Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author's Inuma Asahi De's (with the exception of historical figures).
Chapter Seventeen:
Papa
Miroku watched as the small shore vessel made its way to the docks with curiosity. He could see the Captain in only his shirt and pants, both items just now drying in the Caribbean sun. In the pit of the boat, at the Captain's feet, he could just make out the figure of Miss Dresmont, she appeared to be asleep, a strange orange colored fur pelt covering her prone form. "She looks way too still." Miroku gulped at the idea, he knew very well that the dead and the asleep looked very similar. He had been privy to that reality as a young boy of no more than three or four. It was a time before he had met the Captain when he had been the poor child of a poor mother.
Images of a frosty winter, of frozen streets and dingy alleyways filled his mind. And inside one of those alleyways, leaning against a broken wooden fence he could see a figure—laying—unmoving—frozen just like the world around her; his mother frozen solid in an England winter. Those images floated to his brain, it was a sight he hadn't thought of in years. Her vacant eyes, the blueness of her lips, his young mind had fancied her only sleeping, sleeping with eyes wide open. He hadn't realized she had died shielding his body from the cold until years later when his mind had finally understood what death really was.
Looking down he took a deep reassuring breath, suppressing the knowledge of what a dead person really looked like. Besides, he knew that the Captain would be moving faster if Miss Dresmont had died. His demon blood would have fueled him, pushed him into finding the person who had committed such an atrocity as quickly as possible. Yes, Miroku knew, if Miss Dresmont was in fact dead the Captain would have moved immediately like a man on a mission, ready to kill, to splatter blood with no mercy.
"Do you see Kagome?" Sango asked as she stood on tip toes behind him, trying to get a good look at the small boat as it slowly rowed towards the shore.
"Yeah, she's asleep." He answered back, his voice sounding surer than he felt.
"Asleep?" The woman questioned while putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, that's what it looks like."
Sango kept silent but bit her lip, wondering if she should trust in Miroku's words or instead trust in the slight shake to his voice. She felt her heart tighten in her chest as she watched the shoulders of her Captain move in time with the oars. Was Kagome alive? Was she really just sleeping? Sango hoped beyond all hope that she was really just asleep.
Standing only a few feet away, Shippo also looked at the boat coming towards them, his own heart tightening as he took in the slowly forming sight of Kagome's body in the belly of the vessel. She wasn't moving, or at least he couldn't tell if she was moving or not. He couldn't even see her cheeks well enough to tell if they still had color to them. Closing his tiny green eyes he whimpered, praying that Miss Kagome was alive, praying that she had not been killed by his Master Manten or that the light had not somehow contributed to her death.
If that was the case, then it would all be his fault, it would be his fault that she had been captured, his fault that she had been taken near the light, near Manten, it would be his fault that she had died—just like it was his fault his father had died. He felt his cheeks grow hot, flushing with his own disappointment in himself. "Please be okay, Miss Kagome." He whimpered out as the tears pushed against his eyelids and stated to overflow down his chubby cheeks. He wiped at them hastily as the boat came closer and closer to the pier.
Inside of the boat sat Inuyasha, his arms pumping with the effort it took to row a ship to shore his mind lost completely within his own thoughts. "What just happened? Where did those other jewels come from, why did they combine with mine? Why did they make me go insane!" He wondered as his arms moved mechanically, you didn't need a brain to row after all. "That's never happened in my life." His words were honest. "I've been carrying that jewel for centuries and that has never happened." He gulped unable to understand anything that was happening right now. His mind was over drive trying to sort through his new found memories of Kikyo, trying to sort through what Kagome had done to Manten, trying to sort through why both women looked oddly alike, trying to figure out why the memento his mother had bequeathed him would try to take over his mind.
Inuyasha almost stopped rowing as he felt his heart clench tightly in his chest. His eyes traveled to Kagome who was laying in the bottom of the boat covered by the pelt he had found in the pile of ash. On her chest the shard and chain rested moving lightly with each breath she took. He was afraid to touch it now having no idea why the gem had reacted the way it had or if it would do it again. In all his life it never had, since the day he first placed it around his neck but then again it had been acting different lately.
He eyed Kagome carefully as that thought consumed him. "Since I met her, its been doing that burning against me," He narrowed his eyes as he slowly continued to row. "Was it doing that because she and Kikyo—was it reacting to that?" He frowned deeply as the memories consumed him. Kikyo had after all, once worn the jewel maybe it was connected to her and recognized her soul in another persons body.
Inuyasha stopped rowing.
"No way." He told himself as he resisted the urge to stand up in the boat. "No way." He looked at Kagome, his heart pounding in his chest. "No way." He repeated again unable to think of anything else to say.
"Captain!"
His head shot up as Miroku's call rang out over him catching him off guard. He watched as the man stood next to Sango who waved her hands in a large arch from the pier the small Shippo standing at her side looking tiny and horrified. The sight of the child brought him both great surprise and overwhelming anger pushing all his other thoughts aside. "Why is the boy still here?" He felt the growl build up in his throat as he began towing again much stronger than before. "Does he have a death wish?" Inuyasha snorted, he already knew why the boy had stayed. At this point Inuyasha was probably the lesser of two evils for the child.
The boy would never want to willingly go back to Captain Hiten, a man who beat him ruthlessly no doubt, barely feed him and treated him no better than a dog (he ignored the pun). There was no doubt in Captain Inuyasha's mind that the child had stayed simply because he felt safer in their company than his own Captain's.
"Stupid brat." Inuyasha groused at the idea knowing that the boy was probably safer at the bottom of the ocean than anywhere near him right now. Practically breathing fire Inuyasha huffed and tore his eyes away from Shippo to look at the woman laying on the bottom of the boat. It was like a bucket of cold water being dumped onto his head. "Kagome." It hit him instantly why the boy had stayed despite Inuyasha's presence. He remembered Kagome giving the boy the apple, he remembered the soft apology before Shippo had attacked her, "He stayed for her, the only person who ever showed him kindness I bet— he probably regretted hurting her instantly," He gritted his teeth dispite himself. "Still what a stupid fucking thing to do, he could have killed her or worse!"
