Groaning, Inuyasha groggily pulled the pillow out from under his head and used it to instead suffocate himself. Other than the early birds chirping, everyone else was still asleep. The final day of classes didn't start for hours. The sun really woke up and decided to rise at the most inconvenient time of the day. Waking him up and blinding him in one asshole move.
Inuyasha pulled his blanket over his head to hold back the sun's hellish crusade.
Why didn't mother nature understand that he didn't want to wake up? Waking up these past few days was like jumping into a living nightmare. Sleep was the only relief he got from feeling whatever which way he was feeling. All day long, from his place in bed, he could hear everyone else going about their lives. He'd watched them carrying on these past few months with their friends and now they were all going home to their families. Maybe his problem was that he'd finally realized that he'd lost his place in the universe. Lost his motivation. Pretty much everything he had. As much as he tried to argue he wanted to live up to his father's legacy, that he wanted to prove everyone wrong about what type of person he was, the truth was that he just wanted to…
Hell, he didn't even know.
All he knew was he awake and he really didn't want to be.
Which meant in the future he needed to find some blinds. Or curtains. Cardboard even. Something, literally anything to block out the devil's light. He'd barely gotten to sleep a few hours ago. Spent all night just staring at the ceiling contemplating the shitstick that was life and trying to figure out his next move. Going with those chipper bastards could be the best thing that ever happened to him but at what cost?
Extending him an invite was clearly a pity move. That girl must've put together the pieces or maybe his advisor was telling everyone because he was a well-meaning yet clueless little bastard. Pity was offensive. Empty words said by self-important people to impart how you're already defeated. People get off thinking they're holier than now. Better than someone else for stupid baseless reasons. Anything can be terrible if people tell you how terrible it must be. No one needed to feel sorry for him. He sure as shit wasn't the only orphan in the world. There were thousands of people who had it worse. Yeah, staying here at the Academy was more out of necessity than anything but having a place to stay meant he had a roof over his head. A place to call his own.
Not that it mattered. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed that their motives were likely nefarious. Lure him in under false pretenses so they can size him up and then 'decide' that he wasn't a good fit for their team. A strange yet effective plot to sniff out a weakness that could be exploited. Might even go as far as to strand him out in the middle of nowhere unable to get back to school much less back home to the Capital. If you could even call the Capital 'home' anymore.
Then again, that girl could – hypothetically - just be nice. While fair that he hadn't known her name, he did vaguely remember the nice chick who sat next to him and sometimes offered him a spare snack she had. Not that she ever tried to talk to him much, but she smiled and was pleasant and never seemed afraid of him which was more than he could say for most people he sat by. Maybe that's why she wasn't memorable. She never did anything that branded her face in his brain. No need for mental notes or invisible red flags. He could just pay attention to the professor without having to be cognizant about the person next to him and what they might do.
He'd read people wrong before though. That was the problem. A lot of people were two-faced and if life had taught him anything it was that people loved to kick a man when he was down. Hurting people was fun and free.
Distantly several alarm clocks started blaring accompanied by several groans and the sounds of faint shuffling. Scents were adjusting too. The sky was awake. The people were awake.
Inuyasha sighed and tried to burrow deeper under the covers.
At least the one good thing about staying here over break – if that was what he decided to do – was that it'd be quiet for once in his life. Maybe he'd actually sleep well instead of jumping every time a twig snapped in the distance. The damn shape of his wholly inhuman ears made every brand of ear plug worthless. You'd think the animorph population would've created a demand for that type of shit but given that most of them were poor, there might be no profitable market.
That being said, blocking out background noise was second nature at this point and with it being far too early, Inuyasha tried to drift off again. This attempt, unfortunately, was very short lived. Hinges groaned as his door opened and the unexpected sound pulled Inuyasha to an unwanted state of full consciousness.
Sitting bolt upright, he froze for a few seconds unsure how to react. The trespasser calmly entered the room and Inuyasha found words failed him. Mainly because that man had to be the creepiest looking person he'd ever seen but, more importantly, because this man was clearly a professor. Can't maim or bitch at the professors. Even if they are breaking into your personal space.
"The hell you doin' in my room?" Inuyasha tried groggily as he rubbed at one eye before cringing and adding a quick 'sir' to soften his words.
