Chapter Seven: The Soul Piper, And The Boy Named Yuta.

I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO RUMIKO TAKASHI. I, CONFESSION_HEART AM ONLY CLAIMING MY CHARACTERS AND THE PLOT OF THE STORY. I AM TRYING HARD TO MAKE IT GOOD AND STRONGLY CONSIDERING ROMANCE BUT NOT SURE WITH WHO. KOTORI DESERVES SOME LOVE TOO WITH THE STRUGGLES IN HER LIFE. PLEASE UNDERSTAND HER HARDSHIPS AND SUGGEST A PAIRING FOR HER. I, CONFESSION_HEART HAVEN'T UPDATE IN A WHILE BECAUSE OF COVID BUT NOW I'M BETTER. I'LL CONTINUE WITH REGULAR UPDATES AND PROMISE TO NOT DISAPPOINT. IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH, COMMENTS HELP SUPPORT ME.

THANKS FOR READING IN ADVANCE.

Kotori looked up at the sky and admired the sight of the clouds then saw spirits of dead children laughing surrounding a spirit with a yellow spherical shape and a long scaly tail with two thin arms and small hands holding a flute. The tiny hands and eyes are always closed.

The Soul Piper... It plays the flute to help calm the souls of the children that are still in the living world until they can move on to the afterlife.

It's a rumor that when its eyes open, they become very large with red irises, accompanied by red veins. That is something that nobody wants to encounter.

"Kagome!" Shippo called and pointed out," Isn't that the Soul Piper that you talked about, right?"

It's adorable seeing Shippo's astound expression. A kid with a troubled childhood could still manage to smile through all that pain.

Kotori showed a gentle smile that was sincere yet painful. She was envious of the fox demon and wished that she was surrounded by love in her younger years.

"How pretty! ... Your smile"

There was still intension in the air between Kagome and InuYasha, but everyone drew their attention to the lost boy comment.

He stood there with a tear streaming from his right cheek. His black hair was slightly ruffled, and brown eyes with decent clothes on. He was missing his two front teeth and had the sweetest voice.

It caught Kotori by surprise then she approached the little boy and spoke kindly," How kind of you. Your parent must've brought you up well. Are you lost, little one?"

He blurted out and pleaded." Please save my mommy and daddy." And then he took off running.

Kotori chased after the boy then the other followed shortly after. She had more questions for the little boy and realized that she stopped in front of a village.

She hands her hands on her knees out of breath and lifted her head at the sight of a poor villager. There were very few people there and barely crops growing in the soil. There were a lot of injured villagers.

Miroku spoke. "War times are tough."

Kotori looked around and spotted the boy near one of the villagers' homes. She rushed in the direction of the boy.

"Wait up, Kotori!" The others called.

She found it strange that she couldn't catch his scent anywhere but now, he was right in front of her then he vanished again within a blink of an eye. She looked around the hut then decided to enter

"Hello, I'm coming," Kotori says and she was not preparing for what was about to happen next. A pregnant woman standing on a chair in the living room was hanging herself with the clothes of the bedsheets.

She hurriedly helped the woman down then the others offered their assistance. In the other room was an older man suffering from a lack of nutrients and dehydration. He was clinging to his life on a thin straw.

After a few days, the two were being nourished to health by medics and suddenly, the boy appeared at his parents' aid.

"Mommy, Daddy! Please live. Don't die because of me."

Before anyone can speak to the boy, he vanishes again. Right when his parents regain consciousness. The mother would tip-toed around the situation and forcefully changed the topic.

"Make yourself at home." She spoke and acted if she didn't just try to commit suicide a few days ago. Everyone found her behavior quite strange." I will back right back, I'm going fetch some crops for the stew." She hurriedly walked out of the hut.

"Hey, guys! What do you think going on?" Shippo whispered but not low enough because the man heard them.

He spoke in a groggy tone with a sad expression," Yuta was our ray of sunshine, and just at 5 years old, he was taken by the plague. It was a terrible day; Yuta would groan in pain and the heavy rain wouldn't stop. There wasn't any local physician but when one came, it was a day too late."

That shattered everyone's heart there wasn't 'anything that they could say to mend this man's heart.

"Yuta lost his life at such a young age."

