For all those who were wondering, coffee did come to japan during the sengoku era. But I suspect that only the rich could afford it; since it is an import.
Inuyasha Regashi chapter 6: Sutasaiga
It was late at night and the moon was bright. Crickets and frogs sang in a beautiful chorus in the warmth that was a remnant of the heat of the day. Inuyasha and the others were gathered around a fire eating their meager dinner.
"…Fish…my favorite…." Inuyasha complained.
"Hey Inuyasha, if you have money, you are welcome to get some food. But the last I heard, you were penniless." Miroku said coldly.
"HEY!" Inuyasha said.
"Even if we had money Miroku, there isnt much to buy, the whole eastern area is in a drought." Sango said.
The whole group heaved a heavy sigh.
"Maybe if we don't think about it, we wont be so hungry." Shippo suggested.
"Good idea, Shippo!" Kagome said.
"Soooo….what should we talk about?" Itaru said.
"hmm…How about you, Itaru?" Shippo said.
"Me? Why do you want to talk about me?" Itaru said, bashfully.
"Well because you did so great today battling the weasel demons! And your sword, where did you get it?" Kagome asked.
"Oh, my sword? Ummm yeah, Its called the Sutasaiga. My Father gave it to harnesses its energy from the sun and the moon."
"Hmm, star crushing fang. Who made it?" Miroku said
" Some guy named Totosai. That's all I know."
"Totosai? Really?" Sango said.
"I was in the middle of training with my father until some demon that revi—I mean, Naraku, came and destroyed my village. Meimei was with mama picking herbs. I had just turned fifteen winters old and that's when my father gave me the sutasaiga. Then Naraku came and…well…"
"Itaru, you don't have to tell us if you don't feel comfortable." Kagome said softly. "And that's the thing, Kagome. That's exactly what my mama would do. Both you and Inuyasha remind me of my parents. Sometimes when I wake up, I think that you are them, bu then I remember what happened."
There was a long, sobering silence that followed. 'So much for trying to take my mind off of being hungry, now im depressed.' Shippo thought.
Itaru stared into the fire, holding his fish in his hand, his mind could not stop thinking about his parents. ' I have to get the tetsusaiga. I don't know how much longer mother and father can hold on. It has to be tonight!"
"im not hungry anymore." Itaru mumbled as he put his fish back by the fire. "Heh, don't mind if I do!" Inuyasha said. "Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed. "What? He said he's not hungry, why not give it to someone who is?"
"Its okay, Kagome. I don't care..." Itaru said.
"See?" Inuyasha sneered.
"But at least my father had the decency to let the kids eat as much as they needed!" Itaru shouted.
"What are you going on about, kid? I thought that I made it VERY clear that Im not your father! Im not even distantly related to you as far as I know! My name is INUYASHA! Got that? I-NU-YA-SHA" Inuyasha shouted back.
"YOU JUST DON'T GET IT, DO YOU?" Itaru replied. He stood to his feet and ran into the forest. "AND IM NOT A KID!"
"Itaru! Don't run away!" Meimei called.
"Ill talk to him." Kagome said as she stood up. When she left the circle, Inuyasha came after her, "Kagome, wait—"
"Inuyasha! You are so insensitive! Itaru and Meimei have just lost their parents and all you can think about is yourself! Think about how you felt when your mother died!" Kagome scolded.
"The difference between me and him is that I got past it! You can't go around sulking about someones death the rest of your life! That's no way to live! People don't have time for sap stories! People live and people die! He has to learn to cry a river, build a bridge and walk over it!" Inuyasha shouted.
Kagome was left speechless by his cold, but truthful wisdom. "Inuyasha… all that you just said is true. But its going to take time. The wound is probably still fresh…"
Inuyasha stood silent for a moment and then turned away. "Do what you want." He mumbled.
Kagome looked for Itaru and found him in a clearing looking up at the stars.
"Itaru, I apologize for Inuyasha's behavior. He is not as heartless as he seems."
"I know. Its just that…I really miss my parents. I know that Inuyasha is just trying to help me get past it. That's what my father would do…He would always say 'buck up! Are you a man or aren't you?'"
"Tell me about your parents. Your whole family, even.
"well, theres my uncle. He is really cold and distant and he and my father don't get along very well sometimes. But father says its not what it used to be. He is married now and they have a son. My cousin and I are really close, unlike them…"
"What about your mother?"
"Oh my mother? She is beautiful in every way. She is nice to everybody. She will go all out of her way to help someone else! Even if they don't like her! There was this one man who tried to cheat us at the market place, but my mother caught him red handed. He resented her for that. But when an epidemic went through the village and he was really sick, she personally nursed him back to health. My father is head over heels in love with her. He values her over life itself! My father would do anything for her."
"And what about your father?"
"Oh wow! He's the strongest person you will ever meet!" Itaru stood up in excitement.
things go WHAP! BOOM! POW! He's so strong , he defeated the evil demon Nara—! Oh…"Itaru stopped himself and sat down. Kagome and Itaru sat in silence looking at the stars.
"On nights like this, my parents used to take me and Meimei outside to pick my own star. I can remember the ones all of us had,"
He pointed to four stars in the sky "That one is mine, that one is Meimei's, that one is Mama's and that's Father's." Itaru said.
'It may be just coincidence, but I believe that is the same star as Inuyasha's…'
"Wow, Itaru, your family must have been very close!"
"Yeah we really were. We did everything together. We made a lot of amazing memories together. Which is why Naraku is going to die by my own hand!" Itaru declared.
