InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Journey Into the Past, Present, and Future. ❯ What Needs to be Fixed ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

While walking in the garden with Sesshoumaru, Izayoi's water breaks and she passes out. Sesshoumaru comes to the rescue and carries her towards the house.

However, Jubei and Shiroi see him and think that he's done something to his new stepmother.

Meanwhile, Reika and Kaede are curing a burnt man who's at the verge of death. While in pain, he reveals to Reika that a Naraku did this to him.

Reika decides it's time to investigate and find out who this Naraku is.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 04.14.2005 | Updated On: 04.14.2005 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.9K | Visits: 263 | Status: Work In Progress

Chapter Five

This place had never stopped being beautiful. Shiroi admired the sight before her from where she sat on the wooden walkway that bordered the garden, as she waited for her father to tie up business. On her lap, she had a scroll in which she kept all of her scribblings. With a brush in hand, she recorded every little thought that came into mind. Right now, she copied down Renga's upgraded version of her haiku. True, it needed more work but shiroi would make sure to do justice to that little piece.

She knew her brother was here. His scent was all over the place and it was mixed in with the scent of a human female. She concluded that it had to belong to her father's new wife. Much to the young youkai's curiousity, she wondered if this woman was kind. Knowing her father's taste in women, although, her own mother was a different story altogether, she had to be nice. If she was not, she would make sure her father knew what she thought. It was her solemn duty to look after him if he so much lost his head.

Another breeze blew in, ringing the glass windchime that hung over her head. She remembered hanging the bell there herself. She had made it for her father for his birthday, not so long ago. Its crystal ring played beautifully to the skillful hand of the breeze. Shiroi smiled with a pleased expression etched on her face. Today, she thought, was a wonderful day. She felt deep in her gut that something wonderful was going to happen today and she did not want to spend it hearing her mother's nagging voice.

She looked down upon her scroll. Thankfully, she mused, she had more. No one in their right mind would understand anything or make sense to whatever the hell she had written. She dipped her brush in the tray of ink sitting next to her and started jotting down the words in her mind.

Crystal chime singing,

Above making beautiful

Song, wind's breath caress.

“Not bad, it needs a little more work, though,” she studied her composition and smiled satisfaction. She and Sesshoumaru had made a wager on who could come up with the most and best haikus. So far, she had come up with 100. It was a little game they both enjoyed, a game they both shared. Hopefully by the end of the month, unless a war broke out in one of the borders, they would sit somewhere in this garden sharing what they had written. Usually, they would have a third party involved to listen and evaluate whose haikus were the best. Last time, Sesshoumaru had won, although, she could swear it was a tie. However, who had been the one judging was their cousin, Nishino-kun, who seemed to be in Sesshoumaru's favor from the start.

She sighed. This time, she thought, she would be the victor of this contest. She would have Jubei judge. At least, he did not show any favoritisms, even if he had any, and he was always fair. They would read their poems for their father, she and Sesshoumaru had agreed on that. Anyhow, it was some comfort they could offer him after being so busy establishing alliances and breaking up many territorial disputes.

Renga had gone to seek Jubei concerning her halberd. It had cracked during a confrontation with onis over at the northern border of the Western Territory. They had gone there, she, Sesshoumaru, and Renga, to stop the oni from destroying anymore villages. Although, many lost their lives before any of it could be helped. But, they had gone there upon getting wind of the cries for help. When they had arrived, there was carnage everywhere. The battle with these ogres had been very brutal. During her confrontation with one, she had managed to crack her halberd in the demon's hard skin. She was close to losing her life if Ryoga had not arrived in time, with his father's warriors, to save her life and offer reinforcements. They managed, at last, to drive off the oni but they knew, well enough, that it would not be the last they would see of them.

Renga had been fighting however, her sword had been broken and she could not fight at all, so she had retreated to a castle they had nearby to better hold fort. And since she was the tallest and biggest one of the family, she felt that that was where her strength and power were needed the most since there were members of their family that needed protection. Usually, oni were not hard to defeat but these oni had somehow acquired tougher skin that did not permit even her energy whip to slice through.

