"Mama! Mama!" Yahna cried as she raced up the stairs.
"Oi, your pup's back," Inuyasha snorted from his usual perch on Kagome's bed. She shot him a glare, but let Yahna in her bed room anyway.
The child didn't waste a second. She leaped into Kagome's arms and snuggled against the older girl's throat. Dressed in the same purple dress from the day before, now with an oversized hat on, Yahna almost looked just like any other child you might see on the street. Kagome giggled at the child's affection. She carried Yahna back to her desk and sat, putting the child in her lap. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Inuyasha's smug grin. She turned up her nose and focused her attention on the task at hand.
"Yahna-chan," she said gently as she picked up the exacto knife, "Do you see this?" The pup nodded. "Were you playing with this earlier?" Again, Yahna nodded. Kagome let out a disappointed sigh. The child blinked curiously. "Yahna-chan, you can't play with this, alright? It's very dangerous. You might hurt yourself, and I don't want you to get hurt. Do you understand?" She nodded. "Good. Now, please don't play on my desk either. You'll break things and mess up my homework and I don't own all of these books. I have to pay to replace them. Okay?" Yahna nodded. "Good girl." Kagome gave Yahna a pat on the head, making the girl smile.
Yahna scooted up to the desk and pointed to the paper Kagome had been writing on. "What?" she demanded with a playful grin.
Her appointed parents stared at her, dumbfounded.
Mrs. Higurashi peered in the door. "She learned a few new words while we were out. She's quite eager for knowledge," the woman explained as she brought Yahna's kimono in. The adolescents blinked as the woman left.
"What?" Yahna demanded more forcefully.
Kagome and Inuyasha's attention was pulled back to the child. "Paper," Kagome stated.
"P-paaa-paaa-peeerrr. Paper! Paper, paper, paper!" the child sang out.
"Yes, paper."
Little fingers pointed to the pink post-it notes. "What?"
"Post-it notes."
"Poooo-sssss-tiiit nooo-tesss. Post-it notessss. Post-it notes."
A smile crept up Kagome's features. "Yes, post-it notes. I use them to write down quick notes or mark places in my books." She pulled the text book closer and flipped to a page she had marked with a post-it. "See. This helps me find information I need much faster..."
And she doesn't think it's woman's work, Inuyasha mentally grunted as he watched the two at the desk. That is exactly how it should be. A female is supposed to teach her whelp, not pass it off to someone else.
Kagome reached for Yahna's hat. The child clamped both her hands on the brim and yanked it down as far on her head as it would go, covering half her face. "Mine!" she snapped.
The adolescent girl jerked her hands back. "Alright. You can keep it."
"Kagome dear," Mrs. Higurashi called from down stairs, "Your friends Eri-chan, Yuka-chan, and Ayumi-chan, are here."
Her whole body went rigid. "Why now?" she moaned to herself. Kagome set Yahna back down on the floor and hurried out to greet her friends. "Don't let her leave," Kagome stated to Inuyasha just before she left. He just snorted.
"What?" Yahna inquired as she toddled to the door. Inuyasha shrugged and peered out as well.
Three girls dressed in school uniforms stood by the door of the Higurashi home. Kagome forced a smile on as she walked up. "Uh, hi, what are you guys doing here?" she asked in a disturbingly calm voice.
Eri was the first to speak up. "You ran out so fast after school, you forgot your history book..."
~~~
Yahna poked her head out the door and stared wide eyed down the hall. Something was going on down there. There were three new voices and three faint new smells. New smells meant new things to see. New things to see meant fun.
The child toddled out of the room. A pair of clawed hands swiped at her back, just barely missing her.
"Damn it!" Inuyasha snapped as he watched the child toddle towards the stairs. From early on, Kagome had made it rather clear he wasn't suppose to be seen by anyone. While he frequently ignored this rule, especially when Kagome's okaa-san asked him...
"Kaaawwwaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiii!" three female voices rang out.
