InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Keeper ❯ A Gift Beyond the Grave ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co.

The Keeper

Chapter One: A Gift From Beyond the Grave

Today the material of the ceiling seemed more important than getting out of bed to prepare for classes. She could hear the rest of the household getting ready for the day, yet she still wasn't given any motivation to move from her spot. Only thoughts of what wouldn't be down there if she was to go, not that it was up here either, plauged her mind.

A lone sigh escaped her lips as she rolled on to her side, her bright pink comforter twisting tighter around her body. Glancing at the clock, she remembered how two months ago she would have been the first one in the shower, scrubbing her favorite shampoo into her hair. Closing her eyes she drifted off to sleep, deciding that school wasn't important enough for her.

Sitting in front of a tall glass mirror bordered with dark mohagony wood, she brushed her long silky black hair for the one hundredth time. Resting her brush on the matching vanity she awaited her waiting maid to tie her hair back with her usual red ribbon.

"Come my lady, we must tighten the corset before you can dawn your dress." Standing she rolled her eyes as her maid was concentrating on the cords that would pull her waist in to where she would not be able to breathe. With the first tug her body jerked forward and she gasped for air while she put her hands forward grasping the bed post that was closest to her. Another tug and she swore she almost gagged, why oh why me? With the final tug she realized that she really needed to empty her bladder, great...always happens right after this damn thing gets tied.

Her hand maid moved for the dark red and white dress that took up most of the bed but she stopped her quickly, "I must use the powder room before we put that on, I don't think I'd ever be able to get back up after sitting down with that thing on, at least this one has less layers." She smiled as she tugged lightly at the loose skirt that hung from the top of her corset that firmly held her waist in and her breasts up.

"Yes my lady..." She did not return the smile. Once she had disappeared into the room that connected to her chambers, there was a light knock on the large oak doors. The small hand maid moved forward and managed to pull one of the doors open just a crack to see who might be calling on the misses.

A large golden eye was all that she could see, but that meant it could be only one of two people. "Who is it?" She did not dare open the door any farther just in case her lady returned from the powder room while he was still there.

"The General." Gasping she wondered what was so important that he had to come see the young lady himself.

"The Lady is not ready to be presented before an audience quite yet, you should come back in half an hour and she will see you then." She moved to push the door shut in his face, but a large booted foot stopped it from closing.

"I will wait in the hallway, and you can announce my presence once she IS ready, alright."

"Fine." This time she did manage to shut the door, and when she turned around her lady was returning.

"Okay, I think I am ready now." Kaede then proceeded to dress her mistress in her flowing gown, trying to make extra sure that there wasn't a wrinkle in sight so she could be presentable for her guest, though so early in the day it was.

"Stunning as usual my Lady!" She clasped her hands together in front of her, and eyed her hand maid with her dull brown eyes, contemplating if she should thank her for the compliment or pretend she didn't hear it. Though it didn't really matter because she was soon being ushered toward the chair that sat in the corner and before she could ask any questions she was seated. "Now my Lady, you have a guest, he arrived before you were ready so he is out in the hall waiting."

Now she was confused, usually she didn't have visitors until after noon and they usually waited for her in the parlor, but she quickly realized it was not a social call when the large oak door was opened all the way.

"Lady Kikyou, may I present you with Dog General Sesshomaru." To say she was shocked was an understatement, not that she showed it on her face. A Lady never lets others know what is going on in her head unless they are a trusted confidant, which I assure you he isn't.

"I am honoured Dog General, normally you send your younger brother the Lieutenant." A small smirk graced her thin pink lips."What have I done to get a visit from you, usually your business is elsewhere, like with my father."

"The Shikon," Her heart skipped in fright, "Where is it my Lady?" Her hand fluttered to her bare neck and she almost forgot that she hadn't quite got around to putting it on yet.

"Kaede, top drawer in the vanity, will you please bring me the jewel of four souls?" Her eyes never left the Dog Generals. Her hand extended out and only closed when she felt the cold lump that plauged her family for decades. She quickly fastened it around her neck, letting the round jewel rest in between her bosom. "And what about the Shikon No Tama, brings you to my personal chambers so early in the mourn?"

"We must evacuate the premisise, immediatley, there is an intruder in the palace. We assume that he is after the Jewel, and therefore after you. Now come with me." He turned his back, assuming that she would just stand and hurry after his trail, but he assumed wrong. She remained seated and didn't even lean forward. "Lady we must go now!"

