InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Invitations to Trouble ❯ Invisible Breach ( Chapter 21 )

Ba: So are you still mad at me?

Ka: No…

Ba: Are you sure?

Ka: Yes…

Ba: So you're no longer upset?

Ka: …I wouldn't say that…

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Chapter Twenty-One

Kenami awoke with a start and a cold bed. Glancing around quickly, she noted the absence of the little girl with a heavy heart. At the edge of the clearing that she had made camp in the night before, her mount lifted one of its two heads and called out a noisy good morning.

With a small frown at the indifferent animal, the young woman scrubbed her head with one hand as she got to her feet and walked towards it. Two sets of fiery eyes watched her approach with affection shimmering in their depths.

Kenami wagged her finger at it. "Now don't you try to butter me up. You're in big trouble mister."

The head not engaged in eating stared blankly at her. Straightening out her kimono, Kenami lifted a brow in response. "I was asleep silly. Since you didn't try to stop her from going off on her own the very least you could have done was follow her." Looking a little put out by the admonition, the beast bayed low with what sounded suspiciously like sarcasm.

Kenami wasn't fazed at all.

"Well you should have. She's a just a little girl." She rubbed her hand at the junction of the necks and received a pleased rumble for the attentions. "Having a big, strong and handsome dragon around to watch over her would be so helpful."

A deep yellow eye rolled her way to say that it clearly knew what she was doing. The young woman gave a small smile at the beast but she still needed to find her silent ward.

"Now where is she?"

"Where is who?"

The tiny voice caught Kenami by surprise and she dropped the saddlebag that she'd been rummaging through. Whirling to face the speaker she found herself looking down into an enormous pair of brown eyes. Dark bangs were pushed aside as the little girl repeated her question with a yawn.

"Where is who oneesan?"

Kenami bent down to gently tweak the girl's nose. "I was wondering where you were imouto." The child giggled delightedly under a barrage of tickles. Breathless and pink-cheeked, she took Kenami's hand as they went to pack up their modest camp.

"You really shouldn't wander off by yourself little one. The woods are very dangerous." While folding their sleeping blankets, Kenami kept an eye on the curious child who was making a game of puling out provisions for fixing breakfast.

"Sumimasen oneesan, but I had to pee." One of Kenami's eyes twitched at the brutally honest answer, but she still wanted to get her point across.

"We're still not out of the Eastern han and when we cross over into the North this afternoon things will be even more dangerous. You can't just go off on your own-!" Kenami blinked in consternation.

"You know jo-chan, scolding you is very hard when I don't know your name."

"Oh!" Looking more surprised than the situation warranted, the girl in question hopped to her feet and executed a bow that was made adorable by its haste.

"Gomen ne oneesan. This one's name is Rin." A haphazardly gathered ponytail bobbed on the side of her head as the now identified Rin bowed again. "This one did not mean to worry you but the pretty man in the tree looked so funny that Rin stayed longer than she should have."

"That's nice dear." Finished with the bedding, Kenami was only listening with half an ear as she prepared breakfast. 'Her name is Rin? That is so adorable. I have an actual "companion" for my journey!'

Her stomach growled loudly as the smell of cooking food saturated the air with tantalizing goodness. "Can you hand me the bowls Rin?"

As the girl moved to comply, Kenami tried to plot out the course of the day.

'With Rin along, I might have to make a detour through the Sarachi in order to find a nice place for her to stay.' Her decision was not made lightly.

The Sarachi, or 'Empty Lot' actually referred to a sizable han in the center of Yamato that was not claimed by either her mother or one of the three Taishos. Kenami knew that her mother had not wanted to interfere with people's lives more than necessary which is why she had not claimed it.

Unfortunately, the lack of youkai sovereigns had let the human ones give in to their baser instincts to the point where it would be considered sheer insanity by most for a woman and child to venture there alone.

The young woman filled their bowls while she muttered to herself. "Insane, sane. What's the difference besides a person's point of view?" Kenami knew that if they managed to cross that lawless land, she could make it to the Western or Southern providences and find a good home for the little girl.

