DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: This author has no financial or non-financial relation nor do they possess any right to "Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale" franchise. Full ownership of all characters is the sole intellectual property of Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter Six

It occurred to Inuyasha as he climbed the steps back up to the shrine that he had made a very, very stupid mistake by basically deciding unilaterally that someone would be adopting this little boy. In all honesty, it really had been more of a knee jerk 'save him' type of decision but it wasn't one that he necessarily regretted. If the Higuarshis said no to the whole 'adopt this strange child' idea then he'd just drop out, get some type of job and walk on to the selection process instead of being sponsored by a school.

That wouldn't be so bad.

Inuyasha's steps slowed and he swallowed thickly.

Except...except there was the possibility that the government wouldn't let an underage teenage boy with a rap sheet adopt anyone. Especially since, outside of earning a champion's title, he was pretty much unemployable.

Dammit. He never thought anything through.

How was he going to take care of a kid? It wasn't really his problem that the boy was orphaned. Children were orphaned all the time and while the orphanages weren't great, they did provide three square meals a…

But then...putting Shippo in an orphanage was basically offering him up to the wolves. It was hard to escape the mob once they got their claws into you. Shippo needed help. Money. Connections. Muscle...

"Who is that?!" came an excited squeal as Inuyasha made it to the top of the stairs and watched with no lack of alarm as Kagome came rushing over with a shit eating grin, "Oh he's adorable!" she looked to Inuyasha, "Is he a friend of yours?"

Nodding slowly, Inuyasha set the boy down and watched wearily as Kagome began to coo over the little boy who immediately clung to Inuyasha's leg like a lifeline. Which was a weird situation over all. Inuyasha had never really been kind to the brat before, well, now and he wasn't exactly the generous type. It could very well be some grief and hurt fueled way of doing…

Something? Treating someone the way he'd hoped someone would've treated him as a kid? Or now? How many nights have he stayed up as a brat himself and prayed that someone would swoop in to save him from the hell he was living in? Sure, his mom loved him but Mother had lived in poverty because of something he did. She couldn't get a job or decent medical care because of her affiliation with her son. One look at the name and...

This wasn't about him. Or Mother. This was about a happy little kid who was sometimes a little shit but deserved to remain a happy little kid. Shippo hadn't done anything wrong. Didn't deserve the cards he'd been dealt. The Brothers would've beat the sweetness out of him and…

"You want to come with me? My brother just got some really nice toys and has been wanting me to play with him but I'm just so old," Kagome asked warmly as she held out her hand, "And my Mama just made some cookies. Too many cookies. She needs someone to help her eat them."

"What kinda cookies?" Shippo asked meekly as he peeked out his head and Kagome's smile widened.

"Chocolate chip and peanut butter," she offered in a sing song tone. A pause and then she glanced up at a weary looking Inuyasha like she was looking for the answer to an unspoken question. Whatever she was looking for she found because her face softened momentarily with what looked like affection as Shippo suddenly took her hand and waited with restrained excitement for her to take him to sweets.

A few minutes later and they were all in the kitchen and by all, I mean all. Sango seemed to be the most curious and yet the most understanding about the situation. Miroku seemed skeptical. Kagome…

Kagome seemed genuinely excited to have gained someone she quickly began referring to as a little brother. A subtle comment that didn't fall beneath a somewhat rattled Inuyasha's notice.

Well more than a little rattled. This whole situation and his decision making so very much unlike him that it had him questioning his own identity.

It was just…

No one cared what happened to kids like him and Shippo. For all its propaganda about taking care of Capital citizens, the truth was far more bleak and the criminal underground…

Well it was alive and kicking and the headquarters was based in Cheapside where even the law enforcement officials wouldn't go.

Some of his peers had been are motivated to join one of several gangs for a sense of connection or to define a new sense of who they are. Others were motivated by peer pressure, a need to protect themselves and their family, or to make money. Some were like Shippo. Orphaned and afraid of the orphanages that were rumored to just be work camps. A gang like the Brothers offered a way to avoid what was potentially a bad life for a bad life that was familiar. Most likely Shippo had been acting as a scout when fate intervened and a emotional hurting insane teenager appeared and discovered he had a stupid overriding instinct to protect people.