In response, the stranger's wizened face peered at him curiously. The only thing on his otherwise bald and mottled scalp was a sparse fringe of white. There was a matching wispy little beard beneath comically huge eyes so heavily lidded and weighed down with wrinkled folds that it almost looked like the old crackpot was high. Didn't help Inuyasha's nerves at all that the spindly walking stick the man carried looked like it was actually a weapon of some kind.
"Young Inuyasha," the old man chuckled softly – offering a strange half smile before casually glancing about the space, "We meet at last."
What an ominous way to greet someone.
"I knew your father. Good man," the professor continued casually as he stuck one unnaturally long finger into his ear, "Had a heart full of rage and sorrow though. Stubborn to a fault. Oh, the stories I could tell."
Again, weird thing to say. Did not answer the initial question - at all - and this guy was acting way too familiar. Inuyasha's mind tried and failed to make sense of this bizarre turn of events. The only thing he seemed capable of doing though was making a mental note on needing to improve his reaction time. Freezing like this was a sure-fire way to die and he'd be damned before he let something weird be the reason for his downfall.
Inuyasha groaned.
It was too early for this shit.
"Why are you in my room?" Inuyasha mumbled wearily, "Is there a problem or…"
"Your mother died few months back, no?" the odd little man asked knowingly and at the mention of his mother, Inuyasha froze like a deer in the headlights, "Are you planning to stay here over break?"
"W-why?" Inuyasha finally managed - doing his best not to react impulsively and risk expulsion. Especially considering this was the only 'home' he had. That didn't mean he wasn't going to challenge this flagrant violation of what little privacy rights he did have. The old man didn't seem to have heard him and began casually running a single finger over a discarded textbook like he was checking for dust. Inuyasha's mind finally latched onto one possible reason for this intrusion, "I g-got permission to stay. I-in writing."
The old man hummed once and licked his large lips.
"Yes. Yes, I heard," the wrinkled old coot chuckled as he casually began taking in the room in all its half-assed glory, "You were the subject of this morning's faculty meeting. Call it curiosity. I want to know why you'd chose to stay here instead of going somewhere else."
Inuyasha's stomach churned at the thought of a bunch of professors getting together to talk about how pathetic his life had become.
"Let me get this straight," Inuyasha huffed as his anxiety got the better of him, "All the professors got together and-"
"So, you are staying, no?" the man interrupted knowingly and at the continued evasion, Inuyasha paled – completely unable to find the right words to stay without coming off like an ass.
"Yeah? It's…it's been approved," Inuyasha attempted in a very tight, controlled tone as realization began to set in. It was entirely possible they sent this guy in to tell him to get the hell out, "I can stay here. Right?"
"What a fine pickle you're in," the man continued before sniffing loudly and nodding – something which made Inuyasha infinitely uneasy, "You were too young to remember. I was named your godfather. Back in the old days. Useless title."
Okay. That did it.
"Literally have no idea what you're talking about and I sure as hell don't know who you are," Inuyasha huffed irritably as he slid off the bed and struck a very attitudinal pose with his arms crossed over his chest, "Look, I'll tell you the same thing I told my advisor. I can handle myself. I'll be fine here."
Instead of responding with embarrassment or shock, those big creepy eyes stared him dead in the face for an uncomfortable amount of time before they finally blinked and went back to looking around.
"Call me Totosai," the old codger offered - leaning against his large staff while his wizened hand fiddled with his pocket, "Your father and I were friends for a long, long time. Can't very well let his son be left to his own devices. From what I've seen, you two are very alike."
Inuyasha blinked and relaxed somewhat as why this man had come suddenly clicked.
"Wait. You…you want me to come stay with you?" Inuyasha asked cautiously and nodding, the old man chuckled while his freakishly huge eyes glanced at the meager pile of Doritos and ramen cups.
"Ah, yes. I came to invite you to come home with me for the break," Totosai offered casually after a long tense silence – a long finger digging in his ear in what Inuyasha assumed was a nervous habit, "S'just me and my cows nowadays. Could use the company."
While the tentacles of desperation froze out higher logic, a part of his mind still recognized how unlikely a proposition this was. What were the odds that another person randomly offered him a place to stay? Honestly, it was suspicious. No one had ever given two shits about him and his well-being before. Well, okay, except for his mother. Kagome and her friends asking him to join made a modicum of sense, but this wrinkly old bastard didn't know him from a hole in the ground. Top it off with 'I was friends with your dad' and this guy's real intent could be a revenge plot. Get justice for the father by murdering the son.
