Mimiko sat on a fence surrounding an herb garden just starring into space. She hadn't slept at all the night before; she was still taking everything in.
The story Miroku and Sango told her was the same one her mother used to tell her when she was little.
Her mother had been the girl in all of those magical stories that she played in her mind over and over. Now, she, Mimiko, was the girl. She was really in feudal Japan and nothing made sense any more.
The other thing that had totally taken her aback was that the man, Inuyasha, was her father.
"It's unbelievable. I'm not here, I'm not here." She whispered to herself as she closed her eyes and gently shook her head. She held onto the railing beneath her in an attempt not to fall off.
"What's not here?" A voice sprang out of nowhere, startling Mimiko enough to make her jump. As a result she fell off of the fence.
She looked up from her new place on the ground to see Kie starring down at her.
"You alright?" He asked tenderly with a small smile on his face. He reached out a hand to help her up.
Mimiko just looked at his hand strangely for a minute before looking back at the dark haired boy.
"You take it, I pull, and amazingly you'll be back on your feet." He explained with some humor.
The hanyou girl let the corners of her mouth curve into a soft embarrassed smile before taking his hand and rising.
"Thanks." She whispered.
"Ahh…It was nothing." Kie said in an aloof voice. Then he turned back around to pick up a fairly large brown weave basket. "I was heading to pick some of the fruit off the trees over there. Would you care to help?" He asked her hopefully. Even though she was a little shy…Kie liked this girl. She was pretty and she seemed like she could use a friend.
Mimiko just nodded. Then she followed Kie to the grove of trees in the distance without saying a word.
000
Inuyasha just watched from on top of the hut. He hadn't slept as well. How could he? His whole life changed with three words.
Flash Back"Miroku what are you doing?" He struggled against the monk's firm hold as he was pushed outside.
"I'm taking you for some air." Miroku said simply.
Inuyasha stopped struggling and the hoshi stopped pushing. The two stood there for a moment. Silence surrounded them.
"I can't believe she's gone. I mean for real this time." He said referring to Kagome. He took a deep breath and it out slowly. "I don't get Miroku. I'm not sure of what just happened. It all went by to fast." There was a sincere yet vulnerable tone to the demon's voice.
The aging monk smiled. "She's your daughter."
End Flash Back'She's your daughter' echoed in his mind. So he and Kagome conceived a child that night. A daughter, and she named her Mimiko.
So, that meant he was…a father. He was going to have to be a parent to this girl. 'Great…now I can't make fun of Miroku when he get all father-ish on Kie.' Inuyasha smirked to himself.
There was a feeling he had at that moment that he had never really felt before. Was it pride? No, maybe love? Not even that he decided. Happiness, possibly? Then it hit him…it was all of them. He felt pride, love, and happiness for this girl, his daughter.
Now, that's where he got confused. How could he have known this girl for less than a day and already love her? He hadn't even fallen in love with Kagome that quickly. Kagome…
Inuyasha remembered. Kagome was gone. His Kagome was…no, she wasn't. It was hard for the hanyou to grasp.
There was a pain there, inside him suddenly, that he didn't know could exist. To know that someone (one of the only people) he cared for so deeply wasn't able to return, physically hurt him.
But Mimiko eased that pain for some reason. Was it that she looked like her mother? Or was it that she had a few characteristics of her mother? The half demon didn't know but it was certainly settling to know he still had a little piece of her.
000
"My grandmother planted these trees." Kie stated impressively. "Well, she wasn't really my grandmother but I like to think of her as one. I never knew my real grandparents. Did you?" Kie rushed around picking ever piece of ripe fruit he could, then threw it into the basket next to Mimiko who wasn't working, but sitting on the ground.
The raven-haired girl looked up at him. This boy was strange. She decided to answer his question after a moment of hesitation.
"Yes, I knew my grandmother." The hanyou girl didn't look at him but played with the grass that poked her legs.
Mimiko almost sounded pained to Kie as if she didn't have the fondest memories of her family life.
"That's nice." He picked another piece of fruit but this time he didn't throw it into the basket that Mimiko held. Instead he rubbed it on the blue top to his kimono and bit into it.
Mimiko was totally confused by this boy. He was a gentleman to her. He spoke to her with charm and care. There must be something wrong with him.
Kie noticed the look on Mimiko's face. He swallowed hard and looked around his shoulders. "What? Is there something on my face?" He asked quickly wiping his chin.
Mimiko shook her head with a small smile on her lips. "No, no. Nothing like that." Then she took a small pause and met Kie's eyes, just as she had done the day before. "Kie? Why are you so nice to me?"
The dark haired boy was startled by the question. "Why am I nice to you?" Mimiko nodded. "I don't know. Why shouldn't I be? You seem nice enough. You're a little shy but why should that stop me from being your friend?" Kie went over to her, hoisted the basket up into his arms and then offered her a hand.
She took it this time without a second thought. She smiled at him, but this time it wasn't one of those half smiles. This was showing off her straight teeth, the dimple in her right cheek, and a light in her eyes that Kie hadn't seen before. "I've never had a friend before."
"Well, it's about time you had one, isn't it." Kie looked at her with an affectionate smile.
000
It was night. The cool air blew is soft gusts while a bird sang in the distance. It was beautiful a night but neither Inuyasha nor Mimiko could sleep.
Mimiko sat on a log in a meadow facing the fields. She had walked a while to get there but it wasn't to far from the hut.
She sighed deeply and watched the stillness of the dark. This place…the past…was so peaceful after nightfall. Not like Tokyo with all of its lights and cars. She liked the city but there was something different about this place.
When it got dark, the world seemed to go to sleep. Everything was so tranquil, so silent. Here, Mimiko didn't miss Kagome so much.
Another gust of wind blew her ebony hair over her shoulders and out of her face. Using two fingers, she carefully tucked the waving strands behind her ears.
"Hey." A voice behind her called, breaking the silence.
Mimiko jumped and looked over her shoulder. It was her 'father'. Tension set in. It was a little awkward for a few moments as memories of the night before came back to her.
"Hi." She said quietly.
"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" He sat down on the log beside his offspring as she nodded. There was a long silence before he spoke again. "It's pretty isn't it?"
"Umm-hmm." She murmured softly.
"Bet you've never been in a place like this before."
The dark haired girl turned her head and looked at the half inu-demon occupying the space next to her. 'That's and understatement.' She thought to herself.
Inuyasha looked at Mimiko again through a sideways glance. She looked exactly like Kagome. It scared him.
Inuyasha looked away and towards the stars. Mimiko followed suit and cocked her head back to gaze at the small silver orbs.
There was a silence between the two demons. Not anything uncomfortable…just quiet.
It felt weird to Inuyasha. It was weird that he was sitting next to his daughter and he knew absolutely nothing more than her name.
Suddenly, her voice broke through his thoughts.
"Mom used to tell me stories about this place." Inuyasha looked at her strangely. She returned the eye contact. "She used to tell me about all the people…what you two did together."
Inuyasha blushed at that. 'I hope she's talking about the battles.'
Mimiko's eyes glittered with wonder. "I wanted to be the girl in those stories so badly it hurt. Everything was exciting…passionate." The teenager paused, taking in a long, controlled, deep breath. "Little did I know that my own mother was the girl in those stories."
Inuyasha watched her with loving eyes. She was a good person. He could just tell.
Once again that feeling that didn't have a name swept over him and he reached out to hug his daughter. Surprisingly, she hugged him back.
"It's nice to finally meet you." She whispered, still holding onto her relative. "You explain a lot of things."
Inuyasha just smirked and rolled his eyes.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys...been kinda busy. Well, anyway...I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed typing it! Review!