Inuyasha continued to move his arms in the familiar circles as he came up beside a wooden platform made for small ships such as this. He watched as Miroku hurried down a nearby ramp, making it to the small pier he was docking on in a matter of seconds. "Captain?" He said as he approached, his hands already extended to accept the rope that the Captain threw to him. With practiced ease Miroku secured the small boat to the equally proportioned dock with a tight eight knot.
When he was done he looked up at the Captain and watched as Inuyasha gently picked Miss Dresmont up bringing her close to his body as he stood, a strange fox pelt resting around her shoulders and oddly enough the Captain jewel resting against her chest. He frowned darkly as he stared at it not understanding in the least why a gemstone he had never seen once in his life not around the Captain's neck was sitting on Kagome Dresmont's body. Before he could give it much thought however, the Captain bent his knees only slightly before jumping a good ten feet in the air, Miss Dresmont in hand, landing noiselessly on the wooden platform.
"Wow." Miroku said nearly silently as he watched the Captain begin to walk away. It never ceased to amaze him how easily the Captain could move or how stealthy he could be. He often wished he had been the man's real son so he could have inherited that innate grace. Hurriedly, Miroku ran after the Captain, making it to his side in moments. "Captain, is Miss Dresmont okay?" He asked as he came up beside the other man.
Inuyasha glanced at Miroku out of the corner of his eye before nodding slightly, drawling Kagome closer to his person with care. "She's fine just exhausted." He informed Miroku as he looked down at the woman, cursing himself for letting her be in danger in the first place. He bit his lip as the thought really reached his mind for the first time. He hadn't protected her, he had failed her—it pissed him off.
"What happened to her abductor," Miroku continued to question. "The cabin boy said it was a man named Manten?"
Inuyasha gave him a sideways look, an odd look that Miroku wasn't really sure how to handle. The look faded after a few seconds as the Captain's eyes turned away and back to the path he was currently walking on, up the plank that lead to the main dock. "Manten's dead." He said shortly.
Miroku stopped and watched the Captain as the man continued to walk away, up the tilted wood to the street. It was not that he was surprised the man was dead, no, that wasn't a surprising find at all, what had caused Miroku pause was the way the Captain had said those words. It was as if the Captain regretted the man's death but that didn't make sense. The Captain was not one to regret anything, let alone killing a horrible man who had taken the Captain's marked bitch. Miroku looked towards the Captain's back curious before continuing moving quickly to catch up to him. "Captain?"
Inuyasha stopped and looked back at him waiting for him to continue.
"How did Manten die?"
Inuyasha turned away with no answer to Miroku's question; instead he just continued to walk, carefully shielding Kagome Dresmont from the world. It was an action that confused Miroku greatly. He continued to watch the Captain march, until the man came to stand next to Sango and the young Shippo who was hiding behind her leg in the same way he had hid behind Miroku's earlier. Shippo looked out from his hiding place behind Sango's leg and up at the Captain, his whole body shaking.
"Captain Inuyasha's really scary," Shippo realized as he stared up at the over six foot tall Captain. He felt little beads of sweat run down the sides of his face, down his back, and down his legs and arms, they were all signs of his tremendous fear. "He's gonna kill me I just know it." He gulped before something on Miss Kagome's body caught his eye. Without realizing what he was doing Shippo jumped out from behind Sango and moved towards the Captain.
Inuyasha immediately released a deep and threatening growl from his throat, stopping the young boy in his tracts. It was feral, it was menacing, it was a noise Miroku had never heard the Captain make in his long ten years at the older man's side.
Shippo felt his whole body tremble as wave after wave of tears of fear ran down his face. "Please," He said with a wobbly voice before he added a slight whine that caused the Captain's ears to perk and twitch, "My papa?"
The growl stopped and Inuyasha looked down at the fur pelt finally recognizing what it was. This was a demon's pelt, a demon that had been in his transformed state when he had died. He glanced at Shippo, the small kit was reaching for the pelt, his eyes blurred with his need to be with his father's fur. It was something Inuyasha vaguely understood, his own father's pelt coming to his mind. "Otou-san." He said quietly as he remembered the fur, which had decorated the man's broad shoulders.
Behind him, Miroku and Sango both looked at the Captain with knitted brows, neither understanding the strange foreign word the Captain had muttered in response to Shippo. Miroku felt as if the word should mean something to him, as if he had heard it somewhere before. On impulse he looked over at Myoga, an image of the man talking with him when he had been young and unwilling to study coming into his mind.
"Study-y hard-u for Otou-san."
Myoga had told him, that strange world on his lips. The then ten year old Miroku had thought nothing of it, he had simply gone back to his studies under the watchful eye of old Myoga or at the time slightly younger Myoga. Now, the word gave him pause—what did it mean? Logically—he could only come up with one answer, 'Papa.'
Before Miroku could contemplate this strange revelation any further, Inuyasha knelt down, Kagome still in his arms. With amazing balance, the Captain reached for the gemstone touching only the chain and being insanely careful not to touch another part. The action caused Miroku pause as he watched the Captain lift the chain around Kagome's neck settling it there with the utmost of care never once touching the gem. "Is it just me or does the gem look bigger?" Miroku wondered as he watched the Captain remove the pelt from Kagome's body before carefully handing it to Shippo, who yanked it from his hand in tears. The small boy fell on top of the fur mumbling out words of apology and words of love to the animal pelt—to the pelt of his father.
"This is your father?" Inuyasha asked bluntly his eyes trained on the boy.
Shippo looked up through his fountain of tears and nodded his head before burying his nose in the fur again. He hiccuped before responding further, "This's all 'hat's left," He barely got the words out as he sobbed. "It 'mells like Manten, I hate it!"
