Five Years Later...
Dappled sunlight shone through the trees, casting a warm glow onto the mountainous forest below. A lazy path wound its way through the mountains, twisting left and then right like a peaceful river whose waters meandered leisurely across the land. The path had once been a busy road, but it had long ago been forgotten and was slowly being swallowed up by the forest around it.
Every so often though, a traveler would wander down this path, either by being lost or perhaps in hope of a speedier route to wherever they were headed. Those who did though often met with an unfortunate fate, as a gang of bandits had taken up residence along this path and often waited in the bushes to pounce upon whatever unlucky traveler their scouts had spotted that day.
The gang of men, eight of them, crouched in the bushes, weapons drawn. Today was another such day where their scouts had reported the approach of someone foolish enough to take this dilapidated path. The message had been short and clear:
'Two approaching, woman and child.'
A woman and child. They weren't above taking down such targets, easy prey was easy prey. From their vantage point beneath the bushes, but high up on a hill, they spotted them soon enough and their appetites for destruction grew stronger. The woman, though she wore a plain navy colored yukata and an apron that looked like it had seen its share of soot and dirt, had her chestnut hair swept up in a style that was popular with nobility's wives. Though her left arm seemed to be held at an awkward angle, in her right she carried an object that was wrapped in a silk that seemed very expensive to them.
"Nobility in disguise?" the boss mouthed to his men, "Catch her first."
If this woman was important to someone, she would probably fetch a hefty price in ransom. That is, if they decided to let her live after they'd had their fun…
The boy, face obscured with an oversized hat, wore a hakama and haori in simple blues and greys as he trotted easily next to the woman's hasty pace. They estimated him by height to be either nine or ten years of age, and all eight bandits completely disregarded him as a threat.
Seven eyes turned to their leader, all still and waiting for the signal for them to strike. Their leader, the largest of them all sat with his muscles tensed, listening to their targets as they waited for them to get closer.
"Ugh, Ronuku said that this was a short cut!" The woman grumbled loudly, clearly annoyed, "I swear if we're late because of him…"
"Why didn't we leave sooner?" The boy asked, his calm and level voice a contrast to the woman's sharp impatience, "Couldn't you have done your hair at home?"
"Lady Kaida offered to have her maid fix it for me, it seemed like it would be a good idea for today, but I didn't think it would take that long."
"They won't start without us, will they?"
"I sure hope not!" The woman's stride quickened at the thought, "We went through all the trouble just to get these, if we don't make it back in time then this entire trip will have been pointless!" She clutched the silk package in her grasp tighter, anger fueling her haste. Each step she took brought her ever closer to the bandits lying in wait. They gripped their weapons tighter, their muscles clenched. All eyes were trained on the raised hand of their boss, hearts pounding and waiting for the drop that would signal their attack.
"Seriously Ronuku, what the hell are you on, this path is longer than the main road!" The woman ranted, "When we get back, I'm gonna-"
"Mother, wait!"
She halted, and the boy leapt in front of her, arms raised defensively.
"There's someone up ahead," he warned, voice still level and calm, "Several people...I don't think they're friendly." The bandit leader swore under his breath and the rest stared at the boy in shock. One of the bandits elbowed their leader and pointed behind the kid, an object that they had assumed to have been some sort of fancy belt was moving, was that...a tail?
The child sniffed the air. Slowly, head turned toward them until his gaze was directly on the bushes that concealed the bandits. The sight of his face froze their spines.
"I-is...is that a demon?" One of the bandits whispered.
He looked like a boy, a child aged no more than nine or ten, but his unnaturally golden eyes had the look of a predator about them. Silver bangs peaked out from beneath the shadows of his hat, framing a blue crescent moon that crowned his brow. When he spoke again, they spotted the sharp fangs amongst his teeth.
"They're right there," he pointed a clawed finger at them, "I think they mean to ambush us."
The element of surprise was lost to them, but the bandit leader refused to quit.
"Demon or not, he's still a kid," he said to his men, "He's no threat to us!" Giving his signal, he leapt out from beneath the bush, seven filthy men in tow with their rusted swords raised and ready to attack.
"You made a mistake coming down this road," the leader bellowed, "Drop what you have right now, and maybe we'll go easy on you!"
"Ronuku you are so dead," the woman hissed to herself.
"Mother, what should we do?" There wasn't a trace of fear in the boy's voice, only questioning as he turned back to face the woman, and this infuriated the bandits. They were incited to anger even further when the woman held her head higher and glared at them.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," her tone indicated that she thought of them as anything but, "But we're in a bit of a hurry, and frankly I don't have time for this right now. So, how about you lot just crawl back under that bush, maybe consider taking a bath in the near future, and we'll be on our way, hmm?"
"Are you stupid or somethin'?" The bandit leader growled, "Listen lady, there's two of you, and eight of us. You ain't the one calling the shots right now!" His bravado encouraged his men, they began to inch closer, fanning out so as to surround their prey.
"I won't ask you again," The woman's voice grew louder as she and the child stood their ground, "Please, step aside and let us pass." The bandits began whispering threats and lewd suggestions, and her glare deepened. When the leader took a purposeful step towards her, the boy stood taller and growled.
"My mother said 'please'! When someone asks nicely you're supposed to listen to them!"
There was a brief pause, before the bandit leader burst out laughing. His men took cue and followed suit.
"'Please'?" The leader guffawed, "This kid thinks we gotta listen to this mouthy bitch just 'cause she said 'please'?"
"Yes, you should!"
"Y-you dumb kid," the leader managed to speak through his chuckles, "Give me one good reason why I should listen to you!"
The boy's amber gaze bore into him, his silver brows furrowed into a glare to match his frown that might've looked intimidating on an older face. Suddenly, his expression broke and the boy's face lit up in a toothy grin.
"Because my father isn't going to ask you so nicely."
"Huh?"
There was a terrified shriek, and the bandit leader turned just in time to see one of his underlings fly face-first into a tree. The other men were raising their weapons, but a wave of terror enveloped them as they faced the creature that had silently materialized behind them.
There was no doubt in their minds that this demon that towered over them had sired the boy; the silver hair, golden eyes, facial markings, they were the mirror image of one another. Whereas the scowl on the child had seemed hilarious, this demon's similar expression showed just how deadly the boy's face would one day look.
"Vermin," the demon spoke with a voice like ice, "Out of the way."
The bandits began to quake where they stood, before very slowly inching away from the monster before them, all of them except their leader. A surge of anger swept over him, face turning red he raised his rusty sword towards their enemy.
"Idiots, what are you doing?!" He bellowed, "There are eight of us-"
"S-seven," one of his men pointed to their fallen comrade by the tree.
"...Seven of us," Their leader snapped, "And only one of him! And I'll be damned if we piss ourselves and turn tail over some...some pretty demon, and his brat kid! Raise your weapons!"
"You're making a mistake," the woman called out, her voice turning from irritation to mirth, "I strongly advise against what you're about to do!"
The bandit leader growled in annoyance before shouting his command.
"ATTACK!"
He rushed forward, sword held high and blood boiling. His men were following him, he could hear their footsteps, but a sudden burst of light blinded him and all other thoughts evaporated. A glowing cord, almost like a whip, shot forward and knocked his weapon away, his hand burning in the process. Before he could scream, a pale fist collided with his face. He went soaring through the air, only to halt abruptly when he collided with the trunk of a tree. The leader fell to the earth and was completely silent.
The rest of the bandits halted in their tracks, weapons shaking in their trembling hands.
"Insects. This pathetic battle isn't worth my time. Futeki!"
"Yes father?" Came a chipper response.
"I leave the rest to you."
"Okay!"
Futeki looked up at his cowering opponents and his grin grew wider. Flexing his claws, he took off the his hat and tossed it in the bushes. It had been his mother's idea that he wear it, she'd wanted to get home in a hurry and thought that concealing his face might lessen the hassle they usually got on the road from people unfamiliar with half demons. That was pointless now though, the hat hadn't stopped these bandits, and he was happy to be rid of it. The wind felt good in his hair, the sun warm on his face. His hearing, already superior to that of any human, was no longer muffled, and he heard the frantic beating of the bandits' hearts. The sound sent a giddy thrill through him; his demon blood cried for battle, and his human heart yearned for the joy of victory.
