Disclaimer: if this stuff was mine I'd be able to pay my own way through school right now. As it is, I'm just dreaming that it was.
Family Ties Sessha-chan Chapter 1
Family Matters
It was so peaceful. The sun was shining brightly, birds chirping merrily, and the wind idly playing with the leaves. Villagers went about their daily routine, as industrious as they have always been. An aged miko patiently sorted herbs from a woven grass basket for drying. Children played, skipping stones and singing songs.
"SIT BOY!" And the peace was promptly shattered.
A young miko from a future era stormed away from her hanyou brother and current watchdog, silently fuming. There were few people who were naive enough to challenge her in her wrath, and Inuyasha happened to be the one who dared. It was bad enough when he fought her when she needed to return for tests and examinations, but Souta's birthday? Come on!
"I don't think so, wench! How can I make sure you stay safe if you leave just because you need some 'family time,'" Inuyasha pried himself off of the ground and pursued his adopted sister.
"Sit! It's just one day, Inuyasha. It's not like Naraku's gonna notice or care that I'm gone, he's dead! And not even Sesshoumaru is as demented as you are when it comes to my safety," she snapped. Almost there. The old well was in sight. The blessed – or cursed, it depended on who was telling the legend– well constructed from the wood of a scared tree, a goshinboku, that carried the miko from the future between times. "Besides, you can take care of yourself and the village. And I'm running low on ramen,"
That did it. She had said the magic words. Oddly enough, the hanyou had a strange addiction to the instant noodle cups that Kagome brought back as provisions. It was not as bad as the caffeine addiction that the resident priest, Miroku-sama, had contracted from drinking too many sodas. So now, Inuyasha was reluctantly backing down, not wanting to disrupt the inflow of the miracle food.
"Fine." he snapped, "But only one day. If you're late, I'm coming to get you,"
Kagome sighed. That was as good as she was going to get from him, so she accepted the terms and threw herself down the well.
In another time, but the same location, give or take a kilometer or three, the strongest, most feared warrior of three worlds was cowering in fear of his childhood friend.
"How DARE you Yuusuke! You're so insensitive!" Keiko fumed. Oh, he had obviously outdone himself this time.
Problem was, Yuusuke had no clue as to what he had done. But since Keiko never dished out something he did not deserve the toushin was determined to take the beating like a man. After he cowered in fear, that is.
"Keiko, that hurt!" he complained, clutching his jaw. Not even Chuu could hit as hard as she could, and that was saying something indeed.
"Well, you deserved it, you jerk!" she cried before spinning around and stomping off down the street.
"What in the Ningenkai did you do to make her that upset at you Yuusuke?" asked Kurama. Yuusuke shrugged and admitted to his ignorance.
:The detective probably flipped her skirt again. That boy has no finesse when it comes to womankind: Yoko piped in, disgusted with the young toushin.
Kurama nodded and agreed with the thousand-year-old thief in his head.
"Well, come one," Kurama said as he helped the toushin to his feet, "Koenma wanted to talk with us and we should have been there quite a while ago,"
Yuusuke glowered at his friend. "Well excuse me if I was a little distracted," he muttered and flipped open his compact communicator. "Yo, Botan, where are you? We need a portal to Reikai,"
The blue-haired Guide to the Afterlife obligingly opened a portal for them that led straight into Koenma's office.
"Yo, toddler!" the punk greeted. Koenma glowered with indignation.
"Yuusuke, you should know by now that I'm a hundred times your age if I'm a day!" he declared. Yuusuke grinned condescendingly and prepared another scathing comment for his employer. Tactfully, Kurama cut him off before he could start.
"Koenma-sama, you said you had a new mission for us?" he reminded the demigod.
"Fox, you're late," Hiei grumbled. Kurama nodded and gave a short explanation.
"Yes, I know. But Yuusuke was deterred by an irate Keiko,"
"Hn. That explains the bruises,"
"Indeed,"
"Hey!"
"Ahem. Back to the mission," Koenma interrupted, scowling. Funny, it really did not look threatening on the face of a toddler. "This," he pointed to a screen and a picture of an indeterminate looking youkai flickered to life, "this is the youkai you have to track down. According to my reports, he's not a great fighter but he wields powerful magic. As far as we can tell he is only an A-inferior class, more likely a B-superior, so it shouldn't be that difficult to handle," the three spirits detectives nodded and stepped through the portal that Botan had made for them.
"Happy birthday, little brother!" Kagome cried, throwing her arms around his small shoulders and squeezing.
"Kagome! You're home!" he was, of course, ecstatic that his sister was back from the past.
"Of course I'm back! Do you think that I'd miss your birthday? I even got you a really cool present from the feudal era,"
"Really? Can I open it now?" his eyes danced with excitement. Kagome held firm.
