Shikuro: A Caribbean Fairy Tale

by Inuma Asahi De

Inuyasha was as bad as pirates came, according to his legend. Kagome was a woman of propriety, destined to marry for her family's honor when all she wanted was to live on the sea. What happens when their eyes meet by chance or perhaps by daring fate?

57. Her Personal Symphony

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 Fifty-Seven

Her Personal Symphony

Kagome ran along a small beach her feet bare against the soft tan sand as she raced alongside the surf. "Haha—," Her laughter rang out as a particularly large swell of sea water made its way into the dryer sand causing her to nearly trip over backwards so she could avoid it. Coming out of the encounter unscathed Kagome stuck her small pink tongue out. "Can't get me, can't get me!" She yelled her voice small and sweet, youthful.

As if to mock her the ocean swell came back even larger and the little girl's eyes grew wide with pleasure as a wave drew up and then downwards right before her splashing at her face and clothes and hair.

"Ahhh—haahaa." She screamed and laughed all at the same time as she turned to run away her feet now wet causing the dry sand to stick to her heels and toes. "That was mean." She called back to the ocean but there was no malice in her tiny voice. "Sometimes Mr. Ocean." She pointed a finger at the water shaking it as she tried to give the sea the same look her mother gave her when she was in trouble. "You do not nice things." She shook her finger a few more times before she felt hands going underneath her armpits pulling her off her feet. "Wooow!" She yelled as she was spun around the sound of a deep masculine laugh behind her telling her it was okay.

"My little Kagome." A man said as he spun her in the air a few times before bringing her to face him his eyes bright and happy as he looked at his daughter. "Why are you yelling at the sea, sweet girl?"

"It splashed me Papa!" Kagome giggled in reply as she looked at her father's face only to find it shrouded in black: his features covered by an opaque blanket that left her unable to see his face. "Are you okay, Papa?" She asked and reached a tiny hand forward, her little fingers trying to touch the man's cheek only to find it suddenly not there.

Kagome blinked in surprise as she found herself standing lonely on the sand her father nowhere to be found. Confused she turned all around looking in every possible direction trying to see where he had disappeared to but no matter how much she turned or how far she looked she saw nothing but tan grains of sand and endless sea—her father nowhere to be found.

"Papa!" She called her voice desperate as she took a few steps forward towards the part of the beach that turned into grass thinking he had gone back home. There were no houses to go to however, only empty white space that seemed to go on forever and ever. "What?" She felt her small heart race as she came to a standstill. "What's going on?" She whispered as tears formed in her eyes sticking to her lashes. "Papa?"

"Kagome."

She jumped at the gentle sound of his voice and turned back around just in time to see her father standing by the shore, the water coming up to his boots soaking into the leather as he stood with his hands behind his back and his face looking out away from her. His graying hair blew in the breeze as he stood wigless, a state she honestly couldn't remember ever seeing him in. "Papa?" She ventured stepping forward extending a hand towards him the tan beach and the blue ocean around her fading into nothing but black leaving only her and her father standing some unknown feet apart.

Gradually, her father turned his face still shrouded in black except for his grey eyes, which were beautiful and opened. She stared into those eyes seeing something of herself reflected within them along with peace that she had never seen on his face in life. "Goodbye." He whispered his eyes closing as his body slowly faded away into nothing leaving the tiny Kagome standing alone in the deep—dark—black—.

Kagome lurched forward in her bed panting as her hands shook and sweat rolled down the side of her face mixing with tears on her cheeks. She blinked several times as fear gripped her heart that she couldn't explain. "What was that?" She asked herself as she continued to pant her hands falling to the bed and clutching the sheets as she looked around her taking in the familiar room she had called home for several months now.

She gulped down as much oxygen as she could as her eyes looked on wildly. She felt as if she was still trapped in that dream, the dark room matching the strange encompassing blackness. Her fingers clutched at the sheets even tighter and she closed her eyes against that blackness only to find an apparition of her father with his shrouded face reflected on the back of her eyelids. Snapping her eyes opened once more she gasped and began to shake.

"Why?" She questioned as she brought a shaking hand to her face placing it over only one eye as her other eye stared down at the sheets her vision watery from her tears. "That dream—it felt," She watched as her hand clutched the sheets above her thigh feeling oddly removed from the sensation. "—so real."

Beside her Shippo sat up in bed blinking back sleep and yawning, his little green irises and dark pupils reflecting even the most minimal of light in the room causing them to glow. "Kagome?" He whispered as he rubbed his sleep filled eyes looking over at the woman whose sudden lunge had awoken him. "You 'kay?" He managed to ask even as he yawned once more closing his eyes.

Kagome looked down at the small boy not really seeing him at first as her eyes tried to focus on him in the dark. "Yes." She finally whispered her mind speeding up just enough to comprehend his question even though her heart wouldn't stop pounding in her chest. "Go back to sleep." She barely managed to add her voice shaking as it breached the night air.

The tiny kit yawned and nodded all at the same time before falling backwards without preamble hitting the pillow and passing out once more: little snores filling the room.

She didn't even have the energy to smile at the sweet act as she closed her eyes and willed the tears to stop flowing but they refused. "What was that and why—why do I feel like he's—Papa?" Taking a deep shaky breath she allowed her lashes to flutter open once again before she turned and looked to her left where the Captain's bed lay his sheets folded at its end, unused.

"Inuyasha?" She whispered into the night as her lip trembled her mind wishing he was there, needing him to be there, but he wasn't. "He must be on deck." She reasoned as she looked out towards one of the opened windows her mind so befuddled by the dream that none of the recent happenings between her and Inuyasha even crossed her mind. The sound of the sea lapping against the bow of the ship and the smell of the salt as the sea breeze entered the opened window brushing at the curtains slightly as it wafted in and out calmed her. "It was just a dream." She told herself taking a deep shuddering breath as she tried to believe her own words.

But belief was not in her mind right now. Closing her eyes tightly, thankful when no vision appeared against her eyelids, she brought her shaking fingers up to wrap the blanket more firmly around herself trying to form a cocoon in which to hide. A particularly strong and cold breeze entered the window just then pushing against her. She shuddered as it washed over her body penetrating the blanket almost mockingly.

With a frustrated sigh she pushed the blanket off, careful not to wake Shippo, and scooted towards the edge of the bed throwing her feet over the side and reaching for the window that sat between the two beds. Leaning out of the window slightly she reached for the pane's wooden handle prepared to simply close the window but froze when her eyes caught sight of the night outside. The moon was waning above her head still bright although bitten, the stairs and the milky galaxy that rested in the sky around it twinkled—stars with no names shinning as they made up endless constellations. Her fingers dropped from the window's handle and fell to the sill: a position she had taken up all her life.

"Beautiful." She whispered into the night as the sound of a lapping sea drew her eyes downwards, the black water reflecting the sky above although distorted by the current. She bit her lip at the sight, her calming heart telling her that a sight so beautiful, during a time like this, was ironic. More tears sprung up in her eyes and her lip trembled as she once more felt the need to cry. "Why do I feel like this is wrong?" She asked herself as she tried to hold back the inevitable torrent of salt. "It's beautiful outside and we're safe, so I should be happy but I—I just feel so sad."

"What are you doing awake?"

Kagome practically jumped ten feet in the air having not heard the door open. Hastily, she whipped her head around to see the Captain of this very ship standing in the doorway, his clawed hand still on the handle looking perplexed. "Inuyasha!" She gasped as she took in his surprised face. "Um—I'm." She started to say but the words just wouldn't form causing her to simply clamp her mouth shut and look away from him.

"Um." He started in much the same way looking at her as if she was a two headed snake. "I should just—I mean." He motioned towards the violin that was leaning against the now restored desk his eyes looking everywhere but at her. "I didn't mean to disturb you, sorry—so I was—I'll just—."

Kagome winced at the sound of his voice looking at him out of the corner of her eye, watching as he stared at the floor. "He can't even look at me." She felt her heart burn in her chest as her perplexing dream faded from her mind for only a second, the new distraction of the man before her whom she hadn't spoken to in days and actual relief. "And he's been avoiding me." She felt her heart sink in her chest. "I guess he really was," She bit her lip not wanting to admit what she now feared was the trust. "Just caught up in everything and now," She felt a lump form in her throat as she admitted what his posture suggested. "He regrets it."

Inuyasha cleared his throat to speak once more his eyes just barely looking at Kagome as she stared at the ground. "She can't even look at me." He thought not aware that her thoughts were identical as he held in a groan and looked at the ground. "She—must be so mad." He reasoned closing his eyes tightly. "I just—how could I do that?" He thought even as a nagging feeling entered the back of his mind.

