InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forest for the Trees ❯ Hi Ho Silver! ( Chapter 13 )

Allo. Just some comments, for the good of the common-wealth. Inuyasha and Sango…I'm not going to set up any romantic involvement for them. I just can't do it, for some reason it just doesn't seem natural, I can't see it in my head. And therein lays the problem. They are just going to be portrayed as two friends helping each other around (or over) some of the fences that are life.

Oh. One more thing.

This is the last chapter.

Forest for the Trees

Chapter 13; Hi Ho Silver!!

"I've got the style, but not the grace. I've got the clothes, but not the face. I've got the bread, but not the butter. I've got the window, but not the shutter. But hey, I'm big in Japan. I'm big in Japan.

I've got the moon. I've got the cheese. I've got the whole damn nation on their knees. I've got the rooster, I've got the crow. I've got eh ebb, I've got the flow.

I've got the powder, but not the gun. I've got the dog, but not the bun. I've got the clouds, but not the sky. I've got the stripes, but not the tie. But hey, I'm big in Japan. I'm big in Japan.

Hey ho, they love the way I do it. Hey ho, there's really nothing to it."

~Tom Waits "I'm big in Japan"

<><><>

He had been sitting there for a great deal of time, its length was so immense he could no longer feel the lower part of his body. Vaguely, in the very back of his mind, he thought that this could be detrimental to his standing up at some point. But then again, he would have to have a reason to stand up…and right now he couldn't conceive of one. His mind was open like a sieve, the thoughts pouring out nonstop. They were fleeting, and he was unable to catch and hold one.

The point at where his life had begun to fall apart, where it had begun to crumble like week old bread, it must have been memorable somehow. Some great force had to pause and take note of such an occasion. Maybe they had jotted it down in some great record book, with a little note in the margin. Did they chuckle? Or maybe shake their head in shame? It was hard to say, but maybe when he reached judgment, before his inevitable descent to one of the deepest layers of hell, maybe someone would show him. He could just see it, some balding white clad figure aiming his finger to the great picture show of his life and saying; "See!? There. Right there, that's where you fucked it all up."

He reached out long slender fingers to scratch the small creature between its pointy little ears, relishing in the soft fur. He tilted his head and aimed crimson eyes questioningly at the small bunny. "I'm still fearfully evil…right?"

<><><>

Miroku rubbed the back of his neck pointedly. Obviously, just because Inuyasha was `okay' with his and Kagome's relationship, didn't mean he had to actually speak to either of them while they made their way back to the village. This was a point he had made very clear, by denying Miroku's existence and only sparing Kagome brief glances.

Kagome seemed willing to grudgingly accept this, murmuring something about a `healing processes', and `adjustment'. They wandered silently. And just when Miroku was sure he was going to burst, or become a twitching mass of muscle, Inuyasha froze; taking up a defensive stance.

"Inuyasha?" Sango questioned.

He growled low in his throat. "I smell wolf." He ground out.

Just then Kagome's spidey sense started to tingle. Doing a pouty dance she groaned. "Ahh damn it."

Surprising everyone but Kagome, Inuyasha chuckled.

"It's not funny." The affronted girl whined.

"Oh yeah it is." He affirmed with a grin. "I just can't wait for you to explain this one."

Before she could even choke out the magic word, she was firmly entrenched in the very capable arms of Kouga. "Explain what?" He questioned.

Inuyasha merely crossed his arms and looked on amused. This time it was Miroku's jaw that tightens with contained rage, and he seemed to have developed a re-accruing facial tick.

Kagome slumped slightly, looking generally dejected. "Hello Kouga."

"Kagome." He purred in his suspiciously smooth voice. "You ready to drop the pup yet?"

The air was still for a bit. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and Kagome's jaw came together with an audible `click'.

To say it was `tense' would have been a gross understatement.

Kagome could see Miroku's displeasure; she could also see Inuyasha's barely veiled embarrassment. This act of Kouga's was getting old.

"Actually," She began in a firm voice "I've been boinking Miroku quite a bit."

Kouga looked confused.

Sango looked embarrassed.

Inuyasha looked like he was going to explode with laughter.

"Boinking?" Kouga asked.

"Yes." Kagome replied. "You know, banging, shagging, riding him like a Shetland pony. I'm Miroku's woman."

Kouga's arms fell away, and he fixed the one he had only known as `the monk' with a confused glare. "What the hell?"

