I am SO sorry this chapter took so long! *takes discrete look at the last post date of June 2nd* I have no idea how or why this damnable chapter took so long, but I really am sorry about it.
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights are reserved for Rumiko Takahashi and affiliates.
Chapter thirteen: Domestic Royalty and Demon Features
As it turned out, having Lady Izayoi also become a mentor and teacher to Aikotsu proved to be endlessly fruitful. The human woman had been the Princess of a very wealthy human family - before her expulsion from the Clan due to her falling in love with a demon and creating Inuyasha - which meant that she had a vast knowledge of the types of things Aikotsu was being taught.
And it was also a bonus that Aikotsu already had a wonder rapport with the woman, and she with her. And because Izayoi was working with Aikotsu, Inuyasha also spent more time with the young girl. He'd been shy and sheepish around her before, even though she was nice from what he could tell, only because he hadn't known her very well. His mother had assured him numerous times that Aikotsu was a perfectly nice young lady, but he still didn't get his hopes up. He didn't want to get hurt if she turned out to be mean, like the few people he had trusted since he and Mother left her birth home.
But after spending time with Aikotsu, he began to see what his mother had explained to him, and he too began to enjoy being around her. She really was nice, and she was also funny too. But she was also as stubborn as her brothers, with a temper that rivaled Sango's. Her temper scared him, frankly, although it didn't stop him from being around her.
Much like today. Usually, after a long study session, Aikotsu can be found relaxing on the veranda of the estate with Inuyasha, just enjoying the sunlight on her face and the clean air in her lungs. "I never would have guessed you were like me, Aikotsu." Inuyasha mentioned offhandedly, prompting the girl to look at him.
Thinking it over, the twelve-year-old nods in understanding. "Yeah, I guess it's kind of a shock, considering just how human I look and smell. But Na-" Aikotsu abruptly cuts herself off, needing to remind herself not to call her father by his name. "Father said that I most likely hid my scent and more demon features when I was still little to keep me safe."
"Mmm," Inuyasha acknowledges, his ears twitching on his head. "I guess that makes sense. And it worked well enough to keep you safe, which I'm glad about. I'd be upset if you'd been hurt."
Unseen by Inuyasha, Aikotsu's face blossoms bright red and she turns her head away, refusing to let him see even a hint of her flushed cheeks. "I-I'm glad too. And not just because of self-preservation instincts, but because being alive and safe let me meet my brothers, and you, and Sango-chan and Miroku-chan. I don't know where I'd be without all of you, so I'm really grateful that I met you all."
Inuyasha turns to look at her, his eyes wide. A blush begins to darken on his cheeks as he stares at her turned head, and he can see just the tiniest bit of a blush darkening her ears. Abruptly, he looks away, not wanting to get caught, although his eyes do occasionally turn to look at her from the side.
"Hey there, you two! It's dinner time!" Bankotsu announces jovially as he throws an arm around each of them, grinning widely despite the faint black eye he sports. That was a remnant from a sparring session with Renkotsu earlier, a result that left Aikotsu in her usual spinning, stuttering panic upon seeing an injury. She'd then gone to try and treat it to the best of her ability, all the while berating him for antagonizing their scarf-wearing brother.
"What are we having?" Aikotsu asks as she stands up, offering Inuyasha a hand. He takes it, and she can idly feel the slightest press of his claws on her skin. And, she doesn't hate it, to be honest.
"Kyokotsu killed a giant boar demon, so Suikotsu and Renkotsu made a huge meal for us out of that and some stuff from the garden." At her brother's response, Aikotsu's mouth begins watering, just imagining the taste of the meat on her tongue already.
"That sounds really good! Let's hurry up then!" She says excitedly, dragging her brother and her friend down to the dining room.
In typical fashion, dinner ended up being just as wild and rambunctious as it usually is, one or more of her brothers getting into an argument from across the table, the squabbling only being quelled by a look from Suikotsu or herself.
Although as soon as dinner was over, Aikotsu was sequestered away to her spirituality teacher for more meditation, leaving the rest of her night to be filled with exhausting her powers until she could barely even stand.
