A/N: There is a surprise in the next chapter. I hope you all are as excited as I am writing this. I love writing about the kids. Its so fun. Check out the next chapter it'll be uploaded real soon.

Inuko's Kinda Heart

Chapter 4: Part 2

It was already the afternoon and Kikyko was still outside. She wasn't crying anymore but she was still sitting by the water well. Father had made lunch for us, it smelt real good. I sniffed the air.

"Thank you for the flowers Inuko," mother said to me. I looked at her and nodded. She organized them in a small vase. I looked back at Kikyko.

"Kikyko lunch time," father stood to his feet and came to the door. She didn't even turn around, she sat there with her knees against her face, and didn't move.

"I'll go get her," I said leaving through the back door. I sat next to Kikyko. Father looked at us for a moment then went back inside.

"Go away," Kikyko mumbled to me.

"Why don't you come inside and eat, you're probably hungry," I said to her, I could hear her stomach grumble.

"I don't want to eat," she mumbled to me again.

"Ooookaaay," I said looking to the sky.

She lifted her head off her knees and looked at me.

"You know, I caught a fish all by myself today," I told her. I knew if I changed the subject she'd be interested.

"So?" She said, she put her head down in her knees.

"It was HUUUUUGGGEEE…. So big that dad had to carry it." I told her again making a gesture with my hands of its size.

Kikyko lifted her head again and looked to the house. The fish father caught was chopped up on to a large platter. That caught her attention.

She shifted to her knees.

"You caught that?" she asked me curiously.

"Yeah, all by myself," I said to her rolling my eyes to the sky.

She looked like she was thinking. I wasn't sure, she didn't move her eyes from the chopped up fish.

"Woah… that's a huge fish Inuko," she said to me. She crawled towards the door to get a better look. I shifted to my feet and followed behind her.

"If you want to try it, come and eat," I said to her. I moved passed her in to the house.

She crawled in to the house and sat down next to me. Father and mother shifted their eyes to her. I picked up a bowl and started to eat from it. Kikyko looked at the fish in between my chop sticks and blinked at me. It made me a little nervous.

"Can… I try that?" she said.

I held it in front of her. She took a bite.

Mother made eye contact with father, they both said nothing.

She shifted closer to me and picked up her bowl. She held it up to mother.

"Can I have some?" she asked. Mother didn't acknowledge her, and continued eating.

"Here Kiki you can have mine," I said sharing my bowl with her. She looked at the fish and vegetables in my bowl and her stomach grumbled.

"If she wants to eat she can ask properly," mother said to us. I looked at her, then at father.

"Mmmm…." Kikyko muttered again.

"If you're going to cry again then you don't eat," Mother said to her again.

"Why are you being mean to Kikyko?" I put my bowl down.

"Because Kikyko needs to learn to respect us," father said taking mother's side.

"She didn't do anything wrong," I said.

"She did do something wrong, and she needs to understand that," father said again.

Kikyko looked at her bowl and knocked it upside with her hand.

"Kikyko, stop that…" mother said to her again.

"I don't wanna," she said knocking the bowl around.

"What is your problem Kikyko?" father bellowed at her.

She knocked the bowl around again.

"I'm giving you your last warning," mother said to her again. She put her bowl down and crossed her arms.

Kikyko picked up her bowl and smashed it against the floor. I jumped in my spot. The shards flew everywhere.

"That's it young lady…" father said he stood to his feet. Kikyko jumped to hers.

"No," she said to father.

"Come here," he said to her.

"Really Kikyko," Mother shouted at her while carefully picking up the shards.

"I have had enough of your tantrum," mother picked her up and slapped her on her behind. I covered my ears and closed my eyes.

"Mmm…. Mmmmmm…" Kikyko started to cry again. I sighed deeply and didn't say anything.

"You deserved that," mother said, she carefully discarded the shards and sat back down to eat again.

Kikyko curled herself in a corner and cried quietly. I hated seeing her like that. It made me feel bad when she was upset. I looked at my bowl and back at Kikyko. Mother and father had finished eating and started to clean up. I slide over to Kikyko and handed her my bowl.

"Here," I said to her. She lifted her head and looked at me.

