Inuyasha and the Curse of Floppy Earness

By Somuchtosay.

Chapter One: Bad Move, Inuyasha...

Today, was not anyone's day. They were still all pretty grouchy from their last battle of the night, and no one had gotten a good rest. So, everyone was practically angry with everyone. Sango and Miroku refused to speak to each other. Kagome and Inuyasha, well, they were bickering as if tomorrow was the end of the cotton picking world. Sango nearly threw her boomerang at them, and Miroku was sorely tempted to open the Kazaana. Fortunately, the only one perhaps not cranky was Kaede. Kirara and Shippo were wise enough to not get into the crossfire of them. The little kitsune winced once again as Inuyasha's face plastered to the ground with a harsh reality. Kagome yelled at him again, and the fight soon begun anew.

Shippo sighed.

Today was a real pain in the ass.

Naraku's oni had come to distract them, just to try to kill Kagome again, and they fought all night protecting her from the enemy's advances. Lately Naraku had taken to trying to assassinate either Inuyasha or Kagome. It was really wearing down on them. Anyway...

What they were arguing over was Kagome's personal discison to stay or go home. Inuyasha wanted her home. Soon the arguement went onto Kikyou, then onto the Shikon No Tama, and it got alot more worse as timed progressed. When Inuyasha said the very wrong thing, and that changed their whole outlook on her and their day. Miroku felt his hairs stand up on end as a discharge of power surged through him and the grounds.

Sango had been sharpening her katana with a stone when she noticed, and she perked up to see what was going on. Kirara meowed. Shippo's eyes widened. Inuyasha had been slammed into the ground by the Osuwari command, but not only that. When the smoke disappeared and the dust settled, Kagome was rubbing his ears...

But there was something quite different about the whole scene...

She seemed to be stuck in a forced trance, and Inuyasha? Well... Let's just say he looked like a floppy eared puppy. Shippo bursted out laughing after the shock subdued. Kagome was singing the strangest song and stretching the floppy ears out; twisting them around. They were awfully floppy, hanging down towards his bangs. Inuyasha had a most odd expression on his face indeed, the blush bordering on cherry tomatoe.

"Do your ears hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? Can you tie them in a knot? Can you tie them in a bow? Can you throw them o'er your shoulder like a Continental Soldier? Do your ears hang low?" Kagome sang almost robotically, and it was kawaii to watch her own weirded out expressions. Her eyes went wide like Jaken's, then rolled Heaven ward in a waited exasperation, then gave a confused worried look; almost as if she would never cease!

Adruptly, she stopped singing. Inuyasha still had that odd, bewildered look on him with the blush. Sango and Miroku had already begun to roll on the ground, holding their stomachs. Even the little neko youkai had tears in her eyes. Kagome just stared. 'What's so funny?' A growl alerted her to Inuyasha, who was leaning back on his arms and legs spread out, looking seriously angry.

"SHUT UP!!"

The roar echoed through Inuyasha's forest, and would surely send birds flying, besides giving children a reason to not stay out pass curfew. Grown men nearly ran from their rice fields and locked themselves in their homes, guarding the family. But Inuyasha didn't care. He got what he wanted.

Sango had straightened up immediately followed by the houshi and Shippo glupped down his mirth. Kirara gave Inuyasha a look of "I wasn't doing that" before walking toward Kaede. All of this was surreal. Inuyasha wanted answers, and he wanted them now. But... Here's where the day becomes a new nightmere, right?

"What the hell did you do to me, wench?!?" Inuyasha all, but yelled at her. Kagome gave a frightened "Eep!" and hid behind Miroku. The houshi took his cue and stood between them. "I believe if you calm down, there is a reasonable explaination for all of this." he said simply, holding up a hand, the other cursed one. Inuyasha still seemed ready to tackle them, and do what most annoyed hanyou's do.

"Inuyasha, stand down." said Kaede calmly.

"Feh."

"I believe that you've angered Kagome enough for her to lose control of her ever growing powers." explained the old miko wisely.

Inuyasha and Kagome blinked.

"You mean she cursed me?"

"Hay, what about me? I sing this really corny song now and I have no idea how many times I'll do it!"

"Aye, then ye both just have to wait it out." replied Kaede before turning her back on them.

Inuyasha wasn't so easily dismissed. "What, you're not gonna fix this, Kaede-Baba?!" he half snarled. The wise old miko turned an eyeball over her shoulder. "Not if ye be rude to me." she sighed and went about her business. Kagome rounded on Inuyasha viciously. "Can't you be at least nice ONCE in your worthless life?!"

With that, she stalked off towards the fukai mori.

