InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hagakure ❯ An Illusion of Peace ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha or any of its characters. I simply abuse them for my own twisted means of amusement.

A/N: I'm alive…though after you read this incredibly short chapter, I might not be…

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An Illusion of Peace

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Shiro watched as the group he was traveling with once again dissolved into a fit of squabbles. It was quite ridiculous. Something the wolf said had set Inu-Yasha off and the two were currently being held apart from physically fighting one another (Shiro was personally hoping Inu-Yasha would win, if it came to a fistfight-it would save him the trouble of fighting the wolf himself).

The demon lord took this opportunity to sit down-not that he needed the rest-and observe the scenery. Beautiful forests surrounded their current path. They were deceptively inviting and peaceful-a metaphor for his life. He hadn't done anything peacefully for a while and was sure he wouldn't be able to until after Naraku was long gone.

A gentle breeze shifted through the deceptively calm branches and brought with them a strange scent. It smelled faintly of the girl Kagome, but was different at the same time-death and soil were intermingled. A white snakelike creature emerged from the alluring woods, soon fallowed by several others.

Inu-Yasha, at the notice of the white serpents, instantly dropped all matters of conversation-hostile or not.

"Kikyou…" the hanyou whispered.

Shiro's keen nose picked up an initial elevation in the level of distress in everybody but the wolf's scent. Soon after, however, Kouga must have scented the change in everybody because he stopped his goading and became slightly agitated himself.

"What is going on?" Shiro asked in a low tone.

"Kikyou was...Inu-Yasha's first love," Miroku explained quietly, looking over at the dazed hanyou to make sure he wasn't listening. "She died but first pinned him to the God Tree with a sacred arrow after being tricked by Naraku; she was resurrected by an ogre and now wants to take him to hell with her."

Shiro nodded, acknowledging the monk's words-confusing cliff notes version though they were, then watched Inu-Yasha's reaction to the nearby presence of his once dead love. He was agitated, but not angry; his scent was filled with dread and desire-he was full of conflicting emotions.

"What the hell is that?" Kouga asked, a look of disgust crossing his features. Miroku sighed and ignored him-he wasn't about to explain it again.

Kikyou stepped out of the bushes. She stood, her soul gatherers dancing around her undead form.

Kagome's eyes momentarily glazed over before she gasped. Inu-Yasha flinched at the sound and his ear swiveled, but otherwise did nothing. Kouga was extremely agitated now, mainly because of Kagome's reaction. Shiro merely watched, as did Sango and Miroku.

"Inu-Yasha." Kikyou greeted with a slight nod of her head.

She observed the larger group with somewhat of an amused expression before holding out her hand. She opened her palm to reveal the large jewel shard that was resting there.

"I have no use for this." Kikyou stated simply as she tossed it to Inu-Yasha; he numbly caught it. "I trust you to keep it safe and out of Naraku's grasp. I will assist you when the time comes, but until then I will be doing numerous works in the forests and small villages."

Inu-Yasha stood still in his place, dazedly watching as Kikyou turned to leave. He still stood as she walked off back into the bushes, and continued doing so until her presence became undetectable. He uttered not a word while any of this happened, causing much confusion among his companions.

Miroku cleared his throat a little loudly as Kouga opened his mouth to speak, effectively silencing the wolf. Inu-Yasha snapped out of his trance-like state and quietly handed the shard to Kagome, who took it with a slight look of shock.

"Let's go." Inu-Yasha grunted roughly, while turning away. When nobody followed, he turned around and sharply barked: "What the hell is with you?! Let's GO!"

Everybody jumped slightly and quickly followed after the temperamental hanyou who was their unofficial leader-even Kouga.

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"Lady Hagakure, what are you doing?" Aki asked as she stepped into a room to find her mistress hurriedly throwing clothes and diaper cloths into a makeshift traveling bag.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Hagakure responded gruffly while tucking a forelock behind her shoulder.

