A/N: Like always I absolutely love your reviews! So thank you so much! ^.^
o.O.o
Chapter Thirty-three, The Return
It was a chilly September morning when Chiharu finally relented and followed her almost frantic sister through the well. After stuffing the last of her belongings in Kagome's yellow backpack, she changed into the red-and-white Miko garb she always wore. It was still early and a soft mist covered the grounds, swallowing greens of the leaves of the underbrushes and the grasses. The shrine-door stood ajar and creaked when the two sisters pushed past it and Chiharu hesitated on the last step, peering intently at the ancient well.
"Chiharu-chan?" Kagome slowly asked, pushing her dark raven hair out of her face.
"Yes, I'm sorry Onee-sama, I'm okay."
Kagome nodded, adjusted her red scarf and jumped into the well. The warm pale radiance that engulfed her after dropping off the edge of the ancient well, was a welcome reprieve and she sighed gratefully when the solid dirt gently appeared under her feet again. Finding handholds in the ivy growing wildly over the weathered walls, she began to climb.
The large branches of Gōshinbōku fluttered in the early autumn wind, leaves already falling and Chiharu inhaled deeply. The clean scent of nature surging through her lungs. It was good to be back.
"Chiharu-chan," Kagome started, heaving the large monstrous backpack over the rim of the well and groaned.
"Do you need help, Onee-chan?" Chiharu asked, offering her older sister a hand, but the eldest Higurashi twin resolutely shook her head.
"No, just, I need to warn you."
"About what?"
"Inuyasha has been in a wretched mood ever since— well since Kikyō disappeared. And I know you have some uncanny patience, but—"
"Give him as wide a berth as I possibly can?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"Sure," she agreed and started to fasten the straps of her scabbard at her hip. She hadn't exactly practised her swordsmanship, but the tinge of power brushing at the edges of her senses was familiar enough. They descended down the sunny slope towards the little village.
In many ways, the modern world was Chiharu's home. It was where she was born and where she'd grown up until she'd turned fifteen, yet, Sengoku-jidai had become her home. She felt trapped, afraid and most of all, the line she'd drawn so many months ago had slowly started to fade. Things just weren't so black-and-white anymore. In present-day Japan, she had her family; her grandfather, mother and little brother, who loved her. There were no yōkai after the Shikon-No-Tama, no Sesshōmaru out for her blood—
If only things were as black-and-white again.
Her return to Edo, mainly seeing Shippō, Sango and Mirōku again, went seamlessly. Chiharu felt bad when she realised nor the Taijia nor the Hōshi blamed her for staying away and Shippō paddled over for what seemed like much-needed affection. They were all happy to see her.
While Inuyasha wanted to leave almost immediately, the small group decided it was not wise. Although they spent the first two hours discussing plans to move forward and find the last few shards left, Mirōku wasn't well enough to travel. During a recent attack, he'd used his windtunnel and 'swallowed' a large swarm of poisonous wasps and the black-flash wave of one of Naraku's yōkai had broken his arm. He hadn't been feeling well ever since.
Kaede told them point blank it wasn't wise for him to travel.
Therefore, Chiharu, Sango and Kagome spent the majority of their days helping Kaede-sama around the village. The elderly woman might have been in good shape, age was also beginning to take its toll on her. Initially, she'd helped Kagome and Sango cleaning Kaede's hut — scrubbing and sweeping — but ended up on following Kaede-sama around, tending to the sick. Her fast metabolism ensured she had too much energy. It was what made sitting through classes such a chore and it didn't help during or after cleaning either. At least with looking after the sick, Chiharu used her reiki. An energy that wasn't running through her body in endless portions, therefore, at least it tired her enough so that she could sleep well at night.
The villagers were still wary of her. After all this time, they still worried about her so-called loyalties, but with her extended knowledge from the future, no one dared to speak about their worries out loud. The village square bustled with activity that morning. Women carrying straw baskets full of vegetables and farmers wheeling carts full of Kabocha.
The weather was surprisingly pleasant that day, with sunlight spilling out over the huts and warming the ground on which Chiharu walked. She held a straw basket full of gauzes and listened as Kaede-sama checked on the villagers. Several women needed Kaede's special salve and Chiharu scrunched her nose up at the scent.
