InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Naraku's Child ❯ The Truth ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: :; waves hand in air :: I am the owner of Inu-Yasha! I am! :: waves hand harder :: dang it! Stupid force is broken…oh well, guess I don't own it yet. Sorry guys.

 

Naraku's Child

Chapter 4: The truth

By Ethril Dragon

 

A few days had passed since her formal birthday, and Kiyomi was all too pleased to say goodbye to the last guest. Her mother had promised her that once all the lords and their families were gone, they could have her real birthday party, one with sweets, games, dancing, and enjoyable entertainment. Not the stuffy, hesitant, stiff, and boring feast that had happened a few nights ago. `Tomorrow will be the party,' she assured herself. Kiyomi had made a promise to herself that if she continued to behave around the remaining guests then she could be as loud and obnoxious as she wanted at her real party.

Currently, she was hiding at her favorite spot on the cliff, the same spot her brother Shippo had taken her to all those years ago. She was just sitting on the edge, her legs dangling over. Kiyomi hummed an old lullaby her mother had taught her.

“Once again I find one of my children outside without her guards,” Kiyomi grinned and turned to look her father.

“I just wanted to spend some time alone,” She said as her father sat down next to her. “This is my favorite spot.”

Naraku chuckled softly. “I guessed this was where you like to be.” He stated. Father and daughter sat together in comfortable silence for several minutes before Naraku broke the silence.

“What do you plan on doing now daughter?” He asked seriously.

Kiyomi looked at her father in surprise. “You're asking me?”

Naraku nodded.

Kiyomi thought for a few minutes. “If I could do what ever I wanted…I'd go traveling.” She said, her eyes glazing over and looking out towards the horizon.

Naraku looked at his daughter, his expression guarded. “Is that really what you want to do?”

Kiyomi nodded. She pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees. “I've always wanted to go see the world.”

Naraku nodded and looked out at the sunset as well. “We better head back in. Dinner should be ready.”

Kiyomi nodded and carefully stood up.

“Daughter,” Kiyomi looked at her father. “Don't wander off with out a guard or a companion from now on.” Naraku said seriously.

“Father…”

“No Kiyomi. Kaito is still out there and I don't want him to have the chance to attack you again.” Naraku's expression changed slightly. His eyes became distant and his entire posture turned cold. It was times like this that made her wonder what had happened in the past. No one would talk about the past around her.

“Father?” Kiyomi reached out to gently touch his arm.

Naraku pulled away and shook his head. “It's nothing.” It wasn't nothing. He had remembered how he had kidnapped Kagome. Although everything had turned out positive for everyone then, Naraku knew this wouldn't be the case if Kaito got his hands on Kiyomi.

Kiyomi shook her head. There was so much about her parents past's that she didn't know, that she wanted to know.

“Father…how did you and mother meet?” She asked as the two of them walked back to his castle.

Naraku went silent for a long time before he sighed deeply. “I'll tell you when you're a bit older Kiyomi.”

Kiyomi was about to protest when she spotted her mother. She huffed and stormed off towards the dining hall. It was always the same. She would ask a simple question and her parents would tell her she was either too young or she wasn't ready to hear their story.

 

Dinner was a silent affair, a thing that Inu-Yasha noticed instantly. Last time he was there, everyone had talked and enjoyed themselves. Now, there was a strained silence in the air. He glanced over at Kiyomi and noted how she was stabbing at her food.

He finished quickly and got up to leave. Kiyomi watched him go and after a few minutes pushed her barely touched food away. “I'm not hungry” she said as she stood up and stormed out.

Kagome watched her eldest daughter sadly. She knew why her daughter was upset, but there wasn't anything she could do about it at this point.

“Mate…we'll need to tell her sooner or later,” Kagome said softly so their twins wouldn't hear.

“When we do, I want everyone here so she has a better chance at understanding.” Naraku answered his mate. He didn't look forward to explaining how he and Kagome had met, nor did he want to explain how they had been mortal enemies for the longest time. He especially didn't want to tell his oldest daughter about how he had been before falling in love with Kagome while committing evil crimes to Kagome, her friends, and the land on which they lived.

Kagome touched her mate's hand. “Things will work out love.”

Naraku didn't know whether or not he could agree with his mate.

 

Kiyomi stomped around, heading towards her favorite place at the cliff. How dare her parents keep so many secrets from her? Sure she was still considered a child in the demon community, but that didn't mean her parents should keep her in the dark. It seemed everyone around her knew the story of her parents while she only knew bits and pieces. Kiyomi recalled all the times she had heard the servants whisper and then go silent as she tried to listen in or got to close. Visitors and guests always seemed strained when talking with her father and they would give her strange looks now and then.

