A/N - Anyone interested in going to college, here's a word of advice: Don't take night classes! I have no time for anything anymore!!! ~Una
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Otashki Herb and Blue Alik
Chapter 7
Inu-Yasha's ears twitched. He could have sworn he heard someone outside the door. But with no further noises, he turned his attention back to Miroku and Sango. Both of his old friends were looking over the list and maps. After hearing that Kagome was in trouble, they were more then happy to help.
"Luckily, I know of the regions the other ingredients lie," said Miroku. "In my previous journeys, I traveled all over Japan. In fact," he curled up the map, "some of the demons we will face I have fought before."
"That's reassuring," said IY. "If you could take 'em, They'll be a piece of cake for me!"
"I was never a push-over! And you know it!"
"Wanna bet? Too bad you don't have that black hole in your hand anymore. Mighta come in handy!"
Miroku sneered. "That's not funny, Inu-Yasha! I may not have survived another week." He glanced at right hand, whole and without the cursed void it once held. "If you, Koga, and Sesshomaru hadn't defeated Naraku at that time …"
He trailed off at IY's growl. The hanyou hated any mention of his half brother, and with good reason! Their hatred of each other remained even after their long partnership to defeat Naraku, a common enemy. Once the final battle ended, Sesshomaru remained Lord of the Western Lands, while IY was granted the title of Lord of the Northern Lands. Koga, another unlikely ally for IY, became Lord of the Southern Lands, and now spent his time in the mountains with his pack of loyal wolves and wolf-youkai.
Lord Sesshomaru went about as he pleased!
"We may run into him, you know," warned Sango. "You cannot deny that."
"Keh," said IY. "If we do, he'd better stay away from Koinuma! I don't want her to be in any danger because of me!"
Miroku smiled. He didn't know the full extents of youkai love within families. Perhaps it was similar to animals, with IY being the natural protector of his pup. Or maybe it was the human side of him. Either way, the dog-boy's heart was in the right place.
Suddenly a powerful stench filled the room. IY covered his sensitive nose and mouth, gagging. "What . . . . *cough* the fuck . . . *cough* *cough* izzat!?!"
Sango quickly put the leaves she had removed from a jar into a smaller one, and sealed it shut. "Otashki. It's an herb used to poison youkai. Us hunters use them in making our gas bombs."
IY stuck his head out a window, swirls for eyes. Miroku chuckled. "Poor puppy," he chided.
The dog demon looked down, breathing the sweet, clear air, when he heard a rustle in the leaves. Under the window crouched all five of Miroku and Sango's children. He smiled evilly at them as they squirmed to escape. But IY was able to grab Jun in one hand and Kitai and Kaigen in the other. "What have we here," he asked loudly, pulling the three inside. "A few eves-droppers!"
Miroku stood up as the three kids struggled to escape. "Jun! What is the meaning of this!?"
Jun stood up solumly and looked into his father's eyes. "Nothing, sir. We were only playing nearby, and-"
"Jun," warned Sango, "you know better then to tell you father lies!"
Miroku pulled his son gently but firmly in front of him. "Now, truthfully, what were you doing outside the window?"
Jun's eyes turned to his sisters, who remained speechless, their eyes cast in shadow, then to IY, who stood tall and proud, then back to his father. "I want to go with you on your quest to save the miko Kagome."
"No," said Miroku firmly.
"But I've heard so much about her good works! I only want to help such a-"
"Your father said no, Jun," said Sango.
"But-"
"Jun," said Miroku, taking a wiser aproach, "with your mother and I gone, the village's defenses are down. There will be no one in case of an attack. And there will be one." Miroku straightened up and picked up his staff, ready to leave. "Every time your mother and I depart the village, demons come to destroy what we have worked so hard to build. I want you here to watch over your sisters."
"There are other men here to-"
Miroku banged his staff on the ground, and Jun jumped at the thump. Miroku's sacred staff had three main purposes: exercising demons, rituals for the Budda, and flattening Jun's hindquarters. "Yes father," he mumbled at last.
"Good," said Miroku as if he hadn't done anything special. "Now, Inu-Yasha," he turned to his friend. "Where is Koinuma?"
As if on cue, many people in the village yelled out in alarm. Immediatly Sango grabbed her Hiraikotsu (giant boomerang weapon), and the three adults took to the streets, followed by the five kids (Shin carrying Zenkon emerged from behind the house).
Shippo, covered in many strings of flowers, had been let in by the guard and was now running on all fours like a mad cat around the village square. The proud fox-demon was being chased by Koinuma, who held three more strings of flowers, trying to adorn her new best friend with her gifts.
"INU-YASHA!!!" screamed Shippo, spotting the now confused dog-boy. "SAVE ME!!!!"
"Shippo-kun," cried Koinuma, "what's wrong?! I thought you said you liked my flowers!!"