Around miday, things started to settle down. Sango and Miroku had apologized, and were speaking freely after the incedient. Shippo was currently eating lunch and Kirara was in Sango's lap, being pampered like usual. However, Kagome was still not back yet from her walk, and Sango was hoping she hadn't run into one of Naraku's traps; let alone something worse. Inuyasha, well, he resided himself in his tree, ocassionally taking his anger out on the bark.

"Why does she always see me as the bad man?" he scowled and ranted.

Meanwhile, Kagome had other problems...

Every half hour she'd repeat "Do your ears hang low?" and her throat was starting to ache, because she'd sing it thrice times. It was all embarassing and Kagome couldn't wait to remove the curse. She was hungry, tired, still angry with Inuyasha for saying the one thing she did not really need to hear, and wanted so much to just, well, as Souta puts it, crash.

All of this would change in a matter of minutes. She would end up going back to the village, only to see Inuyasha and further argue. However, what she didn't know was the day wasn't over yet. Not when certain youkai approach with an unquestionable desire for something most valuable to them.

Inuyasha first noticed the odd familar surge of power when the sun had come up. The air had an odd lavender smell, something he'd grown to absolutely hate in his life. Disgusted, and not really wanting to accecpt that what he hated most was currently traveling towards them. He did not feel up to facing his judgementor like this. Not with puppy style ears.

Looking in the calm waters, his reflection only made him want to slash at the twitchy floppy annoying shapes on his head. A sound of a tig cracking under some weight made him jump soundly. Kagome was standing five feet away looking thoroughly depressed. She walked up and put her arms on his shoulder, with him haunched down. "So, do you still have the curse?"..."Yep, as far as I can say, it happens every half hour." her voice was raspy.

"I'm sorry, Kagome, for what I said."

Kagome's face lit up in pure surprised amazement.

Had he just apologized? 'Beautiful' was all she could think.

"I know deep down you were saying that to get me back home, Inuyasha." she finally amended. Inuyasha smiled at her and before he could turn, that cold icy feeling in his heart dropped to the bottom of his stomach. Not only that, the sky became dark and blackened, the winds picked up. Well, that said force was here, and Inuyasha knew who it was, and was not pleased at all.

"How very touching, little brother."

"Fuck off, Sesshoumaru."

"No thank you."

Kagome gave an anxious shudder at them both. She couldn't understand how two brothers could get that bad in their differences. Did the word family mean anything? Or was blood just really colored water in diguise? All Kagome knew was Sesshoumaru wanted their Chichiue's sword. Her current cold outlook on Sesshoumaru was going to be altered, and all of them would never be the same.

The taiyoukai Lord always did have that effect on human, and youkai alike.

Chapter Two: Ear Cropping Memories.

Sesshoumaru did not miss much. Infact, he very rarely missed anything at all. When he'd first arrived to his hanyou brother's forest he hadn't expect this. It almost made him laugh. Almost. Surreal indeed... His little brother's cropped ears were how shall we say?

Drooping.

Floppy.

And if he were a woman, he might have added the word "Kawaii", but that was an If. Inuyasha was giving him a reproachful look followed by a slightly uncertain one. Kagome merely looked on wondering who was going to attack first. Sesshoumaru's face was void of any emotion, and so were his eyes. He settled for a neutral look while mirth termoiled inwardly. He remembered the first time Inuyasha's ears had been cropped.

Flash Back...

"Aiee!" a little fuzz ball zoomed right pass him and the entrance to his chambers, ramming right into Jaken, his newly aquainted retainer. "Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru looked down at the runt near his feet with an evil thoughtfulness. "This day is the day your ears are cropped, isn't it?" the red fuzz ball known as Inuyasha gave a whimper. Jaken glared, but kept his mouth shut. "I don't want them chopped, I don't have too." was the said statement of a stubborn two year old. "Oh yes, you do."

As soon as Sesshoumaru was about to lift up the hanyou, their great Chichiue; Lord Inutaisho rounded the corner and smirked. "Think you could get away so easily, did you?" Inuyasha scrambled to his tiny feet, unsteadily. If his little brother's ears hadn't the imperfection which was to be removed today, he would have laughed at them both, for Inuyasha's floppy puppy ears had tried to clamp down in a threatening way as he purred. The little runt's fangs were bared. So, he'd be prepared to fight two fully grown youkai with almost an expanding knowledge of war, killing and fighting, without that said knowledge? Hah.

Sesshoumaru gave a half ghost of a smile. Inutaisho grinned at him. "To my chambers, whelp, that is an order." he told Inuyasha in a commanding voice. Inuyasha's feet refused to move. Sesshoumaru gave in and plucked the boy from the floor, ignoring the yelping and whimpering. "See, your brother is kind enough to stick with you until the bitter end of your troubles." Inutaisho pointed this out sardonically, reaching out and grabbing a floppy ear. Sesshoumaru snorted uncharacistically. Inuyasha struggled, sputtering madly.

