Regeneration
AN: Hello readers! Thank you for clicking on my story.
This story is something I've been working on for a while, finally working out the kinks to post it. It is an AU Inuyasha story. Meaning, it WILL deviate a little from the main plot. This story takes place much later into the future. Sango and Miroku have four children of their own. Inuyasha and Kagome have three.
In this tale, the well is no longer. Naraku is no longer. Kagome has stayed behind to be with Inuyasha. Demons still roam the lands, and certain villages require guardians to fend off these foes. Guardians also act as neighborhood watch, helpers, and generally speaking, the ones you would call on if you needed something done outside of your capabilities. This is still taking place in a feudal-esque Japan. I will try my absolute best not to play canon characters too "ooc". However, please keep in mind their thoughts, actions, and personalities will vary from their past selves. These characters are much older now. And as it stands, the main characters will be their children, who are OCs.
Miroku and Sango's twin daughters (Mariko and Masae) are 16. They have another son, Etsuji who is ten. Their youngest daughter is Kaori. She is 8.
Inuyasha and Kagome have an eldest son of 15 (Hideshi). Their middle son, Daizo, is 12. Their youngest child, a girl, is Aina. She is ten.
This story will also have disciplinary spanking involved. It is not the main focus, but it will be attached to the story on occasion (this chapter DOES include it). Consider this a warning if it is not your cup of tea. More warnings include; sex in later chapters, violence, and other premises considered MATURE.
With that being said, I hope you enjoy!
Ch 1: Sweet Little Life
"One…two…three…four…"
The autumn wind kisses the branches of a tree, rustling the long, winding limbs. The evening sun casts a gentle, indigo glow against the ground, painting a small child's face with its mauve tint. Her eyes are shut, palms placed expertly over them.
"Five…six…seven…"
The sound of laughter could be heard as children begin to run, near bumping into each other as they searched for a place to hide.
One child stops just short of slipping behind a tree, pausing to frown upon the sight. "Heeey! You know this is my hiding spot, Etsuji!" She is a small child, eyes large and golden. Her hair is as pale as the moon, a lovely shade of ivory white that is plaited into two messy braids atop her head. What separates her from the other gleeful imps is the two canine ears resting flat against her scalp.
Her displeasure at the boy who brazenly claimed her "hiding spot" seems lost on the brown haired child she spoke to.
"Aw, c'mon Aina! You don't own all the hiding spots!"
Aina stomps her small feet. "I didn't say I did! But this one is mine!"
"Eight...nine…ten!"
Aina freezes, knowing her time has been wasted. The little girl panics, quickly hiding behind the tree despite her hesitance. In her hurry, and possibly her spite, she nearly shoves Etsuji into the open.
"Hey, watch it!" He whisper yells, regaining his balance.
Before Aina could respond, a chirpy sound exclaims, "Ready or not! Here I coooome~!"
And there the two children stand, cheek to cheek, scowl to scowl, doing their best to remain unseen.
"Guys where aaaare yooou?" The sing-songy voice continues until silence fills the woodsy area. "Aha! Got ya Daizo! …Daizo?"
Aina stifles a snicker. Of course her stupid big brother would be caught first! Though… Kaori's sudden worry was something she had not expected! Etsuji shoots the girl a confused glance.
"G-Guys? Aina? Etsuji? Something is wrong with Daizo!"
"Maybe we should…"
Aina stops him, raising a finger in the air. "I dunno…we all know how Daizo can be!"
Daizo was known for his habitual childish mischief. Inuyasha often admonished the twelve year old for his lack of responsibility. Alas, Kagome had always been far too lenient on the boy.
Perhaps because he reminded her so much of her younger brother.
Etsuji nibbles his lip. He and Aina were ten, they were old enough to ignore Daizo's wiliness. But his baby sister was but eight…a fragile eight year old at that! Heaven forbid Kaori gets upset and tells mom! Sango would surely blame him for not properly keeping an eye on her. It was one of the many reasons Etsuji hated lugging Kaori around. But with his big sisters, Mariko and Masae, constantly training…
He was tasked with the burden of keeping Kaori out of trouble.
