InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A New Twist ❯ Return and Confusion ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha or any of Inu-Yasha's people. Though I would love to tie Sesshomaru up and keep him hidden in my closet. (It's barely big enough for him) I do own all my little people that have infiltrated my mind and my story. Enjoy!

 

Chapter 8

 

Kagome climbed out of the well and spotted Ether sitting on the edge, her bag at her feet. Kagome looked at it with a slight frown. “Was that all you took with you?” she asked very seriously. She wanted to know how someone could survive with so little things.

Ether nodded with a smile. “I don't need much. A change of clothes, a couple things to help me hunt, that's all I really need.” She said with a shrug, how was she supposed to explain to anyone that her mother had taught her how to hone what skills she had so that when she was alone in the wilderness, she could survive?

Kagome sighed and sat down next to Ether. “Ether…I should have taken more time to explain the feudal time to you.” She said softly and slowly so that no one could hear them.

Ether looked at her confused. “What do you mean? I've researched the feudal time a few years back for a research assignment in school. I know how to be careful.”

Kagome shook her head. “No, that's not it. The thing is, Sesshomaru is a killer who has tried several times to kill me and Inu-Yasha just for a sword. I don't think he would hesitate to kill you either.” Kagome kept her eyes averted from Ether.

Ether was becoming very confused. “That doesn't sound like Sesshomaru. When I was staying in his castle, he was always nice to me, a little distant and quiet, but nice. He even had a spider demon make me a lot of kimonos and gowns to wear.” She frowned slightly. “So many in fact that I wonder if he had planned for me to stay for a long time.” She sighed and shrugged. “When I taught him poker…”

Kagome looked up sharply and laughed. “Wait…you taught him poker? How'd you do that?” she asked, laughing at the thought of Sesshomaru with cards in his hands.

Ether grinned. “I took a deck of cards with me. I taught Rin and Lilly go fish and Sesshomaru ordered me to teach him something I hadn't taught them. So I taught him poker.” Ether grinned evilly. “Did you know he's a card counter?”

Kagome broke out laughing hysterically. “No way, Sesshomaru? The great and powerful demon lord is a card counter?” (a/n: for those who don't know, I find being a card counter very funny because all it is, is a mathematical calculation that casinos have banned.)

Ether nodded with enjoyment. “Yeah, I was really surprised when he went from loosing to suddenly winning.” She sighed and stopped laughing as she heard footsteps. “Moms coming.” She whispered nervously. Would her mother send her back to the orphanage after this? Maybe it had been a bad idea to go back in time after Kagome. She shook her head mentally; she wouldn't take back what she did for the world. She had enjoyed herself after getting over the boredom of doing nothing.

The well house door slammed open as an angry Mrs. Higurashi stormed in. “Ether Higurashi! How could you leave without even telling me? Sota called me just before I reached the school to tell me that you had gone through the well! I had to come back immediately to keep Sota from jumping in and chasing after you!” She was a little red in the face from yelling.
Ether had nearly curled up into a ball of shame when her mother had started yelling. She was waiting for those words that told her to pack her things when she felt warm arms wrap around her. She looked up in surprise to find her mother had pulled her into a worried embrace. “You're alright though? Nothing bad happened?”

Ether shook her head, a little shocked by the reaction. Usually when she did something wrong, she was punished severally, not pulled into a hug. She felt tears well up into her eyes and she cried silently. She was so happy that she wasn't being forced to leave.

Kagome smiled and sighed softly. “Mom, I think you're choking her.” Kagome commented when her mom kept hugging Ether hard.

Mrs. Higurashi laughed softly and released Ether only to hug Kagome tightly. “And as for you, you have a lot of homework to make up so I suggest you get started!” she smiled lovingly down at her two daughters before turning and heading for the kitchen. “Dinner will be ready in a couple hours so spend some time together.”
Kagome moaned, she was not looking forward to her English homework. “I could help you with your homework.” Ether said hesitantly. She didn't like to brag, but she was advanced for her age.

Kagome looked at her hopefully. “Do you know anything about English?” she asked, her eyes glittering with hope.

Ether nodded quickly. “We were taught in the orphanage incase an English speaking family adopted one of us.” She said, her smile fading as Kagome gained a mischievous look.

“Good, because I need help and since you seem to be able to follow me, you'll be my tutor.” Kagome grabbed Ether's arm and laughed as she pulled her towards the house. “We'll start right away! I need all the help I can get!” Kagome said exasperated.

Ether smiled and quickly followed, hanging onto the strap of her bag as she hurried to keep up. “Where are you having trouble?” she asked, she needed to know what she needed to help Kagome with.

Kagome rolled her eyes. “I'm stuck on conjugation and just trying to memorize it in general.” She said with a long and loud sigh.

Ether nodded and started to think about how she had been taught, so long ago. She shook her head and then quickly followed Kagome, who had dropped her arm. Before Ether reached the door leading into the house, she stopped and looked around. She sensed something coming towards the shrine. “Kagome?” she whispered her sister's name just as a middle-aged couple walked up the shrine steps.

Kagome stopped and looked back as well, only now sensing the two demons approaching. She pulled at Ether to enter the house, but Ether wouldn't move. “Come on Ether. We'll be safe inside.”

Ether shook her head and then smiled back at Kagome. “It's ok. I know them.”

The couple hurried up, glancing around at the shrine a little nervously at first, and then nervously at Kagome. “Ether…can we talk?” A tall red headed woman with green eyes said softly.

Ether frowned and glanced back at Kagome. Kagome gave her a worried look, but she shrugged. Ether turned back to the couple. “I guess Mrs. Sohma.” She followed the two demons to the edge of the shrine, just above the steps.

