InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Betrayal's Gift ❯ Chapter 25

A/N: You should all watch Bleach it's cool!!! I've already watched most of it on dvd in Japanese/English sub. Also Naruto, however, the Japanese version is better. The voices are better. Another you should all look into is The Prince Of Tennis on

 

http:// www.Toonamijetstream.com

 

Hotaru paced the four walls of the room. It felt like she was there in the youkai dimension for what seemed like years, however, it had only been a week in a half. She sat on the bed and sighed.

 

`I don't understand why he just won't let me go. I answered all of his stupid questions.'

 

She flashed back to the cave that they shared during the storm.

 

“So, tell me Hotaru why did you come here to begin with?”

 

“It's personal.”

 

“Well, our troubles didn't start happening until your body hit our time period, so, speak up or you're stuck here forever.”

 

Hotaru glared at him. Really, how many more times does she have to go over this story? She thought maybe to omit the true events and chalk it all up to curiosity.

 

“I can smell a lie when I hear one wench, so don't play with me.”

 

“What…I wasn't going…”

 

“Whatever, I wasn't born just yesterday, I want the entire story.”

 

“Fine I was duped by an idiot and I used my powers on him and his girlfriend too for setting me up kay are you happy now?!”

 

“You were duped?”

 

“Yeah, I was tricked alright. I thought this boy liked me and it turned out that he didn't so…I lost control of my powers.”

 

“How'd your parents feel?”

 

“They didn't know at first but they know now.”

 

Inuyasha thought about what she said.

 

“So, you came here why?”

 

Adjusting her sitting position she looked into the flames than stated sadly.

 

“My parents, they don't need me in their lives. I'm just in the way…I heard them arguing over me, they are unhappy and it's my fault so I had decided to do what some of my classmates said I should do…I saw an arrow head and I picked it up…”

 

“You tried to get rid of yourself and fell down the well and ended up here.”

 

Inuyasha interrupted. He looked at her with an intent look in his eye.

 

“So, you gave up just like that huh. Figures, mortals are weak.”

 

Hotaru gasped and looked at his disapproving face.

 

“I…I…”

 

“Yeah, you're a weak pathetic human lets move on to something I don't know, your powers, how can you use your spiritual powers on humans?”

 

“I don't know I guess if they are bad people than maybe my powers can…”

 

However, Inuyasha shook his silver mane.

 

“No, it doesn't work that way. A priestess can not use her powers on humans. Among other mortals she's an ordinary person, only her powers can destroy youkai.”

 

“Well, I guess I truly am a freak of nature I can't even use my spiritual powers correctly…unless…maybe they had youkai in them.”

 

Inuyasha again shook his head.

 

“When Shippo brought you to me he said you killed men in the forest with your powers, but with your powers it's impossible to kill humans.”

 

Hotaru looked down and bit out harshly.

 

“They destroyed an innocent life…that life deserved justice.”

 

Inuyasha felt a stir in her aura. A powerful one, again that fear and lust returned just under the surface. He crawled over to her and with his clawed finger made her raise her chin.

 

“It doesn't matter Hotaru. You killed three mortals with powers that were not spiritual…who are you really, what are you keeping from me?”

 

Hotaru looked up at him a slight blush on her cheeks.

 

“Even if I knew…. if I told you, than you would kill me right?”

 

“My brother wants you alive for the most part. I'd kill you if you tried something before he gets here.”

 

They both sat silent for a moment. Inuyasha sat crossed legged on the floor folding his arms into his sleeves across from her; studying her. Hotaru felt nervous at his intent gaze upon her and she began to think to herself.

 

`Maybe I deserve death; maybe if I were to die I can be reborn into a better life…a normal life.'

 

She thought about Ken, the baby and those men the lives that were taken or broken because of her and what about her parents, what has she done to them, she couldn't even remember it was all a blank, but, she's done something to them to mess up their lives.

 

Inuyasha interrupted her thoughts.

 

“Thinking about giving up again, damn you're weak. How do you know Naraku?”

 

“Nara…who?”

 

“My brother said you transformed into Naraku, how did you know him?”

 

“I don't.”

 

“You mean to tell me that your father has never told you about any demons he fought?”

 

“No, they don't really discuss their past. But why would my father know about this Nara..ku person?”

 

Inuyasha sat there and looked at her quietly without letting his thoughts filter into his eyes. It was driving her crazy.

 

“What?” she demanded.

 

“Why were you trying to go back home if you wish to disappear?”

 

Hotaru didn't know how to answer that question. She loves her parents and she is disappointed with them at the same time.

