InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Inoku ❯ Chapter 5

*Author's Note: Huge hugs to Merith for going above and beyond (and until the wee hours of the morning) going over this chapter.*

Part 5

There is an old western adage that cautions "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." This saying was intended to discourage people from discussing unpleasant matters or making dire predictions, for fear that giving name to such things bestowed them with a certain power, and would result in their actually happening. Of course, Sango was not privy to this saying or it's implications, so everything that followed was readily attributed to bad karma, and not the ominous speculation that she made on their first day out with their "new friend".

It was only natural that they should seek out a village. They needed the occasional pampering of a hot meal and bathing facilities that a village offered, this was not in dispute, but there were also many practical reasons as well. Aside from the physical comforts, a village meant people, and people nearly always promised gossip. If one were an excellent listener, as was Miroku's strong suit, then between the delighted tittering of new marriages and the good-natured cursing of the varied ailments of old age, a shard-related rumor could usually be extracted. Perhaps someone had heard of a nearby village plagued by unusually active youkai, or perhaps there had been a number of strange disappearances to the north. No matter how vague, if one could properly peel back the thick layers of myth and exaggeration, useful snippets of information could be gleaned.

So it was that despite their admitted anxiety over the problematic behavior of their friend, when the others saw the high roof of a somewhat stately home peeking over the horizon line, it was never questioned whether or not they should stop there for the night. In fact, upon spotting it himself, Inoku commented rather gravely, "Oh dear. Look at that ominous black cloud." This comment received a rather contemptuous snort from the other personality hitherto lying silent within him, but undaunted, the young man continued, "Scoff if you like, my friend, but this village is in dire need of a holy man."

"Right," he answered back with a sneer, "Too bad we don't know any."

"Why are you in such a foul mood?" the monk asked impatiently, then added mostly under his breath, "I ask as though you ever needed a reason."

"Cause you're lying!" the hanyou retorted, then added in a low grumble, "I always knew you were lying."

"How is that?" the young man asked himself innocently.

"I don't see any black cloud!" he snarled, his lip curling up in anger and disgust.

"Ah, that. A simple misunderstanding," the more satiny of the two voices explained, "Allow me to clarify. I do not see evil auras so much as intuit them."

"Liar." the grumbler muttered darkly. Both fell silent for a few moments, and then the dark young man said bluntly, "Look, do you want to eat tonight or not?"

"I see it too." Kagome piped up, breaking it up. It wasn't even a particularly convincing lie, but the matter was effectively settled after that.

They made their way to the village shortly before dusk. The typical plan was to waste no time in seeking out the owner of the most splendid house, but there were unforeseen complications between the road-worn travelers and their goal. For as the fates would have it, it seems that this particular village was comprised almost entirely of buxom young war widows and their aged fathers.

"This place…" the young man murmured in astonishment, his eyes glowing with an unwholesome light as they fell upon a well-rounded pair of hips that sauntered by. If he hadn't been so thoroughly schooled at maintaining a countenance of humble piety, his jaw might have gone slack, and their longer-than-human tongue might have come lolling out. As it was, those who were familiar with the baser aspects of his personality weren't fooled in the slightest; And some were more painfully aware of it than others.

"I don't want to stay here." Inuyasha said abruptly; the statement was hard and flat, and just as brittle as dried noodles.

"And why not?" the monk demanded as another attractive pedestrian wandered past, catching their eye and offering back a timid smile. "The local scenery is…breathtaking."

"Maybe it would be wise to move on." Kagome said, casting a cautious glance at her friend, the taijiya.

"Nonsense!" Inoku insisted, "This place seems perfectly respectable, and I am certain that it will prove a veritable fount of information. In fact, I propose that we head toward that large estate directly. I'm anxious to speak with the good people of this village."

"Can't imagine WHY." Shippou grumbled to himself from his perch on Kagome's shoulder.

"We'll stay!" Sango snapped suddenly, her tone leaving no room for further argument, but she turned an especially critical eye on the boys. "You just be sure to remember why we're here."

"Of course, Sango." he replied easily. "We're here to search for shard rumors. I, for one, intend to use all of my talents and abilities to their fullest in seeking them out. In fact, I will personally question each and every inhabitant of this charming little village, if necessary." As he had spoken, his eyes had steadily strayed from Sango's face to the far left, and were currently fixed on the lower back portion of a soft yellow kimono. Sango's face betrayed no particular emotion, but an instant later Kirara squeaked with the furious indignation that can only be attributed to a kitten who has been squeezed a bit too violently, and abandoned the warm cradle of the taijiya's arms.

"Let's get this over with." Kagome suggested hurriedly, and linking her arm in Sango's, she lead away the silently fuming girl. The two miniature youkai followed closely behind, and the young man took up the rear, maintaining a safe, respectable distance.

