InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Together Forever ❯ Bittersweet Memories ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter Eighteen: Bittersweet Memories

*"Okasan, otousan, oniisan; where are you!?" called a lone girl in the midst of chaos. She was very pretty; one could tell that, despite her being covered in dirt and blood. Youkai were fighting all around her and she was trying to find her family. What few youkai attacked her she fought as best she might or someone attacked it, drawing its attention from the girl. She ran, swift like the wind, smelling the wind for her family's scent but she couldn't pick it up over the blood, and hearing was useless over the screams and snarls of battle. Finally she sensed the ki of her elder brother; who was being attacked by seven youkai. "Die fools!" he cried charging the youkai nearest him and ending its life with his strong sword's blade.

The other six charged him as one and the girl used her power to shoot a blast of it at them, knocking four of them to the ground and killing the other two. "Ares!" her brother cried, wrapping his sister in a crushing embrace. "Come, we must find otousan and okasan!" he yelled over the noise while he dragged her along. Where the youkai of the tribe that had attacked theirs gather the most they knew they would find their parents. After half an hour of battles and frustration they reached their parents. "O- okasan...otousan!!!!!!" Ares screamed as the world turned black and the memory faded.*

"Ares, wake up! C'mon, wake up!" Inuyasha called franticly to her, shaking her into the realm of consciousness. "Okasan...otousan...no…why now?" she whimpered balling in upon herself. "What's wrong with her?" Kagome cried franticly. "I dunno…whatever it is it had to of hurt her." Miroku murmured, noticing the girl's tears as she slipped back into the realm of unconsciousness.

~ Ares fell through the air, not even taking notice as old pain filled her and tears silently fell from her closed eyes. When she landed warm arms embraced her and she sobbed into the arms of her friend and mentor. "Why, why did I have to remember now? It's been almost three years!" she cried latching onto Suaru. "Three years this very day, dear. It's ok, I know it hurts." She cooed, guiding Ares to the sakura tree and settling down on the soft ground with her. "I hate this; I shouldn't be so damn weak!" Ares spat, as if the word itself would make her weaker.

A gentle hand stroked her back and elegant fingers played with her hair. "It's not weak. Never think emotions make you weak; they are what keep you alive. Those who live without emotions are foolish." Suaru admonished. A rueful smile played on Ares's tear stained face. "Well, isn't your mate known for his lack of emotions?" A chuckle shook Suaru's form. "Yes, he is, but, he is learning, and it's mostly for show now, you know that." A nod against her chest signaled Ares agreement. "Are you alright now?" Suaru asked hugging Ares to her protectively. "Yes," Ares said sitting up, "I'm fine, don't worry. I'll be alright, I can handle it now, and you'll be here if I need you, and I have Kagome and the others now."

"Good, but I must go now. We've already been here to long; the others will start to worry." Suaru stated matter-of-factly. "Ok. Is there anything I should know before I go?" Suaru seem to consider the question. "Actually," she said with a thoughtful look, "would you train Kagome for me?" "Train Kagome, what's this about?" Ares asked puzzled. A knowing smile graced Suaru's face then vanished as a more serious look took its place. "She must be trained. Many things will happen and she must be ready. Train her and do it well." Was all she said as the world around them faded. "Very well goodbye." Ares said feeling the pull of her physical body waking. ~

Mysterious violet eyes opened, taking in the concern written on the faces of Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango. "Hey, you ok?" Kagome whispered with eyes shining with concern. "Fine, just old memories." Ares said trailing off as tears threatened to spill. "Well now, I think we should make a plan since it's not yet night and we have a few hours till then." Miroku said, swiftly for the sake of everyone, changing everyone's thoughts to a new subject. "I got the water!" Shippo called as he raced into the clearing with Kirara in tow. Seeing Ares was awake he went to her side handing her the canteen of fresh water. "Thanks." She murmured patting his head fondly. "Let's go to the nearest village, it should be only two hours walk." Inuyasha said standing suddenly. "But she just-" "It's ok, I wanna go." Ares said quickly cutting Sango off. Sango gave her a worried look, like that of an elder sister, and then sighed while shaking her head. "Fine, let's go." Was all she said before getting up and grabbing her stuff. Miroku offered Ares a hand and once she was up moved away to gather his staff from the ground.

After everyone had gathered their stuff and the fire had been put out the girls followed a bit behind Miroku, and Inuyasha, who had Shippo on his shoulder. Ares walked slowly, keeping her head down and eyes hidden as the flow of conversation from Kagome and Sango eased her into a peaceful retreat from the realm of reality. Okasan and otousan died three years ago today, yet never once have I reacted like that. Why remember now? It's weak, foolish, and dishonorable. She thought. No, that wasn't true and she knew it. There was no real reason and she needed to simply forget it. She had a mission and she would complete it successfully. She raised her head and straightened her back, walking proudly, as the princess of her tribe, like she always did.

