InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sacrifices ❯ Overload ( Chapter 1 )

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

By Providence Lost

Chapter One: Overload





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An elegant beauty walked out of the automatic doors of the modest airport, dressed in a coal grey suit with a pencil light wool skirt, the silk shirt beneath the jacket was a blood red, her waist length ebony tresses up in an elegant bun. This woman exuded grace and beauty, but internally was immersed in trepidation, nervousness and fear. This was the first time she would know family in fifteen years, the first time she let someone get close to her in that long. Yes, she was frightened, but had learned early as a broken child not to show such things on the surface where cruel people could use them for their own advantage. A flash of a cruel man striking her, the hands holding the animal carrier and cane shook slightly, a man behind her carrying her luggage. She brought herself from it with an almost unnoticeable shake, and a soft mew came from the carrier. Suddenly a small smile graced her full, rouge painted lips, "Don't worry, Kirara, I'll get you out as soon as we get to Kenji-err-grandpa." An affirmative mew echoed from the carrier as Kagome walked calmly to the cab, waiting for the outside assistant to open her door and smiling thanks with her nod. Once settled, her luggage stored, she told the driver the address from memory and sat back with a soft sigh. No turning back now, was there?

It took an hour to reach the coastal town south of Tampa, a little place only locals and a few tourists knew. Kagome could tell Kirara was getting antsy; it had been a two hour flight from the Carolinas after all. She whispered assurances to the neko during the ride, ignoring the odd looks the cab driver shot back in the rearview mirror. The poor youkai could only take so much of being cooped up, and she felt awful for having done it. But she had explained it to her in detail, and she knew the old girl understood. She was over six hundred years old and had guarded humans for most of that time, so Kirara was very understanding, if a bit pushy at times when Kagome wasn't paying attention to her physical limits. The accident so long ago had damaged her spinal cord, pinching and cutting off some nerves in her back that led to her legs which made it hard for her to move around on good days, and nearly impossible on bad days. Yet, she almost never complained and never abided by pity. She had long ago accepted her lot in life, and was going to make the best of it. With her disability, she still stubbornly traveled once she came of age and into her inheritance (Once she hired lawyers and demanded the money, of course.), and never complained.

Nervously, she crossed her ankles, her foot tapping in agitation until she got closer. Landmarks were becoming familiar in her fuzzy memories, and she knew they were drawing closer. Luckily, the driver didn't press her on conversation, for she certainly wouldn't have the patience for small talk this day. Not when she was close to something she thought she had lost forever; a home. Soon, the driver pulled up a sandy street, not a mile from the gulf coast, and the weathered old sign, 'Sand Dollar Apartments', a small removable sign looked new where it put 'no' in front of 'apartments available'. As the car stopped, a cloud of sand and dust rose around the tires, her fingers trembling as she held her purse in a death grip.

"We're here, ma'am." The middle aged man said kindly in a soft southern accent. His voice jolted her from her stupor, allowing her to take a breath and calm her nerves, her shaking fingers reaching into the small purse and pulling out a hundred dollar bill, twenty-five dollars more than the fee, handing it to him with a small, but warm and felt smile.

"Keep the rest, and thank you for a peaceful journey. Would you be kind enough to help me with my bags in the trunk?" The man, stunned by the tip only smiled brighter, the crinkles around his eyes only more endearing as he nodded emphatically.

"I was going to do that anyway, I wouldn't leave a lady such as you to have to deal with all that." Her smile brightened more, her sapphire eyes glittering. He hadn't mentioned her cane or her hobbling, and that made her like the man all the more.

"How kind, so rare to see such gallantry." She grinned, and he laughed, shaking his head and getting out of the car. Faint sounds of shouting could be heard from the modest five floor apartment building, rare to see such tall buildings that old near the shore. She waited as he gathered her things, whispering a soothing word to her neko as she grabbed the crate. Her door opened, and his hand reached for hers. "Thank you most kindly, but I'll manage." Truthfully, she needed the hand not carrying the crate to hold her cane to brace her weight, but he said nothing, just nodded with a smile. Wincing at the pressure of getting out of the car, traveling was enjoyable, but taxing, she stood as gracefully as possible. The driver shut her door behind her and nodded.

"Do you need help in?" But as he said that, a wizened old Japanese man flew out of the open door and shouted happily.

