Hello hello. Let me introduce myself. I am Tealya and this is my first Inuyasha fan fiction. Currently, I have seen 90 episodes of the series so for the moment I may make references to things that happen in some of the later episodes. When I do, I promise I'll put a note at the bottom of when it was that the event being referred to happened. For those who don't know much Japanese, I will also have lists of Japanese terms I used at the bottom of the chapters where they are first used. ~~~~~ means a change in time and/or place but not day and ***** means a change in day. Well, I hope you enjoy the fic. Be sure to review.

Oh, I don't own Inuyasha, any of its characters, or the world setting (terrible, I know). This particular story and the little cutie you'll get to meet later, however, are my own creation based on the work of Rumiko Takahashi. Now, on to the fic.

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"Kaede-sama! Kaede-sama!"

The old miko sighed as she glanced up from her herbs. Two of the town's men were running in her direction with rather panic stricken faces. It was a look she had come to know all too well; youkai were headed in their direction. It had been a long time since they had been attacked by one. That meant they were long since over due for one. She had been hoping the peace would last...

"Kaede-sama!"

"What is it?"

"At the holy tree! There's something... it's... uh..." the second man studdered.

"It's what?"

The two men exchanged nervous glances. "It's hard to explain. There's something inside the tree..."

"Inside it?"

"Yes, inside. The bark became clear and... and we saw... well, something inside it," the first man tried to clarify.

The old woman gave them a questioning glance, wondering if they had gotten their hands on some sake. They didn't smell like it.

"It's easier if you just come and see."

Kaede nodded and followed them towards Inuyasha's forest. Something inside the holy tree? That didn't seem right at all. How could something be inside the holy tree. On it, around it, carving a hole in it, yes. But just plain inside?

She gasped as they came into sight of the tree. It was just as they had said. The spot where Inuyasha had once been sealed had turned a strange clear amber, allowing anyone to see right inside the tree. Sure enough, nestled inside the clear spot was what appeared to be some sort of object. The two men hung back, but Kaede stepped forward. What was inside the holy tree?

One wrinkled hand reached up and touched the tree. The surface had become warm, like a rock left out in the sun or a... Human? Her eye trailed up the trunk to come to rest on the clear spot. The object gave a slight movement. What was moving the object inside? No! Not object! Creature! It was alive! Kaede looked it over carefully with her good. Yes, now she could see it. It had long hair covering part of it's body, obscuring most of the upper half of it from view. That's what threw her off. It moved again, turning a little more towards her, showing the side of a chubby face, a shoulder, and a pair of curled up legs. There was definitely a very human shape to it. But how...?

"Go get a blanket!" she yelled back at the two men. "And some warm water!"

"What is it?" the first asked.

"I'm not sure yet..."

*****

"What do you mean five days!?!" Inuyasha roared.

Kagome gave him a hard stare. "Exactly what I said!" she snapped back. "I have to take a mid semester exam to make sure I'm learning the material in class. If I fail, I might have to repeat the grade again."

The hanyou snorted. He shoved his hands in his sleeves and turned up his nose. "No," he stated definitely.

"If I have to repeat the ninth grade, I wont have time to come back here to find the shikon shards," the girl hissed back. Inuyasha glared at her. "Then stay here and find them all! If your not there, they can't make you do anything." He turned up his nose again as the adolescent girl glared at him.

Just a few steps behind the bickering pair (and a at relatively safe distance), Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara watched the scene. It was one that had become rather familiar every time they came back here. Inuyasha and Kagome would start arguing about her going home for some "test" or "homework" from this "school" thing she always seemed to go to. After several minutes of yelling back and forth, usually Kagome would subdue him with the word...

"Sit!"

...and Inuyasha's face would be reunited with the earth while he muttered a few choice words. It was always the same.

Inuyasha yanked himself off the ground as the subduing spell wore off. His ears flipped back as he glared at the girl who had continued walking. He clenched his hands in fists and looked about ready to hit the girl until she was black and blue...

"Otoo-sama!"

The hanyou's ears flipped forward. "Otoo-sama," he repeated more to himself than anyone else.

"Otoo-sama?" the others all repeated at once in confusion.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome looked back at him slightly concerned.

Inuyasha bristled slightly then snorted and continued walking. They obviously hadn't heard it. "Its nothing."

Everyone else exchanged confused glances and then shrugged.

"Otoo-sama!" This time everyone heard it. "Otoo-sama! Otoo-sama!"

Inuyasha glared at the road ahead. It was getting closer. His golden eyes turned towards Miroku. The others followed his line of sight to the confused monk. For a moment, no one moved. Then, as if on cue, they all gave him that 'what have you done now?' stare.

As the realization suddenly hit Miroku, he took a straightened posture and smiled innocently. It was always his first response when put in a situation like this... of course, he had to admit this was the first time someone was claiming he was their 'otoo' and not a woman he was flirting with.

"It's coming this way," Inuyasha snorted as his lips turned up in a slight smirk.

"Please, you can't possibly believe that it is mine. I am a monk of Buddha..."

"And you always ask every girl you meet if she'll bear your child..." Sango stated with a grunt as she scowled at him.

"And you wouldn't hesitate if any woman agreed..." Kagome added in the same tone.

"Yes, but I don't have any children." That I know of, he added mentally as he tried to continue smiling innocently.

Sango reached for Hiraikotsu reflexively. At that action, Shippo darted down from the monk's shoulder and behind Kagome. Experience had taught the little fox that when Sango reached for her large boomerang like that, Miroku was about to be hit. It was fun to watch, but he did not want to be in the way of the boomerang's path.

"Otoo-sama!"

Inuyasha smirked. This was going to be entertaining, if only for a minute of two. It wasn't enough to make him forget his angry at Kagome, but it was a nice temporary distraction. His ears twitched as he heard the sound of feet coming up the road. The hanyou turned the look back at the little whelp.

No sooner then he had turned around, then something leaped in to his chest. He looked down to find a small child just a little bigger than Shippo latched on to him. It looked up, giving him the biggest grin he had ever seen. Long locks of silvery hair covered its head head and hung in its glittering azure eyes. A blue kimono that looked disturbingly similar to Inuyasha's own clothing accented the color of its eyes. Sewn on the left pant leg and right sleeve were cherry blossoms made with white thread. A pair of white triangle ears stuck out of the top of its head and twitched eagerly as it looked up at him expectantly.

"Otoo-sama!" the child stated rather proudly.

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Japanese words I've used in this chapter

Sama = master or lord. It is used for someone that is higher ranking than one's self such as a samurai or a priestess.

Miko = priestess

Otoo = father. Normally, one would say otoo-san. I put sama on the end because the child... well... calls Inuyasha that. I'm not really sure why the child does this. I think it has something to do with him being really strong.