Watching as the talkative young thing gathered up eating utensils and laid them neatly on a sizable square of cloth that must have been stashed in the saddlebag, she felt grave misgivings about taking such an innocent child along with her anywhere. Rin hummed a light tune as she sat down to wait for her food.

It almost broke the young woman's heart to see the shadows of grief that still lingered in that small face.

'How many innocent girls have seen their mother ripped apart before their eyes?' Almost without a thought, the child began haphazardly braiding a lock of her own hair while she hummed on.

'But doesn't she deserve a chance to lead a somewhat normal life? I should drop her off at the first village I come across and be on my way.' Although it was a practical thought, it still galled her to think it. Kenami didn't want to lose her new friend, but she didn't want to see her get hurt either.

Sad eyes fell on a long, thin object leaning against a tree near the grazing mount. 'Especially since I don't know if I'll be able to protect you once my task is completed Rin.'

Although it had been less than twelve hours since she'd found Rin, Kenami already felt a deep attachment to the little girl. It had grown deeper still when she'd held the child in her arms throughout the night, soothing away the nightmares that had plagued the girl's slumber.

When Rin gave her a proud smile over the completion of the lumpy braid, Kenami felt her heart catch in her throat.

'She's so close to what I used to imagine a child of Kouga's would look like.' A familiar pang of aching regret made her throat tighten as her eyes burned with a thick film of moisture, but Kenami knew that an ocean of tears could never make her feel clean again.

'Koibito…I can't…I can never be your love. Not anymore.'

"Oneesan?"

The first few drops fell silently to the dusty earth which absorbed them greedily.

"Oneesan, don't cry. Rin promises not to go see strange men stuck in trees anymore. Please don't cry."

Not understanding why her new sister was crying, Rin scooted over to her side and wrapped her spindly arms as tightly around Kenami's waist as she could. Kenami hadn't realized just how much she'd needed that small comfort until that moment. Without a word she drew the quiet child fully into her arms and cried for all that had been taken from them both.

Breakfast grew cold as the two lost souls created a place to belong amongst themselves, even if it was only a temporary shelter in the storm of their lives.

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"Your name is Koinu and you're from the Western han?" Kouga's eyes narrowed as he drew closer to the smirking young man.

Kuroi didn't dare hold her breath. Especially not with Kouga's senses being focused so intently on the two of them.

'Koinu, I am going to kick your ass.' the thought was a tense as she was.

'Trust me sis.'

'Oh god…'

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Tucked away in bed, Midori slept peacefully under the watchful gaze of her sister Aka. She did not stir as Ki slipped softly into the room with another blanket in hand.

"Is she better?" Kneeling beside her rouged sibling, the gilded maiden arranged the cover over the slumbering figure. Midori made a small noise of contentment but otherwise stayed asleep.

"No." Aka stroked a restless serpent nestled in the inky green hair until it quieted down once more. "Why didn't she tell us how she felt about this?" Terracotta eyes met golden-brown ones. "We would have understood."

With a deft hand, Ki patted her sister's arm comfortingly. "You know that Midori took her role as the eldest very seriously. For as long as we can remember she was the one who solved our problems and helped us along." Staring down at the gentle young woman, Ki shook her head sadly.

"We all thought that she was so strong that it never occurred to us that she might need to lean on someone else for a change."

"Yeah, but to be so petrified over the thought of bearing children? Why wouldn't she have told us!" More upset with herself than anyone, Aka stood up to leave. After a placing a tender kiss to her sister's jade brow, Ki followed.

"Please don't be angry with her Aka. She didn't even tell Big Brother Kiso of her fears."

Earthy brown eyes sparkled with ruddy highlights. "But she told Mistress Kagome! A stranger who doesn't know anything about her!" Now the carefully hidden hurt seeped out of Aka as she neared the common room shared by the rest of their family. "The Lady might be pregnant like Midori but we're her sisters Ki." She began to turn away but the younger woman's soft reply stopped her in her tracks.

"And that is probably why she felt she could not tell us." Fidgeting nervously, Ki shuffled from foot to foot. "Although we love her dearly, we do always rely on Midori to be the strong one. It never occurred to any of us that mama's sickness would linger so long in her thoughts."

Aka shoved the door aside and stormed into the room. "We all were there when okaasan died Ki. We all miss her."