The press of her lips against his own as she reacted to the kiss—kissing him back—responding to his own movements with her own.

"Ah!" He yelled internally as he tried to push all the thoughts away not wanting to feel any sort of hope, not wanting to believe it was possible that she had actually enjoyed it, wanted it. "I imagined it!" He told himself but the lie was loud in his head. "She regrets it." He continued to convince himself trying to trick his mind into ignoring any other evidence. "Otherwise she'd be able to look at you." He felt a lump form in his throat. "I'm a moron." He told himself but he wasn't even sure why.

Taking a short step into the room he looked over at the violin case, his only reason for entering the room on this night. He had waited until it was nearly midnight before he had dared to attempt a retrieval in hopes of avoiding his current situation: unfortunately, it appeared his idea had backfired on many levels.

Stepping slowly across the floor he tried to look at her but failed once more instead focusing on the violin case as he spoke. "I was just grabbing that." He told her his voice sounding scratchy as he reached down and picked up the case. He held it to his chest chancing another glance at her only to find her still staring at the ground. "Stupid." He told himself. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." The thought repeated as his shoulders slumped. "Well," He mumbled motioning back towards the door still not managing to look at her. "I guess I'll just um," He inched towards the door his feet feeling heavy as he pressed his ears to his skull wishing she would speak. "Be going." He finished glancing at her ever so slightly but she wasn't paying him any mind. "Just face it," He told himself as his chest feel even further. "She doesn't want anything to do with you." He tightened his grip on the case as disappointment filled his mind. "That's why I didn't want to fucking come in here." He felt the growl start in his throat but stopped it.

"Oh," Kagome whispered as she continued to stare at the ground listening to his footsteps as they drug against the wood. "Don't go." She heard her own voice whisper somewhere in the back of her mind and she shook her head. "Stay." She shut her eyes tightly, tears building underneath her lashes. "Please stay." The voice was her own but it sounded somehow detached. "Open your mouth." She heard the voice scream. "I can't," She finally answered. "He regrets it, he can't look at me, this is wrong, he won't stay, he doesn't—." The sound of her own voice cutting her off made her eyes snap open. "Look at him!"

Kagome felt something inside her nearly snap as she looked up at Inuyasha against her very will responding only to the command. Even in the dark she could easily make out that he had already reached the door and was now standing there with his back to her and his hand on the handle but had yet to turn it. He was simply standing as if waiting for something. Blinking, Kagome felt her heart start to thump in her chest again as she squinted seeing his tense muscles and his ears which were pressed so far against his skull that she couldn't really see them.

"What is he waiting for?" She wondered as she watched him sigh his shoulders slumping in time with the sound. "Is he—does he, why would he? Why won't he leave?" She questioned as he started to turn the handle on the door looking disappointed even though she couldn't see his face. "I can't—please," He heart tugged in her chest. "Don't go." She almost wasn't sure she had said the words until she noticed his ears twitch on his head.

"What?" He whispered still facing the door his muscles tight underneath his jacket. "Did she—did I hear her?" He wondered as he cursed himself for having pressed his ears so far down that his hearing was impaired.

"Don't go." She spoke a little louder even as her whole body started to shake with fear. "What am I doing?" She asked herself as she watched him once more lift his head to look at her. "Why am I doing this? What if he—what if I read him wrong and he was holding in—anger—or frustration or some other emotion and that's why he was tensed." She drew her lips into a tight line. "Stupid!"

"Um—," His voice was soft as he turned ever so slightly and looked at her, really looked at her for the first time since he had entered the room. His golden eyes shone brightly with something akin to hope as his fingers loosened on the door handle before gingerly slipping off. "Okay."

"Okay?" Kagome repeated the word in her head as her eyes went wide. "What does he mean by that?" She frowned. "Just—he'll stay but he doesn't want to or he—wants to and he's glad and he wants—oh god he's looking at me!" Feeling her face turn bright red Kagome immediately drug her eyes away from his own and began to babble. "I mean leave if that's what you wanna do," She tried to cover up feeling so on the spot that her knees were going weak. "But don't leave just on my account." She motioned down at herself. "I mean I'm fine with you here." She looked at him from under her lashes trying to convey what she meant by that statement. "Or not." She added just because of her own anxieties.

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably as he eyed her looking unconvinced but somehow encouraged. "Well," He started only to stop and scratch the back of his head in thought. "I was just coming for this." He indicated the somewhat scuffed up violin case hoping she heard the stress in his sentence and understood it.

"Oh then um, get it," She said only to wince and blush harder realizing her mistake. "I mean you have it," She motioned to the case uncomfortably. "So just go ahead and don't let me bother you," She finished quickly feeling smaller and smaller by the second. "I'll just go back to looking out the window," She laughed nervously and started to turn around motioning towards the night sky and the moon with one hand. "Pretty night you know." She smiled awkwardly and turned around her hands falling on the windowsill as she closed her eyes. "You're acting like an idiot." She told herself with a wince before opening her eyes and looking out at the beautiful night she had seen earlier. Instantly, the dream came back to her flooding her every sense.

"It is." Inuyasha offered cautiously as he took a step towards her unaware of her changing mood. "She looks so flustered—is she thinking about it?" He took another step looking slightly unsteady on his feet. "Is she—," He inhaled deeply taking in her scent. "She just smells nervous." He told himself. "But what kind of nervous?" He wondered as he cleared his throat. "It's almost too—pr—nice." He stumbled over the word for some reason finding it hard to say at the moment.

Kagome didn't reply to his words, she almost didn't hear him as she looked out at the reflected moon the same sensation that had encompassed her when she awoke coming back with even greater force. "Why do I feel—this way again?" She questioned as she brought her hand to her chest the shikon jewel brushing her knuckles as she clutched at her heart. "It was just a dream." She told herself as her eyes welled once again. "Just a dream." She repeated as the water rippled sending the reflected moon into a giant spectrum of mini moons. "It's so beautiful," She thought her earlier embarrassment and flustered face becoming almost pale as she looked out across that watery landscape. "It makes me want to cry." She realized as she felt the tears building in her eyes once more before slowly making their way down her face.

The salt from her tears assaulted Inuyasha's nose and he raised his head up hastily to look at her back. "Is she crying?" He asked himself as he took a slight step towards her worry mounting in his heart. "Why would she do that—please don't be because of me." He gulped and bit his lip feeling the need to run right back out the door but knowing now was not the time. "Kagome?" He ventured to speak watching her every subtle movement to see if she reacted to his words negatively. "Are you okay?"

She jumped in surprise and rubbed at her eyes fitfully before turning towards him and trying to smile. "Yeah." She let out a soft giggle that sounded completely out of place. "I'm fine." She tried to confirm as she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth to stop it from trembling. "You were gonna go play—right? You should." She told him but found her voice shaky.

Inuyasha looked at her with a rather large frown on his face before he slowly lowered the violin case back to the ground. It landed with a soft thud as he took a few steps forward before his demeanor confident once more. "What's wrong?" He ventured to ask his worry outweighing his fear and doubts.

"Nothing." She tried to smile again but her eyes looked so pained that the smile didn't hold any significance.

Inuyasha felt his heart clench in his chest at the sight of her. "This—this isn't about the kiss." He told himself as he took a baby step towards her. "What could have happened?" He inhaled deeply the fear mounting in his psyche as every worse case and impossible scenario started to play in his head. Instinctively, he took in her scent once more this time checking for any signs of physical foul play. "I'll kill anyone who dares to touch her." He thought as he decoded her scent some of his anxieties ebbing as he realized she smelt completely normal like lilies and the sea no other males smell upon her except a little of Shippo and Miroku who didn't worry him. "Thank god." He breathed deeply once more this time just for the pleasure of her scent washing over him. "Kagome." He let her name run through him soothingly before his mind pushed the reality of the situation back to the forefront of his mind. "Kagome," He spoke out loud. "You don't have to hide it." His voice was gruff like normal but filled with such honest truth that Kagome felt the tears in her eyes double. "Talk to me." He stressed the words. "You can talk to me."

"But—?" She interjected as she looked down away from him ashamed of the streaks from tears on her face.

