Children of Tomorrow
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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the names familiar to you all. I also do not own Ashi, which is a good thing since the child is a pain in the ass. Just ask his creator Sharpie-Chan
Author's Note: Ahhh…at last I finally got around to typing the sequel to Half Breed's Song. Heh. Took me long enough huh? This fic is definitely rated 'R' and is darker than it's predecessor. Anywho I hope you all like it!
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"Does time slow when you're depressed Tanuki-kun?" the raccoon demon looked up and cocked his head.
"Oh are you depressed Chiyumi-Sama? I hadn't noticed."
"I was serious."
"Hai, I know, but Miroku-Sama told me to crack jokes whenever you take those herbs."
"To balance out the raging emotions, blah, blah, blah. He explained everything to me when I saw him last," she sighed, "I wonder what would happen to him and the others if I were to quit here and now," Chiyumi sighed and leaned backwards into a tree, dog ears twitching idly, "Just quit and let my wound devour me. What do you think Tanuki-kun?"
"Oh Chiyumi-Sama don't talk like that! Only think of what Miroku-Sama would say if I were to let that happen!" Chiyumi looked over at him.
"So you're not concerned for me as much as you are for your own hide?"
"Hai. Wait! I meant no! Oh dear…" Chiyumi smiled softly, Tanuki was certainly one of the more nervous demons she had ever met.
"Don't worry about it then. I won't bring it up anymore."
"Arigato," the raccoon replied with feeling. They sat in silence for a moment, just listening to the fire crack and the stew pot bubble and enjoying the silent camaraderie that they had both grown accustomed to, "It doesn't seem fair."
"What doesn't Tanuki-kun?"
"You've had to deal with so much in the short time that you've regained your memories. What have you ever done to deserve it?"
"There is a saying that Kagome-Chan once told me. She said that bad things may happen to good people sometimes. I just have to believe that somehow, someway I'll get through this. The moment I loose hope, the moment that I give in is the moment I'll die. It's the moment Hikori will win. I have to keep going, I have to keep fighting. Too many of my loved ones expect to see me happy and healthy again. I fight, will fight, for them as much as for my own happiness," Tanuki sniffled and Chiyumi looked over quizzically, "What's wrong Tanuki-kun?"
"Th-th-that was so beautiful Chiyumi-sama!!!" Chiyumi jumped slightly when Tanuki began crying loudly.
"T-Tanuki-kun, please stop crying! You'll get hungry if you cry so please stop!" she grappled desperately for a way to make him at least smile, "Wild animas will smell your tears and want to take our stew! I don't want to have to make another pot!" Tanuki's hysterics changed to confusion.
"Nani?" Chiyumi smiled. Suddenly the trees above them gave a mighty shake, Chiyumi and Tanuki both jumped and looked up, "What do you smell?" Tanuki whispered.
"Kitsune…wait," Chiyumi stood up and gave the tree a strong kick, "Ayashi!! Where the hell did you come from?!?" the trees shook again and a young boy fell out of them. Standing back up he glared openly. The boy was tall for his age of ten, due to the mixture of human and Kitsune blood flowing within him. He had reddish-brown hair, turned a deep red from the fire, and deep golden eyes that currently flashed annoyance.
"Don't call me that," he growled at her.
"You are the one who scared the wits out of poor Tanuki-kun! Look at the poor thing!" she pointed to the passed-out raccoon with a furious gesture, "Have you been following me?!" Ashi snorted.
"Don't flatter yourself. We're camped out about a mile south of here."
"So why are you here you little shit?"
"Smelt good food. Got hungry. No one over there can cook."
"You are just spoiled."
"Yeah, well, if I am, it's your fault," he was being flippant and they both knew it, because as much as he denied it, Ashi cared a lot for Chiyumi. She knew that his stomach was a part of his being there, but there was more. Maybe Inuyasha and company was camped out nearby, but maybe he had followed her. Maybe he wanted to understand why she had left, maybe to ask what was wrong with her. Maybe he just needed to be near her because she provided some measure of comfort that he hadn't felt since the passing of his mother. She decided not to press further, instead, she grabbed her bowl and began spooning stew into it. Ashi watched her movements furtively.
"Hai, it's for you," she said with mock annoyance, "Not like I could turn you away anyway. You'd send Hoshi in."
"Too right I would," Ashi replied and plopped down. Chiyumi sat down across from him at watched him wolf down his food.
"You know, Ayashi," she remarked in a conversational tone as Ashi scarfed his third bowl, "By the time I'm done with it, the food no longer tries to run out of the bowl," he growled at her, to preoccupied to actually articulate a retort. Chiyumi snickered, the brief emotion sending a warning pain through her system, Ashi looked up, concern flashing briefly in his eyes.
"It's been really hard huh?"
