InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Deep Woods ❯ Chapter 1

In Deep Woods

 

 

Flies buzzed intermittently above the swamp before they fell, quite dead, into the murky water. Something had died here recently--a lot of somethings--and always the flies reappeared for a short while before the swamp consumed them.

 

Fenn heaved a sigh. Damn flies were almost as tenacious as he was. He stood up, water sloughing off him as his human form coalesced. He wasn't near to being satisfied with the meager offerings that had fallen his way in recent months.

 

Perhaps it was time again to visit some of the larger order of beings—humans would do quite nicely—or maybe he would go to see his youkai friends, whoever was still in the area.

 

Around him, smaller forms sprang into life, excited, or perhaps created by the thought of meeting little Kazuki and his youkai siblings once more. Fenn shook his head. His creations had a hard time with the concept of time. They didn't quite understand that Kazuki and Mayumi and even Koji were long ago grown with children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren of their own.

 

Fenn strode out of the swamp, gathering clothing to himself with a single thought, and inadvertently snuffing out some of his own fluttering offspring as they were absorbed back into his body. He could have wished himself to Inuyasha's house on the hill, but he wanted to walk, to feel solid once more and remember what it was like to act human. He sensed other beings in the area, mostly animal based youkai, as they had begun to call themselves in the past centuries since Inuyasha and his brood had settled here. They were more solid these days, too, more real. Their world was changing. Isn't that what they wanted?

 

Fenn had thought so, until the world weighed him down and he retired to his swamp for a decade or two. Fenn hoped someone was home at Inuyasha's house. Last time he had been there, it had been Koji's turn to inhabit the house on Inuyasha's mountain, but that was some time ago. Fenn could make sure he came out at the same time Koji was living there, but why bother? It was more interesting to see who might be there now.

 

“Knock knock!” He called out as he came around the side of the house. “Anybody home?”

 

He sensed the swirl of energy seconds before the small figure cracked open the front door. Ah, that one!

 

“Uncle Fenn!”

 

The youkai woman who stood before him had the swept-back ears and dark hair of her wolf-clan father, but her eyes were Mayumi's, huge and gold. “Megumi,” he said, genuinely happy to see this particular descendant of Inuyasha's. He had a special place in his heart for this one. She had once loved one of his own, before he had taken all that away from her, along with the memory of how to walk in between.

 

Megumi gave him a big hug and invited him in.

 

Fenn looked around curiously. Except for a few small touches, it was basically the same as when Inuyasha had lived here. “Are you alone here?” he asked, sensing that it was so. Had she no family of her own, like the others? The once warm home screamed emptiness.

 

She smiled, and offered him a soft drink before she sank next to him on the wide sofa in front of the fireplace. “It's my turn to man the homestead,” she said jokingly. “Koji took my place back at the shrine.” She looked around the big room. “I like it up here,” she said. “It's peaceful.”

 

Peaceful. Fenn supposed it was. Too peaceful, perhaps.

 

“Would you like something to eat?” Megumi inquired. “I was just going to start dinner.”

 

Fenn smiled. They always forgot. “No, thank you,” he replied politely, cocking his head slightly as he picked up a commotion outside. The front door flew open. Shippo stood mirrored in the afternoon light.

 

“Megumi, how many times have I told you, you have to set the barrier! I thought I sensed . . .” Shippo's voice faded as he noticed Fenn on the couch. “Oh, it's you. What dragged you up out of the mud?” He stomped inside, wiping his feet carefully. In his haste, he hadn't bothered with shoes—or human appearance. His kitsune feet barely left an impression on the carpet.

 

“Uncle Shippo,” Megumi admonished quietly.

 

“It's all right, Megumi,” Fenn said. “Shippo and I go way back. Nice to see you too, Shippo.”

 

“Yeah, sure.” Shippo took a seat next to Megumi, as far away from Fenn as he could get and still be in the same room. He had no intention of leaving until Fenn did. He wasn't sure if Megumi understood all of what Fenn was—a shapeshifter, a stealer of energy, a killer of other youkai.

 

Fenn raised his eyebrows and Shippo scowled. And a reader of minds. Fenn grinned.

 

Missing the byplay completely, Megumi went into the kitchen and put on some water for tea. She hummed softly to herself as she worked, before she popped her head out the doorway. “You want cookies or leftover pizza?” she asked.

 

Fenn glanced at Shippo. “Pizza,” he called back. He could do pizza.

 

“I don't want any,” Shippo said, frowning at Fenn. “Junko's got stuff waiting for me at home.”

 

“All right.” Megumi disappeared again.

 

“Why are you here?” Shippo demanded when it became apparent that Megumi wouldn't be coming back for a while.

 

“I got restless,” Fenn said. “Thought I'd look up some of my old friends.”

 

Restless? More like hungry, Shippo thought. And not for pizza. “Leave Megumi alone,” he warned. “She's—fragile.”

 

“Why is she here all by herself?” Fenn asked, neatly skirting Shippo's curt request. “Where are the others? Inuyasha? Kazuki? Mayumi and her wolf?”