His knees bent, his muscles bunched as he prepared to leap, his own pulse quickened in excitement as he felt the energy of his impending attack building inside him.
His mother's voice suddenly called out and put a stop to it.
"Futeki, wait," Kohana said, "What's the rule about human opponents?"
Her son sighed. He knew the rule, he knew that she knew he knew the rule. But after going over it hundreds of times, his mother still insisted on bringing it up before every battle against a human.
"Don't use my claws," Futeki mumbled, "and don't bite unless I have to."
"That's right," Kohana smiled despite his sullen attitude, "We use our minds in combat, we don't fight like animals. You've got all the advantages here, so go easy on these guys."
Sesshomaru scoffed at that last bit, but chose to say nothing when his wife pursed her lips and gave him a hard stare.
"Can I fight now?" Futeki asked impatiently. The bandits were edging away from him, it looked like they might try to grab their fallen leader and bolt at any moment.
"Yes, go ahead," his mother turned to him and nodded, "We'll be watching you, so do your best!"
Grin returning, the young half demon faced the cowardly bandits and leapt.
To their credit, the remaining six bandits did muster themselves and faced their opponent with their weapons raised. They swung their swords and axes at the boy, but none of them were a match for his speed. Futeki leapt once more as soon as he landed, ducking and dodging each clumsy blow that rained down from above. Spinning underneath the arc of a blade, he rolled behind one of the bandits and kicked him in the center of his back, sending him crashing into the man next to him. Another bandit bellowed and swung his battle axe down on the hanyou, but Futeki jumped away again and the blade embedded itself into the ground where he once was. The bandit furiously tugged on his weapon, trying to free it, when suddenly there was Futeki again running up the axe handle toward the bandit. The man cried out just as the boy's knee crashed into his face.
The young hanyou's laughter rang out amongst the mayhem as the bandits struggled in vain to land a single blow on him. His demonic speed and strength weren't his only advantages in the fight, these guys struck out wildly and it was clear that none of them had ever been formally taught how to fight.
But I have.
Futeki thought of his home and a surge of pride coursed through him. These guys had no hope of winning.
"Up here!" he called out, voice almost cocky, from atop one of the bandit's shoulders. The bandit cried out in rage and tried to grab him, but Futeki nimbly hopped to the other shoulder. Back and forth he danced atop the larger man, his giggles growing louder at each failed attempt to be hit, when suddenly he leapt away from the man just in time to avoid being clubbed by another bandit. The bandit's club swung down onto his ally's skull and the large man fell into a heap on the ground.
The clearing was now littered with unconscious or wounded bandits, with only one left standing. Futeki stood before the man, arms folded and tail held high. He flashed a toothy grin, the sunlight glinting off of his fangs, and the final bandit dropped his weapon.
"E-enough!" The man wailed and raised his hands in surrender, "We won't stop you, so just leave us alone!"
"Fine, you can go," Futeki shrugged, "But the next time someone says 'please', you had better listen to them! You got it?"
The bandit nodded, and scrambled to grab his unconscious allies. Some of the wounded rose to help him, and within moments they were scurrying away into the underbrush.
"Yeah, you better run!" Kohana called out as Sesshomaru made a noise of disgust, "Maybe next time you'll think twice before deciding to rob somebody!" His mother's voice was commanding and boisterous, but when he turned to face her the little hanyou saw that she was smiling.
"Futeki, that was wonderful!" She stepped forward and knelt at his level, "My brave boy is so fast on his feet, none of them came close to hitting you!"
"Auntie Sango's been showing me dodging techniques," Futeki beamed at his mother's praise, "She says you can use it to trick an enemy into hurting himself if he's stupid."
"You did just that!" Kohana shifted the silk package into her left arm, Futeki saw her shoulder stiffen, but it didn't falter as she reached forward with her right hand and ruffled her son's hair, "Those bandits underestimated you, but they made a big mistake. And see? Claws and biting weren't necessary, you took care of everything with that smart brain of yours."
"I'd expect nothing less from my son," Futeki turned to his father and saw the nod of approval from Sesshomaru, "You handled it well."
The little hanyou's grin grew even wider, and his tail began to wag.
"I want to fight more like you one day," He crowed, "When you showed up, the way you threw that guy, Dad you were so rad!"
Sesshomaru stared at his son and blinked.
"...'Rad'?"
"It's word from my era," Kohana explained as she moved the silk packaged back to her right arm and stood up, "Futeki and the Twins heard Ronuku say it and have been using it a lot lately. It's a compliment!" she was quick to add when she saw his eyes narrow, "It means uhm...you're inspiring sort of...like an action hero."
"Ah," Sesshomaru responded shortly, though he glanced at Futeki and he smirked ever so slightly.
"Not that I mind the heroics, but uh, actually, what are you doing out here? And where's Ah-Un?" Kohana asked, "Your last letter said you'd be headed to the village from the North."
"I could ask the same of you, Rin said they expected your return last night."
"Wait, you came here from the village?"
"Yes. You're late."
"What?!" Futeki's mother looked as though she were about to have a heart attack, "They started already?!"
"No, Rin refuses to start until you've returned. She has asked the fool to stall."
"Fool...wait, you mean Uncle Ronuku?" Futeki asked, and his father nodded.
"Oh my god," Kohana winced, "No, no this can't be happening. It's his fault we're late in the first place!"
"You've known about today for months, why did you decide to leave three nights ago?" Sesshomaru's voice was disapproving, and Futeki knew that if anyone else had said it his mother might have taken it as an accusation. His father was the exception though, he was the sole person who could say anything to his mother and she wouldn't take offense.
"Kaida wanted to send a gift," Kohana nodded to the silk package, "These have been in her family for generations, but she heard that the bride and groom didn't have any proper ceramic sake cups for their ceremony and decided that they should have them."
"...Sake cups?"
"It's important! This is the village's first wedding since we rebuilt it, all precedent for tradition will stem from what happens today! Besides, it's Rin's big day, I wanted everything to be perfect for her, don't you?"
Sesshomaru hesitated, as though he were swallowing back the response that he didn't say. His expression became unreadable and Kohana's softened. Futeki marveled at the other peculiarity between his parents; sometimes his father would appear to be silent and closed off, but it seemed as if his mother had a strange ability to sense what he was thinking anyway.
"Hey," Kohana said, voice gentle as she stepped closer to her husband, "She's not going anywhere. It'd be different if she were marrying a stranger, but she's not, she'll still be around."
Other than a tightening of the jaw, Sesshomaru's expression didn't change much.
"Yes, she may be a grown woman now," Kohana spoke tenderly, giving what comfort she could, "but she still needs you, you know."
Futeki wasn't sure what age he had been when he realized he and Rin weren't actually related, but he never once saw her as anything but his big sister. His parents both loved her dearly, no one would ever doubt that, but of all of them his father was closest to her. He had heard the tale, his mother told him how Rin had found Sesshomaru in the woods, that in turn he took the orphan girl under his protection and little by little came to see her as his own child.
Kohana once told Futeki that if it weren't for Rin, she and Sesshomaru might never have met. Rin was the first human his father befriended.
Is he upset about the wedding?
Everyone was happy about the wedding, the entire village wouldn't stop talking about it. Futeki had been happy when Rin told him and his mother, but he remembered shortly after that Rin began packing her things up and said that after she was married she wouldn't be living with them anymore.
Futeki had been small when his mother and aunt and uncle moved everyone to the village and fixed it up, he couldn't really remember much before that. For most of his life it had been the three of them, Futeki, Kohana, and Rin, living together in the big house attached to his mother's forge. Sesshomaru traveled a lot, but he came back every couple of weeks and stayed with them. Those were the weeks Futeki liked best, the four of them together under the same roof.
Rin wasn't going far, but she would have her own hut and her own roof somewhere else in the village. Things weren't going to be the same anymore, and Futeki didn't like that.
But his sister was so happy about getting married.
"Rin...she'll still love us, right?" Futeki asked.
