Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
CHAPTER 2 - Foxhunt
The two brothers stepped into shrine to be greeted by Mrs. Higurashi. They bowed respectfully to each other and she ushered them into the family room. Sesshoumaru could feel the power surging around the house at a pace that would be dizzying to lesser youkai and even humans alike. To him it felt like someone was slowly raking their nails along his skin, and if he were any less controlled he would have shivered. Glancing around the room he waited for the woman to introduce the subject of her daughter, as he was keen not to let his interest show. "I heard you met Kagome," she chuckled, directing them to be seated. Sesshoumaru chose to stand for the present while Inuyasha jumped across the room into a comfortable looking overstuffed chair that he did not recognize.
"Yeah," Inuyasha grunted, "you could say that. Hey Mia, what's with…OUCH! What in the hell!" Inuyasha was no longer sitting in the chair, but whirling around in circles trying to see what had caused the pain.
The chair, Sesshoumaru noted, was gone. In the blur that was a howling hanyou he saw a small fox kitsune who was latched on by the teeth to Inuyasha's backside.
"Shippou!" cried Mia as she fought back her laughter. "What did I tell you about pretending to be furniture?"
Sesshoumaru noticed the twinkle in her eyes, and he guessed that she had known the kitsune was hiding. After all, what woman doesn't realize when her living room set suddenly has a new addition? This type of behavior was most strange for the usually dignified, though still warm, woman. 'They're all going mad,' Sesshoumaru thought.
Inuyasha had managed to pry the beast attacking him loose and was holding him upside down in front of his face. "Who in the hell are you!" he demanded.
"I'm Shippou!" the Kit said with authority, puffing his little chest out despite his compromised position. "And my mom says you're not supposed to swear in front of children!" With that said he bit Inuyasha's fingers and disappeared in a puff of smoke when the hanyou yelped and released him. Inuyasha looked around but he only saw Buyo, edging slowly backwards to the doorway.
'Wait a sec, Buyo doesn't have a bushy tail like that!' he thought. He lunged for the 'cat' as it hissed and bolted.
Sesshoumaru could no longer control his curiosity, and he didn't know which bothered him more, not knowing what was going on, or realizing how he couldn't stand not knowing any longer. His patience had deserted him, leaving room for an uncomfortable supply of curiosity. "Higurashi-san what was that all about?"
Mia sighed. "That, Sesshoumaru," she was one of the few humans who could get away with dropping his title, "was my grandson, Shippou." She saw the eyebrows go up as golden eyes widened. She smiled, realizing this was the most reaction she'd ever seen in him. 'So, little Kagome even affects the great taiyoukai?' "My daughter Kagome's son, her adopted son," she clarified. "You have never met him before because he was in America with her. The two are not usually separable."
"He is lacking in manners," Sesshoumaru said. He knew Rin would never behave in such an inappropriate way, but then again comparing a placid human girl to a hyper male kit demon wasn't truly fair. Still, the young miko should have been able to knock some manners into her kitsune, even if he did happen to be one of the most mischievous races on the earth.
"It isn't his fault," Mia returned. "He is usually much better behaved than that, but he cannot help himself today. It literally isn't his fault."
"Your eldest made a similar comment, which leads me to believe that it must be your younger daughter who is culpable," the taiyoukai commented.
"Well yes, but at least she doesn't do this deliberately," Mia sighed as she smiled knowingly.
"Explain," Sesshoumaru commanded in a tone he usually reserved for lazy employees.
Mia fought the urge to laugh. She had never heard the western lord speak so much in the entire time that she knew him, and her pride in her youngest increased knowing that she was capable of such things as turning the silent lord into a comparable chatter box. "First you must understand Sesshoumaru, that Kagome is the most powerful miko in the family. You know a miko's power is in one way tied to the pureness of their heart, and strength of their emotions. Well forgive me for boasting of my daughter, but you will never come across another as pure, or whose emotions are as strong as Kagome's. She has no evil intent in her, and because of this, her aura tends to have an effect on those around her. Normally she can control it with ease, but she is so happy to be home that her aura is infecting the rest of us."
"How does that translate into others not being responsible for their actions?" he asked.
"Most of us are not used to dealing with the strength of emotion that Kagome feels, so when her aura amplifies ours, we find ourselves subject to irresistible desires as our own emotions heighten beyond what we normally have to control. Kikyou and I are used to it, as we ourselves are mikos, and it usually doesn't affect us. Grandpa and even Souta have some immunity, anyone else though cannot escape it."
At this point in time their conversation was briefly interrupted as a small, wailing, orange and green blur flew past the room followed by a cursing blue, black and silver blur.
"You say that Kikyou is immune, yet I have seen evidence already today of her susceptibility." Sesshoumaru proceeded to tell her of their arrival. He knew he was talking too much, but he wanted answers. For some reason it was imperative he gain a better understanding of the girl. Someone such as her should be working for him, but since he'd already have another new recruit to deal with he needed to try and figure out what the deal with this young miko was, and weather or not he could put off approaching her for a week or two till 'Han Kag' or whoever he was got settled in.
"Ah well that was different. Kikyou inadvertently absorbed some of Kagome's energy, which would have intensified the effect. It is likely that her own miko powers could not completely resist the call of her sisters, and so she pulled a bit into herself. The sense of protection for her family which was no doubt in the energy would also be drawn to the object of its cause. I know it is unusual to, how shall I say, to swap power like that, but with Kagome it's fairly easy, and it feels wonderful. Bottom line is, the more you are exposed to her, the more effect she has. Am I making sense?" Mia asked. This whole subject was one of the more complicated to communicate, and there were sometimes levels that even she did not fully comprehend.