She kicked at a rock and sent it flying of the cliff.

“What are you doing out here?” She spun around angrily to glare at Inu-Yasha.

“That's none of your business,” She snapped before turning back to look at the edge of the cliff.

Inu-Yasha started growling softly. “Didn't your father tell you not to wander around alone outside?”

“I can take care of myself!” She practically yelled. “Leave me alone!”

Inu-Yasha stood his ground and crossed his arms over his chest. “Make me.”

Kiyomi glared at him a moment before looking away and turning her back to him.

“I'm not going to waste my time in a fight with you.” She stated, her eyes challenging him.

“Good, because a pup like you wouldn't stand a chance against me.” Inu-Yasha yelled back, his lips pulled back in a challenging snarl. He grinned inwardly. His rare fights with Kiyomi reminded him of his old fights with Kagome, and they invigorated him just as they had back then.

“You're such a jerk!” Kiyomi yelled, her body ready for anything Inu-Yasha threw at her.

“At least I'm not a spoiled brat!” Inu-Yasha yelled back, his fists in the air in challenge.

“I'd rather be a spoiled brat then a bad mannered baka!” Kiyomi yelled back. Her eyes burned and she growled softly. To think, when she was a child this had been a game to her. Now she understood better.

“Well you were saved by this bad mannered baka, how do you like that?” Inu-Yasha retorted, a sneer on his face.

Kiyomi paused and blinked a few times. Her anger dissipated immediately and she felt really bad for starting the fight in the first place. Kiyomi sighed softly and bowed in apology.
”I am sorry Inu-Yasha, I hadn't meant to insult you. You did save me, and I should be grateful, not disrespectful.”

Inu-Yasha blinked in confusion and scratched his head. “You're just like your mother was.”

It was Kiyomi's turn to blink in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Inu-Yasha sighed and stretched. “She had these horrible mood swings when we were traveling together. One minute she would be just fine, the next she would be sitting me to hell.”

Kiyomi cocked her head in confusion and curiosity. This was one of the first things she'd ever been told about her mother's past. “Sitting you too hell? How could she do that?” she asked, trying to needle information out of the inu hanyo.

Inu-Yasha blinked and just stared at Kiyomi for a minute in silence. “Didn't she ever tell you anything?” He scratched his head again.

Kiyomi shook hers. “No. My parents don't talk about the past. Shippo told me once it would just confuse me,” Kiyomi shrugged. “So I never asked.”

Inu-Yasha thought about this for a few minutes. `I need to talk to Naraku and Kagome, Kiyomi needs to know…'

He sighed softly. “Well I can't tell you anything if your parents won't tell you anything.” He said still scratching his head.

Kiyomi shrugged and turned back to face the cliff. “Thanks anyway I guess.” She murmured.

Inu-Yasha watched the raven haired girl as the last of the suns rays vanished over the horizon. Her red eyes glowed slightly as darkness descended upon them.

She turned to him and smiled. Her smile, so like Kagome's, made his breath catch in his chest.

“Thanks for confronting me. I feel a lot better now.” She said with a slight bow.

Inu-Yasha nodded and shrugged. “feh.”

Kiyomi smiled again and giggled softly. “You're funny.” She said happily.

Inu-Yasha hmphed and stuck his arms in his sleeves.

Kiyomi grinned and ran up, kissing him quickly on the cheek. “Thanks again!” she said before running back to the palace for some rest. Tomorrow was going to be the party and she wanted to get some sleep.

Inu-Yasha stood there stunned. His cheeks burned from where she had kissed him and his heart was beating fast in his chest. He slowly reached up to touch where she had kissed him.

He pulled his hand away to look at it. Once again he was feeling things that he hadn't felt in a long time.

`Why does she affect me this way?' he wondered to himself as he stood there in the darkness of night. She was his best friend's daughter and a lot younger then him. And yet something about her called to him.

He shook his head and dropped his hand. He had things to do. First thing was first; he needed to talk to Kagome and Naraku. It was time that Kiyomi knew the truth.

 

Kiyomi giggled madly as she lay in her bed, her pillow clutched to her chest. A blush spread across her cheek the more she thought about how she had kissed Inu-Yasha on the cheek. She giggled again as she touched her lips. She had finally kissed Inu-Yasha, granted it was just on his cheek. She had finally performed that childish dream of hers.

