{Letters from Children}
{chapter two – from the son}
~~~
"I still can't believe I'm writing this."
"Believe it, dog-boy."
"What am I supposed to say? I'm the big bad youkai that's taking her baby girl away."
"Wuss."
"When it comes to your mother, damn straight."
"Just write the letter."
"What am I supposed to say?"
"Whatever comes easiest."
~~~
To Mrs. Higurashi: I understand if you want to hurt me. I understand if you want to hate me. But that doesn't stop me from sincerely hoping you don't. I love your daughter, my Kagome, more than anything. More than my own life. I realize that I can't have made a very good impression on you and your family – dragging poor Kagome off practically every week to hunt in strange country. I doubt that she ever shared with you just how much danger we've been in, especially recently. It's been hard because most youkai don't like me simply because my father fell in love with my mother and they say he died trying to protect me and her. They don't take kindly to me having claimed a human as my life-mate. See, my father left everything to me, and some of the high mucky mucks expected me to just sit down and breed with one of their pampered daughters. I more or less told them to fuck off and let me do what I want. That didn't go over very well.
Kagome said I'd have to explain why I don't just come and live with you. It's simple and a bit dumb, even. I owe the people here a great debt. They accepted me again a bit reluctantly fifty-three years ago, and even after I practically destroyed their village; they forgave me when I was reawakened. Look, I don't know how to say this, but over the years – from the time I came of age (fifteen human years) and until now – that small seemingly insignificant section of Musashi's Domain I claimed as my own. As Inuyasha's Forest. It's my territory, and my duty is to protect and keep in line those who live on that territory. That's the simple and sad truth. The price for having my own territory is to make my mate, my love, give up her world. I suppose I'm lucky in that I haven't had to take much responsibility for claiming that territory over fifty years ago. But now I have to, and Kagome wants to rule with me.
So there are my reasons. In the end...it's going to be about 500 years for us until we see you. Maybe five or ten years for you. Please understand.
To Mr. Higurashi, Sr.: Yeah, try and purify me. Use as many prayers and rituals as you want – if it makes you feel better. I will warn you though – she belongs to me. I know that sounds so incredibly possessive, but hell, it's the truth. Kagome had the chance to stay with you. I told her that if she wanted, I'd stay and guard my territory for 500 years. Then, when she was nineteen, I would find her and formally complete the mating ceremony – which, you'll be interested to know, is an actual ceremony that will bond us forever. She denied that violently, saying that she didn't want me to be alone for that long. I think it's partially my fault, because I really would like to spend an extra 500 years with her.
Whether the blame should be placed on her, me, or nobody in particular is a question that'll never be truly answered. The choice is yours on who you want to hate for this. I don't want you to hate Kagome, though. I also don't want you to hate Kikyou. I know that a large part of Kagome staying with us is Kikyou's fault, as she didn't want to trust me fifty years ago. But...the real blame is mine. I fell in love with Kagome, and acted like your typical high-ranking youkai. I strutted around like I owned her and somehow, my odd methods worked and she loves me now too. She was willing to fight Kikyou for me, and taint her own innocence by killing the mononoke that claimed to be my old love, just to prove that she was mine and I hers. I do love her more than I ever loved Kikyou and I want you to know that I'll take good care of her.
To Souta: This really sucks for you, little kid. You've got the coolest sister in any time period, and now I'm snatching her away from you for an amount of time that could stretch on forever. I could write on forever and ever about why I need Kagome at my side, but I don't want to bore you. Eventually, I hope to claim a territory as big as my father's was. I want Kagome to have the best things in this time, as she comes from a time where everything is so much more advanced. I want you to know that Kagome's something like a legend here. I know that you knowing that might be like a knife in the side. I know what that feels like. Growing up it was Sesshoumaru this and Sesshoumaru that. But I know you're going to be special, too.
Now you can tell all your friends that your big brother-in-law is a hanyou. Lucky you. I don't know what you think of me now, but I hope that you, at least, can sympathize with me. I want to be with Kagome forever. You can't understand that when she's by my side, everything just is better. It got to the point about two years ago that I just couldn't sleep unless I had Kagome in my arms, or nearby. You knew that I slept in your sister's room every night for about a year now whenever she was there, in your time. Thanks for not telling your mother or your grandfather. I owe you one, little man. If your mother found out Kagome was sharing her bed with me, I think I would have been killed violently. This is stretching on and on and on and on...you get the point. Just...thanks, I guess. Thank you and...well...sorry.
Hope you understand, and I'll see you in a while. I'm still not sure how long we'll be for you. It will be about 500 years for us, but…
My Legacy: Kagome said in your time, it's customary to write something called a will leaving behind what goes to who and all that shit. There's a tradition among youkai like that called the "Legacy". If you know that you'll be gone for a long time, you leave a Legacy to a few select people that passes on things more important that possessions. I'm still not sure how well it'll work since I'm only half youkai, but I hope it does. So I pass on my strength, speed, and endurance to Souta so that he can be a soccer player – whatever that is. Um...any magical ability to the senior Higurashi, and a link to a small mental note for Mrs. Higurashi – a link that will let her see everything we've gone through.
Thank you. I suppose.
~~~
Inuyasha scowled over at Kagome. "Happy now?"
"Thrilled."
"Good." Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her, moving to nibble delicately on the curve of her ear. "When are you dropping the letters off?"
"Soon."
"When?"
"I don't know. It's hard. Leaving the letters behind is like...saying that it's positive that I'm never going back."
"Don't say never," Inuyasha said sharply. "You'll see them."
"In 500 years, that is," Kagome mumbled.
"If...you're having second thoughts...you could...just wait for me, I guess. I could just do what I have to for that time," Inuyasha said hesitantly.
"No," Kagome retorted quickly. "I want to be with you. I need to be with you. It's just hard."
"Are the others writing letters?" Inuyasha asked, carefully changing the subject.
"Yeah."
"I love you, you know that?"
"Of course."
~~~
Whew. Two chapters in one day! (The Path to the Heart chapter six, Letters from Children chapter two) How inspiring Stupid Bowl Sunday is.
Or not. ; ) Sorry this took an extra day to get up.
Also, it has come to my attention that Kylara's story "Tadaima" and chapter one of Letters from Children resemble each other highly. I read "Tadaima" and reviewed it. I did not mean to copy Kylara. I guess this is a very ironical situation, as I made a big stink over Crystalite's story "Awakening Power" resembling TPttH. Kylara, however, has more class than I and simply emailed me kindly.
Review. Please!!!
-Katra Winner