~By Their Fruits, an Inuyasha oneshot~
*Not historically accurate; I did as much research as I could, but there is not a lot of information readily available about Feudal Era peasant customs, and I am not a history major. Most of the ideas are taken from Kagome's observations in the series (like how no one in Kaede's village apparently knew what a bath was and they were confused by her bathing in the river). I apologize for any glaring anachronisms or mistakes, but know that I tried.*
The first thing the honorable Monk Yosuke noticed upon entering the small village near the plains of Musashi was that there were no shrines.
Usually a village this small and poor would have some sort of offering set up to a local spirit or god to ensure safety and prosperity.
But aside from the Inari shrine he had passed some ways back on the road, he had not seen any sign that there were any sorts of deities protecting this village.
For a moment he wondered if perhaps the cause was that they were predominately Buddhist, but dismissed the thought as he had seen no temple.
Walking the path down a small hill into the village, he began to notice other anomalies, bared to his eyes under the late afternoon sun.
For one thing, the crops were flourishing much later in the year than was normal, and there was an intricate pattern of wooden troughs covering the fields, holding rivulets of water.
There was also a decidedly more… pleasant aroma in the air than in other villages he'd passed through.
The huts by the road looked weathered – they had been standing for some time – and yet they were damage free.
That could only mean there had not been trouble in this village for possibly years.
It should have comforted the monk to see such a safe, thriving village, but it only unnerved him.
In such a time of demons and roaming bandits, disease and early deaths, no village was spared at least some misfortune, but… it seemed one had.
It was almost too perfect here.
Something otherworldly was at work.
But if it was not the work of a kami… who's was it?
The path into the village was well worn, but without the indentation or cart wheels or hoof-prints, showing it to be secluded from much outside intrusion.
Yosuke noticed a small river which ran the length of the village, the path following alongside it, and despite the river's small size it was clean and full of fish and vegetation.
His attention shifted from the scenery to the few villagers still out and about so late in the day, farming, collecting their wash, and socializing.
They were happy, at ease, and acted as if such prosperity was typical and not in the least bit spectacular.
He dismissed the thought that they were under an enchantment, as he felt no evil auras.
As he passed the men working in the fields, they paused in their labor to bow respectfully, and then bent to continue their harvest, looking just as thriving and robust as their bountiful crops.
He paused to call out to one of the men, asking "Excuse me my good fellow, but might you be able to direct me to the headman of this village?"
The man, slightly older than the middle-aged Monk Yosuke but still in good health, stood and wiped the sweat from his brow, responding in a kind, deep voice "We have no headman, esteemed Monk, but the Priestess Kaede might be of assistance to you – she oversees our village."
Hiding his surprise, the monk thanked the man, following his directions to the hut at the base of a set of stairs leading up to a small Shinto shrine.
A priestess in charge of a village? Unusual, but not unheard of. But to not have a headman at all, leaving the village up to a priestess alone… just how was this village doing so well?
Approaching the small, stone-tier roofed hut, the monk rapped on the wooden lintel, calling out "Excuse the interruption – is the village priestess present?"
There was a rustling from inside, and a young girl lifted the thatched door-flap.
She had a bright, full face and dancing eyes. Her black hair hung around her shoulders, a small tuft of it pulled up high on the side of her head.
Her richly detailed and brightly colored silk kimono almost burned his eyes with how out of place it seemed in such a poor setting.
"Oh! A monk! Come in good monk, we were just starting dinner!"
She giggled happily and held open the door, and the monk could do little but nod and walk inside.
Such a lively girl!
The flap fell behind him but the girl did not follow, instead running off into the village with a cheerful laugh.
Light poured into the hut from the barred window, illuminating the small space and the woman seated inside.
Was this the priestess Kaede? She seemed too young to be in charge of a whole village – barely over twenty!
"Are you the village priestess?"
The young woman smiled, her brown eyes sparkling as she said, "Well, I'm a priestess, but probably not the one you're looking for. My name is Kagome. Kaede's gone to a neighboring village for a few days to perform a blessing on a sick child there, but hopefully I can help you in her absence!"
He nodded, taking in the young girl's appearance. The red and white robes of a Shinto priestess billowed around her as she sat by the fire pit where a pot of soup was simmering, her hair tied back as she stirred the cooking food.
