(This chapter is fun I hope you like it. LadySesshoumaru41)
New moon new troubles....
Everyone was sitting around the table talking of the adventures they had had learning new skills and discovering new talents. The boys had put on a display earlier in the day showing off for their mothers. Katame enjoyed listening to the stories and encouraged the boys to relate every detail.
Sugumi had kept his secret all week and had decided to surprise his mother. He would show it when they went to see his grand mother in her era.
Inuyasha had been in a strange mood all day. It hadn't occurred to anyone else what night this was. Suddenly Inuyasha groaned. 'Damn this change of mine.' He thought to himself. 'I hate being weak like this.'
Katame looked over at him and his beautiful silver hair was gone. He was human. "Oh." She said. "Is it the new moon already. Time has just raced past this last while." She tried to smile at him but he was miserable.
"Don't make light of this woman. I hate this change I go through." He snarled.
"Why. Your just human for a short time, and besides, you have pretty eyes." Katame tried to cheer him. She looked at her sons, they too had made the change from demon to human. "Inu has pretty light blue eyes and Samoto has lovely sapphire eyes. And as for you Sugumi you are the lucky one, you get to keep your pretty purple eyes all the time. You are all very handsome as human men."
"Handsome?!" Inuyasha was about to burst. "I can't fight using my looks, you stupid girl."
"Of course not, silly. But you have only lost your special powers. You still have your skill. And if I remember correctly, you were the one who told the boys that skill and cunning are more important than a magic sword." She paused.
"I know you are still strong, even in human terms you are very strong. I'll bet you could still do a lot of damage with that sword of yours, even if it doesn't transform. It's not the magic that makes you strong Inuyasha. It is your will. Never forget that."
Inuyasha sat stunned. He had never heard Katame speak like that. What's more is she was right. Even as a human he was still strong enough to wield a sword and could still fight if he had to.
Damn it. He hated it when the women were right, especially about something like this.
Katame got up. "Who would like some tea? I have some ginger cookies made. Now that your human, you may actually like them Inuyasha."
She served them tea and the sweet treats she had made. The boys liked them of course, but then again, they just plain liked to eat, period.
Inuyasha tried some of them, but stubbornly refused to admit that they actually tasted pretty good on a human tongue.
The night progressed and it seemed all would be well.
"Sniff....sniff." Sugumi and Shippo had scented something. Sesshoumaru had left a day earlier to patrol. He must have missed the scent.
"Someone is coming, lets look around." Sugumi was a special kind of demon. He didn't smell like a demon, so other demons tended not to notice him. But he was a full demon and wasn't affected by the moon the way his uncle and cousins were.
"Shippo stay close I'll keep you safe." Sugumi crept out keeping low to the ground his nose working overtime. "It smells like there is only one out there. Do you recognize his smell?"
"No I don't think I've ever been near this guy before at all." Shippo whispered.
"That's ok. I want you to hide here and wait till you here my call. Then come out and keep him distracted. I have never fought alone before and I could really use some of your fox magic."
Sugumi was a thinker. Never rushing in always trying to use his uncle's advice on keeping his opponent off balance.
"Who are you and why have you come here?" Sugumi yelled in his meanest voice.
"I am Kouga. You! Which brat are you?" He sniffed the air. "Inuyasha! I smell your father on you brat. I will remove it before long." Kouga ran toward Sugumi.
Sugumi threw his darts at Kouga and at the same time tried to fly up. It was too much for the young demon to handle at once. He toppled and fell.
Several of the darts had hit their mark and Kouga was slowed down a little. That gave the young Sugumi enough time to try again. Success. He raised up above the demons head.
"Now Shippo!" He called to his friend.
Shippo came out of hiding and created an illusion of a deep hole in front of Kouga. Kouga was running full tilt to gain speed to leap up and grab the young demon, when he spotted the hole and changed directions.
"I guess uncle Sesshoumaru was right about you after all. Your not a very good fighter." Sugumi remembered the stories his father and uncle would tell about the different ones they had fought.
Kouga, he had said was easy to anger and when he was angry he was sloppy. "You must not be, if someone my age can best you." He let fly more of his darts. Shippo made them look like burning arrows. Unfortunately Kouga could see them better that way, and was able to get out of the way.
"You insolent pup. I'll have your hide for this." Kouga lept up knocking Sugumi off balance and he fell. As they hit the ground Sugumi rolled out of the way of Kouga's fists, which he had brought down on the ground right were his head had been.
Sugumi jumped up. It was time to use all the training that his father and uncle had given him. He drew his sword the Tokir-robe and yelled, "Fire blast shielder!" The sword shook as a powerful blast of lightening shot out of the sword and straight into the chest of Kouga.
Sugumi collapsed from the tremendous effort. "Go get my father, Shippo." He wheezed, as he fell over.
Inuyasha ran to his son and scooped the boy up in his hands. The battle had only lasted a few seconds but it had really exhausted the little man-demon. Inuyasha walked over to where the body of Kouga was. Not much of him was left. His head was gone alone with most of his upper body.
"That blade I gave you is really powerful Sugumi. He said holding his son in his arms. You're going to have to be careful when you use it." He brought his son inside and laid him by the fire. He was unhurt just tired.
Inuyasha thought back to his first real battle, he too had collapsed on the field after destroying his foe.
"I'm very proud of you Sugumi. You defeated a foe that has been troubling me for ages. You did very well. You rest now you deserve it."
Sesshoumaru had heard the blast and had flown back to the palace as fast as he could. He cursed himself for leaving the boys and Inuyasha with only Sugumi as protection. The boy wasn't ready for this. Damn!