When they reached the small village with its bustling market Ares moved in closer to Kagome. The boys fell back and guarded the girls without even meaning to. A few men sent lustful looks at Kagome and Inuyasha growled. At a nice cozy inn with a hot spring bath the innkeeper shrieked and cried out against the youkai coming onto the land he had had a priest purify. "You shouldn't be able to put one foot onto my land!" he had cried looking like a small toad whose skin was turning red from anger. Swiftly striding by him to the so called "priest" standing nearby, Ares smirked.

"Well, well now; if it isn't my dear old friend Kenji!" she said laughing as he blushed crimson and grinned sheepishly. "Kon'ichiwa, Ares-sama." He replied and the innkeeper went into a fit of cursing. Or at least he did before an angry female grabbed the front of his kimono while screaming at the top of her lungs, "YOU SAY ONE MORE WORD LIKE THAT AND I'LL SHOOT AN ARROW THROUGH YOUR HEAD!" Inuyasha blinked at Kagome's tone then glanced at Shippo who cowered behind him. "S-she's kowaii...isn't she?" he asked with round eyes. Looking back over to Kagome who was staring down the innkeeper he nodded to his adopted pup.

"Just who do you think you are!?" the innkeeper finally shouted back at her. By now there was a large crowd gathered about the group, and "priest". "I am a miko! The miko of the Shikon Jewel to be exact!" she fired back, her aurora flaring, causing her hair to sway as if blown by the wind, except; there was no wind, and eyes to flash dangerously. Gasps were heard all around, and Kenji stepped forward. "Let the miko and her companions stay. She or the houshi with her can ward your inn, but I must stay with them for the night." A moment passed, before the innkeeper sighed and led them in; he knew it would be foolish and bad for his business if he decided to get hostile while dealing with them.

After Miroku agreed to place wards for the innkeeper he sent them food and let them be for the night. "So, Kenji, tell me, what brings you near these parts? Don't you have duties back home?" Ares asked sitting down with the others to eat the large meal sent to them by the innkeeper in trade for Miroku's services. "Yes, but I was sent by our Lady." He replied. By now the rest of the group was lost. "Ummmm…Ares, who is this guy?" Kagome asked with a nervous laugh. "Oops, gomen you guys! This is my friend Kenji; he's a wolf youkai of my tribe!" Ares said, giving Kenji a warm smile. Sango and Kagome exchanged a look and Ares growled. "Not THAT kind of a friend!" Shippo blinked. "Eh?" the little kit said thoroughly confused now. "So…he's a member of your tribe and a close friend...but why is he here?" Miroku asked in all seriousness, which lasted for about thirty seconds before he groped Sango. "HENTAI!" BAM! Thud! Miroku twitched from his 'kiss-the-floor' position.

Calmly putting the haraikotsu down Sango smiled sweetly at the wide eyed Kenji. "Let me guess, you're a taijiya, right?" He asked with an arched brow. A nervous giggle escaped Ares. "I thought so. Ares, you're the hime of our tribe, you must be careful." Kenji chided. Sango and Kagome bristled. "I wouldn't hurt her!" "She wouldn't hurt her!" they cried in usion. "I didn't say you would. I just worry over her; she is like an imouto to me." Kenji replied smiling. "Well, I think we should all turn in for the night." Inuyasha said to the group. Everyone laid out their beds and bathed, then turned in. Somehow though, Inuyasha had managed to "convince" the innkeeper to let Kagome and him have a separate room, away from the others and anyone else. He took her hand and headed out the door; before Shippo stopped them. After much arguing and fussing; Shippo finally agreed to leave them alone for the night.

After the two had left and everyone had fallen asleep, Ares left the room seeking the calming senses of the gardens. Sitting down at the edge of a pond she looked into the water; seeing her reflection and then the water seemed to fade, in fact everything seemed to fade, and bittersweet memories began to haunt her.

* "Okasan, okasan; where are you?" cried a small child into the darkness of night. She had been at a youkai festival when she wandered off in search of pretty flowers and such. Again she called for her mother but to no avail. The sounds of the night frightened her and she began to cry. "Ares!" she suddenly found herself wrapped in the protective arms of her mother. "I was so worried! Don't you ever wander off again, especially at night!" her mother scolded; kissing her temple and hugging her to her body. "Gomen okasan!" she happily chirped as her mother carried her to the festival.*

Ares smiled at them memory and looked at the nearly full moon. *Okasan, it'll be ok, just don't die, okasan!" Ares whispered over and over to her mother. "My sweet child it's too late for me. With all the attacks happening and giving birth...forgive me." her mother said, her voice weak and broken from the hours of hard labor of child birth and loss of blood from fighting. "Stop that talk okasan, you'll be fine." Ares nearly shouted; in her heart she knew it wasn't true, she knew that her mother was going to die and yet she didn't want to face it.

