A\N: Hm. I'm not sure I'm happy with this chapter.
I think I might have screwed it up somehow...
Well, too late now I guess...
-Almandine-Azaleea - Yeah, I get what you're saying, and I suppose you're right, but then again, wasn't it moving closer to the battle with all of the beginning chapters? Or what if there (dare I say it?) is no battle... 00
-Black Betty - Lol, well if I'm managing that, then, as far as I'm concerned, my work is done. If I've given you a fic that can keep you interested this long, then it must be a helluva lot better than I first thought... Guess all I need now is a good ending for it, neh?
-Clouds of the Sky - Lol, Coke for me too. Not my fav pop, but between the two, definitely coke. -- Kagome is not among them. It's Shippo, Miroku and Kirara for now. The girl's (minus Kirara) will be coming later on. I don't know why I left Sango out here though... o.o
-Bluer Sky - Lol, glad you liked it! Pepsi all the way? Well okay, if you say so...
-RamblingPhilosopher - HEY! BE CAREFUL! If you give yourself a concussion, how the hell will you be able to read the rest of the story? oO -- Lol, well I don't know if this is exactly what you had in mind, but don't worry, unless Miroku really gets on my nerves and makes me kill him, he'll probably get better sooner or later. -- I'm glad you think I kept Kikyo in character. I do try, you know. Why would I put her OOC after all? It's IN character that I don't like her. If she was OOC then maybe we could get along... and of course I dis her... doesn't everybody? -- I agree with you-- Coke definitely beats pepsi (pepsi tastes weird... like syrup) -- Yeah, I did hear that song on smallville, though that's not why I listen to it. I pick up songs everywhere-- "Stop crying your eyes out" I got from the butterfly effect, "Don't go away" I got from Coldcase ( -- My family watches that, though, not me... I like crime shows, but this one annoys me for some reason), "Speed of Sound" by some other show on TV... Usually when I'm watching a TV show or a movie and I hear a song I like, I'll make a mad dash to write the lyrics down, and the go an look it up. What can I say, I'm a music freak! Which is strange, cause I can't stand Canadian/American Idol... Lol, N-E-way, I hope this chapter meets up to your standards, although I imagine people are much more hyped up at the thought of Kagome and Inu getting back together than Inu and Miroku.
-Inu's Nanashi - Lol, thanks! You already did reward me though, by Reading and Reviewing! That's the best reward an author can get... besides pocky of course.
-xolovexinuyasha - Yeesh. Actually, it didn't hurt. I told you before, whenever I experience pain, my mind just sorta disconnects, so I didn't really feel it. I just knew that something wasn't right, and I told the teacher (this was for track and field of course ) and got a sling, and then I went to the doctor, and he told me the great news that, had a turned my arm all the way so my palms faced up, I would've snapped the bone completely! -- Anyway, I think your experience is probably worse since I wasn't really effected by the cast (other than a whole bunch of people I'd never met before wanted to sign it) but yours sounds fairly painful... And, even worse, irritating. I hate irritating things. -- I H-A-T-E Volleyball! Fuck! There're no words that can express my absolute LOATHING of that sport. My condolences that you had to endure playing it... And don't worry, you're not stupid. No stupider than the rest of us, anyway. As one of my friends told me once "I'm not as dumb as I think I am!"
-Box Queen - I agree. The 4th movie was better than the third, but they tried too hard to make it the same length as the third, and as such... well, it just didn't work. It was still a good movie, in my opinion, just waaaaaaaay too rushed, and missing a lot of funny or interesting details. It's a shame too, the fourth book was my fav...
-Lord Makura - Aren't they though?
-Jennie555 - Really? I've encountered a few fics with more chapters. However, if you're counting by words, then it is fairly likely that there are several other fics out there with more words than this one. Still, it's nice to know I'm catching up to them, and still keeping people interested.