She practically collapsed into her bed as soon as she reached her room, not even bothering to shut the door or pull her covers over her, immediately dozing off as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The next morning, when Aikotsu sleepily ambled into the bathing chamber for a quick bath, she was passing by the mirror when she suddenly stopped short. She furrowed her brows, stepping closer to the reflective glass, and tried to force her eyes to clear up. When they finally cleared, her gaze traveled over to her ears and locked in place, confusion written on her face.
Because where her ears had been smooth and rounded at the top, they were now slightly tapered, the outer shell beginning to look like a demon's. Her fingers reached up to trace the pointed tip, honestly still confused.
Her examination was only halted by the harsh rumbling growl of her stomach, snapping the girl out of her thoughts and reminding her that she had a bath waiting for her.
Although once her bathing and dietary needs had been tended to, she tentatively padded into her father's study. "Um..Father?" She asked, bringing his attention from a scroll he was reading over to her face.
"Yes? What is it?" The half-way distracted father asked, examining a new letter from some random human lord south of his lands.
Deciding to just be frank, Aikotsu frowns. "This morning I saw something odd with my ears."
At her words, his eyebrows furrow, confused. "What do you mean odd? Come over here and let me see." He said, beckoning her closer to his desk. Aikotsu moved her hair away from her ears, and finally he saw what she was talking about.
He smiled then, and seeing as he obviously wasn't concerned, she relaxed. "Is this part of what you said about my demon features hiding themselves when I was a baby to keep me safe?"
He nods. "That's correct. Your inner demon can tell you're safer now than you were when you were younger, so your more demonic features are beginning to show themselves. I'm sure your original eye color will also begin surfacing again soon. It's nothing to worry about, dear."
Instantly, Aikotsu felt a million times better. "Okay. As long as I'm safe."
...
A vase shatters against the wall with a loud clatter, the sound soon drowned out by an enraged roar. "Why isn't that little bitch dead?!"
The enraged roars that shake the dilapidated castle belong to none other than Magatsuhi, in another one of his rage-filled tangents. The demons that linger in the castle all kept their distance as he continued to fume, not willing to die for getting too close. They can only guess that the "little bitch" he is referring to is his half-demon niece.
The only one not phased by the enraged screaming is a lone demon woman, who watches the tantrum with calm disinterest. She doesn't even blink as another vase shatters against the wall behind her, only tilting her head to the side. "Are you referring to your brother's half-breed daughter?" She asks mildly, although she doesn't really care.
This one question, or rather, one word in it in particular, makes the demon man whirl around, his furious scarlet gaze locking onto her, his lips pulled back to expose a fanged snarl. "That worthless traitor is NOT my brother!" He growls hatefully, practically foaming at the mouth he's so upset by the mere implication. "I'd remember that the next time you talk, if I were you."
Instantly, the temperature of the air drops several degrees, and the other demons feel a chill go down their spines as their eyes shift to the woman. She appears unphased, but the rapidly dropping temperature says quite a bit about how she's feeling right now. "And if I were you, I'd remember who needs who in this partnership." Leisurely, she stands, making her way over to him with short strides until she's no less than two feet from him. Her ice cold gaze cuts into him like a thousand frozen knives, pinning him in place against his will.
"I'm going to give you a pass on it this time, but don't you ever forget that you work for me, and NOT the other way around." With this ominous warning, the woman turns swiftly on her heel and exits the room, leaving Magatsuhi to stew in his juices for a while longer.
...
"Old man," Bankotsu prompts as he and his new adoptive father Naraku watch Aikotsu spar with Renkotsu and Byakuya. "Have you noticed something different about Ai lately?"
"Are you referring to her ears?" The elder asked, his eyes narrowing with pride as Aikotsu successfully throws both her opponents over her shoulders and sends twin beams of lightning at them. "She noticed them this morning in her mirror and asked me about them sometime after breakfast."
"That too." The black-haired boy acknowledges. "But I was talkin' more about her eyes. When she was bitchin' at me for teasing Ren for the scarf again, I saw some flecks of red in her eyes."
"You sound concerned," The elder remarks bluntly, although not unkindly. In response, Bankotsu shakes his head.
"Not concerned exactly, 'cause you aren't. It's more curiosity, I guess. Neither of you seem all that worried 'bout it, so I'm just wonderin' what's the deal about it."