The healer who was helping during the child birth nearly wept but kept working on Yumi-sama; Ares's mother. Minutes later, but what seemed centuries later to those with Yumi-sama, Reisho, Ares's elder brother and Yumi-sama's first child, ran into the room. "Hurry, we must leave! They've broken past all our defensives! F-father...he's dead. I couldn't save him...mother..." Reisho said starring at his mother with fearful eyes. "I can't...the child is not yet born, it's too much!" she cried out as another contraction came. "Reisho, take Ares and flee. Go, now!" "We can't leave you!" Ares gripped her mothers hand tightly. "They're coming!" the healer cried and in the next moment the door was flung open and in poured youkai of all kinds.

Ares and Reisho fought as hard as they could; but Reisho and Ares were both knocked out by a very large youkai that looked something like a snake and a cat. Before Ares lost all thoughts to the consuming darkness she heard a scream; then all went black. Waking later Ares sat up, amazed she was alive. Then as soon as joy that she had lived came, it flooded away; all around her lay the bodies of youkai, to her right lay her brother, still unconscious. When she looked behind her she had to fight back bile in her throat. There, lying on the ground was her mother, a child in her arms, and bleeding severely. "Okasan, what happened?" Ares asked her mother. "Take him, protect him, protect Shinju." She whispered her hold on the infant loosening. Gently Ares picked the baby up and held him to her chest watching as her mothers breaths got shorter and came less frequently. "Okasan..." she whispered into the dusks light. Tears came, but she blinked them away, right now she couldn't cry, later; later there would be time for grief.

"So, you're alive, eh? Well then; I'll just kill you!" a voice shouted behind her. She turned in time to see a bloody sword, almost as long as she was tall, cut a path through the air aiming for her. She held the baby tight and turned her back to the sword to shield her baby brother. She waited for the blow, but it never came. "It's alright, he won't hurt you now." A soft feminine voice whispered behind her. When Ares turned she was met by a bizarre sight. There in the light of dusk, a palace and lands covered in blood shed, and bodies all around stood a woman in a blood red, very strange, dress. Hair the color of sakura was held up high by a gold colored hair tie and jewelry piece. Gentle sapphire eyes looked her over with a confidence she suddenly wished she had.

When the girl reached out a hand and helped her up she wondered if she was dreaming. "No, you're not dreaming, come now, lets wake your brother." The girl said heading to the red and black clad figure on the ground that was Ares's brother. Confusion reined supreme in Ares's mind but this girl seemed to mean her no harm. The girl kneeled next to her brother and looked his wounds over. Gently she placed her hand above his chest; almost touching him but really only a hairs breadth away. Ares watched in utter fascination as a silver glow seemed to float from the girls hand and touch every wound on her brother; healing it automatically. Once all the wounds were healed the girl moved away and looked at Ares critically. "What is your name?" Ares suddenly realized she was talking to her. "Oh, I'm Ares; hime of the Black Howling Tribe." She answered with a catch in her voice, her head had begun to throb and her vision became blurry around the edges.

The girl before her narrowed her eyes and muttered something in an unknown language. Warmth seemed to sweep over Ares and she looked up into the girls eyes. "Do you wish to come with me? Your tribe may come, and I will train you, will you come?" the girl asked and Ares nodded dumbly, not really knowing what else to do. That's when she saw him. A tall figure with silver hair, white robes with spiked armor across his chest and shoulder, on his forehead was the mark of the western lands; a deep colored waning moon, but more eye catching than that or the crimson streaks of his checks were his gold eyes that seemed to burn with a fire to rival the sun. "Sesshoumaru-sama." She whispered, not noticing her brother being helped into a sitting position by a young ningen miko.

The girl turned to him and bowed slightly and he gave her a curt nod. After a few moments Ares found herself and the rest of her tribe that lived being taken to the Western lands for protection. Never did Ares imagine what life would be like later on and the warrior princess she would become.*

Finally coming out of her trance like state, Ares shook her head, as if to clear away the remains of memories the clung to her train of thoughts stubbornly. It's time to go to bed. She thought yawning tiredly. When she reached her room she laid down and snuggled into the warm covers, a small and content smile on her face; tonight she would finally come to a point almost beyond all pain when it came to her parents deaths.

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Special Thanks: Thanks soooo much to: Everyone who has reviewed, and a HUGE Special Thanks to: My muse and good friend KagomeReborn. She's the one making me update!

KagomeReborn: *looms over Jade*

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Inu: O.o She's kowaii…..

Sess: -.- *ignores everyone and eats a box of Jade's pocky.*

San & Miro: Review!!!

Kag: *watches Shippo and Kirara play* Review or be purified!!! *smiles*

Jade: *keeps working*

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