Chapter 3-The Photographs part 1
No, Inuyasha isn't mine.
Recap: A new Lord of the Wolf Tribes is selected, and he's not happy. While Koryuudo settles into his new position, and sends to the Inu...the New Moon has come. What happens now? Read on!
"Ready?" Kagome asked, having changed into a denim skirt and a soft pink top, and found Inuyasha lurking in a tree. He glanced nervously down at her as she leaned against the trunk below. The sun was going to set soon. Sesshomaru was already by the well, ready to stand guard as usual. It was the distance between the safety of the trees of there...that seemed so very long. She smiled up at him reassuringly.
"Feh."
"You can stay out here, Inuyasha, you don't have to-" Kagome began, and he scowled, jumping down. One hand was planted on the tree as he moved to stand in front of her, pinning the female hanyou. A scowl met her smile.
"I said I was going, wench," he growled.
"Alright then...just don't be surprised if Grandpa tries to purify you," she warned fondly. A hand lifted to rest on his cheek. She kissed him gently and he had to smile as she pulled back. Like the old man could.
"Like he could. Let's go," he said, even as his free hand ran possessively through her hair. Inuyasha was nervous. But he had said he'd go-and so he would. He had to go with her to meet his kin by marriage, explain matters. They'd always been kind, he just hoped they'd still think well of him as part of their family. A 'boyfriend' as Souta put it once was one thing, a husband and mate another. Besides what he'd done to her by leaving. Kagome sighed and then ducked out from under his arm, slipping through the trees.
"Better hurry!" she called cheerfully. He rolled his eyes and followed her-then passed her. Wench. Kagome grinned and gave chase. But nowhere near as fast as they had run yesterday...their powers were already fading. He felt the difference.
They arrived at the well to see Sesshomaru leaning against the wood, looking down into it with interest. On the surface, a simple dry well, yet one night each month it became a doorway. Fascinating.
He had checked as usual, and no enemies lurked. It was his duty to guard his packsister on these nights and he did so with thorough efficiency. Her senses faded and she needed looking after...but he had found an old trace that worried him. Kouga. A few days ago-the wolf leader had been near. He lived, then. Sesshomaru would be most pleased to see that creature again. He owed him. But he could not give chase tonight.
"So. You are nearly late," he noted. Sesshomaru preferred her to be safely at his side when she changed and she knew it.
Kagome smiled at her packbrother as Inuyasha-smelled very nervous indeed. Sesshomaru was curious, he suspected he was about to find out if his half-brother shared Kagome's time of weakness. If that were so, then he would simply watch over the baka until daybreak. Easy enough, though he had wondered if Inuyasha would conceal himself in the forest until it passed if it was.
Apparently not. A promising sign, he supposed. Pack had to trust one another. Inuyasha knew of Rin now-a fair return to know this. He hadn't known that his younger sibling would be willing to reveal this so soon in their new relationship. Impressive.
"Sorry," Kagome answered, smiling. Sango and Miroku were not there-doing them a favor by keeping the ever nosy Michiko busy tonight. That girl seemed to think that everything that happened near the village was her exclusive concern. Annoying.
"It is well...time," the youkai said with a slight smirk, and Inuyasha frowned. That...was intended as a joke, he realized. A really bad and really small one.
"Ugh!" Kagome made a face and fondly swatted her pack leader. The stately Lord merely snorted slightly as the sun sank. Sesshomaru didn't leave, though he did avert his eyes from courtesy as...both their forms pulsed, and their scents shifted. Inuyasha shivered and clutched her hand. He glanced down at his hand...and his claws disappeared. Dark hair now flowed over his shoulders...his senses faded away to nearly nothing. He felt weak, powerless, and horribly exposed. Yep. Human again.
Now dark blue eyes looked up at his brother...and Sesshomaru froze. Izayoi. As the mortal fool possessed by Souunga had said, he favored her greatly...the traces of her in Inuyasha's hanyou form were mere whispers compared to this. He looked at his younger brother and again saw the small, delicately built mortal Princess. His Father's mortal. But smelling of nerves and fear as in truth she never had in front of him. Next to him was again the young miko.
Disturbing was not the word for it.
Kagome looked from one to the other, and gulped. Inuyasha held himself very still.
"I see," Sesshomaru said. He gestured, saying, "Kagome."
"Yeah. Um..."
"He's right. Let's go, Kagome," Inuyasha said resolutely, and before Sesshomaru could do more than open his mouth-he wrapped an arm around Kagome and jumped. There was a momentary smirk at the dumbfounded look on his half-brother's face in passing. Almost made it worth the trip. They reached the bottom...and sure enough a familiar sense of floating overtook them both.
Sesshomaru's mouth shut-and golden eyes narrowed.
"Grandpa, you promised no more purifying!" Souta complained as he stood by the well. Kagome hadn't come home last month-and Mom was really worried. Upset. So was he. The now adolescent boy looked at the large wooden bucket his Grandfather held. His last shot.