As they entered the chambers, their Chichiue shut the door and had them both sit down across from him, criss cross. Inuyasha was looking for ways to back out of this and they wern't letting up. Inutaisho began measuring the proper size, and then straightening out the floppiness. It pinched and tickled. Inuyasha kept trying to push his hands away, but couldn't. All of this frustration brought silent dejected tears. He was young, as to be expect. His struggling and fighting increased shortly after he saw the cutters. Shushing him wasn't working, neither was rubbing his belly as tense as it was.

That was a funny, chaotic memory that resurfaced quickly at the sight of those unrighteous ears. They'd need to be cropped yet again, and Sesshoumaru would be damned to Hell before he'd let Inuyasha run amuck like that. No proper Inutaiyoukai went without the proper dress code. No one. "Jaken..." he softly called. Inuyasha's right ear gave a sad jolt at hearing this. Soon enough the toad youkai had showed up with Ah and Uhhn.

Reaching into a saddle bag, and pulling out bandages, and an odd, enormous pair of angle shaped cutters, Kagome was confused. Just what was Sesshoumaru planning to do? She looked to Inuyasha and saw a bewildered fear etch his face. He slowly took a step back, eyes wide. Sesshoumaru had decided. 'Let this one torture his sibling.' thought the taiyoukai Lord sinisterly. "Inuyasha?" Kagome couldn't take it anymore, she had to inquire. Inquiring minds wanted to know.

"Ah damn!" Inuyasha shook his fist if he'd just lost the lottery, turned on his heel, and hauled some ass in the opposite direction. "Hay wait!" yelled Kagome, darting to chase after. A clawed and warm hand landed on her shoulder, surprisingly she did not jump. "What on earth are you doing?" she asked Sesshoumaru curiously. "This Sesshoumaru is cropping his ears, what else?" replied the taiyoukai. He smirked at her lightly. "Would you whether I kill him instead?"..."Not really!" Well, she was fun to agitate. Enjoying her glare was always fun.

Chapter Three: Toutousai's Best Remedy.

Inuyasha didn't stop to catch his breath, not at least for the remaining mile. He knew his Higher Than Thou brother would catch up easily before he could say "Kuso". The mere thought alone sent shivers down his spine, but not only that particular pondering crossed his mind, oh no; he needed to hide and quick, least he be in pain. He wasn't afraid of his brother. Never.

No, what he feared was his most valued secret yet.

They say inu's have a few weaknesses, well... Such as squeezing their paws, or slapping them in the snout. But the ears, and the tail, those could be considered tools of torture. At least for Inuyasha, his ears were highly sensitive, not only in hearing, but in feeling. He did not want to even think about getting them clipped by insane giant cissors. Imagining that alone made the shackes raise and he rose up on the balls of his feet.

Inuyasha nearly jumped out of his skin when a fast flying dark shadowed figure passed him at breaking point speeds. It was the three eyed cow. Now most people, especially in Kagome's time, would scream "Mad Cow" and run for their lives, but Inuyasha also knew this: whereever there be a three eyed cow, there be a swords smith by the name of Toutousai. Now, most people would scream "AAH" upon seeing this particular youkai.

"Ah, the son and mongrel of my dear friend Inutaisho, is thriving on this beautiful day, en?" he said more than asked. Inuyasha blinked and was soon blinded. His cursed ears had decided to fall right in his line of vision. "Oh dear, allow me to correct my assumption, both mongrels are thriving upon this..---" Inuyasha's growling ceased Toutousai's useless chatter.

Not only that, Sesshoumaru and Kagome could be seen walking towards them in the distance, not too far off. "These are the options, brother dear, the hard way or the easy way. If this Sesshoumaru was this one, I'd grin and bare the pain, least you run wild with forbidden floppiness." he said dripping with sarcasm. Kagome frowned at him. "Oi, that's nice coming from someone with permanent elf ears, and he needs better moral suppot." she scolded. Sesshoumaru gave her the Did-You-Forget-Who-You-Are-Dealing-With Look. Inuyasha shook the "forbidden floppiness" out of his eyes and smirked.

"You know, I think I'll go with the third option, how about; you jump in a one way portal to Hell while I go eat lunch." he said holding a very straight face. "Ahh, whelps these days, violence solves all." commented Toutousai in the normal old man syndrome. "Makes the world spin." added Inuyasha hastily. Sesshoumaru ignored them both. "And just what are you here for, old koot?"..."I could have sworn I heard Tessegia crying, but I guess the katana was only laughing, and besides, as a honorable swordsmith, it's my duty to check these things!" said Toutousai as his chest puffed out proudly.

