"Bokuseno! Bokuseno, you bastard!" Inuyasha turned on the oblivious youkai pretending to be inanimate. "Where am I? This had better not be another youkai trick or I'll chop you down and sell you for chopsticks!" He let his fist strike the tree. The ancient tree absorbed the force easily.
"Inuyasha." The deep voice commanded him with a single word. The snow in Bokuseno's branches shifted suddenly and ice and snow avalanched to his left. He cursed beneath his breath as he shook the spray from his hair. His stomach churned and his heart was caught in his throat. He desperately wanted Kagome's comforting presence.
He's not real. I'm trapped in a dream or hallucinating. He can't be real. Inuyasha spun to keep his back against Bokuseno. He narrowed his eyes at the male inuyoukai who could move so quietly despite his ridiculous armor. Inuyasha's heart wavered when he felt the Sō'unga and its dormant aura. He kept his shoulders taut and defensive.
The elder inuyoukai seemed content to study him. Darkened gold irises swept across him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable. Inuyasha hesitantly returned the attention. His height gave him the advantage in their silent exchange. The lack of a celestial moon on his forehead surprised him slightly. The color of the blue marks on the male's face reminded him of Grandmother's. The looking glass in Kagome's era had given him a clear reflection of his own face, so he could see elements of his heritage. Sesshomaru was not a perfect copy of his father as he had once imagined. His skin was tan instead of ghostly pale and his bangs were almost unkempt. Thin, dark eyebrows relaxed as his scrutiny became less methodical. He cursed as he pressed his fist against his forehead and closed his eyes. The feelings he kept buried were surging in his chest and there was pain.
"Inuyasha!" His ears perked as a different, feminine voice called his name. He turned on his heel and fell on his backside as he recognized the kind brown eyes and oval face shining in the sunlight. His hands flattened against the cropped grass pressing against his bottom. His heart caught in his throat as the human woman stopped in her tracks. Tears were already spilling over the woman's smooth cheeks and dribbling onto her buttoned sweater. The looming house behind her would be considered a mansion in his time but Kagome had assured him it was average in comparison to others, with luxuries unheard by his friends. While the wind blowing his silver hair was cool, there was no sign of snow, and the knee-length skirt showing Mama Higurashi's legs supported his realization.
What the fuck is happening, tree?!
"Inuyasha, is that you?" Never before had he seen Kagome's mother lose her composure, but she was trembling. He rolled forward onto his feet numbly as his mind raced. Arms grasped his neck in a stranglehold as the woman sobbed against his shoulder. The great tree wavering behind him in the evening light was not Bokuseno, but the Goshinboku. The ancient, silent tree mocked him with its silence as Kagome's mother smoothed her hands over his cheeks to cup his face.
"Kagome? Where is Kagome?" The woman hiccupped. "Is she safe?"
"She's in my era." Inuyasha answered weakly. She's in danger, a long way from the Bone Eater's Well. What have you done, Bokuseno?
"My granddaughter? I have a grandchild, Inuyasha?" Mrs. Higurashi blinked. More tears washed her face. Black streaks of paint were beginning to smudge around her eyes.
"Her name's Misaki." Inuyasha swallowed hard. "How did you know?"
"We've found things in the Well over the years. Scrolls, letters-" She lost her voice. Inuyasha relented and hugged her fiercely. The familiarity to Kagome's scent soothed him marginally. Even the way she hugged him under the arms reminded him of his wife. He patted her hair softly and ignored the way she wiped her tears on his kosode. Her years of kindness flooded back in an instant. Kagome's mother had welcomed him into her daughter's life with nary a word of reproach. Meals had been the least of her kindnesses.
"I m-married Kagome. We have a home." Inuyasha confessed in case her mother had any doubts. I would have asked her family's permission if the Well had allowed it. His nose drew his attention to the containers of food defrosting in the pathway. A torn paper bag revealed cylindrical paper containers of ramen. His heart warmed with affection for the woman.
"How did you get here? The Well?" The woman dabbed at her eyes.
"It's...complicated." Inuyasha watched her palm press against his chest. He reached into his kosode and revealed the Meidō Stone. The light was completely absorbed into the gem.
"Souta is at soccer practice. I have to call him home!" The woman blinked. A list was forming in her eyes. "Father is visiting friends in Kyoto, oh. There's no one to mind the house but it's locked."
"I don't have long. Kagome needs me." Inuyasha winced.
"Oh, Inuyasha." Mama Higurashi gripped his arms. The affection in her almond shaped eyes left him breathless. He dipped his chin to escape the love shining through. "What can I do to help?"
