A/N: Thank you to the following for the reviews since I last updated: Esha Napoleon, XxXShesshomarusmikoXxX, xxdarienchibaloverxx, Taraah36, blackdame, ILoveInuyasha4Eva, and Puppylove7. And thank you to all of those who put this or its author on their lists. Yes, I realize it's taken quite a while for a new chapter to appear. I apologize and hope I can have the rest of the story up sooner than it's taken me with this. I've just begun to realize how little my muse helps me when the story changes seemingly of its own accord.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.
Family Reunion
Ch. 24
Etsuo's first outing was to his father's dojo three weeks after he was born. His uncle and cousin were the star attractions that day as Souta's class was having its first exhibition match. Kagome sat to one side in Inuyasha's office chair, her friends surrounding her. Kirara had taken them up on their quest to find the perfect boyfriend and the trio hadn't had a weekend alone since. The miko was having a fun time watching everything and figured that by the time the girls graduated, they would have found the perfect match.
Many of Souta's classmates' parents had also turned out for the match and were cooing over the baby. Mama had taken up residence near her daughter and grandson while sharing pictures like the proud grandmother she was. "Mama, they're coming," Kagome said, able to sense her nephew's youki getting closer. Pictures were put away and a camera came out in their place. If there was one thing that her mother liked more than sharing photographs, it was taking them.
Souta came out first, his four classmates that were in the match behind him. Each wore the traditional uniforms of a kendo match although they were in the colors of the dojo. He carried his helmet proudly, his kendo sword at his side. The younger Higurashi sat down, placing the helmet in front of him and waited for the match to begin. Shiro walked behind his class, giving last minute encouragement and instructions. The rest of the class stood at their backs, ready to lend support. Souta and his five classmates had been the top five in their last test so that was why they were getting to compete.
"You're brother's come a long way," Ayumi commented.
"Yes," Kagome agreed. Etsuo shifted in her arms, wanting to see what was going on. Like his father, he never liked to have his back to the action. "I'm amazed that he didn't forget everything that Inuyasha taught him. My husband says that if he does well today, he might move him up."
"Really?" Mama asked. "Souta didn't tell me that." The matriarch moved closer so that she could join the discussion easier. Etsuo saw his grandmother and waved his arms, clearly wanting to be held by his favorite grandparent. Inuyasha thought it amusing that while he seemed to like Hisana just fine, Mama was his ideal. The demon lady wasn't as amused as the rest of her family and the half demon rather thought his infant son was going to be spoiled in her attempt to become the top grandmother again.
"Souta doesn't know," Kagome returned; a grin on her face. "It's going to be a surprise if he succeeds."
The referee called the match to begin and the group watched while Souta and his friends beat the opposing team with a relentlessness that matched the way Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and Miroku had always fought. Watching the complete and utter concentration on her brother's face reminded the priestess of the days of the Quest when only those qualities were what got them through.
Mama traded the camera for the infant, kissing the top of his head between his tiny ears. She knew that they were hidden for his protection and she had vowed to do all she could to protect him. Standing next to her daughter, she watched her son win against his opponent and kept her voice low when she cheered. Etsuo made a small yip in his throat telling her he wanted to know what was going on.
"Your uncle has won, dearest. He's becoming quite the swordsman. I know you will be too." Tiny claws dug into her shirt and she bit back a smile. Etsuo might have been an infant but his claws were already nearly as sharp as his father's. Mama had been warned that while his claws wouldn't present a lethal problem for some years, he would put holes in whatever she was wearing. "Easy there, I've got you. You're going to make Grandma have to buy play clothes to wear, aren't you?" The light, teasing quality of her voice soothed the baby and he gave her a wide, toothless grin. If she looked when he wasn't wearing his charm, she would have seen the beginnings of fangs. Etsuo might age more like a human at the moment but he was definitely developing like a demon.
"I've got pictures, Mama," Kagome said once the match was done. None of Shiro's students had wasted time in winning. The Taisho style was simple, direct, and when it came down to it, merciless. The miko smiled and tried to exchange the camera for her son.
"Pictures, in exchange for this sweet baby? I think I have the better deal," Mama laughed softly, watching her son come towards them. "You did very well, Souta," she praised.