She paused her musings to admire the garden. It had much improved since the last she had been here, which was before Lord Toga had found himself this human female. She had learned of her when the InuTaisho had gone to visit them at their mother's home one day. Everyone was in shock to hear such news. He had not brought the woman, confessed by her father to her, because he feared for her life if her mother were to see her. At first, she had told her father that that was ridiculous but she gave in to reason that it was true. It was an even bigger shock to find out that this said woman was expecting his child. There were mixed emotions starting from her mother, then her sisters, ending with Sesshoumaru, who, by the way, was very indifferent. Shiroi knew better though. He was not happy with this news. Her sisters, however, there was uncertainty mixed with concern decorating their visages. Shiroi, however, had been happy to learn she was getting a new sibling, a brother, preferably. She had too many sisters, already.

Her mother, on the other hand, had remained quiet for awhile. Shiroi knew the woman was furious but kept her emotions tamed. She only said one thing to her father, though, making a point of it.

“I do not want your whore and your bastard child ever in my presence,” she threatened. The moment her mother had said that, it felt like Time itself had stopped. Shiroi saw the hurt in her father's eyes. His beautiful features had gone rigid. It was as if he wanted to slaughter the Queen for saying that. It was like her mother had said that on purpose to set her father off. The tension, itself, had gone thick. Even Sesshoumaru had looked at his father anticipating the man's next move. She noticed him readying himself in case their progenitor decided to lunge at her with claws ready. Sesshoumaru was ready to put himself between their parents to protect their mother from their father's wrath. However, none of that happened.

“She is my wife, also,” he had pointed out.

“Well, she will be no longer if she ever dares cross my path.” Her mother glared at him menacingly. “I suggest you keep her away from me. And that goes for the child.”

Shiroi sighed. There was no getting around the situation. Her mother was furious at her once she learned she was coming to see her father and meet his new wife. She had no other choice but to ignore her. Sesshoumaru wanted more than anyone else to escape the hell, despite being treated better by her. Her brother, since he was born, had been the favorite of her children. She and her sisters were the ones tossed aside. Shiroi had grown accustomed to her antics that she no longer cared.

A servant appeared. He bowed, waiting for her to address him.

“Yes?”, she said, not once looking away from her scribbles.

“Your Highness, my apologies for my rudeness.”

“What is it?,” she said in her light and smooth voice.

“Your father, Lord Toga, has informed me to inform you that he will be with you, shortly.”

“Has my father said anything else?”

“He asked me to make sure that all your needs are met. Is there anything Her Highness desires?”

“Yes. Some NightShade tea.”

“Will that be all, Your Highness?”

“If you have crab cakes, that will suffice.”

The servant bowed before taking off.

Crab cakes, an excellent human invention, she mused. She let out a small giggle. There was nothing better than crab cakes with Night Shade tea to relieve the tension. It had been tense living with her mother. Since, Lady Zayura was, also, expecting then her mood had become darker than usual. Inside, Shiroi hoped the child would be a boy to lighten her Ladyship's mood but she knew different. It would be another girl. She felt it in her gut. To turn out that way, Shiroi automatically, knew that the moment her mother looked upon the child, she would turn it away. Sesshoumaru had been her only success and Lady Zayura made sure that everyone knew that.

Shiroi dipped her brush again.

She would wait for her father. That was what she was going to do regardless of anything.

There was scrutiny in his eyes. There was guilt in hers. There was silence. The look on his face was not promising. He sighed. She kept her gaze locked upon his. Laying still between the both of them was a long, intricately fashioned Halberd with a large crack across its blade. Jubei ran his hand upon the cold steel, stopping where the crack was. It was apparent the weapon needed great reinforcement if it was to serve its purpose in the future battles to come. Whatever damaged it had caused the blade's youki to hemmorage. Another hit and the spear would have been a goner.

“So, can you fix it?,” asked the grey haired Renga, who tugged at her long braid.

“It will take time and the right material to bond it. One more impact and the halberd would have broken in two,” Jubei explained.

Renga curled her lips to express her discontent as she shifted from sitting on her knees to the cross-legged position. She slouched over, using her elbows to support her head on her right knee. The damage, as she saw it, was serious and she was wondered how much she would have to pay Jubei in order to mend the fissure.

“Lady Zayura would have hell if she were to see you sitting the way you are, now,”Jubei suddenly, reminded her.

