Chapter Text
The air was warm, softened by the gentle breeze of early summer. The sun was bright in the sky, the day the longest it would be all year.
It was a day during which Kagome thrived. She was a root, a vital piece of the earth with her soil-brown eyes, and her flowers grew and her grass was soft beneath her bare feet. Mother Earth always teased her for never wearing shoes, but Kagome only smiled and insisted she loved to feel the evidence of her life, of the power her mother offered her.
Kagome strolled through the nearby forest until she reached her favorite meadow, raising her hands in the air to encourage the flowers to grow. There were beauties of pink and purple as the grass elongated around her. She picked her flowers and adorned her hair with them, her long locks smelling of the fragrance she loved so much.
More flowers sprouted around her, and she laughed happily at the sight. The sky was a perfect blue, with just a few lovely clouds enhancing the beauty.
Kagome was happy.
Mother Earth rejuvenated her, and as she looked up toward the sky, she smiled.
The Sun was something she’d always been curious about. It was beautiful and always warmed her cheeks, and sometimes she would wave to it. Mother Earth told her stories about the Sun and the Moon often enough that Kagome’s curiosity was satiated.
She only wished she could meet them, but her home was on the ground with her loving Mother Earth. Kagome wanted for nothing, so her desires were fleeting.
But her curiosity never truly waned.
Inuyasha gazed down at Mother Earth, smiling at the flowers she and her children were blooming. The Solstice was in full swing, and Inuyasha found pride in his ray of sunlight.
The Sun was his mother, and the Moon was his father. He loved his daytime life as a ray and his nighttime life as a reflection. He would watch the land and sea during the night, knowing it was his favorite. He loved the day, but the night was special to him.
Perhaps it was the kiss of moonlight in his long, silver hair. The Sun had kissed his eyes when he was born, illuminating them with a bright golden color. Inuyasha was born in the nighttime, though; perhaps that was why he was drawn to it.
But when he was a ray of sunlight, he got to see Mother Earth in all her beauty, so he gazed down, admiring the flowers and the animals roaming free. Each child of the Moon and Sun was given an animal to connect their powers to the Earth from within the skies after their birth. Inuyasha’s animal was a dog, so he was given little dog ears when he was born and always felt a special warmth when he saw dogs roaming around the Earth. He smiled as he saw a pack of wild dogs running through a clearing below him.
Looking at his mother, Inuyasha saw that the Sun was setting, signaling that the Summer Solstice was nearing its end.
Knowing he didn’t have much time, Inuyasha moved quickly to get his last few glances of the Earth below him. Deciding to get a closer look, he stretched his light a little further, eventually breaking away in a soft beam of sunlight. The Summer and Winter Solstices were the only times he could break away to visit the Earth, so he quickly took advantage of the opportunity.
It only took a moment for his heart to shift.
There was a woman, a daughter of Mother Earth if he’d ever seen one, and she was walking through a meadow, a trail of flowers following in her wake with each footstep.
The long, thick mane of hair that hit her lower back was filled with flowers, and he could see the depths of her brown eyes from his position in the sky.
She was beautiful.
He’d never felt such a feeling as this, of an intense curiosity and a warmth that rivaled that of the Sun herself.
Daring to get closer, he caught the scent of the flowers surrounding the woman and without realizing it, he drifted closer to Mother Earth than he ever had before.
“Son of the Sky,” Mother Earth greeted, appearing before him in the form of an unbelievably lovely plant. “What brings you so close?”
Inuyasha hesitated, glancing at the woman that was nearby.
“I was…curious,” he replied, uncertain how she would feel about him admiring one of her daughters.
But Mother Earth was smart and perceptive, so she only smiled.
“That is my daughter, Kagome,” she explained. “This is her twentieth summer solstice. She is kind and welcoming, should you ever get to meet her.”
Inuyasha blushed and looked over at the woman prancing around, his heart constricting. It was also his twentieth summer solstice, so he wondered how he’d never seen her before.
“I…I don’t know what to say, Mother Earth,” he admitted.
She smiled. “You don’t need to say anything.” She laughed, the sound like the twinkle of a fairy. “At least, not to me, my dear.” With a wave of one of her leaves, Mother Earth sank back into the ground and disappeared.
Inuyasha took a deep breath and floated over to the woman, to Kagome, wondering what he could say to such a gorgeous creature as her.
He reached her quickly, and when she looked up to see him, her lips parted in a soft gasp.
Purple flowers suddenly sprouted all around them, and he recognized it as an emotional response that many daughters of Mother Earth experienced.
Inuyasha couldn’t help his smile as he gazed down at her, his entire being softening. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Inuyasha’s home was in the Sky, so he’d seen all kinds of plants, flowers, animals, trees, all of it, from afar.
But Kagome…she was like a breath of fresh air. She was magical.
And then she lifted her hand, reaching for him.
Inuyasha did the same, but before they could touch, the Sun began to disappear, pulling him back as the rays began to fade.
Inuyasha’s eyes widened as he was pulled away before his palm could touch Kagome’s, but all he could do was stare down at her as he ascended into the Sky to be rejoined with his family.
They were ripped apart before they could even fall together.
Her brown eyes were imprinted in his mind as he reunited with his family in the Sky. Her smile had somehow taken root in his heart, causing him to feel things he’d only seen between the Moon and the Sun.