Etsuji was starting to believe the twins were doing anything in their power to avoid being stuck with their younger siblings! Now that Mari and Masa were sixteen, they had plenty other ways to spend their days.
Like giggling about boys. Etsuji gagged at the thought.
It was somewhat different for Aina, who saw herself as rather mature and poised. Daizo was twelve, but Aina busied herself with watching him lest things go awry! And with their oldest brother off shadowing father, she knew Daizo would cause some type of disturbance without Hideshi to keep him in line.
And thus, Aina stepped up to the plate.
Albeit reluctantly.
Kaori was beginning to scream now, and Etsuji knew tears were soon to follow.
"PLEASE! Someone help!"
Etsuji bit his lip. "I'm sorry…I gotta make sure she's okay…"
"…Fine." Aina tossed her hands in the air, angrily stalking towards the clearing with Etsuji in tow. There, nestled against a pile of leaves, was indeed Daizo. His dark hair was mussed, eyes screwed tight, and mouth hilariously open to reveal his tongue.
Kaori was beside herself. "E-Etsuji! I found him like this, I-I swear! Is he okay!?" As Etsuji awkwardly comforted his mournful sister, Aina push passed them to give a swift kick to Daizo's side.
Daizo steeled himself to not flinch.
"Get up now and apologize!" Aina was relentless, hands on her small hips.
Silence.
"Get up now, I said!"
More silence.
Kaori began to weep.
"I killed him, Etsujiiiii!"
"…How, Kaori? All you did was count to ten!"
If Kaori heard him, she made no indication of it. "I'm a bad person, I'm going to be l-locked in a brig!"
While Etsuji tried his best to calm Kaori's dramatics, Aina huffed at the husk of her brother. "If you don't get up right now, I'm telling dad you skipped school today!"
That certainly did it!
Daizo slowly rose to his feet, leaves falling from his green hakama. His eyes opened, revealing a brilliant shade of hazel. It seemed to glisten in the setting sun. "You said you'd keep it a secret!"
"I did…if you promised not to be stupid!"
"You can't even tattle on me. You skipped too!"
"It was your idea! Besides, who is mom and dad gonna believe is more responsible? Me or you?"
"We hadda deal Aina!"
Etsuji watched the siblings bicker as he casually turned the sobbing Kaori from snotting more of his robe. "See? He's fine."
Kaori's eyes went from dim to a relieved luster. "Yaay! Daizo, you're alive!"
"And he won't be for long, none of you will be."
Although the voice was familiar, four pairs of eyes grew wide with apprehension. The four kids turned to see Hideshi, followed by the swift entry of Mariko and Masae. The twins hopped lithely from large branch to large branch, adeptly finding her way against the ground.
"And Mariko sticks the landing! Hey twerps!"
Masae followed close behind. "You guys are in sooo much trouble!"
"Ha, big time!"
"Like, super big time!"
Hideshi sighed, golden eyes resting against Daizo and Aina. Similar to his youngest sister, a set of ears protruded from his head. Daizo was the only one exempt from Inuyasha's hanyou genes. Or so it appeared thus far.
"It's late. Not only did Master Shinto run into mom at the market today…but you lot decided it would be a good idea to play longer than usual in the woods. It's nearly dark!"
And that it was, the sun's luminous fire only a mere shred of its usual ferocity. Darkness was beginning to blanket the earth.
Aina was never fond of being scolded like a child, especially by her teenage brother. An undignified pout graced her lips. "We're well aware of the time. We were playing our last game when Daizo here thought it would be fantastic to scare Kaori half to death!"
"I thought he was dead!" Kaori chimed in, beaming.
The twins chuckled. Hideshi rubbed his temples.
For a moment, the only voice heard would belong to a perturbed Daizo.
"…Master Shinto saw mom at the market today?"
Seven youth would navigate the woods as the setting sun continued its descent. Seven voices would fill the night with its buoyant exuberance. Mariko and Masae would eventually break off from the group, their quaint cottage nestled by the village. Miroku, Sango, and their four children were only separated from their friends by a small brook. With the twins, Etsuji, and Kaori gone, the remaining walk would belong to Hideshi, Aina, and an anxious Daizo.