"I know, my boy, I know! But surely, having Kagome be able to come home to us again..." he sighed sadly. He ought to be able to save her. A Priest like himself couldn't seem to purify the darkness possessing his dear Kagome. While she frequently said she had no wish to be-well...Grandpa suspected that she was making the best of things. A man who loved his only granddaughter, had watched her sacrifice and do her best for so long, was it so horrible to want to bring her home and back to herself?
"Grandpa," Souta said again, and he lowered the bucket of blessed sake, setting it down with a grunt. They looked at their watches in the dim light as the sun sank. The young acolyte leaned against the wooden side of the well, peering down with a flashlight held loosely in his hand. Idly, he waved it, making shapes on the dry well bottom...and suddenly, its light was devoured by a familiar blue white glow...but there were two people...Souta gasped, dropping it! There was a thunk.
"OW! What the fuck??" a yell from a gruff, well remembered voice! Kagome picked up the flashlight after it bounced off the hanyou's shoulder and suddenly it shone in Souta's eyes. Half-blinded now, it didn't matter. He knew who that was!
"Inuyasha!!" Souta nearly fell into the well as he leaned over more to try and see.
"Oh, really?" Grandpa reached for the bucket again. He may not be able to purify Kagome...or Inuyasha before, but by all the Kami he'd try!
"Grandpa?" Kagome called.
"Kagome, come out of there! Out of my way, Souta! You let me deal with this!" Souta's eyes widened and he did step back. Kagome held the flashlight as Inuyasha grabbed the rope ladder to climb out and explain-damn it!
"Grandpa, no!"
"Wait right there, old man!" Inuyasha barked.
"Foul youkai, abandoning my granddaughter!! You dare show your face here, after jilting her! Feel my wrath, fiend!"
"NO!! STOP IT!" Kagome yelled.
"Gramps! She said no more purifying!" Souta tried. At that exchange, her mate looked outraged as he scampered up the ladder.
"How dare you try and purify her!?" Inuyasha yelled. He was too angry to worry about his changed form as he climbed.
A dark haired head appeared over the side of the well. Grandpa held the bucket, ready to dump it over his head then whack him-and stared into a human's eyes. A human in the familiar firerat kimono. A human?? The elderly Priest peered at him and gasped, lowering the sloshing wooden bucket. Carefully, Inuyasha climbed out and kept his distance. One hand reached back to help Kagome out of the well, keeping one eye on the old man.
"Now, you better not dump that on me, old man..." he warned. Kagome sighed.
"Grandpa-you'd better sit down. Maybe we should talk about this inside. Mom ought to hear it too," Kagome said quietly as Souta stared.
"Sis...what did you do to Inuyasha?" he was stunned.
"Well...it's the New Moon, Souta, for both of us," Kagome explained. Inuyasha just winced at both the Higurashi stared.
"I-you came back," Souta managed. He looked rather conflicted. On one hand he thought of Inuyasha almost as a big brother, but on the other...he'd dumped his sister. Inuyasha understood.
"Kid, you're probably thinking-eh-" he stared as the door to the shed slid open, making him jump. Mrs. Higurashi.
His mother in law. Who looked worried...and wordlessly hugged her daughter. She took charge, chivvying everyone to the house and taking the sake bucket as they explained why Inuyasha looked so different. Dinner was set for four as usual, he could faintly, by his standards, smell supper...and she folded her arms.
So different looking. But Mrs. Higurashi was deeply, shamefully glad he was returned. Not just for Kagome's sake, but because she could ask him about something that had weighed on her for months. Something that had been brought into sharp focus for her two months ago, when Kagome had innocently brought home some film and it had been developed. Jaken had been helping his Lord's packsister.
"Inuyasha. I'm glad you're well. But what is going on here? Kagome didn't come back last month, and I suspect you can tell me why," Mrs. Higurashi asked carefully, looking concerned. The question was echoed by the rest of the family.
"Mom-" Kagome began.
"No, let me," Inuyasha asked. She nodded, and smiled. He then bowed, surprising them all. "I came to ask your forgiveness, uh," if he had his normal ears, they'd be twitching, "without your, eh, approval...your daughter is my mate and wife-oof!" he was cut off by an impact as Mrs. Higurashi hugged him! Wide-eyed, he looked helplessly at Kagome as Souta slapped him on the back and Grandpa frowned. She grinned and made no move to rescue him.
"You mean it! Oh, I'm so relieved. Well. Welcome to the family, I suppose. Call me Mother, if you like, Inuyasha. I suppose I am now," she smiled at him warmly, and Inuyasha shyly grinned back in sheer relief. Her mother-his mother by marriage...he'd worried. She could have thrown them out, been angry...he stiffly allowed her to hug him.
"Heck yeah! That's great! I can't believe you're my real brother now!" Souta beamed, and Mrs. Higurashi released him with a real smile and slightly misty eyes. Grandpa frowned, looked at his granddaughter, and nodded once.
"Only thing to do, I suppose. Very well, my boy, I do suppose a welcome is in order. Not that I approve of Kagome being a hanyou now...or of your behavior! Do something like that again and don't think I'll hesitate to purify you!" Inuyasha managed not to snap at him as he continued, "but I wish you both happiness."
