InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Demon Nature ❯ Demon Nature Chapter 20 Time after Time... ( Chapter 20 )

Demon Nature Chapter 20 Time after time…

Note: I don't own the Inu Yasha characters as I'm sure you know. ^_^

Kagome had not had a good night, and Inu Yasha was worried.

"We should go to the doctor now Kagome."
"We were just there. If I come back so soon my mother will want me to stay, Keiko and her family will be on our case…"

"I don't give a fuck about them Kagome. I care about you. Their beef is with my brother, not me."

"We are in danger as long as they are after Sesshoumaru Inu Yasha. I know that you think they'll leave us alone, but they've been on this mission for longer than I've been alive…well, you know what I mean."

"Kagome, you remember how my brother was when he thought Rin was gonna die? Do you think I'll be any better?"

"You know, that was the first time I realized how much he cares for Rin."

"Kagome, stop changing the subject. You have to go. Soon."

"To shut you up I will. Maybe I'll take Rin with me. She had so much fun…"

"I give up!" Inu Yasha shouted, storming out of the room. Kagome sighed, standing up and going to relieve herself. He was right, it was time to go. And she was serious about taking Rin. If Sesshoumaru would allow it.

Keiko had started to get used to being at the Shrine. There was a rhythm to the place, one that was relaxing and stimulating at the same time. Her mother had called her a couple of times, crying for her to come back home, that Machiko understood now that Keiko had not known about the Higurashi family's association with the family of the Great Demon of the West. She was printing out tour guides for Mrs. Higurashi, when the sound of a car pulling up to the house interrupted her. She looked up as two young people, maybe in their late teens, got out and bounded into the house.

"Hello!!!! Anybody home?" the girl shouted, her long gleaming black hair streaming down her back. Her brother, he had to be her brother, walked in behind her.

"Who are you?" he asked, stepping protectively in front of his sister.

"Keiko, Sota's fiancée. And you are?"

"Higurashi Hideo."

"I'm Higurashi Aiko. I've heard a lot about you, but it seems whenever we're here you're never here."

Keiko looked at them, a chill going through her. Both of them had golden eyes.

"What?"

Mrs. Higurashi came in and seeing her grandchildren smiled, coming over and greeting them.

"You missed your parents. They were here a few weeks ago."

"Oh. How is mother?" Aiko asked. She'd been having strange feelings about her mother, and wondered if she were okay. Father could be such a pain sometimes.

"She seems fine," Mrs. Higurashi said, not wanting to share with her grand daughter that she thought her mother was pregnant again.

"How was the South Pacific?"

"Beautiful. Hideo is such a lech…"

"I can't help it if the women want me sis," he said with a smile.

Keiko cleared her throat and they all turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry Keiko, these are my grandchildren, Kagome's children."

"Oh. I thought they were, uh, his children…"

"Oh no. He and Rin have children…"

"Uncle Sess was here??? Oh man, I would pay to see him in jeans," Aiko said with a wicked smile.

"Actually, he looked pretty good," their grandmother said. "He surprised me."

"Did Rin come?"

"Yes."

"She's so dependent on him…"

"Yes. Well, they went out a lot. Your mother stayed here. And Keiko's cousin got sick…"

"Bad food?"

"Not quite. How long will you be here?"

"University will start in the spring, so we were thinking of going to spend time with the folks."

"I gather that they're staying with your uncle."

"What???" Hideo gasped in disbelief.

"You are kidding. No way," his sister said in the same tones.

"I think so. I was just starting to cook. Stay and eat, and get to know Keiko."

Sota came in and the catching up started again. Hideo was curious as to why Keiko was staying with Sota, unmarried, but waited until later to ask Sota. When Sota finished explaining her could only stare.

"Only you would do something like that Uncle Sota. You should've told her."

"And put my mother, and your parents, at risk? Her family is sworn to kill your uncle…"

"I get it. Damn. And we come barging in talking about visiting our parents. Keiko has no idea about the well…"

"None. If she did, I think her relatives would be trying to get the jewel to go through."

