Chapter 4-Traveling travails
I do not own Inuyasha or related characters. Rumiko Takahashi and her designees do. Sanae, Rinao, and Akiyoshi are mine, as is Ichiro.
Hours earlier...
"A dark cloud, Priestess?" the Innkeeper looked worried. Business had dropped suddenly over the last moon, it made sense.
"I'm afraid so. If you will permit it, I will place protections about your establishment to banish the evil before we move on. You're pretty lucky we came by," Kagome told him gravely as the dark haired human warrior behind her looked on impassively, arms folded. The ronin and the Priestess had arrived on his doorstep with rain threatening, and given him the news.
"Thank you, kind Priestess. Please, accept my hospitality tonight for you and your-guard?" he answered cautiously. The man prided himself on his talent for people watching, and this had him wondering. They seemed much closer than a mere guardsman was to a Priestess. The tired looking woman in her odd but rich robes nodded. The poor Priestess must have had some terrible accident-her hair was hacked to nothing...
"My husband, honored Innkeeper. We would be delighted to accept such kindness, our journey has been long and tiring so far," she replied and his face cleared.
"Then a single room. I will have a good supper readied for you. Baths, perhaps?" at that question-her eyes lit up in delight.
"Yes, please! Marvelous!" Kagome told him, hands clasped excitedly, and the man scurried off. They both waited until he left-and there was a sigh.
"You are absolutely shameless," the warrior said softly.
"You're the one who forgot to pack any money, Inuyasha. I give you one little job to get ready to come here and you blow it. Baka," she muttered.
"Look-I was busy and I told you as much already," he shot back.
"I bet you remembered the extra noodles I found in our packs-that I didn't put there," he flushed and she sighed, "hopeless."
"Yeah yeah. Put up the ofuda already. I'm hungry." her husband and traveling companion grumbled. She had picked a nice Inn, and he'd grant that yes-he'd forgotten the small but heavy money pouch kept in case they ever had to use the well again...but she enjoyed reminding him too much! Damned nag.
She was the one with the need for a 'proper bath' after all, saying she needed a rest when the storm began to form in the distance. Weak mortal. He'd clearly spoiled her, with years of hotels...alright, so his back was killing him and a hot soak and a warm, dry bed would help both of them. Hauling her and their packs was no fun, and Inuyasha also suspected she'd put on weight between leaving the well and getting here. How the hell had he carried her and fought all the damned time on little sleep?
The answer was clear, and annoying. Because he'd been in the best shape of his life, and working out was no substitute for running, fighting, and hunting all day. Because he'd been so damned intent on proving himself worthy of his Kagome that he'd have run himself to death for her-nearly did a few times. She was also right to suggest a break. If they exhausted themselves, they'd have a worse time fighting the Panthers. It was going to be rough enough as it was, they'd need their reserves. It sucked to have grown up and gone sensible, though. Depressing as well.
Inuyasha wasn't as young as he used to be.
Kagome set to work, and soon, a set of protective ofuda were up and they were eating in a private room.
"Not bad," she smiled, eating daintily.
"Hm. Rice is a bit overcooked," her husband noted. Kagome made a face at him over her own meal.
"Picky," she shot back.
"Me? Feh. You know, the old bonzu couldn't have done better, 'gome. You even talked him into offering a room without even trying," Inuyasha chuckled as he ate.
It struck him, though, that no one looked at him twice. No eating separately because a youkai disturbed diners, no fear smell...he'd grown used to that in the modern age-but here? It was wild and bizarre to him. The serving girl had even tried to flirt! Kagome had chased her off with a growl worthy of an Inu bitch staking her claim, and he'd managed not to grin. That little incident had entirely improved his mood. Seven hundred years old, and the young women still liked the look of him. Always nice.
Of course, he looked like a lean, muscular, black haired human in his early thirties, not his real age. In youkai terms he was around sixty-five and looked it on his human night now. Even his hair no longer turned black...but grey. Kagome looked about the same on the New Moon now, sharing his lifespan. The rest of the time though, they were ageless and felt young, even. Not a bad trade off.
"Well, it helps when you're telling the truth. Why do you think I took so long picking an Inn? This isn't the best in the area, but it's very nice and it's practically empty. I was pretty sure something was amiss here and I was right," Kagome admitted with a grin as his eyes widened.
"You're joking!"
"Nope. Somebody cursed that poor man, it was probably a competitor. So I removed it," she answered with a smug grin.
"Damn. And here I thought you'd decided to drop those ethics of yours."
"Of course not. I decided a long time ago not to use my gifts that way, you know that, Inuyasha," she chided, refilling his cup.
