InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pure As Snow ❯ Reunions and Secrets ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

Reunions and Secrets

 

 

Light flickered through the gaps in the reed door, striking Kagome dead on in the face, while birds twittered in the trees.

 

`Damn Buyo. Always climbing onto the sill and messing up my curtains. How many times have I told him to stop getting up there?'

 

“Nee-chan? Are you awake yet?”

 

Kagome groaned and rolled over to face the wall. `Stupid dreams about Souta. Always make me feel bad. But they usually don't shake…me…awake…huh?' For indeed someone was shaking her shoulder and calling for ”nee-chan” to get up.

 

`Oh my god!' She bolted up and whirled around to find Souta kneeling back from her in a classic manga `startled' pose (Takahashi's infamous hand gesture). `It was real. I found him!' With that thought, she proceeded to pounce on her younger brother and squeeze him to death, as images from the prior night's events flitted through her head.

 

“Nee-chan?” Souta's voice rang with uncertainty as he watched Kagome rise zombie-like to her feet. She haltingly moved towards the young boy.

 

“Ototo-chan? I'm not dreaming again, am I? It`s really you?” She reached Souta and stared down into his eyes. “You won't disappear if I touch you? All my other dreams ended that way.”

 

Kagome slowly stretched out her hand to caress the side of his face. When her brother didn't disintegrate into dust, she sobbed loudly and gathered him to her in a crushing embrace that Souta returned eagerly.

 

“Oh, Gods, Souta! We've all been so worried about you! Mama and Grandpa, your friends, even Buyo. We all thought you'd been kidnapped or worse. What happened to you? How did you end up here? Why didn't you come home?”

 

During her ramblings, Kagome had released the boy and sunk to her knees in front of him. She began to pat him all over to make certain that he was truly alive and well. Poor Souta was bawling his eyes out at the sight of long wished for face. He had grown accustomed to his new friends in this strange world, but they didn't compare to his sister. Since Kagome wouldn't stop chattering, Souta simply threw his arms around his Nee-chan's neck and buried his face into her shoulder.

 

Kaede had allowed them a few more minutes of grateful sobbing before interrupting with the suggestion of dinner and a chance to compare stories. Over miso and rice, the truth slowly came to light.

 

On the morning of his disappearance, Souta had witnessed Buyo entering the well house. Afraid of both the dark building and what their grandfather might do to the obese calico, he had gotten some cat food in order to entice the cat out. When Buyo wouldn't come out on his own, Souta had clambered down to fetch him. All he could remember was that one moment he had Buyo in his arms and the next, something had grabbed him from behind and pulled him down the well.

 

“That was how I found him,” Kaede said. “I was walking past the Bone-Eater's well, when I heard crying coming from the bottom.”

 

The rest was, as they say, history. Kaede had taken in the poor shaken boy and cared for him. Six months passed slowly and Souta gradually came to accept that he was stuck here.

 

“But, now that you're here, Nee-chan, we can go home.” Souta's eyes brightened at the thought of seeing his mother again, while Kagome's dimmed in realization.

 

`How can we go back if we don't know how we got here in the first place?' Kagome didn't want to upset her brother, so she slapped the brightest smile she could muster onto her face, and suggested they talk more in the morning.

 

Sleep quickly followed and the emotion-filled night passed.

 

Now it was morning and Kagome still didn't know what to tell her brother. `Maybe if I get a look outside, I could think of something.'

 

“I see you are both awake.” Kagome released her brother from her death grip, as Kaede walked into the front room.

 

“Yes, Kaede-baachan,” piped Souta. “I was thinking that after breakfast I could show Nee-chan around some.”

 

Kaede grinned, her one eye crinkling up at the edge, “That sounds like a fine idea. But first, come help me build a fire.”

 

“Okay!” Souta scrambled up and out the doorway, surely on his way to the woodshed. Kagome watched him leave, her heart lighter than it had been in ages. `I've got to find a way back home, so Mama and Grandpa can relax.'

