InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Daybreak ❯ The Disappearance ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2- The Disappearance

 

 

Inuyasha woke with a start in his place high up a tree. It was quiet. He looked down at his sleeping companions camped in the small clearing. They were undisturbed. A tinge of pink dusted the horizon.

 

Daybreak… He brought a hand to his head and sighed.

 

He had had that dream again. Well, it might have been a memory, but as time went on, he decided it was a dream. It was completely farfetched and didn't make any sense and all the details had become blurry. Inuyasha leaned his head back against the trunk and closed his eyes. Of course it didn't make any sense. How could Kikyou be alive back then…?

 

 

*****

 

 

The sky was becoming ever so slightly lighter as the dawn slowly approached. But his attentions were elsewhere. He watched her silhouette glow as she walked towards a blinding light.

 

“Wait!!” he shouted, his little legs stumbling over the wooden planks. She stopped and turned, watching him run up the garden bridge towards her.

 

“Koinu-chan…” she whispered.

 

Inuyasha reached her, puffing. His bottom lip trembled.

 

“You promised,” he sobbed. “You said we would play another game.” He couldn't stop the tears rolling down his cheeks and shamefully looked down, furiously wiping them away with his little red haori.

 

“Koinu-chan,” he heard her say through a cracked voice. He was suddenly swept up into her arms. Inuyasha angrily sobbed into her pink silk kimono. He could smell her tears. She didn't want to leave either.

 

“Why do you have to go?” he cried. She squeezed him tighter.

 

“I'm so sorry, Inuyasha. But I have to go. This isn't my place,” she shakily sighed.

 

“But you're the only other person apart from mom who likes me,” he hiccupped. He felt her squeeze him even tighter. He felt so safe…

 

“Listen to me Koinu-chan,” she began as she pulled away to face him. “I have to go now, but I will see you again. I can guarantee that.”

 

She took his face in her hands.

“I may not remember anything, but when we do meet again, we will have lots of fun and adventures together.”

 

She crushed him to her chest again as he began to cry once more.

 

“It will be a long, long time before that though. And between now and then you will face many… difficult things, but from them you'll grow into strong young man. I promise you, I will see you again.”

 

He felt her pull away and looked up. She smiled sadly taking in his face before she turned away and walked to the light glowing in the middle of the bridge. Each step was taking her further and further away from him.

 

No… he didn't want her to leave.

 

He only felt strong when she was with him.

 

And watching her leave was only making him more helpless.

 

He couldn't do anything alone!!

 

A wave of panic swept through his chest. Without thinking he raced towards her, arms stretched out.

 

“WAIT-!”

 

She turned to look at him. That was the image that had stayed with him throughout his life. Her bright round eyes shone like glass as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Her lips parted as if trying to say something. But within a split second, the light engulfed her and she was gone. That woman was his first love.

 

 

*****

 

 

She had kept her promise and they had met again 50 years ago. Although at first he wasn't sure she and Kikyou were the same person. She had become distant and heavily focused on her duty, protecting the Shikon no Tama in her village. When he first tried to take the jewel and failed, he hadn't even realised who she was. It wasn't until many failed attempts later when she invited him to sit and talk with her did he make the connection.

 

I am weird, aren't I?

 

Inuyasha's heart had leapt at the sad smile. At that moment she had looked just the same as the woman from his memory. He had met Kikyou when he was a child! He didn't know how it was possible, but he was positive it was her.

 

And just like she had promised, she didn't remember anything.

 

He would occasionally drop hints about pink kimonos or something about Koinus, but whenever he did, she would stare at him blankly. He assumed the woman from his childhood had lost her memory and now lived her life as Kikyou. How, he still didn't know. Perhaps this woman never existed… Without his mother around to ask, and with Kikyou not being able to remember anything, Inuyasha over time dismissed it and let it fall to the back of his mind. Instead, he began to focus on the Kikyou of his adult life and found himself falling in love with her again. She was still his first love.

 

“Wonder what she's doing right now,” he wondered out loud to himself. The sky was getting lighter. Inuyasha pushed the thoughts away and gave his arm a good stretch. It was time to get the day started.

 

 

*****

 

 

“There's the village!” cried Kagome happily pointing at the huts nestled in the valley.

 

It had been a good week. Well, maybe not to Inuyasha, who had been grumbling ever since they had decided to head back, but good enough for Kagome. The rumour had turned out to be true. A lizard youkai had been terrorising several villages two days south of the Bone Eaters Well. The battle wasn't too bad. After a couple Cutting Winds, the youkai had realised just how screwed he was facing off against a pissed off hanyou with a giant fang for a sword (they had met Kouga not two hours before they had come across the lizard and Inuyasha's jealous rage still hadn't subsided).

 

Kagome remembered how he nearly tore down the entire forest in frustration when they found out the youkai didn't actually have a fragment, despite its immense strength. Kagome sat on a log with the others, staring bored at the raging Inuyasha while he cursed and kicked over tree stumps. Miroku eventually got up and gave him a good whack on the head with his staff saying how inappropriately he was acting in front of women. He finally shut up, storming off to find fire wood. The rest of group had looked at each other and sighed.