An instinct that might…

"Inuyasha can I speak to you?" Mama's voice asked sweetly as the woman who was undoubtedly just as observant and empath inclined gestured for them to move into the other room. A request that didn't seem like one he could refuse.

Taking a shuddering breath, Inuyasha nodded once and began moving - his sensitive ears picking up the sound of Kagome's and Shippo's laughter overlapping.

"That's…your old neighbor, correct? I remember your mother mentioning them," Mama began quietly - her eyes strangely defeated and sympathetic, "Are his parents…"

Shrugging non-commitally, Inuyasha set his jaw, squared his shoulders and glared at this stranger who acted like she was best friends with his very dead mother. Inuyasha wasn't sure what bothered him more. The fact that his mother never mentioned knowing anyone or the fact that this woman was acting like he was someone familiar or even the fact that Mother had connections with someone wealthy enough to save her life and yet didn't...

Mama sighed, nodded once and patted him on the shoulder.

"I'll make the calls. You don't need to worry about anything sweetheart," Mama murmured with a creepy amount of warmth before she walked back into the room and joined her daughter in bathing the small boy in motherly affection.

Meanwhile Inuyasha remained in the room watching what was happening, what those two had done without question and being entirely confused yet infinitely relieved. Maybe, just maybe, the whole weird touching violation situation truly was just a giant misunderstanding or something. Could be this woman just liked touching people and it went against her very nature to hold back. And each time she touched him she had been trying to be helpful in a backwards ass way. It wasn't like Kagome was intentionally trying to hurt him.

Still needed to respect boundaries though.

Inuyasha let out a soft resigned sigh and moved to lean on the doorframe. Frowning at the sight of Kagome coming back into the room with some paper and used crayons for the new addition to the household to use, an ugly thought occurred to him.

Shit.

Just…just shit.

He had to join their team now, didn't he? Even though it was his idea in the first place, there had to be some kinda condition where he either joined the team or Shippo would go right back to the streets. He was trapped really. Screwed. Royally.

He really needed to work on his impulse control.

"I know she hasn't made the best impression so far," Sango's voice suddenly offered from far too close a distance and Inuyasha barely repressed his jump, "None of us have really. I don't want you to feel like this situation with, um, Sh…"

"Shippo," Inuyasha grunted quietly and Sango nodded once.

"With Shippo is contingent on your joining us," she finished quietly, "She applied to adopt me this fall but so far, she's only gotten a fostering permit and I believe she's working on getting one for Miroku as well. Children of heritage site owners get government financial aid for school and I think that's why they're making her jump through hoops for us but with Shippo that won't be an issue."

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose once at that and cricked his neck.

"I had a family. I don't want another," Inuyasha replied acidly and Sango chewed on her bottom lip, "Shippo…"

"Could've ended up like my brother. You saved that little one from that type of life," Sango supplied knowingly before adding with a despondent sigh, "I'm just saying…"

"Your brother joined a gang?" Inuyasha asked with mild surprise and Sango laughed softly.

"Not so much as joined as was born into one," she corrected bitterly, "After our parents died, I was able to sever my ties but Kohaku wasn't so lucky. Last I heard he was still living in Sakimi with some of the Family. He says they aren't pressuring him to do anything yet but..."

Nodding in understanding, Inuyasha blew out his cheek and sighed, "Shippo was recruited by a group called the Brothers but he was by himself so I don't…"

"They never send out small ones without supervision. You sure you weren't followed?" Sango asked suddenly as she subtly moved to glance out the window and frowned, "I need to get Miroku. He was napping last I…"

Where and what Miroku was doing was made quite obvious as his very distinctive voice could suddenly be heard outside.

"How can I help you fine gentlemen?"

Before anyone else could react, two faint pops sounded off followed by a resounding explosion that shook the foundation of the house and shifted the crannies so that dust rained down atop their heads.

"Stay here," Inuyasha hissed as he quickly made his way towards the door, "Get further in."

"We just want the boy or to get back what we're owed. He's racked up quite a debt these past few months," called a cruel smooth voice that could be heard clear as day despite the distance, "Room. Board. Child care costs."

Taking a deep breath, Inuyasha left the shrine home. His footsteps echoing off the polished tile of the courtyard amidst worried murmurs and the sound of tourists making a beeline towards the exit.

Three. Amber eyes flicked around the courtyard as Inuyasha manifested a sword with a flick of his wrist. No. Five. Two women. Three men.

