Return of the Hanyou

By: Lady Tiger LiLy

Chapter 4: Like Father, Like Son

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In a dark room hidden deep inside an old abandoned castle, a slow, ragged first breath is taken. A pair of once empty, brown eyes slowly open for a first time. The unknown vessel does nothing as it sits, eyes half open, and breathing; only breathing.

---

"I'm so worried…" Sango spoke fearfully as her slightly unsteady hands held her teacup.

Everyone was sitting in Kaede's hut, drinking tea, except for little Kirara. She was curled up next to Sango. While they discussed the matter at hand, Kagome was once again tending to the rest of Shippou's wounds.

Miroku placed his hand, the hand that was once again cursed, on his wife's in comfort after she had placed her cup down in front of her. Sango did not take much comfort in this though. It only strengthened her fear for the worst as she stared at the purple cloth that covered his right forearm and knowing what it meant. "If only we knew where he is…" she said, letting out a small sigh.

"I'm so sorry, Sango. I am to blame," Miroku spoke solemnly.

She looked up at her husband, placing her other hand over his cursed one. "No, do not blame yourself."

'Poor, Sango-chan…' Kagome thought. 'I can't imagine what she must be going through… Not knowing if your only son is ok… And Miroku-sama… He blames himself for this… His family's curse…' Kagome looked over at Kohana who sat near Shippou. Even the usually cheerful girl seemed uneasy.

Kaede looked over to Sango and Miroku. "Do not worry. Rin is a smart young woman and an excellent pupil. I trust that she shall do well in protecting young Mamoru."

"Well, we're going to have to being that we don't know where the two have traveled to," Inu-Yasha added.

---

"Why not?"

"Because it's too dangerous!" Kagome argued with her daughter.

"Argh!" Junko growled aloud. "So you are making me stay behind?"

"That is exactly what I'm doing," she said firmly.

"That's so not fair! Shippou is getting to go! Why can't I?"

"Actually, Shippou-chan is staying behind with you," she informed her hanyou daughter.

"Huh?" Shippou blinked.

"Shippou-chan, you should stay in the village with Junko so you can-"

"Baby-sit me?" Junko filled in with scorn in her voice.

Kagome eyed her daughter. "Basically, yes," she said to Junko in an angry tone.

"I'm fifteen years old, mother! I can take care of myself!" Junko argued.

"Like you did when the wolf demons came after you?" she retorted.

Junko growled because her mother had the upper hand. "That was-!"

"Do not argue with me anymore about this, Junko!" her mother said as a warning.

"But Mom!"

"Junko," Inu-Yasha spoke firmly. Junko stopped quickly and turned to her father when he spoke her name. "Your mother and I both agree that you are to stay behind. Do not argue about it anymore," he said sternly.

Hot tears were forming in her eyes as she looked from her father to her mother. " I hate you!" she yelled at Kagome before she ran out of the hut.

Kagome gave no response to this. She then stepped out of the hut with Inu-Yasha and Shippou. "Are we almost ready to go?" she asked the others.

"Yes," Sango spoke as she put her Hiraikotsu on her back. She was dressed for travel and battle as she wore her demon slayer ensemble under her normal garments. Kirara sat at Sango's side.

Miroku was at her side with a newly sharpened staff. He was dressed in his old monk robes of black and purple as he always dressed in when he traveled.

Inu-Yasha was wearing his old fire rat kimono ensemble for it was the best thing to wear in the Feudal era when one must fight demons.

"Inu-Yasha?"

Inu-Yasha turned to the kitsune who spoke to him.

Shippou handed him Tetsusaiga. "Here, you should have this back. You'll need it."

Inu-Yasha smirked and took the sheathed sword. "Thanks for taking care of it for me, brat. Good job not damaging it. When I was inspecting it yesterday, I was a bit surprised to see you managed to keep it in one piece."

Sadly, that was supposed to be a compliment.

Kagome picked up her new backpack she bought just for their new journey and put it on her back. This one was the color blue and it was much bigger than her old yellow one, as well as much more durable. She was dressed in a green three-fourths sleeve shirt and blue jean capri pants with tennis shoes.

Kagome's bag was a bit on the heavy side even though she packed lighter than she used to now that she didn't have to carry her schoolbooks with her. She slid the bag off her shoulders, and without hesitation or a word, Inu-Yasha lifted it up with one hand and carried it over his shoulder for his wife. Kagome then put her bow and quiver on her back instead.

"Are ye taking the jewel with ye?" Kaede asked Kagome.

"Yes," she said as she pulled out the beaded necklace from under her shirt collar, showing the jewel was on the end of it. "I'm sure Naraku won't stay in hiding for long if he knows we have the jewel."

