3 years after the defeat of Naraku.
A lonely stone sat beneath a tree overlooking a broad meadow. Daisies and daffodils waved among the tall grass beckoning bees and butterflies to them. Birds flitted through the air and sang from among the trees. Clouds crossed the azure sky without hurry, trailing their shadows upon the land beneath them.
Upon the face of the stone was carved four kana. A name for the deceased the stone stood guard over. Only there was no one buried there.
A young man in red leapt through the air from treetop to treetop, landing before the stone, a bouquet of lilies and two sticks of incense in one arm. He leaned over to brush stray leaves from the top of the stone with his free hand, silver locks slid off his shoulder and crossed in front of the kana. With a scowl, he pulled his hair back over his shoulders and knelt before placing the flowers in front of the marker. He held up the two incense sticks and took a deep breath. When he expelled it in a short, intense "huff" both sticks ignited and he stuck the incense in the ground between the flowers and the stone.
The breeze shifted and the hair on the back of his neck rose. Ears twitching, he turned around to look back at the meadow. His friends often spied on him when he wanted to be alone. The feeling of being watched remained but his nose and ears told him no one else was around.
At least no one living.
"You aren't supposed to do that," whispered a voice, an alto that rang with disapproval.
The young man growled as he turned back to the stone. "Shaddup!" he snapped. "That's about the extent of what I can do thanks to Otou-san. And you don't need to remind me why, either," he added. He pulled the sword at his waist out of his sash, sheath and all. "I had plenty of examples of what happens when power is gained before control."
The sense of disapproval was replaced by admiration and affection, a warmth that threatened to lull him into sleep if he didn't remain alert. "You've grown considerably, my son. When told three years ago, you stormed off in a rage."
"Sorry," he said bowing his head in shame. The warmth grew until he could feel the sensation of arms circling him.
"It was an understandable anger, my son. You were facing many powerful foes that your birthright could have defeated easily. I would not have wanted to hear the reasons for being denied such either."
The young man remained silent. He had been angry back then. He had just discovered he could ignite things with his breath if he inhaled deep enough. He had gone to his mother's grave looking for answers to how to make it stronger only to be forbidden from using it ever again. He had been grateful his friends hadn't been around when he learned that trick. He wouldn't have been able to face them later.
Bitter and disappointed he had headed to the home of the one whom he cared for more than his own life. A woman who had crossed eras to come to him. A friend who was now his wife. He had hoped her strange world would make him forget his frustration. It had resulted in him stumbling across a dangerous relic from his grandfather's time. He had forgotten all about his visit to the grave during that debacle.
Looking back, it had been one of the events that taught him the meaning behind his father's actions and his mother's words.
"Okaa-san," he said, ready to broach the subject that had driven him to return to the grave today. "How much longer must this marker read my grandmother's name?"
The feeling of arms encircling him vanished and the warmth faded a small amount. "Why do you wish to know?"
The young man fidgeted. She had been the one to instruct him to mark the stone with his grandmother's name, though what was buried there was her representative. He didn't know her name or he would have placed it on the grave instead despite her orders.
Years before he met Kikyo, on the night of the new moon, he had stumbled across a sacred spring deep in a mountain temple. Thirsty, he had drunk from it and was startled into falling in by the priest whom guarded it. He had managed to escape from the outraged man but soon after his mind began to whirl as memories lost had begun to reveal themselves. He may have gone mad. He certainly didn't remember the days that passed since the incident at the spring. It was in this time he first heard his mother calling to him.
Confused and feverish he listened to her calm, authoritative voice as she led him away from threats and toward food and shelter. More days passed in such a state. His mind spinning with the terrible memories of the past and clashing with ones he thought were true. A vision of her materialized within his mind's eye holding back the chaos of battling memories. Eventually, after unknown months, on another moonless night, he wandered into this meadow, his mind finally able to grasp reality again.