"Kagome," Inuyasha took another step forward before lowering his head so she couldn't see his eyes. Uncomfortably, he inhaled and shifted from foot to foot before releasing a pent up sigh. "I'm here—," He paused and cleared his throat. "Anything you need I'm right here, so don't be afraid ta—you know," He slowly brought his head up looking at her through thick silver bangs his eyes a odd mixture between embarrassed and self-assured. "Talk to me." He finished and that charming boyish smile showed up lopsided on his face before he blinked, cleared his throat, and turned away walking towards the desk, yanking out the chair, and plopping himself down backwards in the seat, his legs straddling either side of the chair as he rested his arms on its back. "See I'm comfortable and ready." He tried to joke as he motioned towards her giving her the go ahead.

Kagome smiled, the tears that seemed to simply stream down her face unprovoked slowing down as she reached a hand up to wipe at them. A part of her wanted to keep her mouth shut, it thought that he was lying and didn't want to talk to her but another part of her felt the overwhelming urge to say something, to get this horrible feeling off her chest. "But—how do I explain it, if I don't even understand?"

"Kagome."

She looked up surprised as he said her name. For a second he looked as if he wasn't going to say anything else as he sighed heavily and laid his forehead against his arms not looking at her. After several seconds he raised his head and looked at her his eyes sparkling against the moonlight behind her, wide and opened and honest and filled with an emotion she had seen many times but never really understood.

"Talk to me." He implored with those eyes looking at her unhindered by normal barriers she had grown used to. "I just—." He licked his lips and laid his forehead against his arms again. "I'm here." He mumbled and raised his eyes again, once again they were closed off but the honesty was still right there.

"Inuyasha—he really—I thought that—." She blushed only slightly as the image of him grabbing her his face full of worry flashed threw her mind before he bent his head and—. Kagome forced the thought away choosing to focus on the present once more. Slowly she looked at his anxious face, a face that she didn't see very often. Normally, he was pretty composed or angry. Rarely did he ever settle down long enough to look at someone with true apprehension and caring. He was looking at her with openness and honesty that she couldn't doubt. "He really is worried about me." She told herself feeling her heart lighten and the blush subside as a sudden calm she had never really experienced settled over her. "I—," She licked her lips and shifted nervously. "Really want to." She told him as she slowly lowered her hands down to her sides. "But I just—," She looked down shyly. "I honestly don't know what's wrong."

Inuyasha frowned and rested his chin on his crossed arms looking at her attentively. "What do you mean?"

"I was asleep and—I had this really strange dream." She looked over at Shippo absently when the boy mumbled and rolled in his sleep, effectively knocking the covers off of his body. "I—I was a little girl and I was on the beach." She said softly as she reached to pull the covers back up around him in a motherly way. "I was playing in the surf and suddenly my father picked me up." She paused the words hanging in the air as she ran a hand through Shippo's copper bangs. "And he spun me around and I laughed and then he sat me down and he—he said goodbye." Kagome felt her heart constrict almost painfully as she drew her hand away from Shippo bringing it to her chest, clutching at the Shikon jewel. "It all felt so real and I—I woke up and I—I couldn't," Her lip trembled and she took a shaky breath as the tears began to flow from her eyes once more. "I couldn't stop crying—I just—he-he was there and," She hiccupped as her voice caught in her throat. "I don't know, it just, it felt like he was really saying goodbye."

"Kagome." Inuyasha whispered softly as he watched the girl bring her hands to her face hiding the tears that flowed just underneath them. "What do I do?" He asked himself as every fiber of his being begged him to take a step towards her, to wrap his arms around her, and hold her tightly as she cried but something in the back of his mind stopped him. "Would she want me to?" He felt every bit eighteen as he sat there confused and unsure of himself. "Damn it Inuyasha," He groused angrily. "Life gives you a burning mast and you're golden but when it gives ya a crying woman," He growled at himself. "You're useless."

"I'm sorry." Kagome sniffled bringing him out of his thoughts as she pulled her hands away from her face and gave him an apologetic look her skin red and blotchy. "I—I didn't mean to start—blubbering like that."

"It's okay." Inuyasha offered as he looked at her feeling guilty for not being man enough to stand up and comfort her.

"It was only a dream anyway," She sniffled and tried to smile but it looked fake. "You know?"

"Yeah." Inuyasha whispered as he looked away from her his eyes landing on the violin case he had sat down beside the door, an idea springing into his head. "Maybe?" He stood up from the chair slowly the creaking of the wood drawing Kagome's attention as he walked across the room. Swiftly, he bent down and retrieved the violin case before looking back at Kagome while drawing his lips in a tight line. "You know, you said earlier that it's—," He felt nervous, he could never really recall ever feeling this kind of nervous. "A-a—pre—tty night." He stumbled once again feeling absolutely dim-witted. "And maybe since it's so," He felt like slamming his head in the wall. "Nice we should—I don't know," He tapped a claw against the case. "Have a lesson?"

Kagome felt her heart flutter in her chest as she looked at him not believing that the nervous creature standing in front of her was real. "I've never seen him so shy." She smiled as her cheeks grew hot. "Is he, why would he be nervous?" She asked herself but before the thought could really come to fruition a pang in her chest brought the dream back full force. She saw her father's face in her mind's eye, saw him looking at her with sad grey eyes, say his lips forming the word goodbye. "Papa?" She felt the word echo in her head, her heart aching in her chest for reasons she didn't fully understand. "I'm sorry." She whispered apologetically feeling awful when his shyness turned to confusion. "I just don't," She rushed to explain herself. "Feel much like playing."

"Oh," Inuyasha felt his shoulders slump actually disappointed, his ears going back on his head. "I guess I can understand after a dream like that, not feeling up to it." His voice trailed off and he scratched the back of his head. "I just wanted to make her smile." He told himself as he tugged on a strand of hair that had broken free from the rest. "I know she like's music and that's all I got—," His thoughts trailed off as another idea suddenly sprang into his head. "I could play for you."

Kagome's head shot up and she blinked surprised by the suggestion. "Pardon?"

"Anything you want," He smiled excitedly at her, his face looking proud, boyish, charming. "I can be your personal symphony."

Kagome felt her mouth open in surprise as she looked at him. "You," She shook her head and laughed slightly as she took in his eager golden eyes. "You'll be a one man symphony?" She shook her head looking amused; Inuyasha felt his heart race at the sound. "Are you cra—."

"Seriously." Inuyasha stopped her before she could question his sanity. "Anything you want," He held the violin up as if to help his cause. "I can play."

Kagome brought a hand up to her face a finger poised as if she was ready to point it at him but before she could do anything with it she frowned. Slowly, she lowered the finger down until it rested relaxed with its counterparts at her side. She smiled ever so slightly her face looking puzzled and yet intrigued. "Anything?" The word fell from her lips as if she hadn't meant to say it.

"Try me." He fired back giving her a challenging glare.

Her heart raced in her chest as he looked at her his every muscle daring her to speak, to name, to challenge him. "Capriccio," She spoke without having to think. "Stravagante."

"Ah," Inuyasha smiled leaning away from her as he closed his eyes. "Carlo Farina," He named the composer playfully before looking back at Kagome smiling with one little fang peeking from his lips. "Which part?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow mischievously.

Kagome blinked surprised her mind racing to answer his question. "The overture." She supplied even though she wasn't sure Capriccio Stravagante had an overture.

Inuyasha nodded his head and made a show of thinking over her words as he brought a hand to his chin and tapped it mildly before smirking. "Movement?"

"Really?" Kagome felt her jaw drop as she looked at him in shock.

Inuyasha snorted and clicked his tongue. "Of course."

"Hmp!" Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips haughtily. "Three." She said the number without thought, her voice confident even though she had no idea what she was talking about at all.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her as he teasingly motioned towards the door with a bow indicating 'ladies first.' "Let us go my lady." His voice was light and his expression relieved.

"Why?" Kagome tilted her head confused.

"I can't play in here," He told her motioning to Shippo. "I'd wake the pup."

Kagome blinked and then looked down at the small boy. "I had forgotten about him." She realized and shook her head before turning back to Inuyasha. "You're really going to play it?" She pressed as she ventured to take a step forward.

Inuyasha reached for the door handle pushing down on it with a soft click. "I'm your personal symphony, Kagome." He reminded as he pushed the door opened and once again gave her a playful bow while motioning with his hand.

Kagome chuckled and gave him a tempting smile. "Capriccio Stravagante is not a piece designed for a symphony." She quirked an eyebrow as she spoke, her lips curling into an almost cat like grin.