She rolled onto her back and stared up at her ceiling. `I wonder if he likes me,' she thought with another blush. `Does he know I have a crush on him?' she asked herself. He probably didn't. He probably just saw her as a child, the daughter of Naraku and Kagome. That's how most people viewed her.

`Too young to be considered an adult, too old to want to be a child,' Kiyomi thought as she began to drift off into sleep. She sighed and rolled over onto her side, her arms still wrapped firmly around her pillow.

 

“We were planning on telling her soon anyway Inu-Yasha,” Kagome said, her infamous temper beginning to flair. She didn't know how, but only Inu-Yasha could ever get such a rise out of her.

“When? When she was one hundred and looking to find a mate? When she finally decided to leave?” Inu-Yasha forced himself not to yell. It was finally night out and he was fairly certain his friend's children would be sleeping.

“Soon!” Kagome snarled. “Kiyomi is my daughter. You have no right to decide what I do and don't tell her.”

Inu-Yasha snarled right back, his fangs a little more menacing then her shorter ones.

“That's enough,” Naraku said with great amounts of authority. “Inu-Yasha I understand you want us to tell Kiyomi the truth of our pasts, but now is not the time.”

“Fuck yes it is,” Inu-Yasha spouted. “She's not the child you think she is. What're you afraid will happen? She'll run away?”

Naraku sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Now he was remembering why he had encouraged Inu-Yasha to travel the world. “She's just not ready. If we tell her the truth then it'll only confuse her.”

Inu-Yasha cursed and turned, stalking out of the room. “Mark my words Naraku, the longer you hold off telling her, the more it's going to hurt her when she finds out.”

`Especially if she finds out from someone other than her parents.”

 

“You like her, don't you?” those quiet words made him freeze in his tracks, his hand pressed against the door he had been closing.

“What did you say?” He looked slightly over his shoulder, his silver hair framing his face.

Kagome's expression was a mixture of sadness, anger, and confusion. “You like Kiyomi, don't you?”

Inu-Yasha let go of the door and took a step back into the room. “Does it really matter?”

Kagome felt her anger rise. “Hell yes it does Inu-Yasha,” She said in a quiet voice, her rage boiling below the surface of those words.

Inu-Yasha turned to face his old crush, his eyes cold and his hands in his sleeves. He wasn't afraid of her, or of her words. She had removed the subjugation beads a long time ago and no longer had any control over him.

“I swear Inu-Yasha,” Kagome pointed a finger at him. “If this is your attempt at replacing me, I'll kill you.”

Inu-Yasha growled and his hackles were on end. “Replace you?” He asked, his hands clenching inside his robes. Naraku wisely decided to stay out of this fight.

“That's right Inu-Yasha, replace me,” Kagome said as she slashed a hand through the air. “You used me to replace Kikyo and now you're using MY DAUGHTER,” Kagome's voice rose several decibels, forcing Inu-Yasha's ears to lay flat against his head. “To replace me.”

Inu-Yasha began growling and removed his hands from the sleeves of his hitoe. “That's not how it is.”

“Kagome, mate, please calm down.” Naraku said, finally getting involved. He wrapped his arms around his fuming mate, trying to calm her down. The last thing they needed was their children waking up and hearing this fight.

“Then what is it Inu-Yasha? What? What is it about Kiyomi that has you defending her? Why is it you come in here and demand that we tell her the truth?” Kagome demanded angrily, tears in her eyes. She pulled against Naraku's arms, wanting to take a step forward and strike at Inu-Yasha.

Inu-Yasha was silent, still growling. He didn't know how to answer. He didn't know his own emotions towards the young princess, the daughter of his old love. Maybe…maybe he was trying to use her to replace Kagome in his heart. But that didn't feel right, even in his mind. There was just something about Kiyomi. “I…don't know ok? I just don't.” With that he turned and stormed out of the room.

“I swear Inu-Yasha, you hurt my daughter like you hurt me and I'll have your head!” Kagome yelled after him, all her old frustration and anger over her old crush spilling into those words. All the hurt she had felt as she had watched the silver haired hanyo run off for Kikyo filled her heart as she collapsed against Naraku sobbing.

What the three didn't realize was that their yelling had indeed awakened Kiyomi. Being the spider demon she was, as well as being Naraku's daughter, she easily snuck into the servants hallway and listened from behind the door. Her mothers words confused her. Had Inu-Yasha been involved with her mother at one time? And why was it that her parents were so against telling her about the past?

