Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha and co. I don't own any of the songs that I put into the story, except on cd's. But I do own Shiori, Miyu-Guardian-mother to Shiori & Koshin Hakogami-snow youkai from modern Japan-father to Shiori, Kil Kai-another snow demon from feudal times & Aisu-female snow demon from feudal times, they are all mine.
AN: " " is speaking, ' ' is thought
AN: The She that I am referring to in this is the Goddess, I thought that I would put 'she' in italics & capitalize, instead of writing 'Goddess' all the time.
And thanks to those that read & review, especially to Miss.N.I. thanks, I thought that I would have some interaction with our Dynamic Duo & their family to sort of show a bit more of their character. enken-no-akiko I'm glad that I caused you to stay up late & probably go crossed eyed reading my story in one night, lol. Lady Kagewaki I'm glad that you like this story, I hope you continue to enjoy. Thanks again to those who read my humble story & enjoy it. BlackBlooded-ShadowFox thanks for the praise, I'm glad that you like my work. Hope I keep you all interested in this story. The reviews mean a lot. Enjoy!
Now on with the show.
Glossary:
youkai-demon
inu-youkai-dog demon
ningen-human
ookami-wolf demon
osuwari-sit
aisu-ice
Chapter 23: The Dynamic Duo Returns
The Higurashi family and the Hakogami family enjoyed the evening with lots of love and laughter. But that same evening, back in the Feudal Era, a nervous inu hanyou sat in his favorite tree outside Kaede's hut, thinking of how he was going to tell Kagome that he has made his choice between her and Kikyou. He was afraid that she would not believe that he chose her for her and not because she looked a little like Kikyou.
"Aahh! Who would have thought something like this would be so hard!" Inu Yasha complained, turning and punching the tree he was sitting in.
"What's the matter, Inu Yasha?" Sango asked, having heard the frustrated hanyou.
Inu Yasha scowled and thought about not answering, but he sighed and hopped down from the tree to land in front of Sango. "Sango, you're a girl and I need some help from a girl for this problem," he said quietly, hiding his eyes behind his silver bangs.
Sango was a bit surprised, Inu Yasha was not one to ask for any kind of help. She also had an idea what kind of help he was asking for because Miroku told her about Inu Yasha's meeting with Kikyou and what happened. But she decided to wait and let him ask for the kind of help he needed from her. "What can I do for you, Inu Yasha?"
Inu Yasha remained silent for a few heartbeats, then stood up and turned around to walk out of the village. "Come on, I don't want everyone to know about my problem."
Sango quietly followed him to the top of a hill that over looked the small village.
He stood with his back to her, watching the people go about their lives and chores below. He was wondering how to begin. He turned and decided to tell her about his run in with Kikyou.
Sango listened to him without saying a word, but she felt like saying a few choice words when he told her what Kikyou had said about Kagome. 'Damn clay woman, why does she have to hate Kagome? It's not Kagome's fault how things turned out,' she thought angrily.
"And that's what happened, but the main thing is that I have made my decision," Inu Yasha continued. "I want to be with Kagome, but I don't know how to tell her. I'm afraid she won't believe me or worse, she'll think I want her because I would see Kikyou everytime I look at her."
Sango walked up to him and quietly replied, "Well, you have mentioned on several occasions that she was Kikyou. And you have unfairly compared her to Kikyou. I understand why she would find it hard to believe you, Inu Yasha." She watched as his ears drooped while she spoke and knew he was ashamed. "But," she began, watching one of his ears swivel her way, "if you truly love her for herself, you're going to have to prove it and that may be harder than it sounds. Plus, you're going to have not get angry if she doesn't believe you right away. It may take a little time."
"I would do anything, but I'm afraid we may not have much time. There aren't very many shards left and after that, Naraku is going to come after us for the rest," he sighed. "I just want to be with her, Sango. I was a fool before. I was blinded by the feelings I had for my memories of Kikyou, that it almost cost me the one woman that has always been there for me. No matter what I said or did, Kagome always stayed by me. She never judged me or wanted me to be anything different. That's something special."
"Yes, it is," Sango agreed. "Are you willing to do anything to let her know how you feel?"
He finally looked at her with determination visible in his golden eyes. "Yes."
Sango smiled. "Then, you and I have some work to do." With that said, they sat down and began to help him convince Kagome that he loved her for her.