"True, but it would make shit so much easier if you weren't so damned honest!" he sighed. Both chuckled.
This did bring back a lot of memories for both of them of the Jewel Quest. But unlike these days, when their doubles were wandering around, young and unsure...it wasn't like it was. When they turned in, no, it wasn't the old days.
After they had set a simple traveling lock on their room's door, she'd made sure to put up some concealing ofuda to screen him from any active Sight or youkai. So he could look like himself for a bit. Inuyasha still hated the charms, they made his skin feel tight. Something his wife again insisted was psychosomatic as she rubbed his back. Inuyasha would regenerate, yes, but it helped. He wasn't a kid too proud to admit it anymore, either.
"I thought your back hurt, my dearest husband?" an arch question later when they'd gone to bed. A hand rested on her hip as fangs grazed her neck. Kagome knew that move very well. Frisky, was he?
"Eh, not so much, sweet wench. I heal up quick-and the massage helped," he answered with a wicked grin. She sighed, and rolled over to wrap her arms around him.
"Oh? Why don't we see how much?" she laughed breathily.
It felt like a second honeymoon, really. Even worried about their eldest, his abductors, the Jewel-they were having a lot of fun. More than they'd had the first time around in the Feudal Era.
But then the Jewel was someone else's responsibility for a delightful change. They wished those hunters luck. It was the others they didn't know of who needed it, though...
That night, some distance away.
'I will save Ichiro. I must. I will find him, and get him home safely. Ichiro will be well, and I will find him and return him to my side...then we will make love until I can forget about being so afraid, and then I will kill him myself!' Ayame repeated it as a mantra as she tracked. Or tried to. It was still raining, and the trail was cold and all but gone. But she would find him. There was a pause though as Ayame cursed her illusion charm and its limitations. None of her nature based magics...they'd pop the charm and she'd be visible to a mortal. Wait.
The Hidden World didn't exist yet. Ayame hesitated, and nodded to herself.
"Screw this shit!" she growled with grim satisfaction.
The charm was shut off, and she stood as she really was, dressed in her furs and armor of her former tribe. Ayame, former Princess of the Northern Packs stood there again under the moon. A bit taller, a bit more curvy, her red hair was short now. No headband either. No. Those were only worn by packmembers in good standing, and she hadn't been such for centuries. Kouga had not approved of her choice of mate, and exiled her for daring to love a mortal and refusing him for Ichiro. Ayame was Inu by adoption now, having wed a Lord of their line...if only one by courtesy. But there were those who wouldn't care about any of that.
She threw back her head and howled to her cousins, calling on an ancient pact with their kind...and it was answered. Waiting, she was rewarded when slim forms ghosted out of the night. The dominant pack in the area had come, heeding her call. It was easy to confirm who she was, and they gladly answered her questions. No, they had not seen a human with youkai cats. But they would pass it on, and if any pack did, she would be told of it. A shared hunt was suggested to their noble guest, and she regretfully declined, explaining she was already on one. They understood, and farewells were made. A whirlwind suddenly formed...and she was gone.
Not far off...Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku paused where they sat under a grove of trees to wait out the storm. A powerful youkai of their own kind had just emerged from nowhere at the edge of their senses! A powerful female? Who had just asked the local mortal packs for information? Who the hell was this? She had the woodlands starting to sing as news spread to look for humans and Panthers, and to tell the female who was their honored cousin at once. They gaped.
Few of their kind were out of the mountains, and fewer still had the control needed to pull this trick! Even Kouga, he could and did overawe them into obedience, but they did not view him as a friend as the mortal wolves did this one. Only those of certain bloodlines had such rights! Northern Wolves, the ones from the deep mountains who were closer to actual Wolves in breeding, who were much beloved by their cousins.
"We check it out," Kouga declared, and they rose to the chase in the rain.
The day after Ayame arrived in the past, Akiyoshi, Sanae, and Rinao kept walking. They figured the best way to find Ichiro was to shadow the one group they knew had Shards. It was assumed the Panthers would likely go after these first before Naraku's larger segment of the Jewel, because they were fond of clearing up easier prey first and they had lots of personal reasons to go after them. It was the best plan they could come up with. Their trail was impossible to find now in any case.
So, they'd follow their future Mom and Dad's party, let them be their stalking horse and pounce before Natsu and Hasumi could. Then they'd get Ichiro home and clear after the Panthers were dead.
So far, all was well...except for shivering and slogging in the rain last night to catch them.
