InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fire and Ice ❯ Bright Idea ( Chapter 6 )

A/N: There's one bonus to my staying home due to the silly pony forgetting he has four feet. Quick updates! Thanks to my well wishers, and I'll do my best to avoid anymore knocks to the head. I don't want to rattle any of my story out of place. Maybe I need to get some hobbies where I won't be injured all the time. Hmmm. Anyways, enjoy.

 

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“Shit!”

 

“Language, Mama.” Mizuki looked up from her own work to find her mother in the doorway.

 

“Merkamou lost an entire squad that was out patrolling.” Kagome quickly crossed the room to hand the message to her daughter.

 

“I helped to train this Captain, what happened?”

 

“Ningens. They were all killed by a group of ningens.”

 

Mizuki sat frozen, no longer looking at the message but staring into space with her eyes unfocused. “I have a small unit that has not reported on time. I thought that they were just behind schedule and was not concerned, since they were in ningen territory.”

 

“You may want to check on them.”

 

“Ningens.” Scanning over the message, the usually pale face lost what little color it held. “There was a trap, and they had some new weapons. There was one survivor that went back to Merkamou.”

 

“The ningens have been after him for ages now, and they're starting to get really good at it.”

 

“I must check on my unit.”

 

Kagome's daughter was gone before her mother could say another word.

 

`It's started. I knew the youkai would fall to the ningens, but I just kept thinking that it would be some time later in the future. I guess it's now. Everyone's in danger now. Sesshomaru, Merkamou, and all of the youkai will be hunted down. So will the hanyous. My children.'

 

Pacing in her daughter's empty office, Kagome tried to keep panic at bay. `We can hide. I'm a ningen, and I know I can keep them out of sight. Katsuro's not bad, except for the ears, but we can hide those. That's what baseball caps are for, after all. Mizuki won't look any weirder then Inuyasha did, and she'll behave herself. Sesshomaru . . . oh, that'll be fun. No, honey, don't strike that man down for whistling at me. Or that one for looking at you funny. Or that one for breathing too loud.'

 

Kagome suddenly realized where she was and took herself back to her own study. `Okay, so we get a house in the country, so Sesshomaru can be a weird recluse. That's fine. Then what? We just pretend that he's not the Lord of the Western Lands? Well, what's he going to be Lord of when the ningens take over? What if the others are destroyed? They won't know what's coming and they won't know that they have to hide. I can't risk Merkamou and Yuriko like that. Or Hideaki and Mayu. Isamu . . . nope, not even him.'

 

Pacing around her own study, Kagome was completely ignored by her assistant and her son. `And Kumo, and the Captain, and Jaken. We have to get all of them out of sight. I have to let the others know, so they can at least have a chance. I never saw youkai in Tokyo, and least not that I noticed. Were they all destroyed? Is this all pointless? Or were they just hidden that well? I'm giving myself a headache, and then Sesshomaru's going to be in here telling me to knock it off. I'm getting too wound up to even think straight.'

 

“Kumo, distract me.”

 

“There is a message from Akira on your desk.”

 

“Perfect!” Stepping over Katsuro and Shou, the Lady of the West went to her desk and broke open her message. `No blossom, so it's just a reply. Thank goodness.' “Looks like we have company coming.”

 

“Yeah? Who?” Her son was lying on his back, playing with Shou. The dragon was producing little growls as he pounced on Katsuro.

 

“Focus, Katsuro-kun. Who have we been expecting?”

 

“Since when does us expecting someone have anything to do with who shows up and when?”

 

“Okay, okay, you have a point. Akira says that Seiji is heading out. He's probably on his way already.”

 

“Does this qualify as an honored guest?”

 

A ball of paper was chucked at Katsuro. “Yes, you have to behave yourself. At least for a couple of days. Then we can let him meet the real family.”

 

“Oh well. I'm sure Mizuki will be all excited to have her new boyfriend out for a visit.”

 

“You better not let her hear you saying that. I sure won't stop her.”

 

“I'm feeling so loved.” Tackling Shou, Katsuro sat up to look at his mother. “So now what? He comes out, you look him over. I know what will happen if he fails, but what if he passes?”