"What's the matter with Sango?" he whispered under his breath, his lips barely moving. "I would think she'd be pleased that I've given my assurance to take things here seriously." He was about to answer himself when a pretty young thing turned around to look at him with an expression of puzzlement on her face. He offered back a brilliant smile, and she smiled back demurely, his momentary peculiarity forgotten. When she had gone back about her business, he pretended to cough into his fist and whispered, "Maybe it would have helped your argument if you hadn't been drooling at the time."

As they continued through the center of town, the parade of unescorted women they encountered seemed endless. Smiles of all sorts greeted the boys as they passed by, ranging from modest approval to some that were downright suggestive. When their head turned to follow the swaying curves of yet another young girl who couldn't possibly have been a day over fourteen, Inuyasha drove the butt of Miroku's staff into their foot, grinding it into the skin and bone. The houshi started at the sudden and unexpected pain, but managed to suppress the yelp that wanted to fly from his mouth.

"What?" Miroku hissed fiercely under their breath, making an effort to pull the blunt end of the staff from off their foot. "You said you wouldn't compromise Kagome-sama or Sango. That was neither!"

"And you call me dense." Inuyasha grunted in disgust. "You know how much it pisses them off. I don't feel like getting pounded today, so keep our eyes on the road and our hands in our sleeves."

"Fine." Miroku muttered darkly. "But I am really starting to wonder about you."

Inuyasha growled. "Fuck off."

"If only."

"Just because I don't let my hands wander doesn't make me some kind of freak." he whispered, jerking a thumb at their chest. "You are not a normal person, you know! Not everyone has your perverted-"

At that moment, his coarse voice fell silent, and the argument dried up and disintegrated. He wasn't entirely sure, but he could almost swear that there was a hand on their backside. Whipping around, they came face to face with a lusty young woman of nearly twenty years who looked them brazenly in the eye, then drifted silently past, pausing for the span of a few breaths to shoot them a promise-laden wink.

"What the hell just happened?!" Inuyasha squeaked, their eyes nearly bugging out of their head. "Did she just do…"

"Kami-sama be praised…" Miroku murmured sublimely, following the girl's departure with a wholly new appreciation for their situation. "Inuyasha, do you realize that these women have been without male companionship for quite some time? And being widows, I'd venture to say that most of them are hardly virgins."

"So?"

"So?" he echoed incredulously, "So? This is every man's fantasy come to life before our eyes!" The young man opened his arms wide, as if in his fondness for his surroundings he hoped to pull the entire village into an embrace. "My formerly dog-eared friend," he implored, pulling the village's rich scent of earth and smoke to the very bottom of their lungs, "we have been presented with the chance of a lifetime! Would you simply throw that away like so much garbage?"

"Let's pretend for one moment that all of the women in this village don't look exactly alike to me," Inuyasha said caustically, "and while we're at it, that I've completely forgotten that I already have two women screwing with my life, and that's two too many. Even ignoring all that other shit, I still wouldn't want to do anything with you tagging along, do you understand?"

"I see…," the monk said quietly, "Is it a territorial issue?"

"More like an 'I don't wanna vomit' issue! The last thing I wanna hear while I'm…I'm…"

"Yes, yes," Miroku said impatiently with a dismissive wave of their hand. Inuyasha frowned, but continued.

"…is your voice in my head! Or worse! Coming out of my own mouth-"

"Actually, I believe that it's my mouth," the monk corrected softly.

"What the hell are you-"

"Your lips were thinner," he added quickly.

"That's not the point!" Inuyasha screamed, prompting Sango and Kagome to look back over their shoulders at him, casting twin glares that could have withered bamboo. The young man's face was immediately apologetic, but their frowns remained. It was a mercy when they eventually gave in to their disgust and turned their backs to him, at which point Miroku sank one of their cruelly sharp fangs into the soft flesh of their tongue.

Idiot! he barked silently, We're supposed to be behaving like a normal, civilized human being. You're making us look bad!

Me?! You're the one-

Really, Inuyasha, sometimes your lack of self control is truly distressing to me.

Shut up, bouzu. Just shut the fuck up. They continued on in complete silence after that, both inside and out, for the remainder of their walk up to the estate. They passed the time attempting to swallow the feelings of anger and frustration that sat heavily in their shared throat, both still believing in their naivety that it was solely their own.

There was no one guarding the front entrance of the large estate, but they were greeted by a severe-looking woman and a young girl, the former of which asked them their business with the headman. Shortly afterward, they were lead through the courtyard and into the hall by the woman and her thirteen-year-old daughter, who was apparently in training to assume a position similar to her mother's in the household. The headman greeted them in the hall with a low bow, and welcomed them warmly into his home, as though they were long-awaited, highly anticipated foreign emissaries, and not essentially a passel of vagabonds.

He was an elderly gentleman who may have been a scholar in his youth; possibly a scribe in later years. He had that look about him that hinted at a good deal of intelligence. There was a mirthful twinkling in his eyes, though it was obvious by the way he squinted that he had trouble seeing nowadays, and calm, dignified manner that was all the more comforting when coupled with his casualness in his speech and stance. His voice held the soft rasp of old age, and when he laughed, the sound of it was dry and almost noiseless. Miroku briefly explained their reason for calling, and the elderly gentleman bade them sit down. He sat across from them, assisted onto the ground by the younger of the two women who had lead them in.

