InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Invitations to Trouble ❯ Small Steps ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter Sixteen

Hurtling through back roads and disused pathways at breath-taking speeds, Kenami was astounded at the progress she had made in less than twelve hours. Beneath her saddle, one of the mounts that were a specialty of the Eastern region plunged steadily ahead through the trees of the pitch-black forest without any signs of fatigue. Every now and then it would float a few inches off of the ground, but would diligently return to earth with a minimum amount of prodding from her.

Kenami would have been more than happy to let the beast fly to its heart content, but right now she couldn't risk being seen in the air. Although she knew that flying youkai were commonplace in the upper regions of the providence, she still wasn't taking any unnecessary chances. Besides, she figured that at the rate she was currently traveling, she'd be at her goal by the following day.

'I cannot believe that this magnificent creature was considered the runt of the herd!' Racing down the road with long fluid strides, the twin-headed dragon seemed to be trying to use this one night to make up for an entire lifetime of watching his brethren walk in and out of the stables to serve their master while he had only been used as a pack animal.

Kenami had a feeling that if she didn't make him halt at some point between now and her destination, the poor creature would run until its legs fell off.

Before she could call for a rest though, the animal skidded to a stop and both heads whinnied in an echoing cry. "What's wrong?" Snorting nervously, the animal shook and stomped as though sensing something dangerous nearby. The action sent a note of panic through the girl it carried.

'Could Spider have found me so soon!?' Wrapping the mottled traveling cloak tighter around her body, Kenami whispered into the scaled ears as she tried to calm the creature down. Since she didn't see the ominous black clouds that usually marked her enslaver's passage, she allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief. Calmed down more by the lessening of her fear than any words, the trembling body beneath her slowly stilled as whatever had spooked it seemed to have passed by.

"Whew. I was afraid you might throw me just then."

The flame yellow eyes of the dragon turned to look at her as though she'd insulted it. Digging an apple out of the satchel hanging beside her leg, Kenami offered the succulent fruit as a sign of apology. When both heads went for the treat, she dug out another to keep the peace.

In the distance, a small cry from the bushes caught her attention.

'Now what do you suppose that was?' she wondered.

Climbing down, Kenami crept closer to the shrubs to find out. Although she knew she should put as much distance between herself and the Eastern shiro, something about the muffled noise drew her. Gently parting the leaves, she peeked through and gave a small cry at what she saw.

"Oh, you poor thing!"

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*Sniff*

'Where's momma?'

Rubbing at her eyes with an already damp hand, the child tried to remember how to get home. Her stomach growled loudly, reminding her that she hadn't eaten dinner yet. 'I wanna go home!' The thought echoed through her mind with the kind of persistence afforded only to the very young. Hiccupping a bit as she vainly wrapped skinny arms over her chest, she hugged herself trying to ward off the chill lingering in the night air.

Off in the distance, she suddenly heard a horribly wet noise.

'Something's sniffing like papa's cows, only it doesn't sound as nice.' Curling up tighter, she tried to be as quiet as a mouse, and hoped that the sound would go away. It did in a little while, but then she heard footsteps.

'Momma?'

At that hopeful thought, her heart hammered fitfully before it tightened painfully inside of her, sending a ball of lead to the depths of her being. Biting her lip in an effort not to cry out, the little girl grabbed the sides of her head as hot tears fell from her eyes. Fractured images of dark beasts and darker things that had looked like men flashed through her young mind, mingled with the scent of the crusted blood splattered across her torn clothes.

No. Not momma.

The wolves had killed momma when she'd thrown her daughter into the river rather than give the child to them.

Momma was dead and never coming back.

"…momma…I'm sorry…I'll be good…just…come back…please."

Too tired to run or care if she was caught, the little girl slumped sideways against the ground in defeat as her thoughts hitched in time to her silent tears. 'I wanna…see momma. I want…to see…my momma!'