Kiyomi left once Inu-Yasha had stormed out. She didn't want to listen to her mother sobbing into the arms of her father. Her mind was a whirlwind with thought as she mindless left her father's palace and went to her favorite spot on the cliff. She had to find out what was going on, and soon.

“What're you doing out here,” Those words broke through her mind and she jumped in surprise, her gracefulness failing her as she fell back and landed on her behind. She glared up at the silver haired hanyo, who was glaring right back down at her.

After a moment Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes and reached down a hand to help up the girl. Kiyomi took his proffered hand and then brushed off her sleeping yukata.

“What are you doing out here?” Inu-Yasha asked again now that Kiyomi was standing up.

“I just needed some air.” She said as she turned away from him and looked out over the cliff. She sighed and then looked up into the sky, her eyes instantly finding her favorite constellation. How she wished Orion would come down and take her to the heavens where she would never have to wonder about her parents pasts or the stupid suitors ever again.

Inu-Yasha didn't say anything, but continued to look at Kiyomi. Her eyes glowed softly in the dark of the night and her scent reminded him of grass after a rainstorm.

“What's it like out there?” She asked softly, her eyes half closed as she tilted her head to look at Inu-Yasha.

Inu-Yasha' breath caught in his throat as he looked at the raven haired woman in front of him. She really had matured over the last 7 or 8 years he had been gone. He almost forgot about her question, staring into her eyes.

Inu-Yasha feh'd and then looked out over the landscape. “It's not too different then here. There are problems and fights, trees and lakes.” He shrugged, not sure what else to say. “The people are different though.”

Kiyomi turned her head to look back at her heavenly guardian. Orion was like Inu-Yasha, free to travel the world and see everything. She envied both of them.

“I'm going to travel the world too one day,” She said as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I'm going to see everything and learn everything there is to know.” She turned and smiled at Inu-Yasha before turning to head back to her father's palace.

Inu-Yasha hesitated but quickly reached out to touch Kiyomi's shoulder. “Your parents love you Kiyomi,” he said quickly. Kiyomi panicked for a moment thinking he knew she had eavesdropped. “No matter what happens, no matter what you learn, they will always love you.” With that he let her go and jumped away, leaving her standing there in the dark.

She watched as he jumped away, but she knew he wasn't completely gone. She could still sense him on her father's property. `What did he mean by that?' she wondered as she walked back to her room. Kiyomi knew her parents loved her, but what did that have to do with anything? She set her thoughts to the side as she settled down in her futon for the night. She would think about his words later when she wasn't so tired. Kiyomi had a lot of things to think about when she wasn't tired.

 

The first thing that happened the next day was Kiyomi waking up to finding Rin and Kanna grinning over her. From there, the day just got even better. As horrible as the celebratory feast had been, her `surprise' birthday party was even better. Shippo had really out done himself with the decorations, and the games. The younger kids really enjoyed the magic and surprises that Shippo had set up. Kiyomi had more fun talking to her friends and family then really participating in the games like she had when she was little. She had a great deal more fun though helping her little brother and sister swing at the piñata then actually taking a swing herself.

Her presents, were much more mature as well. Kiyomi's presents ranged from a dagger that could create miniature wind storms to a beautiful rope of pearls. Definitely things you wouldn't give a child.

Needless to say the day became night and the younger children were put to bed. Eventually only Kiyomi, her older friends and siblings, and the adults were left. The feeling in the air started to become a bit tense and Kiyomi looked around to find out why.

Inu-Yasha was glaring at Kagome and Naraku, Shippo was shifting nervously next to her, and nearly everyone was looking away from her. Except that is, uncle Sesshomaru. As usual he had on his neutral expression from where he sat next to Kagura.

“Tell her.” Inu-Yasha said as the sound finally died away. His words were met with more silence as Kagome looked away from Kiyomi's searching gaze.

“I don't think -“ Kagome began to say before she was cut off by Naraku.

“Perhaps it is time.” Kiyomi looked at her father questioningly. Mentally she began to put the pieces together.

`They're going to tell me about their past!' she thought with a mixture of excitement and hesitation. Maybe she didn't want to know, it obviously hurt her mother too much to even consider telling her.

With a sigh Naraku nodded to the others and then began telling the story that began well over 60 years ago.

As the story progressed, the other adults and members of the group filled in gaps and added their own stories to match Naraku's. By the time the story was complete, Kiyomi was staring at her lap. She was very pale as she considered his words.

