A/N: Odd fact I learned on the first (and only time) I went whale-watching way back in the fifth grade – when the whale's tail is peeking out of the water it's called by the same term as "a stroke of luck;" it's a…
Fluke
Hot, sweaty, and panting, Kichiruka might have enjoyed the exertion if he actually got to observe it beyond the perspiration muddling his vision. Physical activity, he noticed, had a way of making Rin's clothes conform to her figure in all the right places. Now if only he weren't being forced to toil under the summer sun at his rookie level and just, as Rin said, enjoy the view.
I loathe this hill.
Although he had gotten a bit stronger and could match Rin's pace up the slope on only his second try, the water demon despised the taxing steepness.
She's going to kill me going up this thing.
"C'mon, Kichiruka!" Rin called. "See if you can run uphill."
Affirmative. She wants me to die.
While he wondered if it was natural for humans to drop to all fours, especially on slopes, he looked up in time to see it all – or rather, Rin – go down. The rock. Rin's foot. And one nasty fall. She cried out.
"What's wrong?" Kichiruka was at her side in an instant, kicking away the offending rock. Examining her quickly, he scanned for broken bones or worse.
"I think I sprained my ankle." Rin gritted her teeth and clutched the joint.
"What's that mean?" He wasn't too familiar with simple injuries, much less human ones that involved legs and all that.
Squeezing her eyes shut, Rin ground her teeth. "It means that in a few short hours my ankle will swell to the size of a grapefruit if it's not treated properly and I won't be able to walk for at least a week."
Blue eyes dilated. "You won't be able to walk?"
"No," she moaned, hissing slightly for want of something cold against the sprain. "I need to get back to Lady Kagome."
"Who?"
"The miko in my village. She's trained in healing." Rin noticed her friend's face blanch to the sickly white of a fish's underbelly. "You don't have to come. I'll manage to get back on my own. Sorry to cut it short today." Rin started to slide slowly down the slope. I can use the sword's scabbard as a crutch when I get to the bottom.
Kichiruka's mind whirled between getting the living daylights zapped out him again and picturing a giant grapefruit clamped over his friend's frail ankle. …Hm, on second thought, is that really what it will look like? He quickly refocused. This wasn't just any damsel in distress, this was Rin. And she'd spoken of this priestess before…
A surprised yelp bleated out of Rin's throat as she found herself suddenly scooped up like a sack of rice. "Easy, easy," Kichiruka mumbled, jostling her into one arm as best he could manage. "I'm taking you over there." With his free hand he gripped the conch staff and gestured with it. "You live down in that village, right?"
"Yeah, but…" The protest faded in the wake of the demon's incantation.
Hanging on to his neck while the rest of her curled awkwardly around his torso, Rin could feel the reverberations of the chant that droned in Kichiruka's chest. He spun the conch staff, then from its shelled tip glowed a brilliant ball of light. The radiant sphere crackled like lightening, but instead of electric heat Rin felt a biting frost puff from it. Suddenly, on Kichiruka's bark, the ball unleashed a bolt that froze the turf it struck into a smooth slab of ice.
"Wouldja look at that," Kichiruka nodded approvingly, "I got it."
He whirled the staff again, chanted a shorter verse – or maybe a continuation? – and this time paved a whole icy path down the hill toward the village. Kichiruka made an effort to put at least four bends in it. Hopefully that'll take some of the speed off.
"What's that for?" Rin asked, her voice quaking. She had a sprained ankle and didn't want broken bones on top of it. Please don't say…
"We're going to slide," Kichiruka declared.
"What?"
"Don't fidget! There's not much time before this path melts, so hang tight." She dug her nails into his neck. "Urk! Good enough."
"Hey! Do you know what you're doing?"
Setting one foot on the ice, Kichiruka tested its slickness. "In my head, yes," he answered, and jumped on.
For the second time that day, Rin shrieked, but, swallowing her pulse, she dared to watch. The world whizzed by, trees and bushes blending into solid green blurs like heavy-handed brushstrokes. Wind whipped past, streaking tears down the sides of Rin's face. She wondered if this was what everything looked like when Sesshomaru blurred into motion. It's probably less terrifying! As Kichiruka zigzagged down the grooves of his path at breakneck speed she could feel bile scalding its way up her throat and tried focusing on the little clamshell patterns on his shirt. It helped. Sort of.
