Chapter XI: It's Not The Size Of The Dog In The Fight, But The Size of The Fight In The Dog
The couple awoke the next morning to the thundering of a pair of fists hitting the wooden door of their room.
"Open this door at once!" Shouted a young woman opposite the door.
"Do I have to?" The young woman in bed questioned, in a bad mood at having been awoken in such a rude way.
"I'll get it if you'd like," The young man offered.
"Please," The woman replied, pulling the blanket over her head as the young man left the bed, taking the welcoming warmth he provided with him.
"Can I help you?" He questioned, opening the door only to be trampled by the couple outside the door.
"What were you thinking?" The woman screeched at the young woman still in bed.
Realizing who the woman standing beside the bed was, the once currently resting shot up, her violet eyes staring widely towards the older woman, "But I didn't…"
"Don't give me that Ally," The older woman warned, "You should have known, you're better than that."
"Chiri, calm yourself," The man accompanying the young woman said soothingly, wrapping his arms around his mate, "She's all right, nothing to worry about."
"No Naito, it's not all right," Chiri countered, "She fell into Naraku's hands, our little Ally was in danger and we couldn't do anything about it."
The young woman was loosing her patience and did what she thought she'd never do, the only thing she knew that would completely hurt her adoptive mother.
"Will you all just shut up!" Ally exclaimed, throwing the blanket covering her off to the side and stared at the couple before her, "I'm not your daughter! Stop worrying about me so much, I'm not a little kid anymore and I can take care of myself."
Chiri locked eyes with the young woman, her jade eyes full of hurt, "Understood, I apologize milady, my actions were not necessary."
Ally knew she'd done something wrong when the woman acted like she should around her, treated her the she would referring to her rank.
"I didn't mean it like that," Ally said softly, ashamed she'd just disowned the woman who'd raised her and the one she looked up to as a mother, "I didn't mean to say that."
"We know," Naito said for his mate, "You've been put through a lot recently and what just happened couldn't have helped."
"I understand you are worried about me but I can handle things," Ally told them, standing up and walking to stand before them, "And even though I need help, Soshi was there too."
"I had a feeling that's where you'd run off to." Naito said, glancing towards the young man over his shoulder.
"Couldn't help it," Soshi admitted with a shrug.
Naito nodded, "I understand the feeling."
"Well I think we should go," Chiri offered, pulling herself from her mate's embrace and turning to leave, " Lord Sesshomaru has offered us to stay for breakfast and so we shall."
Naito sighed, "We'll stay to train as well."
Chiri nodded, "We shall see you two later."
"Chiri wait," Ally said, coming to stand behind the woman, wrapping her arms around her, "I'm sorry."
The older woman lowered her head, "There's nothing to forgive Ally, it was my fault for being so drastic."
"You were only looking out for me," Ally argued, "It was my fault for forgetting how much you two cared for me."
Chiri pulled away gently, turned around and hugged the young woman, "It's all right."
Ally nodded, returning the embrace, knowing that she had made amends with the older woman.
"I think we should leave these two to get changed," Naito suggested, "We have a heavy day of training ahead of us after all."
"True," Chiri agreed, pulling away from the woman, "We'll leave you two alone."
"Thank you," Ally said as she watched the couple leave.
"They sure do care a lot about you," Soshi commented.
"Care about you too," Ally replied, turning to the young man, violet locking with ginger.
"But you want to know what?" Soshi questioned, coming to stand before the young woman.
"No what?" Ally responded, looking up into the man's face as he came closer to her.
"I care for you more," Soshi answered.
"I know you do," Ally said softly, standing on her toes to reach the man's face, brushing her lips over his.
In response the young man deepened the kiss, expressing just how he felt towards the young woman.
"I don't think we're making any progress," Ally stated, looking into the man's eyes, a light pink dusting across her face.
"I don't suppose we are," Soshi agreed, releasing the young woman and making his way to the closet.
"I think I should head back to the apartment, I left my weapons and training clothes there," Ally said, looking around the room for her shoes, "Want to come with me?"
"Sure," Soshi replied, snatching up his shoes from the floor, sliding into them and handing Ally's hers.
