Chapter 20: Village Reunions

Story by: Eric Lentz

(Feudal Era)

(Outside the Village)

Inuyasha is walking alongside Kagome as she walks her bike and enjoying the slow pace. Sango and Miroku walk along side each other with a respectable distance between them so Miroku can't rub her rear. As everyone walks along quietly, listening to Aneko and Shippou talk to each other and catching up with all that's happened with Kagome giggling and looking at Inuyasha with big eyes that made Inuyasha blush and feel very uncomfortable.

Inuyasha didn't quite know how to handle Kagome while she was like this. Inuyasha wasn't quite sure how to act while she was so… happy. He knew that she loved him and he knew that he loved her, but he felt wrong to take advantage of it while Kagome wasn't herself.

Kagome stopped and parked her bike outside the village before continuing on with her arm crooked around Inuyasha's and her head leaning against his shoulder with a blushing Inuyasha that scratched his head in 'dog-scratching-ear' kind of way every so often. Kagome noticed and thought he was so cute that way, which just made her love him even more!

Sango and Miroku noticed what Kagome was doing, but before Sango could do anything about it, Miroku put his hand upon her shoulder and simply said, "Leave them be…" Biting her lower lip for a moment and casting a glance at the couple she stepped back with a silent nod to allow Kagome and Inuyasha their time together but she didn't like the glamorous look that she'd get from Miroku. Sango had a feeling she knew what was going through the head of Miroku and she was divided on whether she liked it or not.

Shippou whispered to Aneko about Inuyasha and Kagome's relationship, trying to keep it low enough so that Inuyasha wouldn't hear. Shippou didn't need to worry though because Inuyasha was too embarrassed and wrapped up in Kagome hanging on her arm to be listening.

(Inside the Village)

As Kagome and her friends walked into the village, hardly anyone noticed them. This isn't saying that they weren't noticed, just not by ones who had been part of the village for a short time. A woman gasped as she recognized Shippou and ran off quickly to tell someone while they continued their casual pace through the village unheeded until they reached where Shippou's home once stood.

Inuyasha said as they stood in front of Shippou's home, "They really did a number on this place." Which got Shippou upset and he yelled, "They destroyed my home because my father tried to do the right thing and defend the village!"

Kagome stepped back and simply said, "Sit boy!" but there wasn't any force behind it and so Inuyasha merely just hit the ground and didn't make a crater like he was used to. Inuyasha looked up at Kagome and said, "What'd you do that for!" Kagome looked at Inuyasha with big, teary eyes and said, "Can't you see how hard this is for Shippou! His home was destroyed!"

Inuyasha looked at those eyes and jumped up to his feet quickly to apologize before she turned on the waterworks, as he hated to see Kagome cry, "I'm sorry Kagome! Just don't cry ok?" Kagome sniffles and says, "Are you really sorry?" with Inuyasha nodding and saying, "Yes, I am Kagome." Kagome wipes the tears away with her hands and says, "Ok… I won't cry"

Shippou is about to say something when Aneko looks down at him and says, "Shippou, I think we should go to where Father is and pay our respects." Shippou nods at his bigger sister and says, "You're right Aneko"

Just then Inuyasha looked backwards with his hand upon his sword and Miroku said, "A group is coming…" They all look in the direction, ready for anything when an old man and a younger woman walk up to them followed by some of the villagers that Aneko and Shippou knew from their time living there.

Aneko bows and says, "Village Elder, it is good to see you. I'm glad that the Thunder Brothers didn't take your life." The Elder smiles as he holds onto his cane for support and says, "Aneko, is that really you? I thought you'd been slain! It is good to see you again after all these years."

The Elder then looks at Shippou and says, "Ah, it is good to see you as well Little Fire…" to which Shippou looks upset but doesn't say anything in protest. The Elder slowly looks over the group that Aneko and Shippou are with and says, "Are these your friends?"

