Chapter 6
That evening while everyone sat outside talking and telling stories the children ran over and sat down. Inuyasha and Kagome's three sat in front of them, Izayoi in Inuyasha's lap, Toshiro laid his head in Kagome's lap as she rubbed his ears and Taji sat between them leaning his head on his father's shoulder, Ayame and Koga's children sat by them, Sesshomaru and Rin's children sat in their parent's laps, Shippo and Mizuki's twins sat in Mizuki's lap, and the dragon children sat between Mizuki and Otohime. As Aoi sat directly next to Mizuki, Shippo felt himself get angry. He shook his head to clear all thoughts of hurting the boy if he came too close to his mate.
"Are you okay?" Mizuki asked noticing him shaking his head.
"Yeah I'm fine." He told her just as Aoi mover closer to Mizuki to allow his Brother to sit. Shippo gave a small growl and stopped himself. "I'm just gonna go for a walk." He said as he stood up and forced himself away from the group. What was happening? It was like he was losing the ability to control himself. He walked into the woods and sat at the base of a tree for a while before he heard someone call his name and suddenly there was someone in front of him.
"Oye runt." Inuyasha said as he knelt down. "What ya doin out here?" Shippo shook his head and looked at his father. "You okay?" Inuyasha sat down completely in front of his son.
"I just…. I had to get away for a bit." Shippo said. After Kagome left he and Inuyasha began to get along and talk man to man and their relationship grew when they became a family and now Shippo felt he could tell Inuyasha anything and Inuyasha felt he could talk to Shippo about problems he had.
"Why?"
"I don't know. If I had stayed there any longer I would have killed Aoi. I don't know what's goin on." Shippo said and looked at the ground when someone else came to his side.
"What ya doin way out here?" Koga asked and he looked between the two.
"Said he was gonna kill the dragon boy if he didn't leave." Inuyasha told him hoping that a full demon might be able to explain something that he didn't know. The three had worked together for the past few years as Koga taught Shippo and Inuyasha what was happening with Shippo when things happened.
"How do ya mean?" Koga sat beside him.
"I just couldn't stand him sitting next to her all of a sudden. I can't control it." He said.
"Yer protecting yer mate and kits." Koga said looking at the distressed Kitsune.
"But from what, it was Aoi." Inuyasha said looking at Koga who shrugged.
"I don't know. Let's go back and see what happens with us?" Koga suggested making Shippo's head shoot up and look at them.
"Are you guy's nuts? I can't control the demon and if it takes over-" Shippo started.
"Relax. Do you forget we know what we're doin?" Koga smirked as all three stood and walked back to find the Children were playing quietly, at least for now, and the other adults were still talking. Koga went to one side of Mizuki as Inuyasha went to the other and Shippo went behind her.
"What's going on?" She asked as she saw the two men on either side of her.
"Just testing something." Inuyasha smirked making Mizuki raise an eyebrow and shrug. The men began to hear a rumble behind them and saw Shippo's eyes start to cloud over and turn a deep, dark green. Koga and Inuyasha looked at each other before walking back to grab Shippo and walk him back away from his mate to calm him.
"Well we know what the problem is now." Koga said.
"Ya do?" Shippo asked weakly as he looked at the ground. He couldn't believe he thought they were a threat.
"Yeah. You're reacting to her scent." Koga said making Shippo glance at him.
"Ya should know that sent by now, runt." Inuyasha said.
"Ya been around enough women to know it." Koga said.
"What scent?" Shippo was completely confused.
"Nori has the scent now, Ayame's had the scent twice, Sango's had the scent three times. You've been around Kagome every time she had the same scent. Yer telling me you can't smell it?" Koga asked.
"Mizuki's pregnant, ya stupid runt." Inuyasha said. Shippo sat completely shocked at what he heard.
"She's… she's…. pregnant?" Shippo stuttered out making the other two men smirk and nod. "Then why didn't this happen when she had the girls?"
"Because none of the men really made contact with her. It was all the women she was around." Inuyasha said.
"Ya gotta fight the demon down every time. Don't run, it will only make things worse." Koga said. "We'll tell the males to back off for a bit, and everything should be fine." Shippo gave a small smile to his father and Koga as they helped him stand up.
"Thanks." He said before he left to go back to his mate.
"Ya know there was the same scent all over the place. It can't be just coming from Nori and Mizuki." Koga said, then suddenly their eyes went wide and they took off back to the others. Inuyasha went to Kagome while Koga ran to Ayame and they both buried their noses in their mate's necks and took a deep breath. Koga sighed and looked over at Inuyasha as his head shot up and he cursed.
"What's the matter Inuyasha?" Kagome asked when she felt his head raise and heard him curs.
"I think yer pregnant." He whispered in her ear for only her to here. Her eyes went wide as she turned to face him.
"Are you sure?" She asked in hushed tones as Ayame told a story.
"Yeah. It's no wonder the scent is so strong." Inuyasha looked at Koga who shook his head and the two men looked around as their eye fell on Rin. It would be the only other person that could give off the pregnant scent.
"What's going on?" Kagome asked noticing Inuyasha look around and stopped on Rin.
"Member I told ya bout the scent that I know yer pregnant?" Kagome nodded. "Well it's really strong and we know its comin from Nori and just found out it's coming from Mizuki and now you but it's still too strong for it to only be you three. Ayame isn't so that leaves Rin." Inuyasha explained.