His return to sanity, however, meant the end of his journey with his mother, his real mother, for she was different from the woman he thought she had been. The false memories remained, though, as the true ones faded into the shadows once more. His brief exposure to them had been enough to alter his thinking. He knew what he remembered wasn't real and what was real he knew was both wonderful and horrifying. Back then, he had been relieved when they faded.
As he regained awareness of the world, her presence began to fade. Not wanting to lose her again, he pleaded to know where her grave was at least. He then learned she had no grave. Her body had been destroyed in the battlefield. With her spirit almost gone, he had taken the wakizashi he had obtained in his madness, taken his long black hair and cut it off. He then declared it to be hers, holding it toward her. He then began to dig beneath a tree, burying it and the sword together. He had then bowed his head in prayer with his eyes shut tight. It was the first time he had prayed for anything in his life and he hadn't done it since.
The sun rose before he dared to open them, certain his desperate efforts had been in vain. To his surprise and delight, she was still with him. Only now she could not move. He placed the stone to mark the spot and wanted to carve her name into its face. His mother had given him his grandmother's name instead. When asked why her explanation made no sense to him, not then and not now. Now he hoped she would change her mind and tell him her real name.
It was not to be. "Not until Sesshomaru-san says otherwise," she whispered in sorrow.
"Why does his opinion matter?" he snarled.
"Do you remember how relieved you were when your true memories vanished?" He grunted but said nothing. Her arms wrapped around him once again. "His are much worse. Do you think he wants to remember?" The young man lowered his golden eyes at her words. "You know the truth, my son, that's all that matters to me," she said. Then her presence faded and he was alone once more.
But not for long.
"There you are!" cried a young bright voice. He turned to look and saw the love of his life running toward him.
"Kagome, why are you here?"
She stopped, planted both hands on her hips and glared at him. "Is there any reason I shouldn't be?"
"Eh? N-no," he stuttered and looked away. She closed the distance between them and knelt beside him before the grave.
"So this is your mother's grave?" she asked. When he nodded she brought her hands together and prayed. After a few minutes, she said, "You know you could have said you were coming to visit your mother. I wanted to visit her as well. I didn't get to last time."
"I just wanted to be alone for a bit," he said awkwardly. The raven haired woman beamed a smile at him and took his hand in her own.
"I'm sure you had lots to talk about," she said.
He gave her a sad smile in return and squeezed her hand. "No, we didn't talk about as much as I wanted. And it may be some time before we can." The young priestess looked at him in confusion but he didn't elaborate as he turned his attention to the mismarked grave.
So the lie continues, he thought. At least, Okaa-san has a place to sleep even if under a false name, but when will I be allowed to lay Otou-san to rest?
An image rose in the back of his mind of a powerful man different yet similar to the image of his grandfather he was shown three years earlier. Gold eyes looked into his filled with despair and pain. Then it faded from his mind leaving him breathless with the emotions it awoke within him.
"Otou-san?"
December 22, 2012
Sota pushed a beam away from him and paused, half expecting more debris from the ruined ceiling to fall, but it seemed everything that was going to fall had already fallen. Sighing, he stood up in the sunlight that filtered through the destroyed roof. He turned to help his wife, a chestnut haired, blue eyed woman named Hitomi, to her feet. Other survivors were present too and he felt a certain amount of eeriness over whom they were. Four of the others were his sister's long ago friends. It had been a shock when he had run into them as they entered the shrine. They hadn't seen each other since Kagome and they had graduated from high school, now suddenly they were all at the same shrine.
They pulled themselves from the wreckage of the shrine and the group wandered outside to assess the damage. The terrible earthquake that had shook everything yesterday in the late afternoon was over. It had lasted longer than any earthquake in memory and the aftershocks had been equally terrible. Rain had fallen after the earth had stopped rumbling in the dark hours of the morning and only now the sun was coming out.
