~Dark~ The poll will stay up for another week or two! *Completely ignores the other two*
~Light~ VOTE FOR ME! *Throws confetti and dances to random music*
~Akari~ ...they don't own InuYasha...*depressed voice*
To Shefanhow From Dark
It's fine, glad you love the fight scene! Light is ecstatic that you voted for her and Akari is pouting in a corner. (AM NOT!)
To AngelQueen1325 From Light
Well here ya go! Super happy that you loved the chapter!
To Princess Inume From Dark
Yeah Kagome got super scary at the end. Originally I didn't plan for her to be that way but let's just say she wouldn't have it any other way. And really? Hmmm... *Laughs evilly*
To Unicorn232003 From Dark
Welcome! Glad that was the case! Have fun and enjoy this chapter! Oh and yes, it does sound evil. NOW RUN AFTER HER!
Kagome was worried, ever since the sun had started to rise Akari seemed to get worse. Her fever, which had gone down, was now back with a vengeance. Kagome carefully wiped Akari's brow with a cool rag before setting the rag down on the bowl of cool water beside her and just watched Akari as she took shallow breathes.
"Any better?" InuYasha asked as he walked in with a small tray with three bowls piled high with rice. "You missed breakfast," InuYasha said as a way of explaining the food in his hands. Kagome smiled at him appreciatively before sighing and looking at Akari.
"Her fever won't break," she told him as he set the tray down and walked over to her.
"It's alright, she'll be fine." InuYasha told her and pulled her close, kissing her temple and hoping his presence would help act as a calming factor.
"Where's Masaru?" Kagome asked quietly and looked over at Akari when she took a shaky breath.
"He's with Sesshoumaru and the others. Don't worry," he whispered to Kagome and tightened his hold around her. Kagome sighed while nodding her head, her eyes closed as she tried to collect herself. InuYasha froze when he heard Akari's breathing hitch slightly and he looked over at her to see her face pulled into a wince. "Akari?" He said outloud, making Kagome tense up and immediately move out of InuYasha's arms to sit closer to the small girl.
"Hey," Kagome whispered when Akari's eyes opened slightly. "How do you feel?" She asked softly and blinked in surprise when tears escaped Akari's eyes.
"Hey, it's okay! You're okay!" Kagome whispered the reassurance as Akari moved her unbroken arm over her eyes and a whimper escaped her thin lips. Kagome looked at InuYasha in a mix of fear and uncertainty with a touch of worry, she was confused and wanted to help her but didn't know how.
"Oi! Pup! What's wrong?" InuYasha asked bluntly as he crossed his arms and looked at the crying pup. He blinked when Akari whispered something before looking at Kagome in confusion as well. "What?" He asked her and leaned closer to hear the whisper repeat.
"I don't want this to be another dream." She whispered and this time even Kagome heard her. Before InuYasha could really process the sentence Kagome was already lifting Akari up into her arms and rocking her back and forth, running her fingers through her hair and humming comforting words into the child's ears.
`.`.`.`.`.`.`
"How is she?" Souta asked when InuYasha came back to join them in the small library Sesshoumaru had.
"She's still got a fever but Kagome say's she'll be fine with some medicine and rest." InuYasha told him and lifted up Masaru with a smile on his blank face. "And what are you doing?" InuYasha asked his pup with a laugh when Masaru babbled in baby talk.
"You know, he should really be speaking by now." Souta said, looking at his nephew as he began to chew on InuYasha's beads.
"He'll talk when he's ready." InuYasha said with a shrug before looking over at Sesshoumaru, who was playing a strategy game with Rin. "Oi! Sesshoumaru, any luck with that shard?" He asked his elder brother as Rin made a move and smiled confidently.
"I have been unable to recover anything more than we already know." Sesshoumaru told him while rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he stared at the board. "If I do uncover something of use, you shall be the first to know." Sesshoumaru added for good measure and carefully moved a piece on the board, making Rin's smile turn into a look of concentration as she tried to figure out a way to win the game.
`.`.`.`.`.`.`
I felt stupid for crying, but I really didn't want this to be another dream. I was half relieved when Kagome pulled me into her arms and held me.