"I got you some extra fish too," I told her. She put her head back down.

"I hate mommy and daddy," she mumbled.

I put the bowl down in front of her and sat down next to her.

"Mom and dad aren't trying to be mean," I told her.

She lifted her eyes to me again.

"They worry about us," I told her looking at the spider crawling up the wall. I hope Kikyko doesn't notice it. She hates bugs.

"No they don't," she said and looked at the bowl in front of her feet.

"Yes they do, mom didn't want you to go to the village cause… well she didn't want you to get hurt, she'd be worried…" I told her rolling my eyes to her.

"I won't get hurt," she told me. She sat up straight and looked at the bowl.

"Maybe not, but she does worry. Maybe later we can go play in the village together…. Okay!?" I told her and winked at her. She looked at me and dried her eyes. She picked up the bowl and smelt it.

"Did you really catch the fish?" she asked me. I smiled and nodded.

She picked up her chop sticks and poked it at the fish, she took a bite.

I lifted my hand to her, and whispered, "I think you should tell mom you're sorry, then maybe I'll convince her to let us go play later…" I told her. She looked over at mom and dad as they cleaned up the house.

Kikyko nodded to me and continued eating. I patted her head and went over to help mom and dad.

After we had cleaned the house, dad and I prepared to leave and help Miroku with his shed project. I looked over at Kikyko who was still sitting in the corner.

"Come on Inuko," father said to me.

"Coming…." I followed behind him.

"InuYasha, Inuko… hello," Sango and the children were heading our way.

"Hey Sango," dad said to her. I waved at Haku and Kira.

"Kagome's at home," father told her.

"Good I was coming for a visit, Miroku had been going on and on about the shed project, thank you for helping him," She said to us. I smiled and waved at Sango.

"Well is Inuko going to help out too," she asked.

"Yeah I think he's old enough to learn to do this stuff," dad replied. Haku and Kira smiled at me.

"Yeah he looks like he's getting really strong," Sango said to me. Haku smiled and blushed.

"Well have fun you two," she said to us bouncing Koji in her arms.

"Bye Sango," father said to her. I turned around and watched the girls disappear in to our house.

"Don't get any idea's Inuko…" father said to me.

I looked up at him and followed behind.

"What do you mean any ideas?" I really had no idea what he was talking about.

"Haku, I saw how you looked at her… don't get any idea's your too young for that stuff," father said to me.

"I really don't know what you're talking about father, Haku's my friend." I said to him. I really didn't know what he meant.

"Good, keep it that way. Besides Miroku wouldn't like it either," father added.

"Hey Miroku you in here?" father shouted at Miroku as he entered their home.

"Outside InuYasha," Miroku's voice echoed from outside. I followed behind father and out the back door.

"Hey," father said to him.

"Glad you're here, help me with this." Miroku said to father holding up slabs of wood. Father helped him lift them together.

"What can I do?" I asked rolling my sleeves up.

"Hey Inuko… how about you bring over those pieces of wood there," Miroku pointed to the wood pile.

"You brought Inuko along?" Miroku asked father.

"Yeah he needs to learn to build up his strength, I think this will be good to for him," father replied. Miroku nailed a few nails in to the pieces of wood to hold them together.

"Wwwwooahh woooahh," I mumbled trying to carry two slabs of wood under my arms.

"One at a time Inuko, carry it over your head," father said to me. I put down one piece of wood and picked up the other one over my head.

"Aaahhh…" I tumbled backwards.

Father sighed deeply.

"Try it again Inuko," Miroku said to me. I looked at them holding the sides of the shed together. I got up and tried it again.

"Hold it at the middle point, if you hold it in the front you'll tip backwards," father said to me.

"Okay," I reached down and picked up the piece of wood from the middle.

"That's it, now bring it over," father said to me. I balanced the wood and carefully brought it over to father.

"I did it," I shouted lifting my arms up.

"Thanks Inuko, keep bring them over," Miroku said as him and father stood the wood up together.

I went back to the pile, I picked up two pieces and tried to balance them under my arms.

"Hey I said over your head," father turned his head to me.

"Why are you making him carry it over his head?" Miroku said to father.

"To build his upper strength," father replied to him.

"Oh, I see…." Miroku said again.