"If there is an intruder in the palace then why haven't the alarms sounded to alert the inhabitants quicker?" Her thin eyebrow hiked up underneath her bangs, yet her expression was still radiating boredom.

"The intruder's identity has not yet been released, so we didn't sound the alarm so that he would not know, that we know he is present." He was always told she was difficult but now he was finding out for himself.

"Does my father know about this, where is he?" He glared at her.

Dilly dallying was not something that he enjoyed doing, so ending the little spat right there he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her behind him. "We do not have time for your childish games, Lady Kikyou, we must leave the palace now and through the secret tunnels."

Within seconds she was out in the vacant hall with only Sesshomaru with her, the lady in waiting hanging back in the door way, watching as they quickly made their way down the hall. As they rounded the corner they soon found the younger golden eyed brother, he seemed irritated. The Dog General came to a hault and Kikyou collided with his back.

"Lieutenant..."

"General, you are needed at the front gates, I will take Lady Kikyou from here." Hesitantley Kikyou, was pushed forward into the younger man's arms and the Dog General was gone in a flash. "We must keep moving my Lady." Her hand was soon laced in his, his claws prickling the back of her hand. They continued down the hall, feeling the wall for the secret door. It wasn't long before they found it and it was pushed open the two of them disappearing inside before anyone came around the corner.

Kikyou looked the the Lieutenant, his gold eyes glowing in the dark, the only light in the tunnel. "Inuyasha, where are we going?"

"To Hell!" He bellowed and reached out slicing her from her shoulder down to her waist. Her body fell limp onto the floor and he reached out snatching the jewel from her neck. Cackling he spoke to himself, "Finally the jewel is mine!” But before he could even contemplate what his first order of business would be it was gone.

Rapid beating on the door jerked her from her strange dream, though she wasn’t disappointed she wasn’t thrilled either. She only wanted to lie there, so she ignored it, maybe it would go away on it's own.

“Kagome, wake up, Mom said if you don’t hurry up you won’t be going to that dance on Saturday night.” Groaning she pulled her pillow over her head and screamed.

“Go away Souta! Tell her I don’t care I’m not interested in some stupid dance anyway, so I’ll just stay here if you don’t mind.” She could hear his footsteps as he ran down the hall, and presumably down the stairs. Smiling she closed her eyes again, hoping to catch a few winks before she had to face the wrath of her mother.

It was not long of course before her mother was behind that door, knocking quietly. “Kagome dear, you really need to get out of bed, school is important sweet heart.” She didn’t answer, maybe if she pretended that she wasn’t there she would go away. She thought it worked until she heard her door creak open and she rolled over to ignore her.

It was silent, and she was almost back to sleep when cold water poured all over her body, definitley preventing her from lying around like a dead fish for the rest of the day.

“Mother! What was that for!” She had shot out of bed and was wringing her hair out, glaring daggers at her mom. Usually her mother would just bug her until she finally gave in, calling her into school. Kagome probably had nearly a month of school work to catch up on.

“Well I couldn’t very well let my daughter mope around all day every day, you have to get back to your life Kagome.” Oh sometimes she just made her angry, and she stomped out of the room down the hall into the bathroom.

Her mother shook her head and sat the bucket next to the door and left the room. Perhaps now was the time to present her with what her father wanted her to have. Entering the room that she used to share with her late husband, she approached the door that held her wardrobe and other personal items. She then searched the closet, for the little box he had asked asked her to keep for him.

“Give this to Kagome after I’m gone, I bought it for her when I was on that trip a couple of months ago. I saw it and it just screamed out her name, I was going to give it to her for her eighteenth birthday, but now I’m sure I’ll never see that day.”

Just thinking about how right her husband had been was heart wrenching she almost broke down crying herself before she could even take the box from the top shelf, but she managed to hold it together. She had to be strong for her children, especially Kagome, she seemed to be hit the hardest out of Souta and her. It had to be hard though, she knew, seventeen and her father, the number one man in her life ripped away from her. One day he was there smiling like nothing was wrong and the next gone.

Looking at someone who you confided in every day of your life, knowing that they are not going to move or speak to you like they usually do, it does things to a person, things that a little girl should never have to go through.

Pull it together...got to stay strong for Kagome.