-Kuroi - Okay, I'll give you more, just don't damage the screen! How're you gonna read the story if you do! oo
-sourapple10000 - Lol, it doesn't matter when you review, just as long as you're enjoying.
-Darking Queen - Lol, well I like rootbeer. It could possibly be my fav pop. But, whatever floats your boat, since I, personally, can't stand the taste of vanilla icecream. I don't know why, it's just... gross. -- Sorry if the chapters have been a bit of a letdown, I'm trying to give the characters some breathing room from all the action that was happening before...
-Wish-full Thinker - Bleagh! I keep forgetting to add the glossary! Gomen, Gomen! Okay, Otouto means little brother, and Aniki means Big brother. Lol, yeah, I'll try to keep that in mind, but, as I've said before, I have absolutely no control over how this story goes. Blame... I don't know, whatever screwed up part of my mind this is pouring out of. -- Don't worry, I didn't forget the little orb thingy (I'm surprised someone else didn't though ) but I just haven't found a place to put it in again yet. I'm actually unsure what it is anymore, I had an idea when I first created it, but it keeps moving around with the different shifts of the story, so really I don't know... -- Lol, that's fine if you don't drink either, quite honestly I prefer rootbeer to either of them, but, since it's been like an all-out war between those two brands for so long, I though I'd just see what people really preferred.
-wolfygirl13 - Lol, wow, that's quite the gift! You must really like this story! I'll be sure to avoid chibi-Sesshomaru, though I personally never envisioned him as being a candy-addict... then again, I never pictured him working in the chocolate factory before either, so I guess that doesn't really matter anymore... Lol! -- I hope this is soon enough, I'd hate for you to run out of MT. Dew before the next chapter came up... But now I've got a new problem... What am I gonna do with all this candy? Lol, contrary to common belief, virtual candy takes up quite a lot of room when you think about it! Guess I'm just gonna have t spread your generosity around!
-Inume-blue - Oh? What episode was it that you missed? I kinda understand how you feel cause, despite it being in re-run mode now, I still enjoy seeing all the episodes again. My sister thinks I'm a freak though. Anyway, hope this next chapter makes you feel a bit better about missing that episode... -- I didn't say the 4th movie was a letdown, I said the 3rd movie was a let down. It was waaaaaaaaaaaay too artistic and didn't really follow along with the book, and that giant clock the director added in-- Very fucking dangerous if you ask me. Just get one unsuspecting kid walking through there at the right moment, and BAM! Hogwarts has one less witch\wizard to worry about. -- Anyway, the 4th movie, while definitely better, I still say is a bit of letdown. Of course, this is coming from someone whose comparing it to the book, in which case I say it was really rushed and they left out a lot of parts. In the sense of a person not comparing it to a book-- It was a little confusing, and everything seemed to happen very fast at some parts that seemed important, and seemed to slow down at others. Still, either way, I liked it, it just wasn't as good as I'd hoped...
Well that's about it for now. I think I just doubled the length of my story with that though...
Lol, if anyone cares, the music I was listening to when I wrote this was Sotsugyou Sayonara wa Ashita no Tame ni (Graduation: Farewll is for Tomorrow), Grip! and Right here waiting, so I don't know, maybe that should be the background music for this chapter.
Reunite
When the two horse youkai and the two-headed lizard Ah-Un were nearly landed, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru began approaching them, reaching maybe to about five feet away before Inuyasha was hit with something furry and auburn-ish in colour and that seemed to be trying to strangle the life out of him.
This was, of course, Shippo, but Inuyasha had no idea of that, and immediately grabbed whatever it was and yanked it violently away from him, fear filling his eyes as he dropped the small kitsune on the ground and backed slowly away.
Shippo appeared slightly confused, but was too happy to see his friend to care much, and he immediately tried again to attack himself to Inuyasha, this time aiming for somewhere closer to the half-demon's chest, clutching to his haori in a small hug, his tail lifting happily behind him.
