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 Seven

'We've just been given notice that our boots on the ground, Terry Sanchez, has more on this breaking development. Terry?'

'Yes. I'm here at the corner of Burgundy and Bienville where a fire broke out in an abandoned warehouse last night sometime between the hours of three and four am. As you can see, the fire has now spread across four square blocks and evacuation efforts have thankfully prevented any casualties. The property damage, however, is quite extensive.'

'Has anyone said what started the blaze?'

'Ah. As you know Tom, this story is developing and as we get more information we'll, uh, of course, uh release it to the public...'

Inuyasha's lips twitched upwards into a smirk at the clear annoyance in the reporter's voice. Annoyance which, naturally, had to do with the fact that the fire broke out in Cheapside in a government owned warehouse. Terry over here was trying to straddle the thin line between reporting the news and appeasing the overly sensitive propaganda machine. It was also interesting that the 'before' pictures they were showing had to be from well over fifty years ago. Pristine apartment towers lacking any sign that the area was dangerous. No graffiti. No bars on the windows. At least one of the pictures included pretty storefronts that Inuyasha had never seen and were clearly painted into the frame to make the area look more normal.

"And so the Capital takes care of its citizens," Inuyasha muttered to himself - folding his arms across his chest and sinking lower onto the couch. As the newscast continued, desensitized amber eyes watched as the camera panned to dozens of families being loaded onto trucks that would be taking them to god knows where. A few of the faces were vaguely familiar but others he...

"Why didn't you go with the others to the mall?" Mama's quiet voice asked as she stood in the door frame and clasped her hands, "It should be safe. The officers said they apprehended the individuals who..."

Inuyasha scoffed and gestured towards the television.

"I think the government did a little more than arrest them," Inuyasha opined wearily, "Wouldn't you say?"

To be completely honest, Inuyasha was aiming to start a fight by saying something controversial and far fetched. Why? He honestly had no clue. Maybe because he felt guilty and sick to his stomach about having put this woman, her family and her livelihood in jeopardy. Maybe because she and all his new 'friends' honestly thought the government was there to protect them. Or, at least, they thought...

Inuyasha didn't even know. They were all tiptoeing around him and being understanding to a nauseating degree. Maybe he was trying to pick a fight because he wanted someone to yell at him. To punish him. For someone to realize how insane he was being.

He sank further into the couch cushions more miserable than ever.

Glancing at the 'continued coverage', Mama sighed and folded her arms across her chest.

"You need to be more careful about what you say," Mama murmured affectionately - the tone making Inuyasha bristle in disgust, "You never know who might be watching. Might be listening. Inside these walls, it's okay to make comments like that but to suggest the government burned down entire city blocks to send a message? People have disappeared for less. You know they have."

Setting his jaw, Inuyasha was hard pressed not to respond to that. Mostly because that was the last thing he expected to hear from someone like her. The last thing he expected her to think. Except it was wrong. The Brothers had been the ones snatching up whatever poor asshole pissed them off. Not the government. Still, not once had he ever met someone from this side of town who admitted there were problems. Who acknowledged that things weren't perfect inside the Capital and that their government wasn't infalible.

Letting out a shaky sigh, Inuyasha made a face and ground out, "I was joking stupid."

"I wasn't. Just be more careful. Jokes are all well and good until someone gets hurt."

Amber eyes flicked towards the woman giving him a worried strange kind of look before turning back towards the television report. Honestly Inuyasha didn't know what to say. Especially when the woman sat down and watched the news coverage with a look bordering on disgust. Every once in a while the reporter would make some statement or some eye witness would give their account. Each time Mama would make some face or gesture like she was having a silent conversation.

"You, uh, okay there?" Inuyasha asked - visibly uncomfortable with whatever mental breakdown this unfamiliar woman was experiencing.

"Oh. Yes dear. Just thinking is all," Mama hummed - her expression smoothing out as she nodded towards the latest interview - a middle aged woman who Inuyasha did recognize. She had arrived shortly before he left for school but for the life of him, he couldn't remember her name or why she'd been...

"You have a point. It does seem these individuals they're interviewing have been cherry picked," Mama added almost as an afterthought, "Given similar lines your mother and I were given way back when they let us in."

"In where?"

When Inuyasha merely looked confused, Mama paled slightly and there was a moment of panic behind her eyes.

"In...to the hospital," she amended quickly, "You and Kagome were born a few months apart so we ran into each other a lot at appointments and we just...kept in touch."

Opening then closing his mouth several times, Inuyasha had so many questions he didn't even know where to start. Her statement was borderline nonsensical. Strung together on a hope and a prayer that he would forget those words had ever been spoken.