"I need to know if the Well still works...come on." Inuyasha felt a twinge of guilt over the spilled food as his mother-in-law followed him across the grass to the shed. He slid the door open with a familiar tilt, the door had not slid evenly in years, to study the stone portal in the center. Stale air rushed into the open as he descended the stairs cautiously. He felt Mama Higurashi's hand alight on his shoulder nervously as he leaned forward. The packed earth at the bottom crushed his hopes. What if I'm trapped in this era, away from my family, the village?
"Step back," Inuyasha ordered gently. Mama Higarashi nodded and folded her hands at her belly as she went to the stairs. He cautiously pressed the Meidō Stone against the edge. He tried pressing the Stone against the wooden interior. The woman behind him protested as he jumped inside, pressing his feet against the cold earth, pressing the Stone against the bottom. An earnest, worried face peered at him over the edge.
"Inuyasha? Inuyasha?" Mama Higurashi's voice echoed.
"Yeah, I'm still here. Dammit!" Inuyasha cursed. He shook the stone about a bit to activate the magic. It remained stubbornly dark, mocking him. He threatened the artifact and yelled into it with no affect. If he didn't know better, it seemed like any other dark rock, albeit a strangely unreflective one.
"Inuyasha?" A mixture of relief and concern showed on Mama Higurashi's face. Her hand brushed against his arm.
"I don't understand. The Meidō Stone opens portals!" Inuyasha showed her the artifact. Terror for his family was beginning to settle in his gut. Kagome and Misaki needed him and he was stuck on the wrong side of time! Even if he did jump through the Well, the castle was days from the village by foot, longer even to Bokuseno! His emotions got the better of him and he drove his fist into a nearby tree. The wood cracked under his strength and left a decent crater in the trunk.
"Things came through the Well?" Inuyasha turned on the startled woman. "What things?"
"It would be easier to show you." Mama Higurashi turned towards the house. He helped her gather the melting groceries before following inside. He winced at his appearance as he passed one of the family's wall mirrors. His hair was covered with soot and darkened with ash. His face was smeared with cindered furniture at the castle. His white kosode was covered with stains and rips and the blood from his injury against the female. He set the box down at the table gently. Mama Higurashi was already bustling into the next room with audible bumps. Inuyasha paused as the woman turned with a first aid kit in hand.
"Hold up. I don't need-" The woman's dark eyebrows lowered and she pointed. He fumed silently as he sat at the kitchen table and removed his shirt. The wound in his arm was already healing. Mama Higurashi opened a plastic case and poured a sharp smelling liquid onto cloth. Although it stung, and it was pointless, he watched as she dabbed carefully at the long rip. She applied a cold cream that smelled funny and wrapped gauze around his bicep and elbow. The brief glare warned him not to fidget despite its itchiness as she left the room. The wrapping showed through his torn shirt but it was better than nothing. Mama was climbing the stairs.
Inuyasha paused as she entered her bedroom. The woman left her door open as she kneeled beside her bed to withdraw a long covered box from underneath. She placed the simple, wooden box on her bedspread. It had squeaky hinges.
Mama Higurashi waved him forward as she sat. The soft bed made a divot underneath her slight weight. His eyes cautiously noted the family photographs on her bedside stand, including a man he didn't recognize. The beautiful young girl and her baby brother completed the family portrait. That must be her husband, Kagome's father. He imagined it was too painful to keep the pictures on the walls in the rest of the home. Small things were kept in the box: children's toys, a blanket, a white veil. The woman carefully removed a painted portrait. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he recognized his likeness, albeit in clothes fit for a festival, wearing Kagome's rosary. The second subject of the photo was a dark-haired beauty at his side that was definitely not his wife. The girl's face was familiar.
"That's not Misaki! She's-sonofabitch!" Inuyasha cursed. The girl in the picture was the enemy he'd left at the castle, the hanyou without claws. The photo made it seem like they were friends or lovers! The man in the picture was utterly at ease with her. That can't be me. I've never met that crazy woman before. How can this be? Mama Higurashi cleared her throat and he remembered his manners. She turned the portrait over in his hands. Elegant-looking penmanship covered the back of the frame.
"Inuyasha and Misaki, Tsukimi, 1751." Inuyasha frowned.
Inuyasha jumped as an unnatural, shrill ringing echoed through the house. Mama Higurashi touched his shoulder until he recalled the silly devices in Kagome's era. He smoothed out the parchment in his hand as he listened to the human female talk into a plastic brick at her ear. A faint buzz answered in faint tones, a male's voice. Despite their distance, her hand gestured in the air freely.
