InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ InuYasha: Legend of the Record Keeper ❯ Past Memories ( Chapter 4 )

A/N: InuYasha isn't mine darn it!

 

Alex: Hey ya'll, sorry to say Sally has gone MIA on me so I'm just proofing the next few chapters and posting them for ya'll. Just so you guys know I'll probably do new uploads every Sunday or Monday, possibly some other day of the week if I have time. Also reviews would be greatly appreciated; hearing from readers gives me a little bit of hope that my stories are at least decent. I also like to hear ideas and suggestions from readers, I like seeing other peoples views. So anywho here's the next chapter, please keep in mind that these are memories from way back when we have no idea how Sesshomaru acted. And on a side note I do accept flames, hey it's your mind share it! ^^

 

Chapter 3:

Past Memories

 

Sesshomaru paused at the edge of the cliff he had decided to stop on for a while, the human child needed to rest and eat. He stared up at the crescent moon that hung overhead looking so much like the violet symbol on his forehead. The child continued to ramble on about the woman in her dream , she had described all she had seen of the woman from the sunset red hair, to violet eyes, and even flowing black markings on her left cheek. The more she spoke of the gentle woman who had given her the medicine to heal her, the more Sesshomaru's anger grew. The woman the child spoke of and described couldn't be alive; all of the talk had been enough to remind him why he detested humans. He let his mind drift back to memories he had buried away many years ago.

 

“Your duties will be to scrub the floors and keep them polished as well as mind all broken screens. Stay out of the way of the Lords, we're very lucky that they even let the few humans there are in the village work here in the palace.” Sesshomaru could hear the head house keeper, Sora, rattling on at a supposed new servant, he lowered his eyes slightly to look at them. He made it a point to at least show the slightest respect to the woman who had helped care for him as a child. The old housekeeper bowed quick and low and the young girl behind her took it as a sign to do so as well. The long braid that had lain down her back slid over her shoulder to sway forward hiding her face with its thickness until she rose again. As he passed the soft scent of fire flowers assaulted his nose, most defiantly the human for Sora always smelled of soap.

His eyes narrowed just slightly, the girl had strange colored hair, it looked as if someone had taken the rosy colors of the setting sun and placed them in her hair which, as he saw when she brushed it back over her shoulder, was pleated and fell nearly to her waist. He still couldn't see her face but from what he could tell she was only a child still, maybe twelve or thirteen. She wore a calf length light pink kimono with a dull blue apron over it and carried a large bucket of water in her pale hands.

The old woman continued on the girl trailing behind her and Sesshomaru went on his way but not before he heard a soft female child's tone ask, “Ma'am, who was that man?” he glanced back over his shoulder at the sound of the soft voice and met wide startling violet eyes as she peered over her shoulder at him. A dark blush spread across her cheeks and she wheeled back around to follow the old demon.

 

Sesshomaru continued staring at the sky, the description that little Rin had given had sounded so much like that girl, he hadn't thought of her in years, had made it a point not to. In fact he had buried all memories of her; it was because of her that his hatred of humans had grown worse over the years. All because of her, if he had never met her in the palace then he would have never had the memories or the emotions to burry, his remaining hand curled into a fist his claws digging into his palm until they brought blood.

 

Sesshomaru rounded the corner in the hall only to slam into someone who bounded off of his body to land with a thud, a cry of surprise, and a splash all at the same time. The scent of fire flowers drifted to him before he looked down at whoever had run into him and raised an eyebrow just slightly as his eyes met with the soaked form of the red headed girl that had been working in the palace for a year or so now. She was soaked from the pale of water that she had spilled all over herself, her red hair was stuck to her face and trailed behind her just slightly in dripping locks. What shocked him was the eyes that peered up at him dazed slightly, they were a light lavender, now wide as she realized who she had run into, she practically jumped to her feet and bowed deeply.

“I'm very sorry Lord Sesshomaru, I should have paid attention to where I was going.” She spoke softly her voice barely audible, her dripping hair falling over her shoulders, he spied a leather string on the floor and assumed that it had been holding her hair back at one point, “I..if you'll excuse me my lord I'll go get something to clean this up.” She turned quickly and flew down the hall away from him butt length wet red hair flying behind her as her small feet barely touched the wooden floor.