 

“That's up to Mizuki. Akira wrote that she's willing to look at other ways to form an alliance, so that doesn't depend on her being with this Seiji fellow. I'd like it if she would fall in love.”

 

“I don't think you'll be able to get her to unbend for that long.”

 

“That's no way to talk about your sister!”

 

“But its true, and you know it.”

 

“Hai.” Kagome dropped her chin into her hands. “What are we going to do with her?”

 

“I've been worrying about this for days, and you know what I figured out? I'm not going to worry about it anymore. She doesn't want the same things that I want, so how can I tell her what to do?”

 

“Good point. I mean, she is a lot like your father, and he's not exactly a die hard romantic.”

 

“I've met rocks that were more romantic then father.”

 

“Wow, you really must be looking for a beating. Keep talking like that and I'm sure one of them will overhear you.”

 

“I'll take my chances. They're going to find an excuse to beat up on me either way, so I might as well say whatever I want in the mean time.”

 

“Just don't go and get yourself killed. You're my one hope for a great romance in the family, so try to stay alive at least that long.” Kagome was shocked when her son actually blushed. “Okay, what is it?”

 

“What is what?”

 

“You're blushing. Don't try to hide it. Who is she?”

 

“Feeling just a little bit like a hunted animal now, Mama.”

 

“Oh my goodness! You really do like someone! Come on, tell who it is. Is it Roka's daughter? She's been watching you for years now. Oh, I know, it's Marise! I saw you talking to her a couple of weeks ago.”

 

“No to both, Mama. Can't you just let it go?”

 

“First Shippou and now you. It's been a long time since . . . oh no. It's not Cho, is it?”

 

“Of course not! I can't stand her!”

 

“Oh no. You like Cho.”

 

Jumping to his feet, Katsuro roamed about his mother's study. “You're being ridiculous, Mama. I've known Cho for ages, and we never have gotten along.”

 

“Yeah, but the last time you saw her you still thought girls were icky. Now she's a beautiful lady, and I think you've finally noticed.”

 

“Noticed what? She's just as annoying as ever.”

 

“And Shippou likes her, too. Oh, please don't start fighting about her.”

 

“Stop!” Katsuro's sudden outburst startled everyone, including Shou. The dragon shot out the window to find Mizuki. “Great, now she's going to want to know what I did to Shou.”

 

“Gomen, Katsuro-kun. I just don't want the two of you to fight over something like this. You've been friends for almost your entire life.”

 

“Don't worry about it, Mama. Everything will be fine.”

 

----

 

“I have an idea.”

 

`Kami, please save me from my mate and her ideas.' Sesshomaru did not pause in his drill, but he did spare a glance for the excited ningen. “Hai.”

 

“We need to talk this whole treaty thing through with Akira, right? And we need to talk to Merkamou about the ningen attack. Why not do both at the same time? And if we bring in Hideaki, you guys can all figure out what you're going to do.”

 

“What do you mean? What do we need to plan?”

 

Kagome looked all around before continuing. “I told you what the future was like. The youkai aren't in charge, the ningens are. And I told you about what they can do, and the weapons they come up with. The youkai that are left are in hiding, and for good reason. If anyone figured it out, there would be mass panic and medical experiments and all sorts of nasty stuff.”

 

“We have discussed this.”

 

“I think we're getting to the point in time where the youkai need to start making themselves scarce. Merkamou has had nothing but trouble since that miko attacked him and Rin-chan all those years ago, and the weapons just keep getting better and better. And they are spreading all over! Just think about the Edo of the future, with millions of people in one city.”

 

“Are you suggesting that we tell everyone about the future?”

 

“Not really, that would be bad, but we need to try and convince them that the youkai are not going to rule forever. Or even much longer, from the looks of it. Even you've been having trouble, but its easier for you since your mate is not only amazing, she's a ningen.” Smiling brightly, Kagome clasped her hands behind her back and rocked up on her toes.

 

“And why will we spend this time convincing them of what is coming?”

 

“Because I don't want them to be hunted down. No matter what happens I'm going to tell Merkamou to hide, since I don't want anything to happen to him, but we really should tell the others. I don't even want Isamu to be hunted down like an animal. If everyone starts to disappear now the ningens will just forget about the youkai. Now is not the time for worrying about attacking each other, or none of you are going to see my time.”