"Thanks," she said and the two made their way out of their room and down the hallway.
The couple made it to the apartment in record time. Opening the door Ally went strait to her room.
"Will you wait for me in the living room?" She questioned to the man behind her.
"Sure," Soshi replied, taking a seat on the couch, "Are you going to grab Kagome's stuff as well?"
"Good idea," Ally responded, poking her head around the corner, "It'll only take me a minute."
Nodding his head, Soshi returned to looking around the apartment.
Ally shook her head, it was unbelievable that the man could be amused by every little thing.
Sighing she gathered her throwing knives up with her training clothes in her arms and made her way into her friends room, looking around for her bow and arrows. Finding them, she shouldered the quiver and held the bow in her hand.
"I think that's it," Ally said to herself, turning around to leave.
The young woman began to make her way to the door when something white, green and red caught her eye.
"Hey Soshi," Ally called, a mischievous hint to her tone, "Come here."
"What is it?" The you demon asked.
"Does that look like what I think it is?" Ally inquired, pointing towards the small bundle.
Soshi looked carefully at the small pile of cloth, then smiled, "I think they could use a little reunion."
"See, bed time stories come in handy," Ally said, picking up the wad of clothing and leaving the room.
"We should hurry or we'll miss breakfast," Soshi commented from behind the young woman.
"Is that all you think about?" Ally questioned.
"No, I think about you," Soshi replied.
A light blush crossed Ally's cheeks, "Well we better get going shouldn't we, if we hurry we can make it back just before they start."
Soshi laughed, wrapping an arm around the woman's waist as they left the apartment and headed back to the lord's house.
The light filtered through the window, the couple in bed not so willing to get up.
"I don't want to get up right now," The hanyou thought to himself, burying his nose into this mate's hair.
A loud nock came to the door, followed by his brother's monotone voice, "Get up brother, breakfast will be served soon and everyone else is awake and you need to prepare yourself for training."
The hanyou growled softly and began to nudge his mate's cheek with his nose, trying to wake her.
"Kagome, time to get up," He growled lightly.
"Do we have to?" The young woman questioned, opening her hazel eyes.
"Afraid so," InuYasha replied, releasing the young woman from his embrace, "Sesshomaru said it's time for breakfast."
Kagome nodded, pulling herself from the comfort of the warm bed she'd shared with InuYasha. Standing, she stretched, trying to free herself from all the kinks she'd obtained from the bed.
"You okay?" The hanyou questioned.
"Yep," Kagome replied, "just a little sore."
"That's understandable," The hanyou stated, crossing the room and placed his hands on the young woman's shoulders, working out the sore places and stiff areas.
"Better?" He questioned.
"Much," Kagome replied, "Thank you."
"Anytime," InuYasha said, leaning down to capture the young woman's lips.
The two parted as the hanyou moved around his room and plucked his fire rat robes from the top of a dresser, shedding the old attire he'd been wearing to trade for the material he was so use to.
Once he'd finished the couple went to the door, opened it and walked into the hallway only to be greeted by a very groggy and tired hanyou.
"What were you doing last night pup?" InuYasha questioned the young woman in the hall, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Nothing," She stuttered.
A young man came out behind her, his hair tussled and mused about his head.
"Oh, I see," InuYasha said, a perverted grin on his face, "But honestly, with your father down the hall, I would have thought you knew better."
"It was nothing like that Uncle Inu!" the young hanyou exclaimed, a blush crossing her face like a wild fire.
"I assure you sir," The young man said, "Nothing dishonorable went on in that room last night, you have my word."
"Give it a rest Seiji," The northern lord said, coming from his room followed by his mate, "We know nothing went on, we would have heard it otherwise."
Both of them blushed at that.
"Shall we go then Mia?" Seiji questioned.
"Fine," She mumbled, looking around the small group, "Is Ally up yet?"
"She left to retrieve some things at her and Lady Kagome's apartment earlier," Came the response from the young demon who aided Sesshomaru.
"Do you know when she'll be back Hana?" InuYasha questioned.
"Any minute now I imagine," Hana replied, "Breakfast is ready though."