"Kagome!" Her breath caught, seeing this man again, though she didn't remember his face other than what features her mother had, her father being an Irish American.

Smiling, she shook her head, her body still half hidden by the car, as he ran forward. "No, I think my grandfather will help me, but thank you very much."

Kenji ran toward his granddaughter, as much as a seventy year old with gout can, his heart in his throat. His granddaughter, his beautiful granddaughter was here! She looked so much like her mother, but still almost nothing like the little girl that visited him fifteen years prior. The light in her eyes was dimmed, but still sparkled; her face matured and striking had the slightest haunted look that was drowned out by reserved happiness. That little girl was nothing but happiness and love and sunshine and hugs, and this woman had lost it partially. But she would get it back, he was determined of this. The car drove off and he stopped suddenly, his eyes widened as he took in her form. Yes, beautiful, but scarred. Her legs were shapely and looked to have no structural defect, scars were hidden by her clothing, but she leaned heavily on a cane, her knees shaky. She didn't come away from that accident unscathed, apparently. Her beautiful face faltered in its smile, but it stayed, a wary look in her, now guarded, eyes. After, what seemed like, a long moment, he smiled sadly, walking closer to the girl he lost so long ago. She set down Kirara's carrier, straightening to receive the man she hadn't been able to know. He opened his arms and hugged her fiercely, almost six inches shorter than she, and she was only five foot six. It took a moment to register, but she returned the hug with one arm, her other keeping her upright on her shiny metal cane. Crying openly into her chest, she soothed the balding old man, rubbing his back, tears shining in her eyes but not falling. "My magomusume... You came home." His words were whispered, but filled with emotion.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, she smiled sadly. "Gaisofu... Jii-chan. I'm home, I won't leave." Her husky musical voice whispered, causing him to look up with red, puffy eyes. For a moment he faltered with all the things he wanted to say, the apologies, the dreams, the hopes that died. But determination set in his gaze as he smiled, wanting to get out of this sadness right away. She knew then she was glad to find him; she must have taken after him.

"Now!" He patted her back, sliding around to grab the crate and support Kagome's lower back, nudging her forward. "We got your apartment ready! Now, it's on the fourth floor, which is all that I had, but it has my employees on it and thought it would be best for you to be near them." He led her at a comfortable, but slow pace, allowing his granddaughter to walk at leisure without seeming as if he was slowing down for her, but explaining his plans. "There is an old elevator, for when you have groceries, but almost no one uses it. I'll set one of the boys to work on it right away! Only the best for my Kagome!" He enthusiastically crowed, causing a small chuckle to escape her lips.

"But Jii-chan, my bags-"

He interrupted, "Someone will get them, have no fear, grandpa is here!" Kenji grinned brightly, the elation at seeing his kin showing completely. "Now, what creature do you have in this box here?" He raised the crate with a smile.

"A nekomata. Her name is Kirara. She was part of a program when I wouldn't respond to anything after the accident, to help me come out of it. She brought me out and has been a stubborn nurse to me ever since." Kagome smiled, though the mention of her past made it look a bit brittle. Kenji smiled weakly and shook his head.

"Think of it! My granddaughter, a descendant of a great miko line and named after the greatest miko of all history, living with a youkai!" Kagome rolled her eyes with a sigh, but he went on, "Before I followed your mother here after her marriage, your grandmother took care of a shrine! Our ancestors must be appeased!"

"Jii-chan! Youkai are at peace with us now, that's why that miko is so famous! I named her Kirara because she was a part of that group, for a while all I remembered was that fairy tale!" Kagome snapped, shaking her head and cooling off a bit, her voice more calm. "She was my only friend for most of my life, she is my best friend." Kenji had the grace to look embarrassed and ashamed for saying such things, but he was old fashioned.

A sigh escaped Kagome and she smiled softly, "I forgive you, but good luck with Kirara." A little annoyed growl came from the crate and Kenji gulped, bringing a gentle chuckle from Kagome. "Good luck, Jii-chan."


***

It took a long while for Kagome to get up the stairs and Jii-chan's hovering didn't help. Using all her self-control, she managed not to lose her temper by screaming at him. It didn't help that Kirara was mewling and growling her displeasure at her going up all these steps. "Grandpa, you need to go ahead with Kirara and let me do this on my own. She's going to yell at me and you're going to push and I won't be able to get up. Onegaishimasu, Jii-chan. PLEASE?" Kenji frowned at this, not liking letting her go up the stairs alone seeing as it caused her so much pain. But that steely, determined look in her eyes changed his mind quickly. He nodded and went up the stairs ahead of her; it would take a long time on her own, but she demanded it.

