Blood Ties, Blood Lies

Chapter Five: Aftermath

So it's been, like, a two year hiatus. I got out of the fanfiction cycle for a long time, obviously, but I think hearing about the release of The Final Act somehow really pumped up my love for Inuyasha again. And I miss writing. Anyways, I'm pretty sure all of my old readers are gone, so I hope all you new folks like what you see! But, if you are an old reader, you have my deepest, deepest gratitude for your loyalty and patience. Please enjoy!

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Feudal Era, Late June

As Miroku had said it would, life carried on. The monk regained his strength, Sango no longer talked about Kagome as if begging someone to confirm whether she was coming home to them or not, and Shippou learned to keep his counsel to himself.

Inuyasha tore himself away from the well only after he had spent four days digging and the next three keeping a noiseless vigil over it, never acknowledging the silently sympathetic villagers who came to re-fill the well as he brooded. Shippou got the feeling that Inuyasha regarded them with contempt. Why, after all, should they bother to restore it when it could never be used again? How sweet, how sentimental, also useless and stupid. How utterly fucking stupid.

But Shippou disagreed. Kagome had been a beacon of light for him, a protector, a mother, an angel. She would not leave him behind. She would not leave Inuyasha, who she secretly loved, or Miroku and Sango, who she treated like her own brother and sister. What was stupid was that they had suddenly lost faith in the one person who had always trusted all of them. That was what he thought. But then what did he know? Little Shippou-chan was just a child, hopeful, willful, naïve. He could see it in Miroku and Sango's sad eyes. "Let him believe in the impossible," they were thinking. "It is a hard world, and he must live with its harsh realities. Let him learn to see them. As we all learned."

No mistake, they were all older and had experienced a lot more than Shippou had, but he was not an innocent child himself. He had seen his share of blood even before losing his family to the Thunder Brothers. Kitsune kits were something of a "sport" prey for certain demons out there, and it was only Father's great cunning and Mother's steadiness that had saved him and his brothers and sisters so many times before Hiten and Manten came with their Jewel shards. And then his family had been slain. He had taken his revenge, with help, and he had joined this new family instead, which had more than its share of bloodiness and sad stories. Shippou knew something about the world. He had to have learned something, with his upbringing.

Yet the others did not see that. He had thought Kaede might understand, since she was far wiser than any of them, but she, too, had given up on Kagome. At least she was not like the monk and taijiya, who let him speak his mind but exchanged sad, knowing, and infuriatingly superior looks over his head. At least the old priestess acknowledged his words and explained to him time and time again why Kagome would probably not come back, so every time he could argue back.

Certain as he was that Kagome might return, he never voiced those opinions in front of Inuyasha. He was not sure of what Inuyasha thought, and he was almost scared to see how Inuyasha might react.

Of everyone else, the hanyou had obviously been hit the hardest. It had been three weeks since Kagome had gone. After finally giving up on the well, Inuyasha started wandering. He would disappear for hours, typically for at least a day, and none of them knew what he was up to, because no one could muster up the courage or the cold candor needed to convince him to stay here with the empty hole Kagome had left.

Once, a few village men had stumbled upon him perched in the trees not far from the Goshinboku, but he didn't go there every time he disappeared. No one knew where he went instead. He never told anyone when or where he was going, what he did, or when he would come back. The first time he disappeared, he came back after three whole days. Sometimes, Shippou wondered if it was only the fleeting hope that Kagome had returned in his absence that had made Inuyasha come home at all.

At least he had started talking and mingling with people again, in those brief times between his "outings." He asked for news, threw half-hearted insults at Shippou that were half-heartedly returned, and sometimes sat with Miroku late into the night, staring at the fire, neither saying much beyond comments on the weather.

Miroku himself was having problems. Kagome had always been the peacekeeper. It was she who cooled Sango's anger at the perverted monk, kept Shippou well-behaved, and of course disciplined Inuyasha. But now she was gone, and with added stress the tension doubled. Miroku had not pulled anything too improper for a long time, but Sango was tense and had a tendency to snap at others. Kaede was of course getting older, needing more help than before and suddenly having more bones to pick with the young people sharing her home. Inuyasha was just impossible, and Shippou was aware—and somewhat sorry—that he himself was misbehaving and wandering off more.

