InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpected Ally ❯ A Well-Earned Vacation ( Chapter 1 )

Inuyasha scanned the shrine for danger as he waited for Kagome to exit the wellhouse and slide the shoji shut. They had taken a lot of time at Kaede's, and the sun had already set.

Kagome had wanted to learn a couple useful concealing spells from the old miko before taking Inuyasha to her time for so long, and she'd practiced for a few hours before feeling satisfied she could do them. They still weren't as strong as they could be, but it'd have to do. The spell to conceal the Tetsusaiga from view worked almost perfectly, and Kagome was confident Inuyasha could keep it with him at all times with no trouble in her time. The spell to conceal his youkai nature, however, merely concealed his youki and dimmed his scent, leaving his ears, fangs and claws as clear giveaways. Shippou had tried to reassure Kagome's efforts by stating, in classic Kouga-fashion, that "dog-boy's stink" wouldn't go away, even with a perfect casting of the spell, promptly earning himself a few large, swelling bumps on his head. Eventually, Kagome had decided that she would just have to keep practicing in her time, and take what she could get from her untrained powers.

Now, standing with Inuyasha back on her side of the well, she peered out into the darkness towards the lights of her house. It was probably still dinnertime, and she was starved. It takes a lot of energy to spend an afternoon learning powerful concealing spells, after all. As she and Inuyasha made their way to the house, she wondered what her mother had made for dinner. She'd eat almost anything right now, even the same instant ramen she'd been eating for the last couple of weeks, but it would be even better if it was…

"Oden!" Kagome exclaimed as soon as she slid the shoji to the dining room open and saw the pot on the table. The occupants of the table jumped, and her mother turned a surprised smile to the daughter she had just been thinking of as she'd prepared her favorite dish. The stew wasn't normally prepared in the summer, but she had hoped that Kagome would be coming back that night (since she had reminded her of her responsibility to Souta that morning) and had prepared it as a "welcome home" dinner, just in case.

"Oden, oden, yummy oden," the girl continued, crossing to her mother's cushion and bending down to embrace her in greeting and gratitude. "Arigatou gozaimasu, mama! How did you know this is just what I needed?" Kagome didn't wait for an answer as she left the room to wash her hands, passing Inuyasha as he stood in the doorway, and leaving her dining family staring dumbly after her.

"Inu-no-nii-chan!" Souta exclaimed as soon as he noticed his idol. He jumped up and hurried over to the hanyou, "Are you staying for dinner?"

"Oh, yes, Inuyasha," mama insisted, "please stay, there's plenty!"

Inuyasha was about to answer when a small rectangular piece of paper was slapped to his forehead between his eyes, causing a slight yelp to squeak out of his throat, instead of the words he had been forming, as his eyes crossed.

"Demon, begone!" Grandpa Higurashi exclaimed with his usual fervor. The other occupants of the room merely sweatdropped as Inuyasha promptly peeled the ofuda off, shredded it and dropped the pieces in front of the old man.

"How many times do I gotta tell ya, old man? Those things don't work! They hurt me about as much as a fly landing on me! Kagome's `sit' does more damage!"

"And don't you forget it!" she exclaimed as she walked back into the room to sit at her cushion. Inuyasha flinched slightly at the thought of her `sit' power and her having heard him say it affected him. Kagome didn't notice. "Inuyasha, go wash your hands and come eat! Mama's oden is the best!!" and with that, she dug in to the stew her mother had served her.

Inuyasha did just as Kagome said without argument, much to her surprise. `He must've been as hungry as me!' she mused to herself.

Dinner passed without incident, as everyone kept a close eye on Grandpa. Kagome gave them a highly-edited version of their battle with Naraku; along the lines of "It was tough, but we all came together and finally beat him. There were some injuries, but nothing too bad. Everyone's taking some time to relax now." This last statement brought the subject of the impending beach vacation to the table. Kagome told them she'd invited Inuyasha along since everyone else was no longer in the village, plus it'd be nice to have someone her own age along to keep her company. At this sentiment, Mama Higurashi broke in.

"Well, that's fine if Inuyasha goes with you. Of course, you won't be completely alone, dear. Did I forget to tell you? Juri's going along, also. Her brothers, Aki and Haru, are going anyway, so she'll be there to help keep them in line. Besides, how did you think you were getting there since you don't drive," mama questioned.

"Juri? Kikugawa Juri? Mama, she's just gotten her license and you're trusting her to drive a carload of people, four of which being 10- and 11-year-old boys??!" Kagome was shocked, to say the least. Shocked… and a bit apprehensive. She'd only ever been driven around by mama, if she wasn't on public transportation.

"I have complete confidence in Juri-chan's driving abilities. After all, she wouldn't have gotten her license if she didn't do well in driving school. She's had it for almost a year now, anyway, since she just turned 19."