She sucked in a deep breathe and wiped a tear away from her cheek before she grabbed the box and closed the closet. Stepping into the hallway she listened for water running in the bathroom and when she didn't hear it, she tapped on the bathroom door before she pushed it open.

"Kagome..." It was said as almost a whisper as she watched her daughter wipe the tears from her face. She hoped that someday she might be able to think and speak about her father without crying.

"What?!" She snapped, Kagome knew that it wasn't her mother's fault, but hell she sure wasn't making it easier. Always pushing her to move on when she just simply wasn't ready.

"Your father was always thinking about you, even when he was the one hurting." She sat the box on the counter, and patted her daughters cheek. "He wanted me to give this to you."

The younger girl watched as her mother turned and left the bathroom, then her eyes drifted to the box that she had been given. It was fairly large and made from old oak, lifting it up she discovered it was quite heavy. There was no writing on the top or the bottom of the wooden case. She lifted the top and a note fell out, setting the box down she didn't even see what was in it, only concentrated on the note that held her father's handwriting.

Kagome,
I bought this when I visited Tokyo, for that business trip, right before all of this began. I had every intention of presenting it to you on your eighteenth birthday. Though it has become obvious to me that I won't be here with you for that moment, but remember I'll always be watching over you and Souta. I asked your mother to hold on to this and give it to you when she felt the time was right.

Kagome quit reading the note to glance into the box, and there lay a large pink jewel that seemed to lightly glow, and it almost felt like it was calling out to her. It was attached to a golden chain that had no clasp. Lifting it out of the box she did not put it on but fingered the jewel as she finished reading her father's words that reached out to her from the grave.

When I saw it, it called out to me and I immediatley thought of you. The merchant said it's called The Shikon No Tama, meaning, The Jewel of Four Souls. Courage, Friendship, Love, and Wisdom. My sweet Kagome, you possess all of these traits, so take this and keep your head held high and look out for your mother and brother for me okay?

She had to wipe many tears from her face as she held the note to her chest. Her thoughts were broken off though when her little brother banged on the door, "Kagome, Mom said that if you don't want cold pancakes you better get downstairs and fast!" Rolling her eyes she stood up and adjusted the straps on her white tank top and straightened her jean shorts, followed by a tossel of her hair.

"Tell her I'll be down in a minute okay?" She smiled a genuine smile as she watched herself in the mirror raise her gift from the grave up and over her neck. As it flopped down it began to glow brighter and brighter until she couldn't see anything but white light, she shielded her eyes as a gust of wind came out nowhere and whirled around her. By the time the freak wind settled down she was no longer in her bathroom.

Rays from the suns...suns?...caressed her cheeks as she looked around the meadow that lie in front of a vast forest. Shielding her eyes she looked up and counted three suns in the morning sky. The sky seemed to have the color of a setting sun, but none of them seemed to be trying to slip behind the horizon, indicating the time frame probably hadn't changed either. And the moon, it was closer than she had ever seen before, making it easier to see even in the light of day.

Bizarre...

She couldn't decide which direction to take, move forward into the endless meadow or turn around and venture into the great unknown that lie inside of the forest. It didn't take long though before she knew which way she should pursue when she felt a tug on her heart in the direction of the forest. Slowly she made her way from the spot she inhabited in the meadow toward the entrance of the tree line, she could hear the thunk of her flip flops smacking against her heels as she strode forward.

Where am I? And since when do we have three suns? Her mind was moving at one thousand miles a second, she could barely grasp a thought before another one popped forward and drowned the last one out. Well at least I know for a fact that I will not be attending school today. Oh Mom is going to be so mad at me, and Souta...Souta's going to eat my pancakes!

Apparently she hadn't realized that not getting her pancakes was the least of her problems at this point. She stopped trudging forward when she reached the tree line and looked back over her shoulder, and something about the area struck recognition in her mind, but why it seemed familiar she didn't know. For one as far as she could remember she had never been in a meadow, and two there were no more forests in the area that she lived in.

Bringing her head back to the front to face the forest that she was seriously about to travel into and something tugged on her heart, it was as if something was rushing her. Tucking the jewel into her top and running her hand through her hair she sighed and decided that she really didn't have a choice. Into the forest I go.

