Kagome was busy setting up the enormous looking glass that she promised could look into the Heavens. Her hips pushed farther into the air while she rooted around in the 'telescope' bag. The sight of her cute rear end wiggling made him smile. He leaned on his side and idly flipped through her grandfather's big leather-bound star chart. Apparently the old man had been a scout in an old war in Kagome's time. The old canvas bag filled with glass tools was on loan.
"So when the sun goes down, what does that thing do? Some kind of spell?"
"It uses mirrors to look into outer space! We can look at stars and the moon and everything. All of the beauty of the universe." Kagome dropped something into the gear bag. She looked pretty pleased with herself, fiddling with the metal levers and gears. As Kagome lifted her little foot to scratch the back of her calf, he tensed. Her socks slipped lower to reveal an old scar. Shame filled his gut suddenly as he was reminded of their battle in the stone demon's belly. The girl had willingly stood in acid to save them.
"Kagome – what the hell is a baby carriage?"
"What now?"
"It is a song in your era. 'First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Sister with a baby carriage.' Do people give kids their own metal cart?" Inuyasha drummed his fingers on the grass. Several loose blades drifted through his fingers. Kagome was staring at him. "What? Your brother sang the song when we bought Sango's good luck gifts. I didn't touch your musician's box."
"It is named incorrectly in the song to rhyme. It is a little padded cart to push a baby around inside. A pram, a stroller?" Kagome perched her hands on her hips. "I swear every time I think Souta is growing up, he does something silly! The little brat was teasing you."
Inuyasha's stomach curled with embarrassment when he understood. He easily rolled onto his opposite side to idly destroy a weed with his claws. Kagome had cooed over the little clothes no matter how impractical. Tiny hats and bibs and little sets of tabi to keep a newborn's feet warm in shades of lucky vibrant red. Puzzle books and magazines to help entertain Sango during her convalescence. Rin had already offered to share her music box.
Inuyasha turned onto his back to watch the stars appear. Kagome got bored fidgeting with her machine and joined him on the blanket. The loose tangle of her limbs over his body was nice. Her hands slipped through the layers of his coat to tickle the fine hairs on his torso. Teasing kisses over his collarbone made him growl. She protested when he fought back with a kiss between her breasts. Firm fingers brought his face upwards to join hers. Sweet, gentle lips applied pressure to his lower lip. His fingers splayed wide on the exposed swell of her hip.
"Mama is planning your birthday party," she exhaled. Her blue eyes filled his world. Fingers teased his ear. "But you have to act surprised! We're all sworn to secrecy. We decided your birthday will be in October. They are having a hard time deciding on your presents. I am supposed to ask you for gift ideas without you knowing."
"You're a terrible sneak."
"Grandpa is the worst at giving presents. He might try to give you a mermaid's scale or a kappa's foot. They're not even real. Souta and I give them to Buyo," she confessed. "I think he wants to impress you the most after you brought him Nobunaga's sword. Poor Souta is being drafted to help him sort through the shed again. No matter how often he cleans it, new junk appears. Most of the stock aren't even legitimate relics!"
"I thought shrines housed important objects or spirits? What does the Higurashi Shrine protect? That shed is ridiculous. Why doesn't the old man toss that junk?"
"Mama thinks he likes the idea of the Feudal Era even if the objects aren't real." Kagome settled into the crook of his shoulder. Together they watched the stars come out and twinkle in the darkness. Kagome pulled the blanket over her bare legs to spare her flesh the cool wind.
"Inuyasha...did you ever think about me before we were engaged?"
"Of course I thought about you! What is that supposed to mean?" The girl kissing his neck paused. A flush covered her face. He applied his palm to her forehead to check her temperature. Kagome shifted to hide her face against his chest.
"I m-mean – like a girl?"
"How am I supposed to think like a girl?" The sudden turn in conversation left him bewildered. The instant giggle chased away his fears that she was somehow angry. The pads of her fingers traced the outside of his torso, raising goosebumps on his skin. The warmth of her curves pressed against him on the blanket.
"Not 'think of me like a girl', silly. Like, as a girl."
"Did you hit your head on a rock? You think I treat you like a guy?"