"Oh, Sesshomaru is going to love that." Kagome smiled. "We're gonna have our babies all together." She squealed softly.
"Can you tell what it is yet?"
"Not yet… I'll be back." He said and kissed her cheek before he went over to his brother. A few minutes later there was more cursing and Inuyasha returned to Kagome.
"Let me guess, she is." Kagome smiled as Inuyasha nodded. "I can't believe it. Nori, Mizuki, Rin, Hitomi and me are all pregnant together." She smiled her bright smile she only shows to him making him smile back at her forgetting everything else in the world.
Six months down the road, Kagome, Rin, Mizuki, Katsu, Tamotsu and Kagome's three girl friends were out for a walk in the woods while the others went to help with some problems in a few neighboring villages, Eri, Yuka and Ayumi decided to come back and see who their old friend and new friends were doing. The women were very persuasive when they wanted something especially when they were pregnant and they got their walk in the woods. Nori was due any moment and decided to take a nap and made Katsu go with the others to make sure they would be safe. Katsu and Tamotsu stayed behind the women and let them lead as they talked.
"So Rin have you picked any names?" Mizuki asked.
"No. Not yet. Sesshomaru likes to do everything last minute." Rin giggled.
"It's a guy thing. Right before they left Inuyasha and I were talking about names. He said to wait and see." Kagome said placing her hand on her very swollen belly.
"I know, Shippo definitely takes after him, at least you got that, I get, 'I don't know'. And that's it." Mizuki started to laugh until she felt a sharp pain go through her belly. "Ow." She said and grabbed her belly.
"What's wrong?" Rin asked
"I don't know. I just felt- ow!" She said louder.
"Let's start heading back." Kagome said. "It would be better to have others to help like last time." Kagome smiled sadly.
"Yeah, like you said last time, it will be interesting if we all go at the same time." Rin laughed.
"That would not be interesting at all." Tamotsu said as he and Katsu came up to them.
"Yeah, I'd haveta leave ya here to wait for Inu to come get yer ass." Katsu smirked
"Like you would." Kagome said.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! OW!" Mizuki cried as she dropped to the ground.
"Katsu we have to get her back to the village." Kagome said as she and Rin helped Mizuki stand and got her breathing after she tried to hold her breath through the contractions. They started to walk back the way they came to get help, when suddenly a twig snapped and everyone stopped. The women turned to look at the two men who were scanning the woods for any one that would cause a threat when suddenly men came from every angle and went after the women as Katsu and Tamotsu went on either side and tried to fight them off.
"Kagome get everyone back to the village and send Inu if he's back." Katsu said to her before turning and blocking a hit that would have killed Kagome. The women began to move as fast as they could to get Mizuki back and get help for Katsu and Tamotsu. Kagome ignored everything and went as fast as she could with the other's following her until a pain raced through her entire body making her fall to the ground in pain.
"Kagome!" Everyone called as they went to her.
"Kagome what happened?" Eri said.
"Pain." She said as she gritted her teeth and closed her eyes tight.
"Is it like before?" Rin asked as she watched Kagome nod.
"Twins bad?" Rin asked and again Kagome nodded. "Damn!" Rin cursed as she put her hand on Kagome belly and felt hard kicking and contractions.
"Rin take Mizuki and get to the village." Kagome said when she had a small break.
"And what about you?" Rin asked, she knew they could move fast one at a time but she wasn't going to leave her sister in law alone out in the woods while two men tried to hold off a gang of bandits.
"I'll stay with her." Ayumi said.
"Me too, Eri help Rin get Mizuki to the village, we'll take Kagome." Yuka said as she and Ayumi went to either side of Kagome.
"No. Don't move her yet." Rin said "If this is as bad as the twins' labor then we have to be extra careful. Move slow and steady." Rin said before she and Eri stood and got Mizuki moving towards help. Kagome and her two friends helped her up and started walking back when men started coming from the sides.
"Put me down." Kagome said. They looked at her then each other. "I mean it put me down for a minute." As soon as she sat down and they let go she released as much power as she could to scare the men off. As the last bit drained away Kagome called out for Inuyasha in her mind. 'Inuyasha! Help me! Koi, Help!' She was drained but knew she had to keep fighting to be able to be safe for her sake, Inuyasha's sake and the baby's that wanted out so badly sake. Kagome felt pain paralyze her for a moment as a man was about to strike, suddenly Tamotsu was in front of her.
"Kagome go. Inuyasha will kill me if I let you have his kid out here." He said with a smile as he killed the man and helped her up. As more men came he stopped and fought while Kagome and her two friends tried to keep moving. The only thing that could be heard through the woods was the sound of metal clashing with metal and the cry of men charging and dying as Katsu and Tamotsu cut them all down. They slashed, blocked stabbed and sliced their way to an end, trying to give the women enough time to get away. Suddenly a man came from nowhere and sliced Tamotsu's back while another caught him through the chest and he fell to his knees as darkness sounded Kagome.
Inuyasha and the others were just leaving the last village that had the problems when he got a weird feeling and he heard Kagome's voice. 'Inuyasha! Help me! Koi, Help!' Suddenly he was looking at the rest of the group's wide eyes.
"What?" He asked.
"Inuyasha you did that thing, the demon for a minute thing." Sango said.
"I heard Kagome." He said low.
"Like last time?" Miroku asked.
"No. But something is wrong." Inuyasha said before he took off running leaving everyone to catch up.