Inuyasha nodded his head, understanding the boy to a degree but he still didn't have the full story, he would have to find out later. Turning to Miroku Inuyasha motioned his head towards the boy before turning away. "Bring the boy." He commanded as he walked off towards the ship Shikuro.
Miroku nodded, looking at the scared face of the boy then back at the Captain's retreating form. He could see the top of Miss Dresmont's head resting on the Captain's shoulder and he could see her feet from where the Captain carried them at the bend of her knees. She looked to be asleep, sound asleep in the Captain's arms, unaffected by anything that had just occurred. Slowly he walked towards Sango and the boy, his mind confused by what had just transpired. He looked to Sango who shrugged, her eyes worried and equally confused. "Your name's Shippo, right?" Miroku questioned while looking down at the boy who still clutched the fur to his chest tightly.
"Yes," The small thing responded as he looked at the ground, sweat coming from his small head, tears streaking his face. "I'm sorry." He mumbled around the fur he held to his nose
Miroku watched him for several minutes before nodding and bending down. He picked up the boy and the fur, holding him in his arms like the small orphan he was. He understood how Shippo must feel. He had been devastated to lose his mother and he had never known his father but he had known a home, he had known a family. "Don't worry Shippo," He said causing the boy to look at him in shock. "You're safe now, my Captain will keep you safe."
Shippo looked from Miroku to the Captain and then back at Miroku again, his eyes big and green questioning. He sniffed slightly, a strange gesture Miroku thought and then he opened his mouth. "Is he your Papa?" The little boy inquired. "He smells like your Papa."
Miroku froze at the words of the small boy, knowing without a doubt that the child was right. Miroku, even though he was human, understood the importance of smell and knew that demons made habits of marking with smell. They marked their belonging with scent, their territories whether on land or sea, they even marked their families, wife and children. Miroku let a slight grin come on his face, there was no doubt in his mind that the Captain had done the same thing to him, whether intentional or subconsciously. Needing no more thought Miroku smiled down at the boy.
"Yes, he is my Papa." Miroku said with a happy grin as the strange foreign word from earlier rang in his brain. "Otou-san."
-break-
They arrived back at the ship quickly, the Captain immediately disappearing into his quarters, calling Sango as he did. The woman glanced at Miroku only briefly, exchanging silent fears with him before disappearing behind the Captain, the cabin door shutting behind her as she walked in. Miroku stayed outside, looking at that door for a few moments, his eyes taking in the wooden door frame he had seen a million times—for some reason this time it looked different.
Glancing around the ship, Miroku noticed the deck was relatively bare, most of the men were hanging out on the Port of Spain still and probably did not know that their Captain had been involved in the previous commotion. Most of them were probably still sleeping in a local tavern or pub, dead to the world for a little while longer.
He glanced at Myoga, the only crew member on board, who was by his side, the small man had removed his hat and was worrying it in his hands. His posture was somewhat hunched and he looked as if he had seen better days as his grey hair blew lightly in the sea breeze, the sun making it shine, showing off his age.
"It's not your fault Myoga." Miroku said as he turned away from the distraught man.
"Myoga should have-e seen it-to comin'." The tiny man said with his strange accent as his hands shook. "Myoga should have-e known."
"The Captain and I were right there and we couldn't even stop it." Miroku looked the shorter man in the eye. "If we couldn't do a thing then you couldn't of either."
The old man looked up at the first mate and quartermaster with a forced smile. "Myoga may understand-do Miroku word," He inhaled deeply as he watched the boy he had known for over ten years. "Demo that-to does no mean Myoga agree."
Miroku smiled at the man's simple speech before looking down at the small boy who had yet to speak in his arms. He thought Shippo might have been asleep but when he took in the appearance of the boys face he knew that Shippo was very much awake and attentive. The boy's eyes wandered over the ship, a look of awe in them but also a look of trepidation. The demon child was still worried, scared of whatever punishment might come his way. Miroku couldn't blame him, he had seen the way some Cabin Boys were treated over the years—beaten, molested, used as bait and target practice, burned by pipes, forced to sleep on deck at all times, in all weather, and made to sample poisoned meals or old food for safety purposes.
Being a Cabin Boy could be a horrible life, lucky for Miroku he had made out very well. Captain Inuyasha had never beaten him—not even once—although he had been spanked once or twice by the older man when he had severely misbehaved. He had never been forced into anything he was scared to do and the Captain had allowed him to sleep in the Captain's Quarters up until he was given the first mate's quarters at the age of fourteen. He had always been well taken care of, treated like a son by the Captain.
"Otou-san."
Miroku gulped, he was almost positive he knew what that word meant, and yet the idea of it scared him. Could it really mean what he thought it meant?
Miroku was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of the Captain's door squeaking as it opened. A creak sounded on the deck and Miroku felt Shippo freeze in his arms as the Captain stepped out, his eyes worried and pained as he stared at the ground, contemplating. After several seconds the Captain sighed and shut the door behind him, moving towards Miroku briskly and determined.
"Miroku," He acknowledged with a nod before looking towards Myoga. "Myoga, we need to get the hell out of here." He stated his whole body straight with his resolve. "Go to every tavern and pub in town and find our men, get them on this fucking vessel so we can leave."
"Yes Captain." The small man agreed with a slight bow before he took off in the direction of the gang plank.
Inuyasha looked after him, his face drawn into a line of approval before he turned back to his first mate. "Start heading back up the coast as soon as he gets back. I'll figure a course later."
Miroku nodded his head and looked down at the small boy in his arms, as if signaling to Inuyasha that something needed to be done with the child. Acknowledging this, Inuyasha looked down at Shippo, his golden eyes reflecting the sunlight as he took in the green orbs of the small creature. Shippo gulped at the scrutiny and looked away causing Inuyasha to snort.
"Leave the boy with me." He commanded and held out his hands.