...he really didn't want to encounter her friends from school.
"Great. Just what I need: a pack of screeching wenches," the hanyou grumbled to himself.
~~~
"She's adorable!" Yuka squealed as she scooped the curious child up in her arms. A wide eyed Yahna stared at the girl's face. "Hello there little angle." Yahna moved her fingers up and down in a childish wave.
"Kawii," Ayumi purred.
Eri reached for the hat still on Yahna's head. The child's hands clamped down on the brim. "Mine!" she stated forcefully.
"Yes, Yahna-chan, it's yours," Kagome quickly agreed as she took the little girl. The child eagerly snuggled up to Kagome.
"She's who you're babysitting?" Eri inquired.
"Um, yeah," Kagome responded, slightly embarrassed.
"You're so lucky," Ayumi sighed. "Can I hold her?" Before Kagome could respond, Yahna was leaning forward with her arms stretched towards Ayumi. She took Yahna, who snuggled up to the new person right away. "Kawii."
Suddenly remembering the reason they had come in the first place, Eri turned her attention back to Kagome. "So, Kagome, you forgot your history book and we thought you might need it to study for tomorrow's test..."
"And while we were walking home," Yuka interrupted, "We thought it'd be great if we all studied together, especially for you since you're always sick and all..."
"But if you're busy..."
"No no!" Kagome broke in. "I really need to study and help would be wonderful." The other girls glanced at Yahna, then back at Kagome skeptically. "We can study here. Mama wouldn't mind. Besides, having three more people watch her would make things easier."
~~~ I
nuyasha had crept out of the room and watched the girls go off in to another room. He creeped down stairs and peered in the room. Great, they have their magic books, he sarcastically sighed in his mind. In one corner of the room, the girl with the curly black hair sat with the tree pup on her lap. Yahna was playing with some of the girl's hair, seemingly content. At least the brat's out of my hair for a few hours. Quietly, he snuck back up stairs. He gave one quick glance around Kagome's room before slipping out her window to find a good, quiet place to nap.
~~~~~
The sun was warm and nice. Spring was here and the trees were blooming again. Gentle breezes swayed the trees, tickling the new leaves and blooming flowers. Birds were singing their praises to the world. All around it was a perfect day to sit around and relax.
Miroku sighed. His hands were tucked behind his head while he reclined against a tree. A bright red hand print covered one cheek. The day had started off good. He had flirted with several young ladies in the village who had taken a liking to him since he had met with Inuyasha and Kagome. Then he got in a good pat on Sango. He smiled at the fond memory. Yes, this day had been quite good so far. Now, he was about to take a nice nap. Could things get any better?
"Oi, Houshi-sama," a young voice called.
The monk smiled. Had one of the girls in the village sent their little brother or little sister to fetch him? The girls couldn't possibly want him back so soon, could they?
"If you have come at the bidding of your onee-san, tell her that I need a break. Using my spiritual powers to read her palm takes a lot of energy out of me."
"Onee-san? Nani? I don't have an onee-san," the child stated plainly as their shadow blocked the monk's light. Curious, Miroku peeked open his eyes and stared at the child before him.
Standing all of three and half feet tall was a youkai. Not just any youkai. A young wolf youkai in human form. The boy appeared to be about the same age as Shippo, only a little taller. A pair of white wolf ears peeked out from his short light mahogany hair. His grass green eyes sparkled with delight. Both hands were held behind his back. Wrapped around his body was a girl's kimono tied with a piece of robe around the waist. The clothes had to be at least three sizes to big, and the bottoms of the sleeves dragged on the muddy ground. Poking out the back was a fluffy white wolf tail that wagged eagerly back and forth.
Miroku bolted straight up in shock. He rubbed his eyes, blinked several times, and even pinched himself. This was definitely real. There was, most certainly, a young wolf youkai before him grinning like a cat with a rat. The monk just about had a heart attack. Wolves NEVER left their children unattended for any reason.