The question went unanswered, while Inuyasha bit down hard on his lip to keep the giggles under control.

Miroku merely looked up, one hand placed over his eye, and shrugged.

Kouga ran a hand over his face and turned to Kagome dumfounded. "You're serious?"

At Kagome's nod he ran his hand over his face again. They all stood there quietly. Kouga's mouth opened a few times, as if to say something, but never did. Finally, he merely turned and walked slowly off into the woods. After making sure the wolf was far enough away, as not to come back and kill him, Inuyasha collapsed in laughter.

"Oh that was rich!" He hooted out.

Miroku smiled and shook his head, watching Kagome with bemused wonderment. "You certainly have a way with words, dear."

Needless to say the previous tension of the group was diffused. Even Sango had a smile on her face. After Inuyasha had a chance to catch his breath again they started once again to Kaede's, much more at ease.

Miroku evened his pace to Kagome's. "What exactly is a Shetland pony?" He wondered aloud, followed by another sharp bark of Inuyasha laughter.

<><><>

Naraku was now laid out on the dirty floor of the abandoned shack. His curls mingling amidst the dust and god knows what. Rabbits were littered about the place, on table tops, bedding, his chest…it was just easier to let them stay, they constant shooing was taking its toll on his wrist joints.

With a sigh he gazed upward. Inevitably, there came a time when one accepted defeat. Be it man or demon…or half demon, failure must be acknowledged, and forces regrouped. He snorted indelectly, what forces? Rabbits?

Right now it just seemed like a good idea to fall into the great abyss and take his chances with the after life. Who knows…maybe he would get another chance.

<><><>

There was distention in the ranks. Their tiny pink noses twitched with frustration. The `fearless leader' hadn't moved for days. There was talk of mutiny. A group had gathered in the corner, they mumbled quietly of how to rise up, the highly organized troop of power hungry lop eared cuteness had had enough.

<><><>

It was late evening when they reached the village. Almost immediately after they broke the tree line, a petite kitsune came bounding towards them.

"Kagome!" He squealed happily, launching his little body towards her midsection. Said girl grinned, even as her breath rushed out of her lungs and she stumbled back a step.

"Hey Shippo. Did you miss me?"

Inuyasha snorted indelicately. "Talk about questioning the obvious." He muttered.

They continued through the clearing, Shippo happily nuzzling Kagome's stomach. The group walked in silence, until Shippo's little body tensed almost violently.

"Shippo? What's wrong?" Kagome's voice was pitched with worry, and Inuyasha scanned the field for any impending danger.

Shippo lifted his head to eye her warily. "Why do you smell like Miroku?" He demanded in a disapproving voice that sounded surprisingly like Souta.

Two identical slashes of crimson rushed across Kagome's cheeks. "Umm. Well you see… Uh." Said girl stuttered out before turning to Miroku for help.

To everyone's surprise, Miroku's cheeks carried the telltale color of embarrassment also.

Shippo jumped out of her arms and latched onto Inuyasha's readily available shoulder, which was quaking slightly with suppressed laugher. The clever little fox had no trouble putting together the pieces.

"What the hell?!" The small creature demanded. "When did this happen?"

He promptly fell to the ground as his perch collapsed, arms wrapped tightly around his torso and great guffaws of laugher rocked him. "Too much!" Inuyasha chocked out. "This is too much!"

<><><>

Kagome sat, legs crossed beside Miroku. Shippo stood defiantly before them, much like an angry father who had just found his daughter making out with her date on the front stoop. She appropriately fiddled with the inner seam of her pants, unsure of how to explain.

Seeing her apprehension Miroku acted. One capable hand hoisted the young kit up to eye level. Shippo fixed him with his sternest look, but being the well traveled man that he was, Miroku saw past it. Shippo was scared, and sad that he had to find out about this new development of his favorite person; last. "Do you have a problem with this?" The monk inquired.

Shippo remained stubbornly silent, tiny arms crossed, lips pressed into a thin line.

Miroku realized that this may take more than a simple explanation. So he set his face with an equally stern look, and set about putting the little brat in his place. "Look Shippo," he began in a firm voice "I'm in love with Kagome, and she's in love with me. She and I are going to be married, and then we can be a family."

Shippo's bottom lip began to quiver, his eyes dangerously near overflowing. "We?" He asked quietly. "As in us? The three of us?"