He got to the palace and saw the damage and the body of a demon. He didn't bother to see who it was. He wanted to know if anyone inside had been hurt.
"What happened?" He demanded as he came in. "I heard the blast."
Katame rushed up "It's ok Sesshoumaru. Sugumi took care of Kouga for us."
"Kouga?" He looked back toward the battlefield. "The boy? Where is he?"
"He's resting. The fight really took it out of him. But his did so well, Sesshoumaru. He used his head and his skills and finally he used his sword." Katame was beaming the little man-demon had done what no one else had done. He had defeated Kouga.
Sesshoumaru went into the room where Inuyasha and Kagome were looking after Sugumi. He was awake now and was telling his father the story.
Then the little man spotted his uncle.
"Uncle Sesshoumaru, you should have been there. I flew and I threw my darts and then I used my sword. Wow is it ever powerful. It blasted right through Kouga. He didn't even stand a chance. But as soon as it did though, I fell over I couldn't stay awake. Why is that? Do you know father?"
Inuyasha patted the boy's head. "It's your first battle Sugumi. I did the same thing my first time. I think everyone does. It's because you have to work so hard the first time you fight alone. When you work with others it's a bit easier but you still will get very tired. That's why you have to pick your battles carefully and use your head, so you don't tire out too quickly. By the way you did great. I'm very proud of you. You made short work of that demon. Now get some rest. It will be morning soon."
Kagome Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru left the boys room.
"Did he say he flew?" Kagome looked directly at Sesshoumaru. "When exactly were you planning on telling us?"
Sesshoumaru looked right though Kagome. "I wasn't. The boy wanted to get good at it first then show you himself. Would you have me betray him like that?"
Kagome huffed and walked away.
Sesshoumaru sat down at the table and asked Katame to get him some tea. He would leave patrolling for another night.
The next morning Sugumi was performing his newest ability. Flight. He explained to his cousins, how their father had taught him to fly. He rose up and moved about the courtyard. He was still very unsteady but he was flying. And that was all that counted as far as he was concerned.
Inuyasha had taken the body of Kouga back to people of the wolf tribe. They accepted the body of their fallen leader and promised never to bother Inuyasha or his terrible son again. Of course he kept the jewel shards that had been embedded in the arm and legs of Kouga.
The week was up and Kagome was itching to take her son to go and see his grand mother. Inuyasha had had a new kimono made for his son. It was green, like the deep green of a forest in summer. It too was made of the same fibers that his own clothes was made of. He felt the added protection would come in handy some day.
"Kagome your back. I'm surprised that horrible Inuyasha let you come back so soo..... Opps." Kagome's mother suddenly noticed the tall silver haired demon standing in the doorway.
"I thought we had discussed your manners woman." Inuyasha stepped foreword.
Kagome's mother went pail. "Kagome... he's not going to bite me or anything is he?" She backed away from him and bumped into the table.
"No mom, he's not." She glared at her husband. Then called to her son. "Come here Sugumi. I want you to meet your grand mother."
Sugumi stepped forward and bowed to his grand mother. She wasn't a tall woman but still, he stood nearly as tall as her.
"How old did you say this kid is?" She asked
Kagome's brother ran up to Sugumi. "She told us that your only five years old. How come your so big."
"I'm a demon, uncle Souta." He looked down at the boy who was his uncle and older that him by almost ten years. "Demons grow faster than humans do. We also live longer too. So long as we don't get killed in battle, that is." Sugumi was very soft spoken and his appearance surprised everyone.
"You don't look like your dad at all you look more like my sister Kagome."
"Sugumi is a man-demon. He looks human but that is were the similarities end, Souta. He could eat you for a snack." Inuyasha ruffled the boy's hair.
"So, how have you been little man, fought any great monsters lately?"
"No. It's been really boring around here, now that you don't come around very often any more."
He looked at his nephew. "Hey how would you like to play?" The two ran off to find something that they could do. It was better than standing around listening to the adults talk.
"Do you fight monsters like Inuyasha does."
"Yes my dad and uncle Sesshoumaru have trained me. I had my first true battle just this week."
"Wow. How did that happen? Was it hard?" Souta was enthralled. He had a nephew that could battle monsters. If only he could tell someone. But even if he did they would all think he was nuts.
Sugumi filled him in and even demonstrated the fine art of flight. "My uncle can fly. He taught me. You should see my sword. Father wouldn't let me bring it. He said it was too dangerous in this strange era to use it. It can blast out lightening and makes a terrible thunder noise. It can blast right through a strong demon. That's what I did to Kouga."
"Wow." Souta's eyes went wide. "I wish I had something like that."
"You would have to be a demon and I don't think it is possible for you to change into one." Sugumi was matter of fact.
"Sugumi, Souta! Time to come in and eat." Kagome's mom had made a nice meal for everyone. They sat at the table in chairs. Sugumi had never used one of these before. He sat cross-legged on the chair feeling very silly. "Why don't you sit on the floor like normal people do?"
"This is normal for this era. Remember Sugumi we are from the past and in the past we did things differently." Inuyasha explained.
Sugumi shook his head. "I don't feel older?"
"Don't worry about it kid, you'll only give yourself a headache." Came his father's advice.
After supper they said their good byes and got ready to jump in the well.
"Wait! You probably need to bring more supplies with you I'll go back and get you some things."
"What's with her? Why is she being nice all of a sudden?"
"I don't understand it either maybe she is just happy to meet Sugumi." Katame noted.
She came running back with a great big bag of goodies. Clothes and shoes some medicines and bandages but mostly noodles, lots of noodles. Inuyasha took the bag and thanked her. Then put Kagome on his back and jumped into the well followed by Sugumi.