Disc: No I do not own Inuyasha, I only WISH that I did...
A/N: The long-awaited chapter...has it really beena week since my last update? my computer is still ridiculously slow and play practice still keeps me out really late...but I HAD to get this to you...I actually proof read this chapter, and added in a few spots just before it was uploaded...I think this chapter pretty much sums itself up...but I can't sit here and yab like I want to b/c if I do my computer will take one large smelly dump on me if you know what I mean? (dies as the words she types are added to the screen sooooo slowly...) I hope you like it...I'm getting somewhere with the plot now...shortly, AKA the next chapter, you will meet Taikokajin anew, at least Miroku and sango will anyway...later Inuyasha will deal with her...but I leave this to you: Is she good or bad? Another chapter in the nearby future will hint more...and THEN you'll have more to guess on, now she's nothing more than mystery...enjoy! Sorry I'm running late! Leave me a note! I LOVE hearing from you all!
Family On All Sides
It was huge.
The village woman gaped as the thing—a dog by the looks of it she supposed—passed her by, walking in the broad daylight like some sort of god or spirit given shape. Surely it had to be something spun by her imagination…
She'd been hauling rice from the village's storehouse to her family's home that morning, as she did every few days, once their rice began to run low again. The village was quiet and tranquil that morning, perhaps more so than usual, but she didn't notice that, and if she had she wouldn't have cared. Yet as she rounded the bend, heading toward her family's hut, the rice buckets weighing down her arms and shoulders, the snow crunching beneath her feet, she'd frozen in shock, staring.
At the other end of the village's main street there was a large flicker of white in her sight. At first she blinked, thinking it was someone wearing a white cloak, or a wild horse perhaps with a white mane and tail and body, as clear and clean and white as the snow about the ground outside the village. But when the flickering, flashing movement failed to disappear from her eyes the girl felt shock and even fear bloom within her. Whatever the beast was it wasn't normal, and she suspected it was carnivorous…
Shivering suddenly, though not from winter's chill, she watched, frozen in terror as the beast began to move toward her at a steady trot. It was large—nearly the size of a horse she thought, bright white or perhaps silver, walked on all fours, had a mane-like abundance of fur about its neck and down its back, and long, pointed floppy ears, covered in fur. Obviously it was a dog—though a very peculiar one, and certainly not one that she thought was normal. It was some sort of deity or supernatural being for sure…
Stricken, the girl dropped the buckets of rice as the beast approached and fell to her knees, bowing swiftly, deeply, until her forehead kissed the freezing snow. She mumbled forgiveness and desperate prayers, begging to be spared her insignificant mortal life.
"Please, Dog God, I beg you, spare our village and all who live in it, we have not committed any crimes against your kind…" her words were slurred together and barely audible, she might as well have whimpered to herself in fear for how coherent she was. Yet when she snuck a quick look toward the grand beast she saw it'd paused in its approach some ten feet shy of her, large fluffy white ears cocked and listening attentively. This close she could see that the strange, massive dog-god-beast had a shining and intelligent gaze—and its eyes were pink. Also, along its cheeks and near its mouth there were turquoise streaks, three on each side.
No, it most certainly wasn't a simple dog!
As she stared up at it, shaking frantically, the massive canine parted its jaws in a doggy grin, exposing a big, lolling pinkish, fleshy tongue…yet also there were a lot of huge sharp, pointed and gleaming fangs in there…she cowered and shivered.
"Be gone beast!" a man's voice cried from somewhere up ahead, and the girl heard a thumping noise and saw the beast before her flinch. The eyes, disturbingly pink, swiveled about, the head and jaws turned away from her, looking up the village's small road, seeking its assailant. The man who'd cried out to save the girl was already brandishing another rock in his fist, taking aim fearlessly. Behind him another man was stepping out of his home, a spear in hand. Still others were coming, various weapons in their arms, ready for use.