 

“My grandmother, she's really ill. She had an accident and I promised that I would go to see her again.”

 

“Is she alright?” Inuyasha asked with real concern in his voice. He may hate Kagome and Miroku and never trust humans again, but, Kagome's mom was the only person who didn't hate him or have any preconceived notions about him. She treated him just as warm as any mother could.

 

However, Hotaru picked up the change in his voice.

 

“I don't know she had a concussion when I left. Why do you ask?”

 

“Nothing, I'm just bored now. Unfortunately for you, you won't be able to go and see her, your going to stay here until the problem is settled.”

 

Hotaru than leapt up and practically threw herself in front of him she grabbed on to his robes and pulled.

 

“Please, please you have to let me see her, I promised her I would!”

 

Inuyasha simply looked at her and not caring to hear a crying wench he made his way to the entrance of the cave to get away from her sobbing.

 

A knock on the door broke through Hotaru's thoughts mumbling something about feeling like beauty and the beast she practically yelled.

 

“Enter!”

 

It was the sweet and cute Shippo who poked his head through the now opened door.

 

“Are those guards still standing their position outside?” Hotaru said dryly.

 

Everywhere she went the three bulking bull youkai with iron bands around their bulging grotesquely muscled arms and huge horns followed her like wooly mammoths in her opinion and when she returned to the chambers that she shared nightly with her captor they would stand guard.

 

Shippo smiled at her anger toward her imprisonment, but he understood that with the information that was given him and his own eye witness she couldn't be left alone. Though he felt sorry for her he knew he really couldn't help her either.

 

“Yeah, but I think if you continue to be sweet to them they'll help you escape.”

 

He said with playfulness in his voice. However, that was the wrong move for the girls' lavender eyes darkened with sadness like a violet wilting.

 

“I'm sorry, that joke was in poor taste. Look if it makes you feel any better, Inuyasha went…”

 

“I don't care where that beast went! He's a jerk a de-compassionate misfit a true animal.”

 

“Hey, well, Inuyasha can be gruff, but he's a nice guy. You just have to get to know him is all. He had left to go look in on your grandmother.”

 

Shocked Hotaru looked at him.

 

“He what?”

 

“Yeah, he felt kinda bad, don't say I told you, he'd kill me, anyway, he went to go check on her after he took care of some business that needed his attention that is why he's been gone for a week.”

 

Hotaru stunned turned around and grabbed a hold of the bed's post. Tears fluttering down her cheek unnoticed by her.

 

“Why?”

 

Shippo now scratched his head. He didn't really know why himself.

 

“Sometimes, he goes through moods…he uh…well, he I don't know what to tell you alright. He just did, you'll have to ask him yourself.”

 

`Damn I can't tell her that he knew her grandmother.' Shippo thought. He walked over to her and tapped her shoulder and when he did that she flung herself into his body and cried.

 

“I hope she's ok, please let her be ok.”

 

He stood there holding her and letting her cry. He felt kind've like a big brother to her since he thought of Kagome as his own step mother so he only felt it right to comfort her.

----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------

Kagome sobbed openly when Miroku performed matsugo-no-mizu or water of the last moment on her beautiful mother Ms. Higurashi after placing a small knife on her chest to defend against evil spirits. Souta with silent tears falling from his face covered his mother's body and finally her face with a thin white netted sheer fabric paper as now Kagome's keening became uncontrollable. Both Miroku and Souta had to help her to place the candles, incense and flowers on the table beside her bed.

 

They sat there and waited for the mortician to come and clean the body. When the knock sounded at the door it was Souta who went downstairs to let the person in. Kagome in shock took some of her medication and went about to pick a Kimono for her mother's wake and funeral.

 

“Kagome…do you need my help?”

 

Miroku asked her quietly while she stood staring at her mother's closet. Kagome fingered her mother's clothes while the tears streamed down her face.

 

“I don't understand what happened. She wasn't sick.”

 

She licked her dry lips and brought trembling hands up to wipe the tears from her eyes then made to look in the closet again. She reached up and pulled out her mother's wedding Kimono.

 

“I know sweet heart…the concussion…”

 

“How? How did she fall? What did she say? You were there.” Kagome now said broken hearted.

 

Miroku looked at his mother in law and thought about what she had said before she closed her eyes.

 

“Hotaru…she…”

 

Yet he didn't understand what that meant. And Hotaru never came back.

 

“I just saw her at the bottom step honey…there's something I need to tell you.”

 

Kagome turned around with the Kimono in her hands. Her eyes were now vacant and far away. He cursed under his breath for his wife left them to go to her world where only paradise existed.