Inuyasha frowned caught off guard by her comment before a slow smile formed on his face. "Sometime's Kagome Dresmont." He spoke the name slowly as he looked at her from underneath his bangs his golden eyes reflecting the light that streamed in from the window behind her. "You just—surprise me." Inuyasha watched the faint blush on Kagome's cheeks start to grow as a feeling welled up in his chest that he had never truly experienced in the entirety of his life.

"You," She spoke softly as her eyes shown not with tears but another emotion all together. "Surprise me too," She grinned shyly before she spoke again her voice a mixture between lighthearted and bashful. "Of course only sometimes."

He laughed at her words raising his head up to take her in. The moon was shinning behind her draping her shoulders, hair, and neck in a slight fuzzy haze that made her look downright angelic. "It should be a crime to look like that." He told himself before clearing his throat. "After you."

"Why thank you good sir." She joked as he had earlier with his 'my lady' comment and gave him a mock curtsey that looked ridiculous with her current clothes: a baggy bleached cotton shirt and a pair of dark blue pants each of which belonged to Sango who naturally stood a good foot taller.

"Just come on." Inuyasha grumbled but there was no bite in his tone.

Smiling wide Kagome walked towards the door not caring that her feet were bare or that her shirt was untucked. "After you play Capriccio," She asked as she passed by him looking over her shoulder as he followed closing the door. "Can you play something by Arcangelo Corelli," She grinned walking backwards so she could watch him as they talked. "I just adore his work."

"Okay Capriccio I can understand," He held up a hand following her, his eyes trained on her every move should she fall. "But where the hell did you hear Arcangelo Corelli living on Port Royal?"

Kagome rolled her eyes grinning. "I lived in England or did you forget?" She told him her voice almost sarcastic as she turned and walked normally.

"But you were what," He looked up at the ceiling of the hallway as he followed her, thinking. "Eight when you moved."

"So?" She threw over her shoulder as she came to the entryway for the quarterdeck.

"You remember," He groused as he followed her out onto the deck, the crisp night air refreshing to his senses. "Hearing something by Arcangelo Corelli when you were eight?"

Kagome paused for only a moment before nodding decisively. "Yes."

"Alright," Inuyasha sighed as they reached the stairs. "Which piece?"

Kagome hopped up and down clapping her hands in delight as she mounted the stairs. "I don't know if I can chose." She gushed and Inuyasha couldn't help but simply smile.

"It's like nothing ever happened." He thought to himself watching the natural way she feel back into place next to him. A slight frown formed on his face as the realization turned into something that could be dangerous—, "Does she nothing ever happened? Does she want to ignore it, pretend?" Inuyasha sighed heavily still following her up the stairs the violin case in his hand. "Nothing ever happened." He told himself not wanting to get his hopes up after all, he had been burned once before.

-break-

Kagura stood in Naraku Morgan's office her eyes trained on the man himself unseeing and emotionless—a gift from the death god who had bequeathed his eyes to her. "Yuu," She froze and took a deep collecting breath as she watched the man smirk as he rested his elbows on the desk in front of her. "Wanted me?"

"Why yes," Naraku smiled as he spoke, resting his chin on his hands as he leaned forward on the desk. "I hope this morning finds you well," He licked his lips, his dark eyes as murky as they were deadly. "Kagura."

The wind demon felt herself clutch a fist the natural wind in the room reacting to her anger by slowly spinning around her as if to make a funnel cloud. "Yes." She bit out the word the pure evil in front of her making every ounce of control she possessed nearly dissolve. "I am." She confirmed even as her heart reached out for the dead man that now rested on the bottom of the sea. Early this morning they had held the silent funeral, the crewmen wrapping the dead man in clothe, tying weights to his body, and then gently depositing him overboard. It had been a solemn affair. The old woman's, whom Mr. Dresmont had saved, crying had been the only noise present. "Kaede-sama." Kagura gulped as she imagined the old woman standing their in tears. "It was only a week-ku but I never thought-to I'd see yuu cry."

"How are you liking," Naraku interrupted her memories and thoughts as he leaned back in his chair and motioned to her now free hands and feet. "Your run of the ship?"

"It's fine." She replied bluntly as she continued to stand behind the chair looking at the man in front of her as if she couldn't even believe it was possible he existed. "Did yuu know a man like this was out-to here?" She questioned softly in the back of her mind as she imagined the tall figure before her as he told her of her mission. "Did yuu know of such a man's existence-e?" Somehow she got the impression that he hadn't.

"Good," Naraku nodded as he tapped the table with one hand, his fingers drumming against the surface absently. "I called you here because it's time to make good on our deal." He reached for a small pouch that had been resting in his lap. Idly he ran his hand over it before throwing it onto the table, causing it to open, its contents scattering on the desk with little clinking noises. "Twenty—," He motioned to the small gold coins. "Right?"

Kagura looked at the money and then back to Naraku her expression tight. "It's-u pointless." She thought to herself as she stared at it. "Dirty." She felt the wind around her react to her err. "It's been tainted by brood, by innocent brave brood." She felt her lip shake as the need to scream at the man consumed her. "I just—I just want-to destroy him, this sick bastard doesn't-to deserve to live!" She felt her inner demon boil as hatred stronger than any she had ever known bubbled under the surface of her skin.

"At all cost."

Kagura blinked as the voice entered her head, her boiling blood calming at the monotone sound. "At all cost." She inhaled, the air around her slowly down and brushing against her as if to say she was not alone. "I promised." She remained herself as she reached forward and slowly began collecting all the coins. "And I won't-to break that promise." She told herself as she counted each coin before placing it in the bag. "This is-u bigger than my-y anger." Her voice sounded distant in her own head as the weight of her guilt intensified. "This is-su more important—the shards are more important, Inuyasha is more important I'm sorry." She closed her eyes for just a second as the last coin was dropped into the sack. "Dresmont-sama but this is-u a game I cannot afford to jeopardize." She lifted her head and looked Naraku straight in the face watching as the youth smiled, pleased—she felt even dirtier. "Who is yuur navigator?" She posed the question with her chin held high and her ruby eyes tense.

"Mr. Hiten has been navigating." Naraku supplied easily not looking the least bit fazed as he watched the heat in Kagura's eyes double.

"Then I must speak-u with him." She said firmly as she deposited the bag of coins into one of the wide sleeves of her tattered kimono.

"That's fine." Naraku nodded almost kindly as he propped his feet up on the desk, a little streak of blood left over on the underside of his boot practically glaring up at her. "I trust you already know the location of the nearest shard?"

Kagura blinked slowly as she pulled her eyes from the blood of his boot and looked towards her right the northern most facing side of the ship. Faintly, just ever so lightly she could see the furthest shard a glow on the horizon. "North-u—maybe a little east-to." She spoke as it glimmer to her eyes, there were no others closer than this shard. "Mo, is it yuu, Inuyasha-sama?" She wondered as she clutched her hands at her side.

"Alright," Naraku licked his lips in anticipation as he swung his feet abruptly off the desk and pushed his chair out so he could stand. With haunting cold eyes he turned towards the back window of the ship and slowly brought a hand to the glass. "I'm coming for you—I'll kill you Kagome Dresmont, Captain Inuyasha and afterwards I'll take those jewels." Naraku felt his heart beat quicken in his chest as he brought his other hand up to press against the glass as well. "And once I have them—I'll make it so no one will ever, talk to me as my father and my brothers did ever again." He yanked both his hands from the glass as the words left his head and turned back to Kagura who was watching him silently her eyes shining brightly from the light. "You're dismissed."

Kagura flinched not from the coldness of his tone but from the dark erupting hatred in his young eyes. "His eyes—," She realized as she stood frozen face to face with a boy far scarier than any man she had ever met. "There's somethin' in those eyes." She blinked noticing the strange glow that manifested from him, a purple hazy mist. "Evil." She realized as the purple haze seemed to come at her, a tangible thing and not just a glare. "There's so much evil in those eyes."

"Did you hear me!" Naraku yelled suddenly in evil in his gaze becoming brighter and brighter.

"Of course." Kagura nodded and turned for the door not wanting to stay a second long—the evil from those hazy purple eyes forever etched into her brain.

-break-

"Okay," Kagome sat on the helm's deck her knees drawn up to her chest as she watched Inuyasha standing across from her the violin hanging from his hand while he waited for her to name the next song. "How about," She drew out the words leaning her head back to think. "Vivaldi," She snapped her fingers and pointed at him. "'The Four Seasons.'"

Inuyasha frowned for all of a second before nodding in agreement. "Alright," He rolled his neck a few times trying to keep his muscles from getting stiff from playing so long. "I'll do any season but 'Spring,' it's too bouncy."

