Bliss

Hidden in the mountains outside of modern Tokyo, thousands of stars illuminated the narrow streets and traditional architecture of the sprawling villages untouched by the changing fashions of the modern world. A large Buddhist temple and Shinto temple overlooked the dwellings as if standing guard. As large as Rinjihoshi was it was a wonder it had not ignored time but had adapted with it forging its own traditions and culture unnoticed by modern Japan.

One of the largest of these traditional structures was a simple wooden building with a curved tile roof that stood on the top of a hill overlooking a large portion of the town. The soft scent of incense emanated from its graceful walls.

A gentle breeze rustled the bamboo that graced a heavy carved wooden gate. Beyond this gate was a path of smooth limestone stepping-stones framed by elegant willow trees that led to a graceful curved bridge over a koi pond. Beyond this pond lay an elegant Japanese house with curved awnings.

Inuyasha Taisho stood on the veranda of this house, his eyes focused on a scooter lazily crossing through the narrow streets of Rinjihoshi, amazed at how this remarkable village hidden in the mountains outside of Tokyo could feel more like home than the forests of the Sengoku Jidai ever did.

The modern world may have forgotten them but the mythical youkai, the creatures said to have carried the spirits of animals, carried on, adapting to a changing world, and flourishing creating their own culture where honor was the most relished virtue. Here, they forged the unique villages of Rinjihoshi and lived in peace with the small group of Onmyoji, or the legendary human sorcerers, and ningen, humans, who also chose to ignore time.

A cold wind carried his hair about his face causing the small bundle in his arms to squirm. He gracefully brushed the errant hair strands out of his eyes with a free arm as he smiled down at the bundle that was cooing excitedly as the wind carried over her skin.

"You feel that too Izayoi, don't you?" he whispered to the infant in his arms. "Your mother would say it's a sign." Inuyasha sighed looking over the valley feeling that the wind was gently telling him change was coming. He stepped inside and slid the shoji door closed behind him walking to the kitchen where he set the child in her high chair.

Kagome smiled as she watched Inuyasha fumble with the straps to secure their daughter in place, his fingers fumbling with holding a squirming infant in place while attempting to deftly fasten the straps. After noticing his eye twitch in annoyance she stepped forward smiling, "here let me help you."

"Feh, I could have figured it out myself," Inuyasha proclaimed crossing his arms and turning his head. A small smile escaped his lips as he glanced at Kagome from the corner of his eye. He could not help but wonder how carefree she now looked, favoring the colorful yet relaxed kimono style of the youkai. Inuyasha simply found her alluring. Once the child was secured, Kagome turned and leaned up to meet him nose to nose. "Don't worry, you're still my hero."

"Damn straight!" Inuyasha smirked wrapping his arms around her, leaning down to kiss her. Izayoi squealed happily from the highchair eliciting a laugh from Inuyasha mid-kiss. "I swear she's plotting against our love life."

"Don't be silly. She's just hungry," Kagome teased, tapping the tip of his nose with her forefinger.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha teased back, raising an eyebrow as Kagome untangled herself from his arms and walked to the cabinet returning with a small jar and a baby spoon.

"Don't be so dramatic," she smirked passing him the jar and spoon. "And don't pretend to forget about last night!" Inuyasha made a face at her before sitting down next to Izayoi.

"There you go little one," Inuyasha smiled at his daughter as he brought a spoon of strained carrots to her lips, which she eagerly accepted making a slight mess around her mouth in the process. Kagome returned to the stove to finish dinner as she watched her husband tend to Izayoi. The infant had her mother's hair and smile, but she also had Inuyasha's amber eyes and claws as well as two dark dog-like ears atop her head.

Izayoi was named after Inuyasha's mother, not by Inuyasha but by Kagome, who felt it was time for another Izayoi to grace the world. The child had held Inuyasha entranced since he witnessed her noisy entrance into the world. He was constantly amazed at how helpless she was yet how strong her will to live was, challenging and strengthening his own beliefs.

Every child be it hanyou, human, or youkai thrived to live. Inuyasha realized this as he looked at his daughter mere seconds after she was born, her head turning towards him in recognition of his voice that she had heard countless times from the womb. It was at this moment that he felt more complete. His sense of worthlessness was gone, immediately replaced with a sense of responsibility.

"And your mother says I'm a messy eater!" Inuyasha smirked as he scooped the mess of strained carrots back into her mouth with the spoon. On his forehead hidden beneath his bangs was a faint blue crescent moon, which mysteriously appeared after he shared his blood with Kagome in an ancient youkai ritual steeped in magic allowed him to finally take control of both his human and youkai blood. Inuyasha never transformed into a full youkai again, yet he was stronger and far more cunning than ever before.