Miroku looked at the Captain unsure as he handed the small boy over. Shippo had begun to sweat, his whole body shivering out of fear as he felt the large hands of Captain Inuyasha hold him under the arms. The Captain looked at him, forcing the child to make eye contact, which Shippo did as his whole body tried to disintegrate under the gaze.
"To your post Miroku." Inuyasha commanded sternly as he continued to hold the boy. "I'm going to use your cabin, understood?"
"Aye sir." Miroku replied somewhat unsteady as the Captain turned away from him and walked in the direction of Miroku's cabin, his strides long and purposeful.
Inuyasha came to the door of the first mate's cabin, a room slightly smaller than his own but still nice compared to the accommodations for other people on the ship. Throwing Shippo under his arm he turned the handle and walked into the room, slamming the door behind him as he did. He unceremoniously dropped Shippo into Miroku's only chair and started to pace the room his hands crossed over his chest as he huffed with anger.
"What the fuck." He growled out in a barely contained rage, his voice soft but harsh.
From his spot on the chair Shippo attempted to make himself smaller but failed miserably. He closed his eyes tightly as small tears leaked from the corners of them, threatening to spill down his cheeks. He knew this was going to happen the second the Captain had opted to take him along. There was no doubt in his mind, all Captain's were alike, no matter what Miroku had told him, he knew this was true. This man may be Miroku's Papa and Miroku might have been pretty nice to him but that didn't mean that the father was anything like the son.
"She was nice to you." The Captain started, "She treated you with kindness. She fucking gave you a bloody apple!" He yelled well aware that Miroku and Sango as well as anyone else on the ship could most likely hear him. "So why, I just can't figure it out, why would you do something like that? Why?"
Shippo kept his eyes closed tightly as he felt the Captain's fury hit him full force. He could smell the demon in the Captain, he could smell the way it wanted him dead. The demon was beyond pissed with him, it was out for blood, hot sticky blood to calm its burning rage. The sensation was similar to the one he had felt coming off his father when they had been attacked by the Thunder Brothers. His father had been furious, his anger had come off of him in waves, it had nearly burnt in its intensity and then—without a word or rhyme or reason—that feeling had disappeared, consumed by a different feeling coming from his father, a cold feeling. It had been the feeling of the spirit leaving his father's body, departing from the world, joining his mother in death.
"Answer me boy!" The Captain continued to yell. "Why the hell did you do it? Why?"
The tears finally spilled over Shippo's cheeks as he thought of why he had done what he had done. Was there really a reason other than fear? He had been scared; he had been scared of what the Thunder Brother's might do to him if he disobeyed. It had terrified him. After all, if his father, a great and powerful fox demon could not defeat the Thunder Brothers then what chance did the little Shippo have? He was weak, mentally and physically, he was weak.
Inuyasha huffed from the force it took him to breathe, his whole body shaking in his effort to keep control, he was angry, he was so angry that this boy had caused Kagome to be taken from him. Inuyasha closed his eyes tightly at the thought, it was this boy's fault, it was entirely his fault. This boy had caused her to be hurt, this boy had physically been the reason Manten had abducted her, this boy was the reason Inuyasha had almost lost her. The demon in him wanted blood, the demon in him wanted this child's blood—it was his fault—it was all this child's fault.
"He is a child."
A voice in the back of Inuyasha's head stopped his train of thought. He looked at the boy sitting in Miroku's chair. He looked so small as he set there, his little body not taking up more than a quarter of the plush blue cushion. His tiny fist were bawled, tears making little trails down his tan skin, creating white streaks in their wake. He was little, almost as small as another slight boy Inuyasha had once known.
"Children do what children must, otherwise they die."
Slowly Inuyasha's anger dissipated as the human in him came out and he took a long breath. His human side began to reason with him, telling him the truth behind the matter—Shippo was a child and children did what children had to do in order to survive. This boy was not at fault, he had acted as he needed to in order to live. Surely Hiten or Manten would have killed him if he hadn't obeyed their every order—Inuyasha knew this deep down.
"Shippo," He said softly as he put a hand on his forehead, rubbing his temples. "Please, just tell me, why did you help Manten? Why did you betray a woman who was so kind to you?"
Shippo looked up surprised at the sudden change of pace. He felt his little body quirk with confusion before he gulped and looked down at his small clawed hands. He could almost see his father's hands holding his own, they were big, almost as big as his whole body. With a trembling lip he looked back at the Captain, his whole heart breaking in his chest. "My Papa, my Mama." He tried to say but lost his ability to speak as the tears took over his very being, his body shaking so hard that he looked like he might shake apart.
Inuyasha watched him silently, his mind drifting to a young Miroku who had awoken in the middle of the night crying and screaming.
"Mama!" The little boy had screamed, his eyes closed tightly.
Inuyasha moved over to him quickly from his spot at his desk. "Miroku?" He questioned as he sat next to the boy who was currently sleeping in the Captain's bed after a long night of studying Greek.
The boy didn't acknowledge the Captain right away, but instead brought his hands to his face, covering his eyes as his whole body shook from fear. "Mama," He cried out again repeating the word several times, hiccupping and gasping for breath.
"Miroku?" The Captain tried again, shaking the little boy's shoulders. "Miroku, Otouto, look at me, I'm here."Inuyasha pushed Miroku's hands away so he could see the little boys face. "Miroku."
Finally Miroku looked at him, his face pale, his eyes wide with fear. "Captain?" He questioned and reached forward with one hand, touching Inuyasha's face with his tiny finger tips.
"Yes, I'm here," Inuyasha attempted to reassured as he awkwardly placed a large hand on Miroku's small shoulder.
Miroku sniffled and wiped his nose with his hand as his tears slowly stopped falling down his face. "My Mama," He whispered, "She died, I saw her, her eyes they wouldn't close but she was blue—blue!" He called out and looked at the Captain his eyes shaky with panic. "What am I gon'a do without Mama?"