 

“She's not `all by herself,'” Shippo replied, irritated at Fenn's assumption. “I'm here. So are lots of other youkai. We look after her. She's taking a break from Japan. She's a miko, you know, like her grandmother. Works closely with Kagome taking care of youkai who need their help. Lived with Kagome and Inuyasha for years in Japan. Kagome thought it would be good for her to get away for a while, maybe meet new people.”

 

Fenn remembered Megumi as a quiet, serious youkai. However, she wasn't always that way. When Koji had brought her to him, kicking and screaming across time, he had seen the wild spark in her soul. He had been the one to snuff it out, at her mother's request, along with all memory of a certain youkai whom Megumi had loved. Ever since then, Megumi had lived with a part of her soul missing. Fenn almost felt regret for his role in Megumi's fate.

 

“So she never found anyone?” he asked. “No husband, no little youkai kids?”

 

Shippo scowled again. “Do you see any? No. Megumi never married.”

 

They both fell silent as Megumi returned with a tray of food and drinks: tea for herself, and beer for the men. Pizza for all of them.

 

Fenn dutifully selected a piece of pizza and took a bite. Pizza was okay. He noticed Shippo watched his hands very carefully to be sure he didn't accidentally brush against Megumi's fingertips as he reached for a second slice of pizza. Fenn grinned widely. This was going to be interesting.

 

“What a surprise to see you after all this time,” Megumi said, tucking her legs up under herself as she settled back on the couch. “What brings you here, Uncle Fenn?”

 

“Why, you, of course!” he said, enjoying the brief annoyance that flashed across Shippo's face.

 

Megumi shook her head. “No, really,” she said. “Nobody was supposed to know I was here.”

 

“That's why I told you to make sure you key the barrier against unknown youkai,” Shippo said. “Who knows what kind of creatures might have been drawn to your youki?” He glared at Fenn as he said it.

 

Fenn laughed. “Then it's a good thing I came along, isn't it?” he said, watching Shippo's face purple in rage.

 

“Yes, it is.” Megumi had dimples when she smiled. She reached over and patted Fenn's hand.

 

Shippo shot to his feet. “It's been nice visiting, but Fenn's got places to go, people to eat,” he quipped, only pretending to joke. “Right, Fenn? I'll walk out with you.”

 

Fenn leaned back against the couch. “I've got no place in particular to go right now,” he said with a slow grin. “I think I'll hang out here for a while longer.”

 

“Oh, please stay!” Megumi said, her eyes alight. “I have plenty of guest rooms. You can stay as long as you like.”

 

“I don't think that's such a good idea, Megumi,” Shippo objected. “You're all alone up here.”

 

“Oh, I'll put up the barrier as soon as you leave,” she assured him. “We'll be safe.”

 

That wasn't at all what Shippo had meant, but he couldn't say too much more without directly accusing Fenn of intending harm. Fenn smiled sweetly at him, no doubt reading his every thought. “I'll take good care of her,” he said. “Bye bye.”

 

At the door, Shippo turned and growled in his best Inuyasha imitation, “Keep your hands to yourself!” He slammed the door behind him and just made it to the edge of the front lawn when he felt the tingle of Megumi's barrier at his back. She must have been watching from the window. At least the barrier wasn't keyed against him. He had every intention of being back first thing in the morning, and if Fenn had touched her in any way he would have a whole lot more than just an angry kitsune to deal with. Shippo would give Fenn until the morning. After all, he professed to be a friend of Inuyasha's. But if Shippo had any doubts, he would be calling Inuyasha right there on the spot. Kazuki and Koji, too, since they could get here virtually instantaneously if they chose. Until morning. No longer.

 

 

Megumi turned back to Fenn with an apologetic smile. “I don't know what's gotten into him,” she said. “Uncle Shippo's usually nicer than that.”

 

Fenn chuckled. “It's all right. He's just being overprotective. Come, sit down and tell me about yourself. I think the last time I saw you was when your little sister was born.”

 

Megumi's eyes clouded over. “That long, was it?” She sighed. “I'm not used to crowds. It took a lot for me to come here to visit Mama after she had Asuka. I spend most of my time at my grandparent's house in Japan.”

 

“What made you come to Inuyasha's mountain?” Fenn asked, wanting to hear her side of it.

 

Megumi shrugged. “I don't know. Maybe I needed a change. That's what Grandma said. So here I am.”

 

The missing piece of Megumi's soul shone like a black hole to Fenn's senses. He reached forward, just—so. And touched her forehead—so.”

 

Megumi's eyes widened, and she screamed. Rushing memories sometimes did that. “Trace!” she shouted, before crumpling to the floor, sobbing. Fenn wondered if he had made a mistake.

 

“Come,” he said, reaching down a hand to help her up. “Let's take a walk.” He didn't wait for her to think about it, and as he pulled her to her feet, he went in between, not far, just outside her barrier in the woods below Inuyasha's house.