Inuyasha, who had now seen that this... whatever it was was not trying to hurt him, was unsure how to react.
At first he had barely been able to recognise the small kitsune child, and now that he knew who it was... he didn't know what to do.
He looked over at Sesshomaru for help, but Sesshomar didn't say anything, just seemed to tilt his head slightly in what Inuyasha supposed was supposed to be an encouraging gesture.
So he slowly brought his hand up to rest on the child's back, not moving, just waiting to see what the kitsune would do next.
He didn't have long to contemplate this as the next second he felt a weight on his shoulder and he looked over to see the small neko-youkai, Kirara, resting there.
She stared at him with her large red eyes a moment, before letting out a small mewling sound and rubbing affectionately against his cheek in the same way he had seen her do so often with Sango.
Inuyasha frowned slightly at the unexpected memory, and then froze as more began to flood through him.
Shippo first "attacking" him and Kagome to get the jewel shards, Kirara carrying the huge demon head in her mouth before Myouga told her to transform... Memories like that, and more fond one's filled him, and he slowly let a small smile spread across his features.
Shippo was young and not all that experienced in fighting, but, because he had bound himself to Kagome in his own way, Inuyasha had taken it on as his responsibility to give Shippo the demon side of his demon life back. Demon society was harsher than human society, but Kagome and Miroku and sometimes even Sango didn't seem to understand that. Inuyasha knew though that, if someone hadn't been rough on him and treated him the way any demon male of their little pack might have, it would only make things far more difficult for the child later on. Demon's had more expected of them when they grew up, and, if Shippo went into the world with a human's lessons of life flowing through him and nothing but his demon instincts to rely on, he would likely end up killed during his first battle. In that way, Inuyasha had taken the kitsune "under his wing" in a sense and had unexpectedly begun to play the role of adoptive father.
Not that he minded.
And he knew that it was something that only Shippo knew about, since the human members of their group didn't understand the complexity of his actions toward the kitsune.
And then, of course, there was Kirara.
The only one of the group who could even really begin to relate to him in a mature sense and she couldn't talk.
Still, if he wanted to get away from everybody's harsh antics toward him, she was always the first one he'd turn to.
None of the other's knew it, but Kirara probably knew more about Inuyasha's past and feelings than even he himself did.
It was almost like talking to a pet-- telling them all your secrets and feelings because you know they won't tell, only this was better because he knew that Kirara actually understood what he was saying and could sometimes relate to him as well.
And now that this knowledge was beginning to come back to him, so was the comfortableness of being around his companions.
Leastways, the two smallest and most demonic of them.
Which lead him toward the third figure still mounted on the fire-youkai but slowly being helped off by a struggling Amaya.
Inuyasha stared at the seemingly unconscious monk for all of a second, watching him wince slightly as Amaya fought with gravity to pull him off without hurting him, before striding forward to help, pushing aside all his uncertainties in the situation as he quickly grabbed the monk in his arms, Shippo jumping up onto his other shoulder to get out of the way, and lifted him out of Amaya's grasp.
He frowned at the bandage covering the monks hand under his rosary.
Amaya had told him that Miroku had been having serious trouble with his wind tunnel, but she had refused to go into details with him. Now, judging by the way his friend was shaking and sweating in his grip, he could only imagine how bad the damage had really been.
'He's not as bad as you think.' Amaya said, as though reading his thoughts, which, Inuyasha reasoned a moment later, she probably was. He put his ears back and frowned in confusion, and she gestured at the fire-youkai. 'The ride has simply worn him out. With a little rest and proper attention, he should be fine. I am actually thinking of retrieving that monk and bringing him here again to help look after him. That is, if it is alright with the Lord of the castle.' She said, glancing at Sesshomaru, who seemed to be blatantly ignoring the witch, watching as his little brother cradled the monk in his arms as though he were something precious and fragile that might break at any second.