As he looked over the boy a second time, he started to calm down a bit. Wolves always dressed their children in sturdy furs, not oversized kimonos. Dirt on the boy's face and body suggested he hadn't been washed recently, and he didn't look to well fed either. All of these added up to an orphaned wolf pup. Yet, the boy didn't seem the least bit afraid of him, leading the monk to conclude that whatever had happened to the child's pack had nothing to do with humans.
"Konichiwa," Miroku stated very calmly.
"Konichiwa, Houshi-sama. Beautiful day, is it not?"
"Yes, it is..."
"A perfect day, actually," the boy continued, interrupting Miroku. "In fact, it's even a lucky day... for you." Miroku raised a curious eyebrow. "You see, I have a deal you can't refuse. In my possession are two valuable, delicious, TURNIPS!" He pulled his hands out from behind his back and proudly showed them off. Miroku frowned. The vegetables looked pretty old, to say the least. "Today, and today only, I'm offering you a chance to own both these beautiful turnips for the low low price of 5, I repeat 5, mon."
The monk gave the child a disbelieving, slightly annoyed, stare. "You're kidding, right?"
"Absolutely not," the child stated. "Normally I would charge 10 mon for them, but since I like you so much, I've slashed the price right in half. After all, you are a servant of Buddha, an honest, pious, hard working man. How could I do anything but slash the price?"
"Why are they slimy?"
"That's not slime. It's a sheen of good health."
"What's that green stuff growing on them?"
"Seasoning."
"And what about the hole in this one?" Miroku asked as he pointed to a worm hole on one of the vegetables.
"To help it cook faster."
He eyed the boy. "I wouldn't eat those if you paid me a hundred mon."
"Really?" the boy asked in a voice filled with disappointment.
"Really."
"Are you sure? They're only five mon."
"Do I look stupid to you?"
"Um, well... no more so than anyone else..."
"Exactly, now, why don't..."
"Houshi-sama!"
The monk jerked his head around to see Sango running towards him. He frowned again and stood. "Something wrong?" he inquired as she stopped in front of him.
She nodded. "Yeah. There's some people here looking for a young wolf hanyou. They said he was stealing food, money, and clothes from their village. They're looking to drag him back and kill him for it."
"Hanyou? Oh, that would explain..." He turned to look at the boy only to find the boy gone.
"Explain what?"
Miroku scratched his head. "Hm. Now that's odd. Where'd he go?"
"Who go?"
"The boy... Our little thief... He was right here a moment ago..."
~~~~~
A green herb with the roots still attached was held up to her by dirty hands. The child gave her a proud smile. "Is this the one, Miko-sama?" the boy asked the woman kneeling in the grass.
Kikyo smiled gently. "Yes, can you find more? I need a lot to treat people." He nodded proudly and tromped off to do as she asked. Her dark chocolate eyes turned back to the plants before her.
She had been at this village for several days now. Many of the people were ill and she been asked to help. Kikyo had agreed since she could still find no trace of where Naraku was hiding. This had proven to be a wise decision. She was able to cure many, and for those that she could not, she harvested their soul to sustain herself. The people were all kind and the children had all been willing to help her replenish her diminishing stocks of herbs.
It was so much like before. So calm and peaceful. So... perfect? No, not perfect. Nothing is perfect, she told herself. Nice... yes, nice... but it's missing...
"Youkai!" two of the children screamed as they came running back to her. Kikyo instantly grabbed her bow and notched and arrow. The other four children had quickly gathered around behind her.
"Where?" the miko demanded.
"That way," one boy said as he pointed towards the trees. "It's over there."
"Stay here," she told them.
"Be careful, Miko-sama," a second boy whispered.
She gave them a small nod and walked to where the boy had pointed.
The area was covered in growth. Moss covered most of the tree and fresh grass hid the roots. Thick, thorned bushes covered the ground, hiding most of the ground.
