InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In the Eyes of a Stranger ❯ Chapter 2: Past Present Future ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own INUYASHA. We all know that he; along with the rest of the characters belong to the wonderful RUMIKO TAKAHASHI. I'm only here to entertain you for a certain amount of chapters. Please don't press any charges. I am simply a humble, SESSKAG loving authoress.

 

Recap

 

“Chichiue…”

 

Something came over Kagome, she didn't know what, but it was something. A part of her seemed to feel so familiar with this man. Yet, what was so familiar?

The man opened his eyes, and looked at both of his children.

 

“My children…”

 

End Recap

 

CHAPTER TWO

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

 

 

Kagome woke up that morning unaware of her surroundings. At first she had wondered why there was a lacy white see through curtain hanging from the centre of her bed. Wait, this wasn't her bed was it? Sleep left her body in an instant and she sat up quickly. Her eyes started scanning her surroundings.

 

The room she was in was painted an ivory colour, which looked quite calm. There were portraits of a little girl along one of the walls, which suspiciously looked exactly as a replica of her when she was around that age. Kagome pushed aside her bed covers, and set her feet down. Though she was having trouble as the roughness of the lacy white curtain kept getting in the way.

 

Putting her arm forward to push the curtains out of the way, she noticed pink stripes on her wrist. Her heart started beating rapidly and she looked down to her ankles. They too had pink stripes. She had only seen these kinds of stripes on Sesshoumaru, and he was a youkai — an inu-youkai to be precise.

 

Suddenly the memories of last night's events came back to her in a hurried rush. She was the princess and heiress to the Southern Lands. Her father was the current reigning Lord of the Southern Lands. Souta was the prince of the Southern Lands. An added bonus was that she was an inu-youkai.

 

Kagome rushed towards the nearest closet and pulled open the door. There she saw various types of kimonos, with various patterns. She chose a white and dark blue kimono. Taking it out of the closet, Kagome placed it on her futon. Next she pulled on a white garment making sure that the collar fit around her neck. Kagome delicately picked up the smooth silk, and slipped it on. She wrapped the right side around her body, and then overlapped it with the left. The girl sighed when she realised that the obi that went with the kimono was too big for her to tie. She cursed her luck. She was about to take it off when someone knocked on the Shoji screened door.

 

“Who is it?” Kagome called out exasperated.

 

“Lei,” she heard a voice answer.

 

“You could come in.”

 

The Shoji door slid open and quietly banged against the other end of the wall. Kagome turned around to be faced with a young element youkai. The youkai had long, brilliant blue hair, and bright lime green eyes. She shifted nervously from foot to foot, letting Kagome observe her. Smelling her discomfort on her — which was quite unsettling — Kagome smiled at her. She beckoned the young youkai forward with a gesture of her finger.

 

“I suppose you sensed that I needed your help with this obi?” she questioned the elemental youkai.

 

“I was sent by Tin, milady,” the girl whispered in a nervous voice. “I was to help you get ready for today. My name is Lei milady.”

 

“Please, call me Kagome.” Kagome wrinkled her nose at her. “I don't care for formalities much.”

 

The girl looked at her sceptically, but then nodded her head. “Of course, Lady Kagome.”

 

Kagome sighed in displeasure; she really didn't want to deal with this. What she hated the most, were people calling her Lady, or milady. It annoyed her to bits. She couldn't understand why people couldn't call her Kagome, just plain old Kagome.

 

“Just Kagome, not milady or Lady Kagome.”

 

Lei gasped, and her eyes went wide with shock. “Milady, what you are requesting isn't part of protocol.”

 

“All right,” Kagome sighed wearily, “how about this, call me Kagome when it is just the two of us.”

 

Lei seemed to like this idea and nodded her head happily. She walked over to Kagome and took the obi from her hands. She diligently wrapped it around the princess' body and chattered on while doing so. Lei had an incredible sense of humour and Kagome was enjoying her company.

 

- - -

 

Kagome walked towards her father's room, her eyes were currently focused on her feet. She didn't need to look as to where she was going. She could smell her way there. Already she had memorized the scent of her father's; it was the scent of honey and fresh mint. An odd combination for someone, yet it smelled magnificent. Taking a left at a corner, her feet led her to a secluded area where one shoji door was. Lifting her head Kagome stepped forward.

 

She slid the door open and it banged silently against the other wall. All present in the room turned their heads to look at her. Kagome bowed before the men in attendance, after a couple of seconds she stood up straight and strode towards the next available cushion. She placed her legs under her and placed her dainty hands in her lap, which were covered by her sleeves. Kagome looked at the futon in front of her, where her father lay looking at her.