Kagome avoided his kiss to giggle uncontrollably against his collar. Undoubtedly the laughter was focused at him so he growled in frustration. His wife only stopped laughing at him long enough to lift her head. Her mirth made her blue eyes sparkle in the darkness.
"You're so silly!"
Inuyasha scolded her for mocking her husband but he didn't mean it. Kagome continued to giggle into his shoulder. He still could not comprehend why Kagome thought he treated her like a man. His mother had taught him some manners. Miroku had always been the one to help him dig graves and bury demons. He did not spy on women bathing or cross the privacy screen when they had shared a proper room or tried to peep on them when they were changing. Did she realize how fucking lucky he felt that a normal girl was willing to stay with him? It was bad enough to be hated for being a half demon without also being known as an untrustworthy lecher!
The soft human girl snuggling into his coat for warmth was oblivious. He pressed the heel of his hand against her tense shoulders. Her satisfied moan made him grin. No matter how many hours hunched over her books it cost her, Kagome was determined to be the best in her class. The least he could do was assist. A gentle rustle in the bushes perked his attention. He patted Kagome's hip; she followed the line of his claw into the long grass where a little family was gathered.
"Bunnies! They're so cute!"
"Quieter. You might scare them, human," he scolded gently. "I can show you how to pass through the forest quietly, if you want. It would be a good skill for a priestess, better for my wife. Kaede knows how to gather herbs but she sure leaves a trail. Sango is pretty good for a human - her little shoes don't leave marks in the dirt like a normal mortal, probably a skill the taijiya learn for hunting. What do you think?"
"What kind of training?"
"When I don't want to be followed, I can travel through the trees. Can't do that on the new moon, though. I have learned a few things over the decades about hiding in a forest full of demons as a weak mortal. Even humans can climb trees or find good hiding places."
"Like survival training?"
"You know how to find water and start a fire by hand. I mean hiding. If you can hide from demons with enhanced senses, you can hide from bandits. A priestess can purify demons but not humans, no matter how evil, so it is safer to hide until help comes if you're not willing to hurt them." The little bit of physical training had triggered a secret meeting between himself and their married friends. Whether Kagome could become a trained warrior was irrelevant. Her gentle nature prevented her from lifting a finger to defend herself. Sure she would shoot an arrow at Sesshomaru to protect him, but she hadn't tried once to purify Kouga to save herself. She had attacked Madame Centipede out of instinct and fear.
Kagome was very excited to show him the visions in the glass. The idea of a world beyond the island was foreign to him. Looking at the moon was novel. It wasn't as smooth as he thought; little pits and hollows covered the entire surface. She let him marvel with the weird viewing device. Kagura had held powers over mirrored surfaces but Kagome denied his theory that the witch could return through the telescope.
"We should visit an observatory. Scientists use big versions of this telescope to look far into the stars to other galaxies. See the bridge?" Kagome adjusted the queer little mechanisms to show him other bright spots in the sky. There were more colors than he expected. He frowned when the blinking little star suddenly went dark. No matter how his wife shifted the glass it didn't return. Her hip pushed him aside to 'fix it'.
"I didn't break it!"
"Stars don't just stop blinking. Light travels at a constant rate - " Kagome's dark hair obscured her face. "Where is the star? The star in Andromeda is part of the Byakko. It has to be there. Unless - "
"Kagome, look!" Inuyasha pulled her arm. They both watched the meteor falling across the sky. Intuitively she jumped on his back to chase after the blazing stone. As fast as he could run, they were still late to the impact. The tremor shook his legs until he leapt high into the air. He kept Kagome away from the earth hot as coal while they investigated the boundaries. He kept Kagome on the lip where she would stay protected while he slid towards the pile of ash and rock in the pit. Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga cautiously. Ash and soot and rock tumbled down as something rumbled inside the meteor. Kagome called down for him to be careful.
A creature came out of the ash. A golden trident hit the ground. The large, grayish figure that rose above him was certainly not human. It shook the soot from its black monks' robes and swung a distorted limb growing out of its face. He brandished Tetsusaiga higher when it turned its eyes on him. The boar's tusks growing out of its mouth were more than enough to gore an unsuspecting human. One step and its enormous round feet could break bones.
