The Garden
Kagami Higurashi raised her blue eyes.
She was tired of her endless life but had learned long ago not to hope.
Her keeper, the four-tailed demon fox Youkai Kurama, was an extremely jealous creature who would not even so much share her attention. He slaughtered any who found this garden that he kept her in and Kurama was her only company… ever.
As Shikon Miko, she knew he was valuable but the Youkai usually wanted to corrupt or kill her… Kurama seemed content enough just to hold her and have her attention.
She had no idea how long it had been but she had long since ceased to rail against her fate.
There was no point and Kurama didn’t care about her unhappiness so long as he had her attention.
She was only human and she got lonely.
She had no idea how he had lived this long either but thought it might be something to do with Kurama’s power.
A four-tailed demon fox wasn't the most powerful youkai out there but he was still young to be a four-tailed fox already and cocky with it.
His power was nothing on the Western General, the dog Taiyoukai, Sesshomaru or even her dear Hanyou companion, the General’s half-brother, Inuyasha, but Kurama had survived to the four-tail stage and he was cunning, bold and charming despite his youth.
Sure, she could have purified him, or given it a damn good effort… but his band of thieves had no issue with harming humans. It was how they’d gotten her in the first place. Using the helpless villagers as bait. She’d done her best but there had been too many and they had demanded her surrender in exchange for the villagers' lives.
She’d made them sign in blood for it but then been knocked out, awoken in the garden and that was that.
After the first dozen years and being unable to escape she gave it up.
It took nearly twice as long to stop venting at her keeper but she’d had to face it.
Her keeper would never permit another near her to live. He was a greedy creature. Simply having her and holding her was an accomplishment but he wanted to be the complete focus of her attention. NOTHING was permitted to divert or distract it and humans weren’t made to be alone.
She had to surrender or go insane from the loneliness.
She had no idea of the passing of time but one of the few who had found this place, before Kurama killed them, told her the worlds had been separated.
Youkai, Spirit and Human realms were all separated from each other now. The borders might be weak in places, but humans could mostly live their lives in safety…
Even though she could barely remember her face, Kagome missed her mother desperately. She missed her grandfather and brother and even her cat. She longed to go home, or even for a small bit of news regarding those she cared about.
What had happened to the great Dog General? To Rin and Kohaku? To Kirara and her little Shippo? To Sango and Miroku? Was Inuyasha still alive? Was he okay?
She held these concerns in her heart but never mentioned them.
He kept her well enough. Her food and clothing were created from the plants that were his to command, as was her shelter against the rain, though there was never snow here. Kurama wouldn't allow it. The temperature rarely varied year-round and the only things that varied were the plants her keeper brought to add to his collection.
It was her task to tend the garden, though she felt it wasn't really needed.
So the years slipped by.
-
There came a yelping cry and a male Youkai who could pass for human fell out of the sky and crashed into her small pond.
After a few moments of lying there stunned, the wet, slightly muddy and plant-covered individual slowly and painfully scraped himself to his feet and shook a fist at the sky, letting loose enough swears to turn the air blue, before trudging out of the lake.
He obviously hadn’t seen her as he took off his shirt and wrung it, stripping water from his arms and chest with his hands.
Then, he spotted her and froze, before a blush practically burst out of him, going all the way down a VERY nicely toned chest.
Kagami realized she was staring and covered her eyes with a squeak.
It had been so long since she’d interacted with someone who wasn’t Kurama.
Even if he killed them all, she usually got a conversation in first but even so, she couldn’t bring the face of the last one to mind.
And her ‘guest’ was speaking.
“I’m SO terribly sorry Lovely. A sibling of mine has a nasty ‘hobby’ of tossing people through random portals to see what happens.
As all of us have come back safely so far, she thinks it’s fine and funny. Maybe we should have let her see the damage we’ve taken due to her ‘pranks’ but she’s just a kid. She doesn’t get it.
Anyway,” he shook himself off like a dog. “Pardon for the intrusion but would you mind if I kept you company for an hour or so? The portal will be back and automatically suck me in.”
For the first time in she couldn’t remember how long, Kagome’s eyes filled with tears.
It took longer than she liked to calm down but she finally managed to get a hold of herself enough to explain.
He took it better than she expected and the abrupt hug was both disconcerting and nice.
She’d… not been held since before… since before… and he was a total stranger who was going to die shortly.
He let her go after the waterworks stopped and scrubbed a hand through his hair, then he grinned, big and cheesy.
“No sweat Lovely. I’m a serial incarnator. Kill my bod and I’ll pop up again in a couple of decades or so. Each of my new hosts wouldn’t survive without my presence so each incarnation is actually a merger so it’s all good. This sucks, don’t get me wrong, but Foxy obviously knows shit all about the proper care and upkeep of humans. Doesn’t he know that for a human to be mentally healthy, they need more than a visit whenever their ‘owner’ has time to drop by?