She gestured for him to take a seat, her smile never fading, and the monk thought for a moment that he had never seen a happier looking woman.
She practically glowed.
"Thank you, Priestess. As I'm sure you've already surmised, I am a travelling monk, on a journey to help villages such as yours in any way I can. Tell me: are there any sick here to whom I may be of assistance? Or perhaps evil spirits which need expelling?"
The priestess smiled graciously, but there was something in her eyes that sang of amusement.
"That's very generous of you, and I thank you for the offer, but no – no one's sick at the moment. I mean, one of the village elders has been getting over a bit of a cold this past week, but he's on the mend. And we're more than taken care of where it comes to exercising evil spirits."
He had figured as much. With all he had seen thus far of the village, he would have been surprised if they had needed help.
"I see. My services are at your disposal should anything arise. I was wondering however if I might stay at this village for a few days. I have been travelling for over a month now, and would appreciate some respite."
Kagome smiled and nodded, saying "Of course! We don't have an inn here, or anything of that sort, but I would be glad to ask the villagers if they wouldn't mind sharing their homes for a few days."
"I do not wish to impose… I would be willing to set up camp in the forest near here…"
"Nonsense! I wouldn't dream of making you stay in the forest! And besides, I'm sure the villagers would consider it an honor to help a monk!"
He smiled back at her, but there was a bit of hesitation in his voice as he asked "Would they? I noticed the Shinto shrine in your village… and considering the fact that the village is watched over by a priestess, are you sure they would not mind a Buddhist monk?"
"Don't be silly! Of course not. One of the villagers is a Buddhist monk!"
That surprised him greatly. A monk living in a village with no temple?
"Indeed?"
"Sure! In fact I would ask him to put you up during your stay, but he and his wife don't really have room, what with their five kids."
Now he was sure he was gawking.
A wife? Five children? Certainly this was no ordinary monk… he couldn't stop the voice in his head questioning the moral character of a servant of Buddha living so… freely.
Kagome noticed his shock, a bit of a blush coloring her cheeks as she seemed to realize she had said something odd.
"Ah, look, he's a very good monk, he's just… had a rough life, and… I know it's unusual, but…."
He stopped her abruptly, his hands raised in a passive gesture as he said "Priestess Kagome, please forgive me for making you uncomfortable. You do not have to justify your villagers actions to me."
She nodded, her face still unsure.
He couldn't stop from commenting further however, as another oddity about this village made itself evident, and he prodded carefully "Though I may not approve of such lifestyle in concern to a fellow Monk, I must say I am impressed that a single family is able to raise five children, considering the size of the village and the usual earnings of a man of the cloth."
She nodded in understanding, saying simply "He is very skilled at exercising demons and does work in other villages to support his family. They're not the only ones with large families in our village though – the way circumstances have been, there's been a lot of growth lately…." As she spoke, he noticed her hand rise to her stomach, softly circling over the curve that was camouflaged by her voluminous red hakama.
Wait – curve?
He tried not to stare – he really did. But he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Never in all his long years of traveling had he come across this. It just didn't happen.
This priestess was with child.
Kagome's nervous laugh brought his attention back to her face, and she responded to his look of alarm with a very sheepish "well, I guess Miroku isn't the only unusual one around here."
The monk just couldn't wrap his head around anything.
A villager-monk with wife and brood of children, a pregnant priestess, no headman and no guardian deities, and yet this was the single most successful and peaceful village he'd ever seen.
Although his tone was even, he could not hide the air of derision lacing his words as he said "Priestess, I do not wish to offend you, or this fine village, but I must tell you, everything here is highly peculiar. You house a monk yet there are no temples. The village is run by a priestess, and yet the only shrine I have seen is the one atop this hill. You yourself are a servant to the gods, and yet you have given yourself to a man and bear a child. … Or perhaps you were forced? If that is the case, I apologize."
A look of horrified shock crossed Kagome's face, and she covered her stomach protectively, saying earnestly "Not at all! I'm happily married to a wonderful man. There's no need for concern, I assure you."
But the monk was not appeased. "Good man or not, it is unheard of for a Priestess to have a family. Any Priestess desiring such a life would have to forsake her duties. Frankly, young lady, I am surprised this village has not incurred the wrath of the gods for such abnormal lifestyles."