Kagome laughed as her memories of the composition assaulted her. "I guess you feel the same about 'Autumn' then?"

"Yes." Inuyasha grumbled as he brought the violin to his chin and played the first few notes of 'Autumn' as Kagome watched on enchanted as his bow moved against the string the music of 'Autumn' surrounding her in a haze of almost purple mist before it abruptly halted with the screech of a bow grinding on strings. "I mean come on!" He groaned dropping the violin and looking at her. "Seriously Vivaldi F Major on top of constant use of pianissimo and fortissimo." He growled slightly in his throat. "I mean it's nice but—I don't know, it sounds like we're going to war and then the fairy king fucking pops up." He scrunched up his face. "I don't remember "A Midsummer's Night Dream" being part of "The Four Seasons" Vivaldi!"

Kagome laughed loudly bringing a hand in front of her face as she desperately tried not to chock on her own mirth. "Vivaldi and Shakespeare would kill you." She continued to laugh trying to calm herself down. "Okay, okay how about 'Winter'?"

"'Winter' sounds like someone's going to attack." Inuyasha mussed as he brought the violin to his shoulder propping it in the wrong position as he played the first few notes of the movement, slowly, ever so slowly moving his bow across two of the strings making them ring into the air so he could play both the part of the 1st and 2nd violin at once. "Don't you hear it." He whispered as he brought the bow over the string in a short almost jerky motioned. "They're matching towards you right now, getting ready to attack." The sound got louder and louder. "Like a cat hidden in the grass ready to bounce—all its muscles tensing as it watches you while you're completely unaware."

"You really paint a picture." Kagome grinned as she spoke but her voice froze in her throat as Inuyasha brought the violin to his chin posing for the next line.

"And then," He whispered ignoring her words as he kept up the short jerky motions. "It attacks!"

His fingers took off at an amazingly rapid pace, the solo of Vivaldi's 'Winter' dancing from his hands. The bow moved over the strings so fast that she could barely see its tip dancing up and down as he hit each note. He closed his eyes in concentration as his fingers jumped between strings and then as suddenly as he started the quick movements of Vivaldi's 'Winter,' he stopped, drawing out the last note slowly letting it fade from the string.

"But it misses." He spoke into the air the violin still ready as he started the slow jerky motions once more. "So it waits again for just the right moment, looking for its next prey." He played the little jerks quieter and quieter before breaking out into the quick once more but like before just as quickly as he began he slowed, his bow rippling against the string as he shook one of his fingers quickly back and forth while it was pressed down on the string, causing a strange humming sound to vibrate in the air growing higher and higher in pitch before the jerky motions came back again.

"Wow." Kagome whispered as she watched the bow move slowly across the string. "He's amazing—I've never seen such a talented violinist." She shook her head back and forth as she knitted her eyebrows. "His control of the bow, his knowledge of music, there wasn't a single piece I mentioned he didn't know." She blinked an expression forming on her face somewhere between a smile and a frown. "—when did he find the time to learn all this?"

"But once again," Inuyasha spoke eyes still closed unaware of her thoughts. "It fails." He whispered the words softly looking remorseful before he snapped his eyes opened his attitude shifted instantaneously. "Oh but wait—," His breath caught in his throat and he smirked as his chin pushed against the wood of the violin even firmer than before the most famous part of the solo taking over his fingers.

Kagome's mouth dropped opened as he moved in a way she thought impossible. The boy playing multiple notes on the same pull of the string his fingers shaking against each note making it ring out into the night. Every note practically boomed around her, the sound of his hasty fingers so loud that Kagome was certain the rest of the crew might awaken at any moment. "Amazing." She whispered as she imagined the cat attacking its pray, running after it in a desperate attempt to bounce upon its kill.

With a smirk Inuyasha drew out the last note of the brief yet famous solo and brought the violin away from his chin. "That's my favorite part of the whole arrangement."

The girl sitting down across from him grinned before becoming thoughtful. "I like the slow," She offered as she tried not to look at him as if he were a violin god. "With the staccato in the background."

"Oh I know what you mean." Inuyasha gave her a slight smile as he brought his hand to the violin and slowly began to draw the bow over the strings. His fingers now moving with slow but delicate precession as his body swayed to the almost mystical beat of the music.

Kagome closed her eyes allowing it the mind of Vivaldi to wash over her finding it simply amazing. She smiled imagining the staccato he couldn't play behind the music as he gently made the string hum against talented fingers before suddenly lifting that same finger on and off the string creating the most amazing sound. "The shakes," She whispered into the night as Inuyasha bounced his finger up and down rapidly off and on the string making the hasty alternating sound between two unknown notes. "Are fantastic."

"I do enjoy a good shake." Inuyasha commented off handedly as he continued pulling the bow across the strings his eyes closed and his expression soothed.

"You do seem like a man," Kagome spoke her tone teasing as she leaned her head forward and opened her eyes to look at him. One of his eyes opened as well acknowledging as his other remained closed the trills coming off his fingers with practiced ease as he waited for her to speak. "Who enjoys the shake."

Inuyasha stopped playing his closed eye snapping opened as the violin slouched off his arm. He smirked at her, his expression downright predatorial as his fangs gleamed with the nearly resting moon. "I do enjoy the thrill of the shake almost as much as a long vibrato." He danced his finger over the B sharp, the humming quality of the note taking off in the air as he moved his finger rapidly back and forth fully realizing the implications of the gesture and the innuendo.

Kagome blinked not really understanding the statement but finding the pit of her stomach knowing none the less simply by the look on his face. Blushing slightly she turned away and looked off into the night as her stomach knotted in the most pleasant of ways. "We've—um—been playing for hours." She stuttered not sure what else to say when her stomach felt like this.

Inuyasha licked his lips and stood back up straight at her words, his nose unconsciously picking up the scent of both her confusion and her appreciation. He cleared his throat at the smell, his mind teeming with a million different explanations as to why a scent as tantalizing as this would be coming off of her right now. "Kagome." He looked at her so shy and with such a sweet blush as she refused to turn towards him instead focusing on the horizon. He felt his heart warm at the sight of her. "She looks so—so Kagome." He thought as he smiled and tried not to laugh at himself. "Of course she looks like herself." He chastised even though he knew what his subconscious meant. There was just a certain way Kagome often looked that he had never seen on another before. "I must be a little crazy." He told himself before suddenly coming back to his senses, stilling his features he motioned to the violin still in his clawed hand. "What do you mean we?" He groused as he gave her a pointed look. "I'm the only one whose been playing."

"Well then," Kagome grumbled as she looked out across the sea with a sigh still not able to turn and look at him. "You've been playing for hours."

"Doesn't feel like it." Inuyasha replied and finally allowed himself to stretch, his muscles actually aching from the amount of time he had spent being Kagome's personal entertainment. "Still worth it even if I am going to have a sore chin tomorrow—today." He told himself as he put both the instrument and bow in one hand reaching with his other to rub his shoulder. "To see her smile—," He glanced at Kagome watching as the girl pushed herself from the ground and stretched as well. "Makes it all worth it."

Kagome rubbed at her lower back. "I'm sore from just sitting." She grumbled to herself as she turned to look out at the horizon her hands coming to hold the railing almost out of instinct as she watched the light of the sun start to seep from the horizon. "The sky's lightening—it's morning."

Inuyasha frowned dropping his arms at her words as he looked out at the horizon surprised to see the morning sun as well. "Wow." He mused absently as he brought his hand to his neck rubbing where the violin had been. "You're right—," He snorted, the sound coming out closer to a laugh. "I kept ya up all night."

Kagome nodded her head, her eyes suddenly feeling tired as the realization of how long she had been awake hit her. "I should go to bed." She whispered as she moved her hands away from the railing and turned to look at the man behind her. "He played for me all night." She thought as she watched him rub his shoulders and neck. "He must be exhausted and yet he played for me all night." She shook her head. "Why would he do that?" She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth the answer staring her right in the face: it was an answer she was terrified of. Pulling her eyes away from him she looked back out over the water manners bubbling up within her throat, prompting her to speak. "Thank you." She whispered softly as she turned back to the railing and gripped it tightly between trembling fingers. "Thank you for—for doing this."

Inuyasha who had been busy trying to work a kink out of his neck froze and blinked before his eyes widened in understanding. "You don't need to thank me." He told her his gruff and raspy but full of meaning.

