Insert Standard Disclaimer here

"House Call"

Inuyasha was sick. He lay on the futon in his bedroom while his mother prepared her centuries-old cold remedy in the kitchen. He could smell it already… it was always disgusting. He didn't understand how his mother could tolerate the smell; try as he might, he couldn't convince her that it stank, plain and simple. He sighed. At least it works… and she'll make me some soba to wash it down with. His mouth watered at the prospect.

A sharp rapping came at the door. "Coming, coming!" His mother fairly flew out of the kitchen, her arms bare. She wore loose kimonos around town, but around the house tighter-fitting, sleeveless apparel was more practical.

"Oh, good evening, Kurabu-sensei! Thank you for coming on such short notice." Inuyasha heard his mother's voice through the curtain that hung in the doorway to the main room.

"Please, it was no trouble at all. I'm pleased to find you well, Izayoi-hime, despite your family's misfortune seven years ago. I must admit, when I saw you in the market in town this morning buying my medicinal supplies, I thought I had seen a ghost!" He chuckled. "Why is it that you hide away in this small town? You know that you would be more than welcome in the Imperial court. The Emperor held your father in high esteem, and would gladly take care of you, I'm sure."

"Sensei, I am afraid that I would not be welcome in the court."

Izayoi drew aside the curtain to let Kurabu-sensei into Inuyasha's room. Inuyasha sat up a bit, to show respect. He knew that since his mother addressed him as sensei, he must be a teacher or doctor.

"Nonsense!" blustered the doctor. "Why, I…" his gaze fell on Inuyasha's ears. "Oh, my." He turned away from the door, tugging Izayoi along with him. "My dear, are you aware that there is a demon in this house?"

"Of course I am," Izayoi responded. "I told you there was someone in my house in need of an examination."

"This is highly irregular…"

"He is my son."

Kurabu's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, but made no sound. He snuck a peek around the corner at the resting boy. "Are you sure?"

"I bore him myself. Do you doubt my word?"

"Well, no, but… how could this have happened? Surely your noble father did not permit some ruffian demon to have his way with you?"

"It was my choice, sensei. His father rescued me once, in human guise, and I fell in love with him. My father knew the boy's father well enough, though not his true nature. He would not have allowed us to wed in any case; I was already betrothed to another whom I did not love."

"I see." He puffed out his cheeks and looked about warily. "So, what became of the father?"

"He died while protecting us from those who tried to kill us shortly after I gave birth. It was he who named the child Inuyasha," she divulged.

"Dog-demon, then, was he? I suppose that makes some sense. Man's best friend and all that nonsense… hmph." He sighed. "Well, I suppose I do owe you. Your father was always kind to me."

"Thank you, sensei."

The doctor entered Inuyasha's room. "Ah, yes… I can see the resemblance now. He has your nose and mouth, Izayoi-hime… though I'm quite sure the eyes and ears are courtesy of his father… as are the claws," he added under his breath. Sure enough, Inuyasha's fingernails were becoming sharper, thicker, and sturdier by the day. The previous week, Izayoi had given him a good-sized block of wood to work with; it now sat in the corner, half its original size, in a pile of shavings.

"Hi."

Inuyasha's voice drew the doctor's attention back to his patient. "Hello, young ma… er, Inuyasha. Not feeling too well, are we?"

"I'm ok."

"I've heard that one before… we'll see." He retrieved a lacquered box he'd brought from the main room. He set it next to Inuyasha's futon and opened it, unfolding a complex arrangement of drawers containing his various instruments.

"We'll start with a basic preliminary examination, eh?" He looked to Izayoi for confirmation. She nodded. "Ok, Inuyasha, open your mouth and say, 'Ah'…" He reached the tongue depressor inside Inuyasha's mouth, but it tickled his throat and he bit down. Hard.

The doctor stared at the stub of bamboo left in his hand. "Sorry, mister." Inuyasha looked as if he could cry.

"That's… ok. Ahem. Let's see those glands, shall we?" He gently rubbed Inuyasha's throat. His patient responded with a series of pained growls. The doctor's hands trembled; he rubbed them together to disguise the movement. "Definitely a throat infection, then. Hmm. Does it hurt anywhere else?"

"No," Inuyasha coughed.

Kurabu stood. "Can I please talk to you outside, Izayoi-hime?" He rushed out of the room with the still-open box.

"Did I do something wrong, mother?"

"No, Inuyasha. You were a very good boy. Just rest for a bit." She patted his forehead before following the doctor out. She found him already putting on his shoes.

"Done so soon, sensei? You took much longer to examine me when I was younger," she chided.

"Izayoi-hime, I can't help you. I really have no idea what I'm dealing with here! This demon child…"

"Half-demon," she corrected as her eyes narrowed.