"As if the gods give a damn about any of us."
Yosuke felt the demonic aura before he saw him. A shiver ran through him at the strong feel, and he wondered why he hadn't sensed it earlier. Why hadn't the priestess noticed for that matter?
Even now, she sat perfectly at ease, no concern or fear on her face at the presence; instead her smile grew, and she said happily "Welcome back!" as the owner of the demonic aura stepped through the door.
Monk Yosuke was already reaching into his robes for a sutra when the demon said brusquely in the same rough voice that had spoken before "Don't even think about it Monk, I could be over there in a second and you'd be short one arm."
The priestess clucked her tongue at him in reproof, but her smile didn't falter. "Inuyasha, be nice. He's just here to offer his services to the village for a few days!"
The demon, who apparently had a name and a familiarity with the priestess, strode towards the two seated near the fire, his bright red hakama and haori sprinkled with dirt, his long silver hair a little windblown.
The abnormal canine ears atop his head swiveled to listen intently to the sounds in the hut, one trained on the priestess and the other keeping track of the Monk.
"The forest's clear and there's no scents of anything for miles, 'cept for Sesshomaru." The demon said casually, as if he had an audience who wanted to listen, "Guess the demons are finally starting to get the picture that they're not welcome."
With a huff he sat right next to the priestess, completely invading her personal space, his knee pressed against her legs in his cross-legged position.
She appeared to not care at all – even seemed to welcome the invasion. "That must be why Rin ran off - big-brother hasn't been back in over a month. She was getting pretty antsy."
"I wish you wouldn't call him that."
Her smile only grew as she chirped amusedly "Yeah well, you know I won't stop."
The monk's stupor was broken abruptly as the young priestess moved the hand that had rested on her swollen stomach to squeeze the demon's knee.
"Priestess Kagome! What is the meaning of this?!"
Kagome was jerked out of staring into Inuyasha's eyes as she realized they were not actually alone.
"Oh, I'm sorry! This is Inuyasha, my husband and the village guardian."
This was all just too much – he must have fallen and bumped his head on a stone in the path earlier, because this could only be some kind of delirium.
The demon was staring at him as his mind reeled, the beginnings of an arrogant smirk on the thing's face, as if taunting him to say something.
And say something he did.
"Do you mean to tell me," he began, his voice shaky and gaze harsh "that you bedded a demon - that your village relies on a demon - and you still profess to be a holy priestess? That is unacceptable."
He had expected the demon to be angry, but he was unprepared when instead he saw fire raging in Kagome's eyes.
"Let me tell you something mister, I didn't 'bed' anyone – I married the man I loved, who happens to be a half-demon, not that it matters, and as any wife would, I'm bearing his children. I was born with spiritual powers and as such am a priestess, whether you like it or not. And as for the village, it would have been destroyed a hundred times over if it weren't for Inuyasha protecting it."
Finishing her tirade, she placed her hand firmly against Inuyasha's chest, her head held high and proud, and the half-demon couldn't have looked any smugger if he tried.
Monk Yosuke turned narrow eyes on Inuyasha, as if expecting him to add something more, but the other man just shrugged, looking all too amused. "She could go on like this for hours – sure doesn't need any help from me. So I suggest you just drop it if you don't want another lecture."
There was silence over the company, the air around the monk and priestess tense, while the half-demon was strangely at ease.
Closing his eyes, Yosuke sat in light meditation, trying to center his thoughts and calm his churning emotions.
It was all so wrong, and yet… if it really was wrong, wouldn't there have been negative consequences? Wouldn't there be a feeling of evil and wrongness in the air? Why would such a disgraceful village be so… blessed?
He breathed in deeply, expelling the air slowly, and opened his eyes to look at the strange pair across the fire pit.
Hasty conclusions would only cause unnecessary conflict.
"Perhaps I judged too quickly. I see now that I may not be getting all of the facts. But Priestess Kagome, you must understand – I have never encountered a situation such as this."
Kagome's eyes softened, accepting his apology, and her voice had regained its cheerfulness as she replied "I know it's kind of hard to accept at first, but not all demons are evil. Inuyasha is a good man and protects me and the villagers with his life, and Monk Miroku takes his responsibilities very seriously."
At the amused snort from her husband, she responded emphatically "It's true! Sure he's not your average monk, but he's still a holy man."
