Rebuilding Dreams

Chapter Six – Inuyasha’s Memories

“Nice to know you haven’t forgotten everything.” The monk smirked back. “Sesshoumaru sent for me last night to see if I could get some sense through that thick skull of yours. Though, I doubt anything can do that. You are blinded by your precious Kikyo.”

Inuyasha lunged for him, his eyes going red, but found himself knocked backwards as a protective barrier went around the monk. “You have to come out of this Inuyasha. We don’t know what she’s done to you, but this isn’t you!” This however only made him angrier. His claws lengthened and he lunged at Miroku again. Miroku’s staff collided with Inuyasha’s back as he easily dodged the blow.

Sesshoumaru looked down at the growling heap and brought the hilt of his sword down against Inuyasha’s head. Thick headed as he way, even Inuyasha couldn’t with stand that much force. His world went black. “Now what?”

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “You’ll take him to his room, and do whatever you have to in order to snap him out of this.”

Miroku nodded and hefted Inuyasha’s unconscious body over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He walked the corridors quietly, the servants looking at him curiously, but they knew better than to ask. It had been a long time since they had seen the monk in this castle. A passing servant had enough brains to turn back and hurry ahead of them, opening Inuyasha’s door. Miroku nodded his thanks as he dropped the hanyou on the bed. He glared at his friend’s body. Quickly he stripped him and then set about mixing together the right herbs for what he needed to do.

Kikyo was a powerful miko, though how she had managed to do this to his friend he wasn’t sure. How had she come across this particular form of magic? It wasn’t even supposed to exist anymore, though obviously that wasn’t correct. He sat incense around the room and opened the window, allowing the dusk breeze blow in, gently stirring the fragrance, drifting it over Inuyasha’s body. He mixed some water with the herbs he had prepared earlier and then began to place the concoction on strategic points of the half demon’s body. Firstly at his temples, then he dragged his fingers across his forehead in an arch. Miroku then placed a large amount on the mixture on his chest, covering his heart with a thick layer. The rest had to be spread over the entirety of Inuyasha’s body. The heart and head were the most important though, as the magic controlled his thoughts, heart, and soul.

“My friend, you are in for a hell of a long night.” Miroku murmured, half in apology. He sat down next to him, crossing his legs under him as stranger words began to flow from his mouth. One hand lay in the thick layer over Inuyasha’s heart, the other rested on top of his head. He could feel the magic fighting against his intrusion and Inuyasha was beginning to tense. Yes, it was going to be a long night indeed.

Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly. His whole body hurt. Where was he? He tried to move and a sharp pain shot through his shoulder. Looking down he realized where he was. The God Tree. He was pinned to the God Tree by an… arrow?! What the hell? A familiar scent now caught his attention and he turned his head towards the woman who had just stepped through the trees.

“K-Kikyo? What’s going on?” His voice sounded rough, scratchy. Kikyo’s hand reached out and touched his cheek, slowly tracing the smooth skin.

“Don’t worry, dear Inuyasha, I’ll take good care of you.” Something in her voice and eyes wasn’t right. They were cold, indifferent. This wasn’t his Kikyo. She smiled, and it looked like a sneer. The very sight sent chills through his body. His ears twitched as she began to utter some sort of language, but Inuyasha had never heard it before.

His eyes closed to half slits. What was going on? He had to fight it. He had to. He couldn’t let this happen. It felt like two hands had grabbed a hold of his soul and were now trying desperately to rip it from his body. Cold, unbelievable cold washed over his body and confused images flooded through him.

He saw himself as a small boy, his mother sat next to him, combing his hair while he grabbed his father’s tail and curled up in the warmth. His father simply arched his eyebrows at him, but his mother laughed.

He saw himself again, a couple years later though he looked the same age as before, chasing after his brother and his friend, Kaemon. Kaemon laughed and swept the youngster up onto his back while Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, though his lips betrayed him with a smile. It didn’t take long until Kaemon had coerced Sesshoumaru into letting his little brother ride his shoulders. Inuyasha squealed with delight as his brother and Kaemon began to race, Inuyasha clinging to his brothers neck to keep from toppling off.

