InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Seimei no Kakera: Shards of Life ❯ Nature Boy ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: Apart from merchandise with his logo, I do not own Inu-Yasha.

Author's Note: After finding myself hooked on them, I've decided to start my own little ficlet corner (500 words or less in each installment) for my baby ideas that I don't have time to nurse into full blown plot lines. ^_~ They will have no rhyme or reason or order- some may be AU, others not. I just felt like this would be fun to try. ^_^

Please enjoy!

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"NATURE BOY"

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I had heard tales of his glory since I was a child, from my great grandfather and papa alike. Horror, battle, rudeness, heroism. A man with no heart and a sword of pure selflessness. Of course, for forty years I never believed a word. Until that day. . .

~There was a boy

A very strange, enchanted boy~

I had been walking home from the store in the rain, bundled up under my umbrella with my food safe and dry in my bag. The sidewalk was dark gray with moisture, the earth around me sopping, and I could barely see two feet in front of me without a sort of mist blocking my vision. Just another normal rainy season in Japan. . .

Then- out of the fog- came a slouching figure. One that stopped on the upcoming suspension bridge, staring down at the churning depths of the bay. I paused- noticing quite distinctly that this person was lacking any sort of protection against the weather. Were they okay? The figure made no move when I approached- but he cut me off before I even opened my mouth.

~They say he wandered very far

Very far

Over land and sea~

"You're a Higurashi, aren't you. . . ?" his voice, hoarse from lack of use, coughed. I nodded wordlessly, surprised, as he leaned warily against the bridge's suspension cords. Gaze never leaving the ocean, he pushed back thick tendrils of silver hair from his face, allowing me to note his dull gold eyes. "I thought so. . . You smell like. . . her."

~A little shy, and sad of eye

But very wise was he~

"Wha. . . ?" I blinked, beyond nonplussed as I finally noticed his ears. Were those really- - - ? "What do you mean. . . ?"

The man chuckled darkly, pillowing his forehead against his crossed arms, T-shirt clinging limply to his scraggly body. "Now, what would you be. . . ? Her great niece or her great, great niece. . . ? Gods. . ." His knees buckled as a sob wedged in his throat, the rain pounding ever harder on his head.

"S-sir. . ." I bit my lip, worried for his health- mental and physical. "Why don't you join me under my umbrella? I've got plenty of room, and my boyfriend can make us some tea if you come home with me. . ."

~And then one day

One magic day he passed my way

And while we spoke of many things

Fools and kings~

His shaking back froze- his amber eyes snapping up to meet mine. "Boyfriend. . . ?" he frowned, slowly turning to face me. "You're too old to have a boyfriend. Why isn't he your husband?"

I blush despite myself. "Well- I. . . we're so different that. . . I'm afraid to take it to the next level with him." Why am I telling this to a stranger?!

The man's frown deepens. "Are you crazy, wench?" he snaps, making me take a step back. "Don't wait! Don't second guess! Do you love him?!"

"Y- yes. . ." I blink, taken aback. "Yes, I think I do- - -!"

~This he said to me~

"Then get married! Have kids! Live! Take her yourself before someone else takes her. . . and she ends up getting herself killed on the way to the hospital. . . to have his first child. . ."

I cock my head, confused. "Uh- excuse me? My boyfriend is a guy- - - ?"

He pauses- and then smiles slightly, shaking his head at his own stupidity. "It doesn't matter. . ." he whispers, shoulders trembling. "The point remains. . . If you love him, take him. Don't make the same mistakes some of us have. . ."

~The greatest thing you'll ever learn~

I swallow as he takes a sudden step closer and wraps his arms around me, his soaking body pressed tightly to my own. How should I react to that? Then he steps away and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a chain of blue glass beads. A rosary. "Will you put this over my head for me. . . ?" he asks softly, his voice full of pain as he drops the necklace into my hands.

It takes a moment for me to respond, but I eventually give a jerky nod, gently dropping the rosary over his head- feeling his agony within every bead. Then he pushes a strand of my hair out of my face- - -

~Is just to love-~

And leaps off the edge of the bridge with a single bound, crashing into the deadly waters of the bay. As a tear runs down my face, a hand pressed to my mouth in horror, I can't help but wonder: `Did he just die. . . ?'

Then I answer myself:

`The great hanyou Inu-Yasha. . .

Was dead before I'd even met him.'

~And be loved in return. . .~

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(Note: I admit, this one is over 500 words. However, because of the lyrics, I've decided to give myself a little leeway. In fact, I think I'll be upping the count to 600 next chapter, just because some ideas are ruined when under 500. . . We'll see.)