"Uh-oh." The demon's grip tightened.
What's that mean? Peeking through bleary lashes, Rin noticed a certain flaw in the plan. "We're running out of ice!"
"I can see that!" Kichiruka took aim and shot out another ice beam. "Hang on!"
They were airborne the next second, but Rin's cry was cut down to a yip as they pounded into a sudden landing, ice shards flurrying around. Kichiruka winced as his knees absorbed the shock. Biting his tongue, he kept coasting.
Rin heard some frantic clucking. "Don't freeze over any of the livestock! Or people!"
I don't plan on it. The ice shots were coming in spurts now, which worked just as well. Coops, stables – they'd already flown past the rice paddies – Kichiruka could pick out the familiar surroundings of a human settlement.
"Comin' in for a landing!" Sorry for turbulence, he apologized silently. Without any more ice to coat their way, they tumbled into the dirt. Kichiruka had just enough time to tuck Rin's head into one shoulder as he staved off the impact with the other. The water demon came to a stop on his back, his human cargo sitting safely on his stomach. When the world stopped spinning, he stood up and, cradling her in both arms now, searched for a friendly face among the gathering villagers.
"Where is the priestess Kagome?" Kichiruka bellowed, looking at everyone in turn. Instead of helping, the people either fled to their hovels or brandished what farming tools they had in hand. They all kept their distance.
From the parting crowd stepped a decidedly inhuman figure, his head topped with dog ears and his glare flashing with golden eyes. Yokai? He had a mane of silver hair that reminded Kichiruka of what little he'd glimpsed of Rin's guardian. But there was something significantly different about him. Although this aura was palpable, it was hardly consistent and fluttered unevenly.
A half-demon, Kichiruka realized. His eyes widened when the hanyo drew a blade that transformed into a formidable fang, easily as long as Kichiruka was tall.
"Never thought I'd see the day when the demons started comin' to us for an ass-kicking." Inuyasha postured with Tetsusaiga. "Put the girl down an' maybe I'll go –"
"It's all right, Inuyasha," Rin said hastily, a plea in her voice. Keeping one arm slung over Kichiruka's neck, she staggered on to her better foot. "He helped me get over here."
"She needs help," Kichiruka appealed, drawing a shaky breath himself. "Her ankle…" he trailed. It was getting difficult to talk. He cleared his throat, but it felt parched.
"Kichiruka, are you okay?" Rin rubbed the soaked fabric of the demon's jacket between her fingers. He's drenched. She looked back at Inuyasha who'd since lowered his blade. "Please, get Kagome – quick!"
"She's already on her way. If I could sense that guy coming" – Inuyasha jerked his chin at the water demon – "then…Hey, back off!" he snapped at the villagers who were starting to close in like hounds on a kill.
"Inuyasha, do you know this strange demon?" inquired one man with a spade.
"Rin says she does, and unless any of you are looking to answer her protector I suggest you leave it at that." Keeping Tetsusaiga bare in his grip, he moved closer to Rin and the oddball.
"Do you see the priestess?" Kichiruka asked, but the words came out chalky so there were brief pauses between his words.
Is he drying out? Rin's concern turned to panic. She looked back at the ice path only to find most of it had already melted, leaving only muddy tracks and the occasional puddle for any reference to their direction. There definitely wasn't any real water to be had of it. Suddenly, Kichiruka sagged under her arm.
Inuyasha caught Sesshomaru's kid before the bizarre yokai hit the dirt. "Who is that guy? He reeks of salt. And what's this about your ankle?" He sniffed and caught a whiff of ruptured blood vessels. "Sprained it?"
"Yes, but that's not—"
"What's going on?" Kagome rushed to the scene, catching up the injured girl to her side.
"Miss Kagome!" Rin cried, forgetting her own pain. "Please, my friend needs water right now!"
Hearing the desperation that cracked his little friend's voice, Inuyasha turned to his neighbors. "All right, who here's got some water on them?" He searched the crowd, but experience taught him he might as well have been talking to dumb cattle. Some of the on-lookers just went about their business, a few others shuffled their feet, none of them moved forward. Damn, stupid, mindless humans.
"We do!" volunteered some little girl's voice and one of Miroku's daughters ambled her way to the front, her arms weighed down by a sizeable water bucket.
