InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ At the End of Days ❯ Ready to Go ( Chapter 9 )

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

9. Ready to Go

Kagome awoke just after daybreak, feeling much more like herself. Although still distressed about the fate of the man she had seen devoured in the park, she had been quick to realize that there was nothing that they could have done to change it without jeopardizing both the rest of their group and the precious supplies they carried. It was not, after all, that she hadn’t seen such things before--she had just never thought that she would ever see them here.

Giving the arms wrapped around her a light squeeze to let Inuyasha know that she was awake and really needed to get up, Kagome considered all that she had learned in recent weeks. Not too surprisingly, her thoughts kept returning to the offer that Sesshoumaru had made. Even though she still had a little trouble believing that the brothers had made peace with each other--for whatever reason--the events of the recent past had convinced her that she was indeed ready to give herself fully to her chosen mate.

Gazing into the amber eyes of her beloved, she whispered, “I think we should take Sesshoumaru up on his offer tonight, if there’s enough room for us to do it without disturbing anybody else. Do you think his place is big enough for all of us?”

She was answered by a deep chuckle. “He lives in the house our father built. I’ve seen it a few times, from a distance: the damn thing is the size of a small mountain. He must have a hundred illusions on it to keep anybody from realizing that it’s there.”

After a quick shower, she sent the hanyou into the bath so that she could have a few private words with her mother. “How’s Yuka?” she asked as she joined her mother in the kitchen.

The older woman shook her head. “I guess you could say that she’s what nurses call ‘resting comfortably.’ She’s not in any immediate danger of starvation or dehydration, but she shows no signs of regaining consciousness. Souta says that her breathing seems to be a little easier today.” She paused as she set the girl’s breakfast on the table. “Are you packed? Sesshoumaru said that they’d be coming for us a little after noon.”

Kagome shrugged. “I can get it finished after I have something to eat. All I’ll be taking are some clothes and a couple of photo albums--and the shrine records, of course.” She paused for a long moment before continuing, “Sesshoumaru said we could use his home to hold the mating ritual. We talked about it, and we’re ready. I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay with it.”

The woman sat down across from her daughter and took her hand. “Kagome,” she said, her face and voice serious, “I won’t deny that I had always hoped that you would be able to graduate from college and be properly married. However, I’m no fool--I can see how the two of you feel about each other. Besides, the way things are now, I don’t know when--or even if--either of those things will be possible again.” She gave her daughter a long, appraising look. “Come with me, dear.”

Leading her daughter to her bedroom, she pulled two big garment bags from her closet. Hanging them up on the door, she opened the first of them to reveal a magnificent silk kimono in a pure, dazzling white that was heavily embroidered with masses of wildflowers and flying cranes in matching thread. “This was my grandmother’s. I wore it when I married your father. The obi,” she said, handing Kagome the long strip of white silk embroidered with blooming vines in a vivid red, “Is new. Sesshoumaru brought it a couple of weeks ago.”

It was only then that Kagome realized that the vines on the obi bore crescent moons instead of more typical blooms. “Oh, Mama--”

Before she could go on, her mother reached back into the bag and extracted a spectacularly colorful mass of heavily embroidered fabric. The uchikake, the long robe added to the white kimono at the end of the ceremony, was made from a blazing red silk nearly concealed by the hundreds of amazingly realistic blooms in shades of pink, lavender, yellow, blue, gold, and white. It was easily the most remarkable garment Kagome had ever seen. The older woman smiled at her daughter’s wide eyes. “This was made specifically for you by Sesshoumaru’s daughter, although I didn’t know it at the time. She’s quite an artist, and has gained a certain amount of fame with her almost photographically accurate renderings of flowers. I’ve had this stored away for months, hoping that you two would finally come to your senses.”

She replaced the clothing in its bag, then reached for the other. “I know that most young men these days tend to prefer Western-style formalwear, and probably wouldn’t know how to even put on the traditional clothes, but I don’t think that this will be a problem for you.”

This time Kagome frankly stared. The formal haori and hakama were made in a rich, velvety black. The same crescent moon that decorated Kagome’s obi had been worked on both sides of the haori’s front as well as on the back in gleaming silver-white. The kimono was made from fine, almost translucent silk in a creamy white that made the decorations on the haori almost glow. “How--?”