She tensed at his words. "Yes I do," She told him as she looked down at the water that lapped the side of the vessel. "It was very kind and when someone does something kind—," Her voice froze in her throat when she heard him sigh loudly.

"I know etiquette." Inuyasha huffed and brought one hand up to run through his bangs nervously. "I just—." He moved the hand to run over his eyes tiredly. "I just—damn it." He cursed under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I told you I'm here," He managed to say bringing the hand away from his face and down to his side while his other hand held tight to the violin. "—just—you don't have ta thank me for nothing," He motioned to the violin briefly before turning towards the case walking the short distance to it and knelling down to put it up. " Especially when I enjoyed it."

Kagome felt her eyes widen as she turned to look at him. His back was turned to her as he arranged the violin in its case. "He enjoyed it?" She felt a slow smile build on her face. "I enjoyed it too."

Inuyasha's hands stilled on the straps that kept the violin in place at her words and slowly turned around to look at her just as the sea breeze pushed a hair in front of her face. She closed her eyes at the sensation, bringing a hand up to still the now almost chin length hair her face turning towards the side instinctively trying to avoid it. He couldn't stop the grin from forming on his face as he watched the curl of black tease her nose. "Your hair's gettin' long." He commented as he came to stand ignoring the violin in favor of her.

Kagome nodded her head in agreement and huffed as the rouge hair blinded her momentarily. "It's annoying." She told him as she finally managed to control the strand placing it back behind her ear. "I wonder if Sango would cut it?"

He narrowed his gaze the second the words left her mouth not sure how he felt about the idea. "She probably would." He offered his voice actually sounding as unsure as he felt. "But are you sure you want to?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Kagome replied as she tilted her head to the side and shrugged. "I am on a pirate's ship," She motioned to the Shikuro all around them. "And I don't think I want to stuff my hair under a hat like Sango," She put her hands on her head and pulled a face. "It's just easier to keep it short."

"That's true." Inuyasha responded easily as he came to stand next to her, leaning his forearms against the railing as he looked out at the sea before them, watching as the sun started to peek out.

Kagome blinked surprised as she looked at his back as he leaned beside her. The proximity was not something out of place for the two of them but at the moment felt somewhat strange. "After everything." She thought to herself her lips almost tingling in response. "He still—he'll stand close to me." She frowned having somewhat thought that might change. "He didn't look at me for days, he avoided me, he could barely look at me in the cabin just a few hours ago." She shifted uncomfortably her fingers worrying together as she tried to think of what she should do and how she should stand in a situation like this. "Why—is he—does he want to pretend nothing happened or—?"

"But you know," Inuyasha interrupted her thoughts as he looked down the side of the ship trying to build his nerve. "I think," He glanced at her very briefly out of the corner of his eye before looking away once more. "Just say it." He told himself. "Take a chance." He nearly yelled. "You—well—um—look good," He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Either way."

Kagome stared at him, her feeling mixing up in her head as she tried to comprehend what he had just said. "He thinks I look—good?" She opened her mouth as if to speak but before the words could even form the sound of footsteps on the stairs made both Inuyasha and Kagome jump apart in a rush: Inuyasha leaping back towards the violin and Kagome gripping at the railing to pull herself away.

Both of them breathed deeply neither looking at the other as Kagome focused on the water below her and Inuyasha stared pupils dilated at the staircase. "Who the fuck is up this early!" He gulped trying to cool down his frantic heart, his instincts working on overdrive to smell and hear everything around him. He blinked in surprise as the smell hit him fully. "Miroku!" Inuyasha automatically called out just as the head full of black hair slowly came into view from the stairs. "What the hell!" He called out as he leapt from his spot on the other side of the wheel towards the staircase. "Miroku what are you doing out here?" He yelled as he took in the sight of Miroku hoping up the stairs on one foot his crutch in his hand.

"You still up?" The younger man said casually as Inuyasha snorted and stepped down beside him, taking the crutch from his hand so he could concentrate on the stairs.

"You're not supposed to be out of bed." Inuyasha growled as he grabbed hold of Miroku's upper arm holding onto him carefully as his son hoped the last two stairs.

"My leg was hurting and I couldn't sleep." Miroku told him honestly as he stared at his feet watching each step. "So I figured I'd come up here and see who was on watch—shoulda known it'd be you." He finished raising his head only to come face to face with Kagome Dresmont who was standing looking like a fish out of water. "And Kagome?" Miroku looked at the girl in complete surprise as his head tilted to the side before turning to the Captain with a very blunt glare. "What's this?" He raised an eyebrow but before Inuyasha could speak the voice of a flustered Kagome rang into the air

"I was just going back to my—," She blushed and shook her head. "Um—his—," She turned even redder as the implications of her own words burned in the back of her head. "The room—I was going back to the room." She stressed the word as she stared at the ground looking for lack of a better word like a crab.

Miroku barely managed to nod his head in understanding as Inuyasha lead him passed Kagome to the wheel before the girl ran towards the stairs, old habit causing her to grab at her pants leg as if it was a dress pulling one side up so she could run down without fear of tripping. The sound of her bare feet practically stomping as she ran along the deck made both Inuyasha and Miroku wince before they both heard the loud slam of a door.

For several minutes neither man said nothing as Miroku situated himself silently on the ground putting his leg out in front of him as he had the night before. Across from him Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably as he leaned against the wheel not sure what else to do. "Miroku—." He started to say but stopped when the younger man held up a hand requesting a moments more silence. "Okay." Inuyasha agreed softly feeling as if he had been caught with the girl naked on the helm's deck and not just talking.

After another few moments Miroku crossed his arms over his chest and looked up at Inuyasha. "So," He inhaled sharply as he drew his lips into a thin line. "Like to tell what's going on?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Inuyasha evaded as he pointed at Miroku's bad leg. "You're gonna get an infection if you keep going on—."

"Oh no no no—," Miroku held a finger up pointing at Inuyasha with stern eyes. "You won't change the subject." He interjected as he motioned towards the stairs where Kagome had disappeared. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Inuyasha shot him the same look back his eyes becoming even harder and more determined than Miroku. "Just drop it."

"Really?" Miroku whispered ignoring the Captain's warning as he looked around him at the still opened violin case. "Violins out?" He motioned with his head. "Were you serenading?"

"I was playing." Inuyasha stressed the words as he gritted his teeth together. "I do that at night."

"No shit." Miroku threw back. "But you don't do it at night with girls." He gave Inuyasha a pointed look. "At least I thought so."

"It was innocent," Inuyasha bit out as he clutched his hands tightly at his side. "She couldn't sleep so I offered to play for her." He shrugged his shoulders before huffing loudly. "She knows I play—she likes it, so what's the big fucking deal."

Miroku didn't say anything for a few minutes as he simply stared at his upturned knee. "I shouldn't be surprised." He told himself as he looked away from his father at his leg. "I'm not blind—I saw it coming from a league away." He kept his face still not wanting Inuyasha to see the slow smile. "Hell even a blind man could have seen all those little changes, when did it start?" He tilted his head back letting it rest against the rail. "When he called her Kagome." He held back to the smirk. "After that, everything slowly started to change between those two." He shook his head and glanced at his father and watched as the man stood arms crossed over his chest looking like the son and not the father. "Little touches here and there when he thought no one was looking—not accidents but on purpose." He glanced down at the violin case that still lay opened on the deck. "He got her that violin—started smiling whenever he saw her, that far off look in his eye, her eye." He snorted. "Fuck, it was there from the moment they met, that first time they saw each other it was there." He glanced back up at his father doing his best to keep a straight face. "What do you," Miroku looked at his father trying the gauge every little twitch and wince. "Want from this girl?"

Inuyasha winced, his ears twitching as they took in the question. "What do you mean?" He crossed his arms over his chest as he reacted the only way he knew how, defensively.

"I've noticed things—," Miroku offered as he leaned his head back against the rail trying to figure out how to phrase exactly what he was going to say. "Little things here and there," He gave Inuyasha a slight frown. "About you two."

The dog demon growled at the evasive words. "Spit it out."

"You play for her an awful lot." Miroku said bluntly as he gave Inuyasha a scowl. "Not just tonight."

The dog demon blinked and drew his head back in astonishment. "What?" He whispered as he looked at his son not believing Miroku could have noticed.

"You," Miroku pointed at Inuyasha accusingly. "Give 'er lessons," He hissed and closed his eyes as he drew his lips in a tight line. "You bought her a violin."

Inuyasha looked honestly surprised. "You knew?" His arms dropped from his chest and his mouth hung opened. "How?"

