Taiko drums echoed through the village, the gift of a nearby cousin of a villager. Inuyasha nodded his head when a drunken pair of boys wandered past with cups full of sake. Mushin had left his country temple bearing enough sake to drown one hundred humans – more than enough to bless the heads of Miroku's newborn twins. Coupled with the village's extraordinary harvest, more than the farmers could explain, even the visiting monks could not find cause to complain. Inuyasha hefted the double yoke higher on his shoulders.
"Can I help, Inuyasha?" Shippo landed on his head. His foot nearly poked him in the eye. Inuyasha tolerated the kit clinging to his hair while he marched through the crowd. Humans gave him a wide berth but the locals greeted him quietly. There were whispers that it was Kagome-sama who had blessed the land; Kagome-sama had tamed the demon Inuyasha so that he would protect their children. The tales of Kangiten held a powerful sway on their mortal ears. Had the wise elephant god not also been tamed by his soul-mate?
"You are kinda useless without Kagome," Shippo giggled.
Kohaku cleared his throat and bowed politely. The visiting taijiya held the door open to his sister's home. Kagome giggled and turned her head when Sango moved the brush. The water danced in its buckets when it met the floor. Inuyasha winced when one of the girls complained about the thump noise. Miroku nodded tiredly while he rocked her. Despite the shadows under his eyes, the idiot looked happy. Knitted red tabi kicked out from the blanket in forceful protest; its mouth curled up. The monk was fascinated by her perfect, tiny, unmarred palms waving helplessly.
Kagome looked beautiful in her white kimono and red hakama. White flowers decorated her dark hair. The final dash of red to her lips reminded him of their wedding. Her eyes shifted to meet.
"Fuck, shit!" Inuyasha danced on one foot. He sat on the floor to soothe his throbbing toe.
"Inuyasha, babies! No cursing," Shippo sang. The kit sprang free before he could get him.
"That was a good imitation of Kagome's voice, Shippo!" Rin clapped. "Say something else."
"I love Shippo way more than dumb old Inuyasha," Fake Kagome taunted. "Shippo isn't afraid of little baaaabies."
"Now who would be afraid of a beautiful little baby?" Kagome went into the soft bed for the other one. Clumsy little hands brushed against her sleeve. Sango helpfully draped a protective cloth over her shoulder should the child spit-up again. Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. "Look who woke up! Didn't you? Did baby wake up? She's so sweet!"
"May I have some water, Inuyasha?" His ears perked at Sango's soft request. As quickly as he could, he brought her a cup of cold water. There was light in her eyes. It was worlds different than the desperate slayer threatening to kill her own brother to save him from Naraku and then herself. The creature in Kagome's arms distracted him. Sticky baby lips smacked in his direction.
"D-don't you have to make an appearance soon? Put that thing down," he scolded. Big brown eyes stared through him. As if humans aren't vulnerable enough – they have to go and make babies!
"Inuyasha! Kin'u is not a thing. Apologize." Kagome stared at him. "She is a lovely baby girl and you know you love her!"
Outside the sea of villagers parted reverently for the famous priestess and her young apprentice. Kaede was finishing the preparations at the shrine where a low stage had been built for the dancers. Many of the villagers had come to make offerings but so had their visitors. A wave of gifts had been delivered to their doorstep with an influx of forced introductions over tea. Merchants, traveling monks, married women seeking blessings for their daughters' marriages, couples with young children – Inuyasha was tired of overly polite tea ceremonies! Kagome ignored the oncoming crowd to follow Kaede to the private graveyard. It soothed his nerves to know that Kikyo's ashes had been left unbothered. He hesitated until Kagome smiled at him. Together they added a bouquet of wildflowers from the hillside to the solitary grave.
It was unfamiliar to Kaede but she did light the lantern for her sister's soul. Too many demons had used Kikyo's soul in her death against her will – his wife made it clear that Kikyo was welcome to visit if she wanted to cross into their world. No one would ever summon Kikyo to be used as a pawn again as long as Kagome or Miroku lived. They watched Kagome add a new protective sutra to the stone. Miroku had crafted the spell but it was stronger if the magic was bound to Kagome. If ever a demon or human tried to harvest her ashes, she would know. All but the strongest spirits would be repelled by Kagome's power.
"Kagome..." he exhaled.
"Master Mushin came up with the idea when Miroku showed him the shrine. Kikyo spent her life helping others. Even after Urasue brought her back in such a violent way, she tried to help others. It is the least I can do." Kagome tilted her head. "It protects Kikyo and it protects the village. I know that she would do the same for me."