“It’s no secret, dear--I had a long talk with Sesshoumaru. He told me a lot about the start of the trouble between them, and how he’s been working towards resolving their differences for hundreds of years. The crescent moons were his idea--he seemed to think it was very important.”

Kagome nodded slowly. “It is. That’s the symbol of their father’s family. By suggesting that, he’s made it clear that he’s accepted Inuyasha as his brother.” The tears gathered in her eyes, but did not fall. “I can’t wait to show him this--he’ll be absolutely amazed.”

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It didn’t take Kagome a very long time to get packed: her clothing choices consisted almost exclusively of what she had always thought of as “working clothes”-- a few pairs of jeans, t-shirts, sweats, and shorts for the upcoming hot weather. She also added a light nylon jacket and a heavier winter coat as well, as she did not know when she would have the opportunity to add such items later on. She could--and did--afford to be slightly less practical in her choice of undergarments, leaving behind most of her older, plain cotton underwear in favor of the tiny scraps of silk, satin, and lace she had been purchasing in recent weeks.

She shivered a little in anticipation of how her beautiful hanyou would react to the items stowed in the very bottom of her bag. In addition to the clothing, she packed three albums full of pictures of her two families, a couple of empty notebooks she had bought for school and never used, and every pen or pencil she could find.

Taking a large canvas duffel provided by Sesshoumaru, she went downstairs to the shrine, where she stripped the storage areas of every scroll that was even remotely legible. After making certain that the scrolls were as protected as she could make them for their journey, she placed her bags near the door with those belonging to the rest of the family.

Then, taking a deep breath, Higurashi Kagome went in search of her grandfather.

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Quite a large group showed up to collect the Higurashi family. Kagome and Inuyasha noted that neither the girl’s mother nor her grandfather seemed at all surprised by the sudden appearance of not only the taiyoukai but also their entire pack, as well as Rin and all of her and Shippou’s kits. The youkai lord, resplendent in his old, carefully-preserved robes and armor, stood before the young couple with a rather odd expression. “This Sesshoumaru would speak with his brother--privately.”

As Sango and Rin hustled Kagome unceremoniously up the stairs to her room, Kaede, the kits, and the male members of the group made their way out to the shrine grounds. When the two brothers were completely alone, the taiyoukai shook his head at his younger sibling. “The little miko has told her mother of your plans to hold the mating ritual while at my--or I should say ‘our’--home, and it would appear that she has certain…reservations.”

The young hanyou cringed just the slightest bit. “Reservations…?” His voice was faint.

Trying to conceal a smirk, Sesshoumaru nodded briskly. “It seems that Higurashi-san has long been planning this stage in her daughter’s life--continuing her education and one day being married.”

Inuyasha nodded slowly. “We talked about having a human ceremony here, but then everything went to hell, so we never got around to doing anything about it.”

The taiyoukai nodded slowly: he had suspected as much. “It would seem to me that you possess all of the most necessary elements to do so right now--a shrine, a priest, your intended mate. Perhaps,” he said, “You should speak to Higurashi-san and attend to this before we ever leave this place--I do not know if we’ll ever be able to return here.”

Inuyasha studied his brother closely. “You planned this all along--that’s why you’re not wearing modern clothes.”

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “Not exactly. Apparently, the little miko’s mother was a bit disappointed that her only daughter would not be ‘properly married’ before you claimed her. She spoke to the miko. The miko spoke to the old priest and asked him to intercede with her mother on her behalf. Instead, he called me.”

“What do I have to do?”

The youkai lord could not help but smirk: though he had come to realize that Inuyasha was almost impossibly powerful and had begun to develop a certain affection for his wild younger sibling, he had mellowed somewhat over the centuries, and could now unbend enough to enjoy watching his brother squirm just a bit. “First of all, relax: although there is a great deal of individual variation, human joining rituals are more symbolic than anything else--you will not, for example, be required to claim your mate in front of the assembled guests. Although the custom is a recent one,” he continued, his amber eyes sparkling with an unholy glee as the hanyou’s face came to rival the color of his firerat haori, “Nearly all couples exchange rings as a symbol of their union.” Reaching into his haori, he produced two small boxes covered in heavy silk.

