InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Must Be Destiny ❯ Chapter 27

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

Chapter 27

Inusouta paced back and forth for the umpteen-millionth time across the courtyard. Inuyasha leaned against Goshinboku, watching his son fret himself into a tizzy. (“You know… pacing won't bring her back any faster.”)

The young hanyou ran his hands through his already-tousled black hair. It was obvious that he had been doing that particular motion several times recently- something he never did. (“I just wish she would come back. It's been over a month since she left. She hasn't called, hasn't written me- nothing. It's like she disappeared.”)

Inuyasha nodded slowly. (“Your okaasan finds it odd, too. She expected to hear from the girl long before now.”)

Suddenly Inusouta stopped, staring at his father. (“Kami, Chichi… you don't think her plane went down, do you? Or that she's been in an accident?”) he rambled on, his face showing absolute terror at his thoughts that were running rampant. (“Or… oh, shit… what if she was pregnant and she miscarried? What if she hemorrhaged and she's dying without me? Damn it, damn it, damn it… I never should've let her go!”) He crouched down and slammed a fist against the pavement.

The silver-haired hanyou heaved a sigh. (“You're turning into your okaasan,”) he grumped. (“Just wait it out- she'll either contact you or she'll come back, and then you'll see you were worrying for nothing.”)

Inusouta scowled up at his father. (“You'd better be right, old man.”)

(“Inusouta!”) Kagome's voice rang out across the yard. (“There's a package here for you!”)

Curious, both males walked into the house, eyeing the package sitting on the table. Inuyasha poked it with a claw. (“Who's it from?”)

Inusouta read the address, written in a mixture of English and hiragana. His eyes went wide. (“It's… it's from Amber.”)

Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged a glance, then watched their son as he carefully opened the small brown box.

Inside was a brand new red-gold stuffed fox with bright green eyes. A dark blue ribbon was tied around its neck, and fastened in the middle of the bow…

…Was the engagement ring he had given Amber.

Completely stupefied, he picked up the animal and stared at the ring attached to the ribbon around its neck. He didn't move for a long time.

His mother noticed a note in the box and lifted it out, reading the perfect Japanese.

(“'Dearest Inusouta… Gomen nasai, but circumstances have changed and I am unable to marry you or return to Japan. With my obaasan's death my parents have resumed their status as my legal guardians until I am 18- which won't be for another six months. They have complete control over me and refuse to allow me to return to you. They have placed me in a special facility with hopes of finding out what's wrong with me. Apparently my little “display” frightened them more than it had when I was four, so now they are looking into doctors to find a cure for my “ailment.” I don't know if they have a cure for youkai blood, but I know I don't want it.

`As it is, I was only barely able to send you this package. I still have my Kuroinu to remind me of you and our short time together- I hope that you will look at this little stuffed fox and remember me occasionally as you grow older. I wish your parents and neesans the best- they were more like family to me than these people that claim they are my relatives.'”)

Kagome paused, looking at her son through tear-filled eyes. The poor man was slumped over, clutching the little fox as if it were a life preserver. She turned back to the letter and, clearing her throat of the sob that had lodged itself there, finished reading.

(“'You, my beloved Inusouta, were the absolute best thing that could've ever happened to me. Even though it's ending this way, I wouldn't have changed a thing- except I would've told you I love you a lot more. I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me someday.

`Your one-time kitsune love, Ryoushi Amber.'”)

Numbly Kagome lowered the letter, tears falling gently down her cheeks. She cried for the unfortunate girl who had written the letter out of love and desperation, and she cried for her poor baby boy, who was now sobbing uncontrollably, hugging the little fox with one arm while the other arm rested on his up-drawn knees, his hand clenched so tightly that blood appeared from inside his fist and dripped onto his jeans.

Looking up, she saw that her son had turned hanyou in his anger and his sorrow. Inuyasha looked ready to do some serious damage to someone. (“This isn't right. Those bastards are supposed to be her fucking parents for Kami's sake!”)

Inusouta ever-so-slowly lifted his head, his gold eyes burning and his ears flat against his head. The whites of his eyes flickered crimson, which startled his parents to say the least. (“I'm going to get her,”) he growled, deep and deadly.

(“They will pay dearly for taking my mate from me.”)

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

A golden-haired girl sat on the simple hospital-looking bed, her knees drawn up to her chest and her chin resting lethargically on her knees. A black stuffed dog with a gold collar was held tightly in her arms, where it had remained since the girl had first arrived. Her blue eyes, once brilliant and alive, were now dull and lifeless as she stared at the blank white wall of her tiny room. Extremely tiny windows, at the top of the exceptionally high walls, let in a sliver of moonlight that shone across her pallid features.

She was sick. That much was obvious. She refused to eat, refused to talk, refused to do anything except sit on her bed and clutch her stuffed dog. She had lost weight, becoming nearly gaunt, causing the white shirt and pants that she was required to wear to hang off her frame like sheets.

And she had only been in this place three months.

Three months since those who claimed to be her parents had thrown her away again. This time they tossed her into an asylum, because they believed she was crazy. That she was dangerous. And so the drugs were begun… the mind-numbing concoctions to try and calm her down.

It had been over four months since she had last seen Inusouta… or was it? Had she really met him? Or was he just a dream that she had made up? Sometimes she wondered. Only the black dog in her lap would confirm that he was real, that Inusouta had really existed, that he had once loved her and lain with her.