As far as she was concerned it had been hours since she first entered the fortress of trees, but everything looked the same so she didn't really know the progress that she was making if any. For all she knew she could have been wondering around in circles since five minutes after entering. Yet, she doubted it, the further she went the faster her heart beated, which to her meant that she must be getting closer. To what, she didn't know though.

Squinting, she noticed that not too much farther ahead, there was a clearing, and she decided that she would be resting there. Though fate seemed to have something else on it's mind, because when she entered the clearing the only thing that seemed to be happening was her day was getting weirder by the second. Coming to a halt her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped, on the farside of the clearing was a rather large tree, larger than any of the others. The trunk was easily the equivalent of three trunks of normal trees. But what really shocked her was the man who was trapped against the trunk in vines, seemingly in a deep sleep.

Quietly she tip toed farther into the clearing, studying the man, something about him seemed so familiar, yet she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Approaching the gigantic tree, she stopped at the trunk looking up, admiring his features until something really caught her eye. Atop the slumbering man's head were two triangular puppy dog ears, they were so cute that she almost squealled, yet she managed to restrain herself.

Yet she had to do something with her restless hands, so she placed them on the vines almost wishing that she could do something to remove him from the tree, though he did look almost peaceful up there. Sighing she rested her head against the vines and in the same movement against his legs, and her eyes fluttered shut as she thought about what she was going to do about food.

Though food was the least of her thoughts when she could feel a slight change in the atmosphere, the light breeze had shifted in a different direction. Listening closely she heard a chirp here and there, while she also noticed an increase in the heartbeat above her head.

"Who the hell are you?!" The rough voice startled her out of thought, and she stumbled back to look up at where the voice came from. And when she saw those bright gold eyes staring down at her, it clicked, as to why he seemed so familiar. The silver hair...

It took everything in her body not to panic, because he was the killer in her dream. "Inuyasha..." She whispered the name that she remembered hearing from the girl in her dream, yet his ear twitched as if he was registering the noise plain as day.

Her heart beat sounded loud in his ears, racing faster than it had before he spoke, and his name it fell from her lips with ease. That face was familiar, only the bored expression was no where in sight. This woman was full of life, but with the clothing she wore it was obvious she was not from around here, so why was she out here.

"You're scared, why? I'm bound to this tree, I couldn't hurt you even if I wanted to." Her eyes were large, as if she was a frightened hare. "And my name, I've never seen you before in my life, how do you know it?" He wasn't yelling, the poor girl seemed scared enough as it was.

"It came to me in a dream..." She whispered as she began to see the images of her dream once again.

He looked as if he was going to say something before he stilled and she watched as his ears acted as a radar, detecting life out in the forest somewhere, a rat maybe? "What is it?"

The ground rumbled before dirt splattered everywhere and she was pinned against a much smaller tree across from Inuyasha's perch. She tried to take a breath when she realized that there was a large clawed hand wrapped around her throat, she wriggled trying to get free and capture a gulp of air. Her eyes soon met with a set of purple, and she let her eyes travel upwards to a very large set of horns. Nope, not a rat.

"The Lady has returned with the Jewel, how kind of you to bring it to my doorstep." The creature's claws from it's other hand tapped the jewel.

The jewel...how did I miss it? Had he really been asleep for so long that his senses were dulled, in fact he had almost missed the presence of the ogre demon before him. He watched while he screamed at his body to move, yet he remained paralyzed, bound to the tree.

Kagome's little hands pulled at the enormous one that held her to the tree while demanding to be put down. "Let me go." It was the only verbal demand she was able to squeeze out. He could hear her breathe shallowing, it wouldn't be long before she passed out.

"Hey, Jackass over here!" She could hear Inuyasha trying to draw the attention of the creature to him. It only worked slightly though, he barely turned his head to acknowledge the male held to the other tree.

"Leave me be, the jewel is mine. I will deal with you once I have acquired it's strength." Kagome panicked and let out a screech before a blast of bright pink light emmited from the jewel. When the creature dissolved into ash, her body fell to the ground with a thump. She was quiet.

He didn't know her name, so he couldn't call out to her and instead whistled then followed with, "HEY! Wake up!" Her eyes fluttered open, her heart was pounding loudly and fast he had to flatten his ears, as to muffle the noise. The woman sat up bracing herself against the tree trunk.

"What was that!" Her heart was still racing, and she had to wonder if she wasn't still dreaming back in her bed. There was no way she was anywhere near home, and that was still a mystery to her.