Misaki, Inuyasha sighed mournfully. The girl in the picture was so different from the creature he'd encountered. The girl's bright, easy smile reminded him of Kagome, but it could merely be painted that way. Her dogs' ears were askew but her posture was proud. The pastel colors dulled his robe of the firerat but the likeness was uncanny. A master painter had marked the creases in the voluminous fabric and the shadows of his hair. The Tetsusaiga remained on his hip. He began to notice details in the background that confused him. The remnants of the Floating Castle still charred his skin but behind their forms were the mosaic floors of the moon terrace. How can that be? If the Floating Castle was just destroyed, how could they rebuild it so quickly? Would Sesshomaru rebuild an exact replica?
"Mom?" Inuyasha's head turned as he heard movements downstairs. A small crash told him something had fallen, followed by several quietly muttered curses. Kagome's mother went to the door. "Did you cut yourself? Mom!"
"Oh dear. I forgot about the mess. Up here, Souta." Mama Higurashi called for her son. There was more noise on the stairs. A breathless human teenager stopped in the doorway. Inuyasha stared back at the rich brown eyes. The likeness to his mother was uncanny, although he was still growing out of boyhood. He was dressed in shorts and a long-sleeved shirt.
"Inuyasha!" Souta's voice was familiar. "You're back!"
"Hey Sou-" Inuyasha flinched. The boy's arms had him in a vice grip.
"Kagome!" Souta released him with a smile. "Ka-go-me!"
"She's not here," Mama corrected.
"You're looking at the painting?" Souta noticed the open treasure box.
"Inuyasha needs a way to return to his era." Mama gestured. "Do you still have the journal you found?"
"Yeah! Grandpa was helping me translate it." Souta shrugged. He skipped out of the room. The boy reappeared with a bound journal in his hand. The binding was weak and it smelled faintly of the mold inside the Well. Inuyasha took it gently. Black spots of mold covered the outer ridge. He scanned the first page for any clues. The penmanship was definitely male. It wasn't Miroku's writing. He had spent enough time watching the monk craft sutras to recognize his brushwork. The writing definitely wasn't made by a brush. It looked like the thin marks Kagome's pens made.
"Can you read it?"
Inuyasha turned the page cautiously, scanning the rows. He was most interested in the map of the region on the fifth page, carefully noted with a legend and size references. Kaede's village was carefully detailed. The river, the fields, the shrine-all there in perfect account. The picture on the opposite page was a detailed portrait in charcoal of Kikyo. Inuyasha's heart flipped in his chest at the beautiful, sad girl. He forced himself to turn the page. Kagome. Miroku. Sango. Kirara. His gaze lingered on the next portrait. Kagome wore a floral yukata with her hair pinned above her ears. The beautiful girl in her arms was older than his toddler, but it was Misaki. The notation along the border confirmed it.
"It's a story. Our story," Inuyasha murmured in wonder. Starting with Kikyo, but thankfully omitting Naraku's image, it described how a girl from Tokyo had fallen down a well and freed a boy from the Goshinboku. A fair likeness of the Well was included in the pages. The pages described Mistress Centipede but excluded her likeness. His mouth twitched as the story described their encounter with Shippo and the Thunder Brothers. A bright, lovable kitsune with emerald eyes and astounding magical powers? That little runt. His drawing skills improved.
Inuyasha skipped the majority of the journal as he searched for the end, despite how his stomach churned, afraid of what he might learn. He frowned when he realized the last page was about rebuilding the village. The following pages were blank.
"Cool!" Souta's voice sang. Inuyasha watched the kid squeeze the Meidō Stone. His mouth popped open when he recognized the light breaking through the barrier. "What does this thing do?"
"Put that thing down!" Inuyasha barked. The teenager's eyes widened and he dropped it on the bed. The stone instantly turned dark. Souta began to apologize. The silent, cold surface didn't react to his touch. He scowled. Playing games with me, are you?
"Did you learn anything from the journal?" Mama Higurashi asked anxiously.
"One of my friends is the author. These drawings are his style." Inuyasha glared at Souta briefly before returning the book. The woman nodded and carefully leafed through the pages herself. He recognized the sadness her eyes carried. Kagome misses her mother all the time, but she doesn't like to talk about her birthplace. She'll talk about books and music and her school easily enough, but not her family. They miss her as much as she does them.
"It doesn't show our life after we defeated Naraku. Our friends got married two weeks later, but the pages are blank." Inuyasha felt worry knot in his stomach. "There was nothing about how the Well works. The book just stops."
"There are other things, smaller, that we found. Kagome's old schoolbooks appeared one day in a decayed state. A piece of bent metal, prayer beads, one sandal-"
"Inuyasha!" The angry tone practically shook the house. Inuyasha's senses burst alive at the feeling of jyaki, more than he had ever sensed in this Modern Era. He jumped to his feet immediately and threw open the window. His blood went cold when he met the infused amber gaze of his elder brother. Oh, shit.