"What? Of course she will!" Kohana's eyes widened as she turned to her son, "Just because she's getting married, doesn't mean she'll love us any less. We're her family. No matter how far away we are, or how old we get, that doesn't change."
She reached out with her left hand and took Sesshomaru's in it.
"The four of us, we'll always be family."
Sesshomaru regarded his wife, she smiled at him encouragingly and at last the hardness left his expression. He then turned to Futeki and nodded.
"Your mother is correct. Rin will always be ours."
Futeki still had his doubts, but his parents encouragement would be enough to help him now. With a swift motion, and a sudden yelp, Sesshomaru held Kohana in his arms.
"She is waiting for us, we should not delay any longer. Futeki, do your best to maintain pace."
"I will!" He chirped, excited to finally be on the move again, "I can keep up!"
"Wait, wait!" Kohana shouted nervously, "Don't go to fast, if I drop these cups this trip will be entirely pointless! Also, Kaida's maid spend a lot of time on it so watch out for my hai-"
The word ended in a scream as Sesshomaru shot off into the woods, and for a moment Futeki could have sworn his father was smirking. Not wanting to be left behind, the little hanyou sprinted after him through the trees. He did not have the same speed as his father, and though he managed to keep him in sight while dashing through the trees he got the feeling that his dad was slowing down slightly in order to let him catch up.
Futeki didn't mind, he was just happy to be running. Living in a village comprised entirely of humans, even if most of them were trained demon slayers, meant that Futeki had to restrain himself a lot of the time. Kirara could help the others keep up with him, but it wasn't the same as cutting loose completely. Only his father and his Uncle Inuyasha could outpace him, he was always more than happy to have them around.
It would have taken his mother more than an hour to return from where they were, but going at this speed the hanyou saw the village gates and watchtower within minutes. The towering wall, massive logs sharpened to a tip at each end, was meant to look intimidating to outsiders and enemies. To Futeki it held all the comfort and familiarity of home, he felt a surge of joy at the sight of it.
Normally anyone entering the gate had to wait for the guard in the watchtower to recognize them and open it, but Sesshomaru hated waiting on them and simply leapt over the wall. Futeki could not yet jump over it in a single bound, he had to use the nearby trees to jump close to the top and then use his claws to haul himself the rest of the way up.
"Hi! We're back!" He called out cheerfully to the guard who looked irritated as he unnotched an arrow from his bow.
"You know I hate it when your dad does that," the guard shouted back, "I nearly shoot him every time! Allies use the gate, Enemies try and sneak over the wall!"
"My mother says it's pointless to try and stop him," Futeki shrugged, "you wouldn't be able to hit him anyway."
The guard snorted, clearly annoyed, but wasn't able to argue.
"Just get down there kid, everyone's waiting on you."
Futeki nodded and leapt down from the gate, his muscles bunching at just the right time to catch his landing. It wasn't yet graceful, but he could jump down from a great height without hurting himself. As soon as he stood he heard a familiar voice shouting at them.
"You guys are late!"
Futeki turned, and his face lit up at the sight of his best friend.
"Ryu!" He called out cheerfully, tail wagging. The six year old slayer raced towards them, the tails of his red headband flying behind him like a kite. The headband was normal, Ryu rarely went anywhere without it nestled in his dark hair, but his attire was what stood out to Futeki. Instead of his usual plain yukata, Ryu wore a dark bodysuit that covered his arms and legs. Purple scales, scavenged from one of the many demons the village had slain, covered the boy's shoulders, stomach and knees. An ornate silver clasp, which matched the silver sash tied around his middle, closed the opening of the outfit up near the boy's neck.
"Woah, cool!" Futeki cried "You're wearing your slayer armor!" Futeki had seen it already, his mother crafted the village's armor as well as weapons, but neither of the twins had worn theirs yet. Ryu's frown showed that he was less than enthusiastic about it.
"Yeah, mom says we have to today," the boy grumbled, "It's 'The Slayer Village's First Formal Event' or whatever."
"You don't like it?"
"It doesn't fit," Ryu complained, eyeing the large shoulder pads that admittedly did kind of make his head look small, "It's too big!"
"That's because you're still growing," Kohana said primly as she tried to shove strands of her wind blown hair back into place, "If I made it fit-to-size with no room for adjustability I'd be altering that thing every week!"
"Aizou's fits her just fine!" Ryu argued.
"That's because she's growing like a weed, I didn't think she'd have another growth spurt so soon after I measured you two."
Her words seemed to incite Ryu further rather than calm him, but a sudden voice behind them made both boys jump.
"You're only wearing it for today Ryu, you won't need to worry about it fitting properly until you're old enough to go on missions yourself."
Futeki and Ryu turned to see Sango standing there in her own slayer uniform. She usually only wore her armor for what Ryu and Aizou called "Village Leader Mode", most commonly seen when she was training, assessing battle and slaying techniques, out on a mission herself, or addressing the Village as a whole. She always seemed just a bit more stern and stoic when she wore it, but Ryu turned and faced his mother bravely.
"If it doesn't fit me, I don't see why I need to wear it!"
"It's your Uncle's wedding day and you need to dress respectfully," Sango spoke patiently, though Futeki could detect the slight strain of irritation in her voice. This probably wasn't the first time they had argued about this, "More importantly, this is the first wedding the village has had since we rebuilt it. This is our chance to show the village that we have traditions of our own, something that unites our people besides fighting and slaying."
Kohana made a 'See?' gesture with her hand at Sesshomaru who chose not to respond.
Sango knelt down so she could look her son in the eye.
"Wearing a slayer's armor is a great honor," she said gently, "When people see us wearing it, they know we're there to help protect them from demons that are preying on them, that we are strong enough to fight the battles that they can't. Your armor was made with the knowledge passed down to us from generations of demon slayers, not only will it protect you, but it serves as a reminder that no slayer ever truly goes into battle alone. We wear them to show that the village will always stand together, united against every threat that comes our way."
Ryu didn't argue with her, but his frown remained and he looked away.
"It may not fit you now, but I promise you, someday it will."
"I guess…" Ryu mumbled, "...I can wear it today. For Uncle Kohaku."
"Good," Sango smiled and nodded, "There's one more thing though, the headband needs to come off."
"Mom!"
"You can put it back on when the ceremony is over, but you need to take it off. It's hiding half of your face!"
"If Aizou sees me she'll make fun of me!"
"Your father and I have had a talk with her. Take the headband off," Sango's expression was stern, there was no arguing with the Village Leader when she gave a command. Ryu sighed, his frown returning, but he reached behind his head and untied his favorite red piece of cloth. It fell away, revealing two very thick and hairy eyebrows, identical to Ronuku's. They were abnormally large for a kid his age, Ryu's brown eyes narrowed and his cheeks heated with embarrassment, but he handed his mother the headband anyway.
"Thank you Ryu, I'll give this back to you later," Sango nodded to him, before standing and facing Kohana, "I'm glad you're back, we were starting to get worried. Some of us more than others," she threw a teasing glance at Sesshomaru who huffed but didn't deny it.
"Sorry about that," Kohana apologized, "I got held up with Kaida and her maid, and then a group of bandits thought it would be a cute idea to try and rob us."
"Bandits?" Sango was alert now, "Where?"
"A few kilometers from here, on that back road that Ronuku is always swearing is a quicker route from here to Kaida's castle, which, by the way, it isn't. Don't worry about the bandits though, Futeki took care of them, they shouldn't be bothering anyone for a while."
Futeki stood up just a but straighter at his mother's praise, and Ryu stared at him with fuzzy eyebrows raised. The little hanyou would brag about it to his friend later, whenever they had free time away from the adults.
"Hmm," Sango pursed her lips, "Maybe we should start sending a few more patrols in that direction, we don't want to let bandits settle in this close to the village…" She folded her arms as her eyes narrowed in thought.
"...I take it the wedding hasn't started yet, since you're standing here planning patrols and battle strategy?" Kohana ventured.
"Oh, yes!" Sango shook her head, "The wedding was supposed to have started an hour ago, but don't worry, we weren't just waiting on you." She hesitated for a moment, as if debating on saying something before she continued, "Our priestess for the ceremony arrived last night, but this morning suddenly became ill and needed time to recover."