Miroku tried to take on the role of peacekeeper and did a fairly good job, but it was a thankless one. Everyone was short with him at some point, and the kitsune wondered if maybe he felt too "relied upon." Shippou could see the stress building in him, gathering in tiny wrinkles and shadows under his eyes that had not been there before.

Kagome had been some sort of neutral ground where all of them could meet, and family or not, she had made everything so much easier. Now, without her, there was a sense of disconnection, a need for someone to mediate, someone to talk to everyone and decide if something had to be dealt with. Miroku had stepped into shoes that simply were not made for his feet. He was a monk and could be an attentive listener, but he did not have the heart needed for this job. It was Kagome's job, and Kagome alone could do it. Without her, Miroku would eventually break, and the family really would be destroyed. It was only in the dark, lonely nights when Shippou woke up from strange dreams when he dared to think that was the reason he still believed that Kagome would come home. Because if she did not, his family would be gone.

Again.

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Sometimes she wondered if he was actually one of the cold, distant stars come to walk among the dull creatures of this dark, dirty earth. Even when covered in blood, wounded, angry, he shone steadily with that cool, never-changing elegance that had snared in her in a heartbeat. It was not that she was in love with him. She was far too young, he far too old and different, and he wasn't the sort to love romantically anyways. He was someone to serve, to respect, to worship from afar.

A god, Rin thought idly, as she plucked a blade of grass from the ground. She examined the dew drops that slowly ran off its tip, then flicked it out of her fingers again. The sun had only just risen, but she had woken early, and now she was bored. Jaken, the fussy green imp, was still sleeping soundly against Ah-Un's flank, and she felt no temptation to wake him up. Already meticulous and grating during the day, Jaken was even worse when woken early in the morning. So she left him alone.

The three of them had spent the night in a small clearing, the remains of last night's fire still smoking slightly from a blackened heap of ashes and charred wood. Rin ambled over and picked up a stick from the ground, poking into the fire to expose any still-hot embers. When all had cooled and gone dark amongst the cool grass and dew, the fire too lost its appeal, and she turned. Her footprints were dark against the glittering ground, and she scowled. When Sesshoumaru-sama walked, he never seemed to leave footprints. She wondered if the grass even bent beneath his feet. Was he some kind of spirit, so light he could walk on air?

But that was silliness. Rin was ten, still young enough to occasionally entertain thoughts of the impossible, but her hard life had taught her to be a realist. Sesshoumaru-sama was a demon, capable of getting wounded, of falling, of being beaten. He was not immortal, although he was certainly close enough to it. She had seen that for herself the day she met him. She had come upon him in the woods, while running from the villagers determined to beat her for stealing their food, never mind that she wanted to survive as much as they did. What had first hit her was the stench of blood. He was covered in it; his clothes, his skin, his fine silver hair, all were smeared with a combination of fresh crimson blood and its dried, rust-colored form. His eyes were wild, gold and red like the sunset over a ferocious battle, and his fangs and vibrant stripes made him look like a wild beast.

But she knew he was not. In those eyes she saw pain and anger, but she also saw a brief flash of curiosity, and the glow of calculation. He didn't look at home sprawled on the dark forest floor. Even in his haggard state, he looked like he belonged on a throne, sitting amongst the gods and spirits.

Rin had been curious. He snarled viciously at her and she was afraid, but at the same time she wanted to go closer to him, to search out more of the beauty that shone from beneath his torn clothes and bloodstains. And so time and time again, she would return to that same place, sometimes with food offerings, which he always refused. Sometimes she wondered if he planned to eat her once he could move without pain, and was simply saving stomach room.

But she couldn't help herself. Rin had kept visiting him, sometimes simply squatting at the edge of the clearing and staring at him. Back then, she still could not speak. Memories of blood and bandits and shining swords choked off all of her words when she tried, but the stranger did not seem to mind. He rarely spoke to her anyways. Most days he barely glanced at her before closing his eyes and leaning back against a tree. She knew he didn't sleep; he was far too alert for that, but still the silences between them were oddly comfortable. It didn't matter that they barely communicated. Rin could spend hours contemplating this beautiful creature, making up wondrous stories of his past, his world, his destiny. She knew he would eventually heal and leave, which saddened her, but it never crossed her mind that he would bring her along.