Inuyasha nodded his head toward the witch, before beginning to turn toward the castle, freezing when he heard a weak voice from somewhere near his chest.
'Inu-yasha?'
Inuyasha glanced down at the monk to see him staring up at him with barely open indigo orbs, full of disorientation and familiarity and... understanding? Happiness?
Inuyasha was unsure what to make of the look the monk was giving him, and so just offered him a weak smile.
'Hey.' He said softly, not certain how he was supposed to react to seeing his friend again. A sarcastic remark seemed to be trying to form in his mind, but it disintegrated the closer it got to his mouth, until, whatever snide thing he had been going to say, came out as nothing more than a weak, half-hearted 'I told you not to overexert yourself like this.' Which some part in the back of his mind was quickly jumping up to say that, no, actually, he hadn't said that. Ever. And it was quickly moving to make his wish that he had.
Miroku stared at him a moment before smiling weakly, his eyes drifting closed again.
'It's good to see you too, Inu.' He said, not being able to draw enough strength to finish his friend's momentarily rather difficult name.
Inuyasha stared at his friend a moment, smiling despite himself, before he felt Miroku go limp in his arms, and he quickly felt worry rush through him.
He began to walk again, but paused when he heard Amaya speaking to him.
'Inuyasha.' She said softly, causing him to turn half-way toward her. 'The slayer and Kagome are still in Naraku's grip. I may be able to bring the slayer within the next day or two, but I do not know how easy Kagome will be. I think Naraku may be watching her. Nevertheless, I will try. Do you think you can look after the monk until I can find the opportunity to return? I fear the slayer may very well try and kill me if she doesn't think he is being properly cared for.'
Inuyasha glanced down at Miroku lying in his arms again before nodding slowly.
Amaya returned the action. 'Good.' She said, before turning to look at the two horse-youkai. 'I will be need of your assistance again soon I think.' She said, and Kazkaen shook her mane in assent.
'We'll wait for your call.' The horse replied, before turning toward her son, giving him a rough nip on the flank (earning her an angry snort) before they both took off into the sky, leaving blazing streaks of orange and red behind them.
Amaya, after transforming to her bird form, followed moments later, and the two brother's were again standing in the darkened area, though now they were accompanied by three more youkai and a human monk.
Inuyasha stood there silent for several moments, before quickly turning and continuing his journey back to the castle, Sesshomaru waiting a minute before moving to follow, Ah-Un close behind.
'Well,' Inuyasha thought as he shifted slightly to better accommodate the barely awake kitsune on his shoulder 'if nothing else, Rin will be happy to have some new companions to play with. And Kohaku will finally get to see someone from his village.'
As if sensing his thoughts, Kirara jumped down off his shoulder, landing lightly on Miroku's stomach and curling up on his chest, her tail moving to hide her face, and a light rumbling that Inuyasha knew to be the fire-cat's purr filling the air around her.
Glossary
Youkai - Demon
Kitsune - Fox
Haori - A sort of Japanese half-jacket
Neko - Cat (Neko-youkai - Cat-Demon)
Inu - Dog
Kazkaen - Wind Blaze OC
SPECIAL THANKS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF CANDY TO: Almandine-Azaleea, Black Betty, Clouds of the Sky, Bluer Sky, RamblingPhilosopher, Inu's Nanashi, xolovexinuyasha, Box Queen, Lord Makura, Jennie555, Kuroi, sourapple10000, Darking Queen, Wish-full Thinker, wolfygirl13 and Inume-blue -- You guys really are awesome! Thanks for helping me get the story this far!
Candy very much the compliments of wolfygirl13!
CMoC - Sotsugyou Sayonara wa Ashita no Tame ni (Graduation: Farewll is for Tomorrow) - Tackey and Tsubasa, One Day, One Dream - Tackey and Tsubasa, My Will - Dream, Grip! - Every Little thing, For You - Smile Empty Soul and Right here waiting,