Inuyasha set his jaw a few times as he racked his brain to place the faces. He recognized one of the Brothers which didn't bode well. The ugly one wasn't the face of the organization but he was as dangerous a naturopath as his brother. The two animorphs - one toad, one insect - were unfamiliar but Inuyasha imagined they were the true muscle of this ambush. It wasn't like the ugly Brother was going to dirty his hands. And then there was the final woman. To be honest, she was the one who turned his stomach.

"Get back inside," Inuyasha hissed to Miroku as he came to stand beside the young man who seemed all too collected in the face of a group of individuals who would have no issue killing them all and burning the house down to the ground. People who didn't live in that world just didn't understand. There were entire swatches of Cheapside that were basically ruins thanks to these bastards. More than a dozen disappearances each quarter and one group who proudly took credit. They charged protection fees to the few businesses that existed and were always eager to loan someone money at an insane interest rate. You either paid them back in cash, in kind or you, your family and your dog would randomly disappear never to be heard from again. The money they had to spare primarily came from trafficking sex and drugs.

They were dangerous. They had influence. And even though they were in a rich area of town, Inuyasha would be his left leg that the police had already been paid to not interfere with a 'debt collection' effort.

Training might've been…

Letting out a steadying breath, Inuyasha tried to measure up his opponents.

To his right was a young woman, maybe twenty in age, who oozed a sexual confidence that had Inuyasha feeling…rather uncomfortable. Not that he was a prude or anything but seeing a very pretty woman wearing an extremely revealing spandex dress that left nothing to the imagination in this situation wasn't a turn on. If anything her confidence was terrifying. Not one ounce of protective gear and lacking any visible scars meant a lot of things. The way she smirked, winked and licked her lips made him feel a little sick. She was dangerous. She was powerful. And all of who she appeared to be meant she liked to play with her food. A black widow certain of victory.

The Brother to his left felt equally threatening in a very different way. Large and rotund and somewhat misshapen his unnervingly insecure stance felt more superficial than anything. The weapon he bore wasn't anything modern which meant he was completely confident in his ability to inflict injury without having to resort to something as common as bullets. Which made sense. Electricity was a deadly element and if that truly was the ugly Brother, not a mimic, things were likely to go South quickly.

The toad looked like, well, what you would imagine a large man-sized toad to be and thus most likely had a wicked tongue. The insect-like woman had far too many eyes and an extra set of arms but she seemed relatively harmless outside of her fangs. Appearances, of course, could be deceiving.

And then, of course, the man before him with the largest sword Inuyasha had ever seen and a smirk to match. His long braid with bejeweled adornments making it clear he was, at a minimum, high ranking. The casual relaxed stance reeked of presumed victory.

Which begged the question…

Were they really here for only Shippo or were they hoping to collect a bigger prize?

"We take payment in kind, you know," the sexually charged woman suddenly cooed as she gave Inuyasha a suggestive smirk, "You're the one who wants to protect him. If you want a release, I'd be more than happy to offer an alternative arrangement Inuyasha. I've had my eyes on you for a long, long time."

The sideways glance Miroku gave him didn't help Inuyasha's nerves in the slightest although there was something weirdly possessive in the look that a part of him appreciated.

To an extent.

Breathing shakily through his nose, Inuyasha tried to plot out what exactly would happen even if he managed to drive them off. They'd come back. They'd hurt innocent people. They'd…

Jaw trembling ever so slightly, Inuyasha was about to open his mouth to try and negotiate when the girl who was quickly becoming the bane of his existence suddenly rushed out of some back entrance and in a feat of incomprehensible stupidity, managed to turn the corner directly into the arms of the deceptively strong disfigured member of the ambush team.

'Oh you dumb bitch…'

It literally took everything Inuyasha had in him - combined with the strange yet continued desire to protect Shippo - not to roll his eyes. At least the other woman had the good sense to stay inside and act as a final obstacle just in case one of these assholes broke through.

"Give us the boy and we'll give you back the girl."

"Counter. You leave and I don't kill you dead," Inuyasha hissed as he flicked his wrist and a large intimidating sword flared to life….

Which…didn't have the effect Inuyasha was hoping for. Not one iota of fear or apprehension. Not even so much as an ounce of concern or a nervous laugh.