After he’d settled onto the Moon for the night, he couldn’t help but stare down at the spot where he’d left Kagome, wondering if she’d been as affected by him as he’d been by her.
“Kagome,” he murmured, tasting her name on his lips.
“What did you say, my boy?”
Inuyasha blushed and looked up at his father, the Moon.
“I just…it was nothing,” he lied, looking away.
His father hummed. “Mother Earth sent a message. She said you went all the way down there today. Any particular reason?”
Inuyasha’s heart panged at the reminder.
“I…I saw a woman,” he replied softly. “She was a daughter of Mother Earth and she was…she was magical. I’ve never seen anyone like her. I’ve never felt anything like I felt when she smiled at me. And her hand.” He looked at his own palm, wishing he’d had the privilege of touching hers. “I could almost feel it in mine, but I was pulled back.”
“Inuyasha,” his father said, his tone serious. “You must never touch someone born of Mother Earth. That single touch will keep you there as a fallen star. Do you understand?" Inuyasha’s eyes widened. He’d been so close to losing his family, and he hadn’t even noticed.
“I’m sorry, Father,” he said sincerely, bowing his head. “It was just…a moment.”
The Moon softened. “I understand, son, but you must be careful to not give up everything based on a fleeting moment…you must understand that it can’t happen, no matter what.”
Inuyasha nodded. “I understand. I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful.”
His father smiled. “You can still see her, though, Inuyasha. Each solstice allows you that opportunity.” Knowing he was right, Inuyasha sighed. The next solstice was six months away, though, and he knew it would feel like forever until he could meet Kagome again.
But he could wait.
Kagome lay on her back in the meadow, gazing up at the night Sky.
All the stars were twinkling and the light of the Moon illuminated the Earth below her. She knew that the reflection of the Moon was made up of all his children who also became beams of light from the Sun. She wondered if the ray of light she’d seen today, the man with the silver hair and dog ears, was looking down at her from where he was shining.
Everything in her had shifted when his sunny eyes had met hers.
Warmth filled her heart just as the warm air kissed her skin.
She felt her Mother summoning her, so Kagome smiled once more at the thought of the ray of light before getting up to see Mother Earth.
Now in her human form, Mother Earth lounged on the root of a large tree, her body covered by clothing made of leaves with flowers adorning her arms and hair.
“Kagome,” Mother Earth greeted, rising to approach her daughter. “Have you enjoyed the Summer Solstice?” Blushing, Kagome nodded and tried to not seem as enchanted as she felt.
“Yes, Mother,” she replied. “It was lovely.”
Mother Earth smiled. “And did you happen to see a ray of sunlight today? Perhaps one who drifted quite close to the ground?”
Kagome shifted, trying to keep her blush from going. “Um…I saw many rays of light today, Mother. They’re always beautiful.”
Mother Earth laughed. “Oh, my dear. Have you fallen in love with a ray of sunlight?”
Eyes widening, Kagome felt lilies spring up from the ground all around her, signifying her embarrassment.
“Mother, I don’t…” She sighed, knowing it was silly to argue her way out of the fledgling feelings she felt for the ray of sunlight.
She sighed, flopping down and onto her back on top of the lilies that had grown around her.
“He’s the most beautiful ray of sunlight I’ve ever seen,” she began quietly. “His eyes were golden like the sun and so beautiful. It felt like he saw me in ways I’ve never been seen before. People always talk about how beautiful we flowers are, but I’ve never felt as beautiful as I did when he was looking at me.” Her eyes drifted closed as she felt the light of the Moon reflect on her face. She wondered if the ray of sunlight she saw today could see her from where he was reflecting the Moon’s light.
Kagome opened her eyes and sat up to look at her mother.
“I know it’s silly to feel this way after just seeing him for a moment,” she reasoned. “I mean…we didn’t even speak. But he…” She trailed off, her cheeks aflame and her heart left wanting.
Mother Earth only smiled understandingly. “Don’t worry, my dear. What you’re feeling isn’t uncommon.” Her smile faded into one that was a bit more serious. “But be certain that you never touch him. Should you ever touch him, you will cause him to be stuck here on Earth as a fallen star.”
Kagome’s eyes widened. “Oh, no. Our hands almost touched today.”
Mother Earth’s eyes were, as always, understanding, but Kagome didn’t miss the somber glint.
“Celestial beings from the Earth and the Sky work together,” Mother Earth explained gently. “But they are not meant to share realms. Promise me, my dear Kagome, that you won’t touch him next time you see him.”
Kagome nodded. “I won’t, Mother. I doubt I will ever see him again anyway.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Mother Earth replied. “He’ll find you again. Of that, I am certain.” Mother Earth finally smiled again. “Just be careful. That is all I am saying.”
Forcing a smile, Kagome nodded her head. “Thank you, Mother. I will.”
Mother Earth left shortly after. Once she was gone, Kagome sighed and walked through a nearby forest, needing to reflect on the day.
We can’t ever touch, she mused. If we do, he’ll be stuck here.
Looking up at the sky, Kagome couldn’t help but smile at the moonlight.
We can’t touch with our hands, but we can feel with our hearts.
Her smile brightened.
She couldn’t wait until the Winter Solstice.
To be continued…