 

“You are exaggerating.”

 

“I told you about those bombs when the whole world went to war, right? Do you honestly think you could survive something like that? And they'd use it on youkai, if they thought it was dangerous enough.”

 

“Hn.”

 

“Merkamou and Hideaki are your allies, do you want to see them killed by a mob of ningens?”

 

“Hideaki is not officially an ally, but I would not wish for him to die in that manner.” The miko was glaring again, so Sesshomaru continued. “Or Merkamou.”

 

“And I don't want Akira to die that way, so that means we need to get all of them together.”

 

“They will never agree to that. It is far too much of a risk to gather all of the Lords in one place, short of the occasional war.”

 

“You have no idea what kind of power I have, do you?” The bright smile darkened to something that reminded Sesshomaru of his daughter. “I can make it happen. If I can get them to agree, will you come?”

 

“If you can arrange it, yes.” `She does have a point. Her time is ruled by the ningens, and I would rather have the youkai alive but waiting in the wings.'

 

“Great! It's been so long since I've seen Akira or Isamu. Since their son is looking at Mizuki, it's probably good that we get to see them again.”

 

“How will you convince them of the fall of the youkai without revealing your own past? Future?” The taiyoukai paused in his drill, trying to decide on which word was more accurate.

 

“Don't worry about that part. Just worry about bullying them when they refuse, because you know they will. This will be so much easier if everyone just disappears. We don't need any troublemakers reminding the ningens that we're here.”

 

“You are a ningen as well.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But someone has to look out for the youkai of Japan.”

 

Sesshomaru stopped completely to look at her. “We do not need to be watched over.”

 

“That's what you think. Just wait until I have access to a car again.”

 

----

 

Looking all about, Cho sighed with relief when she saw no one. Shippou had been following her again, and she had been trying to lose him for over an hour. Finally she could have some peace and quiet. She clutched her reading in one hand and a blanket in the other, making her way through the gardens to the spot she had picked out. It was a lovely cherry tree that was just starting to bloom. Absolutely perfect for a session of peaceful reading, and a respite from this insane family.

 

`I will be forever thankful to Mizuki for bringing me here, but they are just so unusual! I can trace most of it to the unusual miko that Sesshomaru took as his mate. She is so bold and loud. It's just downright masculine. How did she ever attract a male as powerful as Sesshomaru?' Settling under the tree, Cho opened her reading to the poem she had left off on. The wind was in the leaves, and the scent of the cherry blossoms was all around her. `Nirvana.'

 

A soft snore startled her, and she looked up to see black hair and the sleeve of a green kimono.

 

“Ahh!”

 

“Ahh!” Katsuro jerked awake and promptly fell out of the tree, landing a handspan away from Cho with papers fluttering down around him. “Ow.”

 

“What do you think you're doing, Katsuro-san? Can you not leave me alone?”

 

“Leave you alone? I was sound asleep when you woke me up, baka!” Snapping his head up, Katsuro gave Cho a sharp look. “It's not all about you!”

 

“So you were not following me?”

 

“No. I was going over some stuff for Ki-chan when I dozed off. You try reading some of this junk without falling asleep, but I told her I would check them over for her. It was quite a nice nap, actually, until someone woke me up and I fell out of the tree!”

 

“Oh.” Blushing, Cho looked at the ground. “Gomen nasai, Katsuro-san.”

 

Realizing who he was talking to and what he sounded like, Katsuro blushed in return. “It's okay, Cho-san. I was just surprised.”

 

“So Mizuki has you helping with reports? How dull.”

 

“Very. Believe it or not, she's pretty bad at writing out her ideas. They make perfect sense to her, and sometimes me, but no one else. And her calligraphy! I'm kind of a translator, and I go over her stuff and make it make sense. As much as I can, anyways. I usually help her keep up on the reports and stuff, and I keep an eye on the spies that father has out. It keeps me out of trouble.”

 

“Mizuki will be very annoyed when she learns that you fell asleep on the job.”

 

“She won't know unless you tell her.”

 

“Oh, I had not thought of that.” Cho looked up to the blossoms above her. “I guess it is all up to me, then.”