“Higurashi-san described the ring you purchased for your intended, so I took the liberty of having a youkai jeweler I know make these to complement it.” Opening the boxes, he revealed two simple silver bands with a row of tiny round gemstones set in a channel around the circumference. The setting was low enough to not interfere with anything that either of them might have to do.

“Which is which?”

Sesshoumaru smiled just the slightest bit. “We had the ruby ring made to the size of the ring your mate now wears. We had the emerald band sized to my approximate size--it should be a close fit. It can always be adjusted later if need be.” At the hanyou’s surprised expression, he continued, “The taijiya thought that providing you with the emeralds and your mate with the rubies would be a visible sign that you each belong to the other--something like mating marks for humans.” Glancing at the grinning monk standing behind his brother, he turned away, saying, “It would appear that your presence is required elsewhere.”

Although he had grown more or less accustomed to the modern clothing he had been wearing for much of his stay in this time, Inuyasha was pleased to see that the formal dress he would be wearing for the ceremony was in a style that was more familiar to him. He was subtly touched at the addition of his father’s family crest to the haori, even more so when Shippou informed him that the decorations had been done by his intended mate’s mother. Even after all this time, her unconditional acceptance of him--even after she had seen the violence he was capable of!--filled him with a kind of awe.

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Th e ceremony itself was an unusual combination of traditions, some native to Japan, others imported from the West. In addition to the sake ritual that was the basis of the Shinto marriage ceremony, the pair exchanged rings. All present considered it somehow appropriate that the final event to be held at the Higurashi family’s shrine--at least for the foreseeable future--would be one marked by joy rather than sorrow.

Though the ceremony they conducted was essentially Shinto, there was never any thought given to the thick layer of white makeup usually worn by brides in Japan--Kagome had often thought that her hanyou mate would find her altered appearance shocking, and was absolutely certain that he would find it irritating to his sensitive nose. Instead, she settled for scrubbing herself impeccably clean and wearing only a lightly-scented oil that Sango had provided--she had been certain that it would not offend the hanyou’s senses.

Although the tradition of the bride carrying flowers was not a common one, Kagome had been given a huge bunch of red and white roses to carry. After the ceremony itself was over, she and her new husband led the group back out to the courtyard, where the guests had set up a few small tables and one longer one. Her eyes widened at the swirling mass of kitsune hanyous who were busily setting up the simple but elegant buffet that Kenji, Shippou’s chef son, had provided for the occasion.

As the guests realized that the young couple had emerged from the shrine itself, every hint of activity in the courtyard halted and all eyes turned in their direction, surprise etched across every face. As they passed into the light shade provided by the Goshinboku, they suddenly realized that their auras had not only become visible, but had changed dramatically: instead of the normal soothing pink of Kagome’s aura and the flaming red of Inuyasha’s youki, the pair were surrounded by a brilliant golden glow.

The silence was broken by Sesshoumaru’s cool voice. “This explains much.”

As all eyes turned to the taiyoukai, he continued, “I have been wondering about exactly what use the faint powers of the old priest could have. I could sense something unusual at the end of the ceremony, but could not determine exactly what it was--the shrine itself possesses considerable spiritual energy that made it difficult to detect the precise nature of the event.” He paused briefly, choosing his words with care. “It appears that the old priest managed to bind your two souls together, to link your lives completely, even though you have not actually mated yet.”

Kagome frowned thoughtfully. “Exactly what does that mean?”

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “Sometimes, usually after a couple has been mated for a considerable time, their souls merge, joining their lives together. It does not happen all the time--indeed, it is quite rare, and only occurs in cases of a deep, unshakeable love. I have never before heard of such a bond being forged before the couple is actually mated. It would seem that your grandfather possesses the ability to speed up this process.”

Kagome realized that she probably sounded like an idiot, but asked, “I don’t understand the part about our lives being joined. Isn’t that what the ceremony--and the youkai ritual--are supposed to do?”

The taiyoukai shook his head. “Not exactly. The human ritual joins you legally. The youkai mating ritual will join you physically, so that each of you will develop a sort of awareness of the other. This joining of souls will merge your very life energies--neither of you will be able to live without the other. Should one of you die, the other will soon follow, unless there is a powerful reason to continue on.”

Higurashi-san was growing curious. “What kind of reasons?”

“There are few reasons sufficiently strong to hold half of a soul-bonded pair to this life once his or her mate has passed on. Usually they are limited to caring for young pups or getting revenge for the murder of a mate, although I suppose that there might be other possibilities.”