Without prelude, Shippo jumped on top of IY's head and onto the monk and hunter's thatched roof. Koinuma skidded to a halt, her beads clinking back to her chest. She stared up at Shippo with expectant eyes. "You said you liked my flowers!"
"Yeah, but not ON ME!!"
"But they look cute on you, Shippo-kun!"
"I don't want to look cute! I'm a ferocious demon!"
It was hard for any of the spectators not to laugh. Not only did Shippo have little other power then his transformations and trinkets, but the adolescent still looked like a fluffy-stuffed doll to be won in a county fair!
"Please, Shippo-kun?"
"No no no no no!! I won't I won't I won't!!"
Koinuma's lower lip trembled. "You hate me, then?"
Both IY and Shippo tensed. Neither wanted her upset. But Miroku and Sango smirked at each other. "She's good," Sango whispered to her husband."
"Koinuma," said IY, embarrassed by both children, "Shippo is a man. And men don't wear flowers."
"Hojo-san does."
IY's ears twitched. The name 'Hojo' rang a bell in his mind. "Hojo?"
"Hojo-san is an old friend of mother's," replied the plucky girl. "He comes to the shrine everyday to talk to her. Sometimes he plays with me!" She smiled brightly. "He wears my gifts for him." Her eyes sparkled with manipulation. "Will YOU wear them, Daddy?"
"Very good," agreed Miroku.
"I'll handle this," said Sango, and she knelt down in front of Koinuma. "Hello, Koinuma-chan. Know who I am?"
Koinuma cocked her head, staring at the woman. Her eyes fell upon Hiraikotsu. "You're Sango-chan!"
A sweat drop slid down her head. 'Manners for elders will come later,' Sango thought. "That's right, little one! I love your flowers, and I'll wear them!"
Koinuma sqealed with delight and draped them over Sango's neck. The woman picked up the flowers and sniffed. No fragrance. She studied them closer, then turned to IY in triumph. "You'll never believe this, but your daughter, by sheer luck, found some alik blossoms!"
"What're those?"
"One of the items on the list!"
"Is that good," Koinuma asked.
Sango hugged her. "That is very good! You just saved us half a days walk and a full day's search in another region of Japan!"
Koinuma giggled with glee! She had helped her daddy save her mommy!
Miroku gave a chuckle. "She's got the devil's luck, ne Inu-Yasha?"
IY snorted. "She's got her mother's luck!"
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Okay so far? Gimme lots of feedback and I'll update more often!
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Otashki Herb and Blue Alik
Chapter 7
Inu-Yasha's ears twitched. He could have sworn he heard someone outside the door. But with no further noises, he turned his attention back to Miroku and Sango. Both of his old friends were looking over the list and maps. After hearing that Kagome was in trouble, they were more then happy to help.
"Luckily, I know of the regions the other ingredients lie," said Miroku. "In my previous journeys, I traveled all over Japan. In fact," he curled up the map, "some of the demons we will face I have fought before."
"That's reassuring," said IY. "If you could take 'em, They'll be a piece of cake for me!"
"I was never a push-over! And you know it!"
"Wanna bet? Too bad you don't have that black hole in your hand anymore. Mighta come in handy!"
Miroku sneered. "That's not funny, Inu-Yasha! I may not have survived another week." He glanced at right hand, whole and without the cursed void it once held. "If you, Koga, and Sesshomaru hadn't defeated Naraku at that time …"
He trailed off at IY's growl. The hanyou hated any mention of his half brother, and with good reason! Their hatred of each other remained even after their long partnership to defeat Naraku, a common enemy. Once the final battle ended, Sesshomaru remained Lord of the Western Lands, while IY was granted the title of Lord of the Northern Lands. Koga, another unlikely ally for IY, became Lord of the Southern Lands, and now spent his time in the mountains with his pack of loyal wolves and wolf-youkai.
Lord Sesshomaru went about as he pleased!
"We may run into him, you know," warned Sango. "You cannot deny that."
"Keh," said IY. "If we do, he'd better stay away from Koinuma! I don't want her to be in any danger because of me!"
Miroku smiled. He didn't know the full extents of youkai love within families. Perhaps it was similar to animals, with IY being the natural protector of his pup. Or maybe it was the human side of him. Either way, the dog-boy's heart was in the right place.
Suddenly a powerful stench filled the room. IY covered his sensitive nose and mouth, gagging. "What . . . . *cough* the fuck . . . *cough* *cough* izzat!?!"
Sango quickly put the leaves she had removed from a jar into a smaller one, and sealed it shut. "Otashki. It's an herb used to poison youkai. Us hunters use them in making our gas bombs."
IY stuck his head out a window, swirls for eyes. Miroku chuckled. "Poor puppy," he chided.