"Like this," I said again lifting two pieces over my head this time.

"Yeah just like that, now bring it over." Father said to me. I wobbled and awkwardly carried the wood over towards to the other pile.

"Well have this done by sun set, great job Inuko keep the wood coming and we'll nail it together." Miroku said looking over at me as I took in a few deep breaths.

"Tired already, come on Inuko, we are moving faster then you…" father said to me.

"Okay okay," I said and stretched my arms. I went back to the pile again.

"Take it easy on him InuYasha, we don't have to rush this." Miroku told father.

"I'm not rushing it, just want him to build up his strength," father said again.

By the end of the day I was exhausted, we spent the entire afternoon and most of the evening building and finishing the shed. I was so sore and so tired I couldn't even move. I plopped down in front of the shed and closed my eyes.

"He's exhausted," Miroku said. I heard more nails being hammered in to the wood.

"Yeah, he managed to finish moving the entire pile," father said. I felt someone drape something over me. I couldn't move, my arms and legs were so sore I didn't bother to try.

"Miroku we're home," Sango's voice was loud. I opened an eye and looked over to her and the girls.

"We've finished the shed," Miroku said.

"Hi Inuko," Haku whispered to me. "You look tired, thanks for helping build our shed, you're really cool," she said again leaning over me.

"Yeah," was all I managed to say to her.

Father and Miroku's eyes looked over at us.

"Say InuYasha, I think Haku and Inuko like each other," Miroku said with a smile.

"He's way too young to even think anything of that," father replied.

"Take it easy, hahaha, I know they're just friends… but you never know what would happen when they're older, they seem fond of each other," Miroku teased.

"Shut up Miroku!" father replied.

All I heard after that was everyone laughing. I think I had fallen asleep. I wasn't sure; someone had their arms wrapped around me.

"Mmmm…. Cuddle," Kikyko's voice echoed against my ears. She was the one who had her arms around me. I tried to move away from her. But her grasp was strong.

"Hey Kikyko, let go…." I whispered to her.

"Mmm…" she mumbled again and her grasp tightened around me.

"Aah, help," I mumbled. Father chuckled and pulled her arms from around me. Kikyko rolled over and clung to mother.

"Whew, she's dangerous," I whispered to myself catching my breath. Father chuckled, "are you sore?" father asked me.

I rubbed my shoulder and turned around looking at him.

"Yeah a little," I said.

"You did well today," he said to me again.

"Thanks…." I smiled, and then I felt Kikyko's hands grab me again.

"Aaahhh, get her off…" I mumbled trying not to wake her. Father chuckled and pried Kikyko's arms away from me.

"Here switch her places," he said to me. I slowly crawled over her, father pulled her to him.

She grabbed on to father's haori.

"Sleep now," father said to me. I could barely stay awake if it wasn't for Kikyko's deathly grasp, I would've slept. I curled myself away from her and closed my eyes.

"Mmmm…. Cold," Kikyko's voice mumbled again. Her arms were grasped around me again. I sighed and didn't bother prying her off. I heard mother and father's voice, the morning was warm and a warm breeze blew through the house.

"InuYasha stop," mother's voice said.

"What? Got a problem," he said to her.

Yuck, they were being mushy again. I hate that, it's like gross… eck!

"EW KIKYKO, DON'T SMOTHER ME…." I shouted at her and tried to push her away.

Mother's voice laughed from outside, what where they doing, Kikyko was trying to suffocate me and they were busy being mushy.

"MOOOOM," I shouted.

Kikyko's arms wrapped around me and smothered me again.

"Inuko…. Cuddly," she said.

"AAAHHHH SOMEONE GET HER OFF OF ME," I shouted. Mother laughed, and came through the back door with father.

She bent down and pried Kikyko's arms from around me.

"There," she said. I jumped to my feet and hid behind mother.

"What's with her, she's dangerous," I said.

"Hahaha… she just loves to cuddle," mother said to me.

"Yeah whatever I hate it, its gross…" I replied.

"One day Inuko," mother started to say.

I eyed her and stepped away.

"Hahah… don't worry about it, go wash up," mother said.