Naraku can understand the confusion perfectly, although you wouldn't expect him to, being a demon and all and having grown up with these things his entire life. "Bankotsu, you have nothing to worry over. Trust me. The changes that Aikotsu's body is going through are perfectly safe and normal, given her situation. All this is is her body knows she is safer than she was when she was growing up, and that she has her biological family with her. To be completely honest, if the invasion hadn't happened, she'd have grown up with these features, instead of having this coming of age sort of thing. These changes ideally should have happened years ago. By demon standards, she's...a bit stunted, to say the least."
"I wouldn't let her hear you say that," Bankotsu smirked, raising an eyebrow with a wince as Aikotsu nailed Byakuya in the knee-cap with her Bo staff before leaping over Renkotsu to knock his legs out from under him in a leg sweep.
"I wouldn't dream of it." The black-haired demon Lord rebuked, pretending to be insulted, although the slight smile on his face broke the façade of offense. "Regardless, since the majority of her living biological family is made up of demons, we can help guide her through the changes as they come. In a short while, we'll even have to keep a better eye on her, her temper more specifically." Naraku informed his son calmly, pulling his hands from his sleeves as he sees the battle in front of them abruptly end with Aikotsu's twin swords held at her uncle's and brother's throats. She's panting, but her face is set in a determined scowl, her dark eyes narrow on her opponents.
"Her temper? She's already a fire-cracker though." The black-haired former mercenary remarked with a grin, seeing his brother and sister exchanging teasing words, letting out a low snicker as he sees his brother mutter something, likely an expletive, under his breath as he rises from the ground. "Can't see how she can get any worse."
Even as he claps his approval towards his son, brother, and daughter, the demon Lord smiles. "Indeed she is, but that's only going to be more pronounced as time goes on. Half-demons have to be careful with their tempers, to avoid accidentally unleashing their inner demon. Like young Inuyasha. From what I understand, his father had a sword forged for him, one that could seal away his demon blood. Aikotsu will need something such as that very, very soon. I'll be leaving within a week to make a trip to an old friend of mine for that very reason."
Bankotsu mulls it over for a second, before he nods in agreement. "Yeah, Lady Izayoi mentioned somethin' 'bout how her mate - Touga I think? - reforged his sword Tessaiga as more of a protection and sealing thing for Inuyasha, so he'd be safe."
"Exactly. I'm heading off to do something like that. I doubt I'll be too long, maybe four days at most?" Naraku's statement turns into more of a question at the end, not entirely sure himself. The blacksmith he'll be visiting is often very flighty and strange, making time always a guess at best.
"Alright, old man. Just don't take too long, or else Ai'll probably shit a boulder." As soon as he says this, Bankotsu begins cackling, unable to contain himself from the absolutely ridiculous-looking image. He can even imagine Ai's poor, red, straining face!
Naraku, wearing an amused but exasperated look, lets his son ride out his laughter. He has no idea what the boy's particularly amused by, but far be it from him to stop him. In any case, like Bankotsu, he too hopes he won't be gone too long when the time comes for him to leave. He's actually loathe to leave, but this is something that needs to be done, whether he wants to leave or otherwise.
To be completely candid, Naraku's had worries about Aikotsu's inner demon for quite a while now. Her demon should have been sealed years ago. Naraku and Midoriko had been planning on going to get a sealing device forged soon after he was supposed to come back from his talks. But then everything came crashing down, he no longer had his wife, and his daughter was sent to the winds, unable to be found until recently.
Elemental demons, like himself and Aikotsu, need to be extremely careful with their tempers and in keeping them in check. When an elemental demon loses control, it's very dangerous for anyone involved. Since they have control over the elements and whatnot, they can easily create a fiery hellscape and kill everything within the area. Naraku's seen other elementals lose it, and most of their reactions once they come back to themselves are devastating. He wants so badly to save Aikotsu from that, so she doesn't have to experience that kind of horror.
He only hopes he won't be too late in getting her blood sealed, for everyone's sake.
Okay! Chapter thirteen is now done! *wipes sweat off brow* Again, sorry it took so long. Man, the first five chapters went by so much easier. I still love this story with everything I have, but man writing can be hard sometimes. Also, yeah, this chapter isn't as long as others; sorry. I wanted to try and finish it as best I could (without it totally sucking) and this was the best possible outcome. Sometimes chapter lengths just fluctuate.
Come back next time (wherein I hope the next update won't take nearly as long to come out) to see what happens next!
-Silver Sin