 

Sesshomaru frowned slightly digging up the memory of what her face had looked like, heart shaped and pale with large lavender eyes that always seemed to be half hidden by her bangs, soft pink lips that always seemed to be in a slight pout. He had seemed to perpetually run into that girl, she seemed to have always been silent and in her own world until she ran into him which usually ended up with her jumping from the floor bowing and apologizing. Often he had run into her on purpose hoping to loosen that leather tie so that her red hair would fall free, he had an obsession over her hair. Another memory of that face sprang into his mind causing his claws to dig deeper into his palm, his blood dripped to the ground leaving small crimson splashes in the grass.

 

“No! Please don't! Let me go!” Sesshomaru could hear the female's voice screaming as he knocked another sparring partner way with a quick flick of his arm. He paused turning his head towards the sounds of harsh mixed laughter he raised a hand stalling another partner and headed of in the direction of the laughing and screaming. As he rounded the back of the building his eyes widened in shock, a group of demon servants stood gathered around the sobbing form of a woman curled up on the ground. A woman surrounded in sheered off locks of long red hair that had once been hers.

“What's going on here?” his tone came out icy and dull, he had been watching that girl for a time now, ever since she had run into him in the hall. The demon servants seemed to enjoy making her life miserable even though she worked so hard to do the tasks assigned to her. She had intrigued him with her soft speech and unusual mannerisms. Her appearance alone was enough to captivate many people, although young, only seventeen now, she was a beauty her long red hair and lavender eyes caught many a man's attention including his own.

Every person there froze at the sound of his voice then quickly turned and bowed to him, “Well…um…” one male servant started to explain but Sesshomaru's eyes drifted back down to the girl who was just crying silently now.

“It doesn't matter, you are all to go to my quarters and wait in my servant's chamber. I will deal with you all then.” The servants quickly scattered, the one crying on the ground was pushing herself to her feet to follow, “Not you, I want to know what went on here.” His eyes were pinned on the top of her bowed head and the short choppy locks that now covered it, the longest lock on reaching to her chin. Instead of standing now she just sat on the mucky ground admits the shorn strands of her hair. She sniffled once lifting a hand to use her kimono sleeve to wipe the tears from her face, the sleeve came away smeared with blood, “You're injured.” The smell of blood had been over ridden by that of the mud and other demons around the girl, now he smelt it clearly.

“It's just a small cut…” she barely whispered the words but he heard them, “I don't know why they did it, I went to fill the buckets like I had been told and when I turned around they were there…” he glanced around and found the notched pole and the two spilled buckets of water that had been dropped or knocked away, “I couldn't stop them, they cut my hair and I don't know why.” Her whispered words ended in a soft whimper as she wrapped her arms around herself shivering. She was soaked and in shock as well as hurt, he knelt down in front of her.

“Look at me servant.” She did so slowly and he studied the cut on her left cheek, it was small but looked painful, “What's your name?” she shifted her eyes away so that they stared more at his shoulder than at him, it was considered an insult for a servant to look their lords directly in the face.

“Kusa…Kusabana.” Sesshomaru was quiet for a long moment, the name suited her. She was delicate and soft much like a flower, her parents had named her well.

“Well then Kusabana, follow me and we'll get you tended to.” He stood and waited for her to do so as well, she did shivering and shaking all the while her eyes pinned to the sheered locks of her hair lying on the ground. He frowned, her hair had been nearly as long as his reaching just past her bottom usually tied back or braided neatly. He started off the girl following a few steps behind him as was expected of her, he lead her inside pausing so that she could slip out of her wooden shoes not that it would save the floor much considering her soaked and muddied state. He led her down the halls to the head servants' chamber and slid the door open himself causing the old demon woman to let out a squeal of surprise, noticing who it was she bowed quickly.

“Oh! Lord Sesshomaru! What a surprise, is something the matter?” Only she dared peer up at him full in the face, she flinched slightly noticing the extreme iciness of his eyes.

“Yes something is wrong.” He turned and lifted a hand to push the girl forward to stand next to him.

“OH! Kusa-chan! What happened to your lovely hair!?” The old woman looked ready to faint as she rushed forward to grab the girls' shoulders, “Your cut! Come inside this instant both of you. I want to know what has happened my lord.” She pulled the girl inside and pushed her down next to the fire in the center of the room shuffling off to find a blanket to drape over the girls shoulders and medicines to fix her cheek. As she worked Sesshomaru explained what had happened.

