Stories by Mistress Fluffy

The Past Is Never Forgotten

The world stopped as the legendary sword pierced through her chest going through the pathetic excuse of armor, the metal shattering. The queens' dying bluish gray eyes turned upwards to the heavens muttering a small phrase: "I will live again---...."

The paladin watched as she slowly withered into the ashes to be blown away by a swift wind, he would surely gain glory for killing such an evil but he didn't wish for glory or riches. He wished for his old life, with his old love, his old family. Now they were just a memory among the thousands of other memories, he had killed to avenge but also to see if he could live. If he could live, to him, it meant that he was suppose to live; to forever be reminded of his peaceful days until he too slowly was overcome by old age and then death. He would miss his loved one.

A female paladin rushed up to him to see the robe that signified who he had killed, she wept with joy. She turned to her superior for words of wisdom to be answered with these...

"Agh, I don't know what to write after that! I am all drawn up," I pouted as the words that once flowed from my hands stopped abruptly. I was writing a piece of literature for my Advanced High School English class, we were studying fantasy pieces--fictional.

I was writing about the very clique good versus evil, good kind farmer turns paladin when attacked and attacks evil demented queen. Okay maybe not so clique but it was there. This was the only time that I could do something like this, writing which is my passion, because my son is always demanding my 24-7 attention. I stood from my desk to stretch and check up on Toru, he would most likely be playing on the new PS2 that I got him a week ago. Sure enough his silver streaked black hair was seated right in front of the modest television I had had since I left my mother's home eight years ago, right when I learned I was pregnant.

"Toru Chan, get ready," He paused the, it looked like a fighting game; to turn to me with his oddly colored orbs--one of my bluish gray and one of his fathers.

"But Mama, I am on the last boss! Please just like me kill him then get ready. Please?" He knew I would cave as I usually would when he gave the universal "look." I waved the matter aside, I still had to change; my old friend Sango had invited me to a party of hers, she still had yet to meet my son. I haven't even seen her in eight years. "Oh! Who's the greatest kid in this world? I am, I am!"

"I see you beat the guy into a bloody pulp. Good, now change mister." I said in my stern motherly voice, I followed my son into his room after he saved his game. He proclaimed that he would be really super mad if the game froze so he would have to play again. "I would too because I would have to listen to that fighting for another hour. Put these pants on and this shirt."

"They look dorky!" He exclaimed in a sullen voice.

"Do it or you won't get your hour tomorrow," I saw the look of horror cross his face before he changed into the clothes. I told him that I had to get change before we left to; I went into my room to change into a summer dress made of muslin. Before I left my room I pulled out my photo album, I fingered through it until I came to the picture. My friends and I were all dressed up in traditional clothing, it was the summer I became pregnant, everybody I knew had scorned me but I had taken with me the only things I could carry on my back. I left at the age of seventeen, it was a blessing that I had already graduated, and I was also lucky that I had such a great neighbor that would look after my infant son after I had him. Thank god I had Mrs. Knotting, she was always there for me.

"Mama! Let's get going." Toru stood in the doorway looking discontent in his denim pants and soft cotton shirt. I put away the album before I stood up getting my purse to head to the door.

"Did you shut everything off?" I asked the day old question, at least in this family.

"Yeah, yeah; let's just go." He pushed me out of the door, locking it as we left. He ran to the passenger side of the small '02 beetle bug, declaring he got "shotgun." As I unlocked the doors I saw Mrs. Knotting gardening, she waved as she called a good day. I said the same to her, which made her smile. When Toru got in the car I took off, now and then looking at the directions Sango had sent me with the invitation. Toru talked about his third grade teacher, Ms. Wellington. He told me that she didn't allow his classmates and him to do anything that is but study.

"She is a really mean teacher. Mama?" He looked up at me as I saw a car that I hoped I wouldn't see in years. And yet an excitement took hold of me, which I ignored; Toru noticed I was staring at a car. "Mama it's just a car."

"Wai---Oh yes it's just a car. Let me park right here. Yep perfect." I turned towards my now extremely curious son. "Do not, I repeat, do not speak to anyone I don't talk to. Understand?"

"But--?"

"Just please listen to me. I'll explain it to you later on."

"Well fine then." I held out my pinky finger to which he promptly pinky swore. I kissed him on the head before he could react, he really didn't like me kissing him.

"Nasty! No kisses mama. Can we go now?" Toru asked as he cleaned himself of the kiss, rubbing away any lip-gloss marks on his forehead.

I nodded, got my purse then locked the car door as we got out. Squaring my shoulders I put out my hand for Toru to hold, he gave it a look any eight year old would give; he declared that he was too old for that kind of stuff. I could see that there was a rather large party going on, panic started to thunder in my veins as I thought of seeing my mother again. She had disowned me when she heard the news. Toru ran ahead as I slowly made my way to the front door, I knocked briskly when I arrived. Sango answered, she had grown up into a beautiful young woman; her smile was quick to appear.

"Kagome! Long time no see," Sango grabbed my hand then stopped. She turned towards Toru, who was grabbing my other hand. "Gosh, I am so sorry youngster. The names' Sango, what might yours be?"

"Toru. Where you taking my mother?" He asked, his eyes taking on a confused look not knowing why this woman he really didn't know was acting nice to him.

"Well Toru Kun," Sango giggled as she released my hand to shake Toru's, "I am only going to chat with your mom. You can hang out with some of the other kids; they're over in the game room. It's right by the patio door. OK?"