Seeing Kagome smile as brightly she did made her Grandfather feel much better. Another place was set at the table as they groped for a way to explain the er...ceremony that Kagome's mother asked about while they sat down to eat. Souta also wanted to know what Inuyasha had meant by 'mates', and to their shock-Grandpa stepped in.
"It's an old youkai custom, Souta. I've read all about it. All of it," he announced with a narrow look at Inuyasha, who managed to scoot closer to a now blushing Kagome.
"Then what does it mean, grandpa?"
"Later, Grandson. They are married, I will say that much," the man said. Mrs. Higurashi glanced at her daughter-and let it pass for now.
"Youkai in the family..." he sighed.
Supper was delicious at least, and Inuyasha was so relieved he began to inhale his portion with enthusiasm.
"So, what about Lord Sesshomaru? How are, um...are you all getting along?" Kagome's mother asked, and her daughter answered, beaming at Inuyasha.
"He's a packmate now, Mom! Look! Sesshomaru adopted him." A hand plucked his clan mark free of his haori and it was shown off.
"Hey! I'm trying to eat here," Inuyasha grumbled.
"Oh, quit it!" she shot back before turning her attention to her family again. "He's Packsecond too, it's Lord Inuyasha, you know," Kagome said proudly, sounding like any wife showing off her husband's new job. Souta's eyes widened.
"Cool! So-you help out your big brother now too, right? Kagome explained some of it," he asked, and they spoke of that for the rest of the meal, how they'd gotten together again, that he'd courted her-earning him another hard, knowing look from Grandpa-and some of the events of the past month. To Inuyasha's delight they were just as happy for Sango and Miroku. Though they'd never meet them-they felt like they had through Kagome.
So far, so good...but a few surprises lingered.
"The earthquake wasn't too bad, was it?" Souta piped up at one point, and they both gaped. They hadn't gotten to it yet. At their looks, he grinned, "I check online for stuff. A big one hit this area five centuries ago last month."
"On a line? What line?" Inuyasha asked, and Kagome blinked. On his computer. Of course.
"Sneaky Souta! Ought to have warned me!" she noted with annoyance.
"Sorry, you didn't come back last month or I would've. I only found it a little bit before you were supposed to come back. Next big one at your end's...in two years, but it's farther north than the last one. Might want to remember that," Souta told them, and the hanyou looked at each other.
"Good work kid. That's useful. We can have the packs warned and Kaede too," Inuyasha said with approval, and the young man glowed with pride.
"Sure! Glad to help."
After supper was cleared, Kagome grabbed her rarely used purse and prepared to go shop-but this time, her Mom didn't go with her. Instead, she detailed Souta and Grandpa to help instead. Inuyasha just took Kagome's hands a moment before they left and told her to be careful. In his view, kissing her goodbye in front of her family was inappropriate, and she knew it. Figuring correctly that Mom wished to talk to her new son-in-law alone...they soon left to hit the stores.
Mrs. Higurashi had a lot to discuss with Inuyasha, and wanted to make sure no one heard.
She sighed as she heard the car start and pull out. When she was sure they'd gone, she had Inuyasha follow her into the familiar living room. She went to a bookcase and got out a small photo album and a rolled scroll. They'd been put behind some books, hidden, really...
"Inuyasha, I'm happy you and Kagome have each other. I think you know I've always liked you, and I approve of your being married. I always thought you would, even before she-changed," she said, and he sat at her feet as she took the couch, putting the book and scroll in her lap. Hands rested on them lightly as she studied the young human.
"I'll never leave her again, um...Mother Higurashi. Never," he said firmly, even as he wondered at the scroll. Her eyes softened in spite of the slight frown she wore.
"I believe you," she admitted.
She opened the photo album and passed it to him. One side had a photo of Kagome in her uniform, smiling as she stood beside her bicycle. The other had a hanyou in troll robes, standing in sunlit snow in front of frosted trees...holding a transformed Hamayami in a clawed hand. She was smiling there too-she'd posed for it-but there was sorrow lurking in her expression, it looked like a false smile...because it was. Her family had wanted to see her hanyou form, after all.
"What happened to my little girl, Inuyasha?" There was no accusation. It was...a plea. He understood.
"You're going to tell me. All of it. And then...you'll explain the rest of it. I found this scroll in Kagome's pack addressed to me. From a Jaken. I don't think she knew about it, it was packed with her last batch of film. What photos are made with. The kanji were odd in places, and parts were hard to puzzle out...until I had the film developed," she said softly. It was not a request. Inuyasha unrolled it, read it, realized and paled.
He'd shred the little bastard!
Author's notes-Ahhh. Er-cliffhanger? Sort of. Yes, Sesshomaru knows Kouga's around! And yes-Inuyasha has some explaining to do. What, did you think Kagome's mom was all fine and dandy with things? Not quite. Jaken's...not as helpful as he thinks on occasion! The Earthquake info is fictional. I hope you enjoyed, and Thanks for Reading!-Namiyo