 

Hiro Higurashi had pride shining in his eyes as he looked at his daughter. She looked extremely beautiful and looked exactly as he had remembered her. Of course she grew over the course of the years, but that was to be expected. Yet instead of having the childish features that he had created in his mind with a slightly taller body, she looked like the adult he had wanted his daughter to be. Long midnight blue hair, which reached her waist and was pulled into a high ponytail with her bangs accentuating her face. The light pink stripes that were gashed along her cheekbones, that reached the section where her ear started. Those two pink gashes symbolized that she was part of the Royal Southern Family.

 

Then, her big azure eyes which looked innocent at the first glance. Those azure eyes reminded him of his wife, not many inu-youkai had that eye-colour. Hiro Higurashi sighed, and reached his left hand out towards his daughter. He watched her take it. She then started rubbing his outer palm in a calming matter that made him smile.

 

“You need your memory back,” he whispered quietly, but knew that she had heard him, “Souta too.”

 

His son elfish ears tweaked slightly at the mention of his name. The young boy lifted his head and looked at his father. The two had a pleasant father-son bonding moment, which Hiro had quietly enjoyed.

 

Hiro detached his hand from his daughter's grasp and landed on her forehead. He touched the dagger, which was in the middle of a sun, which was in the middle of a circle. When the two had gotten their humanoid forms back, they had also gotten the symbol of the Southern Lands imprinted on their forehead.

 

“Tin, you know what is needed. Onegai, fetch it for me.”

 

“Hai, milord.”

 

Kagome heard the shoji door open and close. Souta moved closer to the two demons in his family, and resisted the urge to curl up against Kagome.

 

“Do you wish to know what our symbol means?” Hiro questioned his children, and smiled as they nodded their heads.

 

“Very well then,” he told them. The Southern Lord shifted slightly, so that his face was facing them. His short black hair was ruffled from lying down on the futon for quite a long time. Just like people of nobility that Kagome had met, there was a part in their bangs. To show the symbol of their lands, and to show that they were indeed above others.

 

“The dagger represents power, not just within weapons, but with our inner selves as well. Showing us the incredible strength that we have. The sun represents the beginning of a new day, and that it is never ending. Finally the circle. The circle represents the circle of life. Showing everyone the unending care and love that our family showers on our people, ningen or youkai it matters not.” Hiro paused as a cough over took his body. “It is all right, I am fine—” he gently shoved his children off of him. “Now along with that the circle represents the fact our lives are unending, dead or alive.”

 

- - -

 

 

Kagome listened to her father and thought about what he said last.

 

“Now along with that the circle represents the fact that our lives are unending, dead or alive.”

 

Her eyelids slid over her eyes, and she listened to her father's wondrous, baritone voice. It sounded so rich, and soothing.

 

“Kagome?”

 

Kagome's eyes snapped open. She stared at her father with wide-eyes, before blushing furiously. “Gomen chichiue. I spaced out for a bit,” she said as her eyes looked downward, unable to face her father.

 

“It is okay, child,” he replied. “Tin has just arrived with the potion that is needed for both yourself, and Souta.”

 

Kagome's ears perked at the word potion. Questions rapidly started running through her head. “Potion?” she questioned, her head rising to look at her father, then to look at Tin. “What is this potion for, father?”

 

Hiro closed his eyes taking a deep breath before opening them once more. His blue stare observing his eldest child. Reaching out a clawed hand for his daughter to take he said, “It is so that you and Souta may obtain your memories of your past life.”

 

“When you say `your past life' do you mean my life before me and Souta went down the Bone Eaters Well?” Kagome asked curiously. When her father nodded his reply Kagome felt her heart thudding fast in her rib cage. “Are me and Souta going to get them back now?” Hiro nodded once again.

 

“What about my memories of what happened after I travelled down the well? Will I still have those?” she asked frantically. She still wanted those memories, she still needed them, and she wanted them. The inu-miko held onto her father's clawed hand, adding pressure onto the ligament.

 

InuYasha. Would she still remember him? Would she still remember the love she had for him? Panic started flooding through her body. She didn't want to forget him, nor did she want to forget the rest of the gang. Shippo, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Myouga. The special kind of love she had for them, would they be erased because of this potion that was going to be administered to her?

 

If that was the case she didn't want the potion. No. It would do no good if she weren't going to be able to remember anything.

 

A little voice inside of her spoke up, What about the memories you shared with your father and mother as a little girl? Don't you want those memories as well? Don't they have a specific meaning to you?

 

Realization sunk deep into the recesses of Kagome's brain. Yes, she wanted those memories as well. Shutting her eyes tight she willed the tears not to fall. The young inu-youkai was confused. Azure eyes opened and revealed themselves to the injured inu-youkai on the futon. They showed him the pain, the confusion, the realization that was swirling in his daughter's heart. Hiro opened his mouth to speak.