"Is she okay?!" Kohana's eyes widened with concern.
Sango smiled.
"I think she'll be alright. This isn't her first one after all."
Futeki and Ryu looked at each other in confusion, but they saw Kohana's jaw drop before she suddenly squealed and hopped up and down in excitement.
"Again?! They're already on number three?"
"Kagome doesn't want everyone to know just yet," Sango's voice lowered to a whisper, though her smile didn't fade, "She said that she wanted to make sure that today was about Rin and Kohaku...but you should ask Inuyasha about it later and see the look on his face." Kohana laughed again, her expression becoming slightly maniacal, as a very faint but evil smirk graced Sesshomaru's lips.
"Okay," Kohana managed to speak through her laughter, "Okay, it's fine if you blame the delay on us then, we'll take it. But we shouldn't make everyone wait any longer than they have to."
"Ronuku's roped Inuyasha into helping him stall," Sango said quickly, "You still have some time, but knowing them…" The two women exchanged brief worried glances.
"Right, we'd better hurry then. Let's go get dressed Futeki."
"What?" Futeki glanced at his mother, "I am dressed!"
"Not for a wedding you aren't," she retorted, "You've got dirt from traveling all over your clothes, not to mention that fight with the bandits." Ryu glanced at him and snickered.
"But what about Father, he fought too and…" Futeki's argument died at Sesshomaru's lofty stare, chin raised and one slender silver brow raised in disdain. Yes, his father had participated briefly in the fight, but there he stood. Immaculate. Pristine.
How does he do that?
Futeki vowed to one day learn his father's secrets as he followed his mother back to their home. After enduring Kohana's demands that he wash his face and several long minutes of her stuffing him into several layers of silk, though thankfully she made sure there was a space for his tail to stick out, she finally declared him 'dressed appropriately' and rushed off to get herself dressed. Futeki took the opportunity to sneak out the door, lest his mother suddenly decide that he wasn't wearing enough silk and needed to add more. His father had vanished it seemed, but Ryu was outside waiting for him.
"My mom says we should head to the shrine," the young slayer spoke, "She's going to do one more perimeter check with the guards before she gathers the rest of the villagers, but my sister is already there."
The slayer's village had a small shrine and torii gate towards the back, near the burial grounds. Sango and Kohaku talked about how the village's most sacred spot used to be a nearby cave, Futeki even played there sometimes with Ryu and Aizou, but many of the new slayers came from other villages that had "proper" shrines and a lot of them had insisted on building a new one here instead of going to a "creepy" cave in the side of the mountain. The new shrine still smelled like freshly cut wood, and was much smaller than every other shrine Futeki had seen, but the newer recruits seemed to like it even though the village leader herself was rarely seen there.
Ryu's parents, Futeki's mother, Kohaku, and Rin insisted that the cave was still a sacred place, even though it was completely empty. There were rumors that there used to be entombed bodies of a priestess at war with many demons inside the cave, but whenever Futeki or the twins asked what happened, their parents either changed the subject or gave vague responses about a long ago war. Sometimes their expressions would change as they spoke about this, a haunted look in their eye suggested they knew more about it than they let on, but none of them ever elaborated.
As he followed his friend, Futeki wondered why the wedding was being held at the shrine then if his family thought the cave was much more sacred, but his thoughts were interrupted when he caught a familiar scent. He braced himself, and Ryu gave a shout of surprise as two small figures suddenly appeared and launched themselves at him.
"Futeki!"
"'Teki, 'teki!"
"Reiko, Souyu!" The hanyou laughed and greeted the two little girls that danced around him happily and clung to his silk hakama. His cousins, aged four and two, were always more than excited to visit him and the Slayer's Village. Despite being more human than demon, they still looked just as any other hanyou might have. Reiko, the elder of the two, had two fuzzy ears atop her head nestled in her raven hair, while Souyu had pointed elfin ears and unnaturally milk-white hair just like his own. Both girls had golden eyes and clawed hands though, and they were both stronger than any human child their age should be.
"I was wondering when they'd find you," Ryu said, straightening his shoulder pads in an effort to hide the fact that he'd been startled, "They've been chasing me and Aizou around asking for you since last night."
"We missed you Futeki," Reiko chirped, "You were s'posedta be here!" The haughty little girl put her hands on her hips as her younger sister batted at his tail with her chubby little fists. A string of jade beads hung around the toddler's neck, though some of them were chipped where she had clearly been chewing on them.
"Sorry, I had to protect my mother while she ran an errand," Futeki laughed as he gently swatted back Souyu with his tail, "But I missed you guys too! Where's Shippo, isn't he with you?"
The kitsune, who often emphasized that he was in fact much older than Futeki despite currently being shorter, took his role as big brother very seriously and was never seen very far from either of the girls. The fact that he hadn't been part of their initial ambush was a bit odd.
"He's with Daddy," Reiko explained, and then giggled, "They're attacking the village!"
"Wait, what?" Futeki asked as Ryu's eyebrows shot up.
"Hahaha," Souyu laughed and then leapt up as she threw her arms out, "Boom, Fire!"
"Fire...but Uncle Inuyasha and Shippo wouldn't…"
"Futeki," Ryu's voice was suddenly flat and unamused, "My Dad, was in charge of stalling the wedding, remember?"
"Oh…"
Ronuku was not known for subtlety, Kohana and Sango and several of the villagers had admonished him for it countless times. And he always somehow managed to rope someone else into his crazy schemes.
"...Oh boy."
"They're all at the shrine," Reiko chirped again, "You wanna come see?"
The boys nodded and moments later were racing towards the village shrine with the two little girls. It didn't take them long to hear the shouting of a crowd, the villagers were gathered and dressed in their slayer armor, but they all stood around in an amassed semi-circle without any of their weapons.
"What are they doin-"
There was a loud shout, and suddenly a massive ball of blue flame erupted in front of the crowd. Futeki recognized it as Shippo's Fox Fire, and there was a loud chorus of shouting and laughter from the crowd.
"Boom, Fire!" Souyu giggled and shouted. Futeki picked up his youngest cousin, and together the four of them elbowed and shuffled their way through the crowd until they were at the front. What they saw immediately was an annoyed Inuyasha, arms folded and face scowling as the blue flames swirled around him.
"I ain't doin' it!" The hanyou shouted angrily.
"No?" A bombastic voice responded loudly, "And you would deny these good people, you would deny the bride and groom, the proper traditions owed to their people on their wedding day?" The kids looked to their right and weren't surprised at who they saw.
There stood Ronuku, his unkempt mane of hair swaying in the breeze, standing tall and proud in his Slayer's Armor. His uniform was similar to Sango's except his protective padding was dark blue, and was entirely used for ceremonial purposes. Ronuku didn't go out on slaying missions like the rest of the villagers, he spent most of his time within the walls either helping with training or helping out with whatever odd task needed done in order to keep the village going.
That didn't mean he didn't wear his armor with pride. In fact, he was probably the proudest person in the village to be wearing it, his face always lit up and he stood a little taller when it was on. Sango was the village chief, but her husband was the voice and face of the people, and he knew how to work a crowd.
Such as right now with the group of slayers booing and jeering at the hanyou before them.
"What do you have to say to these people, Inuyasha?" Ronuku, ever the showman, lifted his arms and the jeering grew louder.
"I say you're making this up!" Inuyasha snapped at him, "This is stupid!"
Ronuku gasped, placing a hand to his chest. The crowd gasped with him, and Futeki recognized the voice of Risu hidden somewhere amongst them shouting loud jeers.
"Wow, Inuyasha thinks we're stupid! What a jerk!"
This was a ploy Ronuku often used; Risu would hide amongst the group of people he was trying to sway and would act as a nearly invisible 'yes man' to whatever verbal scheme his friend was trying to pull at the time.
"You dare mock our traditions?" Ronuku's voice was loud and accusatory, making sure that it carried across the crowd, "That have been passed down from generation to generation?"
"You ain't even from here, what are you talking about!?"
The crowd's jeering grew louder, egged on by Risu's angry voice hidden somewhere amongst them, but the boisterous bushi raised his hands to shush them before turning back to the cantankerous hanyou.