At he thought about his potentially imminent demise, Inuyasha's frazzled mind finally managed to place this guy. After all, the bastard never actually said he was a professor - just a vague reference to a 'faculty meeting' - but it actually made Inuyasha feel a little relieved to put this face with a subject.
"You're the pyro. Organic chemistry, right?" Inuyasha challenged with anger that made no sense in context before his sluggish mind finally registered what this man had been saying, "Wait. If you were such good friends with my dad, where the hell have you been?"
"It's complicated," Totosai offered quietly – not so much as reacting in any way to the hostility in Inuyasha's voice, "Need to know basis."
"Yeah, well, I need to know," Inuyasha countered before paling when the old man gave him a look laced with sympathy.
"All the more reason to come stay," Totosai sighed heavily as his finger once again went digging for gold, "For what it's worth, I was sorry to hear about your mother. Shame that."
Inuyasha bristled again.
"The hell you know about her?" Inuyasha snapped defensively and, if anything, the old man looked even more sympathetic.
"More than you," Totosai offered with a seriousness that felt like a thousand daggers in Inuyasha's heart, "You're stubborn like your father. I am offering you help fool boy."
Inuyasha wanted to scream. Wanted to lash out. Wanted to never, ever see this man with his ominous horsehit about his mother and father. Acting like he cared or knew them when he'd never so much as called. The only reason Inuyasha hadn't done any of that was because (a) this guy was a professor and (b) because – for all his creepiness – this guy weirdly seemed genuinely concerned about him.
Surely the Academy vetted their people, right? Wouldn't let murderous bastards around students?
"Where you live?" Inuyasha ground out in a guarded tone and the old man blinked once before digging in his ear once more.
"Speak up boy. I'm old."
"Where. Do. You. Live?" Inuyasha repeated loudly and with bite, "Where. Your. House. At?"
"Ah. Not too far. Little farm about a kilometer north up the road from the station," the Totosai fellow offered with a pleased hum, "Just look for the cows. Only one that has them."
"And I just…show up? If I decide to do that?" Inuyasha clarified as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. The old man nodded and glanced around the small, cramped space.
"What's the catch?"
"No catch but I might need you to do some work for me," Totosai offered with a heavy sigh as he reached up to scratch his neck, "A few repairs here and there."
Inuyasha's scowl deepened.
"So, you want free labor?"
"Of course, I would pay you boy," Totosai chuckled wearily before he let out a nostalgic sigh and began picking at his ear again, "You are your father's son. Stubborn headstrong fools the both of you.
"What do you even know, huh?" Inuyasha hissed before paling slightly at the sympathetic and knowing look the man gave him.
"I knew your father which is more than you can say," Totosai countered sadly – his observation making Inuyasha subtly flinch - before rolling his shoulders and turning around, "North of the tracks. Look for the cows. I'll be there next few weeks or outside of school hours if you ever need me."
Inuyasha's scowl only faded when the old man shut the door behind him and then his anger faded into depression.
"Creepy bastard," Inuyasha muttered despondently as he flopped back down on the bed and buried himself under the covers, "What do you know anyway?"
Break might not officially start until Monday, but people were already gone. Everyone else had someone and somewhere to go…
Meanwhile, he had the option of (a) creepy pyromaniac who allegedly knew his dad, (b) girl from biology class he'd officially talked to maybe twice, or (c) small room with stale Doritos and cheap ramen. None of those choices were great. None of those he wanted. The only reason he decided to go with option (b) was because it would get him to the Capital. While he was there, he could maybe see if there was anything left to be salvaged. Visit the pauper's grave his mother's corpse had been flung into and pay his respects. Also, this girl seemed like the charitable type so free meals were pretty much a guarantee.
Inuyasha cleared his throat and awkwardly glanced around.
The girl had said four, hadn't she? He'd been kinda out of it…
Maybe he'd just misheard, and he missed the opportunity. Could be he just needed to head back inside. Wait by a window. After all, now that it was getting darker with the sun starting to set...
Shit. The sun was setting.
A pit dropped in his stomach at that realization. Sunset meant it was probably 5:30 or later but he didn't dare double check to know for certain.
Flexing his fingers around his hand me down suitcase, Inuyasha really had tried his best to stay calm and hold tight to hope while a few stragglers trickled out of the school and headed towards the train station. At least, people watching gave him something to focus on. Something else to think about. Like how the real world was going to hit these assholes when they inevitably didn't make it to the third round. If not before then. Not in terms of money or anything like that. Assuming they made it far enough in the selection process they'd likely be offered lucrative jobs that played to their strengths or maybe they were from old money and failing out of the first selection wouldn't hurt them at all.