"I hope it's nothing like last time." Shippo said
"Me too. I don't think any of us could handle that, let alone Inuyasha and Kagome." Miroku said from where he sat behind Sango on Lamai.
"Neither would survive another loss." Sesshomaru said as everyone went faster everyone silently praying it was not another attack that killed another child and almost kills Kagome.
"Kaede! Kaede!" Rin called as she and Eri finally reach the hut out of breath as Mizuki is almost in tears. The old miko looked out and saw the three.
"Oh, my. Lay her down and I want ye to lay down also, lest ye go into labor also." Kaede said as they set Mizuki down and Rin sat next to her noticing Nori in the corner sleeping.
"She had a healthy boy a few moments ago, where are ye guards?"
"We were attacked when Mizuki went into labor and they were trying to give us time to get away but Kagome fell in pain and is in labor too and-" Eri started.
"Kagome too?" Kaede asked.
"Yes, she said it's like with the twins." Rin said holding Mizuki's hand. "I think it's too late to stop me, Kaede." Rin said as she closed her eyes and clenched her teeth.
"Lie down, and relax. Where is Kagome?"
"She's coming with Ayumi and Yuka." Eri said just before there was a scream of agony and Kaede ran out of her hut with Eri.
"Kagome, it seems it tis like the twins. Come lay her down in there." The friends helped carry Kagome into the hut.
"I need ye three to start walking to the west gate of the village and tell Sango to hurry here, and tell the girls to come with her." Kaede said and the three women set out to help. Kaede looked at the three women laying in her hut, all in labor. She wondered where to start, Mizuki was father along and not as explained at hanyou birthing, Rin was controlling her pain for now, she was slightly more experienced and it helped that she grew up helping to birth children. Kagome was in excruciating pain and was at a high risk for something to be wrong. She decided to get Kagome something for the pain and work with her first while keeping an eye on Rin and Mizuki, a very close eye on Mizuki. Kaede's relief burst through the door after a second. There in the doorway stood Izayoi, Hatsu, Akemi, Hanna and Haruko.
"Mom!" Izayoi yelled and ran to her side.
"Go… find…. Your father." She managed before she was overcome with pain once again. Izayoi nodded and took off running to find her father.
"Hanna, Haruko ye two go help Katsu and Tamotsu in the forest of Inuyasha. Akemi, Hatsu go gather towels and water." Kaede said as all the girls ran to where they were told.
"Kaede, why do they have to go help Katsu?" Nori asked as she made her way to the old miko's side, slowly.
"They were all attacked the men gave them enough time to get here to get help." Kaede explained. "Ye should not be moving."
"All three are in labor?"
"Aye, Rin will be fine for a while yet. Mizuki is very close but I cannot leave Kagome. Last time she felt like this there was a horrible problem. "
"I'll help Mizuki, you help Kagome, Kami above knows what Inuyasha would do if she wasn't taken care of." Nori laughed and moved slowly to Mizuki. She checked to see how close she was. "She ready." Nori told Kaede who nodded.
"Start and I hope, Sango and the others come to help." Kaede said as she tended to Kagome as pain went through her again.
"Alright, Mizuki, push down. Let's see what this little girl looks like." Nori said as Mizuki began to push. The door to the hut flew open to reveal Sango, Izayoi, Eri, Yuka, Ayumi, and Ayame, in front of them was Hatsu and Akemi with water and towels.
"Kagome! Rin! Mizuki!" Sango called as she ran in.
"I think you need to keep your mouth shut for now on Kagome." Nori said.
"Rin ….. Said it ….. This time." Kagome said with a smile.
"So it's Rin's fault?" Ayame laughed as she went and sat between Kagome and Rin and Sango sat between Kagome and Mizuki.
"One more push!" Nori called and suddenly there was a high pitched cry as Nori started to clean the baby and Mizuki lay her head down exhausted.
"Good job Mizuki." Sango smiled down as she brush a few bangs out of her face and looked over as Nori handed the baby to her mother. "She's beautiful." Sango said looking down at the baby. She had bright red hair that sat on her head between her two little fox ears. As she calmed from the scent of her mother she opened her eyes to show deep brown eyes for a second before closing them again.
Kagome almost cried out as she felt more pain. Her three friends were at her sides. Two sat beside Sango and one beside Ayame. Kaede quickly checked Rin to see she was still a little ways off and returned to Kagome who was ready to push.
"You can do it Kagome!" Her three friends cheered as Sango held her hand and Ayame waited to see if she was needed.
"It seems Inuyasha's children will not give ye an easy time, ever." Kaede said as Kagome pushed again.
"Sango push on her belly." Ayame said as she moved down beside Kaede. "Come on Kagome. Push!" Kagome pushed as hard as she could and the baby was half way out. "Come on. You can deal with Inuyasha; you can do this, push." Ayame called again as she took over and Kaede went to Rin who was starting to progress. Ayame grabbed the baby and began to pull gently when Kagome Pushed. The baby suddenly came free and Kagome cried out again.
"Ayame!" Sango said as she took Ayame's spot while she cleaned the baby. She saw Mizuki and her daughter passed out and next to her was Nori and her son sleeping, she wonder how they could sleep through everything as she finished wrapping the baby and went back to Kagome side as Sango looked at her scared. Ayame sat by Kagome's head and handed the baby to Ayumi as she propped Kagome up in front of her.
"Kagome, you know what to do. Now let's get this mini Inuyasha out and let him terrorize his father instead of giving you pain." Ayame said in her ear.