"So…do we know what Master Shinto said?"
Hideshi regarded his brother with an almost bored expression. "We're almost home. You'll find out."
"I don't like surprises!"
"Funny, because every prank you do is a surprise. Like pretending you were dead to a little girl!" Aina interjected as she picked a few leaves up and twirled them between idle fingers.
"That's different, Aina!"
"Not even slightly!"
Hideshi had had enough of his siblings. Today had been an excruciatingly long day! Days would start early for him, his younger siblings enjoying a few extra hours of rest. Their only job was to walk to the schoolhouse, learn for a few hours, and play till dusk. Hideshi was fifteen now, a young man with duties far beyond the childish petulance of his brother and sister. Inuyasha had him training early, tending to the fields, patrolling the village…and escorting his younger siblings back home.
There was no play time. There never was.
When the trio arrived, their father was sitting out front with his blade. He was cleaning the large weapon with a glower as his children appeared. Daizo felt himself shrink behind Hideshi.
"Worried your mother half to death. You know you're not to be out this late."
"Sorry daddy." Came that irresistible sweetness of Aina. She knew she had her father wrapped around her little finger, golden eyes radiating innocence in all of its naïve purity. "It will not happen again! See, Daizo here.."
"Aina, sweetpea." Inuyasha interrupted his youngest with a stern gaze. "You are in just as much trouble as your brother. Skipping school? Really? You love school!"
"But!"
"AINA. Inside! Right now!"
Kagome's voice penetrated the air, causing even Inuyasha to jump.
Aina cast a pleading look to her father, but the grizzled hanyou could only grit his teeth and do his best to keep firm. It was always difficult with Aina.
"Do as your mother says."
Inuyasha watched as his princess begrudgingly took to the steps, resisting the urge to chuckle softly. That one was going to give Kagome a run for her money.
"Hideshi, I know it's late, but a farmer in the village is requiring assistance. A messenger came by 'bout fifteen minutes ago. Said it was urgent, but I have my doubts. Probably runaway cattle again."
Hideshi was exhausted! He longed for his mother's home cooked meals, a warm bath, and some rest. But he understood why his father would send him in his place.
He glanced at Daizo, whose eyes were falling against the soil.
"Yeah. I'll go now, father."
Inuyasha nodded at him, watching as his oldest began to unsheathe his blade. "No. Take it with you. You never know what could happen—and hanyou or not, you need to be prepared for anything."
Hideshi gestured his understanding, even if he wanted to remind his father how handy he was without a sword. He knew now would not be the proper time to challenge his father's views. "I will be back, father."
"Make haste. It's already late, and your mother will throw a fit if you're not home within the hour."
This entire conversation could not have been short enough for Daizo, who had tried entering the house, only to be frozen in place by Inuyasha's pointed glare. With Hideshi gone, this left Daizo at the mercy of his father.
From the inside of the cottage, the sounds of a wooden spoon clapping against something could be discerned. Aina's wails were no surprise.
Inuyasha's expression returned to cleaning his sword. "Ya roped your sister in your mess, huh?"
Daizo fidgeted with his fingers.
"Answer me, boy."
"Y-Yes."
"What made you think it would be okay to ignore your studies? You know how your mother is. She takes that very seriously."
"…."
Inuyasha regarded his son with a weary glance. "The longer it takes for you to answer me, the longer I'm tannin' your hide."
"I um…I…M-Master Shinto…he was collecting our scripts today an' I didn't…" His voice trailed off into the wind.
"You didn't finish. Instead of facing consequences for negligence—you decide to skip your studies and take Aina with you?"
"No, that's not it! Aina…Aina she…she caught me trying to leave. And she butted in and said she won't tell you guys if I let her come with me. I swear, I didn't want her to!"
Inuyasha grunted in response, finishing up with his blade. He placed the sword down beside him.
"What did you do today, Daizo?"