"Ho there! You are not the little deva. Not even a woman!" The male scratched his enormous belly. It used the trident to pull himself from the pit. Inuyasha intercepted his path before he could turn. His expression brightened when he noticed Kagome. She peeked under his arm. "You are the little bodhisattva, perhaps an arhat? Come out, beautiful one. Kangiten means you no harm. How young you are!"
"Kangiten?" Kagome repeated. Her hand stopped his elbow. "Inuyasha, he's an elephant!"
"I don't care what he is if he threatens you!"
The golden trident drummed against the ground three times. He braced himself for an attack when a golden wave rushed over them both. Kagome peeked over his shoulder to check him for injury. He could see the physical outline of her aura buzzing around her. She hid her closed fists against her chest to protect him. The demon laughed and rubbed his belly happily.
"Very young indeed, little bhagavan. What have we here?" The elephant ignored him completely. Kagome squeaked and grabbed his arm before it could touch her. "I see! Someone has already helped you with your svadhishthana chakra. It is good for confidence and flexibility of the self, little lotus, and opens your eyes to the astral plane. Is this one your lover?"
"None of your damn business, demon!"
"Ah. Husband?" Kangiten's trunk lifted inquisitively. "Newly married and very shy. Husband is blushing as deeply as his wife!"
"Keep your hands off her before I cut them off!"
"Why are you retreating from your husband, beautiful one? No, child – fear is the enemy of the svadhishthana. What is it you dread?" Kangiten ignored him again. He looked back at Kagome. The elephant rested his trident against a boulder and extended his hands. Inuyasha kept his peace when it seemed the demon meant her no immediate harm. Her hands were ridiculously tiny in his grip. Grey thick fingers ran over her reiki-soaked palms without injury.
"I don't want to hurt Inuyasha."
"Your energies are entwined already. Two can coexist peacefully without fear in one consciousness. If you trust yourself, he will suffer no harm. A pair of mated souls should have equal strength and courage. Do you have faith in your power and control, beautiful one?"
"I trust him with my life."
"As he trusts you – but do you trust yourself?" Kangiten tapped her palm. "It is in the energy, you see? He trusts you implicitly but you doubt yourself. You have gifts but you are ignoring them, ne? Do you have a training regiment?"
Kagome's cheeks flushed.
School and serving the shrine had taken precedence over her spiritual training. Miroku was too distracted with Sango to press the issue. They had been using their spare time between responsibilities to help her mother with Rin and reassuring the villagers that Jinenji was a harmless giant. The villagers were excited to see Kagome dance at the Obon festival so Kaede had been scheduling extra time for practice. Extended family members were incoming from other villages after the harvest to celebrate with the beautiful young priestess.
"Eh, she's been busy, alright?" Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga.
"I am training to be a physician and the Obon festival is coming on fast and my friend is having a baby soon," Kagome exhaled. "My friend is a monk so I have been studying the Heart Sutra and the Lotus Sutra when I feel overwhelmed. A friend of ours is staying with my mother and that worries Inuyasha's brother. My family is planning a celebration for Inuyasha and they want my help. Our village is harvesting the yearly crop - "
Kangiten held up his palm to quiet her.
"You are distracting yourself with mortal concerns. What is your real fear? Particularly for you the study of the Self is a priority – ack! No excuses," Kangiten scolded softly. Kagome closed her mouth. "Your husband already knows his own power; he is confident in his strength. I can sense his faith in your power where you doubt. You are learning to heal others with herbs and bandages but ignore your spiritual power."
"Inuyasha was born with his powers. I didn't know I was a priestess until I was fifteen!"
"Do you feel like a priestess – is it your identity?"
"I'm Kagome, Inuyasha's wife. I have spiritual powers - "
"You do not own your title and thus value your spiritual studies less than your mortal ones. Why is that?" Kangiten tilted his massive head. His ears were larger than Kagome's head! "In that answer is your block. You cannot fully balance with your husband's energy until you understand your own – they are part of your soul. Until you voice that secret fear, you cannot control your powers; they control you."
Kagome's desk was set in the corner of the main room where there was the best light. Inuyasha was quite proud of the smooth wood under his wife's elbows while she tapped her pen irritably against the surface. It had a circular imprint for her cup of writing implements and the platform was wide enough to support his own book. He looked over the binding to catch her glaring at him again. The image of Kangiten on his book seemed to aggravate her further.