"Nope, you're just going to have to wait for it like you do with every other birthday," she taunted. Ah, the power of older-siblingness. Souta whined, wheedled and cajoled, but Kagome stood as firm as the mountain in her resolve to torment him with anticipation.
The day Kagome spent in her native era was filled with joyous laughter and much fun. The only thing that dampened her mood was the knowledge that Inuyasha would be coming to retrieve her in just a few short hours. But, not one to let something like that keep her spirits down, Kagome smiled and laughed along with the rest of her family.
Souta did indeed love her gift: a brightly shinning katana with a red wrapped hilt. Kagome had enlisted and Sesshoumaru's assistance with choosing whom to commission to make the blade. Both had agreed that Totousai would be the best to ask to make the sword. Totousai agreed to the commission, saying that it would be nice to be able to make a regular sword for once, one that held no demonic powers at all and forged from folded iron instead of a fang. And it had turned out perfectly.
Their mother warned Souta that he was never going to be allowed to use the sword, it was too dangerous. Souta rolled his eyes and saying that that was obvious, swords were banned anyways and had been since the installment of the Meiji government. He had just learned that in school.
Night fell and the house slowly ground to a standstill as the family went to sleep. Outside a pair of glowing eyes studied and pondered his course of action. A whispered spell, a gust of wind and the house contained one less person.
"So where should we start?" Yuusuke asked, "The toddler didn't exactly give us a lot of information to go on,"
Kurama smiled and held up a folder. "Correction Yuusuke, he didn't give you a lot of information. He gave me this: ALL the information on our target, so I could summarize it for you,"
"So the brat has some good ideas after all," Hiei smirked.
"Yeah, whatever, just give me the details,"
"Well, it seems that this Magician works a day job as a 'talent scout' of some kind, company unknown. Several people he has come in contact with have mysteriously gone 'missing'. Last civilian contacted, a young boy, goes by the name Higurashi,"
"Higurashi! Are you sure? The ones that live at the Sunset Shrine?" Yuusuke interrupted violently. Kurama flipped through the paper clipped pages and nodded. Hiei raised an eyebrow as the young Toushin paled. "How long ago?"
"According to the reports it was only a couple of days ago. Yuusuke, what's wrong?" The fox demanded. It was not like Yuusuke to act like this. He had not been this pale since Hiei kidnapped Keiko years ago.
The toushin did not respond. Instead, he bolted down the streets, pushing people out of his way in his rush. Kurama and Hiei exchanged glances before darting after their leader. Several streets, corners and an insanely long set of stairs later they caught up to him.
Yuusuke banged violently on the door of the Shine-keeper's house. It took a couple of minutes for someone to answer, but when it finally creaked open Kurama and Hiei were both shocked at what happened next.
The young teenage girl gasped in surprise then threw herself at the detective. Yuusuke's arms snaked around her as she slumped against him, sobbing.
"Kagome! What's wrong? What happened? Where's Souta?" he demanded as gently as he could.
:So he knows her? And the boy, too. I wonder how...: Yoko wondered.
"He – oh Yuusuke! He's gone! We can't find him anywhere. The police have been in and they can't find anything either," she cried. "Not even Inuya..." she trailed off uncomfortably.
"So there's no trace? That's it. This guy has gone too far!" he growled. "Let us in Kagome, I gotta talk to ba-chan. It's serious,"
:So, this is his cousin. Mother's side obviously. The girl has no youki about her to relate her to his father's side of the family: Yoko commented.
-Stating the obvious, fox. One would think you're getting slow in your old age,- a snide comment from Hiei.
:Oh! I resent that, pyropixy:
Stop it you two. And Kurama silenced them both.
"She's not here. Jii-chan was taken to the hospital. He couldn't take the shock. They left me here to watch the shrine in case he comes back on his own. But he hasn't!" she cried. After a few minutes she visible withdrew her sorrow into herself and plastered as welcoming smile onto her face. Turing to Kurama and Hiei she said, "Where are my manners! My name is Higurashi Kagome. I'm Yuusuke's cousin. Welcome to our Shrine," she bowed politely. Kurama bowed as well. Hiei nodded.
-Do you feel that, fox?-
What?
:She's a powerful one. I haven't felt an aura like that in centuries:
-Indeed... and she's hiding something. There's a barrier around her mind that I can't penetrate, even with my jagan,-
You can't? How'd she learn to construct a mental shield that strong?
:That, my dear alter-ego, is the question:
"Please, come in," she invited, stepping aside so that they could pass. Yuusuke hung back. After his youkai companions had found their way to the living room he gave his cousin a hug.
"How long has he been gone?" he asked.
"Two days," Kagome sniffled.
"That long?" he groaned, "Why didn't you call me?"
"I tried, but Atsuko-ba-chan told me you were out on your job,"
"Ah. Well, how have you been keeping up?"