"No, I may not be," Ronuku conceded, clenching his fist and tossing his head in an over exaggerated manner, "And most of these people aren't either. But we came here, for a purpose! We have chosen to follow the path laid out before us by this grand line of warriors, and we intend to hold up and follow all of their sacred traditions!"
The crowd cheered and applauded, Ryu groaned and mumbled something about his father being embarrassing.
"Tch, since when did you become so noble?" Inuyasha snorted, "As I recall, you've personally violated the 'sacred traditions' of more villages and castles than you can count!"
The crowed gasped and looked at Ronuku, and Risu was oddly silent in that moment.
Ronuku hesitated, glancing quickly between Inuyasha and the crowd. He stood taller and pointed at the hanyou.
"He lies!"
A great uproar exploded amongst the crowd, their voices chittering and buzzing, as Inuyasha stared down Ronuku and growled. It looked as though he were about to argue, when another voice suddenly piped up. Futeki heard it, but he was sure that the crowd was too loud for anyone else to make it out.
"Inuyasha, come on, what harm will this do?" Shippo spoke from somewhere behind the flames.
"This is dumb and a waste of time!" Inuyasha spat, and folded his arms tighter.
"Isn't that the point?" Shippo asked, "To give Kagome a little more time until she's ready?"
Inuyasha's ears twitched, and though his jaw was still set, his posture noticeably softened. He glanced away, only to make eye contact with the children in the crowd. Souyu giggled and clapped from her perch in Futeki's grasp, but Reiko jumped up and down excitedly and pumped her little fists in the air.
"Come on Daddy!" Reiko shouted, "You can do it!"
Inuyasha huffed, his cheeks turning pink at his daughter's encouragement. At last he let his arms fall to his sides, he looked back at Ronuku and huffed once more.
"Fine," the hanyou shouted, "Fine, let's do this. I'll play your stupid game!"
Ronuku grinned and the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
"Let the tale commence!"
Futeki looked at at Ryu with a raised eyebrow, but the young slayer shook his head and shrugged. Neither of them had heard anything about this before or had any idea what Ronuku was up to. They both watched as the boisterous man stood atop a box and began to shout to the crowd.
"Long long ago, in a land very far away from here, there was a horrible tyrant. An evil man, a Demon King, whose very name struck fear into the hearts of those who heard it! He was known as Freez...er…" Ronuku glanced at the blue flames dancing about, "...FIREZA!."
The former bushi pulled out a purple cloth from one of his shoulder pads and tossed it to Inuyasha. Inuyasha glared at him, but when Ronuku gestured, the cloth was tied in a crude bandana over the hanyou's forehead. Shippo's flames grew around the hanyou, giving him an intimidating appearance despite being an illusion, and together they faced the crowd.
"Ugh…," Inuyasha raised his his claws and gave a half-hearted growl.
"Yes, the, AHEM, Demon King was, TERRIFYING!" Ronuku stomped his foot, and with a snarl, Inuyasha gave a decent roar. The crowd gasped, minus Reiko and Souyu who applauded.
"Yes, the Demon King Fireza was a monster! And his army was just as horrible! Fireza built his empire by having his men invade plan-...helpless villages! His men would burn and pillage everything in sight, and when all of the people were slain, they would claim the land and sell it to the highest bidder!"
As Ronuku told his story, Inuyasha stomped around the clearing miming the fearsome Fireza's atrocities. The crowd gasped and jeered, Risu the loudest voice amongst them, as their exuberant narrator listed the demon king's crimes. Though Inuyasha seemed reluctant at first, his ears remained pointed at his daughters. The more they laughed and cheered him on, the more eager his participation became.
"Hey Ryu," Futeki whispered, "This story sounds familiar...has Uncle Ronuku told this one before?"
"Yes," Ryu said flatly, "A zillion times."
"Has he? I don't really remember Fireza…"
"Just wait."
"The lands trembled in fear at the torment of Fireza," Ronuku continued, "All who challenged him were defeated, it seemed there were none strong enough to beat him. But there was a legend among the land, one that gave the people hope, the tale of a warrior who would be strong enough to defeat anyone, even Fireza!"
"Keh, as if!" Inuyasha scoffed, "Just you try and fight me, I'm show 'em whose strongest!"
"All was not lost though, and the legend was more true than Fireza could have ever imagined. Word of his tyranny spread into a far away kingdom, and there, a warrior began their journey to challenge him. This warrior was brave, the hope of the universe, protector of the innocent, a light in the darkness!"
"Oh wait," Futeki whispered, having heard his uncle shout those exact words before, "I remember now."
"Ally to Good! Nightmare to Evil!" With each description Ronuku gave, the crowd grew more and more excited.
"Yep," Ryu grumbled, "Here we go."
"The warrior that the people prayed for, a soul who was pure of heart, their fury awakened, at last finally appeared. It was. The Legendary…SUPER SLAYER!"
A sudden roar from the sky made them all jump, and a startled Inuyasha unsheathed his Tetsusaiga. To everyone's astonishment, a furious Kirara descended upon them, her fangs bared and her red flames burning bright. She landed in front of Inuyasha and snarled once more, and a young voice shouted from her back.
"Your reign of terror ends NOW Fireza!"
"Oh my god, she didn't," Ryu groaned.
With a shout, Aizou leapt from Kirara's back and pointed a wooden staff at the hanyou in a perfect fighter's stance. Ryu's twin sister puffed out her chest, looking proud and tenacious in her slayer's armor. Unlike her brother and father's darker colors, her slayer armor was shades of pale green, and it fit her perfectly. Her wavy hair, just as wild as her father's, was loosely tied behind her. Were she not as young as she was, Aizou would look just as battle ready and intimidating as her mother.
As it was, Inuyasha lowered his Tetsusaiga and glared at Ronuku.
"Are you kidding me?"
"What's the matter Fireza?" Ronuku taunted, "Afraid of the Legendary Super Slayer?"
"I am your opponent!" Aizou shouted, "And I fight for the honor and glory of my people!" The crowd cheered at her words and the young slayer grinned at their encouragement, "Come at me you monster!" With a shout she raised her weapon and rushed at her opponent, though Inuyasha effortlessly stepped aside and dodged her attack.
"Ronuku, I ain't fighting your brat," Inuyasha snorted.
"What'd you call me?!" Aizou shouted in anger and leapt again, the hanyou effortlessly ducking once more.
"She's just a kid, I'd rather spar with Kirara!"
"Come on Inuyasha, this is just for show," Shippo urged, "You don't actually have to fight her."
"Fireza, was apparently so intimidated by the Super Slayer, that he was too afraid to fight back!" Ronuku continued with his narration, urging the crowd to cheer and laugh. Their laughter reached the hanyou, and his ears pinned down on his head.
"Fine then," Inuyasha snarled and his eyes narrowed. He sheathed his Tetsusaiga and ignored Aizou's shouts, "This Fireza, doesn't think that your Super Slayer is worth his time! I'll have one of one of my minions fight your brat instead." He turned his head, golden gaze zeroing in on the children gathered in the crowd.
Futeki quickly grabbed Reiko and Souyu and shuffled backwards into the crowd, mouthing his apologies to Ryu. His best friend stared at him in shock and outrage, but froze when Ronuku's laughter rang out over the crowd.
"Of course, Of Course!" Ronuku cackled, "The Demon King Fireza, in a weak attempt to save his own life, has used his powers of corruption against the Super Slayer's own kin-"
"No!" Ryu shouted, looking horrified as everyone's eyes slowly turned towards him.
"-Her very own twin brother-"
"No, I'm not doing this!"
"-To battle against her-"
"You can't make me!"
"-to the DEATH!"
Aizou's shout rang out through the clearing, Ryu screamed and tripped over himself as he scrambled away from her attack. He landed with thud in the dirt, his sister standing over him with her pole pointed at his face.
"Brother! Why have you betrayed us?" She shouted dramatically.
"Aizou, stop it!" Ryu, glanced around him, his face growing redder as the weight of everyone's gazed grew heavier, "Back off!"
"Your people were depending on you, how could you have chosen this path?" Aizou ignored him and continued with her theatrics, "If it must be this way, then you leave me no choice. Stand up and face me!"