"Are you sure she doesn't need a doctor?" Eri asked when she saw the legs.
"This is what she has." Sango said.
"And it's got me all my kids." Kagome panted with a smile before she nodded. "I am going to sit Inuyasha to hell after this!" She screamed as she pushed with every last ounce of strength she had in her body as Sango pulled the baby out and he started to cry making everyone who knew the story sigh.
"You did it, Kagome. You've got another set of twins!" Sango smiled as she took the second baby to get washed up and wrapped before both boys were handed to Kagome. They looked at the first baby with silver hair between his little dog ears, his brother had black hair between his dog ears and they watched the twins calm down and open their eyes….. The first on had golden eyes and the second had deep violet. They were two sides of Inuyasha, Kagome loved Most. Rin Gasped beside her and Ayame and Sango went to her side as Kagome and the twins drifted off to sleep.
"Rin ye are there now. Bear down." Kaede told her.
"Push this boy out. Let him make Sesshomaru deaf." Ayame said making Rin laugh a little bit before her next push. After an hour of pushing she was so tired and the second little boy came out screaming. "That's it, Rin. Look at him practicing." Ayame smiled.
"Congratulations Rin, you have two boys too!" Sango smiled as she handed the first boy that looked exactly like Sesshomaru to his mother then the second that looked exactly like his uncle and big sister. A few minutes later all four women slept with their children tucked safely against them.
Inuyasha sat in a tree watching the hut intently with Shippo on a branch beside him. At the base of the tree sits Miroku, Hojo, all the children, Koga, and Sesshomaru stands leaning against the side of another tree. They hear the women scream and wait anxious as they hear a scream from a new mouth, they hear muffled congratulations to Mizuki and Inuyasha smirks at Shippo as he smiles and almost falls off his limb, next they hear Kagome in pain and screaming, they hear her threat to sit Inuyasha and everyone smirks just before they hear a cry then Kagome cried out again, and suddenly there was a second scream. Inuyasha groaned as he figured out he has twins again. Then they heard Rin and after an hour they hear her scream one more time and then a foreigner cry reached their ears making everyone look at Sesshomaru who had a small smile on his face when he heard a cry then the smile faded when there was a second cry.
"At least I'm not the only one." Inuyasha said to his brother with a smile. Suddenly they heard noise to the side and saw Katsu collapse. Inuyasha ran over with the other's following. He lifted his friend to find Tamotsu covered in blood and no sigh of life.
"Katsu!" Inuyasha called. He opened his eyes only a crack to see Inuyasha.
"Are they safe?" He asked.
"Yeah, they just had the pups." Inuyasha nodded.
"All three women." Miroku said.
"Four." Sango and Ayame said as they came up and saw Inuyasha holding Katsu up and Tamotsu showing no life.
"Four?" Katsu asked as he closed his eyes. Sango knelt down in front of Inuyasha.
"Ayame go get bandages and everything from Kaede." Sango started to open the shirt so she could see his wounds. "Yes four. Mizuki has a beautiful little girl, Kagome had two handsome little boys and so did Rin and Nori had a strong, handsome little boy." Sango smiled as Katsu smiled at the last part.
"So ya can't go diein or anythin. You'll miss yer first son." Koga said and saw Katsu nod.
Ayame came out and started to help Sango clean and bandage all his wounds with Inuyasha's help to hold him up when needed. They laid him under the tree that Inuyasha and Shippo were sitting in and went back to look at Tamotsu.
"He's gone." Koga said as he checked for a heartbeat and found nothing.
"We'll clean him up. You two better go talk to his wife." Miroku said and watched the two women go search for Amatsuko.
The two days later everyone stood in the old cemetery as Kaede over saw Tamotsu's funeral. Koga stood with his family, Sesshomaru holding the first boy they named Tomeo and Rin next to him holding the second son, they named Keji with Juro and Hatsu in front of them. Next to them was Shippo and Mizuki who held their new daughter they named Naoki with their twin daughter's in front of them. Next was Inuyasha holding the first boy, they named Kaori, next to him was Kagome who held the second boy, they named Kentaro. Next in line was Nori holding her son that she and Katsu named Tamotsu, to keep his name alive, next to her was Katsu who had his arm around Nori as tears fell silently down her face. His wounds were minor and he was mostly exhausted, the blood was the men he and Tamotsu had killed, he slept for the rest of the day and night and got up to go to the funeral. On the other side of him was Amatsuko with her five year old daughter and one year old son. Chika kept asking where Daddy was going and why he wasn't talking to her. It was tough for everyone, even tougher on the three friends who remained and tougher yet on the widow who now was alone to raise a five year old girl and a one year old son. She knew she had every one there to help but she felt so alone and empty. Behind them was the village, coming to pay their respects.
Men from the village started to fill the whole in with the dirt that was dug up and all the women let at least one tear fall. As Katsu caught and had to hold onto Chika who went to get her father.
"Daddy!" She cried and struggled to get out of Katsu's grip but he wouldn't let go.
"Chika, it's alright. You'll get to see him again and when you do you can show him how big you got and everything. He would be proud of you for that. You'll get to play with him all day and have a beautiful house to live in with him. That sounds nice, right?" Katsu said to the young girl. She nodded.
"He can't just make it happen; ya gotta let him build everything for ya before ya can go." Koga added from his spot.