Inuyasha threw him the most dirtiest look he could muster. Kagome clamped a hand to her mouth. She pointed to her throat, and slowly took off in the other direction, far off. "What is wrong with her?"..."While she cursed me, she ended up cursing herself." Sesshoumaru smirked. "And you proudly take her as your wench?"..."No body asked you, so drop dead."..."Now, now, boys, let's not fight, again."..."Why don't you stay out of..--"...

Bonk!

Clang!

Thud!

Sesshoumaru looked down at his little hanyou brother, back to the ground and his stomach exposed, knocked out cold. His molten gold eyes switched from the direction of his unsightly brother, and the bumps rising on his head, to the one in question. "Arigatou." he sighed, and lifted Inuyasha somewhat to his feet, before picking the hanyou up, and carrying him by the shoulder. Toutousai nodded approvingly, switching his enormous hammer to his other hand, and following the taiyoukai Lord. Sesshoumaru had unconcernedly slipped Inuyasha off his shoulder and let his back hit the bark of a tree, in the crook of its roots.

Inuyasha was dead to the world, for the moment, and all the better.

Sesshoumaru sat down on the fresh green grass, criss cross; and studied his little hanyou brother while taking measurements of the floppy rectangles gracing the silver head. The swordsmith joined him on his right side, carefully unsheathing the Tessegia, and began to blow fire on it before hitting it with the enormous hammer. They worked in perfection, and total silence in concentration, that is until, Kagome came.

"Anno...is he alright?" she asked anxiously. "For now." replied the taiyoukai. She nodded warily, and sat down on a rock near by them, watching quietly. Sesshoumaru begin smoothing out the right ear, when Inuyasha flinched awake and aimed a well saught punch at him, and being as close as he was to his little brother, a fist connected right into his sensitive nose. One hand flew up to his face, and rubbed the painful injury, as the other shot out and grabbed Inuyasha by the ear, and promptly squeezed.

Kagome blinked.

"That was not nice." Sesshoumaru growled. He didn't stop squeezing until he got a satisfactory whine, before gathering the now weak Inuyasha into his lap, and was actually surprised to note his little brother could still perfectly fit. He gave a ghost of a smile. The miko watched on thinking 'Kawaii!' of them which oddly reminded Sesshoumaru of a past memory.

Flash back...

"I DON'T WANT CHOPPED!" screamed an angry, tired hanyou pup as loud as he could. Both chichue and eldest son winced at the volume such a little brat could prodouce. Inuyasha was strong in his fight to keep those giant scary cutters away from his head. Sesshoumaru was trying to be careful in not overwhelming his little brother and hurting him. Inutaisho was trying desperately to distract his youngest son. "At this rate, we will have to tie him up." he sighed in exasperation. Sesshoumaru pulled a growling fuzz ball into his lap, and received a bite for his efforts. "Kuso, that always hurts!" yipped the eldest son. Inutaisho chuckled.

"I think that was the point."..."Hnnh." Inuyasha hid his face, and ears in his brother's arms, with an angry look on his usually chibi cheerful face. Their chichiue tilted his head to gaze into his young son's eyes. A deep rumbling issued from his chest after a heavy sigh. Sesshoumaru tried in vain to ignore it, but was already relaxing out, shoulders no longer held with tension. As a young pup himself, he would have normally been sung to sleep by his chichiue's purring, but he was near an age he could withstand such control, as he liked to call it.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, was dozed off, and fast asleep. Dead to the world, and not fighting. Inutaisho held the cutters up, stretched out an ear, and...

Snip!

Sesshoumaru quickly covered the cropped ear with a towel, stainning it with little blood flow. Tears streamed down a now awake Inuyasha's face. "Oww." he mumbled, reaching up to grab the source of pain. Their chichiue grabbed his hand and removed it, before embracing his son, pushing a semi-wet face to rest on his chest, and began to cut the other ear, while purring.

Snip!

They wrapped the ears in bandages with metal clamps to give the ear a triangle shape, and Inuyasha remained in Sesshoumaru's lap, nuzzling Inutaisho's hand, who gently stroked his son's head. "S'not so bad, now was it?" their chichiue smiled. Sesshoumaru held his face in a clawed hand, relaxed, and oddly content, at least enough to also purr, which surprised the legendary Lord, as it was rare to ever catch his eldest son to show his pleasure.

Kagome rubbed her eyes, trying to brush out the sleepiness that had overcome her. She briefly remembered a gentle rumbling, deep and beautiful, sensation traveling to her ears, and singing her to sleep. Toutousai nodded again, his approval. This is how brothers were suppost to act! Inuyasha's ears were clipped, and the hanyou slept on peacefully. The curse was lifted with small effort, as Kagome stopped singing the song "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" for the past hour. But not all was correct, and everything was still quite strange...

Sesshoumaru was content.

...Finished...