Inuyasha angled his shoulders underneath the windowpane and jumped. He landed lightly on the grass. The hard, murderous glare that surveyed him made him worry. He could hear the humans above worrying about this new development. He made a silent wish that Sesshomaru wouldn't start a battle, here, in Kagome's era. They already had enough trouble explaining their odd adventures to this era's humans, so far removed from youkai and spirits.
"Where are we?"
"Kagome's home. Bokuseno sent me here." Inuyasha crossed his arms. His ears swiveled when he heard footsteps pounding on the stairs. "Grandmother and Mayu are pinned to Bokuseno's trunk. Your mother was there too. She's not dead."
"I killed her, fool."
"Bokuseno told me that the miko used shikigami to fool an entire clan of dogs. That crazy woman can use magic to hide people. I saw her disappear when we fought at the castle. I don't think you killed her the second time, either. I think it was another body, disguised with her blood." Inuyasha waited for Sesshomaru to process his idea. He heard Souta respond to his mother's questions as the side door opened. The humans paused at the bottom of the stairs. Sesshomaru's eyes passed over his shoulder to the pair.
"Kagome's mom and her brother want to help."
"Hn." Sesshomaru turned away, heading across the courtyard for the Well's shrine. The door was still open from his previous attempts. Inuyasha hurried after him. The idiot paused at the edge of the Well.
"It doesn't work. We have to find a different way back." Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder. The humans were following at a distance. They understood his attention as encouragement and continued forward.
"Inuyasha, where did he come from?" Souta beamed. Good question. He watched Sesshomaru examine the dormant portal carefully. "Is he a youkai too?"
"How wonderful!" Kagome's mother smiled warmly.
"Oi, Sesshomaru. Where have you been?" Inuyasha's suspicions spiked when his sibling remained silent. "How did you get here? Did you see the old man too?" Sesshomaru's eyes swept up. There was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.
"We need a way to activate the Well. It hasn't worked since the Jewel was destroyed," Inuyasha continued. Shippo had tried to follow through the Well a hundred times. As far as he knew, the Well was linked to the Shikon Jewel. Now that it was banished from the living world, the Well was silent.
"Can we call for help? That worked before." Souta proffered.
"Call who, kid? Your talking brick won't work." Inuyasha grumbled.
"Through the Well? I called you when the Noh mask came after Kagome. Maybe someone on the other side is waiting to hear from us. They might have the answer, right?" Souta continued forward. Sesshomaru eyed him as he came nearer. Inuyasha cursed when he noticed the Meidō Stone weighing down his shirt pocket. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. That kid doesn't know when to quit picking up objects, just like his sister.
"We could, right? You have friends." Souta flattened his hands on the wooden edge. He peered inside with the same childhood wonder Inuyasha remembered. His instincts flared with warnings when the Meidō Stone fell out of his pocket. His legs moved before he willed it, pushing him to shield Souta from the shining light. His arms wrapped around the boy's chest before the force hit them hard. He heard the boy's mother scream for him.
The floor disappeared and the air felt thin. Their clothing floated in the void. Inuyasha felt his feet touch something solid as colors suddenly returned in force. Souta's legs sagged from his support. The teenager pressed his hands against the grass for balance. Inuyasha watched Sesshomaru's pointed boots settle on solid ground. He turned quickly to learn their bearings. They were in an open field in a forested area. There was no sign of the Well. The Meidō Stone wobbled on a bare patch of earth. His eyes fell on the human woman pressing her fist to her mouth. He reached her side in a single jump. Mama Higurashi clutched onto his shoulder.
"You ok?"
"Where are we?" Inuyasha inhaled the fresh air. The lack of smoke and noise from Kagome's metal youkai confirmed they were no longer at the shrine. The nearby stream of water smelled fresh, not foul with unknown materials. He frowned when Sesshomaru started forward. He helped his mother-in-law to her feet. She squeezed his hand as Souta fell in line behind them. The worry in his chest for Kagome and his daughter returned with force. He made a quick list in his head. Find Kagome, protect her-our-family, get them to safety, figure out what the fuck is going on.
Kagome's feet were sore and blistered. She waved away Sango's sympathetic glance. Someina's transformation into a horse was nearly flawless, barring the multiple tails and fox fur ruffling her hooves. It was only fair that her heavily pregnant friend be given a break from their weary, cold trudge through the forest. Her feet were so cold they felt numb. Yuki and Airi drowsed against Sango's back.
"Misaki is fine, Kagome-chan." Sango spoke softly. Her dog-eared infant was asleep in her warm bundle on the horse. The girl smacked her lips out of habit. Her nose twitched.
"I know. Thank you, Sango-chan." Kagome sighed wearily.
"Do you need me to carry you? I can transform too!" Shippo spun on Miroku's shoulder. The monk looked as weary as she. Kohaku was hardly doing better with Rin draped across his back. The girl's only remaining sandal had snapped some time ago. Her bare feet were dusty.