Above her, the bushes parted and two bright blue eyes looked down at her. When she saw those icy orbs, the little girl felt a shiver of fear shoot through her, locking her knees together and making any attempt to flee futile. Her rigid limbs relaxed when she heard a kind voice whisper soothingly as a pair of hands lifted her gently into a warm embrace.

Something in her heart whispered that she was safe and didn't need to be afraid anymore. Exhaustion stole over the dirt-smudged form, making her tiny body feel frighteningly weightless. Trusting in the arms around her, the little girl relaxed and fell asleep when she remembered something her mother had told her once.

'My little heart, I promise you that if something ever happens to me and you are left behind in this world, I will send an angel to watch over you and protect you. No matter where you are, or what happens, always remember my promise because it is as real as my love for you.'

The tenuous belief in those nearly forgotten words was cemented when the kind stranger tenderly kissed her brow just as her mother had on that night. In the hazy world between wakefulness and healing slumber, the rest of the promise floated through her tired mind.

'If you always remember that I love you, then you will never truly be alone Rin.'

}

Surprised that the child had fallen asleep so easily after being picked up by a virtual stranger, Kenami took the still form back to her mount and spurred it onward after climbing aboard. Dirty, clearly exhausted and reeking of wolves and blood, she knew that the child must have suffered greatly.

'Her family was probably killed by one of the rogue packs that Kouga was always trying to disband. I want to get to him as quickly as possible, but what about this girl? After tonight, the last things she would want to see would be ookami.' Glancing down at the sleeping child, Kenami resolved to deal with it in the morning. 'First things first though. After a bath, some food and new clothes when I stop to make camp, maybe she'll be better able to deal with the knowledge of where I'm going?'

Brushing her fingers through the careless bangs framing the small face, Kenami marveled that the girl had made it so far into the woods alone. 'Poor thing, she looks as though the least little thing could shatter her into a thousand pieces.'

As if sensing that its burden had changed somehow, the dragon didn't take off at the break-neck pace it had adopted when Kenami had first left the palace. Compromising between its desire to soar into the velvet sky overhead and its mistress's desire to stay on the ground, the dragon chose to gallop an inch over the ground.

Delighted by its thoughtfulness, Kenami leaned forward as far as her passenger would allow and rubbed the animal's necks. A pleased rumble met her touch. After that, every now and then one of the heads would stop watching the road to look back at the new passenger.

Covering the shivering form in the body-warmed folds of her cloak as she laughed at the dragon's antics, Kenami headed purposefully north.

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Seated opposite each other in the small room, the two growling figures continued their silent mental barrage against one another.

'Manipulative, cheating, self-righteous, two-faced, uncaring bitch!'

'Pea-brained, narrow-minded, ass-kissing, untrusting bastard!'

Hang in there folks, this might take a while.

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Outfitted in brand new armor, Hakkaku and Ginta were sitting in their favorite spot by the waterfall just shooting the breeze. "Hey Hakkaku, do you think we stand a chance against Yamatsu?" Playing with the tuff of black hair again, Ginta was watching a cloud that looked really odd. 'Is that a duck or a rabbit?'

Stretched out flat beside him, Hakkaku laughed confidently, "Hell yeah! With Gorotsuki leading us, how could we fail? By this time next month, we'll be through the Dog's land and into the Southern Providence to oust the gaijin and her weird youkai from our homeland!"

Wrapping his arms around his knees, Ginta wished he felt half as sure as his friend sounded. "Do you think this might not be a good idea? I mean Yamatsu even has humans fighting on his side and he didn't make them join up or nothing!" Scratching his neck in confusion, he glanced over at his best friend in wide-eyed amazement.

"They all volunteered to do it!"

"So what if the ningens are all insane? It just means more people for us to kill." A nasty smile twisted Hakkaku's lips, "Ningen, hanyou, youkai or oni. It doesn't matter as long as I get to watch it bleed."