"Those are supposed to be for Mom," her sister chided, following after with a similar load.
"But this is import'nt! It's an emergency!"
"Shaddup an' give." Inuyasha snatched up the offers while they existed. "Thanks, girls," he added gruffly. "Go get your old man. Tell 'im to get to my place." As the twins raced off he splashed the bucket over the demon's head.
Kichiruka spluttered, spasmed, then lay still.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped at his behavior.
"If he's dehydrated, then he can't drink it all at once. Ain't healthy." Going for the second bucket, the hanyo tried to dribble the contents a little more like watering a daisy. "Damn, try to do somethin' right…" he grumbled, then in a louder voice, asked, "You awake?"
The demon's eyes fluttered open and Inuyasha found them an annoying color, one that reminded him of an old rival.
"Th-thank you," Kichiruka rasped.
Well, at least this one's got manners.
Blue eyes rolled in their sockets for a moment before recognizing the red and white uniform of a priestess. The miko found her. Sure enough, Rin leaned against the other young lady. He wanted to offer his gratitude to her as well, but all that his muddled brain transmitted was a nod to the half-demon and, "Look Rin…someone around here…has my hair color…" He chuckled, then lolled and fainted again.
"Damn, lost 'im." With a grunt and a stutter-step, the hanyo slung Kichiruka over his shoulders. Then a calloused hand waved under his nose.
"Need some help, Inuyasha?" The extended hand lead up to the warm eyes of a matured local.
"Hey, Rikichi." He offered a crooked half-smile to one of the semi-decent villagers. Rikichi was a hard-working man, always the first in the fields and the last to leave. And, some way or another, he managed to be very attentive to his family on top of it. Inuyasha certainly couldn't deny the fellow any of his respect.
"I heard all the commotion and hustled on over as fast as…" His voice trailed as he examined the yokai yoked over Inuyasha's shoulders. "Demon hunting?"
"Yeah, not quite your average sport," the hanyo said in turn. "Say, got a basin we could borrow? I think this guy's dehydrated."
"Of course! I'll drop it off at your home, if that's all right," he said, looking at Kagome who nodded appreciatively.
"That'll do well, thanks." Inuyasha bobbed his head, then turned to Rin and Kagome. "C'mon let's quit wasting time. Get outta the way!" he barked at the last remnants of the crowd that hadn't dispersed.
This guy – Inuyasha locked his arms under Kichiruka's legs – is going to have to learn that he got damn lucky today. Not everyone's as kind as his friend. He felt a faint flicker of yoki at his back. Or as stupid as to bring a demon home.
oOo
When Kichiruka came to he felt stiff, like the first day of walking all over again. His muscles burned and everything cramped up. When he realized he was on his back, Kichiruka tried propping himself up on his elbows and pain seared through his abdominal. It took him another minute to notice that the two outermost layers of his clothes had been removed and that, although they left the abbreviated hakama and dark blue leggings alone, he sat in his simple, white undergarment. All things considered, it only bothered him slightly compared to the desert in his throat.
I need water.
"Water's to your left." The woman in priestess' garb smiled at him and Kichiruka's mind immediately flooded with more important concerns.
"Is Rin all right?"
"Just fine, thanks." Rin tugged on one of the spikes on his head.
Relaxing a bit, the demon slipped a hand into the basin provided. In less than a minute all the water it held was gone – ah, better – presumably absorbed back into Kichiruka's body.
"Well, damn, if he can do that we should've just thrown him back into the pond."
"Inuyasha!"
Kichiruka chuckled. "It's all right. That would've worked, too."
"But you wouldn't have ventured back into the village either," Kagome pointed out.
Their guest shrugged.
"Rin told us all the trouble you went through to help her, ah, Kichiruka, right?"
"Yes, m'lady. Though it was no trouble at all."
Kagome smiled. "You're very polite. Where do you come from?"
"The Seas under Lord Ichikawa's domain."
Kagome interpreted the ripple in Kichiruka's aura as a demonstration of his oceanic origin instead of the defensive reaction it was, so she pressed her next question. "How long have you known –"
"Ah, Lady Kagome, if I may," interjected a man in monks' robes Kichiruka hadn't noticed before. "Perhaps it would be better if we introduced ourselves to our honored guest first." He turned toward Kichiruka with a smile, hoping to ease the yoki that danced nervously in the air with some levity. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Miroku, a simple monk who resides just down on the other side of the village."