"Mother never mentioned any friends. She wasn't from here," he finally settled on as the television programming shifted to the weather. Mama seemed to relax somewhat.

"No. No she wasn't," Mama offered cryptically - her smile sad and distant.

Again, that answer only gave rise to more questions.

"Mother said she came from outside the habitable zone," he replied quietly, "My father brought her back."

Mama relaxed somewhat and laughed.

"So you do know then," she sighed wearily, "We actually met, her and I, on the plane ride over and roomed together while they examined us."

The odd woman paused and then seemed to momentarily panic when Inuyasha couldn't hide his momentary flash of surprise quick enough.

"Ah. Well, the cats out of the bag," Mama sighed shakily. She paused and let out a shaky sigh when Inuyasha turned his full attention towards her - his expression neutral but his eyes hurt yet curious.

"There are other countries outside of this one," Mama offered slowly, "Each with their own problems and their own people. Your mother and I made the choice to leave the world we knew behind for love. Neither of us ever regretted that choice."

Amber eyes wavered slightly and Mama offered him a sympathetic smile.

"So..." Inuyasha swallowed thickly, "So you two were friends because you were outsiders?"

"Well, they were very clear that we weren't to acknowledge each other but...but we found a way around it," Mama acknowledged with a melancholy sigh, "Our husbands ran in similar circles. Our babies were the same ages. It made sense that we'd be friends outside of our mutual background so I think the powers that be overlooked it. For a time. After your father died, we had to make adjustments. Point being, just be careful. There's a lot you don't know."

The more this woman talked the more he realized how very little he knew about his mother. Broad strokes only but no specifics. Nothing about how she came here or where she was from. Not so much as one casual mention of a friend. Maybe she was trying to protect him. That would be her move. Shelter him from bad things as much as she was able. Protect him from what she could...

'Now back to our continued coverage of the Bienville fires...'

Sighing softly, sapphire eyes watched through the kitchen window as Inuyasha adjusted himself again the base of their 'sacred' tree and continued to feign sleep. No coat. Just a short sleeved white shit and a pair of grey sweat pants. Hair in a high pony tail. Presumably freezing to death. Definitely staring given that he'd missed both lunch and dinner. Mama wouldn't say whether something had happened while they were out which made Kagome believe something did happen and maybe her mother just didn't realize...

But no one sat alone in the dark adopting an 'I'm alone in the universe and no one loves me' pose without cause. And it was highly likely his being utterly miserable was her fault.

Humming to herself, Kagome tucked a few flyaway hairs behind her ears before turning to grab a few things that she hoped he'd accept. Inuyasha probably didn't want to talk to her for completely fair and justified reasons but still...

It broke her heart to see someone so miserable.

"He said he wanted to be left alone. You need to respect his wishes," Miroku sighed heavily as he watched Kagome kneel down in front of the large cedar chest and start rifling through the various quilts. When the girl refused to acknowledge him, the ebony haired youth set his jaw and something in his expression seemed to catch the attention of Sango.

"Kagome," Miroku began softly - something almost tangible thrumming within his voice that had Sango giving him a suspicious side-eyed glare, "Are you a time traveler?"

Kagome huffed, sat back on her heels and pressed her hands firmly against her ears as she began singing as loudly as she could. Miroku smirked and talked louder.

"Because I absolutely see you in..."

"We don't influence our friends," Sango suddenly hissed as she quickly moved to whack the back of her friend's head. Miroku had the good grace to look mildly chagrined but mainly he looked mildly offended. Very mildly.

"Did it ever occur to you that I am simply interested in our dear friend?" Miroku scoffed before he smirked and added, "Perhaps I was simply overcome imagining her kneeling before me for an entirely..."

"Pervert!" Sango snapped as she whacked him again a little harder, "I have half a mind to..."

Kagome found the quilt she wanted and piled in into her lap while Sango continued to rake Miroku over the coals. Yes, every empath was a snowflake and how each ability manifested was different but surely, surely Miroku had some other way to get someone under his control. Flirting someone into submission had to be the creepiest trigger on the planet. Once the object of his attentions had the inevitable visceral reaction to his gross comments and cringeworthy attempts at flirting, Miroku could make them see whatever he wanted them to see. Make them believe whatever he wanted them to believe. Supposedly it was only through perverted comments that this was accomplished but more likely, he hadn't tried a more palatable method. Although...it begged the question as to how he learned that perverted comments got that result. Maybe he had tried...

"Turnabout is fair play. I was doing nothing more than what she has done," Miroku huffed defensively. Kagome flinched at the reminder.