Ginta gave a start at the bloodthirsty attitude but refrained from saying anything. While he didn't consider himself the brightest ookami alive, (he could count past ten without looking down at his feet you know) lately he'd been getting a bad feeling about the whole situation.

Hakkaku's sudden mood change didn't help.

Standing up slowly, he smiled uncertainly down at the spike-haired youkai, "I'm going to go see what Kouga's up to. Wanna come along?"

Appearing to be perfectly happy where he was, the young man on the ground shook his head. "Naw. I don't care what that guy's up to. Anyone who disrespects Lord Gorotsuki like he does isn't worth my time."

Half-turned towards the path, Ginta froze at the harsh criticism. "But Kouga's our friend Hakkaku."

"Maybe yours, but he sure isn't mine." Having said his piece, the reclining figure shot to his feet and started to walk away. "I'm gonna go kill something Ginta. I think you should go back to the den."

Reaching out a hand, the younger of the two grabbed his friend's arm, "But Hakkaku…" he stopped when the arm was snatched violently away.

"Look you big baby, I don't have time to hold your fucking hand and hunt too, so go!!" Normally warm and open, the black eyes that Ginta was used to seeing after all these years were tinted a bold and bloody red.

H-Hakkaku?" his hand shook badly as he tried to reach past the hate he saw.

Knocking the proffered hand aside again, the transformed ookami snarled threateningly and yelled, "Go home!!"

Cringing at the command, Ginta watched mutely as the stranger who looked like his best friend turned and ran off to fulfill his grisly proclamation of bringing death to some hapless creature. Hurt, and more than a little confused, Ginta ran up the path to find the one person who might be able to help him make sense of his world again.

'I gotta find Kouga.'

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Midori whispered something to Aoiro before following the obviously distraught young woman. Outside in the hallway, Kagome stumbled forward, panting and trying not to openly scream. At the gentle touch on her shoulder, she nearly did.

"Ah! You startled m-me."

Fathomless eyes watched her as Midori took her hand and quickly lead her away to an outer garden. Taking a seat on a low bench of time-worn marble, Midori waited serenely for her unusual companion to compose herself. Dabbing at her reddened eyes with the lilac linen given to her, Kagome tried to think of an acceptable excuse for her rude behavior.

"I-I'm sorry to run out like that, but with the pregnancy and all, I've been kind of…" any other words were cut off gently.

"That is not the entire reason why you left, Kagome." Closing her eyes and leaning against the rough bark of the tree behind them, Midori presented the very image of a spirit of nature personified. The occasional movement of the serpents twined in her hair added to the effect.

"While every pregnancy is difficult in its own way, I believe that my little sisters' birth defects might have made you feel uncomfortable, so you left. There is no shame in being honest."

Mouth working like a fish out of water, Kagome wondered how this girl could be so calm and unflappable in the face of such a unforgivable transaction. "Forgive me. I'm really and truly sorry for the way I acted back there, but it's just that…I didn't know something like…like that was a possibility with youkai." With a slight frown, Kagome pressed her hand to her distended belly.

"I always thought that youkai never had those types of problems."

"So seeing my sisters made you realize that your children might be born the same, or worse? Something more life-changing than the potential to be born homely like my friend Jineji?" At the astonished look on Kagome's face, she gave a rueful smile. "Yes, I know of him. He makes a very good poultice for Aiiro to use on her wrists and fingers when they get stiff from painting all day, as well as an oil to combat the sores that Aoiro sometimes gets from being stationary too long."

When her guest began to look uncomfortable at the reminder of the sisters' birth defects, Midori threw her for a loop with a simple question. "Did you know that Jineji and Murasaki are to be betrothed to one another? They met when Mura went to get some of Aiiro's medicine."

"Whu-? No, I didn't." Rubbing comforting circles across her stomach, Kagome had to admit to herself that she'd fallen out of touch with the gentle giant. Then the rest of the sentence sank in. "Murasaki went all the way out there by herself?!" Aghast at the thought of the sweet girl wandering helplessly through the byways alone, Kagome shot an accusing look at Midori.