It was so much worse.

They smirked. Not a 'fake it til you make it' smirk but a 'you poor sweet child' type of expression.

"Fine. We'll take them both then," the strangely blob-like man chuckled darkly as the scantily clad woman with a severe bob stepped forward and…did spirit fingers for some inexplicable reason.

"The hell you…"

In less than a second, something invisible wrapped around Inuyasha's throat and pulled taut - cutting off his supply of air and causing thin lines of blood to bubble against the unseen bindings. Miroku took seemed to be in a similar situation although Inuyasha couldn't say for certain. It was hard to focus on anything except...

A loud whistle cut through the courtyard and whatever was cutting off his circulation slacked.

"But I'm not done playing," the scantily clad woman pouted as the others began heading away, "Why..."

Panting for breath, several thoughts occurred to Inuyasha in quick succession. First and foremost, Sango had been right. As had everyone else. Going it alone was not an option. One fight and he'd been taken down to his knees. Two, wouldn't those assholes just come back? Three, that was awful convenient. Too convenient.

Closing his eyes, Inuyasha tried to listen to the distant conversation over the erratic beating of his own heart. Something about how the shrine was off limits. How he was off limits? But why...

Why would either of those times be...

"Are you okay?" Kagome's worried voice drifted into his mind - the skin on his neck tingling in response to the heat from the hand hovering just over the wound, "I..."

"They'll be back," Inuyasha ground out as he pushed himself up and glared at the staircase, "I...I should've just..." nostrils flaring he shook his head, "This was a mistake. I never should have..."

"Let's just calm down and go back inside," Kagome tried to soothe - her hands continuing to hover near him as she clearly fought against her nature to avoid touching him, "You did something really nice for that little boy. We'll protect him. We will."

"Sure you will," Inuyasha hissed angrily, "Bet you money they're just waiting until we leave to get into the house and fuck shit up."

"I agree," Sango suddenly interjected as she entered the courtyard and frowned, "People like that aren't the forgiving type and Inuyasha stole something that was theirs."

"So...what do we do?" Kagome asked worriedly.

"Well, right now, we should go eat something..." Miroku offered as he turned his wrists to inspect his own deep oozing cuts, "Take care of our injuries."

"Sounds..."

"Wait. Wait," Kagome interrupted urgently - her eyes focused on Inuyasha's shoulder, "You've still got a hair on you."

"I have a what?"

"Hair. That woman was manipulating her hair," Kagome mumbled like it was obvious and having to explain the obvious was distracting, "Or someone's hair. Kinda gross."

"A manifest?" Inuyasha asked quietly as he turned his head and tried to see whatever it was that Kagome was seeing.

"Maybe. She said she knew you," Kagome hummed as she awkwardly plucked the hair off his shoulders - doing her best not to touch him, "I...ouch!"

Without warning the hair pulled leaving a cut on the pads of Kagome's fingers. To the girl's credit though, she didn't release and instead grabbed the strand with her other hand and held down tight so blood began dripping.

"There? See," Kagome breathed as she glanced up at a perturbed Inuyasha, "Cut it."

"That's stupid. Why would I do that?" Inuyasha scoffed before glancing at the others who were widely staying out of this conversation.

"Because the situation is weird and I don't think it's a coincidence that she left a hair on you. One that she's still using seeing as how it cut me," Kagome pointed out and Inuyasha set his jaw.

"Why can you see it and not us?" Inuyasha asked curtly instead of doing what was requested. Kagome scowled.

"Does it matter?"

"Yeah it matters. That makes no sense," Inuyasha hissed while Miroku approached to inspect the invisible hair being slowly coated in crimson droplets, "And why would she leave a hair on me anyway?"

"I don't know. Maybe she can listen through..."

Inuyasha scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Are you seriously suggesting that bitch is listening through a strand of..."

"We need to take precautions. They came for that little boy. It's better to be paranoid than sorry," Kagome clipped defensively before huffing and holding the strand up to Sango, "Since he's useless, will you just cut it?"

"I don't think they came for Shippo," Sango murmured quietly before reaching into her pocket and fishing out a pocket knife, "I think they hoped they could get their hooks in Inuyasha."

That comment definitely offended Inuyasha. Especially since they were talking like he wasn't even there.

"Like I'd go..."