“Honestly, of all things you could talk about, you choose to mention me of Mother,” she mumbled.

“So, how is she?”

“With more things to worry about.”

“I see,” he arched an eyebrow.

“So, can you fix it or can you fix it? Or should I take my business elsewhere like, Totosai, perhaps?,” she teasingly threatened the Sword Master with beady eyes.

Jubei, gazing at her with equally beady eyes, then, said, “Totosai is on vacation.”

She harrumped, “How convenient, for you, at least.” She stared down at the weapon.

“How did it happen?,” he asked.

“We got in some real trouble with a band of oni whom raided the northern border. Shiroi went to help the runt in the fight but ended up messing up her halberd real bad. How was she to know those bastards possessed steel hides? Anyhow, it only took two whacks, BOOM!, for the halberd to almost break in two,” she demonstrated excitedly, “One more and it would have been a goner.”

“Where were you in all this? If I am privileged to know, of course?,” remembering who he was addressing himself to.

She shot him another beady-eyed glare. “Holding up fort,” she answered ambiguously.

“I see,” he challenged the tall bodied princess with a beady glare of his own.

“So, can you fix it or not? I am not very patient, Jubei.”

“Well, mending this crack is not difficult. In fact, I can do it in my sleep.” Renga sighed her relief. “However, the material I need to fix the blade, I do not possess.”

“What is needed, then? I know I can get it if you tell me where to fetch whatever needs to be fetched. So?”

“Webbing from the Steel Spider near the Forests of Fuji-yama, that is where it can be found. Once you get that for me, I will melt it and fill in the crack. It should hold the pieces together fortifying the weapon of future break,” he explained.

Renga glared at him. Jubei stared back at her with seriousness written across his visage. Her lips curled in thought.

“This is the part where you get the webbing I need?,” Jubei reminded.

“Yes, I know. This is why I am glaring at you. You want me to go where?”

“Fuji-yama For…”

“Yes, I heard you the first time.”

“What is it? Too much adventure for you, Your Highness?”

“Not if it is sure to get me killed,” she answered, flatly.

“Do not tell me Renga-sama is afraid of some little spiders?”

“I swear, if I did not need you, I would cut your life by a century.”

Jubei beamed like a fresh head of lettuce.

“Well,” she continued, “if I am to die, I will not do it alone. It is Shiroi's damn weapon so, it is only appropriate she comes along,” she growled.

He smirked.

“Well, it is only fair, do you think not? I mean, it is enough I had to haul this thing up those cursed steps while she composed haikus for father,” she mumbled more to herself than to Jubei, who watched her with amusement splattered across his face.

“How about YOUR weapon? I remember you mentioning it in your message.”

“Yes, well. I need you to confect a new one for me.”

“What happened?”

“It broke.”

“It broke,” he arched a brow to emphasize his point. “And, how broken is it?”

Renga turned her body, reaching for a large purple sack behind her. She brought it out, placing it, strategically near the halberd. She untied the sack. Jubei's eyes popped wide open to see a pile of over a million metal shards sitting neatly in the middle of the fabric. He reached in the metal mess and pulled out what was left of a gold hilt.
“I was wondering if there was anyway you could glue it together?,” she smiled sheepishly.

The only sound ringing in Jubei's head was the isolated song of his own desparate cries.

“Miss Reika, you've come!,” cried an emotional Maruka, the sister of the victim.

“I hope we are on time, Maruka-san. Where is the patient?,” Reika asked. Kaede stood close to her holding the lighter supplies, plus the ointment in her arms.

“Come inside, Miss Reika,” the teary-eyed woman bade them inside.

Both Reika and Kaede were led inside the small, humble home. Kaede followed Reika with the supplies. The corridors were dim until the man's sister slid open a door which led into a room. Brighter light emanated from it. Inside, the man had been lain flat on his back, covered from head to toe in dingy bandages. Around him, his family sat displaying concern. Reika recognized the wife, and immediately bowed in respect for her grief. Kaede did the same. Reika showed the same respect to his parents, three sisters, and daughter. Kaede did the same.