"Extremely," she replied placing a light hand on her stomach, "I'm a gregarious critter by nature and being by myself is hard. Even harder is it to fight a enemy that I know nothing of, save for her name."
"You're not alone, you got that," he gestured to Tanuki with the chopsticks he was using.
"Not really. He keeps an eye on me it's true, but from a distance and only comes near me at night."
"Sucks."
"Completely," she stood up, "You can have as much as you want, I don't have much of an appetite, just save some for Tanuki-kun. I'm going to fetch water to throw on him."
"Hey Chiyumi?"
"Hai?"
"….nothin'. Just don't get hurt or stuck somewhere, I don't wanna have to save your ass," Chiyumi smiled, ignoring completely the pain that followed, and planted a kiss on the boy's forehead.
"Love you too Ashi," she said, nimbly avoiding the irritated swipes the boy took with his claws and headed towards the river.
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Chiyumi filled her bucket then set them aside and waded into the cool water. Steadying herself, she took a deep breath and went under. Opening her eyes, she found that some fish had come to investigate the large being that invaded their personal space. The light of the full moon glinted off the iridescent scales of the bold fish that tickled her nose as they came up close. When she could no longer hold her breath, a considerable time later, Chiyumi broke the surface of the water and went back to the bank to stretch out for a bit. Tanuki could wait, in fact the nap might calm his frayed nerves a bit. She hummed a tuneless song to herself for a bit as she drowsily watched the wind ruffle the leaves of the tree above her. When a twig snapped behind her, she didn't move, didn't stop humming, but all of her senses where on the defensive. When she was certain that the person was within her range she leaped up and swung a right hook that would've taken the person's head off had it connected. Instead a warm hand clasped her fist and she was pulled into an affectionate kiss.
"I'm improving at blocking fists," her captor said amiably," Slaps…well ok I can't block them yet but they're different and often well-deserved."
"Miroku?" The houshi smiled at her, "But how?"
"Tanuki follows you because I asked and because he likes you. But he also follows me. He just sort of herds you in whatever direction we happen to be taking at the time. How else would you receive news of this youkai or that youkai?"
"Meaning."
"Meaning that I knew you were here and simply followed Ashi when he smelt your cooking. Then followed you here."
"Baka," she murmured affectionately, then grabbed the hand that was slowly making it's way towards her rear and delicately stuck a nail into it, "That's not helping what will soon become an awkward situation."
"Ite? It makes me feel better," Chiyumi opened her mouth to reply and Miroku's tongue was promptly inserted.
"Wait a minute!" She exclaimed when he broke the kiss, "You can't just-" another kiss, "Just because you're-" this time she placed a hand between her mouth and his and he wound up kissing her palm.
"Have you ever considered dropping your shields for once?" he asked, lips tickling her palm.
"Have you ever considered the consequences of such actions? Kissing leads to more intimate situations which may lead to problems."
"Do you mean children? That is my goal after all."
"No Baka, I mean my wound. Have you forgotten?" Miroku turned red.
"Gomennasai, in the heat of the moment I had forgotten," the warm embraced tightened as he buried his face in Chiyumi's shoulder, "I wouldn't hurt you, you know. This may be our last chance. Don't you think we should take it?" He lowered her hand and gently bit her lip, any protest that had arisen to Chiyumi's mind was forgotten as she mentally shrugged and allowed herself, just for a moment to surrender to these feelings of warmth and love and also, just a hint, of lust.
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"Chiyumi?" the hanyou's answer was so quiet that even Miroku, as close as he was to Chiyumi at that moment, could hear her, "You are alright then?" he asked only because she had screamed unintelligible cries the entire time they made love and blood from her wound had begun to stain both of their nude forms.
"Hai. I am fine."
"You are pained and barely conscious."
"You noticed. I didn't want to worry you."
"Chiyumi?"
"Hai?"
"You don't plan to be here when I awaken," it wasn't a question, he already knew the answer.
"Ite. I plan to leave as soon as I gather the strength to get dressed."
"Then I will have to awaken before you," there was no reply, "So that I can clean you up," still no answer, "And return you to Tanuki, whom I'm sure is having fits right now, wondering where you are," still silence. Miroku looked down at the beauty before him, her eyes were closed and she had a smile upon her lips. Her slow steady breathing told him that she was asleep and the smile spoke of how content she was. Miroku's eyes closed as well as he rested his chin on her soft hair, "Aishiteu Yume-Chan," to his surprise the arms wrapped around his neck tightened.
"I know Miroku-kun. I just wanted to be sure that you knew it too."
Clear Shadow: You know, I sat down at my computer, fully ready to write a lemony type chapter.
Chiyumi: What happened?
Clear Shadow: ::Scratches head:: Dunno. But this works too right?
Chiyumi: I like it. The younger and more conservative readers out there are probably grateful. You mother would probably be happy to not run across another lemon.
Clear Shadow: ::Groans:: Don't remind me….