I stretched my arms over my head and headed out the back door. The birds were chirping this morning and the sun was very bright. I walked over to the water well and started to wash my hands and face. I even wet my hair, I felt hot and the heat wasn't helping.

"Good morning," I jumped startled. Kikyko was leaning towards me with a big smile.

"Hi," I said to her.

"Hehehe, mom and dad said I had to wash up," she bent down near the water well and started to wash her hands and face.

She giggled and started to hum to herself.

"Why are you so cheerful?" I asked her. She was the one who nearly killed me at night, and she's cheerful.

"Mommy and daddy said we should go to the village and play today," she said waving her hands in front of her, water splattered everywhere.

"Ah, hey stop that…" I said shaking myself off.

I stood up and went back inside the house, Kikyko followed behind me.

"Hey you two," mother said. I felt very awkward, father had his arms wrapped around mother and they were sitting in one area of the house cuddled together.

"Uhhh…." I said. Kikyko ran from around me and laughed.

"What is there a problem?" father asked eyeing me.

"Uhhh no," I said a bit nervous. I hated when they were affectionate with eachother it was gross, and I didn't want to see it.

"Why not you two go to the village and play today," mother said to us. Kikyko ran around me and giggled.

"Uhhh…. Okay?" I said.

"Come back at sunset," father said as well.

"Sure," I replied again. Kikyko stopped in front of me and smiled.

"Come on Inuko lets go play, maybe Haku and Kira can play with us." She said loudly, she grabbed me by the hand and pulled me out the front door.

Kikyko wrapped her arm around mine and pulled me.

"Why do you think mom and dad wanted to get rid of us today?" I asked her. She smiled and looked over at me. She thought for a moment.

"How should I know, I want to play… lets go get Haku and Kira," she shouted and giggled. I didn't understand why she was always so cheerful. Must be a human thing.

"HAKU, KIRA…" Kikyko shouted, the two girls ran out of the house.

"Hi Kikyko," they both shouted. Miroku and Sango came to the door.

"Good morning Inuko," Miroku said to me.

"Hello," I replied back.

"Can Haku and Kira play with us, please…. Please, please, please," Kikyko begged jumping up and down. Sango laughed and kissed her cheek.

"Yes you can go play," she said.

The girls laughed and clasped their hands together.

"Inuko are you, staying with the girls too?" Miroku asked. I nodded and lifted my arms over my head.

"Good, you kids have fun," Miroku said and him and Sango both turned around and disappeared in to their home.

"Great!" I sighed and said nothing more. Haku and Kira and Kikyko had grabbed each other's arms and started chatting. We walked through the village, that's when Hitachi came running towards me.

"Hey Inuko, what you guys doing?" Hitachi shouted coming to my side.

"Boy am I glad to see you," I said to him.

"OH why?" he asked.

"I'm stuck with them, they're girls and they're creepy," I said pointing at the three in front of us.

"Cool, hahah… well can I hang out with you?" he said. I nodded.

We spent the day with the girls in the village; we visited some of the new merchants that had brought items from faraway lands. Me and Hitachi laughed and told stupid jokes, we even talked about how dumb girls can be sometimes and how meaningless things amused them.

"WOW, Inuko…. I want one," Kikyko shouted.

"Then ask father to get you one, I don't have any money," I told her.

She looked at me then pointed.

"They're free," she said.

"Oh, well then ask for one." I told her looking at the little carp fish charm she pointed at.

Kikyko played and held her charm in her hands twirling it, it gleamed in the sun she pulled it in her kimono sleeve.

"HEY INUKO…" Kenta and Reno shouted at us. I turned around.

"Hey guys," I said.

"You have got to come see what we found at the river," Kenta seemed very excited. I wondered what it was they either caught or killed.

"Sure," I said. For a moment there I forgot the girls where with us.

"Hey I don't want to go to the river," Kikyko muttered.

"Oh your sister and her friends are with you," Reno said crossing his arms.

"Yeah I have to watch them." I replied.

"Fine they can come," Reno replied.

The girls followed us as they chatted and giggled. As the river came in to view I could see a small crate shaking near the rivers edge.

"What's in there?" I asked. Kenta laughed and ran to the crate.

"A spider demon," he mumbled. I looked over at Kikyko and saw her hide behind Kira.

