Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha
CHAPTER FIVE - Family Reunion
The young boy named Karanosuke had been traveling through the forest for several weeks when he came upon a group of children. There were two boys and two girls and they seemed to be fighting over something. Karanosuke had little interest in mortals and was preparing to continue on his way when he saw that one of the boys had taken the upper hand in his fight with one of the girls.
"You're such a weakling," the boy said, taunting the girl.
The girl frowned at the boy and swung her sword at him. The boy easily dodged the girl's attack and knocked the sword from her hand. Then he swung his own weapon at her head. The girl barely managed to dodge the boy's blow and she fell on the ground.
Visions of his life in the village of his birth flashed before his eyes. He had endured a lot of persecution at the hands of the villagers and witnessing the scene between this boy and girl forced him to relive those moments. He felt compelled to help the girl for this reason and he leapt from the bushes and bared his claws at the boy. Once face to face, Karanosuke was shocked to discover that the boy was a half demon and had silver hair and dog ears just like his.
"Whatever problems you have with the girl you can take them up with me," Karanosuke growled.
The other boy was going to explain that they were simply training but Karanosuke did not give him time. He swung his right hand and a yellow light shot from his finger tip. He swung the light whip and slashed at the other boy's head.
"Hey!" a voice suddenly called out from behind them. "Kyo, what's going on?"
Karanosuke and the other boy whirled around and saw a man and a woman standing some distance away. "Who the hell are these people?" Karanosuke exclaimed, noticing that the man also had dog ears.
"Father," the young boy named Kyo called out.
The man with the dog ears walked forward and stopped a few feet away from Karanosuke. Karanosuke immediately took his stance as a threat and he used his light whip to attack his new opponent.
"Inuyasha be careful!" the woman yelled.
"It's okay Kagome," the man named Inuyasha said. "This kid is no threat to me."
As the two prepared to fight Kagome glanced at the young boy who was facing off against Inuyasha. The boy had silver hair and dog ears, just like her husband and her second born son Kyo. "A half demon."
Inuyasha drew a sword from the sheath he wore at his side. "What the hell?" he exclaimed, staring at the blade of his sword.
Kagome looked stunned. "Why didn't the Tetsusaiga transform?"
"How the hell should I know?" Inuyasha said angrily. "Oh well, doesn't matter. I can handle a little kid without it."
Inuyasha ran toward Karanosuke, his claws out stretched. "Iron Reaver, Soul. . ."
Inuyasha's attack was cut short however, when a demonic wind began flowing around the strange boy. He watched in awe as the boy's eyes glowed red and he suddenly transformed into a giant white demon dog. The dog was huge and had a blue crescent moon in the middle of his forehead.
Karanosuke had sensed that Inuyasha posed an immense threat to him and so he'd instinctively transformed into his demon form.
"Um, uh, Inuyasha," Kagome said, from her spot on the sidelines. "Is it just me or does he look eerily similar to someone else we know?"
Inuyasha stared at the beast, shaking his head in denial. "No. No. It couldn't be. I refuse to believe it. NO. He wouldn't. You don't know him like I do Kagome. There's no way in all the seven hells that he would ever do something like that."
Kagome shook her head. "He's in denial."
The huge white dog stood growling at the group that stood before him for a few moments before abruptly changing back into his human-ish form. Karanosuke dropped to his knees, completely out of breath. The transformation had drained him of nearly all of his strength. Karanosuke glanced up at Inuyasha. "Get it over with," he growled.
Inuyasha gazed down at the boy, confused. "Get what over with?'
"I know you're gonna kill me so just do it already."
"I'm not gonna kill you," Inuyasha told the boy, sheathing Tetsusaiga.
The boy stared at Inuyasha warily, not believing his words.
Suddenly Kagome ran up to Karanosuke and gave him a fierce hug. "You are so adorable!"
Karanosuke was so surprised by Kagome's actions that he didn't even attempt to pull away from her. Aside from his beloved mother, no human had ever acted this way toward him and he was thoroughly confused by it. No one in the village he'd came from had ever wanted to touch him, let alone hug him. It made no sense.
"So you're a half demon huh?" Inuyasha said, walking over to stand beside Kagome and Karanosuke.
"I am not a half demon." Karanosuke stated angrily. "Why do people always assume that? My mother was a half demon but my father is a full demon."
That statement from the boy was all it took for Kagome to be completely convinced that the boy was, as she had first suspected, Sesshomaru's son. Like Inuyasha she too found it hard to believe that Sesshomaru would become involved with a half breed, however the facts could not be denied. The physical similarities were all to obvious. Not to mention the fact that there were similarities in their personalities also.