Inuyasha was quiet as he watched the little boy panic in his bed. What could he say to make the boy feel better, what could he do? What would a father do? "Miroku," He said as gently as he could as he brought his hand up to ruffle the small boy's hair. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Miroku sniffled and hiccupped before looking at Inuyasha unsure. "Captain?" He questioned softly.
"You're safe with me." Inuyasha smiled as he soothingly moved Miroku back into a laying position, bringing the covers up to cover the small boy. "I won't let anything harm you ever."
Miroku sniffled one last time, his eyes on the Captain with admiration and calm. "Nothing?"
"Nothing," Inuyasha replied as he watched Miroku's little eyes drift to sleep. "Real or imaginary."
Instantly Inuyasha felt a pang in his heart, a wave of sympathy and understanding coming into him as the memory faded into the back of his mind. "Hiten and Manten killed your mother and father?"
Shippo nodded his head but continued to sob, his breathing becoming shallow with his hiccups. "They's ki—led Papa and I—I watch'd, he die—d like Mama died." Shippo trembled and rubbed at his eyes desperately with the back of one small hand. "I'm weak—I'm u'—less." He continued. "I didn't wanna hurt Miss—ss—s Kagome, I just 'idn't know-w-w what el—se ta do."
Slowly Inuyasha knelt in front of the sobbing boy, his eyes focusing on the years of self hatred that had been fixed inside Shippo's infant heart. The boy was crying for his mother, the boy was crying for his father, the boy was crying for Miss. Dresmont, crying for his own failures and weaknesses. Carefully Inuyasha put a hand to the boys head, resting the hand there with the upmost of affection, or at least as much affection as he could muster—raising Miroku hadn't made him soft after all.
Shippo looked up at Inuyasha with big green eyes filled with tears and hope. For a brief moment the Captain saw another boy in front of him, a boy with black hair instead of red, with black eyes instead of green. He shook his head, willing the image away as Shippo looked up at him confused.
"Shippo," He paused for a moment, wondering if he should even ask the small boy. Closing his eyes to gather his thoughts he inhaled deeply, knowing that it was a question that needed to be asked, he opened his eyes prepared. "Do you have something to live for?" He found himself asking as he looked into those young and scared green eyes.
In that second Shippo's eyes seemed to grow up, the expression and determination in them that of a man instead of the small demon child he was. His tiny fist clutched into his pants, the claws creating little marks in the blue material. He gritted his teeth as he forced the tears to stop. "My father's legacy." He said bluntly his eyes looking up at Inuyasha, dark with determination. "I live to kill Hiten so I can make my father proud I was born his son!"
Inuyasha stared at Shippo in silence as he took in that answer, his expression mostly neutral. "My father's legacy." He looked down at his hands, looked down at the floor, looked down at his feet. He could understand the importance of a father's legacy, "Tetsaiga."
Carefully, he stood and ruffled the young Shippo's hair, causing the boy to knit his eyebrows confused. "My name," Inuyasha said suddenly. "Is Captain Inuyasha of the ship Shikuro. And I promise I will help you make your father proud."
Shippo stared at the tall man in awe, his whole body amazed at the older man's words. "But—." He started but never finished.
"From now on, you are my Cabin Boy, understood?"
Shippo gulped, his eyes trained on Inuyasha so intently that the man felt almost uncomfortable but then his eyes lit up, his face contorting into a devilish smile—a smile the Captain would eventually learn to despise. "Aye, Captain!"
-break-
Inuyasha looked at Kagome who was still asleep in her new bed, a bed she had never seen but had slept in now for two days. Her form was peaceful where she lay underneath the gentle cotton sheet but her face was still slightly flushed from the incident. He had even opened one of the vast windows at the back of his cabin to allow some air into the room for her, hoping the circulation would help her body to cool down after her ordeal, at the moment he could only hope she would recover quickly.
He glanced out the window, taking in the scenery of the ocean as the ship moved slowly up the coast, heading towards the upper America, the America of the North. He had decided the second he got Kagome on the ship that it would be safer for all of them if they got out of Port quickly. After all, they had no idea where the older Thunder brother, Hiten, was. By leaving quickly they would be able to care for Kagome without worrying about a fight, it was the best option he had and the best way he could protect her, even if he wanted to go kill the man who had dared to hurt her—to take her.
Sitting back in his chair next to her bed, he crossed his arms and watched her chest as it moved up and down under the cotton sheet. It wasn't meant to be a perverted action, it was meant to calm his mind. The image of her continuing to breathe was reassuring, the rhythmic movement of her chest told him, she was not about to die. He kept his eyes on her chest for some time, counting the intakes of air as she breathed, one—two—three—four—he continued to count, not missing a single rise nor fall.
"I almost lost her," He whispered into the night as he watched her chest move up and down. "I almost caused her breath to stop." Bringing his hands to his face suddenly, he covered his eyes so he was blind to the motion, berating himself for almost stopping it from ever occurring again. "I was careless." He told himself as he buried one hand in his bangs, the other still covering his eyes, obscuring her from view. "If only I had reacted faster or better yet stopped it before it happened. Why did I let Sango take her to port? Why was I so stupid!"
Inuyasha growled in frustration and buried his head even farther into his hands, his ears on his head twitching, listening to her breathing since his eyes could not watch. She had almost died after he promised to protect her, just as Kikyo had died after he had promised to protect her as well. Inuyasha smirked, "Am I really incapable of keeping a woman safe?" He opened his eyes and looked at Kagome's chest closely, he didn't want to look anywhere else, he didn't want to see any other part of her—he was afraid to look. "I know what I saw before," He felt the thoughts run in his head. "But maybe I was wrong, maybe I saw wrong I mean—." He growled. "Who am I kidding? I don't know what I mean."
