A/N: Here is the next chapter of this one! Hope you all like it! Please review and let me know what you think.

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What the Future Holds
Chapter Nine

"That…as in everything that just happened…was far too close for comfort." Inuyasha whispered to himself. "I can't believe all of that happened…"

"I can. You were only following your instincts and protecting your mate. It makes perfect sense, and there is no shame in it." Sesshoumaru assured his brother. "Had you not done what you did, whether you could control it or not, Kagome would be dead, and so would you."

Inuyasha nodded, but looked unconvinced.

"Don't even think what I know you're thinking." Kagome warned him.

"Where is Shippo?" asked Taka, coming into the room with her brother.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Actually, I haven't seen him…"

"Your son went with Miroku and Sango to talk to Hikari." Kagome explained quickly.

"Who?"

"Their daughter." Kagome tapped her foot, and Inuyasha blinked in understanding.

"Oh." He whispered. "Wait a minute! What about their daughter?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Think about it, Inuyasha. It will come to you sooner or later," Kagome smiled, placing a small kiss on his forehead and walking from the room.

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Sesshoumaru pulled Inuyasha aside. "Since Naraku's died, registration at the school has gone up. We even have demon and hanyou children registered from Europe and America. We have a waiting list now. I didn't realize there were so many demon and hanyou children around anymore."

"Well, it's Shippo's last year, so he's one less that you have to worry about." Inuyasha smiled.

Sesshoumaru laughed. "I don't think that Shippo has ever given anyone any type of indication that they should ever stop worrying about him. But then again, the way some people raise their children today…"

"Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha growled.

"Lighten up, you idiot. Naraku is no more. This isn't the feudal era. I'm not going to try to kill you in your sleep or anything."

Inuyasha blinked. His brother, Sesshoumaru, former lord of the western lands, had just told him that he needed to lighten up. "Did you just…" he began.

"Don't look too far into it." He shrugged. There was an uncomfortable pause for a moment before Sesshoumaru continued on. "Are you even aware of what that son of yours has been up to lately, Inuyasha? Or do I really actually have to explain everything to you?"

"Depends…" Inuyasha frowned. "You're going to have to be a bit more specific. Which one are you talking about? Shippo or Toku?"

"Who do you think?" Sesshoumaru smirked.

"Is something the matter with Shippo, Sesshoumaru? Come on. This is beginning to get on my nerves a little bit." Inuyasha growled.

Sesshoumaru laughed. "You are an idiot, aren't you? Nothing's the matter with him, unless you count love as an illness…"

"Love?" Inuyasha repeated.

"Kagome tried to tell you weeks ago, Inuyasha! Shippo is in love with Hikari."

"Sango and Miroku's daughter?" Inuyasha blinked.

"She's the one." He smiled sarcastically. "She attends the school Kagome used to go to, she's a blackbelt, and she has a fascination with Shippo's tail that could rival Yuka's…" he recited.

Inuyasha's eye twitched. "But I…I mean they…"

Again, Sesshoumaru laughed. "Don't worry too much about it, Inuyasha. I remember how it was with you and Kagome as well…and you were the last one to realize things back then, too. Your shock comes of no surprise to me at all."

"Are they going to…you know…?" Inuyasha gulped.

"He is your son. You will have to ask him yourself about such things. However, I personally think that the pups would be very fine hanyous indeed…"

Inuyasha paled. "Please, Sesshoumaru! No speculating on grandchildren that I don't even have yet! It's creeping me out!"

"I know," laughed Sesshoumaru, a childish glint in his eyes.

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"At what point, Kagome, did I miss this? This is big, and it just flew unceremoniously over my head like it hasn't been happening for several weeks! I had to find out from Sesshoumaru, for crying out loud. I mean, honestly…" Inuyasha whined later that week.

"I've tried to tell you several times, but you have been so preoccupied with everything that has been going on, it must not have registered." Kagome suggested.

"That's an understatement…" Inuyasha frowned.