"Isn't that a little risky?" Shippou asked.

"It's not like we have a choice. It's my job to protect the jewel," Kagome replied. "I'm the only one who can purify it."

"If Naraku hasn't show himself by now, he is either too weak to do anything, or he is busy plotting something," Miroku spoke.

"If he is weak, we should go out now and try to find him while he is vulnerable," Sango said as she clenched her fist. "He has caused so many I loved to die… If Mamoru… Naraku will pay if anything happens to my son."

Miroku took her hand in his as he saw it begin to tremble. Sango calmed herself and pushed away the bad thoughts and memories that began to flood her mind. She then turned to her daughter, Kohana. She embraced her daughter and kissed her forehead. "You behave yourself while we are gone," she told her.

"Don't worry about me. You and Dad travel safely," she smiled.

"Shippou-chan…"

Shippou turned to Kagome. "Yeah, Kagome?"

"Shippou-chan… please talk to Junko after she cools down. She will listen to you. Explain to her how dangerous Naraku is."

Shippou nodded.

"I never dreamed that we would be hunting for Naraku again after we finally defeated him all those years ago…" Sango sighed. "Maybe we never defeated him to begin with…"

"No! We did defeat him!" Inu-Yasha spoke. "He just managed to somehow come back for another round!"

"But Inu-Yasha… How did he manage to come back from death…?" Kagome asked.

"Don't sound so surprised, Kagome. Kikyou came back from death; Naraku could probably do it too! And no matter where Naraku is hiding, we will find him," he declared. "And unlike Kikyou now, Naraku won't be resting in piece when I'm through with him!"

---

It was about an hour after Inu-Yasha, Kagome, Miroku, and Sango took off to travel around looking for Naraku's whereabouts. Shippou headed out into the Forest of Inu-Yasha to find Junko who was not there to wish everyone a safe journey. He followed her scent to where he figured he would find her. She was sitting under the tree her father was once pinned too.

"How long have you been sitting there?" he asked.

"Not long," she spoke without looking at him. "I went for a run to let off some steam before I came here."

Shippou was glad to see she had calmed since her argument earlier with Kagome. He sat next to her. "So whatcha wanna do?" he asked her.

"Why does she hate me?"

Apparently Junko wanted to talk. "Who? Kagome? She doesn't hate you! Junko, Naraku is a very dangerous demon! Kagome and Inu-Yasha both don't want you to go because they don't want to put you in any more danger! You've already had your share of that ever since you first fell down the well!"

"You don't understand! It's not just about today! I didn't even really want to go! Why would I want to witness another brutal battle?" she said, turning away from him.

'So that's what was bothering her the other day…' he realized as she said that. "Junko, I'm so sorry you had to see that…"

She didn't respond to that. She just continued. "It's the fact that she thinks I have to have someone to watch over me! She treats me like a little kid! She's always nagging me! She thinks I can't do anything myself! She doesn't have any confidence in me! She hates me!"

"No, Junko!" Shippou said confidently. "She does all those things because she would never forgive herself if anything bad happened to you! I could never forgive myself if anything bad happened to you! I would stay with you even if Kagome hadn't asked me to! She loves you, Junko! I-!"

Junko turned her head sharply to look at Shippou just as he stopped speaking. "Shippou? W-What were you going to say?"

His heart was pounding in his chest. What was he going to say? He couldn't think. Words escaped him as he stared silently into her golden amber eyes that were moist with fresh tears threatening to flow. Her eyes were so… and her hair… her lips… Shippou felt his hand reach out to her. His fingers wanting to touch the soft skin of her cheek… Such soft skin…

Junko's heart was racing faster than her run she took earlier. What was happening? There was something different in Shippou's eyes… something she had never seen there before.

"Shippou-chan! Junko!"

Junko jumped at the voice that called to them. Shippou seemed to be a bit shaken as well. They looked to find Kohana racing up to them.

"Shippou-chan! Shippou-chan!" Kohana waved. "I have great news!" Once she reached them, she stopped to catch her breath. "Man, it was hard trying to find you two! What were you guys doing anyway?" she asked. She was eyeing Junko for a moment before she noticed Junko's face was blushing pink.

"NOTHING!" Shippou and Junko replied in unison.

Kohana blinked for a moment before eyeing them both suspiciously with her hands on her hips. "Sure doesn't seem like nothing."

"What did you come to tell us, Kohana?" Shippou asked, changing the subject.

"Oh! Right! Come back to the village with me!"

---

"Rin-chan!"

"It is good to see you again, Junko-chan," Rin smiled to her friend. "You too, Shippou-kun."