He looked back at Kagome's chest again watching as it rose and fell, the jewel laying against her breast raising and falling with each and every breath. That was another issue he was dealing with entirely. He just didn't understand what was going on how a jewel he had worn for the better part of his life could suddenly combine with another that looked an awful lot like it and then make him nearly loss his mind.
"What is going on?" He asked himself as he set back in the chair and looked away from Kagome for just a minute. "Awe man," He groaned as his eyes started to hurt once more from being in use so long. Even if he didn't sleep he generally rested his eyes from time to time throughout the day—at this time, he hadn't done that in two days. He'd been too afraid to look away from Kagome for even a second. Inuyasha snorted, "And too afraid to look away, too afraid to actually see her face."
His voice trailed off in the room as he forced himself to move his eyes away from the ceiling and back towards the girl's chest where the jewel rested.
"I don't think I could stand it if they had the same face." He thought to himself as he rubbed his temples with his pointer finger and thumb, his very own nervous gesture. He sighed and closed his eyes with a rather large gulp. He took a deep breath, he continued to count her own breaths as his ears twitched to the sound—one—two—three—four—he continued to count, not missing a single rise nor fall, just as before.
His mind began to wander as he counted those gentle breathes; he could see her smiling face in his mind. He could see the happiness in her eyes, he could see the anger, the fiery personality, he could see her confusion, he could see her audacity, he could see her and only her. "Maybe," he thought to himself. "Maybe they don't look anything alike. Maybe I'm seeing things, maybe I'm wrong." He forced himself to reason once more as he gathered his courage and put all his heart into turning his head to the side with his eyes shut. "Just open your eyes." He mumbled to himself, feeling half crazed from his own actions but he just couldn't do it, he couldn't open his eyes and face the possible truth. "Why can't I open them?" He brought his hands to his ears, blocking out the sound of her breathing, in his frustration. "Why!" He screamed in his head. "Why am I so afraid of what I might or might not see? So what if she looks like Kikyo? It doesn't mean anything."
But it could, his psyche reasoned, it could mean a lot.
With one more deep breath Inuyasha forced his eyes to open slowly. They were blurry from the force he had used to shut them. He blinked several times before his vision cleared and when it did he found himself staring at her angelic face. He froze.
Her lips were slightly opened, parted taking in each breath he had counted. Her cheeks weren't dangerously flushed anymore, they were simply her natural color, deep and red, although slightly tanner than she had been a few days ago. It surprised him, how tan she had become in only a week or so at sea, at the Port of Spain. Her short hair moved slightly from the breeze coming through the opened window and he watched amazed as little ringlet curls danced before his eyes. When he had first seen her short hair he had felt cheated and disappointed for reasons he could not explain but now, as he looked at those sensual ringlets he found himself lucky, lucky to see the way they moved.
They floated about her head like a fluffy cloud of deep black, the kind of cloud that challenged him in storms, the kind of cloud capable of throwing a lightning bolt that could kill. It suited her, it was bold like her, it was straight forward like her, it was—it was stormy like her. Slightly sad, slightly happy just to be alive, but still dangerous.
He closed his eyes and thought of Kikyo, were they at all the same? Kikyo had been delicate, she had been stoic, she had been all manners and propriety, she had been proper, she had been his first lover. And yet, she had wanted nothing to do with him, she was afraid of the side of him that contained demon blood, so much so that she had never truly been with him. Yes—she had bedded him, yes the two had enjoyed every encounter but those encounters had been few and far between, coming only when he could make it back to her Port Town at the right time, only that one time a month she would allow such contact between the two.
He opened his eyes and looked at Kagome lying sleeping on the bed. Kagome was attracted to his demon, he could attest to that, Kagome's body seemed to react to it against her will. Kikyo's body had never had that reaction, even against her will. She had always fought against it, called it disgusting, not enticing, it was unrelenting, unforgiving.
Was Kagome any different, really? He wondered. She was scared of him too, but wasn't it for a different reason? Back on Port Royal she had shown no fear of him and she had to know he was a demon, no human had golden eyes, that was obvious. She hadn't feared that demon, she had kissed his hand, danced with him, and even—kissed his lips. The part that Kagome seemed to fear was the pirate and yet—
He thought of her reactions to him, the way she had gone with him without fear into the Port of Spain, the way she had bluntly yelled at him, defied him—maybe it wasn't the pirate that scared her, maybe there was something else, maybe she feared what she did not know, maybe she was afraid because she didn't know what man he really was. Was he the Captain that had met with her on Port Royal or was he the blood thirsty pirate of the legends—even Inuyasha really didn't know.
"Captain?"
He started from the voice and looked behind him where Miroku stood, looking at him from the doorway. He hadn't even heard the door open, he hadn't even heard Miroku's customary knock. That surprised him greatly, had he been so deep in thought that he hadn't realized that someone was at the door? He smirked—no—he must have known it was Miroku unconsciously. His demon side didn't mind Miroku, it trusted the boy it had raised, it knew he was pack and that he would not be a threat to him or Miss Dresmont. "What is it Miroku?"
"We're coming up to the tip of Jamaica," Miroku told him as the boy surveyed the room his dark eyes landing on Kagome Dresmont's still form. For a moment he looked at the little gemstone that was around her neck resting against the swell of her breast and bit his lip. "Why is she wearing it?" He wondered as he narrowed his eyes to see it just a bit better in the darkened room. "Hm, it looks different—bigger maybe?"
"Okay and you're telling me this why?" Inuyasha mumbled impatiently as he glared at Miroku.
"Oh!" The younger man snapped back to the present taking his eyes off of Kagome Dresmont for just a second as he went back to the reason he had originally entered the room. "We need to dodge Port Royal but I don't know where we're going," He told Inuyasha as he fidgeted under the man's tired gaze. "And I can't decide which course to take till I do."
Inuyasha rubbed the back of his head before popping his neck from left to right. "I see." He barely managed to say as he brought the hand to his face rubbing at his tired eyes with a grunt. "We're going to New Orleans."