Just passing through history, or so they thought. In traditional clothes, mostly, and Akiyoshi being the only one openly carrying a weapon with his bow and quiver, they hoped to look like two women and a guard or perhaps a hunter traveling. Hardly a threat and not overly unusual, he would say he was escorting them home to somewhere suitably distant if asked.
Until they discovered that arriving in a village after Miroku hit it was not a good plan. Especially when Sanae had the bright idea to ask if they'd seen the party they were looking for. She said they were friends of theirs...and all hell broke loose!
"Ah! More of you filthy thieving scum! Go! Out of our village!!" the innkeeper and headman were in the lead. To their shock it wasn't a mob...quite yet. Not quite the 'begone, foul youkai!' they'd expect if they were unconcealed, but not good.
"Whoa! Back it up, people!" Akiyoshi roared, holding his hands up to stop them. "One at a time! What's the problem here?" he demanded.
"We don't want any more fake monks-or their friends about!" the headman spat.
"Fake? I can assure you I don't know what you mean, good sir. We are merely passing through, and mean no harm. You say a false man came here?" Akiyoshi asked with a frown. Could he have followed the wrong trails? He smelled the maiden Kagome and Dad with a neko and a preadolescent kitsune and two humans. It should have been them. Who else could it be?
"I do! A filthy liar of a Monk! He made indecent proposals to my daughters!"
"They cheated the Innkeeper out of a night's stay and food for him and his greedy friends! Our local Priest was at a distant farm when they came through, and confirmed there was no 'evil cloud' over his property this morning! Never was!"
"Traveled with youkai, and a scantily clad girl, likely a whore, running about like that! Up to no good, the pack of them. We ought to have thrown them all in the river!" descriptions followed. Uh. Huh.
"I see. How unfortunate for you," Rinao said seriously, nodding once. The siblings exchanged shocked looks. Um. Hm.
"I can assure you, again, we are merely passing through and mean no harm to any here," Akiyoshi managed, and the headman scowled.
"Well-keep moving! We want no more trouble here!" at that, they did. Fast.
Sanae stalked down the road stiffly as the village disappeared behind them. Akiyoshi watched her fume, and understood completely.
"Ok, want to talk?" Akiyoshi sighed, feeling a pang.
He stopped at the same time as Sanae. They looked at each other. Rinao paused and frowned at them. The youkai moved gracefully with her arms tucked into her sleeves, and her kimono in soft shades of lilac and grey floated about her. Hakama and Haori with a silk sash. Sandals, and a collapsible spear was tucked into the back of her clothes along with several weapons hidden about her person. Her long hair was in a tail, with bangs like her sire's and a lilac bow holding it in place. Even her nylon backpack was purple-it was her favorite color.
"Akiyoshi, how could they? What the hell happened to Daddy bravely leading a desperate hunt by noble warriors! He was leading a bunch of perverts! And he bitches about my friends and dating habits! Mom's so ethical about her powers! She's supposed to be the pure Jewelguardian! Not a-a sex freak who hung out with a traveling gang!" Sanae wailed.
"Calm down. So-they maybe didn't tell us...everything they did on the Quest," Akiyoshi tried, looking disturbed, "Dad never said word one about stuff like this. Do you have any idea how annoying it was trying to live up to his reputation as one of his sons? You at least were a full blood!"
"Yes, I know, poor you. What about Ichiro? He's just a mortal! I just-scantily clad, though? They acted like she was naked and a slut. She's just a kid in a school uniform, right? Rin? What do you think?" she asked their cousin helplessly.
"Your Father was their-er...leader as I understand the matter. My view is that you, Sanae, have grown overly accustomed to modern apparel and standards. Here, that is indecent, and seventeen is mortal maturity," she noted dryly.
"True. Ankle, some shoulder...nape of the neck. Good things. Not that I'm knocking the mini skirt, mind you. Or the bikini," Akiyoshi smiled, and both women ignored him.
"That aside, Lord Father was not and is not of the same high opinion as your parents regarding the Monk and Slayer. Clearly, he was correct. Also-do not use my short name here," Rinao noted finally.
Only Sanae and her father dared call her that nickname, the name of the mortal child she'd been named in honor of. A child she was curious about, her own adopted elder sister that was alive in this era. The child her father had loved dearly and still missed. But it was ruthlessly suppressed by the youkai. No time for self-indulgence, after all. They were not here for sentimental tourism, merely to perform a rescue and clean up any pollution to the timestream.
"Got it. You know, Uncle Sess never talks about them to us, Rin-er...Rinao. What does he say about it? Anything?" Sanae asked, and their cousin shrugged. She'd seen no reason to discuss the matter before.