"Yes I understand you perfectly," he replied. 'So this is why I feel such a need to ask questions, her aura has been infiltrating my own. How rude. Thankfully I can reverse the effects.' He withdrew his aura so that it was not exposed to Kagome's power, and he immediately felt himself return to normal. Mia noticed this and wished he hadn't, she rather like talking with the demon and knowing what was on his mind.
"These types of abilities are not usually found among mikos," she stated, hoping to draw him out some more, "but then again, Kagome is not your typical miko." 'Perhaps I'll be wicked and ask Kagome to push him a little,' she smiled when he failed to take the bait. "Do not worry Sesshoumaru, after seven hours of sparring the effects have lessened, and in a day or two everyone will be back to normal."
At that moment the noisy blurs reappeared as Shippou ran into the room with Inuyasha hot on his heels. "Ha! You're cornered now runt, no way out!"
Shippou looked around nervously and then transformed into a large pink bubble-creature that was growling and gnawing on the hanyou's elbow. "Fear me!" said a harsh, gravely voice that was nonetheless recognizable as Shippou's, "For I am invincible!"
"Keh!" Inuyasha sputtered and he reached down and whacked the pink bubble with his fist. He grabbed the now untransformed kit and began shaking him roughly. Normally he wouldn't be so harsh with a child, but Kagome's aura had riled him up, Kikyou's kisses had definitely put him on edge, and the little bugger had just bitten him a second time! Drawing his fist back he prepared to pound the kit. "You'll need something better than that up your sleeve you miniaturized pipsqueak, now I'm gone teach you to attack me unprovoked!"
"Inuyasha I'd be careful…"Mia tried to warn, but it was too late as at that exact moment Kagome had arrived looking beautiful, and livid.
"INUYASHA SIT!" She threw up her hand and shouted the subjugation spell with such force that Inuyasha went crashing right through the floor and into the basement below.
"Perhaps it is time we adjourned outside?" Mia asked with a smile on her face.
On her uplifted left hand Sesshoumaru saw she had a scar upon her ring finger. 'Hmm, I wonder what...confound it not again!' he mentally berated himself. 'No more questions!"
Shippou had hopped into Kagome's arms and was snuggling into her chest as she spoke comforting words to him. She looked at the hole in the floor and the blushed as she turned to face her mother. "Uh, gomen-nasai Mama. I didn't mean to nail him so hard."
"Well dear, it's not as if it is the worst you have done in all of your twenty-one years," her mother sighed. "At least now we can fix it, unlike the time when you were five and made the oven explode."
"Silly gas stove, the electric one is much better anyways," Kagome grumbled.
"And much less flammable," her mother added.
"Why is everyone picking on me and bringing up embarrassing stories today?" the young woman whined.
"Because dear it's fun," her mother goaded. "That and you've been gone for four years now so we've got to make up for lost time. Besides, as long as you continue to pull stunts such as this…" he mother trailed off.
Kagome groaned as Kikyou approached looking around. "What did she do this ti-…Inuyasha!" Kikyou leapt down through the hole to the side of her fiancé. "What did you do?" she asked looking back up at her sister with narrowed eyes.
"He was hitting my kit!" Kagome replied through gritted teeth.
Mia placed a hand on the floor, and Sesshoumaru saw she glowed slightly as the room repaired itself. "Don't worry dear, they'll get over it."
A wicked smile spread across Kagome's face, "I think I know how to gain Inuyasha's favor back." She could feel Kikyou's concern for the hanyou so she gave her sister's aura a strong shove. When she felt both her sister's and Inuyasha's auras become amorous she laughed quietly to herself.
Mia groaned, "I don't want to know what you just did."
Sesshoumaru's astute hearing and smell picked up on the changes in the two in the basement. "You are only 21?" his voice came unexpectedly. The spike in her aura when she sat Inuyasha and then meddled with the two lovers had caught him off guard, and his inquisitiveness returned for a moment.
"Yes, I am Kikyou's junior by five years." She replied looking at him blankly. She was used to people being amazed at how young she was.
He noticed that her eyes had darkened, literally. When he first saw them they were silver, now they had the look of a light hazel with a silver sheen. "How did you repair the damage?" Sesshoumaru asked Mia.
"Long ago it became apparent that our home would suffer as a result of my children, so I infused my power into every part of it so that I could 'heal' it, as it were, when needed. I can tell you it has come in handy over the years."
"Indeed," the taiyoukai commented looking at an embarrassed Kagome.
Grandpa and Souta made their appearances, both sporting huge grins. "Hey, looks like we should get going!" Kagome trilled, anxious to divert the attention she felt had settled on her. "Souta, Kikyou and Inuyasha are in the basement, why don't you go round them up so we can take off?"
"Sure, no problem," he replied as he practically skipped towards the door that lead downstairs. They all heard him running down the steps and calling out "Hey guys, time to get goi…EWW KIKYOU! Get a room!" He hurtled out the door whining something about "lost innocence" and "bleh, my own sister!"
Kagome couldn't help the wicked snort of laughter that escaped her. Mia glared at her. "What?" asked Kagome innocently. At the continued stare she gave in. "Well better him than me," she mumbled.
'She has the purest heart?' Sesshoumaru thought to himself.
xxxxx
A/N: Holy cow people actually reviewed! Shakes head in amazement. Perhaps it was the flattery-laced begging method I used before. Hmmm, if that's the case then…
Many thanks to all the beautiful, witty, and inspiring reviewers; I humbly plead for your continued support!
Also, I've gotten some questions from said fabulous reviewers wanting to know about 1. the lack of distinction on Kagome's armor, 2. why she has a different name and 3. who was her sensei in America. To answer you all...be patient. All will be revealed. :-D