 

“And here I thought you had grown out of this. What's the price this time, leopard?”

 

“I will think of something, I am sure.”

 

“Great. Just great.” Gathering up his scattered reports, Katsuro looked down at Cho's book. “So, what are you reading?”

 

“Poetry.”

 

“By who?”

 

“You would not know him, Katsuro-san. Somehow I doubt that you would be interested in any of these authors.”

 

“The year's first day
thoughts and loneliness;
the autumn dusk is here.” (1)

 

Katsuro looked quite smug as he finished.

 

Cho's mouth dropped open. “Nani? Where did that come from?”

 

“Matsuo Basho. Ever heard of him?”

 

“No, I have not heard of him before, but it's lovely.” Looking around, Cho dropped her voice to a conspirator's whisper. “Do you want to hear my favorite?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“I do not play to please others.

Alone I play, alone I sing,

And this brings joy to my heart.” (2)

 

“I recognize that one, I think. Is it from “Hojoki”?”

 

“Is this some sort of a trick? How would you know that?”

 

“Don't tell anyone, and I'll let you in on a secret.” Katsuro dropped his voice to a stage whisper. “I read poetry.”

 

“I cannot believe this.”

 

“Neither can Ki-chan, actually. She's been taunting me about it for years, but I don't know if she's much of a judge. If it doesn't involve defeating her enemies, whoever they are, she doesn't seem to have time.”

 

“Come on, tell me another one, just so I will believe you.”

 

“Clouds appear
and bring to men a chance to rest
from looking at the moon.” (3)

 

Shaking her head in wonder, Cho set her book down to focus on Katsuro. “And you can do this from memory?”

 

“Just the haikus, and then just my favorites. Anything longer then that and I need to have it written down. I recognize parts, like the one you said, but I can't recite them.”

 

“Why do you read poetry, Katsuro-san?”

 

The blush was back. “I don't know. I just like it. Some of them are funny, and some make you think, and then there are the ones . . .”

 

“That take your breath away.”

 

“Exactly. I have some more that I don't think you've read, they're by the same guy. I could lend them to you, if you wanted.”

 

“And I have one that you should borrow. It's by a member of father's court, but he is very good. I think you would like him. I have it here, so I can give it to you later.”

 

“Arigato, Cho-san.”

 

“Would you like to hear some more of my favorite? It's not very often I have someone to enjoy my poetry with.”

 

“Sure, Cho-san.”

 

----

 

“Here, try it again Katsuro.”

 

Gritting his teeth, the inu-hanyou tried yet again to toss Shippou to the ground but failed. “How the hell are you doing that?”

 

“Being the strongest isn't everything you know.” Catching his friend by the arm, Shippou tossed him to the ground. “Don't just yank on me, use your whole body.”

 

“Ugh. Can't we go help Ki-chan or something? This hurts.”

 

“You wanted me to show you what Yuriko and I were working on, and this is it. You're just annoyed that I'm beating you.”

 

“Sure, I'll admit it. I like it better when you're the one flat out in the grass.”

 

Shippou smiled and pulled his friend back up. “After this we can go annoy Mizuki. She's been stuck inside all day and Shou's moping.”

 

“You know, if we work together we could probably get most of her backlog taken care of and she would be free.”

 

“Paperwork? No way!”

 

“Please, Shippou? I'll let you beat up on me again tomorrow if you help me. One way or another I'm getting Ki-chan out of that office, and if you help I won't have to spend all day doing it.”

 

“Fine. We can do paperwork. I call doing the ledgers! I like playing with her abacus.”

 

“Just try to get some of the numbers right this time.”

 

“Katsuro-san?”

 

Both males pivoted at the soft voice.

 

“Hai, Cho-san?”

 

“Here is the book I told you about. I hope you enjoy it.” Cho held out a small volume.

 

“Arigato, Cho-san. I still need to grab that book for you. I think it's in my room. I can drop it off with you after dinner.”

 

“At your leisure, Katsuro-san.” With a small bow, Cho walked back up to the palace.

 

Katsuro whacked himself on the forehead with the book. “I can't believe I forgot to get that book for her. She's been waiting for two days, and I haven't even started looking for it. It's got to be in my room somewhere.”