"Thanks, it was pretty easy," the teen admitted. He held out his hand to his nephew, only to have the baby scrunch his nose at him in disgust. "Yeah, yeah, I know. The uniform stinks. I want to hold him when I get back so don't go anywhere." Souta trotted off, intent on showering so he could hold Etsuo.
Inuyasha joined his mate and mother-in-law, not put out in the least that his son paid him no mind. The pup was obviously a mama's boy and would be until his interests changed from wanting food and attention to the desire for weapons and girls. Mitsuaki had clung to Kagome for the first few years of his life until he was old enough to play with Sango and Miroku's first twins and eldest son. This time he was the oldest and would have to wait until their new set of twins were old enough to play before taking away his attention. Having an older brother who was an adult probably wasn't going to do him much good in the near future. Unless it was to play practical jokes on someone. Then the pup would have plenty of experience backing him in the form of a kitsune and a faerie queen.
"How are you feeling, koiishi?" he asked, glad that he had brought out his office chair.
"I'm fine, thank you. Mama wants us all at the shrine for dinner. Can you give Souta his surprise then?"
"Sure. It's a more appropriate place anyway. Why don't you go with her now and we'll meet you there? I'll bring Shiro and Souta with me." Inuyasha had a vague sympathy for Higurashi-jijii about all the youkai descending on his household but shrugged it off. The old man would get used to it and he clearly loved his great-grandson. Maybe they'd just prop him up in a chair with Etsuo in his arms and leave him be. It would prevent the old priest from trying to paste sutras on him, his brother, his son, or his niece and nephew. Kirara and Arashi were likely to stop by and he didn't think that the male nekomata would take it too kindly if he was plastered with an ofuda. Even if said ofuda didn't have an ounce of power in it.
"All right." Kagome rose, stiff from sitting so long. It had been three weeks since she'd given birth but Inuyasha acted like it had been only three days ago and in Feudal Era conditions. He didn't like her moving too much. She'd give him another week to settle down before getting angry. Etsuo was their little miracle and she had to admit she was still surprised that she was even able to have children after all these centuries. Being mated to a demon really did wonders for a woman's reproductive system.
"We'll go with her," Ayumi told Inuyasha. She still remembered his need to protect her from the gang all those years ago. He was the type of man she hoped to win for herself one day.
"Sure, I don't have any more classes today," Yuka agreed, Eri standing and stretching next to her. "Eri?"
"Nah, I was done for the day this morning. Let's go, Kagome. You're advanced age has obviously made you incapable of walking farther than the bathroom on your own." The short haired girl had taken to teasing the half demon about the treatment of his wife.
"Keh, are you women going to be as much of a pain as you were in school?" Inuyasha scowled at the trio, earning grins back.
"Probably. We haven't changed as much as you two have." They made no excuses and together, the four school friends wandered out of the dojo, Mama and Etsuo trailing behind.
Souta and Shiro joined him twenty minutes later, duffle bags in hand and ready to leave. "Let's go."
"Where's my nephew?"
"At the shrine by now. You mother is intent on feeding a gathering. We should get there if we don't want to be eating table scraps."
"We probably don't have anything to worry about," the teen said, following his brother-in-law. "Mama said she'd just take what I eat in a day and multiply it by the number of males that were coming."
Shiro laughed, his eyes glowing with mirth. "She certainly knows how much a demon can pack away."
"Well, she fed Inu-no-niichan often enough in the past to get an idea. The last time she caught me raiding the fridge in between meals she told me I was starting to eat like one too." The shrine steps came upon them and they stopped to listen to the festive sounds coming from the courtyard. "Sounds like a lot of people."
"That's what you get with a clan like ours."
"You know, it's funny, before we met you, I was content with just us. I never missed having a larger family hanging around."
"You have cousins," Inuyasha reminded him. They were halfway up the stairs when Souta answered him.
"Yeah, but we don't get together as often as you do."
"It's because we became a family during a time of war, famine and strife. We realized the value of having family close and keeping them that way. Even aniki learned the value of keeping those you could trust with your life and the lives of your pack near you."