Junko gave Rin a hug. "I'm so glad you're back!"

"I haven't been away too long," Rin replied. "But it would seem you have changed much since the last time I saw you."

"Huh?" Junko blinked.

Rin pointed to Junko's inu hanyou ears atop her head and giggled.

"Oh! Right! I forgot that it was after we parted that I had myself changed back to the way I was born," she said as she slapped herself on her forehead.

"Do not worry, Kaede-sama explained it to me," Rin informed as she gestured to the old woman who was in the hut with them.

Junko smiled at Rin. She really did miss her. She was one of the sweetest people she had ever met. "So where is Mamoru? Is he with you?"

Rin's smile faded.

"Rin?" Shippou spoke. She turned to him. "Is he ok?"

"Hi!"

Everyone turned to find Mamoru entering Kaede's hut with the rest of them.

"There are you, Mamoru!" Kohana spoke out. "Where'd you run off to?"

"I went to find something to go get some water in," he explained as he held up a wooden pail. "Are you thirsty, Rin-sama?"

"No, Mamoru, you are a guest in our village. I'll go get some water," Rin spoke solemnly as she took the pail from him and left the hut.

Mamoru sighed.

"Rin is not well, is she?" Kaede asked him.

Mamoru turned to Kaede. "No, she is not."

"And how are ye?" she asked.

"I'm fine… Thanks to Rin-sama…" Mamoru replied as he held up his right hand to stare at the string of reddish brown prayer beads that were wrapped around his hand and lower arm.

"Sango and Miroku were really worried about you," Shippou told him.

"Mom and dad will be so relieved to know that you are alright!" Kohana said as she went to hug her brother. "I am relieved to know you are alright!"

He smiled as he hugged his little sister. "I'm just fine, Kohana. It is Rin-sama who is not well."

"What happened?" Junko asked with concern for her friend.

Mamoru released his sister and they all sat down in the hut while he told of what had taken place.

---

Three days ago…

"Rin-sama! Rin-sama!"

Rin turned around to find Mamoru running up to her in the village. "Mamoru? What is it?"

Once he reached her, he stopped for a moment to catch his breath before he spoke. "Rin-sama! There's a little girl who was bitten by a venomous snake while she was out playing! You must go to her, Rin-sama! The deadly venom will spread quickly through her small body!"

"Yes!" Rin nodded.

"Come with me!" Mamoru grabbed her hand and pulled her to follow quickly. This caught Rin by surprise and a faint blush graced her face. Suddenly, Rin felt, or rather sensed, something strange when his hand grabbed onto hers. Whatever it was, it was gone before she knew what it was.

He took her to a hut in the village where the child lived. Mamoru told the crowded villagers to make way and they did for the young priestess. Once inside, they saw the mother of the ill child was crying as another woman comforted her. The little girl was lying on a mat on the floor while two other women where trying to help the child. One woman was trying to bring down her fever by putting a wet cloth on her forehead, and the other, fanning the child.

The mother of the child looked up to see Rin enter. "Rin-sama! Please! Please save my child!" she pleaded with a tear stained face.

Rin observed the young girl. She knew she was getting worse by the minute.

The little girl opened to her eyes and smiled up at Rin when she saw she was there. "Are you going to make me all better, Rin-sama?" she asked in a small, weak voice.

She touched the girl's hand. "Yes," she spoke softly as she smiled at the child, though truth of the matter was that she had never had a situation like this before with a child getting poisoned. She knew she had to act quickly or she will die. "I need to go get my herbs," she spoke with urgency to the women who were tending to the girl.

"I will get them, Rin-sama!" Mamoru volunteered. He ran out of the hut, the crowd making way for him. Just as he made it past the crowd at the hut, Mamoru stopped. He clenched his right hand tightly as he felt a weird twinge. Then he felt a small jolt of pain shoot down his arm and hitting the core of his hand. 'Wha…What was that…?' He held up his right hand and stared at his palm. Another jolt, but this time stronger, pulsed through his arm and hit his hand, making him groan at the painful sensation.

Rin turned to see what the commotion was about. She looked out the opened doorway of the hut and saw Mamoru standing outside in the street, his back to everyone else. "Mamoru?" she called in confusion of why he was not going after the herbs she had in her hut.

He turned to Rin, confusion and worry on his face. "Rin-sama, I- Ah!" he groaned aloud as he fell to his knees this time at that jolt of pain that seemed to be getting stronger with each pulse.

Rin jumped to her feet when she saw this. "Mamoru!" she called. She hurried to his side, placing her hands on his shoulders to help steady and comfort him. "Mamoru! What's wrong?"