The elephant creature was camped in the shadow of their shrine. The villagers were curious after they had learned he wasn't a malicious demon. Kagome's books confirmed that he was some variety of Buddhist spirit. Even Miroku was intrigued with his teachings of love and compassion. Inuyasha could tolerate their visitor as long as he helped Kagome. The miko growled and threw her pen down and crossed her arms when the reiki began to blaze again.
"Kagome?"
"I wasn't raised to be a priestess. I was raised to have a career," she pouted. "Who does he think he is, scolding me? Your powers are second nature to you. I discovered mine by accident! I never had formal training classes. I know I'm not as skilled as Kikyo. She could do the cool spinny-bow thing."
"Kikyo trained for years to learn that technique. I never saw her heal a lame person with reiki though. She was too busy defending the Jewel." Inuyasha tilted his head. "So what if you're different? Granny Kaede thinks you're a natural healer. We know you have the Sight. With a little more practice you could put a barrier on your bow too. Do you wanna go train?"
Kagome clenched her fists. "I don't have time to train today! I have homework to do. I have to help Kaede prepare the shrine for Obon. I promised Sango I would help her – what are you doing!" For her own good, he swept her papers into a giant pile. The girl fussed at him when he slapped her Miroku notebook in her lap.
"Fuck your homework. You have to master your own strength!"
"But it's not mine, is it? It's Kikyo's! Everyone in the village reminds me I'm just the sequel – heeey!" Kagome squealed and fought when he tossed her over his shoulder. "Put me down, you jerk! Inuyasha, I'm warning you. Stop it!" His arm across the back of her knees was sufficient to keep her from kicking. Hopefully the wench had enough self-preservation to keep her from trying to shimmy out of his arms. It was a long walk to the meadow where the Goshinboku waited. Kagome pouted at its base.
"Kagome - "
"Sit boy!" The command sent him crashing to the forest floor. He smashed his fist against the grass when he felt Kagome's weight settle on his back. The warmth between her legs pressed against him. The softness of her breasts pressing down against his spine made him groan. The wench is too angry for that. He listened to her complaints about being 'man-handled' like a possession. Her palms flattened against the long grass on either side of his head. Reiki poured against the earth. It was enough to thicken the grass beneath his belly. Flowers and weeds and more bloomed.
What the hell?
"I still can't believe you kissed her while I was pinned by her shinidamachū." Inuyasha's ears flicked forward at the sound of wood creaking. The shadows of the branches of the Goshinboku shifted slightly. Kagome's hips shifted while she put more pressure on her hands. "I bet those old ladies in the village don't know perfect Kikyo did that."
Inuyasha winced.
The ground continued to soak up Kagome's unconstrained holy power. The roots of the Goshinboku were drinking the reiki.
"How can I master my own strength? Even my own father was afraid – and you heard Uzume! What if I develop my powers at the expense of our future? Wasn't that the price Kikyo was willing to pay to be with you?"
"Kagome, that was different!"
"How could I live with myself if I hurt you? I pinned you to the Goshinboku under Hyouga's curse. What if the next time it isn't an Arrow of Sealing? What if we have a child and I hurt it? I would gladly become a normal human girl to avoid that fate." The girl shifted to face him with her palms carefully tucked underneath.
"You don't think I worry about hurting you? Remember when we were trapped in Kagura's Dark Castle, the Stone Demons' belly? I almost lost myself to the power of the Jewel. Both times you were my anchor. Don't you trust me to do the same?" He could still feel her charged hands holding onto him, purifying the Jewel shard in his Fang. Brave, foolish Kagome had kissed a raging demon to save his soul. The love in her voice had fought back the abyss.
Kagome accepts me as I am.
"Inuyasha, no!"
His mortal, human wife could not put up no contest to his strength. He held onto her shining palms despite her struggles. The buzz against his palms was like the rumbling of a thousand bees in their hive vibrating together, the sensation of ants crawling up his arms.
"C'mon, Kagome. You have trusted the monster inside me many times. I trust you! Do you want to kill me, priestess?"