"I pay attention." Miroku snorted and shrugged before sighing deeply. "That's why I want to know," He ran a hand through his hair. "What you want from her." His hand moved around and rubbed the back of his head just like his father did. "Because you do realize its different than before, right?" He challenged as his hand dropped down the words hanging in the air, loud in the night. "Since the last time we had this conversation lots changed."

Inuyasha cleared his throat and looked at anything but the man in front of him, Miroku's words bouncing in his mind as he tried to comprehend everything the other man had said. "It's different." He heard Miroku's voice remembering back to the very first days he had known her. Back then it had been impossible, they had been from two different worlds but now things had changed, completely changed.

"She knows you're a half demon." Miroku added off handedly his words causing Inuyasha to nearly jump out of his skin.

"Not so loud!" Inuyasha scowled as he looked around them for any signs of anyone on the ship being awake.

"It's true though right," Miroku leaned back and dropped his hands into his lap absently. "After Jinenji you told me she saw you human—that means she knows, right?"

Inuyasha couldn't respond as he simply stared at Miroku.

"She knows and she doesn't seem to care—," The younger man reached up and scratched at his ear. "She's gotten used to us being pirates—doesn't seem to care about that neither." He offered as he looked out at the now steadily brightening sky.

"Miroku?" Inuyasha ventured to speak but couldn't bring himself to say another word as Miroku started once more.

"And you—," The son looked up at the father and offered a small almost reassuring smile. "You really care about her, don't you?" He smirked and chuckled before looking down at his bum leg once more. "You remember, you said that to me with Sango?"

"What?" Inuyasha blinked unable to follow as his own thoughts clouded his mind.

"When I asked you if it would be okay for me to court her." Miroku supplied looking up at Inuyasha. "You told me it was okay because I really cared about her and if I cared about her," His eyes grew sort of distant as he thought of her, smiled about her. "And thought I could help her then I should."

Inuyasha was silent for a second as he remembered the conversation that had taken place at this very helm three years ago. It had been different and yet so similar. The only major difference being who was who and who was giving advice to whom. Clearing his throat he looked away from his son and growled out, "What are you going on about?"

"Come on Otou-san."

The call of father made Inuyasha turn to look right in Miroku's eyes.

The boy gave him a crocked smile that Inuyasha didn't understand until the words had left Miroku's mouth. "When are you just gonna break down and start courting her?"

-break-

Hiten sat at his desk (what had been the first mate's) in his new cabin. His body was hunched over the small writing table, which he had moved to be in front of a window for maximum light. In front of him a piece of parchment sat addressed simply, To the Wife of One Richard Dresmont, with a small ink well filled with cheap black ink beside it.

He tapped the dry quill against the edge of the desk watching as it left no marks, the ink having long ago evaporated. "I don't know what ta say." He thought as he looked at the parchment filled with doubt. "Why am I even bothering?" He wondered as he slammed the quill down on the desk causing the small ink bottle to shake. Grunting in frustration, he ripped his eyes from the paper and the desk to look out the window. "It's not like I bothered with Morgan." He snorted and leaned backwards in the chair crossing his arms over his chest as he continued to look outside.

It was an ironically beautiful mid afternoon, the gulls were in their sails and he could hear them from here as they followed them—a lucky sign. A pod of dolphins, he had been told, had also taken up residence at the front of the vessel—another lucky sign. For the men of The Thunder however, both gestures of the animal kingdom might as well have been a joke. Even though not a man aboard had been particularly knowledgeable about Richard Dresmont, they had all been affected strangely by his death, not necessarily because he had protected such a well liked old woman but because he had protected another person selflessly: an act that men like this respected more than anything else.

It took a brave and honorable man to do something like that. None of the men had really thought Richard Dresmont any of that. He seemed a coward, following Naraku without thought or question and then he had openly defied him, stood in front of his gun and took a bullet meant for someone else. It was unfathomable, unbelievable, and amazing.

"I never would have thought looking at him." Hiten whispered as he looked back down at the parchment wearily. "That he would do—was capable of something like that." He brought his hand back towards the quill but didn't pick it up. "A man like that—we couldn't even give him a proper funeral." He hesitated as he tried to reach for the quill again his mind continuing to run. "He deserves it, deserves something." Hiten forced himself to take the quill. "It's the least I can do."

Closing his eyes he pulled the paper towards himself and thought for only a second more before he opened them, dipped the quill in the ink, and began writing in his own delicate cursive:

"My name is Hiten Ruiz Salazar and I regret to inform you that another brave, honest, and remarkable individual has left this world..."

The sound of scratching continued to haunt the room as the truth of Mr. Dresmont's death flooded from Hiten's pen, the fact that he had admitted his last name to this unknown woman indicating just how deeply the experience had burrowed into his very soul.

Finally, after his hand started to burn and the light outside started to wane he set aside his quill and reached into his desk, producing a wax stick of a cool crisp blue, a match, and small seal marked only by a single bolt of lightning, the symbol of his demon and elemental strengths. For a moment he stared at the seal, ignoring the letter as he looked at the lightning bolt seal calmly as if he was simply studying it in a store before a purchase. With tired eyes, he raised his thumb and ran it over the little lightning bolt his mind moving to people he hadn't thought of in hundreds of years.

"Mamá," The word slipped from his mind as he imagined his mother so similar to his brother in many ways. "We were so young when we left home." He sighed heavily the memory flooding him.

"You're going to get yourself killed!" Hiten's tall Spaniard father yelled no traces of even a slight Spanish accent hinting in his screams. "There is always somebody strong, always somebody who will kill you. Do you not understand?" He spat as he spoke his own father standing behind him looking down at the ground appearing sad.

"Please Padre." Hiten had replied back haughty the only traces of his own accent in the simple word for "father" he had spoken as he crossed his arms. "We are the first born sons of this generation of Salazar Knight's." He tilted his chin back a smirk appearing on his face. "We are stronger than any demons out there."

"Yes!" Manten agreed as he stood to the right and a little ways behind his older brother. "No one can beat us Padre. We're ta best!"

"Please," His father's voice became small suddenly as the older man clutched a tight fist at his side and looked at the ground. "You think you know everything—know all the evils of the world and how to beat them?" The man slowly raised his eyes shock permeating both Hiten and Manten as they looked at the pain in their father's eyes both to young yet to realize its importance. "I've failed you."

"Padre." He inhaled deeply and rubbed his thumb over the thunder bolt again. "Why—if I had known then," He turned and looked towards his left in the direction of Naraku' cabin feeling as if for a moment he could see threw the wall and see the very man himself. "What I know—." His voice stilled on his throat as he saw his mother in his mind's eye crying as her sweet thick voice rang in his ears.

"Mis Bebes."

She had cried but at the time being young and arrogant Hiten hadn't minded her tears. Hiten clutched his hand closed tightly as he felt the sharp edges of the seal dig into his palms as his brother's face popped up in his head, as Mr. Dresmont's face followed it. He frowned as he saw the grey haired man in his minds eyes. "Mr. Dresmont, why did you do such a thing?" He spoke to no one in particular as his hand relaxed on the seal.

The thunder demon sighed and dropped the seal to the surface of the desk as he pushed all other thoughts aside. Now was not the time to think of his own losses now was the time for action. Carefully, he reached for the letter folding it expertly until it was shaped very similar to an envelope.

Satisfied he lit the match with a flick of his wrist and grabbed for the wax stick hurriedly. Holding the folded letter in place with only the palm of his hand that held the match, he allowed the wax stick to be heated by the little match, watching as the melting wax dripped onto the paper. Once it was nearly an inch all the way around he blew out the match and set the wax stick aside. Grabbing the small seal he blew on it as he watched the wax waiting for the moment it went from shinny and wet to dull.

As soon as his eyes noticed the change he pressed the seal firmly and evenly into the surface watching as the still malleable wax pushed out from underneath it creaking a lip. "One, two," He counted to himself. "Three, four, five." He nodded pleased and pulled the seal away gently watching as the bolt of lightning stared up at him perfect in the blue wax.

He blew on the symbol gently until he was sure it was dry and then flipped the letter over grabbing for the quill as he wrote "To Mrs. Dresmont" on the outside not knowing her first name to complete the address. Dropping the quill back into the well, he breathed out heavily as he set the seal aside and looked at the now completed letter already knowing what he now was going to do. Slowly, he pushed his chair back and came to stand the letter tucked in his hand as he looked out at the now cool impending night.

"The sun will be down in just a moment." He told himself as he pushed his chair back in and turned towards the door. "The men should be bunking." He licked his lips as he started across the room. "Now's the best time."