Even if he’s a selfish shit who wants your everything focused on him, you’ve done amazingly. Honestly Miko sama,” He gave a florid, overdone bow, “I’m in awe of your mental fortitude and strength. Now, my arrival’s probably triggered some sort of alarm so, here,” he pulled a strange item out, pressed a dot on the bottom and dropped to sit beside her. “Have some instant tea as a memento.
I’ve heard the Japanese like their green tea. Also these,” he whipped out a few containers of mochi and dango from somewhere. “Also, this,” He dropped a small cloth over the containers making them vanish. He handed her a small paper cup and took one for himself, before pouring from the spout on the strange container he just opened.
Bemused, Kagome took the cup and held it in her hands, the smell of the tea curling up to tickle her nostrils. She tentatively moved the cloth and opened the box of mochi.
It had been so long… SO LONG. Tears came again and she thought she’d none left to cry.
He sighed and handed her a handkerchief. “Let it out Lovely. Our little Miko sama has stayed strong like the Queen she is but, you don’t have to hide it in front of me Lovely. I’ll never judge.
As the gladiators say, ‘We who are about to die, salute you.’ I’ll see you again, promise… so let the tears come, take your time and enjoy, yes?”
Kagome, her voice just gone, nodded and dutifully sipped. It was bitter but paired nicely with mochi’s sweetness. If tears flowed down her cheeks as she did, he didn't comment and they stopped on their own after a while. She appreciated the handkerchief he offered too.
Her keeper turned up about twenty minutes later and was incandescent with rage. Not only was his prize’s attention NOT on him, but she was smiling and even laughing, though her eyes were red and her cheeks had tear tracks.
The dango and the cloth were tucked away in her clothing but the mochi box was in the open with a single one left. A third cup sat next to it.
The boy, whose only sign of his other than human heritage had faint points on his ears and slit pupils to his amber eyes.
He raised his cup in the furious fox's direction as he stood to his feet and brushed himself off. “And, here’s our host. Apologies for the abrupt visit. My sister’s aim with her portals is pretty crappy. Anyway, the charming Miko sama has been keeping me company while I wait for the return portal. At any rate,” he bowed to the still-seated Kagame, “It’s been fun Miko sama. Remember, you’re a Queen so, keep your crown on straight and your chin up okay? Head held high. Until next time. Now, I need to go have a word with your man.”
The boy approached despite Kurama’s rage having him nearly shifting back into his animal form, his tails lashing furiously, a growl rumbling in his throat and his teeth bared. Around them, plant life, which was the main focus of the fox youkai's power, shifted and grew.
“Now… before you do anything messy, let’s get out of the sight of the lovely young Miss, Foxy. I’m sure she’s got enough you generated nightmares to be going on with. For someone so determined to keep that Miss all to yourself, you’re sure shit at it.”
Kurama lost patients and ripped his throat out.
Fifteen minutes later, a portal opened, sucking the shredded remains through it and there was a horrified wail from the other side.
Kurama had done his best to shred the insolent one into bloody tatters.
The insensed fox stormed away from his prize, lest he take his temper out on her.
-
Kagome started counting days, weeks, months again. She couldn’t help but hope. She WANTED to believe it.
She was right to believe it.
At roughly thirty years since then, a girl stumbled into the garden. She was fully human but deathly ill.
(Kagome was SO relieved! She'd been half afraid it was a dream after the last of the snacks were gone even if she still had the cloth.)
She spoke with that same casual insolence though.
“Hey Miko sama,” she greeted, pausing to cough so violently it left her shaking. “Haha, yeah. My bod’s pretty shredded and I figured, ‘Hey, since I’m dying anyway, there’s no point in dragging it out. Let’s go keep our promise, visit a pretty, lonely lady and go out with a bang. Assisted suicide via raging Yokai baby. The only way to go.” She raised an emaciated thumb with a wink of unique violet-blue eyes.
Kagome hurried to her and helped her sit, a burst of Purifying power rushing through the shaking body.
“Ahaha. Damn, that’s got a kick. Thank’s Little Queen. That helps.”
“What?” Kagome asked.
“Family Curse, genetic Curse… something like that. The firstborn always dies if not at then shortly after birth. Me surviving wasn’t on the books but eh, I’m a cheat. Even so, I’m in my twenties now, look like a tweenie and it's a given I'm not going to make it to my next birthday.
No regrets though.