"How could you let her go by herself?! She's blind!"

Emerald eyes grew icy, "Do you think that is a revelation to Mura?"

Not sure what the reclining girl meant, Kagome frowned slightly. Midori closed her eyes as though suddenly exhausted. "Mura could probably walk from here to the western palace and never have any problems. In addition to not being able to see, she can make it so that others do not see her." Sensing that a deeper explanation was called for, Midori tried to sum up the better part of her life.

"Mura can make people not notice that she exists. It's not really invisibility, because she can still be seen if you look at her. It's more like you forget her as soon as you see her, unless she wants to be seen. Kin can keep any plant alive far longer than it should be by touching it once.

Aiiro can alter the way something looks by painting it and then changing the painting. She doesn't do it very often because it drains a portion of her life to do so. Aoiro can bind someone with their own lies. If you remember, she tends to come across as brutally harsh, even to virtual strangers. That's because she doesn't want to wind up entangled in her own falsehoods. After all, being polite is simply lying to spare someone's feelings."

Kagome marveled at what she was hearing, "So all of them have a gift to make up for what they lack?"

Glossy brows dipped as Midori frowned at the shortsightedness of some people. "No, their gifts lie in their works alone. It was through those expressions of their individual talents that they learned how to do what you seem to feel is compensation for their very births!"

Abashed at having offended this girl yet again, Kagome apologized. "You are right, and I'm sorry. Even without knowing what you just told me, I would still think that all four of them were special because of what I saw them doing in that room. I could never sew or paint or anything nearly as well as they do." Hanging her head in mortification, she whispered another apology.

She was pleasantly surprised when Midori scooted over to lay her head on her new friend's shoulder.

"That's okay. I should be asking for your forgiveness for springing my little sisters on you all at once. It's just that I wanted you to know that there was another side of the coin with youkai children."

"Oh, you wanted to prepare me for the worst?" Laying her own head on Midori's, Kagome smiled ruefully. "You sure have a weird sense of the dramatic."

"Not really. I only wished for someone outside of my sisters to share my thoughts with. The only other person here who has a husband fighting beyond these walls is Lady Shinaki, and I'm not sure she would understand completely." The note of fearful sadness made Kagome look down at the apprehensive youkai maiden.

"Midori, what's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant, and I don't want to die."

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Having happily planted Jaken headfirst into the ground, Sango walked smoothly into the main house. As she went in, she noticed that Kirara was curled up and purring in the center of a blackened ring on the ground.

'Now that's odd. Maybe somebody burnt some catnip there?' Dismissing the neko's curious behavior as being beyond her understanding, Sango went in search of Kagome or Shippo. The messenger Hebiki had said that the two should have arrived at the mansion by now, and the taijiya wanted to confirm that her friend was alright.

Turning at a corner just past the main door, she looked up and down the hallways in confusion. 'I guess I should have come to visit more after the weddings because I have no clue where I am!' About to call out for assistance, she spotted a familiar purple robe out the corner of her eye.

'Miroku?'

Jogging in the direction she'd seen the monk disappear, Sango hit the corner and glanced back and forth up the new hallway. 'Where did he go?' Another flash of purple to her left had her racing after it. When she came around the bend this time, she spotted a door closing slowly.

For a moment, Sango saw red.

'After all this time alone together he sneaks off to the room of the first girl he sees?' Fully prepared to bring boomeranged death, she stalked towards the door and started to push it aside. Rich laughter stilled her hand.

"Yes Murasakiiro, I'm fine today. By the way, thank you for the fabric you sent. After fighting with demons and traveling across the land, a new robe was most definitely appreciated." Intrigued, Sango leaned closer to try and hear the girl sending her Miroku gifts.