Kagome cleared her throat. "You know, Inuyasha, she is the same age that I was when we were mated."

Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks. "They wouldn't! Would they? But he's so young! And she's…she's younger. What do Miroku and Sango have to say about this?"

"Well, she is their daughter, so I can imagine you already know what they think about it." Kagome whispered. She waited a moment, but Inuyasha still looked completely bewildered. "They think it's a lovely idea, Inuyasha. Don't look so worried…"

"You've…you've already discussed it with them?" he gasped.

Kagome smiled. "It has been the topic of conversation a little more than once." She admitted. "Seeing them together, Inuyasha…they really are a wonderful pair. They remind me of me and you when Shippo was really young…"

Inuyasha frowned and scratched his head. "Do they yell at each other that often?"

"No…although we did, didn't we?" she laughed. She cleared her throat. "All I'm saying is that you ought to go and speak with Sango and Miroku…and then it wouldn't be too bad of any idea for you to speak with your son…"

Inuyasha looked worried.

Kagome smiled, wrapping him in a hug and laying her head on his shoulder. "Inuyasha, everything is going to be okay. I love you. I wouldn't lie to you about something as big as this. You have to remember we are in the future now. This is not the feudal era, and things such as this are no longer frowned upon as they once were. No one is going to try to hurt Shippo or Hikari. They are safe. They will be fine…" she assured him.

"I'll talk to him about it." Inuyasha nodded decisively. "And I might as well speak to Sango and the lecher while I'm at it…"

Kagome nodded. "Yes. I think that would be a very good idea."

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"Okay monk, Kagome has told me that Shippo is thinking about mating Hikari." Inuyasha said quickly.

Miroku nodded. "Yes, we know."

"And you're okay with it?" Inuyasha still could not believe his sensitive ears. The monk and Sango both appeared to be perfectly all right with everything that he was saying. He gulped. "You're okay with it, even though Hikari is so young?" he whispered finally, after a long pause.

"Inuyasha, we have been through hell and back with you and your family. We have fought alongside you. We know what a dangerous place the world used to be…when you and Kagome were sorting out your emotions." Sango smiled. "But we have also realized that all that fighting we did back then has really paid off in this time. Things are not as dangerous as they once were. Shippo can go out in public, and he and Hikari can be happy together. It may still be frowned upon on occasion, but it is accepted…and if they truly do love each other, then we do not want to stop them from being together."

Inuyasha sighed and nodded. "Yes, I know things are safe now. I've already received that talk from Kagome earlier today…"

Sango beamed. "And besides, Inuyasha! This means that we'll actually be related! Can you imagine it? I used to always say I considered Kagome more of a sister than anything…"

"Do you know when they are planning on…" Inuyasha began, his face turning scarlet. It was positively embarrassing that everyone else knew more about this than he did.

Miroku grinned. "Yes. I believe they are waiting until they are done with school this year…" he informed his friend.

"Should we do something?" Inuyasha asked next.

Miroku sighed. "My friend, the only thing that we should do is sit back, relax, and be happy for our children." He smiled slightly. "The sky has always been the limit with you and Kagome…even back then. I bet, for Shippo and Hikari, the possibilities seem just as endless right now. We should just sit back and watch their future unfold. I'm sure it will be lovely…" He nodded positively, finishing his speech.

Inuyasha's eyebrow rose. The monk, for the third time in his two lives, had said something that actually made sense to him. And he was right. Shippo and Hikari would be happy together, and their family, dare he think it, would be healthy and happy raised in this era. Inuyasha had done what he could to make sure the kit was raised as properly as possible. Now, after so many years, the direction of Shippo's future was going to be up to him…

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A/N: Ha! Bet you thought it was going to end there, did you? Well, wrong! Guess what? There is still at least five more chapters, and more if I'm feeling up to it. Hopefully the next chapter will be up really soon, if it isn't already. Can you tell the sequel is just a tad Shippo-based?

Please review and let me know what you think, and I will update as soon as possible. Thanks!