"Mother? Father? What's a.. Half-breed?"
The young, 3 year old Nekomata looked up innocently at her mother and father. Her mother's face saddened while her father closed his eyes and walked out of the room.
Hikari bent down to her child and gave her a tight hug. She was lightly crying..
Nekomata didn't understand.. None of the human parents would let her play with their children, and all called her the same insult.
"Stupid half-breed."
. . .
While laying in a branch in a high tree, Nekomata opened her eyes, and looked up at the sun setting, some light shining down and making her eyes glow.
Everyone else on the other hand, was below her, surrounding a small campfire.
"She still hasn't come down yet.." Sango said, looking up at Nekomata high in the tree.
"Nekomata, why don't you come on down?" Kagome asked. Nekomata didn't respond.
"It's going to be hard to change her habits..." Miroku said, shaking his head.
Everyone then looked over to Inuyasha.
"… What are 'ya lookin' at me for?" Inuyasha muttered.
"Maybe you can convince her to come down. After all, you have more in common with her than anyone else." Miroku said.
"Hmph! I 'aint talkin' to some hairball-coughing, self-licking, mangy cat." Inuyasha spat.
"You don't like it when people insult you, so why do you insult others?" Kagome asked.
"She's a cat, I'm a dog. Two different things." Inuyasha turned his head.
"You both are still half demons.. I wouldn't be surprised if you were the same exact way before you met Kikyo." Kagome snorted.
"EXCUSE ME? What's that supposed to mean!?" Inuyasha growled.
"Just talk to her, alright?" Miroku said, with annoyance in his tone.
"Fine.." Inuyasha growled, placing his sword on the ground and standing up.
"And ask her to bear my children." Miroku added. Sango growled.
"Yeah sure.. NOT." Inuyasha sighed as he jumped onto the branch Nekomata was on. Nekomata was resting her eyes, and her ear twitched when Inuyasha arrived on her branch.
"Hello Inuyasha." Nekomata started, opening her eyes slowly.
"So.. How come you won't sit with us? Are you afraid of Naraku.. If so, backing out is a good idea then." Inuyasha said.
Nekomata slightly glared at him.
"I'm not afraid.. And if you don't want me around, then just say it. I could find Naraku on my own if I have to." Nekomata muttered, looking up at the sun, just about to hide behind the horizon.
"Who the hell said I didn't want you around? All I said was that if you're not up to it, you'd best back out." Inuyasha said, as Nekomata was silent.
"Hmph.. I bet you couldn't handle what we go through anyways… You wouldn't last one day." Inuyasha muttered, looking the other way.
"You under estimate me because I'm a woman, or part cat?" Nekomata spat.
"Hey, we have two women in our group.. 3, including Kilala." Inuyasha sighed.
"Then what makes me seem so weak to your eyes?" Nekomata bluntly asked.
Inuyasha paused.
"… I never said you were weak, I just said you most likely won't be able to handle Naraku." Inuyasha said.
"Hmph.. We'll see about that." Nekomata muttered.
Inuyasha sighed.
There was a long awkward silence, until Nekomata looked down.
"Was your childhood the same.." Nekomata asked quietly
He understood her question completely.
"Yeah.. I guess.." Inuyasha also looked down.
"Have you ever came to regret who you were?" Nekomata looked over to him.
"Yeah, that's why I want to become a full demon." Inuyasha said.
"Heh.. I wanted to become a full human.." Nekomata chuckled.
"Why human? You would lose your powers and you would be defenseless.. What if you got attacked?" Inuyasha asked, lifting a brow.
"Then that was how it was meant to happen.. Or maybe I would find a husband to try and protect me.." Nekomata closed her eyes.
"But that is just a fantasy.. What about you then? Other than my father, I've never met a demon who would never give his life for someone, and kill for his own pleasure.. Fighting every possible minute, bloodshed.." Nekomata's eyes glistened as she looked up at the moon again.
"With all the demons nowadays.. I need that power." Inuyasha snorted.
"We are just misunderstood existences.." Nekomata sighed.
She then looked over to Inuyasha and they actually made close eye contact for the first time.
His burning amber eyes and her deep blues.
Inuyasha looked away, slightly blushing
"What the hell..?" Inuyasha thought.
"… L-Look, are you comin' down or not?" He stammered.
Nekomata slightly smiled.
"I'll take that bet you started earlier. I'll prove to you I can handle Naraku by destroying him with my blade." Nekomata said as she jumped down from the tree, landing like a cat, on all fours.
"Oh hi Nekomata!" Kagome greeted. Nekomata smiled and nodded as she sat down in front of the fire. Kagome looked to Inuyasha and mouthed the words "thank you"
Suddenly, Nekomata's cat ear and tail disappeared, and her claws shortened to normal nails.
"… What moon is it tonight?" Nekomata froze in shock.
"The new moon." Sango said.
Everyone paused, and looked over to Inuyasha.
His ears were also gone, and his hair went black.
He was human too.
"AW HELL!" He screamed.