Once upstairs he was greeted by four pairs of curious eyes only a few feet in front of him, he jumped and clutched his chest in shock. "Kami-sama, you children nearly gave me a heart attack! You need to move away from the door or you'll kill my granddaughter." They all had the grace to look sheepish, Miroku sitting on the kitchen barstool that faced the living room, Sango sitting on the couch, Shippo jumped up on the counter and Inuyasha leaned against the far wall.

"What's taking the woman so long? I thought she was twenty-three, not eighty-three." Inuyasha grumped, causing Kenji to stiffen and stalk toward the hanyou, leaving the crate on the ground, a low growl coming from it. He poked at the larger man's chest with a fierce look in his eyes that barred any argument, his voice steel. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he realized he really stuck his foot in his mouth this time.

"You. Will. NOT. Make those remarks around my granddaughter, about her. I don't even want you to THINK them. She has been through more pain and suffering in her life for you to EVER understand." Inuyasha nodded solemnly and before another word was said a disembodied voice, laced with suppressed pain came from the stairwell.

"Jii-chan, leave that person alone. It takes forever for me to get up these things, but it is what it is. I've heard much worse than that, and will hear worse again." They all looked interestedly toward the door as the young woman appeared. All eyes that looked upon her for the first time widened, a spark of fleeting recognition flashing in their minds. Little stray tendrils escaped her bun and curled, framing her face that was damp with a sheen of sweat. The beauty leaned heavily on a cane, her limbs shaking as she turned the corner fully. Miroku gazed over her perfect curves; full bust, tiny waist, curved hips and long legs, but yet felt more of a brotherly affection instantly. Shippo watched her face with fascination, noticing how hard to was to try to erase the evidence of her pain on her visage and wondered why she looked so familiar. Sango worried at how much pain she must be in, and was holding herself back from jumping up to help her to the couch. Inuyasha on the other hand, his ears perked, breathed in the scent of vanilla and jasmine and clean sweat coming from her, and instantly wanted to grab her up and take her to rest.

But most puzzling of all was Kagome who did not notice all of them studying her as she pulled her head up, ignoring the warning growl of Kirara. Her face blanked, her eyes clouded over, glancing at each person as her memories pulled her too far back, too fast.

“Kagome!! Did you bring me any pocky? I've been good, I promise!"

"You wound me, dear Sango. It is my hand that is cursed! You are my only one!"

A thud and frustrated sigh, "Can you believe that hentai houshi?! Now we DEFINETELY are going to the next hot springs!"

A growl and soft 'keh', "You lazy humans make me stop so much, no wonder we haven't gotten Naraku yet! Set up camp, I'll hunt!"

"Kagome!" A childish whine.

"Kagome-sama!" A cultured voice with a playful tinge.

"Kagome-chan!" A friendly feminine voice.

"Baka wench!" A growl, but not cruel, a facade.

"Kagome?"

"Kagome!"

"KAGOME!"

Before anyone could reach her, even the ones with youkai blood, she fainted, the look of absolute horror on her face haunting the whole lot of them.

***

AN: *Ducks flying tomatoes!* AHH! I know, cliffhanger! But you will know more soon! I'm already working on the next chapter. Reviews don't fuel my writing but it's nice to hear from your readers, so please review with questions, thoughts, suggestions. Please no flames, but feedback is treasured!

On OOC: Yes, characters are going to be OOC because of reasons you'll understand later. Don't worry; my puzzle DOES fit together, though it might take a while to put the pieces in place. Stay with me people!

Happy reading!

-Kaoru



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Translations:

Magomusume: granddaughter

Gaisofu: maternal grandfather

Jii-chan: cute version of ojji-san, slang for grandfather

Neko: Cat

Nekomata: The two tailed demon cat that Kirara is. Will be used interchangeably with neko for my purposes


BLANKET DISCLAIMER:
I don't own Inuyasha or any characters within. Sole copyright belongs to Viz and Rumiko Takashi. Anything I do create, such as original characters, ARE mine. Thank you.