"No!" Ryu scooted backwards away from her, and Aizou glared at him.
"I said, stand up!" She hissed.
"And I said, no! Leave me alone!" Ryu reached behind him, clutching the nearest rock, and he flung it at his sister. The stone bounced swiftly off of her head.
"Ow!" Aizou shouted and grabbed her head, dropping both her weapon and the theatrics, "Ryu, that hurt!"
"Yeah well, I told you to leave me alone!" The smaller twin grabbed another rock and scrambled to his feet, "I'll throw another one, don't think I won't!"
"Try it again," Aizou growled, "See what happens!"
The crowd around them began to grow into a frenzy, eagerly anticipating a fight, and Futeki's stomach dropped. He'd seen the twins bicker often enough, it didn't really take much for one to set the other off, but usually he was able to talk down whichever one needed it at the time. Unless they started swinging fists. Once their fighting turned physical, both Ryu and Aizou's blood would boil so hot that neither of them would listen to reason, and they would need to be physically separated for hours.
But the young hanyou was holding his cousins back from the surging crowd, he didn't think he could abandon them to stop his friends.
"Ryu, Aizou," he shouted, "This was all just a dumb game! This doesn't mean anything!" But his words were swallowed by the noise around them.
"Don't think I won't do it," Ryu glowered at his sister, "Don't even take one step closer!" Aizou glared at her brother. In an act of petulant defiance, she dramatically lifted her leg high in the air and stomped it on the ground as close as she could to him.
Ryu shouted, the crowd circled the two of them, but before he could throw the second rock Kirara landed between the children. Both of them were yanked unceremoniously by the collars of their uniforms onto her back, Ronuku himself seated squarely between them. He clamped a hand over each child's mouth before they could start screaming.
"An evil spell had been cast over the siblings," He shouted to the crowd while still smiling, "A nasty trick by Fireza that caused them to see each other as enemies! But, through the power of love and family, they were able to break through the curse and see through each other's differences! Fireza, unable to comprehend anything good in this world, instantly combusted and perished!"
The blue flames around Inuyasha quickly flared and then died, he and Shippo swiftly shuffled away as Inuyasha ditched the purple cloth.
Both Ryu and Aizou shouted something angry beneath the muffling of their father's hands, but he ignored it.
"And thus, the day was saved! The End!"
"...How?" Someone in the crowd asked, "That story doesn't make any sense!"
"This legend isn't real at all, is it?!"
The crowd turned on him, clearly dissatisfied with the direction of the story, and their voices drowned out any assistance from Risu. Ronuku laughed loudly, a very fake sound that failed to pacify the irritated masses. They demanded answers and he began to flail for a response.
"Uhhhh, well sometimes, life doesn't always turn out the way we want it to, aaaaand the message preseneted here iiiisss-"
"What's going on?!"
"Oh look everyone, there's my wife!" Ronuku pointed, and the crowd turned to see Sango, glaring sternly at them. Kohaku and several of the slayers who had helped her with checking the perimeter, Recca and Domei among them, stood behind their village chief.
"What are you all doing?" Sango asked again, her voice terse, though her gaze zeroed in on her husband. Ronuku sat higher on Kirara, and raised his chin.
"Theater," he said very seriously with a stony expression, "A tale told to honor the strength of warriors on this most sacred of days." Ryu and Aizou both screamed something furious, though their shouts were muffled by his hands, and the crowd glared at him.
Sango opened her mouth, and then closed it and shook her head. She coughed, using her fist to hide a small smile, before she herself addressed her assembled people.
"We're gathered here today for a wedding, are we not? To witness and celebrate the joining of two of our own, this is a day of joy for all of us!" The animosity in the crowd began to fade as they all stood at attention to her words, "The start of their family is a victory for our village, the hope that a new union will carry our people and traditions into the next generation!"
Sango glanced at her brother. His eyes were wide, but he swallowed and nodded, and his sister smiled.
"It's time to begin!"
The crowd started buzzing again, but this time with a little more excitement and happiness. The slayers shuffled around, dividing into two groups so that a direct path to the shrine was open between them. Inuyasha and Shippo had made their way through the crowd, until they were standing next to Futeki and the girls. Reiko and Souyu immediately ditched their cousin in favor of their father's arms, but Futeki didn't mind.
"You got a good enough view kid?" Inuyasha asked him, indicating the pathway between the crowd, and Futeki nodded.
"Yeah, I can see."
The pathway was illuminated by the bright sun overhead in the sky, Futeki spotted Ryu and Aizou on the other side of the path now standing next to their father, Risu, and Kirara who had transformed into her smaller state. The twins still looked glum and bitter about their argument, but their expressions softened when Ronuku leaned down and whispered something to them. They stood taller, their eyes widened at the sudden cadence of a nearby drum and flute, and they were at perfect attention as Sango and Kohaku processed down the path towards the shrine.
The two slayers walked tall and proud, and turned around when they reached the shrine, standing to the right of a small table that had been placed there. Sango stood behind her brother, the sunlight glinting off of the younger slayer's armor. Kohaku now stood taller than his sister, he'd begun sporting a dark goatee in the past few years, and his well defined muscles were not hidden at all beneath his armor. The young man was undeniably a warrior, and though he was known as one of the most quiet and patient slayers amongst the village, his expression betrayed just how nervous he felt on his wedding day.
The cadence of the drum and flute changed, and two more figures appeared on the path. The first was Kohana, she'd changed out of her traveling clothes and now wore one of the elaborate silk kimono that Sesshomaru often gifted her with, looking every inch the wife of nobility. The long embroidered sleeves, covered with images of cranes and sakura blossoms, helped to disguise the awkward angle of her crippled arm, and in her hands she carried three stacked lacquered sake cups that glowed obsidian in the sunlight.
Behind her walked Kagome, dressed in the traditional red and white outfit of a shrine priestess. Reiko and Souyu cheered loudly when their mother passed; Inuyasha had to shush them, but Kagome's smile grew wider when she heard their voices and she briefly let her hand drift to her stomach. In her other hand she carried a small clay container, and Futeki caught the scent of sake drifting from it.
The two women approached the shrine, when Kohana reached it she set out the three sake cups in a row on the table before moving to stand on the left and turning around. Kagome approached the table and set down the sake container before beginning to chant something over the cups, which Futeki guessed was either a blessing or purification of some sort. When she was finished, she nodded to Kohaku. The slayer bowed to the priestess, Kagome smiled and turned around to face the path behind her and nodded once more.
A loud roar grabbed everyone's attention, and they all turned to face the torii gate.
There stood Ah-Un, decked out on the most elaborate reigns and saddle the two-headed dragon had ever been seen in, glints of silver and gold shining in the sunlight. In front of him stood Jaken holding the reigns. The little imp was beaming and could not have looked any prouder.
Sesshomaru stood next to them, his head held high and his expression cool, hiding the discomfort he was certainly feeling in the presence of so many humans. There was one human in the entire universe he would do this for, and she sat in Ah-Un's saddle dressed in a kimono as pure white as freshly fallen snow.
The cadence of the drum and flute changed once more, the entire village stood at complete attention as together, Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Ah-Un, began their slow procession down the path and escorted the bride to the shrine.
Futeki couldn't see his sister's face at first, the bridal hood was hiding it from everyone. For a brief moment, he had the oddest sensation that she was very very far away. Memories of her played through his mind, all the times they had played together, the cold evenings they had huddled together in Kohana's warm forge, the jokes they told over dinner, for as long as Futeki could remember his sister had been a part of his life...his throat suddenly felt tight and he didn't really understand why.
As the procession came closer, Futeki, being shorter than most of the crowd, was able to glance at her face under the bridal hood. Rin was certainly no longer a child, she was a woman grown wearing all the elaborate makeup of a new bride, but she didn't look like a stranger. She was looking straight ahead at Kohaku, her hands trembled nervously, but she was smiling. She was still herself, smiling and optimistic no matter what the circumstances were.
Rin was still Rin.