The man cleared his throat. His hair was a fair blonde, nearly white, and his eyes were a piercing blue. “Ether…The orphanage told us you plan on staying with this human family.” He said confused. “We weren't quite sure they were telling us the truth, but…” he looked around and then to his wife.

Mrs. Sohma placed a hand on Ether's shoulder. “Ether, you'll be 17 soon and you need to live with a demon family. When you turn 17, you'll stop aging like a human and you'll age like a demon. You'll need to be around demons because of…” she hesitated, unsure on how to continue.

Ether was getting confused. The Sohma's were starting to sound very confusing. “I don't understand. The Higurashi's are my blood relatives, or at least Kagome and Sota are.” She said. “And what does me turning 17 have to really do with anything? They know I'm part demon, so they'll understand when I stop aging.”

Mr. Sohma sighed. “Ether, it's not the aging we're worried about. When you turn 17, your natural demonic powers will start to grow. It will be painful and you will need a demon to help train you. Not only that, but being around a priest or a priestess will severally injure you in some way. You need to live with a demon family for awhile.”

Ether grew angry and she pulled away. “That can't be right. Mother never told me anything about my powers growing when I turned 17. Besides, I don't even have any powers. I can heal a little, sense things, I have stronger vision, hearing, and smell, but that's it.” She shook her head and then took another step back. “I'm staying with my family. I'm sorry.”

Mrs. Sohma took a step forward. “Ether, we're doing this for your own good. You need a demonic family to help you now,” Mrs. Sohma reached out to grab Ether's arm. Her claws dug into Ether's arm slightly, making Ether wince from the jab.

“Is there a problem here?” Ether turned her head and smiled when she saw her mom. Kagome had told her mother that there were two demons talking to Ether and that she was worried. “I would appreciate if you released my daughter.” She stated in a hard voice.

Mrs. Sohma frowned. “Your daughter? What gives you the right to call her your daughter?” she asked with a hiss. Mr. Sohma placed a hand on his wife's arm to try and calm her a little.

Mrs. Higurashi bristled slightly. “The fact that she is my husband's daughter gives me the right. That and because I have adopted her officially.”

Ether pulled away from Mrs. Sohma and quickly ran into the house, looking much like a blur. She peaked out of the door and continued to listen.

“Mrs. Higurashi, please understand that we want what is best for Ether, and living near a priest or priestess will hurt her more then you know.” Mr. Sohma said, trying to keep the two women calm.

Mrs. Higurashi frowned and straightened. “I understand that, but it is Ether's choice on where she wants to live. She is old enough to make that decision.” She said before bowing slightly and turning. “Good day to you.” She turned and walked back to her house, dismissing the two demons.

Kagome grinned in triumph as the two demons turned after a moment and walked down the steps, arguing with each other the whole way.
Ether caught parts of the argument. It was mostly that she wasn't old enough in demon standards and that she didn't understand that she would change on her 17th birthday. She frowned, she wasn't going to change, or else her mother would have told her something…right? `Of course she would have.' She told herself mentally.

 

After dinner Kagome took Ether up to her room to try and study English together. After an hour or so of struggling, Kagome was starting to see some sense in the idiotic language.

It was going on 10o'clock at night when their mom told them to go to bed and put the books away. Kagome and Ether were laughing and telling each other stories instead of doing the homework that had been brought home for Kagome. They both asked their mom if they could stay in Kagome's room. She said yes of course, thinking that they could take the time to act like real sisters.

“So, what's it like. Really?” Kagome asked with a grin.

“What's what like?” Ether asked in confusion.

“Being part demon. Inu-Yasha never explains anything to me and Shippo doesn't understand what I'm asking.” Kagome said with one of her sighs.

Ether frowned and shrugged. “Well…I can hear things better, a lot better, I can smell things from about a mile away, I can sense stuff, like auras though I think that's from dads side of the family…I'm not to sure, I can run really fast, lift heavy stuff, and…” She thought for a moment. “Sometimes I can move stuff mentally. You know, like a psychic or something.” Ether shrugged. “But that's only when I'm really really mad, and I try not to loose my temper.” She sighed softly shaking her head. She had only been able to use that power, yes she admitted it was a power even though she had told the Sohma's she didn't have a power, when her mother had died. Only that one time.

Kagome nodded. “When do you turn into a human?” she asked, thinking that it might be a good thing to know.

Ether frowned even more. “Into a human? That's never happened to me.”

Kagome looked at her in surprise. “But, your half-demon, you should turn into a human once a month. Inu-Yasha does and he hates it.”

Ether scratched her head lightly in confusion. She had never felt any changes to her strengths or senses once a month during her entire life. “I never have, so…” she shrugged, not sure what to say.

Kagome frowned and then sighed. `Another puzzle to solve one day. Perhaps it's because of her locket?' She thought to herself. “Well…alright, lets get some sleep.” She said, reaching over to turn off her lamp from her bed.

Ether nodded and sighed, she was on the floor, on a sleeping bag, like a slumber party or something. “Right, have a good night.”

“Have a good night.”

 

Sesshomaru was pacing restlessly in his sleeping chambers. Every now and then he would stop at the hidden door connecting his room to Ether's and he would listen carefully. He couldn't stand the silence of her not being there, he wanted to hear her light breathing of sleep and he wanted to smell her sweet cucumber melon scent, `what a strange combination,' he thought to himself as he pushed the hidden door open. He smoothly walked to her bed and sat down gently. He picked up her pillow and held it up, his eyes closed slightly. A small smile appeared as he set the pillow back down. He couldn't wait until the girl that captured his thoughts and possibly his heart came back to him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok, I think I did really bad on this chapter. It was long, and literally about nothing except Kagome and Ether. Yes I am hinting at something happening to Ether, and No the Sohma's are not from Fruit Basket.

 

I personally like the smell of cucumber melon.