Kichiruka blinked. "All I noticed was a large structure on that side. It looked like a mansion."
Miroku laughed good-naturedly. "Well, I do have a growing family."
"And a greedy palm," Inuyasha coughed into his sleeve.
As the conversation carried on from the monk to the miko to even the half-demon's and Rin's commentary, Kichiruka noticed the way everyone else was seated – aside from Rin, who was injured – and did his best to mimic properly. Keeping his posture erect, he knelt and planted his fists firmly on his thighs. This position worked fine…for a few minutes. After a while, Kichiruka started to feel the tingling in his limbs spike to a prickling sensation that only worsened with each passing moment. How are they all managing? His eyes darted from one human to the next, each obviously accustomed to enduring this torment. From the corner of his vision he noticed one of the company chuckled lightly into his hand.
"Why don't you just relax, friend?" the monk offered. "You're in no formal company, so although we appreciate the gesture none of us expect you to remain seiza throughout the conversation."
Kichiruka sighed his relief. "Thank you…ah, Lord Miroku, correct?"
The monk waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Just Miroku is fine. Save titles for public appearances." Then, leaning closer to study the creamy orange tool at Kichiruka's side, he asked, "Does using that, ah…scepter?"
"Staff," Kichiruka corrected lightly.
Miroku nodded. "Does using that staff always leave you in this condition?"
"No…or at least it shouldn't," the water demon said. "I just taxed myself too much this time." Kichiruka regarded the conch staff. That little trial run just toasted me. I'll have to get stronger.
"Well, I can see how," Rin spoke up. "You just brought ice out of nowhere!"
"No, that ice had to come from somewhere," Kichiruka said matter-of-factly. "I don't know if I can load the conch staff yet, but my body is mostly water. So long as I replenish it, I think I'll be fine."
On that note, the conch staff tooted an angry blare making everyone in the room jump.
"Hello?" Kichiruka sighed into the seashell's cusp, bobbing apologetically to his company.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" a voice snapped from inside the conch though there was obviously no one inside it.
Miroku and Inuyasha started. This was Rin's second observation so she only twitched. And Kagome blinked. Like a cell phone, she compared.
Mouthing a silent "pardon me," Kichiruka excused himself outside. Passing a laundry line he noticed his clothes were hung out to dry. Well, that's awfully considerate, he thought even though he could have done the same task with just a clap of his hands.
Leaning against the back of the hut, he continued the conversation. "Master Tensai, I'm in good company right now and would rather not be interrupted." Passing villagers gawked at the odd demon talking to himself, so Kichiruka crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue. They looked the other way. "Honestly," he spoke back into the seashell.
"I don't care if you're talking to the bloody Lord of the West!"
"Who?"
"Just shut and listen!" Tensai roared and Kichiruka could've sworn he saw spit come flying out of the conch staff. "You tried using that quick-freeze technique, right?"
"Mmm…"
"What's that now?"
"Yes, Master Tensai."
"But you didn't prepare the staff with water beforehand, so you had to draw upon the water content in your own body, correct?"
"Considering that you have all the stats on my health, is that a rhetorical question?"
Tensai cut loose a string of profanity that ended with, "Well, don't you try doing that again until we practice more!" His voice pitched in a strange way Kichiruka had only heard twice in their dealings.
"Awww…are you worried about me?"
"Pay attention, dammit," Tensai scolded. "I ought to strip you of that instrument today! I don't think you realize the magnitude of this technique."
Kichiruka stretched languidly. "Oh, what's a month, a year even, here and there?"
"More tests will be necessary before we're truly certain. So to avoid shaving off centuries here, don't go using the conch's matter-altering properties or giving away any of your personal techniques like last time."
"I know, I know…" It took a fortnight to live down the lectures when he tried granting Rin's wish. Whatever did happen to her asking me for a refund?
"We can't have complete strangers using our trade secrets," Tensai continued, then mulled over this a moment. "By the by, what sort of company are you keeping?"
"Ah, got to go, Master," Kichiruka hedged.
"We're having a talk about that 'coach' of yours when you get back! Do you hear—?"
Kichiruka crossed his hands six times over in a series of kata, then waved them over the shell. It went pleasantly silent. Had to learn something in that week. He smiled smugly.