Me carrying it like this means that my younger twin and littler brother both got married and their firstborn kids were born safe and healthy. It’s worth carrying for that and I even got a taste of the good stuff. She passed last year due to cancer and there was shit all I could do and I’m tired. So, I thought I come visit, give you my regards and some snacks and get slaughtered. I’ll give your foxy boy this, he does a thorough job with the whole messily murdered thing.
Next time, if I’m healthy, I might even try running just to see how far I get. Heheh.
So, milady, tea?”
Kagome accepted the familiar water heating contraption and a cup.
Three boxes were pulled out and a bottle of hard candies. One was quality chocolate, the second was sakura mochi and lastly, another box of dango.
There was also a strange semi-glove that appeared to be made of gently glowing silk. Outside of the glow that shifted to the pink of her purification energy when she touched it, the glove was a dove gray. It looped around the base of the middle finger, extending to the first finger joint but leaving the rest of the fingers and the hand uncovered. The roughly triangular material tied around the wrist to form an almost slave bracelet-style glove.
“That’s from my portal making ‘sibling’. She’s very sorry to you that my arrival meant getting messily slaughtered and any trauma that might have brought. This is her apology gift. She made a point of looking up my new incarnation to drop it off. No idea how she found me but eh," the emaciated woman shrugged.
"It’ll help you concentrate your Spiritual Power for if you ever need a strong burst and, meantime, stores one or two percent of your power per day. It should be good for three or four shots, depending on the build-up. Meantime, you can also store your presents in there so Foxy won’t nick or wreck them.”
Kagome accepted the cup of tea. “Please… don’t come if you’re healthy.” She asked/stated.
The body of her guest, with its illness-worn face, vibrant eyes, thin illness-bleached hair and washed-out skin looked down for a moment and then sighed. “Alright, Little Queen. If that’s what you want. I reserve the right to come for a quick, thorough death if my circumstances are bad though. Would that be okay?”
Kagome nodded.
“Alrighty then. Let’s enjoy our tea time and see how long it takes for Foxy to get here. You can practice talking and maybe even think of something you’d like me to bring next time…”
“I… music. I miss music the most.”
“Music it is then, Little Queen.”
Foxy must have been very distracted because it took him two hours to arrive and, by then, Kagome’s guest was resting with her head in Kagome’s lap.
The burst of rage aura from Kurama was enough to make the tree branches sway and whip.
Kaogme’s guest jolted awake and sat up nonchalantly.
She yawned, stretched, and fell into a coughing fit that included a small splat of blood this time.
She wiped her mouth on her hand. “Oh, hey Foxy. Time to go get messily murdered.”
A second burst of incandescent rage aura swept over them.
“Geeze Foxy, what got your tails in a twist? That’s some serious rage on. I might not even get an off-screen death at this rate…”
A third, more concentrated burst, ripped her from Kagome’s grip. As she flew away she shouted, “Remember, Little Queen! Crown Straight…”
It took Kagome a few moments to remember as Kurama bounded past her, intent on catching and destroying the figure he’d sent flying. Oh… Crown Straight, Chin Up, Head High. Stay strong until I see you again. It was a promise to return.
Kagome began to cry.
-
That person turned up again and again, somehow always managing to find their way back to the garden, despite whatever security Kurama placed around it and the fact they were an ordinary human as often as they weren't.
Sometimes they were very old, sometimes heartbreakingly young but always ready to go and always with tea, snacks and a gift.
Sometimes the gap was a decade or two, sometimes longer. The longest had been ninety-nine years, ninety-nine days and, probably, nine hours.
That hadn’t been their fault, exactly, as Kurama, thoroughly sick of them, stuffed their soul into one of his hell plants to be fed on and it took them both a while to die and to extract themselves.
After that, they provoked the disgruntled fox until he lost his temper and killed them properly.
On the ninety-ninth incarnation, something different happened. A voice, while she was meditating, came wafting to her as though on a breeze.
“Little Queen, Miko sama, if you have a choice… Stay or go?”
Kagome closed her eyes, took a deep breath and opened them before breathing a single word.
The voice came again. “Understood. I won’t appear again until the time is right. Remember…”
Kagome repeated the mantra that had become her watch phrases. “Crown straight. Chin up. Head high.” She was a Queen and she would carry herself like one.
Just as they’d both sensed, her keeper was becoming cocky and sloppy with it. Kagome couldn’t have said if it was weeks, months or years… but she had sensed it coming.
His presence vanished shortly after and soon, these plants that carried part of his will would no longer be safe for her, despite the fact they were here to both watch over and protect her and had become accustomed to her holy aura.
Kagome began building a purified sanctuary in the center.
This time, he was a tall young man with hair like an anime protagonist. It was dark, with a spiky bang over one eye, with the rest up in a short top knot, so that the resulting tail tuft sat on the nape of his neck.
