The Demon in Disguise

Chapter 10

"AAAAHHHHHH," Kikyko's voice shouted from outside. I quickly snapped my eyes opened and sat up.

"What is your problem Kikyko?" I mumbled to myself. A huge gust of wind blew past me. Father and Miroku had darted out the door when Kikyko screamed.

I rubbed my eyes and shifted to my feet.

"Man it better not be anything," I said to myself.

"A DEMON," Kikyko shouted hiding behind father. Hakura and Kira had done the same. I blinked my eyes a few times and staggered out the door. She was screaming over a man? He was a normal solider who wore a long black and white kimono with grey armor over his chest. On his side were two swords and a pouch. His long black hair was pulled back in to a small band, and the scar over his right eye looked faded as if it has been there for years.

Mother and Sango ran out the door, and pushed me out of the way.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to startle the little one, I am in search of the home of Lord InuYasha and Lady Kagome," the man said. Kikyko shifted her eyes from the man, and hide again behind father's leg.

"This is their home, what of it?" Asked Miroku. He pulled the girls from behind him.

"Ah, I have journeyed quite a ways to get here," the man said. He bent down to one knee.

"Well what do you need?" father said, his hand was placed over his sword; I think he was prepared to fight this man. I sniffed the air. Kikyko was right; he did smell like a demon. He had a man's smell masking it. I looked at Kikyko, she looked terrified of this man, it's as if she had seen him before. Even Hakura and Kira were scared of him.

"May I?" said the man, he stood to his feet. Mother gestured for the house, she held her hand out as the man walked past them and in to our home.

"You kids stay out here," father said to us. He pulled me by the arm, next to Kikyko.

Kikyko quickly grabbed on to me, her eyes were affixed to the man in our house.

"Hey what is your problem?" I shouted at her pushing her away from me.

"That man, he's scary…" Kikyko said rubbing her hands against her kimono. She always did that when something scared her, or when she was nervous.

"Why does he scare you, he's dressed like a lord, like Sesshomaru, and he carries weapons with him, I think he's okay…" I said to her crossing my arms.

I twitched my ears, I heard father and Miroku's voice bellow in the house. I wasn't sure what they were discussing but it didn't seem good at all. I pulled Kikyko by the arm and sat her down next to Haku and Kira near the tree.

"Sit here and don't move," I told them. Hakura looked at me, she seemed worried, or concerned I wasn't sure.

I leaned against the side of the door and listened in.

"We will not help you organize an army to battle another demon lord," father said to him.

"We have retired from fighting any more senseless battles," Miroku added, throwing in the fact that Naraku was the last and worst battle of their lives.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave my home, we will not fight in any battles," Mother demanded. I hated when mother was angry, that only made our day that much worse, and she'll take out her anger on us and make us do chores.

I sighed deeply. I quickly ran back to the girls.

The lord bowed to one knee and left our home. I heard him say something as he was leaving but I wasn't sure exactly what he meant by it.

"I will ensure they help me," he half whispered to himself, he looked over at us and waved. Kikyko hid behind me again.

"I told you he's scary," she said.

"Kikyko really," I said to her as I half turned watching as the Lord left and entered the house. Hakura, Kira and Kikyko followed behind me.

Mother and father were conversing with Sango and Miroku over the lords request to build an army.

I sat outside watching the girls play a silly game, while listening to mother and father's conversation.

"Seriously Kagome your actually having second thoughts about helping that lord build an army, he only wants us to fight for him." Father said disagreeing with mothers decision.

"Well, I'm not having second thoughts I just figured maybe we could lend a hand," mother replied as she and Sango made dinner.

"Oh shoot, Kagome you don't have any of the herbs the stew needs," Sango added changing the subject.

"Want to go to the market with me?" Sango said again.
"I think that's a good idea," mother said, smiling.

"Hey Kids want to come with us," mother shouted at us.

The girls ran through the house nearly knocking me over.

"Crazy," I shouted at them.

"I'm out," I said yawning and sitting down next to father and Miroku.

"Alright, Miroku you get Koji…" Sango said passing the baby over to him.

"Mommy, can we go shopping," Kikyko shouted jumping in her spot.

"We'll see dear," mother replied to Kikyko.