"Everything's okay, I promise. You aren't dreaming. You're safe now." She whispered over and over in my ears as I inhaled her scent, a mix of InuYasha and something sweet. After a few minutes my tears had stopped and I was just letting her hold me. "Akari?" Kagome whispered, breaking the silence I hadn't noticed till then. Slowly I moved my head and pushed against her so I could look her in the eye.
"I'm sorry we took so long." Kagome told me with tears in her eyes. I shook my head and just laid my head back down on her.
"You came." I said simply and felt her relax and wrap her arms around my again.
"Hey," I heard InuYasha speak up as the door slid open and Masaru squealed happily. "Feel better?" InuYasha asked me as Kagome turned me around in her arms so I was leaning back against her and facing InuYasha, who was holding a grinning Masaru and wearing drool covered Rosario beads. I shrugged at him as he sat down in front of me and put Masaru in his lap.
"Well, unfortunately you'll have to keep your arm and hand wrapped for a week." Kagome said as I pulled at the bandages covering my arm and hand, keeping me from scratching or moving my fingers. "You've still got a bit of a fever so you'll need some more rest as for the rest of your bruises and injuries we'll just have to be careful." She continued as I took notice to the other bandages on my body, especially the ones on my stomach and chest.
"What happened?" I whispered out loud and watched as Kagome's hands gently laid themselves on top of my only useful hand.
"Don't worry about it right now." Kagome told me and I tightened my hand into a fist. "Just focus on getting better, because I believe Souta wanted to show you his hoverboard." Kagome said and I turned my head to look up at her. Kagome smiled at me, and gently brushed my hair to the side of my face.
"What's a hoverboard?" I asked her and her smile widened slightly.
"It's like a piece of wood that's enchanted to fly very fast where ever you want." She told me and I looked at InuYasha, who only shrugged in answer. "Don't worry, it's not a demon or evil or anything really. Just a complex toy." She said and I frowned in confusion.
"Is it like those roaring demons that were everywhere in Souta's time?" I asked her, making her laugh and hug me at the same time.
"Yes and no," she finally said and Masaru squealed loudly drawing my attention to him. He seemed to be frustrated at InuYasha's beads, growling and pulling on them.
"Mmmumum!" He growled and I frowned slightly as I watched him. "Ahh! Shit!" He yelled and I felt Kagome freeze and stop laughing.
"What did he say?" Kagome asked in a neutral voice that made my hair stand on end and my instincts yell run.
"Shit!" Masaru yelled again and pulled on the beads around a stunned InuYasha's neck.
"InuYasha, please give me your son." She said slowly and I watched as InuYasha jumped to do as he was told. "OSUWARI!" Kagome snapped out as soon as Masaru was in her hands.
"AH!" InuYasha yelled as he was slammed into the floor. "Ka...go...me..." InuYasha moaned as Masaru giggled and clapped his hands proudly.
"Shit!" He squealed happily and I winced as InuYasha was 'sat' again. I had a bad feeling this was going to keep happening till Masaru found a new favorite word.
`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`
"So the Council is due to meet in two days?" Kagome asked as she sat with InuYasha and Sesshoumaru inside the biggest room Sesshoumaru had, which reminded Kagome of an old ballroom, and watched as Souta and Rin helped Akari learn how to play on the hoverboards they had. "It seems a bit early to me," Kagome told them and turned her head to look at the two as they played a board game.
"Yes, though I have prepared adequate rooms for each Lord." Sesshoumaru stated tonelessly and moved a piece on the board making InuYasha grunt his approval.
"Who all are in charge of the Lands? I know you control the West, the dragons control the North, and Kouga's pack control the South, but who controls the East?" Kagome asked curiously and glanced back over at Akari as she fell off the board again and Rin and Souta laughed, before she glanced down at a dozing Masaru curled up in a small basket with a blanket.