It also protects Kagome from people trying to harvest her soul. I could kiss the damn monk.
Inuyasha ignored the pang of guilt to hug his wife gratefully. Soft hands slid under his hair to hold him. Kagome smiled at him knowingly before returning to the shrine with Kaede. Humans were interested in Kaede's beautiful little lantern. Kagome explained that the lantern was an invitation for Kikyo-sama like an open butsudan. The ritual fascinated the poorest villagers who only lit precious candles to place in their doorways. Some of them had even lit a candle for Kikyo-sama – their memory comforted him. He lingered at the grave a while longer before joining Kagome. Lanterns for his own mother and father were lit and hung from posts outside the shrine. Kagome hung a third for her father, a fourth for her grandmother. Shippo did not understand the human tradition either but Kagome had helped him create a large colorful lantern for his father, different than every other lantern in the row. Jinenji had helped his mother with a lantern for his own demon father.
So many dead…
Miroku had lit lanterns in the stead of his recovering wife and traumatized brother-in-law. His parents, Sango's parents – Sango had lost her entire village to Naraku's schemes. A host of lanterns had been strung on the eastern side of the shrine for their memory. It brought back the memories of the shallow graves they had dug from dawn until dusk to bury Sango's tribe of demon slayers in a timely fashion. Inuyasha closed his eyes to remember the tired joy in his friends' eyes. He had already promised each of them separately to protect those girls as long as he lived.
The sound of crying pricked his ears. Inuyasha followed the path behind the shrine where Rin sat on a flat stone. He quickly counted the unlit lanterns at her feet. The girl barely acknowledged him when he joined her on the rock. Rin didn't talk much about her first family but he could guess. Kids with options didn't decide to follow dog demons around the country.
"You don't have to dance if you don't want to. I can tell Kagome. She won't mind."
"No! I want to dance with Kagome! I have too many lanterns." Rin accepted an errant cloth from his sleeve. "I tried to carry them but they fell. I hate them! This is stupid." Each of the lanterns showed a bit of damage from their fall. Grass stains were particularly bad on the last one. "Who cares about lanterns? I don't."
"So leave them. No one would mind, kid."
"Rin can't leave them, you jerk!"
Inuyasha scratched his jaw. Marriage had taught him not to respond when a woman was overly emotional. He certainly didn't know how to help her. Kagome was busy being a miko. The wind shifted in the opposite direction; he scanned the forest. Sesshomaru might move like a ghost but he couldn't hide his scent. She's referring to herself in the third-person? What the hell. He searched the forest until he pinpointed Sesshomaru's location, where the animals were too quiet. The foliage underfoot crumpled with movement. Rin sniffled until the bastard emerged into the fading sunlight. Her cheeks immediately flushed when he approached. Only the new babies and the promise of dancing had brought her back through the Well.
Inuyasha excused himself but he kept his ears tuned. He would return in a flash if Rin needed him. Kagome was busy getting the stage prepared. More and more villagers were gathering around the little shrine in the evening light with torches and lanterns. The full moon would provide ample light. Some of the villagers wore charms handed out by Miroku to ward off evil spirits. Plenty of them had food to share from one of the stalls where women were selling off their best treats to visiting neighbors. Kagome had pulled him away from the rice mochi.
"Where's Rin?"
Inuyasha didn't have to respond to his wife. The local villagers knew about his demon brother; they knew he disliked humans except one. It didn't matter though. Rin skipped forward happily to a free post to hang her lanterns. When the first two had been lit and added to the post, Sesshomaru offered her the remainder. Neighbors from a local village whispered rather loudly about the demon but no one screamed. The teenager's happiness radiated freely into her surroundings. Despite the five lanterns hanging from a string, Rin had never looked freer.
"Kagome! Sesshomaru-sama promised to stay. I told him about the Bon dance; he promised to stay!" Rin bounced.
" - that IS wonderful," Kagome managed. Inuyasha ignored him. When the roaming monks looked ready to intervene, he glared. Sesshomaru ignored every shocked human so that Rin could draft him on his investigation of the stage and the decorations and 'her' dance! He certainly looked like a pale ghost towering over the tanned farmers. Inuyasha almost rushed forward to intervene when she pointed out her 'kind friend' Jinenji who had saved Master Jaken that one time. Sesshomaru ignored the hulking, obvious, half-demon.
"I think he's relieved she came back," Kagome whispered into his neck.
