by Kei
AN: Wow, I actually got this fic started! I was having such a hard time thinking up a good prologue, well, first chapter, um, introduction, whatever. X_X But I finally got it done. This is a whole lot different than Jam and Marmalade, at least in my opinion, but it's still a Sessh x Kagome to the core. Oh yeah! XD Oh yeah, in the first and second scene, Kagome is 6 and Souta is 2. In the third scene, Kagome is 9, Souta 5. I'm too lazy to put that in the story. Haha.
Version 1.1: I hate my annoying habit of leaving words out. Aghhhh. I went in and fixed a bunch of mistakes. I think I got all of them. Oh yeah, thanks for your reviews! ^^
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Drama
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha characters. ALL RIGHT!? YOU HAPPY NOW!? Errr.... Yeah. X_x
Review: Do this. NOOOOOOW. lol.
The full moon rose high into the darkening sky, the radiant sphere casting a soft glow on the sleepy world below. As the last rays of sunlight disappeared under the horizon, the stars came out, twinkling diamonds in the heavens. Their light was soon matched on Gaia as fireflies woke and their lights danced in the calm, humid summer air. The laughter of children wafted through the meadows as they tried to catch as many of the glowing bugs as they could before their mothers called them in for bedtime.
"Kagome! Souta! Time to come in!"
"Five more minutes? Pleeeease Mommy?" Kagome, the older sibling, yelled from somewhere in the tall, dark grass, her voice imploring.
"No, come in now! It's too dark for you two to be out!"
Souta's plea came next, his adorable toddler voice almost irresistible. "Pwease pwease pwease Mommy?"
"I'm sorry dears, but you have to come in now!"
A small smile touched their mother's face as she heard them whine and trudge their feet slowly through the grass. When they finally entered the pale ring of light, she couldn't help but laugh at their sad, sullen faces.
"Don't look so sad! You can do this again tomorrow night. I'll even let you stay up later," she offered.
"Weally weally?" Souta asked eagerly, his eyes shining in anticipation.
"You proooomise?" Kagome asked almost suspiciously, but her smile gave herself away.
"I promise! Come on, let's get you two to bed."
The younger boy set the jar of glowing insects carefully on the railing of the porch and scrambled over to his mother, grabbing her hand with his tiny chubby one. Kagome followed suit, running up the stairs and taking the other hand, and they all walked inside the house, the small children talking excitedly about the fun they'd had that day.
That night, the air was hot and heavy, the humidity so high she could practically feel the water droplets setting heavily on her skin. Through her window, only the sporadic flickers of the fireflies' light could be seen, the landscape hidden by darkness. The full moon was completely covered by clouds; clouds that promised to bring rain, and possibly thunder and lightning too. Kagome knew it was much later than her bedtime, but she couldn't sleep, her six year old mind still eager to go outside and play. She stared out the window longingly by her lone candle, where her mother found her an hour later.
"Kagome? Why aren't you in bed?" she asked, standing next to her daughter and stroking her hair comfortingly.
"I couldn't sleep, Mama. Are you mad at me?" Kagome explained, her voice growing slightly apprehensive.
"Of course not, honey. It's very hard to sleep in this hot weather. Why don't I tell you a story?"
"Alright," the small child agreed, her violet-blue eyes sparkling in anticipation as she crawled into her bed and scooted over so her mother could sit next to her.
"Ah, I have just the story for you. Do you know those woods over at the far end of town?"
"Yeah, the ones they won't let nobody go into?"
"Yes, those woods. Well, they say they're enchanted."
"Tell me about it!"
"Once upon time there was a handsome young man, and rich and noble man, who owned all of the Western Lands."
"All of them!?"
"Yes, every single last inch. One day, he was going on his rounds, when he stopped in this town. He walked into an inn, and heard men discussing how they were very afraid of those woods, and they feared evil lurked in them. This young man was not foolish, but he had quite a bit of pride, so he told them he would go into the woods and prove them wrong."
"Oh no! What happened to him?"
"I'm getting to that, dear," her mother laughed, and then continued. "He entered the woods, cautiously making his way deeper and deeper into the forest. Before long, he spotted a clearing in the trees. He stood on top of a large hill overlooking the wonderful sight he saw. There was a beautiful garden, blooming with roses and apple trees and many other wonderful plants. There were butterflies and hummingbirds everywhere. However, the only way he could reach that garden was through a maze of high bushes.
"He made his way down to the maze and after a few hours of getting lost, he finally found his way to the center. As he stepped into the threshold, tall willowy trees grew, blocking any entrance of exit. He was trapped. The spirits of the forest chattered in the air, mocking his folly, but they were not unkind, and kept him clothed and fed.
"The man was there for many years. He grew lonesome without anyone but animals and spirits to talk to. He refused to talk to them after a time. He sat brooding, hating the men who had sent him there, hating the spirits who had trapped them there, hating himself for coming. His heart grew harder and harder, colder and colder. The spirits did not like this, for they wanted their magical garden to be a happy place.
So, they cast a spell on him, turning his body into a statue as cold and hard as his heart. The only way he could be awoken was by the kiss of a beautiful maiden who would change his heart back."