He was still clad in his black hakama pants and gi he wore to teach kendo, the way of the sword. The dojo he and Kagome ran was very successful and well respected even amongst those who resided outside of Rinjihoshi. They had found their peace in Rinjihosi. Inuyasha and Kagome had so much yet desired so little.

"I heard that!" Kagome countered with a warm smile as she watched her husband from the stove. Inuyasha had surprised her. Since her birth, he had been so attentive to their daughter. When Izayoi cried in the night, Inuyasha would be the one getting out of bed and ordering Kagome to go back to sleep. The rosary of subjugation was long gone, though she had her suspicions that they were hidden in a box in a closet somewhere.

She's got him wrapped around her finger, Kagome thought smiling as she shook her head. However, she could not shake the conversation she had earlier that day. At first she shook it off as mere coincidence, but as the day wore on she found it disturbing.

"I spoke to Ayume today," Kagome suddenly said.

"So, you always talk to her," Inuyasha nonchalantly replied, using the spoon to scoop some of the strained carrots back into Izayoi's mouth.

"Well you're gonna want to hear this," she gently scolded. "There is a child that arrived at an orphanage today, silent as the night, with dog ears, claws, and fangs." Inuyasha paused at the table holding a baby spoon full of strained carrots in mid-air gawking at Kagome. Izayoi sat in her high chair, mouth open, waiting for the spoon. "She said he reminded her of…you."

"He's a hanyou?" Inuyasha asked ignoring Izayoi as she hungrily stared and cooed reaching for the spoon.

"Probably, from the description she gave," Kagome said in all seriousness as she turned to the stove.

"Did she say if she was was inu or ookami or kitsune?" Inuyasha had forgotten that he was feeding Izayoi who was still reaching for the spoon.

"Actually it's a boy, and from what she said I think he may be inu," Kagome matter of factly replied adding a bit of salt to the chicken and vegetables she was preparing.

"Hmmm, an inu hanyou. I thought I was the only one," Inuyasha mused, lowering the arm with the spoon slightly.

"You're not that special and you're not the only hanyou in Rinjihoshi!" Kagome teased then paused looking at her daughter, who was cooing louder and her noises were remarkably unheard by Inuyasha's sensitive ears. "Um, Inuyasha-kun, how long do you plan to torture your daughter like that?"

"Like what?" he said, then dropped his jaw at the sight of Izayoi huffing and reaching out to the spoon. "I'm sorry Izayoi-chan," he quickly said kissing her forehead and offering her the spoon. His mind quickly returned to the child they were discussing.

"Kagome, how did he get there?" Inuyasha made sure not to take his eyes off his little girl this time, offering her spoonful after spoonful and noticing she was accepting them less frequently. She must be getting full.

"He was found wandering the streets alone at night." Inuyasha blinked, digesting what Kagome had said. Hanyou or youkai children are not normally found wandering the streets alone at night where an unsuspecting human could find them. Foul play was obviously involved in all this, but there was something more urgent in his mind.

"What," he stammered as unpleasant thoughts ran through his head. "What are they going to do once they figure out the child is not entirely human?" Inuyasha tentatively asked, forcing himself not to think of what a scientist would do to his own daughter.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Kagome admitted, emotion creeping into her voice. "I haven't stopped thinking about it all day." Inuyasha knew all too well how she felt about prejudice and misunderstanding.

"Don't worry, Kagome. We'll think of something," Inuyasha offered picking up Izayoi from the high chair and holding her close to his chest. He knew this would bother her and if it bothered her it would bother him. However, looking at Izayoi in his arms Inuyasha knew he had to do something. He simply could not let another hanyou child to fend for himself in the world.

"I know," Kagome smiled weakly as she walked over to Inuyasha and tweaked one of Izayoi's ears. She looked into Inuyasha's eyes and saw a flurry of emotions.

"So all she needs is a bath now, right?" Inuyasha asked with an eager smile.

"Yeah. Dinner will be done by the time you're done." Kagome smiled at her husband. Although he often knew what to do with Izayoi, he was always running things with her or her mother.

"Good, I'm really hungry!" Inuyasha announced as he left the kitchen, eliciting a snort from Kagome.

Yet again, some things never change!

Onmyogi really did exist, although I changed them around a bit for my story. A full explanation be found on wikipedia under onmyodo