They eventually enlisted the aid of Miroku, Kaede, Shippou and Kirara. They want to make sure that Inu Yasha doesn't screw up.
In the Forest, About a Day from Inu Yasha's Forest:
"Sesshomaru-sama, I'm getting tired. Can we stopped for the night," Rin asked, yawning while leaning against Ah-Un.
Sesshomaru turned to look at his tired ward. He didn't show any outward sign that he cared, but he did agree with her. She did look tired. She walked most of the day without complaint. "We should stop for the night. We'll leave out early in the morning. Rin, you stay with Ah-Un and Jaken." With that said, he turned to walk into the surrounding trees to hunt for food.
Kil Kai just stared in disbelief. 'Lord Sesshomaru caring about a little human girl! Amazing,' he thought to himself as he watched the huge two headed dragon lay down so Rin could lean against them and rest. 'She even has that dragon wrapped around her little finger.' Then he smiled, 'Sweet kids can do that you a demon.'
Aisu was watching Kil Kai as he watched the Western Lord's group settle in. She didn't miss the soft smile that graced his handsome face. Then she turned and looked away, 'What am I thinking? I'm going to let him out of our engagement, no need to pine over him,' she thought, straightening her shoulders and turning around to gather wood. 'After everyone is settled, I'll tell him the good news.'
A short time later, Sesshomaru returned with a cleaned and gutted boar, which Kil Kai put on a spit over the fire. He checked on Rin, who was dozing curled up against Ah-Un.
Ah-Un looked up at their lord waiting for any orders, but when he just nodded his head, they sniffed Rin and layed their heads back down. They liked the little human girl, she was always kind to them and took good care of them. They would protect her from any and all harm.
Sesshomaru went to sit against a tree to watch over the little camp. He watched as Jaken watched over the cooking boar so that it didn't burn. He saw that the two snow youkai appeared to be lost in their own thoughts. With everything quiet, he let his mind wander, in the direction of a brash, beautiful young hanyou. He wondered what it was about her that made it hard to get her off his mind.
Jaken announced that dinner was ready. He then took some of the meat, and walked over to Rin. Despite his gruff behavior, he really watches over the little human. He woke her up and gave her the strip of meat. "Here, human, you need to get your strength back so we can make our lord's destination before night fall tomorrow."
Rin took the offered meat and smiled at Jaken. She knew that he cared but he was just normally gruff. "Arigato, Master Jaken. I won't slow us down tomorrow."
"See that you don't, Rin," he said, with little bite in his voice. He turned and met Ah-Un's eyes and nodded, just like Sesshomaru did earlier.
"Kil Kai," Aisu began, having finished her meal."
He turned to look at her.
"Will you walk with me? I would like to speak to you in private," with that, the demoness stood and began to walk a little away from the group, into the woods.
Kil Kai, wondering what could be up, joined her.
When they were out of hearing range for their host, Aisu turned and sat down on a fallen tree.
Kil Kai joined her, "So, what do you want to tell me?"
Without looking at him she began, "I know you are opposed to our betrothal that was set while we were young."
"A little," he said, quietly, wondering where this was going.
"Well, our fathers have joined the great Kami, so there is no one that can enforce our mating. I will withdraw my father's half of the betrothal, but we will have a treaty drawn up so that way it will not look ill on your honor or your clan."
He was stunned silent. He just stared at her profile, for she was looking up at the stars and not at him. "But, why, Aisu? Why would you do this?"
She turned to look at him and actually had a soft smile on her face. "We both know you don't want to go through with it and I don't have the heart to make you. Besides, we both have duties to our clans. This way you can feel free to run your clan and I can run mine."
'I've never seen her smile like this before,' he thought. Out loud, "We can fulfill our duties to our clans without a problem no matter what. Why are you really doing this, Aisu?"
She closed her eyes briefly, savoring the way he said her name, filing it away for when he was gone. "I want you to be happy, Kil Kai. And I know it would not be with me." She left unsaid the fact that she knew of his growing interest in the young, female snow youkai that was currently in the western lands. She understood. She stood up and turned to head back to their little camp. She stopped a few feet away, not turning around, shoulders back, "When we have stopped in a town, I will draw up the treaty and have Lord Sesshomaru witness it. This will protect your honor and mine. It will show that our betrothal was dissolved for personal reason but that the Black Rose Clan will still back the Lord of the North. Good night, Lord Kil Kai." With that she melted back in the forest, leaving behind a stunned youkai.
