Through Blood and Fire

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha. He belongs the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi!


Chapter 7: A New Arrival

Two days later, Ms. Higurashi, Kagome, Souta, and grandpa all waited patiently and anxiously for the door bell to ring at anytime. Kagome had gotten up at 6:00 in the morning, nervous as anything. She grabbed her favorite belled jeans with her bottle cap belt and her white care bears baby-doll t-shirt with the blue trim on the sleeves and neck line. She then slipped on some blue flip-flops and ran down stairs for breakfast. They had been preparing all morning and it was now 1:58 and Nico was supposed to be on her way. The agents assured Ms. Higurashi that they would pick up Nico at the airport and bring her straight to the shrine. She had arrived at 1:00 on time and the agents had called from their cell phone to tell the Higurashi family that they were on their way. That was at 1:23. Everyone was nervous. Kagome’s mom helped her rearrange her room and clean out her closet over the past two days to make room for Nico’s things.
Out of nervous habit, Kagome reached up and began to rub the flame pendant that hung from her neck. It was a single black flame and it had belonged to her father. He had always worn it and never took it off. Her mother told her once that she had never seen it off of him until the day he died. The hour before he died, while in the hospital he took it off and put it around Kagome’s neck. He told her that it was her turn now to carry on the family line. He also told her she had a very special gift, but she never got to know what it was. He had died before she could see him again. She was thirteen and Souta was nine.
Uncle Keichi had taken Kagome and Souta back with him and Nico to the United States upon Ms. Higurashi’s request. She thought it might do them a bit of good to be near her late husband’s family. It turned out not to be such a good idea. After his brother’s death, Uncle Keichi was worse off. He had never recovered from the loss of his wife and then his brother was gone now as well. He was always gone drinking. He had lost his job and began a dangerous downward spiral. When Ms. Higurashi found out she came to the United States to get Kagome and Souta. She tried to convince Uncle Keichi to come back home to Tokyo. There was no reason to stay here anymore. He said he couldn’t leave. He had to the there because of Nico. He said she wasn’t familiar with Japanese customs and didn’t know the language and that it would be a mistake to rip Nico up out of her roots and friends and drag her off to a new country.
Kagome had told her mother that Nico did know Japanese. At least well enough to move there because Kagome had been teaching her the language as well as their customs. She also told her mother that Nico wanted to come live with them in Tokyo. But her mom could do nothing to convince Uncle Keichi. She said that if he couldn’t straighten up then she would not allow her children to come over anymore during the summer or anytime of the year for that matter. Kagome had to say good-bye to her cousin. After that, Kagome was never allowed to go back to the States. But her and Nico stayed on the phone constantly and wrote back and forth all the time. Up until three years ago.
Kagome thought about that. It had been three years since she had last heard anything from her cousin. She remembered she had tried to call once about a year and a half ago but the line had been disconnected. Then when she tried to write to Nico, Kagome’s letters had been sent back to her, the postman stating that noone lived at that address anymore. Three years was along time for two people as close as they used to be to not talk.
Kagome was jerked from her thoughts by a knock at the door. She stiffened and her mother jumped. They all looked at each other smiling. Kagome smiled for the first time since she had come back from the Feudal Era. She was excited. There was another knock and Ms. Higurashi stood up.

“I guess I better get that.”

She walked to the front door. Kagome sat there and looked over at her brother. They smiled at each other. Everyone was so nervous. They heard Ms. Higurashi open the front door and greet whoever it was. It was a social worker. Kagome felt disappointment. She was so nervous and excited she thought she was going to jump out of her seat at any minute. But then a thought stuck her. What if her cousin hated her. After all she had made that promise and then three years went by with no , an, and five years since she had seen her cousin last. What if she thought Kagome had abandoned her.