"Two wrongs don't make a right," Sango hissed albeit with a faint blush, "We don't influence our friends."

"Why is it that I am being punished whereas I was the only one who was upset when she influenced Inuyasha, hm?" Miroku countered, "I'm being victimized due to the nature of my gift."

"You call perverted comments a gift?!"

"Ha! I was correct," Miroku humphed triumphantly before laying his hand over his heart and sighing, "I'm so misunderstood. It is not my fault that I must resort to such measures to..."

"You shouldn't be trying to influence friends at all," Sango interrupted before sighing and looking at Kagome while adding reluctantly, "And neither should you. Both of you are wrong for that."

For a moment there was a somewhat tense silence before a Miroku sighed heavily and addressed Kagome directly, "Inuyasha wants to be left alone tonight. Leave him be."

"What did I just say!? We. Don't. Influence. Our. Friends," Sango huffed, "This, right here, is why we're the only friends you have."

"I was doing no such thing! That was a request! Nothing more," Miroku teased with a smirk in his tone, "Besides I am quite popular thank you very much. The people. They love me."

"The reason you're single then," Sango countered and with a roll of the eyes, Miroku shrugged while muttering 'that's fair.'

Sighing heavily as the pair continued their argument, Kagome collected the heavy green quilt in her arms before heading towards the front door. She could tell Inuyasha had noticed her approach by the sight of his ears reflexively flicking towards her. The fact that he didn't move or otherwise react gave her a little confidence. If he truly wanted to be left alone, he very easily could have started to get away. Instead he was simply remaining where he was and...

"Hey," Kagome murmured - stopping a good yard away from his defeated looking form, "I know being here isn't easy and that a lot has happened but...but I didn't want you to freeze."

She paused and moved a little closer with the blanket outstretched. Amber eyes flicked up towards her face then down at the blanket.

"I'm fine."

Kagome sighed.

"Inuyasha, it's freezing out here," she insisted as she shook the blanket slightly like trying to entice a cat to play with a toy, "Please take the blanket."

He did not.

"I said I'm fine."

"Well I'm not going inside until you take the blanket," Kagome hmphed as she quickly got down and sat cross legged with the quilt in her lap. Inuyasha didn't respond or leave but instead remained exactly where he was. The result was an awkward silence as the sounds of the city and voices from inside the house echoed around the otherwise quiet courtyard. Finally, Kagome decided that she was causing more problems than she was solving and so, with a understanding sigh, she stood.

"Well you might not care about being cold but I care if you're cold," she offered softly as she unfolded the blanket and clumsily draped it around his shoulders, "There. Now I feel better."

A clawed hand gripped the edge of the blanket and pulled it so it covered his chest more fully. Nodding once to herself in satisfaction, Kagome turned to head back when Inuyasha's strangely timid voice spoke up.

"Since you're already out here, you want to practice on me?" he mumbled - his voice cracking slightly at irregular intervals.

"I'm sorry, what?"

When she glanced over her shoulder, she found Inuyasha had averted his eyes and his ears were drooping.

"You know," he cleared his throat, "For training purposes. Control my emotions or whatever it was you did."

"R-right now?"

He nodded once and after another moment's confusion, Kagome's eyes softened in understanding.

"I think we should wait for training until tomorrow," she began slowly even as she turned and walked back towards the tree. Sitting down next to him, she pulled her knees up against her chest and rested her chin atop them, "But I'll stay out here with you if you want."

"Your choice. M'not asking you to," he huffed with feigned indifference, "Just was thinking how much time you wasted today. What were you even doing?"

"Buying a few last minute presents," Kagome explained as she scratched the bridge of her nose, "And some things for school. New shoes. Some extra gym shirts."

"Must be nice," Inuyasha commented - not meaning it to be the insult or judgment call it sounded like being. Kagome sighed softly and nodded for lack of something better to say.

"Tomorrow we can start training. Maybe over breakfast you can tell us a little more about your empathic ability," she offered as she gave him a reassuring little side smile, "See if we can figure out..."

"You already know what I know," he interrupted with a defeated sigh, "There's nothing more to tell."

Opening her mouth to reply, Kagome found herself shivering instead and pulling her knees a little closer. It was her own damn fault she was cold. Not putting on a jacket and only wearing some thin black leggings with an oversized sweatshirt which did nothing to keep the wind out. But it was probably fair for her to suffer a little given everything. Probably...

"Stupid. If you're cold you should've said something," Inuyasha suddenly huffed at the same time the blanket was suddenly being shared. Without really thinking, Inuyasha wrapped one arm around her waist and dragged her close enough so there wasn't a giant gap in the blanket before...