Daizo began to tap his fingers against each other. The question seemed innocent, but coming from his silently peeved father, it felt anything but. "I…played games in the woods with Aina for a while. Then we waited for Etsuji and Kaori to finish school so we could play with them."
Inuyasha beckoned him closer. Daizo tentatively obeyed.
"Ya skipped school to play. And you played even longer than usual by staying out in the woods tonight. You were gluttonous, Daizo. In addition, you frightened your mother! Now, I know your tricks by now. But your mother? When Shinto said you and Aina weren't in class, your mother asked around to see if anyone saw you. It was Hideshi who figured you'd be out in the woods. Daizo, look at me when I'm speaking to you!"
Daizo bit his lip, sanding just inches away from his father's waiting knee. He met Inuyasha's eyes and immediately wanted to disappear. "S-sorry papa."
Inuyasha knew firsthand how tedious it was raising pups. With three, he and Kagome had to adjust quickly with growing personalities. As much as Daizo's nervousness made his heart want to melt on instinct, Inuyasha also recognized how insincere that apology was.
"You're only sorry you got caught Daizo."
The two were quiet for a brief period, the wooden spoon no longer creating a barrage of noise from the cottage's interior. Instead, the sound of muffled crying could be heard.
Daizo could not ignore the guilt that welled inside him. "No, honest! I…I feel bad for Aina. I shouldn't have…"
"You're damn right you shouldn't have! You're her big brother, Daizo. It's high time you lead by example! One day, me and your mother won't be here. Hell, Hideshi won't be here forever either. You need to understand that. Your siblings are all you have in this world! You have to look out for each other."
A vague thought of Seshomaru crossed his mind. He hadn't seen his brother in years.
A life he didn't want for his own children.
By this time, Daizo's eyes were beginning to water. Inuyasha knew his words were getting through to that thick skull of his.
"That is why you're going over my knee, Daizo. Not only for skipping school and staying out to late, but because you need to remember the importance of being a leader. You want me to take you on missions like Hideshi, right?"
Daizo mutely nodded.
"Then ya better start showin' me you can handle it. 'Cause right now…I don't think you can."
Inuyasha would have to steel himself for this next lesson. It was never an enjoyable experience seeing his children in distress, much less being the one to cause it. But his son could benefit from it. That so much he knew. It was Kagome who had suggested punishing their kids this way, it was how her mother dealt with any foolish behavior.
It was a method of discipline Inuyasha had long since forgotten in his long life. He almost wished there was a father figure presence around kind enough to punish the renegade he had become after years of isolation.
His ambition had changed. His mind was hardly on fighting.
His mind was on cultivating his children to be better than he ever was.
Daizo was looking utterly forlorn. The boy was mischievous scamp, blithe and enthusiastic. Seeing him so dejected hurt, but if Inuyasha could teach him to just…become a bit more accountable…
"Over my knee, Daizo. Let's get this over with."
As far as Inuyasha or Kagome knew, Daizo was different. Hideshi and Aina had a slither of hanyou strength and fortitude, even bearing the ears of their father. Daizo looked more like his mother, and seemed to be far more human. Inuyasha wasn't daft. He knew that bothered his son, especially now as he aged.
To his parents, Daizo was special in every way. Just as much as his own siblings. If they could just reign him in…
Inuyasha was not one to waste time. In one swift motion, Daizo was across his knee with his pants down, revealing a pale, quivering backside. He was a powerful man, and he was well aware of his son's mortality. And while he was nowhere close to using his full strength, that wouldn't stop him from spanking him hard.
He started off quickly, fastidious swats meeting unprepared flesh. Daizo's noises of protest were immediate.
"Ow, ow papa! OW, I'm sorry, okay!?"
Inuyasha simply grunted, focusing on the task at hand. Which was to effectively redden the backside over his lap. There would be no lecture, no more talking on his part. His son knew why he was here.
This would continue on for much longer than Kagome spanked Aina. After about fifteen minutes of solid spanking, Daizo was reduced to a sniveling mess. How humiliating, to be punished like a little boy over his father's knee. If only he could rewind time. That way he could avoid this awful fate!