“Are you okay sis?”
“Yeah Souta, just nervous.”
“Welcome home Nico. Please come in. Kagome, Souta, and grandpa are in the living room,” said Ms. Higurashi out in the entrance hall. This was it. The moment of truth.
Kagome turned her head just as her mother came around the corner with the two agents in tow. In her arms was a tall, thin girl with long black hair, down to her waist. Her face was about the same shape as Kagome’s, maybe a little longer but well rounded and very attractive. She was darker that Kagome, a soft tan. Her long black hair had a ethereal shine to it and her eyes were round and a stunning green, almost like two emeralds. She was very tone, Kagome could tell, and had a little muscle. Kind of like Sango or Taki even. A fighter’s body. Her hips were trim and she had a cute little butt like Kagome. Her legs were long and seemed to go on for days. She was over all one of the most gorgeous females Kagome had ever seen, and that was rare. She wore black flip-flops, a pair of belled jeans with a black studded belt and a white Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles baby-doll t-shirt that had green trim on the arms and neck. She had on some black plastic bracelets, about twenty on each arm. Around her long, slender neck was an native American necklace made from deer bones and cattle hide. Kagome recognizedas Aas Aunt Chenoa’s. Also around her neck was a single flame pendant, just like hers, only this one had red, orange, and yellow, like an actual flame. She was carrying a black back pack.
Kagome stood up and looked at her cousin. She bit her lip and tears welled up in her eyes. Nico, too, began to cry. Nico dropped her back pack and made her way towards Kagome. Kagome jumped over her brother and ran over to Nico. They embraced and began to cry. They held on tight to each other, both afraid that if they let go then they would lose the other forever. Ms. Higurashi put her hands to her face, crying now as well. Souta got up and ran over to his older cousin putting his arms around her. She freed one arm from around Kagome and put it around Souta as well. Souta and Nico had gotten just as close as she and Kagome. Souta and Nico would play video games for hours after Kagome would go to sleep. They both had an avid interest in anime and mangas and Souta really looked up to Nico. He had gotten so attached that when Ms. Higurashi forbade them to ever go back to Uncle Keichi’s, he didn’t eat for weeks and actually became depressed.
The agents looked on at the sight and both actually had tears in their eyes. Ms. Higurashi turned to the agents who had by know been joined by some other people. They saw the confused look on Ms. Higurashi’s face and the black man explained.

“These people are the actual social workers that have beekingking care of Miss Higurashi since her father’s death. As part of their concern for the girls well being, they had to come along to make sure the girl was coming into a safe and loving environment, given the special circumstances.”
“What special circumstances?”
“Apart from the whole ordeal with her mother’s family.....”
“What ordeal?”
“May we go somewhere private to talk?”
“Yes of course. Follow me.”

She motioned for the agents and social workers and grandpa to follow her. The all went into the kitchen and settled down. The petite pale woman began.