His eyes were a burning blue and his clothing was also very manga protagonist. He looked like a fusion of Magical Swordsman and Samurai. A close-fitting dark jacket with a tabard over top. Leather armour in a dark green. Knee sandals with slightly loose pants in a dark colour that were barely seen between the coat and the tunic.
His belt held dual sword loops.
He also radiated energy, though she didn't think it was entirely Spiritual. She didn't know WHAT it was, only that it was powerful.
He held his hand out to her and she accepted without hesitation.
She was… she was leaving at last. Wherever they went, she almost didn’t care. She could see something outside of this garden again.
She wept with joy.
-
It took them a year on and off and she slowly got accustomed to seeing and speaking to other people again without having them die.
With him beside her, not even the strongest youkai would come near them and she slowly began to relax again.
She even got to see Lord Sesshomaru, her little Shippo and his wives (the two girls decided on it. He didn’t really get a say in the matter, though he wasn't complaining) thunder demon Soten and the bat Hanyo Shiori, who it was lovely to see again.
Sesshomaru still held the west while the other three kings were deadlocked. He had no interest in interfering with them in any way and only moved if they intruded on his territory.
Being around them helped but it took Kagome a long time to stop flinching around her pseudo son, simply because he was a fox, even if he looked nothing like Kurama.
They were furious on her behalf of course. If that fool ever turned up again, they would slaughter him for the insult.
-
Ten years they remained there while Kagome healed, mentally and spiritually, able to find and center herself again.
When she felt ready, she asked her benefactor to take her home to the human world. Being spiritually gifted, rather than using Youkai energy, it was easy for them to slip through the Spirit World's defensive measures and finally, finally Kagome caught sight of her home.
He’d timed it perfectly.
This was two years after she went through the well for the last time.
-
Her companion gave her a card for a psychologist who was accustomed to both dealing with the spirit world and with youkai fall out.
He was a member of this incarnation’s current bio family and would do right by her.
He young man escorted her right up to the building, knocked, sat her family down and explained as best he could a brief version of what she’d been through.
She’d dealt with much of her youkai fear and the fear that any who spoke to her would die but she would need time and support to adjust to being back in a modern era, the people, the language, the customs… everything. She would also need to be protected as the Shikon Miko.
Lord Sesshomaru had agreed to lend support in the form of her pseudo kit, Shippo and his two wives who would act as companions and bodyguards for her… outside of that, she needed a chance to be a face in the crowd again. She would never be ordinary, but she could become one of many for a brief period.
The firm of the psychologist he’d given her could also dispatch some tutors to help her readjust to modern life and come to terms with what was different. It was one of their specialties.
They would be honoured to help her, he was sure.
As for himself, well, she had his number. She could call him any time and he’d come. For now, he was going to explore the situation on mundane Earth and see what he could pick up.
With that, he embraced her once, excused himself and left leaving Kagome feeling bereft.
Mama treated her no differently and neither did Shouta. For some reason, that helped. Even having the pudgy, grumpy Buyo kitty around who treated her no differently helped.
-
Even so, she was NOT ready when a seventeen-year-old, red-haired Kurama turned up in front of her by accident. He was mediating between a black-haired kid with extremely powerful youkai and a short, very powerful person with a mixed nature.
If not for that person at her side, she would have frozen completely.
At a glance, she could tell what had happened now. Kurama had had to pull what her rescuer and, at this point, closest friend did regularly, to save his life. He had merged his spirit with a struggling human fetus and so was now closer to Hanyo than his former powerful youkai self. The human ‘contamination’ appeared to have done him good… but she still wasn’t ready to see or deal with him.
He might not have been directly cruel to her but she had a LOT of trauma thanks to him.
She had Lord Sesshoumaru’s protection too so she never needed to deal with him again if she didn’t want to… and, for now, she did not.
She was getting her life back together.
Learning how to deal with humans, youkai and spirits without panicking.
Beginning to become comfortable dealing with crowds and technology. Even going back to school to complete her education, though mostly online. She was still not up to dealing with extreme crowds and didn’t think she could handle traditional schooling but seeing the lectures online and studying on her own, that she could manage.
Speaking with that Psychologist along with several spiritual experts, including Master Genkai had helped a great deal too.
She thought she could do this, this whole living and moving-on thing, now.
Slowly, slowly, step by step. She could do this. She’d have bad days and periods where she backslid progress wise but she had patience. Centuries in that garden had taught her that much at least. She could give herself this. Be patient with herself as she recovered and learned and, if some of the scars never faded fully, that was also fine. They were a mark of her journey and she had time. She had all the time in the world.