"It appears as if you are preparing to go on a journey of some sort." Aki replied with a slight scowl. "And as your servant, I must say this is not a good idea."

"Oh do you now…?" Hagakure said, leading Aki on slightly. "And in what other way would you view it?"

"As your friend…" Aki drawled, trying to keep the curiosity out of her voice, "I would like to know…just where the hell are you going?! I can keep a secret, Kure! I promise! Just tell me!"

"You know, Aki," Hagakure said with a smile as she stood to her full height, "I heard the most amusing expression from Kagome when I was traveling with her. I believe it suites you perfectly."

"What would that be?" Aki asked curiously.

"Curiosity killed the cat."

Aki blinked a little at that comment. Then it dawned on her.

"Hey! That was mean!"

Hagakure snickered. "I suppose so, but the truth hurts. Here, let's put it this way: I don't trust them not to screw up and Shippo's been sniffling for Kagome…Would you like to accompany me?"

"Yes!"

Hagakure smiled as she continued packing. "Then get your things."

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"This stopped being remotely interesting a long time ago…" Kouga complained.

"Then get lost." Inu-Yasha snapped. "We didn't ask you to come along anyway."

"Inu-Yasha…" Miroku sighed.

"Shut up, Miroku." the hanyou ordered.

"Quit your childish bickering." Shiro snapped, obviously growing irritated enough to break his normally lordly appearance. "All you've done since that clay woman showed up was pick fights and I'm growing tired of it. If you had any sense, you'd see there is nothing for you with her and move on."

Kagome and Sango's eyes widened at the rather bold mention of Kikyou and blatant show of opinion. Miroku stepped back slightly, as did Kouga.

Inu-Yasha stood, staring at and seemingly through Shiro. His eyes appeared unfocused and soulless-like someone had presented him with an unthinkable question.

"What did you say…?" Inu-Yasha asked quietly after a while, slight anger appearing in his voice.

"You heard what I said, Inu-Yasha." Shiro said stoically. "I'm not in the habit of repeating myself."

Inu-Yasha growled angrily.

"How DARE you even speak about Kikyou?!" the hanyou roared. "You don't know anything about her or me! What gives you the right?!"

"Reason," Shiro stated calmly. "Inu-Yasha, reason gives me the right. While you are correct that I don't know about you or your past…acquaintances, I have enough intellect to know that you're torn in two."

Inu-Yasha growled dangerously.

"This is a decision you must work out on your own in the end."

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

Shiro stared down at the hanyou with a glint of amusement in his eyes. Inu-Yasha slowly grew confused, forgetting his anger for the moment.

"Just remember marking humans is different."

Inu-Yasha turned fifty shades of red, Kouga blinked, Miroku knotted his brows, and Shiro looked like he was about to crack up. Sango and Kagome looked at each other confused and Kirara just shook her head.

A very uncomfortable silence went on between Inu-Yasha and Kouga for quite a while afterward, effectively stopping the bickering.

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"Where are we going?"

"I'd love to know, as well…"

"Mama?"

Hagakure's eye twitched in irritation. This had been going on for hours.

"TO THE DEEPEST CORNERS OF HELL IF WE DON'T CHANGE OUR EVIL WAYS!"

Aki, Shippo, and Hakaki stared, blinking at the demoness. Misoka and Nozomu blinked once and then started wailing.

Hagakure moaned in defeat.

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"What are we doing?"

"What do you mean 'what are we doing'?" Inu-Yasha griped.

"Exactly what I sad," Shiro replied. "But allow me to rephrase. Where are we going? Are we going to walk endlessly in circles, or are we going to go somewhere? You are obviously the leader of this little venture, and not having a definite goal says nothing for you or the rest of us."

Inu-Yasha growled slightly at this. Kouga raised his eyebrow in interest.

"Heh. Maybe the dog Lord and I have more in common than I thought."