"It does wonders in getting pregnant," Kaede explained as she led Chiharu down the village square. The quiver with arrows bounced unpleasantly against her back and she curled her fingers in the hems of her sleeves.
"—Uh,"
"Of course, now is not the time for yeh young ladies." Kaede decided thoughtfully and Chiharu ran her tongue across her teeth.
"Okay," she muttered, awkwardly rubbing her hands together.
"How have you been fairing, child?"
"All right," Chiharu retorted, "I'm fine, I think."
The older woman peered down at her with a frown. Her grey hair was tousled by the wind and her cheeks had reddened from her day's work.
"I'm fine, really!"
Why did everyone think she was suddenly going to break? Readjusting her hold on the bottles of Kaede's special salves, she blew a lock of hair out of her face. "Naraku's influence isn't reaching Edo yet?"
Kaede's brow furrowed. She obviously caught Chiharu's attempt to change the subject but after a moment of hesitation, the elderly woman rolled her shoulders. "No, not Naraku's at least."
Sometimes Chiharu was prone to forget that, although yōkai brought forth the worst deaths and fears, they were not the only creatures out for blood. Her history books didn't call it the age of warring states for nothing. Even without the yōkai, the 16th hundredths were marked by social upheaval, political intrigue and near constant military conflict over land, property and influence. She had no idea what year they were in exactly, but she roughly suspected the end of the Sengoku period was near.
Staring at Kaede she doubted it made that much of a difference to her. Even without the bandits and mercenaries, she was already old.
"Oi, Chiharu!"
She whipped around dropping the gauze and the salves she was holding and frowned when she noticed that Inuyasha was only a few metres away from her. She hadn't even realised he'd come up behind her. "Something wrong?"
"No," he stated, looking as if he was biting his tongue and she cocked her head to the side. She'd never known Inuyasha to bite his tongue about anything.
"Than what is it?"
"Everyone is ready to go." He told her and her frown deepened. Mirōku had still been running a fever that morning and his left arm hung in a linen sling. She peered into the distance at the Hōshi's form. At least he was standing on his own, without the help of a makeshift crutch, but she doubted travelling was the wisest decision right now.
"Is Mirōku okay? I mean, is he really well enough to travel?"
"He's fine. Good enough to travel and we have daylight to burn." He told her curtly and she nodded slowly.
"All right," she conceded slowly and followed Inuyasha to Kaede's hut. The sun gleamed low in the purple sky and slowly descended behind the tall pine trees in the West.
The others were already there, seated around slightly flickering coals in the fireplace. Mirōku was still pale and was peering unseeingly into the embers of the fireplace and Sango shot him a worried glance. She could see he was nowhere fit enough to travel. And if Kagome's irritated face was any indication, she knew it too.
"Inuyasha,"
"Keh, don't Inuyasha me, Kagome!" He snapped annoyed.
"I don't think Mirōku is well enough to travel at all, Inuyasha! Look at his face." Chiharu interrupted, cutting their would-be-argument short before it had even started. She carefully picked a china cup up from the floor and set it down in front of her.
"I am fine, Chiharu-sama."
"Oh, yes, you are, you're arm is only broken and you look as if you'll pass out any moment, but of course you are fine." She drawled sarcastically, adding some tea leaves.
"I'd almost forgotten how fluently sarcasm you spoke."
"Chiharu-chan is right, Inuyasha." Sango decided, her left hand hovering above her boomerangbone. "If we wait a few more days, Hōshi-sama will feel better."
Mirōku shifted, his staff jangling softly, and paled. "I— I think the ladies are right. I am not feeling all right."
"Surprise there," Chiharu muttered, pouring steaming hot water over the tea leaves in a small cup. Nothing settled her nerves better than a good hot cup of green tea.
"I can't believe this!" Inuyasha snapped. "Naraku is on the loose again and now you all want to stay here?"
"Inuyasha," Kagome started soothingly, "Mirōku is hurt. We have to be careful with him."
Inuyasha snorted before stomping out of the hut. Chiharu watched her friends over the rim of her teacup for a few more moments before shifting. "Well, that went well. Anyone fancy a cup of tea? If not then I'll be going back to helping Kaede-sama."
"Mirōku needs his rest anyway," Kagome admitted already getting to her feet, about to follow after the sour Hanyō.
"Right," Chiharu muttered, taking large gulps of hot tea, "well, then try to sleep."