 

“She'll prefer to be in this kimono…it's her favorite.” She now said in a voice that sounded like she made a decision to eat an apple instead of an orange.

 

Kagome walked over to her mom and planted a kiss on her covered forehead.

 

“I hope that you'll finally be happy seeing papa again. Yes, Souta and I…we're grown now…you go be happy.”

 

She placed the gown onto the chair and left the room leaving Miroku to stare after her. Souta passed her in the hall and ushered the mortician into the room he walked over to Miroku and asked:

“She took the drugs again didn't she?”

 

“I am afraid so, it might be best for now she can't deal with certain realities.”

 

Souta nodded his head, however, there was something nagging on his mind for weeks, but whenever he tried to bring it up the subject was changed, but he wasn't going to allow anymore dodging of his inquiries.

 

“Where is Hotaru? She hasn't been here in weeks.”

 

“I don't…”

 

“Don't bullshit me Miroku I want answers, Kagome has been watching the news now and worrying over that particular boy who committed suicide. I've heard what she's told our mother. What's going on I have a right to know she's my niece is she in trouble?”

 

Miroku pulled the young man further into the room away from the ears of the mortician.

 

“I don't know if she's in trouble, Buddha knows I want to know if my daughter is safe.”

 

He ran his long elegant fingers through his black hair that had distinguished silver running sparingly through.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I haven't told Kagome yet…you know how she's been lately with your mother and all…when I found your mother at the bottom of the steps she had in her hand a…a pregnancy test. I showed a doctor while I was there at the hospital just to know what the double lines meant.”

 

“She's pregnant?!”

 

Miroku shushed his outburst and than nodded only after seeing that the mortician hadn't strayed from his duty.

 

“Yes, however, your mother said Hotaru's name…but I have a feeling that it had nothing to do with the test…does that make sense. I've been going over and over in my mind what it was that she was trying to tell me. Even Hotaru seemed to feel guilty about something, but, she's been feeling guilty about a lot of things.”

 

“How in the hell did she get pregnant?” Souta whispered.

 

“And why the hell hadn't this been mentioned to me before?”

 

Miroku sighed.

 

“It's a long story.”

 

“Give me the short version then.”

 

“That boy who committed suicide he's the baby's father.”

 

“WHAT!”

 

“Shhh, Souta…come with me we can't speak freely here.”

 

They both checked on Kagome whereabouts and saw that she had left the building to go by the sacred tree finally they ended up in the kitchen where Souta started to make some tea. Once he sat down he looked Miroku squarely in the eyes and demanded to know everything from the beginning. By the time Miroku got to the part that Hotaru had finally admitted that she had been raped Souta threw the table across the room and grabbed Miroku by his robes.

 

“You allowed my niece to get raped? Had Inuyasha been her father that bastard would have died by his hands.”

 

Miroku sagged even in Souta's strong hold. The shame of him not being there for his daughter to protect her played heavily on his heart and he knew that what Souta said was true. Miroku looked up to see that he wasn't the only male in the room shedding tears. They put the table to rights and sat back down again. They both sipped their tea in guilty silence.

 

“I should have been visiting more…I should have done more for her…I've been so busy with my clients…”

 

“Don't blame yourself Souta, Kagome and I…well…there is no more room for guilt when we hold it all.”

 

“So, you need to tell me everything that happened at school, what did the principle say, what did he do to that guy?”

 

“The principle didn't do anything to the guy, he was very concerned because it was played out that Hotaru…she gave it up willingly, however, there is more.”

 

Souta looked at him astonished that so much has been going on.

 

“The principle also said that the students at school said that Hotaru let loose powers.”

 

“Powers, what kind of hog wash is that?”

 

“The thing of it is…is that she used those powers on me too, she used it on Kagome as well, that is why Kagome takes those drugs. That's a very long story, one that I don't care to get into, but, Hotaru can use powers that I believe are not entirely…pure.”

 

“What are you trying to tell me Miroku?”

 

“I don't know exactly, but the two people who had hurt her at school well, one is dead and the other is in an psychiatric ward. Those two were blasted the hardest with her powers.”

 

“Don't say anymore, keep that information to yourself. The things I've heard on the news…well…you confirmed it, however, they can't prove it's true, so don't say it again understand.”

 

They both sat there quietly thinking about everything that was consuming their family, then Souta said quietly in a whisper.

 

“If she used magical powers on these two kids, well, it could possibly be her fault for their outcomes.”

 

Miroku paled he was sincerely hoping that that scenario wasn't the case. Changing the subject Miroku asked Souta what he thought his plans should be for the wake and funeral.