Miroku blinked in surprise. "America?"
"Louisiana." Inuyasha said as he allowed his hand to fall to his sides and leaned back in the chair trying to get more comfortable. "You can chart the course off that right?"
"Yes, ser." Miroku said with a nod as he took in the look of his Captain's tired face. "It's starting to all get to him." He thought as he gave the older man a look of barely contained pity. "Why are we going to New Orleans?"
"To see an old friend."
"Older than me?" Miroku inquired knowing the Captain would understand the meaning behind the words. He was not asking about the person's age, he was asking if Miroku knew them.
"Much older," The Captain supplied with a grunt as he stretched popping his back. "I haven't seen 'em in probably fifty years." He reached a hand up to rub at his tense shoulders. "Is that how long its been?" Inuyasha thought as he pushed himself to think back on the newly reinstated memories of the woman from his past. He frowned darkly at the very thought of her, still unsure why he had forgotten everything about Kikyo. It seemed so improvable to simply forget about a woman's entire existence and yet he had. He had forgotten all about her, forgotten all about her sister, forgotten everything until the moment Kagome had unleashed her powers for the very first time. Briefly, Inuyasha glanced Kagome watching her as she slept—it almost felt like that was another clue.
"Why are we going to see 'em?" Miroku interrupted his thoughts, slightly confused as to why the Captain would suddenly want to have a social visit with a friend. "What's his motive?"
"She'll be able to give me some answers," He paused only briefly as he looked at Kagome, looked at the gemstone around her neck and sighed. "About the light we saw."
"The light?" Miroku remembered the light that had appeared, shooting into the sky like a giant beacon, all the way to heaven.
"Yes," Inuyasha nodded his head firmly and then turned to look back at Miss Dresmont once more as to signal that the conversation was over.
"I see." Miroku moved from foot to foot in the doorway, ignoring the information in favor of something else: the Captain's appearance. The Captain looked absolutely horrible, hunched in the hard backed chair, his clothes mangy and his hair unkempt more so than usual. He could see the bags under his eyes, and the look of utter exhaustion. The man was worn out, downright tired and yet stubborn.
Inuyasha glanced at him, his eyes blinking several times from his own exhaustion before he spoke. "Is there something else pup?"
Miroku flinched at the term but saw it for what it was. The Captain was physically exhausted and mentally drained, it was making him cranky. Carefully, Miroku stepped into the room as he spoke. "I wanted to check on you." Miroku said as he closed the door quietly. "It's been two days, have you slept?"
"No." Inuyasha answered shortly.
"Ate?" Miroku verbally nudged.
"Not hungry."
Miroku sighed and nodded his head before pulling up another chair to sit beside the Captain. "You want me to watch her so you can take a break?"
"Don't you need to head the helm?"
"Myoga can do it for a while."
"You have to set the new course." Inuyasha insisted.
"That doesn't need to be done this minute, go take a break, tell Myoga yourself if you want. Just, rest a little." Miroku's voice was almost pleading, he didn't care if it sounded whiny, he just needed the Captain to hear him.
Inuyasha snorted in response to the words and turned away from him. "I'm fine right here. You go back on deck."
Miroku sighed again and crossed his arms over his chest, he was about to try something, something that could possibly go very wrong—very, very wrong but he had to get the Captain's attention. He had to make the man listen to him, he was tired (Miroku could tell), he was hungry (Miroku knew from experience the man needed to eat a lot), and he was worrying himself to death (Miroku could tell because of how pale the normally tan man looked). Gathering up all his necessary courage he put his hands on his thighs, leaning slightly forward in his chair, looking down at the way his fingers touched the fabric of his dark cotton pants.
He took a collecting breath and turned to the Captain his eyes trained on the other man, burning into the Captain's face until Inuyasha had no choice but to look at him. The two men made eye contact. Miroku serious and the Captain looking almost irritated. Clearing his throat Miroku put a hand on the Captain's shoulder, Inuyasha raised an eyebrow and looked between his hand and his face. "Miroku what are you—."
Miroku cut him off. "Please rest or at least eat something," He started softly looking Inuyasha directly in the eye. "Please, Otou-san."
Inuyasha froze, his eyes locked on Miroku's own pleading ones. The two men continued to stare at each other Miroku growing more nervous by the second. The Captain was just staring at him as if something had just gone dreadfully wrong in the past couple of seconds. Miroku gulped and brought his hand away rubbing the back of his head nervously in a very Inuyasha like manner.
"Um," He said in a startled voice. "I'm sorry if I said something wrong. I just thought—you know after that whole thing with that kid and you said—and Myoga said something to me once—and I figured I knew what it meant—maybe I was wrong and I'm—."
He stopped when Inuyasha laughed, plainly laughed and then he gasped in surprise when the older man did something he had not done in years—he ruffled Miroku's hair with all the affection he had for the younger man present. Miroku gapped at the look on the Captain's face, the look of fatherly love, of admiration, and of thanks. "Alright, for you I'll go get something to eat pup."
Miroku couldn't bring himself to be mad at the word 'pup'. "So Otou-san means—?"
"Father." Inuyasha supplied as he stood from the chair. "I know we don't really talk about shit like that but—," Inuyasha gave him a gentle look, it almost made Miroku uncomfortable. "Myoga and Totosai have always called you my son, I guess it's appropriate."
"Myoga and Totosai know that language too?"
"Yes," Inuyasha said and looked down at his hands. "And I guess it's time I teach you."
"What language is it?" Miroku wondered as he looked at the man he had known for over half of his life.
Inuyasha gave him a strange glance, as if contemplating what he was about to say, if he should even say anything. "It is simply a language like any other, my boy." He supplied evenly and Miroku knew that those were the only words he would get on the subject and that it was in his best interest not to ask for any more information.
"When can I start to learn?" Miroku asked instead of inquiring further surprising Inuyasha slightly.