Ah-Un's waking grunts shook Rin free of her vivid memories. Those few days had been somehow peaceful and happy, but most of her life before her rebirth was lonely, sad, and cold. It was only Sessoumaru-sama's unexplainable whims that had brought her to what seemed like a whole new world, where she could be a child: well provided for, carefree, not beaten and scorned like a thieving dog. Memories of her past only darkened the cheer and optimism she had developed since she was brought back to life, and she was glad to forget them as much as possible.

"Ah-Un-chan, good morning," she said softly, rising and walking toward the two-headed demon. "You are certainly up early, aren't you?"

When she reached up to stroke the normally placid demon, it snorted and tossed its heads. With a moaning grunt, it heaved itself off the ground, sending Jaken spilling to the ground once his backrest was gone. He woke sputtering, "Who's there? What do you want? Who disturbs Jaken!"

Rin couldn't help but laugh. Jaken was very pretentious, although he did his best to curb it when Sesshoumaru-sama was around. She never did understand how someone as proud as Jaken could stand to follow someone else so devotedly. Maybe Sesshoumaru-sama was just that impressive. She could believe that.

"Good morning, Jaken-sama," she said angelically, laughing again when the still-groggy imp spun in her direction. "How did you sleep?"

"Badly, Rin," he said, brushing dead grass off his shapeless brown robe. Seemingly in hindsight, he stiffly added, "Good morning."

Before they could say more, Ah-Un distracted them both by bellowing, stamping the dewy grass beneath its clawed feet. Rin ran to its side. "Ah-Un-chan," she murmured, stroking its neck. "What's wrong? Is there something out there?"

The demon was growling at the trees on the opposite side of the clearing, raking up soil and swishing its tail in agitation. Rin's gaze followed Ah-Un's, and she gasped. Could it be? "Sessoumaru-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she shrieked, launching herself across the clearing with the silent sprint of a practiced thief. "You've returned!"

"Rin, get back here this instant!" Jaken squawked, shuffling after her as fast as he could. "By the gods, if something happens to you while I am here, Sesshoumaru-sama would split me in half!" About to continue, Jaken cut his tirade short with a gargling sound deep within his throat. "My lord!"

It was indeed Sesshoumaru who had stepped out silently from the trees. He was a tall, imposing figure, with long silver hair, an elegantly embroidered haori and hakama, and armor strategically placed to de-emphasize his missing left arm. He was all ice and elegance, his golden eyes cold, the maroon youkai markings on his cheek stark against his pale skin. With a mere backhand slap, he could send a human flying a hundred feet, never mind the damage he could do with his vicious claws and the two swords belted at his waist. He was feared throughout the Western territories, the lands he had inherited from his father, and well-known beyond those lands. Naraku and Inuyasha were among the few who lived after crossing him.

It was this demon, who silenced armies with a glare and killed with but a fraction of his strength, who Rin rushed to, grabbing his leg in an enthusiastic hug, still shrieking his name. "Did you bring anything, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked him eagerly. "I have been so bored, but I was a good girl, ask Jaken-sama—"

"Hush, Rin," the inuyoukai murmured, his deep voice barely audible above Rin's babbling and Ah-Un's nervous sidling. But she heard and instantly stopped speaking, although she did not release his leg until he raised an eyebrow at her. Then, she let go with a giggle and moved back several steps.

Muttering under his breath about poorly-mannered children that made him look bad, the imp bowed deeply to the demon he served. "It is an honor to see you again, my lord," he greeted, head still at the level of his knees. "I trust your errand went well?"

Instead of answering, Sesshoumaru looked down at Rin, who was silently bouncing on her heels, looking up at him almost as if he were a favorite uncle who had promised her a treat. "Rin," he told her, "go tend to Ah-Un."

Rin knew a dismissal when she heard one, and with a nod, skipped to the other side of the clearing where the two-headed demon was still lowing in distress, apparently uneasy with such a powerful aura after so long. "Shhh, it's all right, Ah-Un-chan," she murmured, gently taking its reins and stroking the left head's neck. "You remember Sesshoumaru-sama. He is kind, he won't hurt you. He has business with Jaken-sama right now, but then he will come and greet you, and you'll remember him. It's okay, shh, shh."

