gym is stuffy, I think I will go outside and grab some fresh air eh?”


“Sure, this thing looks like it’s going for the long run, no sweat man I’ll send Sesshou out for you when it starts, go ahead, Emi is outside also, I think she went to by some pops and cotton candy she saw earlier.”


Toga nodded and made silent ways towards the nearest exit, once outside he started looking for her frantically. `Where is she? Could she have already left? Maybe somebody was waiting for her outside and already left with her, such a shame´ And just then he heard a flock of girls cheer and a camera flash.


“Oh Iza-san just one more, please? I want to take one to mama in Japan!”


“Oh, alright, but just one, I want to go buy myself some candy apples and popcorn Mariko!”


“YAY, O.K. stand right there, and look over here, pose!”


“Thank you Iza-san, you have been a great friend to me, remember to write, O.k.?”


“Sure Mariko, you too, write back to me friend!”


Izayoi hugged her, and waved when she signaled peace from the window of the limo, her father would take her away in. She jammed the diploma into her pocket and kicked a pebble out of the way while she walked towards the vending stand. Toga watched her order and shed her toga in the process, he smirked, `such a feisty little girl´


He followed her all the way towards the barn on the other end of the property. Where the stables were located, she went inside and hung the toga she previously shed on a peg and grabbed a short bit harness and saddle. Then he realized the clothes she wore were ridding linens and leather boots used in equine sports by riders. She carried the saddle and harness without difficulty down the long hallway in the center of the barn. She stopped in front of the stall labeled “Aori” then she ate her popcorn as she started speaking to the horse inside, who was currently scenting her all over she laughed and offered the candy apple she had previously purchased to the stallion, which chomped it up and nickered afterwards. He then watched her lead the horse out of the stall and placed the harness around its oval head, tying the reins to the hook on the wall, she brushed him down and threw a fleece blanket then the saddle over his back, tying the buckle secure she then turned around and walked straight up to where Toga was hiding.


“Hey mister! Don’t try to hide, I know you have been there the whole time, and let me tell you it irks me to no relief to have somebody watching me for no apparent reason!”


Toga walked out from behind a wooden pillar just inside the barn door. He greeted her offering his hand to shake.


“I’m terribly sorry to intrude Ms. Tokugawa, I am Toga Inu no Taisho, a pleasure to meet you…”


Izayoi examined his extended hand, large, calloused, and clawed. She narrowed her violet eyes and looked him straight in the face, tanned skin, silver hair pulled back in a topknot, broad shoulders, tapered arms, lean muscular built, and if she guessed right he was in his mid twenties, `no scratch that he is a youkai so he could be centuries old and look twenty-ish to me.´


She looked him straight in the eye to judge his age right, and suddenly her violet eyes clashed with what she could only remember as golden-honey, the Kamis blessed her, she got to see him again.


She smiled for the first time in his immediate presence, and switched the brush to her right hand wiping her left on her trousers and shook his outstretched hand. She blinked at his intense stare and blushed looking away, then back again,


“Say Mr. Taisho, what is a business man such as yourself doing in a stable at a Young Ladies Institute such as this, might I assume you are parent to one of the new students?”


“Hmm, well not exactly parent, but more as godfather to a new student, a young lady such as yourself that is to join your school today,”


“Then if the ceremony is about to start what are you doing all the way over here?”


“Well I saw you and decided it would be nice to say hello, and just as well maybe ask how you were doing?”


“You say that as if I previously met you?”


“Don’t you remember the time on the cruise towards Boston Pier; you pushed me into the pool, eh?”


“Ah, right, I had forgotten, my memory is not as sharp as yours, see?”


“Well that would be very bad, since you are a student, currently about to begin college life maybe? What are you going to be able to do with a bad memory, how do you go about studying for tests on that bad memory of yours?”


“I’ve graduated in cultural & plastic arts you see, so I don’t need such a sharp mind for that kind of studies, if I would go on to college, but I am not going to college…”


“See that is such a shame, I thought such a pretty girl as you would be glad to go study something like art or literature, or drama? Is it financial aid you are troubled with? Maybe I could see to that…”


“There is no need for that Mr. Taisho, it’s just that my father decided to use me as guarantee for a merger to a Chinese company, so my dreams of going to college are hell shot…now if you excuse me I have a horse to warm up,”


“An arranged marriage in the twentieth century? That’s too bad; did you tell him you didn’t have to? This is America you know?”


“Well yes I did but he still is out and about planning the forsaken thing, like I care, I bet I’ll be long gone before it happens, see who he uses as insurance to marry off then…”


“Long gone Ms. Tokugawa? Are you planning on leaving America? By any chance?”