"I see. I guess it wasn't easy keeping in touch of each other without phones and computers, huh?"
Kirara came upon them and smiled. Her tails swished in the light breeze and she shook her head. "It was quite difficult. These kittens got into so much trouble. Even now they're a trial and they bring more troublesome friends and family with them."
"Sorry," the teen apologized in advanced. "Kirara-san, you missed an ofuda," he went on, peeling a sutra off of the nekomata's hair. "Gramps did it again, huh?"
"He and Arashi got into an argument about the best way to organize antiques. It didn't end well," she said, her ruby eyes rolling in exasperation. Her mate ended up with several useless ofuda hanging from his person and a pouting priest that had retreated to the house to sulk. How she had gotten "exorcised," she still hadn't figured out.
"Why does he do that if he doesn't have any power?" Shiro glanced at the priest, now out in the courtyard, and then at his uncle.
"I don't know, I thought that he'd have given up by now." Souta sighed and turned to go into the house. He had to wait for several people to come out as apparently the "celebration" was taking place in the courtyard. It only made sense, the teen thought. There were too many people to all fit in the house.
The trio that had just arrived found Kagome in the kitchen with her friends and mother, all of whom were studying and making a fuss over the baby. Etsuo cooed in enjoyment, his ears swiveling to listen to the footsteps of his father, uncle and cousin. The pup lifted his hands and waved, wanting one of them to get him away from the mass of femininity that had kept him imprisoned in his mother's arms.
"So, you do want your father," Inuyasha chuckled, listening to the soft yip of plea that came out of his son's throat. "And here I thought you had everything you wanted." He took the baby from his mate and wandered back outside where his brother was watching his eldest son carefully as he lit the grill.
With a match. Shippou had learned not to use his fox fire with a charcoal grill that had been doused with lighter fluid. "Can I hold him, nii-chan?" Souta asked from beside him.
"In a minute, there's something I have to do first. Can you get the girls out of the kitchen?" The half demon asked the question of his nephew who nodded. Going back inside, Shiro made the announcement that it was time for Souta's surprise and had to plaster himself against the wall to keep from getting run over.
"Sometimes I really don't understand how they can stand it," he muttered to himself before going back outside. Arashi must have heard the comment because the nekomata gave him a grin full of secrets.
"You'll understand one day, prince, that a woman may come with problems, but having your true mate by your side makes it all worth it."
"And I suppose that it makes up for every other female in your clan that causes trouble too," said prince responded before answering his uncle's summons. He heard the fire cat's laughter behind him and the agreement:
"It certainly does."
Shiro and Inuyasha stood together, Kagome by her husband's side and the rest of the clan and friends standing facing them while Souta looked on in puzzlement from his position right in front of his brother-in-law. "You did exceptionally well today, Souta," the half demon praised and held out his hand for the sword Shiro was drawing from a nearby duffle. "As of today you will no longer be a kendo student under the tutelage of Shiro. From now on you will be solely a student of mine until the day you master the katana." With two hands Inuyasha presented the thin sword to the teenager and watched with satisfaction and pride as the Higurashi male took it from him in awe.
"You mean it, nii-chan?" Souta drew the blade out of its wooden sheath, a smile blossoming on his face. "It's heavier than it looks."
"Practice swords are," his sister said and ruffled his hair. Congratulations, squirt."
"You knew about this?"
"Yes," Kagome said simply and braced herself for the hug she saw coming. Souta clasped Inuyasha and Shiro in a hug as well before turning to show his mother. Kagome hung back with her mate, clutching his arm as she watched the gathering.
"Things have finally started to move forward." Inuyasha slipped an arm around her, their son nearby once more with his grandmother.
"This reunion has been everything I could have possibly wished for," his miko said, leaning into his warmth. "I wouldn't change anything that's happened for the world."
"Nothing?" he asked.
"Well, okay, I wish I hadn't sat you through the floor but that's just one minor flaw in the events of our family reunion."
"Yes, and flaws are what make things interesting. We certainly wouldn't want to be perfect."
Gazing at the family and friends that she had made so long ago, Kagome Taisho grinned briefly before laughing with joy. "No, we certainly wouldn't want that."