Chapter 27

"Well, we're here," Kagome sighed sadly, taking in the damage of the shrine grounds.

The main house was burnt to the ground, but the guest house and two shrine buildings unaffected, including the Bone Eater's well. Kagome's eyes remained on the remnants of her home and then the memories of her family flooded her mind.

'Sister! Sister! Come and kick the soccer ball with me,' she imagined Souta running out of the house with the soccer ball, then dropping it to the ground to kick back at Kagome.

'You two play nice and keep away from the buidlings. If you break the windows, it is coming out of your allowance,' she imagined her mother leaning out the door, warning them.

She turned into InuYasha's arms and cried, "They're gone. I always thought that they'd be here every time I came through the well. I was hoping this was a bad nightmare, but who was I kidding?"

"I know the feeling, Kagome. I was only a pup, when I had lost my mom. I lived by myself for a long time, thinking my brother abandoned me on purpose. He was in danger just as much as I was and fighting to keep the Western Lands, but I was too young and didn't know that at the time. I had thought he hated me and when he came to me, it was to toughen me up. He wasn't ashamed that he had a half demon for a brother. He was trying to keep me from being killed and also teaching me to protect myself. In his own strange way, he loved me, however showing his affection as a taiyoukai would show his weakness. In a way, for both him and I, loving you is a weakness, however it is a weakness worth dying for. Kagome, you have both Sesshoumaru and I. We can't replace your biological family, but we want to be your future," he replied, brushing his lips across her forehead.

"Yes, but it hurts. This is a fresh memory and take time to heal. For now, I need to look through the rubble and it will be hard," she sighed.

"I know. That's what I'm here for," he grinned, hugging her. "Come on, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get back."

'I wish this all hadn't happened. She's the kindest person I know. She doesn't deserve this,' he frowned.

Kagome and InuYasha slowly waded their way through the shambles of her home, diligently sifting for anything salvageable. After hours of searching, the only thing that had remained untouched was a large metal chest. Everything else was half burnt or burn beyond recognization. Kagome was going to keep some of the half burnt items, but thought it best to just trash it so she would not have to be constantly reminded about the fire and the deaths of her family.

"Hmm. I've never seen this before. Lets check this out," Kagome said, opening the case.

Inside revealed books, scrolls, and other heirlooms. The case was large enough that it could have been a luggage case from a hundred years ago. At the bottom was a sword. Kagome carefully picked it up, and then unsheathed it. It was a doubled bladed broadboard. The grip was braided in red and white leather and the end adorned with a sapphire crescent moon encased in a diamond sun and lined in white gold. The triangles representing the sun rays were rubies.

"Beautiful," Kagome gasped as she examined the blade.

InuYasha picked up a parchment that had been attached to the sheath and read it.

"It was for you, but what I can't understand it that the Eastern symbol is meshed with the Western symbols. The sword and sheath looks to have no inscriptions, but I bet this is Totosai's work," Inu Yasha guessed. "You'll need to train with that. We'll have to visit Totosai to find out its purpose. He'd bound to answer you. That old man can't answer me straight and if it were Sesshoumaru, I think the geezer would have a stroke on the spot."

Kagome laughed and replied, "Yes, we should see him as soon as possible."

Another item caught Kagome's eye.

Kagome picked up a white gold trinket that was shaped like a rounded rhombus, with the kanji symbols of the elements in each corner. Each symbol was fashioned from precious gemstones; ruby for fire, wind of amethyst, earth from emerald, and water from sapphire.

"I wonder what this is," Kagome said, running her fingers over each symbol.

"Look at this, Kagome. It's a book of demons and holy beings, like a record of whom existed, and their achievements and tribulations" Inu Yasha said, browsing through a thick black leather book trimmed in gold. "Oh, it has current demons."

Suddenly words appeared under one of the demon's name.

"Whoa! It writes itself! Wow!" he exclaimed.

Kagome shrugged,"I still don't know why this stuff is here and why it happens to be the only thing that survived the fire. Just put it back in. We'll fix my new room up. I have to go down to the City Hall to arrange the main house to be rebuilt and see if they can find a suitable priest or priestess to keep this shrine while I'm away. After that, I will be back with something to cook for dinner."

"You do that. I'll fix your room," InuYasha insisted, then kissed her before pushing her off.

Kagome found her mom's second stash for her keys and hopped into her mom's Subaru. She resolved herself not to sit there in the car and cry, but to do what she had to. With a sad sigh, she slowly turned the key in the ignition, put the car into gear and drove off.