----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------

“Inuyasha so much has happened…mama…she loved you. She didn't understand why I had come home with Miroku instead of you, I never told her my shame…”

 

Kagome placed her forehead on the tree as she used her hands to touch the spot tenderly that he had been pinned to for fifty years. Tears spilled from her eyes.

 

“Do you remember when you spoke to me…after I shot you with the arrow…I felt so horrible I came home. But when you reached for me here in my time… You don't know this but Kikyo told me to return here, she told me that my place wasn't with you. She was right…I hurt you too, I actually betrayed you whereas Kikyo…it was a mistake, you both were tricked, but I…I caused you pain. Being pinned must've been a picnic.”

 

Kagome turned around and popped some more pills. Her shoulders began to quake with her grief.

 

“Inuyasha…mama…it's my fault…bad things keep happening because I betrayed you…I've become impure and cursed.”

 

Kagome closed her eyes, the drugs affecting her vision causing it to blur.

She laughed through her tears.

 

“Looks like I took too many again…huh. I know I'm a weak pathetic human. But I am the one deserving of death, momma is …she is…,

 

She shook her head from the pain and then kept on talking to her Inuyasha

 

Hotaru she's going to die…please Inuyasha take care of her, keep her alive…but you wont…you'll hate her because of me…because of what I did…though I took all of these pills I will not die…damn…I wish…I wish…”

 

She smiled as she slid down to the ground high on the pills she took.

 

Inuyasha peered down at her with disgust in his eyes; he remembered that time all to well, like it was yesterday. Yet at the moment he had no idea what was wrong with her why did she talk to him here by the tree. At first he thought that she knew he was there, but then noticed that this was something that she did often. Talk to him. He decided to file this thought away for later inspection.

 

`Pathetic human is right, you should feel guilt and you should suffer.'

 

But then his curiosity pricked him, why was she crying and what did she mean when she said her mother and her fault? Looking around he jumped down in front of Kagome. She didn't budge, in fact her eyes were closed and drool spilled from her mouth onto her lap. Inuyasha made a repugnant face and thought maybe he shouldn't do what he was about to do, but the thirst for knowledge was too strong.

 

“Kagome?” He said rather harshly, but he still got no reply. He looked around again before crouching in front of her and using but one clawed finger pushed her head up against the tree. Her eyes were glassy and he turned up his nose.

 

“Kagome…what happened to your mother?”

 

He could see her eyes dilating and trying to focus on him, he saw fear cross her features and then peace.

 

“So, you've come finally Inuyasha are you going to kill me now? I'm ready, I don't want to do what I have to do…I'm scared Inuyasha. I know Hotaru is with you, please…she's yours…she was meant for you…”

 

“What the hell are you talking about wench?”

 

It scared him how she looked at him, he couldn't explain it, but it made him angry that he was actually scared and it unnerved him that he couldn't understand a damn thing the woman was saying. It didn't make any sense except for the part where he was to kill her.

 

“She needs you Inuyasha.”

 

He shook his head, obviously those pills she took was doing something to her brain and as much as he'd like to kill her, he wants her in her right state of mind, he wants her to know who was going to kill her and why.

 

“Kagome what happened to your mother?” He growled out now.

Tears welled up in her eyes again when she thought of her mother. Inuyasha was becoming impatient.

 

“She loved you Inuyasha. She expected you…now…”

 

She looked past him as if seeing something or someone behind him. His hackles rising he cautiously turned around and saw nothing.

 

“Damn it all to hell woman stop this now and tell me what happened to Ms. Higurashi?!”

 

“She died this morning.”

 

He stepped away from her as if she were a diseased creature. Looking around he leapt away from her he didn't understand why he was feeling trapped. He ran from the tree to the well house and flew down the time space to his own era. Walking dejectedly memories started to play in his mind, memories that he desperately wished would cease.

 

The first time he came through the well to take Kagome back she halted him and felt his ears. All the times he stayed there she cooked him extra special meals, like steak. She'd always buy the most expensive steak to prepare for him whenever he came over. The way she laughed whenever he grouched.

 

“You know Inuyasha, you remind me so much of my late husband. He had the same gruffiness about him, but deep down inside he was a teddy bear.”

 

“Oh, you make me so proud Inuyasha, I'll be happy to call you my son in law one day for you are a very decent man.”

 

Inuyasha's throat tightened to the point that he couldn't breath. Pulling open his kimono he began to run like the wind howling. When he stopped his marathon he noticed that he tore his clothes and tears were rolling down his face unchecked. He crossed the barrier and went to his home with a grief stricken heart and more anger toward Kagome and Miroku for stealing from him another person who loved him.