"Yeah Bara, but Midori is the only one of us that stayed with okaasan the most." Aka rolled her eyes at the nickname 'rose' before taking a seat on the edge of her section.

Setting her shuttle aside, Aoiro turned on her cushion to face the two of them. "You know as well as I do that we were all apprenticed to various tradeswomen from the age of five sis. Grasshopper was the only one of us who decided to stay behind and tend to mom while she was sick, so of course she would have been the one most affected by her death."

Murasaki's hand fluttered through the air in query. Her sensitized skin had picked up the heightened tension in the room easily. Taking a seat beside her, Ki traced an answer in the lavender palm. The mute girl's mouth opened in obvious concern and she signed frantically for more information. As Ki filled her in Aka gave a large sigh.

"But why would Midori be so upset about her pregnancy? That's the part that I don't understand."

"Neither do we." After putting down one brush and emptying her sullied water bowl, Aiiro shook her downy head. "The only person that knows the answer to that is Midori herself." Colorless eyes calmly passed over each of the seated women within the room.

"All we can do is give her time and hope that she'll tell us herself. Until that happens, I suggest we pray for our big sister."

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Circling around them, tilted blue eyes flicked up and down as Kouga studied Inuyasha. "Yeah. You're about the right age too…"

'Koinu I am so going to kick your ass!'

'Umpteen and two.'

'ARGH!'

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One honey-brown eye opened lazily as Sango stretched in bed. The sight of a rumpled black and purple robe nearby made her lips curl up in a secretive smile.

"And what may I ask has our beloved tajiya smiling so?" Lounging against the wall and wrapped only in a loose yukata, Miroku took a small sip of tea. When she opened the other eye he offered a cup to her as well.

Taking it gladly, Sango sat up to work out one last kink. Her movements were watched closely by appreciative eyes. "Hmmm, I was just thinking how nice it was to finally have a good long soak in a decent tub." She clapped her hands delightedly when she noticed that breakfast had been laid out as well.

"Oh, is that all?" Miroku's voice was still the same vibrant tenor but the subtle current of cordiality in it caught her ear.

"If you want to know if I regret last evening then just come right out and ask me houshi-sama." At the use of the more formal title in the midst of such directness, the young man's brows disappeared up into his sparse bangs.

"My dear tajiya, I would never…"

"Yes you would so don't try the noble monk routine on me. As for the answer to your question…" Deftly selecting a piece of roasted sweet potato, she popped it into his open mouth and gave him a warm smile.

"No, I don't regret anything Miroku." While he chewed the tidbit she took the opportunity to fix herself a plate. Sliding him a hooded look, her smile took on a knowing air as her voice rang with every level of innuendo. "To be honest with you, if I had known how good you were, I would have done it with you sooner."

Miroku's reply held the other levels that she'd missed. "It is one of my many convictions that I aim to please in all of my endeavors."

The look she gave him only held a fraction of its usual sarcasm. "Would you tell me something Miroku?" Taking a bite of the potato, her eyes widened when the flavor wasn't what she expected it to be. Miroku answered both her spoken and unspoken inquiries without missing a beat.

"Anything. By the way, it's baked yam, not sweet potato."

"Hmm, different, but very good. That one move in the beginning. Where did you learn it?"

"From a young lady traveling to China." They ate in a companionable silence for a moment before Sango broached her next question.

"What about the one in the middle?"

"A young woman traveling to India." Lowered lids hid his eyes from her so Sango could only pause in contemplation over the prompt answer. She was beginning to see a disturbing pattern developing and her next question was a bit more pointed.

"So the one at the end?"

"A young woman from Sudan She said that I should have felt honored since no man outside of her people ever walked normally afterwards. The fact that I brushed it off so easily greatly impressed her." Now the violet eyes sprang open and to her surprise he leaned towards her and whispered conspiratorially. "Would you believe that she said her brother showed her that one?"

"Her brother?! Well, I guess it takes all kinds…" Sango's pert nose wrinkled cutely. "So all of those things that you did before…?"

"Yes. I learned them from many various women over time." While he sounded as calm as ever, there was a note of concern in his tone. "Is that a problem?"