“I plan on banishing them all, you know as well as I that if anyone ever turns on someone else in this palace that they get banished if not killed depending on the harm done. As for this human…I'm not really sure what to do with her.” His eyes had stayed on the younger woman the entire time as the old demon had combed out the choppy lanks of hair and trimmed them until all were even. That being done Kusabana's hair only came down just past her ears. Least to say that Sesshomaru was not happy.

 

Sesshomaru took a calming breath and relaxed his hand, the small crescent shaped cuts on his palm already starting to heal. After that little incident all servants that had been involved had been banished and Kusabana had become his personal servant, her only duties had been to keep his room neat, tend to him when he was injured, and bring him his meals when he didn't feel like going to the main dinner room to dine with his father. She had in fact become a close companion, she had been soft spoken and kind often traveling with him into the smaller villages to help some of the women there but afterwards she had always looked so sad that he had asked her how she had come to be at the western lords' palace.

 

“When I was only twelve a tribe of demons attacked my village, my mother and father were both killed but somehow they hid me from the demons under the ruins of our hut. The smell of all the blood must have hidden my scent because they never found me, I heard them leave but I couldn't get out of my hiding spot. I was trapped a long time until what had to be days later I heard someone in the ruins of our village and called out for help. It was your father who had found me, he brought me back to the palace to be a maid but I guess being a human with an unusual hair color isn't a thing to be when in a palace full of demons.” She looked so sad as she told him the story, her hands never slowing in their work of repairing his torn kimono. He studied her face, her sunset hair was tied back with a blood colored ribbon, he frowned, her hair was growing but it was only just past her shoulders now. She used the small dagger she picked up from the table to cut the silk thread carefully, “There you go Lord Sesshomaru, good as new.” She folded it carefully and sat it on the table smiling slightly as she so very rarely did. Later as he had put on his newly minded kimono her scent had clung to it softly, fire flowers. How she always smelled of them he didn't know because he had never saw any around the palace.

 

Sesshomaru turned away from the cliffs edge only to have his eyes snag on something next to a tree, a small pink and red five pedaled flower, “It has been a while since I have seen one of these.” He spoke softly to himself, her very rarely saw these flowers outside the western lands. He bent down just slightly and actually picked it to look more closely at it before crushing it in his hand the soft scent growing in strength to hang in the air around him as he dropped the remains.

 

Sesshomaru dealt with the demon in front of him easily taking him down with a quick brush of his energy whip then turned to look back, “It's safe now, you can come out.” Kusabana peeked around the tree she had hidden behind the sleeves of her blue kimono covering all but her fingertips as her hand brushed the tree trunk.

“Are you alright Lord Sesshomaru?” She stopped a mere footstep away from him her head slightly bowed, her hair was piled up on top of her head in a neat bun now.

“I'm fine, are you alright?” The demon had appeared out of nowhere to attack them, he had pushed Kusabana to safety behind a large tree while he dealt with the hideous thing. Kusabana knelt down to pick up the package of healing herbs that she had dropped in the excitement and hugged it close to her chest, “Let's continue on, the village is expecting us by dark tonight.” His golden eyes were locked on her face, she looked sad but she nodded slightly pinning her eyes on the ground again as he turned to start off, she followed a few steps behind. They started down the path again, Sesshomaru frowned, over the past year or so she had become a close companion and very rarely walked behind him on their trips to the village. When he heard her footsteps slow then stop he turned to see what had happened then raised an eyebrow slightly when he saw her crouched down to look at a flower, “Kusabana, what are you doing?” She let out a startled little squeak and peeked up at him.

“I'm sorry; I've just never seen a flower like this one in a long time.” She pointed to a small pink and red flower with five petals. “I haven't seen one since my village, they're very good for healing cuts and burns, and even heal the ailing or those in pain.” She ran a fingertip over one petal lightly before carefully picking one of theflowers, “It also makes a relaxing lotion when mixed with certain herbs.” Standing she stepped back onto the path.

“I see, we should continue on.” He waited for her to come forward to walk next to him, she stared at her feet for a moment then continued forward until she stood in front of him, “We still have a ways to go that means we won't be able to take any rest brakes.” She smiled up at him slightly.