The procession continued forward, all the way to the shrine, until at last Ah-Un came to a halt. Sesshomaru turned towards Rin and extended a hand to help her off of the saddle and she took it. However, instead of delicately standing up, she surprised everyone by launching herself forward and wrapping Sesshomaru into a tight hug. She spoke to him softly, Futeki was only able to catch it due to his sensitive hearing.
"Thank you," she said, "For everything."
Futeki had never seen his father cry, no one was sure it was even possible, but in that moment the little hanyou was certain that Sesshomaru came very close to doing it. The proud demon returned the young woman's hug, a display of emotion on his part that was rarer than the most priceless of gems, and for a moment no one really existed but the two of them. Father and daughter.
Several eyes were misty when they parted, Futeki noticed his mother hastily wiping away tears, and Ah-Un and Jaken stepped aside so that the two of them could move towards the shrine. Kagome greeted them with a warm smile, Kohaku seemed to grow even more nervous and he swallowed again. Sesshomaru, still holding Rin's hand, eyed the young slayer with an expression as warm as a glacier. Kohaku stepped forward and bowed deeply to the taiyoukai.
"I will take care of her," the young man promised while facing the ground, "I swear it on my life."
"Rise," Sesshomaru commanded. When Kohaku did, the great demon took Rin's hand and placed it in the young slayer's outstretched palm.
Sesshomaru said nothing else, his eyes expressed what thoughts needed to be shared. Silently, he stepped away and moved to stand next to Kohana at the left of the table.
"Hi," Rin greeted Kohaku quietly with a nervous giggle and took his other hand into her own, "You look so handsome." Her words eased his nervousness, a smile slowly growing on the young slayer's face until he was beaming just as brightly as his bride.
"You're beautiful," he spoke shyly, though his eyes were shining. For a moment, the young couple stood there gazing at each other, lost in their own little world until Kagome cleared her throat to get their attention.
"Are you ready?" The priestess asked the two brightly blushing young people. They gave each other one last nervous glance and giggle before turning to face the priestess as bride and groom.
"We're ready."
The ceremony proceeded without any difficulty, and when Rin and Kohaku were proclaimed to be husband and wife the crowd cheered loudly for them. The rest of the day was spent feasting, drinking, and partying, it was the first time Futeki had seen a celebration so big. The sparring area was now used for dancing, the stables were full of children playing games; instead of the usual sounds of busy slayers preparing for battle the streets were filled with laughter and singing.
The little hanyou eventually found Ryu and Aizou, the twins had been made to apologize to one another by their parents, and the infectious joy of the day seemed to have erased their anger. The three of them spent the rest of the day together, eating food and playing games and enjoying the jubilant atmosphere, eventually being joined by Reiko and Souyu. The party lasted long into the evening, well past sundown, until eventually all the children of the village were sent to bed by their parents. Most were too tired to complain and willingly complied.
Sometime later, late into the night, Futeki was awoken by a noise. He opened his eyes, seeing the darkness of his own bedroom and he heard it again. Laughter. He knew that the adults were probably still partying, but the party should have been outside, not coming from inside his home. In fact, it sounded specifically like it was coming from his mother's forge. Knowing that she wouldn't like anyone playing in there, the little hanyou rubbed his sleepy eyes and crept out of bed to see who it was.
The closer he got to the forge, the more he recognized the voices, and when he peered around the doorway he quickly realized that he had no reason to worry. His parents were both there, as well as Inuyasha, Kagome, Ronuku and Sango. They'd changed out of their formal wear, Ronuku and Sango now wearing cotton kimono instead of slayer armor, Kohana had let her hair down again, and Kagome wore loose fitting traveling clothes instead of her miko outfit. A small fire had been lit to keep out the cold chill of the spring night, and the six of them were seated in a circle around a decanter of sake, everyone drinking except Kagome.
Futeki knew he should have turned around and gone back to bed, after all there was no danger, but he found himself fixated and mesmerized by the sight. His parents and the adults in his family were usually so busy working, toiling away, worrying about the village. They always seemed so serious, but here in the firelight they looked almost...younger. They were laughing and joking away just like he often did with Ryu and Aizou.
"...Look, all I'm saying is that things could have gone worse," Ronuku said as he lifted his sake cup, "We had only one incident today, so I'd call that a success."
"Every wedding has at least one incident," Kohana rolled her eyes, "An impatient crowd isn't the worst possible thing to happen."
"You're right," Kagome added, "I've been to a wedding where the groom got so drunk he started a fist fight with a teenager." Both she and Kohana looked pointedly at Ronuku before the two of them started laughing.
"Hey, hey! That was one time!" Ronuku took another swig of his drink, "Besides, as I recall, Recca was the one that started it!"
"I'm surprised you can remember anything from that day," Inuyasha huffed.
"Why don't I remember this?" Sango asked. Kohana and Kagome glanced at each other again, their giggling growing louder.
"You had so much to drink that day you kept mistaking Naoe for Ronuku," Kohana cackled, as Sango's eyes widened, "The poor guy couldn't get away from you!"
"It's okay though," Kagome smiled as she lifted a cup of water, "Inuyasha and I didn't let anything happen, we made sure you found your husband."
"Of course she did!" Ronuku swung an arm around his wife and pulled her close, his cheeks slightly pink from the sake, "I'm one of a kind, there's no way anyone could really mix-me up with that priss-pants!"
"Oh yeah?" Kohana challenged, "What about that dumb prank you tried to pull all those years ago? Where you and Naoe swapped clothes and tried to pretend to be each other?"
"This one I do remember!"
"You do?" Ronuku glanced at his wife.
"Yes," Sango nodded, perking up as laughter grew in her expression, "Risu put you up to it I think, it was one of his crazy dares that you always deny falling for."
"I do not fall for that squirrel's stupid dares!"
"Yes you do," the room responded in unison, before another wave of laughter broke out.
"That one wasn't Risu's idea though," Kohana poured another glass of sake, she offered it to Sesshomaru but when he shook his head she kept it for herself, "That one was me and Kagome."
"What?!" Ronuku pretended to look shocked.
"You had a giant crush on Sango, but you refused to admit it," Kagome explained, "You kept saying that she didn't have time to notice someone like you, or something like that…"
"...Sooo, we figured that we might have a bit of fun watching you squirm if you saw someone pretending to be you flirt with her," Kohana added, "Naoe was up for some fun, and all it took was a little bribe to get Risu to trick you into participating and," she snapped her fingers, "That was it. Got 'im." Ronuku's jaw fell open, before he glared and pointed an accusatory finger at Kagome and Kohana.
"She-devils, the both of you!" The girls both winked at him and high-fived each other before the giggling resumed.
"If it helps any, I didn't fall for it," Sango said, "Naoe was too suave of a flirt to even pass as you. Besides, you look similar but not that similar. I can tell you apart."
"Yeah, sober."
Ronuku's glare found its way to Inuyasha, but the laughter in the room kept any real anger from forming. Everyone was in too good of a mood, too happy to be in each other's presence.
"Where is he anyway?" The former bushi finally asked, "It's a shame that he and Kaida couldn't make it."
"They intended to I think," Kohana explained, "But some samurai lord or another, Yoshimoto Clan I think, chose today of all days to demand an alliance meeting with Lord Yasashiko. So of course, Kaida as the lady of the house couldn't skip, and either could Naoe her esteemed head of security. Hence the gift of the sake cups."
"Damn, they're too fancy for us now, huh? Some samurai lord is more important?" Ronuku joked, though there was an unmistakable note of sadness in his voice.
"Well you know, Kaida was always so burdened with the responsibility of behaving as a proper lady," Kohana teased, "So of course you know, the proper lady did hint that she should come pay her respects to the newlyweds in due time. I think we'll see them again soon. But now that I mention it, I actually need to talk to you, where the hell did you learn that short cut because you should know-"
"That's great!" Ronuku cut her off, "I can't wait for them to see what we've done with the place, right Sango? Naoe's gonna be so impressed with our new layout for the training arena, huh?"
Kohana glared at him, and opened her mouth to argue louder, but after a moment she shook her head and sat back. She would save the argument for another day.
"He should be impressed," Sango responded to her husband, "Naoe was the one who suggested half of the layout improvements."
"He did?"