 

But aside from that, it had been a good week.

 

“Just one day, got it?” warned Inuyasha walking by her side as they entered the village.

 

“Don't worry,” Kagome assured. “It's just one test. And I just need to pick up some material I've missed. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. And don't come looking for me if I'm a little late.” She added darkly.

 

Inuyasha winced at the memory of being sat down the well. He flicked his head away in a loud `keh!'

 

“Poor Kagome,” sighed Miroku shaking his head. “It must be difficult having to take all these tests while continuing on the quest for Shikon shards.”

 

“And it doesn't help with Inuyasha causing more problems for Kagome by constantly fluttering between her and Kikyou,” added Shippou, shrugging his shoulders. Inuyasha's fist collided with Shippou's head.

 

“Let's go talk to Kaede,” motioned Sango as the girls left the fox and dog demons squabbling.

 

Kaede looked up from her garden as the girls approached. Her wrinkled mouth instantly widened into a welcoming smile.

 

“Welcome back, children,” the old miko greeted. “How was the rumoured youkai?”

 

“It was just that; a simple youkai,” answered Kagome, smiling. “How has the village been?”

 

“Quiet and peaceful, the way it's supposed to be,” she smiled, getting to her feet. Kagome could see her struggling and helped her, hooking an arm under her shoulder.

 

“Thank you, child.”

 

Kaede stopped.

 

“Oh dear, Sango, you might want to keep an eye on your monk,” said Kaede.

 

The girls turned to see Miroku clasping the hands of a young village girl. Kagome grimaced when she saw his mouth form the words bare my child. Sango turned around to the women and smiled.

 

“If you'll excuse me,” she said as she walked off in Miroku's direction.

 

After hearing the satisfying WHACK and the expected “HENTAI!!”, Kaede turned to her young apprentice.

 

“Kagome, before I forget, there was some interesting news that came to the village while you were gone.”

 

“What was it, Kaede-baachan?” asked Kagome. Kaede sorted the weeds in her hands as she spoke.

 

“Apparently, there is some more youkai trouble to the east of here. A lord of a castle there is apparently sending out messengers in hope of finding someone able to exterminate their problem.”

 

Kagome furrowed her brow. “It certainly sounds like a possible lead, doesn't it?”

 

“Perhaps you should look into it once you return,” suggested Kaede as she reached for a basket of herbs. “But for now you have an important `test' do you not?”

 

“Ah, yes! I should get home and study!”

 

She quickly said goodbye to Kaede and walked past Sango who was repeatedly kicking Miroku on the ground (Miroku didn't seem to be minding it, strangely enough).

 

“I'm going now, Inuyasha!” she called. Inuyasha looked up, holding Shippou in an arm lock. He pulled an angry face in warning.

 

“You better come back as soon as you can!”

 

Kagome giggled to herself. She liked it when he pulled that face. Though she would never tell him.

 

Once, when she had told him she had to go home for a test a few months ago, he had rushed up and stood over her glowering, his golden eyes ablaze as he told her she had just returned home recently. It was the first time he had given her tingles down her spine. She didn't know why, but that one glare made her feel helpless, like she was under his control. …and she sort of… liked it. Of course she had blushed at the lecherous thought and told him to “sit” for getting too close. A decision which she thoroughly regretted now.

 

“I'll be back this time tomorrow, I promise!” With that, she headed off to the well.

 

 

*****

 

 

Kagome hummed to herself as she hopped out of the well in her time and walked up the stairs to gaze upon her house. She squealed with delight. She was looking forward to having a bath and sleeping in a bed. She hadn't bathed for two days and felt disgusting.

 

“It's funny how the simple things in life are missed the most,” she thought to herself as she cheerfully ran to the house.

 

“Mama! Souta! Jii-chan! I'm home!” she called as she kicked off her shoes in the hall.

 

“Kagome?” her mother called sticking her head around the door. “Oh, good! You're back,” she sighed. Kagome caught the relief in her mother's voice.

 

“Of course, I always come back! You know that!” she smiled as she gave her mother a warm hug.

 

“I know, honey, I know…” said her mother trailing off in thought.

 

“Mama?” asked Kagome pulling back. “What's wrong?”

 

Her mother looked at her hesitantly before answering. “…the police have been here.”

 

Kagome's mouth dropped. “What happened? Are Souta and jii-chan alright?” she asked panicked.

 

“Yes, yes, their fine, sweetheart,” said her mother calming her down. Kagome took a deep breath and exhaled.

 

“Then what did they want?” the young girl asked.

 

“Well, you see Kagome…” her mother began awkwardly. “It seems one of your classmates… Hojo, is missing…”

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: ooh… yeah it's a mild cliffy. Sorry to those who hate them, but I'm evil that way ^_^ Anyway, once again, thanks to you all reading this! I really appreciate it! And once again (I know I say this a lot) I hope you enjoyed it!

 

BTW for those who don't know, `Koinu' is Japanese for `puppy'.

 

Disclaimer: Oh, yeah, I don't own Inuyasha