Not wanting to admit that it might be, she kept her response light. "Oh no. It's just that with your history, I'm surprised that more men haven't shown you a thing or two."

He gave a hard stare that aptly told her what he thought of that statement. Despite the tea he'd just swallowed, Miroku's words were amazingly dry. "I'm afraid I have never been so inclined my dear."

"Not even accidentally?" Sango swirled her lukewarm tea around in the cup. "I mean with men like Sesshomaru running around, you were bound to mistake one for a woman." A teasing light lit her eyes and made them sparkle mischievously. "Even your hand can't be infallible all the time."

A laugh had to be held back at the deeply hurt expression on Miroku's face. Composing himself quickly, he freshened her drink and went back to his meal. "I see that someone has gotten over her shyness quite rapidly."

A faint dusting of rose colored her cheeks. "It wasn't shyness. I've just never done something like that in front of such a large crowd before." The blush grew more pronounced when strong fingers captured her own where they rested on the low table.

"But it made it more exciting, did it not?" One lean finger traced a feather-soft pattern across the back of her hand as she nodded mutely. Husky and as soft as his touch, Miroku's voice lowered to a purr. "And didn't you enjoy the feel of their eyes on you? Watching your every move…listening to each breath you took and wanting only to see more?" With each tantalizing word their bodies swayed closer together.

Violet eyes darkened to near black as he watched her lips curl up in a smile of sweetest recollection. Shoulders barely touching, he angled his head so that his lips brushed against the shell of an ear while he watched Sango's pulse flutter erratically at the smooth hollow of her throat.

"So tell me something my dear tajiya." Those wonderfully full lips parted as he leaned closer still. "Would you like to do it again?"

"Only if I get to win this time." Sango met him halfway as her lids fluttered closed. For a moment, nothing else existed for her except the warm, silky press of his lips against her own. Not the tatami rustling beneath her hand nor the pearly fingers of the morning sun streaming into the room. There was only the two of them and the intoxication of that simple touch.

Much to her disappointment, it was over far too soon.

Laying his beaded hand tenderly against her cheek, Miroku stroked her lip with the pad of his thumb.

"If sparring with you yields heavenly results like that, I'll train with you day and night my dear tajiya." Sweeping in for another kiss, he made a mournful noise when she pulled away slightly. Although her eyes held as much quiet yearning as his own, there was also a hint of reservation.

"Miroku…"

Suddenly, he seemed to recall himself. "Ah! We should go say good morning to Kagome and Shippo." Any desire in his face was carefully hidden behind the calm and impenetrable visage of his calling. Once more the noble, if slightly tarnished monk she had grown to care for, Miroku stood and gathered the remains of their meal. He picked up the robe she had mended for him as well.

Unsure of how to recaptured the intimate air that had been there only a moment before, Sango called out hesitantly as he approached the door. "Miroku?"

"Yes Sango?" When he turned towards her the uncertainty within her intensified at the sight of his face. All the kindness from before was there, but now it held nothing to differentiate his concern for her from that of a stranger.

Dropping her gaze for fear of giving away more that she already had, Sango said softly, "Thank you." One callused palm waved vaguely in the direction of the low table but her eyes stayed glued to the floor between them.

"I just wanted to say thank you for having breakfast with me."

"Anytime dear tajiya." Sliding the panel apart, he slipped quietly through and was gone.

After a moment of berating herself, Sango arose and started to dress. 'It's not like I haven't done anything like this before.' With a rough jerk, she put on a simple shift before reaching for her kimono. The sharp clatter of the door made her spin around with it clutched defensively before her.

"Miroku!"

"Hide me!" Piteous enough to break the heart of the most unfeeling creature, Shippo wailed as he raced forward into the room and sprang into her arms.

Patting the terrified boy soothingly, Sango tried to guess what could possibly have him so scared.

"Shhh. It's okay Shippo, it's okay."

"No it's not!" Two tiny hands grabbed her face in a surprisingly strong grip as humongous eyes stared into hers. "He's coming and nothing can stop him!!"

"What?" Now she was on her guard. She'd seen the kitsune swallow his fear and face down the minions of Naraku, a challenge from the Thunder Clan and an irate, ramen-hungry hanyou. Whoever had him this worked up must be fearsome indeed!