"I… I don't know…" he groaned, his body now starting to tremble. The jolts seemed to stop now as the pain began to center solely in his hand and began to grow in agony. He cried out in pain again.

"Mamoru!" Rin cried out in worry again, feeling helpless to do anything for him.

"My… hand…" he grunted.

"What?"

"My… my hand… It feels like… AAAH!" Mamoru cried out.

"Mamoru!"

He finally forced himself to open his right hand to what was causing this excruciating pain. His eyes opened impartially as they were shut tight against the pain. "What is… that?"

Rin looked as well and saw the black void forming in the palm of his hand. The suction of the wind getting strong and strong the wider it grew. It was starting to pull her long hair towards it. Her eyes grew wide with fear. 'This is… this is just like the wind tunnel that Miroku-sama had long ago… And he had to…'

Mamoru stood up and Rin did the same, still with her hands on his shoulders. "Rin-sama! Please get back!" Mamoru shouted over the growing wind as he pushed her back from him with his left hand. "You are putting yourself in danger getting so close to me!"

"Mamoru!" she shouted as she tried to get near him again.

"Stay back!" he shouted again more fiercely. "Everyone! Stay back!"

"Let me help you, Mamoru, before it is too late!" Rin pleaded.

The wind was getting too strong now, strong enough to put the people and the village in danger. By now, there was a panic in the village as everyone ran for their lives. Not knowing what to do, he held his right hand up high over his head, palm facing up, as he held his arm steady with the left hand. Mamoru was now starting to feel the strain of having the void open for so long. He squeezed his eyes shut. 'What am I going to do?'

Mamoru then felt something on his arm. He opened his eyes and looked to his right to see Rin standing at his side. She had her left hand on his right arm as she reached out with something in her other hand. She was reaching for his hand with the void. Suddenly, Mamoru felt the wind cease. At this, he collapsed to his knees and then fell over onto the ground as his eyes fell shut. When he opened his eyes, he found Rin hovering over him, calling his name.

"Mamoru! Mamoru, are you ok?" she asked.

He turned his head to this right to look at his hand to see what had happened. He found his hand and lower arm bound by a string of reddish brown beads. "What happened?" he asked.

"I closed the opening with these prayer beads. If you remove them, you will open up the Kazaana," she explained.

"Kazaana… Wind Tunnel…" he recalled. "My father's curse…"

"Yes," Rin replied.

"You witch!"

Rin and Mamoru looked over to the crowd of villagers that had formed again now that the Wind Tunnel was stopped. The mother of the sick little girl stepped in front of the crowd. "What kind of priestess are you to let a poor child suffer and die?"

Rin looked shocked. "Die?"

"MY CHILD IS DEAD BECAUSE YOU DID NOTHING TO SAVE HER!" the woman shouted in anger and grief, tears streaming down her face.

Rin looked horrified at this revelation.

"Do not blame Rin-sama! It is my fault for this terrible tragedy that has befallen," Mamoru said gravely.

"You are the terrible tragedy that has befallen! You almost destroyed our village!" a man spoke out.

"Perhaps he is a demon!" another cried out.

"Perhaps they are both demons!"

"The boy is not normal!"

"He is cursed!"

"The woman, she must be a dark priestess! She is always saying how not all demons are bad and now she has let an innocent child find death!"

The mother of the now dead child spoke to them. "Leave our village now! You have brought evil upon us! We want nothing more to do with you! Leave now or you too shall find your graves this day!"

By now, Mamoru had sat himself up and was getting to his feet. "It is not true! If Rin-sama had not helped me, you would all be-!" Mamoru stopped as he saw Rin rise to her feet and began to walk away. "Rin-sama?"

She stopped with her back to the villagers and Mamoru. "Come, Mamoru. Let us go."

"Rin-sama?" he called in confusion.

"Come," she said again.

Mamoru stood silently for a moment before he went to her.

Rin stood still until he reached her. She then spoke again aloud to the villagers without turning to them. "I am sorry for what has happened."

No one said a word as Rin moved forward. Mamoru following behind her as they left the village together in silences.

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AN: My head hurts too much to be sure if it was three days. So yeah, it was about three days. Sorry it took me so long to update! My life has been a bit of a mess lately, but today I spent all day in my room writing this chapter for you guys because you deserve an update! Don't think I've given up on this story! In fact, I've been thinking about it a lot lately and about what I want to add to it. I'm not even considering giving up on this story! I love it too much to do that! So don't you, my readers, give up on it either! Um, please? I promise it will be a REALLY good story! Thank you!

PS: Incase you are wondering why Miroku, Sango, and Kohana didn't just fly to the village on Kirara, that will be explained later.