"Weeeeell…"
"Oh can it, you!"
Turning back to the bemused face of their guest, Kagome continued "And as for me, maybe priestesses here don't get married or have children, but I can't imagine my life without Inuyasha."
With that she leaned against the half-demon's shoulder, his arm draping across her back, a clawed hand on her shoulder.
His smug smile had returned as he looked at the young woman, but it was tempered slightly by the genuine love in his eyes.
The monk was taken aback by the sight, but he remained silent, processing what he'd been told.
Inuyasha was the first to break the quiet in the room as he said softly "Woman, I think the chow's burning."
With a squeak Kagome sat up again, grabbing the wooden spoon to stir furiously at her stew.
"Just great…" she muttered, slowing her stirring as the food was no longer at risk. "Where's Daichi? We'll have to start without him if he doesn't come soon!"
With a dismissive wave of his hand Inuyasha responded "He's out playing with Shippo and the village kids. Don't worry – he'll smell the grub and come runnin'." Sniffing at the air lightly he continued "Speaking of which, here he comes now."
The monk could smell nothing but the simmering stew, but after a minute he began to hear peals of laughter and the delighted yells of children.
Kagome put down her spoon and turned to her husband with somewhat somber eyes.
"How is everything out there?"
He didn't respond right away, but looked up with concentration, his dog-ears swiveling in the direction of the noise outside.
A smile crept across his face, small but content, as he looked back at his wife and said "It's fine – he's laughing with them. They're saying goodbye now."
Her smile was reassuring, and she turned back to their guest, picking up a smooth stone bowl and ladling soup into it.
Monk Yosuke took the food with a gracious bow, but before he could raise it to his lips, a little boy ran in, distracting him all over again.
"Mama! Papa! Guess what we found – "
"Hey! Where do you think you're goin'?"
The little boy, who looked a mere four years of age, stopped abruptly, white dog-ears drooping into the wavy, snow-colored hair brushing his shoulders as his frustrated little voice said "But Papa…"
"No buts squirt, you know the drill – now get yourself over to the rain bucket and wash your hands. I know you've been at the river, I can smell it. Hey Shippo!" he yelled, to whoever was outside, "make sure Daiichi washes his paws before you let him in next time!"
There was a responding yell of "Got it, Old Man!", and with a childish growl the little dog-eared boy marched back out of the hut.
The second the flap fell back into place, Inuyasha crossed his arms, all ire forgotten as his smugness returned tenfold, his voice boastful as he said "That was my boy Daiichi. He's a pill, but there ain't no stronger kid in the village – or braver."
Kagome's smile was blinding as she looked at her husband who was practically oozing paternal pride; they both new that with Daiichi's ears, he had heard every word.
His soup all but forgotten, the Monk watched the exchange with avid interest. If he hadn't known any better, he would have sworn they were a normal human family. And then he stopped as the thought hit him 'perhaps that was the point'.
More laughter rang out from outside the hut, along with suspicious splashing noises, and Inuyasha stood up with a growl.
"Oi! What have I said about playing with the rain water? You think that stuff grows on trees?"
Kagome shook her head in amusement at her husband's improper use of yet another one of her phrases, turning back to her own bowl of soup as he stormed out of the hut toward the laughing boys.
"Don't mind him, he's all bark and no bite – well, except when it comes to enemies that is."
The monk nodded in understanding, then said curiously, but no longer accusingly "Priestess, how many children do you have?"
She smiled fondly and said "Technically just one, Daiichi, with another on the way, but Shippo is as good as a son to me – you'll meet him any minute now. He's a fox-demon we saved years ago when he lost his parents, and he's been a part of our family ever since!"
He nodded again, absently sipping from his bowl as he thought 'so she saved a fox-demon? She's either very compassionate or very foolish. Perhaps both.'
"Your village must truly be thriving, to have so many growing families."
She smiled, looking a bit embarrassed, but nodded all the same.
There was a roar from outside followed by boyish squeals, and suddenly Inuyasha reappeared, his son under one arm and a red-haired boy with a bushy tail under the other.
"Cleaned and ready for inspection ma'am!"
Kagome giggled, but dutifully examined the hands of the boys as her husband presented each to her in turn.