"Can you try and not start a fight, Kouga?" Kagome sighed.

Sango, Miroku, and Kirara sighed heavily and sat down on a tree stump.

"Glad to see we're all mature adults here…" Sango muttered.

"Honestly." Miroku agreed. "And I thought we were done with this…"

"What does THAT mean?!" Inu-Yasha asked, irritation levels rising.

Before anything serious could erupt, a low hissing sound began. It was almost like the steam from a tea kettle. Then there was a crackling in the bushes and Hagakure (carrying Misoka and Nozomu), Aki, Hakaki, and Shippo stumbled out of the woods. Shiro stared in her direction.

"Hagakure!"

"Eheh… Guess you were closer than I thought." Hagakure said nervously as she shifted her twins into a more comfortable position.

"Kagome!" Shippo squealed as he flung himself at the schoolgirl. Kagome caught him and gave him a scolding look before succumbing to the cute baby eyes and hugging him tightly.

Kouga scooted behind the conveniently placed Miroku to avoid Aki's gaze. However, it appeared the fates were not on his side at that moment and he was roughly shoved into the other man, causing both of them to fall.

"What the hell was that for?!" Kouga shouted, looking behind himself to see…nothing.

A few puzzled expressions and snickers later, Miroku cleared his throat.

"Kouga," he said clearly, with as much dignity as he could muster, "get off of me."

The wolf demon blinked once or twice before scrambling off the monk's back and as far backwards as he could before he ran into something. Rather, someone.

"Well, hello there!" Aki said brightly with a slight grin as she looked down on the wolf prince who was growing paler and paler by the second. "May I ask why you just jumped the poor monk? He did not seem to be plotting anything malicious towards our Lord or Lady."

With renewed confidence in himself, Kouga stood, though it was a fair distance away from the neko.

"First off," he began while pointing to Shiro and Hagakure, "they are NOT my 'Lord' or 'Lady' in any way, shape, or form; they are yours! Second, I didn't jump him! Somebody shoved me!"

"Uh-huh… The bush just reached out and shoved you." Sango said dryly.

"I didn't jump him!" Kouga protested.

"A likely story," Inu-Yasha muttered.

Miroku coughed. "Can we forget that happened?"

"I suggest you do," Shiro said with a nod. "It is entirely too ridiculous to save in the corners of your mind."

Hagakure stuck out her tongue and made mocking faces at her mate from behind his back.

"And I will be taking my immature mate, her servant, and my pups back home now," the demon lord added with an eye directed at Hakaki. The young kitsune scrambled into Aki's arms so he wouldn't be left behind.

"Jewel shards…" Kagome said quietly, causing Inu-Yasha to stare.

"Do you feel that?" Miroku asked, grabbing his staff defensively.

"I do." Sango responded, taking up her weapon.

"What are you talking about?" Kouga hissed, trying desperately to scent the air, but to no avail because they were upwind.

"Now, now, Lord Shiro," a scarily familiar voice said, "you wouldn't want to leave when the fun is just about to begin, would you? Not again?"

The demon lord snarled at the voice, as did everybody else who was familiar with the creature.

"Naraku, you bastard!" Inu-Yasha shouted, rage evident in his voice. "What the hell could you want with two newborn pups, their mother, and her servant?!"

A cold, malicious chuckled filled the air as the hanyou made his presence known visibly.

"I wouldn't want them to miss all the fun."

Aki glared at Naraku with all her might and held Hakaki protectively, mirroring Kagome's actions to Shippo.

"This is stupid," Hagakure snapped. "Why the hell are you so evil, father?!"

Everybody froze and stared at the demoness. Naraku even looked mildly surprised.

"W-WHAT?!" Inu-Yasha shouted, his eyes larger than saucers.

"Explain yourself, Hagakure," Shiro demanded. "You smell nothing of him. This is a horrible joke."