Without a word, she stood up and left the room. No one moved to stop her as she walked calmly and quietly from the dinning hall and left the palace entirely.

The story that she had just been told was at odds with everything she knew. Her father, her regal, calm, kind father had committed so many horrible crimes in his life. Her mother, her happy, peaceful, powerful mother was from the future. Her uncle had tried to kill her mother, her father had tried to kill her mother and then had ended up kidnapping her. Kiyomi's whole life was built upon lies, pain, and evil. Yes, she knew and understood that everything that had happened was in the past, that things had turned out for the better. But did that really excuse her father for his crimes?

Once at her cliff she sat down slowly, her feet dangling over the edge like so many times before. Her face was still staring downwards, completely ignoring the glimmering stars of her heavenly watcher. She fingered the newly gifted dagger which she had stuffed into her obi and looked down at the ground.

 

Kiyomi didn't know how long she sat there thinking and then not thinking until the sky began to lighten and the stars winked out of view. She was tired and confused. How had she never heard of any of these things before? Had her father really woven such a strong web of deceit that she probably would have never found out while she stayed here? And what did this mean for her?

After an entire night of sitting and thinking silently, she began crying. Kiyomi sobbed softly, not sure why she was even crying in the first place. The tears had at first rolled down her cheeks and then the insane urge to sob built up in her.

Kiyomi wrapped her arms around herself, leaning forward slightly as she forced herself to take heaving breaths to try and calm down. Nothing was what it seemed to her any more and it confused her greatly. The only person who had never lied to her, had never tried to cover the truth, was Inu-Yasha. He was the only person who had not spoken up last night.

“What…what…” Kiyomi tried to form a coherent question, tried to figure out what was wrong with her. Her mind wanted to know too many things. Why had her parents kept things secret from her, what was she going to do, when had things changed in the past, who was she, these questions ran through her mind. The most prevalent question though, was what now?

“So…what's up shrimp?” Kiyomi turned her head slowly to look up at a worried white haired hanyo.

She looked away, her eyes puffy from the crying she had just down. Kiyomi wished she could still see Orion.

Inu-Yasha sighed and sat down next to her, his hands in his sleeves. He hadn't expected this kind of reaction. A reaction, sure, but not like this. What was going on through her head right now?

The two of them sat like that for some time, silently watching as the world woke up. They were watched by two others, standing in a door way.

 

“Naraku…what are we going to do?” Kagome asked as she clung to her mate.

Naraku sighed and held Kagome close, comforting her as best he could. “I don't know. Let her be for now, then if she doesn't come in…I'll go talk to her.”

They watched as Inu-Yasha walked over and then sat down next to Kiyomi. Neither moved or said anything as Kagome and Naraku watched.

“I suppose…now would be a good time for her to go and explore the world.” Naraku said slowly, watching as Inu-Yasha attempted to talk to Kiyomi.

Kagome looked up at her mate surprised. “You'd let Kiyomi leave? With Kaito still out there?”

Naraku sighed and nuzzled the top of Kagome's head. “Is there really any way we could stop her from leaving?” He asked seriously. “Dangerous demons never stopped you from traveling.”

Kagome frowned. “That's because I had a mission to fulfill. I had to put the shikon jewel back together.”

Naraku sighed again and shook his head. “Still…Kiyomi needs to decide for herself.”

Kagome looked out at her daughter and sighed as well. At Kiyomi's age, she had already traversed the majority of Japan looking for the shards of the Shikon. She had faced worse horrors then Kaito. “If you say so Naraku.”

 

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A/N: Ok. Worst chapter ever. But here it is. Preview for the next chapter:

 

“Are you sure it's wise to bring a female on board Inu-Yasha?” the captain asked as he glanced over at the young girl standing on the dock. She was a pretty little thing, her bag slung over her shoulder. Her pointed ears and her crimson eyes clearly marked her as a demon.

“She's under my protection.” Inu-Yasha replied seriously. “Anyone who tries to touch her will lose their hands.” He cracked his knuckles and glared at a few of the crew that were winking and whistling at Kiyomi. Kiyomi on the other hand was politely ignoring them, more interested in the water then the men.

“Well she'll have to do some work; it'll be a long and rough trip this time of year.” The captain said as he hauled up a large sack of food.

“Feh, whatever.” Inu-Yasha jumped off the ship and landed next to Kiyomi. “Alright, let's get you on board. We'll be setting out soon.”

“Where are we headed?” She asked as she jumped after Inu-Yasha, her dark purple kimono flapping at the ends.

“South. There's a place south called Australia.”