Rather than pursuing the matter at the moment, Kagome simply nodded. Surely, there would be ample opportunity to investigate the implications at a later time. For now, all she wanted was to enjoy the company of her new husband, family, and friends.

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The excellent meal provided by Kenji and the rest of his enormous extended family had barely begun when a young, red-faced human boy staggered into the middle of the assembly and stopped, clutching at the pain in his side and breathing heavily. Once he could finally catch his breath, he looked around at the varied group, eyes snapping open as he realized that most of those in attendance didn’t seem to be exactly…human.

Urged on by the deep, rumbling growl that erupted at her side, Kagome rose, holding up the hem of the brilliant uchikake that seemed to engulf her. With an expression composed of a mixture of surprise and confusion, she stepped forward, a hand extended toward the intruder. “Houjou?” she asked, her voice faint. “You’re alive? What are you doing here?”

Taking in both the gathering of strangers and the exact significance of the young woman’s elaborate clothing, the boy stared around him in something very much like shock. “I had to make sure you were all right. I could feel something--some kind of energy, I think--coming from this area. Once I got closer I could see a sort of glow coming from the shrine.”

An old woman he hadn’t really noticed earlier stepped forward, pinning him with a steely gaze. “Exactly what manner of youkai are you descended from, boy?”

The confusion was clear on his features. “Youkai? What are you talking about? This is real life, not some old story!”

“Of course!” All eyes turned toward the young miko as she continued, “Houjou, do you remember when you showed me your family tree? You said that the fact that one of your ancestors in the Sengoku Jidai had a wife named Kagome meant that we were destined to be together.” She shot her new husband a warning glance as the growls from the irritated inuhanyou escalated before continuing, “Things aren’t quite what you always thought they were. I was never sick all those times I missed school. I was working to fulfill a commitment five hundred years in the past: collecting the fragments of the Shikon no Tama, fighting evil youkai, and learning to control my natural miko abilities. That’s where I met Inuyasha--back on my fifteenth birthday. On one of my trips to the past, we helped six hanyou children escape from Horai Island. They stayed in the village that eventually became Tokyo for a while before moving on. I think that one of the girls was named Kagome.”

The old woman nodded slowly. “I remember her. We never talked about it, but I always got the impression that she was some sort of elemental hanyou--born of a river youkai and a human woman, I expect.” She gave the stunned boy a measuring look. “It would certainly explain a great deal: water youkai are noted for being ruled by their emotions, rather than being as coldly calculating as some of the more humanlike youkai.”

“You’re not serious, are you?” He sank slowly into a nearby vacant seat.

Clearly, the boy had had more than enough shocks for one day. Higurashi-san stepped forward, sure that a familiar face would help things go down a little better. “I realize that this all sounds completely unbelievable, Houjou-kun, but every word of it is true. We were so surprised to learn that you had survived because almost every pure human that’s been infected with this strange disease that’s been spreading all over the planet has died from it. We’ve managed to learn exactly what’s been causing the infection--there are youkai bacteria and viruses as well as the more well-known youkai. Fortunately, certain parts of the population seem to be immune to the disease: anybody with the slightest hint of spiritual power, for example, or anybody with any youkai ancestry at all. What about your family?”

He seemed to shake himself awake. “My mother was one of the first casualties, but my father is still with me. We’ve been trying to protect both the medical supplies and food items in my family’s store from looters. He broke his arm last week, but I got it set and bandaged and he should be all right in time.”

A quick glance exchanged between the woman and the taiyoukai was more than sufficient. She turned back to the young man sitting in the middle of the festivities and gestured at the tall figure swathed in flawless white robes and spiked armor. “This is Sesshoumaru-sama--he’s the youkai Lord of the Western Lands, and Inuyasha’s brother. I want you to go with him to get your father. Things are deteriorating so quickly in the city that he’s offered us the use of his palace while we prepare to leave the area. There is a large farming complex to the north where we should be able to produce enough food to keep ourselves alive. You’re more than welcome to join us. Besides,” she added, “We have a number of people in our group who are skilled healers. We may be able to help your father to heal a little more quickly.”

Houjou simply nodded and followed the inuyoukai from the grounds.Converting /tmp/phpN0Kz9u to /dev/stdout