"Thank you," The group said, walking into the dining room.
Kagome walked into the room, the smell of eggs, bacon and other assortments of food hitting her nose head on.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Kagome said, a light green tint forming on her face as she turned and headed back to InuYasha's room and strait to the bathroom.
"What in the world?" The hanyou questioned, about to follow his mate.
"She's all right InuYasha," Kane said, having passed the young woman heading down the hall, "She's just got morning sickness, she's fine."
"Should I go after her?" InuYasha questioned.
"No, she'll be fine," Kane said, walking towards the rest of the group now at the table, " and if she's anything like Bakari she won't want anyone in there with her."
"She's just fine," Bakari assured the hanyou, "She won't be able to eat breakfast for a while and the smell of food so early will make her sick for a while but that's to be expected."
InuYasha nodded and followed the female hanyou, sitting down but not touching any of the food on his plate.
"If it's all right with you Lord InuYasha," Hana started, "I'll fix a plate for Lady Kagome and add some extra fruits on it for her, However you need to eat as well."
"Yes thank you," InuYasha replied, picking up his chopsticks and began to eat his meal.
The group had begun side conversations, everyone except Kagome being present. Not to long after they began their breakfast, the front door opened and a loud voice rang throughout the house.
"We're back!" They called, "Who missed me?"
"Hey Ally," Mia replied, shouting towards her friend, "Hurry or you'll miss breakfast."
"Where's Kagome?" The young woman questioned upon entering the room as she scanned the group currently sitting at the table, all dressed in their training garb.
"Back in Uncle Inu's room," Mia answered between eating her breakfast and sipping her juice.
Ally shot the hanyou a puzzled look.
Seeing this, Artemis clarified, "She's having a bit of morning sickness."
Her lips formed an "O" as she understood what her friend was going through.
"Good thing I brought her a change of clothes then, huh," Ally commented, lifting the bag she was carrying for the group to see.
"Why not go see if my brother's mate is doing all right," Sesshomaru suggested, nodding towards Hana to signal he was finished with his meal, "We shall meet up with her outside in the clearing."
"Not a bad idea," Ally agreed, turning and heading towards the hanyou's room and knocked on the heavy wooden door.
The young miko lifted her head from the lip of the porcelain bowl, the white interior containing what had settled in the young woman's stomach the previous day. She heaved again at even the memory of the delicious food the young demon had prepared.
A gentle knock came to the heavy wood as a her friend let herself in.
"Kagome?" Ally questioned, making her way towards the side of the room she knew the bathroom was. Walking towards the crouched woman, she kneeled beside her, rubbing gentle circles on the young woman's back, "Feeling any better?"
"Yeah, I don't know what came over me," Kagome said, wiping her mouth with a piece of toilet paper and grabbing the cool, damp wash cloth from the sink to wipe her face with.
"I think you've had your first case of morning sickness," Ally said.
"I didn't think it was suppose to start this early," Kagome admitted, turning to face her friend.
"Well you have to remember your baby's not any ordinary baby," Ally reminded her, "It'll be part demon so your pregnancy will be faster than a normal human's. The only down side is the effects will be worse."
The young miko glared at her, "You mean it will get worse"
"Hey," Ally said defensively, putting her hands in front of her in defense, "It's worth it ain't it?"
"Yeah, it is," Kagome admitted with a smile as she stood up and walked into her mate's room.
"I though you might want a change of clothes, so when I went over to the apartment I grabbed you some," Ally told the young woman, "I thought those might be appropriate, and I was pretty sure they still fit, though you may need a jacket. I also brought your bow and arrows."
Kagome looked at her friend, puzzled at what she'd meant.
"I'll leave you to change," Ally said, placing the bag with clothes in it on the bed and resting the bow and quiver by the door, giving her companion a knowing smile and a wink, she left the room for her friend to change.
"What was that all about?" The miko questioned to herself softly as she walked over to where the young woman had placed her clothes. Opening the bag she smiled.
"Just like old times then huh?" She said softly, lifting her slightly warn school uniform, watching as the white material of the shirt and green of the skirt straitened as she flattened them out on the bed.