“I'll be fine, promise.” She went to tuck the flower in her obi only to have him take it from her to study it then simply tuck it into the base of her bun, the light pink and red colors was a perfect contras to the darker red color but matched the pink of her blush perfectly. The soft scent of the flower drifted up to him and he blinked, it was the same light flowery scent that always surrounded her. Without saying a word to the stunned woman he turned and continued on leaving her to hurry after him.

 

Sesshomaru frowned slightly, why had he been nice to that human so often? He stared down at the crushed remains of the fire flower; he remembered why he hated humans so much. They died too easily.

 

Sesshomaru cut through another cat demon easily whirling about to hunt the burning village for the splash of red hair he knew too well.

“Die!” he side stepped the claws aimed for his chest and raked his own poisonous claws across the demons abdomen turning back to his earlier task, hunting for Kusabana.

“Kusabana?” he glided around a corner slaying another cat in the process, he continued to hunt for the human woman he'd developed an intense liking to, he didn't feel right without her beside him or near by anymore, “Kusa?” he stepped over a human body near the edge of the forest.

“S..Sesshomaru…” the voice was so week he barely heard it but his head snapped in the direction of the voice, the voice that belonged to his woman. He found her half hidden behind a tree her bloodied body curled around the form of a small child who was crying loudly; Kusabana herself looked on the edge of death. Her pale face was scratched and bloody, her kimono was ripped all over, and she was practically soaked in blood and from still fingers hung the fighting fan Sora had given the woman for their trips.

“Kusabana, how injured are you?” the red headed woman released the child who started crying harder and scooted closer to her, Sesshomaru frowned and grabbed her up setting her aside for the moment to look Kusabana over and let out soft sound close to a whimper. She wasn't going to make it; there was a huge hole though her side steadily loosing blood that seeped through the fingers of the hand she held tightly to it.

“I'm sorry, but.. she was in trouble, I had to help her.” Sesshomaru carefully gathered her up in her arms, she smiled up at him with sad pain filled eyes, “Thank you for being kind to me.”

“Quiet, my father may be able to save you if I can get you there in time.” Her bloodied finger tangled in his kimono and she looked at the girl on the ground.

“No, save her. Be as kind to her as you have been to me, please.” She stiffened in his arms her grip tightening in pain as he knelt back down with her.

“Kusabana, she's just a…”

“Human, like me. You cared for me, care for her too.” She lifted her hand and brushed her blood dampened fingers against his cheek with a small smile despite the fact that she had left a small smear of her blood on his cheek.

“I couldn't possibly care for her in the way I do you Kusabana. But if it's your wish I will look after her.” She smiled again and his cold demon heart warmed.

“It is my last wish, I'm glad you care that much for me my lord.” Her eyes started sliding closed; she was going on him, leaving him. His head dipped down and captured her lips with his own tasting her blood in the process, he couldn't say the way he felt in words to a human but he could show her how much he cared. When he lifted his head again she smiled at him one last time.

“I love you Sesshomaru…” her whispered words were the last sound he ever heard from her lips. He roared his anguish to the heavens as he clutched her body close, her.

 

Sesshomaru worked his way back to the camp where little Rin was sleeping with Jaken watching over her. He had carried Kusabana's corpse back to the palace and buried her himself stubbornly placing her in his family grave yard even at the protest of his fathers' council, his father on the other hand had seemed to understand. The young girl that she had given her life to protect he took with him as well and placing her in the little room that had belonged to Kusabana although he never really talked to her about anything personal or let her get to close. In fact he had almost treated her with contempt; because of her his Kusa was dead. As the years had passed the girl had grown up and married one of the lesser demons and become the head of house cleaning serving directly under the old demon woman who practically ran the entire palace. But the child was now old herself, which was another reason he hated humans; they grew old and died just the same. He leaped into the air taking a seat on a lower tree branch and leaned back to stare up at the sky some more, it was his watch now and Jaken could get a few hours of sleep before they left again in their hunt for Naraku.

An hour later Rin giggled in her sleep and rolled over mumbling softly, “You have pretty red hair Lady…..” she let out a sigh and snuggled closer to Ah-Un.

* * *

“InuYasha! Sit you pervert! You're as bad as Miroku!” InuYasha hit the dirt literally face first and growled as he glared up at the glowering Sango and Kagome. The group had decided to camp on a ridge that had a small hot spring nearby, the little paths were dangerous though, leading straight down over the mountain side.