Once she had pronounced them thoroughly clean, Inuyasha dropped to his previous position on the floor, plunking the boys' bottoms onto the ground on either side of him.
"So Daiichi," Kagome said softly, handing her son a steaming bowl, "what was it you found today?"
The boy's yellow eyes lit up as he was reminded of the news he had wanted to share earlier.
"We found tadpoles! A whole ton of 'em!"
Kagome smiled warmly, her voice rising to show her interest as she said "Really? How fun!"
Inuyasha huffed beside her, saying tersely "Won't be so fun when they all grow into slimy, diseased frogs and overrun the fields."
"That's why I've been saying we need a cat in the village." Kagome began, "Plus the store-houses are getting pretty full, and it'd be a shame if we started attracting rats too."
"No."
"Oh come on Inuyasha – "
"NO. We're not getting a cat."
"Why? You love cats and you know it!"
"I do not."
"Oh really? What about Buyo? You never left him alone! And Kirara?"
"So I don't hate 'em, so what? I'm not gonna get stuck feeding the thing."
"Inuyasha, you wouldn't have to, and that's the whole point! They'd hunt the rodents and keep the frog population down and all that."
"… Well, better them than me, I guess."
"Exactly."
The monk smiled, and couldn't help a small chuckle.
Inuyasha eyed him over his bowl, saying brusquely "What's your deal?"
Raising his head, the monk looked the half-demon in the eye, smile still in place.
"I am truly sorry for my previous behavior towards your family. I see now that having demon blood and even a demonic aura does not mean one cannot be… normal. Please forgive my earlier rudeness."
He bowed his head in apology, and his ears were met with a brief "whatever" from Inuyasha.
The half-demon had turned his attention back to his food, and was not looking at him, but from the gentle smile and nod Kagome gave him, Yosuke understood that he was forgiven.
But now his earlier ponderings were brought back to mind.
"Priestess Kagome, this meal is delicious, and I must say, I have not tasted vegetables this fresh and vibrant in all my travels!"
The little fox-child piped up excitedly "This is nothin'! You should try her noodles some time!"
Inuyasha gave a grunt of approval, saying through a mouth full of stew "Damn right!"
Kagome flicked his knee sharply at his language, giggling as he tried to hide his yelp.
"I could not help but notice the rich state of the fields in this village, and so late after the usual harvest," Yosuke continued as Kagome turned back to face him, "and I had to wonder how such a small village as this has fared so well. I haven't seen many signs of trade through these parts."
She smiled, but her eyes were a little uncertain. "Well, we have lots of able hands to help with planting and harvesting and all that… I suppose it helps."
Her answer was obviously evasive, and he felt very confused by it.
"Aw c'mon Kagome, it's not like it's a big secret or anything. It's just a matter of using your head more! You're not gonna rip any holes in that… time… space… thingy you go on about just by talking about the crops."
Her glance towards her husband was apprehensive, but he ignored it, plowing into his dinner with renewed ferocity.
"I suppose…."
The monk sat, waiting patiently for her to continue.
"Well, for one, we… we add more nutrients to the soil."
He was listening, but the words were strange. "Nutrients…."
"Yeah, umm… things to make the plants more healthy. The dirt around here isn't always the greatest and we don't use straight manure, so we mix it with other things and aerate it regularly, and we're very careful about…" she gulped slightly, her voice a little shaky as finished "worms."
She turned her face just in time to see Inuyasha smirking at her evilly.
"Don't you dare get any ideas, dog-boy! You've still got those beads around your neck, and I still know how to use them!"
Now it was his turn to gulp as he hastily spooned seconds into his bowl and resumed his eating with great interest.
"Anyways, we've also put in some rudimentary irrigation… er, that is, we've set up automatic watering for the crops, uh… I mean…."
Monk Yosuke held up his hand with a smile and interrupted, "I understand, Lady Kagome. I saw the wooden troughs when I first came. I've seen other types of irrigation in my travels, but your methods are quite ingenious, I must say! So you can grow crops other than rice throughout the year?"
Kagome sighed in relief, glad that he understood her explanations despite her odd vernacular.
"Yes, exactly! We do well enough with rice-planting, but with all the growth we've been having, it hasn't been enough. We've had to start planting a lot of other vegetables that aren't normal to the area, and we've had to get creative."