"That was an ogre demon, and it seems the Shikon reacted to your fear and took the damn thing out. Better for him, he was just lucky I was tied to this tree otherwise I would have torn him to bits. Ogre's disgust me." She was still trying to swallow the word demon, let alone his assumption of her father's gift that hung around her neck.

"Demon's?" Gripping the tree she had to fight to keep consciousness.

"You act like you've never heard the word before?" Arching an eyebrow he watched her face as she swallowed her shock.

The only time she had heard demon's was when they spoke about troubles that plagued people, or in the ancient mythical stories that were taught in class. "I've heard the word, but seen the word, that's a whole different story." Kagome was able to stand to her feet without becoming dizzy, and wiped the dirt off of her clothes the best that she could. Again she assessed the man before her, who seemed to be only part human. Shaking her head she spoke again, "What are you, Inuyasha?"

He had to crane his ears as far forward as he could to hear what she had said. He answered softly, "A Hanyou; half human half dog demon." She nodded her head and took a few steps closer to the vines, reaching out to touch them, running her fingers along the thick green apendage. How much could she really think she knew about him from a dream about another woman?

"Kikyou..." His heart skipped a beat, that was a name that he wasn't expecting to hear. "She told me your name." Her hands began to glow a light pink, and the vine she was touching disappeared, leaving her hands on his lower pant leg. Quickly she jumped back, not knowing what just happend.

"How'd you do that?" He moved his lower legs stretching them out, feeling the tightness of his upper thighs, not being able to stretch them made him glare at the strange woman. "Wench, remove the rest of the vines, I'm sure it's been years since I've moved."

Forgetting about the role he played in her dream, she trotted back through the roots of the large tree and pressed her hands to the restraints that remained holding him to the tree.

Nothing.

"I can't." She dropped her arms to her side, turning to rest her back and her head against the trunk that wasn't covered by Inuyasha.

He had leaned his head foward to watch her, but when she said that he let it fall back and smak against the bark. Then a light bulb went off, "What were you thinking about, when it happend?" Kagome looked up at him her eyebrow cocked. "Nevermind, don't tell me, just put your hands back and think the same thing you did before, it's worth a try."

Shrugging her shoulders she returned to her previous position and thought about Kikyou, and when she came forward, looking at him, a feeling of longing accompanied. Her hands began to glow pink and the remaining vines disappeared, the hanyou immediatley dropped to the ground landing on both feet, flexing his limbs.

"Thanks, now you can tell me your name, since you were already made aware of mine." Inuyasha approached her, with an intimidating stance, and he could smell the fear begin to rise. He never stopped moving forward, even when she began shuffling backwards, at least not until she was pinned to the tree with fright.

"Kagome." It was barely whispered, and he smirked knowing that he hadn't lost his touch, he was going to need it if he was going to get anywhere after the incident. Through the silence, the sound of her stomach growling made him laugh.

Before she knew what was happening, Inuyasha was crouched down with his back to her, "Hop on, I know where to get you some food." He patted his pocket to make sure those coins he knew he had were there, yup. When she didn't move he became a little impatient. "Keh, I'm not going to hurt you, if I wanted that stupid piece of jewelry, you would've been dead already."

With reluctance she stepped forward and put her hands on his shoulders, pressing her chest against his back. He stiffened a little when he felt her breasts pressed against his back, but quickly relaxed, grabbing the back of her thighs he pulled her up. He smirked a little bit when he heard her screech. "How did you come into posession of the Shikon anyway?"

"It was a farewell gift." Inuyasha could smell the sadness radiating off of her when they breached the topic, and decided it could be left alone for now.

"Hold on tight, Kagome." He gripped her thighs tighter, just now noticing they were bare, careful not to dig his claws into her soft skin.

When Inuyasha brought them close to the ground and then rapidly pushed up, leaving the ground far below them, she was sure her stomach was left behind too. Landing on the branch for only a few mere seconds they soon were launched higher into the air, forward even landing in another tree. Soon they were jumping from tree to tree at the top, able to see the three sun's in the sky, leaving his prison in their wake.

Within a few minutes Kagome had managed to relax enough, that he could hear her breathing shallowing, signaling to him that she had drifted off. He didn't try to wake her, deciding to let her rest until they reached their destination. Though he couldn't stop thinking that she resembled the lady quite a bit physically.

Kikyou...