The dog growled lightly, but only for a moment, and then the pink eyes flickered one last time to the girl…and she thought she saw a smile in them, amusement. But when she blinked it was gone—was it merely an illusion? Merely a whim her frightened mind had hallucinated?
She was destined never to know for at that moment the beast dashed past her harmlessly, its powerful, huge paws kicking up dirtied snow. Yet she noted that as it left, apparently fleeing the villagers, its tongue lolled as if it were full of silent laughter…
The beast reached the snowy forest at the other end of the village, entered the trees like a ghost—its huge paws didn't make so much as a whisper—and disappeared completely.
It was still before noon on the day that the hanyou's small family had left for Kagome's native era when something peculiar happened on the estate.
Sango was working in the kitchen, trying to get something edible cooked up for her family and Shippo before the sunlight was spent. She'd left Miroku and Shippo in charge of Kasai and the other "rug rats," as Inuyasha would've called their sons, had he been there. The demon slayer-turned domestic manager was busily cutting up pieces of chicken and seasoning them when Shippo scampered past her legs toward the front door, hurriedly. The kitsune's paws clicked over the hard floor as he moved, rushing by her. He was going so fast in fact that he was unable to stop soon enough to avoid…Thunk! Sango cringed in sympathy for the kit as he crashed head on into the wall next to the front door.
"Shippo!" Sango craned her neck to look back toward the sitting room where she could still hear Miroku, Kasai, Kohimu, and Tisoki still playing happily, "Why aren't you with Miroku and the children? You can't have any food until dinnertime…" but her voice died as she noticed that the kitsune wasn't showing the slightest interest in the food at all.
"Shippo?" she set the knife and the chicken slices down, moving to where Shippo was crouched, like a dog waiting to run outside, right by the door. "Is everything all right?"
"No Sango! There's someone out there…" closer to the kit now the demon slayer saw that his little nose was twittering, taking in the air, scenting something. Unlike Inuyasha, who tended to be loud and obnoxious while noticeably scenting something or someone, Shippo didn't snort. The little fox demon's nose worked efficiently and silently. He was quite comical actually, she thought absently, trying to force his nose into the crack between floor and door. It was clear that the kit smelled someone outside. This behavior he sometimes showed to Kagome and Inuyasha when they returned, or to Sango and Miroku and the children. It almost reminded Sango of her little brother Kohaku's little pet dog that'd always waited for their father so eagerly when he returned from his travels, bearing little slices of demon giblets to their miniature guard dog. As far as she knew the kit wouldn't show such eagerness for a stranger, so…
"Is it Mayuko?" Sango reached for the door and started to slide it open, wondering if the housekeeper had decided to come and visit them after all…
"NO!" Shippo shouted abruptly in fear and leapt behind her leg, cowering, as the door slide open, letting in a cold draft and a view of the estate's gardens, the trees now bare of leaves and covered in frost and snow…
And in the middle of the white snow, between the trees, like a terrible, and eerie phantom, stood a massive dog, staring at them…
Sango's breath stopped in her throat, her heart was seized in her chest, skipping a beat in sudden horror. Her mind groped, desperate, thinking…hiraikotsu…she felt Shippo shuddering and shivering with terror behind her calves, noticed the chill from the wintry outside…
The grip of panic left her then and Sango's body stiffened, filling with pride and courage. She had faced such things before—her family betrayed and slaughtered before her very eyes, being buried alive, the discovering that she was the only survivor from her whole village, and last but not least losing her little brother to their arch enemy and never recovering him again. Yes, she knew full well what hardship was, she knew the cruelty that life was capable of throwing at her…but she had survived and persevered.
"Shippo, call Miroku and get my hiraikotsu, now…" she ordered, her voice stiff with fear, but steady and without a waver. She felt the kitsune stir and start to draw away from her, whimpering but obeying her orders.
The beast before her seemed to grin sinisterly, enjoying their fear. Its tongue lolled out, bright pink and healthy. The teeth gleamed whiter than the snow. It was smirking at her, taunting her!