“When we first began to find placement for the girl, we went straight to her mother’s side of her family. The girl’s mother, Mrs. Chenoa Higurashi, had no brothers or sisters. Her mother and father had both died before Nico was born. All that was left were her mothers aunts and uncles and cousins. This is where it gets confusing and sad. Nico’s grandmother, Mrs. Higurashi’s mother, was survived by a sister, two brothers and many nieces and nephews. When we went to them and told them what happened, they denied even knowing the girl existed. They kept telling us that our information was wrong and that, Miakoda, Nico’s grandmother, had no children and had not even ever married contrary to the legal records we had in our hands. When we mention Nico’s grandfather, Patamon Nodin, they began screaming at us in what we could only assume was their native language. We were chased from their home. Before we left though, a Houma woman came to us and told us what happened. It was Miakoda’s youngest sister. She told us that Miakoda had married a Choctaw man and was disowned by her family for dishonoring them. You see, the Houma and the Choctaw despise each other. There marriage was not accepted by either tribe and both Miakoda and Patamon were cast out. Any children they had were exiled as well and looked down upon heavily and were treated cruelly. So when Nico’s mother, Chenoa, was born, all hell broke lose. Pardon the expression. Overtime though, Chenoa’s mother’s family, the Houma natives, began to acknowledge her presence even thought they didn’t except her. That all went down the hole, though, when Chenoa met and then married a Japanese man, you former brother-in-law, Keichi Higurashi. She was chastised by the Houmas. Her father had died a few years prior to the marriage and her mother died a year after. When Chenoa became pregnant with Nico, she was cast out, just like her mother. Nico was never accepted and will never be. That is what this woman told us.”
“And what about the Choctaw natives?” asked Ms. Higurashi.
“Same scenario accept that after Patamon married Chenoa he was cast out and disowned and was never allowed to go home or even step foot on the reservation ever again. Not even if he were to have divorced Chenoa.”
“That is so awful.”
“Yes it is. You tell that to a girl who’s father just died who who’s mother had passed years ago and you’ve got a bad combination. Surprisingly, though, she took it very well. She even told us she could have saved us the trouble and told us the same thing. She’s not had an easy time of it.”
“I know. I would read some of the letters she would send Kagome about how the native kids would come and pick on her and the fights she would get into. I tried so many times to get my brother-in-law to come back to Tokyo, but he refused.”
“That is the other special circumstance we mentioned, the fighting and the ordeal with the native kids. Any kids for that matter.”
“I understand now. Well, that will not be a problem here. Nico and Kagome used to be so close. They were like sisters.”
“We noticed by the reunion back there. That’s why we have decided to go ahead and let you all sign the papers turning legal guardian ship over to you today instead of waiting for the observation period to be over.”
“That’s wonderful. Let’s all go back into the living room and announce the good news.”

Ms. Higurashi, followed by the social workers, walked into the living room to find Nico, Kagome, and Souta gone.

“I wonder where they went off to?” questioned Ms. Higurashi.

Suddenly they heard movement up stairs. Then Nico and Kagome came down stairs arm in arm, Souta attached to Nico’s free hand.

“Souta and I were showing Nico around the house and where she would be sleeping and where she could put her things. Tomorrow, if it’s okay, me, me and Nico are gonna go meet some of my friends from school at the mall. Everyone is so excited to meet her.”

Kagome gave Nico a big hug who just smiled.

“That’s alright with me Kagome.”
“Thanks mom.”

Nico walked over to Ms. Higurashi and put her arms around her waist and gave her a big hug.

“Thank you Aunt Higurashi. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“Of course Nico. Why would you go anywhere else?”
“The agents here, have told me some wonderful news. They have decided to over look the observation period and go ahead and let us sign you under my guardianship.”
“That’s wonderful,” exclaimed Kagome.
“That’s great,” exclaimed Nico.

They all gathered as Ms. Higurashi and grandpa signed the guardianship papers, making Nico officially apart of their family. Kagome being over eighteen also had to sign. She didn’t even hesitate. When she put the pen down she turned to Nico.

“See, Nico. I promised you I would always protect you and never leave you alone. I swore I would always keep that promise.”
“I know Kagome. I knew you would.”

The two girls embraced and began crying again. The agents signed their parts and then gathered the papers up and put them in an envelope and sealed it up.

“It’s time for us to go. Miss Higurashi’s things will be shipped over soon.”
“I’ll walk you to the door,” said Ms. Higuras

She got up and escorted them to the door. After the final goodbyes, she shut the door and walked back into the living room.

“Okay who’s hungry for pizza?”

Kagome, Nico, and Souta all exclaimed at once, “We are!”
“Then how about we go out? Sound like fun?”
“That’s a great idea, mom,” said Kagome.
“Well then go get your coats and we’ll go. Souta, help grandpa.”
“Okay mom.”
“Aunt Higurashi?”
“Yes, Nico.”
“My coat is packed in one of my suitcases.”
“That’s okay, Nico,” said Kagome, “you can borrow one of mine.”
“Thanks Kami.”
“Come on. Follow me.”

Nico and Kagome headed up stairs and were back down again in a flash, Kagome with her green jacket on and Nico, with a blue one. Souta and grandpa arrived just then as well, coats on, ready to go. Ms. Higurashi grabbed her coat and purse and the group walked out the door and made their way to the train station.