Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me. Hikari and Ban (and their siblings) belong to me as well.

Torturing a Hanyou

or

An Overlord and His Minion

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Hikari rolled her eyes at her little brother's screams.

"MY EYES!" He wailed as he dropped to the floor clutching at his eyes. "I'VE BEEN BLINDED!"

Hikari put her foot on him and gently pushed him out of the room and closed the door on him. No way on this earth was she bending down. She went back to the bathroom and tucked more dark brown stray hairs under the wig and tried to pin them down. Her ears were hot and itchy underneath, but she was used to having her poor ears hidden.

She heard her bedroom door open and turned to see her brother was back. This time blindfolded.

The kid had a flair for the dramatic. She admired him for that.

She was glad Yoshio couldn't see her grinning at him. He really didn't need the encouragement. So she ignored his theatrics and turned her attention back to the mirror.

Her costume was perfect.

Every detail was included.

Every cinch, buckle, and piece of leather was exactly where it was supposed to be. It was positively gravity defying!

With her borrowed wig and the borrowed costume, Hikari was a dead ringer for Etna.

Her hair (well, the wig) was in two spikey ponytails. She had toyed with the idea of dying her own hair red for the outfit, but decided on a slightly different plan. Besides, it was interesting to see how she would look in red hair.

She looked... cold. Very cold.

There wasn't a whole lot to the Etna costume. Gloves, boots, a short skirt (tail attached) made mostly of just two wide belts, and a small bat shaped band for a top held with two very brave yet tiny little straps. She could only assume the straps held up the top through some sort of magic.

"Is Shippo downstairs playing?"

"Yeeeeesss."

Hikari rolled her eyes again. "Just because you've been blinded doesn't mean that you are a ghost." She paused for dramatic effect. "Yet."

"Nobody told me this caper would be so dangerous to my health."

"This is not a 'caper'... it's a... "

"Caper."

"Oh hush, Yoshio. Aren't you supposed to be downstairs playing video games with Shippo?"

"Disgaea is a one player game."

"Then go cheer him on or something. Argue about playing it next. Just go do something involving the plan."

"Caper."

Hikari laughed as she shoved her brother out of the room. Again. "Go."

Finishing touches of some makeup and a deep breath for courage, and Hikari was ready to walk down the stairs. Hopefully she would survive it. Standing straight she pulled her shoulders back... then hunched back over in embarrassment.

No. She would do this. Plastering on a carefree smile Hikari tried to walk casually.

"Okay, let me get the camera! Your first cosplay! Smile... holy... no." Kagome dropped the camera. "No no no. You get yourself back upstairs right this minute little girl and put on some clothes!"

"But Mama..."

"Do you WANT to give your father a heart attack?"

"Mama..."

"Hikari!" Kagome narrowed her eyes at her daughter and crossed her arms over her chest. She stared at her for a moment in silence before picking up the camera and taking her picture after all.

"To remember you by," she whispered ominously as she stepped back and waved for her daughter pass. "You get to face your father, I am going to go make popcorn."

Before disappearing into the kitchen, Kagome stopped and turned around, giving her daughter a smile that gave her the chills.

"You and I are going to have a talk about your dating habits, sweetie. Soon."

Hikari gulped. But it was too late. Her mother had gone to the kitchen and her father was in the living room trying to keep Shippo and Yoshio from arguing over the controller. Luckily her brothers were causing enough of a distraction that her father hadn't paid enough attention to her mother's words.

She knew her father would never hurt her, but he could end her social life until she became an adult. She only hoped they would go with the adult age for a human and not for a demon. Biting her lip she touched her beaded necklace, the only item she had that she COULDN'T take off. At least until she turned 18. On that day no one would be able to stop her from going anywhere or anywhen that she wanted.

But she didn't want to wait. Not because she was impatient, even though she WAS impatient, but because she wanted the freedom given. But it wasn't about time travel, it was about making her own choices.

Though she did realize that her attempts to gain their trust by some misdirection did seem a bit turned around.

Just as she was about to lose courage, she heard her mother call out, "Inuyasha! Your daughter wants to say goodbye before she leaves!"

Kagome passed Hikari with a grin and a huge bowl of popcorn. How long had she been standing there waffling?

A slightly grumpy Inuyasha stomped across the living room just as Kagome pushed her daughter from the hall into the living room so the two met halfway.