He continued" Yuta was special he brought smiles to everyone's faces even on difficult days. After his death, the relationship was beyond repair at that point then a few months later Yua found out that she was pregnant. It was dreadful news for both of us. I love her at the same time I wasn't so sure anymore, I stuck around just because. The both of us weren't getting better.

"That's so terrible." Kagome lowered her eyes and looked down at the dirt floor. It remained her of Mayu.

A few more minutes came by.

"What's taking Yua so long to return? It never takes her this long to retrieve the crops from the backyard. I will check on her and make sure everything is okay or if she needs help." He walked out.

The little boy reappeared," Please save my mommy! She's going to jump." He yelled terrified and ran in the direction of a mountain.

" Inu-" Kagome stopped herself from calling out his name and was still upset about Kikyo. She didn't know how to confront him or the issue at hand.

'This lover quarrels is stupid. But the question lies, who does InuYasha want? He seems to have affection towards them both. Haha, as if I know anything about love.'

" Kagome and InuYasha still aren't talking?" Kotori questioned and could feel the tension in the air.

" You guessed it!" Sango confirmed.

Just when InuYasha ran out of the hut, the villager returned. He watched the half-demon leave out with confusion and looked at the others sitting in his living room." I couldn't find Yua but where is he going?" He questioned.

Nobody was willing to answer his question correctly and kept talking in circles.

Kotori clenched her fist and could not handle it then blurted." Yuta told us that his mother is in danger!"

" Not Yua, too!"

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Earlier...

Yua exited the house and began picking crops from the garden behind the hut. The memories of her five-year-old son broke her heart. She has seen him everywhere picking carrots in the yard, playing with the other children, his presence was in her thoughts and everywhere she turned her head then a ball purple small rolled on her foot.

" The wind probably blew it this way.." She picked up the ball and could see her son smiling face with missing front teeth then remembered.

"Mommy, are you, me, and daddy going to be together forever?"

" Mhm."

Yua wanted to cherish the precious memory and be reunited with her son. After walking for a while, she stood on the cliff with her eyes closed.

A faint voice shouted," Mommy!" as she fell.

" Y-Yuta... I love you"

She opened her eyes for a second and thought it was her hallucination when she saw her son jump down and reach his hand for her, they couldn't touch.

"DON'T GO MOMMY!"

InuYasha searched everyone and caught the pregnant woman's scent nearby. Suddenly, he heard a loud voice and rushed in the direction of the noise. He spotted her body falling then quickly jumped up and caught her.

"Gotcha.."

She passed out while she carried her back to the hut.

"Thank you, mister."

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Yua opened her eyes and found her husband by her side holding her hand." Tatsyui..." She called out.

" You had me worried sick, I thought something happened to you."

" I didn't think you love me anymore and beside..." Yua spoke in a soft tone and reverted her eyes away from him." I can't imagine loving another child more than Yuta. It feels wrong and plus I promised him."

Kotori was angry and found the reason for Yua's actions ridiculous. She sympathized with the woman but the little boy seem to be suffering more. She was fast on her feet, and nobody could stop her. She raised her hand and slap Yua across the face.

" W-what!" Everyone was shocked.

Kotori spoke," That's stupid! How could you be so selfish? Yuta wouldn't have wanted that and he knows that nobody would replace the love you have for him but that doesn't mean that you can't love your unborn child. Do you find it unfair that you stripping away your child's life? Yuta loves you all very much and I think it would make him sad if you followed him in death."

Suddenly, a miracle happened. Yuta appeared in front of his parents in his human form. First, he turned to the others and thanked them.

"Thanks for saving my parents and my siblings."

Tears dwelled in both Yua and Tatsyui's eyes. They were rendered speechless

"Mommy, Daddy. I love you very much and don't hurt anymore because of me. Soon, I will have to go."

" We love you so much Yuta forever, and always."

" Forever and always."

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The group departed from the village and continue their journey on finding the thousands of jewel shards.

In the middle of the night, a child's laughter could be heard.

Kotori looked up at the full moon and saw The Soul Piper than the little boy, Yuta.

" I'm a half-demon like you, miss. If I was your child then I will give you all of that love in the world... Farewell." He returned to the other children surrounded by the soul piper.

Both of his parents looked human. Was any of the parent's demons if so then which one? Or was he taken in from a cruel life? Who knows.

Kotori smiled sincerely then looked at Kagome.

Do I tell her what happened between InuYasha and Kikyo? But it seems that she and InuYasha are getting along now."