"You have to get big and strong and make him proud, so when you see him you can tell him all about what you did." Inuyasha said looking down at the distraught little girl. Nori and Amatsuko just held each other as they cried making sure not to hurt the baby Nori held in her arms.
"Let us go feast in the memory of Tamotsu." Kaede said and started towards the village. The villagers followed directly after while the friends stayed a bit longer and talked before joining the others.
"Chika, Ya wanta go play?" Juro asked as he stood with Anzu and Aki next to him. Chika gave a small smile and ran off with the other children. Izayoi picked the one year old Aikotsu up and walked with the other children to let the adults talk and have their moments alone. As she walked by she gave her mother a hug and told her she was taking Aikotsu and the others to sit and play while everyone had their own time. Kagome nodded as Izayoi gave Inuyasha a hug and held tight saying sorry for the death of his friend.
"Ya have nothin ta be sorry for. Now go on with the others." He said and as she was about to walk away he stopped her. "Senshi." She turned to look at him with the little boy on her hip looking around. "Thanks." He half whispered before he went to talk to the others and she went to join everyone else.
"I can't believe he's gone." Masahiro said looking out at the children playing.
"I know. Dad and the other's are really upset. You can see it in their eyes." Izayoi said.
"Yeah, I know." Toshiro said looking down. Izayoi placed the little boy on the ground and watched him run after a little butterfly that seemed to be there to amuse him.
"I'm going to go for a walk." Hanna said as she stood up.
"I'll join you, if you don't mind." Ryuu said walking with Hanna.
"I'm gonna get somethin to eat any one wanta come?" Taji asked and watched everyone but Izayoi and Taro stand up to get food. "I'll take the little brat for something ta eat." Taji smiled and picked the boy up before walking off to the others.
"I'm not very hungry." Izayoi said and Taro was in his own little world until they started walking away and he realized he was left alone with Izayoi.
"So why'd ya have ta watch the brat?" Taro asked.
"He's not a brat. He's a little boy. And I don't have to but I think the time Amatsuko spends with her friends is better than following the boy around and dwelling on Tamotsu's death." Izayoi told him.
"Yer so considerate." Taro said sarcastically and rolling his eyes.
"Shut up, why do you always have to fight with me?" She started to yell and she stood up and walked into the forest. He sighed and started to follow her.
"She'll probably get herself hurt." He mumbled as he entered the forest. "Izzy!" He called trying to find her. "Stupid half breed. Making me look all over for her." He grumbled. "Izzy!" He called again and then saw her walking towards him.
"What do you want now?" She asked angrily. He could still see the tear stains that she tried to wipe away. His snappy comment sunk in his throat as he stood there looking at her.
"I… I wanted to make sure ya didn't get in ta trouble." He said making her roll her eyes.
"I can take care of myself." She said.
"No you can't, you're a girl and a half breed." He told her.
"Why do you want to fight with me all the time? Your such a-" She was cut off mid-sentence and her eye grew wide when she realized why. Taro had taken a step forward and his lips were pressed to hers. She started to relax but as suddenly as it started he pulled back and looked away, refusing to look at her.
"I…I…I'm sorry." He said softly before he took off. Izayoi didn't even have a chance to catch him. She fell to her knees as so many thought went through her brain and so many feelings went through her body.
'What is wrong with me? He's a stupid, know it all jerk! Why do I feel like this?… could I… like him? Or maybe more?….. NO! He's a stupid mangy wolf! Yes, one that will always want to fight and argue cause he's a flea infested rabies ridden wolf!' Izayoi thought and crossed her arms 'But he is kinds cute. NO! He's stupid and dirty! ….. I wonder why he kissed me or what he's thinking…. NO! Stop thinking like that!' She told herself as she stood up and walked to the sacred tree again.
Taro ran as fast as he could. He didn't know what came over him. He didn't know what to think with everything floating around in his head and the feelings that went through his body; he was so confused and embarrassed. He ran to a place he would be able to hide for a while and think. 'What the hell was I thinking? She's gonna kill me and if she don't there's plenty of her family that would! Wait why am I worried, it's not like I like her or anything… we grew up together, we grew up hating each other and trying to fight the other. But I don't really argue with her anymore….. Could I…?' He asked himself, tried to think and find answers to so many questions. His mind went from denying everything and hating Izayoi to thoughts of her. 'She was relaxing at the end…. Was she… going to kiss back? No she wouldn't she hates me and I hate her. I'm gonna leave it at that….. I wonder what she's thinking. No! I hate her; she hates me, that's the way it's supposed to go!' He yelled at himself. He was so lost; he didn't know what to do. The two seventeen year old sit in their hiding spots thinking, trying to figure everything out.
"Hey Hanna?" Ryuu asked
"Yeah?"
"You're a demon slayer right?"
"Yeah, you know that." Hanna said looking over at him.
"Yeah, I know. I was just wondering…. Inuyasha, a half demon mated a human miko, so what could be stranger?" Ryuu asked thinking about his growing relationship with Hanna. They had grown up together and become closer and closer with each year. They had kissed a few times and were technically going out, but kept it secret for fear of someone in her family killing him. It had worked well so far but they were getting closer still. Ryuu decided to ask his question.
"I don't know what?" Hanna asked,
"A demon slayer mating a Dragon hanyou." He said as he grabbed her hand and turned her around straight into a kiss. When they parted Hanna looked up at him. After all the years, he had grown from a tiny nine year old when he first met her to being twenty years old, he had matured not only in his mind but his muscles filled out and his silver hair got brighter and longer as his golden eyes became deeper and clearer. She loved him and he loved her, they were sure, but they weren't sure about her family….. Not yet.