"Mama?" I nodded my head, which allowed Toru to stop the valiant son act---he raced off to the game room.

"You got a good kid, I can see his father in him." Sango acknowledged.

"Sango, why did you invite me?" I had to know why after eight years she would contact me.

"When I found out you left, I was devastated. My only friend, my only really good friend, had run away and your mother didn't do anything to get you back. So I came to the conclusion that you were disowned and left to start over, I accepted that after a few mouths. But a couple of weeks ago Miroku, him and me are married, said that he saw you. At first I couldn't believe it but him and me more or less stalked you to find out where you lived, we found out and so I had to invite you to my birthday party."

"So you just wanted your friend back?"

"Exactly," Sango stopped by a punch bowl, "but you see I invited you and then a week later Miroku told me that he invited Him. I couldn't very well just brush the guy off because we had been friends for twenty years. So in advance I am sorry." I could see the truth behind her words but I still didn't want to believe that after eight years I was going to see Him again.

"I-It's really okay, I'm just a little shaken up." I looked over the room and saw old friends who refused to even meet my sight; some of the people must be new friends to Sango. "Do you know where He is?"

Sango looked over my shoulder and simply said: "Over there, by Miroku and his brother." And she was right he was there and in all his glory. To me his brother was just a plain copier; the hair and the eyes were so him and having his brother have them seemed like a phony rip-off. Everyone had always told me that I was just asking for trouble dating him but I didn't care I was in love and still am.

"Kag Chan, I made a mistake inviting so don't do anything stupid." Sango startled me with her plea, the Sango I knew never plead.

"Yeah sure, but I really think that I should---..." My sentence was cut off as Miroku saw whom Sango was talking to.

"Dear God!" Miroku ran to embrace me, "Kagome it's so great to see you again. Frankly I thought you fell of the face of the Earth and ended up in America. How's it been?" I answered well but I have to be going, he refused saying that I barely got here.

"But I still have to leave, Toru has to study and I have some papers to grade." The brother came up to look at me as if I was a criminal.

"Toru?" A look of confusion crossed Miroku's face, "Who?"

"My son," I turned away before He saw me, I know he had already but I couldn't get the courage to talk to him. I found my way to the game room, Toru was playing the same fighting game he was playing before we left; I sat next to him. "Toru Chan, we have to go. You have studying to do and I have papers to grade."

"But we just got here," Toru whined.

"No whining mister, I will give you an extra half hour if we leave, now." I could tell he saw the scared look that was approaching my eyes so he got off quickly. "I'll explain everything to you when you are older, OK?"

"OK mom," He grabbed my hand; I smiled at his attempt to calm me down. The brother saw me as I left; he jogged to run up to me.

"Hey Kagome wait up I want to say something to you." He stopped in my path to give my son a quick one over. "I am sorry if you are still bent up about Se---..." I slapped him; I never wanted to hear that name spoken in my sons' or my presence. I tugged on Toru's hand, I think at the time he was awestruck that I hit someone, and leaded to the car.

"Mama, why did you hit that guy?" Toru asked when I started the car, I didn't answer for Snago ran up and knocked on the rolled up window.

"Yes Sango?" Even to my own ears my voice sounded chilly.

"InuYasha only wanted to apologize---..."

"Sango, InuYasha said His name in front of me and my son. Sorry to leave so soon but I thought He wasn't even going to be here. Sorry," I rolled the window back up to drive away. Toru knew not to say anything until I said something so he looked at the passing scenery, the trees the cars and the people.

"Mama can I stay over at Ken's house?" So Toru didn't really enjoy tense silence as I did. "He invited me yesterday at school but I forgot to ask."

"Yeah sure you can, I do not mind. Just don't stay up to late and I want to paint the living room tomorrow so just give me a call so I pick you up tomorrow. No later than twelve o' clock." I glanced over at my son and wondered how such a great kid could come from me.

"OK, can I use your cell phone to call?" He had already grabbed the tiny phone from my purse, I nodded and he dialed away.

"Is Ken there? Okay thanks. Oh hey Ken, my mom says it's okay to sleep over. Yeah it's cool, I think so. Let me see." Toru covered the mouthpiece of the phone before asking me: "Would it be OK if I go over there now?"

"I don't mind, we'll just jet over to the house to pick up some clothes and toothbrush for you." We came up on our house to see Mrs. Knotting on the front porch. Toru told Ken that he would be there in a couple of minutes then he hung up. "Mrs. Knotting what's the matter?"

"Oh well see this man came to your house and when he saw that you weren't home he came over to my home." Mrs. Knotting cringed at the memory, "he was so tall and devastatingly handsome but I could see that he was cold. Then he said something like 'Where is the woman that lives there?' Oh Kagome don't do anything stupid, I could see that he knew you and maybe really well but I didn't say anything. I said something like 'Well to be perfectly honest she doesn't talk to me.' I didn't say anything about Toru Kun mind you. Are you OK?" He had been here? He knew where I lived; I needed to talk with Sango.

"Of course I am okay, is you husband here?" I asked as I went into the house I had turned into a home. Toru raced to his room to get ready for the sleep over.

"Why, yes he is." Mrs. Knotting looked around the modest living room. She saw Toru run out of his room with a duffle bag. "Where are you going Toru Kun?"

"Oh I am sleeping over at Kens' house." Toru went to the doorway to stop suddenly. "Mama? There's someone watching the house."