When she walked a full circle around the area and saw nothing, she frowned in confusion. The children had sounded sincere in their claim, yet she saw no youkai and felt no evil. Perhaps it was a young kitsune or tanuki playing a trick...
Rustle. Rustle. Snort.
Kikyo whirled around, arrow, ready. The thorned bush rustled again. She waited, hoping it would decide to come out. When the bushes rustled several more times with no sign of the creature, she cautiously approached it. Pushing the branches aside, she peered down at the creature making the noise.
Brown eyes met dark ebony eyes. Cream feathers stood on end on top of a mostly human head. A sharp human-ish face focused on her. It blinked. Then, suddenly, it clamped its pudgy three fingered hands over its eyes. Attached to its arms were a pair of oversized cream colored wings. Plush feathers covered the rest of its mostly human body down to its ankles. The creature's feet looked almost human, save for the fact the whole appendage curled far more than a normal human's foot would have.
The undead miko's cold eyes turned slightly soft as she curiously looked at the poor creature. Its features suggested it was a young child. Judging from the places were chunks of feathers were missing, it had also recently lost its protection from other youkai. Carefully, she set her bow aside and knelt down. It jerked back, trembling.
"I will not harm you," she told it.
It peeked between its fingers, regarding her cold features. Tears were welling up in its large, frightened eyes. Cautiously, it scooted back, then flinched and hissed through its teeth. It was then that she notice a piece of rope was firmly wrapped around one ankle. The soft feathers had been worn away, showing bare, blood stained skin. Crimson liquid oozed from the leg, dripped down to its foot and staining the ground around it.
"Would you like me to remove the rope?" She reached a little closer. Again, it covered its eyes, but it made no moves to try and attack or escape. As gently as she could, she untied the animal snare. "There. You are free. Would you like me tend to the wound as well?"
It moved both hands from its eyes this time. Small tears leaked down over its cheeks, though it made no sounds of crying. Hesitantly it nodded.
The miko turned back towards the village children, who, despite her words, had followed her. "Bring some of the herbs you found."
"We're helping it?" the eldest child asked in disbelief. Kikyo didn't bother answering. She merely turned her attention back to the injured being. "But it's a youkai!"
"It is a hanyou, not a youkai," she corrected.
"But..."
"It has also done nothing to warrant concern and there is no reason it should be left to suffer. Go retrieve the herbs."
The boy gave a disgruntled sigh, but did as he was told.
_______________________________________________________________
Japanese words I've used in this chapter
Konichiwa = good day, good afternoon
Mon = money used in Japan during the feudal era. Mostly it was importated from China, but money wasn't used near as much as trade.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aren't hanyous cute? Sure, most people don't like them, but they're still cute. And yep, Yahna is starting expand her vocabulary. Be afraid. Be very afraid. I would like to say, though, that this is the first time I have ever had people e-mail me telling me how much they like my writing and asking me to update. It's very weird... cool, but weird. I'm also Tealya-sama? Cool. :D
Sesshoumaruissofine, sorry, I thought most people knew what kanji was. I added it to the last chapter in the Japanese words section. As for the book, it was just a random manga. Nothing in particular.
Shinigami-Sama1, whatever manga you want it to be. Also, in a few episodes (mostly the later ones), Inuyasha is shown tormenting that poor cat. As someone who is owned by cats (since cats own people, not the other way around), I can assure that cat would avoid him.
FluffysBijin05, it's alright. It's hard to describe an exacto knife when they're are so many different kinds. I just described the kind I was most familiar with.
MalletWielderofDoom, glad I could help.
And to everyone who wished me a good spring break, thank you. I had a pretty good time and got some work done on my comic too. Sadly, no matter how hard I tried, one of the main male characters came out bishounen (pretty boy). I really tried not to make him bishounen too. *sigh*
Well, I'm off... my rocker, but that's not the point. Tune in next chapter, titled Why hanyous and video games don't mix. Later.