When he stepped back inside, adjusting the buttons on his dried short jacket, Kichiruka looked around for Miroku. "Went out," Inuyasha said, so the water demon settled down by Rin again.
"Sorry to tell you, Kichiruka." Kagome wrung out a fresh cloth and pressed it to her young friend's ankle. "But Rin won't be moving for a while."
"That's fine." He sat down. This priestess was surprisingly friendly. Kichiruka knew he should have been more wary, but if she didn't kill him when she had the chance – if Rin trusts her – then there must have been something truly good about her.
"Is it all right if I stick around? I want to see what you do just in case this happens again."
"Oh, aren't you a sweetie!" Kagome gushed. Rin rolled her eyes.
Kichiruka just watched intently. "Will ice help bring down the swelling?"
"It's all right, Kich'!" Rin rapidly waved her hand in a discouraging motion. "It's not necessary."
He smiled. "Don't worry. I can use this water." Reaching into the basin he extracted a fistful of water that, with a word, froze into a solid block.
"Now that's handy," Kagome appraised. With a nod of gratitude to her guest, she wrapped up the small ice block and pressed it to Rin's ankle.
"Eeek! Cold!" On reflex, the girl thrashed, then Kichiruka caught her ankle. She stopped moving. He stared back. Kagome grinned and waited to see who would blush first.
Getting up, Inuyasha snorted. "Better go see if Miroku needs any help, he's always got his hands full." When no one followed, he added, "Hey, Kagome, couldja come with?"
"Oh? Sure." She rose to follow the half-demon, then asked, "Are you going to stay and keep Rin company, Kichiruka?"
"For bit," he said as Rin swiped the ice from him and took care of her own ankle.
Once they were outside and had put some distance between them and the hut, Inuyasha addressed his spouse. "Look, I know you like your little girly hearts-n-sparkles crap, but…" He paused to vigorously scratch the back of his head. Whatever Inuyasha said next would make him uncomfortable. "Can it wait 'til the kid finds a human guy?"
"Inuyasha, you can't possibly be against that!" Kagome's brows knit together. "Are you?"
"Tch, 'course not," he blustered, taking a bit of offense at the thought. "So long as he doesn't pull anything, I don't give a hang," the hanyo snorted. "But it's not my opinion that matters in this situation. If those two really start liking each other, guess who'll get his fur in a bunch."
Kagome's smile didn't go out completely, but it certainly lost a few watts. "Oh…right…"
I guess we don't want Sesshomaru deciding Rin's new friend is better off served on globs of rice.
"So, I might not have anything to say against it," Inuyasha continued, "but I wouldn't encourage it, if you know what I mean." Dropping the subject, he turned at the presence of someone rounding the corner.
"How's Rin and our new friend doing?" Miroku cheerfully inquired, a wide-eyed Shippo on his shoulder leaned every which way to glimpse snatches of their visitor without leaving his perch.
"They're just chatting right now. It seems they've known each other for a while," Kagome hinted.
Miroku smiled and Inuyasha heaved an exasperated sigh.
"So that's the guy Rin's been going off to see all this time?" the young fox-demon whispered and everyone shuffled a little closer together. "I never thought Rin would go for someone like that."
"What do you mean, Shippo?"
"Well, you'd think with Sesshomaru as an example she'd have a little more…aesthetic taste in guys."
Kagome laughed. "You think he's ugly?"
"Those weird blotches all over him certainly don't help," the kitsune opined.
Miroku chuckled. "Perhaps our Rin has a thing for freckles. Kohaku, after all, was no exception."
"Keh," in spite of himself Inuyasha couldn't resist adding his two cents, "either that or I guess it's true what they say about love being blind an' all."
They all peered in to see Rin cracking up as her odd companion with his rubbery yokai features stretched his ears, cheeks, chin and eyelids into a series of ridiculous faces. Kichiruka said something and she clutched her side with the next wave of giggles. He had her laughing like they hadn't seen since she was small.
"No, not blind," Kagome corrected, picking up the conversation. "It just sees what matters."
.
A/N: Rikichi is a character from the "Final Act" sequence of InuYasha, popping up in episode 22 (I think) and the closing of the last episode. He seemed like a nice guy and I might use him for a filler again. Thank you for reading! More to come soon!