The dog demon looked down, breathing the sweet, clear air, when he heard a rustle in the leaves. Under the window crouched all five of Miroku and Sango's children. He smiled evilly at them as they squirmed to escape. But IY was able to grab Jun in one hand and Kitai and Kaigen in the other. "What have we here," he asked loudly, pulling the three inside. "A few eves-droppers!"
Miroku stood up as the three kids struggled to escape. "Jun! What is the meaning of this!?"
Jun stood up solumly and looked into his father's eyes. "Nothing, sir. We were only playing nearby, and-"
"Jun," warned Sango, "you know better then to tell you father lies!"
Miroku pulled his son gently but firmly in front of him. "Now, truthfully, what were you doing outside the window?"
Jun's eyes turned to his sisters, who remained speechless, their eyes cast in shadow, then to IY, who stood tall and proud, then back to his father. "I want to go with you on your quest to save the miko Kagome."
"No," said Miroku firmly.
"But I've heard so much about her good works! I only want to help such a-"
"Your father said no, Jun," said Sango.
"But-"
"Jun," said Miroku, taking a wiser aproach, "with your mother and I gone, the village's defenses are down. There will be no one in case of an attack. And there will be one." Miroku straightened up and picked up his staff, ready to leave. "Every time your mother and I depart the village, demons come to destroy what we have worked so hard to build. I want you here to watch over your sisters."
"There are other men here to-"
Miroku banged his staff on the ground, and Jun jumped at the thump. Miroku's sacred staff had three main purposes: exercising demons, rituals for the Budda, and flattening Jun's hindquarters. "Yes father," he mumbled at last.
"Good," said Miroku as if he hadn't done anything special. "Now, Inu-Yasha," he turned to his friend. "Where is Koinuma?"
As if on cue, many people in the village yelled out in alarm. Immediatly Sango grabbed her Hiraikotsu (giant boomerang weapon), and the three adults took to the streets, followed by the five kids (Shin carrying Zenkon emerged from behind the house).
Shippo, covered in many strings of flowers, had been let in by the guard and was now running on all fours like a mad cat around the village square. The proud fox-demon was being chased by Koinuma, who held three more strings of flowers, trying to adorn her new best friend with her gifts.
"INU-YASHA!!!" screamed Shippo, spotting the now confused dog-boy. "SAVE ME!!!!"
"Shippo-kun," cried Koinuma, "what's wrong?! I thought you said you liked my flowers!!"
Without prelude, Shippo jumped on top of IY's head and onto the monk and hunter's thatched roof. Koinuma skidded to a halt, her beads clinking back to her chest. She stared up at Shippo with expectant eyes. "You said you liked my flowers!"
"Yeah, but not ON ME!!"
"But they look cute on you, Shippo-kun!"
"I don't want to look cute! I'm a ferocious demon!"
It was hard for any of the spectators not to laugh. Not only did Shippo have little other power then his transformations and trinkets, but the adolescent still looked like a fluffy-stuffed doll to be won in a county fair!
"Please, Shippo-kun?"
"No no no no no!! I won't I won't I won't!!"
Koinuma's lower lip trembled. "You hate me, then?"
Both IY and Shippo tensed. Neither wanted her upset. But Miroku and Sango smirked at each other. "She's good," Sango whispered to her husband."
"Koinuma," said IY, embarrassed by both children, "Shippo is a man. And men don't wear flowers."
"Hojo-san does."
IY's ears twitched. The name 'Hojo' rang a bell in his mind. "Hojo?"
"Hojo-san is an old friend of mother's," replied the plucky girl. "He comes to the shrine everyday to talk to her. Sometimes he plays with me!" She smiled brightly. "He wears my gifts for him." Her eyes sparkled with manipulation. "Will YOU wear them, Daddy?"
"Very good," agreed Miroku.
"I'll handle this," said Sango, and she knelt down in front of Koinuma. "Hello, Koinuma-chan. Know who I am?"
Koinuma cocked her head, staring at the woman. Her eyes fell upon Hiraikotsu. "You're Sango-chan!"
A sweat drop slid down her head. 'Manners for elders will come later,' Sango thought. "That's right, little one! I love your flowers, and I'll wear them!"
Koinuma sqealed with delight and draped them over Sango's neck. The woman picked up the flowers and sniffed. No fragrance. She studied them closer, then turned to IY in triumph. "You'll never believe this, but your daughter, by sheer luck, found some alik blossoms!"
"What're those?"
"One of the items on the list!"
"Is that good," Koinuma asked.
Sango hugged her. "That is very good! You just saved us half a days walk and a full day's search in another region of Japan!"
Koinuma giggled with glee! She had helped her daddy save her mommy!
Miroku gave a chuckle. "She's got the devil's luck, ne Inu-Yasha?"
IY snorted. "She's got her mother's luck!"
.
.
.
Okay so far? Gimme lots of feedback and I'll update more often!