"Leave now, or I promise that I'll make you pay, Sesshomaru…" yet even as she spoke Inuyasha's dreaded older half-brother's name she felt a sting of doubt. The creature before her didn't act as she imagined Sesshomaru would in his true demonic form—and the markings were wrong. Instead of the two pinkish stripes on each cheek this dog demon had three on each side, and they were turquoise, not pink. The creature had no resemblance to Sesshomaru's bipedal humanoid form at all—except that it was bound in fluffy whitish fur…
The dog-like demon before her cocked its head, as if perplexed, but with the tongue still lolling the beast appeared incredibly comical. Had Sango not been shaking with terror she would've laughed until the tears flowed. Instead the frightened, and unprepared demon slayer slammed the sliding door shut and whirled round, seeking hiraikotsu. She screeched once in surprise when she nearly tripped over Shippo's body as the clumsy kitsune scrambled to get out of the way. Her cries immediately brought her husband's worried voice from the sitting room.
"Sango? Is everything all right?"
"No! Miroku! I need you to hide the children!" even as she reached the doorway to the sitting room where her two sons, her husband, and the littlest and only girl, Kasai, were sitting about, playing, all of them heard a bone-chilling howl from outside the house. It was like the cry of a lone wolf or coyote that's come upon a wounded animal—easy prey. It sent shivers down both Sango and Miroku's backs at once.
"Sango, what's going on?" Miroku's voice told her that he was preparing for the worst.
"There's a demon outside…"
"A wolf demon? Is it Koga?"
Kohimu, older and more learned in the teachings of his parents, suddenly looked very excited. A childish grin spread over his innocent face, "Mama! Is it true! A demon's outside! Are you going to fight it? Can I watch! Please!"
His parents were momentarily horrified, but Miroku was fast on his feet when it came to his role as a father. "You're too young." He lied swiftly and, with a meaningful look to Sango, he grabbed Kasai, who was crawling on the floor nearby, into his arms and tugged both boys with him down the hallway toward the bedrooms.
Once Miroku and the boys were on their way Sango rushed to one corner of the sitting room where she'd had her hiraikotsu leaning for months now. Such a trusted and much used weapon was never stored out of the way—Sango saw to that. Off and on she'd had a need for it in the past, even as a mother or housewife. When she and Miroku had set about to rebuild the demon slayers' village, before Kohimu had been born, Sango had used the bone boomerang to chop down trees for timber or firewood. And, in between pregnancies, she was still a professional demon slayer, well known and renowned far and wide.
With hiraikotsu in hand she turned quickly and rushed toward the door again, her heart pounding. With some surprise she noticed that Shippo was still in the kitchen, his nose and tail quivering. He reminded her, oddly enough, of a frightened rabbit more than a fox.
"Go with the boys Shippo…protect them." she ordered the kit, giving him a nice excuse to leave, but to her shock the kitsune shook his head.
"No."
"No?" Sango reached for the door, ready to slide it open. She didn't have time to be surprised by the young youkai's strange change in behavior, yet the question slipped out anyway, "Why?"
"Because the demon smells like Inuyasha."
What? She did remember that Shippo had acted as if it was a friend and not a foe that had come to the estate when he'd rushed to the door—perhaps the scent had tricked him somehow…?
But she couldn't think about that—her fingers clasped the door and she slid it open easily, lifting hiraikotsu into the air, ready and primed to throw. She leapt through the narrow space and, sensing where the intruder was, she let the boomerang fly…
Two clawed hands caught the weapon in mid air, halting its progress easily. In a moment the bone fell to the ground, harmless…
But Sango was too confused and shocked by the new and completely different youkai that now faced her to even notice that her attack had been thwarted. A tall, thin, silver-haired, pink-eyed woman stood before her, staring her down with a calm but slightly smug expression…
She looked just like Sesshomaru…
"Kagome!"