'My Miroku?' Blushing at the thought, she still listened out for the voice of the soon to be dead woman. Nothing came, but she heard Miroku laugh again. "No, I don't think I'd look good in green despite what Midori says." Pulling her head away from the panel in confusion, the eavesdropping maiden cleaned out one ear before pressing it back again.

Sango assumed she must have either just missed what the girl inside was saying or that the little tramp had a really quiet voice because Miroku was talking as though something had been said.

"No, actually someone else recently asked me the same question. I told them that I didn't really mind the kazaana because it meant that I'd always have someplace to throw my trash away!"

This time, instead of one feminine voice laughing in response to his joke, a whole group of them did! 'What in the world is going on? Does he have a harem in there with him?' The next sentence that fell out the monk's mouth sent the taijiya right over the edge.

"Why Murasaki, I would be more than happy to marry you! In fact, I'm honored that you think highly enough of me to ask. What day is good for you? The sooner we get this done, then the happier I know you will be!"

}

Miroku didn't think anyone was more surprised than him when the door slammed open hard enough to crack the frame and admitted a visibly angry Sango.

"Sango?" Before he could get to his feet, Miroku saw the bone weapon coming straight for his head.

"You womanizing baka!"

"What?" Confused because for once he actually hadn't been doing anything wrong, the monk raised his staff to block the blow. "Wait a minute Sango. You've got this all wrong!"

"Do I?" Forgoing her weapon of choice, she hauled off and smacked him upside the head. "I heard you in here flirting again! After you told me you would stop, I catch you doing it as soon as my back is turned."

"But-"

"I don't want to hear it!"

"Wow, she really does have a temper. Are you sure you want to be involved with someone who doesn't trust you Miroku?"

Whirling to face the speaker, Sango ground out, "Like it's any of your business Murasaki!"

A very pale girl with bright blue hair and lapis eyes laughed hard at the name and shook her head. "Naw honey, I'm not Mura. She's sitting right next to your feet, but I think you scared her so badly that she may not appear for a while!" Jerking a thumb at herself, the blue-haired woman said frankly, "I'm Aoiro, Murasaki's big sister."

Blinking dumbly, Sango searched the floor around herself but didn't see anyone other than Miroku. "Are you crazy or something?" she asked sarcastically. "There's no one here beside me."

"Actually, there is." At the sound of Miroku's calm voice, Sango glared at the object of her anger only to have it dissipate when she saw him making strange movements with his hands in thin air. 'Has everyone gone crazy? Oh!'

Before her eyes, a lovely girl dressed in muted shades of lilac faded slowly back into view.

Still making those odd motions against her arms, Miroku smiled encouragingly at the trembling girl. "Sango, this is Murasaki and I think you really ought to apologize for scaring her like that."

Infuriated by his presumptuous attitude, she crossed her arms and huffed back in his face. "You were the one promising to run off and marry her, so why should I have to apologize? I think you should be the one apologizing to me."

More laughter drew her attention to the other women scattered around the room as each one stopped what they were doing to watch the drama unfolding before them. That's when Sango finally took in the whole scene around her.

'Did I just walk into the middle of a rainbow?' Two golden girls sat beside one another giggling while a woman clad in inky blue shook her head sadly. Still another woman outfitted in red was laughing almost as hard as Aoiro.

From the sky blue corner, Aoiro gave a deep chuckle.

"Miroku, you really do know how to pick them. Does she even bother asking you anything or does she just jump head first into a conclusion without looking?"

"Now, now Aoiro." Making placating gestures as he rose to his feet, Miroku took the taijiya's stiff arm in his hand before she could launch an assault on the seated woman. "Sango is quite reasonable about anything that doesn't involve me and other beautiful women." Looking down at the scowling woman in his arms, he gave her an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry if you misunderstood me Sango, but I was telling Mura that I would be happy to marry her and Jineji when they finally settled on a date." Pulling the abashed woman with him, he stood next to the lavender-hued girl and asked again, "Now will you apologize for frightening her? She cannot see or hear anything and the vibrations from the hiraikotsu startled her very badly."