Kaede was in good spirits after a sip of what came from Mushin's barrels. The degenerate monk twirled his facial hair and made another joke. He was in a good mood after walking the village with Miroku, visiting with the twins and drinking plenty of cheap sake.
"A beautiful wife and two beautiful girls! That's my boy," Mushin toasted. "Kanpai!"
"Kanpai." Kaede blanched after another sip. Mushin swallowed his cup.
"Kaede, are you drinking? You're a role model." Kagome placed her hands on her hips. "What will the young girls think?"
"I have waited too many years for you and Inuyasha to marry. I am owed a drink for my patience, Kagome-chan. Kanpai," Kaede toasted. Mushin chuckled as another cup passed his gray whiskers. "Four years! Four years ago you freed Inuyasha from the Goshinboku. I knew you would fall in love with him. Wasn't it obvious, Mushy?"
"Kaede!"
"To living long enough for the weddings!" Mushin cheered.
"Aye," Kaede nodded. "Kanpai!"
"To the first babies in three generations born without a curse."
"I don't believe this! Inuyasha," Kagome folded her arms. He merely shrugged as Kaede finished her second full glass. When Kaede offered him a small cup, he accepted. Despite Kagome's disbelief, he toasted to new beginnings for the village, to Naraku's death, to Kikyo's vengeance.
"Lemme see your hands, young lady." Mushin wobbled. Kagome offered her palms for a free reading. The young couple would not even be charged! A swollen, pudgy finger ran over the fine lines of her palm. Mushin hiccuped and the smell was overwhelming. "Oho, I see a fine future. Sixteen or seventeen children!"
"You do not," Kagome laughed.
"Hrmph, maybe only twelve. My vision is not what it was. Perhaps this would help." The monk reached into the front of his robes. "I might be old but I did not forget, demon. Your treasure, ne? A fine ornament for your bride. I cleaned it." Mushin withdrew a trinket from his mother's wooden box. Kagome accepted the flower sealed in hard resin. The chrysanthemum had been frozen in time at full bloom. No longer was the outer resin dim from years of moisture and mildew. The flower nearly glowed.
"Oh, Mushin, it's beautiful!"
"We must discuss my fee," Mushin pointed his sake cup in his direction. "You doubted my skills! One must never doubt the patience of a great monk. Did I not restore your mother's gift?" Inuyasha scoffed but he agreed that the monk had skilled hands – skilled enough to stitch together the Wind Tunnel. Inuyasha sat on the bench to haggle with the drunk expecting an easy deal. However years of inebriation gave the old man clarity through hours of drinking. He reached a reasonable agreement with the human for his weeks of patient effort. The elder monk knew precious little about babies but he knew they required mon. His fee was payable to Miroku as a gift for his family.
The old drunk loves Miroku like his own son – and bargains smarter than he looks.
Inuyasha accepted a second cup of sake to seal the deal with a bit more respect for the human.
"A chrysanthemum, your mother's favorite flower!" Kagome tilted the resin. "This is old-fashioned artisan work! Can we show Grandpa? It was preserved decades ago but it looks fairly new. Too bad it has the wrong number of petals or it would be really valuable..."
"Hey! My mother wanted me to have it! If you don't like it just say so, woman!"
"Of course I love it, Inuyasha. It's beautiful. I was thinking about Grandpa. He always counts the petals on relics with chrysanthemum flowers because fourteen petals..." Kagome blinked. She used her finger to recount. "Sixteen, not fourteen? A red sun disc. No, black!"
"You are not selling my mother's things!"
Taiko drums began to play differently outside the shrine. "Dance! I have to dance with Rin. She's counting on me!"
Inuyasha made Kagome wait until she seemed fit to dance without falling. The beautiful girl abandoned him in the crowds to prepare for the main event. Even the oldest humans seemed excited at a proper Obon in their little village! Kaede and Mushin eventually joined the humans anticipating the dance. Inuyasha blanched when they called on him to dance! To escape, he joined Sesshomaru in the quiet nook in the shadows of the forest. The humans might be comfortable enough to tease him but not 'the demon'. The vantage point would still let him watch Kagome dance on the stage above the humans' heads. The drums changed pace yet again when Kagome led Rin and the other girls onto the stage. Mostly young unmarried girls from the village, but he identified a few of the matrons. They had delivered useful gifts to Sango to wish her good fortune with the twins.