Mrs. Higurashi enveloped her daughter in a huge, warm, welcoming bear hug. Standing just behind the mother and daughter, Inuyasha tried to fight the crimson that was stealing over his face. How long had it been since Kagome had come back to visit her mother? Longer than usual no doubt…the last time she'd visited at all had been before Koinu was born—and the pup was several months old by now! Mrs. Higurashi had probably been worried sick!
Nervously Inuyasha resisted the urge to fidget and squirm, instead he held Koinu tighter to him, and in response the pup squealed, which made Mrs. Higurashi open her eyes while she was hugging Kagome and…
"Oh my heavens!" the words were high pitch and squealed. Inuyasha cringed and winced with each, sure that she was about to curse her daughter's choice of mate and husband on account of what a uniquely inhuman grandchild it'd made for her…but as usual he was wrong…
"This is Koinu? He's simply adorable Kagome!" Mrs. Higurashi abandoned her daughter's embrace and reached almost demandingly for the child in Inuyasha's arms. For a moment the hanyou had the instinct to turn tail and run from her, growling. But it was only for the slightest of moments—then he regained his senses, swallowed nervously, and handed over the baby.
Mrs. Higurashi and Koinu stared into each other's faces, and both were silent for a moment. Kagome's mother's face was bright and ecstatic at the sight of her first grandchild, while Koinu was looking mighty uncertain about the unfamiliar face he was staring into…the pup's ears twitched in nervousness and he made a whimpering puppy-like sound in the back of his throat, a precursor to tears.
Mrs. Higurashi immediately broke out into a very loud "Ahh!" and then she cuddled the pup close to her body…which was the right thing to do, for now the pup was able to take in her scent and realize that she smelled like his mother—therefore, instinct told him, she wasn't likely to hurt him.
The new grandmother looked from her daughter just behind her to her son-in-law in front of her, face beaming. "He's absolutely precious!" she turned a smirk to Inuyasha, "I see that he inherited your ears…lots of ear tweaking for him in the future then!"
Inuyasha scowled with instant sympathy.
They stepped inside from the porch and into the warmth of the house with Mrs. Higurashi still crooning lovingly to the pup. Inuyasha and Kagome fell behind with one another. The hanyou threw his wife a few nervous glances, and was reassured by her expression—wide eyed, beaming just as her mother was—that everything was going fine. Kagome noticed his nervousness, and, thoroughly amused, she slipped her hand into his, interlocking her fingers together with the hanyou's. A little smile of pride bloomed on her face.
Inuyasha felt his muscles relax at the sight of her smile and he even allowed a small smile of his own. Their clasped hands squeezed together tightly in comfort and confidence…
And then there was a screeching voice from in the living room as Kagome's grandfather caught sight of the baby. "He has dog ears!" the old man shrieked, surprised.
"Yes—just like Inuyasha!" Mrs. Higurashi's voice answered, ripe with amusement. Koinu's ears simply tickled her pink. "Your great-grandson has Inuyasha's puppy ears!"
"How will I explain that!" the old man demanded, his voice becoming a little annoyed. Apparently Mrs. Higurashi's simple and blissful exuberance wasn't appreciated.
Inuyasha and Kagome stepped into the room then, the hanyou noticeably lagging behind his wife. Kagome's grandfather was holding the squirming pup uncomfortably. He was glancing from the baby's face to Mrs. Higurashi's in something close to panic. "How will he ever go to school!"
Kagome shook her head, "Gramps!" she sighed, "He's not going to school here…"
Her grandfather sighed, and was about to protest when Koinu, who was already uncertain about Mrs. Higurashi holding him instead of Kagome or Inuyasha, began to squall. In the bickering between the adults in the room the pup's telltale whimper warnings had been missed, and now he was mad…
The old man paled and fidgeted nervously with the tiny child, trying to shift him, hold him closer and yet still be gentle. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry little guy…" when he brought the pup closer to his face Koinu reached for him fussily—and grabbed hold of his nose.
"Ow!" the old man pulled Koinu forcefully off, rubbing his nose absently and giving the baby a look of slight resentment. Back in his lap the pup was not happy.