Miroku gave him a gentle shake. "Of course! You think we'd leave you out of this?"

Shippo stared at him, for the span of four heartbeats their eyes were locked, as if daring the other to deny what had just happened. Then Shippo gave a happy, but choked sob and threw himself at Miroku's chest.

Miroku grinned, and lifted his head to look at Kagome. Silent tears ran down her cheeks, in direct contradiction with the silly grin that was plastered on her face. She soon followed Shippo's example and threw herself on top of both of them, knocking Miroku onto his back. They laughed, cried; and just enjoyed the Hallmark moment that had become their life.

Shippo stood on Miroku's chest, and looked down at his new parents who were wrapped up in each other's arms. He gave a slight bounce, "So you guys going to have kids soon or what?"

<><><>

He watched them interact, an almost half smile touching his lips. Sango was amazed at how quickly he had accepted their love. But she couldn't help but feel for him. "I'm sorry it didn't work out for you two." She remarked in a soft apologetic voice.

That almost half smile turned into a full half smile. "Feh." He admonished just as softly. "I wasn't meant for her. Not like that." He replied gesturing to the couple with the cunning use of his chin. "Besides," he continued "she needs someone who will go back with her. And I can't think of anyone who would adjust to her time better then that monk."

As the realization sank in her mouth formed a small `o'. Then she smiled, almost sadly, and nodded. "Yes. I think your right."

<><><>

Crimson eyes fluttered open to the dieing light of day. Sighing slightly at another day gone, he brought a hand to his face…or he would have, had it not been chained down.

Well, this was new.

Letting the faint thrum of panic run through his veins he struggled to lift his head. Rising up a bit, he saw that someone had had a fabulous time with the heavy chain that bound him. There was not a part of him that was not safely secured to the ground; jerking a bit he tried to ease his head up a bit more, but to no avail. Letting out a low growl, his eyes flashed with a rage he could not deliver.

Letting his head fall back with a slight `thud', he heaved an even heaver sigh; fate had cursed his soul the day he was born. Shirley someone had known that he was destined to fail.

There was a gentle weight on his chest. Opening his eyes he found a brown cottontail sitting there.

Okay, now he was confused. Who knew a rabbit could look so serious?

"You are weak." A small childlike voice stated from a darkened corner of the dilapidated hut. "You are a weak fool with convoluted and inconsequential ambitions. Your own stupidity and lack of organization has been your downfall." Its voice was oddly high, and slightly squeaky.

"I realize this." Naraku replied. "But I also think fate, and maybe a great cosmic destiny had something to do with it."

There was silence as he waited for the voice to reply. None came; however, the army of bunnies emerged and surrounded him.

With all respect to rabbits, he thought that there was a great possibility that this could all be a figment of his disturbed and greatly disappointed mind. But at the first annoying gnaw of tiny bunny teeth he knew that even his mind could have never inserted him in a situation such as this.

Death by bunnies…who would have thought it?

<><><>

The End

That's all she wrote…literally.

Now for the general gushing: Lady Sesshoumaru; you are wonderful! But I think the puppy is dead…OD'd…shame really. A great big thank you to InuGirl13, RavenCrow16, macbaby, and kccranfield who "appricated my prose" * Grin *.

And the FF.net crowd (which grew): N.S., Luscious, PeachesDani, Miroku Fan, Davana for four times the lovin', maliceinwonderland, JadeBlueAfterGlow1, Kyasuri, HMPrune, Kaida Celeborn, and last but not least Samanda Hime-Sama who is fantabulous, can't wait for you to update!

I have a new story in the works, its AU-ish. I'm not sure how I will categorize it; there will be oodles of angst and drama. Well, more than what was in this one. Eventually I'd love to edit and repost this, maybe fix some of the early perspective problems.

The following was the inspiration to the story. I wrote this a long time ago, for some sort of English assignment. I may even have still been in high school…I don't remember. I figured it may tickle a few of you to read it…so tickle away.

To those who fear true love will never be;

For everyone who looks far and wide,

Seeking something that's not trying to hide.

To those with eyes wide but cannot see;

For everyone who lies awake in the dark;

Fearing to let someone hold their heart.

To those whose ship is lost at sea;

For everyone who has followed loves road to the end;

But refuses to see what is offered in the eyes of a friend.

To the ones who cannot see the forest for the trees.

Thank you for reading. And as always, review, I love hearing what you have to say…not to mention the number it does on my ego.