Setting him aside, she rapidly donned her slayer attire and pulled the bone weapon from the corner. Shippo had said the fiend was coming and she was going to be prepared for it.

If she would have paused for a single moment, Sango would have wondered how any threat could have breached the barrier. However, following so closely on the heels of her own self-reproach, a fight was eagerly anticipated.

"Shippo, are you sure about this enemy? Is he truly that frightening?"

"Yes! Yes!" Turquoise eyes became riveted to the closed door as he froze. "Oh no. He's here." Before them, the panel started to slide laboriously aside.

That was all she needed to hear. Battle-honed muscles tightened as she swung the mighty weapon over her head and prepared to vanquish the unseen foe. "HIRAIKO-ARGH!!!"

Something in the region of her left shoulder protested mightily as Sango fought her own strength and the accumulative effects of gravity in order to halt the weapon's deadly arch before it hit its target. Panting and in more than a little pain, she turned a steely eye to the kitsune trying to squirrel under her covers and hide.

"Shippo…"

"Save me! Save me!!" Only a quivering, fluffy red tail could be seen.

Enough was enough. Sango dropped the boomerang and used her good arm to snatch the little boy up to her face. "Shippo. Where is this unstoppable killing force that you said was hell bent on getting you?"

"Are you blind?!" he shrieked. Little fingers pointed to the open doorway. "He's there, right there!!"

The menace to his life gave a chortling laugh and walked into the room with a squeaky cry. "Shippo!" Stubby purple finger opened and closed expectantly as startling green eyes looked up at her beseechingly. "Tama wants Shippo!"

"ARGH!!" Wiggling from her grasp, Shippo dashed behind Sango's head for protection from the toddler.

It took a full thirty seconds of quiet meditation before the tajiya trusted herself not to kill her youngest friend.

'Inuyasha, you have gained an ally this day.'

Dejectedly sliding to the floor and nursing her sore shoulder while the two children raced around her in a circle, Sango tried to figure out what happened to her beautiful morning.

The shrill ringing of a distant bell cast the musings aside.

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"You are about the right height too." The ookami scratched his chin in confusion, "Although for the life of me I can't figure out why you two were running around in the woods naked."

Inuyasha's smirk grew. "Like I said. She's my wife."

'I am going to kick your ass, I am so going to kick your ass. You would be astounded and amazed by the various ways in which your ass will be kicked! I will start high and work my way down, paying special attention to bury my foot up to the knee so that I can kick your brain as well because it's obviously not in your head!!!'

Red eyes promised torment unmatched and unending. 'I am going to kick your ass Koinu.' By now his friend's response had become a low chant that hummed on the fringes of his mind. It paused when he responded to the singsong in kind.

'Umpteen and three, umpteen and four, umpteen and four…'

Surprisingly, Kuroi's following thought was a hell of a lot nastier than Kouga's look. Tanned arms folded over the armored chest. "Married huh? So you say little boy. So you say."

"Why would I lie?" Oh, he was so calm he was feeling deliriously good!

"To try to trick me into something." The probing eyes narrowed again.

"A trick huh? So you say little wolf. So you say."

Quite frankly, Inuyasha was amazing himself with how calm he was feeling. 'Middle of enemy territory, totally defenseless and seriously pissing off the only person who could save me. Do I really like fucking with this wolf's mind that much?'

Watching Kouga's face screw up in fury at the ribbing, he knew the answer.

'Yeah, I really do.'

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"Is it time now?"

"Not until the guard moves"

Hidden within the thickly wooded underbrush surrounding the mansion, numerous pairs of crimson eyes gleamed excitedly beneath hooded lids. The person that was the unknowing focus of their combined malice got to his feet and stretched his arms leisurely overhead as he prepared to give up his place to another soldier.

"Is it time yet?"

"Almost."

When the news of the border war had first reached the ears of the mansion servants weeks ago, the whole place from the barracks to the kitchens had been abuzz with trepidation, outlandish rumors and uncertainty.

Caught in the backlash of all the fear that had besieged the people who'd chosen loyalty to their lord over the instinctive urge to save themselves, both the gate guards and foot soldiers had initially found themselves hailed as heroes of the hour who'd been set in place by the gods to protect those who could not do so for themselves.