The monk smiled, admiring of the ingenuity of such a small village, and surprised to find that it all seemed to stem from this odd young woman across from him.
"Indeed! Please, tell me more about your village; for it is not just the state of your fields that impressed me upon entering here. The villagers seem healthier and more content than many others I have seen in my travels – and that's just at first glance! Do you have other tricks for maintaining such peace and prosperity in times such as these?"
The young Priestess looked bashful, as if someone had called her out on a hidden talent.
"Well yeah, I mean, I guess we do a lot of things here that other villages might not think of, but that doesn't make them… strange."
At her words the monk couldn't help but glance at the half-demon still enjoying his meal, and the odd children seated either side of him, batting at each other across his lap with their chopsticks as he said softly "No… I suppose it doesn't."
It seemed Kagome had caught the meaning in his words, as her earlier tension fell away and she began to answer his questions more fully.
"We almost never have to worry about demons, because Inuyasha patrols the forest around here multiple times each day, and he can sniff out threats for miles around!"
The evident pride in her tone set a contented smile on her husband's face as he ate.
"I see." Yosuke said, peering at Inuyasha with interest. "And what of the good health that all of your villagers seem to enjoy? How do you manage it?"
"It's really simple actually – it's all a matter of cleanliness."
"Cleanliness." He said musingly, "interesting indeed."
"Monks and priests and priestesses wash and bathe for ritualistic purposes all the time, but they're not the only ones who need it!" She continued brightly, raising her pointer finger authoritatively as she talked, "Keeping your body clean keeps germs away from you, and keeps them from spreading to others! It's especially important when you think of how entire villages can be infected if one person gets sick! And washing your hands before a meal is even more effective at keeping bad things from entering your body and attacking you from the inside! You never know what's been on the things you touch in a day." She looked down pointedly at little Daiichi next to her, who yipped, ears flattening against his head.
"I see, I see." The monk said, his interest growing. "So you have managed to keep sickness and disease from your village?"
"Well, it's not possible to keep it away entirely. There are symptoms you can look for to catch illness before it gets too bad, and some sicknesses are caught in different ways, so you basically have to be careful and be aware of what state your body is in. But you can't fix everything - people still catch colds, no matter how clean or careful you are."
The monk barely caught the half-demon's murmured "If they would just eat more liver…" but Kagome heard it, and responded with a heaving sigh and dramatic eye-roll.
"Yeah, we know." She mockingly stuffed her hands in her sleeves and said in a very poor imitation of her husband's deep, rough voice "There's nothin' like liver when it comes to nourishment!"
She looked back at him and stuck out her tongue tauntingly, but he only responded amusedly "At least I know you were listening."
That earned him a tweak on his ear, to which he responded by swatting her hands away playfully.
Movement next to her caught Kagome's attention as Daiichi started slinking away to follow Shippo, who was already nearing the door, and she called out sharply "Uh-uh! Just a minute boys – don't forget about your dishes."
Shippo grinned impishly, and Daiichi wore a little pout, but both boys returned to the fire pit to grab the bowls and chopsticks.
The monk quickly caught on. "Does the washing of your belongings occur every day?"
"Mostly – definitely what we cook in and eat out of, and what we wear of course… and our homes, even if they're small. Every little bit helps!"
"I can see that."
Kagome smiled at the respect in his voice, and she added "And we don't just clean with water, since that doesn't kill all the germs – Shippo, why don't you show him how we do things around here?"
The little fox-demon's green eyes lit up, and he anxiously took the stone bowls and wooden sticks in hand, and stepped away from the group to the lower floor.
He sobered for a moment to look back at Kagome and ask "Are you sure it's okay to do this inside?"
She nodded encouragingly but said "Just be careful – I know you can control it!"
His smile stretched across his face as he threw the dishes into the air before him. They hovered and stayed aloft, evidently by magic, and with a wave of Shippo's hand they were soon engulfed in blue flames.
They stayed suspended in the magic fire for a few seconds before Shippo waved his hand again and they fell neatly in a stack atop the fox-demon's head.
Kagome laughed and clapped appreciatively as the little boy bowed, and at Inuyasha's smirk and murmured "show-off", he flushed with pride.
Still laughing a bit, Kagome turned back to the monk and said "Fire's also good for cleaning – as long as you don't destroy the thing you're trying to clean!"