"Yes, don't you remember, when he and Kaida came to visit before winter?"
"When did he have time to mention any of that?"
"You must've been with the kids then, I took Naoe around to show him how the training area was progressing and..."
As Sango explained all of this to her buzzed husband, Kohana turned to Kagome and started her own set of inquiries.
"So, tell me, when did you find out about the new little one? You're already showing a bit, why didn't you tell us sooner?" The blacksmith looked excited as her friend exchanged a sappy glance with Inuyasha.
"Well, I suspected it for a while, but I actually didn't know for sure until last month," Kagome explained, "I suppose I should have known sooner, but Souyu was so sick this past winter and we were a little distracted."
"Sick? She looked fine today, is she okay?"
Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged another look, this one far less sappy, and it seemed as though they were having a silent debate with one another.
"She's fine today," Kagome started to say, her tone very even, "And she's been fine for a while. I thought it was a virus at first but it turns out more...well we're not exactly sure but…"
"It's something she was born with," Inuyasha was blunt, "Miroku saved her life."
The room went silent, Ronuku and Sango's conversation coming to an abrupt halt. All eyes suddenly turned on the miko and the hanyou. A sudden tension filled the room, uncertainty and curiosity practically vibrating from the three adults that lived at the slayer's village.
"...He um...saved her life?" Kohana finally ventured after a long moment.
"I uh, yes," Kagome swallowed, clearly not liking the heavy turn the conversation had taken, "There's ah...Souyu may have inherited some of my purification abilities, but since she's part demon she…" when the miko faltered, Inuyasha took her hand in his own.
"Her body started attacking itself," the hanyou's voice became gruff as he tried to suppress emotion from it, "Trying to purify itself. Miroku was there, I can't explain it, but he gave her this necklace that...keeps everything in check."
"She's been fine ever since," Kagome nodded, "That necklace is keeping her purification abilities at bay so...she should be fine as long as she wears it."
A chill went up Futeki's spine as he listened to this. He had seen the necklace his little toddler cousin had been wearing, but he hadn't put much thought into it at the time. Being a hanyou, he became human once a month, and he always hated how weak and sick he felt at those times, but for your own body to turn on you like that? That sounded horrifying, and Souyu was so little...
But that name, Miroku. Something about it seemed very familiar, he was certain he'd heard it before, but he couldn't exactly remember where.
"...Miroku must've known how to keep something like that at bay," Ronuku spoke, but his voice was very heavy, "Since he...you know…" he faltered and ended up gesturing to his hand.
"How is he?" Sango asked, "Miroku? We haven't seen him since…"
"Not since he left," Kohana swallowed, "It's been years…"
That was when Kagome's smile finally returned.
"He's doing fine," the miko was happy to report, "Him, his wife, and their son."
"Woah, what?" Kohana sat up. "He's married?"
"Yeah," Inuyasha smirked, "Finally found a girl who was willing to 'bear his child'."
"That's great," Sango said, her eyes lighting up and her smile genuine, "I'm so happy for him."
"Yeah, that's," Ronuku swallowed, "...I'm glad to hear that. After all this time, he deserves it." The former bushi closed his mouth, blinking away tears that had begun to form. Sango sat just a little closer to him, and squeezed his arm.
"After...everything that happened with Naraku, I didn't th-"
"Silence," Sesshomaru startled everyone by suddenly interrupting him, "Do not continue that statement." When everyone glanced at him curiously he explained, "My son has been listening to us for quite some time."
The fur on Futeki's tail suddenly stood on end as all gazes turned towards the doorway.
Busted.
"Futeki?" His mother called out. Head and tail lowered, the little hanyou stepped out of his hiding spot and stood before all of them.
"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in bed."
"I couldn't sleep," he explained sheepishly, "I heard someone in your forge mother, but then I saw it was all of you and you guys were having fun and…"
"And you decided to listen?" Kohana raised an eyebrow.
Futeki nodded.
"You do know that eavesdropping is rude, right?"
Futeki glanced away for a moment, but he nodded again.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I know I shouldn't have done it...but. Who is Miroku? And Naraku? Why do these names sound familiar to me?"
For the second time that night, the room went silent again. It was as if a door had suddenly slammed shut, everyone either held their breath or pursed their lips, and Kohana's eyes widened as she regarded her child.
"Futeki do you...do you remember anything?"
"I…" The little hanyou stared at his mother for a moment, "...I'm not sure. Naraku…" He was certain, very certain that he had heard that name before, but he didn't understand why his gut dropped or that the fur on his tail stood even further erect. "...That's someone scary. Isn't it."
Judging by the ashen expressions of everyone in the room, he knew he was right.
"Yes," Kohana answered, her voice very low and quiet, "Naraku is...was someone very scary. But he's been gone for a long long time, it's not someone you have to worry about."
"What did he do?"
Kohana glanced at Sesshomaru, fear and sorrow in her expression, but the inu youkai seemed as collected as ever.
"We agreed," he said to his human wife, the steadiness in his voice calming her uncertain emotions, "One day. But not yet." Kohana exhaled, her breathing becoming steadier, but she nodded. She glanced at the others in the room, Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango and Ronuku. They all remained quiet, but they nodded in return.
"You're right, not that, not yet. But there is something. Futeki, come here," Kohana gestured to a spot between herself and Sesshomaru, "Please sit." Futeki hesitated, but he followed his mother's instructions and sat between his parents.
"Futeki, there are some things that we can't tell you, not yet," his mother spoke quietly, and her sudden seriousness almost frightened him, "You're still a child, and I want you to enjoy the carefree life that you have here. One day, when you're older, I promise we'll tell you everything but...There is one thing I think you should be allowed to know now. You asked about Miroku, do you remember him?"
Futeki blinked, but as he stared into the fire he let his thoughts turn inward. The feeling came back, the memory that was like a lost book that he couldn't find but was certain that he had read a long time ago.
"I...remember someone," the little hanyou spoke at last, "There was a man...he was very nice, but also...sad. He was sad and…" Futeki stared down at his right hand and his eyebrows narrowed, "...he was cursed."
"Yes," his mother nodded, "Miroku was cursed by...a demon. But he was...is. A very good friend. He had to leave, you were very young when it happened, but should you happen to meet him again, I want you to know that he is welcome here" She glanced around the others and they murmured their agreements. "No matter what happened, Miroku will always be one of us. And all of us, in this room?" she gestured to them, "We'll always be your family Futeki."
"That's right kid," Inuyasha said, "We'll always have your back."
"No matter what," Kagome added.
"We've been with you since the very beginning," Ronuku pushed his sake cup aside, "Did your mom ever tell you the story of how you were born? We were all there."
"No?" Futeki's eyes brightened and Kohana suddenly groaned.
"Okay okay, so" Ronuku scooted forward, "Your mom's really good at pissing people off, right?"
"Language!" Kohana snapped.
"So there was this samurai lord, what was his name...Takahiro! Naoe used to work for him. Anyway, Kohana was pregnant with you, and she thought it would be a good idea to pick a fight with this guy-"
"Wait, you can't start there," Sango interrupted him, "What about Konpaku?"
"Konpaku?" Futeki asked.
"He was a ghost that your Uncle Ronuku pissed off," Kohana placed her hand on her forehead, "It seems we're both good at doing that. Ronuku, please be mindful while you tell this story that my son is still a child, so please keep this appropriate."
"Jeeze Kohana, I'm a parent too you know, I know how to be appropriate around kids" Ronuku waved her off and ignored the several eye rolls in the room, "Okay so yeah, there was this ghost called Konpaku. He was actually an enemy of Risu's once upon a time, but later he became powerful and kind of scary. So anyway, Risu, Kohana and I were out gathering food for Kaede's village and..."
Before he knew it, Futeki was curled up in his mother's lap, slowly dozing off again as he listened to tales of adventures past. Every so often someone would interrupt Ronuku, or add a detail that he had missed, but the happy atmosphere once again returned to the room. The little hanyou felt safe there, surrounded by a family that he loved very much.
His parents, his aunts and uncles...distance and time might separate them from time to time, but together they shared an unbreakable bond. Futeki was certain that no matter what happened the six of them would always be friends.
Always.