"Up there. We will stop." Naoyuki gestured. Kagome strained to see the small gap in the mountainside. Someina's feet transformed as she easily picked her way up the rough pile of stones. Naoyuki crouched to allow her to climb onto his back. With a powerful leap they landed at the mouth of the small cave before Someina. She happily regained custody of her toddler dry and warm in her swaddle. Sango rubbed her abdomen with a frown.
"Rin. Wake up Rin." Kohaku patted her leg. The girl complained mildly as she returned to her own feet.
"Here, Sango." Miroku freed his knotted kesu and laid the folded fabric on the flattest section of the cave. Sango accepted his arm around her waist as she lowered to the floor gently. He rubbed her feet and calves without prompt. The pregnant taijiya protested at first until her feet began to warm.
Miroku is so considerate. He's as worried about Sango as I am about Inuyasha.
"Is there any food in your pack, Kagome?" Shippo eyed the large yellow bag. Naoyuki dropped the bag beside her as she joined Sango on the kesu. The exhaustion of the day was beginning to seep into her limbs. Her eyes were so tired that she found herself drifting forward. Yuki and Airi drifted near as she pulled a capped jar of dried meat from the pack. One twin knocked the clay pot from her hand while the other began to instantly gather the contents.
"Bad! Yuki!" Kagome watched as several pieces immediately disappeared down their greedy gullets. "We have to share, you two!"
"There are some vegetables here, miko-sama. A meager meal, surely, but something." Someina passed her some roots and pickled cabbage. She frowned with some disappointment as she calculated their portions. Sango's mouth popped open in surprise as Kagome began to arrange the food before her.
"Kagome, I couldn't!"
"The twins have some food. The rest of us can do without." Kagome yawned. Sango was going to gesture to the teenage girl sleeping on Kohaku's arm. The adult youkai also declined. Miroku's tense shoulders eased when she began to eat. Kagome closed her yellow bag and laid it on its side. With the prospect of a fire unrealistic and no food, she laid down on the edge of Miroku's kesa with Misaki tucked beside her. Kohaku removed his outer robe from the castle and draped it over Rin. She briefly cracked an eye open to see Sango easing back to sleep against Miroku's chest. She watched in surprise as the adult fox transformed. A full-sized fox with golden fur weaved between them. Kagome accepted the invitation and rested against the warmed fur. Misaki was happy enough to suckle from her reclined position, pulling hard with an overeager mouth.
Kagome awoke to the wonderful smell of roasting food. She kissed the beautiful toddler dozing against her belly. A small circle of stones supported a magically blue fire that produced no smoke. She exclaimed happily when she noticed the pot bubbling with salt and bubbles. Shippo was firing question after question at the adult kitsune about maintaining a magical fire. Rin clapped her hands in excitement when the female transformed several acorns into strangely carved bowls to serve their meal. Kagome bowed her head in thanks. Their previous paucity of nourishment was rectified immediately. There were numerous vocalizations to Someina for her cooking prowess. Even with the meager ingredients of a skinny rabbit and a few roots and vegetables, each belly was filled.
"There were a few scouts that passed our way last night. Thankfully dogs aren't as clever as they think." Someina's tails flickered. Naoyuki tilted his head.
"You led them away?" Kohaku passed a cup of tea to Rin.
"I'm older than the pups they sent our way. A few distractions sent them off but we should be careful. That girl can see through my illusions. Magic won't distract her if she searches this section of the forest." Someina's fingers tapped against the floor in rhythms.
"Aren't you hungry, Sango?" Shippo's tail twitched.
"My stomach is upset. I'm well, Miroku!" Sango waved off her husband's worried hands. One hand glided protectively over her abdomen. The couple bickered furiously for several minutes about her relative health and the cold air. Kagome smiled at Rin as she checked on Misaki. The toddler glowered at her.
"Pah." Misaki insisted.
"Papa's not here," Kagome answered. She checked the baby's behind. Rin brought her a clean napkin. Despite Misaki's kicking legs and fussy outcries they managed to redress her. Her baby's black dog ears swiveled for any sign of her father's voice. When she called for him again and he still did not appear, her face fell in disappointment.
The remainder of their breakfast passed in quiet, tired conversation. They packed their few belongings in Kagome's yellow pack. In embarrassed turns they excused themselves to relieve their bladders in pairs in the outside bushes. Miroku quickly fastened a sling for Hitomu with his kesa. Someina transformed with a pop! for Sango to ascend. Naoyuki led their party through the progressively less hospitable terrain. There were no roads in the deep forest but scarily few youkai appeared either. Someina gestured for them to keep silent as several scouts passed ahead of their location. Their heads swiveled but their eyes glided over them between the trees. Rin swallowed hard. The pair grumbled but pressed forward to search the eastern trails.