"Lord Father does not speak of it often. Clearly, he wished to keep the scandals buried in the past out of respect for our family. The monk Miroku was-or is, a poor influence, a confidence trickster and oversexed, as well as intrusive into private family matters and an irritant. This was a major cause of his disapproval of Lord Uncle's consorting with the monk aside from his chosen profession. He was deemed an inappropriate and scandalous companion to a youkai noble, if a loyal friend to your parents and a gifted Monk and scholar. Should we encounter him under illusion, he will undoubtedly attempt to seduce both of us or rob us, Sanae, possibly at the same time," she finished calmly.
That said, she resumed walking.
Akiyoshi looked bemused. Anyone looking at Rinao in that way was well...disturbing. Sure, she wasn't a virgin anymore then Sanae, something that had nearly killed their Fathers when it happened since they were unwed...but ew. Just-ew. Even as he privately marveled at the temerity of anyone daring to screw her. Doting and highly overprotective Father aside...brave guy.
"Might be fun. I've seen his photo when Dad swiped it for Mom from the Shrinekeeper's house. Very sexy. Aunt Sango's got good taste there," Sanae giggled and Rinao actually-blushed slightly? Oh, no. Akiyoshi did not want to know why she blushed. Ever.
"Enough! Gross, Sanae, just gross! I'm responsible for your honor and Rinao's, now aren't I? Plus I'd like to be able to sleep again someday without screaming nightmares. We ought to slow down, at this distance I can almost smell them and their trails are getting awfully fresh. It's going to get tricky here," the hanyou was well aware his Uncle expected him to ride herd on his Clan's Princess and his sister and protect their honor as their brother and kinsman. He had in fact said as much. Sure, they could both take care of themselves, but this was long before either of them were born. Him too, but when a father was born in the Heian Era, and your Uncle still earlier...it colored their views.
It would be Akiyoshi's fault if they screwed around, and he knew it.
"Yeah. Last thing I want to see is more illusions shattered, thanks," Sanae sighed, and her buff and peach kimono shimmered as she slowed to an amble, shifting her matching peach pack and the wrapped Tenseiga. A pack that, save for color, matched Rinao's.
Akiyoshi sighed, he knew they'd shopped together for the trip. Knew it. Rinao and Sanae-didn't have any of the issues their fathers did, at least. Thick as thieves, those two. But the two of them had him outnumbered and it worried him. He was their tracker and he checked the road again for signs, shouldering his bow.
Hunting the hanyou who'd taught him how to do this, actually. He just hoped they'd find his big brother in one piece, and that his Yatsumi would understand why he'd dropped off the map for days. All he'd had time for was a voice mail saying something had come up.
The cause of these problems, or most of them, was scowling up ahead. Ichiro paused, though. For a long time, he seemed to consider something, and it was noted. He remembered...
'Well. You don't seem to have any useful powers, little one. I'm sorry, I know you hoped you would,' Kagome told him sadly. The six year old boy shrugged. Ichiro didn't mind, really. His Mama and Papa had hoped he'd have her gifts-him? Not so much. He was too young to care then.
'That's not bad, Mama. Sanae's got all the powers. I don't mind not having 'em,' he'd offered, and squirmed in her lap. He'd been made to sit still a long time as Kagome looked to see if he had any of her talents.
'That's not quite true. She does, and so do you. But it won't do you any good, I'm afraid,' his adored Mother said with a smile as his eyes widened.
'I have powers? But mama, you said-'
'I said any useful ones, sweetheart. It seems you...if it was findable...you'd be able to do something very special, something only you and I can do. Remember the stories we've told you about the Sacred Jewel? That I can see it?' she'd asked. He'd nodded.
'I think you could too. But you mustn't tell anyone! Alright? Last thing we need is someone trying to find the Lost Shards with you. Even the three that are still around somewhere are three too many for any youkai to have. A secret, hm?'
'Can I tell Sanae?'
"Yes-and little Akiyoshi when he's bigger,' a fond smile at the two year old toddler where he played, 'but no one else! Promise, sweetheart?'
He'd nodded, and his father had sworn a blue streak when he heard that of all the possible gifts-he'd gotten a jewel detector for a son. One who couldn't even use sacred arrows to protect himself. They'd tried to keep it a secret for his sake.
But these things were never kept secret forever, were they?
"What is it?" Natsu demanded, looking up from her fussing over their equipment and bringing Ichiro back to the now. For the first time, he said it.
"I...sense a shard of the sacred Jewel."
Author's notes-Ok. Two chapters are going up. Please review! Thanks for reading as always.-Namiyo