Puppy Love by Oceanserpent
Chapter Two:
Akira sat on the steps of the bath house, absently braiding her hair as she waited. It was already past sunset and he should have been there already. She stopped braiding her hair and slouched, arms crossed, with her cute 6 year old face scrunched up in a pout and frown. He was late and she was bored.
A red and black blur ran past her, lightly tapping her head with a murmured, "You're it!"
Akira jumped up and ran after the human form of Inuyasha, laughing all the way. They loved new moon because Inuyasha could bathe in the village and then play all night because he looked human. And since he was human, she could catch him when playing tag.
"Gotcha!" she said, as she slapped him on the arm. "Ha! I win! I win!" she sang, dancing around. Inuyasha growled playfully and tackled her. They proceeded to wrestle and laugh until Akira found herself on her back with Inuyasha on top, staring at her father's boots. Inuyasha looked up at Marix.
"Uh... konichiwa, Marix?" he said, uncertainly. He rolled off when Akira pushed on his shoulder.
"Ohaya, otousan." said Akira.
Marix glared at the human boy, not recognizing him as Inuyasha the half-demon. "It is late. Come home now." He left after that was said.
Inuyasha let out a breath he hadn't realized he's been holding. "Marix scares me."
Akira giggled. "I know."
They walked toward her home in silence, but when they got to her front door she whispered, "Wait outside my window. I'll sneak out and play."
Inuyasha nodded and snuck around to the side of her house to wait under the window. He sat there for an hour or two and watched the clouds' courses. Everything seemed more simple, more beautiful, when he saw them through the blue eyes of his human form. His observations were interrupted by Akira climbing out of her window and falling into his lap. He grunted and shoved her off, which started another muffled wrestling match that eventually led to multiple rounds of tag, and finally, tree climbing.
They spent the whole night together playing, just like every new moon in the past. Dawn was fast approaching and Inuyasha's mother would be along to collect him. Akira also had to sneak back into her room before her father left at dawn. The gods, or rather the demons, had other plans.
Inuyasha led Akira by the hand back to the village, only minutes before dawn. Inuyasha's mother was waiting by the bath house and everything was going according to plan until the kids felt strong hands on their shoulders.
"Where have you been?" Marix was definitely not please.
Both kids looked at each other and started to talk at the same time. No one noticed the wraith-like demon creeping up on Inuyasha's mother, Quae. She did notice, however, when it's fangs sunk into her neck. Her screams woke the entire village and quieted the kids. Marix let go of Inuyasha and pushed Akira to Kyra, who had rushed to his side. He stood in front of his family to protect them.
Inuyasha wanted to protect his mother. He ran, growling at the bloodsucker, and was repelled with a careless sweep of it's arm. Inuyasha flew back a few hundred feet and landed in a heap that looked boneless.
Akira screamed his name and jerked away from her mother, bolting to his side. She shook him, crying, begging him to wake up. She watched as his black hair turned silver, and white dog ears appeared on his head. She felt the claws on his fingertips as his fingers clenched on her kimono, his consciousness quickly returning. After a moment of her calling his name, his amber eyes opened to blink up at her brown eyes. He was only disoriented a moment, for his sensitive hearing picked up his mother's quieting screams. He tried to go to her, to do something, but Akira held tightly to him.
"Let me go!" he yelled, tears running down his face. "I - I have to help her! Mama!" He could feel that she was beyond help but he couldn't stand the thought of losing his mother. He felt another demon coming through the woods and wondered who else would die. He sobbed into Akira's kimono until he heard his mother whisper his name. He lifted his head to see her reaching for him as her eyes rolled back in her head and she died. Inuyasha screamed and ran to his mother, Akira a step behind. She was snatched by her father, despite her protests.
Akira screamed as the blood sucker loomed over Inuyasha. A blur caught her attention as the blood sucker howled in pain. Inuyasha remained dead to the world as he cried on his mother. The blood sucker continued to twist and stagger as the blur ripped and cut it to pieces. With an almighty roar, the blur obliterated the killer demon and settled on the ground in a crouch, a fang-like sword in one hand while the other clenched on the ground. The head was lowered but breathing wasn't labored. The silence was broken only by Inuyasha's crying.
The fighter cocked his head slightly, his long silver hair brushing the ground when he moved. He seemed to be listening, or rather studying, Inuyasha. He finally stood, returning the large sword to it's scabbard where it emitted light as it shrunk to fit. He gazed at Inuyasha and Quae before turning to face the villagers.
Marix again thrust the sobbing Akira at Kyra as he prepared to defend against the demon fighter. The demon said calmly, "Bury Quae Inu. Do not burn her." His gold eyes moved quietly over the jumpy villagers and came to rest on Akira. He started forward and was intercepted by a determined Marix. The demon looked at him without expression before grabbing Marix by the throat and lifting him off the ground. He quietly said to the gagging human, "I will not harm your pup," then dropped him. He lay gasping for air on the ground. The dog demon continued unhindered to Akira and Kyra. Akira was sniffling looking at the red crescent moon on the demon's forehead, and the red line under one eye. Kyra trembled in fear, her hands holding tightly to Akira and her eyes glued to the sharp clawed fingers on the hands that were reaching to take Akira from her. The demon took the unafraid Akira from her mother, who started to moan and cry in fear for her child. The demon sat the child on his hip and walked toward Inuyasha's huddled form. Slowly and quietly he spoke to Akira.
"I am Inugato," he said. "I am Inuyasha's father. I know you are his friend because his smell is no your clothes. I want you to wake him up for me, okay?" He had a very gentle voice despite his species.
Akira nodded in acknowledgement and jumped down from his arms. She say down beside Inuyasha and pet his hair, stroked his ears, and talked to him. He had stopped crying and was staring blankly ahead. Akira quickly became frustrated and started to cry on him. His ears twitched.
Inuyasha turned hugged Akira and cried as well. They both stiffened and look up when Inugato growled in warning. Akira's father had attempted to sneak up and grab her. Akira looked back at Inuyasha but he was focused on the older demon above him.
His eyes filled with tears again and he looked away from his father in shame. "I'm sorry," he choked, the tears spilling over. "I couldn't help her. I wasn't strong enough."
Inugato's expression softened and he frowned. He reached down and picked up Inuyasha holding him tightly and whispering. Inuyasha cried into his shoulder for a time and then clamed once Inugato's soothing purrs became audible. Inugato turned on his heel to leave and the villagers converged on Akira but she yelled out, "Wait!"
Inugato obeyed and stopped, turning around with a half-asleep Inuyasha in his arms.
Akira ran to him and said, "I wanna say bye." He set the groggy half-demon on his feet and she leaned forward to quickly kiss his cheek. He blinked in surprise, slightly more awake. "Bye, Inu."
His father picked him up again and he waved sleepily over his father's shoulder, saying, "Ja, Aki," as they disappeared into the woods.