"I know you want to kill Naraku. But you aren't the only one who wants Naraku dead. He has broken the lives of many people. He hasn't really done anything directly, but Inuyasha was sealed to a tree for fifty years because he deceived him and a woman he used to love," 'or should I say, still love' Kagome thought somberly. " And Miroku's family was cursed with a wind tunnel in his hand that can suck up anything, but if he uses him too much, he will be engulfed into it himself and die. And Sango's village was slaughtered and her brother is being used as one of Naraku's pawns. So you are not the only one to be affected by Naraku."
"hmmmm…" Itaru mused. Then, in a sudden rush of boldness, he said. "Kagome, do you think you and Inuyasha will ever…you know…get together or get married or something
"HUUUH?" Kagome said, completely caught off guard by his question. " I ummm…I….uhhhh…..why did you ask that?"
"You guys have got to be seeing each other. I mean really. Haven't you guys advanced in your relationship at all?"
"Y-y-yyou barely know us and you're talking about our relationship?"
"Well, is there one or not?"
"I would like to think so. I know Inuyasha has feelings for Kikyo and they shared a relationship that I couldn't possibly compete with. They have a history. We were brought together by sheer accident. But that doesn't stop the deep feelings I have for him. Even if I can only watch from afar, I can be content with that. If he is happy with Kikyo, then I can be happy, for him at least; even if it tears me apart…"
"Don't say that, Kagome. Inuyasha does care for you. I can see it in his eyes. The way he looks at you and all; he may like that Kikyo woman, but im sure that he loves you just as much."
"Thank you, Itaru. That means a lot to me."
"No problem! Well I feel better now, I think we can go back to the others now."
"okay."
The two walked together back to the campsite, side by side. By the time they returned, Meimei and Shippo were already asleep and Inuyasha was sitting with his eyes closed.
"Well?"Miroku said.
"Everything is going to be okay now." Kagome sighed as she sat down.
"Inuyasha?" Itaru said.
"what is it?"Inuyasha mumbled.
"Im sorry for lashing out at you. I acted in anger."
"HUUH?" 'Hes apologizing to me?'
"will you forgive me, Inuyasha?"Itaru continued.
"UHHH um yeah sure, I forgive you…" Inuyasha said looking away.
"Thanks." He said with a shy smile.
Kagome looked at Inuyasha with a smile. Inuyasha glanced at her and when he realized she was looking at him, he blushed.
'maybe someday, Inuyasha. Maybe someday."
~*0*~
"Lord Sesshomaru! These flowers are so beautiful! May I pick some?" Rin asked.
"Do not go far." Sesshomaru said calmly
"Okay!" Rin said as she dashed off into the sunny meadow. "Master Jaken! Im going to make you a crown, like a king!"
"I do not need such a silly, childish thing, girl!"
"But master jaken, it will make you look pretty!"
"What are you trying to say girl? That I am not good looking enough? I'll have you know, that I am quite dashing for my age! Why, when I was but a young imp, every female that I came across literally threw themselves at my feet!"
"You know master Jaken, Lying is not a very gracious trait." Rin quipped.
"W-w-w-what did you say!"
"Be silent, Jaken." Sesshomaru said.
"B-b-b-but my lord!
"SILENT!"
Jaken shut up and stared inquisitively at his master. ' I wonder why he is so high strung? Is it because he cannot seem to locate Naraku?'
'I can sense someone's presence, but I cannot detect their scent…' Sesshomaru thought.
"Hey Itaru! I made one for you too!"
"That's great Meimei!"
"I hope Papa likes his! I made it special!"
"Meimei, you know we cant call him that here…"
"I know that! But he isnt around."
"but still, he might—Meimei be on guard, Sesshomaru is here…"
As if on cue, Sesshomaru appeared right in front of them.
Itaru stood in front of his little sister for safety. Sesshomaru stared them down for a full minute until Sesshomaru broke the silence, "How is it that you know my name…?"
"We have heard of you…great one! The mighty lord of the west and his faithful companions!" Itaru said.
"Hmmm…I cannot smell your scent. Why is that, boy?"Sesshomaru continued.
"Umm…maybe you have a cold?"Itaru suggested.
"HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH A THING TO LORD SESSHOMARU! LORD SESSHOMARU IS FAR TOO STRONG TO BE SUBJECT TO MORTAL AILMENTS!"Jaken scolded.
"Hey, Im just guessing." Itaru replied.
"Answer my question, why is your scent hidden from me…?"Sesshomaru said again.
"Ummm, I don't know…" Itaru was starting to get nervous. 'Sesshomaru is not going to let me get off easy…perhaps we are going to have to make a mad dash out of here…'
Meimei peeked from behind her brothers leg and spotted Rin. When their eyes met, Meimei waved with a great smile on her face. Rin waved back, confused at who this girl was
"Ummm hey Sesshomaru, id love to stay and chat, but our mother will be wondering where we are. See ya!" Itaru grabbed his little sister and dashed away back into the forest. " What a strange boy. But lord Sesshomaru, why did you let them escape?" Jaken asked.
"I have more important things to do than chase children, jaken. Remember that."
"Y-y-yes m'lord!" Jaken then turned to Rin "Rin, do you know that girl just now?"
"No master Jaken, I have never seen her before."
"What do you think of those children, Lord Sesshomaru? Lord Sesshomaru?"
"Master Jaken! He left minutes ago!" Rin said riding away on AH-Un.
"LORD SESSHOMARU! WAIT FOR ME!"
Oh that was a terrible chapter! Im so sorry I just lost steam for this one! I promise the next one will be better! And now I know I definitely will not be able be able to finish this in 10 chapters. Maybe 15.