Reika wasted no time and knelt next to the patient. Kaede remained standing until Reika patted the spot next to her for the child to join her. Kaede obeyed. The girl looked at the mass of bandages sprawled perpendicular to her. He smelled bad, like rotting flesh. It was the same smell that lingered in the air when she helped Kikyo treat the bandit Onigumo.

The healer asked the wife his name. Toshio, she had answered, still in tears. Reika called the man by name, which he responded. She was happy that, at least, his hearing was not affected by the fire. Kaede looked at Reika, studying her in every move she made, hoping to pick up pointers. The poor man moaned in pain. There was dried blood caked on the wrappings as fresh new blood made its way, soaking the bandages through.

“Toshio-san,” she began with her smooth, steely voice. The man responded by moving his head a little to see her. “I am going to remove your wrappings so to see the severity of your burns. It will hurt but soon, you will be soothed.” He blinked his eyes in affirmation. Reika indicated to Kaede to hand her the ointment, which the child did without hesitation. She took it in her own grasp, placing it before her for easy access.

Reika began removing the bandages at the hand. As she peeled at the blood soaked cloth, the stench of burnt flesh augmented, intensifying Kaede's feeling of nausuosness. The arm was totally exposed. Reika could see the skin had already began its process of decomposition. Before going any further, she decided it was best to have the family leave the room. She knew that both the sight and smell of this man would get worse. She kindly asked them to leave. There was a little reluctance at first, mostly from the wife's part, but his parents understood and coaxed her away, convincing her that it was for the best. They left the room together. Kaede fixed glances with Toshio-san's daughter before she disappeared from sight.

“Kaede?”

“Yes?,” she was holding her little hands up to her little nose to block the stench from assailing her nostrils.

“You do not have to stay,” she offered as an option to the girl.

In her muffled voice, Kaede retorted, “But, I want to help!”

She shot the girl with a side glance. “Are you sure?,” she asked softly.

Kaede nodded.

“Well, then, go into my sack and hand me fresh bandages,” she ordered. Kaede obeyed without hesitation. She went for the sack, rummaging through the contents until finding what Reika wanted. She handed over the bandages, which the healer took most graciously, offering a smile in gratitude.

“Also, go and tell the sister to bring fresh water and a container to throw the waste in,” she ordered more than request.

Kaede nodded. Getting quickly to her feet, she left the room to get the things Reika asked for. The healer smiled, pleased. She then continued her labor, carefully, peeling off the wrappings, trying not to peel off the skin. If she were to do that, the man could be left worsely scarred than he already would be.

To soothe the ailing patient, Reika began to hum a tune, which turned into a song. To the man's ears, she sung of hurt and pain and leaving the two behind. Her voice produced a calming effect in the man's nerves. He contemplated her. She was young and very beautiful. Her hair was as black as the night and fell in cascades behind her back. It went perfect with her with the whiteness of her smooth skin. Was she a tenyo?, Toshio-san wondered. Her voice was angelic and her touch was light. She had to be a tenyo or, at least, a decendant of a tenyo. In her softness, there was a strength unspeakable that revealed themselves in her soft brown eyes.

Suddenly, he realized that he felt no pain, even as the bandages came off. He only concentrated on the sound of her voice and the smell her words seem to cast. There was no pain, he felt. There was nothing left but relief. She looked into his eyes and offered up a confident smile.

She must be a tenyo.

The process had been painstakingly long. After all the wrappings had been removed, the body had been thouroughly cleansed. When that was done with care, Reika went on to apply the ointment upon his skin, making him feel cooled and refreshed. He wanted to cry with joy since it was the first time since the incident that he was without discomfort.

“Toshio-san, can you still hear me?,” spoke this angelic woman.

“Yes,” he replied, exhaustedly.

“I am, now, covering your body in ointment made entirely from medicinal plants. This will not only provide relief to you, it will, also, kill the bacteria-producing infection. If we would not have arrived here any sooner, you would have died,” she informed. “We are not quite out of the woods,yet.”

He exhaled, deeply. But, he understood perfectly. Kaede was too busy rubbing the medicine on his legs as Reika was busy with his arms, face, and torso. All the while, she activated the medicine's properties with the unique powers of her hands.

“Doctor?,” his voice was raspy.

“yes?,” she answered most gently.

“The youkai…”She stopped to look at him. “The Youkai…that attacked my home…”

“What is it? What about the youkai?”