This caused Kagome to break down again. She sobbed brokenly on her cousin's shoulder, holding on as if he were an anchor. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, the number one bad boy of Sarayashiki High, Toushin and Youkai Lord of Makai, patted his human cousin's back to comfort her.
"Uh, Yuusuke," Kurama called from the living room, "You might want to come in here. And please bring Miss Kagome,"
Kagome gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth. She had forgotten Inuyasha was still here! He had come, like promised, to retrieve her after her 24 hours was up only to stay in order to look for Souta. But he hadn't been able to find any scent that could lead them to Souta now. So, understandably he was frustrated at being thwarted. And a frustrated Inuyasha isn't a peaceful Inuyasha, by far. And he hadn't even gone back to tell Sesshoumaru why she was late.
The cousins flew into the room. A split second after seeing the currant situation Kagome was pushed behind her delinquent of a cousin. Pieces of shredded plant littered the living room. Tied up in several leafy vines was Inuyasha, spitting mad. Tessaiga was flung, sheath and all, across the room, and Inuyasha had started to transform.
"Inuyasha!" The young miko cried in shock. Inuyasha growled at the three boys, his eyes glowing a feral red.
"Get away from Kagome!" he demanded, struggling even more fiercely against his bonds. Kurama tightened their hold in response.
"Over my dead body!" Yuusuke growled. Everyone present noticed the hanyou's eyes blood red and jagged stripes growing on his cheeks.
Kagome dashed out from behind Yuusuke, running for the Tessaiga. "Let him down! Now!" she demanded, snatching up the blade. Kurama hesitated. He was obviously dangerous right now, could she not see that? Seeing that whoever was controlling the plants had no intention to listen to her she calmly, careful not to make any sudden movements, approached the Hanyou, sword in hand.
Yuusuke and Kurama both shouted warnings only to fall silent as she grabbed the nearest vine, a good ten feet from Inuyasha, and purified it to dust. Inuyasha dropped to the floor and before he could launch an attack, the word of his weakness was spoken.
"Inuyasha, sit!"
Not even a semi-transformed Inuyasha was greater than the force of multiplied gravity and the hanyou slammed forcefully face first into the tatami floor. Kagome scampered forward and thrust the Tessaiga into his hands, muttering and irritated "Brother of my brother, you gave your word,"
"Um, Kagome? Care to explain?" Yuusuke spoke up.
"Not really," she muttered, but caved under the combined looks she was receiving. "Well, you see, uh – Inuyasha here is a inu-hanyou, and when he feels particularly threatened, or backed into a corner if you will, and isn't holding the Tessaiga, this sword here, his youkai blood comes to the fore. It's sort of a last defense. He doesn't have any thoughts but to kill all those in his way. The tessaiga binds his youkai blood so that he doesn't loose control. I haven't seen it often but it's not pretty when he looses control..." she trailed off.
"Wench," growled the aforementioned hanyou as he pried his face off the floor, "Why don't you just tell them everything! That big mouth of yours is gonna get you killed one day."
"Oh just shut it Inuyasha! This is my cousin and his friends! I don't care if he thinks I'm cracked in the head. I must be, to keep working with you, even if Sesshoumaru asked you to look after me when he couldn't. But you started the fight didn't you? What have I told you about fighting here?" she yelled. The silver-haired hanyou scoffed.
"Like you could stop me. You're too weak to do anything. You're nothing like Kikyou. She is a Real Miko," And like a child he turned his nose up and away from the silently raging teenager. Fury rose off her in tangible waves and after a few silent minutes every male in the room was beginning to get worried. Yes, even the thickheaded half-breed.
Wisely, he began to panic.
"Kagome, I didn't mean that. Well, not the way it sounded..." he trailed off.
Kagome stood. Inuyasha scampered back in shock. When Kagome was mad and silent it always boded ill for his physical health.
-Pathetic half-breed-
:Defiantly don't want to be him right now:
Who's this Kikyou?
Kagome apologized and asked if they could please remain in the house while she and Inuyasha talked outside. Yuusuke moved to protest but the glare she gave him and the pure blue lightning that occasionally crackled through the air shut him up.
Inuyasha trailed after his friend, looking like he was being sentenced to the gallows. The spirit detectives heard the door slide closed.
Then the shouting began.
"What is up with you Inuyasha! How could you pick a fight in my home?" she demanded. Inuyasha growled.
"In case you haven't noticed, none of those boys are even human! Souta's gone and you're inviting three new youkai into your house! What are you? Stupid?"
"Sit! That's it Inuyasha. You've been doing nothing but complain and make my life even more difficult that it already is. Do you think that I couldn't tell that myself? Yuusuke has always felt like that and if he trusts those other two then so do I. He may be a delinquent, but he's a decent boy and he's family. MY family. And nothing you say can change that fact. You may not get along with your family all that well but I hold mine before my life!"