At Higurashi Shrine, Modern Tokyo:
Morning came without a hitch and the girls were up and enjoying breakfast with their family. Afterwards, the girls dressed and restocked supplies, adding a few little extras to their bags, and clean clothes that were washed and dried the night before. Shiori checked her weapons bag to make sure she had everything in there. The girls were dressed similar. Kagome decided to ditch her school uniform for relaxed fit jeans, tank top and zippered hoody. Shiori was dressed in usual, jeans, tank top and long sleeved, button shirt. She called this bag her 'toy bag.' Everyone, then, walked out to the little shrine that housed the well, Kagome with her large yellow pack and Shiori with her two black packs.
Shiori and Kagome turned to their family. "Well," Kagome started, "this is it. I don't know when we'll make it back, so try not to worry too much." She smiled and hugged everyone goodbye.
"You take care of yourself," Kagome's mother said, giving her daughter a fierce hug.
"I will, Mom, and remember I have Inu Yasha with me."
"You come back to us, Little One," Koshin said, hugging Shiori. "You don't want our lives to get dull without you, do you?"
Shiori smiled. "Dull? You have the rest of the monsters back home. I don't think things would ever get dull with them running loose."
"Just come back home to us, love," Miyu smiled, trying not to let her fear for her oldest child show. 'So this is how father felt whenever I had to leave to battle evil. Father, I understand your worry now,' she thought and turned to look at her father.
"I will, Mom, I will," Shiori turned and picked up her bags that had been sitting by the stairs leading down to the well, Kagome close behind.
Everyone moved into the little shrine, just as the girls climbed the lip of the well. They clasped hands and jumped in, surrounded by a bright blue light.
In seconds, they were back in Feudal Japan looking up at a clear blue sky. They both smiled, excited about the adventure waiting for them. Shiori changed form, shook out her wings and grabbed Kagome's hand. Together they flew up and out of the well, just in time to see Inu Yasha come running out of the woods into the clearing.
"I think you were missed," Shiori teased her cousin as they landed.
"Naw, he always does that," Kagome replied, waving at Inu Yasha. "Did you miss me, Inu Yasha?" she teased, but was surprised by his answer.
He walked right up to her, hugged her and said, "Yes, very much. I'm glad you're back, Gome."
Kagome was so stunned that she didn't return his hug.
Inu Yasha was a little hurt, but he reminded himself that he never really acted like this with her, so he just tried to be patient. He pulled back to ask, "Did you rest while you were home? How's your family?"
Kagome found her voice and asked, studying the hanyou, "Okay, who are you and where is Inu Yasha?"
He gave her a heartbreaking smile, "I'm the real Inu Yasha, but I just grew up a little. Is that okay, Gome?"
She shook her head and smiled. "Yeah, that's fine with me. What caused this, if you don't mind me asking?"
He turned to look at Shiori who was smiling, "I realized that I was losing something very important to me and I didn't want that to happen," he finished, looking back into Kagome's eyes.
She turned to her smiling cousin. "Do you know what he's talking about?"
"Yes, I do, but I'll let you figure that out," she answered her cousin, who by the way, hasn't moved out of the young inu hanyou's arms yet. "So, Inu Yasha, where is the rest of the crew?"
"They are back at Kaede's village, relaxing. Ready to head that way, Gome?" But before she could answer a scent reached him on the breeze. He was sniffing the air and he didn't like what or who he was smelling.
"What is it?" Kagome asked, quietly, scanning the clearing.
Shiori answered, her hand on her sword, "Not what, but who? His royal iciness himself along with Kil Kai, a toad, Rin, a dragon and a female snow youkai. The female smells very familiar."
"What do you think they want?" Kagome was a little tense now.
"We just want to talk, if that is alright?" Kil Kai answered, smiling, walking towards them from the forest on the other side of the clearing. Upon seeing Shiori he pushed aside the talk with Aisu from his mind for a short time. It still nagged at the back of his mind though.
Shiori relaxed a little, enough to smile. Her smile grew bigger when she saw Rin running right for her. "Well, what have we here? Someone let a pixie out." She braced herself just before Rin launched herself at her.