 

Shippou had a strange look on his face. “You're loaning each other books? What's this about?”

 

“Huh? Oh, its nothing.” Pulling the book close so Shippou couldn't see what it was, Katsuro started to back away. “Weren't we going to go save Ki-chan?”

 

“Not until you tell me why you're hiding that book. What is it? What are you two doing?”

 

“It's nothing! Really! Now drop it.”

 

“Let me see it!” Shippou made a leap for Katsuro and the book, just barely missing. His second leap caught his friend across the small of his back and sent them both to the ground.

 

“Get off of me, you whacko!” Katsuro tried to squirm away without damaging the book, but Shippou was sitting on him.

 

“If it's nothing, then let me see it!”

 

Tousling ensued, and Shippou finally leapt away with the book in hand. “What the hell? Poetry?”

 

“Hai, poetry, now give it back! Cho-san is going to have a fit if something happens to it.”

 

“Why are you reading poetry? Would you sink that low just to talk to her?”

 

“Fine, fine, I've been reading this stuff for a long time now. There, you happy?”

 

“Yeah, right. You're pretending to read this stuff just to spend time with her.”

 

“Quit being jealous! It's nothing!”

 

“I'm not jealous, just surprised that my friend would lie just to get in with some annoying female.”

 

“You are too jealous! I'm not lying, now give it back!” Katsuro lunged, dragging Shippou down.

 

“Get off of me, you big fat liar!”

 

“Give me back my poetry!”

 

----

 

`What was that?' Kagome went to her window to watch as Katsuro tackled Shippou. `Give me back my poetry? That doesn't make any sense. When I picked this room I wanted a view of the gardens. I never expected to find so many fights out there. Oh look, Shippou just bit Katsuro's ear.'

 

“Let go of my ear, asshole!”

 

`Just great.' “Mizuki!”

 

----

 

Alone in her study, Mizuki let her forehead hit her desk. `I will never get done at this rate. Now what?' Her frustrated movements sent papers fluttering across the floor as she marched towards her mother's voice.

 

“Hai.”

 

“Take a look at this.”

 

Katsuro had Shippou down, but the kitsune still had a death grip on the book. “Give it back!”

 

“I do believe Katsuro is bleeding, Mama.” Mizuki continued to watch as Shippou got one arm loose and connected with Katsuro's jaw. `I would be willing to bet my naginata that this is due to Cho.'

 

“Could you be a dear and break them up before they really get hurt?”

 

“May I borrow this?” Mizuki lifted Kagome's staff from its resting place in the corner.

 

“As long as I don't have to get the healer afterwards.”

 

“I will show restraint.” Vaulting out the window, the hanyou walked across the grass towards the fight.

 

“Today, Mizuki!”

 

“Hai, Mama.”

 

Katsuro never actually saw his sister. One second he had Shippou down and was trying to throttle him, and the next he was flying through the air, courtesy of a staff swung into his side.

 

Not one to pass up on an opportunity, Shippou tried to bolt with the book in hand, but found himself on the receiving end of Mizuki's tight grip. With his paws several inches off the ground, running no longer seemed like an option.

 

“What is going on?”

 

Shippou's eyes flickered everywhere but at the icy gaze directed at him. Behind Mizuki, Katsuro was picking himself up again. “Give it back!”

 

“Urk!” The kitsune struggled again when he saw the black haired hanyou coming for him.

 

“Stop.” Mizuki snapped the staff up, holding off her brother. “No one moves until I know the cause of this.”

 

“Interesting.”

 

Danger.

 

Instincts came to the fore as Mizuki dropped Shippou and shoved her brother behind her. Staff at guard, she put herself between him and the intruder. Watching them was a male, smirking at the tussle. Recognition kicked in for Mizuki. “Seiji-san.”

 

“And you must be Mizuki-san. How fascinating.”

 

Mizuki's eyes narrowed. `I hate him already.'

 

----

 

(1) Matsuo Basho (1644 - 1694), courtesy of http: / / www. toyomasu. Com / haiku /

(2) “Hojoki” by Kamo no Chomei (1212)

(3) Matsuo Basho (1644 - 1694), courtesy of http: / / www. toyomasu. Com / haiku /