“Not America just this place! Can you believe my father bought this school so they would accept me to study English? That man is hell-bent on making my life miserable. I’ll be eighteen soon just before I have to leave this school for good, so then I will have dibs on my college fund I put away years back with the money he used to send me for daily needs, I plan on using that to disappear.”


“Quiet an intricate plan I believe, I do hope you run away close to were I live, I would like to see you again.”


“Why Mr. Taisho are you coming on to me?”


“Well that all depends, do you want me to sweet talk you?”


`I can’t believe it, he actually is sweet talking me, me, seventeen year old Izayoi Tokugawa, but into what? We are ages apart this can’t be…´


`I can’t believe I am sweet talking a human little girl, but into what? I am centuries older than her! But those eyes, Kami those eyes, I am done for! ´


“By no way am I coming on to you little girl, I just find myself fond of you, and I am offering my help in getting away from your father,”


“Why didn’t you say so in the first place? You had me thinking how to knock you unconscious before you tried anything funny.” She said waving a yellowish-glowing brush full of purifying energy in his face.


“Believe me little girl, if I was here to try anything funny you wouldn’t have time to knock me upside the head” He said tapping a glowing blue claw on top of the brush.


Toga smirked as Izayoi gaped at him, the brush falling out of her hand to clatter on the floor. He kneeled to pick up the brush, not breaking eye contact with her the whole time, he handed her the brush and gestured his hand over to where the stallion paced incessantly.


“So this is your mount I presume? How old is he?”


“He is just a breeding stallion now that he is seven years old, a good mount, he led me to be tri-state champion for seven years straight, and he is father to three promising foals already.”


“I am glad you are immersed in such a good business, breeding can only be done by very wise and morose people,”


“I do not consider my horse as a machine, nor his breeding a business, he is my companion and friend, if you are here to belittle me and my horse I suggest you leave.”


“Have it your way, you already know where to find my anyway, you know that part of the woods that feels strange when you ride by it? Well I’ll be on my way, take care Ms. Tokugawa, don’t let your father trade you off, nice meeting you again…”


Toga extended his hand towards Izayoi again; she shook it and waved at him as he looked back before disappearing down the steps outside the barn towards the courtyard. She went back to brushing Aori down.


`What did he mean by, “you already know where to find me?”´


`She still has the scar on her palm, it turned into a crescent, I wonder what that means? I better ask Ren when we get back, the old woman might know something about this matter…and where did she get that miko energy from?´


-&-&-&-&-&-&-&-


The welcome speech was hosted, and Manami enrolled, she had been assigned to no other than Izayoi as her big sister, and host while she found her way around campus her first week. They had many things in common and hit their friendship off almost instantly when Manami found out that Izayoi was into riding and such sort. The two weeks grace period graduated students were given to show their “little sisters” around campus and get their paperwork in order had expired and sadly Izayoi had to leave the room she had been assigned to the day she was left here. But before she finished packing the last trinkets she had collected over the years into boxes she found a picture of Kimmie and Nana on her dresser, tears pooled behind her closed eyelids as she held the frame close to her heart, she had written numerous times over the years, but every letter that came back only bought sadness and longing to her frail heart, she wanted to go back to Japan, to visit what she called family, but there was no way that could be done without her father finding out. So she just had a few letters Kimmie could sneak between silk scarves and sweaters Nana would knit for her. Izayoi had bought them both memories from her pottery class, a small oval shaped vase for Nana, and a decorated porcelain jewelry box for Kimmie. She reached for her stationary pad and pen, to string together a few words for her makeshift aunt and sister:


May 31st 1978,


Dear Kimmie,

It has been a long time since we wrote to each other, since we found out my father read our letters, do not fret dear sister, all is well, I have graduated school here in Boston, the Elizabethan Institute has been house for all of my sorrows and dreams for the past seven years, and I must admit that in the beginning each day went by like a burden to me, but now I am very sad, and I will miss this place from the bottom of my heart. Many memories I have been able to keep, one of them “Aori” my horse. I will keep him with me where ever it is I will go now, father just informed me of his planes to marry me to Phong Li, an heir to a Chinese textile company as insurance for a merger between his company and ours. Yes I know, I am also sad, my heart flutters for freedom sister, it is so cruel the way my father acts, he tells me all I have to do is graduate school and then I can do whatever it is I want with my life, and now he plans to marry me, its like dangling scraps of food in front of a starving child; so unnecessary but it is so, dear sister, please be safe, send my love to Nana, tell her I always have her present in my mind and heart.

Love Iza.


Izayoi folded the letter securely into the velvet enclosure at the bottom of the porcelain box, and tapped the larger box containing both gifts closed, so she would later ask John to drop it off at the post office. He had become her accomplice over the years; he would pick her up at the institute on summer and Christmas holidays, using the excuse her father had sent for her so she could spend that time at her mother’s part of the mansion. He would take her shopping in the commercial district and sneak romance novels in with her personal necessities every week, so he also was the one who posted the short messages and letters between Kimmie and Izayoi. He was one of the true friends Izayoi had made over the years, and she would miss him dearly.