 

A hand on her shoulder jolted the girl out of her reverie. She glanced up, from her position on the floor, into the kind face of Kaede. A surge of gratitude welled up and threatened to overwhelm Kagome, if she didn't express her thanks. She opened her mouth to form the words, but the old woman placed a finger against the girl's lips. “There's no need for thanks, Kagome. I would have done, and have done the same for anyone who needs my aid.” With that, Kaede returned to preparing the morning meal. After a moment of silence, she spoke again, “Why don't you venture outside for a time? I am sure you are as curious about this place as Souta was when he first arrived.”

 

Kagome pondered that for a bit before shrugging to herself. `What can it hurt? Besides I was planning on it anyway.'

 

She stood and was stepping outside the doorway, when Souta came dashing back in, carrying logs and being chased by Rin. The young girl paused when she passed Kagome and smiled tentatively up at the older girl. Kagome couldn't help but grin back. `She is sooo cute.' “Good morning, Rin-chan.”

 

Rin blushed and stammered out a greeting, before slipping past Kagome into the interior of the hut. Listening to the chatter coming from inside as more of the children awoke and stumbled into the room. Kagome smiled to herself and continued outside.

 

The morning sun was warm and bright, bathing the small glen in light. Kagome blinked in wonder at the beauty of the forest surrounding her. Green grass as far as she could see, tall pines reaching towards the sky, and beautiful wild flowers dotting the landscape. The gurgling of a stream was coming from behind and to the left of her. Turning around slowly so she could take in all the scenery, Kagome breathed in the cool morning air.

 

Now facing the hut, Kagome saw what she hadn't seen last night in the dark. The house had been built at the base of an enormous tree. Its trunk was wider than her outstretched arms and the foliage started a good twenty feet from the ground. The strangest thing though was that the hut seemed to be built around the tree. Like one of the rooms should have a tree trunk as part of its wall. But the two other rooms she had seen last night had no evidence of tree trunk walls.

 

`Unless the locked door leads to another room.'

 

Kagome had just assumed that the door had led out the back of the small house, but maybe she had been wrong. She started circling to the right to see if she could gauge how large the building really was.

 

A couple of minutes walking brought Kagome back to the front of the hut. Just as she had expected, the tree was part of the wall of that back room. In fact that locked door seemed to lead to a room that was at least a third the size of the house.

 

Kagome's curiosity was piqued, to say the least. `I wonder what's in that room. Why does it have a locked door? Kaede-baachan doesn't seem to be the type to have hidden treasure, but you never know.'

 

“NEE-CHAN!” Souta's young voice pierced the quiet morning, causing birds and small animals to flee for their lives. Kagome only grinned. `It's good to have him back.'

 

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Breakfast was a quiet affair. Well, as quiet as you could get with six kids, five of which were ten-years-old or younger.

 

Kagome turned to Kaede, who was calmly sipping her tea, “How do you deal with all this racket, Kaede-baachan?”

 

The old woman didn't seem to hear her, so Kagome asked again. Still no response. Wondering if something was truly wrong, Kagome shook Kaede's arm. She started and turned to face the young woman, curiosity crossing her features. Reaching up to her ears and pulling out wads of cloth that had been stuffed into the crevices, Kaede asked, “I'm sorry. Did you say something?”

 

Kagome face-faulted to the floor, but managed to pull herself back together with minor trouble. “Never mind, Kaede-baachan. You already answered my question.”

 

Kaede shrugged then finally noticed how badly the children were behaving. “All of you stop this instant!” Seven pairs of eyes riveted themselves to the old woman now standing menacingly over them. “Outside if you want to roughhouse, but Gods save you if you forget to do your chores.” Six bodies flew out of the house, while the last just sat in stunned silence. Kagome had definitely not expected Kaede to take that militant tone of voice with her charges.

 

“Now, you were saying…” Kaede had seated herself back down and was striking up conversation as if her channeling a drill sergeant's spirit happened every day. `Maybe it does for all I know,' Kagome thought wryly, a smile twisting her lips. Glancing over at the old woman, she came to a decision. `Now's as good a time as any to ask about that back room.'