He knelt on the floor next to a baby bed, staring at the little bundle inside. Kaemon chuckled behind him. His father, Sesshoumaru, and Kaemon had just taken a picture with the baby. “Inuyasha, would you like to hold her?” His eyes had widened at the prospect of holding something so tiny, but then he had nodded. Kaemon’s mate, Era, lifted the baby girl and placed her gently in Inuyasha’s hands. Carefully he held her against his chest, whispering softly in her ear.

He sat next to his father in the study, smiling to himself. His father seemed amused about something. “Inuyasha, Kaemon and I have decided to betroth you and Kagome. Due to your age however I need your permission.” He nodded slowly. Something about Kaemon’s baby pulled at his heart, talking to his soul.

Many other flashes of memories flashed in his mind until he jerked awake. He would have sat bolt up right, but he discovered a body on top of his, and something told him not to get up. His body was drenched in a cold sweat, and his arms were wrapped around Kikyo’s naked body. Kikyo’s voice echoed in his head. ‘You love me, Inuyasha. Only me. You will do as I bid you, and you will never question. You love me.’

A groan from the bed caused Miroku to open his eyes, looking intently into Inuyasha’s face. He reached up to brush a blob of herbs from his friends face and found his wrist caught. Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes. The amber hues seemed to glow in the late afternoon sun that streamed through the open balcony doors.

“Miroku?” His voice was confused. “What are you doing here?” He reached his hand up, rubbing his head. “And why is my face covered in goop?”

Miroku actually laughed, causing Inuyasha to growl at him impatiently. “Inuyasha, my friend, it is good to have you back!” Inuyasha simply stared at him.

---->--@

“Okay, so let me get this straight? Kikyo put some sort of a spell on me that controlled me?”

“It was more than that, baka.” Sesshoumaru said coldly. Miroku and he had been trying to get this through Inuyasha’s head for well over three hours. “She took your memories, your soul!”

Inuyasha blinked at his older half brother. It had been along time since he had seen Sesshoumaru get upset about something concerning him. Not since he was very, very small. For some reason it made him want to smile. “All right, all right, I get the point.”

“Finally,” both Miroku and Sesshoumaru grumbled.

Outside Inuyasha could hear laughter; his ears twitched. “Who’s here other than Rin?” His mind was still foggy over the events of the past couple of days. He sniffed the air and his eyes widened. “Kagome? Kagome is here?” He racked his brain. Yes, they had gone to her house when the betrothal papers had come. That was when he remembered her face. He growled and Sesshoumaru quickly pushed him back into the chair.

“It would do no good to frighten her, Inuyasha. She’s not there anymore, so he can’t hurt her. Seeing you in a rage though would probably make her think of what she’s gone through, and I know you don’t want that.”

Inuyasha froze and then nodded, the red at the corners of his eyes fading. Sesshoumaru let him up and he and Miroku following Inuyasha outside to the gardens where Kagome was playing a game with Rin. She now had the little girl on the ground, tickling her ribs. Suddenly Rin jerked away and went running pell-mell in the opposite direction. Kagome didn’t have to ask. She had been here only four days, but she had quickly recognized the girl’s reaction as meaning that Sesshoumaru was approaching and Rin would be the first to greet him.

She got up more slowly, dusting the grass from her robes as she approached the three men and bowed to them. “Sesshoumaru-sama, Miroku-sama, Inuyasha, I hope we have not been distracting you with our games.” Rin was now in Sesshoumaru’s arms, playing with his hair.

Inuyasha was looking at Kagome in a way she had not seen from him before. The bruises on her face were still healing and he stepped closer to her, gently tracing his thumb over the discolorizations. Without a word, he scooped the girl up into his arms and carried her away from the prying eyes of the others. They were outside the castle grounds when he stopped.

Gently he placed her on the ground and smiled as she tilted her head looking up at him. “Kagome,” he took her hands in his, careful not to scratch her with his claws. “My sweet Kagome. I have so much to tell you.”