"Chiharu-sama!" Mirōku suddenly hissed. She stopped in front of the window, staring out over the small marketplace and the large marshy rice fields, before turning around to face the Hōshi. He had propped himself up on his good arm, laying on his tatami.
"Mirōku?"
He looked at her with a grave expression and Sango passed her with a small, sympathetic smile: "If he tries anything, don't be afraid to use Hiraikotsu to wallop him."
"Sango-sama!"
"Sure thing, Sango-chan."
Sango left the hut with firm steps, actually leaving her large weapon at the door and Chiharu gave Mirōku an amused look. "Did you try something on the village girls again?"
"How could I?" Mirōku huffed. "I'm hurt."
"That doesn't necessarily say anything with you." She muttered before sitting down in front of him, twiddling her toes. "What did you want to discuss with me?"
"Inuyasha told me about you and Sesshōmaru-sama."
"I can't believe this!" Chiharu huffed. "Are you two seriously going to take turns in how to thoroughly embarrass me? Or did you get Yōkai sexual advice from Myōga too? I know it was him who told Inuyasha about the mark and stuff."
"Embarrassing you was not my intention, Chiharu-sama. Though I didn't have to speak to Myōga though. I've known about Yōkai customs It's just, Inuyasha has trouble understanding why you would let him court you."
"I don't want him to court me—"
'I want to do all kind of other stuff with him, but I don't want to court him,' her mind added unhelpfully and she felt her cheeks heat up.
"Attraction is a natural thing," Mirōku told her matter-of-factly and she gave him the most murderous look she could muster. It was the only emotion strong enough to squash the shame coiling into her stomach. "That's the problem, isn't it? Because you, Chiharu-sama, are attracted to Inuyasha's older brother. There's no shame needed for that."
"Isn't there?"
"Chiharu-sama, you're sixteen, it's natural," Mirōku admitted. "And with your yōkai metabolism, it's especially natural if you want I could—"
"Right, goodbye, Mirōku."
He gave her a lecherous smile but still managed to hold his hands up in a surrendering manner. She glowered at him and got to her feet again. Leave it to Mirōku to use anything to get laid. She eyed Sango's weapon with a mix of anticipation and glee. It would probably be rather satisfying to wallop him with it. But of course, she couldn't do that, while he was hurt.
She left him, with that anticipatory grin he always wore when he got away with being lecherous and she stepped out of the hut too. Kagome was on the other side of the marketplace, helping one of the villagers. From the way her fingers spasmed around the large water jug, Chiharu suspected she and Inuyasha had quarrelled again.
Not in the mood to listen to any of their complaints she quickly crossed the marketplace, avoided her sister and trekked down the small, sand path towards the river. She'd only been back for a few days, but somewhere she'd expected him to make an appearance. If she'd learned anything of him, then that was that Sesshōmaru was a creature of habit. She couldn't say was displeased by his lack of visiting. She had grown rather tired of his demanding attitude, but—
Her fingers carefully smoothed over the mark on her neck. It was visible, even though it had healed nicely enough and she wondered, with the super-healing that had come with it, why it didn't heal. Every injury, sometimes far worse than the one on her neck, healed so nicely. It just didn't make sense the one on her neck didn't.
Even if it was a magical mark.
She ran a hand through tousled hair and shook her head. Perhaps some archery practice would ease her jarred nerves. She sure could use it…
To be continued…
A/N: All right, and here is chapter 33. I'll admit I cut it short just before the 'exciting' part started (I'm) sorry, but it got a bit too long. Really, far too long. Still, chapter 34 is so good as done therefore I'll update this Monday again.
For my lovely reviewers, thank you for your comments. They're lovely and entertaining (like always). To my anonymous reviewer: yes, you're right. Kikyō and Kagome are mostly alike in looks and not much in personality, yet, Inuyasha probably still considers her as the first one who accepted him and who didn't judge him. Kagome, on the other hand, had no experience with yōkai, therefore, she is not biased with them. Inuyasha should give her a chance (and in his own way, he probably does), but I do think their relationship is not very healthy.
Either way, I hope you all liked this chapter. With Mirōku giving 'sexual education' a shot and all. Either way, like always, let me know what you think!
InuYasha does not belong to me, but to Rumiko Takashi.