Rubbing his nose where a mosquito had bitten it, the guard shifted distractedly from one foot to the other.

After one week, many nerves had settled down enough to where the scullery maids had actually washed more dishes than were broken by the other servants who'd jumped like rabbits at every passing breeze. Much like the regal mountain pines, the guards had stood watch at their posts with an unwavering vigilance that helped to retain their impromptu popularity.

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure that no one was nearby to scent out his fart, the guard gave a huge yawn.

After two weeks, the overall alertness at the mansion had begun to flag in direct proportion with the sudden drop in the amount of praise that was previously heaped upon the no longer stalwart defenders. Without the immediate threat of bloodthirsty wolves gathering outside the front gate, many of the servants became pliant and assumed that their little corner of the Western han had been overlooked or rendered unreachable by the spell erected by Jaken-sama.

Since their ookami bogeymen weren't showing up to keep them on their toes, the soldiers and the household staff had fallen into a monotonous routine that showed they weren't expecting trouble of any kind to seek them out.

Tired and more than a little bored by the tedium of the passing day, the guard straightened hastily when he saw a large blue shadow coast along the courtyard towards him. His stiff posture relaxed when the mountain known as Kiso moved on to another part of the courtyard.

"Now?"

"Dammit Hakkaku! If you don't shut up I will cut out your tongue."

"Sorry."

The clarion call of a bell that signaled the changing of the guards rang out across the stretch of cleared and flattened earth that surrounded the mansion for about half a ri on all sides save one. The wall that led to the forest and waterfall behind the mansion allowed the ancient trees to come directly up to the stones themselves. Crouched patiently in their leafy camouflage, the ookami forces that compromised a third of Gorotsuki's might tensed at the sound and prepared to do what they had been sent there for.

"Okay, now!"

Turning away from the barrier to greet the new shift, the guard's eyes widened in surprise as his mouth worked soundlessly around a scream that the jutting spear in his throat wouldn't allow to escape. The man he had been greeting didn't get even that much time as two arrows caught him dead center in both eyes.

Half-asleep and unprepared for the blood-curdling howl that cut through the heart of every man, woman and child within the massive stone walls, the soldiers scrambled around in a panic.

The barrier flashed and strobed wildly as numerous ookami nestled within the hollowed trees slipped through it into the courtyard beyond. Since the trees were a neutral party unto themselves, they wove back and forth through the barrier with impudence. It was an oversight that would cost the Inu no Taisho dearly.

As he ripped the throat out of one screaming guard, Hakkaku drew the crimson liquid to his lips and delightedly licked it clean. His voice was rough with harsh laughter as he slashed through another helpless victim.

"Yes! Now this is what I've been waiting for!"

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A/N: ri-three miles, ryo-gold denomination, Inuyasha-natural born idiot.

But I love him.

For those that are curious, Anbu is Naraku's daughter with Yuumei, not Kenami. Who is Yuumei? (holds back laughter) Like I'm going to come right out and tell you!!

Some of you still don't understand that I'm totally insane when it comes to story angles, huh? Bless all of your anxious little cliffhanger-hating hearts.

No, Anbu is Yuumei's child. Our favorite villain merely turned Kouga's beloved Kenami into a sex slave after Lord Gorotsuki sold her away. As seen before (Ch. 6), she is merely a tool he uses to garner favors from lord and nobles.

Oddly, no one commented about Kagura being the one who actually trained her in that particular trade (Ch. 18). Does everyone really feel that our little wind sorceress would fit the role of a dominatrix so well?

(has a sudden idea for a drawing)

Ooh, but they'd never let me post that on Daa3...

Hmm?

What did I do to Hakkaku? Yeah, he is acting very differently than his previous appearances (Ch. 3 and 17) isn't he?

(grins widely)

Trust me, the answer is deliciously wicked.

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Ba: What do you mean?

Ka: Oh nothing! Nothing at all.

Ba: Okay. Do you need anything?

Ka: Yes.

Ba: What is it? I'll get anything you want, just name it!

Ka: An extra-large pizza-cutter would be lovely.

Ba: !!!!