Inuyasha rubbed comforting circles against his son's back, a free hand gently pulling his pants back up. Daizo hissed upon the contact. His backside felt as though it were on fire.
"Shh, it's over now, boy." Inuyasha helped Daizo to his feet, hands resting against the child's shoulders. The dark haired boy sniffed, wiping his eyes as quickly as he could muster. A hand hovered over his butt to rub away the sting.
"We're gonna go inside, and we're gonna apologize to your mother for scaring her, right?"
"Y-Yes sir."
"And we're gonna eat supper and get our work done, yes?"
Daizo made a face, but his father's hardened gaze allowed it to dissipate. "Yes sir…"
"Good boy. Go on inside."
Daizo hurried in, whimpering as he rubbed the tender skin of his rear through the hakama. The white haired hanyou could hear Kagome scolding him, though her words were light and far more calm as she kissed his forehead. Inuyasha turned to gaze longingly at his little family from the window. Aina was helping Kagome finish dinner, and Daizo was working on his homework. As Aina walked by him to set the table, Daizo sheepishly tapped her shoulder. The two spoke, and after a minute or two, began to embrace.
She forgave him, of course.
Inuyasha felt his heart warm.
"Dear, supper will be ready soon!" Kagome called from the doorway, her dark hair placed into a neat, high pony tail. Even with age, she still remained as lovely as he remembered. "Where's Hideshi?"
"He'll be home soon. He was needed for a mission."
"At this hour?" Kagome's voice rose in pitch, and Inuyasha knew what that meant. He shot his wife a weary glance.
"He'll be alright Kagome. Don't work yourself up! I'll wait out here for him."
"…Fine. Stubborn. You're all so stubborn!"
"Heh. That may be true for the other two, but Hideshi didn't even want to go. I could see it in his eyes."
Inuyasha could hear the footsteps approach him as he gazed at their land. The soft chirp of crickets reverberated throughout the grassy terrain.
"He's sensible. Unlike his father."
"The boy wants to be a warrior. He's gotta understand that guys like us? We're only ever looked at if we do something wrong. That means helping out as many humans as possible. You know firsthand how judgmental a mortal could be."
Kagome playfully nudged her husband with her foot. "What's that suppose to mean, hm?"
Inuyasha smirked, rising to his feet in one quick motion. He recognized how his legs ached from having his son bent over him for so long, idly realizing Daizo was growing each and every day. To think, he was once so small he could do nothing more but dangle there! A strong arm would snake around the slender woman's waist, bringing her closer.
"It means, woman, we've come a long way."
The pair would have been interlocked in passionate embrace if not for the disgusted gasp of their youngest. "Mooom! Gross…dinner is ready!"
Inuyasha and Kagome would laugh beneath the moonlight, the brunette finally breaking away from her beloved. "I'll get you a plate, okay?" She called behind her.
The hanyou would nod, eyes scanning the horizon.
"Evening, Mister Akinari. What can I help you with?"
Hideshi met the disturbed looking farmer with an inquisitive expression. The old man looked as if he had seen a ghost.
"Where's your father?"
As innocent of a question it might have been, Hideshi couldn't deny the pang of annoyance. Wasn't he good enough?
"He sent me in his stead, sir."
Nothing more was said as the farmer led the teenager to his field. Hideshi was not expecting the metallic scent of blood that wafted into his nose.
"!?"
"Here it is…all of my cattle. Obliterated!" The farmer's voice was strained as he stopped moving. Hideshi could only gaze in utter shock.
For there, laying in several pieces, were the dismembered remains of various cows.
There was a rustling nearby, and Hideshi's hands went for his sheath.
His heart quickened in his chest.
"Mister Akinari. You need to get your family and stay somewhere else safe! I think the creature who did this…is still out there!"
"W-What about you, Hideshi?"
"I'll be fine—just go!"
"I'll have one of my boys get your father!"
Such words of comfort did nothing but fuel his ire. Hideshi brandished his sword, clutching it tightly within his hand.
As the farmer and his family disappeared behind their home, the oldest son of Inuyasha would call boldly into the night.
"Show yourself, monster!"