Aneko nods, smiling as she says, "Yes, Village Elder. They are also the ones who helped take care of Shippou until we were able to be reunited again."

The Village Elder smiles a little more and says, "Very well then, any friends of yours are most certainly welcome as friends in this village." Turning his head to the woman beside him he says, "Will you go and prepare a meal for our new friends? And a place to sleep as well." She nods before saying, "Yes, Elder" and walks off into the crowd, disappearing.

The Village Elder turns to head towards his home and starts to walk slowly when Aneko notices how he is walking. Aneko walks up to his side and says, "May I help you Elder?" and without saying anything he nods and moves to lean upon her so that she can support him.

Inuyasha mumbled something about taking forever just low enough that Kagome almost caught it. He looked at Kagome and noticed that she was still a little teary so he decided not to say anything until they got to the Elder's home. Sango and Miroku continued to follow along behind Inuyasha and Kagome and failed to notice a small flea leaping through the crowd and come to rest upon Sango's shoulder.

(At Village Elder's Home)

The woman was there and bowed in a greeting "Welcome to the Elder's home everyone. I have prepared a meal and set out beds in case anyone is tired." The Elder smiled and said, "Thank you Sayo for your assistance."

Sayo smiled a little as she said, "You're welcome Elder." Sayo turned to everyone and said, "Please follow me to where I've prepared the meal." And then she started to walk down the long corridor until she reached a door and pulled it aside. Sayo says to everyone, "I hope you all enjoy the meal I've prepared."

Everyone walks into the room but they all stop when Miroku stops at the Sayo and takes her hands into his to say, "Miss, I was wondering if you'd like to bear my child." Which gets a prompt hit on the head by Sango's weapon causing him to let go of her hands. Sango says, "Knock it off Miroku!" before dragging Miroku away from the woman.

Everyone sits down at the table and it is Kagome who is the first to say anything, "Wow! Everything looks so good!"

Inuyasha looks at the spread on the table and says, "Yeah! I can't wait to dig in!"

Shippou and Aneko who are sitting by each other on one side of the table smile at each other and then Shippou says, "Just like old times isn't it Aneko?" Aneko nods, "Yep! Sure is!"

With Miroku and Sango sitting across from Shippou and Aneko, Miroku looks at Sayo to say, "Please express my thanks to the cook for all this wonderful food before us." Sango is keeping a look at Miroku that silently says, "I dare you to flirt with her with me right here." Miroku thinks to himself, "I better behave myself, Sango looks pretty angry at me."

So, with a quick "Itadakimasu!" everyone starts to deal into the meal. As everyone starts eating, Sayo starts to walk away and hears a few dueling for certain food when their chopsticks meet before she closes the door.

Sayo walks silently down the corridor where she sees Aoi heading her way and stops in front of her to say, "I think your meal is a big hit Aoi. Everyone already fighting over your food." And says the last part with a playful smile.

Aoi smiles and says, "I'm glad that I was already starting to cook when you came back to tell me how many more people to expect or there wouldn't have been enough to go around."

Sayo nods to her and says, "Well, I better go back soon to see if any of them need anything at the rate that they're going at." Sayo smiles and says, "Oh, and you'll never believe who's in the group!"

Aoi giggles and says, "Oh? Who? One of your old boyfriends?" Aoi was just teasing because of the two of them Sayo seemed to get a boyfriend for almost every other month while Aoi merely had only one boyfriend whom she dated only a few times since the Thunder Demons incident.

Sayo play-pouts and says, "Aoi! You know my boyfriends don't come to the elder's for meals!" Sayo crosses her arms and closes her eyes as she says, "Just for that I won't tell you who is here!" Sayo really wanted to tell her friend and was practically bursting but she also wanted her friend to guess.

Aoi shakes her head and says, "Ok Sayo, I apologize! Now will you tell me?" Sayo opens one of her eyes and a slow smile spreads on her face before she opens the other eye. "You'll never guess in a million years! So I'll just tell you." Sayo uncrosses her arms and grabs her friend's hands as she says, "Shippou is here! And so is Aneko! They're both alive and unharmed!"