Mother gathered a basket and left the house chatting with Sango, the girls ran out with them. I closed my eyes for a few moments, the house was finally silent.

"Hey Miroku," father said to him pulling his sword from his side. He rested it against the wall.

"What's up InuYasha?" Miroku replied to him.

"Kikyko's birthday is in two days, don't forget the fireworks," father leaned in to him and reminded him.

"Oh right, don't worry I'll make sure they're perfect," Miroku replied.

"Sister's birthday is in two days?" I asked father looking at him.

"Yes and we are throwing her a surprise party, don't tell her a word," father said to me. I smiled and nodded.

"I haven't got her anything yet," I said to father.

"Don't worry we'll go shopping after dinner," father said.

"Mommy, mommy look at this yukata," Kikyko watched as a man hand crafted clothe into yukata's.

"Wow, isn't it lovely," mother said to her.

"Can I have one please, please," Kikyko clasped her hands together, pleading.

"I'm sorry honey but we can't get you one right now, we only came for herbs," mother said to her. She patted her head and looked at Sango. Sango smiled and shifted the basket she carried to her side.

"Young lady, would you like this Yukata," the man said to Kikyko, when mother and Sango turned away, talking to another merchant.

"Mm hmm, but momma said I can't have one," Kikyko looked at the pink and red color of the yukata.

"Come back later and I will give you this yukata, for a price…" the man said to her.

"Oh? I don't have any money," Kikyko said to him swaying on her feet.

"Your mother, is she the priestess of this village?" the man asked.

"Mmm hmm, she's a very powerful priestess, she has spiritual powers, and papa is a demon, his sword is so powerful," Kikyko said extending the 'o' sound.

"Tetsusaiga right?" the man asked.

"Yes, its soooooooo powerful," she said again.

The man leaned in towards Kikyko.

"I'll tell you what little lady, if you bring me your father's sword and your mothers bow I will give you two yukata's," the man said.

Kikyko thought for a moment, "I don't know… mommy and daddy told us that we should never touch their weapons," she said.

"Ah, well how about I make you a very special yukata, a yukata that would make all the village children jealous, it'll turn you into a very special lady," the man said as his final offer.

Kikyko smiled and thought for a moment again.

"OKAY," she half shouted. The man nodded and went back to his work.

"Are you ready to go sweetie?" mother said reaching for Kikyko's hand.

"Mm hmm," she replied, she looked over to the man again, he waved and nodded to her.

I heard the girls near the house, singing a song; I sighed and crossed my arms. Great they're back, that was fast. I sighed and took in a deep breath watching as mother and Sango finished dinner.

I really wanted to get out of the house for a while, being stuck in doors with a crazy sister really wasn't a picnic for me. I'd rather be fishing, or running outside with my friends, or even training with father. Anything would do.

"Here you are," mother said passing me a bowl. I took sniff of the stew.

"So cool," I said.

"This is the best stew ever," Kikyko giggled eating her stew. Father smiled at Kikyko, and shook his head.

"I'm so full I'll explode," Kikyko mumbled placing her bowl on the floor, she tapped her belly. Hakura and Kira giggled at her behaviour.

"Well ladies, if you are done eating, we best be going," Miroku said to the girls. They smiled and shifted to their feet taking their bowls over to our small basin.

"Its okay girls I can clean those," mother said taking Kikyko's bowl and her's over to the basin. I stood up and took my bowl to the basin as well.

"Papa," Kikyko said tapping her belly.

"I want a new yukata, a pink and red one," she said with a nod.

"Oh?" father replied to her.

"Yes, pink and red, can I get one?" she asked again. Mother looked over at her and shook her head to father. He shifted his eyes over to her then back to Kikyko.

"We can't right now okay," father said to her. Kikyko huffed and puffed out her cheeks. She always did that when she was angry.

Mother and father stood outside waving to Sango and Miroku as they left with the girls. I looked at them then back at Kikyko who was mumbling to herself.

"What's with you?" I asked her wiping my hands over my haori.

"I want a new yukata," she said again.

"Well sorry Kikyko but we can't always get what we want," I said to her. She glared at me and huffed again. I lifted an eyebrow to her and crossed my arms.

"Hey Inuko, want to come with me for some training," father shouted at me from outside.

"Oh yeah," I shouted back jumping to my feet. I ran out the door just as mother was coming in.