“It boasted about the priestess it killed.”

Kaede stopped, looking up, herself.

“What priestess? What did it brag about?”

“It bragged about killing Lady Kikyo and that hanyou. I heard him.” Reika side-glanced, noticing Kaede's soulful stare as the man told the healer all this. The girl had stopped to listen. “He was angry,” he added.

Reika turned her attention back to the burned man. He breathed heavily. The pain had returned as he moaned. Reika quickly applied more ointment to his skin, which soothe him a little.

“Did you get a good look at him?”

“Not sure. He wore a tunic of some kind made of animal pelt. Baboon. It was a baboon.”

“ A baboon?”

“Baboon. A white baboon with red eyes.” Reika was silent. So was Kaede as the man struggled to tell the healer what had happened to him. “He chased me to my house, he and his demon hord. I ran as fast as I could. He was angry but I ran.”

“Shhhh, do not strain yourself. Why do you not rest, first, and tell me in the morning?,” Reika suggested, knowing the situation of the man

“NO!,” he cried, which startled both healer and child. “No. It can't wait. He's coming for me. I feel it.” Reika listened carefully. She sensed the fear in him. It was a desperate kind of fear.

“I am sorry for interrupting, Toshio-san, go on.”

“I hid in my house. The next thing I knew, it was burning. I had to get my daughter out but I couldn't find her? I searched and searched. It was dark and the smoke was thick. And while I searched, I heard him laughing.”

“Where was your wife?”

“Screaming…she was screaming outside. Doctor, I still hear that demon's voice in my head.” Suddenly, Reika heard Kaede sniffle. The girl was crying. She turned to see the child and effectively, tears rolled down her cheeks. The girl cleaned her nose on the back of her sleeve. Then she resumed to rubbing more ointment on the man's damaged legs as more tears escaped her brown eyes.

“Why does the child cry?,” Toshio-san asked.

“She has recently lost her sister and is still in mourning. To hear your story made her remember,” Reika whispered to the man. Then, she added, “You see, her sister was that priestess the demon slew.”

“I did not realize. If I would've known.”

“there was no way you could have known.”

There was silence, again, until the man spoke again.

“Doctor, there is one more thing.” He lifted his hand, motioning Reika to come closer. The healer scooted closer and leaned down towards his face. “He…he calls himself…Naraku.” He uttered in a whisper.

“Naraku?”

Kaede had been listening from where she was.

Later that night, as the man slept, Reika glanced at the moon in thought. It was beautiful, she thought. Kaede had fallen asleep hours ago, which was a good thing. The poor girl had proven herself of great help as well as a great apprentice. She deserved rest, anyhow.What Toshio-san had said, kept the healer thinking throughout the night. She could not sleep, her thoughts would not let her rest.

Naraku, the name echoed in her brain. Naraku, it meant Hell in the old (human) language. Why would anyone call themselves Hell? She looked more intently into the moon forcing it to give her answers. For some reason, she feared, this Naraku was not one to take lightly. From looking at Toshio-san's burns, he was not a little low class demon. Perhaps.

Something, she thought, was not right. How could this Naraku lay claim that he slaughtered Kikyo if Reika, herself, had seen Kikyo die right before her eyes? Something was not right. Did Kikyo not bleed to death from a wound InuYasha had inflicted on her? Perhaps. All she knew was that she needed answers. Maybe there was more that met the eye. Maybe there was an ulterior motive of some sort. InuYasha had stolen the Shikon no Tama before being sealed to the Goshinboku and Kikyo had ordered the jewel burnt with her, Reika mused. Could this Naraku been after the jewel as well?

In her opinion, it would not have surprised her one bit if that were the objective. Kikyo had once told her that a clan of Tajiya had given her the jewel to cleanse it of its tainted energy. Kikyo had, also, said that it was vital to keep demons from possessing it or the entire balance of the world would be in peril. Demons, she had put it, would go to great lengths to possess power. The only way to purify the jewel was to use it for something good.

Reika sighed.

Tomorrow, she would go to Toshio-san's property and have a look around. Hopefully, she would find clues to this Naraku, whatever his name was. Yes, it was decided, she would investigate and look for answers. She would do this for Kaede.

She would do this for herself.