Lifting her head weakly, she stared up into the moonlight. Outside, the full moon smiled mockingly at her, reminding her of the night she and her beloved had joined under a canopy of trees. Desperate to remember her love and the happy times with him and his family, she closed her eyes and began to sing inside her mind.

I want to change the world… Jounetsu tayasazu ni... Takanaru mirai e te wo nobaseba... Kagayakeru hazu sa it's wonderland...

Kimi no kokoro furueteta asu no mienai yo... Nanimo shinjirarezu mimi wo fusagu... Kimi ni deaeta toki hontou no ibasho mitsuketa... Nanigenai yasashisa ga koko ni atte... Bokura mezameru...

She barely registered the tears sliding down her cheeks. So many had fallen in the past weeks...

I want to change the world... Nido to mayowanai... Kimi to iru mirai katachi doreba... dokomademo toberu sa... change my mind... Jounetsu tayasazu ni... Shiranai ashita e tsubasa hiroge habatakeru hazu sa...

(“Kaze no Kizu!!”)

The girl looked up feebly at the sound, an almost-forgotten voice. Did she imagine it, as she had dreamed of so many things that were no longer real? A flare of yellow light blasted through the windows and opened a rather large hole in the wall near the ceiling. The weakened girl only barely managed to protect her face from the falling debris. Dull, void blue eyes winced in the abundant moonlight.

A silhouette stood on the crumbling wall, holding a huge fang-shaped sword. Long hair billowed down the figure's back and two triangular ears rotated in the darkness. The figure appeared to be wearing loose, voluminous pants, gathered at the ankles, and a shirt with long sleeves that were very wide at the wrists. Two gold eyes shone down at her from the dark shadow, glowing with a life of their own. The girl squinted in the bright moonlight.

Abruptly the figure jumped down to land in front of her. So weak from hunger, from heartache, from the agony of being rejected again, not to mention completely drugged by the sedatives they gave her on a regular basis, she didn't even have the strength to be frightened. She only clutched her stuffed dog closer.

A shaft of moonlight illuminated the figure's face. A handsome, loved, familiar face peered at her, sniffing. He sheathed the sword, which seemed to transform as it went into the sheath.

“Amber? Amber Ryoushi?”

Amber Ryoushi… we were called that once… weren't we?

I… I think so… before they brought me here.

That's not a good name, then. Weren't we called something else?

The girl shook her head, stuttering out a hoarse “No.” The man sniffed again.

“Amber, your scent has changed slightly, but I know it's you. It's me- Inusouta. I've come to take you home.”

Her dull eyes blinked. “No… not… Amber... Ryoushi…”

“Dammit, I know you're Amber!”

(“K-Ko…ha…ku…”)

This time he blinked. “Kohaku? Hai, that's your name too. But you've always been Amber to me.”

A fierce light flickered in the vacant orbs. (“No… not Amber... Ryoushi… I… am Higurashi… Kohaku… Kohaku…”)

Inusouta's heart stopped for a moment before beating hard and proud. Gingerly scooping her frail form into his arms he nuzzled her pale skin. “Kami, itoshii… what have they done to you?”

She blinked fuzzily. “Drugs… to keep me calm… because I'm dangerous…”

He growled. Fucking bastards… I should Kongousouha their asses all the way to Sengoku Jidai!

“Inu… souta?”

He glanced at her, so delicate and weak in his arms. (“Shhh, kanojo. I'm taking you home.”)

She sighed, relaxing against his warm chest, snuggling her Kuroinu. (“Home…”) she echoed.

Holding her tightly, he leapt out of the destroyed room and disappeared into the night with his precious treasure.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Belle Ryoushi yawned as she snapped on the light. Sleepily she picked up the phone receiver as it rang for the fourth time. “Nyello?” she mumbled, rubbing her eye.

Abruptly she sat up, all traces of tiredness gone. Her blue eyes went wide in shock. “What happened?” she cried at the person on the other end of the line.

Chris sat up as well, looking at his irate wife in confusion. “What's wrong, Belle?” he asked.

Belle heaved a huge sigh of disgust and turned to her husband. “Amber's gone.”

His eyes went wide as well. “What? How?”

“Some sort of explosion in her room and she escaped out of the resulting hole.”

“Don't those jerks know we've paid them good money to keep her in line?” Chris grumped. “I thought they were keeping her so doped up for the last two months that she wouldn't be capable of doing anything like that.”

Belle paused, listening to the person on the phone, then sniffed disdainfully. “They say she was given a high dosage of tranquilizers at their last check on her at ten. There was no way it could've been her. Also, the blast appears to have been from outside the building.”

Chris looked confused. “But… you think someone broke her out of there? No one knew she was there.”

Belle shook her head as she listened some more. “Well, we've paid you a small fortune to keep her and you've lost her!” she yelled into the phone. “We expect a full refund unless you find her and put her back!”

Slamming the receiver down, Belle scowled as Chris punched the mattress with a fist. “Dammit,” he muttered. “If anyone finds out that abomination is related to us, we'll be laughingstocks, not to mention ostracized. We have to find her and put her back in that institution immediately before she turns into a freak again or uses those eerie powers.”

Belle agreed, nodding. “This time we'll make sure no one can find her.”