"Feh. Family. Who needs it," he griped. Kagome narrowed her eyes.
"Inuyasha, call me weak if you must. Compare me to Kikyou, a dead, weak miko who lives off of the souls of maidens in order to sustain a clay body and continue to walk the world of the living, I don't care. I know I'm not weak. Miroku-sama and Kaede-sama saw to training me as a Holy Miko. Sesshoumaru-kun made sure I can defeat even the highest level youkai. I don't need the constant reassurance from you that I'm good enough. You can go back to your Kikyou. See what good it does you. She cannot purify anything anymore, she is tainted with sin," Kagome growled. Inuyasha looked like he wanted to say something, but his eyes were glued to a handful of sutras she had palmed. "Go back Inuyasha," she demanded as calmly as she could.
"What! No way, wench. I'm staying right here. Sesshoumaru would torture me if you got hurt because I wasn't here," He folded his arms. Kagome took deep breaths to calm herself. They were not working.
"Go back Inuyasha. If you don't then I swear that I will say The Word until you get to Hell before Kikyou," she screamed. Inuyasha looked shocked. He had never seen Kagome so mad before. Wisely, but slowly, he conceded.
"Fine. But don't come crying to me when they turn out to be after the jewel," he snapped, storming into the well house. Kagome followed him, pulling a sutra out of a pocket. Saying a quick prayer, she slapped the spelled papers to the rim of the well effectively sealing its power. There was no way that Inuyasha could come back now, until she released the sutra and unbound the power.
"The well is sealed. The past is finite once more," Kagome stared at the plain wooden well for a moment, gathering her thoughts and calming her spirit. All through her argument with Inuyasha, her wild miko abilities were begging to come out and play. She was upset, and a hanyou was the cause. Naturally, they wanted to protect her. Inuyasha should be grateful that she had been training with Kaede and Miroku in order to gain a phenomenal amount of control. If she hadn't Inuyasha might have found himself human, purified of all his youkai blood.
Now to face her cousin.
"The stress is going to kill me," she muttered as she entered her home. She trudged down the hall and ran smack into one of the guests.
Kurama managed to catch Kagome before she fell and couldn't help but notice how light she was.
Has she not been eating?
:She is looking somewhat pale, and not a healthy pale either:
-Found a new trinket, fox?-
:Pipe down, firebrat.:
She's Yuusuke's cousin. We are only concerned for her physical well-being.
-Sure...-
"Are you alright, Miss Kagome?" Kurama asked with genuine concern. Kagome nodded and pulled away from his grasp to continue into the living room.
-And the Fox got the brush off...-
:Quiet you:
-What a blow to your ego,-
Yoko growled in Kurama's head at the small fire demon.
"So, you care to explain why you've got a inu-hanyou in your house?" Yuusuke demanded. Kagome glared.
"Yuusuke, I don't question your friends. You bring a fire youkai and a weird messed up kitsune into my home, but I haven't batted an eye," she said calmly.
:Weird messed up kitsune! The unmitigated gall:
-Sounds about right-
:Don't you start:
Oh be quiet, both of you.
"Pardon me, Miss Kagome, but how is it that you know that we are youkai?" Kurama asked.
"Because I'm a miko,"
"What does being a shrine maiden have to do with sensing youkai?" Yuusuke scratched his head. Kagome laughed nervously.
"No, not Miko: Shrine Maiden. Miko: Holy-Priestess,-gifted-by-the-Gods-with-the-Sacred-Power-to-Purify-and-Protect. Big difference. There are really very few true old-fashioned miko around anymore, and even less that are aware of and trained in their powers, so I'm not surprised you don't know the difference,"
"Hn. True miko are very rare in this era. You are the first that we have come across in quite a long time, woman," Hiei commented. Kagome nodded.
"Not surprising."
"So who is this Kikyou person that the dog was talking about?"
Kagome stiffened. "She's another miko. She died some time ago,"
"Huh," Yuusuke flopped down on a couch, "Guess she wasn't much after all,"
"It wasn't her fault she died, Yuusuke. She was the victim of a terrible plot. If it weren't for that scheming Naraku she and Inuyasha could have lived a very happy life together,"
"Well, hey! If you don't like her then why are you defending her?"
"She was a good person! Still is, to an extent. It's not that I don't like her, it's just that I HATE it when Inuyasha compares me to her! Do you know how hard it is to live in someone's shadow like that? I can never be as pretty, as smart, as powerful, or as skilled as her! If it weren't for the fact that I didn't put much in what Inuyasha has to say about myself then I'd-" she stopped abruptly. "Inuyasha's such a jerk. All he sees is the outside. We look similar and that is all. But never mind that. How did you know something happened to Souta, Yuusuke?"
"Cuz it's my job,"