"See?" Kagome said. "I told you."
"That proves nothing," Inuyasha said.
"He transformed into a huge demon dog, had a crescent moon in the middle of his forehead, and long, silver hair," Kagome pointed out. "How else can you possibly explain that? Plus have you taken a good look at his kimono? It has the same design as the one Sesshomaru wears. The only difference is that his is blue, as opposed to the red design on the one your brother wears."
Inuyasha ignored Kagome's words, mainly because he had no explanation. He had no alternate theory about the boy's parentage but couldn't bare to believe the obvious. The opinion he had of his brother's personality simply would not allow him to even fathom the idea of Sesshomaru having a child with a half demon. "So where do you belong boy?"
"I belong nowhere," Karanosuke said shortly.
"Come on," Kagome said. "You must have a family and a village somewhere."
Karanosuke shook his head. "No. My Mother passed away and I've never known my Father. And I left the village of my birth because it was full of stupid people."
"So now where are you gonna stay?" Inuyasha asked.
"I don't need a home," Karanosuke said. "I've been perfectly content living in the woods these past few months. Besides, I've never belonged anywhere and I don't expect that I ever will."
Kagome gazed at the young boy, a sad expression on her face. "There's only one thing to do. You must come with us back to our village."
Karanosuke opened his mouth to protest but stopped when Inuyasha grabbed him by the arm.
"Come with us," Inuyasha said.
Inuyasha half drug the surprised Karanosuke through the forest to a small village, with Kagome and the other children following behind him. Then, when they reached the village, Inuyasha released his grip on the boy's arm.
"Why did you do that?" Karanosuke wanted to know. "Who the hell do you people think you are?"
"We couldn't allow a child to live alone in the forest," Kagome said. "You can stay with us."
"I don't need anyone's sympathy," Karanosuke said. "I can take care of myself."
"Don't argue boy," Inuyasha said.
Karanosuke made a face but chose to give up the argument for the moment. He would wait until these people weren't paying attention, or were asleep, and then he would leave the village and continue his journey.
Suddenly a village child ran up to the group. The young girl gazed at Karanosuke and suddenly grabbed his ears. "You're ears are so cute!"
"Dammit!" Karanosuke swore under his breath, pulling away from the girl.
The silver haired child named Kyo turned to face Karanosuke. "Get used to it. You'll be forced to endure it for the rest of your life, no matter where you go. That's how girls will greet you. They'll never introduce themselves, they'll simply comment on the cuteness of your ears."
Karanosuke stared at the boy. "Why are you acting like you're my friend? You're not my friend."
These people could not possibly be normal. Normal people avoided him at all costs, which he was used to and could deal with. The way these people acted was the complete opposite of normal and he was trying to figure out what their scheme was
Kyo grinned. "You're like me. That's why I'm trying to be your friend. However, you are not cooperating."
"Feh, I don't need your friendship."
Kyo shrugged. "Well, my offer stands should you ever need a friend."
Karanosuke said nothing, not wanting to give away the knowledge that he planned to sneak away as soon as an opportunity presented itself. He wanted no one to interfere in his journey and he would not allow the false kindness of these people to stop him from tracking down his father.
Soon after the group arrived at the village another man and woman joined them in front of the village. "Back from training already?" the man asked the four children.
"We cut our training session short today Father," one of the girls told him.
"Why?" the woman asked. "Did Inuyasha interrupt?"
"No I did not Sango," Inuyasha said angrily. He pointed toward Karanosuke. "He did."
"And who is this?" the man wanted to know.
"You know Miroku," Kagome said. "We don't even know his name. In all the excitement we completely forgot to ask." She immediately turned back to the boy. "So what is your name?"
Karanosuke hesitated.
"Come on kid," Inuyasha said. "What harm could possibly come from simply telling us your name?"
"My name is Karanosuke."
Kagome gazed at the young boy, who appeared to be only a few years younger than her own children. "Well, Karan you can come to our village and stay with us."
Karanosuke gasped. His mother had been the only one to call him by that nickname and he was instantly reminded of her tenderness. This mortal woman did not seem to mind that Karanosuke was the descendant of a demon and that fact completely baffled the boy. In his short life he had learned that mortals innately despised demons and half demons and yet this mortal woman seemed genuinely concerned about him "I don't understand," Karanosuke thought to himself. "Why is she being so nice to me? It doesn't make any sense."
Kyo walked up to Karanosuke. He seemed to sense Karanosuke's thoughts. "Don't even attempt to rationalize the actions of my mother. It does no good. Even those of us in her family don't know why she does the things she does."