"Whatever. I know human medicine. That's all. Here." He thrust a packet of herbs into her hands. "That might bring down the swelling in his neck. I can't be sure, because I've never dealt with a hanyou before!"

Izayoi bowed her head, acknowledging his refusal to proceed further. "I understand. Thank you, Kurabu-sensei. I will not keep you further."

He paused at the door. "Other than his throat, he seems in perfectly good health. You've been a good mother to him. I never had any doubts of that."

"Sensei, if I might ask a final favor… don't tell anyone I'm here… or about him."

"I never planned to. Consider it done. I never came here… and I won't be back," he added as he strode out the door. "Farewell, Izayoi­-hime."

"And you, Kurabu-sensei," she responded to his back.

As she drew a deep breath to sigh, a sharp scent entered her nose. The remedy is done! She hurried to remove the boiling concoction from the fire before the pot overflowed. I'm so glad his father taught this to me… I wish he'd had time to teach me more, but he had to go off to war… and then my pregnancy started showing, and Father ordered me locked away. At least I managed to convince him to let my servants to show me how to perform all the "wifely" duties before he died… and he thought it was for that ridiculous prince he'd arranged for me to marry. She laughed upon remembering that man's dopey face. At least I didn't have to marry him… not since I was presumed dead.

She ladled some of the remedy into a bowl, and set a kettle of water over the fire. She placed the remainder of the chicken she'd bought that morning into the kettle. Inuyasha just loves soba made this way… I really can't figure out why. She picked up the bowl and brought the remedy to her son.

"Drink it all, Inuyasha."

"It stinks." He wrinkled his nose.

"I know, but you want to get all better, don't you?"

"Yeah," he agreed glumly.

"Then drink up."

"Yes, Mother." He drained the bowl as quick he could, trying to avoid actually tasting it.

Izayoi took the bowl back, and laid him down again. "Now, you just rest, and I'll bring your soba in just a bit."

"Ok."

She bustled back out again. Inuyasha's golden eyes followed her, though his mind lay elsewhere. The doctor used that word again…

His mother returned with the soba, and Inuyasha gulped it down. He slurped up the last of the broth, and set the bowl and chopsticks aside. "Mother?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?" She knelt at his bedside.

"Am I old enough now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Am I old enough to know what a… a hanyou is?"

Izayoi looked away, blinking back tears. I suppose it cannot be delayed any longer. It's best that he finds out from me rather than someone else… though I wish it would never have to happen. "Yes, you are old enough now. Inuyasha, you know that you are special, right?"

"Yes, Mother. You've always told me that."

"But I've never told you why, have I?"

"No, Mother."

"You are special because you are a hanyou… you are half human, and half youkai, or demon."

Inuyasha looked puzzled. "How can I be half of one thing and half of something else? An egg is never half an egg and half a cabbage."

Izayoi smiled. "That's true. But people are more complex. They can often be many things, even two things that are usually in direct opposition."

"I don't understand."

"Are you brave, Inuyasha?"

"Of course, Mother!"

"And yet, you also fear some things, do you not? Like my cold remedy?"

"I guess so… I think I see now, a little."

"Good."

"But how am I half demon? You're all human!"

"Yes, I am… but your father was not. He was…" Izayoi blushed, remembering their first meeting. "Your father was a kind, brave, noble demon. He saved my life the first time we met… and he saved both mine and yours the night you were born. You probably don't remember, but that's when he gave you your name, Inuyasha."

"My father was a demon?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?"

"He's dead, Inuyasha. He died protecting us. The last thing he told me was that he wanted the two of us, you and I, to live long and well. I'm sure he would have come with us, but he had to make sure it was safe for us to go… so he stayed behind and died fighting."

"Oh. So I'm a hanyou because he was a demon, and you're human."

"That's right."

"I see… so the other children in town are right to call me that when I ask them to play… they never seem to make it sound like a very nice thing to be."

Izayoi was startled at this news. "The children have been calling you that?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Yeah. It's what I am, isn't it?"

"Yes, but you don't call the children 'human', 'boy', or 'girl', do you?"

"No, I call them Mizuki-chan, and Yuri-chan, and Nodoka-chan, and…" he began counting off on his fingers.

"That's my boy," Izayoi smiled. "The next time they call you hanyou, you say to them, 'My name is Inuyasha-chan'. Ok?"

"Yes, Momma." Inuyasha yawned sleepily.

He only calls me that when he's ready for bed. "Good. Now, get some sleep." She bent over and kissed his brow. Good, the fever's gone down some. "Good night, Inuyasha."

"G'night," he mumbled. "Love you, Momma."

"And I love you… my little Inuyasha." She blew out the candle, and left his room, drawing the curtain behind her.