"I'm no pixie, I'm just Rin. And I'm happy to see you," Rin said, tightly hugging Shiori.
"I'm glad to see you, too, munchkin. What are you doing out and about?"
"We were on our way to see you," Rin answered.
Shiori, Kagome and Inu Yasha watched as the rest of the group come out of the forest. But only Shiori and Kagome were shocked when they saw Aisu.
Kagome was the first to ask, "Is that who I think it is?"
Kil Kai answered, a little puzzled by their reactions. "This is the Lady Aisu, clan leader of the Black Rose Clan of snow youkai."
"That would be a yes, Kagome, that is who you were thinking," Shiori quipped back, staring at one of the greatest leaders of her clan. Shiori's grandmother.
"Do you know of me," Aisu asked in a quiet tone, even more curious now. She could feel miko powers coming from Kagome, but she was also sensing a familiar demon aura from Shiori. 'Who is the girl? Why does she feel familiar?'
Shiori bowed from her neck, still holding Rin, "I know of you, milady. I have heard much and I am very honored to meet you."
"Thank you," Aisu replied, returning the short neck bow, by doing this she was acknowledging Shiori as a possible equal.
"Where were you going?" Rin asked.
"We were going to Kaede's village to meet up with the rest of the gang. We just got back from talking to someone about a little problem that I've been having." She glanced at Sesshomaru briefly, before returning her attention to Rin.
Sesshomaru, while keeping his ever stoic expression, was amused at Shiori calling their dream walking 'a little problem.' But he didn't say anything, he just let Rin ask all the questions. She would get them answered better than he would and he would still learn what he wanted to know.
"What kind of problem," Rin asked, not realizing the trouble that one question could cause.
Shiori just smiled and answered, "Well, it's guy trouble, Rin, and that can be a bit complicated."
"Why?"
"Because guys can be a pain in the butt, no matter how good looking they are," she smiled, then realized that she just inadvertently called Sesshomaru good looking. 'Great, just inflate his ego more,' she thought. She refused to even glance his way, instead, "How about we get going? Maybe you can play with Shippou and the other kids in the village for a little while."
Rin's face lit up, "I can play with Shippou? Really?"
Kagome smiled at the excited child. "Yes, Rin, I'm he would like that. Besides, I'm sure we have to let everyone else restock before we can head out. Right, Inu Yasha?"
Inu Yasha smiled at her and nodded. Then he surprised Kagome even more by taking her hand and began walking back to the village. With Shiori smiling at the two.
"Does he like Lady Kagome?" Rin whispered.
"Yes, he does, munchkin," Shiori answered.
"But, won't people be mean because he's a hanyou and she's a miko?" she asked innocently, reminding Shiori of the time she was currently in.
Shiori stopped and looked at Rin. "I'm sure people would be mean and it's because they don't understand. See, I've noticed that people and youkai alike here feel that there is no place for hanyous like Inu Yasha or myself. They fear us because of what we are. Just as they fear and despise each other."
"But why? Why do people and youkai hate each other and hanyous?"
"It's for a lot of different reasons, munchkin. You know, I asked my father that same question."
"Really? What did he say?" Rin asked.
"He said that youkai feel hanyous are beneath them, weak but some feared that the hanyous will become more powerful than they are. They also fear that they would be bred out by humans and hanyous. The humans fear youkai and hanyous because they are more powerful than humans. They fear that they would be killed because they were seen as weak. Does that help you understand a little," Shiori explained.
Rin had a scowl on her face. "Yes, but that's all wrong. They should all learn to get along not fear each other."
Shiori smiled and offered her hand to Rin so they could finish their trek to Kaede's village. "From your lips to the Great Kami's ears, little one," she prayed.
They continued their walk with a quiet trio of youkai trailing behind. They were especially quiet because of what Shiori said to answer Rin's questions. She was right in so many ways whether either side wanted to admit it or not.
AN: And again, I'm so sorry that it has taken so long for me to update. I hope you like this chapter. LOL I hope this chapter is enjoyed by my loyal readers. How do you guys like it so far? Please read & review. Or I won't write any more! just kidding, please review.
I would like to thank my wonderful editor, ninjawarrior4life, my bro. glad you like it.
And thanks to everyone who has been reading this story from the beginning when I first started posting it. And to those who read and like it.
THX to all my readers.