 

She stood, breathing heavily, her eyes darting wildly from side to side. Slowly they focused on Fenn. “You! You did this to me!” she said. “I remember. I remember! Why?” She grabbed Fenn's arm. “Where is he? Where is Trace?”

 

Fenn watched her, satisfied at her reaction. She hadn't blinked an eye at traveling in between. “Let's run,” he suggested, and followed his words by darting off down the hill away from Megumi. She chased after him, of course. She was fast, like a wolf, but he was faster, going in between periodically to keep his lead. Wherever he touched, the grass withered, the leaves curled and fell from their branches. Ah, it felt good to be out in the world again!

 

It took Megumi all of five minutes to catch on to what Fenn was doing, and then she copied him, instinctively twisting in between to catch up with him until, at last, she tackled him to the ground, snarling in a very un-miko-like way. He let his features shift and flow until she gasped, and let go of him as if he were suddenly burning hot.

 

“Trace!” she whispered brokenly.

 

Fenn regretted his transformation as soon as he had made it. He slowly let his features take on their more familiar shape. “Not Trace,” he said softly. “It's still me, Fenn.”

 

Tears started in Megumi's eyes, and soon she was crying noisily, great deep breathy sobs. Fenn put his arms around her and let her cry. “He's gone, isn't he?” she asked, when she finally cried herself out.

 

Fenn didn't know how to answer her. Trace had been imprisoned very near the home she shared with Inuyasha and Kagome in Japan. Trace was like him, and couldn't actually die. But for all of their sakes, he had to remain imprisoned. Trace was like him, but he had assumed too much of a human identity until he thought like a human, reacted like a human. For a being with his abilities and his unlimited lifespan, he was a loose cannon.

 

Fenn had let Inuyasha and his family do his dirty work for him. Trace needed to be contained, but Fenn could not do it—Trace, for all his faults, was his offspring. Ultimately, he was Fenn's responsibility, but unlike the lesser youkai that sometimes formed from his excess energy, Trace had developed a separate identity. Fenn could not bring himself to reabsorb him. Perhaps Fenn himself was becoming too human.

 

He reached out and wiped the lingering tears off Megumi's cheeks. “Not gone, no,” he replied. What he was about to do was probably incredibly stupid. All he had intended when he left his swamp was to go visit some old friends, absorb a little energy, have some fun. Well, this counted as fun, he supposed. “Follow me.”

 

He blinked out of sight, knowing Megumi would follow, knowing she could follow. She was the only one of Inuyasha's grandchildren who had the ability. On second thought, he didn't regret awakening her locked memories.

 

When he reappeared, it was within a dark cave. Megumi appeared beside him, as if she'd been traveling this way all her life. She blinked in the gloom, her eyes trying to adjust to the darkness. “I've been here before,” she said slowly, turning around.

 

“Your grandmother brings you here sometimes to minister to the youkai who lives here,” Fenn said, watching her expression. Kagome had set a powerful barrier around this cave, too powerful for youkai to penetrate. Kagome thought Fenn was repelled by her barriers. He'd let her think that over the years. It put Inuyasha at ease. He had no intention of harming any of them, so his little deception didn't really matter. This cave had never been off-limits to Fenn, although until this moment he had never come here.

 

Megumi stared at the shapeless mass in the far corner of the cave—the youkai whom her grandmother had taken her to see on and off for most of her life. The creature never stirred, never acknowledged their presence. Her grandmother cleaned it, left it small offerings of plants or food, which it ignored, but would be gone the next time they visited. Megumi should have felt pity for the poor creature, but the truth was, she was always content when they visited this cave. Something about it put her at ease. Now, her senses sharp with remembered scents, she sucked in a breath, and dropped to her knees beside the unmoving creature. “Trace,” she whispered, stretching out a hand to touch it.

 

The creature opened glittering eyes and stared back at her, then flicked his gaze to Fenn. “Father,” he croaked.

 

“Okay, that's enough for today.” Fenn took Megumi's arm and walked back in between until they stood in Megumi's living room again. He didn't trust Trace not to steal Megumi's life essence through that very tender touch she bestowed upon him.

 

“No!” Megumi whirled back into the in between space. Fenn didn't follow her. After a few brief seconds, Megumi reappeared. “I can't get back in,” she said dejectedly. Kagome's barrier kept out everyone, unless Kagome expressly allowed them access. He couldn't see Kagome giving her granddaughter free access to Trace's prison without her supervision. Kagome was compassionate, but she knew what Trace had done to Megumi in the past. She wouldn't have taken the chance that Megumi might decide to visit the cave without her.

 

“Do you really want to? You've seen what he's become.”

 

Megumi sank to the floor and covered her face with her hands. “What happened to me? What happened to us? Why did you do this to us?”

 

Fenn smiled awkwardly. “We thought it was for your own good. I didn't know you still searched for him, without knowing what it was you were searching for, until today. You're right. It was my fault, and I'm going to fix it.”

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: Wasn't sure how this one was going to turn out—one-shot or longer, so I just started typing. Guess it's going to be a little longer. . . .stay tuned.