"That would be Sotaru of the House of the Colored Flame, a powerful kitsune, well known for his sharp mind, and traps in battle." Sesshoumaru told her as InuYasha made a move that he hadn't anticipated. "You're kit may join us if Sotaru decides to bring someone with him." Sesshoumaru added as he took a sip from his cup of saki, his eyes holding a calculating gleam as InuYasha leaned back with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face.
"If Shippo shows up I plan on keeping him and Souta separate. Those two would probably destroy half the castle." InuYasha said with amusement, making Kagome smile at him over her own small cup of saki.
"Perhaps," was all she said just as Sesshoumaru made his move.
"I believe I win." He said calmly and looked up just as Jaken came in looking slightly frustrated.
"My Lord, Kouga has arrived with his eldest son Hohen and requests your presence in your study immediately." Jaken said formally as InuYasha grumbled curses under his breath at having lost their simple game. "InuYasha and Lady Kagome, your presence is required as well." Jaken told them, not even glancing at InuYasha as he spoke.
"Alright, thank you." Kagome said with a small nod in the imps direction before getting up with Masaru's basket in hand.
"Stop," Sesshoumaru said making Kagome pause and look at diayokia as he turned to Jaken. "You will watch the children." He said simply and immediately Jaken bowed.
"Yes m'Lord," Jaken said though Kagome could clearly see the imp was not pleased with this new arrangement.
"Jaken, if you find it would be easier, Souta and Rin would enjoy reading something and Akari needs rest to fully recover." Kagome said with a half smile as Jaken looked at her in confusion before understanding dawned on him.
"As you wish Lady Kagome!" Jaken said enthusiastically and smiled happily as Kagome looked over at a slightly surprised InuYasha and Sesshoumaru.
"I'll be keeping Masaru with me for now." She said simply and walked past them and towards Sesshoumaru's study.
"Kagome! Wow! It's great to see you!" Kouga greeted when Kagome walked through the door with Masaru in her arms.
"Hands off!" InuYasha growled, suddenly appearing behind Kagome before Kouga could hug her and pulling her into his arms.
"Good to see you Mutt face. Don't worry, I've got my own mate and I don't plan on taking yours." Kouga told the possessive hanyo as Sesshoumaru walked in. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I appreciate you allowing me to see you on such short notice." Kouga said, bowing to the taller man in respect.
"If you would allow, I can have a servant lead your son to a more entertaining area." Sesshoumaru said and immediately a small servant demon appeared.
"Hohen, you may go." Kouga said with a nod to Hohen, who followed the servant out. "Now, let's get down to business." He said, immediately losing his usual playful and arrogant air and taking on one that was slightly similar to Sesshoumaru. Kagome, for her part, didn't show her surprise as Sesshoumaru and Kouga both created an alliance that would benefit both parties.
`.`.`.`.`.`
"Ok, you got it?" Souta asked me as I swayed back and forth on the blue board. I was determined to get it this time, and was so focused on staying on the board I didn't realize someone else was in the giant room.
"Get away from her!" A familiar face yelled and I watched as Souta's face went from confusion to surprise before he was sent flying across the room. I blinked and moved to go after him only to fall back down. "Akari! Are you okay?" Hohen asked, getting right next to me and trying to pull me up.
"Not so fast!" Souta yelled and tackled my friend to the floor, sending them both rolling into Rin. "Who are you?" I heard Souta yell as I looked at Rin, who had frozen with a wreath of broken flowers in her hands. She seemed completely still and I couldn't see her eyes, but that didn't stop me from pulling my feet free of the hoverboard and running over to a pile of pillows Jaken had brought in a while after Kagome and the others had left.
"You jerks!" Rin suddenly yelled just as I dove into the pile to hide. "You broke my flower crown!" She continued and I turned to look at the boys and smiled when I saw them holding onto each other and starring up at Rin with fear filled eyes as she took measured steps towards them.
"Both of you will stop fighting and remain silent otherwise I will tie you with your feet in your mouths and have the servants take you outside in the snow." Rin threatened, making my eyes widen as I looked at the usually calm and collected girl.
"Yo-you wouldn't?" Hohen squeaked before yelling out in fear when Rin grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him up to face her.