They remained perfectly still until Naoyuki gestured with his hand. They were leaving the expansive forest surrounding Bokuseno. The trees became thinner, gathered thickly, while the ground became mossier. Several times they were forced to avoid soft ground and patches of quicksand. The sunlight overhead partially entered the canopy overhead. Combined with the autumn wind, it was impossible to feel warm. Misaki buried her small face in the crook of her mother's neck with her fists against her chest. Shippo transformed into a smaller horse-creature with shaggy fur to pack the twins. The novelty was enough to abate their growing unhappiness at the cold and separation from their parents. The moisture seeping into their feet made them all irritable.
"There's a lake ahead where we can refill our water. Come now," Naoyuki rested his hand on Kagome's waist as he helped her over a fallen log. The inuyoukai put both hands on her waist and set her on the opposite side of the log when she struggled. She flushed but thanked him. The male's blue eyes struck her again with a sense of familiarity. She stumbled a bit. "Are you feeling sick? I can carry you. We need to continue."
"Why are you helping us? We could have parted after you freed us, but you stayed." Kagome grasped his sleeve. A wrinkle formed above his brow. "You're choosing to stay. You want to be here."
"You are the only one who can defeat Seijun." Naoyuki glanced over her head. On a whim, Kagome shoved his sleeve higher on his arm. Thick blue markings covered his forearm. He pulled his arm out of her grip but she knew them. The disheveled beard covered his lower jaw but the expressive orbs above them burned. The tortured emotions caused her to gasp in physical pain. Her heart overfilled with compassion as her brain filled the gaps. Mayu couldn't tell us about the brand on her shoulder or her children.
"You're Mayu's father?" Kagome asked softly. While silent, the answer was clear. The man's expression softened as Yuki called for Kagome. Their feet started forward mechanically. Kagome became vibrantly aware of his longer gait. Her mind recalled Mayu pinned to the Bokuseno. He had to leave his own daughter to save us...to save his grandchildren. Sesshomaru has never mentioned her family. His answers might be limited by some command.
"Have you ever met Sesshomaru?"
"No, but I have met the younger sibling." Naoyuki glanced at her.
"Inuyasha? When could you-" Kagome's mind whirled for answers.
"Mayu was forced to kidnap her son from your village, but I had no orders. To satisfy Akiye's command, I helped her capture him and return to the compound. Airi was being held cross the way. Before your monk and kitsune attacked, security was fairly relaxed, behind the barrier. I was going to take Airi from her hold and meet Mayu at nightfall. If need be, I would have knocked her unconscious and packed them. There was a plan, you see."
"We didn't know! Sesshomaru told us nothing about your politics."
"There was no room for error. Your husband was unknown." Naoyuki shrugged. "Tukiyo's guards convinced me you were in league with her. Or worse, prisoners. I meant no harm. We do not normally interfere with mortal villages."
"I don't understand. Mayu returned with Yuki. She gave him back." Kagome missed a step. Naoyuki steadied her easily. "Before the guys returned from Akiye's castle, she gave him back to us. What happened?"
"The fox-child bungled his rescue. After the man and kitsune were incarcerated, it was impossible to continue. I was ordered to retreat before I could reunite with my-" Naoyuki cleared his throat. "Mayu must have feared the worst and fled to your village. Before the miko condemned her to the tree, I thought she was dead."
"I'm so sorry." Kagome's heart ached as she remembered that day. Her joy at having Yuki return had blinded her to the situation. She should have grabbed Mayu and forced her to explain. Irritation with Sesshomaru resurged with full force. None of this would have been half as difficult had Sesshomaru explained anything, anything at all! If Sango had known who Mayu was, they could have intercepted her at the Gathering. They could have taken precautions against his mother and the others.
"How would you describe Sesshomaru's character?" Naoyuki asked casually. Years of experience with her own mother helped her dissect the innocent statement into very complicated layers. The first was genuine curiosity about the young lordling, a universal sentiment. There was a protective edge to his pronunciation of 'describe' that suggested an investigation of the criminal kind. From what little she knew about their relationship, she doubted he would approve. Doubtless he already suspected Sesshomaru's harsh, cold nature but she hesitated to confirm.
"Wellll...he's very quiet?"
"I do not understand how it happened. Mayu is a sensible girl. If I had known-" More indecipherable muttering escaped her human hearing. Miroku glanced back at their quiet conversation with concern. She warded away his concern with a wave and shrug.
"Mayu was going to marry eventually."
"Bah, humans! If I had known she could marry, I would not have left her to be a nursemaid. It is a position without hope for old crones and the fatherless!" Naoyuki snapped harshly. Misaki stirred with a little cry. She hurried to rub her back. Naoyuki grumbled but seemed penitent. "Forgive me, miko. My late wife would have handled events differently."