 

“Kagome—oh!” Hiro clutched his side desperately. A wave of pain coursed through the Lord of the Southern Lands.

 

Kagome instantly let go of her father's hand in shock. It finally registered into her mind that her father was screaming, calling out in anguish. Kagome tried to move towards her father, but was stopped by Tin.

 

She looked towards the stout man, but was silenced as healers flooded into the room. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Souta struggling against the guards. It was then that she finally grasped that she was struggling against Tin, and another guard.

 

She needed to be by her father's side, not the healers. What did the healers know? The Lord of the Southern Lands needed his children, not youkai that were currently trying to soothe his cries.

 

“Chichiue!” Kagome screamed tears began streaming down her cheeks. “Tin, let go of me!” She struggled against him, but it was a fruitless effort as he held her back.

 

“Now is not the time, milady. It would do best to follow me,” he replied in a whisper. He and the other guard pulled Kagome and Souta out of the room.

 

Kagome stretched her hand out, hoping in some way, her father would stretch out his arm as well, and she would be able to grab onto it. “Father!” she cried out desperately.

 

Tin, having had enough of the hime's rambunctious actions, heaved her off of her feet and carried her out of the room.

 

“Tin!” his master called out to him, the healers having soothed his pained cries. “Make sure that my children take the potion. Tell them of the consequences that will come if they do decide to take—ahh!” Hiro Higurashi cried out in an anguished voice.

 

Tin, still holding a struggling Kagome, nodded his head acknowledging his Lord's request.

 

“Milady,” he began as he removed her from her father's quarters, “you have heard your father's request. I ask that you please stop being so hostile.”

 

Kagome stopped struggling against her father's advisor, her tears continuously flowing down her porcelain cheeks.

 

“Ssshhh, it'll be all right milady,” Tin soothed.

 

- - -

 

Kagome stared at the phial in Tin's hand as he explained to Souta and herself the properties of such a potion. Potion. The word sounded as if it would be used in some kind of witchcraft. Then again, her miko powers were almost like witchcraft, weren't they? The ability to purify demons, the ability to heal people through the pink glow that emitted from her hand, weren't these skills the same as witchcraft?

 

Not necessarily powers that dark miko's used, these powers that resided within her … it enabled her to help the greater good. Whatever good there was left in the world anyway.

 

“Kagome?” she heard her name being called, which made her jump slightly.

 

Her eyes landed on Tin, his white hair was in his face. Souta was looking at the pair eagerly.

 

“Sorry, Tin, I was thinking about—”

 

“No need to apologize, lady,” Tin replied in understanding. His silver eyes were twinkling in the light of the few candles that were lit among the room, expressing his understanding to her. “It is perfectly understandable that you were thinking about situations other then the one you are in now. Though, I must press that you make a decision right away. As I always say: there is no time like the present.”

 

Kagome nodded her head. She took in a deep breath before saying, “Tin, what were you saying before?”

 

“What was I saying before?” the old youkai muttered to himself. Tin rubbed his chin gently, trying to remember his current thoughts. Kagome watched as some sort of light bulb lit inside the old youkai's head as he remembered.

 

“Oh yes, yes, I remember now.” Tin jumped down from the chair he was sitting on, and walked over to the counter and placed the phial on it. He opened a cupboard and pulled something out. He hobbled over to Kagome, and gave her the book he currently held in his hands.

 

“This is the book that holds all the small paintings of the past. You do know what I mean, yes? Ah, here's a picture of your mother with yourself and Prince Souta.” Tin looked to where Souta was sitting on the stool. The poor little youkai was trying to elongate his neck to see the book. “Oh, little master come here this instant! You may see the book as well.”

 

Souta jumped down from the stool he was sitting on, and sat in the chair that Tin had previously sat in. He curiously looked at the page, which Kagome's eyes were currently fixated on. His eyes widened a fraction as he looked at the picture on that page.

 

There was a young woman with a smile on her face, holding a bundle of blankets and a small head was popping out, along with hands. This young woman had long, midnight blue hair and azure eyes. Light orange stripes graced her porcelain face, and hands. Almost a mirror image of Kagome, except for the orange stripes. Next to the young woman, was a small girl. This small girl had shoulder length midnight blue hair, and azure eyes. Pink stripes on her face, and pointy elfish ears. She was in a cute yukata, and was looking up at the young woman fondly.

 

Souta pointed to the baby in the woman's arms, and looked to Tin asking, “Is that me?”

 

“Yes that was you as a baby, Master Souta,” Tin said with a warm smile on his face. “An adorable baby youkai, as I remember. Though one time you did throw a fit while I was holding you, you scratched me across the face. It was quite painful.” Souta watched as Tin winced at the memory.

 

“I did? It hurt?”

 

“Yes it did. In fact, the Lord was quite proud of you. Saying that your claws were as sharp as his was when he was pup.”

