A/N: Count is 16. Humm… only a couple more until I get to 20…
Eev: Umm… I honestly have no idea if nee-chan only applies to older sister or sister in general. For my purposes it will just be sister in general though.
Trillian: *Blush* Thanks -^_^-
Little One
Chapter 5
Inuyasha dipped a cloth into the pot of warm water before wrapping it around his hand. Rikka's first day for training had gone ok considering none of them knew what they were doing. Shippou had had to melt Inuyasha free on more then one occasion. Rikka had been very distressed when he got his hand in the way of one of her practice attacks. Even three hours later the digits were still numb. Kagome had told her she did well to best Inuyasha, even though they all knew perfectly well he hadn't even tried to beat the smaller half-demon.
Currently Shippou and Rikka were sharing a chocolate bar and talking back and forth about how they would be great fighters one day. Miroku was meditating, Sango was polishing her boomerang, and Kagome was cooking. She poured a portion of boiling water into each cup of noodles before blowing on them and passing one to each of the companions. As soon as the food hit the small demons' hands they moved to their favorite eating spots. Rikka seated herself comfortably in Inuyasha's lap, who barely noticed as he slurped his own noodles, and Shippou took Kagome's lap.
The group ate in silence, if you ignored Inuyasha's slurping. Rikka looked up at him for a moment then repeated his action, noise and all. Kagome looked up with raised eyebrows, Sango snickered, Miroku simply smiled, and Inuyasha choked a little. Rikka looked up at him, then slurped up some more noodles. Turning back up to him she beamed. Kagome and Sango's laughter filled the clearing as Inuyasha blushed.
"Aww, she looks up to you." Sango cooed.
"Poor misguided thing." Miroku sighed as if in pity. That earned him a rock right between the eyes, but not from Inuyasha. This rock was thrown by Rikka.
"Be nice Miroku-Houshi-Hentia-Sama-nii-chan!" she scolded. This earned another round of laughter. Apparently Rikka thought their various names were really shortened versions of his full name.
"Rikka don't throw rocks." Kagome managed to scold lightly after her laughter had died down. Rikka opened her mouth to protest but was cut off by a clawed finger.
"I know I do it Rikka, but that doesn't mean you should." Inuyasha added. The others in the group stared at him with open mouths. "What?"
*********************************************************
Darkness fell on the small group. Miroku settled himself against a tree, Sango found a spot on the other side of the fire, and Rikka and Shippou once again took over Kagome sleeping bag. Inuyasha sat in his tree of choice with Kagome leaning against his chest. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on her head, smelling the sweet scent of her hair.
"She really looks up to you, you know." Kagome said softly.
"I noticed." Inuyasha replied dryly. He tightened his arms around her, bringing her more tightly to him, as if afraid she would run away. "Why didn't you believe me?"
"What?" Kagome asked as she shifted a little to try and see him.
"The other night, why didn't you believe me? Do you really think I don't care?"
"You don't care about me like you care about her." Kagome answered softly. She knew he had waited for this, to talk to her when she couldn't escape. Inuyasha was silent for a short while.
"Kagome, when I met Kikyo I'd been so lonely for so long I would have agreed to anything if it meant I wouldn't be alone any more. But I wasn't going to turn human. I was desperate, not stupid. If I did, all the enemies I'd made would descend on me and devour me within the week. I told Kikyo what she wanted to hear, so I could get the jewel. If you want to know if I loved her, I'd say she was my friend, I was going to betray her trust, and she paid the price with her life. If you want to know if I love you, I'd say if you give me the chance." Kagome sat very still for a while. Inuyasha sat holding his breath as he waited for her answer. A slight rustle made them both turn, only to see nothing.
"Will you run to her the next time she calls?" Kagome answered.
"I owe her peace." He replied softly. "But I'll always come back to you." Kagome made no sound for a long time and he feared she would never answer.
"You say you want to love me, but I have to believe you will come back when you go to see a dead woman on a whim." It was not a question. Inuyasha leaned his head on to her shoulder. He didn't have an answer for her.
*********************************************************
In another part of the forest a slim snake like creature glided soundlessly through the trees. It seemed unearthly and unreal as it slipped soundlessly past. The creature landed on the out stretched hand of a woman in miko robes. Its mouth moved in a language only the woman could hear or decipher. She frowned deeply at what she heard.