"Uh..." Hikari was met with silence. "Uh... so I'll be going soon..."

Shippo covered Yoshio's ears for the explosion of growled out swear words. Before Hikari could blink she was wrapped tightly in her father's robe. Her arms were pinned to her sides. She could only pick out a few recognizable words as his shouting practically created a breeze, but she got the general gist of it.

No.

Not just no, but over his dead body NO.

Kagome was watching from the sofa as she ate popcorn with her feet tucked up beneath her. Yoshio and Shippo joined her, now that it was safe to have their eyes open. Generally her mother would temper her fathers... er... temper. But tonight she was just an observer. An amused observer.

"You aren't dressed!" her father yelled when he calmed down from his verbal rampage.

"Yes, I am." Hikari took a breath, ready to be cool and logical. Although she knew she was going to get yelled at, she still felt the sting of tears. But she wasn't going to cry. After all, this was the reaction she was going for. Still...

Inuyasha sensed the distress and took several calming breaths. Then several more. Then got a bit woozy. At last he stood tall and calm and looked down on his daughter. Had he always been that tall? Suddenly he seemed like a giant. She felt her eyes widen to twice their size.

"You are out of your mind if you think that you are leaving this house dressed... like THAT."

Cocking her head to the side, she assumed her most innocent expression, and said, "But you said I could."

"Wh... I... What? You... What?"

Hikari blinked dramatically. "You and Mama said I could go to the cosplay event."

Inuyasha looked over at Kagome, who nodded slowly. "Yes, but not like this! Not showing... no. Kagome?"

Hikari didn't look over at her mother. Instead she smiled sweetly at her father, all traces of tears gone. "You said I could go as the video game character Etna."

"Kagome?"

"Um... yesssss... but..." She looked at the screen where her sons had been fighting over playing Disgaea. Her sons who were now wearing slightly sinister grins.

"You promised."

Inuyasha whined Kagome's name. Kagome set her popcorn aside and went to pick up the video game box and turned it over. Then she looked at Hikari and squinted.

"If you look at the player's guide you can find a better picture," Hikari said helpfully.

Kagome picked up the player's guide that was bookmarked. She sighed in defeat before even opening it up. She looked at the picture, then looked at her daughter. Hikari wiggled out of the robe and Yoshio handed her a weapon. Hikari struck a pose.

"I..." Kagome shrugged and sighed in defeat. "I'm impressed."

"KAGOME!"

The doorbell rang. Inuyasha threw his robe back over his daughter as Shippo answered the door. The fox demon threw open the door with a flourish.

"Kari! Your Overlord is here!"

"HER WHAT?"

A young man with blue hair and a scarf (bare chested) strode into the room as if he owned it.

"Where is my minion?" he hollered in a demanding and slightly angry voice.

Inuyasha roared and lunged at the boy.

"SIT!"

Inuyasha thumped to the floor. For good measure, Kagome sat on him.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL MY BABY?"

The young man squat down and reached for Inuyasha's ears. Hikari snatched him backwards before he lost a hand.

"Oh!" the Overlord said cheerfully, "You cosplay too! That's so cool!"

"I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU TOUCH HER!"

Kagome smiled and waved. "Have a good time kids!"

"KAGOME!"

Hikari blew kisses as she left.

"Your parents are funny. You're lucky. Now, hurry up," the Overlord said as Hikari locked him out of the car. "We don't want to miss the beginning!"

Hikari turned to her other friend who had been waiting patiently in the car. "Suichi barely left with all his limbs! Thanks for letting me borrow your outfit, Ulala."

"Anytime, Kari. Here's your Fuka outfit."

Quickly they changed outfits. Hikari took off the red wig and let down two long brown ponytails. The temporary dye smelled funny, but it was worth it. She much preferred her new blue Prinny cap and coat to the rather skimpy outfit. Though she hoped she could get the picture her mom took before it got erased.

She'd love to show it to Ban.

As they drove away she could swear she heard her mother say "Of course we are going to be spying on them, honey..."

She wondered how long it would take for them to catch on to the costume swap. Would it be cruel to dab on some perfume to throw them off the scent?

Hmmmmmm…..

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Author's Note: Disgaea may be one of my favorite games. Doesn't matter how many times I play it. I can play the same level fifty times and still enjoy myself. I might name my archer Kagome when I play, lol.