But the way these people talked. Insane, mind-boggling things. Mommies sending them hundreds upon hundreds of credits so their claws would be perfectly manicured. Catty whispers about how their daddies bribed someone so they could get into their alma matter. That one delusional empath who was convinced she could pay her way into the third round so she 'wasn't worried about it.' God, he hoped that girl was wrong and if she wasn't, he hoped someone talked some sense into her. That was exactly how people ended up dying. Unqualified people who got through the first two stages on pure dumb luck and never should have made it that far. If she had any real friends at all, they'd tell her that was a dumb way to die.
But all that aside, what Inuyasha saw was the biggest problem these people were going to face was that they had never been taught kindness or sacrifice. They didn't know how to share or show any modicum of empathy. They didn't know what it was like to be told no. It'd probably take some elaborate form of torture to get any of them to acknowledge how hard money was to come by. Never had to go hungry. Probably had their own bedroom. Maybe even their own bathroom. What would happen to them if they got disowned for not meeting expectations? Who would they turn to?
Would they wind up like him? Alone and at the mercy of strangers…
Not that their potential fate was his problem or even a possibility. Most people had someone, and these rich bastards probably weren't as emotionally stunted as he thought. Inside the Capital, there was just this invisible class warfare. Keeping the undesirables separate and out of sight. No meaningful interactions beyond a workplace setting or seeing each other in passing. For all he knew, there were no expectations for these brats. A 'just do your best' attitude with no strings attached. There were a number of advanced education programs after all. There were probably endless options and safety nets he just never knew existed.
Inuyasha cleared her throat and cracked his neck.
Why the hell was he even worrying about them anyway? Up until the last twenty-four hours, no one ever seemed to worry about him. These rich bastards on their way home to their cushy lives certainly didn't.
Inuyasha's heart sank a little as one of his peers blurted out the time while passing by and started running so she didn't miss the last train.
The last train...
Throat growing tight, Inuyasha shifted his weight a few times and glanced around while his heart hit the ground.
What was wrong with him? Why was this bothering him? Things like this never bothered him before but it was impossible to understand why he felt so different. Being left behind wasn't the end of the world. He'd always been fine with the knowledge there might be a place for him in this world, but he'd be the only one in it. Cruel jokes and being rejected never affected him like this before. People had always loved to hurt him over things he had no control over - whether it be his looks, being poor or his past. Yeah, each time had hurt but it'd never felt like this. Just that nauseating hollow feeling in his stomach. His blood turning cold and his chest growing tight. A twinge of despair accompanied with the unwanted desire to cry.
But he wasn't about to give those bastards the satisfaction. Those assholes would never know they'd managed to wound him. Well, except, he'd make sure to return the favor in a few weeks. Thank them for reminding him of his underlying motivation to wipe the smirk off every single bastard who'd ever caused him pain. One round, one match and he'd wipe the floor with them.
Inuyasha shifted his weight and flexed his fingers over the heavily worn handle of his threadbare duffel bag.
She had said four, right?
Why that particular tidbit bothered him was anyone's guess. Especially since the sun was already setting so obviously four had come and gone. Part of him just didn't want to have to deal. Just the sinking realization he'd been tricked made it hard to breathe. Since when did he care?
What was wrong with him?
Might not be the worst idea to start walking towards the train tracks instead of simply standing here like a sad pathetic person. Very obviously waiting for someone who simply wasn't going to show up. Worst case scenario, the old pyromaniac might even tell him more about his father. Have some fun stories or something. Mother never talked about Father. Never. There weren't even any pictures of him around the house.
Closing his eyes, Inuyasha sniffed once and cracked his neck.
Screw the bastards. They didn't deserve him anyway. They could all rot in-
"THERE HE IS! Oh, thank god. HEY! HEY! INUYASHA! OVER HERE!" the last voice he expected suddenly echoed off the cold brick walls and into his sensitive albeit covered ears, "HEY!"
Slowly and awkwardly turning towards the source of the sound, Inuyasha absolutely hated himself for the sheer amount of relief that coursed through his system at the sight of the three running down the street like their very lives depended on it.
"Took you long enough," Inuyasha snapped before amending with all the restraint he could manage, "Where the hell have you been?!"