"What's wrong with being a nurse? It's an admirable career. I was going to be a doctor before-before. Helping others is an honorable lifestyle." Kagome struggled to recall her dreams of going to university and studying medicine. The closed Well had removed many options but her education still stung. It was only surpassed by the separation from her family. Still, she bristled with indignation that anyone might look down on Kaede and herself.
"Career?"
"Plenty of women have jobs here! Traders, nuns, samurai, healers!" Kagome stopped to poke him in the chest. Medieval reckoning insisted that a woman's ultimate duty was to bear sons and serve her husband. Even Sango had given up most of her slayer duties post-motherhood. It was doubly shameful to dishonor healers. Kikyo had lived her entire life in the service of others. That level of sacrifice demanded respect.
"What?!"
"Sometimes I really hate this era!" Kagome stomped her foot.
"Kagome-sama?" Miroku hastened to her side. He stood protectively at her side while the older, grizzly inuyoukai stared at her with bemusement. She was not insane! Did he really expect his daughter to have no ambition, no dreams of her own? Of course not. In this era, daughters married whom they were told. How old is he? Maybe it's a way of thinking from the year 1000.
"He's upset his daughter wouldn't marry. She got a job and picked her own boyfriend!" Kagome gestured the back of her hand at him. Miroku's eyes widened. Respect for Mayu filled her chest. I didn't know she was such a rebel, according to this era's standards.
"Is this really the time for this argument?" Miroku's disapproval made her pause. "Kagome-sama, please."
"Are you mocking me, girl?"
"No, nurses are awesome!"
"Enough!" Naoyuki's volume and imposing thick frame silenced her. She shrank behind Miroku. There was real anger in his expression. His chest rose and sank audibly. Miroku's hands gripped the staff. She noticed Kohaku's feet slide in the dirt in preparation for a fight. Someina's horse form had stopped in the path.
"Naoyuki, kneel!" A strange voice called. The inuyoukai's knees buckled stiffly until the caps rested on the grassy scrub. There was a pop! as Someina disappeared. Sango sat on the ground, looking dazed. Kagome spun on Miroku's cue to watch the figure sprinting towards them. The female warrior slid to a stop, sending stones scattering on their path. "Someina, come here!" Powerful vibrations made the girl's normal voice shift. Kagome shivered as echoes of power made the hairs on her skin erect. It was disappointing to watch the female kitsune trudging back. Sango gasped as the kitsune kneeled without being asked.
"Let them go!" Kagome commanded. The girl ignored her as she counted bodies with her eyes. The tension in the air was thick like the mist in the mountains. She swallowed hard, wishing for Inuyasha. Her indecision left her motionless with Misaki mewling against her chest. Luckily, Kohaku suffered no such inhibitions. The long-legged teenager brushed past her in a leap. Miroku was a quick second, aiming his staff at the female's legs. The girl side-stepped Kohaku's first swing and parried his second. When Kohaku moved to make another blow, a solid kick to his abdomen and a second to his shoulder sent him flying backwards. Miroku's fist drove a sutra into her shoulder before landing a blow on her hip. While the sutra sparkled with purifying sparks it left no damage. Kagome's mouth dropped open when it fluttered to the floor. The girl parried a blow using her forearm before catching the staff's end in her bow. It spun as it flew across the landscape to land in a thorny bush. Miroku took several step backwards to recover. However, unnatural speed allowed the miko to sweep Miroku's legs. Her friend crashed to the ground. Kagome watched the girl lift her leg in preparation of another kick.
"No!" Kagome extended her left hand. Pink reiki released from her palm. The girl was pushed back as a protective barrier rose around them. Miroku looked up gratefully. Kohaku was back on his feet with a cool flip. Kagome met the warrior's eyes. Her expression was hard, but a flicker of pain marred her mask. Her nose wrinkled as she surveyed the barrier. Kagome felt a note of satisfaction at the gleaming pink barrier. Nothing with youkai blood can cross.
The hanyou girl deliberately dropped her bow on the grass with a soft thud. She placed her hands flat against each other in a praying form. Miroku warned her to prepare for anything. Small hands grasped at her legs as the twins sought shelter. Soft chanting sounds flew from her lips. Miroku shrugged at her questioning look. The barrier was beginning to show splinters of light on the surface. Kagome gasped when she realized the girl was dismantling her perfect barrier. I've never battled another miko. I don't know how!
"What do you want?" Miroku demanded. "Announce yourself!" The girl's chanting continued until the barrier dissolved in light. Her shoulders rolled in stretches as the girl lifted her chin. Butterflies clawed at Kagome's stomach. She quickly followed her instincts and passed Misaki into Rin's willing arms. She pushed the girl towards Sango. The taijiya's hands were clenching and unclenching, a reflex from wielding Hiraikotsu.