"Where is it?"

"Kagome has it."

"Uncle Sess must be wild to have it so close, and not be able to touch it."

"I think he's gotten over it. He's still himself, but I got to see him with Rin, and he's completely different with her."

"He loves her. He'd never admit it, but he does."

"He doesn't have to say it. It just shows when he's around her, and vice versa."

Hideo looked away from Sota.

"I think my sister and I should go away for awhile. Away from all this talk of feuds and whatever."

"I agree. You look good. How is your girlfriend?"

"I let her go. She would never understand about my family."

"Not too many would."

"Keiko is here."

"And if she knew the whole truth…"

"No matter what Sota, don't tell her about the well. Ever."

Keiko knew she shouldn't be listening, but she'd been unable to help herself. What secret about the well were they hiding? Did anyone know the true history of the Shrine?

She stepped away from the screen and went out to the shrine, looking at the simple wood construction around it. They had both mentioned a jewel of some kind. She opened the door that hid the shrine from view when it wasn't open, and she stepped inside. It was dark, a little dank, and she stood for a minute to let her eyes adjust to the lack of light. While her eyes were adjusting she didn't notice a field mouse come in and scamper past her down and down into the well. It sniffed around and found nothing.

"I don't see anything special about this place," Keiko was saying as she leaned over the edge of the ancient wooden structure that surrounded the actual pit. The mouse used the shadow to its advantage, waiting until the curious woman left before changing form and scampering up the ladder. Lady Leiko would want to know this information at once the demon said to itself. It was dark now, and he left, striding quickly away from the shrine. For her part Keiko decided it was time to talk to her aunt. If Machiko wasn't angry with her any more, it would be safe to go there for a visit.

Keiko made her way back to the house just as Aiko and Hideo were leaving. She stood watching them, and except for their eyes they looked totally human, no white hair, no dog ears or marks on their faces.

"Keiko. There you are!!" Sota said, coming over to her and taking her hand.

"Say goodbye to my niece and nephew."

Both hanyou were now wearing dark glasses, and their expressions were more guarded than they had been.

"Good bye," the girl said, getting into the passenger seat.

"Later," her brother said, giving both Sota and Keiko the once over. They were driving a small BMW Keiko noticed for the first time. How did they have that kind of money?

"So Keiko, how did you like the shrine?"

She couldn't hide her surprise, and looked at Sota.

"I…"

"They are half demon, with a very good sense of smell. They knew you went there, and they told me. If you wanted to see it you could've just asked me."

"Are they the Demon's children?"

"No. I don't think you want to meet them either from what Aiko and Hideo say. They are, human in appearance only."

"Oh."

"Your mother called. She says your grandmother wants to see you."

"Is she coming here?"

"Yes. She's on her way."

Mrs. Higurashi agreed to do the tours this morning so that Sota and Keiko could talk to her grandmother, Kasumii. Sota had met the woman once before, but today when he saw her he saw that she was more than she appeared. He didn't know if that was because his niece and nephew had been here and left their supernatural aura, or if she was just not holding back anymore.

"Grandmother, welcome," he bowed, and Keiko, still not over her surprise, gave her grandmother a deeply reverent bow.

"Hello Keiko-chan, Sota-chan. Where is your mother Sota?"

"She is doing the tours this morning."

"I see."

She had never been here before, but she turned and went right to the well, standing just out of hearing range of the tour group that had come to do devotions here.

"When they are gone…"

"No, I just wanted to see it from this time," she said softly before turning to Keiko.

"We must talk. The reappearance of the Demon Lord in this time means that a war that was ended will begin again, and you need to know things. Tell me, was the human girl still with him?"

"Yes. She called herself Rin…"

"Lady Rin has lived on. So the evil does have a heart."

"I, she can't be…"

"Don't tell me what can't be when you don't know what is child!" the old woman said sharply.

"Come we must talk. Oh, has Gen ever been here?"

"No…"

"Never allow her here, and if she comes, pray the Demon or his brother are here to protect you. She is in league with evil. Come. We have to talk."