Letting go and reaching up to pull the blanket a little closer.

"You touched me," Kagome breathed and Inuyasha sent her a confused glance.

"Yeah, and?"

"I thought you couldn't touch me without you know...issues," she continued - feeling rather stupid for apparently misunderstanding. Inuyasha had a similar expression on his face.

"I...you were too stupid to bring a jacket," he finally muttered by way of explanation, "Since you're too stupid to leave, didn't want you to freeze to death. S'no big deal."

Pulling her side of the blanket up to her neck, Kagome hummed once.

"Well thanks," she laughed softly - deciding that the issue wasn't worth pressing at the moment. Maybe it had something to do with her and whether she was consciously using her abilities. Or maybe they'd just unlocked some great secret but had lost the key in the process. It was enough for the moment, however, that Inuyasha wasn't acting like he hated her and Kagome would gladly accept that small victory.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" Inuyasha asked after a long moment as he rolled his shoulders and shifted his hips to get more comfortable, "Is there a plan?"

Kagome sighed happily and nodded once.

"Well, allegedly, a magical teleporter brings presents on Redemption Day so I imagine we'll each have a gift set up the tree with our name on it in the morning," she began with a soft chuckle before adding, "It's something my mom made up when I was small to make us behave. When we were smaller, she'd have us set out a pint of beer which changed to tea after my father died."

"Grass and water," Inuyasha offered - casting her a cautious look, "We left grass and water. My mom told me..."

A shuddering sigh and a watery laugh.

"She told me it was a man and his flying horse," Inuyasha finished - chewing his bottom lip for a moment before adding with a sad little smile, "Some grass for some candy. Not really a fair trade."

"Well...beer, tea, grass?" Kagome offered sagely, "To be honest, I think we got the raw end of the deal."

Inuyasha's lips twitched upwards as he pulled the blanket a little higher.

"I..."

"Speaking of gifts, what do you think your mom got you?" Kagome asked suddenly and Inuyasha tensed - his fledging good mood crumpling to ash.

"It wasn't meant to be special. Just a care package," he admitted - his tone impassive and dismissive, "I'm sure it's socks or something stupid."

Given how concerned and protective Inuyasha had been over that package, Kagome had a feeling it could be something as mundane as grass and he'd probably hold onto it forever. It was the last thing his mother had ever given him. For all his gruffness and attempts to stay distant, Inuyasha had very obviously and very clearly established how very deeply he had loved his mother. How much he still loved her.

Thankfully, even though her heart cracked, Kagome didn't miss a beat.

"How dare you?" Kagome chided playfully - hoping to lighten the mood, "You can never have too many socks. What are you trying to do? Damn yourself to a life without socks? That's a villain's origin story if you ask me."

Inuyasha snorted once despite himself.

"You're an idiot."

"Kind of you to notice," Kagome laughed softly and Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Truth be told, he had absolutely no idea how he'd gotten in this situation and the fact that he didn't know bothered him immensely. Not the whole staying with rich strangers situation. That could be explained away by his being a sad, pathetic person who didn't want to be alone living off stale Doritos. It was more...well, the sharing a blanket with an admittedly pretty girl because seeing her cold caused something inside his already fragile mind to snap.

She was cold.

He had blanket.

Blanket is warm.

Share the blanket.

In the span of roughly five seconds, he saw a problem and fixed it like he ran on autopilot. To make things worse, he'd broken his own 'no touching' rule to accomplish...whatever goal his mind had come up with. And now he was sharing things he never told anyone and...

Point being, he didn't know what was happening and he didn't particularly like where this was going. Not that he wanted it to stop per se. He would admit - begrudgingly - that he liked her proximity and feeling the warmth radiating off her body. He liked whatever floral perfume she was wearing and hearing the steady beating of her heart. He liked those aspects of the situation. A little too much honestly and that was what bothered him. The last thing he needed was to catch feelings for someone. It was all he could do to remember the batshit things she'd done up until this point.

They could be friends. That would be fine. But anything more than that? No way in...

"Well, I'm glad we had this talk" Kagome finally added before letting out a content sigh, "I've never met someone else who did things like that. It's nice to know I'm not the only one. Makes me happy.

Blushing faintly, Inuyasha chewed on his bottom lip and nodded in lieu of replying further. Friends. They could be friends. For the next hour or so, the pair sat in comfortable silence looking up at the stars, around the shrine and on occasion at each other. It was an odd start to a friendship to be sure but it had been an odd series of events thus far and Inuyasha had to admit...

Kagome wasn't all that bad.