 

“Cool,” Souta said his eyes were shining with awe. “I made father proud?”

 

“You did, indeed.”

 

Kagome was hardly paying attention to the conversation that was going on around her. Her eyes couldn't leave the picture of the young woman. It was obvious that this woman in the picture was her mother.

 

The mother that you can't even remember.

 

She cursed that little voice inside of her head. That little voice, that stupid little voice … it was right. She wanted to know her mother so badly, she wanted to take pleasure in the memories she had of the beautiful woman in that portrait. Nimble fingers ran over the painting, as if hoping that by doing so the woman would come back to life. A fruitless effort that she had attempted, but an effort it was nonetheless. Willing the tears not to fall, the inu-miko lifted her head and her gaze landed on her father's advisor.

 

“Tin?” she said quietly, and waited for the advisor to take notice of her. Once doing so she spoke again. “If Souta and I take this … this potion, what of our memories of the present? Will we have them as well?”

 

The elder youkai smiled genuinely. “Yes, you will have your memories, milady. I am assuming you ask this question because of your comrades that are searching for the Shikon No Tama?” At Kagome's nod he walked over to the hime and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You know that it is best if you are to forget those comrades. No objections, milady. They will pose nothing but an interference on you ruling the Southern Lands.”

 

“An interference?”

 

“Now is the time I tell you of the consequences, milady. When you take this memory potion so that you are able to remember what has transpired in the past, as is expected, every little memory will come back to you. There is a set back: while your memories and feelings of the past will come back, it will not be the same for your memories and feelings of the present — the here and now. Most of the memories that you have, that either hurt or make you feel so incredibly happy, will be driven out of your mind … to be replaced.” Tin let the hand on Kagome's shoulder fall, as he looked at the crestfallen young inu-youkai. “If you don't take this potion, milady, we understand. The only one that won't understand is your father.”

 

Kagome breathed in deeply, trying desperately to grasp what Tin was saying. She knew the consequences, now the question was: did she really want to take the potion?

 

“The only one that won't understand is your father.”

 

That answered that question, didn't it? She didn't want to disappoint her father, pleasing her newly found father meant so much to her. The thought of losing him — though the fact was evident that she may lose him in the next twenty-four hours — hurt her quite deeply. The least she could do for her father was make him proud, right? If making him proud was taking this phial of potion, then shouldn't she at least take it?

 

She was going to rule soon, how would she manage? Of course she would have Tin with her all the way — that was already a given. Yet, given the situation… She gave her head a mental shake. She needed to take this potion for her father. She needed to get those memories back, even if she did lose them all. The thought of this brought tears to her eyes, and before she knew it, the tears were streaming down her face.

 

Feeling someone rub her back soothingly, she looked up to face the old advisor. He was looking at her worriedly, and gave her a smile.

 

“Milady, you don't have to do this,” Tin whispered, his eyes sparkling with emotion that was not usually seen in youkai.

 

“Yeah, nee-chan!” Souta added. “You don't have to take it.” He jumped reached out towards her, and wrapped his arms around her neck. “I won't take it if you won't. I'd be scared that if I do, I won't remember you.”

 

Kagome's heart could've broken into pieces. She handed the portrait album to Tin, and hugged her brother. How could she have forgotten about Souta? She needed to do this for him as well.

 

“What happens if she doesn't take the potion, Tin?” Souta asked pulling away from the hug he shared with his sister.

 

“Simple, little master, your father's second in command in the Southern Lands citadel will hold the title of your father's if your sister chooses not to take this responsibility.”

 

“What?” Souta exclaimed. “There's a second in command?”

 

Tin nodded his old head. “Yes, of course! In case the current Lord or Lady isn't able to produce heirs, the second in command takes over.”

 

“What a load of —”

 

“Souta, I'm not going to have to remind you to watch your language, am I?”

 

Souta scowled, but nodded his head obediently.

 

“As I was saying,” Tin continued, “the second in command of this household, Lord Kenta, will be working alongside Lady Kagome if she chooses to take on her birth right.”

 

Silence blanketed the conversation in one sweep after Tin's last sentence. Each person in the room lost in their own thoughts. Kagome's thoughts were currently running wild with her. Her decision would affect the lives of everyone, she needed to make this decision immediately. She exhaled loudly, and nodded her head. Somehow, she always knew what her decision was going to be ever since she heard what was going to happen. Even if it did take a long time for her to come to terms, and accept what was going on and what she had to do, she got there. The thought of letting someone else take her birth right, didn't settle too well with her.

 

“I'll take the potion, Tin.”

 

END CHAPTER TWO

 

Humans are the only species capable of endless evil and cruelty , but also endless compassion, and hope.

 

- firehotquotes.com, Deep thoughts.