As though confirming his statement, Murasaki's hands shook badly as she blindly sketched a pattern in the air. Taking her hands back between his own, Miroku traced his finger slowly on the inside of her palm until she calmed down. Amazingly, Sango saw the girl's lips part in a silent laugh.

"Wait, if she can't hear you, then why were you speaking out loud to her a moment ago?" Hands braced on her hips, Sango awaited a response to her query.

One of the golden youkai piped up hesitantly at the question. "We all know Miroku through Master Mushin and speaking aloud while talking to our baby sister is just a way of being polite, right Ki?"

Beside the first girl, her mirror image nodded, "Yes Kin! It is just a way to be polite."

In a shadowy corner, the woman clad in deep blue chuckled in a perfect imitation of Aoiro as she slid a pointed look at the monk with her colorless eyes. "Besides, if we don't watch them closely, his hands might start wandering off the subject if you know what I mean."

Placing a hand over his chest in amazement, Miroku all but pouted. "Why Aiiro, how could you think such unkind things about a man devoted to following sacred teachings?"

As one, the girls chorused. "Because you've grabbed our butts before hentai!!"

Instantly, Sango knew that she liked every last one of them. However, that still left the problem of the poor girl she'd inadvertently scared. Unsure of what to do, she turned to the man she'd hit for help.

"How do I say I'm sorry if she can't hear me?" Kneeling by the two of them, Sango hung her head as her cheeks burned beneath her bangs. A beaded hand wrapped around one of hers and drew her fingers to Murasaki's arm. Braced on both sides of her body by strong arms, Sango blushed harder as Miroku used his fingers to guide hers while his warm breath caressed her ear.

"Circle once and then lay your palm flat against hers." Having followed his directions, she was startled when Murasaki leaned forward to run supple fingers over her face.

"Miroku?" Closing her eyes as the cool tips brushed against them, Sango relaxed when the man holding her gave a small laugh.

"Calm down dear. She only wants to know what you look like." Mollified by his presence and the endearment, Sango let the youkai maiden finish. Dropping her hands, Murasaki turned and instantly grabbed two bolts of fine linen.

One was jet black and the other was a creamy coral. Unseeing eyes of vibrant plum frowned in confusion over the conflicting choices of color.

Miroku laughed so hard at Mura's expression that tears actually sprang to his eyes. Moving away from Sango with a quick peck on her heated cheek, the young monk made a drawn out pattern that brought clarification to the purple girl's face. Watching their baby sister's animated response closely, the other women made small noises of exclamation but it was Aoiro who spoke up.

"You're a demon exterminator?!" Huffing once, she scratched the side of her chin and shook her head. "No wonder Mura looked so confused. She automatically picked black because she sensed that it was the color of your uniform. I know that most taijiya spend as much time in their armor as their regular clothing, so it must have felt natural for her to choose the darker shade as a color best suited for you!"

Unfolding her pale arms as she scooted back to work on her loom, Aoiro laughed again at her baby sister's perceptiveness. "At least you and that monk made up nicely. Now, if you'd just stop listening at doorways and give him a chance to talk before you whack his head off, you might have a happy life together."

Faintly red before, Sango turned a shade that would put a cherry to shame.

}

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A/N: Well, it's official. Ba and Ka had to go back home to their planet to tell their people the fundamental secrets of chicken. Whatever those are… They promised to IM me sometimes, but since their planet is more than a few lightyears away from earth, I'm not holding my breath.

Ah, I love Jineji and I always wanted him to find someone nice to settle down with. Why the sister who couldn't see him? Because if she doesn't want to, he couldn't see her either!

Sorry that was kind of lame. Honestly I chose her because Murasaki is just as sweet as he is and I think he'd feel really sure that she loved him for him. People who don't think that they're very attractive tend to doubt love sometimes.

Even if they are as wonderful as angels.