"Are you asking me….?" She asked unable to finish her question.
"Yes. Hanna I want you to be my mate. I don't care what your family says. I need you…I... I love you." He said the last past softly as he bent for another kiss. They pulled apart slowly and looked at each other.
"So you want to bring us out in the open?" Ryuu nodded. "We'll do it slowly okay?" Ryuu nodded again. "And to answer your question, yes. I would love to be the demon slayer mated to a half demon." They smiled and hugged and kissed as they turned around.
"We better get back soon before they go off looking for us." Ryuu said and they walked hand in hand back to where the adults were to see they had joined the villagers.
"I wonder where Izzy went to." Hanna said looking around.
"Smells like she's in the forest." Ryuu said.
"She only really goes in there to think… I'll be back I want to see if she's okay." Hanna said.
"I'll come too….. I want to make sure you're okay." He smiled at her making her giggle as they went through the forest. They stopped at a huge tree and Ryuu watched as Hanna looked up into it.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for Izzy. This is her favorite spot." Hanna smiled when she saw a bit of Red in the tree, which meant she was upset. She would always run and get the red kimono and wear it in the tree when she was upset.
"She up there?" Hanna nodded.
"Izzy? What's the matter?" Hanna called up.
"Nothin!" Izayoi called back.
"I know there's something wrong. Please talk to me about it. Do you want me to get your dad?" Hanna asked knowing she would talk to her father for sure.
"NO!" She called hurriedly. Hanna knew something was going on.
"Okay fine. What about your mom?" There was silence for a moment.
"Okay." She said, Hanna had to strain to hear her. And turned to go get Kagome.
They ran through the forest back to find Kagome and talk to her. She was relatively easy to find and Hanna went over and told her what she knew.
"Aunt Kagome!" Hanna called as she ran over. "Izzy's in the sacred tree. There's something up but she won't tell me." Hanna said.
"If she won't tell you, the keeper of all her secrets then what makes you think she talk to me?" Kagome asked confused as to why Hanna was telling her.
"She asked for you. When she wouldn't talk to me I asked if she wanted uncle Inu but she yelled down no really fast like she was hiding from him and then I asked about you and she said yes."
"That is strange. Alright I'll talk to her. The sacred tree you said?" Hanna nodded and Kagome walked off to find Inuyasha. She found him with the other men. "Inuyasha?" She called as she came closer making his ears swivel then his head turn.
"What?" He asked as she stopped in front of him.
"You need to watch the boys. I have some things to take care of right away." She said as Inuyasha took Kaori and Katsu took Kentaro.
"What stuff?" He asked wondering where she was going in a hurry.
"I'll tell you later, its girl stuff." Kagome told him. He rolled his eyes like when Izayoi had her first cycle and wanted to know what was going on, Kagome had simply told him it was girl stuff and to leave it at that. He didn't want to pry too much and risk his life so he stayed quiet.
"Don't be too long." He told her
"If I am too long you can blame your daughter." She said with a giggle at the look he shot her. "Don't worry, it's nothing bad." She turned and left on her way to the sacred tree.
Once there she looked up and saw the red.
"Izayoi!" She called up and her daughter dropped in front of her and wrapped her arms around her and started to cry. "Izzy, what's this all about?" Kagome asked as she sat down with her daughter next to her.
"I… I don't know. I …I. oh Kami." Tears rolled down her face again as Kagome whipped them away.
"Calm down and relax. Tell me what happened." She said in her motherly loving voice.
"Everyone went to get food and Taro and I were the only one that didn't go. He started a fight and then when I came into the forest he started to call for me. We talked and then he tried to start another fight and when I was yelling back asking why he had to be such a jerk…. He….he…" Izayoi began to cry making Kagome think the worst things possible.
"Izayoi, what did he do?" She asked she would have a long chat with Ayame and Koga if it wasn't such a bad thing but she would go after the pup herself if he had done something to her daughter.
"He… He kissed me in the middle of my sentence." She said and looked at her mother with her shinning golden eyes. "I… I don't know what to do any more. I hated him and he hated me but recently we…. We…. Just don't get into fights anymore, you know?" Kagome smiled at her daughter.
"Are you trying to say that you have feelings for Taro?"
"Yeah…. No….. I don't know." She was so confused.
"Well tell me….. What did you feel when he kissed you?" Kagome asked trying to help Izayoi understand everything she was feeling.
"Well I didn't know what was going on and then I felt….. I don't know how to explain it. I was going to ….kiss back but he pulled back and said sorry then took off. Mom I don't know what's going on."
"Sweet heart. I know you don't understand it now but you will. And I have a feeling he's having the same fight in his head. Trust me. I know the feeling and I'm sure your father knows what Taro's going through." Kagome smiled when her daughter smiled at being able to understand a bit.
"Daddy….. You're not gonna tell daddy are you?" She asked hysterically.
"No, I won't tell your father….. Knowing him as well as I do, he will try to kill Taro." Kagome smiled. "No I think we'll keep this between you and me but Taro needs someone to talk to him. I think I will talk to Koga and make sure it goes no farther. If your father asks about any girl stuff ignore the questions." Kagome smiled and stood up. "I'm going back would you like to join me or stay here?"