"Name yourself, coward!" Miroku's right hand fidgeted, an old habit from a lifetime bearing the Kazanna.
"Someina, restrain the monk and the slayer." Calm blue eyes rested on him. Miroku turned to fight but the enormous serpent that appeared wrapped around his abdomen. Kohaku swept forward but the serpent's head knocked him flat and coiled around him.
"Miroku! Kohaku!" Sango cried.
"You're not getting our children!" Kagome threatened. The enormous snake youkai with sparkling green eyes was Someina. She was afraid if she approached, an order to crush the men would be given. She still has Naoyuki under her control, Sango can't fight, Rin has the baby, Shippo's too small. I'm outnumbered. The girl linked her fingers and stretched them over her head, leaning on her toes, limber as a cat. She relaxed her posture as she snapped at the furiously mad inuyoukai.
"You've wasted precious time making me track you, baka! We're going to return to Base." The hanyou girl glanced back at the path. She shielded her eyes with her hand and used her thumb to follow its path back to the skyline. Some creative cursing ensued as she valued the distance back to the tree, Bokuseno. Her small boots kicked at the ground in frustration. Clumps of grass and rock skittered noisily. Kagome looked down at the twins but realized they were gone. In a panic, she pivoted at the hip. Sango's mouth was open in a preemptive command.
"Aaaaahhhh, you little-!" The hanyou girl screamed as Airi wrapped her limbs tighter around her calf. Her vicious little teeth were buried in the girl's muscle above the knee. Their assailant took several steps as she tried to shake Airi loose. The ground underneath was dampening with blood. Kagome sprinted forward, kicking the bow into a puddle, as she followed the scene. A flux of wind crushed her to the ground and shadows gathered around her. She rolled onto her back and was almost blinded by the luminescent puppy howling above her. Small tremors shook the ground as it bounded over them. Kagome managed to get to her feet, chasing the screaming warrior. Green lines were beginning to follow the woman's exposed veins. Her movements were slowing.
Venomous puppy fangs? Check.
Yuki's true form was taller than any human. His white head reeled back as a deafening howl filled the air. Each accompanying puppy howl only added to the ringing in her ears. Kagome tackled the hanyou girl to the ground with Airi attached. The toddler rolled free. Her weight drove them both into the ground. The green tint to her skin and the acidic smell reminded her of their battle at the graveyard. The warrior's blue eyes were fighting to stay trained on her. Her eyelashes fluttered. The hanyou's head lolled as the poison took control of her system. Kagome exhaled in relief.
"Airi? Airi, stop!" Sango ordered. The toddler stopped on her hands and knees. The ground beneath her was beginning to wilt and brown. Airi noticed the plant death and whimpered. Kagome was glad to see Someina transform into her human appearance. Miroku and Kohaku fell onto the grass.
"I ressstrained them." Someina rotated her jaw. She shook her head lightly.
More tremors shook the ground as Yuki reared onto his back legs and planted his forelegs on a tree limb. The pup's weight was enough to knock several thin trees from the ground. When he turned to find Kagome, his eyes focused. She held up both hands as he charged and skid, creating shallow trenches in the dirt. He lowered his head and whimpered directly over her.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kagome crossed her arms as puppy breath washed over her. That is definitely not cute! The blood red eyes trained on her reminded her of Buyo with a beetle. Adrenaline coursed through her. She desperately wanted to run, but given a puppy's nature, she was too scared.
"Yuki, heel!" The puppy's white head turned. The commanding male voice repeated the phrase. She closed her eyes as a giant's paw passed over her, leaving her in shadow, to find the owner. Kohaku rushed to her side. Miroku kept his staff trained on the subdued woman until she was clear. Rin waved Misaki's hands for her. Sango stared at the giant dog following Naoyuki. Hitomu giggled and clapped his baby hands softly.
"What are we going to do with her now?" Kohaku gestured. Under her lids, the warrior's eyes were moving rapidly. Obviously not immune to poison, the girl was visibly growing sicker by the moment. Flesh was beginning to burn away at the entry wound on her leg. It was a clear testament to the potency of the Dokkaso. Shippo dragged her bag forward by the strap. Kagome began to dig for her poison remedies while Kohaku bound her wrists and ankles, doubly sealed with sacred sutras. They postponed gagging her mouth until the remedies could be administered-the girl was unconscious anyway. Kagome left Naoyuki to handle the panicking hound shaking the ground. Miroku went to calm Airi from a distance as the girl begged for her father's help. The sound was heartbreaking.
It looks like we're making camp tonight. Hopefully the river isn't far.