The baby's cries increased, becoming both more intense as well as loud…Kagome's grandfather now appeared distinctly uncomfortable, even desperate…his eyes flew to Mrs. Higurashi, drew a blank, and then pleadingly met with his granddaughter's.
Kagome stepped forward and scooped Koinu up into her arms, cuddling him close. The pup's cries continued for a moment while the old man and Mrs. Higurashi watched, but it wasn't long before they began to diminish into small whimpers of protestation. Inuyasha, in the doorway, was agitated, his ears folded backward and his eyebrows lowered sternly over his eyes. When the pup didn't stop crying completely he stepped forward and stroked his son's silver-haired, fuzzy little head. The whimpering immediately ceased when Inuyasha's familiar and protective scent enclosed the pup and he knew for certain that he was back in his parent's loving arms.
Mrs. Higurashi, watching the display, looked as if she might cry with happiness. She was overflowing with mirth at her new status as a grandmother. But the new great-grandfather looked uncomfortable at it, though under that exterior his eyes shone with something that might have been approval or admiration. But, being a crotchety old man, or at least playing the part of one, meant that he couldn't openly show the emotions, whether they were there or not. At least not immediately…
"Just wait until Sota sees his new nephew! I remember how impressed he was with Inuyasha!" Mrs. Higurashi suddenly covered her mouth with one hand and laughed, "Kagome, you remember how Inuyasha was Sota's hero when he was a boy?"
Kagome threw her hanyou a quick smirk, which Inuyasha pretended not to notice—he suddenly found the floor intensely interesting. Turning her smirk to her mother then Kagome nodded, "Yes, I remember that quite well…"
"I had a thought Kagome…I'm sure he'll want to be Koinu's idol and hero while he grows up—you know, good old Uncle Sota…"
Sitting at the table and now looking much more at ease, the old man snorted, "Uncle Sota had better be careful with his girlfriends or soon he'll be Daddy Sota…then what would I tell all the college girls with crushes on him when they called, hmm?"
"I'm sure you'll tell them that he's studying, as he will be, Grandpa." Mrs. Higurashi warned.
"Hmpf! The only thing that boy ever studies is female anatomy!" the old man resolutely huffed and picked up his newspaper, burying his nose into it, discouraging any further protests to his said opinion on his second-born grandchild.
Mrs. Higurashi turned her attention to the couple and her new grandson again, her face beamed with enthusiasm all over again. "Kagome honey, Inuyasha dear, won't you come to the kitchen and we can sit down and have some tea?"
Kagome glanced to Inuyasha and saw that he seemed to have finally relaxed a little. One of the hanyou's hands was still on his son's head, stroking and soothing the little child into a hypnotic nap…his other hand however, claws and all, was drawing little circles up and down her back, caressing her. Kagome repressed the shudders and shivers and offered her mother a simple nod.
"Sure Mom, we'd love to!"
Mrs. Higurashi grinned as she started to walk toward the kitchen, her daughter and son-in-law following. "You must tell me how labor went for that little babe there…how did you ever manage it in the past?" worry had crept into Mrs. Higurashi's voice and Kagome was struck by the realization that her mother had actually had concerns over whether her daughter had even survived labor in the Feudal Era. Guilt swarmed through her as she realized that her mother had been waiting months to learn whether her daughter had lived or died!
"It was…" she laughed nervously, "Hard."
"I'll bet! I had painkillers and modern technology…"
Behind her Inuyasha snickered, "Yeah, and Kagome didn't even have a midwife!"
"What?"
Endnote: Well, did you like the family interactions? Yes, no? Write in and tell me and maybe I'll make more...I mean there are some already written but if you HATE it I can change it...so write in and tell me how I'm doing, kay? THANK YOU to all who take the time to tell me what they feel and to tell me they like what I'm doing (and criticism is welcome too! Anything!) Hope you enjoyed...gotta go before the computer eats all I've written and flushes me down the toilet...bye!