Sota looked around but nothing was recognizable. He had expected collapsed buildings but the sight of barren dirt and distant forests where buildings had been took him off guard. The others were equally baffled by the change in scenery that seemed contrary to the destruction they were prepared to face. The shrine was present, though, in pieces and crumbling due to the quakes.
Hojo began calling out for other survivors in the eerie silence but no responses came. Hitomi held their baby girl as Sota stepped around the remains of a souvenir shop and froze. The others saw him freeze and ran up to him.
"What's wrong, Higurashi-kun?" asked Hojo.
Sota stared in disbelief then took one step forward then another. Hojo looked out and saw what the younger man saw.
A man lay on the ground but what gave them pause was the fact he was dressed in samurai armor and wore red. All they could see was his feet and arm from their angle. Sota hurried forward with Hojo behind him. The woman followed more slowly as some had children with them.
Sota gasped as he came up beside the man and recognized him.
"Inuyasha? Is that you?" he cried as he knelt next to the unconscious man. He swallowed hard when he saw the silver-haired man was missing his right arm. The armor was cracked and broken and the clothes were torn. He looked like he had been in the worst battle of his life.
"Inuyasha?" called Sota again. The naïve child would have begun shaking his friend but Sota was older and understood how dangerous someone like Inuyasha could me. He needed to wake him carefully if he didn't want to be hurt by a startled hanyou. The man groaned.
"Is that Inuyasha?" asked Eri as the woman crept closer.
"You mean Kagome's boyfriend from before?" said Ayume.
"Is he all right?" asked Hitomi.
"Inuyasha?" called Sota. The man's dog ears twitched and his gold eyes fluttered opened. "Inuyasha can you hear me?"
The man tried to sit up but tumbled to his right. Hojo caught him. Sota reached forward and he and Hojo lifted the man into a sitting position. The silver haired hanyou blinked again and groaned then grabbed his right arm only to grasp scraps of cloth and air. He patted the side of his body until his hand found the stump. He blinked rapidly and panted and his left hand moved up to his face. Only then did Sota notice the gold eyes were paler than he remembered and the narrow irises were gray instead of black. The man was blind.
"Inuyasha?" he called again. The man turned toward him and reached his hand out to touch Sota's face. The claws were very long and Sota noted the fat, jagged purple stripes on the man's cheek that had not been there when he had last seen his friend years earlier. He dismissed it as a product of growing older.
"Who are you?" asked the man in a voice deeper than Sota remembered.
"It's me, Higurashi Sota, Kagome's little brother," replied Sota. "The last time we saw each other I was just a kid but I am an adult now. Where's Kagome and what happened to you?"
The hand moved to Sota's shoulder. "Sota? Kagome? I'm sorry but I have never heard such names before," replied the man.
Sota started to worry and said heedless of the others listening, "Kagome went down a well and ended up meeting you and you sometimes visited us by traveling through the well, too."
"Well?"
"You were collecting shards of the Shikon Jewel."
"Shikon? Wa-wa-wait a minute, Sota-kun!" said the man his face clearing of confusion. "I never dealt with the Shikon jewel. It must have been my son, Inuyasha, you met back then. Even as a child he looked a lot like me."
"Your son?" Now it was Sota's turn to be confused.
"My name was once Inuyasha but that was a long time ago. I gave that name to my first born son. I am called Kakiboufuu."
Author Notes:
This has been a long journey. Nine years since inception to completion. I learned a lot with this story, from how to write stories that will end to a basic need to keep notes particularly on characters.
Overall, I have pride in what this one represents in accomplishments that go beyond what actually made it to the page. That said, I do feel unsatisfied with it. The result of learning is the realization of the mistakes I made in composing it. I originally wanted this to be a story of brothers but I should have had it focus on Sesshomaru as primary witness. The title makes the most sense if it is thought of that way.