"Of course I don't! How can you ask me that? I love you." Tears ran down her face.
"Well, I love you too!"
Kagome's eyes spilled over with a happy sob; he refused to let her withdraw her hands. Kagome's reiki forced his own aura to become visible. The contrasting forces stung a bit but neither of them were dead. Red and pink merged into a single force. His grip lessened when his wife showed no signs of retreat. His forehead rested against hers. Kagome continued to cry in relief while he inhaled the scent of her tears. His wife had no intentions of hurting him therefore the force inside would do him no ill – not unless she willed it – and Kagome would never hurt him willingly.
"You should have left me when I was cursed by Hyouga – so stupid!"
"Like hell I would leave you, idiot." Inuyasha scoffed.
"You're the idiot," she sniffed. The girl collapsed into his arms until the reiki subsided. He rested his cheek on her soft, dark hair. That was how Miroku and Kaede found them underneath the branches of the Goshinboku. Kagome had already fallen into a heavy nap. The poor girl was emotionally exhausted.
"Was there an attack? Is Kagome-chan hurt? Where is the demon, Inuyasha?"
"We're good, damn busybodies! Can't a man talk to his wife in peace?" Flashes of Kagome's schedule-book went through his memory. "Eh, Kaede. Kagome needs a break from the villagers so she can focus on her spiritual training. Can you tell them to buzz off?"
"...certainly, Inuyasha."
"And warn them: I don't want to hear another granny call Kagome 'Kikyo'." The timbre of his voice was enough to make the two exchange glances. He heard the whispers too. No matter how charitable his wife was, it aggravated her to be continuously reminded of someone else. If he had to terrorize the old ones until they remembered, so be it. Kagome shouldn't be comparing her life to Kikyo's. He had promised to light a lantern together with Kaede for his first love, but he was duty bound to his living wife and their family. Kagome had coaxed him into making floating paper lanterns for her father and his parents. Most of the villagers intended to light simple candles for their ancestors but she had insisted on buying materials for the special little lights. Neither of them even had a proper grave for their dead.
"It is a beautiful thought, Inuyasha! Don't be so cynical. What would your mother say?"
It didn't matter to Kagome that no one in his childhood village had crafted expensive lanterns. They weren't welcome to mingle with the other residents but they had watched from the courtyard. He remembered the good scent of food and candles and human laughter. Mother had helped him light a precious hoarded candle to sit in the doorway for his father.
"Can you tell me the story, Mother?"
Inuyasha ignored Kaede and Miroku while they took seats under the Goshinboku. They were both relieved that all was good with the Bone Eater's Well. He closed his eyes to block out their voices. For once, the distant memory of his beloved mother was within reach. Inuyasha remembered sitting with the safety of his mother's arms wrapped around him in the open frame. Soft hands petting his hair smooth while she spoke, never harshly nor cruel.
"Once there was a beautiful prince with snow-white hair and a princess - "
"Can I hold the pin?"
His mother's laugh was sweet but she relinquished her treasured silver pin, the only memento from her castle. Silver like Father's hair. He snuggled into her arms unashamedly. Once he had known the story by heart but years of pain had dulled the memory. Any memory of his mother.
"The princess was traveling in a beautiful carriage when a monster attacked. It hurt many people. The monster wanted the princess but the noblest of princes appeared to save her. He looked and saw that her escorts were sleeping. She asked for his name."
"Tōga!"
"So it was that Tōga the Great Dog Demon saved your mother from becoming luncheon! At the gates of the castle he asked her name in return."
"Then Father asked to marry you!"
"That was much later, little one – how impatient you are."
"Inuyasha? Inuyasha! Wake up. Sango is calling." Someone shook his shoulder. The blaze of fox magic startled him. A single foot came down to whack him in the face. He growled before the runt's other foot could pop him in the cheek. Kagome stretched and ordered him to hurry.
"C'mon, sleepyhead! I promised to send for Rin. You have to go through while Granny Kaede and I help Sango. The baby is coming!" There was little kindness shown to him. Kagome practically shoved him down the Well. He cursed but Kagome ignored him. Miroku was already gone. "Make sure you bring back extra supplies too. Let Mama know we might not come for dinner tomorrow. I promised Sango."