"I'll stay here." Izayoi said and jumped back into her perch to think while Kagome went on her way to talk to Koga.
"Koga!" Kagome called as she went over to him.
"Hey, Kagome."
"I need to talk to you about something." She said and glanced at several of the men from the village that he was talking to. She saw him nod and tell the men he would be back before the two began to walk off.
"What's the matter?"
"I just came from talking to Izzy. She's really shaken up and confused."
"Why ya telling me?" Koga asked confused.
"Because it's your son who did it." Koga raised an eyebrow curious. "Taro kissed her." Kagome told him and all he could do was blink at her.
"He did what?" He asked after he recovered from the shock.
"They started to argue and when Izzy went into the woods he went to find her and they argued again. In the middle of her yelling at him he kissed her then apologized and ran off. Hanna found Izzy in the tree and came to get me when she wouldn't talk to her or Inuyasha."
"Is she okay?" Koga asked wondering if Taro had done something else and hurt her.
"She's okay now, still a little confused but I think she has a thing for him." Kagome smiled. "You should go talk to Taro; he's probably worse off than Izzy was. You should do it soon, before Inuyasha finds out." Kagome laughed making Koga smile and nod before taking off into the forest and Kagome went to find Inuyasha.
Koga ran as fast as he could as he followed his son's scent and found him ten minutes away in a dense tree. The boy sat sniffling and shaking his head, Koga swore he heard a few growls and whimpers before he called up to his son.
"Taro!" The boy stiffened and slowly turned and looked at his father. "Come down for a bit." the boy sat still for a moment before moving to land beside his father. At eighteen he was already as tall as his father. As Koga watched him land he saw his black hair was slightly messed up and his usual bright green eyes were now watery and clouded.
"What's up?" He asked in a soft voice, so unlike his.
"Sit down; I think we need ta talk fer a bit." Koga said and sat at the base of the tree. He watched his son sit down, just out of reach.
"What do we gotta talk about?" He asked looking as his hands in his lap.
"I heard what you did." Koga said and watched Taro's head snap up and look horrified. "Relax would ya?" Koga gave a small smile. "I ain't gonna give ya hell and mutt face doesn't know. Tell me what happened." Koga said as his son relaxed and started the story.
"We were all sittin there then everyone but me and Izzy got up. We started to argue, she walked into the woods and I went after her so she wouldn't get into any trouble. When I found her we started to argue again but before she could finish yelling at me I…. I…kissed her." He mumbled the last part. He looked up at his father who sat eerily quiet. "I couldn't help it. I don't know what happened and when I stopped she was staying to relax. I didn't know what to do after that so I said sorry and ran."
"I heard the story from Kagome. She went and talked to Izzy." Koga said.
"Is she….Okay?" Taro asked softly looking away.
"Yeah, Kagome said she's shaken up and confused. Said she thinks she likes ya….. Don't know why though." Koga smiled when his son looked up at the mention of the girl liking him.
"She…. She likes me?" He asked looking blankly at his father.
"Looks like you like the mutt." Koga said
"Don't call her a mutt!" He yelled and scowled at his father. Koga smirked at him as Taro stood and gave a small growl.
"Sit down. It seems you have somethin more than like fer her." Taro sat back down and looked away.
"I don't know." He said simply and waited for his father to speak, and when that never happened he looked up to see him looking at him as if waiting for him to continue. "We always fought and now we fight like it's a game. It's like I should feel like I did when we were little but…. I don't know. I just don't know anymore." He growled.
"Taro relax, it seems you're startin ta have feelins fer her."
"Yeah, I guess so." He said after a moment and looked up at Koga.
"I'm goin back to the village. Ya can come back, or stay here or run where ever. Just be home tonight." Koga said and stood to run back to the village.
"Dad." Taro said as he stood up. "What do I do?" He asked softly. Asking for advice and help was not something he liked to do.
"That is something for you to figure out."
"Dad? Yer not gonna tell Inuyasha what I did, right?" He asked afraid of the half demon.
"Nah. I like ya enough not to let him kill ya….. Yet." Koga smirked. "You do something ta hurt his little girl and I ain't stupid enough to try ta stop him." Taro tensed as he watched his father smile and take off. He stood still for a moment before he took off through the woods on his own mission.
He ran as fast as he could until he stopped at the base of the great tree everyone called the sacred tree. He looked up amongst the leaf covered branches and found the red that didn't belong. He jumped up and landed on the branch in front of her and looked at her startled face.
"Taro… What are you doing here?" She asked looking into his brightened green eyes.
"I wanted at talk ta ya stupid." As soon as Taro said that he instantly regretted it.
"Well I'm not talking to a mangy wolf." She said as she crossed her arms and turned away mad. He looked at her for a moment wonder what he could say or do to fix what he said.
"Izzy, look I'm….sorry. Okay?" He said and jumped over to sit beside her on the tree limb. "I just wanta talk. Okay?" She turned and looked at him for a moment.
"Why did you kiss me?" She asked and looked him straight in the eye. He stared at her, taken back by what she asked and the intense look she was giving him.
"I…. I…. I just wanted to" He said and looked away. "Do I gotta have yer permission of something?" He mumbled.
"Yes you do!" She half yelled. He turned and looked at her, she saw the look in his eye as they shifted to her lips and suddenly his lips were touching them. She gasped and then relaxed against him. They sat locked together for a while before they pulled back for air and looked at each other.
"Can I kiss you?" He asked with a smirk.