Discarding her current attire, she quickly slipped on the shirt and pulled on the skirt. Going to the mirror, she picked up the brush and ran it through her hair a few times, looking her self over. Picking up her jacket from the side of the bed, she walked towards the door; grabbed the quiver, slinging it over her shoulder and picked up her bow, making her way out of the room and to the field she knew everyone was currently waiting, a bright smile never leaving her face.
"So, how are we going to do this?" InuYasha questioned, scanning the group before him.
"There's quite a large group today, isn't it," Miroku commented, shifting his staff from one arm to rest on the other, "Shall we pair off like we did last time?"
"I think that would be best," Koji agreed.
"But then we have too many pairs fighting and not enough room if we're going to go full out," Artemis argued.
"We'll have teams then," Koji countered, counting off the number of people there, "One will be uneven unless some don't want to train."
"Shippo," Sango called to the small kitsune, knowing his dislike of fighting she offered, "Would you rather sit this one out?"
The kitsune nodded and retreated to the side lines to watch his companions fight.
"So here's the teams," Koji said as he began to list off the names, "Team One: Kisho, Sesshomaru, Yumiko, Bakari, Miroku, Mia, Yumiko, Naito, Seiji and myself."
"As for team two," The northern lord continued, "The members are InuYasha, Kagome, Artemis, Ally, Soshi, Sango, Kirara , Chiri and Kane."
"Speaking of which, " Bakari said, "Where is Kagome?"
"She'll be coming any second now," Ally answered, glancing towards the house, searching for the very person they'd been speaking of, "And right I am."
At that the group turned towards the house to see the young miko make her way down the path towards them, her school uniform skirt swaying slightly as she walked, her shirt covered by her jacket she know wore.
InuYasha smiled towards her mate, "Isn't it a bit too cold to be in that today?"
Kagome shrugged, her arrows in her quiver rattling gently, "Figured I'd stick with what I knew."
The hanyou nodded and wrapped an arm around his mate as she came to stand beside him.
"So what did I miss?" Kagome questioned.
"Just whose on what team," Her mate replied, then pointed to the smaller group around the two, "You're on our team."
"All right," Kagome said, "So is this a free for all?"
"I suppose so Lady Kagome," Miroku responded, looking towards his companions for any of them to disagree.
"Okay well then lets get his started," Ally announced as the groups separated.
InuYasha moved back with his mate, leaning down so his face was mere centimeters away from hers.
"I want you to be careful Kagome," He told her, his eyes serious, "You're powers aren't working so be careful and don't get in the thick of things."
"Fine, I won't," Kagome replied.
"Oh, and one more thing," The hanyou added, "Don't shoot me with those stupid arrows with the suction cups on them."
"Why not?" The miko questioned with a pout.
InuYasha just shook his head at his mate, "I can't believe you."
Kagome beamed at the hanyou as she ran over to him and gave him a quick hug.
"Ready?" Soshi questioned.
"Ready!" came the resounding voices through the clearing.
"Go!" Sesshomaru and InuYasha shouted, and the fight was on.
Metal clashed with metal as the groups attacked each other; sword against sword, arrow against arrow, boomerang and throwing knives against everything else.
"I don't see why you even try," Sesshomaru said coldly as he blocked an attempted attack by his brother, "All you do is swing Tetsusaiga around like a club, no strategy at all."
"Shut up," InuYasha snarled at his brother as he charged him once again. Contrary to popular belief the hanyou did have a method to his madness, he'd at least figure out the situation before him before he charged in, found the best way to win and go for it.
"Why a stupid pathetic half-breed shouldn't even wield father's sword," Sesshomaru added.
"I thought we were past this," InuYasha admitted, his tone dark, "If you can't accept me, how are you ever going to accept your pup?"
"I accept my pup," The young lord said defensively.
"Really?" InuYasha questioned, "What's the difference between us?"
"You're pathetic," The demon stated simply, bringing Tokijin down upon his brother's sword, blocking another attempted attack.
"What makes me so pathetic?" The hanyou questioned, his temper rising as his eyes flashed red.
