Kiss From a Rose
By Mystical Star
A Kitty-Chan Production
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there!
Author's Note: A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :)
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Chapter Seven ~ Blood on the Ground
Morning dawned in Sengoku Jidai, bringing new discoveries for Hikari and Hikaru. The twins bolted out of Kaede's home immediately after breakfast, excited to explore their surroundings.
"Oi! Not so fast!" Inuyasha called as he took off after them. It was apparent that they had both inherited his youkai-like qualities, instead of just Hikari, as their appearances suggested.
Kagome walked out of the door and watched her family run off to play. A smile crossed her face as Inuyasha tackled his pups and rolled with them in the grass. Shippou sat on her shoulder with a confused look on his face.
"What's Inuyasha doing?" The little kitsune asked, fearing the hanyou was attacking his own children.
"He's playing," Kagome giggled.
"Playing!?" Shippou exclaimed, even more confused. Inuyasha had certainly never been willing to admit he wanted to play before this. That fact alone left the little kit's head buzzing with more questions Kagome laughed.
Inuyasha glanced back to see his mate watching them.
"Oi! Kagome! C'mon!" He urged, waving his arm for emphasis. Kagome chuckled and shook her head.
"I have to help Kaede-sama with the sick villagers, but I'll come join you when I'm done!" She assured him, waving back as Kaede stepped out of the house.
"You don't really have to, Kagome - "
"It's the least I can do Kaede-sama for letting us stay with you," Kagome said. "Besides, I should anyway," She added.
"Alright," Kaede conceited. "Shall we go?"
"Hai," Kagome nodded her head and followed after the elderly miko towards the sick house. Shippou, still seated on his surrogate mother's shoulder, accompanied them, looking forward to making up for lost time with Kagome.
Just as Kagome and Kaede departed, Miroku appeared, curious about the happy squeals of delight that Hikaru and Hikari were letting out. The lecherous monk chuckled to himself, amused at the sight. He began to walk towards the three.
"Tousan! Let's play hide-and-seek!" Hikaru suggested, tugging on his father's red sleeve.
"Hide and what?" Inuyasha asked.
"Hide-and-seek! We hide and you come find us!" Hikari explained, finding it hilarious that her father didn't know what her favorite game was.
"Interesting concept," Miroku observed as he approached them.
"Miroku-oji can play too!" Hikaru suggested.
"Me?" Miroku asked, not quite used to being called "uncle".
"Hai!" The twins said in unison.
"You can help Tousan find us!" Hikaru suggested.
"I don't need any help finding you two," Inuyasha laughed, pointing to his nose.
"You can't use your nose, Tousan, that's cheating," Hikaru scolded, looking very serious.
"How did you know - "
"We can smell too, you know," The black-haired boy pointed out. Inuyasha and Miroku chuckled.
"Alright, alright, I won't use my nose," The hanyou conceited.
"Yay!" Hikari cheered excitedly. "Now, close your eyes and count to twenty* while we hide!" She instructed.
Miroku and Inuyasha looked at each other with confusion for a moment, but then did as the little girl told them to and covered their eyes.
"One,"
Hikari and Hikaru took each other's hands and ran off into the forest giggling all the way.
"Two," They heard the two men announce.
"Where are we going to hide?" Hikaru asked.
"There!" Hikari exclaimed, pointing to a bush. The two hastily climbed between the branches and waited for their father and Miroku to come find them. Suddenly, a pair of sandaled feet appeared in front of them.
"What are you two doing?" A voice asked.
The twins looked up out of their hiding spot to see what looked to be their mother. Hikari's ears flopped back, sensing something was wrong.
"We're playing hide-and-seek with Tousan," Hikaru stated matter-of-factly.
"I need you to come with me," Their supposed mother said. "Kaede and I need your help," she added, holding out her hand.
"You're not Kasan!" Hikari hissed, bearing her youkai teeth. Her brother gave her a skeptical look.
"Don't be silly," The woman said.
Hikaru suddenly noticed why his sister was resisting. The scent of this woman was unfamiliar and sick smelling.
"Hikari's right, you're not our mother!" Hikaru declared.
"You two don't even recognize your own mother? How silly," The woman reached down and took the children up by their wrists. They both gasped at her touch, she was stone cold.
"Twenty…" Inuyasha and Miroku muttered in unison, their eyes still covered.
"TOUSAN!!" An alarmed cry came from the forest. Immediately, Inuyasha dropped his hands from his eyes and sped off to find what had caused the cry.
"Inuyasha!" Miroku called, running after him.
The hanyou arrived on the scene just in time to watch his children floating in the air, ensnared by Kikyou's soul stealers as Kikyou herself floated in the front with her youkai's aid.
"Kikyou!" Inuyasha growled angrily, jumping up, trying to catch hold of Hikari and Hikaru's feet.
"Tousan!" The twins cried, tears of fear streaming down their face, reaching out to him.
"Stay out of this, Inuyasha. This is between me and your mate," Kikyou said with disgust, throwing some of her miko energy at him to strike him to the ground. Inuyasha landed in the grass with a hard thump.
"Hikari! Hikaru!" Inuyasha screamed as his children and Kikyou disappeared over the tops of the trees.
"Bring your mate to the foothills. This is the only way to save your children," The miko's echoic voice commanded.
Inuyasha stared at the sky menacingly as he sat on the ground and growled. "CHIKUSHO!" he yelled, pounding his fist into the ground.
"Inuyasha! Where are the children?" Miroku struggled for air as he came upon the hanyou.
"She has them," Inuyasha said in a low growl.
"She? …Kikyou?" Miroku gasped.
"She wants Kagome," Inuyasha stated.
Miroku suddenly realized how dire the situation was. They were all going to have to fight for Kagome's life and the twins', against someone who Inuyasha so desperately wanted to protect.
The lecherous monk gripped his staff tightly. 'Inuyasha finally has to choose. His family, or Kikyou.'
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Notes/Japanese Words
*I realize that kids that are five years old can't normally count to ten, but hey, they've been home-schooled. This is mostly for the sake of the plot.
Sengoku Jidai – The warring states era in Japan
Oi - Hey
Tousan - Dad
Youkai – demon
Kitsune - fox
Hai – yes
Miroku-oji – Literally, "Uncle Miroku".
Kasan - Mom
Chikusho – Dammit!