Aoi trembled in her friend's hands as she says with a light tremble in her voice, "Sayo, if this is some kind of joke… it is a bad one." Sayo shakes her head and says, "No joke! Go see for yourself if you don't believe me!" Aoi's eyes just stared at her friend's face to see if she was joking and after a minute, she decided that Sayo wasn't joking. Her mind wandered back to when she'd seen Shippou's mother and her eyes widened just a little as she thought to herself, "Shippou, Aneko probably didn't know that Midoro was alive still!"

Aoi pulled her hands back from her friend and said, "Thank you, I think I will…" and very slowly made her way to the room where everyone was eating while Sayo continued on to the kitchen to get refreshments for everyone. Sayo came back and saw Aoi peeking through a barely opened door to spy on Shippou and Aneko.

Sayo looked at her friend and softly said, "Why don't you go in?" Aoi looked back and said, "I… I couldn't… I failed Midoro when I couldn't keep Shippou safe during the attack. What if Shippou is mad at me?" Sayo looked at her friend and then said, "Well, then could you move so I can go in and deliver this?" Aoi moved out of Sayo's way and Sayo grabbed the door to open it with such quickness that Aoi was shocked as the two of them were revealed.

Everyone looked up at the suddenness of the door opening and that was when Shippou saw Aoi and said, "Hi Aoi! I've missed you!" and got up to go over her and give her a hug. Aoi wrapped her arms around Shippou and said, "You're not… mad at me?"

Shippou looked at Aoi with a puzzled look at her as he replied, "What would I be mad about?" Aoi hugged Shippou tighter and said; "I… couldn't protect you from the attacks that destroyed your father."

Shippou looked at her and said, "You got so badly injured when they destroyed the house on us. You did everything that a human could do so don't worry. I'm not upset and you gave me a chance to meet my friends here." Shippou hopped out of her arms and then grabbed her to pull her closer and then introduced them all to her starting with Kagome.

(At Shippou's old home)

Midoro, Soten, Koryu and Kaede all arrive at the house and see that it is exactly as Midoro had left it. A very charred mess and seeing it makes Midoro very sad as she thinks about her husband who was lost in the battle.

Soten looks up at Midoro and says, "Is this where you used to live?" While the little Koryu floated over the charred debris and thought to himself, "Wow, this place has seen better days."

Midoro slowly nods her head and says, "Yes, Soten… this is where I used to live once upon a time." Pulling her eyes away from the mess she looks at Soten and says, "This is where I used to live with my husband and our two children, one of who you're familiar with I believe." The last part she says with a little mischievous twinkle in her eye as she looks down at Soten, which makes her blush a little.

Kaede frowns as she looks at the house, thinking to herself, "I've been here, I think… why does all this seem familiar to me." She slowly swishes her tail in thought until she notices a kid trying to grab at the tip of her tail and almost succeeding a couple of times. She smiles as she pretends not to notice while continued to let her tail move tauntingly close to the child's hands and getting giggles from child. She notices that her tail play is drawing in more kids to try their luck at grabbing the ever so elusive tail. It isn't long until five children are trying to grab her two tails and it isn't long before one of them manages to grab one of her tails, which hurts a little but she bears it to hear the laugh of a happy child. She looks over her shoulder just in time to see the first child grab her other tail.

Kaede pretends to put on a frowning face and says in a tone of voice to let the kids know that her face isn't to be taken seriously, "Can I help you children?" and smiles as the kids laugh and some of them run away after having been 'caught' at playing with her tails. The little girl and the older boy who had successfully grabbed her tails still held on and looked up at her with smiles. The girl who had started the game said, "Are you here with the two other foxes and their friends?"