"Whether fair or not, you have killed someone before," Sango pointed out before using her knife to cut the strand cleanly through, "We're probably not the only ones who know what happens when you're hurt."

"A setup," Miroku sighed heavily and Sango nodded once.

"So...what do we do?" Kagome asked wearily, "If they were really after..."

"I'm. Right. Here," Inuyasha finally snapped, "Stop talking like I'm not."

The three teenagers had the good grace to look ashamed.

"Well then whats your plan?" Kagome finally asked - one subtly glowing finger running along her injured palm causing the wound to slowly heal, "Because we have to go back after break. We can't just stay here."

For the longest time, everyone was quiet before Inuyasha finally snorted and shrugged.

"I could take them. I had the situation under control," he huffed cockily, "Worst case I just kill them. No big deal."

"I-I don't...wait, I'm sorry. I must have hallucinated. Did you say you'd kill them?"

"You got any better ideas?" Inuyasha hissed at the horrified looking young woman, "This is my mess. I gotta accept the consequences."

"Saving a little boy isn't..."

"They'll want to send a message," Sango suddenly spoke up - her voice strained and taut, "Show that it's not easy to walk away. That there's a cost involved."

"Thank you for stating the obvious," Inuyasha groaned sarcastically, "Real helpful."

Sango sent him a withering glare before making a face and setting then resetting her jaw.

"Tell us what you know about the people you saw. Did you recognize them?"

Inuyasha shrugged.

"There's not much to tell. The Brothers run most of Cheapside, " Inuyasha sighed, "So..."

"Who runs uptown? Do you know?" Sango interjected, "That might be why they left. Attacking on someone else's turf could cause a war."

This time it was Miroku who pointed out the obvious.

"If they were afraid of that, they wouldn't have come here in the first place."

"I..."

As the argument continued and tension ran high, Inuyasha had to admit that he appreciated how quickly these people had defaulted to "ride or die" level of friendship. He had just brought a gang's wrath down upon their head and instead of kicking him to the curb or getting made at him, these morons were just rolling with it.

Maybe, just maybe, these idiots weren't so bad. What they lacked in common sense they made up for in loyalty. They cared. About him. About Shippo. About each other. Would they get themselves killed over it one day? Probably but...

"We'll just need to keep our wits about us," Miroku sighed and it was then that Inuyasha realized he'd zoned out the conversation, "And wait it out."

A short distance away, a few blocks at most, the scantily clad woman was still complaining at having to leave empty handed.

"You could have at least let me have the head," she whined prettily, "I wanted his hair for my collection."

"And his body no doubt, ey Yura?" the toad giggled - his webbed fingers rubbing his large stomach, "That girl looked yummy too. Bet she tastes divine."

"Well I'm certain Brother has a reason for telling us to back off," the disfigured lump of a man hummed with a roll of his shoulders, "Maybe he has a better..."

Before he could finish his sentence, something sliced cleanly through his thick neck and his head rolled to the ground. His hands moving of their own accord to grope at the open wound on his neck before the reflex died with him and he crumpled to the ground.

Chaos ensued shortly thereafter. One by one the villains were picked off while civilians walked by like the carnage and screams were invisible to their naked eyes.

In less than thirty seconds, only two remained. The toad whimpered pathetically and cowered before the young woman with crimson eyes and a ornate fan.

"Remind Hiten that there is no crime in the Capital," the teenager sighed in a bored yet cruel voice while the toad bowed low and sobbed for mercy.

"W-we were simply retrieving what was..."

"There is no crime in the Capital," the woman repeated as her eyes flashed, "Especially in broad daylight. Do you understand?"

The toad flinched and continued mumbling excuses.

"There is no crime in the Capital," she repeated coldly, "Remind Hiten or my father will send hellfire instead of just a head."

"Yes. Yes we get it," Yura breathed irritably - disturbingly unperturbed by the three corpses laying around her, "Stick to the shadows."

Bored and very done with this stupid errand, Kagura nodded once as a little girl with white hair showed herself - a shimmering barrier emanating off her in waves. Why no one had noticed suddenly became clear.

"Now go. You're wasting my time," Kagura ordered and without so much as another look back, the two minions began scrambling down the side walk.

"How many men does it take to send a message?" Kagura suddenly hummed as she glanced down at her sister whose small mirror began to glow.

"One."