The Captain looked at him, his face showing some relief and Miroku knew he had made the right choice. "As soon as Miss Dresmont is better and out of bed, then lessons will begin again."
"Understood," Miroku said firmly with a nod of his head. "Now go get something to eat and I'll watch Miss Dresmont for a while."
"Hai." Inuyasha said as he stood.
"What?"
"Lesson number one Hai means yes, understood?" He said with a smirk, this was how every language lesson between them had begun.
"Hai." Miroku laughed and then turned away, his eyes closing in happiness as he took over the job of his Captain, his papa, his Otou-san.
Inuyasha walked to the door but stopped before he turned the handle and looked back at the man he had raised, they had spent so much time together, they practically had never been separated for more than a night's sleep since he had first found Miroku. Back then he had been a little eight year old boy who had escaped from an orphanage in London. It had been a meeting of complete luck, a meeting of chance. Inuyasha had been in the city to gather necessary supplies for the crew, water and food, when he had stumbled upon the beggar child, the small boy on the side of a dirty street.
He remembered the big black eyes and the shaggy hair, he remembered the dirty rags he had called clothes, he remembered the tiny hand that had reached towards him, a chipped cup held tightly between shaking fingers.
"Pennies ser, please?"
He recalled the dead eyes, the dead black eyes that looked at him and told a sad story, a story that was all too common. He remembered knelling down to look at the small boy, the boy had been surprised, his eyes had collected some life when Inuyasha had reached out and ruffled his hair. The action had resulted in a smile from the boy, revealing missing baby teeth in his mouth.
To this day, Inuyasha wasn't sure what it was, but something had drawn him to that dirty face, something had made him love it instantly. Maybe it was the missing teeth or the dirt smug on his nose. Maybe it was the way his eyes closed when he smiled that first time, or maybe it was the way the little hands had drawn back to his little chest, clutching the cup tightly in his small boney fingers. Whatever it was, he had known instantly that he wanted to protect that boy forever, he wanted to provide for him without a second thought, he wanted to care for him, raise him, adopt him. In that millisecond of time he had known all of this.
In that moment, the demon in him had subconsciously claimed that boy as its son.
"What's your name, little 'un." Inuyasha asked as he looked at the dirt and wear of the small boy.
"Miroku." The small boy answered, his eyes looking at Inuyasha as if he was already dead. Slowly, Inuyasha reached forward and placed a hand on the boys head, petting him like a puppy.
"That's a good name."
Miroku looked at the Captain in shock. "Ser?" He questioned but Inuyasha just shook his head before looking the boy in the eye, knelling down so he wasn't so formidable.
"Do you have something to live for, boy?"Inuyasha asked as he ruffled Miroku's hair with an affection he had never known himself to have before.
That little face grew with hope, his dark eyes sparkling as he looked up at the much bigger man. Miroku wasn't afraid of him, the child showed no fear as he held the cup tightly to his chest and looked down at the few pennies inside. He jingled them in the tin and then looked at Inuyasha with determined eyes. "I live for tomorrow."
"Daisuki yo, segare." Inuyasha said as the memory faded.
Miroku raised an eyebrow, he recognized the strange speech as the language he would be learning soon but he had no idea what it meant. "What's that mean?"
Inuyasha smirked deciding to mess with the boys head. "I love you, sweetheart." Inuyasha said bluntly as he gave Miroku the best I'm-an-ass smile he could muster.
Miroku turned around and looked at him, those same eyes from ten years ago looking absolutely horrified. "Um—okay—," The man shifted uncomfortably, his body seeming to grow smaller as he brought a hand to the back of his head his eyes darting around the room. He looked everywhere but at Inuyasha before he finally dropped his hand and sighed in frustration. He looked down at his hands, it was reminiscent of the past, when he finally looked back up his eyes were determined as they had been before so long ago. "I love you too," He said honestly, "I guess." He added uncomfortable.
Inuyasha bellowed with laughter clutching the door. "You're such a fucking Molly."
"You're an ass." Miroku replied with a sneer that soon turned into a crocked smile and a laugh. The two men smiled at each other before Miroku turned back to Miss Dresmont and the Captain walked out the door.
He glanced back one more time looking at the back of Miroku's shaggy head, "Daisuki yo, segare." He said again so softly Miroku couldn't hear his words.
"I love you, my son."
End of Chapter
Please Review
Edited for Content: 7/30/2012 and for accents 6/5/2013. Congrats FallenAngel680 for being reviewer 300.
Translation Note: Daisuki yo in Japanese actually means "Big Like." The actual literal "I love you" in Japanese is Aishiteru however, it is considered inappropriate to use Aishiteru between anyone but a true deep lover even husband's and wives do not use this word lightly with each other instead preferring to say Daisuki yo which is just as powerful but not as powerful. In conclusion, saying I Love You in Japanese is no joke.
Bonus Point:
Who is Kikyo's sister? Here's a hint, she's a Baba as far as Inuyasha is concerned (major bonus if you know what baba means!)
Last Chapter's Bonus Point:
Hiten and Manten are known as the Thunder Brother's in the anime, so it is only fitting that their ship is called the Thunder in commemoration of that fact! Congrats to everyone who got it:
LOVE-all-we-HATE, The Anime Chosen One, NaNaNelly, Dark Angel and Silver Savior, 3lue3utterfly, Regina lunaris, KatylerAvatar, .Flip-0v3r., Victoria-Fortis-Elegit, inu-luva123, Purple Dragon Ranger, xvelvett, Hinata fox-demon, Amaranth, Warm-Amber92, InuKag4eva, starfireten, James'Lover13, Anonymous, TheRealInuyasha, Ria Everwood, AnimeRomanceFreak1990, theoriginalXxKikyoHaterxX, Litle C, AriaLuvsInu, angel, babette101, DeAunna
Next Chapter:
The Captain's Greatest Treasure
See you then!
UNEDITED
POSTED 3/30/2011