**********************************************************
Rikka and Shippou chased each other around the field. It had long grass laced with flowers and a small stream. Inuyasha had given them a break from training after Rikka accidentally froze one of his feet to the ground. The two children ran around in circles until they both collapsed in the grass near the stream, laughing.
"Hello." Said a bright voice. They both looked up to see a young girl of about eight dressed in a nice kimono. She had chocolate hair, hazel eyes, and bright smile. "I'm Rin. What's your names?"
"I'm Rikka and this is Shippou." The hanyou girl answered brightly; "You want to play with us?"
"Rin would like that. What are we going to play?" The girl asked brightly.
"I know!" Shippou exclaimed and dug a handful of leaves from his vest. With a pop and puff of smoke the leaves became three fishing rods complete with line, hooks and bait. He handed one rod to each girl. Rikka looked at in confusion.
"But Shippou, that stream isn't deep enough for fishing." Rikka pointed out.
"We can pretend." The fox demon announced happily. Both girls smiled and they hurried to the trickle of water. All three cast out their lines as they waded ankle deep into the water. In a few minutes Rin had 'caught' a fish the size of a Jaken, which made Shippou cringe and Rikka look curious. Shippou was the next and his fish was twice the size of Rin's. Rikka then 'caught' a fish the size of a whale. The other two asked what a whale was and she explained it was a really big fish that lived in the ocean. Rin was about to ask what an ocean was when a shadow fell over them.
A moment later two separate dog demons heard the screaming of the small children. Kagome, Miroku, and Sango were left with in the dust at Inuyasha's abrupt exit. The half-demon rushed through the trees towards the small clearing not far from their camp. He cleared the trees to see Shippou lying flat on his back near a stream and Rikka conspicuously missing. On the other side of the clearing Sesshoumaru appeared with his usual emotionless expression.
"What the hell did you do!" Inuyasha snarled as he crouched protectively over lone fox.
"I, Sesshoumaru, have done nothing. Where is Rin?"
"Who the fuck is Rin? Where is Rikka?"
"I know not." Sesshoumaru replied calmly, "It would seem little brother that we are at an impasse. We are both missing a charge under mysterious circumstances. Perhaps the young Kitsune knows what happened." He nodded towards Shippou. Inuyasha shot his brother a glance before crouching next to Shippou and giving him a nudge. When he got no response he shook the young fox. Still no response. With a sigh Inuyasha lift the limp kit into the air by his tail, got a firm grip, then…
"Hey Kagome, where did all that chocolate come from?" Shippou snapped awake and looked around franticly. Sesshoumaru raised a fine eyebrow but said nothing. "There is no chocolate Shippou." The fox looked at him in disappointment with his arms crossed. "Where is Rikka?"
"Tell this Sesshoumaru where Rin is?" Sesshoumaru cut in. Shippou snapped around and stared wide eyed at the poisonous dog demon.
"The human girl is with you!"
"She was human?" Inuyasha asked in amusement, "My more demon then thou half-brother has a human charge!" The half-demon was holding his side with laughter.
"Feh. This gets us no where. What happened to Rin, fox? Tell this Sesshoumaru or you will die."
"I-I-I don't know." Shippou stuttered quickly, "The last thing I remember is seeing Kikyo, then I woke up here."
"Kikyo?" Inuyasha repeated curiously.
"Who is this Kikyo?" Sesshoumaru asked without interest.
"She's the one who pinned Inuyasha to the tree." Shippou provided quickly, "Then she died, but now she's come back to life." Again Sesshoumaru raised a fine eyebrow.
"This woman has killed by brother and taken Rin." It was a statement not a question.
"Shippou go back to camp. Stay close till I get back." Inuyasha instructed. Shippou nodded and Inuyasha dropped him to the ground. The young fox heard the two brothers take off into the woods as he hurried back to the camp as directed. Shippou wondered if it was some sign of the apocalypse that the two were working together, then decided he didn't want to know. The little fox demon burst through the trees and instantly hid himself in the cradle of Kagome's lap.
"Shippou! What's wrong?" The teenager asked, "Did you see where Inuyasha ran off to?"