"You'll forgive my impertinence," he began in a gentle, thoughtful manner, "but it is a strange sort of monk that carries a blade at his side."

"Not if you consider the times, milord. Surely one such as yourself would not begrudge a man who frequently travels the hazardous road a measure of protection, especially one with two young and beautiful companions in his care." The young monk indicated with one hand to the two women sitting beside him, to his left. The headman may have spotted the long claws at the end of the monk's fingers when he lifted his hand, but if he did, he kept this information to himself.

"Still, I would have thought it to be in conflict with your vows." His polite tone could not mask entirely the hint of curiosity in his voice, curiosity that could quickly make the transition into suspicion if they weren't too careful.

"That it is, milord," Miroku said evenly, comfortable in the lie, "but if it sets your mind at ease, I have yet to encounter a situation that warranted its use. Its purpose serves mostly for show, to ward off any would-be attackers. I find that it keeps honest men honest."

"If I may be so bold, sir," Sango interrupted, trying to take some of the attention off of the boys, "it is a strange sort of village that you keep here."

"There may have been some truth to that at one time, my dear girl, but as your friend the houshi has stated himself, it is not so strange if you consider the times. I was not surprised in the least when you appeared at our door and told us of the ominous black cloud hanging over this house. As you can plainly see, this village has had more than its share of sorrow. You have noticed our complete lack of able-bodied young men, I am sure."

Sango nodded in concurrence. "It would have been difficult not to, sir."

"These are dark and dangerous times, as your friend has said. This village of ours is made up entirely of the sad souls that war leaves behind; the forgotten young widows of soldiers, the elderly fathers who were no longer of use in battle. We fled from the charred ruins of our former villages and became lost upon the road, the wandering homeless. The only fortunate turn we've had was the discovery of this village. Here, too, the young men had left for war and never returned. Those who had been left behind welcomed us unfortunate wanderers into their midst without a moment's hesitation, and we continue to welcome the homeless into our home. You must have come across other villages similar to ours in your long travels. I cannot believe that we are so unusual, for those of us spared by the ravages of war often band together and build anew, is that not so?"

"Quite so, milord. Yet it is strange that you have been able to remain here for so long unmolested." Miroku observed.

"Only by the graces of the gods, houshi-sama, and the fact that this area is not strategically advantageous to the daimyos. Yet despite our good fortune in that one aspect, we have been most unfortunate in another."

"The lack of young men."

"Yes, the lack of young men. But more importantly, the lack of births. In order to maintain a village, there must be new villagers. The only new arrivals this village has seen since its reestablishment have been the kind that travel in by way of the main road. Between you and I, most of the men here are too aged by far to be inclined to fatherhood, and the women being as young and as fair as they are… Well, it has been cause for some problems. Were that not enough, by some strange twist of fate, not a single woman has entered this village heavy with child. If things do not improve, our small community cannot hope to survive. Is that not exceedingly troubling?"

"It is, milord," Miroku said quickly, "It may be that there are dark spirits at work, in which case an exorcism-"

"An exorcism may be just the thing," the headman agreed ardently, "But I'm afraid that we have no means of payment. Do not allow this lavish setting to fool you, we have little more than the clothing on our backs."

"We ask no more than a meal and a night's lodging," the monk assured him. "We intend to leave first thing tomorrow morning." The headman smiled warmly, his rheumy eyes crinkling in obvious pleasure as he nodded his head in agreement.

"That is something we can offer, though I must confess that I find your haste to leave again so soon a little upsetting. Perhaps once you have experienced our hospitality, you will feel more inclined to stay. Your young ladies are more than welcome here, and you, my son…your arrival this evening has been an answer to many of our prayers. You could help us in ways that far outweigh any exorcism. I understand that you have your vows to consider," he said sagely, closing his eyes and holding up one withered hand to stay the lad's tongue until he was finished speaking, "but I am certain that you would not find life here to be in any way…unenjoyable."

Inoku looked carefully at the old man, uncertain if he was inferring correctly from what he had just heard, and suddenly feeling very optimistic. Kagome blushed. Sango glowered.

"But never mind that now." the old man said hurriedly before that questioning look could be vocalized, "Why don't you get to work and I'll have the village daughters prepare your meals and bedding. I assume that you will be requiring separate rooms?" he asked the young monk, his voice lilting up hopefully. Smiling in glorious comprehension, Inoku nodded his head emphatically, then open his mouth and nearly shouted "No!"

"Actually, we would prefer to stay together in one room." Sango insisted loudly, seizing hold of the conversation. "A simple screen to separate us will be sufficient."

"Are you certain that's entirely appropriate?" the headman asked, sounding slightly disappointed. The young monk turned his eyes from the taijiya and shot the headman a hate-filled scowl.

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be? I'm a monk, ain't I?"