Kagome still didn't seem quite convinced, which was starting to make Inuyasha a little uneasy, as well. She didn't get this way during their travels in his time, when any and all kinds of youkai were constantly after them, yet this "driving" thing this "Juri" was going to do to them was making Kagome's fear-scent rise. It must be something horrendous! Before he could speak up, though, Mama Higurashi spoke again.

"Kagome," she began, rolling her eyes and letting a hint of exasperation color her tone, "it's not like you can just take a train there. You'll have too much stuff to lug it all onto the train, then into several expensive taxis, then into your cabin, and repeat the process to come home. It will be much better to just pack everything into the large van we're renting for you guys, unpack, then re-pack to come back home, don't you think?"

She finished with a smile that eerily reminded Inuyasha of the grin Kagome wore when she knew she would get her way. He shivered a little, involuntarily. Luckily for him, no one noticed, as they were all having similar reactions to her Cheshire grin.

"Okay," Kagome conceded with a sigh. "So, anyway, who else is going? You said Kikugawa Aki and Haru, but who else? You did say Souta was bringing three friends."

"Yes, I did," mama nodded, sipping her tea before continuing, "Satoru is going, as well."

"Satoru? Mayu's little brother? How is he? How's his okaa-san?" Kagome asked urgently.

Inuyasha's ears perked up at this. `Satoru? Mayu?' Those names sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't pin down why. He needn't have puzzled himself, all would soon be brought to light.

"They're great, nee-chan!" Souta piped up, glad to have something to offer the conversation, as his neck was getting a bit sore from watching their exchange. "Ever since that night you went back to the hospital, Satoru healed much faster and his mother has been a lot less depressed. Oh, yeah, she said to thank you for helping with Mayu. What did you do, Kagome? I didn't know you knew Mayu!"

`Hospital?' Inuyasha thought to himself. The fog in his memory was beginning to clear, but he couldn't quite see through it yet. However, with Kagome's next words, it all became clear.

"Well, Souta, you remember all the accidents that kept happening around Satoru and the people visiting him while he was still in the coma?" The boy nodded his head, and his sister continued, "Mayu was the one doing all that. I found out the Tatari Mokke was following her, trying to soothe her soul before she passed on to the next world. She was holding onto so much anger, though, that it was going to take her to hell, so I helped her let go of those feelings before that happened."

Kagome's family stared at her in awe, then all three spoke at once.

"Tatari Mokke?! I told you it exists!"

"What accidents that were happening?"

"You were able to see Mayu and the Tatari Mokke?"

Kagome answered Souta. "Yeah, I could see them both, though I'm not sure why…" she trailed off with a shrug.

"Keh, isn't it obvious, woman? You were meant to help her, and that's what you did. You couldn't exactly have saved her from being pulled into hell if you couldn't see and talk to her, could you?"

Kagome stared at Inuyasha, `Did he just pay me a compliment?' She had just started to smile when Inuyasha continued speaking.

"Though it was pretty stupid how you went about it. Honestly, you just ran after her recklessly, almost getting dragged down to hell with her in the process!! I couldn't even follow after you to save you because of my youkai blood! If the Tatari Mokke thought she belonged in hell, you should've let it take her instead of putting your life on the line for a little hateful soul."

Kagome steamed. "Baka! For once in your life, can you say something nice to me without mucking your mouth up with your foot afterwards? If she really deserved to go to hell, she would've! I just helped her come to terms with her anger, which she had every right to feel. She'd died so young in a fire, thinking her mother had abandoned her, when, actually, her mother didn't even know she was there! I helped her realize what she already knew in her heart: that her mother loved her deeply no matter what. If I hadn't done everything I could to help save her soul, I couldn't have lived with myself." She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to utter another word. He wisely backed down from the challenge, trying to look anywhere but at his friend's angry, slightly red face.

Grandpa broke the silence with a cackle-like chuckle. "The banter between you two kids is most entertaining, but I believe I will retire to bed now. Kagome, I expect you to give me a full description of the Tatari Mokke before you leave tomorrow. I want to add an eyewitness account to my scrolls," and with that, he exited the room, sliding the shoji back closed behind himself.

Mama decided bed was in order for all, and sent them off as she cleared off the table and went to wash the dishes.

Kagome got ready for bed in silence and set out a futon on her floor for Inuyasha. He wished he could cool her anger with him, but didn't want to risk a `sitting.' He removed his haori and laid down without a word, after taking Tetsusaiga from its spot at his hip and hugging it against his chest, in order to sleep more comfortably. He listened with his eyes closed as Kagome turned out the lights, got into bed and settled into sleep. His last thoughts, before drifting off to sleep himself, were that he hoped sleeping would calm her anger as he suspected tomorrow was going to be a long day.

End Chapter 1

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