"Uh my sister is scared of spiders," I whispered to him.

"So all girls are, this one is really cool. He is huge," Reno and Kenta lifted the crate off the spider. It looked like it was dead for a moment.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH SPIDER," Kikyko shouted, hiding behind me.

"KILL IT, KILL IT…" she shouted pointing to it.

It moved and its big beady eyes looked at us.

We jumped backwards. The girls were really scared they huddled behind me.

"Haha, we weren't planning on keeping it, jeez you girls are weak, we were going to eat it…" Kenta mumbled baring his claws. Reno did the same. Hitachi's eyes were surprised; it was a big black furry spider with lots of beady eyes. It had sharp teeth and what looked like a tail.

"Wait that's a hindo spider, we can't eat them, they are all poisonous," I said to the guys remembering father telling me about them.

"A what spider?" Hitachi replied.

"A hindo spider," I told him again.

Kenta and Reno sighed and looked at it.

"How disappointing, we have to let it go now…" Reno said.

"Yeah we should let it go, they're dangerous." I said to them.

"NO JUST KILL IT," Kikyko shouted from behind me.

"We can't kill it Kiki, they're bodies are as hard as a rock." I told her. I bent down and pick up a rock. I threw the rocks at it trying to scare it away.

"Seriously," Kenta mumbled and did the same. He started throwing rocks at it trying to scare it away.

The spider jumped at us, we jumped away trying to avoid its teeth.

"Ahhh it scary," Haku and Kira shouted.

"Don't worry I won't let anything happen to you guys," I said to them.

The spider scurried away.

"Man that was disappointing." Hitachi said. They all sighed and watched the spider disappear into the forest.

"Seriously you guys need to be careful what you catch, one bite of that spiders fangs and you guys wouldn't live to dawn," I said. They looked at me then at each other.

"How do you know all this?" Reno asked. The girls moved away from me and huddled together next to a tree.

I sat down near the tree next to them.

"Father has encountered so many demons in his life he told me all about them," I told them.

The entire afternoon I had spent talking with Hitachi, Reno and Kenta. I told them the stories about my father and mother and their journey with Sango and Miroku and Shippou. How they fought Naraku and other demons.

Kikyko and Haku and Kira played and chased eachother around us.

"RENO, KENTA…" their father shouted for them.

"HEY DAD," Kenta waved at him. I turned and look at him and waved.

"Bye Inuko," they both said. They jumped up to their feet and ran towards their father.

Kikyko came and sat down next to me. Haku and Kira were picking flowers to take home with them.

"Hey Inuko," she said to me. I lifted my arms over my head and rested against the tree.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Where do babies come from?" she said, I looked at her.

Hitachi looked at her a little perplexed by her question.

"How should I know?" I lied to her. I knew where babies came from, father and I had that talk before. I just didn't want to explain it to Kikyko… that's so wrong and creepy.

"Mommy and daddy wanted to be alone today, why?" she asked. She was exceptionally annoying today.

"Stop asking me stupid questions," I replied to her.

"Hahha, it can only mean one thing…" Hitachi replied to her. She moved her eyes to him. I placed my hand over his mouth to shut him up.

"Shut up!" I said to him.

"Haku said that her mommy will have another baby soon," she said with an awkward smile.

"Yeah so?" I replied to her.

"I think babies come from the sky," She said pointing to the sky.

"I think you're stupid," I said to her. She looked at me then at Hitachi. I think she was waiting for one of us to just tell her where babies came from. I didn't remove my hand from Hitachi's mouth. I know he'd blurt it out to her.

"I'll ask papa when I get home," she smiled and swayed her feet back and forth.

"Yeah you do that," I said to her.

"Hitachi… Hitachi…" his mother shouted for him.

"Coming mom," he replied to her.

Kikyko looked over and waved at her, Haku and Kira ran over to say hello to her. She had a big belly and looked like she was going to have a baby real soon. I sighed and leaned back against the tree.

"Inuko," Kiki said to me.

"What?" I replied to her.

"I hope mommy will get another baby from the sky, it would be fun," she said to me.

"I really really think you're stupid," I replied opening one eye and looking at her. She looked at me confused and smiled.