"Why the HELL would I joke about being related to THAT creature after all he's done to my friends and you?" Hagakure growled. "You should have wondered where I got my black hair from-certainly not my mother's side of the family."

Everybody gaped at Hagakure. Naraku merely glared.

"You… How is that possible?!" Inu-Yasha bellowed. "You would be a-"

"By all rights I SHOULD be a hanyou," Hagakure agreed, "but, as you can see I am not. I myself am not quite sure how it's possible, but I have theories."

"And, pray tell, woman," Naraku sneered, these accusations slowly throwing him off target, "what would they be?"

"Sesshoumaru used to have fun rubbing it in that before I was born," the demoness snarled in an equally nasty voice, "my mother took a liking to a human bandit named Onigumo. If I'm not mistaken, that was your former name?" She continued without waiting for a response. "They mated, and because the ritual is different for demons and purebred humans, the bandit became hers in blood. Shortly before my birth, he left and my mother felt the mark burning in betrayal. She was so angry that she forsake him as ever being her mate thus draining any and all of his blood from me. I do think it is that act that eventually killed her-finishing making a child by herself weakened her blood and she couldn't handle the stress of birth."

Naraku glared at the demoness that so defiantly confused him. However, he was getting very angry now that he knew her wretched mother was the one that caused all of his scars and pain; though, truth be told, he was elated to hear that the demoness had suffered a most uncomfortable end.

"This has been a truly touching reunion, but now I have even more of a reason to kill you," Naraku hissed.

Hagakure scowled at him.

"You will not be able to lay a hand on her," Shiro proclaimed as he stood in front of her protectively, "nor any that are under my protection. Aki. Hakaki. Come here."

The neko, carrying the kitsune, began to do just that. Naraku had other plans. He flung one of his tentacles in her direction and it would have struck home if Kouga hadn't jumped out in front of Aki and relocated her and the kit out of harm's way. He would later ponder why the hell he would do something so reckless, but right now he had simply done what seemed like the right thing to do.

"Are you okay?" the wolf prince asked in a low, lulling tone as he helped to fix Aki and Hakaki's composure. The usual nervousness he got being around her was gone. It was possible it was because of the adrenaline beginning to rush through his veins.

Aki nodded once. Kouga glared at Naraku after acknowledging Aki's response with a nod of his own. Naraku merely smirked.

Inu-Yasha had since drawn the Tetsusaiga and was just waiting for the opportune moment to use it. Sango and Miroku stood at the ready and Kagome had her bow with an arrow in hand.

"Where are your minions?!" Inu-Yasha finally snapped, breaking the intolerable silence among the group.

"They became insubordinate and had to be taken care of," Naraku said. He gained an even more wicked smile when everybody's expressions became slightly surprised.

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A/N: It's official: I'm a horrible authoress. I really DO try my best to update whenever I can, but it always seems to get pushed back-this time it was the ridiculous amount of over two months. I am SOOOO sorry! School bit back with loads of homework and long term assignments, all my teachers want to send me to D.C. for some type of conference or workshop, I have a volunteer job with the MTR, I have riding lessons, my BROTHERS need to use the computer for THEIR homework, and I've been caught up in some really good fics (like Beast by Ikustioa--go read it!) lately… err…yeah. So…I'll work over Thanksgiving like crazy!

Gee…this is a really long note… Feh. Hmm…I like how things are going with Kouga and Aki; I need to re-sketch her. That reminds me! I have some fan art for Hagakure on my DeviantART account! The link is on my profile. Leave a comment if you're a member! Well, since I'm done with the shameless promoting, I've got my big thing with Hagakure out now. Always did like her…but Naraku is just a bastard, so making him her 'father' seemed to just…work with her character. Thus, it proves that good comes out of evil…in more ways then one. Okay…that was a stupid joke… Just goes to prove how much I should be in bed right now, but am slaving away to get this damnable chapter up! Slave drivers all of you!

…Eheh…review?