"Eh...you ever fought Inari?" Inuyasha sat cross-legged on a boulder. Sesshomaru made a dismissive noise that he interpreted as a 'no'. The memory of thirteen powerful tails made him think. Shippo barely qualified for two! It would take him centuries to acquire a half-dozen. The kit could disguise himself as humans he knew well but not strangers. Inuyasha smirked when he noted the fox tails poking out from one of the skirts of the 'women'. Her movements were less elegant than the others because Shippo was attempting to hold onto his magic.
Keep training, runt.
"Does Kangiten feast on humans?" Sesshomaru's icy tone was directed towards the dancing elephant man. Inuyasha tilted his head cautiously. The monks were fascinated by his teachings. Kaede thought he was wise. Without reason, he had no reason to exile the 'god' from his village. He did seem drawn to Kagome. The beautiful girl tossed her head when he flirted with her again.
"If he does, it is only Kagome he's interested in. I can't tell," Inuyasha answered. "Plenty of demons claim to be gods to confuse mortals. A few years ago we battled the Four War Gods of Horai Island but they were just demons feeding on a bunch of kids. Nasty bastards. They - " Sesshomaru cut his eyes at him. "It was you, wasn't it? You killed the fire god. I thought it must have been Kikyo. The fourth stripe just disappeared from my back." Inuyasha recalled the battle while Kagome danced. Her happiness was infectious. It was a welcome change from the scared girl ushering kids off a cursed island. She looked lovely in her white kimono and red hakama. Rin would occasionally get distracted. She waved as they made another round on the platform. Most of the villagers were less than coordinated but they were having fun.
Wait! Sesshomaru can heal himself through sheer will. The Tenseiga is a sword of healing.
"Have you ever encountered a human faith healer?" Inuyasha tilted his head. Sesshomaru glared at a whispering monk. He thought for a moment about the man by the river. Kagome's shock. There was a distinct powerful aura that surrounded the girl. "Kagome healed a lame human just through touch. It was an accident. That's why the elephant is here...for Kagome's power. I just can't tell if he wants to help her or eat her. He calls her boddhi. The idiot doesn't know anything about the August Star but they like talking about the sky."
"August Star?"
They had warned their friends about the cat's message but Sesshomaru had been elsewhere. Inuyasha quietly told him about the enormous cat demon in Kagome's era suffering because of the black oil. Sesshomaru guessed quietly that the cat was the Byakko, the Western constellation's avatar, but he was ignorant of the August Star.
"That's what the cat said! 'In the year of one-and-twenty, it shall strike. Crane and Genbu have already fallen.' So it must be a demon, yeah?"
"How old is that girl?"
"Nineteen." Inuyasha blinked. "You think the year of one-and-twenty is two years from now?"
"Hn." A particularly brave human child stopped her dance to point in their direction. The girl argued with her sister about whether they were dogs or lion-dogs; they were guarding the shrine which made them good dogs! Inuyasha stiffened when the kid waved at him hesitantly.
"My name is Mai," the kid pointed at herself. "You remember?"
"I remember." Inuyasha tilted his head. The kid's excitement was nice. She lifted one foot then the other in a weird little dance while clenching her fists. Her sister huffed and marched away. Mai's mother drew her away towards the rest of the humans while doing her best to ignore them.
"But the Princess…!"
Inuyasha thought about the little human girl who wanted to befriend him while Kagome danced. The mothers didn't mind his presence so long as another human was around but they doubted him alone. Plenty of the kids came to visit Kagome with presents or flowers or interesting rocks they had found. They loved Kagome's swing and Kagome's candy and Kagome's picture books! On rainy days when it was too dangerous for farming they would gather in the new visitor's building to spend time with her. Why did little humans like to build 'forts' so much?
Kagome danced and danced and danced until long after dark. The moon was high before she left the stage to join the dwindling crowd. Mushin was snoozing in his cups. Kaede needed assistance up the hill. Rin was overjoyed to sit on his abandoned boulder to 'catch up' with Sesshomaru. He didn't understand how his brother could withstand the hours and hours of noise. The bastard never said anything back. Inuyasha nodded at the pair before he followed Kagome into the village. More than a few humans were still wandering the decorated streets. Kagome stuck her tongue out at him before racing down the dirt path.
Oh no, you don't!
Inuyasha could have caught her easily but he let her win the race to the house. Kagome twirled in the moonlight. She giggled when he ushered her inside for a final cup of tea. He reassured her that no one could tell it was her first time leading the Bon dance. The girl's feet were tired but she was happy. She flopped back into their bed while he tamped down the fire and closed the doors. Inuyasha took a moment to add his mother's flower ornament to the little bureau holding her hairpin and her rouge.
Be well, Mother.