I am taking what I learned with this one and using it for my next writing project. Unfortunately fans of "Forgotten", as I alluded to in earlier chapters, this next project is not an Inuyasha fanfic. Those who have been visiting by deviantart account will already know which one I plan to start next. For about four years, I have held this next project but this proved a good thing. I was able to work out world details and history and ultimately have mapped out four not-so-epically-long stories. I plan to give such attention to "Forgotten" and its sequel while writing the new set of stories in order to make the next run a more orderly and fun read.
Yes, you read that right. I will be story mapping both "Forgotten" and its sequel. I plan on revamping "Forgotten". For the most part major events will not change, timing might and details certainly. For those of you who have read this version, fear not. I will write both the new version of "Forgotten" and its sequel simultaneously. So there will be no further delay for all of you.
If you wish to forgo reading the new version, that's fine. It won't be necessary to enjoy the sequel (whose title I still haven't settled on). The sequel will be written with the new version in mind, however, but any differences in details will be noted prior to the chapter beginning. I will say up front two major differences I have already decided upon in the new version will be Sesshomaru's sister and demon slayers' reason for attacking.
In the new version, Sesshomaru's sister will only be 50 years younger than her brother, in fact the random girl who is killed by the slayers while holding the newborn baby will be the sister in the new version. The newborn will be changed to a boy. The reason for the slayer's attack was never given in this version, in the new version they were looking for Kaiyoshinju. This will also be the reason for Sesshomaru and Kaiyoshinju's break up.
I know I made some people unhappy by glossing over Toromaru's assassination. I was made unhappy as well by that. I hope to address that in the new version as well. With my story mapping I should be cutting out the flash backs that plagued this story and actually put the scenes where and when they belong. I also hope to expand on certain characters and allow more interaction with my various characters which was lacking in this story. (i.e. Kenji teasing Sesshomaru.)
Thank you, for following me during this long journey and I hope to see you again in the sequel. (If you don't find any interest in reading Yu-Gi-Oh! X.) XD
Translations:
Tsuchi: earth
Hi: fire
Mizu: water
Ki: wood
Kane: metal
Kaze: wind
Himizu: as discordant as fire and water
Hikaze: fire wind
Tenki: weather
Enzeru: angel
Hanyou: half-demon
Obi: the sash that is wrapped around a woman's waist to hold her kimono closed.
Matte: wait!
Shoji: sliding door.
Engawa: veranda, walkway running along the outside of the buildings.
Temee: you, derogatory term, very insulting.
Kisama: you, derogatory term, more vulgar than temee
Ano: uh
Hai: Yes
Aniyome: elder brother's wife; sister-in-law
Hime: Princess
Waka: Young lord, used for the son of a noble.
Otouto: Little brother.
Onii-(_): Big brother, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing a young man.)
Aniue: Big brother, formal.
Imouto: Little sister.
Onee-(_): Big sister, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing a young woman.)
Aneue: Big sister, formal.
Ojii-(_): Grandfather, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing an elderly man.)
Obaa-(_): Grandmother, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing an elderly woman.)
Oji-(_): Uncle, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing a middle-aged man.)
Oba-(_): Aunt, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing a middle-aged woman.)
Mina wa ookii aho desu: Everyone's a big idiot.
Sumimasen: Excuse me.
Oyaji: Father, informal masculine.
Otou-(_): Father, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect or love.
Chichiue: Father, formal.
Ofukuro: Mother, informal masculine.
Okaa-(_): Mother, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect or love.
Hahaue: Mother, formal
Otaa-sama: Mother, said by children of court nobles to their mothers.
XX-(blank): Intimate or rude address depending on usage.
XX-kun: Male honorific, friendly
XX-chan: Female or young boy honorific, friendly
XX-san: general honorific, polite, (Mr. or Ms.)
XX-sama: formal or very polite honorific, used for those of superior status or to show great respect. (Lord or Lady)
XX-dono: more formal honorific, more respectful than XX-sama. Derived from tono = lord.