"I'm so sorry. We've…we've been waiting… at the train station," Kagome panted heavily as she bent over and fanned herself, "But then… I remembered…I said to meet us…here so…so we…we…is it…is it hot out here?"
"How do you expect to enter the selection without stamina?" Inuyasha teased in a strained tone as he shrugged his shoulders to adjust his puffy coat, "Doing great so far convincing me to join you three. Poor memory. Can't run…."
"Well, if that's how you're gunna be, you can stay here," the other girl huffed pettily as she shouldered a monstrous backpack and glared. Extremely confused by this random escalation, Inuyasha paled but didn't take back his insult. Instead, he waited for the axe to fall and flexed his fingers around the handle of his hand me down suitcase. To be fair, he had never actually had any friends before and therefore wasn't quite sure what the protocol was for things like this. He'd meant it as a joke. Teasing, ya know? Even if they wanted him to explain himself, he wasn't about to beg or apologize. As mother always said, if someone had an issue with who he was that was their loss not his. He'd done just fine in his own. Would do just fine on his own. He didn't need them. Worst case, he'd go hand out with the creepy old man who may or may not want to murder him. He…
It was the taller boy with dark ebony hair, the one who had first taken the chairs, that broke the tension.
"Ignore her. I don't think we've been formally introduced. My name is Miroku," the boy hummed as he rushed forward and extended an oddly covered hand. Almost like a wrist brace? Made of a bunch of crude gears and moving pieces grafted into his skin. It whirred too - too high pitched for most - in an irritating yet rhythmic pattern. Why the hell would someone need that?
Noticing Inuyasha's somewhat concerned glance, Miroku grinned and held his hand higher, "Don't worry. It doesn't bite."
When Inuyasha simply stood still, the boy let out a strange laugh before nodding towards the two girls, "These two beautiful ladies don't either. All bark."
At this, Inuyasha relaxed somewhat and after a very rigid handshake glanced at the girl who'd told him he wasn't welcome. Said girl was glaring daggers at the boy who was glaring right back. Which was uncomfortable to watch especially knowing they were pissed because of him. Definitely unnerving that his first real interaction with them had been met with hostility. A part of him was already preparing to accept their sudden but inevitable betrayal with as much pride as he could muster.
Unbeknownst to Inuyasha, though, Miroku was pissed for more reasons than one. First off, he was pissed that Kagome freaking forgot where she told Inuyasha to meet her less than twenty-four hours after she'd talked to him. Second, Sango was still judging Inuyasha and trying her damnedest to drive him away despite having agreed last night. Her attitude right now reminded him heavily of how she'd been when he first started hanging out with them which frankly pissed him off. Clearly a lie had been told. Sango had obviously been against him when they first met. Whether or not she'd changed her mind was beside the point. And third. Kagome could absorb energy all day long but if her own emotions were running high, and she didn't have the opportunity to let off some steam…
Inuyasha cleared his throat and that seemed to draw the pair's attention back to him. Yeah, there was no way in hell he was going to get trapped with these assholes who clearly didn't want him there. He should've known better but something was wrong with him and whatever it was had clouded his judgment.
Much to poor Miroku's dismay, Inuyasha turned and started heading back inside.
"Where are you going?" Miroku laughed awkwardly as he rushed over to grab Inuyasha's shoulder to stop him from leaving, "It's supposed to start snowing soon and I'd very much like to be on the train when it does. Whatever you forgot-"
"I was told to stay here so I'm staying."
The statement was as harsh and cold as the winter wind biting at their cheeks.
"I can assure you that we very much wish for you to join us," Miroku reassured him - casting a nervous look at the young Kagome who looked a hair away from passing out, "And we've already purchased your ticket. It would be a shame for it to go to waste."
"I didn't ask you to buy…"
"Is it hot out here, huh?" Kagome repeated miserably as she began shedding her hat and gloves, "I n-need to c-cool d-down. S'so h-hot."
Before Inuyasha could make a snarky comment, the words were stolen straight from his tongue. Inuyasha watched with morbid fascination as the girl began glowing an ever-deepening shade of pink and the ice on the ground began melting beneath her feet.
"It's really, really…"
"You two go ahead. It's my turn to take it anyway," Sango sighed heavily as she grabbed Kagome's discarded yellow backpack and effortlessly tossed it to Miroku who began walking.
"What do you mean take it? Why is she pink?" Inuyasha asked as the girl's fingertips started doing a very good imitation of a sparkler, "And what the fuck is that?!"