"That's why we use fox-fire!" Said Shippo proudly, returning the dishes to a small chest in the corner. "It sure beats having to take these things down to the river every day!"
"Which is what we have to do whenever you're not around runt, so don't complain!"
But Shippo only grinned back devilishly, looking all the more fox-like as he said "Why Inuyasha, I never knew how much you depended on me!"
With a growl the half-demon was up and after him shouting "Oh I'll show ya 'depending' ya little –"
They chased each other around the room, but it was quite apparent that Inuyasha didn't actually intend to catch the boy, and soon Daiichi had joined in the chase, laughing and growling like his father.
Eventually the small hut had become too cramped for a proper chase, and the three boys took their squabble outside, Kagome watching fondly as they left amidst yells and laughter.
"They're always like this after supper" she said softly, "Those boys have a lot of energy to burn!"
Monk Yosuke smiled in return, but his attention was quickly drawn back to the previous topic. "Lady Kagome, I'm impressed by the state of your village, and by your knowledge about these things. Your solutions are simple, but… well, I never would have thought of them!"
She smiled understandingly, saying "It's not surprising. I mean, no one would think of these things if they didn't already know about them!"
He gazed at her discerningly, his voice even as he said "and you already knew of them?"
Her eyes widened a fraction, but she quickly put her smile back on as she said airily "Well, ya know, I studied this stuff a lot…"
"You studied? Where? Are you of noble birth?"
She realized her slip-up too late, and desperately tried to cover her tracks. "N-no! Nothing like that! I just… uh… traveled a lot! And, I talked to a lot of people and… you know… learned from experience! Self-taught!" She raised a triumphant fist in the air at this, but her discomfort was painfully obvious.
"Lady Kagome…"
"Yes?" She squeaked, sounding much like a frightened mouse.
"I don't need to know how you know these things", he said softly, and her shoulders lowered as she let out the breath she'd been holding, "I just ask you that you share your knowledge with me. Please. I've spent my whole life trying to improve the lives of others, and nowhere else have I seen a village that so closely resembles my ideal as this."
Her eyes were soft and hesitant, but her fear had vanished.
"Alright, I will, but I have to admit, it's not just because of me. There's a lot to be said for peaceful coexistence with demons."
The Monk laughed, not derisively, but with a bit of self-deprecation and said "I can see that Priestess, and I believe you, but I'm not sure the other villages in the land are quite ready for such radical practices."
Her smile was sad and a little pained as she responded "No, I suppose not."
They sat around the burning embers in the pit as Kagome cleaned up supper and did her best to explain hygiene and bacteria and disease and sanitation in ways that this man, who had been born 500 years before her, could comprehend.
She was still a little nervous about possibly messing up the fabric of time and space (which Inuyasha would not understand no matter how many times she tried explaining it) but as her husband had pointed out, well… she had been travelling back and forth through time for almost a year and the world hadn't fallen to ruins.
And maybe – just maybe – her influence was part of the reason why her hometown of Tokyo was such a major city in the modern age.
They talked for what seemed hours, and it was dusk by the time Inuyasha returned. He pushed aside the woven door with his back, careful not to jar either of the little boys he had cradled in each arm who were sleeping with their heads against his shoulders.
"Wore them out, did'ya?" Kagome asked with a loving smile.
Inuyasha scoffed, smirk in place as he said "I tell ya, these two together are quite the work-out. I'm not too proud to admit that even I'm tired after chasing them around."
He approached her and knelt slightly so that she could reach his elbow, gripping it as she raised herself up slowly and he stood still as a pillar of stone to support her weight.
Once she was up she leaned back slightly, adjusting to her very round belly with a contented sigh, and patted her husband's arm in gratitude.
Turning back to Monk Yosuke she said "We'll be heading home now, but you're welcome to stay here if you like! Rin's the only one using the hut until Kaede's return, but I don't think she'll be back tonight."
"Yeah, Sesshomaru made an appearance while the boys were runnin' around, and she was there too. I'm sure she'll camp out with him and Jaken tonight, maybe even travel with them a few days. She misses him a lot."