"That poor man," Kagome sympathized, her mother's quiet words already lulling her to sleep. "Whenever I grow up, I wanna go save him."
Her eyes were already closed when she stated that; so she missed the look of something close to fear on her mother's face. She didn't, however, miss the tight squeeze she gave her. Kagome roused herself from her sleepy stupor long enough to reach up and pat the woman's cheek lovingly and murmur, "Don't worry Mama, I'll be here for you always. Don't cry."
"I love you, my little Kagome."
"I love you too, Mama. Night night…"
"Good night, honey," her mother smiled tenderly, her eyes full of love and she slid from the bed and tucked her sleeping daughter under a light blanket. She blew out the candle and paused in the doorway, staring tenderly at the small raven-haired child, as she sighed, a sigh filled with sadness and the weight of a grave secret.
"KENJIRO! AKI! IZUMI! Get off of my brother you stupid JERKS!" an infuriated Kagome barked at the boys who were tormenting her brother. Despite her small size, she threw herself fearlessly at the larger boys, clawing and scratching and kicking viciously. "Find your own toys to play with and leave him alone!"
Souta stared incredulously through his black eye as his sister wrestled the three boys to the ground. He stood unsure of whether to run or help, and ended up running for help. He ignored the jeers of the boys, knowing full and well they were the ones who would be called sissies and cowards after Kagome got through with them. She had managed to give two of the bullies bloody noses and the other a black ear and all of them bruises before they could scramble out of her hold.
"I can't believe I almost got beat up by a girl," the leader, Kenjiro scoffed, staring down disdainfully at the scowling girl in front of him.
"Ac'shally, we did get beat up by a girl," Izumi sighed mournfully, fingering a bruise on his shin gently.
"Oh shut up," Aki growled at his companions, while glaring suspiciously at Kagome, who looked about ready to beat them up yet again. "I beat she's still a little sissy, tho, jes like her momma's boy brother."
"I am not a little sissy and don't you dare call my brother that, or I'll have your head on my dinner plate," Kagome threatened, using a phrase she'd once heard one of the men at the bar use. The three children paled slightly at this, but it didn't stop them from teasing her more.
"Oh yeah? Then prove it!" Aki growled right back.
"Yeah!" Kenjiro agreed, getting into the game. "I dare you to go into the enchanted woods!"
"What, are you cra—" Izumi started but was cut off by the other boys' excited yells.
"I double dare ya!"
"Oh yeah, well I triple dare you!"
Kagome shrugged and grinned, boasting that it would easier than beating them up, but inside she was nervous and shaking. Her mother had told her never to go near the forest, for many people had gone in there and never come back. She hated to disobey her dear mother, but she didn't want those boys to think she was a coward. She wasn't, and she would prove it.
She led them to the edge of town, making sure not to be seen, to where the dark forest lay. They all became hushed in quiet anticipation and uneasiness as the air around them became stiller and eerily quiet, not a single animal making a noise, despite that fact that it was a forest. The trees stared down at the four children, as if they were following them with ancient eyes. As they grew closer, Kagome started feeling stranger. It was as if the forest were calling her, beckoning her to come inside. Her eyes grew vacant and slowly drained of their color and her feet moved stiffly and automatically. She was losing control of her own body as the pull took over her senses.
Her companions looked back and forth between the dark looming woods and Kagome, and suddenly they didn't want to be there anymore. They were so terrified, however, that they couldn't budge an inch, watching in horror as Kagome slowly made her way towards the two tallest trees.
"What's wrong with her?" asked Izumi in an apprehensive whisper, almost near tears. "I knew we shouldn't have done this!"
"Look at her eyes; they're almost white. Is she going blind?" Aki wondered in the same breathless whisper. Kenjiro could do nothing but gape. The boys huddled together and watched fearfully as a white door suddenly materialized in between the two largest and closest trees. A tangle of vines wrapped itself around the doorframe, holding it securely in place. A golden handle gleamed in the pale sunlight, and Kagome reached slowly for it.
"NO!" her mother's shriek rang out, scaring the boys out of their wits and sending them running, while bringing Kagome back to herself. She blinked slowly, her eyes turning back to their normal dark blue. The door vanished into thin air as fast as it had come, leaving everything just as it had been. Kagome look around bewildered, unsure of how she had gotten there. Her mother wrapped her arms around her daughter; unshed tears glistening in her eyes.
"I was so worried! Please, Kagome, please! Promise me you won't come near this forest again," her mother nearly begged.
The fear in her voice woke Kagome from her confused stupor and she looked up worriedly at her mother. She wasn't sure why she was so afraid, but she felt the need to comfort her. "I won't Mama."
"Those woods are a dangerous place. You could go in there and never come back." Her voice trembled slightly, but she regained her composure and stood up., taking her daughter's hand. "Let's go home now, okay, dear?"
Kagome nodded and followed her mother in the direction of the town. She couldn't help taking one last glance back at the giant looming forest over her shoulder. A wave of terror briefly went through her, but it was soon overridden by an acute feeling of curiosity. What lay beyond those trees that scared her mother so much? What secrets did it hold?
She kept her promise to her mother for eight long years, but she and the enchanted forest would meet yet again.