"You can't fight," Sesshomaru stated, "Half-breeds aren't fit to lead, and so I see little sense in why father left you such a great sword to a meek hanyou who still fights like a pup."
At the first comment to the last statement, most of the group stopped, enraged at hearing how the lord felt about hanyou's.
"Sesshomaru," Kane said challengingly, "Because Bakari is a hanyou do you think she's unfit to rule?"
"And when Tori ruled over the Southern Lands," Artemis argued, "Was she unfit to rule because she was a human?"
"Even Mia," Ally continued, "She's your child, she'll take over your title once you're gone, does that make her unfit to rule because she's a hanyou?"
"That's not what I.." The young lord began.
"No Sesshomaru, that's exactly what you meant to say," Kagome stated, fed up with the constant fighting over pure blood or not. Didn't they understand that it didn't matter if they were full youkai or hanyou, it all mattered on how they used their power, not how much they had. With the young lord's endless rants about heritage she lost it.
"You should know better, that blood doesn't matter," Kagome continued, her voice turning darker, her aura swirling violently around her, "Was Rin unfit to be your mate because she was human? Does that make Mia so tainted and weak because she's a hanyou? Will the baby I carry inside me be too tainted to live or will you shun it as well?"
InuYasha watched as his mate vented out her frustrations; he knew she was bound to end up exploding on them sooner or later. Kagome had always been a quiet person, watching what she said around others, yet; he had no idea how far this was going to go.
The young miko raised her head slightly, her eyes still covered by her bangs, fists still clenched at her sides, "I'm just so tired of every one fighting if they don't have to, don't you all see that Naraku's our enemy? Not each other."
The clearing had become deathly silent, an ominous air plaguing the small field. The young miko's aura died down a bit, however her hands remained at the side of her body, unwilling to move. A moment later she raised her head completely to meet the eyes of the young lord, "Does that mean I'm unfit to be the mate of the son of the great Inu Taisho?"
Sesshomaru, as well as the rest of the group stood as still as boards, none daring to move from the shear sight of the young maiden.
"Kagome?" InuYasha whispered gently, aware of just what had happened.
The young woman stood there, her ebony hair slightly longer, nails had extended to a lethal length, two jagged purple stripes on her cheek. Her crimson eyes turned to meet the young hanyou off to the sight of her intended opponent.
InuYasha tried to move closer towards the young woman, only to receive a low warning growl in response.
"Don't do this Kagome," InuYasha warned, trying to help his mate return to her normal self, "You can do this Kagome, change back."
"No," Kagome said, her tone rough and unlike the normally caring woman, "He harm pack."
"I know," InuYasha agreed, trying to reason with his mates demon side.
"Wait, how can she have a demon side?" The hanyou thought to himself as he took another step forward.
"Don't come closer," The young woman stated, moving back, "Might hurt mate."
"You won't hurt me," InuYasha assured her, "Just as I won't harm you."
The woman continued to growl, however she stopped her backwards movements. Something with in her told her that this man wouldn't harm her, and she wouldn't in turn.
The hanyou stood before his mate, looking deep into the young woman's eyes.
"Can you change back on your own?" He questioned.
The human-turned-demon started at her mate questioningly, then shook her head in response. Her mind told her this was wrong, almost as if she wasn't suppose to posses such power.
"Mate help," She mumbled, closing her eyes as the hanyou embraced her.
"Yes Kagome," InuYasha said soothingly, gripping her tightly, rubbing circles on the young woman's back, "Just relax, all right. Everything will be fine."
The woman listened to her mate as he tried to pull her from the dark part of her mind she'd been confined to. With in moments, the aura around the young woman returned to normal, the claws she'd obtained retracted, her eyes returning to their normal hazel as well as the disappearance of the two purple jagged stripes that adorned her cheeks.
"Are you all right?" InuYasha questioned.
"InuYasha?" Kagome said softly, her voice back to normal.
"What is it?" He replied, concern lacing his voice.
"Dizzy," The miko replied, thankful or her mate to be holding her so tightly or she would have fallen, "Need rest."
"Okay, I understand," InuYasha said, "We'll talk about this later then."
Kagome nodded weakly as she was lifted into the hanyou's arms and headed towards the house.