"Yes." She smiled and he leaned forward and kissed her again. Before they could pull apart the limb dropped and sent them falling to the ground. Taro grabbed her and turned them so she landed on top of him, unhurt. The landing took his breath away and he winced. Izayoi quickly got off of him and made sure he was alright.
"I'm okay, but next time let's not sit on a tiny limb." He smirked at her as they both blushed. "Let's head back to the village." He said as she helped him up and they ran back as fast as they could.
Three months later it was time to go back to Kagome's time and check in with Hitomi who was nine months pregnant with twins and was terrified. Izayoi and Taro became closer each day and kept their relationship as quiet as possible while Hanna and Ryuu began to introduce their relationship to everyone.
"Alright lets go. " Kagome smiled as she walked to the well with a group behind her. Inuyasha obviously came with the three children, Sango came with Miroku. Hanna, Ryuu, Akemi followed with Mina and because she came Taro said he had to go to make sure she didn't get into trouble. After arguments, Koga figured out he only wanted to go to be close to Izayoi and let him go. No one knew how close the two had become.
"Everyone ready?" Asked Sango as they began to jump into the well and arrive in Kagome's time.
"Oh you're back so soon?" Hitomi asked.
"Yeah. Figured we'd be here and wait that way we wouldn't miss it." Kagome smiled and hugged her sister in law. Over the last year the two had gotten closer, and Inuyasha and Sota were able to talk like men, instead of the man and the boy.
"Thanks" She said and gave Sango a hug before moving on to the others and saw the two boys. One in Kagome's arms and the other in Inuyasha's arms. "Oh Kagome they are adorable!" She smiled and took the one from his mother. Kagome's mother smiled and took the other from his father and fussed over them.
"Kagome you didn't tell us you were pregnant again." Her mother said.
"Thought we'd surprise you. I'm surprised my friends kept it secret like I asked." Kagome smiled as Kaori opened his golden eyes and looked at his grandmother for the first time.
"He looks exactly like you, Inuyasha." She smiled and pulled the boy close as his ears started to flick back and forth and his nose twitched. Kagome walked over to her mom and placed her hand on his head just before he started to cry.
"He's still not used to being away from us." Kagome explained and took he hand off as Kentaro started to fuss and looked at his aunt with his violet eyes. "This is Kentaro, and the little one you have is Kaori." Kagome's mother, brother, and grandfather looked at her for a moment.
"Figured we had Izayoi, might as well have Kaori?" Inuyasha said with a smirk before watching Kagome calm Kentaro and Hitomi coddle the baby. He turned to Sota who stood off to the side. "How ya holdin up?" Sota only groaned making Inuyasha and Miroku laugh.
"We know the feeling." Miroku said. "Inuyasha knows it pretty well."
"Not my fault" Inuyasha said and glanced at Kagome. Before anyone could say anything about it Kaori started to cry and he took his son from Keiko.
"Poor dear." She said as she moved closer to Inuyasha so she could still look at him.
"He ain't a poor dear. He's gotta keep his mouth shut for a few hours." Inuyasha said as Kentaro began to cry and Kagome took him.
"They look the exact opposite." Hitomi said looking at the twin boys when Kagome went to Inuyasha's side.
"They kind of are." Miroku said. "They look like Inuyasha."
"Only the one looks like Inuyasha." The pregnant woman said looking up confused.
"Kaori looks like the half demon and Kentaro looks like the human." Sango said.
"I've never seen you as a human." She said.
"Well you'll be able to….. Tonight's the new moon. You'll be able to see all of them as humans." Kagome smiled.
"I thought you said all half demons have a night, like all different nights?" Sota asked remembering the stories from when he was a child.
"Well apparently they take after Inuyasha, a lot." Miroku said. Everyone smiled as Inuyasha rolled his eyes and walked into the living room.
"Dinner will be ready in a little while. Will the kids be eating?" Keiko asked as she watched the children outside talking.
"Probably." Kagome said as everyone sat in the living room talking and waiting for dinner. The women talked about giving birth while the men talked about surviving all of it, the pregnancy, the birth and the child.
"Kagome dinner's ready." Keiko said "The crib is upstairs if you need to use it." Kagome nodded and went up the stairs to find the crib.
"Inuyasha can you move it into my old room?" Kagome asked as he handed Kaori to her and moved the crib. Once the twins were down they cuddled up and held each other as they drifted back off to sleep.
"At least their better than Izzy and Taro when they went ta sleep." Inuyasha smirked making Kagome smile as they went back down stairs to eat and get the kids.
"Dinner!" Inuyasha called as he reached the bottom of the stairs and watched as the children came running in and amazed Kagome's family.
"How did you know it was time for dinner?" Gramps asked.
"Dad called us in." Toshiro said.
"We just follow." Akemi smiled as she sat next to her mother.
"You heard him?" Gramps asked in wonderment.
"Yeah." Taji said.
"How? You would have to have super human ears or hear thought!" Gramps started on one of his tangents.
"Shut up old man." Inuyasha said as he sat next to Kagome. As soon as the old man turned to face the hanyou Kagome and the others knew it had to stop.
"Alright you two that's enough, let's eat." Kagome smiled at both.
"Besides, Shiro, Taji and me have daddy's ears, we can hear a lot more than you think, gramps." Izayoi said with a smile as she situated herself between her father and Taro. The rest of dinner was filled with the chatter of what everyone missed.