"I know…" Kagome said softly, then turned to the monk's confused look and explained "Sesshomaru is Inuyasha's older, full-demon brother. Rin is the young girl you first met here, and she used to travel with him, before she came to stay here… it's hard on her, being away from someone who used to protect her all the time…." She trailed off and gazed at Inuyasha, and there was some unspoken understanding between the two as their eyes met.
The monk couldn't help but smile at the warmth in the room. "You certainly have an interesting village, Priestess."
"Yeah," she spoke softly, still smiling at her husband, "I suppose we do."
He stood as the odd family turned to leave, but called out before they left "Priestess? May we continue this conversation tomorrow? And you sir," Inuyasha turned surprised eyes to meet Yosuke's, as he continued "I would like to hear more from you as well. I feel there is much I can learn from both of you."
With a smile and a nod from Kagome, Inuyasha turned slightly to face the man and said in a rare voice devoid of attitude "Sure. We, uh, look forward to it."
And with a few more goodbyes they were out the door, leaving the travelling monk alone with his thoughts and a hut full of strange new ideas.
The little family made their way slowly across the village and up the hill into the forest of Inuyasha, where their simple but sizeable hut was hidden among the trees, not far from either the well or the Sacred Tree.
The autumn air was chill, and Kagome shivered slightly, resting her arms over her baby-bump.
Inuyasha cursed under his breath as he saw her reaction to the cold, saying in a low voice "I'd give you my jacket, but my arms are kind of full."
Kagome pulled a fake frown on him, saying firmly "Don't you dare! The baby is plenty warm, and I'd rather suffer some cold fingers than have you wake up those precious bundles."
"C'mon, I betcha the fox isn't even really asleep."
Despite his eyes being shut tight, the red-headed child couldn't hide a grin at those words, nor a chuckle as Inuyasha spat out "Aw, see? I knew he was fakin' it! Shippo, ya sneak! I oughtta drop you!"
But the fox only snuggled deeper into the fire-rat fur as he mumbled sleepily "You wouldn't dare."
Inuyasha grumbled in response but did not relinquish his hold on the boy, and Shippo was glad that, although he'd grown over the years, he was still small enough to be held.
The group was silent as they walked into the line of trees at the forest's edge, until Shippo spoke up sleepily "You know Inuyasha, I bet you feel pretty foolish now for calling all of Kagome's studying 'a waste of time'."
Inuyasha bristled, his angry tone creeping in as he said quietly "The hell you talkin' about?"
With a yawn that showed his growing fangs, Shippo continued "I mean you always got after her for worrying about her books and tests and stuff, but isn't what she learned over there helping your family and the village here?"
Inuyasha slowed to a stop, his eyes wide as realization sunk in.
Next to him, Kagome played with the edges of her white sleeves, finding the stitching very interesting and trying not to smirk.
His head turned to face her at an almost comically slow pace, and she peered at him from beneath her lashes in return as he choked out "… Crap. Sorry."
She allowed herself a haughty grin, but then laughed softly and leaned against her husband's side.
"Oh don't worry about it, it's not like you actually succeeded in stopping me. And besides…" a bit of melancholy seeped into her voice as she said "most of what I learned was during high school… while I was gone."
She stepped forward softly, continuing on the path to their house, and Inuyasha followed quietly after her, saying after a moment "Did you… were you preparing?"
She took a moment to think back, trying to remember her thoughts from back then, and answered "No… at least, not that I was aware of. I dunno, maybe deep down I was. All I know is that it made me feel closer to this place to study things like health and medicine. It reminded me of the times when I was needed here."
Their house was in sight now, ahead of them on their worn foot path, and Inuyasha bent slightly to kiss the top of his wife's head as he said simply "You were always needed here."
*Author's Notes:
This is a stand-alone story, but it kinda also ties into my other post-canon stories, namely "First Born Sons", which is about Daiichi's birth, even though he's not mentioned by name. And there's more of him and a few other InuKag chillens in my fic "Story Time", so give that a look-see if you like the idea of OC kids and InuKag domesticity.
And according to the internet, Daiichi means something along the lines of "Grand or Impressive first son", which is not only in reference to how he's their first son, but also as a reminder to him of how Sesshomaru, first son of the Great Dog-Demon, saved his life. Read the story and it'll probably make more sense.
And perhaps the Feudal Era was more advanced than I've painted it in this story, but having it be a medieval mess makes for better drama, so there.