With no hesitation he walked straight out of the room, knowing that Naraku had already gone to sleep long ago. Hastily he made his way towards the front of the ship, only pausing long enough to glance up at the crow's nest when he heard a slight cough. Frowning he waited to see if anyone would appear but after several long seconds of nothing he shrugged and continued to the small hatch that resided at the front of the ship. Knelling down, he opened the hatch and yelled down into the forecastle where the crew slept.

"Where's Jonathan?" His voice rang out causing the men who were already half asleep in their hammocks to mutter for quiet. "It's yer Captain dumbasses!" Hiten snarled waking the crew up effectively. "Where's Jonathan."

"'ere sir!" Jonathan called as he rolled out of his bunk and landed on his feet several of the men around him groaning.

"I need ya." Hiten motioned from his spot above as he saw the man walk through the mass of hammocks and cots where men were currently bedded.

"Comin' sir." Jonathan called again as he made it to the ladder and hastily pilled himself up towards the hatch. Within moments he found himself being practically yanked to the quarterdeck by an anxious hand and drug a few feet away. "Captain?" He questioned only to instantly quiet when he saw the letter in Hiten's hand.

"How long will it take you to fly to Port Royal." Hiten asked without preamble giving Jonathan a stern look.

The man in question turned his head to the side in much the same way a pigeon does as it looks for food on the ground. "'ort R'yal?" He repeated the word as he opened and closed his mouth lightly itching at his chin with one talon. "I 'ould do't in a 'eek." He supplied with a shake of his hand. "Give 'er take it."

"Good." Hiten nodded his head and handed the man the letter. "I'll see ya in a week then."

Jonathan reached for the letter taking it in his hands slowly looking at the outside unable to read what it said. "Why you givin' tis ta me then?" He spoke as he chewed on his lip looking uncomfortable.

Hiten huffed and looked away for only a moment. "It's for his wife."

Jonathan blinked and looking at his master confused. "Ya wrote 'er a l'tter?"

"Fuck off." Hiten growled and motioned for the boy to leave him alone and go about his duty. "Drop it off in the post at port without being seen," He commanded as he turned his back to the boy refusing to say anymore. "They'll find 'er and deliver it."

"I's do jus 'hat sir." Jonathan nodded his head not pressing the Captain any further as he took a slight step towards the railing. "Ya know me," He called over his shoulder as his hands perched on the rail bracing himself. "If I ain't 'ack in a 'eek I's dead."

"See ya in a week." Hiten responded to the normal farewell from the eagle demon standing before him.

"In a 'eek." Jonathan agreed throwing one last smirk over his shoulder before turning around and tensing all of his muscles. Focused he inhaled deeply grunting and growling as his shirt ripped against the strain of something opening along his shoulder blades. After several seconds, expanding from his very flesh two large white wings trimmed in brown emerged standing larger than he was tall behind him. He exhaled at the effort and shook himself, the feathers that made up his hair seeming to dance at the gesture.

"I'll never understand how you hide those." Hiten grumbled but the words were good natured as he watch the younger man stretch his wings letting them flap in the breeze a few times.

"Un day I'll 'splain." Jonathan offered with a slight laugh before he flapped the wings once then twice bending his knees and launching himself upwards high above Hiten's head.

"Good luck." Hiten whispered as he watched the man become nothing more than a speck in a matter of seconds. He felt his shoulder's slump as he did, his mind once again returning to the man who had died only yesterday. It seemed so distance the death of Richard Dresmont, it even seemed insignificant like the man was in life, but at the same time he had turned out to be a far stronger man than any of them.

Tilting his head upwards at the darkening sky Hiten looked at the galaxies and constellations he couldn't name his guilt weighing in on his heart once more.

"I never," A voice started from somewhere behind him. "Pegged yuu for that kind of man."

Hiten jumped as the voice sounded behind him and turned to see the wind demon herself standing on the deck as if she had been there the whole time. "You," He whispered as he realized where the earlier cough had come from. "You were hiding in the bird's nest."

"It's nice up there—wind's up there." She offered with a shrug as she stepped closer to him only to stop and look at the ground unnerved.

Hiten narrowed his eyes as the wind demon seemed to look at something in surprise and looked down only to feel his own nerves become frayed as his eyes landed on a smear of red. No matter how hard they had scrubbed Richard Dresmont's blood had still stained the wood.

"Yuu wrote his wife?" Kagura asked softly as she looked down at the spot Richard Dresmont had died.

"Yes." Hiten responded carefully as he brought his eyes away and forced himself to focus on her.

Kagura blinked and turned away from the spot as well, her ruby eyes flashing with pain. "Good." She told him her expression strained. "Dresmont-sama was a good man."

"Yeah." He grunted in agreement before he frowned. "We've done some pretty fucked up shit on this ship." He started to speak not sure where the words were coming but knowing they were honest. "We've sold women, stolen from passenger ships and merchants, we've raped," He growled in the back of his throat. "We've sold fucking virgin's to markets where they're ripped opened alive for their organs."

Kagura felt her stomach turn as the visual haunted her.

"But never," Hiten clutched his hand at his side. "Never have we ever—would we ever hurt a little old woman!" His voice was stern and angry. "He was going to shot her for no reason other than her mouth—she's an old lady." He turned and looked at Kagura with fire in his eyes. "A little old lady who never did nothing to him but talk."

"Yes." Kagura agreed quietly as she looked at the man before her wondering what his place was in this dangerous dance.

"You know, the crew—a lot of them were raised by women their father's murdered, fucked at sea, or worse—unknown." He growled low in his throat. "They all sorta have this soft spot for little old woman. Remind 'em of their grandmothers and mothers, aunts whoever the fuck raised them."

"Does Kaede-sama remind yuu of yuur mother, grandmother?" Kagura posed the question.

Hiten looked up surprised, his ears not registering the strange address Kagura had used but instead the question as a whole. In truth, Kaede reminded him nothing of his mother. His mother cried, she was weak, she couldn't punch or use her thunder powers, and she was ugly (beautiful to him) but ugly to the outside world. Kaede was not that woman. She was strong and proud, smart and intelligent, she could fight with words better than any man he had ever seen with a sword, and although she was ugly he pictured her as once being very young and very beautiful.

"Does she?" Kagura pressed again as she watched the man look off distantly: a look she understood.

"Yes." The word left his mouth even as his own thoughts contradicted it.

End of Chapter

Please Review

Edited for Accents 6/6/2013

Bonus Point:

I referenced Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" in this chapter. Tell me how this references the anime.

Last Chapter's Bonus Point:

Kagome's Father has been mentioned in the series. In episode 48: "I Want to Go Back to Where We Met!" Kagome's mom tells her about how he proposed under the God-tree. It is revealed in the light novel Shousetsu Inuyasha that he died in a car accident when Kagome and Sōta were young and they moved to Higurashi shine. Kagome's grandfather was his father. Congrats to the winners:

14 inu-kag, Team D0bby, cristine44, HeavenlyEclipse, suyurilrig, starfireten, Bonus Point, Laken, StrikerTheWolf, AKEMI SHIKON, Sahora, Glon Morski, animetears4, Gun toten Girly, kagome1319, Coka Cookie Cola

Notes: (Since there were so many this time, please let me know if I missed something and you would like an explantion!)

Antonio Vivaldi – (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) a Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice.

The Four Seasons – Vivaldi's most famous violin concerto it consist of four parts: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. It is easily found on youtube!

Midsummer's Night Dream –A fantastical play by William Shakespeare that portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta. These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors, who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set.

Carlo Farina – (ca. 1600 – July 1639) an Italian composer, conductor and violinist of the Baroque era.

Capriccio Stravagante – (1627) A very famous series of violin pieces by Carlo Farina. The piece is noted for Farina's use of the violin to imitate animal sounds like dogs barking or cats fighting.

Arcangelo Corelli – (17 February 1653 – 8 January 1713) an Italian violinist and composer of Baroque music.

Pianissimo and Fortissimo – The Italian words used in music composition for playing very soft and very loudly respectively.

Shake – Better known modernly as a Trill is produced by alternating between two adjacent notes rapidly by moving the finger on and off the fingerboard. I'm using 'Trill' instead of shake in the fanfiction despite the fact it would not have been used.

Vibrato – On string instruments, vibrato is produced by wobbling the finger on the fingerboard.

Next Chapter:

N/A

See you then!

UNEDITED

POSTED 8/12/2012