Father looked at me and leaned down towards me. "Let's get Kikyko that yukata she wanted," he half whispered to me.

I nodded and smiled.

Father and I wandered through the village as many people where hustling about trying to finish their shopping and daily duties before sun set. I yawned and leaned in behind father as he leaned over a counter.

"Is that the yukata she wanted," I asked looking at the shimmering pink and red yukata.

"Yeah, your mom said it was this one," father said. I watched at the man wrapped it.

"I think she'll like it," I said.

"I think so too," father added pulling the wrapped package in to his haori.

"What should I get her?" I looked to father then looked around as some of the shops started to close.

"Wait, wait don't close yet I haven't gotten my sister her birthday gift," I shouted running from one shop to another. I shifted my eyes between two objects that caught my attention.

"Hmmmm…." I said crossing my arms.

Father leaned in towards me.

"Well?" he said.

"I can't decide," I replied looking at both objects.

"Why don't you get her both?" father replied looking at me.

"Can I do that?" I said.

"Yeah sure," father said again he handed the man some money and he took both objects and carefully wrapped them.

As we walked through the village I carefully carried the two wrapped objects in my hands.

"We'll have to hide these somewhere Kikyko won't find them," father said to me. I wandered my eyes to him and thought for a moment.

"She'd never think of looking in the bath house, we could hid them there," I said with a nod. Father laughed and tapped a hand to my head.

"I like the way you think sometimes," father said to me. I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but I guess he thought it was a good place to hide them.

I entered the house alone; father took the back way to hide our gifts from Kikyko. She had already curled up under some sheets and fallen asleep. I smiled and walked through the house. Mother was at the basin washing the dishes.

I leaned in and whispered to her.

"I got Kikyko something really cool," I said to mother. She smiled and looked at me.

"I think her surprise party is going to be a great one," mother said to me too, she leaned in and kissed my cheek.

"Off to bed with you," she said. I nodded and crawled over to Kikyko, she was hugging her bear so tight as she slept I was sure it would explode.

I crawled in to the sheets away from her so she wouldn't smother me and closed my eyes. I woke up some time in the middle of the night, not sure why, I was thirsty and needed a drink. I shifted myself awkwardly over mother and father and towards the water basin.

I quietly fumbled with a cup and dipped it in to the water.

I took a sip and looked over at Kikyko, who wasn't in bed.

"Huh? Did she have to pee?" I said to myself. I looked around the house and noticed fathers sword wasn't propped up against the wall, nor mother's bow.

Strange did they hide them somewhere?

"Its cold," Kikyko said panting as she ran through the quiet desolate village.

The man who promised her a yukata was waiting for her near his shop.

"Ah, you did bring them," the man said leaning against his shop.

Kikyko stopped and panted trying to catch her breath.

"The dark scares me," she said holding father's sword against her body. She had mothers bow around her.

"Well child, leave them here and be on your way," the man said. Kikyko looked at her father's sword in her hands and shook her head.

"Mm mm you said you'd trade for a yukata," she added.

"Yes, it is being made a special yukata I shall have it delivered to your home tomorrow at noon," the man said. Kikyko thought for a moment, then pulled mother's bow from around her.

"Here," she said handing the bow to the man.

He reached his hand out to it.

"And the sword," he said. Kikyko held the sword close to her and thought again.

"Papa needs this sword, without it he can be in trouble," she said remembering her father's words about how important Tetsusaiga is to keep father's demonic form from emerging.

"Don't worry I'm sure you're father will be fine," the man said looking at the sword he reached his hand out towards her.

"Fine," Kikyko said passing him the sword.

"This is payment enough, you will have your yukata tomorrow," the man said disappearing into his shop.

"PROMISE!" Kikyko shouted to him.

"Yes yes child now be gone with you," the man said from inside the shop.

Kikyko blew at her hands and ran back through the village.

She quietly shifted her feet outside the house. I twitched my ears and heard her. I wonder where she had gotten too so late at night. I waited for her as she came in.

"Where'd you go?" I whispered to her. She looked at me then to mother and father.

"I had to pee," she said and shifted to her sheets. I crawled back towards her.

"Did you touch mom and dad's weapons?" I asked pulling the sheets over me. She rolled over and looked at me.

"No," she said and closed her eyes.