"See," Sesshomaru said coldly, his tone barely above a whisper, "You are unable to protect your mate and see what happened, father's blood is too strong for her."
"And what happened to Rin?" InuYasha snapped, "At least I won't leave my mate to handle the strength alone. I pitied Rin, having to bare such a burden and a mate who she thought loved her never laying a finger to help her."
InuYasha just looked at his brother, a disgusted expression upon his face, "The poor girl love you, yet when she gave birth after you had no need for her. It's demon's like you Sesshomaru, who make me glad that I'm a hanyou, at least I have a conscience and can love; something you will never know, not even from your own pup."
Sesshomaru started after his brother, how could he talk in such a way to him.
The young female hanyou followed after her uncle, never glancing once at her father.
"Where are you going?" Sesshomaru questioned.
"I'm leaving," Mia said, stopping her movements on the path, turning around to face the man that had had a part in bringing her into the world she continued, "What you said that day, was it all a lie?"
The demon lord stood speechless, "What do you mean?"
"The night I turned human, that morning you said you accepted me as a hanyou, was it true?" Mia questioned, her tone bitter, "Or was it just because I looked like mother that you accepted me? Or at least up until you need a kid and then you just tossed her aside."
"You don't understand what you are saying," The lord said sharply.
"No, it's you who doesn't understand," The hanyou shot, her amber eyes welling up with unshed tears, "You didn't love mother did you? You raised her and because of that you felt that she trusted you enough to bare your child, is that it? You're a sick man."
With that last statement, the young hanyou turned on her heels and made her way towards the house.
"Mia, wait!" Ally and Seiji called after the retreating hanyou, as they ran to catch up with her, Soshi following close behind.
"I would have never thought," Koji said, disbelievingly, "500 years does things to a person, and I would have figured that it would have done something to that stone heart of yours."
"Don't speak of things you do not know of," Sesshomaru said, his amber eyes cold and devoid of emotion, "I cared for her, loved her, yet I couldn't bring my self to get over that fact the hanyou spoke of. She died, and even with Tensaiga, I was powerless to help her. The factors involved prevented me from doing so."
The group remained silent after that. Could there truly have been something done to the poor woman to prevent the legendary sword from healing her? And what if Kagome suffered the same fate? And what are hey to do to prevent the miko from changing again?
No one truly knew, nor was there an answer for them.
Author's Note
Well, hope you all like this last chappie! I had my Beta go a while back, "But if Kagome's powers are gone, how's she suppose to defend herself?" And hope that explained that to you all, and I thought it was cool to have Kagome go demon…makes for good fluff scenes, don't you agree? Anywho, I just wanted you all to know I have decided to make a 3rd one after this...so it's going to be a trilogy….I know you all are probably like, "MAN she's gonna milk this so dry!" but I just wanted to let you know that there will be a 3rd one so don't get all sad when things don't get finished in this one. For a spoiler for you all….3 or 4 people will die before this story is over…you can guess who they are if you want but I'm not gonna tell ya! Anyway, hope you liked it and I'm trying to get my updating schedule back in order but I'm getting SO busy with school so I honestly don't know, but I will try and update every Sunday...and that's how it will be unless my plans change. I know, Sesshomaru seems like such a bad guy again, but I felt that in order to have the big scene I have planed for Mia, Seiji and Sessy…this needed ot happen…anywho…Thank you and remember 5 reviews or no update!
Sammy-Sama
Chapter XII: I Don't Want The World to See Me, Because I Don't Think That They'd Understand
When what Sesshomaru said to InuYasha gets to the young hanyou's head, will the guilt and shame he harbor's in his heart send him over the edge? Will he question his union with Kagome so much as to break their bond? When he thinks Kagome carrying his child will inevitably kill her, what will he do to prevent her death? Will Kagome be able to pull him out of his depression, If not for her, then maybe he'll do it for their child. Will Sesshomaru ever get his head out of his butt and truly accept the hanyou's around him? Had his proclamation to his own daughter about acceptance an empty promise? And what will Sesshomaru say when Seiji requests his presence in a conversation, what is it he could ask him? Find out next time!