"He went after Kikyo." Shippou said distractedly as he still trying to work out the two brothers' strange behavior. He missed the dark look that passed over Kagome's face. And he barely noticed when he was passed into Miroku's lap and Sango and Kagome left the fireside.
In a large glade Kikyo stood over the two young girls. Each was held firmly by a snake like soul stealer. Both girls were struggling as she looked down at them with cold eyes. Rin did her best to hide behind Rikka and visa versa. The dead miko watched them without blinking as one of her pets deposited a soul in her waiting hand.
"White hair, blue eyes…" she drawled slowly, "I guess you prove my information. Inuyasha and my dear reincarnation have become too close for comfort." She paused as the soul soaked into her body, "He's coming. I can feel it. But he never loved that pathetic little girl, Kagome. She is merely a replacement for the one he really wants, me. But even if she does not love her, he does care for his own blood." She looked off just as the two dog demons came through the trees. She raised an eyebrow, who was this other?
Kikyo didn't have much time to ponder this unknown dog demon before he was right in front of her. He said nothing, but simple looked into her emotionless brown eyes with his expressionless gold. Then quiet suddenly a hand snapped to her throat, it didn't look like it should belong to him yet it was defiantly attached to his arm.
"Inuyasha will not stand idly and let you kill me." Kikyo announced calmly and without an ounce of fear.
"She's right." Inuyasha answered an almost uncaring manner as he set the two girls free. "I don't want Rikka to witness this. I'm taking her back to camp." He scooped the young half-fox-demon into his arms and began to walk away. "Good-bye Kikyo."
"Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru's voice said calmly though his eyes never left the face of the shocked woman before him, "Take Rin as well. I will retrieve her when I have finished. Rin do as my brother tells you." The little girl nodded and hurried to catch up with the waiting half-demon. As soon as the human girl was at his side, Inuyasha began to walk again.
Inuyasha, Rikka, and Rin returned to camp to find Sango and Miroku looking fiercely at him, Kagome sitting hunched with her back to the fire and facing away from him, and Shippou looking off into space in deep though. Rikka wiggled and Inuyasha set her down. The young hanyou ran to her playmate and tackled him into the dirt. Moments later the sounds of laughter filled the air.
"Inuyasha-sama, can Rin play too?" Inuyasha looked at her in surprise at being addressed in such a manner then nodded. She smiled and hurried to join the game. He looked back at the others and met Sango and Miroku's gaze with questioning eyes before walking around to Kagome. The smell of salt was heavy around her, had she been crying? Why? He gently reached out a hand and touched her shoulder. She shrank away at the touch then turned cold, angry liquid eyes on him.
"SIT!" Inuyasha hit the ground as she stood up and glowered down at him, "I should have known! The first chance you got you ran to her! After everything you said! I can't believe I actually trusted you!" A deep angry growl rose from Inuyasha as he lifted himself from the ground.
"What the fuck?!" He roared as he jumped to his feet.
"Don't pretend you don't know!"
"I Don't!"
"You went and saw Kikyo again!" Tears were starting to appear at her eyes, "And after all that crap you said last night!" Inuyasha was taken a back for a moment before his eyebrow began to twitch in irritation.
"Shippou!" He turned on the fox demon and in an instant had him by the tail. "What did you tell her!?"
"Don't get mad at him for telling me the truth!" Kagome yelled at him as she tried to retrieve the young demon. Inuyasha ignored her, but swung to keep Shippou from her grasp.
"What did you tell her!?" he demanded again.
"That you went after Kikyo." Shippou squeaked. A tick had started under Inuyasha's eye as he dodged another attempt on Kagome's part to take the young fox.
"And did you tell her why?!"
"Oops… "
"Oops my ass! You just wanted to see me get my head slammed into the ground for no reason!"
"No reason!" Kagome cut in, "I'd say it was a good reason and you're working on another one right now!"
"Tell her!" Inuyasha commanded as he thrust the fox towards Kagome.
"Inuyasha went after Kikyo because she took Rikka-chan." Kagome's eyes snapped from Shippou to the fuming demon holding him. Inuyasha growled the way he did just before he usually hit the brat for something. Then for no apparent reason he dropped the pup into the dirt at Kagome's feet and disappeared into a nearby tree.