"Sango is going to let Kagome release some of the energy into her. We'll explain more on the train," Miroku sighed as he awkwardly tugged on Inuyasha's coat to signal he needed to move, "But right now, it would be in our best interest to move."
"Wait, move?" Inuyasha breathed incredulously as he continued watching the nuclear level meltdown taking place, "Is she gunna like… explode or something?"
"Or something," Miroku chuckled darkly as he gave his very disturbed companion a firm push that accomplished absolutely nothing, "Come along."
"Fuck this," Inuyasha chuckled darkly as he side-stepped Miroku and continued watching the girl who obviously could no better control her powers than he could sometimes, "What game are you assholes…"
Before Inuyasha could finish his statement, 'something' whipped his long hair over his shoulders with such force that the blast nearly caused him to stumble.
"What. The literal…"
"Well, that happened," Sango coughed out irritably as she released the shaking girl in her arms and began brushing off the dust that had been redistributed by the blast, "We better not miss that stupid train over this. Come..."
Mouth falling open, Inuyasha's gaze whipped between the three individuals like their hair was on fire.
"No. No. I ain't going anywhere until someone explains what the…"
"Inuyasha I promise we will explain more on the train," Miroku shushed him urgently before gesturing at the train station, "For the moment, it is imperative that we remain calm and that we get on the train."
"I ain't doing shit until someone explains how an empath managed to explode," Inuyasha insisted heatedly as he took a step back and glared at the sweaty hot mess of a person who seemed perfectly normal up until now, "That wasn't normal. Someone explain. Now. Or else I'm not going..."
"Kagome harnesses the emotions she takes in and can use that energy to attack or defend," Sango offered with a heavy sigh, "However, if she takes in too much and doesn't release it, she does that."
Bizarrely, Inuyasha deflated somewhat after this statement. As involuntarily hyped up and voluntarily angry as Sango was, there was something in Inuyasha's expression as he was given this explanation. Pain. Sympathy. Uncomfortable understanding. And resignation. Almost to the point where he looked like a man sentenced to death. Before Sango could question this further, the sounds of Kagome getting to her feet managed to grab everyone's attention.
"M'fine. We go…on train. 'Kay?" Kagome slurred miserably as she tried to stagger forward. One step. Two and then she crumpled into Inuyasha's surprisingly strong arms. Honestly this twist surprised the others for more reasons than one. First off, they hadn't even realized he'd moved until he was already cradling Kagome in his arms. Second, despite Inuyasha looking like he wanted to die, Kagome actually breathed a sigh of relief and pressed her cheek against her savior's broad shoulder. Like he was somehow calming her down with his presence alone. Given that she couldn't stop herself from feeding or releasing in the state that she was in, that could only mean one thing.
"Kagome was right. You are an empath," Miroku breathed incredulously, "My god man. Are there any abilities you don't…"
"Where'd you get the idea that I'm an empath?" Inuyasha snorted evasively before he adjusted his hold and nodded towards the train station, "Shouldn't we get going?"
Getting on the train was a terrible idea and Inuyasha knew it. His only saving grace was that he'd had enough sense to catch her bridal style. A few seconds of letting her power in was already making it hard to breathe. It wouldn't be too long before he started feeling weak. Wasn't like he could explain either. Mother had always been very clear that he never let anyone know what he could do. Something about how it was too dangerous to even let the government find out. His ability never showed up on any screening. Far as he knew, there was no record of him being able to do what he could do. Mother was determined no one find out because quote 'they would use you'. Like she hadn't been doing exactly what she warned him about. The trick was going to be setting this girl down or maybe he'd get lucky enough for her to wake up on her own. After all, it was pretty clear this girl didn't have the same condition as mother. That this type of reaction was unusual. Temporary.
A wave of exhaustion hit him and Inuyasha stumbled but he managed to regain his footing before anyone noticed he was struggling. There was a split second, though, where that Miroku bastard looked concerned. A glance so quick Inuyasha almost missed it.
But it didn't matter. All he had to do was make it onto the train. That's all he had to do. A ring of black began lining his vision and, despite feeling nauseous, Inuyasha picked up his pace.
"Are you alright?" Miroku asked quietly as he jogged to catch up to their new friend who was plowing ahead, "If she's still emitting-"
"I'm fine," Inuyasha snapped - a little bile working its way up his throat as he stumbled again, "Let's just get on the damn train."
Falling back, Miroku bit his lip in concern for a moment before quickly moving again when the train slid into the station.