 

Kagome cleared her throat, “Ne, Kaede-baachan?”

 

“Yes?”

 

The girl peered around the room nervously, uncertain of the reaction her question would receive. `Just do it, girl.' “I was wondering about that locked door at the back of your house.”

 

Kaede stiffened slightly, “Oh? What of it?”

 

Noticing the tension in the old woman, Kagome winced. `Something interesting for sure than.' “Nothing much. I just saw when I was outside earlier that you have a large tree making up part of your house.” `Real subtle, Higurashi.' She continued anyway, “So I was just interested in what might be back there.”

 

Kaede relaxed slightly and ran her eyes over the girl knelling before her. The once-over gave Kagome the chills. It was as if Kaede was measuring her for something, seeing if she could stand up to a challenge, whatever that challenge might be.

 

Eventually Kaede closed her remaining eye in deep thought. Kagome breathed a mental sigh of relief. That gaze had been spooky. She was wondering what the old woman was thinking, when Kaede rose to her feet and shuffled off to one of the backrooms, eye still closed. A few muffled thumps later, she returned with something clasped in her hands. Thankfully she was no longer wandering around blinded. Eye open and sparkling with an unknown emotion, Kaede knelt in front of Kagome again.

 

“Kaede-baachan, what…”

 

“Hush, child. I have something to give you.” With that, Kaede opened her hands.

 

Lying on the withered palms was a small orb. About the diameter of a five hundred yen coin, it was a murky pink color, as if someone had rolled it in dirt. Kagome stared at the marble in awe. There was something compelling her to reach out and touch the jewel. For that was what it was. A jewel. She had no idea how she knew this, but know it she did. Extending her hand slightly towards it caused the jewel to pulse with light. Unsure as to what she should actually do, Kagome paused.

 

“Go ahead, Kagome. It calls to you.” Kaede's voice was strange, almost choked. Looking up at the old woman showed that she was staring intently at the jewel, waiting for something to happen. Kagome swallowed hard and glanced back down.

 

`Wait a minute. Is it…? It is. It's turning white.'

 

The jewel pulsed again, weaker than before. Finally, Kagome steeled her nerves, closed her eyes, and grasped the jewel.

 

Nothing happened. No fire and brimstone. No attack of mutant pod people. Just. Nothing.

 

She opened her eyes and peeked down at the object in her hand. It was now pure white. `Like snow,' Kagome thought.

 

A heavy, yet relieved sigh jerked the girl from her thoughts. Kaede had slumped her shoulders and her chin was on her chest. Her breathing was even, as if in sleep. Worried, Kagome set the jewel on the floor and crawled over to the woman. Shaking her gently by the shoulders brought Kaede around. She blinked in confusion, and then glanced at Kagome.

 

“Where is it?” she asked sounding concerned. Kagome reached behind her and picked up the jewel again. `Still nothing. What was the point of this than?'

 

When she caught sight of the white marble, Kaede laughed weakly. “So it is you. You are the one.”

 

Kagome was confused. “The one? What are you talking about? This better not be some weird Matrix rip-off.” At Kaede's bemused expression, she waved off her last remark, “Never mind. Just tell me what you mean.”

 

Kaede rose for the second time in so many minutes. “Follow me and I shall explain.”

 

Curiosity overtaking ire, Kagome scurried to her feet and followed the old woman down the hallway. She widened her eyes when she saw Kaede withdraw a key from her kimono. The key was placed in the lock of the door at the back of the house.

 

`I didn't expect to be shown this so quickly,' Kagome thought in surprise.

 

“Be wary, child. I do not know what will happen once I open this door.”

 

Before Kagome could protest, Kaede turned the key and opened the locked door.

 

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A/N: Yay! Second chapter! About bloody time, too. Sorry been off in my own world lately. Homework sucks big time. But anyway, here you go, hope you like. Should get around to Inu soon, okay? But in the meantime, enjoy.

 

Remember. Inuyasha is a figment of Takahashi-sama's imagination, not mine.

 

Reminder. Questions, comments, etc., please review or e-mail me. Love much.