"…Blazing in the Night Sky," –Chapter Nine: Faia
"Oh, it's so cute," Kagome said softly, a week later as Sango appeared at the front door holding a tiny bundle of fluff. During that last week, Kouga had come and gone, deciding he would try his efforts once more when spring arrived. Now, sighing, Sango replied as she brushed passed her to sit on the couch, "It may be cute now, but as it will start getting older, it will tear up the furniture, pee on the floor, light things on fire, shall I go on?" Giggling, Kagome closed the door as the two children ran out of their bedroom at the sounds of Sango's arrival. Though surprisingly, as excited as they were to receive their first real pet, they approached her in a calm, quiet stance. "We don't want to frighten it on our first appearance," Hidama replied, sensing both his mother's and Sango's shock.
Smiling, Kagome felt a rising sense of pride in her two children after he finished his remark and watched as Hidama carefully handled the fire cat youkai kitten from Sango's arms to his. He cradled it closely to his chest and as Anata reached her hands out to pet the silky fur, a loud purr filled the room. It was soothing, like soft rain in the quiet fall evenings on the veranda with a cup of hot chocolate and your loved ones around you.
Yes, that's exactly how it felt just then and as it seemed to vibrate within her, Kagome could feel her worries of the many night before, of the many years before, slip away, even if it were just for a moment. Sighing, she leaned back against the door, arms crossed over her chest and eyes shut, sensing that everyone else was doing the same.
"What are you guys doing," Inuyasha voice asked from her left. Surprised, Kagome's eyes snapped open as she jerked up right. In front of her, she could hear Sango and the children's gasp of surprise as well, for they had been so swept up in the moment that neither of them had heard him come down stairs. Putting on an awkward smile, Kagome replied, "Sango just brought over the kitten." At this, Inuyasha nodded and looked down at the two young ones who now sat giggling on the floor as they teased the kitten with a piece of string.
"Have you guys decided what you're going to call it," Inuyasha asked as he descended the stairs to take a seat on one of the recliners. At this, the kids simultaneously placed a finger on their chins in thought. "No, we're still trying to figure that one out. She's a girl so…," Anata replied in a much confident voice.
Taking a seat at the chair just to her left, Kagome turned towards the window and placed her folded hands on the cherry colored desk in front of her. 'They seem to grow so fast,' She thought, almost sadly, as their voices began to diminish into a single drone. 'How Anata just said that…In a voice so much older then hers…In a way much older then she…'
Sighing, Kagome lifted her gaze to look through the glass window toward the gardens and the now copper colored trees beyond. Fall was now upon the countryside, blessing, or cursing, its people with days that grew just a tiny bit shorter as they passed, days that grew a tiny bit colder as winter was sure to come. Physical Fitness day would be in a week though, a time when the people in their area had decided to get together to celebrate this time by playing sports, supplying food for a picnic and many other events. At night, lanterns would be lit in Mr. Ondori's field and the people would adjourn there from Mr. Akaguro's fields to sit quietly and rest from the day's festivities, the adults sitting together with cups of tea and the children together in whatever games they played. Then, the next day, she would make everyone go to the doctor to get check ups, it was tradition.
Smiling at the thought of seeing everyone soon though, especially Rin who she had been to busy to see as of late, Kagome laughed softly before she felt something tug at her sleeve beside her. Blinking her eyes repeatedly, she looked down to see the Hidama was staring up at her with a scowling face. "You were ignoring me!" Picking up her son, Kagome set him on her lap and said softly, "I didn't mean to, what is it?"
Anata ran up to them then, with the small kitten in tow and said in reply, "We've thought of a name, but we wanted to ask you first." Nodding, Kagome picked her up as well and balanced both her kids on each knee. "Shoot." "Well, we were thinking Bikei, Faia, or Kaosu." Lifting her head to look at the ceiling in thought, Kagome answered back after a moment, "Well seeing as how she hasn't turned into a little kaosu yet, or even though she's a little bikei now, how about Faia?"
Giggling, Anata answered, "We thought you'd say that. Father said it should be Baka Neko, but that's just too much for her to remember." Laughing, Kagome shifted her eyes to catch sight of Inuyasha giving them a dark look then look away innocently when he noticed she was watching him. Laughing again, Kagome nodded and removed her arms from around their waists as they climbed down to pick up the little kitten, holding it at arms length to stare into it's deep eyes. "Faia it is then!"
Sighing, Inuyasha looked over the trees around him. He'd been feeling cooped up in the house with all those people, for after the naming of the kitten, Miroku had suddenly appeared at their back door with both him and Shippou snickering at some inside secret. 'That poor excuse of a guy is going to turn my son into a pervert…,' He thought, shaking his head regretfully as he continued his peaceful walk through the flora covered hills, the light breeze lifting his long silvery hair off his shoulders and back.
Taiiku no Hi was almost here, the festival of sports and fitness, and though he was excited, for it posed as a challenge for him every year, even though the festival wasn't decided for it's competing purposes, as more people moved into the country side. He was also bored with the idea, for he knew even though their was more to attend, that in the end only he and his half brother Sesshoumaru would be left standing. Though, it'd be nice to be competing against him once more…But with Physical Fitness Day coming, it also meant Kagome would make everyone go to the doctor to get a check up, and he hated those with a passion…
Smiling faintly, he shook his head then paused as something cut into his bare foot beneath the foliage. "What the…," He said softly, cursing as he leaned down to pick up something sharp. Lifting it up, he looked at in the gloomy light of the day, for though the rain had stopped for once in the last couple of days, the clouds still loomed menacingly overhead. What he had stepped on turned out to be a piece of metal, curved into a sort of tip at one end and jagged on the other like it was a piece broken off the end of a sword.
'How can that be,' He asked him self, dropping the hand holding the piece to his side as he looked once more around him and lifted his face to sniff the air. But all his nose picked up was the scent of his own blood and that of the trees and earth surrounding him. Looking back down at the piece, he wrinkled his brow then stuffed the piece in his pocket, turning to go home as the faint rumble of thunder began once more.
'I hope it doesn't rain on the festival…,' He thought to himself, but what he was really worried about wasn't the festival, what he was really worried about is who might be coming, before it or during, or maybe even shortly after. But whenever it would happen, his gut told him it would be soon and it also told him it would not be happy.
Hey everyone, sorry for the shortness, decided this was a good spot to end the chapter. Also, I'm sorry I could not bring back Kouga; he just annoys me to no end, that Baka Ookami! (Stupid wolf). By the way, Bikei, one of the names they might've named their kitten, means Beauty, Faia, means fire, and Kaosu means chaos. Taiiku no Hi (Physical Fitness Day) is on the second Monday of October and is a national holiday celebrated in honor of..well..physical fitness. It is customary during this time that people get physical exams and sometimes there are sports meets of some type to commemorate this time of the year.
Anyway, so how about that, get an ok chapter and some information you would've never known other wise on Japanese language and culture Review please!!!