Kaede looked at the two and turned just enough to look at them both more easily, keeping in mind that they both still had the tips of her tails. "What other foxes?" Kneeling she looked at them both in the eyes while the girl said, "Not too long ago, the Elder greeted two foxes and their friends in front of this house while they were paying their respects to it."

Midoro's attention was caught at this point and she kneeled and swished her tail behind her as she asked, "Did you say that there were two foxes here? Do you know where they are?"

The little girl shook her head before saying "I couldn't hear too well, but I think the Elder took them away to someplace." The older boy said, "I was there in the front, and I heard everything!" with some pride at being one with useful information.

Kaede thought to herself, "I wonder if that was Aneko, but then who was the other?" Kaede looked at the boy, "Were you now? You're such a big boy, what did you hear them say?"

The little boy said, "Well the Elder called the little fox, Little Fire and the big one Aneko. The rest I didn't catch their names." The last part he looked a little upset that he didn't get to catch their names.

Kaede smiles as she thought to herself, "So, it was Aneko! And where have I heard Little Fire… I think Aneko's mentioned it to me once before." She looks at the boy and pats him on the head, "Thank you both, what are your names?"

The little girl said, "I'm Akira Okochi, nice to meet you" and she lets go of Kaede's tail. The older little boy lets go of her tail, following Akira's example and says, "I'm Ken Naba and I live just over there…" pointing over at a place just three houses away. Akira doesn't want to be topped by the boy so she says, "I live at that house over there." And points over to a house on the opposite side of the street about seven houses away.

Midoro recognizes the name Aneko and thinks to herself, "It couldn't be… could it? What if…" Steeling a resolve, she stands up and looks to Soten, "I think it is about time we go visit the Village Elder, he may have some answers for us."

Kaede looks at the three for a moment before thinking, "Aneko is probably with the Elder, so I better tag along so I can find her." Kaede pats the two kids on the heads and says, "Thank you both, you've helped us to find our friends. I've got to go now but I promise that I'll try to come by before I leave here." Akira nods and says, "I hope you find your friends. I'll be waiting for you!" and then she runs off towards her home. Ken says, "Good luck with your friends, and safe travels to you!" before he also runs off and catching up to the girl before he has to break off and run into his home.

Midoro, and her group start walking towards the Elder's home, and then Midoro says to Kaede "You don't have to come with us, I'm just going to visit the Elder to check on something." Kaede smiles softly and says, "That's ok, I am going there to check on the two foxes. I think one of them is my missing friend."

(At Elder's Home)

Sayo had just returned from the kitchen where she had washed all the dishes and was about to check on everyone in the dinner room when she heard someone at the front gate.

Sayo walked up to the entrance and opened it to see Midoro and her group standing there. Sayo looked at the group and said, "Hello, how can I be of help?" before she noticed that two of them had foxtails as well when they both lightly swished their tails behind them. Sayo thought to herself, "It sure seems like the day for foxes, I wonder if there is a reason."

Midoro looks at her, and tries to be as friendly as she can as she says to her, "Hello, we were told that perhaps our fox friends are here."

Sayo looked at the group in front of her and then pushes the door more open for them before saying, "Yes, they are. Do please come in, and I'll show you to where they are." Sayo notices that there was a child traveling with them and as she leads them she says to the child, "You know, you I think one of the foxes are about your age. Maybe the two of you can play together until it is time for bed, if his sister will allow him."

Sayo didn't notice that one of the foxes had stopped walking for a few moments before she started to walk again, more quickly this time and when she noticed the quick pace she tried to keep up since she was supposed to be the one guiding them.

Every molecule in Midoro's body froze when she heard the word 'sister' from Sayo. From all accounts, she knew that Shippou had survived but suddenly the news that his older sister might have as well? Suddenly, she found herself walking a faster pace, one that almost matched her heart's beating within her chest. She wanted to see for herself if the news was true, that not one, but both her children were alive! She didn't need to be guided since she'd been visiting the place long before Sayo was probably even born and somewhere in the fringes of her mind, she knew what Sayo was trying to do but the motherly drive within her had just kicked into overdrive and nothing was going to stop her from seeing her children with her own two eyes!