"Try. Me." She said slowly and dropped the wolf demon boy without another word and walked over to my hiding spot. I watched her closely as she collapsed on the pile of pillows ungraciously with a loud sigh. After a minute I glanced over to see the boys sitting quietly and leaning back against the far wall. I was amazed, in less than five minutes Rin had succeeded in silencing the fighting boys and was no worse for wear.
"You're really scary," I told her with my head poked out from beneath two pillows.
"I know," Rin giggled making me pull my head back in confusion and blink. "Sango and Kagome taught me. You should have seen them when they hunted for the Shikon shards!" Rin told me and began to laugh even more, making even the boys look over at us in confusion.
"I keep hearing about these shards but what are they?" I asked and ducked under the pillows when Souta charged over to us and landed on the pillows with an 'umph' sound.
"I think Lord Sesshoumaru has a scroll telling the story of the Shikon Jewel and how they had to go on a grand adventure to recover it when Kagome shattered it by accident!" Rin said excitedly as Hohen joined us and sat down on a separate pillow while Souta popped up with a smile.
"Sis told me all about it! I've even seen the shards before!" Souta said while Rin asked Jaken, who had been reading his own scroll, to go get the scroll with the story.
"Foolish girl! There is more than one scroll!" Jaken told her loudly making my curiosity grow.
"How many scrolls can there be?" I asked and watched as Jaken waddled out of the room with his freaky staff in his arms.
"Take that!" Souta yelled as he suddenly threw a pillow at Hohen, who fell back when it hit his face.
"Hey!" He yelled and immediately retaliated with a pillow of his own.
"PILLOW FIGHT!" Souta yelled with a grin and grabbed a pillow in each hand and began to attack all of us. Soon enough we were all fighting each other and it had escalated to the point where Rin and I had teamed up to go against the boys.
`.`.`.`.`.`.`
"Stupid imp! Sleeping on the job." InuYasha growled and moved to kick the dozing imp but stopped when Kagome laid a hand on his arm. "What?" He asked her, turning to look at her but Kagome's attention was on the four sleeping children scattered among the pillows.
"Shush, look." She whispered and smiled at the sight.
"Didn't realize we had been meeting for that long." Kouga said while rubbing the back of his head and looking at his sleeping son.
"It seems that was not the case entirely." Sesshoumaru said and motioned to the seven large scrolls, with the fourth scroll open and lying in front of Jaken. "It appears they were reading of the Shikon Jewel and our travels." He said simply while Kouga bent down and lifted the scroll up to his eyes.
"Well, nice to know they got as far as the Band of Seven and Mount Hakurei." Kouga said with a smile as he remembered the time.
"Yeah, that was one hell of a fight." InuYasha said with a smile as he remembered the time as well.
"Alright you two, help me get them to their rooms." Kagome told them as she walked over to her snoring brother and gently shook him awake.
"It was the cloud!" Souta snorted as he woke up, making Kouga and InuYasha snicker to each other.
"Souta, go on to your room." Kagome told him and moved on to Rin and repeated the action while Kouga went to his son and lifted him up into his arms.
"He's almost to big for this." Kouga whispered to InuYasha as he passed by him.
"Yeah, whatever, you're just getting old." InuYasha told him with a smirk.
"Means you are too Muttface. We're the same age." Kouga laughed before disappearing. InuYasha scoffed before looking down at Masaru, who had been sleeping soundly for the past hour or so.
"Hey Kagome, here, you take Masaru and I'll get Akari." InuYasha said as Rin walked past him and towards Sesshoumaru, who led them both out of the room. Kagome gave him a thankful smile before gently taking Masaru, who woke up slightly before drifting back to sleep.
"I'll see you back in our room." Kagome said and, giving him a quick kiss, left for their room.
"Alright, come on Pup." InuYasha whispered and gently pulled Akari into his arms. "Let's get to bed." He told her as she snuggled against his chest and relaxed.
"...ove you...dad...dy..." Akari whispered past a yawn making InuYasha freeze in place before he broke out into a smile and tightened his hold around her slightly.
"Love you too Pup." He whispered softly and made his way to Kagome and his room.