“I wasn't spying ya idiot! I was headed here to tell ya we'll be leaving first thing in the morning, I got a hint on Naraku's scent!” he pealed himself out of his InuYasha shaped crater and stomped off into the forest. Kagome stared wide eyed after the silvery haired half demon her mind whirling, he had only flung one insult at her. She bit her bottom lip, she seemed to have actually hurt him with her insult, that thought alone caused her heart to clench painfully.

Kagome dunked herself under the water quickly rinsing her body and hair before clamoring out of the water. Scrambling around she got herself dried and dressed and took after the half demon she loved.

“Sorry Songo, I have to apologize!” she ran in the direction InuYasha had disappeared in, `I really shouldn't have done that, I know he wouldn't peek on us like Miroku would. But after he yelled at me for taking those jewel shards like that and not killing that demon he really made me mad. I wish he would trust me more in the matter of the jewel.' She let out a happy gasp as she saw the red clad half demon, “InuYasha! Hey InuYasha wait up!” she saw him cross his arms over his chest and continue on actually speeding up, “InuYasha! Please, I want to….Ieeeee!” she tripped and stumbled on the path straight over the edge of the path and started to fall down the hill. Midfall strong arms wrapped around her putting a halt to her fall.

“Are you trying to kill yourself stupid!” InuYasha landed on the branch of a tree with her held tightly to his chest. She pushed away to glare up at him for a moment.

“Well if you had waited up I wouldn't have had to run like that and then I wouldn't have fell! All I wanted to say was that I was sorry for saying the S word!” she backed up a step from him careful not to loose her balance. His hands still held to her shoulders to be safe, he really worried too much.

“You idiot, you could have gotten yourself killed just to say you were sorry.” He hugged her again pulling her close once more, “Don't do stupid stuff like that, you promised me.” Kagome hugged back resting her forehead on his shoulder.

“I know, I'm sorry.” She was sure he could hear the racing beat of her heart as easily as she felt his. Her dark eyes drifted shut at the same instant his golden ones did, both remembering the same moment.

 

“You're such an idiot, you have wounds of your own yet you're taking care of mine.” InuYasha slapped Kagome's hands away and sat up pushing her back to lean against the tree, “You don't heal as fast as I do, take care of yourself first.” He picked up a roll of bandages and the wet cloth to start cleaning the cut that stretched along her forearm.

“I'm fine, your wounds are more serious than mine Inuyasha.” She tried to push his hands away but he brushed them away, “Just be still and let me take care of ya for once. You always take care of me, now let me finish this.” Kagome was silent as he tended to her arm carefully cleaning and applying the correct ointments that she grudgingly handed him then bandaging it snugly.

“There, are you happy now InuYasha? Now lay back so I can finish bandaging your wounds.” She shrugged him away and pushed him back again to get back to work. The young half demon watched her small hands fix him up and bandage him easily her touch now light unlike it had been in the earlier days when she had first been learning.

“How come you always take care of me before you do yourself?” Kagome paused blushing lightly her eyes far away for a moment.

“Because I care about you InuYasha, I'll always take care of you.” She went back to work a light blush blooming across her cheeks.

“Always? You shouldn't say stuff like that; it sounds like a promise, one that can't be kept.” She leveled her gaze on his stubbornly.

“Yes it can and I will always take care of you InuYasha, as long as you allow me to.” She flushed a darker red, “I promise.” She tied off the bandaging and scooted back away from him, “I promised once that I'd stay with you and now I promise that I'll always take care of you.” She leaned forward hugging him gently, he hesitated then hugged her back.

“I'll always take care of you too Kagome.. just don't do anything stupid like that again.” She nodded slightly.

“I won't.”

 

Kagome pulled herself away from him, “The others are probably looking for me, I ran off kind of suddenly.” InuYasha nodded and swung her up into his arms to spring back up to the path then sat her on her feet as he started to walk back towards the camp. Her eyes softened as she watched him a small smile tugging her lips upward, shaking her head slightly to clear her head she jogged forward to walk next to him, “So you said you caught a hint on Naraku, is that true?” he nodded.

“Yeah, one of his little minions screwed up, so it's just a step forward for us.”