Kaede didn't realize right away that the little boy that was mentioned could possibly be Aneko's little brother because as far as she had known, he was supposed to be dead. When she saw the older fox woman quickening her pace, it all dawned on her. Kaede thought to herself, "Now I know where I've seen her! She… gasps Aneko's mother! Then that means that the little boy is… widens her eyes Shippou!" Kaede realizes what Midoro must be thinking and her pace quickens as well while Soten and her dragon friend wonder why everyone is walking so fast!

At the quick pace everyone went at, it wasn't long before Midoro reached the door where everyone could still be heard and when she pulled the door to the side a little too hard and noisily it startled almost everyone there with the force of it.

Midoro just stood there, seeing both her children for the first time in so long and while Shippou was too young to remember her, Aneko didn't have that problem. Midoro's heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her chest as the two stared at each other with a confused Shippou wondering why his sister and the strange woman were getting all teary-eyed.

Sayo was the one to break the silence by saying, "We have some guests here to see you Aneko." It was then that Kaede stepped out from behind Midoro and said "Hi Aneko!" and waved her hand in a kind of apologetic way.

Aneko leapt to her feet and said, "Kaede! I was worried about you! I am glad to see you're ok, but how did you ever run into Mother?"

Shippou's brain went into shock along with everyone else at the table as they said, "MOTHER?" very loudly.

Kagome became all tears as she said to Shippou, "Isn't it wonderful Shippou? You've got your family back together!" Kagome got up and clasped her hands together to say; "It is moments like this that make it all the worth while!"

Inuyasha of course was confused in a kind of dense way, and wondered to him self, "What moments? What is Kagome talking about?"

Miroku smiled and said, "This is a most joyous occasion for our little traveling companion today. First he discovers that his sister is still alive, and now his Mother." With Sango saying in agreement, "You're right Miroku. I'm happy for Shippou." And then she looks at Shippou with happiness and a little bit of sadness and jealousy since she had lost everyone due to Naraku.

Midoro walked quickly once her brain unfroze at the sight of seeing her children and she scooped up Shippou into one arm and wrapped her other around Aneko to hug them both so tightly that they both felt like they were going to get crushed in her arms, but even still they both hugged back as they enjoyed the loving hug of their mother.

Soten stood quietly where she was at the door, just watching the three of them be reunited and felt her heart a little jealous because she would never see anyone in her clan again for she was the last of her kind that she knew of. Still, she wouldn't wish for Shippou to be parted after such a reunion for all the magic color sticks in the world.

It was only when Midoro turned her head to say, "Soten! They're really alive! My family! My family…" with her trailing off at the end and just hugged them both again with tears still streaming down her face. It was at this point that Shippou noticed that Soten was there and he said, "Soten? Is that you? What are you doing here?"

Soten looks at Shippou and says, "Um… Heh… Your mother came to my valley and we kind of then went looking for you." Soten thought to herself, "Probably better not to mention that she came to destroy me because of what my brothers did to his father and him."

Shippou smiles at Soten really big and says to her, "I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank you for bringing my mother to me!" And then Soten blushes red as she scratches the back of her head saying, "Don't mention it…" to Shippou while Koryu mumbles softly, "Yeah… don't mention it." which gets a swift hit from Soten since she heard him.

Soten and Koryu join in with everyone as Soya smiles at the lively scene of everyone talking to each other. Soya slowly closes the door and walks off to the kitchen to prepare drinks for everyone and when she returns, she finds that there are so many different conversations going on at once that most of them were overlapping and confusing but all in all, everyone had a good time talking until the moon was past the center of the sky.

AN: Hey everyone, sorry this took so long but I think you'll agree that it was worth it! Just think of this as the calm before the storm though. You'll see what I mean in later chapters. Please review and tell me what you think, as I love to hear what you think:)