The men she had John hire to help her move her stuff out of the institute arrived, awaking her from her trance, jump-starting her into action, she gave them instructions to follow and then raced down the steps and outside into the crisp October air, jogging past the newcomers sitting on the benches enjoying the light snowfall, arriving at the barn doors she hunched down to catch her breath, today she would take Aori to the mansion forever, well until she decided to part her ways with her father, that is.


The transportation truck had arrived right on time, John never broke a promise, she helped the stable hands steady him onto the ramp and double checked his harness and belts, so everything would be in order for the trip towards the mansion. The driver had her hurry up so she smiled and patted Aori on the neck, sharing a brief happy moment with her best friend in all the time she spent at the school.


-&-&-&-&-&-


Toga didn’t have time to sit down and discuss the issue with the girls’ scar right away with Ren, due to the fact that he had been called to an urgent business meeting in Abu Dhabi the next day, he packed and speed off for the first flight out of Boston that same day. The brief business meeting turned into a full fledged business proposal with the British people and he had to extend his stay to a few months.


The holiday season came around again and he arrived back in Boston the second day of December, baring gifts for all in the house. He pulled Ren aside and got right down to his question before anything else came up, that would make him postpone knowing what it meant.


“Ren-sama, may I please have a word with you?”


“Why of course dear, after all these years, you should call me mama, eh?”


Toga scratched his neck and smiled, “Yes Mama Ren, well she I have this question that has been bugging me…”


“Well son spit it out lets hear it?”


“What would be the consequences or reasons of a scar in the shape of a crescent moon appearing on somebody’s hand after they got accidentally cut by a youkai’s claws?”


Ren sat back in the chair and regarded Toga with old knowing eyes, the corner of her mouth twitched and she reached for his left hand, she spread her small knotty aged hands over his large worn palm, rubbing the fleshy part underneath the thumb, and to his surprise moments later a small glow started coming from where she had been rubbing, shocked he looked at her, searching for answers to his doubts,


“That my boy is your answer,”


Toga looked at his glowing palm, at his other hand, then at her, as if she held the secret to the universe in her worn eyes.


“What does this all mean Mama Ren, please tell me?”


“This means your demon has decided on a mate my dear, the woman that bears the crescent scar is your intended mate…”


“What? What did you just say Ren?!”


“The woman that bears the scar is your intended mate, my boy, go out and find her, she is in danger…”


“Oh? And how do you know that?”


“Your palm is glowing red, which means great danger, I suggest you get to it quickly, I suspected something like this had happened…”


Without another word Toga stood up and converted to his energy form, shooting out the open window into the crisp night sky, on his way to save Izayoi from whatever danger she must be facing at the time…


“Ms. Izayoi my mate? Little seventeen year old Izayoi Tokugawa? What in the world was I thinking?! We are centuries apart, I even think there is a human law that prohibits minors joining with adults here, what have I gotten into now?”


`I’ll tell you what you still haven’t gotten into you fool! ´


“Great now I’m hearing voices in my head…”


`Yeah you should listen to me; I am your demonic conscience after all…´


“I really have to have a word with you then, why out of all the youkai community did you have to choose a human, and a minor might I remark?”


`Because she was born to spend her life with you, with us´


“Oh and how did you know she was born to be with me?”


`You can see it in her eyes, she already feels something for you, can’t you tell?´


“Hmm, those eyes, she feels so pure, so innocent to the dangers in the world…”


`And, that is why I had you place a crescent scar on her hand, it means protection for anything and everything that could mean her harm, she my boy is yours already, even if she doesn’t know it yet…´


“I feel this urgent need to have her near me and protect her, is this what it means to feel in love with somebody?”


`I believe you are about to find out Toga…´


He gasped as his energy form hovered over a burning barn just outside the Tokugawa Estate, place where he felt the pull of Izayoi’s aura. He transformed into his humanoid form, and ran towards the uncontrollable fire, he saw somebody exit the barn by the side door and the barn exploded moments later. He felt her more than heard her scream as smoke and ashes rained from the skies.


He ran into the burning barn searching stable after stable for her, horses and mares ran out of the burning building through the doors Toga opened, he heard knocking coming from the last stall on the right, right before Aori rose pawing the air madly and galloped out of the stable leaving his unconscious owner thrown haphazardly on the burning hay, her pale face and arms covered in ash, bruises and burns. Toga ran towards her gathering her up in his arms, he mounted Aori and sped off towards his own mansion, praying to whatever celestial entity that was listening that he could reach help for her in time, Izayoi was barely breathing…