She cast a glance toward Sesshoumaru and Jaken, who had turned their backs toward her and were clearly discussing something of great importance. She was puzzled, but already knew that neither would choose to discuss anything with her. Sesshoumaru-sama had been gone almost constantly since she had been kidnapped and almost killed by Kohaku-kun. She was sure it had something to do with Kohaku-kun's master, Naraku. There had been a hard fight, that much was clear, but Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken-sama rarely shared the details of Sesshoumaru-sama's battles with her. All she could do was obediently wait.

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Feudal Era, late July

Miroku sighed as he trudged up the hill to Kaede's hut. He had spent the day speaking to villagers who had just returned from a trading journey, asking about any rumors of strange youkai and the like. However, they had heard nothing. All they spoke of was the toll of war, a constant, ugly background to their own battle with Naraku, and difficulties with the crops. Nothing he didn't know already.

He heard a rushing sound and looked up to find Sango riding on Kirara, outfitted in her exterminating uniform. He glanced toward the forest where she was headed, momentarily concerned, before he remembered that she had intended to train today, saying she was getting out of practice.

She was frustrated and restless; he could tell. They all were. But with Inuyasha's frequent absences and that small, lingering hope that Kagome just might return after more than a month had passed, as well as the lack of leads on Naraku's new hiding place, they had a hard time committing to a prolonged trip outside the village. It seemed they were all reluctant to move on from this state of limbo.

To his surprise, instead of continuing to the forest, Sango halted Kirara in the air, then directed her to the ground beside Miroku. Emerging from the surge of flames that accompanied the cat youkai's transformation, she said to the monk, "Houshi-sama, someone is coming. There is movement in the trees."

He turned and squinted into the darkness of the forest. "Really? I sense no threatening presence."

"Even so," she said, the hand holding Hiraikotsu deceptively relaxed, "for someone to be casually walking through Inuyasha's Forest is a bit odd. There are many youkai there still, particularly now that Naraku has gone to ground. Whoever is coming clearly is powerful enough not to fear them."

He nodded thoughtfully and adjusted his grip on his staff. "Shall we greet them together?"

"Let's."

They started toward the forest, Kirara padding along beside Sango, easily keeping up even in her kitten form. Before they had gone far, a light emerged from the forest, and Miroku felt himself pale. "That…is that Kikyou-sama's shinidamachuu?"

Don't be stupid, feeling so uneasy all of a sudden, he scolded himself. There is no Kagome to offend now. Perhaps she is here to help us.

"It is," Sango said softly, likely thinking the same thing. She adjusted Hiraikotsu, settling the carry-strap across her chest. "Greetings, Kikyou-sama," she called out as her white and red clothing became visible. As she stepped out of the trees, Miroku saw that Inuyasha had apparently already found her, as he was walking beside her.

"Greetings," he called to her. "Do you have any news?"

Kikyou simply looked away. He was somewhat taken aback by her abruptness. In their past meetings, although her attention had always been focused primarily on Inuyasha and Kagome, he couldn't recall her being quite so, well, rude. He looked from the miko to Inuyasha. "Is something the matter?"

Inuyasha also looked away. His voice seemed almost bitter as he said dully, "We're going to ask Kaede if Kikyou can stay in her hut. Do you guys mind?"

Miroku and Sango exchanged startled glances. After a moment, Miroku cautiously answered, "I suppose not…how long does she intend to stay?"

"It'll be a while."

Sango turned to the miko. "Kikyou-sama, may I ask why you wish to stay?"

The woman slowly turned her gaze back to them. Miroku almost felt pain at how similar she and their missing friend looked. Did Kikyou intend to replace Kagome? Was it Inuyasha's idea? Was that why she looked somehow ashamed? "I need companions now," she said softly. "I need protection."

"Why, what happened?" Miroku asked, startled. Since when did Kikyou come to them, asking for protection?

"I'm not…I…" She closed her cold gray eyes and sighed. "Forgive me. This is quite difficult for me to admit."

She glanced at Inuyasha's face, and both quickly turned away from each other, as if in shame, or anger. Staring intently at the grass, she half whispered, "I am pregnant."

(end)

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Oooooooooh, plot twist, oooooooooh!!! I hope you enjoyed, and I hope the intervening years haven't made my writing skills go down the tubes. That's what happens when you major in science and never write essays anymore. *sigh*

Thanks for reading!