"His mother," Karanosuke thought to himself. "That's why she doesn't mind that I'm the child of a demon and a half demon. It's because she, herself is the mother of a half demon child."
"Master Inuyasha," a voice called out.
Karanosuke looked around to see who it was that was calling out to the man called Inuyasha but he saw no one new and yet he knew that the voice hadn't came from any of his current companions. He watched Inuyasha to see who the man would direct his words to.
"Ow," Inuyasha said, slapping himself in the chest.
"He's lost it," Karanosuke thought to himself.
Inuyasha pulled his hand away from his chest and stared at his open palm. "Well if it isn't Old Man Myoga."
Curiosity overwhelmed him and Karanosuke took a few steps toward Inuyasha. He leaned over so that he could gaze into Inuyasha's palm and when he did he saw a tiny flea demon.
Myoga glanced up and saw the strange boy standing beside Inuyasha. "Who is this my lord?"
"His name's Karanosuke." Inuyasha told him. "We found him in the forest and Kagome insisted on bringing him home with us."
Myoga stared at the boy and gasped. "I don't believe it."
"What don't you believe?" Inuyasha wanted to know.
"Master Inuyasha, this boy looks very much like your late Lord Father," Myoga explained.
"Is that a fact?" Inuyasha said.
Myoga nodded.
"See Inuyasha?" Kagome said, a triumphant grin on her face. "Now do you believe me? If even old man Myoga can see the resemblance then how can you possibly deny it?"
"I guess you were right Kagome," Inuyasha said, reluctantly. He was still loathe to admit the obvious however there was simply no way to avoid it at this point. "There's simply no other way to explain it."
"What was Kagome right about?" Miroku asked.
"Karanosuke is the son of Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said.
There was a collective gasp from the group.
"Sesshomaru? You mean HE'S this boy's father?" Sango exclaimed. "But how can that be? Sesshomaru despises both humans and half breeds and yet this boy is obviously not a full demon."
"We don't understand it either," Kagome said, speaking both for herself and Inuyasha. "Yet it cannot be denied. There are simply too many similarities between the two of them."
Karanosuke stared at these people. "You know my father?"
Kagome nodded and Inuyasha said, "Yea. He's my older brother, although we're not a very close knit family."
Karanosuke was shocked by this knowledge. Somehow fate had brought him in contact with the younger brother of his father. Now perhaps his search could progress. The young boy smiled. Perhaps he would remain in the village for awhile, after all. His uncle could prove to be of some use in his quest to find his father.
"These people may yet prove to be of some use to me," Karanosuke thought to himself. "All I have to do is put up with them for a little while and maybe I'll find out something that will help with my search."
Later that day Karanosuke was hanging out just inside the village, standing under the shade of a tall oak tree, his thoughts on his missing father, when Kyo approached him.
"How long are you planning on standing here sulking?" Kyo asked. "Why don't you come and have some fun with the rest of us? We don't bite, I promise. So what do you say, wanna come hang out with us?"
"I think not," Karanosuke said quietly.
"Why not?" Kyo demanded. "Think you're too good to hang out with the likes of us, is that it?"
Karanosuke shook his head. "I told you before I'm not interested in making friends, so just go away and leave me the hell alone before I'm forced to hurt you."
"You're such a brat," Kyo burst out angrily.
"That is your opinion," Karanosuke said calmly. "And you're entitled to it. Doesn't really concern me one way or the other what you think about me. I couldn't care less."
Kyo clenched his fists.
A few feet away Kagome and Inuyasha stood watching the interactions of the two boys. They could tell by the boys' words and facial expressions that they were involved in a heated argument and they listened and watched intently.
"Ahhh," Kagome said quietly to Inuyasha. "They're bonding."
Inuyasha stared at his wife, a perplexed look on his face. "You've gotta be kidding me. I could call that many things but I don't think that bonding would be one of them."
"Just look at them," Kagome said, pointing toward the two boys. "They're acting just like you used to every time you met someone new. They'll be friends. Mark my words."
Inuyasha shook his head. "When hell freezes over."
"Wait and see," Kagome said confidently.
As she listened to the boys' little squabble Kagome noticed something. While her own son Kyo was prone to loose his temper and shout in anger, like his father, the boy Karanosuke seemed always to be calm and collected, like Sesshomaru.
Kagome smiled and turned to Inuyasha. "That's how you and Sesshomaru would have been had you been closer in age and raised together."
Inuyasha shuddered at the very thought of having been raised with the brother who despised him and rolled his eyes.
A/N- And thus ends the fifth installment of this little fic. As always feel free to review and tell me your thoughts. (If you people would just review then I wouldn't have to keep writing that) Until next time this is Hitsu-taichou signing out.